Chapter 278 : All is Ready
Chapter 278: All is Ready
"Student Chen Beiwu, disciple of True Venerable Dongming Evergreen."
As soon as Chen Beiwu finished speaking, the entire lecture hall fell abruptly silent.
He’s actually a disciple under True Venerable Dongming Evergreen!
True Monarch Hunting Thunder's expression turned solemn, and his gaze toward Chen Beiwu carried a trace of astonishment.
It was extremely rare for someone at this age to comprehend even the basics of the Heavenly Firmament Silent Illumination God-Slaying Thorn. Such a prodigy was unlikely to be rootless—more often than not, they already had a master.
Qin Zhen had already anticipated as much before asking the question, but even so, he couldn't help feeling a pang of regret upon hearing the answer.
There was no other reason—True Venerable Dongming Evergreen was the only one who had once swept through the younger generation of the Immortal Alliance, leading the disciples of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect in a counterattack against the prodigies of the Five Great Paradises, reigning over an entire era as a peerless cultivation prodigy. Today, he remained a renowned Core Formation True Venerable of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect.
Such a world-shaking figure could, at any moment, take the final step and become one of the top-tier powerhouses revered by countless cultivators across the Immortal Alliance.
The status and identity of his disciples, naturally, needed no elaboration. One could not simply join his tutelage.
With this in mind, True Monarch Hunting Thunder Qin Zhen silently recited a mind-clearing incantation, stabilizing his spiritual platform within the Violet Palace, not daring to indulge in errant thoughts.
But some thoughts simply couldn't be suppressed.
This Chen Beiwu is merely at the Foundation Establishment realm, yet he's capable of comprehending the Heavenly Firmament Silent Illumination God-Slaying Thorn—and even further deducing its later transformations...
If I hadn’t seen it myself, I would never have believed such comprehension was possible in this world.
If this youth successfully condenses his core and proves the Dao as a True Monarch, he will surely become a pillar of the immortal sect.
"To have unearthed such a pillar—such discernment in choosing a disciple is truly beyond what we True Monarchs can fathom. Remarkable, indeed!"
Sensing the thoughts of his Contract Cultivator, the Hunting Thunder Flood Dragon cast Qin Zhen a peculiar glance.
A Core Formation True Venerable—cause and effect intertwined—could grasp one’s thoughts in a single instant!
His master was a Nascent Soul True Monarch. This was no lapse in restraint but a deliberate opportunity to subtly flatter the True Venerable’s judgment.
So Chen Beiwu is actually a disciple of the True Venerable… No—no, I should’ve realized it sooner! Si Yunyun's eyes lit up slightly.
According to sect convention, as long as a Flawless Foundation Cultivator passed the Core Condensation assessment with decent character, they usually earned the chance to apprentice under a Core Formation True Venerable.
What Si Yunyun hadn't expected was that Chen Beiwu had already gained recognition from a True Venerable while still at the Foundation Establishment stage.
After all, the title of a disciple under True Venerable Dongming Evergreen carried far more weight than that of a scion of a True Venerable Aristocratic Lineage.
Not every second-generation cultivator was valued by their family, but disciples of True Venerables were different.
Every such disciple stood backed by a Core Formation True Venerable.
Unless interests clashed or it was a life-and-death enmity, few cultivation clans would willingly offend a disciple of a True Venerable.
Meanwhile, the Core Condensation cultivators seated below all changed their expressions upon looking at Chen Beiwu. What had been curiosity turned into unease.
They could afford to disregard a Foundation Establishment cultivator or even a monstrous prodigy who had comprehended the Heavenly Firmament Silent Illumination God-Slaying Thorn.
Even if Chen Beiwu reached the Nascent Soul True Monarch realm someday—so what? Their clans had Nascent Soul elders too.
If they got along, great; if not, they'd part ways. Without overlapping interests, they had no need to befriend or fear a young genius.
But this changed everything—the title of a disciple of a Jade Purity Immortal Sect True Venerable was not something they could ignore.
It was no exaggeration to say that if they wished to rely on sect resources to advance to Nascent Soul in the future, they would have to engage with the inner circles of the sect's leadership and its second-generation elites.
After all, while disciples of True Venerables were not technically second-generation sect elites, their status was no different in practice—and not to be lightly offended.
"Good, good, very good."
True Monarch Hunting Thunder clapped his hands and laughed, breaking the silence in the hall. "So you’re a disciple of Senior Dongming—it’s no wonder you have such comprehension."
"If you encounter difficulties in your cultivation, feel free to visit me at Hunting Thunder Peak’s One Mountain Cave Abode." Qin Zhen’s tone was warm, devoid of any airs befitting a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
With that, he flicked his sleeve and looked down at the assembled cultivators. "Today’s lecture ends here."
Having spoken, True Monarch Hunting Thunder turned and left the lecture hall.
Chen Beiwu hesitated for a moment before following.
"True Monarch, this student apologizes for the interruption, but there is a matter I do not understand." Chen Beiwu bowed respectfully.
True Monarch Hunting Thunder turned, his gaze sweeping past the golden scale at Chen Beiwu’s neck. "Is this about the variant Golden Scale?"
"It is." Chen Beiwu nodded, silently marveling at the sharp perception of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
The reason he hadn’t asked Senior Brother Jiang Chuan but instead sought out True Monarch Hunting Thunder was simple.
The Hunting Thunder Flood Dragon, being a fourth-grade Mystic Beast variant, had a nearly identical evolution path to the Golden-Horned Flood Dragon. It required a third-tier treasured beast—the Silver Thunder Carp—with a millennium of cultivation, to ascend into a Fourth Realm Beast King.
At the same time, it had to refine the blood essence of a Fourth Realm thunder-attribute Flood Dragon, and stir up the river at a convergence of dragon veins to complete the evolution.
"This student has consulted sect records and learned that the ‘Leaping Carp Becomes a Dragon’ requires a lake where dragon veins converge, to initiate the river-stirring…" Chen Beiwu voiced his confusion.
"This is not something I can assist with," True Monarch Hunting Thunder chuckled. "The Immortal Alliance’s dragon veins cannot be moved lightly. My Silver Thunder Carp succeeded only due to perfect timing, location, and circumstance."
It wasn’t that Qin Zhen didn’t want to help.
Back when the Immortal Alliance discovered a primeval planet, he had led the charge as a Core Condensation cultivator. By chance, he found a hidden dragon vein and contracted the treasured beast Silver Thunder Carp, giving it the opportunity to evolve.
"The matter of evolution—you can consult Senior Dongming," True Monarch Hunting Thunder offered after a moment of thought.
The Immortal Alliance's dragon veins were spiritual nexuses of the world, carrying both fortune and vitality—they could not be tampered with easily. But that didn’t mean dragon veins on other planets were off-limits.
As the saying goes: better to open new sources than to cut back on use.
The Immortal Alliance supported countless cultivators’ paths largely because its higher-ups turned their gaze outward to other life-bearing stars, using great mystical power to seize foreign dragon veins and integrate them into Tianyuan Star’s dragon vein network, enriching the land’s vitality and nourishing its blessed paradises.
Of course, not every foreign dragon vein was fully merged into Tianyuan Star. Some were stripped of their essence and refined into Dragon Vein Pills, distributed to sect disciples.
Dragon Vein Pills came in six grades, ranging from low to high.
Back then, Qin Zhen had dared contract the Silver Thunder Carp because his clan’s elder had prepared a third-tier Dragon Vein Pill for him in advance.
But the slightest difference meant a world apart.
While Dragon Vein Pills could satisfy the requirements for a fish beast to transform and undergo bloodline evolution, they couldn’t compare to truly stirring the river and walking the path of the flood dragon.
"I understand," Chen Beiwu nodded, not pressing the matter further.
…
Jade Purity Immortal Sect—one of its thirty-six Lesser Paradises.
Deep within the Azure Underworld Paradise.
As the sun of the Azure Yang rose, Wood Qi flourished. When the Underworld Tides stilled, the Virtue of Water manifested.
Spiritual mist within the paradise flowed with the morning light, transforming into wisps of green-tinged glow that swirled around ancient pines and curious stones.
An old Daoist in green robes sat cross-legged at the center of the Dragon-Gathering Primordial Pool. Beneath him, the Underworld Tides were as calm as a mirror. Behind him flickered the images of Three Flowers at the Crown and Five Qi Returning to the Origin.
Above his head circulated purple auspicious clouds, manifesting auspicious visions such as golden lotuses rising from the earth, celestial necklaces descending from the heavens, and immortal birds gathering in homage.
He seemed to be comprehending the Grand Dao of Core Formation to Void Refinement, his form and spirit in harmony with the Dao. Each breath resonated with the rhythm of the Dao, forming a realm unto itself—an awe-inspiring sight far beyond the understanding of Core Condensation cultivators.
Had a Core Condensation cultivator entered at this moment and dared to directly gaze upon the Dao resonance surrounding this Core Formation True Venerable, they would—at best—have their mind shaken, mistaking him for an immortal; at worst, their foundation would collapse, leading to instant death.
At that moment, True Venerable Dongming Evergreen stirred with insight and opened his eyes. The surrounding anomalies vanished, revealing clear visions one after another—
Precisely the scene of Chen Beiwu humbly seeking guidance from True Monarch Hunting Thunder.
"Interesting. A fine seedling," the True Venerable remarked with a slight smile.
From within his sleeve flew out a smooth, round pill the size of a longan.
This pill had nine apertures, glowed with crimson-gold luster, and its surface shimmered with mountain ranges, rivers, and vein lines. The vague image of a five-clawed crimson dragon could be seen coiled within.
Since you seek to transform into a flood dragon, this Venerable shall lend you a hand.
With a wave of his sleeve, a drop of marrow blood the size of a fist appeared beside the Dragon Vein Pill, and the two items vanished instantly.
Having done this, True Venerable Dongming Evergreen slowly closed his eyes again, resuming his comprehension of the Void Refinement Dao.
A teacher’s role is to impart the Dao and resolve doubts.
Each disciple accepted under his tutelage would be granted one opportunity.
So it had been for Jiang Chuan. So it now was for Chen Beiwu.
He had added fuel to the fire—whether this youth would become a true dragon or a worm would now depend on Chen Beiwu’s own capacity.
---
Elsewhere, Chen Beiwu returned to his cave abode, his expression tinged with helplessness.
Back in the Southern Wasteland, he had arranged for Shu You to search for a dragon-vein river. After days of effort, she had made some progress.
But within the Immortal Alliance, constrained by limited information, Chen Beiwu had found little headway. He still hadn’t come up with a perfect excuse to cover up the Golden Scale’s upcoming evolution.
Seems I’ll still need to consult Senior Brother Jiang Chuan, he thought to himself.
To avoid exposing the Nine-Breath Fortune Absorption Divine Power, even though evolving the Golden Scale in the Southern Wasteland was easy, he dared not act recklessly.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Just then, three gentle knocks sounded from outside the cave.
Chen Beiwu connected his spiritual sense to the protective formation and saw who it was. He quickly opened the door with his mind.
“Please come in, Senior Brother Jiang.” Chen Beiwu stepped forward and greeted him with a smile. “What brings you here today?”
“Naturally, I come by Master’s order,” Jiang Chuan replied with a chuckle. With a flip of his sleeve, a crimson-gold pill the size of a longan floated in his palm, accompanied by a faint dragon's roar.
“This is—?” Chen Beiwu’s pupils contracted.
“This is a Fourth-Grade Mystic Pill, the Dragon Vein Pill, sent by our Master,” True Monarch Jiang Chuan explained calmly, though a hint of envy laced his tone. “If taken by a fish beast, it can transform into a flood dragon without needing to stir the river.”
He lifted his other hand, revealing a crystal-clear drop of dragon blood the size of a fist.
“Boom!”
Under the pressure of this dragon blood, Chen Beiwu felt his chest tighten and even his breathing became difficult.
“Woof!”
“Gulp!”
Iron Egg and Golden Egg were also as if facing a mortal enemy, eyes locked onto the drop of dragon blood in Jiang Chuan’s palm.
“This is no ordinary dragon blood,” Jiang Chuan briefly explained. “It’s marrow blood from a Fourth Realm Beast King, the Dual-Polarity Mystic Flood Dragon.”
As someone who had contracted a fish beast and aimed to evolve the Golden Scale into a flood dragon, Chen Beiwu naturally understood the fearsome reputation of the Dual-Polarity Mystic Flood Dragon.
As expected, his eyes lit up with undisguised joy.
“This… This is far too precious,” Chen Beiwu muttered, at a loss for words.
The Dual-Polarity Mystic Flood Dragon, born with twin heads of water and wood, was one of the very few flood dragon variants capable of challenging Fifth-Grade Flood Dragons in the same realm. Its bloodline rank rivaled that of the Heavenly Gang Mystic Beast. The value of its marrow blood was self-evident.
“In the eyes of many cultivators, Yu Zhaohua has already been deemed the next Chief Disciple of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect.”
Jiang Chuan looked straight at Chen Beiwu. “Master bestowed these two treasures because he has expectations for you.”
Chen Beiwu’s brow arched. “Senior Brother means… Master wishes for me to defeat Yu Zhaohua and become the sect’s next Chief Disciple?”
Jiang Chuan smiled and shook his head. “You think too much. Yu Zhaohua bears the bloodline of a Dao Venerable and possesses an innate Dao Body. Even the sect elders give her leeway. Though you are exceptionally gifted, it’s still very difficult to surpass her.”
“Then what does Master intend?” Chen Beiwu’s gaze sharpened, not refuting his brother’s doubts.
In a sparring match, he might have a chance—using the Heavenly Firmament Silent Illumination God-Slaying Thorn to seize victory with a surprise blow.
But in a real battle, his odds were only two or three out of ten.
“Master believes you have the potential to reach Core Formation and suppress the sect’s other prodigies, becoming the next Second Seat of the Jade Purity Immortal Sect,” Jiang Chuan said earnestly. “What you lack now is simply cultivation resources—and a Companion Beast.”
Hearing this, Chen Beiwu’s eyes gleamed with gratitude. He bowed deeply toward the direction of the sect's paradise. “Many thanks to Master for this generous gift.”
Jiang Chuan nodded slightly and, after exchanging a few more words, took his leave.
“Whew…”
Chen Beiwu exhaled deeply, a smile tugging at his lips.
With the Dragon Vein Pill and the marrow blood of the Dual-Polarity Mystic Flood Dragon gifted by his master, the Golden Scale's advancement to a Third Realm Beast General and evolution into the Golden-Horned Flood Dragon was a certainty—there would be no need for further explanation.
“Gulp!”
Realizing this, Golden Egg immediately nudged its head affectionately against Chen Beiwu’s cheek.
Once it consumed the Dragon Transformation Pill and broke through to Third Realm Beast General, it would meet all conditions for evolution—and surpass even the elusive Iron Egg in one fell swoop.
Chen Beiwu could hardly wait. Activating the Gate of Ten Directions, he teleported to the Southern Wasteland.
---
Southern Wasteland, Moonwater Secluded Dwelling.
When Chen Beiwu emerged from seclusion, Shu You was the first to learn the news and came to visit.
“How goes the search for the dragon-vein river?” asked Chen Beiwu.
“There are three rivers near the sect that meet the Dao Son’s requirements,” Shu You replied, presenting a jade slip with both hands. “The Broken Dragon Gorge, the Nine-Bend River, and the Cloud Dragon Marsh.”
Chen Beiwu infused his spiritual sense into the slip and began pondering.
According to legend, in ancient times, a Flood Dragon once caused havoc at Sword Peak Mountain and was slain. Its blood soaked the mountains and rivers, forming intermittent broken veins that became a gorge.
The water within surged violently, and during rainy days, one could faintly hear dragon roars—thus the name Broken Dragon Gorge.
At first glance, this seemed ideal. If the Golden Egg evolved here, it might even inherit a trace of that slain flood dragon’s essence.
However, the name Broken Dragon was inauspicious—and it was a Dread Dragon Vein, associated with misfortune and death.
If the Golden Egg succeeded, all was well. But if it failed, it would face a deadly backlash.
Worse, Broken Dragon Gorge lay on the border between the sect and the Profound Sword Pavilion—a contentious region.
With that, Chen Beiwu set aside the Broken Dragon Gorge and turned to the second option—the Nine-Bend River.
Spanning over nine thousand miles, its waters were fierce. During flood seasons, whirlpools and sky-reaching water dragons could be seen—it was a famed river of the Earth Transformation Realm.
If Golden Egg evolved here, it might absorb that overwhelming force and transform into a Fourth-Grade Flood Dragon.
But too many cultivator clans and mortals lived off the Nine-Bend River.
If Golden Egg’s evolution triggered a flood, it would drown several nations near the river—Zeguo, Yunguo, Xingguo, and Huoluo. The death toll could reach tens of millions.
To sacrifice so many lives for one beast’s evolution—Chen Beiwu could never walk such a demonic path.
Naturally, the sect wouldn’t allow such chaos within the Earth Transformation Realm either.
Left with no choice, he looked toward the final location recorded in the jade slip—Cloud Dragon Marsh.
Situated southwest of the Mirror Moon Sect, it was shrouded in clouds year-round—a remote and sparsely populated swamp. It was, in fact, a Revealed Dragon Vein.
The more Chen Beiwu studied it, the more suitable it seemed.