Chapter 4049: Secret Stories

Shangguan Feiyu nodded and said, "I am just an ordinary True Spirit! I can't compare to Fellow Daoist Wang. True Spirits are divided into three ranks, and it's very difficult to advance even one rank. I once took the Seven-Star Golden Elixir, but I still couldn't cultivate into a top-tier True Spirit."

Wang Changsheng smiled and said, "With the strength of your Shangguan family, it's only a matter of time before Fellow Daoist Shangguan cultivates into a top-tier True Spirit."

"I hope so! By the way, you aren't planning to go to the Heavenly Fire Prison, are you? The restrictions there are still very powerful at this time. Even if you were a top-tier True Spirit, or even a peak True Spirit, it would be difficult to survive. Moreover, the restrictions change, so even a map might not be effective." Shangguan Feiyu reminded them.

Wang Changsheng said with a curious expression, "We don't plan to go to the Heavenly Fire Prison. We were just a little curious, as it's one of the Ten Great Perilous Lands in the North Sea Immortal Realm. We heard that even Grand Unity Golden Immortals who entered the North Sea Immortal Realm to search for treasures have perished there."

Shangguan Feiyu nodded and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang is referring to the Grand Elder of the Merman Race, right? She led a team into the Heavenly Fire Prison to search for treasures, and the entire team was annihilated. Coincidentally, a Calamity of Immortal Demise broke out on the Chaos Continent, and another Grand Unity Golden Immortal from the Merman Race was killed by a Grand Unity Golden Immortal-level Chaos Beast. The Merman Race has declined ever since. To this day, they are just a minor, declining race, without even a single Golden Immortal cultivator, having become a vassal of the Essence Fire Race."

"The Essence Fire Race's strength can't compare to your Shangguan family, can it?" Wang Ruyan asked.

Shangguan Feiyu said with a proud expression, "Of course not. The Essence Fire Race only has a few Golden Immortal cultivators; they are a subordinate race of our Shangguan family." He seemed to recall something and added, "Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang, are you here in the Heavenly Fire Sea Region to attend the Hundred Immortals Convention? The Hundred Immortals Convention will only be held fifty years from now. The Hundred Immortals Convention is a major event in the Heavenly Fire Sea Region, jointly organized by multiple major forces. Its purpose is to exchange cultivation resources and discuss Daoist arts. During this period, all forces refrain from warfare; it's a recognized period of peace."

"No, we plan to attend the Golden Immortal Grand Ceremony of a certain Golden Immortal from the Ye family in the Flowing Cloud Sea Region," Wang Changsheng explained, stating it wasn't a major secret.

"The Ye family? Is that the Ye family where Fairy Flowing Cloud resides?" Shangguan Feiyu asked.

"Precisely. Has your Shangguan family also received an invitation?" Wang Changsheng inquired.

Shangguan Feiyu nodded and said, "That's right. Ancestor Yiming will lead the team to attend. Fairy Flowing Cloud once saved Ancestor Yiming. However, Fairy Flowing Cloud has already advanced to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage, while Ancestor Yiming is still a Golden Immortal. It's still early before the Golden Immortal Grand Ceremony begins."

Wang Changsheng showed a look of longing, saying, "We have long heard of Fairy Flowing Cloud's renown, and we wonder if we will be able to meet her this time."

Shangguan Feiyu said with an envious expression, "I met Fairy Flowing Cloud in my early years. Her strength is exceptional, and she is also a top-tier True Spirit. She cultivated her laws to the minor completion stage in less than 100,000 years after advancing to the Golden Immortal stage, showing extraordinary talent. I've been a Golden Immortal for seventy thousand years and still haven't cultivated my laws to the minor completion stage."

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Shangguan, we heard that Nine-Star Golden Marrow Crystals appeared at the last major auction held at Heavenly Fire Market," Wang Changsheng changed the subject. The Nine-Star Golden Marrow Crystal is the core material for activating the Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array. It's a consumable item that becomes useless once its power is exhausted. The Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array is a third-tier immortal array. Through this array, cultivators below the True Immortal stage can descend to the lower realms. The Cao family possesses this array, but they do not use it lightly. The Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array can allow cultivators up to the Mahayana stage to descend to resolve problems that cultivators in the lower realms cannot solve.

Shangguan Feiyu said, "It was offered by a rogue Golden Immortal cultivator and acquired by the Ye family. Many people know about it. However, the Nine-Star Golden Marrow Crystal is primarily used to set up the Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array, which allows cultivators below the True Immortal stage to descend to the lower realms. For most immortals, it's not very useful. But for immortals from established families, sects, or clans, they can use this array to protect their relatives and descendants in the lower realms." He added, "Our Shangguan family also has a Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array, but we rarely activate it. Our family in the lower realms hasn't encountered any significant troubles that their own clansmen couldn't resolve, so there's no need for us in the immortal realm to send people down."

He thought of something and said, "You are only Golden Immortal cultivators, and without the help of a third-tier immortal array master, even if you acquire a Nine-Star Golden Marrow Crystal, you wouldn't be able to set up the Nine-Star Immortal Descension Array. At most, you could use it for artifact refining. It's still not easy for a Golden Immortal cultivator to bid for a Nine-Star Golden Marrow Crystal. I heard that three Dao Artifacts appeared in the Scarlet Sun Sea Region. Unfortunately, I hadn't advanced to the Golden Immortal stage back then; otherwise, I could have purchased some rare materials from the One-Word Palace to help me cultivate into a top-tier True Spirit."

Wang Ruyan said, "We also heard about that. Who would have thought that three Dao Artifacts would appear in the Scarlet Sun Sea Region? We heard many immortals went to challenge the trials. We wonder where these three Dao Artifacts will appear next."

Shangguan Feiyu said with a look of regret, "That's a probabilistic event; it's entirely up to luck. Many immortals never encounter the appearance of three Dao Artifacts in their entire lives. I heard that the three Dao Artifacts once appeared near the headquarters of the Myriad Immortals Sect. After that, many masters emerged from the Myriad Immortals Sect. The Grand Elder, Immortal Venerable Myriad Spirits, advanced to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage after the Dao Artifacts appeared. Unfortunately, he was killed by a king beast of the Chaos Beasts."

"A king beast! Are the king beasts of the Chaos Beasts very powerful? How are they different from ordinary Chaos Beasts?" Wang Changsheng asked curiously.

Shangguan Feiyu explained, "King beasts possess the innate divine ability of 'Rampage,' which grants them a significant short-term boost. It's somewhat similar to our immortals' secret arts for unleashing potential. With the Rampage ability, a king beast's strength, physical body, and power of laws will all increase considerably, and their weapons will also be enhanced."

"Chaos Beasts' weapons are also enhanced?" Wang Changsheng asked in surprise. "There's a Golden Immortal-stage Chaos Beast that resembles a porcupine and can fire sharp quills. The power of these quills is even stronger than a mid-grade immortal artifact. When Xuanmu City was attacked, this type of Chaos Beast killed several Golden Immortal cultivators." He added, "I heard Cao Yuanxing mention that some Chaos Beasts have weapons."

"Yes, since their weapons are part of their bodies, they naturally get enhanced as well. This is thanks to the Ten Directions Mother-Child Pagoda. During each Calamity of Immortal Demise, Chaos Beasts capture immortals for sacrifice, thus cultivating stronger members of their race. Chaos Beasts with weapons are also mutated Chaos Beasts, and they are even harder to deal with." Shangguan Feiyu explained.

Wang Changsheng nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Shangguan Xuetang approached, holding a golden storage bracelet. She handed the bracelet to Shangguan Feiyu, her lips moving slightly as they exchanged a private message.

Shangguan Feiyu waved his hand, dismissing her.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, please see if this is what you are looking for," Shangguan Feiyu said, handing the storage bracelet to Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng took the bracelet, scanned it with his divine sense, and nodded, saying, "How many immortal essence stones?"

"Let's round it off, 200,000!" Shangguan Feiyu stated.

Wang Ruyan paid the immortal essence stones. After chatting for a while, they left the Scarlet Glaze Tower.