Chapter 231
Chapter 231
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 231
Chapter Title: The Flow of Time and a Detailed List
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“Young Master, why did you give him a piece of Supreme Purity Jade for free? You didn’t even take it out when you traded with Grandmaster Cen.”
After Chen Jianghe left, Uncle Mu emerged from the crowd and approached Lu Qingming, asking with some confusion.
“It’s different.”
Lu Qingming chuckled lightly. “Although Cen Linchuan is a direct descendant of the Cen Clan, his clan is in the Northern Territory, beneath the Artifact Refining Immortal Chen Clan. He has a family, so he’s not worthy of my serious consideration.”
“This Chen Jianghe, though a rogue cultivator, has become a Talisman Grandmaster. He also became Dao companions with that Artifact Refining Grandmaster who cultivates the Profound Ice Sword Art. Based on this point alone, his status in my eyes surpasses Cen Linchuan’s.”
“Not to mention, he’s also a childhood friend of Gao Peiyao, the one Xiao Chen adores. Ai… back then, I only thought it was fun and interesting to get involved with him.”
“Today, I’ve paid the price of a piece of Supreme Purity Jade. If it can turn an enemy into a friend, it’s a good turn of fate.”
Lu Qingming’s words were filled with disdain for Cen Linchuan and reverence for Luo Xiyue.
He somewhat regretted listening to Duan Tiande back then, thinking it was all just for fun.
He never expected to have formed such a significant karmic bond with someone.
“Young Master, did he really marry that woman?”
Thinking of Luo Xiyue’s sword strike, Uncle Mu couldn’t help but tremble inwardly. The might of that single strike still left him with lingering fear.
In his mind, how could a heaven-blessed woman like Luo Xiyue marry down to someone like Chen Jianghe?
Lu Qingming gazed in the direction Chen Jianghe had left, somewhat silent.
How could someone who cultivates the Profound Ice Sword Art possibly become Dao companions with a rogue cultivator?
Yet, everyone in the market city said that Luo Xiyue was Chen Jianghe’s wife. Even he himself had witnessed it at the Thousand Mountains Restaurant, seeing Luo Xiyue follow closely by Chen Jianghe’s side, handling the trade with Xiao Chen for him.
She was gentle and obedient, managing the household finances.
Furthermore, the vicious generals from the Yue Kingdom had twice sought out Chen Jianghe at Golden Ao Mountain, only to be slain by Luo Xiyue.
She was practically a husband-protecting fiend.
“It should be true.”
Lu Qingming nodded.
In his eyes, killing a mere Chen Jianghe was as easy as turning his hand, but to make a move on Luo Xiyue?
He didn’t dare, nor could he do it.
Cultivating the Profound Ice Sword Art was a secret known only to the one sect and four clans.
After leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Chen Jianghe passed by the communal mountain peak where Ruan Tieniu lived and saw two immortal kingdom generals from a distance.
He didn’t stir up any trouble.
He would wait until they were heading to the mystic realm to meet with Ruan Tieniu and congratulate him on his narrow escape from death.
As for the two Tier 2 high-grade talismans, he would have to give them to him after some time.
“Hmm? Xu Feng is still under surveillance?!”
Chen Jianghe looked at another mountain peak where cultivators resided and noticed two more immortal kingdom generals there as well.
Xu Feng lived there.
“He only asked about Ruan Tieniu’s whereabouts. There’s no need to keep an eye on him, is there? Besides, Ruan Tieniu is already back. They just need to watch Ruan Tieniu!”
Chen Jianghe was a bit puzzled.
He didn’t know that Xu Feng’s ‘friendship’ with Ruan Tieniu was in no way inferior to his own.
After Xu Feng arrived at Thousand Mountains Market City, he saw Ruan Tieniu flourishing by leveraging his ‘connection’ with Chen Jianghe.
He decided to learn from Ruan Tieniu.
However, he didn’t ride on Chen Jianghe’s coattails, but rather on his friendship with Ruan Tieniu.
He spread the word that he and Ruan Tieniu shared a truly life-and-death bond.
This wasn’t entirely false. Back when they were in Qinghe Market City, the Xu brothers and Ruan Tieniu had entered the Roaming Immortal Mountain Range together.
They had faced nine deaths and one life to obtain the Ice Heart Grass.
Wasn’t that a life-and-death bond?
Xu Feng had hoped to use this connection to get by more easily in the spirit-thieving circle, but he hadn’t expected it to bring him disaster.
The generals from the Yue Kingdom didn’t dare go to Golden Ao Mountain, nor did they dare to provoke Chen Jianghe, who was protected by the two female gods of death, Luo Xiyue and Gao Peiyao.
So, they could only keep their eyes on Ruan Tieniu’s ‘bosom buddy, life-and-death brother’.
Chen Jianghe quickly left the market city and flew his sword towards Golden Ao Mountain. An incense stick’s time later, he arrived at the edge of the mountain.
“Fellow Daoist Cen?”
Chen Jianghe saw Cen Linchuan outside the mountain-protecting formation. It seemed he was here looking for him.
“Fellow Daoist Chen?!”
Cen Linchuan was first taken aback to see Chen Jianghe returning from the direction of the market city, then smiled, “Fellow Daoist Chen has been out.”
“Is Fellow Daoist Cen looking for me? I’ve made you wait.”
Chen Jianghe’s amiable face showed no dissatisfaction despite having submitted a Tier 2 high-grade talisman to the Talisman Masters Alliance.
His attitude was friendly, his tone gentle.
“Hehe, I just arrived myself. I am indeed here to find you,” Cen Linchuan said with a light laugh, his demeanor elegant.
“May I ask what it is about? To trouble Fellow Daoist Cen to make a trip here personally.”
“It’s nothing much, just that the Tier 2 high-grade Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman is too precious. The Talisman Masters Alliance wishes to compensate you with some spirit stones.”
As Cen Linchuan spoke, he took out a storage bag.
“Here are five thousand spirit stones, as compensation for your contribution to the Talisman Masters Alliance. Please accept them.”
“This… then many thanks to Fellow Daoist Cen.”
Chen Jianghe took the storage bag. A sweep of his spiritual sense revealed a small mountain of spirit stones inside the one-cubic-meter bag, exactly five thousand.
He transferred them to his own storage bag and returned the empty one to Cen Linchuan.
His gaze towards Cen Linchuan became even friendlier.
He didn’t return to Golden Ao Mountain, but waited for Cen Linchuan to continue.
Coming to give five thousand spirit stones as compensation?
Since when was the Cen Clan so kind?
Because the Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman was too precious?
Weren’t the Tier 2 high-grade talismans drawn by other Talisman Grandmasters precious? It was obviously just an excuse.
He could tell that the Cen Clan had only compensated him.
Perhaps this compensation even came from Cen Linchuan’s own pocket.
Their eyes met, and they stood in silence, a bit awkwardly.
Cen Linchuan broke the awkward atmosphere by cupping his hands and saying, “I was previously unaware that Fellow Daoist Chen and Fairy Luo were husband and wife. My apologies.”
“I would like to ask Fellow Daoist Chen for a favor. Please ask Fairy Luo to refine a spirit-nurturing defensive artifact. I am willing to offer two… no, three medium-grade Origin Spirit Pills as a token of gratitude.”
“Fellow Daoist Cen, please take a look.”
Chen Jianghe didn’t reply directly, nor did he clarify his relationship with Luo Xiyue. Such matters only became messier the more one tried to explain.
He pointed towards the sky above Golden Ao Mountain. Under the operation of the formation, the entire mountain was divided into three parts.
“Uh…”
Cen Linchuan looked at the isolation formation, assuming that Chen Jianghe and Luo Xiyue had quarreled and were thus living separately, isolated from each other.
“Then, after you and Fairy Luo have reconciled, could I possibly request a chance for her to refine an artifact?”
“I will mention it.”
“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Chen. When the artifact is completed in the future, there will be another generous gift.”
Having received Chen Jianghe’s reply, Cen Linchuan left, satisfied.
Of course, he knew he couldn’t hope to get the spirit-nurturing defensive artifact before entering the mystic realm.
But, getting it after coming out of the mystic realm would be great too!
He had previously decided against seeking out Luo Xiyue to refine an artifact.
To have a dignified direct descendant of the Cen Clan humbly beg Chen Jianghe was truly demeaning.
But after approaching the Artifact Refining Immortal Chen Clan…
He decided that interacting with Chen Jianghe was better after all.
The attitude of the Artifact Refining Immortal Chen Clan was arrogant; they didn’t give him, a direct descendant of the Cen Clan, any regard at all.
And the price for refining was even higher.
To refine a spirit-nurturing defensive artifact, they required a Tier 2 top-grade heaven-and-earth spiritual item that could be absorbed as payment.
And even then, he had to get in line.
In the eyes of the Artifact Refining Immortal Chen Clan, he was no different from an ordinary rogue cultivator, just a low-level cultivator coming to beg for artifact refinement.
Inherently a step below them.
Chen Jianghe returned to the Spirit Spring Abode, weighing the storage bag in his hand which contained the five thousand spirit stones from Cen Linchuan.
One Tier 2 high-grade talisman was compensated with five thousand spirit stones.
A Core Formation Immortal Clan was a Core Formation Immortal Clan. Their disdain for low-level cultivators was bone-deep.
It was impossible to buy a Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman with low-grade spirit stones.
Its value couldn't be measured in spirit stones.
Even if one were to equate it, five thousand or even ten thousand spirit stones wouldn't be enough to buy a Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman.
It contained a supreme defensive spell of the late Foundation Establishment stage.
It was a true life-saving talisman.
If this were south of the Sky-Reaching River, this single talisman could be passed down as a family heirloom.
Besides, Cen Linchuan’s gift of spirit stones wasn’t to compensate Chen Jianghe, but to use him as a mouthpiece to request an opportunity for artifact refinement.
“Five thousand spirit stones as compensation. Very well, I’ll leave an extra five thousand spirit stones for the Cen Clan in the future.”
Chen Jianghe muttered to himself.
As for helping Cen Linchuan request a chance for artifact refinement…
Three medium-grade Origin Spirit Pills?
Since you look down on rogue cultivators, then just wait!
Two months passed.
Chen Jianghe stopped cultivating the Tidal Marrow Cleansing Art. The Blood Jade Ginseng was used up, and its effect on cultivating the art wasn’t very good anyway.
He had already reached the fifth level, catching up to his spiritual power cultivation. He could take a break for the time being.
After all, continuing to cultivate wouldn’t bring significant improvement, and it wasn’t very meaningful for his current situation.
Under Xiao Hei’s care, five or six of the Black Armor Turtles had already become Tier 1 mid-stage demonic beasts.
They could assist him in cultivating the fifth level of the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture and constructing the soul sea barrier.
If he could complete the basic construction of the soul sea barrier before entering the mystic realm, it would be a huge boost for him.
He made a trip to the market city and bought fifty portions of Soul-Fixing Clay and Spirit-Nurturing Grass, spending four thousand spirit stones.
Although these two spiritual items weren’t very effective for him, they could help him refine the souls of the Black Armor Turtles.
After a month of absorbing and refining the Soul-Fixing Clay and Spirit-Nurturing Grass…
Chen Jianghe had an additional Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman in his hand.
In his sea of consciousness, within the ten-zhang range above the spiritual platform, his soul power was abundant, ready to refine the soul armor of the Black Armor Turtles for cultivation.
He arrived at the Black Armor Turtles’ habitat.
Glancing at Xiao Hei cultivating nearby, he waved his hand. Threads of spiritual power, dense and numerous, poured out from his divine gate, weaving into a net of spiritual power that trapped a Black Armor Turtle with a shell five chi in size.
He brought it back to the Spirit Spring Abode.
He sat cross-legged on the Black Armor Turtle’s shell. Soul power surged in his sea of consciousness, transforming into spiritual sense that flowed out from the spiritual platform, enveloping the turtle beneath him.
He activated the soul-snatching technique from the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture, peeling off the turtle’s soul armor and refining it into pure soul power.
Under the operation of the fifth level of the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture, the gaze of the Black Armor Turtle beneath him grew dull, and it gradually lost its life force.
Six hours later.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, which glinted brightly, revealing his great joy.
As expected, cultivating the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture and constructing the soul sea barrier was much more effective with mystic turtle soul armor fragments.
This was just a Tier 1 mid-stage Black Armor Turtle. If it were a Tier 1 late-stage one, its soul armor would be even more helpful for his cultivation of the scripture.
It could allow him to cultivate smoothly all the way to the sixth level.
If he could obtain Tier 2 mystic turtle soul armor, he could probably cultivate the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture to the peak of the sixth level within ten years.
Chen Jianghe extended his spiritual sense to its maximum range, which actually reached two hundred seventy-one zhang and three chi.
Then, he tried controlling objects with his spiritual sense.
“Seventy-six jun!”
“My spiritual sense is so strong, it’s hard to find an equal among cultivators of the same stage.”
Chen Jianghe was delighted. Only in the aspect of his soul essence could he be stronger than others, and he never belittled himself for it.
Strong was strong!
After drawing the Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talisman for another six hours, Chen Jianghe continued to refine the soul armor of the Black Armor Turtles.
He checked with Xiao Hei about the state of the turtles.
Within a year, at least seventeen Black Armor Turtles would reach Tier 1 mid-stage, which meant he could complete the basic construction of the soul sea barrier.
This would give his soul sea a certain degree of defensive capability.
It might even have some offensive power.
But it would be a passive attack.
Only when someone else’s spiritual sense attacked his soul sea would the soul spikes on the barrier emerge to attack the enemy’s spiritual sense.
Although it wasn’t an active attack spell, it was a form of soul attack, which was quite good.
However, after cultivating the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture, especially after understanding its cultivation method and characteristics…
He always felt that it was a demonic cultivation technique.
Cultivating with mystic turtle soul armor fragments, wasn’t that just devouring souls to strengthen one’s own soul essence?
Luo Xiyue had said that techniques themselves are neither good nor evil; whether it is the righteous path or the demonic path depends on the cultivator.
When Chen Jianghe cultivated using the Black Armor Turtles, he would always bring them back to the Spirit Spring Abode or practice elsewhere.
He tried his best to avoid Xiao Hei.
But two days ago, a question from Xiao Hei had left him stunned.
“Among fellow human cultivators, when other cultivators perish, do you feel sad and grieved?”
This sentence left Chen Jianghe dumbfounded.
It made Chen Jianghe realize that Xiao Hei’s intelligence was no less than that of a normal cultivator, perhaps even higher.
Otherwise, why would Xiao Hei ask such a question?
Wasn’t it just telling Chen Jianghe that there was no need to be so reserved?
Therefore, Chen Jianghe now mostly cultivated in the habitat of the Black Armor Turtles.
His current daily cultivation routine was very simple.
Six hours cultivating the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture, and six hours drawing spiritual talismans.
Then he would squeeze in time to refine spiritual pills.
He couldn’t stop alchemy.
Xiao Hei needed spiritual pills to raise the Black Armor Turtles, to reward the mountain monkeys and green-feathered swallows, and to feed the mandarin fish and sturgeons.
Diluting the spiritual pills in the river system could better nourish the fish, increasing their chances of becoming spiritual beasts.
It would also make them fatter and their meat more delicious.
This way, he would earn more spirit stones from selling the spiritual fish in the future.
Another three months passed.
Chen Jianghe had another Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman in his hand. The last piece of Tier 2 high-grade spiritual hide was also used to create a Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman.
In about two more months, he could seal his brush with solidifying spirit.
There was still more than half a year until the mystic realm opened.
He had already refined the soul armor of seven Black Armor Turtles. The strength of his soul essence had improved rapidly, and his cultivation had also grown significantly.
His spiritual sense had reached two hundred ninety-eight zhang and six chi.
His ability to control objects with spiritual sense had also reached ninety-seven jun.
He was only twenty-four sections of patterns away from completing the foundation of the soul sea barrier, and he still had nine Tier 1 mid-stage Black Armor Turtles left to refine.
“Before entering the mystic realm, my spiritual sense will be comparable to that of the late Foundation Establishment stage, and my soul defense will also be in its initial form.”
Chen Jianghe stood up, left the Black Armor Turtle habitat, and returned to the Spirit Spring Abode.
He took out the three letters from the post box.
Two were from Ruan Tieniu, and one was from Yu Daniu.
Following his usual practice, he first opened Yu Daniu’s letter, reading about the trivial matters of his family.
This was also a kind of beauty, calming the heart.
But this letter from Yu Daniu made it impossible for Chen Jianghe’s heart to be calm, and his expression turned ugly.
“Are the Two Clans of Qinghe preparing to make a move on Qiyun Mountain?”
The Two Clans of Qinghe had actually sent people to Qiyun Mountain to demand from the Yu Clan the twenty thousand spirit stones mined from the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine.
This was simply unreasonable.
Those twenty thousand spirit stones were mined by the Yu Clan before the Two Clans of Qinghe had even arrived in the Eastern Territory.
Furthermore, a quarter of these twenty thousand spirit stones had already been handed over to the Tiannan Sect, and a tenth to the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan.
In other words.
The Yu Clan had already paid seven thousand spirit stones in taxes.
Now the Two Clans of Qinghe were demanding twenty thousand spirit stones from the Yu Clan. This meant that for the twenty thousand spirit stones the Yu Clan had worked so hard to mine…
Not only did they not get a single spirit stone…
They even lost seven thousand spirit stones.
Perhaps even more.
After all, hiring cultivators to mine also required payment in spirit stones.
“The Two Clans of Qinghe are just looking for a pretext. They just want to make a move on Qiyun Mountain.”
Chen Jianghe finished reading Yu Daniu’s letter and learned that the Yu Clan had handed over the twenty thousand spirit stones.
They had bought a moment of peace.
But it wouldn’t be long before the Two Clans of Qinghe would surely find another pretext to continue provoking the Yu Clan.
They would force the Yu Clan to have no choice but to leave Qiyun Mountain.
At that time, the Two Clans of Qinghe could occupy Qiyun Mountain without any effort and then scheme for Mirror Moon Lake.
“Why isn’t the Puppet Lu Clan doing anything about the Two Clans of Qinghe? Are they just going to let them grow and expand?”
Chen Jianghe was a bit puzzled.
Back then, when the Yun Clan showed the slightest sign of rising, the Lu Clan began to suppress them. Now, the territory occupied by the Two Clans of Qinghe exceeded a radius of six thousand li.
If they continued to develop like this…
After the Two Clans of Qinghe annexed Qiyun Mountain and Mirror Moon Lake, the territory under their control would be comparable to that of the smallest of the four great immortal kingdoms, the Yu Kingdom.
“It seems that after returning from the mystic realm, I can only ask Gao Peiyao to make a trip to Qiyun Mountain to support the Yu Clan.”
“Hopefully, I can help Gao Peiyao obtain a Core Formation opportunity in the mystic realm, so she’ll be willing to make the trip.”
Chen Jianghe sighed helplessly.
The cultivation world was like this: the weak were prey for the strong, with no reason or logic to it.
Immediately, Chen Jianghe wrote a reply to Yu Daniu, telling him to act cautiously and to abandon Qiyun Mountain if the situation became untenable.
If the territory was lost, another could be found.
But if the people were gone, then everything was gone.
He picked up Ruan Tieniu’s letters. One was from three months ago, and the other was recent.
He first opened the letter from three months ago.
Ruan Tieniu was being watched by cultivators from the Yue Kingdom. Although they wouldn’t make a move in the market city, he was followed wherever he went.
The reason he hadn’t come to find Chen Jianghe was that he didn’t want to bring him trouble.
Reading the contents of the first letter, Ruan Tieniu thought the same as he did.
The two Tier 2 high-grade talismans could be given to him when they were heading to the mystic realm.
Although they would be leaving the market city then, they would be escorted by Perfected Being Chengtian of the Tiannan Sect.
Including Perfected Being Chengtian, the Tiannan Sect was sending three Core Formation elders.
The four top-tier immortal clans were also each sending a Core Formation Almighty.
With a total of seven Core Formation Almighties escorting them, if the Yue Kingdom dared to cause trouble at that time, their kingdom would probably be annihilated in less than a day.
He put down the first letter and opened the second one.
“…”
After reading this letter, Chen Jianghe was a bit speechless.
The content was similar to the first letter, but it had an added tone of admonishment, telling Chen Jianghe to be sure to save his Tier 2 high-grade talismans.
He would definitely enter the mystic realm.
Chen Jianghe turned the two letters into dust.
He continued to cultivate the fifth level of the Soul Sea Origin Consolidation Scripture and draw talismans.
Two months passed.
The Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman was completed.
All seventeen pieces of Tier 2 high-grade spiritual hide he possessed had been made into Tier 2 high-grade talismans.
He had given one Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman to the Talisman Masters Alliance.
Now he had sixteen Tier 2 high-grade talismans in his possession.
Six Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans, five Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, and five Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans.
He needed to give Ruan Tieniu one Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman and one Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talisman.
He needed to give Luo Xiyue two Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans and two Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans.
He would be left with five Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans, two Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, and three Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans.
However, he planned to give one Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman each to Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue.
This meant that after entering the mystic realm, he would have eight Tier 2 high-grade talismans.
That was enough.
He also had Tier 2 mid-grade talismans.
With half a year left before the mystic realm opened, Chen Jianghe would spend this time drawing Tier 2 mid-grade talismans.
He wanted to draw Tier 2 high-grade talismans as well.
But he had no materials; a clever housewife can’t cook without rice.
Tier 2 mid-grade talismans were not bad either.
After all, most of the cultivators entering the mystic realm this time were at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
At that moment.
The formation jade pendant trembled slightly.
It was a voice message from Luo Xiyue, asking him to go to the Waterfall Abode to discuss matters regarding entering the mystic realm.
Chen Jianghe didn’t delay. He had Luo Xiyue open a corner of the formation, flew over the waterfall, and arrived at her courtyard.
Gao Peiyao was also there.
Seeing Chen Jianghe arrive, Gao Peiyao directly took out a jade slip, which contained the basic information of every cultivator entering the mystic realm.
Chen Jianghe scanned it with his spiritual sense.
He read through the information inside.
It also contained his basic information: cultivation level, origin, age, background, abilities… and other public information.
Chen Jianghe also saw the names of Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue.
Luo Xiyue’s background was not listed as a rogue cultivator, but as unknown.
Looking at it this way, this list must have been verified by the Tiannan Sect before being distributed to every sect disciple.
“Lu Qingming, mid-Foundation Establishment. I just don’t know if he has any powerful protective measures.”
“Huh? He Lingchuan, from the He Clan!”
In this detailed list, Chen Jianghe saw the name of He Lingchuan, a direct descendant of the Two Clans of Qinghe from south of the Sky-Reaching River.
Mid-Foundation Establishment…