Chapter 43 Phoenix Revitalizes the Cultivation World (43% complete)

The sun, having passed its midday position, swept away the gloom of the past few days. The vast, boundless sea, viewed from afar, resembled a giant, clear blue mirror, its surface shimmering beautifully under the brilliant sunlight.

People pass by in a hurry, but few have the leisure to stop and appreciate the beautiful scenery.

Only one group of people with a distinctive presence stood quietly by the dock, gazing at the calm lake with amazement in their eyes.

The gloomy, rainy weather has finally passed, and there are so many people out and about now. Countless vehicles of all kinds, whether flying in the sky, swimming in the sea, or diving in the ocean, have taken over the entire dock. People stand on the shore chatting and waiting for a spot to open.

"So beautiful." Shui Fan exclaimed. "The merfolk are suited to living in places without sunlight. I used to live in the deep sea and always thought sunlight was something that was annoying, but I never imagined it could be this beautiful."

"Is this your first time going ashore?" Shen Suqi turned to ask him.

“It’s not my first time coming ashore, but it’s rare. Even when I do come ashore, I choose places where there are no people around. I mostly stay on the seabed. Occasionally, when I want to change things up, I’ll swim a little further out to find food. I usually operate at night, because the darkness is more suitable for hunters to hide.” He said, “Before, when I occasionally came ashore, I never really looked at the ocean properly. I didn’t realize that this is what it looks like from the shore to my hometown.”

The sea is especially beautiful when adorned with sunlight. Even though the merfolk, who love sparkling things, are not used to being under the sun, they do not deny the beauty of the scenery.

"Don't you get bored?" Su Xiaoyao asked curiously.

"How could that be? You haven't been to the seabed, so you don't know how fun my home is! We merfolk left barbarism ten thousand years ago and now have markets and entertainment just like humans. Adult merfolk often visit the cultivation world and the mortal world, and they even bring back interesting things for our cubs." Shui Fan proudly put his hands on his hips, and a corner of his shimmering light blue hem was revealed from his black robe as he moved.

"I'll take you to my house to play when I have the chance."

"Great, great, I'll wait until I draw a Saint-grade Water-Repelling Pearl." Ordinary Water-Repelling Pearls cannot reach the deep sea where the Merfolk live, so the lucky Su Xiaoyao had an idea and started thinking about the system's prize pool.

"Xiao Yao, you have ambition. Once we reach the Nascent Soul stage, we can go to the deep sea." Xiao Tingyuan flicked her hair.

"It'll take forever to reach the Nascent Soul stage," Su Xiaoyao said, pursing her lips.

Xiao Tingyuan chuckled: "Cultivating to the Nascent Soul stage is much easier than obtaining a Saint-grade Water-Repelling Pearl. With our talent, we will definitely reach that stage one day. However, Saint-grade spiritual objects are rare, and Water-Repelling Pearls are even rarer."

Su Xiaoyao said nonchalantly, "But for you guys, it's different for me. I can draw it."

Xiao Tingyuan's smile froze. He belatedly recalled Su Xiaoyao's posture of seemingly emptying the prize pool of the best items every time she drew a prize, and a sense of self-humiliation welled up within him.

Jiang Yun had anticipated this outcome from the moment he opened his mouth.

He slowly raised his eyes and looked at his partner: "Instead of drawing lots, you might as well make it yourself to save your points."

Su Xiaoyao blinked: "Oh right, I almost forgot that I'm also a weapon refiner. I've been lazy lately and haven't practiced, so I almost forgot."

Those who didn't know her looked at her with surprise.

How could you forget that?

Upon hearing this, Shen Suqi remembered: "I remember, last time we cooperated on the Ice Plains, you and the other weapon refiners made a suit of armor together. It was very useful and almost buried Shui Fan at the bottom of the sea."

Mentioning this made Shui Fan's face turn green. He didn't want to recall the scene at all. A poor, keen-nosed orc was almost suffocated to death by the stench before he could be killed in the raid dungeon. It was an utter disgrace.

"Shui Fan, have you ever been to the center of the four continents?" After chatting for a while, Xu Lingyou got to the point.

Shui Fan pondered for a moment and said, "I went there once. Back then, I was a fearless cub who dared to venture anywhere. Especially places that my father forbade me to go to, I insisted on going to see. So I swam over there, to the legendary place that borders the Immortal Realm."

"How was it? How was it?" The others perked up their ears.

"Not good." Shui Fan's tone drooped. "After getting close to there, my intuition told me that the storm there was very dangerous. I observed it from a distance for a while. Those whirlpools were extremely ferocious, hundreds of feet above the sea surface and extending dozens of miles below. Moreover, their movement was unpredictable. Fish and birds that got close would be sucked in and killed without even having time to dodge. The best way is to stay away from them and completely eliminate the danger."

Helian Yi pondered, "If even the deep-sea overlords, the Merfolk, sense danger, how can someone at the Foundation Establishment stage survive?"

Shui Fan shook her head decisively: "Forcing our way in is absolutely out of the question."

Su Xiaoyao shrugged indifferently: "It has nothing to do with us. I don't have Boss Helian's hundred jade pendants to protect me, so landing on the island safely is no problem."

Although he knew she was deliberately flattering him, Helian Yi was quite pleased with his old rival's praise.

Having dealt with many people, Su Xiaoyao knew what kind of words they liked to hear, and she was never stingy with saying nice things at such times.

But just as she finished speaking, a not-too-loud sneer suddenly came from the side.

Su Xiaoyao frowned.

She thought that with a magical artifact that could reduce her presence, no one should have noticed their conversation, but she still felt that the sneer was directed at her.

She looked in the direction of the sound and suddenly froze.

A young cultivator dressed in a rather dissolute manner leaned against the railing, glancing over with a half-smile, clearly looking at her.

Su Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow slightly, and was about to rush forward with her social thug personality, but the man grabbed the railing with one hand and jumped down.

Startled, she instinctively took a step forward and peered down.

Suddenly, an exquisite golden mechanical lotus platform appeared beneath the young cultivator's feet, catching him steadily. The side gears and chains turned, and the mechanical lotus platform slowly rose into the air. Golden light flowed from all sides, enveloping the person sitting cross-legged in the center, making him appear holy and bright. Upon closer inspection, a Pixiu pattern was revealed beneath the shimmering glass.

"Wow, a Saint-grade vehicle! And it even has gears! That's way ahead of its time!" As a weapon refiner, Su Xiaoyao immediately recognized the vehicle's grade and exclaimed with wide eyes.

Xu Lingyou had repeatedly stroked the jade pendant with the Pixiu design given to him by Lin Ming, and he was very familiar with the pattern.

He and Wu Ji exchanged a glance, and he saw certainty in each other's eyes.

“It is the vehicle of the Dao Ancestor,” he said.

"A mission taker?" Helian Yi raised an eyebrow.

Besides him, there were only eight other mission participants who possessed the jade pendant. According to his intelligence, three of them had resold their jade pendants at high prices in the real world. He knew the numbers of the remaining five people, but he didn't know which one this was.

Helian Yi's gaze slowly moved upwards from the lotus platform, meeting the other's dark eyes.

The man made no attempt to hide the provocation in his eyes, and even gave him a slight smirk.

Helian Yi received the signal of challenge, narrowed his eyes in displeasure, and a look of understanding flashed across his eyes.

That smug attitude, that pretentious air...

"007!"

These words weren't shouted by him, but by Su Xiaoyao.

Su Xiaoyao turned her head: "Look at his smug attitude and pretentious demeanor, he's definitely 007!"

They had the same idea as Helian Yi.

Whether intentionally or not, the young cultivator, who could clearly control the height of the mechanical lotus platform, deliberately stopped at a height slightly higher than Helian Yi, maintaining a downward gaze towards him.

"Similar." Jiang Yun had dealt with 007 quite a few times, or rather, competed for rankings quite a few times, so he had some understanding of 007, and he said the same thing.

“It’s not just that he looks like him, it’s him.” Su Xiaoyao said decisively, “Boss Helian said he would provide all the people who traded the jade pendant with other vehicles to go to the island with him, and allowed them to bring their relatives and friends. With money to be made and a safe trip to the island, eight people did not agree. Three of them sold it to others for a higher price. Of the other five, only 007 had a bad relationship with Boss Helian to the point that they would fight whenever they met. Most importantly, the way he rolled his eyes just now was exactly the same as 007 in the game.”

The virtual world can change one's appearance but not one's habitual gait; this is the most important basis for her judgment.

She glanced at Helian Yi, who was still glaring at her defiantly, and her eyes darted around.

Helian Yi was no benevolent man. His willingness to give other mission takers a ride after the money was exchanged was not out of kindness, but to quickly obtain information on all the mission takers. Once he matched their real names with their anonymous numbers, he would have essentially collected information on the vast majority of the top potential candidates for the entrance examination.

Although Young Master Helian did not allow his servants and guards to come with him, it did not mean that he was stupid enough not to use the resources he had. It was true that he was going out on his own, but the Helian family's information network was always at his service.

The mission participants weren't stupid. Some didn't care and just gave a number before boarding the super-grade ship equipment prepared by Helian Yi. Others continued to hide their identities and refused his help. In short, after all this, Helian Yi had obtained the real information of at least half of the mission participants, but he didn't share it.

These are the results of Su Xiaoyao's observations over the past few days.

The confrontation between 007 and Helian Yi ended with the appearance of another mission taker.

The person also did not choose to keep a low profile. After crushing the Pixiu jade pendant, a pair of huge butterfly wings grew from her back. The wings, which were as thin as cicada wings and emitted a blue-purple glow, were breathtakingly beautiful in the sunlight. Without the need for spiritual power to activate or control them, they gave her buoyancy like floating clouds in the sky. Two vortexes with Pixiu marks appeared on her sides, clearing away all the storms and waves for her.

Amidst the gasps of onlookers, others could no longer remain seated.

A white-clad woman with an ethereal, graceful demeanor, like flowing wind and swirling snow, leaped from the second floor of a riverside tavern, using clouds as a ladder to reach the sea. With a flick of her slender hand, the jade pendant shaped like a Pixiu spun in the air and disappeared.

Before her appeared a dreamlike coral bridge, as if it were a prestigious gateway to an underwater dragon palace.

The woman glanced coldly in the direction where they had gathered, then turned her gaze away and stepped onto the magnificent long bridge that belonged only to her.

For a time, the dockside was filled with amazing sights. The Pixiu jade pendant was exchanged for one sacred vehicle after another, all kinds of which were dazzling.

"It's a pity I don't have the money! Otherwise, I would have gone to the auction to try and win one!" A stunned passerby lamented, "Where did these people get their tokens from? There wasn't even a whisper of them!"

“That’s a treasure bestowed by the Heavenly Dao Ancestor. Even if someone has information about it, they’re unwilling to share it.” The person next to him said enviously, “Did you see that coral bridge? I’ve lived by the Lingzhou coast for so many years and I’ve never seen such a mirage-like sea spectacle. It’s truly amazing.”

A passerby shook his head: "You have to walk on the Coral Bridge yourself. I think the lotus pedestal is better. The round thing tied together with the chain looks especially nice."

"If you ask me, wings would be the best. Although I can fly on a sword, I've never tried growing wings like a demon. Look at how she controls her direction; she must be connected to her wings. I'm so envious!" another person joined the discussion.

Such expressions of envy were frequently heard.

"I thought they were sending a few big ships, but I didn't expect them to be so creative!" Su Xiaoyao's eyes turned red with envy.

Helian Yi withdrew his gaze and turned to look at her: "Do you regret buying the jade pendant for me?"

"No, that's not it. What's important is getting something in your hands." Su Xiaoyao shook her head without saying a word. "I'm just feeling sentimental. I've never ridden in a sacred vehicle in my life, let alone a spiritual artifact made by the Dao Ancestor himself."

"How can you be sure that the Dao Ancestor made it himself? You can also put a Pixiu mark on a ready-made spiritual weapon." Shen Suqi didn't know anything about weapon crafting, so she asked for advice.

Su Xiaoyao pointed to the lotus platform that flew away ostentatiously under the gaze of thousands of people and said, "Look at 007's lotus platform. I saw an introduction when I was learning weapon crafting. Ten thousand years ago, the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor liked to use mechanical structures when crafting weapons. Few weapon crafting masters liked to use machinery. Moreover, the protective golden light covering 007 could at least block an attack from a Mahayana stage. There are not many weapon crafters who can achieve this level of defense."

Shen Suqi: "What about the others? Could it be that they're all..."

Su Xiaoyao nodded: "They are all artifacts crafted by the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor."

“The others don’t have mechanical structures.” Helian Yi became interested and joined the discussion.

Su Xiaoyao said meaningfully, "There aren't many weapon refiners with such a high level of skill, and even fewer with such a high level of aesthetic sense."

As she spoke, she glanced at the six rings on Helian Yi's hand.

Helian Yi followed her gaze to the back of his hand and fell silent.

Because of their portability, most weapon refiners prefer to refine magical artifacts into personal accessories.

Helian Yi, who had always treated magical artifacts like toys and was reluctant to carelessly discard the magical artifacts of the Heavenly Dao Ancestor, felt this was strong evidence that the Heavenly Dao Ancestor's aesthetic sense was too conspicuous among a group of pragmatists.

"That means the Dao Ancestor originally prepared one hundred and eight sacred vehicles! One hundred and eight!" Shen Suqi clicked her tongue in amazement. "Boss, you now have one hundred jade pendants. Although they are just for transportation, it still means you have owned one hundred works personally crafted by the Heavenly Evolution Dao Ancestor."

After he said this, even Xu Lingyou, who was usually indifferent to worldly things, couldn't help but cast an envious glance at him.

"I wonder what a hundred Saint-grade spiritual artifacts will combine into. Will we just use all one hundred together? Or will we exchange them for a bigger one?" She was extremely excited.

"Curious! Boss, can you show us something?" Su Xiaoyao looked on expectantly.

Xu Lingyou was somewhat worried: "But if that's the case, won't there be people vying for it?"

Su Xiaoyao sneered: "Who would dare to eat a bear's heart and have the guts of a leopard..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence.

One hundred sacred-grade spiritual artifacts—perhaps someone would actually dare to do that.

After all, the Heavenly Dao Ancestor is restricted by the rules and cannot descend to the mortal realm. Her disciples are busy with the opening of the academy, and if something happens, they will have to go to the island first.

Upon careful consideration, Su Xiaoyao realized that her concern was not unfounded. If a hundred Saint-grade spiritual artifacts were displayed, there was a real possibility that someone would dare to snatch them.

She hadn't forgotten what happened at the port terminal a couple of days ago.

Just as the bearded man in the tavern said, this voyage is like a large-scale trial ground in a secret realm. Countless people set off full of hope, expecting to find the treasure at the end of the sea. The danger level in the central sea area of ​​the four continents is no less than that of ordinary secret realms. There are intimidation from the unknown deep sea nearby, as well as threats from their own kind.

Even the pampered scions of noble families, who had been spoiled since childhood and were accompanied by countless skilled guards on this trip, heard their elders' repeated admonitions before setting off. The experienced elders told them that the guards they had been sent could ensure their safe arrival at the center of the four continents, but could not completely prevent the wickedness of people from seeping into their hearts.

However, with highly skilled guards protecting them, most people didn't take it seriously.

Those who underestimated the danger soon learned the consequences.

A few days ago, a major incident occurred among the young masters of various families who had been staying at the port and delaying their departure while waiting for good weather to ensure the safety of the shipping route. Two young masters from prominent families, instigated by someone, started fighting each other. Their masters were fighting, and the guards didn't want to get involved, thinking that their masters didn't want to lose face and that even if they were injured, they would have rare and precious medicines to heal them.

What they initially thought was just a minor brawl turned into a nightmare when they discovered that their weapons had been tampered with and their wounds had been infiltrated by an extremely troublesome toxin. While not fatal, their injuries meant they either had to seek treatment from a high-level medicine master in Medicine King Valley or endure the pain and head to the island. However, their injuries would inevitably hinder their performance in the entrance exam battle.

The naive young nobles then realized just how tempting a "large secret realm" with abundant rewards could be.

With only three thousand places available for enrollment and no other way to improve one's strength in the short term, those who are neither here nor there are easily drawn into a dark vortex, abandoning dedicated cultivation and choosing instead to eliminate their opponents.

They did the same thing when they were exploring other secret realms, but they were afraid to make a move against them when they were out in the world because they were worried about offending all the sects and families.

There are too many cultivators in the cultivation world. In the past thousand years, due to the corrupt atmosphere at the top, the cultivation world has become increasingly chaotic, and the character of cultivators is uneven. Nowadays, people are driven by self-interest. Everyone knows that as long as they pass the entrance examination and become a disciple of Tianyan Academy, they will have established a connection with the immortal realm. Therefore, they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Eliminating competitors in advance is a piece of cake, and they will target those with the strongest competitiveness, including many noble children.

With a 300% profit margin upfront, there are plenty of people willing to take the risk.

The sole holder of the jade pendant, Helian Yi, calmly replied, "No need to worry, I sensed that my jade pendant has been exchanged for a flying boat."

"It can even sense things in advance, how thoughtful!" Su Xiaoyao couldn't wait to say. "No wonder those people seemed to be prepared before using the jade pendant."

She thought of 007 effortlessly vaulting over the railing.

Shui Fan exclaimed expectantly, "To exchange a hundred jade pendants, how big of a flying boat would that be?"

Helian Yi's lips curled up slightly, thoroughly enjoying the eager gazes from the crowd.

He removed the magical artifact that shielded his presence and threw out the jade pendant.

The jade pendant emitted a blinding white light, which dissipated into smoke within the light.

Under the azure sky, a colossal object that blots out the sun has taken its place.

The flying boat hovered in mid-air, its hull crafted from a rare jade material, both sturdy and magnificent. Its surface was covered in a dazzling golden light, more radiant than sunlight, seemingly capable of withstanding any attack. The imposing Pixiu statue at the bow was lifelike, its body engraved with mysterious runes, causing the assembled rune cultivators to gasp in astonishment and strain to memorize the inscriptions.

If the exterior is so magnificent, one can't imagine how luxurious the interior must be.

"Heavens! Am I seeing things?! The flag on that flying boat is the Soul-Crossing Banner, a sacred artifact that has been lost for ten thousand years?" A sharp-eyed cultivator screamed on the spot.

"Those things around aren't decorations at all. I recognize that gourd. It's a sacred treasure gourd, a legendary treasure that can even trap a Mahayana-stage Venerable!"

They took turns talking and identified the flying boat and all the magical artifacts that came with it.

One hundred sacred-grade spiritual artifacts appeared in such a way.

Su Xiaoyao's worries then came true, as someone recklessly flew towards the flying boat.

Su Xiaoyao immediately lost her temper, pulled out the pot of medicine and smashed it, angrily saying:

"I, who once owned one percent of the shares, haven't even stepped in yet. Who do you think you are to try and touch it?"

However, before Brother Guo could show his skills, the person who attacked the flying boat was ignited by flames as soon as he got close to it and fell straight down from the height.

He crashed heavily to the ground, and no matter how he used talismans or jumped into the sea, he could not extinguish the flames on his body. He could only cry and wail in pain.

Seeing this, the other eager men were overcome by fear and greed.

Everyone looked up, stunned.

"There's someone in red over there..."

One person said in a low voice.

On the flying boat, a bewitching woman in red leaped down, and at the same time, a phoenix cry pierced the tranquil sky.

"Did I hear that right...?"

Flames swirled, and a phoenix emerged from the flames.

The phoenix's magnificent feathers resembled burning flames, and its golden light was like holy divine light. Its massive body drew a graceful arc in the air, soaring over the vast and boundless ocean. Each flap of its wings stirred up a hurricane, announcing the arrival of the only existing divine beast in the world, carrying absolute pride, like a king surveying his territory.

Time stood still at that moment; no one dared to blink. A deep sense of awe welled up in their hearts, leaving behind an unparalleled sense of awe.

The fire phoenix circled once and landed on the airship, letting out another cry that seemed to invite the airship's occupant to board.

"The phoenix leads the way, Helian Yi, you're incredibly valuable." Su Xiaoyao swallowed hard and said.

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Author's Note: Feng Wujue, who has transformed into a phoenix to hold down the fort: Let's welcome the big spender with the warmest applause!

With an air of grandeur, Helian Yi strode confidently onto the stage: "Thank you Lingzhou TV, thank you Tianyan TV, thank you..."

A-Lian, who didn't spend a single penny but whose trading system made a fortune from transaction fees: Thank you, Mr. Krypton!