Chapter 425

Chapter 425: Nine Dragons Secret Realm

High in the sky, a flying boat, shrouded in Purple Light, glided silently.

Inside the boat, Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo sat facing each other, engrossed in a game of chess.

This Purple Lightning Flying Boat had been seized by Wang Chen from Xuanyi Dao Ren, and due to its high quality, it served as his means of transportation back to the sect.

Though the interior of the boat wasn’t spacious, it was luxuriously furnished, providing a comfortable journey for the two.

Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo were playing Heaven’s Machine Chess, a game widely popular in this world.

The game consisted of 365 pieces, each corresponding to a star in the sky, and its rules were somewhat similar to Go from Wang Chen’s past life, though it had its own unique intricacies that challenged the mind.

Since chess was unrelated to cultivation level, it was theoretically possible for a young Qi Training cultivator to defeat a Nascent Soul true immortal on the board.

However, in reality, this was nearly impossible.

Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo were only one major realm apart in cultivation, but Wang Chen was a novice at chess, while Zuo Xiaomo came from a family with a deep tradition in the game. As a result, their matches were evenly matched, with wins and losses on both sides.

“Falling Star.”

Wang Chen made a decisive move, sealing Zuo Xiaomo’s formation and capturing most of his pieces.

Zuo Xiaomo shook his head, dropped his piece, and conceded defeat.

Wang Chen’s progress had been astonishing; initially, Zuo Xiaomo had dominated, but as Wang Chen grew familiar with the rules and mastered some strategies, his skill improved dramatically.

“I’m done playing,” Zuo Xiaomo said with a wry smile. “Continuing would only mean more losses.”

Wang Chen chuckled softly.

Zuo Xiaomo had a good temperament and some talent for cultivation, but perhaps due to his privileged upbringing, he lacked the drive to push himself in his training, adopting a more laid-back approach.

His participation in the outer sect assessment was largely due to external pressure.

After a moment of thought, Wang Chen retrieved a copper bell from his storage bag and handed it to Zuo Xiaomo. “This is the Five Dragon Flame Shield. Refine it a bit and take it with you to the Subterranean Palace for protection.”

As Zuo Xiaomo’s guardian, Wang Chen felt responsible for ensuring his safety during the assessment.

However, the environment of the Nine Dragons underground palace was highly unpredictable, and Wang Chen couldn’t guarantee Zuo Xiaomo’s safety entirely.

Thus, he decided to lend him this protective spirit tool.

“This is a spirit tool?” Zuo Xiaomo exclaimed, recognizing its value.

Wang Chen nodded. “I’ve already erased the magical seals inside. Try it out for yourself.”

As a high-level Qi Training cultivator, Zuo Xiaomo couldn’t fully control this higher-level spirit tool, but he could still use the Five Dragon Flame Shield to protect himself in critical moments.

By activating it during danger, he could buy enough time for Wang Chen to come to his aid.

“Senior Brother Wang…” Zuo Xiaomo’s eyes welled up with tears.

This was a spirit tool, and a high-ranking one at that, of immense value.

Wang Chen had lent it to him without hesitation.

If Zuo Xiaomo were a girl, he might have instantly offered himself in marriage.

“There’s no need to say anything.”

Wang Chen felt goosebumps from his gaze and quickly waved his hand, saying, “I’m just lending it to you.”

Zuo Xiaomo certainly understood that this was a loan from Wang Chen.

Even so, he felt an indescribable gratitude in his heart, believing that meeting Wang Chen was the greatest fortune of his life.

Determined not to let Wang Chen’s care for him go to waste, Zuo Xiaomo focused on refining and familiarizing himself with the Five Dragon Flame Shield during the rest of their journey, vowing to succeed in the upcoming assessment.

Only by becoming an official disciple and then working hard to break through to open a house and join the inner sect could he repay Wang Chen’s kindness!

To give Zuo Xiaomo more time, Wang Chen deliberately lowered the speed of the Purple Lightning Flying Boat.

The flying boat could be powered by the user’s magic or spirit stones; the latter required mid-grade spirit stones, much like Wang Chen’s past life version of premium fuel.

Although Wang Chen had obtained a large quantity of mid-grade spirit stones this time, he was reluctant to spend any for traveling.

He was happy to move slowly, using his own magic to support the operation of the boat.

This continued for several days until they reached the final stretch, when Wang Chen activated the formations inside the boat.

The higher level spirit ship transformed into a purple streak of light and rushed toward the heart of Central Continent.

……

On the first day of April, at the hour of the Dragon.

Three hundred miles south of Wailing City, lies the ancient capital of market town.

Morning light illuminated the massive ruins, draping the remnants of walls and broken structures in a light golden hue, as the thin fog surrounding the market town gradually dissipated, revealing its timeworn appearance.

Thousands of years ago, this was the capital of an earthly immortal kingdom, which was destroyed during a shocking and earth-shattering battle.

After establishing the West Sea Sect, they cleared out the Evil Spirits that had occupied the ruins.

They also discovered the Nine Dragons underground palace.

The Nine Dragons underground palace was actually a super large secret realm, as it had special restrictions set up inside; the higher the realm of the cultivator, the greater the suppression experienced within the palace.

Thus, it became a trial and mission ground for the disciples of the West Sea Sect.

However, for hundreds of years, the West Sea Sect’s exploration of the Nine Dragons underground palace had still been limited to only a portion, probably not even one-tenth.

Deeper areas remained shrouded in the mist.

To speed up the exploration process, the West Sea Sect did not treat the Nine Dragons underground palace as a taboo; loose cultivators could pay a fee of spirit stones to venture in for exploration.

So when Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo arrived at the ancient capital of the market town, it was already bustling with voices.

Especially at the entrance of the Subterranean Palace, a dense crowd of Outer Sect Disciples of the West Sea Sect gathered.

And there were also Purple Palace cultivators!

Clearly, they had all come to participate in the outer sect assessment, along with their guardians.

Wang Chen noticed that not every disciple participating in the assessment had a guardian accompanying them; there were quite a few lone individuals.

This was actually quite normal; only those who could afford to engage a Purple Palace cultivator as their guardian were basically members of powerful families or second-generation immortals.

Those without power, status, or spirit stones had no choice but to gamble with their lives for a chance at the future!

As soon as Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo appeared before the Subterranean Palace, numerous curious gazes fell upon them.

Surprise, confusion, resentment, gloom…

This guy could certainly attract some hostility!

Wang Chen thought to himself.

“Senior Brother Zuo.”

At that moment, a clear and pleasant voice suddenly reached them from the side.

“Junior Sister Ling Shan!”

Zuo Xiaomo exclaimed in surprise as he saw the lovely girl appear before him: “What are you doing here?”

The girl’s cheeks flushed: “I… I came to see the excitement.”

Her words were clearly insincere.

Wang Chen quietly stepped back a few paces, leaving space for the two.

This girl was evidently the daughter of the Lu family, who was rumored to be in a romantic relationship with Zuo Xiaomo. She was said to possess great talent in cultivation and was regarded as a Golden Core seed, with limitless potential for the future.

The unfriendly gazes around them suddenly multiplied!