Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Daniu Loses a Son, Trouble Brews in the Yun Clan
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"She has no shortage of cultivation resources or spirit stones, and it seems she doesn't want to be taken for a fool by paying a high price for a Beauty-Preserving Pill at an auction."
"However, I can confirm that she has never taken a Beauty-Preserving Pill. Therefore, she needs a Beauty-Preserving Grass to refine one and trade it for her Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit."
Alchemist Zhuang explained with a smile on his face.
"I won't trade with her, but we could partner up to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill. Would she refuse that too?" Chen Jianghe asked in disbelief.
He still had one Beauty-Preserving Pill, but from Alchemist Zhuang's words, it was clear the man knew about it.
Alchemist Zhuang had even guessed that the Beauty-Preserving Pill listed for sale at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion was his.
However, they both had a tacit understanding not to state it openly.
The reason Alchemist Zhuang asked if Chen Jianghe could get another Beauty-Preserving Grass was simple.
His disciple, Jiang Ruxu, had her eyes on the Beauty-Preserving Pill in Chen Jianghe's possession.
He naturally had to consider his own disciple first.
"This immortal lady is a Foundation Establishment senior. She has no descendants and is quite aloof; she has no need for a Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Then she could list the Foundation Establishment Pill for sale at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion after getting it. The spirit stones she'd earn would definitely be enough to buy a Beauty-Preserving Pill."
"Hehe, you must have forgotten, fellow Daoist. I am now a second-tier alchemist, and my alchemy fees have increased. Crowdfunding a Foundation Establishment Pill requires paying me two thousand spirit stones."
Alchemist Zhuang reminded him, then added, "After all the trouble, even if that immortal lady could earn a difference of a few hundred spirit stones by trading the Foundation Establishment Pill for a Beauty-Preserving Pill, as I said, she is not short on spirit stones."
Chen Jianghe was stunned.
He had never imagined there were cultivators who didn't care for spirit stones.
Besides, crowdfunding the alchemy wasn't troublesome, and listing the Foundation Establishment Pill for sale was convenient. Even with an inferior-grade pill, after deducting the alchemy fee and the listing commission, she could still buy a Beauty-Preserving Pill and have a hundred or so spirit stones left over.
If it were a standard-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, the difference would be five or six hundred spirit stones.
She couldn't be bothered with five or six hundred spirit stones?
For someone as frugal as Chen Jianghe, who would split a single spirit stone in two if he could, her way of thinking was completely incomprehensible.
"Fellow Daoist, this Foundation Establishment immortal lady you speak of... she must be a master artisan, right?" Chen Jianghe said with certainty.
To disregard a few hundred spirit stones meant she wasn't lacking them. In his experience, only master artisans of the hundred arts had that luxury.
"Yes, a second-tier artifact refiner."
"No wonder."
Chen Jianghe understood.
He had already learned from Alchemist Zhuang about the disparity among the four supreme arts. Although talisman-crafting was listed as one of the four, its speed of earning spirit stones was far inferior to alchemy, artifact refining, and formation setting.
Alchemy was profitable, but artifact refining was even more so.
As for formation setting?
It was basically a case of "three years with no business, one deal feeds you for three years."
The large-scale second-tier defensive formation at Mirror Moon Market City was a testament to how lucrative being a formation master was.
Establishing Mirror Moon Market City had cost the Yun Clan centuries of accumulated wealth, and half of it had been spent on that defensive formation.
"Fellow Daoist, do you know anyone else who has a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit?"
Feeling helpless, Chen Jianghe asked again.
The woman was a second-tier artifact refiner who couldn't care less about a few spirit stones. Even if he offered a Beauty-Preserving Pill, it was uncertain whether she would trade.
With her status, acquiring a Beauty-Preserving Pill wouldn't be difficult.
So, she wasn't in a rush to take one.
"Fellow Daoist, do you think Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruits are easy to come by? To venture deep into the Fusang Cliff of the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range and steal one would require the cooperation of at least five Foundation Establishment cultivators," Alchemist Zhuang said, looking exasperated.
"Hehe, just asking~"
Chen Jianghe chuckled awkwardly.
He had indeed underestimated the rarity of the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit.
Perhaps it was because he had seen quite a few Foundation Establishment Pills recently—after all, he had one in his possession—which made him feel that the main ingredient for refining them wasn't so hard to obtain.
After a few more words with Alchemist Zhuang, Chen Jianghe took his leave.
As for obtaining another Beauty-Preserving Grass, he figured it would be very difficult, at least not through Gao Peiyao.
In the eyes of others, his relationship with Gao Peiyao was profound.
But he himself knew their relationship was merely that of friends. One Beauty-Preserving Grass had already fulfilled the obligations of friendship.
To ask for another would be a slap in his own face.
Besides, if there were any favors to be exchanged, it was his turn to provide them for Gao Peiyao.
Of course, even if he wanted to find Gao Peiyao, he had no way of contacting her.
When she left during the Mid-Autumn Festival three years ago, she hadn't left any of the three of them a way to communicate.
This meant she might be returning to her sect for secluded cultivation or planning a new path for her future.
They were no longer cultivators of the same world.
Returning to Green Ping Alley.
Chen Jianghe walked past his own courtyard and went to the one where Ruan Tieniu lived. He saw there was no sign hanging on the gate.
That meant he wasn't out, nor was he in seclusion.
He knocked on the door ring.
A moment later, Ruan Tieniu opened the gate. The sight of Chen Jianghe made his heart skip a beat.
Chen Jianghe had told him he would give him a definite answer no matter what.
Ruan Tieniu knew very well that his only hopes of obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill were to either trade for the inferior one in Chen Jianghe's hands or to ambush and kill Ji Wujin.
Having hunted beasts and fished for many years, Ruan Tieniu had seen through Ji Wujin's ploy at a glance. He knew the man was baiting a trap and could imagine that he must have a trump card that could deal with Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so brazen.
"Brother Chen, do you have an answer so soon?"
Ruan Tieniu's tense gaze was fixed on Chen Jianghe, his expression taut with worry that it might be bad news.
"Yes."
Chen Jianghe nodded and said, "Brother Ruan, if you truly want the Foundation Establishment Pill in my possession, you'll need to trade three things for it."
"Which three?"
Ruan Tieniu's face lit up with joy. As long as a trade was possible, that was all that mattered.
"The puppet inheritance, the demonic cultivation secret arts, and a Beauty-Preserving Grass." After much thought, Chen Jianghe decided to pass this difficult task to Ruan Tieniu.
If he wanted the Foundation Establishment Pill, he had to produce a Beauty-Preserving Grass.
"A Beauty-Preserving Grass?" Ruan Tieniu looked at Chen Jianghe in surprise.
"Of course, if Brother Ruan can produce a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit, then you'll only need two items: the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit and the demonic cultivation secret arts."
Friendship was friendship, but a deal was a deal.
The most valuable thing Ruan Tieniu had to offer was the demonic cultivation secret arts.
As for the puppet inheritance, though it was worth more in spirit stones, it held less allure for him than the demonic arts.
"Alright, a Beauty-Preserving Grass it is!"
Ruan Tieniu mulled it over for a long while before nodding and accepting the terms.
There were two ways to obtain a Beauty-Preserving Grass: one was from the Tiannan Sect's medicinal fields, and the other was the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
Though the Beauty-Preserving Grass didn't require venturing three hundred li into the mountains like the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit, it still required a journey of two hundred li, and one had to enter from the direction of the Beast Taming Immortal Zhou Clan's territory.
A depth of two hundred li was already within the active range of second-tier demonic beasts.
The Wandering Immortal Mountain Range was vast, stretching ten thousand li from east to west and seven thousand li from north to south, but the activity zone for first-tier demonic beasts was not particularly large.
After entering the mountain range, the first hundred li was the domain of first-tier demonic beasts.
From one hundred to five hundred li was the territory of second-tier demonic beasts.
From five hundred to two thousand li was the domain of third-tier demonic beasts.
As for venturing any deeper?
No cultivator who had gone further had ever returned.
Comparing the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit to the Beauty-Preserving Grass, the latter was easier to obtain. The inferior Foundation Establishment Pill in Chen Jianghe's hands was his only hope.
He had to take the risk.
Three days later.
Chen Jianghe came out and glanced at Ruan Tieniu's gate, seeing an 'Away' sign hanging there.
It seemed he had departed.
Ruan Tieniu only had one year left.
In that year, he had to first travel to the Immortal Sect Market City to buy a spiritual item to break through his mental barrier, then travel to the territory of the Beast Taming Zhou Clan.
And then, venture deep into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
Time was tight.
The risks were great.
But Chen Jianghe was unconcerned. He turned and entered his courtyard to cultivate the Tidal Body Tempering Art while waiting for Yu Daniu and his wife to arrive.
Another two days passed.
A knock sounded on the door ring.
Chen Jianghe calculated the time. New Year's Eve was in three days. It should be Yu Daniu and his wife.
He hurried to the gate and opened it.
Standing outside were indeed Yu Daniu and his wife.
Yu Daniu now looked middle-aged and had grown a beard, but his posture was as straight and tall as ever, his build powerful and robust.
His complexion was ruddy, his eyes bright.
But his wife, Yun Huizhen, seemed to be in poor condition.
Chen Jianghe hadn't seen Yun Huizhen in seventeen years. Compared to seventeen years ago, she had aged tremendously.
She had more wrinkles than Zhou Miaoyun, her expression was listless, and she even had age spots on her face.
This was a world of cultivation. Although Yun Huizhen's essence had been depleted from frequent childbirth in her early years, causing her cultivation level to drop several times, she had still managed to break through to the seventh layer of Qi Refining with the Yun Clan's backing.
Logically, she shouldn't have developed age spots.
The fact that she had them now meant only one thing: they weren't the spots of a mortal woman but the death spots that appeared when one's life limit was approaching.
"Daniu, sister-in-law."
Chen Jianghe quickly walked up and greeted them warmly.
"Big Brother."
Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen first greeted him respectfully. Then, Yun Huizhen forced a pale smile and said, "Seventeen years have passed in a flash. Big Brother is as dashing as ever."
"Alright, let's not talk about that now. Let's go to the Qinghe Restaurant first."
Chen Jianghe didn't respond to her comment, especially when discussing such things with the aged Yun Huizhen.
They arrived at the Qinghe Restaurant.
Chen Jianghe ordered a table of spirit food worth ten spirit stones and a pot of Immortal Spirit Wine worth one spirit stone.
If it were just Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu, a five-spirit-stone meal would have sufficed.
If they came often, they would go to the Qingping Teahouse.
But Yun Huizhen was his sister-in-law, and they hadn't seen each other in nearly twenty years, so it was natural to raise the standard.
"We've troubled Big Brother to spend so much," Yun Huizhen said apologetically, looking at the sumptuous spread.
"It's been a long time since we gathered. It's only right."
Chen Jianghe said with a cheerful smile, then asked, "Why isn't Xiaoniu with you?"
"Xiaoniu is being cultivated by the clan. The Ancestor took him into seclusion to practice a spirit-tempering art," Yu Daniu said.
Chen Jianghe nodded upon hearing this.
For the Yun Clan Ancestor to personally take Yun Xiaoniu into seclusion showed how much he valued him, and how much he hoped Yun Xiaoniu could attempt Foundation Establishment.
That way, when he passed on, the Yun Clan would still have two Foundation Establishment cultivators and a second-tier spirit beast.
Their glory would remain.
"How are Youniu and Sanniu?"
Chen Jianghe asked about the second and third sons at Yunmen Mountain.
But as soon as he spoke, he saw looks of grief and resentment on the faces of Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen.
Instantly, a bad premonition arose in his heart.
"Daniu, what happened?" Chen Jianghe asked urgently.
"Youniu's dantian was destroyed. He's a mortal now."
Yu Daniu lowered his head, his voice filled with sorrow.
"As for Sanniu...唉, it was his time, his fate. Since they are disciples of the clan, they must dedicate themselves to its cause. It is their honor."
Chen Jianghe fell silent.
Yun Youniu's dantian was destroyed, turning him into a cripple.
It seemed Yun Sanniu was gone.
For a moment, even though he and Yu Daniu were as close as brothers, he didn't know how to console him.
It was no wonder Yun Huizhen looked this way.
Her essence was depleted, her vitality was failing, and she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Now, with the pain of losing a son, the aura of death naturally clung to her.
"Their sacrifice was worth it. Siniu is now being heavily cultivated by the clan and has already reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Once he reaches the ninth layer, he can directly become a clan elder."
Yun Huizhen said with forced strength.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and a layer of mist had formed over them.
"Big Brother, can I ask you for a favor?" Yun Huizhen looked at Chen Jianghe and spoke with great solemnity.
"Sister-in-law, please speak."
"Our eldest doesn't know what happened to his two younger brothers, but he'll surely find out when he comes out of seclusion. I'd like to ask Big Brother to help Daniu restrain him in the future, so he doesn't harbor hatred for the Yun Clan."
"Sister-in-law, why do you say that?" Chen Jianghe asked, puzzled.
Yun Youniu and Yun Sanniu had died and been injured while fighting for the clan's interests. Of course, the ones who benefited were Yun Xiaoniu and Yun Siniu.
But as clan disciples, they should have been prepared for this.
After all, the resources they were born with came at a price.
"If Yun Yifeng hadn't been so afraid of death, leading the others to retreat from the battle, my second and third sons wouldn't have ended up with one having his dantian destroyed and the other with not even a corpse left behind!"
Yu Daniu snorted coldly in discontent.
"What!"
Chen Jianghe shot to his feet, his face darkening.
But remembering Yun Huizhen was present, he swallowed the words he was about to say and sat back down.
His face showed only deep sorrow.
"Who is Yun Yifeng?" Chen Jianghe asked.
"Yun Xiaotian's eldest son."
Yu Daniu said hatefully, "After causing Sanniu's death and ruining Youniu, he returned to the clan and was merely put in confinement by Yun Xiaotian. How is that any different from secluded cultivation?"
"When Siniu learned of this, he refused to accept the cultivation resources that came at the cost of his brothers' death and injury."
At this point, Yu Daniu glanced at Yun Huizhen, then turned back to Chen Jianghe.
"I reprimanded him and told him he must accept it all."
"The Yun Clan gave me my opportunity. I cannot complain about the Yun Clan, nor can I hold any resentment toward it."
"Because it is Huizhen's natal clan."
"Big Brother, I..."
Yu Daniu's eyes were wide with fury, but he had nowhere to vent it, forced to bottle it up inside.
"Daniu."
Yun Huizhen gripped Yu Daniu's large hand and coughed twice, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Huizhen, don't get worked up. I'm just venting a little to Big Brother, I don't have any other intentions, you..."
"Daniu, I don't blame you. I won't blame you for anything you do."
A look of hateful disappointment toward the Yun Clan appeared on Yun Huizhen's face, but she couldn't voice it like Yu Daniu could.
"The moment the Clan Head shielded Yun Yifeng, I ceased to have any connection with the Yun Clan. From now on, I am only a daughter-in-law of the Yu family."
Yun Huizhen's voice was firm, laced with intense hatred.
Yun Youniu was crippled, and Yun Sanniu was dead.
She didn't blame the clan. To die in battle for the clan's prosperity was an honor.
But what she couldn't accept was that Yun Xiaotian, as the Clan Head, had shielded his own son.
This filled her heart with hatred.
"Big Brother."
Yun Huizhen looked at Chen Jianghe, trying to squeeze out a smile. "I know that after I die, our eldest will have no more restraints. The Yun Clan will fracture, and he will seek revenge."
"But the Yun Clan is still my natal family. Killing Yun Yifeng alone is enough. Don't let our eldest son implicate the other clan members."
"Big Brother, can you help me?"
"I..."
Chen Jianghe opened his mouth, his gaze falling on Yu Daniu. He didn't know what to say.
Yun Youniu and Yun Sanniu could die.
It could even be because of a scoundrel in the clan.
But the clan could not fail to punish that scoundrel, even if he was the Clan Head's son.
Never mind Yun Xiaoniu; even Chen Jianghe felt a flash of killing intent upon hearing this.
Seeing the look Yu Daniu gave him, Chen Jianghe nodded and said to Yun Huizhen, "I can help Daniu restrain Xiaoniu."
"Sister-in-law, in your current condition, you shouldn't be thinking so much. You need to rest."
As Chen Jianghe spoke, he took out a Life Extension Pill and handed it to Yu Daniu.
"Daniu, this is a Life Extension Pill. It should help your wife's condition. Let's go to a training room now."
At a time like this, who had any appetite to eat?
Chen Jianghe stored the spirit food from the table into his storage bag, then led Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen to the training rooms in the southeast district.
He spent two spirit stones to rent a room for three hours.
Watching Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen go inside, Chen Jianghe stood guard outside, his mind replaying what he had just heard.
When the son of the Clan Head was involved, the so-called clan rules and precepts would inevitably lose their balance.
From the looks of it, the Yun Clan Ancestor was likely still unaware of this matter.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken Yun Xiaoniu into seclusion before this issue was fully resolved.
He might have even cut off Yun Xiaoniu's resources.
Even Yu Daniu could see that once Yun Huizhen was gone, Yun Xiaoniu would inevitably part ways with the Yun Clan.
How could the Yun Clan Ancestor not see it?
Therefore, Yun Huizhen could not die now.
She also couldn't stay outside for long and needed to return to the Yun Clan as soon as possible.
It wasn't yet certain that the Yun Clan would split. Everything depended on when the Yun Clan Ancestor and Yun Xiaoniu came out of seclusion.
It all depended on the decision the Yun Clan Ancestor would make.
If the Yun Clan Ancestor stepped in and executed Yun Yifeng—Yun Xiaotian's son and Yun Bufan's elder brother—according to clan law, it would quell the anger of Yu Daniu's family.
The Yun Clan would naturally weather this storm.
But if the Yun Clan Ancestor also shielded Yun Yifeng, then Yu Daniu's family would be in grave danger.
Chen Jianghe considered the possible outcomes of the Yun Clan Ancestor's return.
The best-case scenario was that Yun Yifeng would be executed.
If he were truly shielded, Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu might not escape disaster.
"If the Yun Clan dares to harm Daniu, once I reach Core Formation, I will surely pay them a visit and demand an explanation!"
Three hours passed.
Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen emerged.
It was obvious that Yun Huizhen's condition had improved slightly, but not by much. The Life Extension Pill didn't seem very effective for her.
It might have only extended her life by three to five years.
In that case, taking a second one would be useless.
A Life Extension Pill could enhance the body's functions and the soul's essence, but Yun Huizhen's current state was mostly due to mental exhaustion, the pain of losing her son, and her disappointment in the Yun Clan.
"Thank you, Big Brother, for extending my life," Yun Huizhen said gratefully.
"Daniu and I are brothers, and you are his wife. There's no need for such formalities."
Chen Jianghe, recalling his earlier thoughts, sent a voice transmission, "The Yun Clan Ancestor is likely unaware of what happened to Youniu and Sanniu, so you two cannot stay away for long. You must return soon. Xiaoniu's Foundation Establishment still needs you, sister-in-law, to mediate."
Hearing Chen Jianghe's voice transmission, Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen exchanged a look, then turned to Chen Jianghe and transmitted back, "Big Brother is right. Everything still depends on the Ancestor's decision."
"However, it is no longer suitable for us to carry the Profound Ice Jade Marrow. Please keep it, Big Brother, and trouble yourself with the matter of crowdfunding the alchemy."
Yun Huizhen took out a storage bag and handed it directly to Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe scanned it with his divine sense.
Inside was a piece of ice-blue crystal, emitting a bone-chilling cold and a faint halo of light.
There were also a thousand spirit stones.
With a thought, Chen Jianghe moved the Profound Ice Jade Marrow into his own storage bag and returned the empty one to Yun Huizhen.
"Big Brother, the Life Extension Pill is incredibly precious and has no set price on the market. Furthermore, crowdfunding alchemy requires paying a fee to the alchemist. With these thousand spirit stones, we have already taken advantage of you."
Yun Huizhen transmitted.
"Don't worry about the crowdfunding. As for the Life Extension Pill, Daniu and I are brothers. We have no need for such material things between us."
"You should hurry back now, and try to avoid conflict as much as possible."
"If the Yun Clan Ancestor and Xiaoniu come out of seclusion, have Xiaoniu come to Qinghe Market City first. I can ensure his safety."
After some thought, Chen Jianghe still felt it would be safer for Yun Xiaoniu to come to Qinghe Market City after his seclusion.
As long as Yun Xiaoniu wasn't at Mirror Moon Lake, the Yun Clan Ancestor wouldn't dare to ignore his thoughts when making a decision.
Otherwise, if Yun Xiaoniu successfully reached Foundation Establishment in the future, it would be a nightmare for the Yun Clan.
One had to remember, Yun Xiaoniu was not like Lan Tianxiang.
To deal with Lan Tianxiang, the Yun Clan could invite Foundation Establishment disciples from the Tiannan Sect. But to deal with Yun Xiaoniu, they couldn't.
On the contrary, Yun Xiaoniu could.
Yu Daniu and Yun Huizhen understood Chen Jianghe's meaning. They nodded heavily, said their goodbyes, and left.
Chen Jianghe watched them board the large ship heading for Mirror Moon Lake.
Then he returned to Green Ping Alley.
He wasn't worried about their safety on the way back to Mirror Moon Lake.
Yu Daniu was not only at the ninth layer of Qi Refining but had also reached perfection in body tempering. He also possessed a top-grade flying sword and a top-grade defensive magic tool.
Even the bandit leader Duan Ming from back then would not necessarily be his match.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, you've kept me waiting for quite some time."
Just as Chen Jianghe entered Green Ping Alley, he ran into Ji Wujin, whose face was beaming with success, as if he had just landed a big fish.
"I've brought the goods we agreed on."
"Hehe, this time you can treat me to a meal at the Qinghe Restaurant, right?"