After the arrival of two powerful reinforcements, Ning Fa and the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant, the sea monster and sea race forces that had been pursuing them for most of the day were eventually forced to retreat, leaving behind a large number of casualties.
It could be said that Ning Fa's arrival was perfectly timed. Otherwise, facing two Spirit Transformation Demon Cultivators, the retreating army, tens of thousands of cultivators, and over a million mortals would have had very few survivors.
At this moment, inside a Spiritual Ship over a hundred zhang long in the center of the fleet, Hermit Wuxin and two others, after discussing with Ning Fa for several hours, rose to take their leave.
Ning Fa tapped on the table, his face etched with thought.
Through the accounts of these three eyewitnesses, he also learned more detailed information about Sky Pillar City.
The overall situation was indeed as Wen Yuchen had previously stated: the sea monster and sea races had suddenly dispatched two additional Spirit Transformation Cultivators to attack the city, and they had brought out extremely terrifying offensive Spiritual Materials.
However, the reason Sky City was breached so quickly was also due to another important factor—a high-level Human cultivator had betrayed them from within the city.
This traitor was none other than the renowned Late Nascent Soul Great Cultivator from the Five Spirits Sea, True Lord Huiyang.
He was not only the sect master of Muyang Sect, the foremost sect in the Fengyang Sea Domain of the Five Spirits Sea, but also the fourth Great Cultivator in the Five Spirits Sea, excluding those from the Heavenly Evolution Sect.
Yet, such an important human combatant betrayed the sea race at a critical moment.
Furthermore, it was clearly premeditated. Besides him, four other Nascent Soul cultivators from Muyang Sect, along with the sect's Core Formation high-ranking members, all betrayed them.
Especially True Lord Huiyang, who personally shattered a crucial Array Eye of a key Array Formation within the city, triggering a chain reaction that led to Sky Tower City's fall within a single day.
Speaking of this matter, even a cultivator like Hermit Wuxin, who focused on cultivating his state of mind, gritted his teeth in hatred, wishing he could devour True Lord Huiyang's flesh.
But he finally stated with a heavy heart that as the war progressed, betrayals by high-level human cultivators would likely not be isolated incidents; there might be many more.
The Tianshu Alliance had already issued an edict, ordering cultivators and mortals from the two easternmost sea regions, the Five Spirits Sea and Leiming Sea, to migrate to the Central Region's Chiyang Sea as soon as possible.
Clearly, after the fall of Sky Fortress City, their sturdy barrier, they intended to abandon these two sea regions.
To the east of Chiyang Sea, the Tianshu Alliance had been diligently constructing a formidable defensive city. The retreating army they were currently part of was heading towards that location.
Ning Fa also inquired again about Qinghong's whereabouts. Hermit Wuxin's expression showed a hint of awkwardness as he offered an explanation.
Qinghong had used a precious Spiritual Material gifted by the Tianshu Alliance for advancing to Spirit Transformation and was currently in closed-door cultivation in a secret location.
Ning Fa did not press further, but he would not forget this debt.
After some thought, Ning Fa got up and walked towards another cabin.
Before he could even knock, Su Wanwan had already flung open the cabin door, pulling Ning Fa in with a look of delight. She gazed at Ning Fa with a beaming smile, her breath like orchids as she said, "Brother Ning, let's begin now."
Ning Fa looked at her with a strange expression: "Begin what?"
Su Wanwan first pouted, then switched to a tearful expression: "Brother Ning, don't pretend you don't know!
Have you forgotten that you promised me before that you would use your Divine Thunder of the Five Elements power to help me stabilize my Nascent Soul body?
Now that you've advanced to the Late Nascent Soul realm, this must be a piece of cake for you.
Do you know how long I've been able to break through to the Late Nascent Soul realm? But it's precisely because my Nascent Soul isn't stable that I've been hesitant to break through. I've endured so much hardship all these years."
Seeing Su Wanwan's almost-crying expression, Ning Fa couldn't help but show a strange look.
This woman was indeed as speechless as ever. From her words, it seemed she had been able to break through to the later stage for a long time.
For how many Nascent Soul cultivators the bottleneck to the Late Nascent Soul realm was a distant dream, yet she had to suppress herself, preventing herself from breaking through prematurely.
If other Nascent Soul cultivators heard this, their Dao heart might be shaken.
Ning Fa calmly picked up his teacup, took a sip of the spiritual tea, and said with a faint smile, "Then, Daoist friend Su, you should not have forgotten what you promised me earlier, right?"
Su Wanwan immediately wrinkled her nose and shot him a glare. Then, with a look of heartache, she produced a Storage Ring:
"Here, this is all the spiritual materials I've painstakingly collected over the years, exactly what you listed on your checklist."
Ning Fa's expression shifted, and his Spiritual Sense immediately probed into it. However, his expression soon calmed down, and there was even a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
This was not because Su Wanwan hadn't tried hard. The Storage Ring indeed contained all the spiritual materials he had listed before, all Pure Yuan Five Elements Spiritual Materials, as well as precious Spirit Flowers and Spiritual Grasses with lightning attributes, like the Haolei Flower, whose value was immeasurable.
Even more precious was a Supreme Wood Divine Thunder core, which was the key item to help his Supreme Wood Divine Thunder advance to the innate stage.
But the problem was, his Supreme Wood Divine Thunder had already advanced to the innate stage and even cultivated to the peak of the Fourth-grade, so this item held little value for him now.
Seeing Ning Fa's expression, Su Wanwan couldn't help but be startled: "No way? These things still can't satisfy your appetite?
These are things I went through immense trouble, even risking my life, to get for you. I traveled across several cultivation worlds.
Especially that Supreme Wood Divine Thunder core, there's probably only one of its kind in this world."
Ning Fa smiled helplessly and gave a simple explanation.
Upon hearing this, Su Wanwan's delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she asked with some nervousness, "Then, Brother Ning, you're not going back on your word, are you?"
Ning Fa smiled, "Don't worry. Regardless, you have indeed been diligently searching for spiritual materials for me.
And these spiritual materials have indeed been of great help to me, so I will help you stabilize your Nascent Soul body, at least ensuring your breakthrough to the Late Nascent Soul realm is worry-free."
Hearing this, Su Wanwan immediately cheered, but Ning Fa then poured cold water on her.
"But let me tell you, if you want to break through to the Spirit Transformation realm in the future, you'll have to find the key spiritual materials that can help my Supreme Water Divine Thunder and Supreme Earth Divine Thunder advance to the innate stage.
Only then, when all my Divine Thunder of the Five Elements have cultivated to the innate stage, will I be able to help you attempt Spirit Transformation."
Hearing this, Su Wanwan's smile instantly froze, and she once again put on a tearful expression.
"Wuwuwu, why am I so unlucky? Doesn't this mean I'll have to work for you my entire life?"
Ning Fa smiled faintly. What Su Wanwan said was absolutely true; she did indeed have to work for him.
Just then, Su Wanwan seemed to recall something, her spirit suddenly lifting as she declared, "I know the whereabouts of the Xiyuan Divine Soil!"
Hearing this, Ning Fa's eyes immediately lit up with brilliance, and he quickly asked, "Where is it?"
A look of nervousness appeared on his face, as the Xiyuan Divine Soil was precisely the key item that could help his Earth Attribute Divine Thunder break through to the Innate realm. It was also the thing he had previously considered the most difficult to obtain.
Therefore, upon hearing this news, he couldn't help but become incredibly excited.
Su Wanwan also recalled with a look of regret, "That was ten years ago. I was traveling in the Great Qin Cultivation World and happened to stumble upon a very high-profile underground auction held by Chaoge Immortal City.
The participants were at least Nascent Soul cultivators, and even several Spirit Transformation cultivators were present.
The items put up for auction were all extremely high-grade, rare treasures of the world.
One of the final three highlight items was this Xiyuan Divine Soil.
Little sister really wanted to bid for it for you back then, but even though I consider myself to have some wealth, in the end, I could only sigh in helplessness.
This was because those competing for it were either core disciples of Spirit Transformation forces or the few Spirit Transformation old monsters present.
Ultimately, that piece of Xiyuan Divine Soil was purchased at an astonishing price by a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance.
I don't know if you're familiar with the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance, but it's one of Great Qin's top Spirit Transformation forces, with several Spirit Transformation cultivators within the alliance."
Upon hearing this, the joy on Ning Fa's face slowly faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
He hadn't expected this item to fall into the hands of the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance. He wondered if they had used it yet.
If they hadn't used it, he might be able to try and buy it back. After all, the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance was essentially a commercial enterprise. As long as he paid a sufficient price, it might not be impossible.
Moreover, given the current situation, he figured that Great Qin's top forces would definitely send people to assist, and some of them should be from the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance.
Ning Fa couldn't help but think of Lu Caifu. This woman was from the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance, and he had a pretty good relationship with her.
Speaking of which, she had tried to recruit him before, wanting to support Fu Ling Hall. He could try contacting her.
"This information is very important to me. Thank you," Ning Fa said sincerely to Su Wanwan.
Su Wanwan smiled playfully, "Brother Ning, with our relationship, why be so polite?"
Ning Fa smiled faintly and chatted with Su Wanwan for a while longer, learning about her experiences over the years.
Although Su Wanwan glossed over or vaguely mentioned a lot of information, Ning Fa still obtained very valuable insights.
For example, the methods by which one could travel to Great Qin and the Tianwu Immortal Realm, and there were even some methods that perhaps only Su Wanwan knew.
Then, under Su Wanwan's expectant gaze, Ning Fa acted again, using his Five Elements Divine Thunder power to help Su Wanwan re-stabilize her Nascent Soul body.
Several hours later, even with Ning Fa's current realm and cultivation, a hint of exhaustion showed on his face.
He looked at Su Wanwan lying on the bed, her jade body sprawled out, her eyes closed in unconsciousness. Recalling their recent intimate contact and the passionate scene, his heart couldn't help but flutter. However, he still let out a light chuckle, got up, and left.
After the cabin door closed, Su Wanwan's long eyelashes trembled slightly. She suddenly opened her eyes and patted her heaving chest with a hint of lingering fear.
If Ning Fa had wanted to force himself on her just now, she would have had no power to resist.
But when she thought about how Ning Fa had seen her entire body clearly again, and even had intimate contact with her once more, her pretty face couldn't help but blush, and a strange feeling arose in her heart.
However, she quickly cast these emotions aside, her pretty face filled with joy.
After Ning Fa helped her stabilize her Nascent Soul this time, she could confidently break through to the late Nascent Soul realm.
Thinking of this, Su Wanwan couldn't help but smile, her eyes curving.
But when she thought about needing Ning Fa's help to break through to the Spirit Transformation realm in the future, and that she had to help Ning Fa find the key spiritual materials for the remaining two divine thunders he needed to reach the Innate realm, her pretty face contorted into a grimace again. She couldn't help but sigh mournfully:
"Wuwuwu, why is my fate so bitter? To have condensed the Dual Water-Fire Golden Cores, it seems I'll be at Ning Fa's mercy for my entire life."
Just then, Su Wanwan's eyes flickered, and a look of joy flashed within them.
She glanced around, immediately took off the delicate green earring from her left ear, and cast a hand seal. The earring instantly transformed into a faint spiritual light shield, enveloping her.
Only then did Su Wanwan relax. She then carefully took out an ancient, palm-sized bronze mirror from her embrace and looked at the mirror's surface with anticipation.
The surface of the bronze mirror rippled like water. With a faint flash of spiritual light, a line of text began to appear.
"Your ally, Ning Fa, possesses extraordinary fortune. The Divine Wood Totem he displayed earlier is suspected to have a significant connection with a mysterious existence in the Demon Realm."
After reading this message, Su Wanwan's expression turned grave, and she even muttered softly, "This guy is truly formidable. It seems his fortune is even greater than this young lady's."
Immediately after, the second line of text appeared.
"The troubles brought about by your Dual Water-Fire Golden Core constitution may persist until you advance to the Void Refinement realm.
Therefore, marrying Ning Fa, becoming his Dao Companion, and being protected by him is a very good choice."
Upon seeing this second message, Su Wanwan became furious.
"Why are you, this broken bronze mirror, here again? You keep urging me to marry that Ning Fa every few days. Have you yourself decided you want a new master?
Hmph, I'm telling you, don't even think about it!
You can only be Su Wanwan's treasure, and I, Su Wanwan, will never marry anyone in this lifetime!"
Su Wanwan was somewhat exasperated. It was precisely this mysterious bronze mirror's consistently displayed tendency to favor Ning Fa that had made her hesitant to meet Ning Fa, fearing that this lifeline of hers would leave her and choose Ning Fa as its master.
The spiritual light on the bronze mirror's surface fluctuated, and the third message appeared again.
"The relationship between the three Great Cultivators from the Heavenly Evolution Sect who are traveling with you is complicated. Venerable Kong Qing likes Madam Min, and Madam Min admires Hermit Wuxin.
However, due to an old matter from years past, Hermit Wuxin has always felt guilty towards Venerable Kong Qing, and thus has never agreed to Madam Min's affections."
Looking at this message, Su Wanwan's delicate eyebrows immediately shot up, her eyes burning with gossip.
But she immediately pouted, displeasingly saying, "Little Mirror, Little Mirror, how many times have I told you not to push such messy news to me anymore! I only want treasures, treasures, treasures!!"
The fourth message then appeared.
"Ten thousand miles northeast of here, at the bottom of the sea, a human cultivator in the Mid Nascent Soul stage and a mid-stage Fourth-grade Sea Race member annihilated each other. Their bodies have fallen there, along with their Storage Rings."
Upon reading this, Su Wanwan's expression shifted, but she quickly shook her head with regret, "A mere Storage Ring from a Mid Nascent Soul cultivator isn't worth this young lady risking her life."
The fifth message followed immediately.
"The Sea Race is plotting a second Reverse Realm teleportation, expected within the next ten years.
This time, in addition to a considerable number of Sea Race armies, there will also be allies from other races.
The Tianshu Alliance has also predicted this teleportation and appears to be preparing to take action."
Message after message flickered by, finally reaching the tenth one.
"The special treasure located in the deepest part of the Five Spirits Sea is difficult to obtain before you break through to the Spirit Transformation realm. However, delaying could lead to unforeseen changes, making it very necessary to find a good helper. This helper seems to be right before your eyes."
After reading this last message, Su Wanwan's expression became unpredictable.
Eight years ago, when she returned to the Nine Dragons Sea from the Great Qin Cultivation World, one of the heavy pieces of information pushed by this Mysterious Bronze Mirror was this:
It turned out that deep within the sea area bordering the Five Spirits Sea and the Leiming Sea, an unimaginably precious treasure was buried.
Even the reason why the Five Spirits Sea and the Leiming Sea were so special, frequently featuring Five Elements Spirit Abysses or Lightning Attribute Spirit Abysses of extreme purity, was due to that treasure.
This made Su Wanwan ecstatic. Over the years, she had gone through immense hardship and neared the location of the treasure.
But with her strength, she couldn't break through the barrier surrounding the treasure at all. Just as the mirror said, only with Spirit Transformation stage power was it possible.
"Such a great treasure, how could I, Su Wanwan, be willing to share it with others! Anyway, my lifespan is long, and at worst, I'll just slowly chip away at it. I don't believe I can't break through that barrier!"
Su Wanwan gritted her teeth and said resolutely.