Chapter 93: Mutated Physique! Gacha Opening!
Chen Xuan was naturally unaware of the disappointed youth’s thoughts.
Likewise, the cultivators along the shore would never realize that he had not saved them out of the kindness of his heart.
The Abyss Shark’s appearance was, in a sense, his fault.
It was his aura that had scared it away, forcing it to flee in panic and direct its aggression toward the nearby island.
As soon as Chen Xuan stepped onto solid ground away from human cultivators, he immediately let out a long breath.
Only a few hours had passed since they departed from that desolate island in the middle of nowhere.
Yet in that short span of time, they had encountered one danger after another.
Recalling the swarm of demons that had pursued them across the sea, some of them being at the Peak of the Nascent Soul realm, his expression darkened slightly.
Under normal circumstances, he would not have feared such opponents. Even if he could not defeat them due to their overwhelming numbers and the disadvantageous terrain, escaping should have been easy.
Unfortunately, he had to carry Huo Ling’er and Chi Yao with him, protecting them throughout the process.
If it had not been for him drawing the Common Saber to slaughter several powerful sea beasts, opening a gap through the enemy ranks, the three of them might have never reached this island alive.
’Fortunately, it all worked out in the end.’ Chen Xuan thought, glancing at his disciples to see that they were equally relieved.
A moment later, however, his expression grew serious.
"While we’re here, both of you should be cautious. We know nothing about this Domain. Most importantly, don’t reveal that we’re outsiders no matter what."
His voice echoed directly within their minds through the use of his divine sense, ensuring no one nearby could overhear his words.
Both Huo Ling’er and Chi Yao nodded obediently.
Seeing this, Chen Xuan continued, talking about their next course of action.
"Our immediate priority is collecting information. At the same time, we should gather the materials required to activate the Cross-Domain Teleportation Array as soon as possible."
Unlike ordinary formations, the Cross-Domain Teleportation Array did not require Spiritual Energy—neither of cultivators nor that of Spirit Stones.
Instead, it consumed spatial power.
Whether in the form of spatial treasures, storage artifacts, or other objects imbued with the laws of space, a large number of them were required to sustain a single activation.
According to Honglan, truly powerful cultivators could manipulate space directly and bypass such requirements altogether.
However, this was far from something Chen Xuan could do at the moment.
’Spatial treasures are notoriously rare. Spatial rings and storage spaces are more common, but the amount required is astronomical, far out of the reach of ordinary cultivators.’
The previous teleportation alone had drained nearly everything he possessed.
At present, only the storage ring containing his actual belongings remained. The rest had become fuel to teleport.
Or rather, there was not a single spatial treasure he was willing to sacrifice.
Just the thought of feeding the Seven Trials Tower to the formation made his scalp tingle.
He was fairly certain that if Mu Xuanyin ever discovered he had destroyed her gift, she would drag his soul from his body and let it burn for eternity.
The absurd image of him inside a lit lamp caused the tension in his body to ease slightly.
Though in an unfamiliar place with seemingly no chance of returning any time soon, he gradually managed to regain his composure.
Turning toward his disciples, he spoke again.
"We’ll split up for now. Each of us will gather information about this island and the surrounding region. In a few hours, we’ll regroup here and exchange what we’ve learned."
Both women agreed.
Seeing this, Chen Xuan hesitated briefly before retrieving two talismans.
With a flick of his fingers, they shot toward his disciples.
"These are Yin-Yang Talismans. Each contains the power of one of my attacks. As long as you don’t encounter someone above the Nascent Soul realm, they should be enough to save your lives."
"Although you shouldn’t rely on them, they can serve as your trump cards."
Chen Xuan had already given Huo Ling’er a similar talisman in the past, though its power was far inferior.
As a result, she showed little surprise.
A faint smile appeared on her face as she carefully tucked it away, as though she had just received a gift from her loved one.
Chi Yao, on the other hand, sneered inwardly.
Unlike Huo Ling’er, she understood exactly how difficult it was to create such a talisman.
At the very least, it required one’s realm to approach the Peak of Nascent Soul.
By now, she had already understood that Chen Xuan was hiding his strength and was far from an ordinary Core Formation ant.
However, she would never believe that he was so powerful.
Regardless of what they were thinking, both women bowed respectfully on the surface.
After agreeing on a meeting location and exchanging a few more words, they quickly departed, rushing toward the nearest city.
On the other hand, Chen Xuan remained where he was.
After extending his divine sense and confirming that nobody was nearby, he sat down cross-legged.
His fingers moved toward his chin and stroked his nonexistent beard as a thoughtful look appeared on his face.
’Both of my disciples possess extraordinary luck. Gathering information shouldn’t be difficult for them. At least, they should be faster than me.’
’Since that’s the case, I should deal with a few things before doing anything.’
With that thought, Chen Xuan silently summoned the System.
The next moment, the familiar emerged in his field of vision.
...
[Name: Chen Xuan]
[Age: 98]
[Physique: Mutated Yin-Yang Spirit Body (High-Grade)]
[Cultivation: Nascent Soul (Middle)]
[Technique: Yin Yang Technique (11th level), Dragon-Phoenix Body (2nd Level), Heaven-Swallowing Scripture (2nd Level)]
[Disciples: Huo Ling’er, Chi Yao]
...
Very little had changed since the last time he checked.
The only notable differences were the advancement of the Heaven-Swallowing Scripture and the evolution of his Yin-Yang Spirit Body.
’Sure enough, the Blood Essence of the Azure Dragon and Nirvana Phoenix is extraordinary. Just a trace of their power was not only enough to upgrade my Physique, but also to cause a mutation.
A mutation could be either a blessing or a curse for a cultivator. Some of them were for the better, while others would cripple them for all intents and purposes.
Fortunately, judging from the dramatic improvement of his physical strength and overall combat prowess, Chen Xuan was certain he had fallen into the former category.
He studied the panel for several more moments.
After confirming there were no additional changes, his attention shifted to the matter at hand.
Almost unconsciously, he rubbed his hands together as a rare glimmer of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
The next instant, a bronze chest materialized before him. Its surface glinted beautifully against the sunlight, while Chen Xuan could almost hear the sound of a wheel spinning in his ears.
