Cultivation: From Servant to Revered Immortal

Chapter 681: Chapter 43: Patrol Mission, Revisiting Old Places

A moment of time equivalent to a cup of tea had not yet passed when the gate of the Cave Mansion opened from within, and an elder with a fair face and gray hair,

none other than True Monarch Tianci,

"Daoist Brother, it’s been a long time, and you look as radiant as ever!" Zhou Xun greeted with a smile.

The last time they met was when the Earth Element Beast ascended to a Demon Emperor, several years had already passed.

"Haha, I just received your message and thought I might be mistaken, but to think it was indeed true—it truly overjoyed this old man!"

True Monarch Tianci laughed heartily,

"Oh!"

Suddenly, his expression changed with surprise as he looked over at Zhou Xun again.

"You’ve advanced quite a bit in your Cultivation, young brother!"

True Monarch Tianci then revealed an extremely delighted expression, giving Zhou Xun a good look up and down!

He remembered the last time he saw Zhou Xun, his aura wasn’t so profound. But now, within just a few years, it seemed like he had undergone decades of arduous cultivation,

with a greatly increased momentum!

"Daoist Brother has sharp eyes. I was fortunate enough to acquire some Spiritual Objects to aid my Cultivation, making some slight progress!" Zhou Xun nodded, not hiding the truth.

"It seems it won’t be long before you surpass me, young brother!"

True Monarch Tianci remarked quite emotionally!

Zhou Xun didn’t quite believe this, though,

True Monarch Tianci possessed a Fire Spirit Root with a notable value of ninety-one points; if his own Cultivation base hadn’t reached this level,

he might truly have been deceived by True Monarch Tianci’s words, not knowing the speed of Cultivation with such high aptitude.

"Daoist Brother is teasing me again. I reckon within a few decades, you’ll advance to the Middle-Stage!"

True Monarch Tianci chuckled at these words but did not refute them, proceeding to pull Zhou Xun into the Cave Mansion.

After passing the Screen Wall, they arrived at the reception hall,

where True Monarch Tianci took out Spirit Tea, ready to prepare it!

"Hold on, elder brother, let me offer you a taste of the Spirit Wine I recently acquired, which is also the secret to my quick advancement in Cultivation!"

"Oh? Then I must have a good taste!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun reached down and took a palm-sized yellow gourd from his waist, pointing it out:

"This is the Spirit Wine I mentioned. A few years back, I was fortunate enough to obtain a Tier Four Middle-Grade Thunder Attribute Demon Beast Core,"

"which I then brewed into Pill Origin Wine, and recently, it just reached Great Success!"

Saying this, with a wave of his hand, two jade cups of jade appeared on the table,

the gourd’s mouth opened, and an astonishing fragrance of wine instantly wafted out. At the same time, fine Thunder Arcs formed in the air, making crackling sounds.

"This is Pill Origin Wine!"

True Monarch Tianci, though fond of tea, also had quite an expertise with Spirit Wine. Upon sensing the aroma, he recognized it immediately.

"Haha, Daoist Brother indeed has a keen eye!"

Zhou Xun smiled slightly, slowly pouring the Pill Origin Wine into four wine cups.

Amber liquor poured out, rippling in the cup.

"Here, Daoist Brother, have a taste." Zhou Xun raised his cup, offering a toast to True Monarch Tianci,

and after clinking their cups, they both drank it down in one go.

"Truly befitting a Tier Four Middle-Grade Demon Beast Core concoction, even for me now, the effects are quite significant!"

Upon refining the Spiritual Qi and sensing a slight increase in spiritual power within his body, True Monarch Tianci’s expression showed envy.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun naturally was not stingy, immediately sharing over a dozen pounds with True Monarch Tianci.

Given their relationship, mere Spirit Wine was naturally of little consequence,

especially since Zhou Xun had received two sets of Celestial Profound Spirit Armor from True Monarch Tianci.

The mystical nature of such items could not be compared to mere Spirit Wine.

After enough wine was consumed, Zhou Xun promptly expressed his purpose for coming,

"I will soon leave Sea Suppression Immortal City to patrol the entire South Sea Territory; this journey will last at least a year, and I will need your care for the Cave Mansion’s affairs in my absence, Daoist Brother!"

"Rest assured in this matter, with me here!" True Monarch Tianci readily agreed.

"The second matter, regarding this patrol, I will pass by Ringless Island where Daoist Brother Iron Mountain presides. Is there anything you’d like me to take to him?"

"What good timing, I happen to have some treasures to send him, and it’s perfect for you to carry them!"

Saying this, he patted his waist and retrieved a Jade Box and a Jade Scroll,

"Inside is a Tier Four Demon Beast Core with an Earth Attribute, which I entrust you to deliver to him!"

After speaking, he immersed his Divine Sense into the Blank Jade Scroll, engraving within.

It wasn’t long before he completed this task.

"And this letter, please deliver it along as well!"

"Rest assured, Daoist Brother!"

Receiving the items, Zhou Xun did not linger and bid farewell directly, returning to his own Cave Mansion.

...

Early the next morning, Zhou Xun, accompanied by the Earth Element Beast, left the Cave Mansion and headed straight for the East City Gate,

where they had agreed to gather before setting off together.

Upon arriving at the East City Gate, Zhou Xun saw that Wang Lingfeng and ten other Core Formation Cultivators were already there waiting,

With a sweep of Divine Sense, he absorbed the situation of everyone present,

among these ten subordinates, two were Late-Stage Core Formation Cultivators, one of whom was Wang Lingfeng,

three were Middle-Stage Core Formation, and five were Early-Stage Core Formation.

He wondered what good it did to bring them along; they seemed more like a burden!

All these people looked familiar to Zhou Xun, seemingly having been seen around some Nascent Soul Cultivators,

"It seems they’re all connected figures!"

Zhou Xun sighed, realizing that such matters were unavoidable even in the Cultivation Realm.

Currently, Zhou Xun’s strength in the Immortal City was recognized as capable of contending with Middle-Stage Peak Cultivators,

and with the patrol task present, naturally, everyone arranged for their juniors to be under Zhou Xun’s command, thus ensuring their safety.

Upon Zhou Xun’s arrival, all the cultivators immediately became respectful,

when they noticed Feng Chong behind Zhou Xun, they were slightly taken aback,

with their comprehension, they naturally recognized him as a Tier Four Demon Emperor, quickly turning into exultant joy,

this meant they had two Nascent Soul Level combatants on this trip, greatly enhancing their safety!

They hurriedly bowed and saluted, saying, "Greetings to True Monarch Wangchuan... and to this senior as well!"

Zhou Xun nodded slightly, waved his hand, and a rising force lifted them up, gentle yet vast and irresistible.

Sensing this, the faces of the Core Formation Cultivators became even more respectful, internally comparing him with their Nascent Soul elders,

eventually concluding,

True Monarch Wangchuan was stronger!

Just then, a Core Formation Cultivator dressed as a Confucian Scholar stepped forward, saying, "Senior Zhou, we have heard that the South Sea Territory is fraught with danger, and to travel with a True Monarch is a great opportunity for us."

Zhou Xun found him vaguely familiar and curiously asked, "And you are?"

"Junior Liu Chang, apprenticed under True Monarch Hong Yan, currently ranked twenty-third!" the young man respectfully replied.

"Ah, it turns out you’re Elder Hong’s disciple!" Zhou Xun realized,

Elder Hong was also one of Sea Suppression Immortal City’s Elders, and a Tier Four Low-Grade Array Master; Zhou Xun met him years ago at an Immortal City exchange meeting.

He then exchanged some words with the others before planning to set off on the journey.

"On this patrol, not only must we complete our mission, but we must also ensure our own safety. Let’s depart."

As soon as the words fell, the Earth Element Beast Feng Chong, following Zhou Xun, transformed,

assuming its true form as an enormous Spirit Beast nearly a hundred feet tall, with a tiger’s head, a leopard’s body, and wings on its back,

Zhou Xun leaped aboard, landing on the Earth Element Beast’s back,

then fetched the Celestial Secret House he obtained from the Thunder Prison years ago,

activated and set it upon the Earth Element Beast’s broad back,

an exquisite and ancient-structured Cave Mansion appeared there, which greatly satisfied Zhou Xun.

"Like this, not even patrol duties will disrupt cultivation!"

Then he commanded:

"Depart!"

The ten Core Formation Cultivators each employed their methods, transforming into rays of Spirit Light, following the Earth Element Beast swiftly toward the east.

Three months later, the group had traveled several million miles away from Sea Suppression Immortal City,

during this time, Zhou Xun remained within the Celestial Secret Cave Mansion cultivating,

each day consuming a mouthful of Thunder Element Wine before beginning to cultivate the "Purple Sky Thunder Technique," wasting no time at all.

During this period, they also encountered quite a few Demon Beasts, yet they were all of Tier Three Level, which Wang Lingfeng and the others handled on their own!

It’s true that these connected figures had certain benefits, for their strength, among cultivators of their same stage, was all quite superior,

as a result, Zhou Xun was spared many troubles.

As the Earth Element Beast continued to fly, a familiar island arose in front of them,

upon which Wang Lingfeng respectfully stepped forward to report,

"Senior, we have arrived at Celestial Talisman Island!"