Chapter 136: The Heavenly Sect and Azure Nether Island, Breakthrough in Cultivation [Third Update, Requesting Monthly Votes]

The three islands offered by Qu Xunhun varied greatly in price, with the most expensive costing over a hundred million superior spirit stones and the cheapest priced at forty million. The price was related not only to the size of the island, but also to the strength of the faction governing it.

Fang Wang had originally intended to find an unruled island, but after hearing Qu Xunhun's explanation, he felt that having the protection of a faction had its advantages. Moreover, as the Yellow-Character Sword Monarch of the Longevity Pavilion, various sects would not dare to act against him openly.

The immortal cultivation forces in the Southern Dome Sea were countless, but the only ones truly worthy of being called overlords were the Longevity Pavilion.

Fang Wang produced two storage bags and asked Qu Xunhun to help sell them, which Qu Xunhun readily agreed to.

After Qu Xunhun departed, Fang Wang began reading the jade slip with his divine sense, through which he could observe the outline and size of the island.

Several days later, Qu Xunhun returned carrying only a single storage bag. Upon checking, Fang Wang found it filled entirely with superior spirit stones.

"Let's choose Biyou Island."

Fang Wang said to Qu Xunhun. During this period, he had already stored all the treasures from his immortal cave into the Dragon Jade Ring. Fang Hanyu had taken very little—less than a fifth—and Fang Wang intended to transplant those rare natural treasures onto Biyou Island.

Qu Xunhun nodded and asked, "Shall we depart now?"

Fang Wang nodded and stood up, while Little Zi leaped onto his shoulder.

The two of them walked out of the cave together. With the mountain gates closing behind them, this immortal cave would henceforth become ownerless.

Qu Xunhun produced his gourd and motioned for Fang Wang to sit on the back.

The gourd traveled at immense speed, quickly leaving the archipelago behind.

Along the journey, Qu Xunhun began introducing Biyou Island.

Biyou Island was located within the maritime territory controlled by the Heavenly Sect. Founded five thousand years ago, the Heavenly Sect was one of the major righteous sects, with over a million disciples and more than a hundred islands under its jurisdiction. Biyou Island was among the highest-tier islands among them.

Although the Heavenly Sect was not a subsidiary sect of the Longevity Pavilion, it had always maintained friendly relations with the pavilion and warmly welcomed Fang Wang's arrival.

To acquire Biyou Island, Fang Wang needed to pay one hundred and twenty million superior spirit stones. This was already a discounted price, as the Heavenly Sect wished to show goodwill. Should Fang Wang have any future needs, he could negotiate further, as the Heavenly Sect was eager to establish deeper relations with him.

Although the Heavenly Sect had lowered the price, Fang Wang did not feel indebted to them, a fact that left him quite satisfied.

"Out on the sea, do the major sects wage wars over maritime territories?" Fang Wang asked out of curiosity.

Qu Xunhun replied, "Naturally. Islands with spiritual veins are contested by all sects. However, you need not worry. There are rules upon the sea; islands sold by sects are never forcibly reclaimed. Doing so would bring universal condemnation and lead to joint attacks from all sides. The Heavenly Sect is a notoriously formidable faction, and with their protection, no one will disturb your cultivation under normal circumstances."

Deeply interested in the maritime cultivation culture, Fang Wang continued his inquiries.

As it turned out, not all islands were suitable for cultivation. Islands like Biyou Island had been meticulously renovated by the Heavenly Sect, complete with sophisticated spiritual energy transmission restrictions and defensive formations surrounding the island—all of which represented substantial costs.

Without such renovation by a sect, an isolated island would easily be swallowed by the ocean.

Qu Xunhun then mentioned the recent momentum of the Heavenly Sect. Two hundred years ago, the sect had given birth to a supreme talent of the Heavenly Origin, who had now successfully attained the Golden Body Realm, shaking all four seas.

Even upon the vast sea, talents of the Heavenly Origin were exceptionally rare, and their emergence invariably sparked fierce contention among various powers.

...

The Canglan Academy was situated among four islands, with numerous pavilions built directly upon the water surface, forming an academy upon the sea.

At this moment, within a courtyard, dozens of disciples sat cross-legged with their gazes fixed ahead as an elder led Chu Yin up the steps.

Gu Li was among the disciples. Like those around her, she looked at Chu Yin with curious eyes.

Chu Yin's spiritual power was faint, indicating that he had only recently begun cultivating immortality, but the fact that he could enter this specific courtyard suggested that his natural talent was exceedingly high.

"This new disciple is named Chu Yin, from the Northern Sea Chu family. You should have all heard of them. Although young, Chu Yin possesses the talent of the Heavenly Origin, and thus he enters the Academy's Sacred Talent Courtyard directly," the elder said with a warm smile and a look of pride.

Extremely nervous, Chu Yin did not dare to speak, only managing to cup his hands and bow to his senior brothers and sisters.

"Heavenly Origin talent? Really?"

"Tsk tsk, no wonder he could enter our courtyard directly."

"The Chu family—I've heard of them. A family with a solid foundation, active along the coasts of the northern continent for generations."

"To think a Heavenly Origin talent would join our academy. Why didn't he kowtow to those major sects?"

"Hahaha, did you not know that the Academy Master and the ancestor of the Chu family are close friends?"

The disciples immediately grew excited, some discussing animatedly while others greeted Chu Yin.

Gu Li remained silent. Wearing a veil, her lovely eyes simply rested quietly on Chu Yin.

"Heavenly Origin talent... I wonder how he has been doing recently..."

Gu Li's thoughts drifted as she thought of Fang Wang.

Coming to the sea had greatly broadened her horizons. The Heavenly Origin talent, which was limited to a single person in Daqi, was a title she had heard multiple times out on the ocean. Yet, comparing them to the growth records of those Heavenly Origin talents, she realized that even among those of the same innate quality, distinct gaps existed.

Fang Wang was bound to be the absolute pinnacle among the Heavenly Origin talents!

Looking at the timid Chu Yin, Gu Li felt certain he could never compare to Fang Wang.

From the very first day she met him, Fang Wang had possessed such high-spirited confidence. Even when he had not yet forged his Heavenly Origin Precious Spirit, that sharp edge of his was unforgettable.

The surrounding disciples held different thoughts. As Chu Yin walked down the steps, they greeted him warmly.

Though Chu Yin currently appeared timid, they all understood that once he forged his spirit, he would inevitably rise to become a proud son of heaven.

To put it without exaggeration, Chu Yin would be the most powerful connection they had ever encountered, and cultivating a good relationship with him was imperative.

...

Qu Xunhun's speed was immense. In less than ten days, they arrived at the Heavenly Sect's territory and flew straight toward Biyou Island.

Biyou Island was by no means small, measuring up to a hundred miles long and sixty miles wide. The island featured mountains, lakes, and abundant spiritual herbs cultivation.

Looking from afar, Fang Wang could already feel the rich spiritual energy emanating from Biyou Island.

Extremely dense!

At the very first sight of Biyou Island, Fang Wang took a liking to it, finding it virtually indistinguishable from its depiction in the jade slip.

Qu Xunhun landed on the sandy beach, where two Heavenly Sect cultivators were already waiting.

The two cultivators were exceptionally warm and humble upon meeting Fang Wang, completely devoid of the haughty arrogance typical of Void-Crossing Realm cultivators. According to Qu Xunhun's introduction, both men were elders of the Heavenly Sect.

Fang Wang produced the spirit stones and had the two elders verify the amount.

Half an hour later.

The two elders bowed and departed, leaving Fang Wang in possession of a jade medallion engraved with the two characters "Biyou." This medallion could control all the formations and restrictions on the island, though it required blood recognition. Once bound to its master, Biyou Island would cease to have any direct affiliation with the Heavenly Sect, remaining merely geographical within their waters.

With a thought from Fang Wang, thick mists began to rise rapidly from the sea surrounding Biyou Island.

An exceptional formation!

Fang Wang discovered that the Heavenly Sect's artifact-crafting craftsmanship was remarkably refined. When he activated the Biyou medallion, there was not the slightest lag; the formation seemed to spring to life instantly, drawing upon the surrounding spiritual energy rather than consuming his own.

"If you have no pressing matters, you may cultivate on the island, and you are free to leave whenever you wish," Fang Wang told Qu Xunhun, before pulling several millennial rare treasures from the Dragon Jade Ring and presenting them to him.

Qu Xunhun did not refuse, promptly expressing his gratitude to Fang Wang.

Subsequently, Fang Wang walked deeper into the island. Little Zi darted into the woods with a whoosh, while Fang Wang strolled leisurely, taking in the sights of his newly acquired estate.

Qu Xunhun departed from Biyou Island without lingering to cultivate.

He was not close to Fang Wang, and their relationship remained one of master and servant; he dared not cultivate under Fang Wang's watchful eye. He understood one fundamental truth: the more one knew, the greater the danger.

At the eastern foot of the mountain on Biyou Island, a row of pavilions had been constructed facing a small lake. Numerous fish swam within the waters, occasionally leaping above the surface, while lush flowers and trees surrounded the area in a picturesque landscape.

Walking all the way here, Fang Wang discovered that the spiritual energy here was the densest, far surpassing his immortal cave at the Taiyuan Sect. The spiritual energy primarily surged from the small lake—no wonder the Heavenly Sect had built their pavilions here, as the spiritual eye was located right beneath it.

Fang Wang walked onto an open-air wooden platform facing the lake and sat cross-legged to begin his cultivation.

Having delayed for so long, it was time to focus seriously on cultivation and elevate his realm!

Once cultivation grew tedious, he would then contemplate fusing his divine spells.

Removing his bamboo hat, Fang Wang began circulating his cultivation technique.

Biyou Island was now completely shrouded in mist, even obscuring the firmament above. After a brief period of dimness, sunlight spilled down once more as the mist overhead gradually grew translucent, revealing the sun.

Sunsets and sunrises followed in endless succession.

With this single closure of his eyes, three years of time slipped away.

He had finally broken through to the second layer of the Void-Crossing Realm!

Considering that Biyou Island's spiritual energy far exceeded that of Daqi, the fact that it still took him three years demonstrated just how arduous cultivating in the Void-Crossing Realm truly was.

Fang Wang tentatively set a new goal: to attain the Golden Body Realm within fifty years!

He retrieved a large quantity of rare natural treasures from the Dragon Jade Ring, placed them on the grassy bank by the lake, and instructed Little Zi and Zhao Zhen to take charge of the planting.

Having given his orders, he resumed his cross-legged meditation.

Little Zi looked at Zhao Zhen and said earnestly, "I must cultivate. You had better plant these carefully without any mistakes, or else I'll make your soul scatter into nothingness!"

Zhao Zhen sighed, knowing this was how it would turn out.

However, since he was already a ghost, using ghostly energy to tend flowers and plants was still more interesting than cultivation, especially since most of the ghostly energy he cultivated would be absorbed by Little Zi anyway.

...

Inside a brilliantly lit grand hall, white-robed cultivators had gathered, including the two Heavenly Sect elders who had previously received Fang Wang.

A white-haired man sat cross-legged upon a precious throne. His long hair cascaded freely, and his beard covered both hands, yet his facial features and skin appeared remarkably youthful.

He was none other than the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sect, Master Linya.

"Sect Master, say something! Junior Brother Ye has reappeared in the world, and he even represents the Golden Firmament Sect. What kind of place is that Golden Firmament Sect? I've never even heard of it!" a plump Daoist cried out angrily as he stepped forward.

Master Linya did not open his eyes, merely saying calmly, "Junior Brother Ye was expelled from the Heavenly Sect long ago. Whatever sect he joins, what does it have to do with us?"

The plump Daoist glared and said, "Wasn't it agreed back then that once his period of suppression ended, he would be welcomed back?"

The elder who had once received Fang Wang shook his head and said, "Since he does not wish to return, why force it? Moreover, he killed two Heavenly Sect disciples. Sect Master, we must eradicate the Golden Firmament Sect to uphold the prestige of the Heavenly Sect!"