Free Web NovelChapter 757: Chapter 652: Mastermind Schemes
"Zi Ning, I’m back."
Shen Xuan smiled, reached out and gently stroked the branches, communicating softly with his Divine Thought.
"Island Master, didn’t you say this trip would take as long as ten years? How is it that you’ve returned in less than two?"
Zi Ning’s voice came, tinged with joy and a trace of curiosity.
"Everything went smoothly, so I came back early."
Shen Xuan gave a simple reply.
Then he turned sideways and introduced Yang Huofeng: "This is Yang Huofeng, the Direct Disciple of an old acquaintance of mine. She is returning to the island with me this time and will be staying for a while." ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Before disembarking, Shen Xuan had already agreed with Yang Huofeng that the two of them would no longer address each other under the name of master and disciple.
Although Yang Huofeng felt somewhat lost inside, she did not dare disobey.
That night, a small family banquet was set up in the Cold Ice Cave.
Qin Yuehan and Shangguan Yan’Er came together with Lin Yueying, Shi Yulong, and Shi Yufeng.
Shen Xuan introduced Yang Huofeng to everyone, presenting her as "the second-generation disciple under True Master Primordial Fire of the Fire Cloud Sect in Yan Country."
During the banquet, Yang Huofeng’s astonishing aptitude was revealed: at seventeen or eighteen, she had already established her Dao Foundation.
Moreover, she had refined the ferocious heaven-and-earth Anomalous Fire, the Crimson Cloud Primordial Fire.
This drew silent amazement from Lin Yueying, Shi Yulong, and the others.
However, they all noticed that this genius young girl always had a trace of melancholy in her eyes.
When she looked at Lin Yueying and the Shi siblings, there was an undisguisable envy in her gaze.
Being stared at like this, the three of them felt somewhat baffled, secretly thinking: This Yang Huofeng has extraordinary talent and uncommon fortunes. Could it be that, having drifted about for so long, she envies the stability of our lives?
They had no idea that Yang Huofeng’s bitterness lay elsewhere.
What she envied was not the current circumstances of Lin Yueying and the others.
It was that they could openly and rightfully call themselves disciples of True Master Profound Ice.
She herself possessed the reality of a master-disciple bond, yet lacked the name.
The title of "second-generation disciple under True Master Primordial Fire of the Fire Cloud Sect" would have to rest upon her head, accompanying her for life.
Shen Xuan took all of this in but did not expose it.
Some things had to be understood by herself.
The banquet appeared harmonious on the surface, yet Yang Huofeng was in fact incompatible with the others.
There was an obvious sense of estrangement.
...
Late at night, in the secret room.
Shen Xuan sat cross-legged.
With a sweep of his sleeve, he opened the Black Gourd and released four ice sculptures of True Masters, which floated in midair.
They were precisely Situ Zhong, Liu Ruoping, Sun Jiangjing, and Zhang Zeyun.
Their Lifebound Spiritual Artifacts had long since been taken by Shen Xuan.
He picked up the four Storage Pouches one by one, sent his Divine Sense inside, and carefully inventoried them.
The contents of the bags surfaced: Upper Grade spirit stones, various Spiritual Artifacts, Spirit Pills, Talismans, Refining Materials, Jade Scrolls...
The types were numerous, Spiritual Light flickering.
Yet after checking everything, Shen Xuan shook his head slightly.
Aside from Situ Zhong having a somewhat richer background, the other three did not possess much ready wealth.
Converting all items into Spirit Stone value, and excluding their Lifebound Spiritual Artifacts, the other three had only two to three million Spirit Stones.
For True Pill Realm True Masters, this could only be called ordinary.
However, taken together, their total was worth ten million Spirit Stones.
"So in the end, it’s still windfall gains that make you truly rich!"
Shen Xuan mused inwardly.
Situ Zhong’s collection was the most impressive.
He alone had over one hundred and twenty Upper Grade spirit stones, and his Lifebound Flying Sword was even an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact.
In addition, there were five Mid-Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts of differing attributes and chaotic Spiritual Light, obviously loot from murder and robbery.
Shen Xuan began to review the gains and losses of this sea expedition.
The three from Tiger Island and Liu Ruoping had launched the sneak attack first, and he had counter-killed them with thunderous force, holding the moral high ground.
No matter how furious the Yueyun Sect might be, they would find no justification to move against him.
The Cyan Cloud Sect was stronger than the Yueyun Sect.
Moreover, they belonged to the Song and Yue Countries respectively.
Unless the Yueyun Sect dispatched a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
No one could be sure of beating him.
A Nascent Soul True Monarch was never going to be dispatched.
Besides, the Yueyun Sect had no legitimate reason.
Some things were clear to everyone.
But could not be laid out on the table.
This time, Shen Xuan had exposed his identity, yet it did not amount to much.
He could simply switch to another disguise.
Since he had taken action.
Unless he killed Ye Qinghan, Lin Xuanyuan, and every Cultivator on the two sea ships.
Otherwise, his identity would be exposed sooner or later.
In conducting himself, Shen Xuan had always had a bottom line.
He would never slaughter the innocent indiscriminately.
Once such a matter broke through that bottom line.
It would be all too easy to fall into the Demon Dao and lose his true heart.
"There’s still plenty of time. All thirteen Sects of Yue Country can send people to compete for the Secret Realm slots. Next time, I’ll pick a mid-tier, slightly weaker Sect; it’ll be easier to move."
There were still seven years until Yue Country held its grand Sect competition.
Shen Xuan was in no hurry at all.
"Aside from these Spiritual Artifacts and Storage Pouches, the greatest spoils are the two Tier Three Upper Grade sea ships, and these four Core Formation True Master corpses."
Looking at the four corpses before him, Shen Xuan seemed lost in thought.
One was Late Stage True Pill, one Middle Stage True Pill, and two Early Stage True Pill.
Shen Xuan stretched out a finger.
Four Inner Cores floated before his eyes.
"I’ll put these away for now."
Shen Xuan had no intention of Refinement of these four Inner Cores.
Their pill quality was too poor, their aura mottled; he simply disdained them.
Refining these four Inner Cores would only waste his time and energy.
It would be better to use them in trade later for more valuable Spiritual Objects.
As for these four True Master corpses, now devoid of Inner Cores.
Shen Xuan thought for a moment, then let out a light sigh.
Afterward, he left the secret room and came to the grove of Frostflow Cold-Soul Tea by the Spirit Pool.
Although their actual age was only a little over twenty years.
Having long used Demon Beast Remains as nourishment, the Spiritual Qi and efficacy they contained were already comparable to hundred-year Spirit Plants.
"Forget it, let your bodies return to the earth and rest in peace."
Shen Xuan drove all four True Master corpses into the soil beneath the Frostflow Cold-Soul Tea trees.
As if they had discovered a delicacy.
The tea tree roots quietly spread out, layer upon layer twining around the four True Master corpses.
Greedily drawing out the remaining blood and Spiritual Power within.
Soon, the sixteen Frostflow Cold-Soul Tea trees became even more crystal-clear and emerald, their trunks slightly taller, and the Ice Attribute Spiritual Qi they exuded grew purer and richer.
