Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 698 - 302: Cultivators Are Like Loose Sand

Upon reaching the spot, the shadow inside the water prison stirred wildly, slamming desperately into the stone barrier, which sent tremors through the entire prison.

"You’ve arrived, you’ve finally arrived!"

"To think you’d dare return, haha, Huang Tian, have you forgotten your roots? Without my instruction in the Divine Skill and my help with your cultivation, how could you, burdened by a mere Pseudo Spirit Root, ever dream of establishing your foundation and condensing a Golden Core?

Not to mention rising to become the Third Elder of the Water Dragon Sect?!!"

Master Xuanxiao remained composed before the water prison, gazing impassively at the shadow within, and replied:

"I haven’t forgotten for even an instant."

"Then where is my Cold Iron Sand!!" The shadow pounded furiously against the water prison.

A deafening boom reverberated across the water prison.

Yet right away, bolts of purple lightning crackled overhead, lashing at the shadow, which let out endless howls.

Master Xuanxiao observed silently, his face unchanging.

The shadow, unable to endure the purple lightning any longer, withdrew deeper into the water prison, grumbling and swearing:

"In those days, when you craved the next stage of the Cultivation Technique from me, you kept supplying Cold Iron Sand repeatedly, serving me better than your own father."

"But now that you’ve obtained the follow-up Cultivation Technique, forget months—even in years, have you shown up once?"

"I only require a trifling one or two hundred pounds of Cold Iron Sand to break free—why won’t you provide it?!"

"Don’t claim you can’t obtain it, not you, the Third Elder of the Water Dragon Sect—it would be a joke across the entire Cangluo Continent."

Gazing at the shadow that appeared utterly unhinged, Master Xuaniao preserved his stoic demeanor and stated:

"I truly cannot obtain it."

"You have no idea how turbulent the outside world has turned; Demon Dao has fully overrun Shang Dong. Lately, Corpse Transporting Mountain among the six Immortal Sects fell to ruin, and Spirit Control Sect quickly yielded to Shangxi’s Demon Dao."

"My Water Dragon Sect is lost on which way to go, its internal reserves of Cold Iron Sand exhausted; I scarcely dare venture out—how could I possibly fetch Cold Iron Sand for you?"

"Is that the truth?"

The shadow, upon hearing this, wavered in belief; if matters had deteriorated so severely, it made sense that Huang Tian couldn’t secure the Cold Iron Sand.

Master Xuanxiao, sensing the skepticism, offered no more words but lifted his right hand with four fingers extended, swearing gravely:

"I, Huang Tian, swear upon this: with Corpse Transporting Mountain destroyed by Shangxi’s Demon Dao, and Spirit Control Sect surrendered to Shangxi’s Demon Dao, should my words prove false, may my cultivation halt forever!"

As the vow concluded, faint ripples of the heavenly rules brushed over Master Xuaniao.

The shadow fell silent at last, muttering grudgingly:

"Fine, bide until the chaos eases a bit, but you must deliver the Cold Iron Sand without fail, absolutely."

"Rest assured, as your disciple, I certainly will."

After uttering these words, Master Xuaniao seemed to detect something and retrieved a Communication Talisman from his Storage Bag, channeling his voice into it.

A frantic voice resounded through the water prison.

"Third Elder, where are you? Demon Dao has launched another assault, striking from the west; with the Great Elder and Sect Leader absent, hurry back to command the defense."

"You’ve heard the crisis yourself; too much turmoil outside, I must depart now—next visit, I’ll bring the Cold Iron Sand."

"Very well, very well, my precious disciple, you mustn’t forget."

The shadow’s tone held a trace of entreaty.

"Master, even if you doubt me, trust in the Spirit Root cleansing method; I haven’t obtained it yet—how could I abandon you now?"

Master Xuaniao’s reassurance oddly soothed the shadow.

"You’re right, fine, go on then, don’t interrupt my cultivation."

Hearing this, Master Xuaniao acknowledged it, then morphed into a streak of Escape Light and departed the subterranean water prison.

Moments later, he reemerged on the island’s surface.

Within the chamber, Xiao Chengyi, who had just dispatched the message, stowed his Communication Talisman and asked with faint concern:

"Master, must we truly keep supplying Cold Iron Sand to that Grandmaster?"

"Not in the slightest."

Master Xuaniao took a seat, smirking coldly, "Feed him more Cold Iron Sand to erode the water prison... Do you think, if he escapes, his first act won’t be slaughtering us both?"

"I do."

Xiao Chengyi nodded resolutely, his worries lifting at Master Xuaniao’s declaration.

"Ever since his demonic identity surfaced, I’ve known he’d surely eliminate us upon freedom."

"And what of the Secret Technique he still possesses..."

"Don’t worry about that—it’s his ultimate trump card; he won’t hand it over unless freed, and even then, he won’t part with it."

Master Xuanxiao let out a sigh, lightly tapping the armrest.

"I know my master’s nature far too well, after all."

"Indeed, and judging by the Patriarch’s words, we’ll head to the Desolate Ancient Continent shortly. Once accepted into the Taiyi Immortal Sect, we surely won’t miss out on a Secret Technique to cleanse Spirit Roots, right?"

Xiao Chengyi found comfort in this thought.

"That’s exactly right."

In the midst of their talk, Master Xuaniao reclined against the chair.

"When we reach the Desolate Ancient Continent and enter the Taiyi Immortal Sect, we master and disciple ought to behave fully as its disciples, handling everything from the Taiyi Immortal Sect’s perspective."