I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 189 Wen Yuan's Chaotic Sea
The sea breeze was like a knife, slapping against the scarlet reef line.

Having finished his cultivation, Xue Xiang emerged from his cave, wearing a black cloak that concealed his body, the hood pulled low, and hurried forward, using the sound of the tide as a means of transportation.

Following the fire veins along the outer edge of the island, we arrived at a training platform by the sea.

At the center of the platform, there is a bear-like figure, bare-chested and sitting cross-legged, with broad shoulders like mountains and a surging aura of blood and qi. Behind him, there is a shadowy figure of a bear swallowing the sea.

With each exhale and exhale, ripples spread across the sea surface, as if caressed by an invisible giant hand.

"The demon race is different. Even their cultivation is so domineering. They don't avoid the training room and just openly practice."

Xue Xiang stood at a distance, watching Youxiong Jinzun.

He gradually began to understand what was going on. The spiritual currents that flowed freely around Xiong Jinzun would stagnate after he exhaled thirty-nine times, as if they were blocked by some kind of barrier.

Suddenly, Xiong Jinzun withdrew his supernatural powers, leaped up, and landed beside Xue Xiang, coldly saying, "How is the momentum of my demon race's cultivation compared to your human race?"

Xue Xiang smiled and said, "The formation is impressive, but I don't think you've practiced very well."

During the spiritual practice, the lower burner was slow to respond, and the balance between the three burner gates and the Great Snow gate was uneven, with the qi and blood not yielding to each other. This is why the energy returned at the thirty-ninth breath and rebounded at the forty-sixth breath.

Youxiong Jinzun was taken aback at first, then curled his lip and waved his hand, saying, "Don't talk nonsense."

My secret method of cultivation was passed down by my ancestors and cannot be understood by outsiders.

Besides, you're just a Foundation Establishment cultivator; what could you possibly understand?"

Xue Xiang was not annoyed. "You used the 'Bear Swallowing the Sea Picture' as the model, but it's a modified version of the Chongshan Bone Refining Method, right?"

The first half of the week follows the Yangwei meridian, using Jianjing and Tianzong to initiate the movement; the second half of the week reverses course and enters the Yinqiao meridian, using Chengfu and Futu to control the force...

...The Sanjiao Gate is meant to be the outlet for Qi, but you've made it bear the burden of fire...

Youxiong Jinzun paused, his eyebrows suddenly rising: "Say that again?"

Xue Xiang said, “Sanjiao Pass is not a sluice gate, but a watershed. You’ve closed it off like a sluice gate. As for Daxue Pass, you think it only recognizes fire, but it actually recognizes moisture, and you’re using a ‘fiery furnace’…”

In terms of cultivation experience, Xue Xiang's understanding of the Core Formation Realm far surpasses that of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The reason is simple: his storage ring contained too many cultivation insight notes from experts at the Core Formation stage.

He often looked through it, and each time he looked at it, he found something new. He was like someone who could observe from a distance and still see the big picture, and he could still see a lot of insights from it.

He didn't know what secret technique Xiong Jinzun had mastered, but he could tell at a glance whether his cultivation state was correct or not, and where he was stuck.

Xiong Jinzun's expression finally changed, and he asked in a deep voice, "Where did you learn that?"

"It seems so."

Xue Xiang smiled and tossed him a dozen or so booklets, saying, "Make a copy yourself, and return the original when you're done."

You Xiong Jinzun took the booklet, quickly flipped through it, and became more and more alarmed as he read.

Although he was a Core Formation demon, he actually had no lineage, relying entirely on the little bit of knowledge that Xiong Jingang had passed down to him in his early days.

After the death of Youxiong Jingang, the true inheritor of the Youxiong family, the lineage of Youxiong Jinzun was effectively broken.

In cultivation, I have lost my guide.

The sectarianism within the demon race is even deeper than that within the human race.

Those who are not part of our alliance are practically enemies, and there is almost no interaction or exchange in cultivation between us.

The cultivation insights that Xue Xiang presented at this moment were nothing short of a golden scroll to Youxiong Jinzun.

He mumbled an "Mmm" and quickly left.

As evening approached, he arrived at Xue Xiang's cave dwelling and returned the booklet.

At the same time, a plate of cyan demon cores was also delivered, totaling more than ten.

Xue Xiang accepted the gift without ceremony, took out a jade box, and handed it back to Youxiong Jinzun.

When Youxiong Jinzun opened the jade box, a snow-white demon core lay quietly inside. It was the gift that Duowen Zhong had entrusted to Youxiong Jinzun as a parting present.

Youxiong Jinzun looked puzzled: "What... what do you mean?"

Xue Xiang said in a deep voice, "Send this item to the Shaodian family."

Youxiong Jinzun was stunned, his fingers almost loosened, nearly causing the jade box to fall.

He looked up, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Xue Xiang smiled faintly and explained, "In the previous competition, Young Master Shaodian lost face, so the Shaodian family turned around and instigated Duowenzhong to take action."

As you saw, when Duowen Zhong heard I was leaving, he immediately sent over this white demon core. The meaning was clear—since I wasn't staying in Crimson Moon Territory, he was willing to let bygones be bygones.

He paused, his gaze deep: "But the Shaodian family is probably plotting against the Youxiong clan. Send this item over as an apology to the Shaodian family, and then inform them that I will return to my sect for seclusion."

With the shrewdness of the Shaodian clan chief, he would naturally extract two key pieces of information.

First, we already know that it is the Shaodian family that is making trouble behind the scenes, so we will not be unprepared.

Second, I will not stay in the Youxiong family.

If Chief Shaodian isn't foolish, he wouldn't take action against the Youxiong clan without being able to completely eradicate them.

In this way, you can be assured of your safety.

Youxiong Jinzun was stunned, both shocked and deeply moved.

He remained silent for a long time, then nodded, and left with the jade box in his arms.

…………

The sea wind was fierce, stirring up the fishy, ​​damp mist of the Crimson Moon Demon Sea.

Xue Xiang lay prone on Xiong Jinzun's mountain-like back, his sleeves billowing and his hood pulled low.

The Golden Bear has wings on its back, which flap like thunder. With each flap, the air waves push aside layers of clouds and mist, and the waves on the sea rise several feet high.

The journey of the human and the demon to the chaotic sea of ​​Wenyuan has officially begun.

"No wonder that despite being weaker than demons, humans have produced so many masters and occupied the most prosperous continent."

When Xiong Jinzun spoke, his voice was booming, yet it carried an unusual lightness.

"You're implying something."

Xue Xiang took a sip of fruit wine.

Youxiong Jinzun said, "The Shaodian family accepted the white demon core and indeed did not say anything more, and even returned the gift."

Black morning and evening dew, three pieces.

Given the arrogance of the Shaodian family, normally they would never accept that white demon core.

It's even less likely that they would reciprocate by giving me, the Xiong family, a gift.

The only reason is that you were right.

They are wary of you.

"You humans are not only intelligent, but your civilization regarding cultivation is also incredibly advanced. Perhaps ten thousand years from now, the demon race will still be no match for the human race."

You Xiong Jinzun's voice turned low.

Xue Xiangdao said, "Whether we win or lose is none of our business. Let's just do our best."

By the way, what's the deal with the secret method of transmitting sound that you mentioned last time?
Could you send it to me?

You Xiong Jinzun's back trembled, and a hint of smugness appeared on his face: "Is there anything in the world that you can't do?"

Since meeting Xue Xiang, he has been suppressed in every way, and now he finally finds a tiny bit of his presence.

"The art of transmitting sound is not difficult. In essence, it is about using divine thought to create silk threads and then using spiritual apertures to transmit sound."

As he spoke, he demonstrated, his inner energy surging, his brow opening and closing, and a wisp of spiritual energy transformed into a fine thread that directly entered Xue Xiang's sea of ​​consciousness.

"Did you hear that?"

Xue felt as if a whisper was in his ear, the voice clear and unobstructed, penetrating his heart.

Xue Xiang nodded, sat cross-legged, and channeled his divine sense to condense a wisp of spiritual energy according to his method.

The first attempt failed, and the second attempt ended in a brief break.

The third time, his divine sense suddenly solidified, and a clear, lightning-like sound traveled through his spiritual aperture and directly into the ear of the Golden Venerable Youxiong.

"Like this?"

Youxiong Jinzun suddenly widened his eyes, then laughed loudly, "As expected, he learns everything quickly, what a freak!"

He had practiced this secret technique of transmitting sound for three whole months before he even got the hang of it, but Xue Xiang mastered it in just half an hour.

As the two chatted and laughed, the sea breeze behind them had already been thrown thousands of feet away.

……

After flying five hundred miles, a dark gray military formation suddenly appeared on the horizon. Hundreds of demon soldiers were arrayed in the air and sea, their banners fluttering and their killing intent chilling.

Xue Xiang took the first step and hid under the left side of the Youxiong Jinzun.

His scales tilted, completely obscuring him.

A demon general at the front, clad in black armor, roared like a giant drum: "Who goes there!"

Youxiong Jinzun spread his wings and landed, shouting in a deep voice: "Red Moon Demon Territory, Youxiong Tribe Venerable—Youxiong Jinzun!"

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed out an identity token forged from Crimson Moon Mystic Stone.

The token is entirely red, with a bear's head engraved in the center, its texture curling like a tide.

The demon general took a look and immediately clasped his hands in greeting: "So it is Venerable Xiong. Please forgive my obstruction."

The army formation suddenly broke apart, dispersing like the receding tide.

With a flap of its wings, Xiong Jinzun swept Xue Xiang through the formation, creating a whirlwind.

……

A day and a night, the sun rises and the moon sets.

As the sky gradually turned pale, the sea suddenly changed.

In the distance, the water turned from deep blue to inky black, and an endless band of mist surged between the sea and the sky.

The mist was neither smoke nor cloud, but thick like ink, rolling like a tide, yet strangely still.

Xue Xiang looked up and felt a slight tremor in his heart.

Within the mist, glimmers of golden light occasionally flashed, disappearing in an instant, like countless broken verses of poetry in the world, condensed but not dispersed.

A sea breeze blows, and the light ripples, like thousands of pages turning, with even the air filled with the scent of paper and ink.

"Wen Yuan's Chaotic Sea has arrived."

Youxiong Jinzun's voice was deep and his expression was solemn.

Xue Xiang gazed into the distance and saw giant waves appearing and disappearing amidst the sea of ​​fog, their spray resembling ink-stained pages of a book, crashing against the sky in layers.

Amidst the sound of the waves, one could faintly hear the voices of ancient sages reciting poetry, sometimes sobbing, sometimes singing, sometimes powerful like a drumbeat, sometimes low and mournful like weeping.

Beneath the surface, enormous shadows occasionally rise and fall in the dark waters.

The shadow sometimes resembled an octopus stretching its tentacles, sometimes a mountain rising and falling, but in an instant it transformed into countless broken pens and fragments of writing, floating and sinking in the waves.

"The chaotic literary atmosphere converged into a vast ocean."

Xue Xiang said softly, a solemn feeling rising in his heart like never before.

"Even after sending you a thousand miles, we must finally say goodbye."

Xue Xiangli sat on the magic carpet, lifted his cloak, and bowed to Xiong Jinzun.

Youxiong Jinzun, with a blank expression, said in a deep voice, "It's hideous."

Xue Xiang took out a black morning dew and swallowed it. Instantly, a warm current flowed through his body, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a gigantic demon with a blue face and fangs, looking extremely ferocious.

Youxiong Jinzun's eyes turned red, as if a warm current was flowing through them. He stepped forward and hugged Xue Xiang tightly, as if he were hugging the real Youxiong Jinzun.

Before Xue Xiang could respond, he suddenly turned around, transformed into his demon form, and with a flap of his wings, covered a hundred miles in the darkness.

"This boy."

Xue Xiang waved his hand forcefully.

His relationship with Youxiong Jinzun was somewhat like a case of "becoming friends after a fight." Over time, he found that ordinary demons were quite simple and honest, not very scheming, and easy to deal with.

Watching Xiong Jinzun depart, Xue Xiang took a deep breath, activated the magic carpet, and plunged headfirst into the surging "mist".

When talented people enter, everything changes instantly.

Then I found myself on the vast, calm sea.

Xue Xiang walked on the waves, and after traveling more than ten miles, he came across an island.

Verdant islands float on the water, shaded by flowers and trees, with birds singing in harmony, and the air is filled with a refreshing fragrance.

"Is this the legendary treacherous place? I think even the paradise of immortals is nothing special."

As he was wondering what was going on, suddenly, the water surface surged, and several streams of azure ink rose into the sky, condensing into sharp blades that whistled as they slashed toward him.

Caught off guard, Xue Xiang's demonic body was cut with several white marks. Although he was not injured, he felt a burning pain.

"Scholarly Qi Transforms into a Blade!"

He snorted coldly, "This is somewhat similar to the legendary treacherous place, but it's not enough."

Before his thought had even finished, white and black literary energy rose from the depths of the waves, surging like a tide and instantly solidifying.

Whether ferocious like a tiger or grotesque like a snake, they are all monsters formed from literary energy.

They treaded on the waves with all four legs, their eyes gleaming red, and pounced at once.

Xue Xiang shouted, his demonic body rising from the ground, his arms swinging down, the power of his flesh and blood surging like a mountain collapsing.

In an instant, the monsters were torn to pieces, turning into countless scattered characters and ink marks that drifted back into the sea.

"That's all."

Xue Xiang looked at the pair of arms as strong as steel with satisfaction.

In its demonic form, the body boasts maximum defense and strength, making it perfect for adventure.

Just then, a wave in front of them suddenly exploded.

A colossal monster rose from the sea, its scales as hard as iron, its body blotting out the sky.

With a roar, it absorbed the chaotic spiritual energy into its body.

In an instant, golden light burst forth from his body, like the sun rising into the sky.

"Monster!"

Xue Xiang recognized it at a glance, having seen too many of them in the Land of Demonic Imperfection.

But upon closer inspection, he realized that the monster's aura clearly indicated it was a purple-level monster.

As the monster let out a long howl, the surrounding birdsong and fragrant flowers vanished instantly, and the azure islands disappeared completely.

Instead, a gloomy and desolate world has emerged.

The sea was as black as ink, the waves as sharp as knives, the sky hung low, and the gray-black clouds surged endlessly. Scattered ruins and broken forests stretched across the horizon.

Xue Xiang dared not be careless and hurriedly activated his Xuan Ye Tong. The scene he saw was still cold and sinister. He was certain that the world in front of him was the real Wen Yuan Chaotic Sea.

Without a word, the purple-level demonic monster pounced on Xue Xiang. At the same time, it opened its huge mouth, spewing out wind and frost, sharp as knives, cutting the heavens and earth into shattered gales. Xue Xiang tilted his body and suddenly pressed himself against a stone pillar protruding from the sea. Using the stone pillar as cover, he flashed forward and pounced.

boom!
He punched the monster in the chest, causing flesh and bone to shatter and blood to splatter.

Xue Xiang was overjoyed.

He had personally experienced the power of a purple-level monster and knew all too well its strength.

If it weren't for Yu Huiyu's prestige, he wouldn't even have been qualified to meet a purple-level demon.

At this moment, he was able to shatter the chest of a purple-level demon with a single blow.

The purple-level monster roared repeatedly, its figure retreating rapidly before turning and fleeing.

"Where to escape?"

Xue Xiang leaped into the air like a monkey leaping through the forest, relentlessly pursuing him.

The monster suddenly looked up at the sky and let out a long roar.

The whistling was deep and strange, like iron grinding against stone, or like the roar of mountains.

In an instant, the sound of the tide roared across the land, and countless enormous shadows rose from the Black Sea.

One, two, three... In the blink of an eye, more than ten equally formidable demons burst forth from the waves.

They resemble giant apes, iron vultures, or scaly pythons, all exuding majesty and awe-inspiring power.

In an instant, Xue Xiang was surrounded.

A chilling wind howled across the land, and demons opened their mouths and spewed venom.

White, blue, black, gold... countless streams of spiritual energy transformed into blades of light, chains, wind and frost, thunder and fire, all swirling in at once.

Those auras, carrying the chilling coldness of classical texts and the weight of ornate prose, materialized as if to crush Xue Xiang between the lines.

At this moment, Xue Xiang finally experienced firsthand the dangers of Wen Yuan's chaotic seas.

(End of this chapter)