novelhk Chapter 23, The Demon Prince [New book, please read!]
Chapter 23, The Demon Prince [New book, please read!]
After a moment of mental deduction, Su Ye roughly reconstructed the original appearance of this formation.
There was once a small source vein here, which was sealed at the bottom of the spring by the person who set up the array using a spirit-gathering and source-sealing array.
The pure spiritual energy within the source vein was restrained by the array, forming a hidden cultivation chamber.
The one who set up the formation must be a reclusive cultivator who was living in seclusion in the Yan Kingdom.
Later, it is unknown whether the formation collapsed on its own due to years of neglect or whether the formation's core was damaged by external forces. The sealed source energy dissipated, leaving only this pool of water without a source.
Su Ye sighed softly to himself.
source.
This is the hard currency of the world of Shrouding the Heavens.
It contains pure and refined primordial energy of heaven and earth, which cultivators can directly absorb.
The reason why the Great Emperor Family and the Ancient Desolate Family have been able to produce so many talented people is largely due to the accumulation of source mines and divine sources.
If his accumulation of power in the Other Shore Realm can be supported by enough resources, the time required to break through the first divine treasure of the Dao Palace Secret Realm will be shortened by at least half.
pity.
We arrived too late.
However, even a remnant of the formation has its value.
Su Ye calmed his mind and used his divine sense to imprint each remaining pattern of the array diagram into his sea of consciousness.
He may not be able to restore the complete version of this Spirit Gathering and Source Sealing Array, but it is valuable enough as material for future research on the Dao of Arrays.
Su Ye leaped out of the spring and soared into the air above the mountain valley.
Afterward, he glanced at the surrounding mountains and rivers, identified his location, and flew towards a solitary peak in the distance.
The view from the summit is expansive.
Looking into the distance, the outline of the capital of the Yan Kingdom can be faintly seen on the horizon.
Su Ye returned to Beidou for two reasons.
Find a Yin-attribute secret realm technique for Little Fairy Doctor to improve her cultivation.
The former needs to go to places with a rich cultural heritage.
Although the Yan Kingdom is remote, Yan Capital, as the capital of the country, is a gathering place for cultivators and a hub for information exchange. Most of the surrounding markets of the major grotto-heavens also have trading points.
The latter would require inquiring among ancient books and independent cultivators to find out what undiscovered relics or mineral clues might be found near the Yan Kingdom.
"It's time to go to Yandu."
Su Ye looked down at himself.
He wore a striking blue and white Taoist robe, had a handsome face, and a cold demeanor.
With that kind of appearance, if you stood in the market of Yandu, you wouldn't need to say a word; just standing there would be enough to make you memorable.
In a place like Beidou, being remembered is usually not a good thing.
With a thought, Su Ye began to slowly circulate the divine power within his body.
He channeled his divine power beneath the surface of his face, subtly adjusting the contours of his muscles.
The cheekbones were lowered slightly, the brow ridges were lowered, and the chin was half an inch wider than before.
Each of these changes is minor, but when combined, they completely transform the overall look of the face.
A moment later, Su Ye saw a completely unfamiliar face reflected in the spring water.
While not exactly ugly, it certainly doesn't attract attention.
It's the kind of ordinary-looking person you'd be forgotten in a crowd of random cultivators.
Then he concealed the divine power fluctuations on the outer layer of his Taoist robe, and took out a set of gray cloth clothes that had been prepared in Qingshan Town from the Sea of Bitterness and put them on.
His belt was casually tied, and his cuffs were gathered, making him look no different from the common attire of unaffiliated monks in the Yan Kingdom.
His aura was suppressed to around the mid-stage of the Life Spring Realm.
Not too high, not too low—just the right level of cultivation, but not threatening at all.
"That's enough."
Su Ye did not fly directly into Yandu, but landed in a small town about a hundred miles away from the capital.
The town is called Qingshiji, which is the intersection of several official roads leading to Yandu. Many wandering cultivators and merchants gather in the town.
As darkness fell, fewer and fewer people walked on the street, and several shops closed down one after another.
But the teahouse in the center of town, with its faded signboard, still had its lights on.
Su Ye pushed open the half-closed wooden door and went inside.
The teahouse was small, with seven or eight square tables scattered throughout the room.
Several people sat at separate tables, sipping hot tea and chatting in low voices, seemingly unconcerned about being overheard.
Su Ye chose a seat in the very corner.
The first thing I heard was a conversation between two rogue cultivators, one old and one young.
The older one had a goatee, and the younger one was in his early twenties, both looking like they had just come from the mountains.
"Have you heard...?"
"Lingxu Cave Heaven really got a great deal this time."
The old rogue monk with the goatee tossed a fruit into his mouth.
"Among the newly recruited disciples from the desolate ancient forbidden land, each one is a potential immortal seedling capable of opening up the sea of suffering."
"This is absolutely unprecedented!"
The young man's eyes widened, and he asked incredulously, "What??"
"Only two or three months have passed, and those disciples have basically all escaped from their suffering?!"
The old rogue cultivator curled his lip and said, "Who knows... Even the Spirit Ruins Grotto-Heaven itself can't explain it clearly."
"However, this matter cannot be kept secret; the news came from various grotto-heavens."
Su Ye paused slightly as she held the teacup.
Ancient and forbidden land.
Lingxu Cave Heaven.
He silently repeated the two keywords in his mind, and Ye Fan's calm face appeared in his mind.
The timing and location match.
It's most likely Ye Hei and Pang Bo.
At another table, a few independent cultivators who were traveling as merchants were talking about something else entirely.
"The Jade Cauldron Cave and the Golden Glow Cave almost came to blows last month."
"I heard it's to snatch a few immortal seedlings."
"The people from Jinxia Cave Heaven blocked the entrance to the market of Yuding Cave Heaven and intercepted them. The stewards on both sides immediately turned hostile."
"And then?"
"Later, an elder came to each of their respective grottoes, and they each took a step back and separated."
"But this feud is definitely now in the making."
Su Ye frowned.
The competition among the six great grotto heavens for talent was already fierce, but this method of blocking the entrance and intercepting talent went beyond simple competition.
Adding to the uncertainty brought about by the arrival of the Kowloon Coffin three months ago.
It seems that the various grotto-heavens of the Yan Kingdom are secretly vying for power, and the situation is even more tense than he imagined.
After they started chatting, one of the merchants lowered his voice and mentioned something even more intriguing: "There's been some new activity in the Forbidden Zone lately."
"That deadly place that devours people without spitting out the bones?"
"right."
"An old hunter said that not long ago he saw several divine rainbows sweeping back and forth outside that forbidden area, and finally heading towards the northern region."
"That speed is beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators."
"A divine rainbow? Who dares to fly around outside the forbidden ancient land?"
"I don't know, and nobody dares to investigate."
Su Ye picked up the teacup and took a sip.
A slight glint appeared in his eyes.
Three months.
That's enough for a lot to happen.
The sky outside the window had completely darkened.
He mentally planned out the next steps.
As for Ye Fan... he is currently safe and sound in the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven, so there is no rush to meet him at this time.
Those divine rainbows were likely sent by people from other forces who were alerted by the strange phenomenon of the nine dragons pulling the coffin and went to investigate.
Another possibility is that, besides Ye Fan and the others, they discovered his existence.
Those cultivators wanted to hunt down this anomaly.
Just as Su Ye got up to leave, the old rogue cultivator spoke again.
Have you heard?
"What happened now?"
"I've heard that a prince from the demon race is coming to our tiny Yan Kingdom soon!"
Upon hearing this, Su Ye was slightly taken aback.
Your Highness of the Demon Clan?