Eternal Life: My Talents Can Refresh-Chapter 249 - 145: Soul-Stabilizing Bead, Perfection Breakthrough_3
Back then, in the Spirit Realm, I killed a few disciples of the Yin Demon Sect and acquired several high-attribute magical artifacts. Among these were earth, wood, gold, and water, but not a single fire attribute magical artifact.
"Could it be that I have to use this long saber..." Chu Ning picked up the wood attribute long saber.
He furrowed his brows slightly. The Cangmu Sword Technique, a rather specific spell, didn’t seem appropriate to use.
As for life-saving techniques like body cultivation, he wouldn’t be using those either.
"Hmm!"
At this moment, Chu Ning suddenly took out a spine from his storage bag.
This was something he had obtained during a fierce battle in the Earth Spirit Spring Cave when he killed that effeminate young man.
Because it was a basic magical artifact, Chu Ning hadn’t paid it much attention.
Only now did he suddenly remember that the effeminate young man seemed to be using fire techniques.
At this moment, Chu Ning took it out and sensed it.
Sure enough, he found it to be a fire attribute magical artifact.
When Chu Ning attempted to activate the Red Flame Technique and the Flame Splitting Fire Technique, he unexpectedly discovered that both could be used.
Although, because it was a basic magical artifact, the amplification wasn’t much.
However, the power of the two spells themselves wasn’t weak, and with the addition of Chu Ning’s Noon Fire Spirit Body.
When combined, it was actually stronger than the spells emitted by the Blazing Flame Bracelet.
"You’ll do!"
Chu Ning held the spine with a slight smile.
After three days of secluded cultivation, Chu Ning left the inn’s stone chamber again.
He once more went to the independent practitioner’s land to sell some talismans and also wandered around to see if there were any opportunities for a great find.
Unfortunately, such opportunities were not common, and after wandering for several days, Chu Ning had no gains.
However, the time for the Thousand Islands competition soon arrived.
That morning, after completing his cultivation, Chu Ning directly left the inn’s stone chamber.
Then headed straight for the island’s arena.
Upon arriving at the high platform formed by Feihong Island, Jiang Hongguang and his wife and sister Jiang Lan had already arrived.
"Fellow Daoists, you’re here quite early."
Chu Ning stepped onto the high platform, bowed to them, and they returned the salute one after another.
However, Jiang Lan’s gaze contained a hint of provocation, which slightly surprised Chu Ning.
Jiang Hongguang also noticed Jiang Lan’s gaze and immediately glared at her, then apologized to Chu Ning with a face full of regret:
"Fellow Daoist Chu, my sister is impulsive, please don’t take offense.
This girl, seeing that you’re so young but already at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, feels a bit unconvinced.
She is determined that if there’s a competition in magical combat, she must outperform you, like a frog at the bottom of a well, overestimating her abilities."
Hearing Jiang Hongguang’s sincere words, Chu Ning instead chuckled softly and said:
"Fellow Daoist Jiang Lan’s concerns aren’t unfounded. I don’t usually engage in much magical combat with others, so I’m indeed somewhat weak in that area.
If there really is a magical combat competition, I am a bit worried."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Lan immediately cast a proud glance at Jiang Hongguang.
Jiang Hongguang, however, not only showed no sign of worry but instead revealed a smile full of significance.
This puzzled Jiang Lan greatly.
But at that moment, Jiang Hongguang was thinking, "This fellow Daoist Chu is so young yet already at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, but still maintains such a low-key and stable demeanor.
From my judgment, he must have some exceptional talent."
Then, Jiang Hongguang continued chatting with Chu Ning.
Though mostly it was Jiang Hongguang speaking and Chu Ning listening.
When someone from another island appeared, Jiang Hongguang would briefly describe their identity and general strength to Chu Ning.
This provided Chu Ning with a rough understanding of the strength of these islands.
In the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands, there are about fifty islands with Tier Two Spirit Veins.
But only twenty of these islands have significant Tier Two Spirit Veins.
Each of these twenty islands has a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Whereas the other thirty, at most, only have an Early Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
As for the rest of the islands, they don’t have any Foundation Establishment cultivators, though their isle masters often reach qi refining perfection or the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.
Still, there are quite a few cultivators like Jiang Hongguang at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.
So, while there are many cultivators in the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands, their overall strength isn’t particularly strong.
At this time, a few figures suddenly appeared on the foremost high platform, seating themselves sequentially on six chairs.
"These six are the leaders of the Thousand Islands Alliance; their position as official Alliance Leader is on a rotational basis.
Family patriarchs from the Alliance Leader Clan take this position, serving as the apparent controllers of the Thousand Islands Alliance."
Jiang Hongguang explained at this point.
"However, these individuals are not necessarily the strongest figures within their respective families. It’s said that each of these families has someone at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
So, even the islands that rank in the top ten with a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator dare not have any designs against the Thousand Islands Alliance.
There’s also a saying that those top ten islands actually have intricate ties with these six families."
Hearing Jiang Hongguang’s words, Chu Ning thought that this possibility was indeed quite significant.
After all, if it were anyone else, they would likely try to control those islands with more advanced spirit veins themselves.
"That’s Fairy Cen from the Cen Family!"
"It’s really Fairy Cen!"
...
Just then, a burst of chatter from below entered Chu Ning’s ears.
The Thousand Islands competition is a major event for the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands, so apart from the isle masters, many other cultivators also came to watch.
These viewers naturally didn’t have high platforms like the isle masters, so they all gathered below.
The noise at this moment came from these people’s mouths.
The high platform’s restriction could isolate the sound from emitting, but not external sound from entering.
Hearing the commotion, Chu Ning looked over curiously.
He saw, on the foremost high platform, after the six family patriarchs sat down, some others walked out gradually, likely the younger generation of each family.
Among them stood a woman in white, her face obscured by a veil, making her true appearance hard to discern.
Yet, judging by her lithe and graceful figure and unworldly aura, she truly had a fairy-like charm.
"It really is Fairy Cen!"
At this moment, Jiang Lan, standing beside Chu Ning, also spoke up.
Even as a woman, her eyes were fixed tightly on the woman in white.
Her gaze and tone carried a hint of envy:
"I’ve heard that this Fairy Cen is not only as beautiful as an immortal, but her cultivation talent is also exceptionally outstanding, having already successfully reached Foundation Establishment.
Moreover, she has inherited the Cen family’s essence in array formations, making her attainments in this field the highest in the entire Cen Family.
She’s known as the foremost Array Master of the Thousand Lakes and Thousand Islands."
Hearing this, Chu Ning couldn’t help but be curious about this Fairy Cen.
He couldn’t resist asking, "How old is this Fairy Cen?"
Jiang Lan, hearing this, looked at Chu Ning with a complex expression and replied:
"If the external rumors are correct, she’s eighteen!"
