Chapter 146: Infusing Spirit into Dragon Skin

Cuizhu Mountain appeared calm on the surface, but an undercurrent was quietly surging within.

Gao Siyuan had left Cuizhu Mountain in secret, having announced to the outside world that he was in closed-door seclusion. This was a very common occurrence among cultivators and thus raised no suspicions; only a few individuals within the entire Gao family knew the truth.

In the beginning, it seemed like nothing. After all, Gao Siyuan was a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, armed with superior-grade magic tools, multiple spiritual talismans for protection, and secret arts such as the Azure Snake Bane. He was an undisputed powerhouse throughout the entire Qingyuan County. Even if he were to face someone at the Peak of Qi Refining, he still had a considerable assurance of retreating unscathed, and there would simply be no danger to speak of.

However, as time passed and Gao Siyuan lost all contact, the few Gao family members who knew the inside story began to feel uneasy.

Inside the council hall, several Gao family Qi Refining cultivators, led by Gao Mingjun, gathered together, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.

"Elder Mingjun, the Patriarch has lost contact for over two months now. We must do something."

Filled with resolve, a Qi Refining cultivator spoke, breaking the silence in the council hall.

As soon as these words were uttered, the few people present cast their gazes toward Gao Mingjun.

Hearing this and catching everyone's looks, Gao Mingjun fell into deep thought.

As a cultivator, Gao Siyuan being away for a period of time actually amounted to nothing, and two months was not an excessively long duration. However, losing all contact entirely was somewhat abnormal. After Gao Siyuan failed to return within the expected timeframe, the Gao family had attempted to establish communication with him, but to no avail.

Most importantly, Gao Siyuan's trip to Qinghe County this time was to deal with the Taiping Sect. At present, Qinghe County was utterly peaceful, the Taiping Sect was operating entirely as usual, yet Gao Siyuan had vanished without a trace. It was truly bizarre, giving the members of the Gao family ample reason to let their imaginations run wild.

"What on earth happened to Siyuan? Was he delayed by some unforeseen event, or else..."

Faced with certain possibilities, a sense of unease sprouted in Gao Mingjun's heart. He was fully aware of the purpose behind Gao Siyuan's journey, as well as the fact that the Taiping Sect was in league with the Corpse Daoist. He feared that Gao Siyuan might have fallen into a scheme orchestrated by the Lu family because of this.

Although this possibility was slim—after all, the Lu family was currently in full contraction, with every move scrutinized—it would be difficult for them to spare sufficient strength to deal with Gao Siyuan. Yet, Gao Siyuan's loss of contact in itself spoke volumes.

"Mingyue, accompany me to Qinghe County. No matter what, we must get in touch with the Patriarch as soon as possible."

Having made up his mind, Gao Mingjun cast his gaze toward the white-haired old woman. She was also a Qi Refining cultivator of the Gao family, with her cultivation at the early stage of Qi Refining. Of the same generation as him, she was an elder of the Gao family.

Hearing this and meeting Gao Mingjun's gaze, understanding his intent, Gao Ming月 smiled and nodded.

Looking at Gao Mingyue like this, Gao Mingjun felt a pang of distress in his heart, yet it did not change his decision. This trip might seem ordinary on the surface, but the hidden risks were actually quite substantial, considering how suspicious Gao Siyuan's disappearance truly was.

Under such circumstances, rather than letting the younger generation of the Gao family take risks, it was better for old folks like them, with one foot already in the grave, to exert their remaining residual warmth. This in itself was a form of family inheritance. The Qi Refining cultivators of the Gao family's "Si" generation were still relatively young and held many possibilities for the future; as long as they remained alive, they would carry far greater significance for the Gao family.

As for himself and Gao Mingyue, their remaining lifespans were already meager, and their potential had long since been exhausted. Even if they stayed behind on Cuizhu Mountain, they could not eke out many more years of existence.

Seeing this scene, the other Qi Refining cultivators of the Gao family were no fools and instantly grasped Gao Mingjun's intentions. For a moment, the atmosphere in the council hall grew even heavier. At that moment, Gao Mingjun spoke once again.

"Sizhu, you are the strongest in our Gao family second only to Siyuan. After Mingyue and I depart, you shall hold down the fort at Cuizhu Mountain to protect the foundation of our Gao family, and you must not slack off in the slightest."

With a solemn expression, Gao Mingjun directed his gaze toward a middle-aged man. He was lean and gaunt, with a sallow complexion. Even while sitting, his back was as straight as a bamboo stalk. He was none other than Gao Sizhu, the other mid-stage Qi Refining expert of the Gao family, and also the acknowledged candidate within the family most likely to become the Gao family's second cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Beyond that, he was quite proficient in the Dao of Formations; when the Gao family's current grand protective mountain array was remodeled, he had contributed a great deal of effort.

Hearing this, Gao Sizhu, who had remained silent throughout without participating in any of the discussions, looked toward Gao Mingjun.

"Please rest assured, Elder. No matter what, I will guard Cuizhu Mountain well and protect the foundation of our Gao family."

Their eyes met, and Gao Sizhu made his stance clear.

Looking at Gao Sizhu, Gao Mingjun felt considerably more at ease. In truth, had Gao Siyuan not emerged abruptly, the most outstanding individual among the Gao family's "Si" generation should have been Gao Sizhu. Not only was his cultivation talent commendable, but his steadfast temperament also made him an excellent candidate to manage the household.

"After I leave the mountain, Sizhu will be the voice of authority in the Gao family. You must assist him and work together with him to guard Cuizhu Mountain."

His gaze sweeping across the crowd, Gao Mingjun completely transferred his authority, while also planning for the worst-case scenario.

Hearing this and realizing the severity of the matter, the members of the Gao family bowed and accepted the order in unison. If Patriarch Gao Siyuan came to no harm, all would be well, but once an accident truly befell him, the Gao family would face enormous trouble.

Perhaps because everything had hitherto been too smooth, it was only at this very moment that the people present truly and clearly felt the approach of crisis—something that even the previous rampage of the Corpse Daoist had failed to bring them.

Without saying much more to the assembled crowd, Gao Mingjun rose and left the council hall, gripping a cane as Gao Mingyue followed closely behind.

And as consensus was reached among the few Qi Refining cultivators of the Gao family, although the outside world still saw the Gao family acting as normal with no difference from the past, their internal guard was continuously being heightened.

Meanwhile, within the spiritual grotto of Muyu Island, Jiang Chen's refinement of the flood dragon skin had also reached its final stage.

Roar! Amidst the blood-red flames, the flood dragon churned, letting out successive roars of fury as if attempting to come back to life. Had it not been suppressed by the Formless True Qi, it would have long since broken free.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Chen was not alarmed, but rather delighted.

"After eight periods of nine days, aligning with seventy-two days, the refinement of this flood dragon skin is finally nearing completion. All that remains now is the final step."

As a thought arose, his expression turned unprecedentedly solemn. While continuing to suppress the flood dragon skin with his power, Jiang Chen began to circulate his soul ability.

"Split!"

Reflecting inward, Jiang Chen tore his own soul apart. At that very instant, a wave of excruciating pain swept through his mind and body, draining the color from his face.

"Infuse the spirit, go!"

Enduring the pain, he transformed the torn soul fragments into a single seal and struck it toward the flood dragon skin.

Roar! As the soul seal descended, as if encountering its natural predator, the residual will of the mist flood dragon immediately let out a terrified shriek. However, this was to no avail; the soul seal took root as if arriving at its own home, directly manifesting a bloody maw that continuously devoured the residual consciousness of the mist flood dragon, one small fragment at a bite, causing the lingering consciousness of the mist flood dragon to scream in agony again and again.

Yet, within the span of a mere moment, the mist flood dragon's consciousness—which had still intended to fight back—fell completely silent. Having devoured the residual consciousness of the beast, the soul seal seized the upper hand, merging entirely with the flood dragon skin to become one. In an instant, transformations renewed, and a brand-new flood dragon soul began to gestate.

Taking all these changes in stride, Jiang Chen knew his calculations had not been mistaken.

Soul infusion was an ability he had painstakingly comprehended and applied: by tearing apart a portion of his own soul, he could imbue lifeless objects with a soul, allowing inanimate things to "come alive." To a certain extent, it possessed the profound mystery of creation. Relying on this method, he had once created a rather interesting item that helped him through quite a few perilous situations.

"I just wonder what kind of derivative will ultimately emerge from the combination of soul infusion and the flood dragon skin, since the flood dragon skin is, after all, different from the lifeless objects of my past life."

Thoughts colliding, Jiang Chen observed the changes in the flood dragon skin while soothing his own soul.