131: Chapter 131 Sunken Reef Island

The Middle-aged Cultivator panted heavily, turned to look at Lin Xuan, and cupped his fists, saying, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for lending a hand! I am Chen Guang, though my friends call me Old Man Chen. These two are my Juniors, Chen Xiaohu and Chen Xiaoyan."

"Old Man Chen?"

Lin Xuan sized him up.

He was in his forties, with a dark complexion, rough hands, and thick calluses on the web of his thumbs.

He was clearly someone who had lived on the edge for years. His cultivation was at Qi Refining Level 4, and his Foundation was fairly solid, but his Cultivation Technique and Magical Artifact were far too ordinary.

The two young people also scrambled up from the ground.

The Thin Tall Man was named Chen Xiaohu, at Qi Refining Level 3. Covered in dirt, with mud and leaves clinging to his clothes, he was scratching his head sheepishly.

The round-faced girl was named Chen Xiaoyan, also at Qi Refining Level 3. Her face was flushed red, and she kept her head down, not daring to look at Lin Xuan, likely feeling that her performance just now had been too embarrassing.

"I am Lin Xuan, a passing Loose Cultivator." Lin Xuan returned the gesture, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

Old Man Chen sized him up from head to toe.

Qi Refining Stage 5.

Neither too high nor too low.

Yet his strike just now had been timed perfectly, his spiritual energy control incredibly stable, subduing the Black Thorn Beast with a single whip strike.

Such skill did not seem like something an ordinary Loose Cultivator would possess.

A flash of doubt crossed Old Man Chen's eyes, but he did not ask further.

Having survived in the cultivation world for so many years, he understood one truth: don't ask what shouldn't be asked, and don't look at what shouldn't be seen. Those with too much curiosity generally did not live long.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, is this your first time coming to Chenjiao Island?" Old Man Chen asked casually as he began packing up the carcass of the Black Thorn Beast.

"Chenjiao Island?" Lin Xuan feigned a look of bewilderment.

"This very island," Old Man Chen pointed beneath his feet. "It's the only place within a thousand miles where Cultivators gather. There's a small market on the island, overseen by an Island Master at the Foundation Establishment Stage. There are about a hundred resident Loose Cultivators, mostly at the Early Stage or Middle Stage of Qi Refining. Just like us."

As he spoke, he carved a chunk of meat from the Black Thorn Beast and tossed it to Chen Xiaohu.

"Xiaohu, wash the meat. We'll stew it tonight."

Chen Xiaohu took the meat and eagerly ran off toward the shore.

Lin Xuan followed Old Man Chen as they walked toward the interior of the island.

Along the way, Old Man Chen babbled on, introducing him to the situation on Chenjiao Island.

The market on the island wasn't large; a few dozen stone houses surrounded a small square. They sold Low Grade Spiritual Plants, Yao Beast Materials, and Low Grade Talismans. There weren't many good items, but they were cheap.

The Island Master is surnamed Zhou, at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment. He's an eccentric old man who remains in seclusion year-round and rarely shows his face.

But if anyone causes trouble on the island, he will definitely take action. The year before last, a Loose Cultivator at Qi Refining Stage 7 tried to steal things in the market and was slapped into a meat patty by Island Master Zhou.

"So, whatever you do, never cause trouble on the island," Old Man Chen said in a lowered voice. "Although Island Master Zhou doesn't manage things much, if you truly provoke him, you won't even know how you died."

Lin Xuan nodded and kept this in mind.

"By the way, Old Man Chen," he asked, feigning casualness. "How many years have you been in this sea region?"

"Almost twenty years," Old Man Chen sighed. "I went from a young lad to what I look like now."

"Then do you know if there is any... teleportation array nearby?"

"Teleportation array?" Old Man Chen froze for a moment, then shook his head. "I've never heard of one. That sort of thing isn't something small Loose Cultivators like us can get in touch with. If you want to seek a great Opportunity, you can go to Bibo City."

"Bibo City?"

"Yes, the largest Cultivator city in this sea region, about three thousand miles from here." Old Man Chen pointed toward the southeast. "I heard there is a Golden Core Cultivator guarding it. They have everything there—Cultivation Techniques, Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, Spiritual Materials, as long as you can afford the price. However..."

"However, what?"

"To go to Bibo City, you must cross the Mist Sea." Old Man Chen's expression turned serious. "That sea region is shrouded in thick fog year-round; once you enter, you can't tell north, south, east, or west. Moreover, there are Yao Beasts in the fog, said to be Tier 2 or even Tier 3. Without high-grade Magical Artifacts and solid strength, going there is just seeking death."

Mist Sea.

Lin Xuan's heart stirred.

Was the fog he encountered five days ago the Mist Sea that Old Man Chen spoke of?

It was highly likely.

"What about the vicinity of Chenjiao Island? Is there anything... unusual?" Lin Xuan rephrased his question.

Old Man Chen thought for a moment and said, "Two hundred miles to the southeast, there has indeed been a strange occurrence recently."

"What strange occurrence?"

"Thunderous light often emerges from the sea surface. Not like lightning, but... rising from the seabed, as if something is glowing."

Old Man Chen lowered his voice. "Some say an ancient ruin is about to emerge. Several groups of people who went to investigate never returned. So now, no one dares to approach that sea region."

Lin Xuan's heart stirred.

Thunderous light rising from the seabed?

An ancient ruin?

"No one returned alive?" he asked.

"None," Old Man Chen shook his head. "The furthest group got to within fifty miles of that sea region and could no longer be contacted. Later, Island Master Zhou sent a Disciple at Qi Refining Level 9 to take a look. When that Disciple returned, his face was pale as sheet. He claimed he found nothing, then went into seclusion and hasn't come out since."

Lin Xuan kept this matter in mind.

By dusk, they arrived at the market.

Though called a market, it was actually just a small square enclosed by dozens of stone houses, the ground paved with rough bluestone slabs, with weeds growing in the cracks.

A few scattered stalls were set up, selling Low Grade goods.

Lin Xuan walked around but didn't see anything worth buying.

However, his Thunder Shield Talisman was very popular here.

The owner of the only shop in the market was surnamed Qian, a chubby Cultivator at Qi Refining Level 6 with a round face, small eyes, and a smile like a Maitreya Buddha. He was very shrewd, but his business dealings were fair.

"Thunder Shield Talisman?" Shopkeeper Qian took the Talisman Lin Xuan handed over, examined it closely, and his eyes lit up. "Good stuff! Top-tier quality, stable injection of Thunder Spiritual Energy, and smooth Talisman runes. Fellow Daoist, did you draw this yourself?"

Lin Xuan nodded.

"How many do you have? I'll take them all." Shopkeeper Qian rubbed his hands. "Most of the Yao Beasts in this sea region are afraid of thunder, so thunder-attribute Talismans are highly sought after here. Especially the Thunder Shield Talisman—it has strong defense and can even reflect damage. It's practically an essential for going out to sea."

Lin Xuan took out twenty Thunder Shield Talismans from his Storage Pouch and placed them on the counter.

"Twenty of them," he said. "What's the price?"

Shopkeeper Qian picked one up, examined it closely again, pondered for a moment, and said, "Eighteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones per sheet. How about it?"

"Eighteen?"

Back at the Sect, the purchase price for a Thunder Shield Talisman was twenty-two contribution points. Converted to Spirit Stones, that would be twenty-two stones.

Although eighteen was a bit low, this was the overseas region where prices differed; it was normal that they couldn't offer the same price as the Sect, and he indeed needed Spirit Stones.

"Deal." Lin Xuan nodded.