Great Dao Commander - Volume 2 - Chapter 39

Volume 2, Chapter 39 — Metal-attribute Cloud Sand and Purification Court’s Deacon

A cultivator came over to Spirit Leaf Island the next day. He personally handed over the Cloud Sand to Zhang Yan. He only said that the Cloud Sand was given by a certain Dao Master as a reward for saving hundreds of disciples.

Giving me Cloud Sand?

Zhang Yan secretly observed the man and found that there was no change in his expression. After he returned back to his Immortal Cave, he thought for a moment that it was quite reasonable and fair. But, since the sender didn’t tell the Dao Master’s name, it would either be that he truly didn’t know, or he only looked after him and deliberately hid his name.

However, if it was the latter, then it was worth pondering.

He took up the Cloud Sand and carefully examined it.

The thing was shaped like a big bead and was fully rounded and smooth. It was bright and dazzling, as a rolling cloud could be seen within, giving off the reminiscent of a heavenly sea of clouds. This was really a rare treasure in the world.

Zhang Yan gently stroked it with his palm as he could feel some kind of aura that made people feel very intimate with it. He also could feel a strong suction to his palm, causing the primordial essence in his body to boil and become restless. It was as though if he were to lose his consciousness, he would be sucked into the sluice gate had it been opened.

Zhang Yan had read a lot about this thing in many books. Recalling the characteristics from the records, this piece of Cloud Sand was of top-grade quality.

Low-grade Cloud Sand had a dull gray texture, rejecting any spiritual qi. It was very hard to refine this kind of cloud gray sand. A Low-grade Cloud Sand was unable to blend into one’s qi, and was barely refinable. Mid-grade Cloud Sand would emit light, and was easy to attract spiritual qi and condense it. A high-grade would have a bright luster, and it was easier to draw in spiritual qi as well as provide no obstruction in refining it. If the conditions were suitable, success would naturally follow.

And the last one, which was this Cloud Sand, had a natural attraction force to draw spiritual qi. One wouldn’t need to stimulate it, and it would be able to nourish the primordial essence. It was as though one had its source within the body.

Zhang Yan let out a faint smile. He didn’t care whether somebody wanted to play a scheme on him or not. Since he had the Broken Jade, why should he fear it?

He sat on the meditation mat and submerged his consciousness into the Broken Jade. In accordance with the method in the Taiyi Golden Manual, he released the restriction and then let his qi essence gather inside the Cloud Sand. The primordial essence inside his body, which had been nourished with spiritual qi, instantly vanished, without a trickle remaining.

He stayed inside the jade as he slowly fumbled and investigated it for 3 days and nights before he finally retracted his consciousness back.

A clear and sober light along with a hint of comprehension flashed from his eyes.

In accordance with the Taiyi Golden Manual, cultivating according to the cultivation law, he would need to condense 2 Profound Light Seeds. One seed would take on a fire nature and the other one would take on a gold/metal characteristic. This would produce 2 types of Profound Light Qis. When he had to face enemies, this Golden Fire could be used to attack, to coil around, to grind, as well as to melt gold, metal, and smelt iron.

Since the condensation methods for these 2 kinds of Profound Light Seeds were different, he originally thought that this was because of the transformation between the changes in this cultivation law. But now, he had figured out that this was due to the Cloud Sand itself.

When he thought about it, Cloud Sand was originally the condensation of the Five Element Divine Sands’ quintessence. So it was natural that this Cloud Sand would have a gold/metal nature.

When he was in the Broken Jade, he condensed his primordial essence, and the gold refining method was particularly fast and powerful. It fit and blended perfectly. However, when he attempted the fire refining method, the effect was a level worse.

Zhang Yan couldn’t help but laugh. This Dao Master seemed to know that he was cultivating the Billows Cloud Secret Manual, which had a tendency to have a water-type characteristic. So this Dao Master sought such a Metal-attribute Cloud Sand to make things difficult for him.

If he were really cultivating the Billows Cloud Secret Manual and cultivated relying on this Cloud Sand, even if he forged ahead vigorously, his cultivation wouldn’t be affected. However, the time required to condense a Profound Light Seed would inevitably be slower compared to others.

But then, recalling that he was supposed to have a low-grade meridian, it truly didn’t matter what type of Cloud Sand he would be refining. Having such a top-grade Cloud Sand in itself could be considered as luck bestowed by the heavens. How could he argue and ask for unreasonable demands?

Even if he knew that it was wrong, he would perhaps be forced to accept it.

Unfortunately, that Dao Master didn’t know that he was cultivating the Taiyi Golden Manual. This Cloud Sand would actually be really helpful to him, saving him time and difficulties, as well as inadvertently answering his questions.

However, with this occurrence, he had no choice but to find another Cloud Sand that was of fire-type, of which was quite difficult to obtain.

After walking a few steps, he stopped and suddenly remembered. There was one!

Wang Pan, who was killed by him, was practicing a fire-type cultivation law. Moreover, he was also at the Third Stage of Radiant Qi Realm. His next step was also condensing a Profound Light Seed. He didn’t have a reason not to prepare for it.

Moreover, there also were a lot of the Wang Family’s clansman practicing on Scarlet Cloud Island. The Wang Family must have fire-type Cloud Sands!

Since he had the Scarlet Fire Cloud Scroll in his possession, he thought that the Wang Family wouldn’t refuse to exchange it with a fire-type Cloud Sand.

He could ask for Xie Zongyuan’s help as the middleman for this matter, to make sure that the deal would be 100% successful!

After having figured out this problem, Zhang Yan’s mood turned better. He came out from his Immortal Cave and went toward the wide river on the island. At the bottom of the water, he could see the golden scales of the Golden Flood Dragon as it rolled over and roared repeatedly. It often let out surging astonishing waves upward from time to time. Had it been in the sea, it could have created a huge tidal wave that’d roll up and swept over, making the sea rage.

Zhang Yan’s eyebrow slanted. Such a Golden Flood Dragon had an amazing power. If it were a real dragon, how powerful and imposing of a force would it have? He believed that overturning the sea would be very easy for it.

With this thought, an idea suddenly emerged in his mind. Su Yiang once said that there was a Dragon Den under the Nine Twisted Stream Place with tens of thousands years old Azure Dragon’s exuviae. Qu Chang, Golden Flood Dragon, and this Azure Dragon, what was the relationship between these three variables?

Unfortunately, he had killed Qu Chang and his Primordial Soul had also been destroyed. Even if he was able to capture him, this Demon would also be unconscious, and even though he used his Soul Seeker Technique, he wouldn’t be able to pry out anything. He thought for a while and then took a beautiful jade out from his sleeve, speaking, “Su Yiang, do you know what kind of cultivation law your older brother is practicing?”

Su Yiang’s soul was only barely able not to disperse inside this fine jade. But, he seemed to be more dispirited compared to before. If he didn’t found a corporeal body, perhaps he’d only have 2 or 3 years before his soul scattered. Therefore, he usually didn’t move or talk since he kept his strength to keep a strand of his Primordial Soul intact.

Hmm?

After having heard it, Zhang Yan obtained a trace of a clue. He was secretly startled. Su Yihong… could it be that he had been cultivating a Demon’s cultivation law?

He had read the Golden Fruit Life Essence Manual in the Water State, so he naturally understood this truth.

After Demon cultivators had reached the Radiant Qi Realm Third Stage, he must find an ancient demon’s corpse and implant it into his body. Then, he must absorb the traces of the ancient demon’s blood into his blood vessels and use it to nourish himself for the refining process. After refining the corpse, he also must refine his bones one by one. His cultivation would be promoted along with the number of his own bones that he had refined. In the end, his body would be able to reproduce the ancient demon body.

This was the method used by Demon cultivators, which was natural that they would have a savage and wild aura. Treading on this path would of course need an ancient demon’s blood heritage. Ordinary demon cultivators and humans wouldn’t be able to take this path. This was why King Zhen wasn’t afraid to let Zhang Yan study it from the manual.

But, Zhang Yan faintly felt that Su Yihong seemed to have the solution for it. If it were really true, once he had obtained the Azure Dragon’s remains and exuviae and succeeded, it would be the same as him being the ancient demon itself, and it would be almost impossible to kill him. Would there be anyone in this world that would be able to stop him by then?

Whilst he was pondering, he saw the water splash and reverse as it wetted a large area of land. It seemed that the Golden Flood Dragon felt that his home was too small as he couldn’t bear it and rolled up.

Zhang Yan’s eyes rolled as he looked at it. This Golden Flood Dragon’s appearance definitely didn’t seem to have a problem. But maybe there would a key for the answer. Zhang Yan then approached it from the nearby the lakeshore. He looked downward and spoke, “Are you willing to recognize me as your master?”

His manner and words had a high and condescending bearing. Naturally, his tone and expression also came with power and an imposing manner.

However, this Golden Flood Dragon was as though it didn’t show respect nor bought it as he bent down and only gazed fixedly at him in the water without even moving.

The two of them looked at each other for a long time. Although the Golden Flood Dragon’s appearance looked ferocious, however, Zhang Yan was able to see a trace of fear from his eyes. It was because he was trapped in this place and his life and death would be decided by others; it couldn’t help but be afraid.

Zhang Yan smiled and said, “Interesting. I know that you were not captured by me, and now you also have to face this calamity of being trapped here. So you refuse to accept my offer. But since you don’t want it now, I also won’t force you either.”

He took out a white and bright porcelain from his sleeve, opened the lid, and poured out a concocted pill. He then flicked it toward the water with his finger and spoke, “Since your transformation has failed, this Body Transfiguration Pill would not be of much use to you. But it would at least be able to help to take off your skeleton and enable you to speak. Three days later, I will ask you again.”

The Golden Flood Dragon looked at the grain of concocted pill on the water surface as it floated and was about to sink. It hesitated for a moment before it finally swallowed the pill and then drilled over underwater to absorb the pill’s efficacy.

Zhang Yan stood for a while and then turned around to go back to his Immortal Cave. A whistle sounded outside the island; it seemed that someone was visiting his island.

A mass of cloud was birthed under his feet as it slowly floated to the sky. He then saw a flying ship amongst the clouds, as a cultivator in a Daoist robe stood on the flying ship. Zhang Yan then took the island’s token symbol, opened the restrictive seal and asked, “What is Fellow Daoist’s intention for coming here?”

The man was expressionless, as a layer of thick frost was seemingly always covering his face. He took a token seal from his sleeve and spoke coldly, “My name is Zhuang Ze and I’m here to perform the duty under the command of Purification Court’s Deacon. As of now, on the behalf of Senior Brother Zhuang Bufan, I’m here to enact the Sect’s rules. Since today, all of younger generation disciples are not allowed to keep Demon concubines. Every disciple to come and leave the Sect is required to make this Command Jade Token. If within one month anyone from all peaks and islands were found to violate this rule, they would be punished as per the Sect’s rules.”

Zhuang Bufan?

Zhang Yan squinted his eyes. He knew this person. It could be said that this person was impressive.

That day when he wanted to continue forward to the Lucid Serene Heavenly Lake to seek for Cloud Sand, he saw this person, but this person didn’t even say anything to him. He only flung his sleeve and brought all disciples into his sleeve and simply refused to allow everyone to leave.

Afterward, he asked Xie Zongyuan about it. Only then did he know that this was one of the 12 Magical Powers the Azure Ocean Sect had. The power was called the “Great Heavenly Net Sleeve”. This treasure was specially used to collect magical treasures. It was even said that this power ultimately was also able to gather and restrain rivers, streams, lakes, and seas. The Azure Ocean Sect’s Master Ancestor was said to have used this method to collect the Nine Famous Mountains and move them into the sect’s territory.

160 years ago, Zhuang Bufan was also a true disciple. Later on, he became Dao Master Zhu’s unofficial disciple. And now, his cultivation was unfathomable.

The sect had 10 big disciples, with 4 of them being from Apprenticeship Branches, one of which was this person.

16 years ago, he was sent to suppress a small demon hole and only had recently returned to the sect. Since he had met the Purification Court’s imperial edict, he was then appointed as the Court’s Vice Master.

The Purification Court was the law enforcement division. The new rule forbidding to keep Demon concubines was clearly made by this newly-appointed Vice-Master, Zhuang Bufan. He seemed to want to establish his authority, so he made a big fuss about this matter.

Upon seeing that Zhang Yan didn’t respond, Zhuang Ze grunted and spoke, “I will give you 3 days. If within this time you haven’t cleaned up your island from those seductive female demons, I will come personally to help you purge them!” After having said that, he bowed and turned around to leave.

After Zhang Yan heard these words, a sharp light suddenly flashed from his eyes as he sneered, “How come such a vermin like you dare to pretend to be a Purification Court’s Deacon? You cannot leave!!!” He waved his sleeve as a blue-colored sword-light then went straight to chase Zhuang Ze.