Chapter 75

At sunset, a cultivator arrived on Spirit Page Island and personally handed a cloud sand to Zhang Yan, saying that he had saved over a hundred fellow disciples that day, and thus a certain True Person had bestowed it as a reward.

Cloud sand was given to me?

Zhang Yan secretly observed and found that this person's expression showed no abnormality. After returning to his cave abode, he pondered and felt that this matter was reasonable. However, the person did not specify which True Person had bestowed it, either because he truly did not know or because he had been instructed to keep it secret.

If it's the latter, then it's worth pondering.

Holding the cloud sand, he examined it closely. The sand was shaped like a large pearl, full and round, translucent and bright, with what seemed like rolling clouds inside, evoking the image of surging clouds in the sky. If placed in the mortal world, it would be a rare treasure.

Zhang Yan rubbed it with his palm and found that the cloud sand emitted a welcoming aura, and a powerful suction force came from his palm, making the essence in his body stir. It seemed that as soon as his consciousness relaxed and the gate opened, it would be drawn in.

Zhang Yan had read many Daoist texts describing this object. According to the records, this cloud sand was of superior quality.

Lower-grade cloud sand was gray and dull, with a repelling aura, and even if勉强炼化, it would not amount to much; a higher grade emitted light, with easily attached and controlled aura; the next level up was bright and welcoming, with no hindrance during refinement, like water flowing smoothly.

The highest grade, which was the one in his hand, could naturally attract aura, nourishing essence without any action, as if it were of the same origin as the human body.

He smiled slightly. No matter if you are playing tricks, I have the残玉in my hand, what do I have to fear?

He sat on a cushion, his mind sinking into the残玉. Following the method in the Taiyi Golden Book, he released the restraints and let the essence flow towards the cloud sand, leaving no trace of the essence nurtured by aura in his body.

He explored and probed in the玉for three days and nights before coming out.

At this moment, his eyes were clear, and his expression showed a hint of understanding.

According to the Taiyi Golden Book, to practice this technique, one must refine two seeds of mystic light, one with fire properties and the other with metal properties. Then, two beams of mystic light would be produced, which, when used against an enemy, would attack with fire and metal, grinding and crushing, capable of melting gold and iron.

Since the methods for refining the two types of mystic light were different, he originally thought it was a transformation of the technique. Now he realized that it referred to the cloud sand.

It made sense. This cloud sand was the essence of the Five Elements divine sand, naturally divided into the Five Elements. The one in his hand was of the metal property.

When evolving in the玉, when the essence gathered on it, the metal refinement technique was particularly lively and harmonious, but the fire refinement technique was far less effective.

Zhang Yan couldn't help but laugh. This True Person probably thought he was practicing the Lanyun Secret Manual, which was biased towards water, so he went to great lengths to find a metal cloud sand for him.

If he really only practiced the Lanyun Secret Manual, relying on this cloud sand for cultivation, although it would not affect his progress, when he condensed the mystic light, he would inevitably be inferior to others.

However, if he was only of the lowest grade of mist, it wouldn't matter what the cloud sand's property was. Having a high-grade cloud sand to refine mystic light was already a stroke of luck, let alone any further desires.

Even if he knew it was wrong, he would still have to accept it.

Unfortunately, the other party did not know he was practicing the Taiyi Golden Book, and this cloud sand was a great help to him, saving him a lot of trouble and unintentionally solving a puzzle.

However, he still needed to find another fire cloud sand, which was a bit difficult.

After pacing a few steps, he suddenly raised his head, an idea coming to him.

Wang Pan, whom he had killed, practiced a fire technique and had just reached the third level of Bright Qi. The next step was to condense the mystic light seed, so he must have prepared in advance.

Moreover, many members of the Wang family practiced on Red Cloud Island, so the clan must have fire cloud sand!

With the Red Cloud Pill Fire Scroll in hand, if he exchanged it with the Wang family, they would likely not refuse.

He could entrust Xie Zongyuan to handle it. With his mediation, it was highly likely to succeed!

Having figured out this problem, Zhang Yan felt relieved. He walked out of his cave abode and came to a wide river on the island. Looking down, he saw a golden-scaled demon dragon rolling and roaring, occasionally causing huge waves, as if in the sea, the waves would surge and the tide would rush.

Zhang Yan raised his eyebrows. Just a golden dragon that had not yet transformed had such astonishing power. If it were a true dragon, how much more powerful would it be? It would probably be able to overturn rivers and seas easily.

Thinking of this, he was moved. Su Yi had once said that there was a dragon palace under the Nine-Bend Creek, and a ten-thousand-year-old black dragon's remains. Could there be a connection between Qu Chang, the golden dragon, and the black dragon?

Unfortunately, Qu Chang was killed by him, and his spirit had dissipated. Even if he could have captured him alive, the demon was mentally unclear, and he did not know how to extract the soul, so he probably wouldn't have learned anything. After pondering, he took out a beautiful jade and said, "Su Yi, do you know what technique your elder brother practiced?"

Su Yi could barely maintain his soul in the jade, but he was much weaker than before, appearing listless. If he did not find a body soon, he would probably dissipate in two or three years. So he usually did not move or speak, only maintaining his soul.

Hearing Zhang Yan's question, he dared not remain silent and weakly said, "Reporting to Senior Brother, my elder brother practiced a very secret technique, which I do not know. However, whenever he practiced, he would hide in the cellar, and sometimes the servants would hear roaring and howling sounds."

Hmm?

Zhang Yan listened and felt a clue, secretly surprised. Could Su Yihong be trying to cultivate demon techniques with a human body?

He had read the Yuanming Golden Fruit Book of the Water Kingdom and understood the principle.

When a demon cultivator reached the third level of Bright Qi, they could take a bone from the corpse of an ancient great demon, implant it in their own skull, and use the trace of great demon blood in their bloodline to nourish and refine it. After refining the bone, they would gradually replace the old bones in their body, changing their body with each level, until they could recreate the body of an ancient great demon.

This method, worthy of a demon technique, had a primitive aura. Moreover, it required the inheritance of ancient great demon blood, which ordinary humans and demons could not achieve. So Zhen Wang did not fear Zhang Yan learning it.

However, Zhang Yan vaguely felt that Su Yihong might have a solution. If he really did, and obtained the black dragon's remains, once he succeeded, he would have the body of an ancient celestial demon, indestructible and immortal. Who in the world could stop him?

While pondering, he saw a splash of water, wetting a large area of mud, as if the golden dragon in the river felt its living space was too small and was impatiently rolling.

Zhang Yan turned his gaze and looked down. The appearance of this golden dragon was not without reason and might be the key. He took two steps to the lakeside and looked down, saying, "I ask you, are you willing to recognize me as your master?"

His tone was naturally authoritative.

However, the golden dragon did not seem to buy it, lying in the water, staring at him without moving.

After a long stare, although the golden dragon's eyes were fierce, Zhang Yan noticed a hint of fear, as its life was in his hands.

Zhang Yan smiled, "Interesting. I know you were not captured by me and are suffering from a calamity, so you are not convinced. If you are unwilling, I will not force you."

He reached into his sleeve, took out a white and shiny porcelain bottle, opened the stopper, and poured out a pill, flicking it into the water. "You failed to transform, so this transformation pill is of little use to you, but it can help you remove the cross bone, allowing you to speak. In three days, I will come back to ask you."

The golden dragon looked at the pill floating in the water, hesitated for a moment, and finally swallowed it, then dived into the water to refine the pill.

Zhang Yan stood for a moment, about to return to his cave abode, when he heard a howl from outside the island, indicating a visitor.

A cloud of mist rose under his feet, slowly floating into the sky. He saw a flying boat floating in the air, with a cultivator in a Daoist robe standing on it, whose cultivation was similar to his. He took out a token and opened the restriction, saying, "What brings you here, Daoist friend?"

This person had a cold expression, as if a thick layer of frost always covered his face. He reached into his sleeve, took out a token, and said coldly, "My name is Zhuang Ze, an executor of the Zhengqing Academy. I have been ordered by Senior Brother Zhuang Bufan to rectify the door style. From today on, all disciples below him are not allowed to keep demon concubines. In the future, entry and exit must be with a token. Each island and peak will be inspected monthly. If anyone violates, they will be dealt with according to the rules."

Zhuang Bufan?

Zhang Yan narrowed his eyes. He had a deep impression of this person.

That day, he wanted to continue to the Zhaoyou Heavenly Pool to find cloud sand, but this person said nothing, flicked his sleeve, and brought him and the disciples back, not allowing them to refuse.

Later, he learned from Xie Zongyuan that this was one of the twelve great techniques of the Lingcang Sect, called the "Great Luo Heavenly Sleeve," used to capture magical treasures. It was said that when practiced to the extreme, it could capture rivers, lakes, and seas, and even mountains. The founding ancestor of the Lingcang Sect used this technique to move nine famous mountains to the sect.

One hundred and sixty years ago, Zhuang Bufan was a true disciple, and later became a disciple of Master Zhu, with unfathomable cultivation.

There were ten major disciples in the sect, and the master-disciple lineage occupied four of them, including this person.

Sixteen years ago, he was sent to suppress a small demon cave and recently returned to the sect, receiving the order from the Zhengqing Academy and becoming a deputy head.

The Zhengqing Academy was in charge of laws and regulations. The ban on keeping demon concubines was clearly a move to establish authority after taking office.

Seeing Zhang Yan not responding, Zhuang Ze snorted and said, "I give you three days. If you do not clean up the demon concubines on the island, I will personally come to help you rectify it!" He bowed and turned to leave.

Hearing this, Zhang Yan's eyes suddenly shot a sharp look, and he coldly laughed, "What kind of bandit dares to impersonate an executor of the Zhengqing Academy? Stay here with me." He flicked his sleeve, and a blue sword beam shot straight at the other.

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