Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Deep Bonds and Firm Resolve
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"Daniu, you're here so early?"
When Chen Jianghe heard the knock on the door, he instinctively assumed it was Yu Daniu, but after counting the days, it seemed a bit too soon.
Today was only the fifth of the month, still ten days before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
He walked out of his room, recalled Xiao Hei and Maoqiu into the spirit beast space, and then opened the courtyard gate.
"Brother Ruan?"
"Brother Chen, let's go to the Qingping Teahouse. I have something to tell you." Ruan Tieniu's expression was tense, a mixture of confusion and worry.
"Uh, alright!"
Chen Jianghe nodded.
He closed the courtyard gate tightly and hung up the 'Out' sign.
Then, he went with Ruan Tieniu to the Qingping Teahouse.
Seeing Ruan Tieniu's grave expression, he had a feeling something was wrong, and it was likely something detrimental to him.
Ruan Tieniu was still hoping he would mediate the refining of the Foundation Establishment Pill, so he naturally wouldn't want anything to happen to him.
"Brother Ruan, what's going on?"
Chen Jianghe ordered a pot of spirit tea worth fifty spirit sand and walked into a private room with Ruan Tieniu. After they sat down, he asked.
"Do you know a man named Duan Ming?" Ruan Tieniu asked in a low voice.
"Duan Ming?"
Chen Jianghe thought for a moment, recalling everyone he had met since Mirror Moon Lake, but no one by the name of Duan Ming came to mind.
He shook his head and said, "I don't. You mentioned this Duan Ming in your message too, Brother Ruan, and said he was a bandit cultivator."
"Could it be that he's looking for me?"
Hearing Chen Jianghe's words, Ruan Tieniu nodded and said, "This Duan Ming is a leader in the Qingfeng Stronghold. He's at the ninth level of Qi Refining and has reached perfection in body tempering. A few months ago, he found me and asked about my relationship with you."
"What did you say, Brother Ruan?"
"I didn't directly state our relationship. Instead, I asked about his relationship with you. That Duan Ming claimed you were once his subordinate, Brother Chen, but you fled because you were dissatisfied with the division of spoils, and you even stole some spirit talismans and artifacts from Qingfeng Stronghold."
"What? Me, a bandit cultivator from Qingfeng Stronghold!"
Chen Jianghe was stunned.
He knew a little about Qingfeng Stronghold.
It was a large group of bandit cultivators in the eastern territory of the Tiannan Domain, based in Black Wind Mountain. The stronghold had several Foundation Establishment cultivators, making it more powerful than many Foundation Establishment immortal clans.
They had raided the properties of some Foundation Establishment immortal clans multiple times.
Legend had it that eighty years ago, the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan had tried to clear out Black Wind Mountain, but for some unknown reason, the matter was eventually dropped.
Now, Qingfeng Stronghold was still active in the eastern territory, but they no longer targeted the properties of Foundation Establishment immortal clans, preying only on rogue cultivators.
Of course, they also ambushed and killed lone clan disciples.
"Brother Chen, think carefully. Have you offended these bandit cultivators somewhere?" Ruan Tieniu asked.
Chen Jianghe pondered for a moment.
Then, a possibility came to mind. When he first came to Qinghe Market City, he had encountered a group of bandit cultivators.
And the leader of those bandits closely matched Ruan Tieniu's description.
Ninth level of Qi Refining.
Perfection in body tempering.
Wasn't that the bandit leader?
He had been pursued by a bandit called 'Old Sixth', but he used spirit talismans and Spirit Replenishing Pills to wear the man down and then killed him in a counterattack.
If he had to say when he made an enemy of bandit cultivators, that was the only time.
"When I first arrived in Qinghe Market City, the large boat I was on was targeted by a group of bandit cultivators. Their leader was a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator who had perfected body tempering," Chen Jianghe revealed this seemingly minor detail.
"Then did you injure any of Duan Ming's men, Brother Chen?"
Ruan Tieniu asked.
Chen Jianghe was standing before him alive and well, so he obviously hadn't suffered a loss. That meant the bandit cultivators were the ones who had.
"I killed one of them, a bandit called 'Old Sixth'."
"Old Sixth? Was he a middle-aged cultivator who liked to wear white and had a handlebar mustache?"
"Uh... yes."
"That's it, then. The Qingfeng Stronghold is known for holding grudges. Since you killed Duan Ming's subordinate, Brother Chen, he will definitely bear a grudge against you."
Ruan Tieniu took a deep breath and looked at Chen Jianghe with surprise in his eyes.
If he remembered correctly...
The first time he met Chen Jianghe, the man was only a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator.
He knew Duan Ming's subordinate, Old Sixth, who was already at the eighth level of Qi Refining at the time.
This meant that Chen Jianghe, at the seventh level of Qi Refining, had managed to counter-kill a ferocious eighth-level Qi Refining bandit cultivator.
Chen Jianghe looked gentle and weak, but his methods were surprisingly ruthless.
Furthermore, Ruan Tieniu was very curious about how Chen Jianghe had escaped from Duan Ming's grasp.
He had dealt with Duan Ming before.
They had even collaborated a few times and earned a lot of spirit stones.
He had some understanding of Duan Ming's methods. Before he himself had attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, he would have had a hard time gaining the upper hand against Duan Ming.
"Are you saying this Duan Ming wants to make a move on me, Brother Ruan?"
A sharp glint flashed in Chen Jianghe's eyes.
With Xiao Hei and Maoqiu at his side, he had no fear even against Duan Ming, who had perfected body tempering.
As long as he got an artifact for Maoqiu, he could definitely kill that bastard in a counterattack.
But then he remembered that the man had the Qingfeng Stronghold behind him. His eyes instantly cleared, and he felt he had been rash.
He was being too emotional, still not calm enough.
Even if he were to act, it should be after he reached Foundation Establishment.
By then, if the other party hadn't reached Foundation Establishment, his vitality would decline, and coupled with his advanced age, his combat power would be diminished.
He could then kill him with ease.
No, that was still not quite right.
Qingfeng Stronghold had Foundation Establishment cultivators. He couldn't act rashly. If he were to be surrounded by Foundation Establishment cultivators, it would still be dangerous.
Therefore, the best method was to outlive him!
"He probably has that in mind, but you don't need to worry, Brother Chen. As long as you don't leave Qinghe Market City, Duan Ming won't dare to touch you."
"Although Perfected Qinghe has passed away, his third-tier spirit pet is still alive. Even a Core Formation expert wouldn't dare cause trouble in Qinghe Market City."
Ruan Tieniu offered some comfort.
If Chen Jianghe had only injured Duan Ming's subordinate, he could have stepped in to mediate the conflict.
Although Duan Ming was a leader in Qingfeng Stronghold, he still had to give him some face.
Otherwise, Duan Ming's small band of bandits wouldn't be able to enter the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. Ruan Tieniu's influence among the beast hunters was not weak.
But since a life had been lost, Ruan Tieniu couldn't step in anymore.
Both sides had to save face.
Chen Jianghe nodded and cupped his fists in gratitude. "Thank you for the warning, Brother Ruan. I won't be leaving Qinghe Market City for some time."
"Don't be so formal with me, Brother Chen. It's just a shame I failed to reach Foundation Establishment. Otherwise, if a pissant like Duan Ming dared to have crooked thoughts about you, I'd swat him dead!"
Ruan Tieniu said resentfully.
Chen Jianghe forced a smile, not taking Ruan Tieniu's words to heart.
Even if Ruan Tieniu had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, he wouldn't offend the Qingfeng Stronghold for his sake.
After a few more words...
Chen Jianghe rose and left.
Watching Chen Jianghe's departing figure, Ruan Tieniu's face showed a hint of emotion.
"To think that the outwardly amiable and generous Brother Chen is actually such a ruthless character. It's a pity he won't join my beast hunting team. Otherwise, we could set a trap for that Duan fellow. I heard he came across a significant opportunity a few years ago."
"A demonic cultivator's storage bag should have plenty of good things."
"I still have to set him up once..."
—
Chen Jianghe returned to his small courtyard.
He let Xiao Hei and Maoqiu out.
Returning to his room, his gaze couldn't help but drift back to the courtyard, to Xiao Hei and Maoqiu who had resumed their cultivation.
"I have to find a way to increase my strength, to have the means to protect myself even against Foundation Establishment cultivators!"
Thinking of Duan Ming, that ninth-level Qi Refining bandit leader with perfected body tempering, and the Qingfeng Stronghold behind him...
Chen Jianghe felt a little uneasy.
He couldn't entrust his life and fortune to the rules of Qinghe Market City.
The prohibition against fighting within Qinghe Market City was a restraint on obedient cultivators and those at the bottom.
For unstable elements like bandit cultivators, the constraint wasn't very strong.
Back then, Lan Tianxiang had made a move in Qinghe Market City and even snatched a low-quality Foundation Establishment Pill.
He had successfully reached Foundation Establishment with it.
This meant that as long as a Foundation Establishment cultivator acted quickly enough, they could commit a crime and leave safely.
He wasn't afraid of Duan Ming, but he had no way to resist a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Xiao Hei's defense was strong, but it might not be able to withstand an attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"It seems I'll have to find a way to sell a Beauty Retaining Pill. I still need to prioritize increasing Xiao Hei's strength."
Chen Jianghe secretly made up his mind.
Only when Xiao Hei was strong would his safety be truly guaranteed.
The rules of Qinghe Market City were far less reliable than Xiao Hei.
If Xiao Hei became a second-tier spirit beast, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn't be able to do anything to him.
"Even if everything goes smoothly, the fastest I can reach Foundation Establishment is in fifteen years."
"But if I provide Xiao Hei with enough spirit cores, he might be able to advance to the second tier within ten years."
"And Maoqiu... I need to find a way to craft a special artifact for him. The stronger Maoqiu's combat power, the safer I am."
He planned to ask Gao Peiyao for help during the Mid-Autumn Festival to put a Beauty Retaining Pill up for auction.
Once he had the spirit stones, he could buy a large number of late-stage first-tier demonic beasts when Mazi came to collect the spirit talismans.
As for mid-stage first-tier demonic beasts, he no longer planned to buy them.
His goal was now clear: focus on increasing his strength.
The late-stage first-tier spirit cores would be for Xiao Hei, while the flesh, blood, and marrow of the organs would be for Maoqiu.
All other parts would be sold.
This way, both Xiao Hei and Maoqiu could rapidly advance their cultivation, and he could also earn some spirit stones.
It was just that his expenses would multiply several times over.
But with his current wealth, he could still afford it.
With his mind made up, Chen Jianghe continued to draw talismans.
Time was spirit stones.
And spirit stones were the key to increasing his strength.
So, he couldn't waste any time.
Five days later, Chen Jianghe had drawn two more mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans.
Right at that moment, Yu Daniu arrived at Qinghe Market City.
Hearing the knock on the door...
Chen Jianghe immediately walked out of his room, recalled Xiao Hei and Maoqiu into the spirit beast space, and then opened the courtyard gate.
It was indeed Yu Daniu.
Following behind him was Yun Xiaoniu.
"Big Brother."
"Uncle."
"Daniu, Xiaoniu."
Having not seen each other for ten years, Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu shared a heavy bear hug. They separated after ten breaths, and then Chen Jianghe walked over to Yun Xiaoniu.
He patted Xiaoniu's shoulder and nodded in satisfaction. "Xiaoniu, your cultivation has progressed rapidly!"
"Yeah, my boy is very promising. He broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining not long ago and is now an elder of the Yun Clan."
Hearing Chen Jianghe praise Yun Xiaoniu, Yu Daniu was also extremely proud.
"Haha... Daniu, it looks like Xiaoniu has left you in the dust." Chen Jianghe laughed heartily.
"The stronger the son is than the father, the happier the father is, hehe~"
Yu Daniu laughed joyfully.
At this time, Yu Daniu was already sixty-six years old, but his appearance was not as aged as Zhou Miaoyun's.
His tied-up hair was more black than white. Although there were wrinkles on his face, they weren't very noticeable. Coupled with Yu Daniu's naturally robust build, his perfected body tempering cultivation, and his spirited state, he looked like a middle-aged man.
"Come on, let's go to the tavern."
His brother whom he hadn't seen in ten years had arrived, and Chen Jianghe planned to splurge for once.
He took Daniu and Xiaoniu to the Qinghe Tavern and, with a wave of his hand, ordered five spirit stones' worth of spirit cuisine.
He also ordered a pot of high-grade Immortal Spirit Wine worth one spirit stone.
"Uncle, you still look as dashing as ever. Wrinkles are already starting to appear on this nephew's face."
Yun Xiaoniu looked at Chen Jianghe's seemingly eternally unchanging face and remarked with emotion.
"Exactly! My boy is already getting wrinkles, and I'm a grandfather now. Big Brother, how do you still look like a young man!" Yu Daniu asked in surprise.
The last time they met, Chen Jianghe had a fortuitous encounter and ate a Beauty Retaining Herb. But ten years had passed; the effects of the herb should have weakened by now!
Even if he didn't look as obviously old as him, he should at least have some wrinkles.
But that face was still as smooth as it was in his twenties.
"Do you remember Alchemist Zhuang? I obtained a Beauty Retaining Herb from Fairy Peiyao and asked Alchemist Zhuang to refine a batch of Beauty Retaining Pills."
"Beauty Retaining Pills!"
Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu were both shocked, the doubt in their eyes vanishing.
They naturally knew of the miraculous effects of the Beauty Retaining Pill. After taking one, one's appearance would be forever fixed at that moment.
"A total of three pills were successfully refined. Alchemist Zhuang took one, I took one, and I originally sent one to Fairy Peiyao, but she didn't accept it."
As Chen Jianghe spoke, he took out a jade box and handed it to Yu Daniu.
"Big Brother, this is?"
"A Beauty Retaining Pill. It's for you." Chen Jianghe's smile was warm, his eyes filled with deep brotherly affection.
Yu Daniu took the Beauty Retaining Pill, opened it for a look, and was filled with wonder and amazement. Finally, he sighed.
He pushed the Beauty Retaining Pill back to Chen Jianghe.
"If only I had gotten this Beauty Retaining Pill twenty years ago, Huizhen could have stayed young forever. Alas~"
Hearing this...
Chen Jianghe lamented inwardly at the depth of Yu Daniu's feelings for Yun Huizhen.
But it was only right.
Yun Huizhen's feelings for Yu Daniu were equally deep. She had never treated him as a son-in-law who married into the family, but as a husband, giving him respect.
"Xiaoniu, you take it."
Chen Jianghe looked at Yun Xiaoniu and pushed the Beauty Retaining Pill over to him.
He wasn't just making a gesture; he genuinely wanted to give the Beauty Retaining Pill to Yu Daniu's family.
For him, there was no need to take a Beauty Retaining Pill. With a lifespan of three hundred and sixty years, he would only start showing signs of age after two hundred.
But in a while, when Xiao Hei's cultivation advanced to the second tier, his lifespan limit would soar once again.
So there was no need to worry about aging at all.
Moreover, as long as Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu kept this pill a secret, he could sell the other Beauty Retaining Pill he had.
"This nephew thanks Uncle for his kind intentions."
When Yun Xiaoniu saw Chen Jianghe push the Beauty Retaining Pill in front of him, he was stunned for a moment.
His heart trembled.
He had heard about the sky-high price of the Beauty Retaining Pill at the Qinghe Market City auction.
He never expected his uncle to just give it to him like this.
At this moment, he finally understood how deep the brotherly bond between his father and his uncle was.
He also finally understood why, whenever some frustrating matter arose in the clan, Yu Daniu would write a letter to Chen Jianghe to vent.
And when something happy happened, he would also write a letter to show off.
"This nephew's ambition lies in Foundation Establishment. If I fail to reach it, what use is eternal youth for a man of the clan?"
"If I succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment, I will enjoy a lifespan of two hundred and twenty years, which means one hundred and fifty years of youth. Why would I need to seek beauty retention?"
Yun Xiaoniu bowed deeply, politely refusing Chen Jianghe's Beauty Retaining Pill.
His words were sincere, each one revealing his determination to strive for Foundation Establishment.
"Good lad, you have ambition. This is how we cultivators ought to be!" Chen Jianghe nodded heavily, greatly approving of Yun Xiaoniu's words.
Then, he took back the Beauty Retaining Pill.