Chapter 861: Han Tianxuan

The Scarlet Carp Sea is named for the abundance of Scarlet Carp Demons that inhabit its waters. These highly aggressive fish demons are skilled in both water and fire spells, and their water escape speed is exceptionally fast. Scarlet Carp Demons typically appear in large groups, ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands. Cultivators usually hunt them in pairs or larger parties.

A blue flying boat appeared on the horizon, swiftly soaring high above.

Wang Ruyan stood at the front of the flying boat, a faint smile gracing her face, with Wang Tianqi and others standing behind her.

This time, upon returning to the East Barrens, Wang Ruyan's gains were substantial; she not only subdued a low-grade third-tier Lion-Kirin Beast but also acquired a batch of spiritual herbs over a thousand years old.

A deafening roar came from the distance, and a massive silver lightning bolt appeared on the horizon.

"Great-grandmother, could it be another rare treasure emerging?" Wang Tianqi's eyes lit up as he spoke with a hint of excitement.

"There aren't that many rare treasures," Wang Ruyan replied. "It's just cultivators fighting; we'd better not go over there." Relying on her powerful divine sense, she had discovered a group of cultivators hunting demonic beasts and naturally wouldn't interfere to avoid any misunderstanding.

A deafening dragon's roar echoed, and a crimson mushroom cloud lit up the distant horizon. The next moment, a streak of crimson fire flew towards Wang Ruyan and her companions.

The crimson light was incredibly fast. Soon, Wang Ruyan clearly saw what it truly was: a crimson flood dragon over a hundred meters long.

The crimson flood dragon's body was covered in crimson scales, and it had a wide mouth with sharp fangs. Its body was heavily wounded, many of its scales had fallen off, one of its dragon horns was broken, and its aura was weak.

This was a high-grade third-tier demonic beast, equivalent to a ninth-layer Core Formation cultivator.

Upon seeing Wang Ruyan, the crimson flood dragon instinctively assumed she was blocking its path. It let out a long roar heavenward and sprayed a large swath of crimson flames towards Wang Ruyan and her companions.

Before the crimson flames even reached them, an overwhelming heat wave washed over them.

Wang Ruyan slightly frowned and took out her Golden Lotus Guqin. Her slender, elegant fingers swiftly swept across the strings, and a deep guqin melody resonated, sending forth a misty blue sound wave.

The blue sound wave collided with the crimson flames, resulting in a huge explosion that neutralized both. A powerful blast spread in all directions, causing the sea to churn violently.

"You beast, how dare you injure people!" a man's voice, full of authority, suddenly rang out.

A dark cloud, hundreds of meters wide, had appeared high in the sky. After a massive thunderclap, the dark cloud violently churned and transformed into a silver lightning python over a hundred meters long. Countless silver electric arcs pulsed across its body as it fiercely lunged at the crimson flood dragon.

A look of terror appeared in the crimson flood dragon's eyes, and it tried to evade. However, a heavy guqin melody resonated, the sea churned violently, and countless blue water ropes shot out from the surface, coiling around the crimson flood dragon's body and binding it like a zongzi.

Roar! A layer of crimson flames emerged on the crimson flood dragon's body, causing all the blue water ropes to break.

At this moment, the silver lightning python also lunged forward and bit the crimson flood dragon's head.

A loud whoosh ripped through the air as a dazzling white light shot forth, striking the crimson flood dragon precisely.

A shrill wail erupted as the white light pierced through the crimson flood dragon's body, splitting it in half and sending blood splattering everywhere.

A gigantic blue flower basket descended from the sky, emitting a blue glow. It enveloped the crimson flood dragon's corpse and drew it back into the basket.

A dozen streaks of light flew from the distance, stopping before Wang Ruyan. Leading them was a tall young man in a silver robe. He had sharp, clear eyes, a white jade belt around his waist, and carried four scabbards of different colors on his back. Judging by the emblem on his clothes, he was clearly a disciple of the Grand Unity Immortal Sect, with a cultivation base at the eighth layer of Core Formation.

"Oh, Bingbing," Wang Ruyan exclaimed, her gaze falling upon a woman in a white dress who was none other than Su Bingbing.

"Aunt, what a coincidence!" Su Bingbing beamed with joy upon seeing Wang Ruyan. She had been in the South Sea for many years, and Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had given her a considerable amount of resources.

"Junior Sister Su, do you know each other?" the silver-robed young man asked casually, turning to Su Bingbing.

Su Bingbing nodded and said, "Senior Brother Han, this is my aunt. Aunt, this is Senior Brother Han; he's one of the Five Grand Talents of Grand Unity."

Wang Ruyan smiled and nodded, saying, "So it's Fellow Daoist Han. I am Wang Ruyan."

The silver-robed young man's surname was Han, given name Tianxuan, and he was one of the Five Grand Talents of Grand Unity. Han Tianxuan cultivated the Grand Unity Immortal Sect's foundational technique, the "Four Seasons Sword Art." This art allowed him to wield four different types of sword arts and four different sword arrays, each possessing immense power.

The four flying swords on his back were the Spring Rain Sword, Summer Thunder Sword, Autumn Wind Sword, and Winter Snow Sword, respectively.

The "Four Seasons Sword Art" was the cultivation technique of the Grand Unity Immortal Sect's Four Seasons Sword Venerable. The deeds of the Four Seasons Sword Venerable were widely circulated throughout the East Barrens; this individual single-handedly ventured deep into demonic territory, slaying multiple Nascent Soul-stage demonic beings. At the dawn of humanity's development of the East Barrens, he established a formidable reputation, solidifying the Grand Unity Immortal Sect's standing.

Given that Han Tianxuan cultivated the sect's foundational "Four Seasons Sword Art," his divine abilities were naturally incomparable to those of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.

Han Tianxuan nodded, took out a white wooden box, and said, "This contains a low-grade third-tier demonic core. It's a small token of my appreciation. Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your assistance."

"Fellow Daoist Han, there's no need to be so polite; it was merely a small effort," Wang Ruyan said with a graceful smile, subtly declining.

"I never like to owe others favors. You helped me, and this is what you deserve," Han Tianxuan said indifferently. With a flick of his wrist, the white wooden box flew towards Wang Ruyan.

Wang Ruyan flicked her sleeve, and the white wooden box flew back, landing in front of Su Bingbing.

"Bingbing, it's been so many years. I'll give this demonic core to you; consider it a small gift from your aunt. I have other matters to attend to. Fellow Daoists, farewell."

Wang Ruyan performed a hand seal, and the blue flying boat glowed brightly, transforming into a streak of blue light that vanished into the horizon.

Han Tianxuan put away the blue flower basket and flew off in another direction with Su Bingbing and the others.

Three months later, Wang Ruyan returned to Silver Serpent Island.

Wang Changsheng was still refining artifacts, so she did not disturb him and instead entered a secret chamber.

She took out her communication plate and contacted Wang Qiuhong, asking about the situation on Silver Serpent Island. After confirming that there were no issues with the family, she put away the communication plate and took out a small, crimson-red date.

This Fire Blazewood Date could easily be used to refine a fourth-tier pill. Unfortunately, the Wang family didn't even have a third-tier alchemist, so she could only consume it directly.

Consuming the Fire Blazewood Date directly would significantly reduce its efficacy, but there was no other option.

By refining the medicinal power of the Fire Blazewood Date, she should be able to advance to the seventh layer of Core Formation.

This thousand-year-old Fire Blazewood Date could be equivalent to over a decade of arduous cultivation for her, though its effectiveness diminishes with higher cultivation. Wang Changsheng lacked a fire spiritual root and was therefore not suitable for consuming fire-attributed spiritual herbs directly.

Wang Ruyan consumed the Fire Blazewood Date. A rich surge of fire spiritual energy quickly rose in her abdomen, and she immediately circulated her cultivation technique to refine this vast amount of fire spiritual energy.

Before long, mystical blue musical notes appeared around her body. The vast fire spiritual energy seemed to be guided by some force, gathering towards her Golden Core.