"Ahead is the South Sea continent, which is also the location of the Ever-returning Sea Market." Three streaks of green light soared unhurriedly. The sea was calm and the sun was bright, and faintly from the distance came the breath of spring. Fang Han's sharp gaze looked into the distance, only to see a vast continent floating on the ocean. There seemed to be cities, populations, shops on it… Along the ports of the coast, countless ships were anchored or traveling back and forth, more than ten times more prosperous than the inland.
Among those ships, there were multi-storied ships, sailboats, and even more five-toothed great warships. Fang Han had also seen many ships in Longyuan Province, because it bordered the Longyuan River. Many things for the capital of the Great Li Dynasty, "Li Capital," had to be transported via water routes by Longyuan Province.
Among them, large ships with a load capacity of a hundred thousand catties, or hundreds of thousands of catties, Fang Han had inherently seen before.
However, the ships at the ports of this maritime continent gave him a massive shock! Because he saw many giant warships among them, floating on the sea surface like mountains. Crowds of people walked up and down the giant warships like ants. Those giant warships could probably carry millions of catties, or even tens of millions of catties!
Fang Han had never seen such gargantuan giant warships before!
And he clearly felt that those giant warships had an intense aura of steel; they were actually cast from steel.
"Those giant warships are the ships of the number one empire in the world, the Great Xuan Empire. Every year, the Great Xuan Empire conducts a massive amount of trade with the Ever-returning Sea Market, transporting planted medicinal herbs, purchasing maritime rare treasures to take back, and even transporting Magic Crystals. This kind of steel great warship cleaves the waves on the sea, traveling ten thousand miles a day." Seeing the situation, Long Xuan explained to Fang Han.
"The Great Xuan Empire actually brings out such a good thing as Magic Crystals for trade?" Fang Han said in wonder.
"The Great Xuan Empire is controlled by the Taiyi Sect. The resource veins possessed by the Taiyi Sect are beyond measure. In legends, beyond the heavens, the Taiyi Sect has even opened up Dao grounds, finding several stars containing massive amounts of Magic Crystal ores." Long Xuan said: "Otherwise, would the Taiyi Sect be so arrogant?"
"Hmm, every single disciple of the Taiyi Sect acts like a celestial envoy, carrying out the Way on behalf of Heaven. Wanting to manage everything, I just do not believe that if they blindly continue to be arrogant and domineering, the Nine Great Daoist Portals will not be dissatisfied with them? The demonic sects would also exploit the weak point to enter." Thinking of the faces of "Yao Dian," "Xia You," "Yu Fen," and that Zhang Wei and the group of Taiyi Sect disciples, Fang Han felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart, wishing he could kill them to find satisfaction.
However, Fang Han understood that this was only thinking about it in his heart, and fundamentally could not be executed. To kill Taiyi Sect disciples, he was afraid great disaster would truly descend upon him, and no one would be able to protect him.
Touching Taiyi Sect disciples was just like killing an imperial envoy in the secular world, equivalent to public rebellion.
Even if Taiyi Sect disciples made trouble for you, you could only swallow your pride and endure in silence. Otherwise, if you struck, you would be the one in the wrong.
"The Taiyi Sect has the strength to suppress the Nine Great Daoist Portals, as well as the demonic sects. Not only does their sect have many Longevity Realm immortal dao supremes, but in legends, the Taiyi Sect possesses a transcendent immortal artifact!" Long Xuan said.
"An immortal artifact!"
Originally, Yan was cultivating inside the Yellow Spring Diagram, fiddling with that Black Water King Snake, refining the flesh and blood into pills, peeling the skin off to make array diagrams later. The teeth could also be tempered a bit to sell for a good price at the sea market.
With the "Five Hells King Cauldron" in the Yellow Spring Diagram, Yan could fiddle with it at will. Relying on the array formations within, the quality of the refined pills was also much better. However, upon hearing the words "immortal artifact," he immediately showed a contemplative appearance, seemingly recalling some ancient secrets.
As an artifact spirit who had followed the Yellow Spring Great Emperor, he naturally knew many ancient secret records and secrets of immortal dao sects.
"What immortal artifact? The Taiyi Sect possesses an immortal artifact?" Fang Han was taken aback. He naturally knew that magic treasures in the world were divided into dharma artifacts, spiritual artifacts, treasure artifacts, Dao artifacts, and the immortal artifact that possessed the greatest power, the strongest strength, was inconceivable, and indescribable. He knew what a Dao artifact was, but as for an immortal artifact, he did not know exactly what it looked like.
"I also do not know what immortal artifact the Taiyi Sect possesses; this is the highest secret of both the immortal and demonic paths." Long Xuan shook her head, looking as if she genuinely did not know.
"Yan, do you know what exactly an immortal artifact is?" Fang Han asked Yan secretly.
"An immortal artifact… it can destroy the vast earth, move the stars, alter the void, shuttle through the gapless, connect antiquity and the present, possessing infinite power and infinite marvelousness! As long as you possess an immortal artifact right now, you could instantly kill Hua Tiandu! Even experts of the Longevity Realm would not be your match." Yan's tone was gloomy and slow, every single word carrying heavy pressure. "Therefore, for you to surpass Hua Tiandu within ten years is not without the slightest hope, and that is to obtain an immortal artifact! However, this hope is even smaller than cultivating to the Longevity Realm. Between heaven and earth, there are many Longevity Realm experts, but few immortal artifacts. When an immortal artifact appears, all the demonic emperors, demonic sovereigns, immortal dao supremes, and hidden experts will strike, and it would not be your turn anyway. Thousands of years ago, how many immortal-demonic great wars occurred, which were all triggered by the emergence of an immortal artifact."
"I understand, it seems I have no hope of obtaining something like an immortal artifact. Let us to go to the Ever-returning Sea Market, buy those pills for cultivating the Yama Golden Body, advance the Yama Golden Body a step further, and cultivate it to the Ksitigarbha realm of billowing origin qi before discussing anything else." While speaking, Fang Han accelerated his speed, flying toward the distant continent.
Long Xuan and the demoness naturally followed closely behind.
Upon approaching this continent, Fang Han noticed there were also some people flying back and forth. Of course, the majority of them were wearing spiritual artifact dharma clothes or utilizing top-grade dharma talismans like the Levitation Talisman. He did not see many Divine Ability Realm experts at all.
Fang Han, Long Xuan, and the demoness were also each wearing a spiritual artifact dharma cloth, withdrawing their own magic power, purely relying on the power of the dharma clothes to fly slowly and tread the void, not showing off their abilities.
"In this Ever-returning Sea Market, the largest shop is called the Black Turtle Pavilion. It is opened by the Ever-returning Immortal Island themselves. Various medicinal materials, dharma talismans, and spiritual medicines can be found there, having everything one could wish for. One can even sell their own things to them." Long Xuan was introducing it to Fang Han. The three landed in the very center of a large city, at a place that looked like a royal palace.
This was not a royal palace, because the giant plaque at the main gate had the words "Black Turtle" written on it.
At the very top of this large palace, a giant black turtle was also cast, seemingly about to soar into the sky.
Just as Fang Han, Long Xuan, and the demoness landed in front of the "Black Turtle Pavilion," several disciples immediately came forward to welcome them: "Which sect and faction are you three from? Or rogue cultivators? Are you coming to the Black Turtle Pavilion to sell items? Or buy items?"
These disciples, wearing dharma clothes and holding fly whisks, had eyes that shot out lightning-like sharp light, their physical auras formidable. Their physical cultivators were all experts of the eighth realm, Spirit Valor, and the ninth realm, Channeling Spirit. Such a realm, in the secular world, was a martial arts grandmaster, but in an immortal dao sect, they were just junior disciples. However, the fly whisks in their hands emitted traces of magic power and seemed to be spiritual artifacts; furthermore, there was faint magic power in multiple places on their bodies, harboring powerful spiritual artifacts or dharma artifacts.
At a glance, one could see they were wealthy major sect disciples.
"We three are true disciples of the Yuhua Sect. This time we wish to come to the Ever-returning Immortal Island to buy some spiritual medicines to refine pills, and conveniently claim a reward." Fang Han raised a hand, and a mass of true qi brewed in his palm, emitting powerful magic power fluctuations.
"Ah! Divine Ability Realm! True disciples!" These Ever-returning Immortal Island disciples looked at each other, their expressions immediately turning polite. "We have honored guests!"
While speaking, two more disciples came out from the doorway. The cultivation of these two disciples was slightly higher, being solid tenth realm of the physical body, Divine Transformation realm. They chanted a Daoist greeting to the three of Fang Han, "Three senior brothers and senior sister, please follow us inside!"
Fang Han nodded and followed these two disciples into the Black Turtle Pavilion.
The Black Turtle Pavilion genuinely looked like a royal palace, layer upon layer, with countless beautiful sights to take in. Array formations were set up everywhere, with sunset glow faintly visible.
"Right! I heard that your Ever-returning Immortal Island has put out a bounty for the capture of the vicious rogue cultivators running rampant on the sea, the Forty Great Thieves. I killed the Target Island Master ranked thirty-eighth. This is his head; can I claim the reward?" Fang Han had Long Xuan take out the Target Island Master's head.
"Oh!" The two guiding disciples saw the head of the Target Island Master frozen within the ice, and one of them drew a breath of cold air: "The Yuhua Sect is formidable indeed, to actually let you preempt others. We even heard that several true senior brothers of the Taiyi Sect were going to kill the Target Island Master."
"What?" Fang Han had a sudden inspiration, taking out two small bottles from his bosom. The bottles contained six pills each: "This is the Life-sustaining Golden Pill I obtained from killing the Target Island Master. It specializes in tempering the physical body. Two junior brothers, please take them. Six pills per bottle can enhance junior brothers' cultivation."
"Many thanks, senior brother." The two Ever-returning Immortal Island disciples looked joyful. Seeing this scene, Long Xuan was expressionless. She had an enmity with the Ever-returning Immortal Island, but the hatred was not directed at these few disciples, nor did she say anything to Fang Han.
"Let me ask, have the disciples of the Taiyi Sect ever come here?" Fang Han asked. He gave out the pills precisely to inquire about this matter.
"Not yet. At this moment, the three senior brothers from the Taiyi Sect, Yao Dian, Xia You, and Yu Fen, seem to be on the upper level meeting with several elders." A disciple said.
"How long have these three disciples of the Taiyi Sect been here, and when are they leaving?" Fang Han asked.
"Well, not leaving yet. It seems they are waiting for someone." A disciple, having received the pills, was joyful in his heart. "Right, there is also a major event to tell senior brother and senior sister. It is the Demonic Commander Ying Tianqing of the Innate Demonic Sect, who is currently also on the highest level of the Black Turtle Pavilion, speaking with our Pavilion Master, Elder Black Turtle. It seems his demonic arts have achieved success, and he is heading to the depths of Guixu, intending to conveniently sweep away the Forty Great Thieves on the sea along the way. If senior brother and senior sister encounter him, you must absolutely be careful."
"Hmm? There is such a matter?" Fang Han was taken aback. Hearing this news, his heart was shocked!
The Demonic Commander had also come to the sea, and was right in this Black Turtle Pavilion.
The three true disciples of the Taiyi Sect were also here.
A flash of inspiration flickered in his mind, and an expression of scheming appeared on Fang Han's face.
"I will not speak any more useless words. I want Seven Great Jellyfish, as well as some medicinal materials: eight-hundred-year-old Rehmannia, Vajra Earth, Earth Flame Gold, thousand-year-old Ground Beetle, thousand-year-old Gold and Silver Pangolin, one Soaring Snake, one Lunar Earth Dragon Earthworm…" Fang Han rattled off extremely many rare spiritual medicines in one breath, "I wonder if you have them?"
"So many rare spiritual medicines! And the majority of them seem to be for cultivating earth element dharma formulas. I see that senior brother, what you cultivate should be the Heavenly Wood Great Method of the Yuhua Sect…" One disciple pondered. The other disciple hastily nudged him: "Since senior brother wants these spiritual medicines, there must be a use for them. This is not something we can ask about. As for these spiritual medicines, we do have them in our Black Turtle Pavilion, but the price is too expensive. Senior brother, the bounty for killing the Target Island Master is not enough to offset the value of these spiritual medicines. I do not know if senior brother has any spiritual artifacts on you, which can be used to offset the price difference. About ten spiritual artifacts, flying swords, or dharma clothes will do."
"I have ten pieces of spiritual artifact dharma clothes here. I wonder if adding them will be able to offset the price difference for the spiritual medicines?"
Fang Han waved his hand. The demoness behind him took out a stack of clothes. They were all spiritual artifact clothes hoarded by the Target Island Master. Ordinary spiritual artifacts were highly sought after items in a sect. A sect, including its hundreds of thousands of outer sect disciples, all needed spiritual artifacts. However, spiritual artifacts could only be refined by experts of the fifth realm of the Divine Ability sequence, the Heaven-Man Realm, and required rare materials.
When an expert of the Heaven-Man Realm refined a spiritual artifact, it also cost a great amount of magic power. Such an expert also had to cultivate themselves and could not possibly waste massive amounts of origin qi and time to refine spiritual artifacts for inner and outer sect disciples to use.
Ten spiritual artifacts, even with heavenly materials and earthly treasures, would still cost a Heaven-Man Realm expert at least one or two years of time.
How precious is one or two years of time? Before reaching the Longevity Realm, lifespan is limited. Who is willing to waste time?
"Indeed, ten pieces of spiritual artifact dharma clothes…" The two disciples looked at each other, calculated for a moment, and nodded: "This will be enough. Senior brother, please wait in the inner hall. We will take these spiritual artifact dharma clothes, together with the Target Island Master's head, to settle accounts with a few senior brothers, and then fetch the medicinal materials senior brother requires."
"I trouble the two junior brothers. After fetching the medicinal materials, I also request the two junior brothers to secretly arrange a pill room for me. I need to fire up the furnace to refine pills, to cultivate some things. After successful cultivation, there will definitely be benefits for the two junior brothers." Fang Han said.
"That goes without saying. In our Ever-returning Sea Market, fighting is prohibited. When many rogue cultivators need to cultivate, they will come here and spend pills to lodge. It is the absolute safest." Regarding this request from Fang Han, the two disciples did not feel surprised.
There was danger on the sea at every moment. Finding a place to cultivate in the sea market opened up by the Ever-returning Immortal Island was the absolute safest, because fighting was prohibited in this sea market. Let alone inside the Black Turtle Pavilion. If anyone wanted to fight or kill people here, they would first have to answer to the Ever-returning Immortal Island of the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao.
Cultivating here was exactly the same as cultivating inside the Yuhua Sect; it should be extremely safe.
Seeing the two disciples take the dharma clothes and the Target Island Master's head and leave in a hurry, Long Xuan looked at Fang Han smiling sinisterly without end, and could not help but say: "What idea do you have? Yao Dian, Xia You, and Yu Fen are here. Logically speaking, they will know about us shortly, and will definitely not let the matter rest with us. However, I did not expect that the Demonic Commander would also be here."
"I naturally have my ideas." Fang Han reined in his sinister smile: "Wait until the medicinal materials arrive, we will hide inside the King Cauldron, cultivate divine abilities first. You should condense true qi too."