261: Chapter 261 After returning, I will have to undergo arduous training.

Sun Boyong stood on the deck, watching the direction Duanmu Bei had departed for a dozen breaths. Only after confirming the other party was truly far away did he retract the barrier of the Spirit Silver Shield.

The front cabin door was pushed open from the inside.

Su Cheng was the first to emerge, his expression not looking very good.

"Senior, thank you."

Sun Boyong put the shield back into his Storage Pouch and stretched his wrists.

"No need for thanks." He glanced at Su Cheng. "However, that Soul Blood Jade Talisman Duanmu Bei took out should be real. His sense of the attraction force likely wasn't just posturing. Just keep that in mind."

Su Cheng wasn't overly worried; as long as they could successfully return to the Prefecture City, Duanmu Bei would no longer be able to do anything to them. One shouldn't forget that their relationship with the Lin Family was also quite deep.

The Lin Family was a Golden Core Family and businesspeople; as long as a price was paid, they should be happy to help. After all, they would be dealing with a Golden Core Cultivator from an outside province.

At worst, if his cultivation didn't reach the Golden Core stage, he simply wouldn't go to Taining Province. If he couldn't win a fight, didn't he still know how to hide?

Su Chengyuan walked out from behind the cabin door and likewise cupped his hands to Sun Boyong in thanks.

He had been watching from inside the cabin the entire time, and this battle had allowed him to see many things clearly.

He considered his performance in Ten Thousand Snakes Valley to have been decent, but that was ultimately a struggle between Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

With a collision of the level just now, he wouldn't even be able to withstand the residual force of the blade light sweeping past. If he took a direct hit, he feared not even ashes would remain.

After returning, he would have to Cultivate hard.

The spirit boat restarted, resumed full speed, and flew toward Tianlan Province.

Duanmu Bei flew toward the southwest for over half a day. Only after confirming that Sun Boyong's spirit boat wasn't pursuing did he slow down.

The backlash from Soul-Body Fusion came faster than he had anticipated.

In an unnamed mountain range, he found a shaded stone cave. The cave entrance faced north, hidden behind a thicket of trees halfway up the mountain. Looking down from the sky, one could only see dense withered branches and rock walls; no one would notice such a place.

After entering the cave, Duanmu Bei took out six Formation Flags from his Storage Pouch, inserted them into six positions within the cave in sequence, and guided them with a hand seal.

Fine networks of Array Inscriptionss emerged between the flags. Three layers—a concealment formation, a breath-masking formation, and an alert formation—were stacked together, completely sealing off the spiritual energy fluctuations and aura of the entire stone cave.

Only after doing all this did he slowly sit down against the stone wall.

The black Treasure Artifact saber was placed horizontally across his knees, the Soul-Erosion patterns on its surface having become somewhat dim.

The price for Soul-Body Fusion was not just a two-year recuperation period; his Soul-Erosion patterns also needed time to slowly regain their activity.

To put it bluntly, he was nearly half-crippled.

Duanmu Bei closed his eyes, his mind repeatedly playing back the events from just now.

Sun Boyong's reaction was too suspicious. Last time in Tongbao City, when he used his Divine Sense to scan Su Cheng and Zhou Changgeng, the other party hadn't blocked him at all.

This time, there was just one more person—a middle-aged Loose Cultivator at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage—and before he had even made a move, the other party had already raised the shield.

What did this mean? It meant that there was definitely something wrong with that middle-aged man.

Some Core Disciple of the Danding Sect? Not even a ghost would believe that, but he just happened to be unable to investigate.

The attraction of the Soul Blood Jade Talisman had indeed been sensed—briefly and vaguely—but it was bounced back when it touched the spirit boat's outer barrier, preventing precision.

But the sensation was real. At least one person on that spirit boat had, or once had, contact with his deceased Disciples.

“Two years.” Duanmu Bei opened his eyes, his voice dry. “We will talk again in two years.”

He had already memorized the spiritual energy fluctuations and auras of that middle-aged man and Su Cheng. As long as they didn't exceed his cultivation level, no matter how they disguised themselves in the future, it would be useless.

After his Soul Power recovered in two years, it wouldn't be too late to return to Taining Province and discuss a plan with his Junior Brother.

Besides, that spirit boat was flying toward Tianlan Province. Whether it was the Danding Sect or some other power, they wouldn't be able to run away.

Duanmu Bei regulated his breathing and began to heal using his Cultivation Technique. The cave instantly became silent.

Four days later, Tianlan Prefecture City.

Sun Boyong's spirit boat landed fifty li outside the city. The sixteen Foundation Establishment Cultivators entered the city in three separate groups, spaced an hour apart, using different city gates to converge at the back courtyard of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

Three hours later, only four people remained on the spirit boat.

Su Cheng stood on the deck and cupped his hands toward Sun Boyong.

“Junior will keep Senior's great kindness in mind. Regarding those two favors, whenever Senior feels they are needed, just send a message.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Boyong pulled a palm-sized bronze talisman plaque from his Storage Pouch. The surface of the plaque was engraved with the sect emblem of the Tianhai Sect and a string of contact Array Inscriptionss he had carved himself.

“Take it.” He tossed the plaque to Su Cheng. “This is my personal communication talisman. Pour spiritual energy into it to contact me. Don't do it too frequently—it can only be used a few times a year—but it's useful in critical moments. I'll have plenty of matters to attend to after returning to the Tianhai Sect; I'm afraid I won't come to Tianlan Province again for another thirty to fifty years.”

Su Cheng took the plaque and stored it inside the Creation Space.

Zhou Changgeng watched from the side, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but Sun Boyong glared at him, making him swallow his words.

“Alright, Changgeng, say your goodbyes to your Brother Su.”

Zhou Changgeng walked over and gave Su Cheng a punch on the shoulder.

“Go back and Cultivate well. When your cultivation is high enough one day, come find me in Canghai Prefecture for a drink. Take care!”

Su Cheng smiled. “Take care.”

Zhou Changgeng turned and jumped back onto the spirit boat, entering the cabin.

Sun Boyong looked at Su Chengyuan and nodded. Su Chengyuan bowed and offered a salute, saying nothing more.

The spirit boat ascended, the wind-traveling stones humming. The silver-gray hull traced an arc in the sky, turning toward Canghai Prefecture and flying higher and higher until it finally vanished into the clouds.

Su Cheng stood there watching for a while before retracting his gaze.

“Let's go, Dad. Into the city.”

Su Chengyuan followed behind, and the father and son flew toward the Prefecture City on their tools.

Half an hour later, at the headquarters of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, in the underground secret chamber.

Fang Zhenhai had already been waiting inside for a long time. Seven or eight intelligence Jade Slips and a stack of ledgers were laid out on the table.

After Su Cheng and Su Chengyuan entered, Fang Zhenhai first saluted them, then said things like "Mr. Su, you've had a hard journey" twice before being stopped.

“Cut the formalities, let's talk business.” Su Chengyuan sat down in a chair.

Fang Zhenhai rubbed his hands and picked out a Jade Slip from the table, handing it over.

“The twelve Loose Cultivators Zhao Shan brought back have all submitted their letters of allegiance after the battle in Ten Thousand Snakes Valley.

Zheng Bei and Ma Qian even took the initiative to hand over their backgrounds and details over the past two days, saying they didn't want to hide anything and wanted to be tied to the Chamber of Commerce.

The attitudes of the other ten were similar, just not as blunt as those two.”

Su Cheng took the Jade Slip and scanned it. Fang Zhenhai had organized the cultivation, origins, specialties, personalities, and criminal records of the twelve people very meticulously.

“These people have the blood of Xuanyin Sect Disciples on their hands.” Su Cheng put down the Jade Slip. “Regardless of whether they are sincere or insincere, they have no way back now. Incorporate them all into the Chamber of Commerce's Guard ranks. Observe them for five years first. If they remain devoted to the Chamber of Commerce after five years, they can be given important responsibilities.”

Fang Zhenhai nodded and took note.

“What about Qinghe Prefecture?”

Fang Zhenhai pulled out another Jade Slip, his expression a bit subtle.

“After the second-grade supreme grade clear spirit pills were placed in Zhenpin Pavilion, the stir they caused was quite a bit larger than expected.”

Su Cheng gestured for him to continue.