First was a technique manual titled "Soul Puppetry Arts", classified as Earth Grade Lower Tier. It was an art for capturing souls and manipulating specters. Then came a Soul Banner, a Mid-grade Spiritual Artifact specifically designed to trap and imprison specters. These two items were the most distinctive possessions found on the Evil Cultivator. Additionally, there were several other technique scrolls, half of which were sinister arts related to specters. Among them was the technique the Evil Cultivator had used earlier to forcibly merge multiple specters into a single, more powerful entity. Presumably, the cultivation art practiced by the Evil Cultivator was also specter-related, although Lin Feng did not find a corresponding cultivation jade slip.
The Soul Banner itself imprisoned nearly a hundred specters, each possessing Golden Core level strength. However, Lin Feng felt a strong aversion to such methods that violated cosmic virtue. He had no intention of using the Soul Banner. Initially, he even considered releasing the trapped specters, but found no way to do so. He studied the Soul Puppetry Arts manual hoping for a solution, but instead of finding a method for liberation, he learned that forcibly destroying the banner would cause the specters within to dissipate completely. He had no choice but to set the matter aside for the time being, resolving to see if a solution could be found later.
Furthermore, Lin Feng found nothing that revealed the identity of the Evil Cultivator, nor could he tell if the man had been a solitary rogue cultivator.
The sheer magnitude of the gains from this trip to the Maze Island far exceeded Lin Feng's expectations. His cultivation resources were now exceptionally abundant. He decided to cease adventuring for the time being and remain safely within the city to cultivate peacefully.
His immediate goal was to cultivate as swiftly as possible to the Nascent Soul stage. Once achieved, he would travel to the Profound Ice Palace, as his father had instructed, to continue investigating the whereabouts of his parents.
...
As time passed, the commotion surrounding the Maze Island gradually subsided. The mass disappearances of cultivators ceased. Slowly, cultivators began returning to the island seeking treasures, and it soon regained its former status. No one knew what had become of the Evil Cultivator who had wreaked havoc—whether he had been eliminated, and if so, by whom. Rumor even had it that the cultivator who had initially brought news of the Evil Cultivator had later vanished without a trace.
Lin Feng devoted the majority of his time to cultivation. The remainder was split between delving into formations and alchemy. He ventured out only occasionally. Sometimes, if Wang Chen didn't come to invite him out, he wouldn't leave his dwelling for eight or ten days at a stretch, essentially becoming a cultivation world 'hermit'.
A month later, Wang Chen was sent out by his master on a training expedition. After that, Lin Feng ventured out even less frequently, entering a state akin to secluded cultivation.
Two months flashed by. Lin Feng's cultivation soared rapidly, advancing from the fifth layer of the Golden Core stage to the peak of the sixth layer. He was on the very cusp of breaking through to the seventh layer, signifying entry into the late Golden Core stage. Yet, he consistently fell just short of that crucial step.
The leap from the sixth to the seventh layer—the divide between the mid and late Golden Core stages—represented a significant qualitative leap. Breaking through this bottleneck was inherently difficult. Even with his Heavenly Spiritual Root aptitude, Lin Feng couldn't simply break through at will.
After lingering at the bottleneck for over ten days with no progress, Lin Feng temporarily halted his cultivation and stepped out of his cave dwelling for the first time in a long while.
He first enjoyed a sumptuous meal of spirit food at the Ocean's Treasure Pavilion. From the waiter, he learned that Wang Chen still hadn't returned. Afterwards, Lin Feng wandered casually through the city, spending a particularly long time browsing the free market. He bought quite a few things, but nothing particularly special caught his eye.
Finally, Lin Feng arrived at the Mission Hall. He intended to see if there were any interesting locations he could travel to, primarily seeking an opportunity for a breakthrough through experience, while also searching for rare treasures and materials—his recent deep dive into alchemy had nearly exhausted his accumulated spirit herbs; it was time to replenish his stock.
Circling the Mission Hall's main hall and scanning the information displayed on the luminous bulletin boards, Lin Feng didn't see any particularly appealing leads. He privately debated whether he should simply return to the Maze Island, as it was the only place he was somewhat 'familiar' with.
"Did you hear? More people are going to the Demon Loong Island this time than last! Probably over three hundred, right?"
"Must be close to that. The allure of Primordial Essence Crystal is just too strong. Even finding a tiny piece can fetch a sky-high price, enough for a Golden Core cultivator to cultivate comfortably for a long time. Plenty are willing to take the risk. I heard even the Zhenhai Alliance is sending some of its own people this time. And this voyage has two Nascent Soul cultivators leading and overseeing things! That's why many cultivators are going—having two Nascent Soul experts in charge significantly reduces the danger."
"Ha! Don't make it sound like Nascent Soul cultivators guarantee safety! Didn't the first two expeditions have Nascent Soul cultivators overseeing them too? The first one encountered a disaster at sea and almost everyone died! The second one lost over half its people to the Demon Loong Island's quicksand pits! Sure, Primordial Essence Crystal is tempting, but is it worth risking your life?"
"Tch! Where is there no danger? Fortune favors the bold! The timid starve while the daring feast! Just because you don't dare go, doesn't mean others won't!"
...
As Lin Feng pondered silently, the conversation between several nearby cultivators caught his attention. His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. "Primordial Essence Crystal?! That really is a superb treasure!"
Primordial Essence Crystal was an exceedingly rare forging material. Its primary function was to multiply the toughness of a magical artifact. For instance, an ordinary flying sword, if tempered with just a bean-sized piece of Primordial Essence Crystal, could become ten times tougher than before! If enough was used, there was even a chance to directly elevate the artifact's grade!
Even the lowest purity Primordial Essence Crystal was classified as a Grade 6 material, and its value far surpassed that of ordinary Grade 6 materials. It was an exceedingly rare spirit material, often priceless and impossible to find on the open market.
Hearing this news stirred Lin Feng's interest. Since he needed to go out seeking experience anyway, if he could get a chance to obtain some Primordial Essence Crystal, allowing his Crimson Soul Flying Sword to become even more formidable, that would naturally be the best outcome.
Thinking this, Lin Feng walked directly over to the group of cultivators. He cupped his hands respectfully and said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoists. I was hoping to inquire..."
...
Not long after, Lin Feng left the Mission Hall and headed towards the coastal docks in the west of the city.
He had gotten the necessary information: the sea vessel bound for Demon Loong Island was docked there. Passage required payment in spirit stones. The ship was scheduled to depart in five days, though it might leave earlier if it reached full capacity before then.
It was Lin Feng's first time at the docks. After searching for a while, he finally located his target: an enormous sea vessel towering five or six stories high. The forward deck was already crowded with cultivators, and many more were gathered on the docks below.
Lin Feng found the 'ticket office' for boarding near the front of the crowd on the dock. After inquiring, he learned the costs: Two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Stones per person just to board the ship. If one wanted a cabin room, additional fees applied: 300 Mid-grade Spirit Stones for an upper-class cabin, 200 for a middle-class cabin, and 100 for a lower-class cabin.
The journey to Demon Loong Island wasn't short, estimated at ten days, with possible delays due to storms or other unforeseen events. Lin Feng didn't fancy spending all those days exposed on deck, so he opted for a lower-class cabin room.
After paying the spirit stones and completing the formalities, Lin Feng boarded the ship with his boarding jade token. He made his way down to his assigned room near the bottom of the ship. He discovered it was merely a single room, less than twenty square meters. No wonder many cultivators choose not to get a room, or share one with companions if they do, Lin Feng thought. The price was indeed steep for an average Golden Core cultivator.
Although the scheduled departure was still days away, Lin Feng decided not to return to his cave dwelling. Settling into the small room, he crossed his legs and entered a state of cultivation.