Chapter 95: Setting Out on the Journey

“By the way, Feng’er, since the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron has been damaged by Xuan Xingzi’s dark arts, I’ll gift you another magical treasure for your future cultivation,” Jiang Yuehai said as he sat cross-legged on the ground, his expression softening slightly. He smiled and continued, “This gourd functions similarly to the Azure Emperor’s Glazed Cauldron; it allows you to perform ritual cultivation within it. However, I still advise you not to be greedy. Relying too much on magical treasures is never a lasting solution.”

“Understood, Grandfather,” Jiang Feng replied as he took the gourd and immediately offered his blood to activate it. A powerful force surged from the Immortal Gourd, filling him with joy but also a hint of melancholy. “Today, I have received such favor from you, Grandfather. It’s a pity my father cannot witness this.”

“Feng’er, this gourd is called the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd. It seals seven supreme treasures inside. If you can unlock them one by one, it will surely greatly enhance your cultivation!” Jiang Yuehai seemed to perceive Jiang Feng’s thoughts and sighed quietly before cautioning, “Moreover, it contains many medicinal pills. The longer you refine them, the more potent their effects become.”

“Grandfather, I will keep all this in mind. I will find the Underworld Prison and extract all its dark arts to bring back to the Jiang family for the family’s benefit!” Jiang Feng knew what to say at this moment; after all the blessings Jiang Yuehai had bestowed upon him, he dared not show any ingratitude.

“Hahaha, excellent! Xian’er, you have given me a fine grandson!” Jiang Yuehai laughed heartily. His once stiff face, hardened by long sorrow, now flushed with warmth. With a flick of his long sleeves, he poured all his power into Jiang Feng, enveloping him in a shroud of dark energy and sending him out of the Jiang estate.

“With this Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd, my dark energy will surely see great improvement. According to the map, my next destination seems to be the Sea of Reincarnation beyond Jiuyan Town. Rumor has it that long ago, it was a desolate ruin where many battles took place, leaving behind all sorts of treasures. This time, I must explore thoroughly!” Jiang Feng left the Jiang estate cautiously and used the Shadow Dance Soul-Shattering Step to ascend to the heavens. Standing amid the distant sea of clouds, he finally stopped to speak, though no one was around; his words were directed solely at the spirit within his mind.

The spirit laughed, “Not bad at all. I have always loved traveling, exploring, and hunting for treasures. Although I stumbled last time at the Blood Fiend Tree, this time, you must find me even better treasures!”

“Just not the Wang family for now. With Xuan Xingzi dead, the Langya Guild will descend into chaos. Jiuyan Town may face a great calamity. I hope Yingying and the divine beast stay safely within the Wang estate and avoid any mishaps. Once I find the Underworld Prison, I will come back to retrieve them!” Jiang Feng pondered deeply. Unintentionally, his feelings stirred, and his dark energy flared. Correspondingly, golden smoke began to rise from the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd, emitting waves of sandalwood fragrance. Among the golden mist, musical notes shimmered, producing a demon-subduing melody that purified the spirit. Tiny golden figures, no larger than thumbs, swam within the smoke.

As the golden mist enveloped Jiang Feng, the wind howled, transforming into a golden rainbow that sliced through the clouds above. The power far surpassed that of Jiang Feng’s most basic Divine Sky Palm.

The first treasure within the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd: the Ruyi Golden Smoke!

At his current cultivation level, Jiang Feng could activate this first supreme treasure—the Ruyi Golden Smoke. After refining it with his spirit, its power grew even greater, radiant and majestic.

“Sit still and meditate, fully claiming the Ruyi Golden Smoke as your own!” the spirit urged hastily. The Ruyi Golden Smoke was most abundant and pure now. If Jiang Feng did not absorb it quickly, and the gourd was stolen during his journey, someone else could easily wield this power.

Jiang Feng plucked a cloud and sat down, gradually channeling his spirit into the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd, cultivating the Ruyi Golden Smoke.

A day passed. Early the next morning, sunlight poured over the sea of clouds, bright and clear. Jiang Feng parted the clouds to look down. Birds chirped noisily in the trees, pecking at peach and crabapple petals. A single golden ray leapt from the distant horizon, scattering morning light and thickening the breath of spring, making Jiang Feng almost moan with delight.

The secret Divine Sky Technique he cultivated included dark arts related to spring and vitality, called the Wood Emperor Qi Vein. Spring was the perfect season to practice it. Bathed in the morning light, Jiang Feng combined his dark energy with the vitality of plants to transform it into Wood Emperor Qi Vein, strengthening his cultivation profoundly.

Unlike the Fang family’s dark arts—which weaponize excessive vitality to transform a person into a half-plant, half-human monster—Jiang Feng’s dark art nourished his cultivation as a supportive technique.

Since there were so many dark arts within the Divine Sky Technique, Jiang Feng couldn’t master them all immediately. Seizing the splendid morning, he practiced Wood Emperor Qi Vein. Each time he circulated this energy, he felt stronger, gaining deeper insight into the vitality of spring and plants.

“Let’s depart now!” the spirit’s voice rang out, filled with excitement, as if it were the one about to embark on the treasure hunt.

“All right, let’s go. The Sea of Reincarnation is quite far; we mustn’t delay.”

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As he spoke, Jiang Feng’s body surged with power. He stored the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd away, and the Wood Emperor Qi Vein burst forth from his body’s major acupoints, wrapping him in a suit of armor-like battle robe. Beneath this robe, his feet exerted tremendous force, kicking against the void, propelling him dozens of miles in an instant.

Having mastered the Wood Emperor Qi Vein, his dark energy grew vast and potent, and his speed in flight increased dramatically. This dark art contained a unique oscillating energy that minimized air resistance during flight, greatly enhancing his speed.

Flying with dark energy was no trivial matter. The techniques were complex and varied; discussing flight alone could occupy several days without repetition.

Different sects and factions, and even individuals, had their unique flying methods.

Some crafted delicate dark energy wings, soaring like great birds, though this consumed tremendous energy.

Others blasted dark energy from their feet, using the recoil to surge forward. This method was effective but crude and wore down their acupoints.

Some relied on external objects—refining flying swords or carpets, adhering their bodies to them with dark energy for flight.

All these methods depended on skillful use of dark energy, each ingenious in its own way.

Jiang Feng’s approach was derived from the Shadow Dance Soul-Shattering Step, which emphasized harmony with nature. He enveloped himself in dark energy, forming a spindle shape that reduced air resistance, making his body one with the natural flow. As he sliced through the air, he felt his body piercing the void, the wind whispering in his ears, mountains and rivers retreating beneath him, exhilarating beyond compare.

Moreover, since Wood Emperor Qi Vein was drawn from nature, it naturally harmonized with the environment, further increasing his speed.

Before mastering Wood Emperor Qi Vein, his speed, though swift, relied heavily on the Shadow Dance Soul-Shattering Step and massive reserves of dark energy. Without the Jiang Mountain Bottle—an artifact that could infinitely draw dark energy—his speed would scatter his energy and tear the air, making flight dangerous.

“Jue, am I not fast and exhilarating now?” Jiang Feng boasted as he listened to the wind.

Jue, however, looked unimpressed, glancing at Jiang Feng like a rare sage and remarked, “That’s nothing. When your dark soul power reaches the second level, your speed will surpass sound and sunlight. If you reach the third level, your cultivation will soar. The friction between your body and the air will produce skyfire, like a meteor. That speed—that’s truly fast.”

“Skyfire?” Jiang Feng gasped. He wasn’t surprised by Jue’s disdain; Jue had weathered countless storms and hardships—he had eaten more salt than Jiang Feng had eaten rice.

He imagined that if one could really generate flames by friction with the air, there would be no need for artifacts. A single strike at that speed would be fatal, for then, his own body’s speed would outmatch any magical weapon.

After flying for nearly half an hour and covering about two thousand miles, his dark energy waned, and his spirit grew weary. He stopped atop a mountain to sit cross-legged, drawing on the still-present sunlight and the fragrant lush greenery around him to recover his energy using Wood Emperor Qi Vein.

“You’re getting a bit overconfident, boy. Flying so fast, if you encounter enemies or bandits while your energy is low, they might kill you and steal your treasures or your half-step Dark Energy Pill. Out there, it’s not like Jiuyan Town, where the Jiang family supports you. Beyond, any dark energy cultivator faces danger at any moment. Even if you fly fast, you must purchase enough concealment talismans to hide your body, so no expert in the mountains or forests detects your arrogance and comes for your treasures,” Jue warned.

“I understand. I was just flying too recklessly earlier,” Jiang Feng said, shaken by the warning. He truly knew nothing about the world outside and was frightened by Jue’s advice.

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After resting, Jiang Feng reviewed Jue’s advice carefully, flying cautiously and stealthily, preserving his dark energy.

Flying in fits and starts, the pills in the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd gradually depleted. After two days and nights, the air ahead thickened with moisture, and a damp breeze blew in. On the horizon, a misty bubble seemed to hover over the sea, but an indistinct, unsettling danger lingered in the air.

“I can feel the ocean!” Jue’s spirit stirred, suddenly sitting up in Jiang Feng’s mind, as if drawn by a special connection to the sea.

But even more excited was Gui Yue, who had been cultivating deep within Jiang Feng’s mind. He seemed to absorb the abundant moisture entering Jiang Feng’s nostrils, refining it with dark energy into a subtle essence that merged into the body.

Jiang Feng remembered that Gui Yue’s dark art involved freely transforming between ice and water—the Ice Soul Liquid. Training by the sea would be like a fish in water.

He also possessed this Ice Soul Liquid and hurriedly imitated Gui Yue, condensing the moisture into his flesh and blood, letting the liquid absorb and refine the vapor. Immediately, he sensed a faint improvement in his hidden cultivation.

The vast, rolling ocean stretched before Jiang Feng’s eyes, boundless and deep into the horizon, harboring countless secrets and dangers.

“Spring blossoms, facing the sea!” Jiang Feng breathed, savoring the slightly briny sea breeze.

“The ocean is perilous. Once you enter, do not recklessly exhaust your dark energy as before. If your energy runs out and you cannot find an island to rest on, you’ll be doomed. The sea is haunted by frequent dark beasts,” Jue hastily warned, fearful Jiang Feng might repeat past mistakes. There could be no slip-ups in such a dangerous place.

“Hiss!”

This time, Jiang Feng ignored Jue’s warning. A sharp pain surged, and he took out the Seven Treasures Immortal Gourd, staring at it in puzzlement.

A faint glow appeared on the gourd, casting a beam of light that imprinted itself into Jiang Feng’s mind.

In the next instant, Jiang Feng and Jue both exclaimed almost simultaneously, “The second supreme treasure! The Illusory Rainbow Ark!”