Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Sect-Protecting Spiritual Treasure
 

After several tests, it was confirmed that Zhou Yi knew his goods.

With full-strength Qi Refinement, unable to resort to foul play, he could only send someone to discuss the rules.

Generally, those who wished to sell an inherited legacy had to share information with one another, unifying prices to avoid undercutting fellow tradesmen.

“It’s possible,”

Zhou Yi nodded in agreement; after all, it was a harmless matter, and there was no need to make enemies within the trade.

Safety was, of course, the primary concern; the shops in Zhengyang City all had their backers, most of which were disciples of the Dan Ding Sect, tracing back to the stationed real person.

The Dan Ding Sect’s main headquarters was rumored to be located on an Earth-ranked Spirit Vein, with spiritual energy in the sect condensing into rain, making it among the most superior cultivation havens in the world.

A Foundation Establishment True Monarch would not leave a good sect without reason, traveling thousands of miles to the remote Zhengyang City; it was obviously for the purpose of scooping up Spirit Stones.

Then there was the verbal agreement among tradesmen. Ordinary Spiritual Objects were a win-win, but upon encountering a precious legacy, it was every man for himself.

“In the blink of an eye, I too have become part of the class that exploits Loose Cultivators,”

Zhou Yi shook his head slightly; he was not a saintly character, nor had he ever thought about turning the heavens or creating the universe, and most of the time he was just going with the flow.

Time slowly passed.

The business in the tavern gradually picked up.

The Crimson Flame Wine contained a hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng, and the quality was a bit better than other drinks in the same price range.

With decades of brewing experience, Zhou Yi’s flavors were also exceptionally superior, slowly attracting a lot of returning customers.

That day,

Someone finally came to sell an ancestral Spiritual Object.

Zhou Yi had already received the message from his peers; notes on a Foundation Establishment spell, with a buying price of five hundred Spirit Stones.

“This price is quite a bit higher than setting up a stall outside,”

The seller hesitated momentarily before leaving, and soon after, Zhou Yi received word that the Jade Law Pavilion had acquired the notes, flipping them for at least three to five times the price to other Marketplaces’ Foundation Establishment True Monarchs.

Moreover, cultivation notes were a steady business, not just a one-time sale.

“These cultivator families, setting up shops in various Marketplaces, are earning more Spirit Stones than I had anticipated.”

“Even so, it’s rare for a Foundation Establishment True Monarch to be present, which goes to show the extent of the Dan Ding Sect’s control over the Foundation Establishment Pills… it’s reached an extremely stringent level…”

Zhou Yi waited for the last customer to leave, instructing the hired help to watch the house as he flew eastward with Sword Control.

…

Cave residence 702.

Zhou Yi landed at the entrance, whereupon a young attendant immediately went inside to report, and after a moment, Daoist Xuan Qing came out to greet him.

“Fellow Daoist Sun, please come in,”

Xuan Qing had graying hair and appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with a cultivation base in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.

Zhou Yi smiled as he clasped his hands in greeting, “No need for formalities.”

Xuan Qing was one of the few Loose Cultivator Pill Masters in Tianyang Market, and although he only concocted Nourishing Essence Pills, the quality was even better than that of the shops, and one bottle of medicine could be three to five Spirit Stones cheaper.

With the trust gained from selling pills, Xuan Qing started holding a gathering where cultivators met at the end of each ten-day period to exchange cultivation insights.

Currently, twelve Loose Cultivators had joined, and Zhou Yi was among them.

Zhou Yi’s purpose in attending the gatherings was straightforward; desiring Xuan Qing’s Pill Technique inheritance, he often used the meetings to ask questions about Alchemy.

In the courtyard.

The other Daoists had already arrived before him, and upon seeing Zhou Yi, they stood up to greet him.

“Greetings to Fellow Daoist Sun.”

“At the previous gathering, when Fellow Daoist Sun discussed the Lightning Method, I pondered over it afterward and found it increasingly profound.”

“I have some doubts about it and will need to consult once more.”

With everyone’s words, Zhou Yi was highly praised.

“That’s all good,”

Zhou Yi had studied the Five Thunder Technique for over a hundred years, almost the lifespan of an ordinary cultivator, with control over the Lightning Method far surpassing his peers. Merely sharing something new could enlighten others.

After the pleasantries, everyone took their seats.

According to the usual order, Xuan Qing would discuss the Pill Technique first, then Zhou Yi would talk about the Lightning Method, and the other cultivators each had their specializations.

“Fellow Daoists, today besides discussing techniques, I have another matter to propose,”

Xuan Qing took out a Formation Flag and waved it, causing fog to rise around them, “Some days ago, during my travels, I unexpectedly discovered a spiritual place. It seems to be the burial site arranged by some predecessor.”

A spiritual place, an ancient tomb!

Zhou Yi and the others furrowed their brows slightly, listening quietly to what came next.

“Originally, I intended to explore on my own, but I discovered that the tomb’s formation was complex, requiring the cooperation of at least ten people to break through.”

Xuan Qing said, “I have invited you all to join me, with any relics obtained within the tomb to be converted to spirit stones and divided equally, while the spirit land will belong solely to me.”

“This…”

The crowd was quite tempted but reluctant to leave the marketplace for an adventure.

Zhou Yi, however, decisively refused, “The shop is too busy, I can’t be spared. It’s better for Daoist Xuan Qing to find someone else.”

“Daoist Sun, with my low aptitude, after decades of cultivation I’ve only reached the mid-stage of qi refinement with no hope of foundation establishment.”

Xuan Qing bowed in request, “This time, I only wish to open up a spirit land for my clan that can be passed down for generations. As long as you lend a hand, I am willing to offer the pill technique for the Nurture Yuan Pill as a reward!”

Zhou Yi remained unmoved, shaking his head firmly.

The rest of the cultivators had a flicker in their eyes, unsure if they were tempted by Xuan Qing’s mid-stage qi refinement or by the art of alchemy.

“Since there’s no talk of spellcasting today, I will take my leave first.”

Zhou Yi went to the edge of the formation, his footwork mysterious as he walked straight through the mist and out of the cave.

Xuan Qing was considering asking Zhou Yi to come back when he saw this scene; his gaze grew sharper, but he remained silent.

…

After that day,

Zhou Yi never again attended the gatherings.

Half a year later, rumors spread through the marketplace—Xuan Qing and his party never returned from their expedition.

“Greed is the easiest to see through, yet also the easiest trap to fall into!”

Zhou Yi soon put the matter behind him because, after three years of business, he finally received his first inheritance.

The seller was named Wang Gui, who claimed that an ancestor was a Golden Elixir True Monarch, and such a legacy was worth at least eight thousand spirit stones.

In Zhengyang City, there indeed was a family descended from a True Monarch, traceable back to the establishment of the marketplace. Having declined to just over a dozen members, they had recently decided to leave the marketplace and return to mundane life, before suddenly contracting a strange illness.

Within three to five days, the entire family perished.

When Zhou Yi heard of this, he fell silent for a long while, reflecting that the beauty and cruelty of the Cultivation World were even greater than in the secular world.

With the extinction of the True Monarch’s family, no matter who had secretly acted, the scattered legacy was enough to incite a frenzy among the marketplace’s peers.

From this perspective, Zhou Yi was sure that it wasn’t the work of a cultivating family. Although they coveted the True Monarch’s legacy, they were more concerned about their family’s safety, fearing any contingency from the True Monarch that might bring about their clan’s doom.

Passing loose cultivators, on the other hand, are brazen, willing to do anything as their life’s path approaches its end.

“These cultivating families’ means of survival are somewhat similar to mine, extending their lineage through blood for hundreds, even thousands of years, discreetly accumulating their family’s foundation. It appears to be another form of longevity.”

Zhou Yi’s mind raced, and a smile filled his face, “First, let’s see the legacy before discussing the price.”

Upon hearing the voice, Wang Gui immediately took out the jade slip.

The “Spiritual Treasure Technique”.

The opening was grand, claiming that this method could refine spiritual treasures. First, find a spirit-aware object and refine it into a personal magic weapon using the Blood Sacrifice Method…

“This technique looks somewhat familiar.”

After reading a few more lines, Zhou Yi confirmed that it was the Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons, although blood refinement was just the first step; there was much more to it.

“After the blood sacrifice, there are nurturing, smelting techniques that can continuously enhance the power of the magic artifact. As time grows longer, the artifact will transform into a magic treasure, spiritual treasure, and even the legendary Sect-Protecting Supreme Treasure!”

Zhou Yi, after consulting many ancient books, knew that the Dan Ding Sect had ruled Cloud Continent for thousands of years. Even though there had been times when the lineage nearly ended, with the Sect-Protecting Divine Fire Fan, no one dared to challenge its majesty.

“This spell… seems a bit useless!”

Zhou Yi shook his head, handed the jade slip back to Wang Gui, and spoke helplessly, “Even the legendary Nascent Soul ancestors lived only for a thousand years; this ‘longevity’ must span well over ten thousand years, right?”

Wang Gui waited silently for a moment, then said, “How about a lower price, five thousand spirit stones?”

“A thousand.”

Zhou Yi shrugged and said, “Having not opened for three years, acquiring an inheritance from a True Monarch, even if it’s useless, it’s just for a bit of good fortune.”

After hearing the transmitted message, Wang Gui took out the original technique. The other shops were willing to offer even less, only three to five hundred spirit stones.

Of course, selling to Zhou Yi wouldn’t prevent them from reselling it to someone else.

Zhou Yi’s gaze intensified, reflecting on the True Monarch’s legacy being sold so hastily. Probably, the culprit’s lifespan was nearing its end, desperate to exchange a large number of spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills.

“A dying person can be the most terrifying, the most insane!”

“In Zhengyang Marketplace, the number of loose cultivators meeting this criterion, both in the open and in secret, certainly does not exceed ten.”

“In some time, after watching the commotion, it should be clear who it is.”