Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 324 Outward Planning
"Fellow Daoist Shen!?"

After a brief moment of awkwardness, Li Qing was the first to react, standing up to greet Shen Chongming with a cupped hand, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you've finally returned!"

Shen Chongming returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, then took two steps forward and cupped his hands in return to the golden-haired monkey.

The golden monkey glanced at him and sighed softly.

"How did you escape from that old dragon?"

"The speed of the Imperial Chariot is very fast, but most of the old dragon kings in the Myriad Dragon Nest are proficient in the art of dragon travel, and their speed in the void can be described as the ultimate among the cultivators of the Cangmin Realm."

"Chongming went to the chaotic turbulent flow outside the boundary."

Knowing he owed the golden monkey a lot, Shen Chongming made no attempt to hide it.

"oh!?"

Upon hearing this, the golden-haired monkey's eyes lit up, and he smiled faintly, "You are quite clever."

"The chaotic turbulence outside the boundary is an extremely dangerous place."

"Putting yourself in a life-or-death situation is how you survive; no wonder you were able to escape the old dragon's pursuit."

He sighed again as he finished speaking.

"Everyone, take a seat."

The four of them came to the pavilion and sat down together in front of the desk.

The golden monkey personally fetched a wine glass, filled it with wine, and handed it to him.

“Those guys in the Dragon Nest are very vengeful. Although you have temporarily escaped their pursuit, they will not let it go if they find out you are still alive.”

"In the future, my old ape island will probably become the object of their attention."

Shen Chongming looked at the wine in his glass, pondered for a moment, and then put the glass down.

With a flash of light in his hand, he took out the Northern Star Imperial Chariot and handed it to the golden-haired monkey.

The golden-haired monkey frowned as it stared at the imperial chariot without saying a word.

Shen Chongming said respectfully, "I will never forget your great kindness, senior."

“Chongming knew that his arrival at the place where his predecessor lived in seclusion had indeed caused him a lot of trouble.”

"The Dragon faction is a force that must not be provoked. Chongming has already caused trouble this time, so we must not involve Senior and Fellow Daoist Li in this as well."

Shen Chongming placed the imperial chariot on the desk and gently pushed it in front of the golden-haired monkey. He continued, "I am returning the imperial chariot to you, senior. I will be leaving this island shortly."

"If the dragons from the Ten Thousand Dragons Nest come looking for us again in the future, just say that Chongming has already left."

Upon hearing this, the golden-haired monkey slowly tightened his grip on the wine glass, his expression growing colder and colder.

Bang!
The wine cup, carved from the finest jade, was ultimately crushed by his hand!
The spirit wine in the cups instantly splashed onto the group!
"Ah!"

"What? You're getting angry after hearing what I, Old Ape, just said?"

"You want to go and die, to fulfill your inner convictions?"

"Alright, I, Old Ape, will grant your wish!"

With a sudden wave of his hand, the golden-haired monkey put away the imperial chariot in front of him and roared angrily, "Get lost!"

Shen Chongming paused for a moment, then raised his glass with a smile: "Thank you, senior. Chongming toasts you..."

After saying this, he prepared to tilt his head back and drink the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Snapped!
Upon seeing this, the golden-haired monkey immediately waved its hand and knocked the wine glass out of the other's hand.

"I'm so angry!"

"I'm furious!! I'm doomed!"

The golden-haired monkey overturned the documents, spirit wine, and spirit fruit in front of him, then jumped onto the stone bench next to him, angrily pointing at Shen Chongming and cursing him.

"You blockhead idiot!"

"Do you think all the dragons in the Dragon Nest are like you, brainless?"

"Or do you believe that the entity behind you, capable of manipulating cause and effect, will stop just because you're dead?"

"I, Old Ape, am telling you today, all of this will not end with your death!"

"You, the Shen family, me, Old Ape, and them!"

"Cause and effect have long been intertwined!"

"If this matter could truly end with your death alone, for Chongxu, for Brother Li and Brother Yun, and even for your Shen family, I, Old Ape, might very well personally kill you!"

After being severely scolded by the golden-haired monkey, Shen Chongming didn't dare to say a word.

He wasn't really thinking, as the golden-haired monkey claimed, that he intended to resolve all the crises by dying.

Suicide is not in his nature.

But the golden monkey's words did wake him up.

Neither the dragons of the Dragon Nest nor the beings scheming against me with cause and effect are easy to deal with.

I am a member of the Shen family, and this applies to both life and death.

Now, all the causes and effects have implicated the Shen family and the Golden-haired Monkey.

There's no way to avoid it now.

His actions just now seemed to have led the golden monkey to misunderstand that he had overheard the other party's complaints when he arrived and was now throwing a tantrum.

"Please calm down, senior. Chongming knows he was wrong."

Seeing that the golden monkey's anger had eased slightly after his outburst, Shen Chongming quickly bowed and apologized.

The golden-haired monkey snorted and turned its head away.

Li Qing, who was standing to the side, shook his head slightly and came to Shen Chongming's side, saying, "Fellow Daoist Shen, Brother Jin and I are not people who are afraid of trouble."

"I'm just worried that this move will have too many repercussions."

"The power of the four sea dragons in the Cangmin Sea is something that all forces in the seventy-two realms of Cangmin fear."

"The Shen family had just started to prosper when they got involved with them..."

"Alright!" The golden-haired monkey suddenly interrupted Li Qing, coldly snorting, "Brother Li, there's no need to persuade him. This kid will never hand over that Nascent Soul."

Li Qing was taken aback upon hearing this.

Shen Chongming was also taken aback for a moment, then cupped his hands towards Li Qing and said, "Senior Luo can be said to have done a great service to my Shen family."

"Although Chongming has not yet consulted the elders in his family about this matter, he can guarantee that even if it means risking their lives, his third uncle and the others will definitely not choose to hand over Senior Luo's nascent soul."

After hearing this, Li Qing sighed softly and remained silent.

Although the golden monkey also had a blank expression, it was filled with deep emotion.

This choice made by the Shen family was within his expectations.

Frankly speaking, if Shen Chongming were to truly weigh the pros and cons and choose to hand over the Nascent Soul, given his relationship with Wanlongchao, he could easily clear the Shen family of any involvement in this matter with a few words.

However, he also estimated that he would gradually distance himself from the Shen family and would not develop a close relationship with them.

The cultivation world is cruel, and true feelings can sometimes seem foolish, but this kind of foolishness is a rare quality in the entire cultivation world.

Yun Yuejiao silently helped up the overturned documents, picked up the remaining spiritual fruits, and carefully wiped them clean.

"Brother Jin, calm down and sit down."

"Fellow Daoist Shen, please sit down as well."

The four sat down together again, and the golden-haired monkey let out a long sigh and said, "What I, the old ape, said just now was a bit unpleasant to hear, but please don't take it to heart."

Shen Chongming quickly cupped his hands and said, "Of course not, senior is right."

With a flash of light, the golden-haired monkey took out the Northern Star Imperial Chariot again.

"Take the imperial carriage, everything will remain the same."

"As for the dragons, I, the old ape, will find a way to stall them for now."

"Given their past relationship, they probably won't push too hard."

Having said that, he sighed again and said, "If those greedy fellows had some rare treasures this time, perhaps they would have more room to maneuver."

Dragons are considered precious treasures.

The golden-haired monkey also knew that relying solely on personal relationships was not enough these days.

"treasure?"

"Senior, wait a moment."

As Shen Chongming spoke, a flash of light appeared in his hand, and he directly took out two longswords that exuded a rich aura of treasure.

These two longswords were the very weapons the old beggar had retrieved from the chaotic currents when he returned from beyond the boundary.

During the journey, Shen Chongming had a general look at the two swords. Based on the aura emanating from them, he could determine that they were two extremely high-quality spiritual weapons, which could be considered rare treasures in the entire Cangmin Realm.

He originally planned to send them all back to the Nine Provinces World later and give them to his grandfather, Shen Yuan, as a legacy for the Shen family.

Now that the golden-haired monkey said that the rare treasure might be able to temporarily stabilize the dragon faction's Ten Thousand Dragon Nest, he didn't hesitate at all and took it out directly.

After all, compared to the safety of everyone and the world of Kyushu, treasures are just external possessions.

"Senior, please take a look at these two swords."

Handing the longsword in his hand to the golden-haired monkey, Shen Chongming said, "This is what Chongming obtained in the chaotic turbulence. There were hundreds of similar flying swords in that chaotic turbulence back then, but unfortunately Chongming only obtained these two."

The golden-haired monkey, his face full of astonishment, took the crimson longsword that seemed to be burning with flames. After examining it carefully for a moment, he couldn't help but exclaim, "This is... the most powerful sword weapon from the Burial Sword Abyss!?"

The ultimate sword weapon?

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming, Li Qing, and the other two had different expressions.

Suspecting that Huang Lingshan and the others had perished in the Burial Sword Abyss, when the Golden-haired Monkey returned, Li Qing and Yun Yuejiao did not ask him about what he had seen and heard in the Burial Sword Abyss, for fear of making him feel even more guilty.

Meanwhile, Shen Chongming had been hiding from the dragons at the Heavenly Venerable's Daoist Temple outside the boundary during this period.

Therefore, they knew nothing about what happened in the Burial Sword Abyss.

The golden-haired monkey gently stroked the high-grade spiritual weapon-level longsword in its hand, sighed softly, and slowly recounted what had happened at the Burial Sword Abyss.

Knowing about the relationship between Shen Chongming and Huang Lingshan, he did not mention the experiences of Huang Lingshan and the others.

After hearing his story, Shen Chongming was somewhat surprised.

"So, those hundreds of swords trapped by the chaotic currents outside the boundary were all the swords of powerful ancient sword immortals from the Burial Sword Abyss!?"

"What a huge loss..."

He had assumed that the swordsmen he had seen were magical artifacts belonging to powerful individuals who had failed to cross the chaotic currents of the Cangmin Realm throughout history.

At best, they are all swords carried by cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage.

Who would have thought that those hundreds of swords actually came from the Burial Sword Abyss, and were the weapons of those powerful sword immortals from ancient times!

"This is a top-grade spiritual artifact."

The golden-haired monkey placed the crimson longsword in his hand on the desk and then took the slender bronze longsword from Shen Chongming's hand.

After examining it closely, he exclaimed in surprise, "This weapon has vaguely reached the level of a top-grade spiritual artifact!"

Upon hearing this, Li Qing also looked at the bronze longsword in surprise.

"Brother Jin, there are probably only a handful of top-grade spiritual artifacts in the entire Cangmin Realm, right?"

The golden-haired monkey slowly nodded and said, "Below the true immortal weapons, apart from some ancient treasures, top-grade spiritual artifacts are already considered the strongest magic weapons."

"Let alone the current Cangmin Sea area, I, Old Ape, think that even in the Cangmin Realm back then, there were only a handful of magic treasures of this level."

"The owner of this sword was probably a renowned and powerful sword immortal in his lifetime."

Without a trace of greed in his eyes, the golden-haired monkey handed the bronze sword back to Shen Chongming.

"A high-grade spiritual weapon is enough to win over those old dragons. You should think carefully about whether you want to use this high-grade spiritual weapon to negotiate with the Myriad Dragon Nest?"

"These swords produced in the Burial Sword Abyss all contain some of the legacy of peerless sword immortals. Any force that obtains them will regard them as treasures."

After a moment's thought, Shen Chongming cupped his hands and said, "I entrust this matter to you, senior."

Given the Shen family's current strength, they have absolutely no choice in this matter.

Exchanging treasures for survival time may be frustrating, but it's a last resort.

He can only hope that when the Shen family becomes powerful in the future, a descendant will be able to descend upon the Myriad Dragon Nest and retrieve the sword.

The golden-haired monkey picked up the crimson longsword from the table in front of him, stroked it gently for a moment, and said, "In that case, it's good for those reptiles."

"Damn it! It's so frustrating!"

Somewhat annoyed, he put his longsword back into his storage bag, stood up and said, "You all stay on the island for now, I, Old Ape, am going to the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared from the three of them.

……

Jinchuan Island Market.

A massive bronze ship slowly approached the huge island below.

“Xuan’er, there’s really no need for that. The boys at home have everything they need.”

On the ship, Shen Wen'an looked at Zhou Xuan, who was preparing to disembark and head to the market, and once again tried to persuade her.

He didn't intend to stay here, but Zhou Xuan insisted on going to the market to buy some things to give to the younger generation of the Shen family.

She said it was a gift from her, her future aunt, to the younger generation of the Shen family.

“They don’t lack what they want; what Xuan’er bought is Xuan’er’s sentiment.”

"They will eventually be traveling in the Cangmin Sea, and they will need some elixirs and talismans."

"Let's go, Uncle Shen, let's go take a look together."

Zhou Xuan spoke with a smile.

Shen Chongzhen chimed in, "Father, let's go take a look. I've earned some cultivation resources at the Ice God Palace over the years, and I plan to buy some things that can prolong life for Mother and all the elders."

Unable to dissuade the two, Shen Wen'an had no choice but to put away the bronze ship and fly towards Jinchuan Island with them.

Jinchuan Island is located on the edge of the Snowy Sea Cliff and is a market town within the influence of the Ice God Palace.

Disciples of the Ice God Palace are also stationed on the island.

Zhou Xuan was clearly familiar with the island. After leading Shen Chongzhen and his son to the market, he walked smoothly towards a talisman shop on the side of the street.

After selecting over a hundred talismans of various ranks in one go, she directly took out her identity token.

Upon seeing this, the shop owner of the talisman shop immediately became much more respectful.

With discounts and gifts, they ultimately collected eight thousand spirit crystals from Zhou Xuan.

Upon seeing this, Shen Wen'an couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Eight thousand spirit crystals, placed on a rogue cultivator at the Purple Mansion level, is practically all the wealth they can muster.

Zhou Xuan didn't even blink and paid right away.

The three left the shop with the shopkeeper's attentive farewell. Shen Wen'an immediately said, "That's enough, that's enough. These talismans are sufficient."

Zhou Xuan smiled and patted her storage bag: "Uncle Shen, don't worry, I brought enough spirit crystals for this trip."

"When cultivators travel, their standard equipment includes pills, talismans, and magical artifacts."

"Talismans alone are definitely not enough."

"Let's go, let's go take a look at the pills."

"There is a pill shop on Jinchuan Island run by the Pill Master's Secret Realm. It has a very complete selection of pills, and the quality is quite good. Let's go take a look."

Led by Zhou Xuan, the three continued on their way.

"Shangxian..."

"Supreme Immortal!"

The three were walking on a busy street when a faint voice suddenly came from afar.

The call sounded familiar to Shen Wen'an, who immediately stopped and looked around.

As he turned, his gaze pierced through the crowd and he vaguely spotted a familiar figure inside a cage placed in front of a shop across the street!

She was a little girl, about five or six years old!

The little girl was covered in delicate blue scales, her clothes were dirty, and her face and head were covered in blood. Only her pair of bright blue eyes shone with a faint light when she saw Shen Wen'an.

Upon seeing the little girl locked in the cage, Shen Wen'an felt a pang of guilt, followed by a wave of self-reproach.

Forgot, forgot!

I've completely forgotten about it!

He had been to the Burial Sword Abyss and experienced so much that he had completely forgotten that a group of sea monsters were waiting for him on that archipelago known as the Punishment Land!

"Uncle Shen, what's wrong?"

"father?"

Seeing Shen Wen'an's unpleasant expression and his fixed gaze on the other side of the street, Zhou Xuan curiously tiptoed over to look.

His gaze fell upon the little girl locked in the cage, and his expression faltered slightly.

"They're actually sea monsters!?"

"This has been quite rare in recent years."

"It is said that the sea monsters of the Cangmin Realm have been almost wiped out."

Suppressing his self-reproach, Shen Wen'an said in a deep voice, "Let's go take a look."

The three of them made their way through the crowd to the cage.

"Shangxian..."

Inside the cage, the little girl from the siren clan saw Shen Wen'an, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

She wanted to stand up, but the cage was too small, so she could only kneel inside the hard, uneven cage, staring longingly at Shen Wen'an.

Meeting her gaze, Shen Wen'an's heart skipped a beat.

He couldn't help but recall that time on those islands, when this little girl timidly called out to him, begging him to show their sea monster clan a way to survive.

At that time, he had solemnly promised that if they hid on the islands, he would come back to take them away within a year at most.

Although the year has not yet passed, if he hadn't seen this little girl, he probably would have forgotten about it.

"Uncle Shen knows this little sea monster girl?"

Seeing the scene before him, Zhou Xuan spoke with some confusion.

Shen Wen'an nodded slightly and recounted his encounter with the sea monster clan during his first trip to the Ice God Palace.

Upon hearing this, a hint of regret flashed across Zhou Xuan's face.

"So the Siren race has already reached such a precarious state."

The three of them stopped in front of the cage, which naturally attracted the attention of the shop assistant.

A middle-aged cultivator at the peak of the Fetal Breathing Realm respectfully approached and cupped his hands in greeting: "Honored guest, you have excellent taste. These are some fine items that have just arrived at our shop."

"A young female siren."

The man seemed oblivious to the strange expression on Shen Wen'an's face and continued his enthusiastic introduction.

“These three distinguished guests are distinguished by their extraordinary bearing and clearly belong to a major sect of cultivation. They must know the wonders of the sea monster clan.”

"However, the siren we obtained has an additional effect compared to ordinary siren."

The man had originally introduced it to Zhou Xuan, but seemed to realize that Zhou Xuan wouldn't be interested in what he was about to say, so he leaned closer to Shen Chongzhen and whispered, "This is a female sea monster, and she still has her virginity."

"After you buy it, you can raise it until it reaches adulthood. Then you can harvest its primordial yin and then its heart. Its value will far exceed that of an ordinary sea monster."

At this point, the waiter's smile became even more lewd, and his voice lowered further as he said, "Honored guest, I've heard that adult female sirens have soft and tender bodies, making them rare and exquisite objects for defilement..."

"If our honored guest is not in a hurry, he can stay for a few more years. It will not be too late to extract his heart for medicine at that time."

Hearing the foul language around him, Shen Chongzhen secretly clenched his fist with his hand hidden in his sleeve.

If this weren't Jinchuan Island Market, he would have cut off the man's tongue with a single sword stroke and then twisted his head off!

"How many spirit crystals does this siren cost? We'll buy it."

After listening to Shen Wen'an's story, Zhou Xuan knew that every extra moment that dragged on was torture for Shen Wen'an.

He immediately spoke up.

The shopkeeper was taken aback upon hearing this, and then wanted to explain it to Zhou Xuan again in order to raise the price of the little sea monster girl.

However, Zhou Xuan didn't want to listen to his nonsense and directly showed his token as a disciple of the Ice God Palace.

"Do you know me?"

The shopkeeper looked at the token that exuded a chilling aura, paused for a moment, and then quickly bowed respectfully: "So you are a master from the Ice God Palace."

"I was blind, please forgive me, sir." "Enough talk, the price."

Zhou Xuan suppressed her anger and spoke.

With the Ice God Palace protecting her, Jin Chuan Island Marketplace would never cause trouble on her own turf.

"Two...two thousand spirit crystals."

The waiter nervously quoted a price, but his eyes were secretly fixed on Zhou Xuan's expression.

"Ok?"

Zhou Xuan frowned and gave a puzzled "hmm".

"Sir, this is already the lowest price!"

"I dare not hide it from you, sir. This little sea monster was also bought by my shopkeeper from a Grand Master of the Purple Mansion for 15,000 spirit crystals."

"The price is..."

"Fifteen thousand, right?"

"I won't let you lose money either."

Zhou Xuan interrupted him, and just as she was about to take out spirit crystals from her storage bag, Shen Wen'an had already stuffed 15,000 spirit crystals into the shopkeeper's hand.

"Open the cage."

After paying with spirit crystals, he spoke in a deep voice.

While the man was still in a daze, Shen Chongzhen said coldly, "I told you to open the cage!"

Upon hearing this, the waiter hurriedly fetched a jade slip and stuck it on the cage.

With a flash of light, the cage door was instantly opened.

The little siren girl in the cage struggled to crawl out, her knees raw and bleeding.

Upon seeing this, Shen Chongzhen squatted down and picked him up.

The shop assistant next to him counted the spirit crystals in his hand while looking at Shen Chongzhen with a strange smile.

Shen Wen'an gently tidied the little siren's slightly disheveled hair and wiped the bloodstains from her cheeks.

"Let's go first."

The three of them left the shop with the little siren girl. Shen Chongzhen took out a cloak from his storage bag and draped it over the little girl.

Noticing Shen Wen'an's absent-mindedness, Zhou Xuan understood what he was thinking. He hurriedly bought some pills and magic treasures, and also bought two suitable clothes for the little girl before leaving Jinchuan Island.

On the bronze ship, with Zhou Xuan's help, the little siren girl Lan Yiyi washed off the bloodstains and changed into clean clothes.

The wounds on his body were also covered with medicinal powder.

"Exalted Immortal."

Lan Yiyi, who had just emerged from the cabin, walked behind Shen Wen'an and called out softly.

On the deck, Shen Wen'an, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, turned around, looked at the little girl, squatted down, and asked, "What happened to you and your people after I left?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of panic suddenly flashed in Lan Yiyi's large, bright blue eyes.

Seeing this, Zhou Xuan squatted down and gently pulled her into his arms, saying softly, "Don't be afraid, Yi Yi, you're alright now."

After being comforted, Lan Yiyi's emotions stabilized a little, but her voice still trembled slightly as she said, "The immortal said... that we should wait for you for a year."

"The clan chief and Brother Lanqi then led us to hide in the sea and wait."

"However, if the sea monsters stay in the water for a long time, they will gradually degenerate into monsters and need to go ashore for a period of time every hundred days."

"In the third month after the immortal left, the clan leader led us out of the sea..."

The little girl trembled slightly as she said this.

“Dozens of fierce-looking human cultivators had already laid a trap. The clan leader was killed by them, and so were all the grandfathers.”

"Yi Yi and Brother Lan Qi, along with several other juniors, were captured and taken to different places by that group of human cultivators."

As she said this, tears welled up in Lan Yi's eyes and streamed down her face.

"Immortal... is there really no way for our sea monster clan to survive?"

"Brother Lanqi and the others...are they no longer here?"

The bronze ship flew rapidly through the void, its destination the very place where the sea monsters had once hid.

A strong wind blew across the deck, and Shen Wen'an met the little girl's tearful gaze, not knowing how to answer for a moment.

Normally, the most valuable thing in the Siren race is the Siren's Heart.

Lan Yi said that Lan Qi and the others had been captured for several months, and now they were probably in grave danger.

This means that Lan Yiyi in front of him is very likely the only survivor among the group of sea monsters he encountered back then.

Thinking of this, Shen Wen'an felt a deep sense of guilt.

He had received a bribe from the Siren Clan and personally promised to return as soon as possible to take them away.

Although I haven't broken my promise yet, I'm still late.

"Father, are we still going to that island group?"

After a long silence, Shen Chongzhen spoke.

According to Lan Yiyi, the other members of the Siren clan are either dead or captured.

There are probably no survivors left on those islands.

Shen Wen'an did not answer his question, but slowly raised his hand to smooth Lan Yiyi's light blue hair.

"Girl, do you want revenge?"

Lan Yiyi's pretty face froze slightly, then she nodded firmly.

Upon seeing this, Shen Wen'an nodded and said, "From this day forward, how about I take you as my disciple?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl immediately broke free from Zhou Xuan's arm and respectfully knelt down in front of Shen Wen'an, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Disciple pays homage to master."

Shen Wen'an helped him up, then looked at Zhou Xuan and said, "Xuan'er, you must know some tracing techniques, right?"

Zhou Xuan hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Born into a powerful family, she naturally knew some ancient techniques.

"Alright, once we get to that island, I'll trouble you to take action and let Yi Yi know who her enemy is."

Zhou Xuan sighed softly upon hearing this.

"Do we really want this girl to live with hatred for the rest of her life?"

Having reached their level of cultivation, they could vaguely sense that the reason why the sea monster clan had fallen to such a state was all due to fate.

Lan Yiyi's experience was already tragic enough, and deep down, Zhou Xuan didn't want her to live with hatred for the rest of her life.

"Sister, I beg you."

Seeing that Zhou Xuan did not agree, Lan Yiyi looked at her with a pleading expression.

"We must take revenge! We must make them pay for the treatment they gave the clan leader and the clansmen!"

Sensing the girl's resolute expression, Shen Wen'an said, "This is her choice."

"Hatred can also be a driving force."

"If the Siren Clan has a powerful protector in the future and becomes an existence like the Four Seas Dragons, today's tragedy will not happen again."

"Isn't this a kind of fate for Yi Yi?"

Zhou Xuan didn't say anything more after hearing that.

The bronze ship sped along and soon arrived at the archipelago known as the Punishment Lands.

Led by Lan Yiyi, the three quickly found the place where the sea monsters had been captured.

On the desolate island, dozens of sirens lay scattered about, their bellies ripped open and hearts removed.

Among them were the siren clan chief and the old siren who volunteered to offer his heart in exchange for the lives of his people.

Looking at these sea monsters who died with their eyes wide open, Shen Wen'an clenched his fists inwardly.

Lan Yiyi, standing to the side, was already in tears.

She knelt among the corpses of her clansmen, her small hands trembling as she closed the eyes of the tragically deceased.

"Clan leader... the immortal has arrived..."

When she arrived at the corpse of the siren clan chief, Lan Yiyi murmured sadly, large tears streaming down her face.

"Clan leader, Yi Yi has met the immortal."

"The immortal has taken Yi Yi as his disciple. Yi Yi will follow the immortal and cultivate diligently to avenge you and everyone else..."

After crying her heart out, Lan Yiyi came to Zhou Xuan and said, "Sister, please help Yiyi."

Meeting her gaze, Zhou Xuan couldn't bear to refuse and immediately activated the Tracing Array.

After a while——

"Some of these people may have used disguise techniques."

"But their aura is not easy to change. I will help you find out their identities later."

"However, you must promise your sister that you will follow your master and cultivate diligently. You must not act rashly without your master's permission."

Lan Yiyi nodded solemnly.

Having received news of their enemy, Shen Wen'an personally helped Lan Yiyi bury all the sea monsters who had died tragically on the island. The four of them then boarded the bronze ship again and headed towards the nameless island.

……

The Nine Provinces World.

Inside the family hall at the foot of Yansheng Mountain.

Shen Xiuyan examined the intelligence report in his hand, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"Someone is coming."

After pacing and pondering for a long time, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and shouted.

"Master of the house."

A Shen family cultivator at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm quickly approached and bowed.

"Go and invite Lord Wenxing and Commander Xu over."

Shen Xiuyan spoke in a deep voice, and the cultivator hurriedly bowed and ran out.

A moment later, Shen Wenxing and Xu Zhan slowly entered the hall.

"Grandpa, Uncle."

Shen Xiuyan bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

Xu Zhan returned the greeting with a cupped hand and called out "Patriarch," while Shen Wenxing simply nodded slightly.

"Grandpa, Uncle, please sit down."

The three sat down on the benches next to them. Shen Xiuyan said, "Brother Xiuchan sent a message from outside the realm that the Hunting Dao is plotting to create a Dao Source Secret Realm in the Fengshui Realm."

"Right now, it seems that the Underworld and the Calamity Fire Cult have their eyes on them."

“When Aunt Shen Li broke through to the Purple Mansion realm, Xiu Bai appeared and told Xiu Yan that our Nine Provinces World was planning to expand outwards.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhan and Shen Wenxing exchanged a glance and said, "So, you're planning to use this opportunity to make your move in the Fengshui region?"

Shen Xiuyan nodded.

"This is a rare opportunity. Of the seventy-two realms of Cangmin, only thirty small worlds remain."

"Those small worlds that have been transformed into secret realms are completely under our control, and outsiders cannot easily plot against them."

"The small world is definitely not to be missed."

"Xiu Yan is interested in this matter, but he is worried that the current strength of my Kyushu World is insufficient. That is why he asked someone to invite my great-grandfather and uncle to hear your opinions."

Shen Wenxing pondered for a moment and said, "It takes at least several decades from planning to fully acquiring the Dao source of a small world."

"If the Patrol Road still wants to guard against the Fire Calamity Sect and the Underworld, some of its strategies need to be more secretive."

"It may take a hundred years."

"If the Nine Provinces World intends to start its strategic planning at this time, it is indeed a bit too early."

Xu Zhan nodded in agreement.

The mysterious art of the Nine Provinces world was only deactivated two years ago, leaving everything in ruins and presenting a great opportunity for rapid development.

In terms of strength, the biggest limitation in sending people to make arrangements in Fengshui is their current capabilities.

"The sword immortals from the Azure Vine Sword Pavilion at Burial Sword Abyss have not yet returned."

"We can't exactly send cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage to the Fengshui Realm, can we?"

Xu Zhan echoed in a slightly joking tone.

“What my great-grandfather and uncle-in-law said makes sense, and Xiu Yan has also considered these things.”

However, there is still a concern regarding the repair of the inkstone.

"Oh?" Shen Wenxing glanced at him and said, "Tell me about it."

Shen Xiuyan slowly stood up, paced around, and said, "If the layout of the Nine Provinces World is to be sufficiently secretive, it cannot wait until the spirits of the Fengshui Realm begin to manifest before taking action."

"The reason why Xiu Yan wants to start planning now is to allow the people I sent from the Nine Provinces World to take root and rise in the Fengshui Realm in a very gentle way, and eventually try to seize the opportunity of the Patrol Path."

"You're planning to seize the Dao Source of the Fengshui Realm!?"

Upon hearing Shen Xiuyan's words, Shen Wenxing was stunned and said in disbelief.

He originally thought that Shen Xiuyan brought up this matter simply because he wanted to take advantage of the collapse of the Fengshui boundary, just like those outsiders who invaded the Yangnao Land in search of opportunities when the boundary was about to collapse.

After all, every small world was once part of the Cangmin Realm, and some of the secret realms and opportunities left behind by the Cangmin Realm are deeply hidden.

It will only gradually manifest itself when the Dao collapses.

Now, judging from Shen Xiuyan's words, what he wants is not just those opportunities, but also to snatch back the entire Dao Source of the Fengshui Realm!

This……

"Grandpa doesn't think Xiu Yan just wants some rare and precious materials, does he?"

“Those things are of little use to the Nine Provinces world, and are not worth Xiu Bai personally instructing Xiu Yan to acquire.”

"The 'outward planning' that Xiu Yan mentioned is a plan that is enough to affect the entire Kyushu world."

When Shen Xiubai appeared, the matter he repeatedly emphasized was not some rare and precious treasures; it concerned the Shen family and the entire Nine Provinces world's grand plan for thousands, even tens of thousands of years.

Otherwise, Shen Xiuyan, the head of the Shen family, would not have gone to such lengths and expended so much energy.

Upon hearing his words, Xu Zhan and Shen Wenxing's expressions suddenly turned serious.

"The patriarch's actions..."

"Xu Zhan".

Xu Zhan originally wanted to ask Shen Xiuyan about his intentions.

Shen Wenxing interrupted him.

As the second-generation head of the Shen family, he was well aware that each generation of family heads had their own considerations when making decisions.

Shen Xiuyan's plan to plot the Dao Source of the Fengshui Realm was personally instructed by Shen Xiubai, who was connected to the Nine Provinces World.

While the two were asleep, Shen Xiuyan must have discussed this matter with his father, Shen Yuan.

The two of them need not say much at the moment, so as not to interfere with his decision.

Xu Zhan shut his mouth.

Shen Wenxing looked at Shen Xiuyan and said, "Xiuyan, you decide this matter. If there's anything your great-grandfather and uncle need to do, just let us know."

Shen Xiuyan sighed softly.

He knew that the final decision on this matter ultimately rested with him.

Grandfather Shen Wenxing's reply was not perfunctory.

He was also saying this to show that the elders in his family would unconditionally support all his decisions.

Thinking of this, Shen Xiuyan put aside his concerns and turned to Xu Zhan, cupping his hands in greeting:

"Uncle, I still need to ask you and the body cultivators under the Shen family to handle this matter."

"Xiuyan asked Brother Xiuchan to investigate some information about the Fengshui Realm. Half of the Fengshui Realm's territory belongs to the Wilderness Land."

"Although the Hunting Road is the most powerful force in the Fengshui Realm, controlling the vast majority of resources and influence in the entire Fengshui Realm."

"However, the many great clans in that desolate land all inherited their lineage from ancient physical cultivators who proved their Dao through strength."

"My uncle is now at the peak of the fifth realm of body cultivation. If he goes to the Fengshui Realm and manages to infiltrate the Wilderness, he will have a great chance to recruit some of the major Wilderness clans to his own cause."

Xiu Yan estimated that his uncle might still have a chance to obtain some ancient body cultivation opportunities in the Fengshui Realm.

He had clearly done his homework on this.

They not only learned about the basic information of the Fengshui boundary, but also made some calculations and formulated a simple plan.

Xu Zhan grinned and said, "If that's the case, then Uncle has no reason to refuse."

"However, my uncle has one more request this time."

Shen Xiuyan nodded: "Uncle, please speak."

Xu Zhan glanced at Shen Wenxing beside him and said, "Please grant me permission, Master. I would like to bring Senior Sister and Jingzhe along."

He will be away at the Fengshui border planning the origin of the Dao for at least several decades, and at most over a hundred years, and he may never be able to return.

Having been separated from his wife and children for over a century, it was uncertain whether he would be able to return alive from the Fengshui border. He didn't want to leave any regrets, nor did he want his wife and children to live in constant fear.

Shen Wenxing did not speak.

Rationally speaking, planning the Fengshui boundary was an extremely dangerous task.

The daughter, Shen You, and her grandson, Xu Jingzhe, went along, facing great danger.

But... he also understood Xu Zhan's thoughts.

"You can decide this matter yourself."

“You’er is your wife now that she’s married to you, and Jingzhe is your child too. I won’t interfere too much.”

Xu Zhan nodded and cupped his hands, saying, "Master, rest assured, if anything happens to me in the Fengshui Realm, I will definitely die before Senior Sister and Jingzhe."

Hearing his resolute words, Shen Wenxing's expression changed slightly, then he laughed and scolded, "You brat! You talk about dying before even setting out on the battlefield. How can Xiu Yan feel at ease entrusting you with this important task?"

Xu Zhan laughed and quickly spat twice.

"Don't worry, Master, I only stated the worst possible outcome."

Shen Xiuyan clenched his fist and said with a wry smile, "I really can't bear to let my cousin and aunt go on this adventure together."

"If my brothers find out about this, they'll probably start talking about it behind my back again."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing immediately glared and said, "Let's see who dares!"

“A bunch of little bastards, not only are they useless, but if they dare to gossip behind my back, I’ll kick them all to the clan’s main courtyard and punish them according to family rules.”

After being awakened, he also heard some rumors about his family.

Knowing that the "separation of immortals and mortals" has put Shen Xiuyan in a somewhat awkward position.

However, from a long-term perspective, this step is necessary, and Shen Wenxing can understand that.

"Okay, that's settled."

"Xu Zhan will discuss the specifics with Xiu Yan later."

"I'm going to Yansheng Peak."

Shen Wenxing stood up and spoke.

Although he spoke lightly, the matter was still too significant, and to be on the safe side, he still thought of going to Yansheng Peak to ask his father, Shen Yuan, to cast a divination for this matter.

I also wanted to ask my father for his opinion on an idea that I had in mind.

The second son, Shen Wenyan, had two sons and one daughter. In the Chongxu lineage, Shen Xiubai merged with the origin of the Nine Provinces World, which was essentially equivalent to his death and the annihilation of his Dao.

Shen Li had no plans to get married.

Shen Chongxuan's lineage has only one son, Shen Xiuyan, who is still unmarried.

Seeing that Shen Wenyan's lineage was dwindling, as his elder brother, he couldn't bear it. This time, he wanted to discuss with his father about finding a suitable wife for Shen Xiuyan.

He already had someone in mind, but since it concerned the mistress of the family, he still needed the old man to express his opinion.

(End of this chapter)