123: Chapter 82 Dealing with miscellaneous tasks and seeking the Great Dao

Chen Xuan had been staying in Bihai Immortal City for half a month.

Every morning, he went to the seaside to practice sword techniques; in the afternoon, he returned to the inn to cultivate the Haohai Sword Art; at night, he contemplated the minor Divine Ability, Shuiyue Mountain.

The days passed peacefully and without incident.

On this day, while he was practicing Sword Dao Thunder Sound in the inn's backyard, a transmission Talisman flew in from the south and landed in his palm.

There was only one sentence on the Talisman.

"A great victory in the northern part of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range; the third-tier Spiritual Vein has been captured, and the construction of the Ten Thousand Demon Immortal City will begin today. The Golden Core great demon, the Cloud-Swallowing Eagle, was heavily injured and fled; the Iron-Backed Flood Dragon has fallen, and the Nine-Tailed Fox is missing."

After reading it, Chen Xuan crushed the transmission Talisman.

The Cloud-Swallowing Eagle is heavily injured.

Not dead.

He had waited for this day for a long time, but what he got was not the news he wanted.

Chen Xuan put away his sword, returned to his room, and sat down by the bed.

Outside the window, the sea breeze blew, making a rustling sound.

On the night of the northern expedition, the image of Master Liu Yun fighting the Cloud-Swallowing Eagle seemed to still be before his eyes.

White hair flying, Sword Qi surging, wielding his sword with one arm, blood staining the long sky.

In that battle, his Revered Master lost an arm, three False Core Immortal Masters fell, and hundreds of Cultivators were buried in a foreign land.

In exchange, they gained an immortal city and a third-tier Spiritual Vein.

Chen Xuan closed his eyes.

This trade was not a loss.

But it was not a gain either.

Because the Cloud-Swallowing Eagle was still alive.

Divination!

Can I take advantage of your illness to take your life!

He opened his eyes, a thought moved, and he summoned the wordless heavenly book.

Golden tadpole characters emerged.

[Today's Fortune: Moderate.]

[Today's Heavenly Secret: Giant Gate.]

[Today's Destiny: Sword Cultivator.]

[Moderate: The Ten Thousand Demon Immortal City is newly established, and everything is waiting to be done. The The Three Sects are recruiting Loose Cultivators to settle in, with three hundred slots for the first batch, granting priority to choose Immortal Caves near the Spiritual Vein.]

[Minor Auspicious: Liu He's orphan, Liu An, is currently living in Fusheng Immortal City. Both his parents died in the northern expedition, leaving him alone and helpless. Adopting this child may forge a good karmic connection.]

[Moderate Inauspicious: If you head to the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range now to hunt down the Cloud-Swallowing Eagle, you will encounter the Nine-Tailed Fox's illusion trap. Although not fatal, it will require three months to heal.]

Chen Xuan chose the heavenly secret jade slip for the Minor Auspicious outcome, and his magic power was instantly reduced by a large margin.

He stood up and pushed the door open to leave.

...

Half a day later, Fusheng Immortal City.

Following the address provided by the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce, Chen Xuan found Liu An in a narrow alley in the North City.

He was a seven or eight-year-old boy, as thin as a bamboo pole, with a dirty face and wearing a tattered Daoist robe.

He was squatting at the end of the alley, with a few low-tier Spirit Stones in front of him, calling out to sell them.

"Selling Talismans, first-tier Water-Avoiding Talismans, only two Spirit Stones each."

His voice was hoarse; his throat had already been shouted raw.

Chen Xuan walked over and squatted down in front of him.

"Are you Liu An?"

The boy raised his head; his eyes were large and bright, like two black grapes.

He looked at Chen Xuan, stunned for a moment, then stood up abruptly.

"You... are you Immortal Master Yun Qi?"

Chen Xuan smiled and said:

"Do you know me?"

"Just call me Junior Martial Uncle Yun."

Tears welled up in Liu An's eyes instantly.

"Father mentioned your name before he left; he specifically left me in Fusheng Immortal City, saying he would come to pick me up once the front line was safe."

He knelt on the ground with a thud, his forehead hitting the bluestone slab with a dull sound.

"Junior Martial Uncle Yun, please take me in!"

"My dad said if he wasn't around anymore, I should come find you!"

"He said you would help me!"

Chen Xuan reached out and helped him up.

The boy's arms were as thin as withered branches, and they could break with a light squeeze.

"What else did your dad say?"

Liu An sobbed, took a Jade Slip from his chest, and handed it to Chen Xuan with both hands.

"Dad said this is his final relic, and I should give it to you."

Chen Xuan took the Jade Slip and extended his Divine Sense into it.

There was only one sentence in the Jade Slip.

"Junior Brother Yun, by the time you see this Jade Slip, I will already be dead. I suppose of the thirty-seven members of the Liu Family, only my son is left. If you remember our acquaintance, please give the child a way to survive. Liu He, thank you!"

Chen Xuan withdrew his Divine Sense and put the Jade Slip into his bosom.

Silence.

Liu He was a very spirited and intelligent man.

Daring to bet the lives of his entire clan proved his courage.

Yet, such a man would lower himself to beg Chen Xuan...

Sigh, the world is unpredictable.

He looked at Liu An; the boy's eyes were full of tears and panic.

"Come with me."

Liu An was stunned, then nodded frantically, tears flying everywhere.

Chen Xuan took him to the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce branch, gave him a bath, and changed him into a clean Daoist robe.

After cleaning up, the boy revealed a handsome face.

There were traces of Liu He between his brows and eyes.

"Have you eaten?"

Liu An shook his head.

Chen Xuan took him to a spiritual restaurant and ordered a table full of dishes.

The boy devoured the food, as if he had been hungry for a long time.

Chen Xuan sat opposite him, watching him without speaking.

He thought of his first life.

Back then, he was also a helpless child, wandering the streets of a secular Dynasty, surviving by running errands for others.

Later, he became Zuo Wengong.

In his second life, he had a chamber of commerce, a Family, and descendants.

How many storms must one experience in a lifetime to see a rainbow?

Chen Xuan's state of mind was peaceful, neither wind nor rain, neither clear nor cloudy.

Chen Xuan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The tea was bitter, like the taste of life.

"Let's go."

After the meal, Chen Xuan took Liu An to the airport.

A flying boat was parked at the airport, preparing to fly to the Ten Thousand Demon Immortal City.

Chen Xuan sent Liu An onto the flying boat and took out a Storage Pouch to give to him.

"Inside are Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and Talismans, enough for you to use for two years."

"When you arrive at the Ten Thousand Demon Immortal City, someone will meet you and arrange for you to cultivate at the city's Dao academy; it is an academy jointly managed by the The Three Sects."

Liu An took the Storage Pouch, his eyes turning red again.

"Junior Martial Uncle Yun, are you not coming?"

Chen Xuan shook his head.

"I still have things to do."

"When you reach Foundation Establishment, come find me again."

Liu An nodded, clutching the Storage Pouch tightly to his chest.

The flying boat rose slowly, and Liu An stood by the railing, waving at Chen Xuan.

"Junior Martial Uncle Yun, I will definitely reach Foundation Establishment!"

Chen Xuan nodded at him.

The flying boat disappeared into the clouds.

Chen Xuan withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the market.

The Earth-type spiritual items collected by the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce in Bihai Immortal City had been delivered half a month ago.

He hadn't had time to check them until now.

Now, it was time.

In the inn room.

Chen Xuan closed the door and activated the Formation.

He took out a pile of Earth-type spiritual items from his Storage Pouch.

Mysterious Heavy Earth, Earth Vein Stone, fragments of Breathing Soil, Yellow Dragon Jade.

Each item radiated a rich Earth-element Spiritual Qi.

He laid these spiritual items on the floor one by one, sat cross-legged among them, and closed his eyes to sense them.

He extended his Divine Sense into the spiritual items, searching inch by inch.

Not in the Mysterious Heavy Earth.

Not in the Earth Vein Stone.

Not in the fragments of Breathing Soil either.

Chen Xuan was not in a hurry, checking them one by one.

Yellow Dragon Jade, nothing.

Thick Earth Essence, nothing.

Earth Dragon Bone, nothing.

The last item was a fist-sized stone, its surface pitted and uneven, as if it had been weathered for millions of years.

Chen Xuan picked it up and extended his Divine Sense into it.

Inside the stone, there was a dim yellow light.

The light was very faint, like the last glimmer of sunset on the horizon.

But Chen Xuan sensed it.

That was the imagery of City Wall Earth.

A corresponding item just like Heavenly Fire.