Chapter 112: The Central Sea Market (Part I)

A massive cauldron surged forward, skimming across the surface of the sea. The airflow it generated parted the waters, carving out a deep chasm and causing waves to tower dozens of miles high. Fortunately, this was in the deep ocean; had it been near the coast where fishing boats were plentiful, countless vessels would surely have been capsized.

Suddenly, the cauldron slowed its flight, descended onto the ocean, and sank with a muffled thud.

"Space-shifting arrays are truly exhausting to the Nether energy. In just this short time, I've consumed more than half of my reserves, and my spirit is quite fatigued. If they catch up to us again, our lives will be in danger." Jiang Feng sat inside the cauldron, exhaling a long breath. He ceased driving the array and focused entirely on resting, gathering his focus to replenish his Nether energy.

"I am certain the disciples of the Langya Chamber of Commerce from Lingbo Town will not follow us. After all, there are countless rogue cultivators on this sea; if they were to encounter some powerful figure, it would look as though the Lingbo Town faction is hunting down disciples of the Jiuyan Town faction merely for a magical treasure," Duan Xingyun remarked, finally finding a moment to examine the interior of the cauldron. Inside this White Emperor Glazed Cauldron, everything was intricately carved with gold and jade. Nine layers of gold and jade screens partitioned the space into several small, exquisite chambers. The screens were adorned with various motifs: fire, wind, blades, swords, clouds, lightning, dragons, tigers, ghosts roaming at night, demons devouring men, and so on.

The nine screens featured images of both the orthodox path and the demonic path, appearing as a fusion of immortals and demons.

Jiang Feng also took the opportunity to survey the space within the King Cauldron. It was as large as the grand hall of a wealthy household, partitioned by these nine fusion-style screens, arranged with such refinement that it exuded a sense of profound mystery.

Through the translucent walls of the cauldron, one could observe the outside world: the deep sea, with schools of fish swimming past, as the furnace descended to the ocean floor. Yet, not a single drop of water entered the vessel; it was perfectly secure. The two men felt none of the crushing pressure of the deep sea. The walls of the furnace seemed to be crafted from a unique material that allowed those inside to see out, while remaining completely opaque to those outside.

"What shall we do now?" Duan Xingyun asked. "The Langya Chamber of Commerce disciples in Lingbo Town never hesitate to execute those who violate their sect's prestige."

"I am certain this group will not give up, but since they aren't pursuing us, they will surely head to the Central Sea Market to wait for us. We killed the Master of Wuming Island, and we must go to the market to claim the reward," Jiang Feng replied. "Let us rest for a while, recover our Nether energy, and then surface to leave this sea area."

"I fear that is unwise. We must go to the Sea Market. Your medicinal pills are depleted; once caught in a struggle, if your Nether energy fails, you will suffer a lethal blow. Furthermore, these seas are fraught with peril. My original intent was to reach the market to purchase herbs for alchemy, to bolster my strength and break through to the next stage," Duan Xingyun said. "If I break through, my Nether energy will double. If we join forces, we will be much more secure."

"What? You are about to break through to the next stage? How so quickly?" Jiang Feng was stunned. By all logic, it should have taken Duan Xingyun two or three years.

"I consumed the Yin-Yang Longevity Pill, and combined with my unique constitution, my practice of the Star Sand Green Dragon Ring has been mutually beneficial. Now, having obtained this furnace, if I can reach the Sea Market and purchase the seven exotic jellyfish—the Sunflower, Emerald Lightning, Purple Cloud, Sea God, Golden, Silver, and Star jellyfish—and integrate their essence into my Nether energy while refining it within this furnace, my power will be established instantly!" Duan Xingyun looked around the cauldron. "Star Sand Divine Art, oh Star Sand Divine Art... I wonder when I shall achieve mastery. It is a pity; if I could find a certain power and use your Devouring Nether Art to draw it into my body, my Nether energy would advance by leaps and bounds."

"What power?" Jiang Feng asked casually.

"The primordial power between heaven and earth: Nether Soul Force."

"Hmm?"

When Jiang Feng heard the term "Nether Soul Force," his heart skipped a beat. He fixed his gaze on Duan Xingyun, but found the other man calm and composed, appearing to have spoken quite offhandedly. His own mind settled slightly.

Although Jiang Feng did not know the specific techniques of the Star Sand Divine Art that Duan Xingyun practiced, he knew it required using one's own Nether energy to collect thousands of types of starlight energy from the heavens and earth, condensing them into a crystal, and forming "star sand." Upon reaching mastery, one could command all the starlight energy in the world with infinite power and subtlety.

However, some forms of starlight energy were extremely difficult to obtain, such as Nine-Yang or Nine-Yin starlight. But the most elusive of all was the legendary Nether Soul Force.

Jiang Feng used Nether Soul Force to strike his enemies, but he could also use this energy to temper his body and cultivate an "Invincible Golden Body." Since the race that possessed Nether Soul Force had been exterminated, the energy had essentially vanished. The only known method was to seek the Blood Fiend Fruit from the Blood Fiend Tree, but few knew the secret that the fruit contained this force.

Jiang Feng could not simply be a philanthropist and hand over such a power; the matter was too grave to be revealed just yet. Only when he reached the level of a Nether King could he afford to reveal it, as a Nether King was highly valued by any sect, receiving protection far beyond that of an ordinary inner-sect disciple. A Nether King could deploy grand arrays and forge Nether artifacts of the highest grade, or even, with the right materials, forge Nether Saint Weapons, greatly increasing the sect's strength.

One could say that a Nether King-level master was the true core of a sect. Their current home, Jiuyan Town, was but a speck of dust before the vastness of the East Nether. Jiang Feng knew that if he could reach the rank of Nether King, even the Langya Chamber of Commerce in Lingbo Town could not touch him. By then, the exposure of the Jiangshan Bottle would be of no consequence; a Nether King would have the stature to possess such a supreme demonic weapon, and the sect would not force him into a desperate situation as they had with Qian Bo.

For now, however, exposing both the Jiangshan Bottle and the Nether Soul Force was far too dangerous.

Jiang Feng smiled. "Nether Soul Force is rumored to be a supreme power. It is said that it vanished along with the race that wielded it. But do not be pessimistic, Brother Xingyun; I believe that heaven always leaves a way, and there must still be traces of such power in this world."

"Is that so? Then I thank you, Jiang Feng," Duan Xingyun said with a faint smile, dropping the subject. He sighed, "It is a pity this White Emperor Glazed Cauldron lacks a core array, or it could shrink for easy transport. By the way, Jiang Feng, there is an unwritten rule in our Jiuyan Town Langya Chamber of Commerce: every disciple who reaches the True Nether Realm is summoned by the Sect Master and may request one favor. By then, the matter of you and your grandfather killing my master will be wiped clean. You could then ask the Sect Master to install a core array, turning this furnace into a Yellow-grade Nether Saint Weapon of even greater power."

"Oh? There is such a rule?" Jiang Feng truly had not known this, and the thought made his desire to reach the True Nether Realm all the more intense.

"Let us restore our focus! This White Emperor Glazed Cauldron is the finest mobile dwelling; it can even descend to the ocean floor. My Star Sand Divine Art progresses faster the deeper I go, as water is the medium that best absorbs starlight energy." Having said this, Duan Xingyun silently produced a medicinal pill and swallowed it to restore his energy.

Jiang Feng did not linger; he beckoned, and the purple-gold gourd containing the Master of Wuming Island's collection flew into his hand. He poured out dozens of "Life-Prolonging Golden Pills" and swallowed them like dried beans. A warm current surged from his belly, circulating through his limbs, which he then slowly refined into spirit, and finally into Nether energy.

Simultaneously, a massive quantity of pills flew into the Jiangshan Bottle, offered to the Red-Eyed Black Water Serpent. This serpent possessed immense destructive power, but since Jiang Feng had already devoured much of its energy, it had somewhat accepted him as its master. However, due to a lack of medicinal supplies, he had kept it in recovery rather than sending it into battle. The serpent was severely wounded; if it could be fully healed, it might evolve directly into a Red-Eyed Flood Dragon!

"I wonder when this Red-Eyed Black Water Serpent will transform into a Red-Eyed Flood Dragon... likely not for decades. Hmm? Right, among the treasures left by the Master of Wuming Island are many top-tier Nether-grade robes. I shall have the serpent wear them, fuse them with its blood, and use the power of the furnace to re-forge it!"

After resting for a long time and fully recovering his energy, Jiang Feng's thoughts stirred. The Red-Eyed Black Water Serpent flew out from the Jiangshan Bottle and landed beside him.

"Don the robes!"

With a thought, ten shimmering magical robes draped over the giant serpent. Among the treasures were twenty-eight such robes, each a top-tier Nether-grade artifact. As the serpent was clad in them, a stream of its own blood erupted, forming ten crimson ribbons that wrapped around its entire body.

"True Fire Tempering! White Emperor Glaze!" Jiang Feng activated the furnace's alchemical capabilities. Streams of gilded flames erupted from the screens, instantly enveloping the serpent and refining its own blood into its body. Simultaneously, the top-tier robes were melted down, and the arrays etched upon them were branded onto the serpent's scales.

*Crack, crack...*

The Red-Eyed Black Water Serpent emitted sounds like grinding steel. Vibrant, new scales grew out, larger than before. A fierce, baleful aura intensified, and its physical form grew significantly larger.

Immense physical power radiated from its body. It was no longer a common Black Water Mysterious Serpent, but a mutated existence. An ordinary serpent of this kind possessed the energy of the Void Nether Realm, but this giant beast now possessed physical strength equivalent to the first stage of the True Nether Realm! Fusing the magical blades, the robes, and its own blood, the serpent was now equivalent to a master of the first stage of the True Nether Realm—though still wounded, it could not yet unleash its full potential.