C871 River Refining
In the Serpent Spine Mountains, at the Sacred Hands sect, Shi Yuxuan stood tall and steadfast in the secret chamber, his gaze filled with tender love and anticipation as he watched over Jin Rourou, who lay upon a jade bed.
With the infusion of the three souls of heaven, earth, and man, Jin Rourou's vitality surged, her pulse robust and steady. The medicinal power enveloping her organs and meridians was being refined by her, albeit unconsciously.
Shi Yuxuan was confident that it wouldn't be long before she awoke.
"Sect Master!"
The call of a trusted aide echoed from outside.
With a furrowed brow, Shi Yuxuan left the chamber and stepped into the open air of the hall's exterior, inquiring, "What's the matter?"
"Look to the sky!"
An elder of the Sacred Hands, a mix of concern and confusion in his voice, gestured toward the cerulean heavens.
A jade pavilion, aglow with radiant light, sailed across the skies above the Serpent Spine Mountains.
Atop the pavilion, a rotund figure reminiscent of a provincial landlord leaned against the railings, grinning and winking mischievously in their direction.
The landlord's attire was adorned with numerous copper coins, exuding the regal essence of the dynasty.
"Tong Laoqian," Shi Yuxuan uttered with a slight hum.
"The big devil from the Forgotten Ruins, Tong Laoqian?" The elder's expression shifted with gravity. "To my knowledge, he has deep ties with Yu Yuan. Back at the Sundering Isles, his actions nearly led to the destruction of the Jade Tower because of Yu Yuan. Sect Master, could this big devil be aware that Yu Yuan's mother is with our Sacred Hands?"
Shi Yuxuan looked skyward, his tone nonchalant, "It's likely he knows."
"Sect Master, we've received word from the Order of Healing that our annual tribute of medicinal herbs is due two months early," the elder remarked, puzzled by the unusual request. "The year hasn't ended yet. Traditionally, we harvest the spiritual herbs from the Serpent Spine Mountains when they reach maturity."
Shi Yuxuan's frown deepened.
He was well aware that the Sacred Hands of Aetherius had long been seen as a vassal to the Order of Healing.
The Sacred Hands' esteemed position on the Aetherius Continent, commanding respect from the neighboring Crimson Sun Empire and Silvermoon Empire, as well as from various other powers and families, was largely due to the influence of the Order of Healing.
Nearly half of the spiritual herbs cultivated in the Serpent Spine Mountains are traditionally offered to the Order of Healing each year. Yet, this year's circumstances seem unusually peculiar.
"Yu Yuan is the successor of the previous God of Medicine, Hong Qi, and the son of Jin Rourou," Shi Yuxuan mused, squinting his eyes in contemplation. "Chu Yao from the Order of Healing must have also received the news. By asking me to deliver the medicinal herbs two months early, is he pushing me to take a stand sooner rather than later?"
The Sacred Hands had enough stored medicinal herbs to meet the Order of Healing's demands.
However...
"Just say that the time has not come, and we cannot produce them yet," Shi Yuxuan stated icily.
Upon hearing this, the elder's face paled slightly, "Sect Master, the Order of Healing is certainly aware of our herb reserves!"
"Respond as I have instructed!"
"Very well, as you wish."
...
In the outskirts of Emberhold within the Crimson Sun Empire, Yu Yuan, aboard the Crucible of Evil, neared the city enveloped in billowing smoke.
"What we're seeing is actually the Blackrock Cannon. Once ignited, it creates this smoky spectacle," Qin Yun observed from a distance, chuckling to himself. "It seems the Crimson Sun Empire has heightened its defenses. The Blackrock Cannon is typically deployed for warfare. In the past, when the troops of the Silvermoon Empire got too close to Emberhold, the cannons would be ready to fire."
He shook his head, "They appear to be jumping at shadows. The Blackrock Cannon is virtually ineffective against cultivators at the Lunar Spirit Stage."
Those at the Lunar Spirit Stage move with the speed of lightning, making them impossible targets for the slow-firing Blackrock Cannon.
Only those below the Veil Breaking Stage, clad in heavy armor, would suffer significant damage from the Blackrock Cannon when near the city.
Qin Yun found Emberhold's overreaction laughable.
"They are truly frightened."
Qin Yun felt this way because, after passing through Flamehold City, he and Yu Yuan had faced the obstruction of three Lunar Spirit experts from the city's ruling family.
On that occasion, Yu Yuan chose not to summon the enigmatic Chebus. Instead, gripping the sword sheath of the Moon Slayer, he executed two masterful sword spells, forcing three Lunar Spirit experts to retreat.
Emberhold was the last city they would traverse on their journey to the Midnightshields.
In truth, Yu Yuan had no intention of approaching Emberhold to conduct an investigation.
The cultivators of Emberhold, out of sheer timidity, had preemptively deployed the Blackrock Cannon.
"The cultivators of Emberhold do seem quite frightened," Yu Yuan remarked with a smirk, after waiting on the city's outskirts for some time without spotting any formidable cultivators emerging.
"The conflicts between cultivators should not involve mortals, and we adhere strictly to this principle," Qin Yun said with a bow. "Thank you, Young Master. Being a citizen of the Crimson Sun Empire myself, I was concerned that if you were in a foul mood, the innocents within the city might suffer your wrath."
"Not even the extraterrestrial demons from the Moonfall Sanctuary wreak havoc around the Silvermoon Empire, so why would I?"
After lingering a bit longer and observing no further disturbances from Emberhold beyond the billowing black smoke, Yu Yuan decided, "Let's head straight to the Midnightshields!"
...
"Wushan and Wushui, both in the early stages of the Lunar Spirit realm and skilled in combined attacks, were slain by a Bane summoned by Yu Yuan!"
"At Molten Pool City, Yu Yuan refrained from having Qin Yun engage, instead wielding the keen sword light within his sword sheath to wound a cultivator in the middle stage of the Lunar Spirit realm and two in the early stages."
"Qin Yun has yet to take action."
"It remains unclear whether there are other formidable Banes within Yu Yuan's Crucible of Evil."
"..."
Standing before the bamboo house of Yang Chuhe, the Sect Master of Midnightshields, was a group of cultivators lacking traditional heritage. They gathered before Liu Xu, some with righteous fury and others with concern, as they reported the flight path of the Crucible of Evil.
Liu Xu nodded gently, "To venture into the Crimson Sun Empire, one must indeed possess some measure of prowess."
Yang Chuhe stood by a stone trough, scooping up a spoonful of clear water with a wooden spoon and bringing it to his lips. He drank as he listened to the Midnightshields disciples report to his disciple, Liu Xu.
The Crown Prince, Liu Xu, maintained a serene demeanor, listening intently and with great composure.
Yang Chuhe silently nodded in approval, took another sip of water, and casually tossed the wooden spoon aside. His gaze sharpened as he peered into the trough's water.
Suddenly, within the water, three delicate threads emerged, winding like rivers.
These were the three rivers he had meticulously refined within the empire, rich with the essence of water.
Yang Chuhe's cultivation technique was deeply connected to rivers and lakes. Each of his veins sought to integrate with the vast rivers and lakes of the Everlands, aiming to achieve unity with the cosmos.
Yet, this journey was exceedingly arduous, with innumerable cultivators, including archdemons, facing similar challenges.
Green Willow was among the elite on this path.
Yang Chuhe's rapid advancement to the middle period of the Spirit Walk realm was made possible after Zhou Cangmin's departure, with the Crown Prince assuming control of the Crimson Sun Empire.
With the Crown Prince's silent consent, he stealthily refined three rivers within the empire's territory.
This propelled his cultivation forward by leaps and bounds.
For a cultivator to refine the rivers and lakes within a nation's borders is to excessively harvest them.
Channeling the vast vitality of the rivers into oneself harms the flora, fauna, and mortals living along their banks, as they too depend on the rivers' bounty.
Zhou Cangmin, as the state preceptor, knew such actions were damaging to the empire and strictly forbade them.
Under Liu Xu's reign, however, he lifted the ban for his master's sake, allowing Yang Chuhe to rapidly ascend through this controversial cultivation method that harmed the natural order.
Yang Chuhe's ambition was for the Crimson Sun Empire to rise above all, to annex and absorb its neighbors.
He also sought to seize the opportunity to refine the rivers of the Silvermoon and Sunblessed Empires into his own strength, continuing his relentless surge toward achieving the Solar Spirit and ultimately, the Great Freedom.
"Ah, if the great archdemon Green Willow perishes and his amassed water returns to the heavens and the earth, I might be able to partake in a little of it," Yang Chuhe whispered to himself.
Whoosh!
His Lunar Spirit stealthily slipped into the stone trough, merging with a slender thread that was being refined.
A hundred miles away, Yu Yuan and Qin Yun felt a sudden connection. In the Crucible of Evil, they looked down at the long, rapid river below.
They observed a figure made of river water, standing on the river's surface like a colossal water being.
"Qin Yun, do you have the audacity to return to the Crimson Sun Empire?" The crystalline water figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of casual grace.
Hua! Hua!
The spiritual energy of the water beneath him surged towards him from the stream.
In that instant, the lengthy, meandering river seemed to come alive, as if it had developed its own consciousness, with its flow entirely at the behest of the water figure.
"Yang Chuhe!"
