Chapter 479 - 245: Dark Prison Seal_3

So it’s most likely a divine skill similar to an external embodiment.

The ghost ship’s intrusion into Five Extremes Mountain coincided precisely with the appearance of the ghost ship within my Heart Demon, giving Liou Yuan a wild thought.

"Could that thing be targeting me?"

Coupled with the mark left on his chest by the ghost ship, Liou Yuan felt this speculation was highly plausible.

"Why did it single me out?" Liou Yuan felt helpless and unable to voice his distress.

Logically, he hadn’t done anything outrageous at the Cyan Feather Gui Character Crossing, nor had he come into contact with the ghost ship.

The ghost ship couldn’t have targeted him for no reason.

Fortunately, Liou Yuan was quick-witted. After a moment of silence, he recalled all his movements at the Cyan Feather Gui Character Crossing.

He found two possible reasons for being targeted by the ghost ship.

"The ship contract! Or perhaps that female cultivator’s corpse!"

Both were related to the ghost ship.

One was an item associated with the ghost ship; the other was an ancient cultivator who had mysteriously perished at the hands of the ghost ship.

"I should have never taken them!" Liou Yuan deeply regretted it; if given another chance, he would not be greedy at all.

"Fortunately, we have the Sect Leader!" Liou Yuan thought of Sect Leader Xuanyi and suddenly felt relieved.

Fortunately, the sect backing him wasn’t to be trifled with. Though the ghost ship was ferocious, it was unlikely to break through Five Extremes Mountain with just an external embodiment.

Sect Leader Xuanyi was a famous God of Slaughter in the Cyan Feather Realm, and Golden Core cultivators from various sects had to show him respect.

He was the only one who could somewhat contend with the ghost ship’s embodiment.

Additionally, the profound foundation of Five Extremes Mountain, which was established by Jing Xuzi to suppress the chaos of the Star Erosion, wouldn’t be devoid of certain means left behind in the mountain.

Hence, Liou Yuan believed that as long as he stayed under the protection of Five Extremes Mountain, there shouldn’t be any major problems.

"But I must rid myself of the Dark Prison Seal sooner rather than later; it’s a looming danger."

Liou Yuan touched his chest and could still occasionally sense a hot feeling emanating from that spot.

This cave dwelling was now Liou Yuan’s; the moment he broke the array, it was marked with his name.

Tuoba Xin had stayed in Liou Yuan’s cave dwelling for a while. Seeing the evening approaching, they agreed on a time to drink and left reluctantly.

Liou Yuan didn’t stay in the Purple Curtain Cave any longer either, heading instead towards the Outer Sect’s Xiang Mountain.

Since his mother Bai Xin was taken in at Xiang Mountain, Liou Yuan naturally wanted to spend more time with her. He had just reached Foundation Establishment, and there was no rush for cultivation matters.

By the time he returned to Xiang Mountain, it was already quite late.

Liou Yuan went to Bai Xin’s door at Fragrance Tower, intending to pay his respects, but upon hearing the steady breathing from inside, he quietly withdrew without disturbing her.

He happened to encounter Gong Linqing, who was holding a large pile of books heading for Liou Zhen’s study outside Fragrance Tower.

Before Liou Yuan secluded himself, Gong Linqing was merely a Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer menial disciple.

Now, after Liou Yuan had emerged from seclusion, Gong Linqing was already at Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, likely benefiting from his position at Xiang Mountain, acquiring some cultivation resources, and with the help of Liou Yuan renting a cave dwelling in the Outer Sect, breaking through to Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer was not difficult.

"Greetings, my lord. Upon hearing of your emergence, I wanted to visit, but unfortunately, you went to the Inner Sect, so I missed the chance." Gong Linqing addressed Liou Yuan more reverently.

After all, Liou Yuan was now a genuine Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.

"It’s alright." Liou Yuan didn’t care for these formalities, waving his hand as he chatted briefly with Gong Linqing.

Only then did he learn that Gong Linqing had not claimed the badge of an Outer Sect disciple and continued to fulfill tasks at Five Extremes Mountain as Liou Yuan’s menial disciple.

It’s known that reaching Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer qualifies one for promotion from a menial disciple to an Outer Sect disciple, with distinct differences in resources and status within the sect.

However, after thinking it through, Liou Yuan understood Gong Linqing’s reasoning.

Gong Linqing was smart and knew that while having the status of an Outer Sect disciple was beneficial, it still couldn’t compare to being a menial disciple to the Second Lord of the Liou Family and a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator.

Moreover, becoming an Outer Sect disciple would mean leaving Xiang Mountain, where Gong Linqing might not enjoy the same ease.

Even as a menial disciple now, none of the Liou Family members at Xiang Mountain dared to underestimate him.

Likewise, the Outer Sect disciples, aware of his status as Liou Yuan’s menial disciple, treated him courteously.

"That’s fine as well." Having understood the crucial point, Liou Yuan smiled slightly.

After informing Gong Linqing, he left Fragrance Tower.

Currently, he had no tasks for Gong Linqing to handle, but by staying at Xiang Mountain to address minor affairs, he could also relieve burdens from his elder brother.

Following the night, Liou Yuan returned to the secret chamber cave dwelling at Xiang Mountain.

But he didn’t go to the cave dwelling where he had broken through to Foundation Establishment; instead, he opened the adjacent cave dwelling.

Inside, lay the corpse of the ancient cultivator who was about to awaken as the ’Longevity Seed’.

By rights, Liou Yuan should have visited earlier.

It was just that after emerging from seclusion, he met Liou Zhen, and then was brought to the Inner Sect by Fang Yu, causing a delay.

Now with some free time, he definitely needed to take a look.

"This ancient cultivator’s corpse in the secret chamber surely didn’t escape my elder brother’s notice. Fortunately, my brother isn’t inclined to probe deeply, sparing me much trouble."

Mumbling to himself, Liou Yuan pushed open the stone door.

Rumble!

As the secret chamber opened, Liou Yuan, even before the stone door to the cave dwelling was fully open, had his palm pressed on the Moonlight Sword, which was transformed from the Moonlight Bracelet, ready and vigilant.

By estimation, it had taken over two years for Liou Yuan to break through to Foundation Establishment, and the Spiritual Qi present in the secret chamber cave dwelling could have led to the possibility of that female cultivator’s premature awakening.

An ancient cultivator who had practiced Grade B Top-grade Cultivation Techniques required Liou Yuan’s utmost caution.

Fortunately, events hadn’t taken a turn for the worse.

Standing at the door, Liou Yuan peered inside.

The All Heaven Derivation Array Disc floated serenely in the center of the secret chamber, and the array he set up using the All Heaven Derivation Array Disc was intact.

At the heart of the five-fold array, the body of the female cultivator named Su’e lay there, with butterfly-like eyelashes lightly shut, showing no signs of waking, kept in check by the array.

Liou Yuan activated the Evil Eyes and scanned over Su’e’s body back and forth.

The vitality within her was now more thriving, having been nurtured by Spiritual Qi for over two years.

If previously it was like a seed with a sprouting bud, that seed had now grown branches and leaves.

Once flowers and fruit appeared amidst those leaves, it would likely signify her complete resurrection.

"Thankfully, she hasn’t awakened so soon."

Gazing at Su’e under the array’s suppression for a while, Liou Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment of contemplation, Liou Yuan stepped into the secret chamber.

Coming this time, one purpose was to check if Su’e would awaken so soon.

The other was to figure out whether he was being targeted by the ghost ship because of her.

If the source of danger wasn’t identified, even if the mark on his chest was resolved, it could still reappear.

Approaching Su’e, seeing her rosy lips, like newly unfolded petals, up close, bore no traces of being a corpse. If not for the foreknowledge of her being dead for millennia, one wouldn’t connect her to death.

"Since antiquity, beauty has often met with tragic fate. If not for her cultivation in the Longevity Scripture, such a great beauty would have decayed at the Cyan Feather Gui Character Crossing."

Liou Yuan wore a teasing smile.

Unquestionably, Su’e was extraordinarily beautiful, unmatched by any female cultivator in both the Inner and Outer Sects of Five Extremes Mountain.

Nonetheless, having encountered beauties of all kinds in his past life, experiencing the charms of different nations, Liou Yuan naturally possessed stronger willpower than the cultivators of this world.

Afterward, Liou Yuan, invoking the Evil Eyes from close range, started scanning Su’e’s body meticulously, aiming to unveil any clues.

The attire on Su’e now was Liou Yuan’s; her previous set of ancient cultivator garb had long turned to dust over time.

Concerned for his own life, Liou Yuan was not one to declare himself a gentleman, and thus, without hesitation, lifted the clothing to examine closely.

Soon, he noticed a black mark at the nape of Su’e’s neck, hidden under her waterfall-like long hair.

The mark’s shape and the ’卍’ character mark on his own chest looked not only identical but even exuded exactly the same aura.

The mark glaringly stood out on Su’e’s fair neck, causing Liou Yuan’s hand, which had been lifting her hair, to pause.

His expression instantly turned serious.

"Dark Prison Seal!" Liou Yuan uttered the name of the mark, his face filled with uncertainty.