Chapter 236: Forbidden Sea Demon's Nest, an absolute unclaimed territory

"Moo!"

The big black ox picked up a cultivation technique and shouted at Chen Xun, "Moo moo!"

"What is it?" Chen Xun, who was studying a sea map, turned his gaze towards the sound.

The big black ox was holding a body cultivation technique. Although it was an evil technique, it proved that there were at least orthodox body cultivation methods in The Great Li Realm.

"Hmm." Chen Xun's eyes narrowed slightly as he used his divine sense to explore the technique.

This body cultivation method involved infusing one's body with the flesh and blood of other living beings, which explained why, during the battle, those two evil cultivators' bodies didn't shatter completely; only their skulls cracked.

"But this evil method clearly has issues—it even affects the Nascent Soul." Chen Xun shook his head and laughed. "I saw a place on the sea map, a forbidden zone in the Western Sea. We might find something we need there."

The big black ox nodded dumbly and destroyed the evil technique. If the big brother said it was useless, there was no need to waste time studying it.

Meanwhile, Little Red was still counting spirit stones, using his divine sense to calculate the number, all while nervously glancing behind him, worried something might jump out from the island to ambush him.

"Brother Xun, Big Ox, with so many cultivation resources, we don't even need to take risks anymore."

"Oh?"

"Moo?"

"We can just go back to Tian Duan—ah!!!"

Before Little Red could finish, Chen Xun and the big black ox grabbed him from both ends and threw him into the air. He screamed as he crashed into the ocean with a loud splash.

Little Red climbed back onto the shore, drenched and pitiful, no longer daring to complain. He silently resumed counting the spirit stones, occasionally letting out a sneaky chuckle.

"This place isn't safe for long, and those Nascent Soul evil cultivators weren't drawn here just by the little crane," Chen Xun muttered, casting a glance towards the depths of the island. "Besides, there are forces behind these evil cultivators. We can't give them a chance—prepare to leave!"

"Moo!!" The big black ox roared and began cleaning up the scene.

"No problem, Brother Xun!" Little Red shouted and started wiping away traces as well, occasionally stealing glances at the big black ox. It was clear they were kindred spirits—his dear Brother Ox was a true professional!

Chen Xun, meanwhile, was sketching a route on a small booklet. Deep within the Western Sea lay a forbidden zone, a place filled with great opportunities. Countless cultivators and sea creatures gathered there.

The place was called the Forbidden Sea—The Demon's Nest, a remnant of an ancient battlefield. The lingering bloodthirst and resentment had given rise to demonic energy, forming an entire realm, cutting off the Western Sea from the outer sea.

Within it lay numerous ancient legacies and constant dangers, whether from the sea or the sky. Many cultivators had perished there, yet many great ones had also risen from it.

Chen Xun wasn't planning on fighting with the Great Li Realm cultivators for fortune. He intended to collect corpses and snatch their storage rings! According to the evil cultivators' ancient texts, many ghost ships and even giant boats of deceased The Great Li Realm cultivators drifted there. Leaving such treasures to rot would be a waste, and Chen Xun wasn't about to let them go to waste.

Half a day later, they set sail.

The sea was vast, its waves majestic, crashing like thunder. The horizon was a blur of white, where the sea met the sky, evoking awe and making them feel small.

"Moo?!" The big black ox put his hoof on Chen Xun's shoulder, looking a bit fearful—was Big Brother really planning to go to the Demon's Nest?

"Brother Xun? The Demon's Nest doesn't sound like a good place." Little Red stood by the edge of the boat, enjoying the sea breeze. "The Forbidden Sea—it's probably really dangerous, right?"

"Which is why we're going to check it out first. These islands either have spirit beasts or will be visited by cultivators in a few days. It won't be peaceful." Chen Xun stood on the deck with his hands behind his back, surveying the scene. "The Forbidden Sea might sound intimidating, but it's an unclaimed land. If it's dangerous, we'll run. If it's not, we'll loot!"

"Moo~" The big black ox nodded thoughtfully. They hadn't looted much down in the Tian Duan Plains, but they sure got a good scare out of it.

It seems that Big Brother wants to take advantage of these cultivators, collecting corpses and performing rituals—a good deed, indeed.

"Brother Xun, I'll follow your lead!" Little Red ran a couple of steps, wagging his tail along with the big black ox. Their minds weren't as sharp as their big brother's.

"Old Ox, activate the formation and conceal us!"

"Moo!" The big black ox's eyes gleamed as he waved his hoof.

In an instant, the giant boat lifted slightly off the sea, hovering a meter above the water. The powers of the Five Elements gathered around the boat, gradually forming a transparent barrier.

The giant boat, now covered by the shimmering barrier, vanished from sight as it surged forward, cutting through the sea. In no time, they had traveled hundreds of miles, the towering waves unable to shake the boat. Little Red, standing with his mouth agape, was stunned yet again.

From the outside, even with a divine sense, it would be nearly impossible to detect that a giant boat was sailing on the sea.

Only an immensely powerful cultivator with overwhelming divine sense could break through the Five Elements Concealment Formation set by the big black ox.

As the giant boat sailed through the wind and waves, Chen Xun sat alone under the Crane Tree, reading ancient texts. The big black ox busied himself with cultivating spirit herbs at the bottom of the boat, while Little Red noisily fished.

"Little Red."

"Brother Xun?" Little Red, holding a big net by the side of the boat, shouted back.

"Take these spirit herbs from the storage bag." With a wave of his hand, a storage bag landed on Little Red's head. "You're too weak for a Nascent Soul cultivator at the early stage. Focus on improving your cultivation—our journey is long."

"Huh?" Little Red shrank his neck and peeked into the bag with his divine sense. What he saw made his hand tremble, nearly dropping the net into the sea. Luckily, he managed to catch it in time.

The bag was filled with precious herbs, all for Nascent Soul cultivation, treasures he could only dream of back in the Tian Duan Plains.

"Brother Xun, I'm already fine at the Nascent Soul stage. Don't waste these herbs on me!" Little Red shook his head vigorously, then quickly sat down in front of Chen Xun, pulling in the fishing net. "These herbs are too valuable for me—keep them for yourself and Brother Ox."

There wasn't a trace of greed in his eyes. He knew his limits and understood that advancing a small realm wouldn't extend his lifespan.

"We have plenty of these herbs. Human alchemical power doesn't do much for your ancient lion lineage." Chen Xun closed the ancient book and looked at Little Red. "Otherwise, I have many pills that could help you break through."

"I get what you mean, Brother Xun, but advancing to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul requires a huge amount of spirit herbs—far more than a human cultivator would need." Little Red smiled awkwardly, admitting that he had lost interest in cultivation for now. "It's much more efficient for you and Brother Ox to use these resources than for me."

"Don't underestimate your Brother Xun." Chen Xun sneered. "The Nascent Soul stage is nothing. You'd better live well—I'll take you into the Divine Transformation realm."

"Divine Transformation?!" Little Red's eyes widened in disbelief. "Brother Xun..."

"Just take it. When we raid the Forbidden Sea, who knows how many treasures we'll find?" Chen Xun's gaze turned distant, looking out over the horizon. "These herbs are just leftovers. If you don't take them, and Old Ox gets angry, I won't be able to hold him back."

Little Red bowed his head, tightly gripping the storage bag without a word.

The Crane Tree glowed faintly, its black and white leaves swaying, making it look even more mystical.

"I understand, Brother Xun. I'll focus on my cultivation." Little Red's voice deepened, his head still bowed. "Wherever you go, I'll go too!"

"That's obvious. Now get lost and catch some fish!"

With a wave of his hand, Chen Xun sent Little Red flying again. Little Red screamed in protest, "Brother Xun, go easy on me!!"

Chen Xun laughed heartily and resumed reading under the tree, enjoying the rare peace of the sea and white clouds.