Longevity: My Talents Are a Bit Abundant-Chapter 538: All Waters Converge Toward the Source
"Rise of the All Waters Converging Array!"
With the shout of True Master Chong Xu, an azure semicircular water curtain illuminated Starlight Island, with various mysterious runes flowing upon it.
This is a Tier Three Upper Grade Defensive Array, placed on the water vein, mobilizing the Water Spiritual Power for a thousand miles around to form a protective light shield.
The divine powers of ordinary True Masters, when attacking this protective light shield, will be dispersed and dissolved by the vast water elemental force, like mud cattle entering the sea, leaving no impact.
With a Core Formation True Master presiding over this array, it is enough to defend against attacks from Late-stage Golden Core True Masters.
To set up this array, True Master Chong Xu stayed on Starlight Island for half a year.
Countless array plates and array flags were consumed.
However, all of this was worth it.
From now on, Starlight Island, this Tier Three Upper Grade Spirit Island, completely belongs to True Master Profound Ice of the Cyan Cloud Sect.
The Island Master’s Mansion was transformed by Shen Xuan into the Cold Ice Cave, guarded as a Tier Three Ice Spirit Vein Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.
A variety of illusion arrays and killing arrays were placed around the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.
After building the Island Protection Array, Shen Xuan personally escorted True Master Chong Xu off the island.
"Junior Brother Profound Ice, Starlight Island is isolated overseas, proceed with caution, do not let down your guard."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Chong Xu, I shall keep it in mind," Profound Ice replied earnestly.
In the past half year, Shen Xuan issued multiple Main Orders of the Island Master.
The targets were the secular mortals on Starlight Island.
There are seven cities and countless villages here, overseen by King Starlight.
Nominally under the command of the mortal royal family of Song Country.
Actually, it’s an independent kingdom.
And King Starlight is actually a descendant of the Zhao Family from Tianlao Mountain, where True Master Cang Lan originated.
Shen Xuan could anytime appoint descendants of the Shen Mansion to replace him.
However, Shen Xuan did not do so.
He didn’t replace any mortal officials.
Instead, he summoned King Starlight and his key aides to personally converse.
As long as they are obedient, they can continue enjoying their glory and wealth.
Secular mortals’ power entirely depends on the strength of the cultivators behind them.
Shen Xuan is willing to show True Master Cang Lan a favor.
On the condition that it doesn’t affect his policy implementation.
Those like King Starlight naturally recognize the situation; they repeatedly pledge to follow all of the Island Master’s arrangements without defiance.
They are descendants of the Zhao Family from Tianlao Mountain, living in such a place rich in Spiritual Qi like Starlight Island.
Their offspring can easily appear as Immortal Seeds possessing Spirit Roots.
Afterwards, with the Zhao Family’s connections, they can enter the Starlight Island Market to continue living and cultivating, and also offer rewards back to the Zhao Family.
Constrained by aptitude and talent, many people remain at the Qi Cultivation Stage all their lives.
From Shen Xuan’s perspective, this is inconsequential.
But to these people, it’s akin to ascending to a higher plane, stepping onto the path of immortality.
Over the past six months, Shen Xuan has successively issued several Main Orders of the Island Master.
The Equal Land Order, purchasing all secular lands on Starlight Island and transforming them into Shen Xuan’s private property.
Then, distributing them equally based on the number of people in a mortal family.
The Tax Exemption Order, removing all land taxes and corresponding losses.
The Land Clearing Order, where land cleared by mortals belongs to their private management, with a term of thirty years. After thirty years, ownership returns to the Island Master, still managed by the original land clearers.
The Commercial Tax Order, imposing a business tax on all traded goods, taking thirty percent. Severe punishment awaits those caught evading these taxes.
Furthermore, Shen Xuan announced a series of policies benefiting the populace.
Such as free schools, affordable clinics, water conservancy construction, mining coal, smelting iron and steel, and building vessels.
Starlight Island also encourages mortals to practice martial arts and join the military.
In just six months, the spiritual outlook of mortals on Starlight Island has been revitalized.
Those once tormented into being like walking corpses now have light shining in their eyes.
Their ambition to attain a better life and a future of abundant prosperity and enduring offspring.
The policies concerning secular mortals are just an appetizer.
Returning to the Cold Ice Cave, Shen Xuan was accompanied by Shangguan Yan’Er.
After issuing several Communication Talismans, several streams of light swiftly arrived.
Upon entering, Zhuang Xueqin, Ding Yijin, Tie Wenda, Lin Jian Yue, and Chu Duanlang all bowed respectfully upon seeing Shen Xuan in the main seat.
"Greetings to the Island Master!"
This is, after all, a Golden Core True Master of Cyan Cloud Sect.
Excluding Zhuang Xueqin.
The other four have the opportunity to follow Shen Xuan, which is a blessing of several lifetimes of cultivation.
"No need for excessive courtesy."
Shen Xuan began to assign tasks.
Lin Jian Yue is responsible for the Spirit Fields affairs on Starlight Island.
Emulating secular methods, renting the Spirit Fields equally to Loose Cultivators.
Limited to personal cultivation, they must measure their abilities without subleasing.
The rent is temporarily set at thirty percent of the usual harvest.
Lin Jian Yue must also organize Spirit Plant Cultivators to open Spirit Fields on the Spiritual Land of Starlight Island.
The Island Master’s Mansion will provide a certain amount of Spirit Stone rewards based on the grade and quantity of Spirit Fields cultivated.
Ding Yijin is responsible for managing the five markets, one large and four smaller, on Starlight Island.
The security of Starlight Island is divided in two.
The area outside is handled by Chu Duanlang, commanding a warship for patrol and prevention.
The internal area is managed by Tie Wenda, forming a Law Enforcement Team for security, apprehending lawbreakers.
Zhuang Xueqin serves as Vice Island Master, acting as the Island Master during his absence, managing various affairs of Starlight Island.
Shangguan Yan’Er is responsible for central communication, liaising with Zhuang Xueqin and others, receiving and transmitting Information Jade Scrolls.
Shen Xuan uses people with full freedom.
As long as you perform your duties well, he will not shortchange you.
He emphasizes, on Starlight Island, no misconduct or corruption will be tolerated.
Once discovered, it will be punished with thunderous means.
At the same time, merit and contribution will be richly rewarded.
"Friend Weichen, you are the Vice Island Master acting on my behalf. These four are my old friends. I don’t hope to see them getting into trouble."
Shen Xuan said earnestly.
Zhuang Xueqin immediately bowed.
"Do not worry, Island Master! Weichen will not disappoint your high expectations."
Shen Xuan nodded.
"You four as well, do your best. You can choose a Tier Two Upper Grade Spirit Vein on Starlight Island to establish your families."
"You must strictly constrain your clansmen and prevent them from violating the sect’s disciplines and my decrees. Otherwise, don’t blame me for not showing mercy!"
Shen Xuan admonished the five individuals before letting them leave the mansion for their duties.
As for Shangguan Yan’Er, she has already moved into the Cold Ice Cave and become Shen Xuan’s concubine.
Su Xue’Er quietly retired without any complaints.
She knew, that with her age and declining appearance, and her cultivation realm only at the Late Stage of Qi Cultivation, handling affairs had become somewhat strenuous.
Her husband needs a concubine at the Foundation Establishment Realm to share his burdens.
Shangguan Yan’Er is a very good choice.
She already has management experience.
And she has parted ways with the Shangguan Clan.
Su Xue’Er, on the other hand, took the children from Shen Mansion, teaching them at ease, playing the role of their matron grandmother.
It could be considered as enjoying family happiness.
Besides relaying messages from the central authority, Shen Xuan entrusted Shangguan Yan’Er with an important task.
And that was to open up a Spirit Plant Garden in the Cold Ice Cave, to care for some precious special spirit plants.
Like the Ice Soul Snow Lotus sent by the Three-Tailed Tabby Cat.
And some Tier Two Upper Grade Thunder Sound Bamboo.
Additionally, Shen Xuan introduced to her the Silver-Horned Celestial Horse and Bihai Spirit Clam.
She would be responsible for feeding them.
Overall, Shen Xuan was quite satisfied with Starlight Island.
He didn’t expect Starlight Island to provide him with many cultivation resources.
Neither spirit rice nor spirit plants mattered much to him.
What he needed was merely a safe spiritual training ground.
To simultaneously care for his close relatives and old friends.
Now, he finally settled down.
As long as the sect in Song Country holds out, he intends to spend several centuries on Starlight Island.
...
In the Practice Room.
Shen Xuan completed his daily cultivation.
During this period, after stabilizing his realm at the early stage of Golden Core, he dedicated his time and energy to the cultivation of "Nine Revolutions True Spirit Transformation."
In the past six months, he refined all the Counter Scale of the Seashadow Flood Dragon.
On the Mysterious Jade Talisman.
[Talent: Dragon Blood Boiling Perfection (896/3200)]
[Dao Rhyme: 561226]
One Counter Scale from the Seashadow Flood Dragon added about one hundred points to the skill level of [Dragon Blood Boiling], and seventy thousand Dao Rhyme.
Equivalent to half a portion of Essence Blood, which was quite good indeed.
Shen Xuan had, in his possession, the Demon Core of the Mountain-carrying Dragon Turtle, Essence Blood, a piece of the Reverse Scale from a Demon Flood Dragon, and a complete Black Yin Demon Flood Dragon.
Going by this, it could provide him with ten years’ worth of cultivation needs.
"It’s just, the Flood Dragon meat and Dragon Turtle meat are being consumed a bit too quickly."
Shen Xuan had initially thought that several hundred thousand catties of Flood Dragon meat and Dragon Turtle meat would be sufficient for him to eat for a hundred years.
Who would have known that after condensing the Golden Core, the amount of Tier Three Demon Beast meat [Devouring All Things] could refine daily increased tenfold.
One meal could allow him to consume thirty catties.
"No need to rush, they should last for thirty years more!"
With the help of the Mysterious Jade Talisman and Nine-Colored Treasure Lotus, Shen Xuan, just like during Foundation Establishment Realm, could refine the spiritual power from the Demon Beast meat and convert it into his own use.
This was much faster than sitting in meditation for cultivation.
"There’s still that Ice Fiend Demon Flood Dragon. Once Magic Respected Wan Meng gathers enough information, I’ll directly kill it."
Within the Demon Realm space, the clone of the Young Master Gold Spirit opened the passage to the Demon Realm.
This made Shen Xuan vigilant.
Profound Origin Continent is just a lower realm within the Immortal Cultivation realm.
Even Golden Core True Masters often face the risk of falling.
That night, he had a private conversation with Spirit Sword True Master.
At that time, Spirit Sword True Master said only one sentence to him.
"Having formed the Golden Core, your heart should now solely focus on the Nascent Soul Great Dao!"
Shen Xuan immediately understood.
Spirit Sword True Master was showing him goodwill.
His competitor had always been Mysterious Trace True Master.
Both were candidates to be the next Nascent Soul True Monarch of Cyan Cloud Sect.
What Xiao Jinsong did back then had nothing to do with him.
In his eyes, there was only Mysterious Trace True Master.
"Far from the sect, far from the battlefield between Yan and Song countries. Now, I can only rely on myself."
This was also the reason Shen Xuan invited True Master Chong Xu and spent a substantial amount of money to reset the Island Protection Array.
"With this Ten Thousand Water Dynasty Formation, it’s enough to fend off late-stage Golden Core True Masters."
As for Nascent Soul True Monarch, Shen Xuan didn’t even consider it.
At this moment, he very much agreed with the writings in "True Master Qing Xu’s Essays."
"Wealth, Companion, Method, and Land, in my view, the land is paramount. Without spiritual land, cultivators are like water without a source, hard to make progress!"
"Cultivators practice by absorbing spiritual qi and converting it into their own use!"
In Shen Xuan’s perspective, Spirit Veins, Inner Cores, Demon Beast Demon Cores, Essence Blood, Demon Beast meat, and so forth are all sources of concentrated spiritual qi.
Cultivators are essentially spirit bodies.
The higher the cultivation realm, the more spiritual qi they compress and store.
Therefore, Nascent Soul True Monarchs commonly reside in Tier Four spiritual lands and rarely venture outside.
They wouldn’t easily cast spells or engage in fights.
For them, even wars between sects in Yan and Song countries are merely small struggles among the masses.
As long as the sect exists, and the Tier Four spiritual land remains, they do not suffer foundational damage and have no need to intervene.
"The entire Cyan Cloud Sect has only one Tier Four spiritual land, Cyan Cloud Peak."
"So, whether it be Senior Brother Spirit Sword or Senior Brother Mysterious Trace, to aim for Nascent Soul, they must at least wait until True Monarch Qing Yun’s lifespan is exhausted."
"But how much lifespan does True Monarch Qing Yun have left?"
Shen Xuan shook his head.
He did not wish to ponder this question that left him with no answer.
"Besides continuing to refine the demon core and essence blood of True Spirit descendants, enhancing [Dragon Blood Boiling], and promptly breaking through to the Divine Power Realm. I also need to replenish the foundational methods to protect my path."
"It’s time to prepare new Treasure Talismans!"
