Free Web NovelChapter 679: Chapter 255: Battle of the Golden Core
The surrounding dense threads of causality crisscrossed, all linked to him and the Shen Family.
Observing these threads of causality, Shen Yuan concentrated hard to investigate.
A moment later, his face suddenly turned grim.
The secrets of heaven were obscured, and through the causality threads, no issues were detected.
This inevitably makes him question whether he was overthinking.
But this doubt flashed through his mind, immediately dismissed.
Having immersed himself in the Path of Great Derivation for over a century, he had absolute confidence in his intuition!
This unsettling feeling hadn’t just flashed by; it had been lingering for two days.
This indicated that something significant was certainly about to happen.
Standing in this magnificent space with his hands behind his back, Shen Yuan pondered for a long time, suddenly noticing a thick thread of causality reaching out from the distant hazy void, connecting to the Shen Family.
Shen Yuan walked over slowly and, after a moment of hesitation, determination flashed in his eyes as he reached out to touch the thick thread of causality.
"Old fellow, for the sake of past friendship, could you help the Shen Family once?"
Waves of energy spread along the thick thread of causality to the other end.
In a valley that seemed like an immortal realm, Xu Xiu, clad in a coarse long robe with graying hair and beard, was sitting quietly by the turbulent river fishing.
His eyes suddenly widened, then his brows furrowed.
"What kind of chance encounter did that young fellow have?"
"How can he repeatedly use the power of the Law of Cause and Effect?"
"The last time, he lured disaster elsewhere, almost revealing my presence to that group of bald monks."
"Using the power of causality again this time, asking me for help?"
Xu Xiu muttered softly, then chuckled and shook his head, "Well, the major situation is already settled, just waits for time to pass."
"I just want to see if this sole variable can bring me a surprise or a shock."
With a gentle smile, he immediately formed formulas and spoke softly.
"Fellow Daoist Tianxing, the Shen Family is in trouble, please run an errand once more."
...
Black Water Pavilion.
Shen Yuan sighed softly, turned to sit back on the futon.
At this moment, his mind was filled with that feeling emerging from the void.
The sound of unhurried footsteps suddenly came from the stairs not far away.
Wearing a moon-white long robe, the slender figure of Shen Xiubai descended from the third floor. Seeing his solemn face, he approached slowly and cupped his hands in respect.
"Great-grandfather, what’s wrong?"
Since Shen Chongxu returned and granted Liu Yiran a title, Shen Xiubai had clearly changed greatly, looking somewhat more energetic.
Shen Yuan recovered, a faint smile appearing on his face, "Great-grandfather is fine."
"Sit down."
Indicating Shen Xiubai to sit opposite, Shen Yuan gave him a glance and said softly, "Not bad, your cultivation has reached Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer."
"It seems the Dantian Array indeed helped you a lot."
Shen Xiubai had a smile on his face, skillfully pouring tea for himself and Shen Yuan.
"Of course, the Dantian Array contributed, but primarily it’s because Xiubai’s mental state suddenly became clear."
"Great-grandfather, Xiubai found that in the matter of cultivation, talent and effort are important, but one’s mental state is also not to be ignored."
Shen Yuan nodded.
"Naturally, cultivating the Dao also means cultivating the mind."
"We cultivators, if we do not have a sufficient mental state to control our own power, will eventually become puppets of power, deviating from the true intention of cultivation."
On this topic, he suddenly thought of Zhao Tuan.
Zhao Tuan’s mental state was truly calm, but unfortunately his talent was too poor, having a body without a Spiritual Root.
The last time Shen Chongming brought him to Black Water Pavilion, he intended to ask Jiang Xiuqi for help, trying to advance Zhao Tuan’s cultivation further.
But the idea of using a Five Elements Array to replace the Five Elements Innate Spiritual Qi was evidently not that simple.
Though Jiang Xiuqi was a great Array Daoist in the Golden Core Realm, he couldn’t achieve it.
Now years have passed, and it’s unknown what’s happening with Zhao Tuan.
The lifespan for someone in the Qi Cultivation Realm is not long, Zhao Tuan now being over a hundred. If no solution is found before his vitality dries up and his body deteriorates, even if a solution to the problem is found, it’ll be too late.
"Great-grandfather, Xiubai wants to go to Flame Lake City."
Picking up the tea cup before him and taking a sip, Shen Xiubai suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Shen Yuan curiously asked, "Why go to Flame Lake City?"
"Your own Spirit Root is of water attribute. The Earth Fire Qi in Flame Lake City is intense; if you go there, you’d probably be unable to bear it."
After pondering for a moment, Shen Xiubai took out a red pearl the size of a quail egg from his pocket.
"Please have a look, Great-grandfather."
Shen Yuan took the pearl in curiosity and examined it closely, his face revealing a trace of surprise.
"You’ve actually engraved a complete array on this little pearl?"
Shen Xiubai nodded while smiling, "I won’t hide it, Great-grandfather. Xiubai wants to go to Flame Lake City mainly to ask Brother Xiuyun or Uncle Chongyi for help, to find a way to refine it into a magical artifact without damaging the patterns on the pearl’s surface."
"If this works, Xiubai might just solve the issue of placing an Inner Five Elements Circulation Array inside a cultivator’s body."
This pearl was brought back from the sea by Shen Wen’an.
The pearl is produced in the body of clam-like sea demons, naturally compatible with flesh and capable of being engraved with array patterns like Spirit Jade, and can directly be refined into a magical artifact without incorporating other external materials.
Such characteristics are simply the perfect material for creating an Inner Five Elements Array.
Shen Xiubai had been studying this sea demon pearl for some time, finally managing to engrave a complete array on the small surface of the pearl after wasting over a dozen of them.
The only remaining difficulty now is refining it into a magical artifact.
