Chapter 862

Chapter 862: Exploration (Part 1)

At some unknown time, two wooden houses and a flowerbed appeared in the nameless small valley.

The deep pool shimmered, lush green grass spread abundantly, and wildflowers bloomed on the vine-covered rooftops. The sounds of birds echoed in the mountains, the gentle flow of water serenaded the surroundings, and strands of mist rose, resembling a celestial paradise.

Sitting cross-legged on a rock beside the pool, Wang Chen focused entirely on sensing the heavenly machinations and earthly aura.

This was his daily morning practice.

After breaking through to the Golden Core stage, a cultivator’s efficiency in absorbing and utilizing spiritual energy improved significantly, so he needed to be in a place where spiritual energy was highly concentrated to meet the demands of his daily cultivation.

When this nameless small valley was first discovered, the concentration of spiritual energy was rather unsatisfactory, but the location was excellent, which is why Wang Chen chose it as a temporary resting place.

He then discovered the cave left behind by ancient practitioners hidden beneath the pool and managed to master the Xuan Yuan Formation within, using its destructive power to carve out a small blessed land for himself.

What an unexpected turn of fate!

Spiritual energy continuously gathered from the surrounding space, flowing into Wang Chen’s great heavenly opening, permeating his five organs and every part of his body, and finally condensing in his energy field.

The newly formed true essence was absorbed by the Golden Core and then fed back, creating a cycle that repeated endlessly.

Meanwhile, the impurities cleared out during this heavenly cycle were expelled from Wang Chen’s Yongquan acupoint.

After thirty-six cycles of virtue, Wang Chen opened his eyes.

Splash!

He saw the water of the pool churning, and a graceful figure broke through the surface.

It was Su Ziling.

The young girl held a teapot and a tea tray, spinning lightly in the air before landing steadily beside Wang Chen: “Master, please enjoy some tea.”

“Mm.”

Wang Chen took a cup of steaming fragrant tea and sipped it, feeling the delightful taste linger, refreshing his spirit!

The tea was high-quality spiritual tea he purchased in the Qianxing Immortal City, while the water used for brewing came from a spring in the cave at the bottom of the pool.

This spring flowed continuously day and night, serving as the source of the pool’s water, and the quality was exceptional and rich in spiritual energy, making it perfect for brewing tea.

However, the spring water had to be taken fresh; otherwise, if it flowed into the pool, the spiritual energy would dissipate, and the flavor would be greatly diminished.

Watching the obedient girl serving tea beside him, Wang Chen couldn’t help but sigh.

This was truly the life of an immortal!

But he knew his own nature; given his personality, it would be difficult for him to endure a long, lonely life of quiet cultivation.

Though the bustling world was rife with dirt and grime, it also had human warmth, and Wang Chen, while distancing himself from the mundane, still held a heart for the world!

“There’s no need for you to serve me every day…”

Wang Chen put down his teacup and said to Su Ziling, “Focus on your cultivation and aim to break through to open a house as soon as possible!”

Su Ziling’s cultivation level was still too low, which remained an issue. Wang Chen could not guarantee that he would always be with her, so she needed to have the ability to protect herself.

In the Haotian Realm, those below the Golden Core were like ants, and Qi Training cultivators were akin to weeds.

The Purple Palace was merely small fish!

“Mm!”

Su Ziling nodded vigorously, her determination shining in her eyes. “I will work hard!”

Wang Chen smiled gently, his voice calm and reassuring. “Go ahead.”

He offered the quiet room within the cave at the bottom of the pool to Su Ziling, knowing that the abundant spiritual energy within would significantly enhance her cultivation efficiency. The environment was perfectly suited to her constitution. To further aid her, Wang Chen crafted a small seal, embedding it with the control spell of the Xuan Yuan Formation and a trace of the Xuan Yuan Seal’s destructive power. He handed it to Su Ziling, instructing her to refine and master it. With this, she could freely move between the nameless small valley and the cave at the bottom of the pool, while also gaining partial control over the Xuan Yuan Formation to ensure her safety.

As for Wang Chen, the difference in cultivation efficiency between the quiet room and the small valley was negligible, and he was content to spend his time in either place. The journey from the first to the ninth layer of the Golden Core was a long and arduous path of immortality, one that would undoubtedly consume many years.

After savoring a pot of spiritual tea, Wang Chen retrieved the Xuan Yuan Seal, holding it delicately in his hand. His thumb brushed lightly over one of its surfaces, and in an instant, a flash of spiritual light enveloped him. His figure vanished without a trace.

The next moment, Wang Chen stood within a hidden chamber. The chamber was roughly ten feet square, its walls, ceiling, and floor polished to a mirror-like sheen, adorned with intricate true seal characters. At its center stood an ancient bronze ritual basin. With a wave of his hand, Wang Chen tossed dozens of mid-grade spirit stones into the basin. As always, the stones disappeared instantly, as if swallowed by an unseen force. The true seal characters surrounding the chamber flickered to life briefly before fading back into silence.

Wang Chen stroked his chin thoughtfully. He had discovered this hidden chamber after mastering the Xuan Yuan Formation, and it was only by activating the third side of the Xuan Yuan Seal that he had gained access. The chamber was an enigma—it seemed to exist and not exist simultaneously, as if it were detached from the world, profoundly mysterious. Each time he deposited spirit stones into the ritual basin, the formation within the chamber stirred slightly.

Indeed, the chamber housed a formation—a teleportation array, to be precise. Wang Chen had invested thousands of mid-grade spirit stones into the basin, and only then had he gleaned fragments of information about its purpose. The teleportation array was intricately linked to the Xuan Yuan Formation, undoubtedly of the highest grade, likely left behind by the extraordinary practitioner who had constructed the cave as a means of escape.

Wang Chen knew he had to prepare for the worst. If the small valley ever faced an insurmountable threat, he would need a way out. However, the cave and the Xuan Yuan Formation were so deeply intertwined that, at his current cultivation level, he could not create an alternative route without damaging the formation. His usual method of digging tunnels was useless here.

“Without foresight, one invites immediate troubles,” Wang Chen mused. He had no intention of being caught unprepared. Thus, uncovering and mastering the teleportation array became his top priority. The challenge, however, was that he had already depleted much of his savings to activate the Xuan Yuan Formation. The spirit stones he had thought would last for years were dwindling rapidly.

With a resigned shake of his head, Wang Chen activated the Xuan Yuan Seal once more, instantly teleporting back to the small valley. “Ziling,” he called out, his voice carrying through the magical seal, “stay here and focus on your cultivation. Don’t venture outside.”

After leaving his instructions, Wang Chen summoned a beam of sword light and soared out of the valley, heading deep into the vast mountains. He intended to explore the surrounding area, hoping to find a source of wealth to replenish his spirit stones and activate the teleportation array. Moreover, he was eager to test the limits of his combat ability.

As he flew, the Longyuan Sword, enveloped in the rush of wind, seemed to resonate with his anticipation. It hummed softly, as if eager for battle.