Soul Emperor Awakening

His fluid movements left them dumbfounded, especially the guards. They had initially thought bringing Lin Xuan along would make him a significant burden. After all, with a Cultivation at merely the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage, entering the Demon Cloud Sea was no different from courting death. To put it bluntly, he was just coming here to die—he might as well have had one foot in the grave.

They couldn’t believe Zi Yi had allowed him to enter the Demon Cloud Sea with them. In fact, it seemed he was the very reason for this trip. It wasn’t that they never visited this place, but they had just been here not long ago. Returning so soon had them on edge, too.

But now, Lin Xuan’s performance had completely shattered their expectations, outclassing even them, experts at the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage! It wasn’t about overpowering strength, but his reaction speed and combat technique. He made it look so effortless, as if he had practically grown up in the Demon Cloud Sea.

If Lin Xuan had been even half a beat slower, the guard would have already sent that Tiger Fish flying, ensuring Zi Yi wouldn’t be harmed in the slightest. But Lin Xuan’s reaction was simply faster, far beyond anything they could have imagined.

This was understandable. After all, who among them had ever seen Lin Xuan fight? Even Zi Yi had rarely witnessed him in action, and he was clearly much stronger now than he had been back in the Imperial City.

"Young Master Lin, have you been here before?" Zi Yi asked, unable to stop herself after calming her astonishment. She kept her voice low this time.

The Tiger Fish in these waters were drawn to any sound from outside. Her voice had been quiet, but it was still heard. Or perhaps a Tiger Fish had simply been lurking nearby, in which case it would have been drawn to them even without a sound. Shouting out loud here was tantamount to suicide.

The Demon Sea was home to more than just Tiger Fish; other Demon Beasts lurked in its depths. Anything that could survive in such a hostile environment was bound to be formidable. They were all likely at the Essence Pill Stage Level. Without an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation, survival here was nearly impossible.

"No, this is my first time," Lin Xuan answered truthfully.

’It really is my first time here,’ he thought. ’But I have Qing Liuyun’s memories, so it’s as if I’ve come many times. I have a rough idea of the situation, I know about the Tiger Fish, and I’m familiar with the fighting styles. Most importantly, since I also know the Cyan Cloud Step, I naturally know how to handle them.’

’Besides, even without those memories, my hearing and reaction speed are among the best for my level. I can detect the slightest disturbance and immediately anticipate what’s coming—the ability of Sound Discrimination.’

"Your first time, you say? It’s a little hard to believe..." Zi Yi smiled and said no more on the subject.

This was merely an interlude; much more was yet to happen. The fact that Lin Xuan could adapt so flexibly was a good thing for their group. At the very least, if trouble arose, he could protect himself instead of waiting for them to rescue him.

Sure enough, Tiger Fish of various sizes lunged out from the water all along their route, but the group dispatched them with ease. The Demon Beasts in these outer areas were strong, but still manageable for them. They had clearly done their homework before bringing a team here; anyone who came carelessly wouldn’t even realize how they died.

Finally, they arrived at their destination—the Sea of Weapons!

The Sea of Weapons was a name of their own making—or rather, a name commonly used by all Cultivators. Here, countless weapons floated scattered across the surface. Many were already rusted through, having either drifted out from the deeper regions or been dropped by those who died here.

Whatever the reason, this was the best place to find Spiritual Artifacts. But to acquire one, you needed not only luck but also courage!

This was because this region had the highest concentration of Tiger Fish, yet it was also the most frequented area. With good luck, retrieving even a few Spiritual Artifacts meant striking it rich. A single, undamaged Spiritual Artifact was worth at least a million Primordial Stones; of course, a damaged one wouldn’t fetch nearly as high a price.

The weapons displayed on the top floor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion were taken from this very place.

"So this is the place we were headed." Lin Xuan surveyed his surroundings, taking in the sight of scattered weapons floating on the Demon Sea. Weapons were heavy; they shouldn’t be able to float on water.

Yet here they floated, proving the water was much denser—enough to support the substantial weight of the weapons. If a person were to step on the surface, however, they wouldn’t float. They would be swallowed by the sea. And even if they weren’t, the Tiger Fish below would certainly not pass up a free meal.

Standing on their boat, they could all sense numerous Tiger Fish stealthily moving beneath them, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Yes. In a moment, we’ll split into groups to retrieve them. We’ll grab as many as we can, then have Young Master Lin inspect them. If they aren’t Spiritual Artifacts, we’ll just toss them."

This was more or less what Zi Yi had meant when she said his Cultivation needed to reach the Essence Pill Stage to come here. At that level, he could at least fend off the Tiger Fish; otherwise, their efficiency would plummet.

The Sea of Weapons wasn’t as densely packed with floating weapons as it once was; the crowds of people coming here had thinned them out considerably. Still, plenty of weapons were visible to the naked eye, just a bit more scattered.

"There’s no need. I can see which ones are Spiritual Artifacts from here. I’ll just point them out, and you can go get them," Lin Xuan said calmly.

Everyone exchanged glances. The guards were clearly skeptical of Lin Xuan’s words, but Zi Yi believed him completely. His ability to pick out every single Spiritual Artifact from a hundred weapons without making a single mistake was proof of his incredible skill!

Otherwise, she would never have made him the Chief Appraiser. If they could bring back dozens of Spiritual Artifacts from this trip, her own status would rise immeasurably.

"Alright. Young Master Lin, point them out, and I’ll have my people retrieve them at once," Zi Yi said.

Lin Xuan immediately pointed out seven or eight weapons and said, "There are only about seven or eight in this area. Give me a boat. I’ll go get one myself."

Without a word, Zi Yi had a guard give him a boat. Having a Storage Space was a real advantage, allowing them to store such large objects. Of course, there was a limit to the size; a small boat was pushing it. They were typically used to store things like Primordial Stones and Elixir Pills, which didn’t take up much room.

However, Lin Xuan didn’t need the whole boat. Instead, he had it cut into several planks. This action left the guards scratching their heads, wondering what he was doing. They didn’t ask, though; since Zi Yi remained silent, they knew better than to interrupt. In any case, they had plenty of spare boats, so it wasn’t a problem.

Then, Lin Xuan showed them his method through action. A cyan glint flashed in his eyes as he executed the Micro Level Cyan Cloud Step. He vanished from his spot like a wisp of smoke, taking several rapid steps across the air. Just as he was about to fall to the water’s surface, he tapped it lightly—like a dragonfly skipping across a pond—and launched himself upward again.

This method was far faster than rowing a boat, but it was also significantly more dangerous. Sure enough, just as he began to descend, a Tiger Fish lunged up at him. Unflustered, Lin Xuan thrust his weapon down hard, unleashing Extreme Point Inch Light. The force of the impact sent him flying backward.

At that moment, he quickly pulled out a wooden plank and tossed it onto the water’s surface. He then executed the Cyan Cloud Step again, slowing his momentum in mid-air before drifting down gently onto the plank he had just thrown.

The guards were left utterly dumbfounded. ’You can do that?!’