Chapter 303: Swallowing Essence

Chen Qingyang felt it, too. The Circulation of Stars Demon Suppression Array had been activated. The Star Power here linked together like silken threads, weaving a vast net that stretched into the far distance, even beyond the Tai Xu Sect…

The Star Power roiled and churned, and the Masters each employed their own techniques to gradually reinforce it. Once it reached a certain state, everything became majestically still.

“All right, it’s time for us to seek our fortunes.”

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

…

At this point, someone made the announcement, and the crowd began to disperse. Within the Celestial Palace, one could only walk. Only after exiting could they use Wind Control.

Chen Qingyang understood as well. The ceremony was over, but it would still be some time before the Earth Deity returned. It would be best for him to find some Immortal Fate here in the meantime.

‘There are plenty of people here right now,’ he thought, ‘so I can blend in and no one will notice where I go. If I can manage to enter the Tai Hao Qingxu Enlightenment even once, I’ll have made out like a bandit.’

Ordinary people seeking the Immortal Dao would leave the Immortal Palace and rely on their Cultivation, Divine Soul, innate talent, and experience to roam about, find places of interest, and then settle down to study them.

But Chen Qingyang possessed the Array True Understanding. His Cultivation aside, this meant he held the same key as a Golden Core True Monarch.

He was already familiar with the process, and his objective was clear. After putting some distance between himself and the various Masters, he began walking toward the edge of the Sumeru Secret Realm, extending his perception as he went.

After some effort, he found an Array Building standing at the horizon, much like the suspended White Jade Pillar he had seen when he reached the end of the Qingzhu Peak Secret Realm.

His Conscious Fish integrated itself from this point, entering a world belonging solely to the Array.

Here, Heaven, Earth, and all creation blurred into an indistinct haze. Only the critical nodes connecting the lines of Star Power were clearly visible, as if he had glimpsed the very essence of this world.

It was a small world, supported by the Circulation Demon Suppression Star Array and hidden deep within it.

Within this miniature world, he only needed to quiet his mind and perceive the places where Star Power converged, or the various nodes and junctures that had formed. By doing so, he could determine if this world held secrets of its own—if a Cave Mansion and its Immortal Fate were hidden here.

His physical body was hidden in a deserted valley on Sun-piercing Peak, allowing him to perceive the passage of time in the outside world.

And so, after three nights and four days, he finally located a place where Star Power converged. It then took him another two full days to find the entrance.

There was no need to go elsewhere. From within this Array World, one could reach these Secret Realms simply by passing through a small barrier.

In an instant, he entered a place of complete darkness.

He could not see the path ahead, nor the one behind. Yu’Er felt as if it was floating in mid-air. The only thing it could perceive was Five Element Spiritual Energy.

‘Could I have arrived at the Five Elements Cave Mansion of this Secret Realm?!’

It wasn’t easy to take advantage of a chaotic situation like this, and he didn’t want to waste time in the Five Elements Cave Mansion. He could always plan to return in the future. Just as he was about to leave, however, he saw a fiery light drifting toward him from the distance.

‘It’s a Fire Element Essence!’

‘This is so much easier to find than on Cyan Bamboo Peak. I can’t take it out of here, but if I absorb some Five Elements Qi, I can at least replenish the Cultivation I’ve used up recently.’

Chen Qingyang didn’t hesitate, immediately lunging forward. Just as he was about to reach it, however, someone shot out from the side, charging straight for the same object.

It turned out they were also chasing this Five Elements Essence.

‘Too bad for him, running into me. If this thing is his Immortal Fate for advancing his Cultivation, then I’ll just have to take some of his Immortal Seedlings.’

But Chen Qingyang was faster. His Conscious Fish appeared with extreme stealth and instantly snatched away the Fire Element Essence. The other person froze, staring into the pitch-black darkness. The unique aura of the Fire Element Essence was gone, impossible to track.

After a moment, he didn’t sense any Immortal Seedlings being stolen from the other person. ‘Looks like this item doesn’t affect his Cultivation,’ he thought.

Hiding in an unoccupied spot, he felt the Fire Element Essence in his grasp and began to absorb its aura.

Unexpectedly, the Fire Element Essence was swallowed directly by Yu’Er, where it came to rest within a fiery cloud. This was the equivalent of a person’s Dantian, the place for Qi Gathering after cultivating the third volume.

This development was truly unexpected. It must be because of those nine Dragon Tendons. They had enabled Yu’Er’s Dantian to not only accommodate Fire Qi but also to swallow Fire Element Essence.

As it moved again, the Fire Element Essence remained in its abdomen, simply waiting for him to process and absorb it.

Chen Qingyang no longer wanted to leave. Although he couldn’t obtain the other four elements and thus couldn’t advance his Five Elements Sword, he could gather Fire Element Essence to sell to Gentle Breeze. Or, he could trade it for the other four elements and raise his Inner Nourishing Five Elements Sword to the next level.

He was already an expert at finding Fire Element Essence. Furthermore, since he cultivated True Dragon Fire, he had an incredibly strong Perception Power for it to begin with.

He patrolled the darkness, invisible to others. Like a ghost, he would appear wherever Fire Qi coalesced.

Another seven days and nights passed. It had now accumulated nine essences in its abdomen, so many that it felt like it would have to spit them up. ‘This must be the limit,’ Chen Qingyang thought.

During this time, he occasionally encountered one or two other people, a pitifully small number considering the vastness of the Five Elements Cave Mansion.

This proved that finding the entrance to this Cave Mansion was still quite difficult for most people.

“Junior Sister, are you really planning to keep searching in here and not go anywhere else?” Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted out of the darkness. It sounded like… Chao Rui.

“We have forty-nine days. I have to stay here for at least thirty of them. I’ll find as many as I can; at least then I can say I did my best.” The person who replied was Jing Shu.

‘This senior brother and junior sister really keep their word,’ Chen Qingyang thought. ‘Searching for Five Elements Essence in this Cave Mansion, spending most of their time here… they really are doing their best.’

“Senior Brother, you should go look for your own Immortal Fate elsewhere. You don’t need to stay here with me!”

Chao Rui added, “It’s a good trade-off. Junior Brother Chen can refine Dongming Upper Mansion Elixirs, so that Green Fall Longevity you mentioned should be excellent as well. Isn’t the whole point of seeking Immortal Fate to break through our Cultivation? Have him supply you with Elixirs, and you’ll reach the Ninth Realm in no time.”

“Exactly. The title of first place among Outer Disciples in the Separation Dragon Pill Institute’s competition holds a lot of weight.” This was proof of Jing Shu’s intelligence; none of her actions were impulsive—everything was part of a plan.

“All right, then. Junior Sister has always been more meticulous than me, anyway. I’ll go wander around and see what I can find!”

With that, the pair of senior and junior disciples parted ways, leaving Jing Shu to search alone.

He watched as she used her Cyan Bird as a guide. It seemed to have an extremely strong perception for Wood Spirit Qi, always managing to find patches of verdant aura. However, confirming whether Five Elements Essence was actually inside was not so easy.

After all, Chen Qingyang was not only familiar with Arrays but also possessed True Dragon Fire, making him far more adept at this than she was.

He followed Jing Shu for a long time, hoping to see if she could find any Wood Element Essence for him, but to no avail.

Finally, a brilliant, peach-green light appeared up ahead. According to Chen Qingyang’s judgment, it had to be a Wood Element Essence.

But at that exact moment, someone else shot toward it from a closer position and at a greater speed. Once it fell into their hands, he would lose his chance completely.

The rule was finders, keepers; forcible snatching was forbidden.

‘An Immortal Fate is right before my eyes! How can I let someone else lay a finger on it? Isn’t Cultivation all about fighting against heaven itself?!’

The Conscious Fish was incredibly aggressive, sweeping toward the other person. Even though his opponent had a Seventh Realm Cultivation, that didn’t mean he couldn’t put up a fight.

In an instant, fire erupted. The person screamed. A closer look revealed a ball of flame.

But he had a Seventh Realm Cultivation, after all. Despite being heavily wounded, he still locked onto the Conscious Fish with incredible speed and gave chase. “HEY! What coward dares sneak attack me?”

The shout also startled Jing Shu in the distance. She paid it no mind, however, and simply took the Wood Spirit Essence for herself.

The Conscious Fish’s movements were too furtive, and the difference in their Cultivation Realms wasn’t that great, so the pursuer quickly lost its trail.

When the man returned and saw Jing Shu, he could only retreat resentfully. It wasn’t Jing Shu who had attacked him, so he had no grounds to argue with her.

Meanwhile, Chen Qingyang was in a corner, counting his Immortal Seedlings. Stolen: 2,412.

‘This is a great idea. If I can’t take it myself, I’ll just have Jing Shu grab it for me.’

‘From now on, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just follow Jing Shu!’