226: Chapter 225 Late Stage of the Yuanxiang Realm!

Countless fragments of rock splattered in all directions, each piece bearing residual crimson scorch marks and deep blue frost marks.

Master Xue Mu looked at the massive crater that had been blasted open and remained silent for a long time.

Then, he threw his head back and laughed loudly.

That laughter echoed above Lihuo Hall, carrying a hint of carefree joy, a touch of gratification, and an indescribable sense of—pride.

“Good!” He stifled his laughter and looked at Jiang Hanzhou. “What a brilliant Tidal Heaven-Burning Slash!”

He walked up to Jiang Hanzhou and patted his shoulder.

“This move is qualified to give those prodigies a real shock during the Inner Sect Minor Competition.”

Jiang Hanzhou withdrew the flames, panting slightly.

Master Xue Mu watched him, and after a brief silence, said seriously:

“Han Zhou, there is something I need to tell you.”

Jiang Hanzhou raised his head and looked at him.

Master Xue Mu's gaze became solemn.

“Dragon Abyss Palace has decided to join forces with the Sea Quelling Department to investigate the ancient flood dragon remains at Fishing Ground No. 4.”

Jiang Hanzhou's brow twitched slightly.

Master Xue Mu continued:

“Those ancient flood dragon remains have been showing frequent abnormal movements lately. The Palace Master personally performed a divination and deduced that the residual dragon soul within the remains shows signs of awakening.”

“If that dragon soul truly awakens, the area within a thousand miles of Fishing Ground No. 4 will be turned into a dead zone. Those fishermen who rely on the sea, the Loose Cultivators active in the coastal waters, and the outposts our Dragon Abyss Palace has established in the Eastern Sea—all will face a catastrophic disaster.”

He paused and said in a heavy voice:

“Therefore, we must suppress it or completely refine it before that dragon soul fully awakens.”

“The Sect has already mobilized elite Disciples from the Seven Peaks and Twenty-Four Caves to form an investigation team, which will depart for Fishing Ground No. 4 in three days.”

He looked at Jiang Hanzhou.

“You are also on the list.”

Jiang Hanzhou remained silent for a moment before nodding.

“This Disciple understands.”

Master Xue Mu looked at him, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

“Han Zhou, this trip is very dangerous.”

“The ancient flood dragon remains are no small matter. If that dragon soul truly awakens, it will have the strength of at least the Dragon Elephant Mutual Harmony realm. You Inner Sect Disciples are going there, to put it bluntly, as pathfinders; the real hard battle will depend on the Palace Master and the others.”

“But—the greater the danger, the greater the Opportunity.”

“If you can refine and absorb the residual power of the dragon soul within those remains, it will be of immeasurable benefit to your cultivation of Dragon Blood Power and the condensation of your Heavenly Fire True Intent.”

He stared into Jiang Hanzhou's eyes and said word for word:

“Therefore, the second piece of advice your teacher gives you is—”

“Come back alive.”

“Contribute when you should, and when you shouldn't, stay far away.”

Jiang Hanzhou gave a solemn salute.

“This Disciple will keep it in mind.”

Master Xue Mu nodded and waved his hand.

“Go. You have three days; prepare well.”

Jiang Hanzhou turned and walked toward the exit of the hall.

As he reached the entrance, Master Xue Mu's voice suddenly came from behind him:

“By the way—what do you plan to do about that Jiang Tao from the Prodigal Society?”

Jiang Hanzhou stopped and turned around.

Master Xue Mu looked at him and said indifferently:

“That kid's injuries have healed, and he left Dragon Abyss Palace three days ago. Before leaving, he asked someone to bring a message to you, saying he is waiting for you at Star Continent Anchorage.”

Jiang Hanzhou was silent for a moment and then nodded.

“This Disciple knows.”

He turned and strode away.

Star Continent Anchorage, the new stronghold of the Prodigal Society.

This was a small island located deep within Star Continent Anchorage, barely three miles in circumference. The island was lush with trees and offered excellent concealment.

When Jiang Hanzhou stepped onto the island, Jiang Tao was already waiting on the shore with a dozen brothers.

His face was still somewhat pale, but his spirits were high. Seeing Jiang Hanzhou arrive by treading on the waves, he quickly stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

“Master!”

The dozen or so brothers behind him also knelt one after another, saying in unison:

“Greetings, Master!”

Jiang Hanzhou waved his hand.

“Rise.”

Jiang Tao stood up, his face filled with excitement and awe.

His gaze swept over Jiang Hanzhou, and his pupils contracted slightly.

Although they had only been apart for a few days, he could sense that his master's aura was even more unfathomable than before.

That feeling was like facing an abyss; the more he looked, the more terrifying it seemed.

Jiang Hanzhou looked at him and said calmly:

“Are your injuries healed?”

“Thanks to Master's blessing, I am seventy to eighty percent recovered,” Jiang Tao said respectfully. “The Medicinal Pill given by Elder Xue was extremely effective.”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded, took out a Jade Slip from his robes, and tossed it to him.

Jiang Tao caught it and sent his Divine Sense into it.

A moment later, he looked up, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

“Detailed intelligence on Blood Shark Island?”

“Yes,” Jiang Hanzhou said indifferently. “I want to know everything about them—the strength of the Great Island Master, the Bloodfang Old Monster, the backgrounds of the Second and Third Island Masters, the personnel deployment on the island, the defensive Formations, and the origin of that Black-Robed Person.”

Jiang Tao took a deep breath and said solemnly:

“Rest assured, Master, your subordinate has already begun investigating.”

He took out a Jade Slip from his robes and presented it with both hands.

“This is the intelligence your subordinate has gathered these past few days. Please have a look, Master.”

Jiang Hanzhou took it and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

A moment later, his brow furrowed slightly.

The intelligence was very detailed.

Blood Shark Island was entrenched on a deserted island deep in the Eastern Sea, with a total of over three hundred evil cultivators. The Great Island Master, the Bloodfang Old Monster, was at the Peak of the Primal Elephant Realm and cultivated the Blood Fiend Demonic Technique; it was said he had already touched the threshold of the Dragon Fetus Realm.

Beneath him were two Protectors, both in the Middle Stage of the Primal Elephant Realm. One was skilled with the blade, and the other was skilled with poison; they were the Bloodfang Old Monster's right and left hands.

The Second Island Master, Blood Slaughter, was in the Late Yuanxiang Stage and had already been killed by Jiang Hanzhou.

The Third Island Master, Blood Li, was in the Early Stage of the Primal Elephant Realm and had also been killed by Jiang Hanzhou.

But what truly made him frown was another piece of intelligence—

Blood Shark Island had secret dealings with the remnants of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect.

The Ten Thousand Gu Sect was an evil Sect that had been jointly wiped out by Dragon Abyss Palace and the Sea Quelling Department. The Disciples of that Sect were skilled in using Gu insects, and their methods were bizarre and difficult to guard against.

Although their headquarters was destroyed and their Sect Leader executed, many remnants still roamed the overseas regions, barely surviving.

And Blood Shark Island was one of their secret strongholds.

Jiang Hanzhou looked up at Jiang Tao.

“That Black-Robed Person—did you find anything?”

Jiang Tao shook his head, his expression solemn.

“No. That person is too mysterious; every time he appears, he is wrapped in a black robe, and his face cannot be seen. But according to a captive who escaped from the island, that person's aura is extremely bizarre, and even the Bloodfang Old Monster treats him with great respect.”

He paused and whispered:

“Master, that person's background is likely deeper than Blood Shark Island.”

Jiang Hanzhou was silent for a moment and then nodded.

“I see.”

He put the Jade Slip into his sumeru pouch and looked at Jiang Tao.

“Continue investigating. But remember—safety first. Don't let your old nest be wiped out like last time.”

Jiang Tao said solemnly, “Rest assured, Master, your subordinate has learned his lesson. The Prodigal Society's strongholds are now divided into three locations, each with early-warning Formations. Even if one is taken out, the other two can quickly relocate.”

Jiang Hanzhou nodded and patted his shoulder.

“Well done.”

Jiang Tao was overwhelmed by the favor and quickly said, “Serving Master is my duty.”

Jiang Hanzhou said nothing more and turned to walk toward the edge of the island.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and said without turning back:

“Jiang Tao.”

“Your subordinate is here.”

“That debt with Blood Shark Island will be settled very soon.”

As his voice fell, he departed across the waves.

Jiang Tao stood where he was, watching that gradually receding back, his eyes flashing with a fanatical light.

Red Fire Peak, Hanzhou Residence.

Jiang Hanzhou sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, the Inner Core of the Ice-Fire Black Tortoise floating before him.

In the Inner Core, the red and blue lights had dimmed considerably—the refining over these past few days had already consumed nearly seventy percent of its power.

But the remaining thirty percent was enough.

He closed his eyes, and his Divine Sense sank deep into his Sea of Consciousness.

Within the Sea of Consciousness, that dark gold short blade floated quietly, the dark gold dragon patterns on the blade flowing slowly.

With a thought,

the ice and fire power within that Inner Core was drawn by him, turning into a strand of red and blue stream that slowly flowed into his Sea of Consciousness.

The stream flowed toward the Heart Blade, wrapping around it layer by layer.

The Heart Blade trembled slightly, as if sensing the approach of that power.

The dragon patterns on the blade suddenly lit up!

Those dragon patterns seemed to come alive, winding and moving on the blade, devouring, absorbing, and assimilating that incoming ice and fire power layer by layer.

The ice and fire power fused with the dragon patterns.

The color of the dragon patterns began to change.

The originally pure dark gold now had an extra hint of red and blue luster.

That luster was very faint, yet it truly existed.

Sensing those changes, a sense of realization welled up in Jiang Hanzhou's heart.

The essence of the Heart Blade was the condensation of will.

And the ice and fire power were the two purest powers in the world.

Tempering the Heart Blade with ice and fire was tempering his will.

Making his will as tough as ice and as blazing as fire.

Time passed slowly.

An unknown amount of time later,

deep within the Sea of Consciousness, the Heart Blade vibrated slightly.

That vibration was completely different from before.

The previous vibrations were instability, disorder, and warnings.

But the vibration now was transformation, sublimation, and—new life.

He opened his eyes.

In his eyes, a dark gold light flashed and vanished.

Within that light, one could faintly see red and blue glimmers flowing.

He raised his right hand, and with a thought,

an invisible blade light shot out from between his brows!

That blade light was formless and substance-less, yet it was more than twice as fast as before!

It slashed toward a touchstone in the corner of the cultivation room—

The moment the blade light struck, that touchstone jolted violently!

Then, a very fine crack appeared on the surface.

Although it was just a crack, and although it was just the most ordinary touchstone, the power of this single slash already far exceeded what it was before.

Because this slash was not a pure blade of will.

It had fused with ice and fire power.

At the moment of impact, there was both the sluggishness of freezing and the burning of flames.

Divine Soul attacks could henceforth be controlled.

Jiang Hanzhou withdrew his Heart Blade and looked down at his hands.

His hands were still intact, but he could sense that the dark gold blood and Qi within his body were richer, more blazing, and more—overbearing than before.

He closed his eyes and looked inside his body.

Deep within his Dantian, that three-colored flame burned quietly. Around the flame, that layer of red and blue halo had completely merged into the flame, making its color deeper and more bizarre.

Tidal True Intent, thirty percent.

Pure Yang True Intent, thirty percent.

Golden Sharpness True Intent, Peak of twenty percent.

Heavenly Fire True Intent, embryonic form stabilized.

Cultivation—

Late Yuanxiang Stage.