Volume 1 Volume 7 Chapter 39

Volume 7 Chapter 39: Preparation (Part 1)

When the sky brightened, the fierce battle between the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands and the East Sea Demon Monster finally came to an end.

Countless Dark Crows under Little Black’s command had all flown back to Yaoguang Island. Only Little Black remained, still perched on Xu Qingfan’s shoulder.

As the large group of Dark Crows departed, the previously frightened cultivators of the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands finally dared to leave the island, to help the injured and collect the bodies of demon beasts. Soon, there were cultivators flying everywhere outside the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands.

Although Xu Qingfan and the top cultivators from the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands only joined the fight at the end, they still achieved a great victory, killing five heavenly level demon beasts, severely wounding one, killing nearly two hundred high-level earth level demon beasts, almost five hundred middle-level earth level demon beasts, and over a thousand low-level earth level demon beasts, along with countless human level demon beasts.

The Old Beggar and six other Alchemy Masters stayed at the heart of Tianshu Island that night, directing the changes in the formation and helping Shen Gang and others control the "Sunglow Formation" and "Disaster Cloud Formation." They were exhausted, but after the great battle ended, the Old Beggar and the other seven Alchemy Masters were even more excited than anyone else, rushing towards the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands with a speed that would make even golden core cultivators blush.

Of course, they were not there to welcome back the victorious Xu Qingfan and the others, but to collect the bodies of the East Sea Demon Monsters, as these bodies were excellent materials for crafting.

Just as excited as the Old Beggar and his companions were the Medicine Pill Masters like Scholar Beihai. Having spent so much time with the Old Beggar, they too forgot their usual reserve. Unlike the rare medicinal herbs and ores on the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, many materials from the demon beasts could be used for both crafting and medicine, and they couldn’t let the Old Beggar and his gang take them away.

Watching those usually weak but highly intelligent Medicine Pill Masters and Alchemy Masters, it was as if they were in a competition. One by one, they used their skills to capture the massive bodies of the East Sea Demon Monsters from the depths of the sea, moving them into Tianquan Island. Before everyone’s eyes, there were only endless ghostly figures of the Medicine Pill Masters and Alchemy Masters in motion.

It’s important to note that the East Sea Demon Monsters, due to living in the vast and boundless East Sea for years, were not as intelligent as the demon beasts on land; however, they were very large. Just think of how over three hundred demon beasts could completely surround the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, while the others were pushed back thirty miles away.

The most ordinary East Sea Demon Monster weighed tens of thousands of pounds, but the Old Beggar, Scholar Beihai, and the others excitedly lifted them into the air and quickly flew towards Tianquan Island. In the blink of an eye, they made more than ten trips back and forth, yet still showed no signs of fatigue.

The cultivators from Seven Star Camp, who were usually regarded as elite within the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, were left dumbfounded at this scene. The mastery displayed in the use of their powers, the richness of the Spirit Qi, and their speed and agility in movement all radiated the presence of at least golden core cultivators.

"Could it be that the strongest power of our Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands isn’t from Tianji Camp, but from these Medicine Pill Masters and Alchemy Masters? I’ve never seen them so strong before!"

A Tianji Camp cultivator couldn’t help but mutter to himself as he witnessed this scene.

However, none of the Taoist friends beside him could answer their questions; they only stared in shock at the scene before them.

While all the cultivators of Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands were watching the performance of the Old Beggar and others, Xu Qingfan remained calm and listened to Shen Gang’s report.

"Although we won this battle, the damage was very severe. Especially for Yaoguang Camp, which had originally forty-seven members, now only sixteen remain, and all are seriously injured. Tianji Camp had thirty-five members, with seven dead and eight seriously injured…"

At this point, Shen Gang hesitated, glanced at Xu Qingfan, and continued, "Most of the injuries and deaths among the Tianji Camp cultivators were caused by the aftermath of your battle with the Azure Dragon, Master."

A hint of sadness crossed Xu Qingfan’s eyes, but he quickly returned to normal and instructed Shen Gang, "Find their bodies and take care of them properly."

"Yes," Shen Gang replied solemnly, and then added, "In addition, one person died in the other five camps, with twenty-one seriously injured and nearly a hundred lightly injured. This was due to the severe loss of Spirit Qi while controlling the ‘Sunglow Formation’ and ‘Disaster Cloud Formation,’ and they were also struck back by a strong impact. Additionally, the core control place of the Tianshu Island formation nearly collapsed because of the immense shock, and some Taoist friends were injured by falling rocks while unable to move during the control of the formations."

As he spoke, Shen Gang cautiously glanced at Xu Qingfan again. Xu Qingfan understood that the aftermath of his battle with the Azure Dragon was likely one of the culprits and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Fortunately, that battle was very short; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

As Shen Gang recalled that scene, his face showed lingering fear. The countless waves and terrifying hurricanes stirred up by the battle between Xu Qingfan and the Azure Dragon swept endlessly towards Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands. At that time, the cultivators of Seven Star Camp who were controlling various formations had nearly reached their limit. Under the previous assault by the East Sea Demon Monster, the ninety-nine layers of the glowing barrier were reduced to fewer than twenty. If Xu Qingfan had not ended the battle in just a short while, they might not have lasted much longer. By the time everything was over, only seven layers of the glowing barrier remained, which caused Shen Gang and others to break out in a cold sweat.

"You will go to Scholar Beihai and deliver my message. Have him send a batch of top-quality healing pills to all the cultivators of Seven Star Camp, doubling the amount for the injured. As for other rewards, you can discuss that with the managers of Seven Star Camp. You can take whatever you need from the pills at Scholar Beihai’s place and the artifacts at Old Beggar’s."

Xu Qingfan sighed softly and then spoke quietly.

The great battle seemed to be entirely controlled by Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands from start to finish, yet it was incredibly fierce; Yaoguang Camp and Tianji Camp had amazing powers, and the five other camps remained under the protection of the "Sunglow Formation" and "Disaster Cloud Formation," but they still suffered heavy losses, harming a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of their own, which could be considered a saying of wisdom.

"Yes, I understand, Master."

A strange light flickered in Shen Gang’s eyes, but he still bowed respectfully.

Beside them, Liu Ziqing, Wang Zegang, Dongfang Quan, and others looked at Xu Qingfan and Shen Gang in surprise, their eyes shining with thoughtful expressions.

Xu Qingfan asked Shen Gang to distribute potions to help the cultivators heal, find the bodies of the fallen cultivators, and take care of them properly. He also let Shen Gang decide on the rewards and punishments for this battle. Though these seemed like unimportant details, they were actually extremely important. Those who handled these matters could also seize the opportunity to win people’s hearts. Generally, such tasks are carried out by esteemed elders in other sects, but within Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, even without support from Wang Zegang and others, Xu Qingfan was still trying to help his students gain fame. However, Shen Gang was far from being the right choice. In terms of seniority, Shen Gang had five older brothers; in terms of strength, he was the weakest among Xu Qingfan’s seven students; and in terms of achievements, the number of demon beasts killed by Chou in this battle was second only to Xu Qingfan, including two heavenly level demon beasts…

No matter how you looked at it, Shen Gang was the most inconspicuous among Xu Qingfan’s students, and even his remarkable command skills and overall view might not be stronger than Zhang Ningmei, Xu Qingfan’s second student.

Xu Qingfan’s casually made arrangements held a great deal of meaning.

However, everyone there was used to storms and knew how to hide their doubts deep inside, showing no signs of worry on the surface.

"Is there anything else?"

Xu Qingfan seemed unaware of the impact his plans would cause and continued to ask Shen Gang.

"Also, after this battle, the defense of my Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands has greatly weakened. The ‘Sunglow Formation’ and ‘Disaster Cloud Formation’ are severely damaged and can only show about thirty percent of their power now. However, we did collect many bodies of East Sea Demon Monsters. There are five heavenly level demon beasts, nearly two hundred Earth level high demon beasts, around five hundred Earth level middle class demon beasts, over a thousand Earth level low demon beasts, and countless Human level demon beasts. But the Old Beggar and other seniors are currently moving the demon beast bodies themselves, not allowing others to assist. So, we do not know how many usable materials are available or what kind of spiritual pills and magical tools can be refined. Moreover, judging by the looks of the Old Beggar and other seniors, they might not have time to repair the ‘Sunglow Formation’ and ‘Disaster Cloud Formation’ before they finish handling these bodies and organizing all the materials."

Shen Gang forced a smile and continued speaking.

Xu Qingfan nodded and said, "You don’t have to worry about this. Demon beasts often bully the weak and fear the strong. After this battle, they probably won’t dare come within a hundred miles of my Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands for a hundred years."

Saying this, Xu Qingfan seemed to remember something and asked, "What about the mortals and low-level cultivators? How are they?"

Over the years, Bai Qingfu has not only continuously welcomed human cultivators who meet the requirements into Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, but has also welcomed many mortals with cultivation talent, totaling no less than a thousand by now.

Shen Gang said, "They did not participate in the battle and were not harmed, just a bit scared."

Xu Qingfan nodded and waved his hand, saying, "In that case, you go down and make specific arrangements, and be more careful."

"Yes."

As Wang Zegang walked away, Xu Qingfan turned to Liu Ziqing, Wang Zegang, Dongfang Quan, and the others, a smile touching his lips, and said to them, "Thank you, my friends, for your hard work."

"I haven’t really worked hard. Ever since the ‘Heavenly Paragon Sword’ was taken back by ‘Xuan’, I have been nothing but a powerless person. I spent the whole night just watching the show at the center of the formation, so there was no hardship for me."

Liu Ziqing smiled faintly, half-joking and half-serious, while the others quickly exchanged polite words.

Xu Qingfan smiled slightly and said, "My friend’s situation is special. Although your skills are rare in the world, your attacking power relies only on magical tools, which is a bit regrettable. Here’s what I propose: when I first came to the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, I found three blood corals that are over two hundred thousand years old and twenty-three rainbow sea pearls that are over a hundred thousand years old. To forge the ‘Qixia Sword’, I used two blood corals and twenty sea pearls. What remains are one blood coral and three sea pearls, along with materials from the few heavenly level demon beasts we’ve slain. Taoist Friend Liu can choose from them. Since Taoist Friend Wang Zegang also lacks suitable magical tools after breaking through, he can choose with Taoist Friend Liu. Once you select the materials, we can give them to Old Beggar to forge magical tools. After six months, the three of us will go to the Azure Crystal Treasure House together to collect ‘Azure Crystal Dust’, and then we will forge these magical tools into treasures for both of you to use. How does that sound?"

Hearing this from Xu Qingfan, Liu Ziqing and Wang Zegang showed joyful expressions. The two hundred thousand-year-old blood coral, the hundred thousand-year-old sea pearls, along with the heavenly materials from the heavenly level demon beasts, and various resources from Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, plus the "Azure Crystal Dust," would be enough to forge two very good treasures, and they both bowed in thanks to Xu Qingfan.

In fact, aside from the "World Defying Sword," Xu Qingfan had only magical tools and no treasures. Even the "Qixia Sword" he had refined with the resources of Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands over the years was merely a magical tool that could compare in power to a treasure.

The reason Xu Qingfan proposed this to Liu Ziqing and Wang Zegang now was that, due to his eagerness in previous years, he had already squandered half of the resources of Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands and truly could not afford to forge two more magical tools that could be upgraded to treasures. Otherwise, the resources of Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands would be depleted in just a few hundred thousand years. Additionally, upgrading a magical tool to a treasure requires ‘Azure Crystal Dust,’ which only appears in the ‘Azure Crystal Treasure House,’ and that treasure house will open in just over six months.

"My friend, achieving your goal came at a bad time with the East Sea Demon Monster’s attack. You rushed here to help right after achieving your goal, which delayed your further integration with the Heavenly Way, and I feel quite ashamed. Now that the great battle is over, only minor matters remain. You should quickly return to Tianji Island and continue your meditation to stabilize your realm. In six months, I will wait for you outside Tianji Island and go to the ‘Azure Crystal Treasure House’ together to explore."

Since Wang Zegang has gained wisdom, he must already know very well about the Azure Crystal Treasure House.

Indeed, when Xu Qingfan said this, Wang Zegang couldn’t help but laugh and bowed respectfully to Xu Qingfan, saying, "In that case, I will meet the Island Master again in half a year."

Saying this, Wang Zegang nodded to Dongfang Quan and the other five guardians, as well as the Tian family brothers and Dongfang Qingling, without paying any attention to Liu Ziqing, and transformed into a flash of light, quickly flying towards Tianji Island.

Seeing Wang Zegang leave, Dongfang Quan also bowed to Xu Qingfan and said, "Island Master, we have just come out of seclusion. Although we are now familiar with our magical tools, we still need to get used to them further, so we will return."

The five magical tools held by Dongfang Quan and the others were made by Old Beggar and others as imitations of the Five Elements Sacred Tool. Their power is not far from the "Qixia Sword" in Xu Qingfan’s hand. Together with their might, they can form a Five Element Formation that can compete with a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, making them one of Xu Qingfan’s future aids.

However, Dongfang Quan and the others had just recently reached the Golden Core Stage, and their five magical tools were only just refined. They had a difficult time in the earlier battle against the dragon, but now they were determined to work hard.

Looking at the wounds left on Dongfang Quan and the others from the previous battle, Xu Qingfan nodded, but then said with concern, "Before you enter seclusion again, it would be wise to find Scholar Beihai and ask for some healing pills to recover."

When Dongfang Quan and the others heard Xu Qingfan’s words, a warm light flashed in their eyes. After bowing respectfully, they also transformed into a stream of light, flying towards Tianji Island, without acknowledging Liu Ziqing, just like Wang Zegang before them.

Liu Ziqing’s skills are remarkable, and he can make people unknowingly like him while chatting. Without knowing about the bet between Liu Ziqing and Xu Qingfan, both Dongfang Qingling and other guardians, as well as the lower-level cultivators from Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, all felt this way. However, this did not sit well with some cultivators led by Wang Zegang, as on the way when Wang Zegang brought Liu Ziqing to Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, Liu Ziqing’s ability to leave them helpless left a deep impression.

After Dongfang Quan and the others had left, only Dongfang Qingling, Tian Zhenxian, the Tian Zhenling brothers, and Liu Ziqing remained with Xu Qingfan.

"So, does this mean the Island Master is determined to claim the Zhong family? It seems he has already begun to think about competing for the Azure Crystal Treasure House. It looks like I will lose that bet from ten years ago."

Liu Ziqing was not the slightest bit upset by the rudeness of Wang Zegang and Dongfang Quan. Looking at their fading figures, Liu Ziqing had an unreadable smile and turned to Xu Qingfan to ask.

"The strength of the Zhong family’s ancestor is beyond measure; how can I foolishly claim I am certain to win? I can only do my best. In six months, I might find that I have lost this bet after all."

Liu Ziqing smiled again and did not say more, simply nodding and saying, "If that’s the case, I will wait patiently for the Island Master’s plans."

As he spoke, Liu Ziqing bowed to Xu Qingfan and turned to go back to the island.

Xu Qingfan quietly watched Liu Ziqing’s retreating figure, his gaze calm.

"Are you really going to work with this person? Do you think you can control him?"

Suddenly, he remembered Little Black’s indifferent voice.

"No one in the world can truly control him, but as long as I show my strength and align my goals to some extent with his, this Liu Ziqing can still cooperate. My own power is too weak; I need several partners, and Liu Ziqing is the strongest I can find."

Little Black fell silent.

"Let’s go back, too."

Xu Qingfan turned to Dongfang Qingling and the Tian brothers and said.

As he spoke, Xu Qingfan glanced at Old Beggar and the others who were busy moving the demon beast bodies from the sea. At this moment, Tianquan Island was piled high with countless huge corpses, and Old Beggar and the others, helpless, began to carry these bodies to the other six islands.

Xu Qingfan’s gaze lingered on Scholar Beihai for a moment, then he no longer hesitated and flew toward Tianshu Island.

After spending two hours, Xu Qingfan comforted and encouraged the Seven Star Camp cultivators who participated in the great battle. During this time, he personally treated several injured cultivators before returning to Yuheng Island with Dongfang Qingling and the others.

Once everything was over, it was dusk.

Dongfang Qingling followed Xu Qingfan back to his house, and when she looked up, she couldn’t help but be surprised.

Bai Qingfu, who had already left Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands and had not yet returned, was sitting quietly with Xu Qingfan’s two disciples, Zhang Ningmei and Bai Yu, who had not appeared during the intense battle.