"If it makes too much of a scene, we’ll have time to clean up afterward."
The Black Dragon considered Yang Chan’s usual methods, then spoke slowly.
As they searched, the sun began to set. They couldn’t waste any more time. They had to pick the most suitable spot from the few good locations they had found.
In the Black Dragon’s opinion, the location just mentioned wasn’t the best. There was another spot where fishermen lived by the shore, but he didn’t bring it up.
He would have been more than happy if Yang Chan had chosen that spot, but he wouldn’t suggest it himself, lest Yang Chan think he was inciting him to murder.
’Back at my peak, I wouldn’t have cared about these ants. If they died, they died. To be able to contribute to me in some small way would have made their deaths worthwhile in my eyes. As for what those fishermen thought... I couldn’t have cared less.’
But now that he was subservient to another, he was naturally far more circumspect.
"Alright, this is the spot."
Yang Chan heard this and didn’t object. Of the several decent locations, he was already leaning toward the one by the forest. It was a relatively good spot and well-suited for his needs.
Besides, few people would venture into the forest after nightfall. The location was also quite remote, so travelers would be unlikely to approach it.
The only issue was its location within the borders of Yu State, but that wasn’t a major problem. It could be disregarded.
’Even when Xuanqing Palace was at its strongest, they only ever ventured a little way past the border, so why should I worry? Especially not about the Xuanqing Palace of today. They don’t even have an expert at the Inner Refining Five level. That kind of power is no threat to me!’
Besides, Yu State was in such chaos precisely because there was no one with the absolute power needed to end the turmoil.
If he were to use his full power, he might actually be able to resolve the chaos in Yu State. But for Yang Chan, there was absolutely no reason to do so.
’Becoming the hegemon of a state would be useless to me. It would take too long to see any returns. It’s far better to stay in the Cyan Yuan Sect, where all sorts of rare Cultivation Resources are sent to me for Refining.’
’After the Refining is done, I only need to give them a portion. The rest is all mine.’
’Soon, the Cultivation Resources the Great Zhou Imperial Family is providing as compensation to the Major Sects will arrive at the Cyan Yuan Sect. I’ll be able to refine a lot of Elixirs then. I can even tell Gu An I want to try Refining the Seven Revolutions Nourishing Organ Pill, saying it’s an attempt to advance to Advanced Pharmacist.’
’With the talent I’ve shown, Gu An will definitely give me a portion to experiment with, because he also wants me to become an Advanced Pharmacist.’
So, no matter how he looked at it, Yu State was more trouble than it was worth. It would drain his energy, potentially expose his Cultivation level, and might even get him targeted by others. From any angle, it just wasn’t worth it.
"This location is good. Master, you should clear out this area. Make it a bit larger, so it’s easier to set up a Concealing Breath Array later."
"I need to connect to the Taixuan Realm in a moment, so I must be in peak condition. Otherwise, I would have done this myself."
The Black Dragon instructed after seeing Yang Chan arrive at the destination.
It even added an explanation after giving the instructions—something it never would have done in the past, but was slowly growing accustomed to.
’A dragon needs to have a high level of self-awareness. Otherwise, life is just plain miserable!’
Hearing this, Yang Chan drew the sword from his waist and began clearing the surrounding trees and weeds. He needed to clear a space to set up the Taixuan Sacrifice Array.
The commotion startled away the snakes and rats hidden within the undergrowth. As Yang Chan worked, the aura of the Flood Dragon Demon surged forth, blanketing the area he was clearing.
Thanks to the Soul Body he had recently formed, Yang Chan’s control had grown much stronger, allowing him to command the surging aura with ease.
As the hidden creatures fled, Yang Chan’s clearing speed increased.
An Inner Master could clear an area with incredible speed. If he weren’t trying to avoid making a huge commotion, he could have simply empowered himself with a Martial Seal and bombarded the ground, instantly obliterating everything on the surface and even causing tremors for some distance.
While this power couldn’t compare to the city-destroying might of a National Guardian Martial Saint, clearing this small patch of land was nothing to him.
But even without resorting to the most violent methods, Yang Chan cleared the area quickly.
A faint breeze followed at his side, making his movements seem exceptionally graceful. With a surge of Sword Intent, trees toppled one after another, and he kicked them far into the distance. The weeds were carried away by the gentle wind, drifting away.
The whole process was both pleasing to the eye and incredibly fast.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yang Chan had completely cleared a circular area over thirty meters in diameter. It was a deep cleaning; not a single living creature remained hidden underground. Even modern technology would struggle to achieve such a result.
"Is this area big enough?"
Yang Chan asked, his gaze fixed on the Black Dragon hovering above the Profound Yin Hanging Bead.
The entire process had been effortless for him. Any stamina he expended was instantly recovered by his Tai Chi Health Cultivation Skill and other Health Cultivation Techniques, keeping him constantly at his peak.
His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were all full and undiminished, as if he hadn’t been the one to just clear the area at all.
"An area this large is more than enough!"
"Master, just place the materials for the Concealing Breath Array at the four corners for now."
The Black Dragon scanned the area, then investigated it with its Soul Body before nodding in satisfaction.
’A Martial Arts Expert’s practical skills are formidable,’ the Black Dragon mused. ’If they were applied to agriculture, the efficiency would be astonishingly high. But of course, no Martial Arts Expert would ever be interested in such a thing.’