Outside the Hidden Cave Mystical Realm.
Accompanied by a piercing scream, a battered figure plummeted from the sky, landing awkwardly on the ritual platform. Instantly, the laws resonated, and a boundless light rain ascended, as Li Qingtian’s body slowly reassembled within it.
“Daoist Li Qingtian, are you alright?”
Two elders from the Dao Court came over to support him and asked.
The Hidden Cave Mystical Realm was rife with prohibitive traps and dangers, with many areas so perilous that even the Dao Court’s higher-ups had not fully grasped their secrets. Thus, even cultivators at the level of Golden Immortals, with most of their powers sealed, could suffer losses upon entering such places.
Unlucky cases like Li Qingtian had become all too common these days, with many years of reputation ruined in an instant.
“It’s all over… everything’s gone…”
Li Qingtian’s face was ashen, he muttered despondently, his vitality and spirit diminished to the extreme, looking more like a frail mortal elder than a powerful Golden Immortal.
“…”
The two elders exchanged glances, one of them suddenly widened his eyes, staring at Li Qingtian incredulously and asked, “Daoist, your cultivation? Your cultivation…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, but the surrounding advanced cultivators had already understood. This once highly regarded figure in the Azure Fall Divine Sect, now had his cultivation plummet to the realm of True Immortal, dropping two major realms, his Divine Soul nearly exhausted.
Looking at him now, it was doubtful he could even return to the realm of Golden Immortal, let alone advance further.
What kind of calamity had Elder Li encountered in the Mystical Realm that even a life-saving jade talisman couldn’t protect him?
The cultivators from other sects speculated silently, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. A powerhouse at the level of Golden Immortal was not something any Supreme Dao Lineage would consider as common as Chinese Cabbage, and the loss of such a prime Supreme Elder for the Azure Fall Divine Sect was severe.
“Uncle-Master Li…”
Several high-ranking elders from the Azure Fall Divine Sect who were guarding the entrance to the Mystical Realm approached, greeting him with trepidation, equally aware of the gravity of the situation. But now, they could only report the situation to the Supreme Sect Master truthfully.
“I am unharmed,”
Li Qingtian finally regained his composure, his eyes coldly sweeping over the younger generation: “Let’s discuss this further in the camp. I will personally explain the situation in the Mystical Realm to the Supreme Sect Master.”
“Yes, we will follow Uncle-Master’s orders.”
The surrounding elders breathed a sigh of relief, but deep down they all started to ponder: Uncle-Master Li was likely finished, and it wouldn’t be long before a power reshuffle occurred within the sect.
Not only would Li Qingtian’s disciples and followers lose their standing, but many of the interests controlled by his faction would no longer be secure and would inevitably be seized by other factions. If they started planning and maneuvering early, perhaps they too could get a share of the pie?
This was the harsh reality of the cultivation world; once a powerful being lost their might, they were often left vulnerable and disrespected.
The righteous sects still maintained some decorum and wouldn’t be too ruthless, but for those on the demonic path, a fallen figure would face a brutal and bloody end. It was better to end one’s own life swiftly than to suffer a fate worse than death.
…
By the Treasure Tempering Pool.
“…If we stay here long enough, could we possibly empty out all the treasures in this pool?”
After stowing away another exquisite ancient bronze halberd, Qing Muling casually asked during a brief respite.
Fengxia shook her head beside him: “That’s impossible. When the hundred-day limit approaches, all foreign cultivators must leave, and no one is exempt. Besides, apart from you, a child of fortune beyond measure, who else could exhibit such heaven-defying performance? They could sit here for decades and still not match your gains.”
As a silent observer, the little phoenix could clearly see the difference between the cultivators. If you include recovery time, those guys might not gain anything in an hour, but the female cultivators of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace could fish out something at least every half hour. Those close to Qing Muling, like Xuebing Xuan and the others, could get two or three items in a quarter of an hour.
As for Qing Muling himself, thanks to the continuous strength of his Divine Soul, he could persist and fish out a treasure every tens to hundreds of breaths, and the quality was always high.
Qing Muling was well aware that this was the privilege brought by his supreme fortune and fate, something others could only envy. Perhaps even the higher-ups of the Dao Court never anticipated such a special existence when they decided to open the Mystical Realm.
Maybe after this Mystical Realm closes, the Emperors will have to change the rules? Otherwise, they might prohibit Qing Muling from participating in the next gathering of immortals. Of course, with his rate of growth, he might already be a Golden Immortal in five hundred years, or even higher.
Elsewhere.
“Uncle-Master Yu, what they just fished out seemed to be a scroll of pill scripture, or perhaps a pill recipe?”
In the area occupied by the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect, Yun Tianyi glanced towards the direction of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s female cultivators and mused.
“Perhaps, but that has nothing to do with us.”
A Dao protector sighed, knowing full well the strength of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. Once something was in their hands, trying to persuade them to part with it was a fool’s errand, especially considering the hundreds of Supreme Elders on their side.
“I didn’t say we’d forcefully take it,”
Yun Tianyi said with a chuckle: “Isn’t our sect the best at doing business? We’ve had many dealings with Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, and as long as we offer suitable terms, it’s not impossible to persuade them to transfer the pill scripture to us, or at least get a copy.”
“Perhaps… we could try?”
The surrounding elders seemed intrigued. Unlike other Supreme Dao Lineages, Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect was more like a super commerce guild than a sect, specializing in a wide variety of pills and related business fields, such as spiritual herbs and grasses of different ages, pill furnaces, formation arrays, and the like.
Pills were as vital to cultivators as food was to billions of mortals, and with its leading position in the pill domain, the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect did business with almost all forces in the Great Void, monopolizing nearly forty percent of the mid-to-high-end pill market and making a fortune every year.
To maintain the sect’s unique advantage, all pill scriptures, ancient medical texts, and even rare divine herbs were the collection targets zealously sought after by the higher-ups of the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect.
Therefore, when the female cultivators of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace made a find in this area, it immediately caught the attention of the second prince of the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect, who decided to try his luck.
After whispering with the elders for a moment, Yun Tianyi straightened his attire and approached the female cultivators of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.
His movement caught the attention of many cultivators from various forces, who became more interested upon realizing it was the second prince of the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect and watched silently.
“What’s he doing here at this time?”
Xuebing Xuan also noticed Yun Tianyi approaching from a distance, her brows slightly furrowed, feeling somewhat troubled.
As the Senior Sister of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace and someone who had taken on some of the Sect Master’s authority, she naturally recognized this prince of the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect, and many of their past business dealings had been handled by her.
So Yun Tianyi’s intentions were clear—he was interested in the pill recipe and wanted to negotiate a purchase. But Xuebing Xuan, who was also proficient in pill-making, had no intention of giving up this opportunity, and she had to consider the interests of her sect.
“Senior Sister, is it difficult for you?”
Qing Muling asked gently.
Xuebing Xuan nodded, quickly explaining the situation through divine sense. There was no enmity between the two sects, and they were important business partners, so offending them was not an option, which made her decision difficult.
Qing Muling pondered: “If his terms are acceptable, then let’s compromise a bit and give him a copy. The original is out of the question.”
“Yes, that’s what I was thinking.”
Xuebing Xuan replied, knowing that the original pill recipe, personally written by the Mysterious Dao Venerable, contained the Venerable’s insights into the Dao Rhyme. Anyone who studied it carefully would gain significant benefits, enhancing their own cultivation—a chance that couldn’t be measured by ordinary gains.
Moments later, after being checked by the Supreme Elders, Yun Tianyi finally sat down in front of Xuebing Xuan.
“Senior Sister Xue, it’s been a while,”
Yun Tianyi greeted with a calm smile: “I never expected our next meeting to be here in the Mystical Realm. You probably know why I’m here, so let’s discuss terms?”
Since it wasn’t their first encounter, Yun Tianyi didn’t bother with pointless pleasantries and got straight to the point.
Xuebing Xuan remained silent, pondering, while Qing Muling spoke: “This pill recipe is something both Senior Sister and I need to study, so the original is impossible to give. We can only offer you a copy. If you find that acceptable, let’s negotiate based on that.”
Yun Tianyi looked at him with slight surprise: “So it’s Junior Brother Qing, you’re even more of a focus in the Great Void than those big shots! Since you’ve spoken, let’s do it that way. But could I take a look at the original recipe? Just here.”
As he spoke, he took out a long-necked purple jade pill bottle radiating spiritual light and carefully placed it in front of Xuebing Xuan: “These are twelve ‘Soul Gathering Pills of Crossing the Nether’, capable of healing injuries of the Great Dao and effective for cultivators below the level of Golden Immortal. Trading them for a copy of the pill recipe should be fair.”
Xuebing Xuan shook her head, declining: “The pills are good, but we don’t need them. Propose something else.”
“???”
Yun Tianyi looked taken aback; the Soul Gathering Pills of Crossing the Nether were not common goods, but genuine top-grade spiritual pills, coveted by all Supreme Dao Lineages, top sects, and super families. They were always in short supply, with prices inflated to an extreme.
He remembered that a few years ago, Xuebing Xuan had negotiated with the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect for a long time to acquire a batch of such pills to treat the injured and comatose Supreme Elders of her sect.
Now, however, she was saying they didn’t need such a rare resource. Could it be that Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace had developed similar pills?
After a moment’s thought, Yun Tianyi suppressed his doubts and took out an antique agarwood box, explaining:
“Inside are twenty-four ‘Seven Mysteries Universal Crossing Pills’, which can help cultivators resist the tribulations of the Elemental Immortal realm, increasing the chances of success by seventy percent. What do you think, Senior Sister Xue?”
The value of this pill was not inferior to the previously offered Soul Gathering Pills of Crossing the Nether. If used well, it essentially meant the sect would gain twenty-four Elemental Immortal-level powerhouses.
However, both types of pills were extremely difficult to refine, and even the Dragon Tiger Pill Cauldron Sect’s stock was limited. The annual production was divided among so many powerful forces, and even top second-generation cultivators like Yun Tianyi didn’t have much. These were all he could offer.
Xuebing Xuan remained unmoved: “We don’t need this either. Propose something else.”
“…”
Yun Tianyi fell silent for a moment, then said, “It seems that even if I offer more top-grade pills, it might not catch your eye, Senior Sister. So, why don’t you set the terms?”
Xuebing Xuan smiled slightly: “Then let’s talk about the business dealings between our two sects for the next thirty years. We need to increase the purchase quantity of certain types of pills, and we also have a certain amount of divine herbs for sale. I can’t give you an exact answer right now, but with your sect’s capabilities, it shouldn’t be difficult to open up for purchases…”
Yun Tianyi breathed a sigh of relief; it was just business after all, something he was good at. And if it was just about making things easier for Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, he could make the decision.
Thanks to the many years of good cooperation between the two sects, the negotiation was straightforward and quick, with the details settled in just half an hour.
Yun Tianyi called out, and soon two stunningly beautiful twin sisters with graceful figures approached, their faces adorned with bright smiles and dressed in elaborate matching palace attire—one in pure black, the other in snow white.
Qing Muling glanced at them and noticed they were twin sisters, both at the peak of the Feather Transformation Realm, with first-rate talent and potential, nearly at the level of monstrous geniuses.
Another striking impression they left on him was their overly domineering figures, especially the ample bosoms that bordered on unreasonable, providing an intense visual impact.
They were likely the chosen ones of this prince Yun.
The twin sisters bowed slightly to Xuebing Xuan, then took out two exquisite jade pendants from their storage bracelets. In front of both parties, they inscribed a two-copy trade contract with divine sense and handed it to Yun Tianyi for review.
After checking that the contract was in order, Yun Tianyi passed it to Xuebing Xuan.
Once Xuebing Xuan had reviewed it, she had Ice Falcon, the Heavenly Monarch, confirm there were no issues. Satisfied, she took out the command token given to her by the Sect Master and officially signed the contract.