by Dragon King
While he made his plan, the golden boat left a series of purple afterimages and flew toward a distant island.
As one of the three biggest remote celestial mountains, Penglai Island was almost in the center of the Demon Sea. With layers of fog-like nature essence floating around the island, it looked like a realm of its own.
Stepping on the golden boat, Hao Ren saw a reef protruding from the island and the ancient characters on it, Penglai, from a distance.
The Dragon God Shrine had no detailed map on the layout of the islands in the Demon Sea except the information that Penglai Celestial Mountain was situated in the center of the Demon Sea. After some searching, Hao Ren had found it.
However, he was only able to do this since he had Lady Zhen’s purple gold hairpin. If other inspectors, including top-tier Qian-level dragon cultivators, had roamed on the surface of the Demon Sea, they would have been swallowed by a dozen level 10 demon beasts which were eager to break through.
To Hao Ren’s surprise, the Penglai Celestial Mountain had no array formation around it. His golden boat landed successfully on the island.
“Which friend has come to visit me?” A voice came from the depth of the island.
“I’m Inspector Hao Ren from the Dragon God Shrine. I’m here to deliver the elixir pills,” Hao Ren answered.
From the perspective of cultivation, these remote independent cultivators were human cultivators.
However, different from the cultivation sects on land which were like large-scale schools, these islands were more like small private home-schools.
However, the independent cultivators who could live on the Demon Sea were figures with extremely great cultivation strength.
“Oh?” The person in the depth of the island sounded surprised, probably since he didn’t expect a dragon cultivator of the Dragon God Shrine could come to this place.
After a moment of hesitation, the voice sounded again, “You’ve got an identity token from Lady Zhen. No wonder you can come here.”
The independent cultivators on the remote celestial mountains had agreements with the big demon kings, so even level 10 demon beasts wouldn’t attack the islands. That was why these islands didn’t have array formation around them.
When Hao Ren landed on the island on the dharma treasure, the Penglai Island Master had thought that another independent cultivator of a nearby island had sent a disciple here to deliver something, not expecting Hao Ren from the Dragon God Shrine.
“Qingfeng! Mingyue! Welcome the guest!” The cultivator on the island called out.
The moment he said it, a handsome boy and a pretty girl appeared from the void, looking at Hao Ren curiously.
While putting away the purple gold hairpin, Hao Ren was secretly alarmed since he had felt nothing when the two kids who were about seven years old had hidden themselves in the void on both sides of him!
When they appeared, Hao Ren checked their realms and realized that they were already at low-tier Nascent Soul Realm!
Following the two kids cautiously, Hao Ren saw all kinds of precious beasts on the island.
Some deer ran from a nearby forest, and Hao Ren realized that they were all level 5 and level 6 spirit beasts.
“It’s fortunate that Little White isn’t here, or its self-esteem will be crushed,” Hao Ren thought.
No wonder Penglai was ranked as one of the three biggest remote celestial mountains. When Hao Ren saw Penglai Island in the high sky, he had thought that it wasn’t a big island. However, when he was inside walking on the winding path, he realized that he couldn’t see the end of it.
If the famous Penglai Island weren’t situated in the most dangerous Demon Sea, there would probably be lots of inspectors wanting to take this mission.
“Master, Gongzi Hao is here.” After leading Hao Ren around one corner, passing a big peach tree, and coming to a closed brass door, the two kids reported to the person inside.
During the journey, Hao Ren noticed that all the plants were blooming, including peach flowers, pear flowers, plum flowers, and more.
Keeping the flowers blooming was something Lady Zhen was capable of. However, the flowers on Penglai Island were in full bloom at the same time without any special array formation, and it showed the great power of the island master.
“Junior Hao Ren greets the Penglai Island Master,” Hao Ren cupped his hands and bowed.
There were islands of different sizes on the Demon Sea, and they were all occupied by independent cultivators. It was a remote cultivation world different from the one on the land.
Having almost no dealings with the cultivation sects on land, the independent cultivators had their own system, which was why they didn’t join the war between the cultivation sects and the dragon clans.
However, the independent cultivators on the remote celestial islands had regular dealings with each other. Living on Penglai Island, one of the three biggest remote celestial mountains, its master was one of the three most influential figures among the independent cultivators.
Hao Ren was very respectful at this moment for his own benefit as he wondered if the Penglai Island Master would give him something for his efforts.
Otherwise, the master could have asked him to leave instead of bringing him into the island.
“The Dragon God Shrine is indeed full of talented people, and one of its inspectors can even enter the Demon Sea,” the voice sounded from behind the brass door, and it seemed like the Penglai Island Master was looking at Hao Ren up and down.
Hao Ren took out the small bottle from his necklace and handed it to the little boy who was wearing an Eight-Trigram Taoist robe and standing beside him.
“At your age, it is not easy to cultivate to top-tier Dui-level on land where nature essence is scarce,” the Penglai Island Master continued.
“Huh…” This person paused for a second before continuing in amazement “Immortal Physique! You have the Immortal Physique?”
“With the Immortal Physique, you still managed to fly across the Demon Sea without being eaten by the level 10 demon beasts. It seems like Lady Zhen’s power has grown even stronger. However, level 10 demon beasts have activated their intelligence. Now the news is out, and you’ll catch the eyes of the other nine most powerful demon kings when you leave my place.”
The person on the other side of the brass door said after a short pause.
667 Penglai Seven Killing Array
“Ugh?” Hao Ren gaped in surprise.
He didn’t think that the Immortal Physique had its drawbacks. However, on the second thought, he remembered that level 10 demon beasts must eat precious treasures to have the ability to pass through the Heavenly Tribulation. He had the Immortal Physique but without the power of an immortal; he was the perfect elixir in the eyes of demon beasts!
When he came out to the Demon Sea, he had told Xie Yujia that he was running an errand, so they didn’t know that he came to the Demon Sea. Besides, he didn’t know that he would be in this difficult situation.
“You are only here to bring me the elixir pills. If one of the nine most powerful demon kings eat you, it won’t be my fault. However, it will probably affect my relationship with the Dragon God Shrine. This is the deal…” The person behind the brass door paused for a while before continuing, “If you become my disciple, you can stay in my Penglai Island and cultivate two to three years until you reach peak Qian-level. Then, you’ll have enough power to protect yourself when you leave here.”
Hao Ren looked at the brass door at a loss for words, not sure how he should feel about the Penglai Island Master wanting to take him as a disciple on their first encounter.
He wondered why these powerful cultivators always wanted to take in disciples.
“I’m grateful to Senior’s kindness, but I have urgent businesses to tend to and can’t stay on the island,” Hao Ren said.
Grandma would be worried if he were absent for two or three days, let alone two or three years. If he disappeared for two to three mo
nths, he would be declared missing, and his grandma would be distressed.
Not wanting to have his family and loved ones worried, he would never stay in Penglai Island. He would return to land no matter how dangerous the journey would be.
“Humph! I like your talent and want to take you in as my disciple, yet you refused me!” The person behind the brass door sounded angry.
“Even Lady Zhen is respectful toward me. I’ll see how powerful you are!”
Suddenly, a golden light shot out of the brass door.
Surprised by the sudden attack from this grand cultivator, Hao Ren immediately used the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll and formed a light wall to block the golden light.
After reaching top-tier Dui-level, his sword energies released from the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll had better quality and faster speed. These sword energies that were released at his will blocked the golden light.
However, that golden light wasn’t a dharma treasure but a cluster of nature essence. It turned suddenly and hacked toward Hao Ren’s face.
Hao Ren was frustrated at this eccentric old guy who was probably above the Soul Formation Realm. This old guy became so shameless that he even attacked a junior after the latter refused to be his disciple.
“Oh… Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll…”
The person behind the door sounded confused, but the golden light didn’t slow down. Instead, it turned into three before hacking toward Hao Ren’s hands and feet.
“Break!” Hao Ren’s sword energies which contained lightning energy crashed toward the three golden light beams.
Hiss… Hao Ren’s five-elemental lightning sword energies distinguished the three golden beams instantly.
Standing beside the brass door, Qingfeng and Mingyue looked at Hao Ren, surprised that he could block their master’s casual test.
Their master was in seclusion cultivation for more than 300 days a year and rarely showed his hand. However, he was so interested in this cultivator who came from the outside that he tested him.
“Well! You are not bad! It seems like the Dragon God Shrine deserves its fame!” A burst of light laughter came from behind the door while a sword-shaped dharma treasure flew out.
Hao Ren’s sword energies condensed suddenly, and its tip went toward the tip of the incoming silver longsword head-on!
Ding!
The two swords collided with ear-piercing sounds.
The longsword tossed out by the Penglai Island Master split open Hao Ren’s five-colored longsword!
Fortunately, Hao Ren’s longsword was made up of sword energies, and the broken sword body merged again into a solid five-colored longsword.
“Good! You can keep calm at dangerous moments! Did the Dragon God Shrine Master teach you himself?” The person behind the brass door said again while the silver longsword leaped in the air, shooting toward the spot between Hao Ren’s eyebrows!
It was the upper Dantian, one of the major acupoints in the human body. If it were pierced, one’s cultivation strength would be destroyed!
Forced to use his best technique, Hao Ren used the first variation of the first sword strike from the Mystic Water Sword Techniques with the five-colored sword!
Ding! Ding… Sparks flew.
Hao Ren’s five-colored sword blocked the silver longsword!
“Oh?” the person behind the brass door sounded more surprised.
Hao Ren had the Immortal Physique and practiced Immortal Sword Technique.
“KId, are you a Heavenly Dragon or an Immortal?” Penglai Island Master behind the brass door asked Hao Ren.
After reaching the Soul Formation Realm, the cultivators who could ascend into heavens but decided to remain in the mortal world were called Earthly Immortals.
However, Hao Ren had both a dragon core and the Immortal Physique, confusing the experienced Penglai Island Master.
He suspected that Hao Ren had reached the Heavenly Dragon Realm or Heavenly Immortal Realm but had returned to land to re-cultivate for some reason.
“Junior is a mortal who swallowed a dragon core by mistake and began cultivation,” Hao Ren answered.
“Oh, I see…”
The brass door opened slowly, revealing a small cave with a diameter of five meters. On a yellow cushion, there sat a chubby old man.
Qingfeng and Mingyue widened their eyes when the brass door opened. In the years they served their master, it was the first time that their master opened the brass door to a guest while he was in seclusion cultivation.
Even when the masters of the other two most powerful celestial mountains came to visit their master, he had talked with them behind the brass door!
Surprised that the brass door opened, Hao Ren looked up immediately at the Penglai Island Master.
Sitting steadily on the cushion, Penglai Master was short and fat with a bald head and a wrinkled face. He was extremely ugly!
With the Penglai Island as beautiful as the heaven, Hao Ren had thought that the island master would look ethereal at least if not handsome. Therefore, he was astonished at the person he saw!
“Human but not human, demon but not demon, dragon but not dragon, and immortal but not immortal…” Penglai Island Master’s eyes, one big one small, looked at Hao Ren as he said, “You are a lucky guy.”
“Greetings to you, Senior.” Hao Ren cupped his hands after withdrawing the sword energies
Sitting in the narrow stone room, Penglai Island Master who had a wrinkled face reminded Hao Ren of the Tudigong. [Tudigong, Lord of the Soil and the Ground, is a tutelary deity of a locality and the human communities who inhabit it in Chinese folk religion.]
Penglai Island Master lifted his right hand slightly, and the small bottle flew from Qingfeng’s hand to his.
He opened the bottle and looked before nodding in satisfaction. “Just what I wanted.”
“Since you delivered the elixir, no matter if you can escape from the chase of the nine demon kings or not, I’ll give you something.”
He spread his hands, and several objects appeared before his knees with a white flash
“The first one is Immortal Fruit, the No.1 Earthly Fruit; the second is Golden Saturn Peach, the No.1 Heavenly Fruit; the third is a supreme spiritual treasure, Green Wave Sword; the fourth is a Penglai Immortal Token which you can use to seek shelter at other celestial islands when you’re in danger.”
Hao Ren looked at the two fruits. The first one looked fresh and white and took the shape of a baby; it was the immortal fruit that Hao Ren heard about in the story, Journey to the West. The second fruit was a Saturn peach with golden light and intense nature essence. These two were immortal fruits that mortals couldn’t see in their lifetimes.
However, Hao Ren knew the power of the supreme spiritual treasures. If he could get one more, he would feel more confident in battles.
However, that token seemed more fitting to his current need. If he took the token, he could get out of the Demon Sea successfully.
“You can take these four or just the fifth option,” Penglai Island Master said.
Hao Ren blinked in surprise; he had thought that he could only choose one instead of taking all four.
He suddenly was interested in the fifth option.
“What’s the fifth option?” Hao Ren asked.
“The fifth option is to break my Seven Killing Array, and I’ll not take you as my disciple,” Penglai Island Master said.
“Ugh…” Hao Ren looked at him and asked, “If I take the first four, I must become your disciple, right?”
“Of course. Why would I give you such precious gifts if you’re not my disciple?” Penglai Island Master said.
Hao Ren was speechless. It seemed that this Penglai Island Master still wanted to take him as a disciple, and his gifts to his new disciple were indeed precious.
“It seems that this old guy is determined to have me as his disciple…” he thought.
Seeing Hao Ren’s hesitation, Qingfeng and Mingyue looked jealous
since they had never received any treasures after serving their master for years. However, Hao Ren had just arrived and could become a disciple with the reward of such precious gifts.
“I’ll take the fifth option,” Hao Ren said.
The two kids widened their eyes at Hao Ren’s words. After all, thousands of cultivators wanted to cultivate on Penglai Island, but Hao Ren just refused this opportunity!
“What a pity…” Penglai Island Master waved his big sleeve, and the four objects disappeared.
While the cultivation sects chose disciples with certain criteria, the remote cultivation world chose their disciples more carefully and took only the disciples who met their exceptional standards.
Penglai Island Master had the intention of taking Hao Ren as his disciple when he saw the latter’s Immortal Physique. After testing Hao Ren’s power, he was quite satisfied. He could see that despite Hao Ren’s excellent physique and talent, the latter didn’t have a good teacher to guide him, which meant that he was an independent cultivator without a sect.
Besides, Hao Ren was a mortal who had a foreign dragon core, the Immortal Physique, and even a trace of demonic essence. Penglai Island Master wanted to know how far Hao Ren could go on his path of cultivation.
There were many people with all kinds of fortune even among the mortals, but few could cultivate to Hao Ren’s realm.
Only those with great fortitude could get great opportunities.
Seven-colored lights floated in the high sky above Penglai Island like silk while celestial music sounded.
Suddenly, Penglai Island Master who was in the cave and Qingfeng and Mingyue who were standing beside the peach tree vanished.
668 Mind Array!
Hiss! Hiss!
Suddenly, 24 sharp knives appeared in the void.
“Sword array!”
Hao Ren used all his 1,280 sword energies.
Four Gates Base Guard Array Formation! The sword energies formed four walls, waiting for the attacks.
“The so-called Seven Killing Array targets the seven emotions which are joy, anger, grief, fear, love, hatred, and desire,” Penglai Island Master’s voice sounded by Hao Ren’s ear vaguely.