Chapter 236
Chapter 236
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 236
Chapter Title: The Two Women's Changes and the Golden Sands Undercurrent
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"The Snow Palace?"
Chen Jianghe's expression remained unchanged, but his heart trembled.
The ancient, magnificent palace atop the great snowy mountain was perennially covered in snow, making it impossible to distinguish where its gates were.
Only the protruding roof of the palace was visible, reflecting a silver glow.
Gao Peiyao had said there was a third-rank demonic beast in the Snow Palace, and as long as they didn't get close, they wouldn't be in mortal danger.
But why did Luo Xiyue say to run towards the Snow Palace if they encountered great danger?
When Luo Xiyue mentioned the Snow Palace, she had sent him a private voice transmission, seemingly not wanting Gao Peiyao to know.
This made Chen Jianghe murmur inwardly.
Logically, Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue had a better relationship.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, a streak of sword light flashed across the sky above them, followed by a mid-rank second-tier demonic beast.
Upon seeing Chen Jianghe's group of three, the demonic beast stopped chasing the sword light and turned to attack them instead.
Luo Xiyue extended a delicate hand, summoning the Remnant Snow Sword. It circled her graceful figure as she flew towards the mid-rank second-tier Wind-Rending Wolf, the sword swiftly thrusting forward.
"Brother Jianghe, we need to be wary of demonic beasts being lured over. Those Foundation Establishment cultivators who entered through the trade have already split from the sect disciples to seek their own opportunities."
"If these cultivators encounter a demonic beast they can't defeat, they'll draw it towards other cultivators, making others take the fall for them."
As Gao Peiyao spoke, a mid-rank second-tier escape talisman appeared in her hand. It whipped up a whirlwind, and she quickly gave chase to the cultivator who had diverted the trouble.
Chen Jianghe watched the two women leave his side in an instant, one to slay the demonic beast, the other to hunt down the cultivator, a tacit understanding between them.
Did that direct descendant of a top Immortal Clan want to divert disaster onto them?
Did he think Chen Jianghe, accompanied by two women, was an easy target?
"Such a cunning and despicable person, truly hateful. If I were alone, I'd definitely run you to the ground."
With a thought, Chen Jianghe released Maoqiu from the spirit beast space to protect him.
He didn't dare extend his spiritual sense too far, so he could only observe with his Dharma Eye, concentrating his mana at his Qingming acupoint.
His eyes flickered with a dark light.
Chen Jianghe looked in the direction Gao Peiyao had chased, but she was already out of sight, having disappeared behind the snowy mountains.
He could only move closer to Luo Xiyue with Maoqiu.
He saw Luo Xiyue standing in the air, forming hand seals. The Remnant Snow Sword grew to three zhang in size, moving like a swimming dragon as it battled the mid-rank second-tier Wind-Rending Wolf.
"Awooo~"
The Wind-Rending Wolf seemed to sense the cultivator's strength and let out a howl, intending to summon its pack.
But at that very moment.
The Wind-Rending Wolf's howl came to an abrupt halt.
The Remnant Snow Sword suddenly shrank back to three feet, twirling in the air like a flower. Taking advantage of the moment the wolf was calling its companions, it stabbed sharply at its neck.
Bang!
Bang!
The Wind-Rending Wolf's roar ceased as a series of wind blades shot from its mouth, colliding with the Remnant Snow Sword.
"Maoqiu, go."
Chen Jianghe seized the opportunity and immediately had Maoqiu strike.
In an instant, [Divine Illusion] and [Divine Confusion] were cast simultaneously. Maoqiu, wielding the heavy profound iron rod, appeared behind the Wind-Rending Wolf and smashed it viciously towards its waist.
Crack!
The Wind-Rending Wolf couldn't react in time. The heavy profound iron rod struck its hindquarters, causing a section to instantly collapse into a bloody mess.
Meanwhile, the Remnant Snow Sword pierced through its neck from the front.
The Wind-Rending Wolf's life was extinguished in an instant.
Chen Jianghe flew forward, collected the Wind-Rending Wolf's body into his storage pouch, and said to Luo Xiyue, "Let's go, quickly. Its companions will be here soon."
Luo Xiyue nodded, and they quickly flew towards Sunset Lake.
She showed a look of appreciation for Chen Jianghe's decisiveness.
Without using the Profound Ice Sword Art, it would have taken Luo Xiyue some time to kill the Wind-Rending Wolf.
Although it wouldn't have taken too long.
But in a mystic realm, any kind of crisis could occur.
If they were besieged by a pack of Wind-Rending Wolves, even with a Talisman Treasure, they would have to flee in a panic.
Chen Jianghe choosing the right moment to release his spirit beast to attack was the correct move.
Because of the restrictions within the mystic realm, they didn't dare fly too fast. They could only probe forward with their spiritual sense, afraid of accidentally straying into a formation or restriction.
Outside, a distance of over twenty li would have taken only a dozen breaths at full speed.
Now, however, it took a quarter of an hour.
After a while.
Gao Peiyao flew back, her expression calm.
Unsurprisingly, that direct descendant from the top Immortal Clan had an unfortunate accident.
"Brother Jianghe, is this your second-tier water-attribute spirit beast? Not bad. Mid-rank second-tier, with a special spirit-nurturing grade artifact crafted by Sister Xiyue. Its combat power is no less than that of an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator."
Gao Peiyao glanced at Maoqiu and offered a word of praise.
"Jiji~"
Hearing Gao Peiyao's praise, Maoqiu proudly puffed out its chest and brandished the heavy profound iron rod in its hand.
"This Mountain Velvet Beast is quite intelligent," Gao Peiyao added.
"Yes, it understands what I say."
Chen Jianghe nodded and had Maoqiu stand quietly behind him, while he positioned himself slightly behind and between Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue.
As they flew, they formed a triangular formation.
"Xiao Hei, stay sharp. Be ready to face enemies at any time," Chen Jianghe transmitted to Xiao Hei in his spiritual platform, not daring to be the least bit careless.
"Don't worry, I know."
Xiao Hei's voice resounded in Chen Jianghe's spiritual platform within his sea of consciousness, giving him a great sense of security.
This felt far more real than the sense of security Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue gave him.
Chen Jianghe's Dharma Eye peered into the distance of the snow-white canyon. Though his view was obstructed by the mountain forest, he could see cultivators using puppets to collect low and mid-rank second-tier spirit items.
"Go ahead and search. Only what you manage to keep until the end is truly yours."
Not long after.
They arrived at a diagonal intersection of canyons. Ten li ahead, a pool of water came into view—it was their destination, Sunset Lake.
"Brother Jianghe, Sister Xiyue, we've arrived at Sunset Lake. Retract your spiritual sense so we don't alarm the demonic beasts in the lake."
Gao Peiyao reminded them.
Then she took out a puppet and manipulated it to retrieve the spirit items in sight.
The area around Sunset Lake was rich with spirit items, including many low and mid-rank second-tier ones, both medicinal herbs and spiritual materials.
Luo Xiyue also took out a puppet at this time, sending it forward to collect treasures.
Chen Jianghe noticed that after arriving in the vicinity of Sunset Lake, the two women didn't seem to be in a hurry to retrieve the spirit items from within the lake itself.
Instead, they began to gather the spirit items on the outskirts.
He didn't just stand there either. With a thought, he took out a high-rank first-tier auxiliary puppet. His spiritual sense manipulated the core matrix inside the puppet, and the pre-embedded spirit stones released spiritual energy, powering the puppet's body.
The next moment.
The puppet moved, walking towards a hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom. This was a low-rank second-tier spirit item that could be used to refine spirit pills or directly aid in body tempering.
The moment the puppet touched the hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom, Chen Jianghe withdrew his spiritual sense, letting the puppet retrieve the treasure on its own.
This way, even if there was a restriction that attacked spiritual sense, he wouldn't be harmed.
If it were some other kind of restriction, the worst that could happen was the destruction of the puppet.
"No restriction?!"
Chen Jianghe was delighted to see the puppet retrieve the spirit item. He had the puppet return and took the hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Mushroom in his hand.
"Opportunities are everywhere in the mystic realm, free for the taking. The rumors outside were actually true!"
Chen Jianghe looked at Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue.
He discovered that both of them had a second-tier puppet. Judging by the spiritual energy aura they emitted, they were likely mid-rank second-tier puppets.
The two women sat cross-legged a hundred meters apart, each controlling eight first-tier puppets to search for treasures around Sunset Lake.
There was a peak second-tier demonic beast in Sunset Lake.
Perhaps even more than one.
This deterred other demonic beasts from approaching the Sunset Lake area, which naturally allowed them to collect treasures at will without disturbing the beasts within the lake.
"Although I don't have a mid-rank second-tier puppet, I have Maoqiu protecting me. In terms of safety, it's far more reliable than a mid-rank second-tier puppet."
Chen Jianghe sat down cross-legged and took out nine high-rank first-tier auxiliary puppets and three high-rank first-tier attack puppets.
The attack puppets stood beside him, guarding him just like Maoqiu.
Though not of great use, they could serve as cannon fodder if real danger arose.
His spiritual sense transformed into threads, entering the matrices of the nine high-rank first-tier auxiliary puppets. Like a puppeteer, he controlled the puppets to gather spirit items on the outskirts of Sunset Lake.
Before they knew it.
Five days had passed.
Chen Jianghe, Gao Peiyao, and Luo Xiyue had moved to the other side of Sunset Lake, continuing to gather spirit items from the outermost periphery.
Although these spirit items were only low and mid-rank second-tier and not considered particularly precious in the mystic realm.
Outside, each one was worth at least five or six hundred spirit stones, yet here they could be obtained with ease.
Naturally, they wouldn't let such an opportunity go to waste.
While the opportunities within Sunset Lake were greater, if they failed to obtain them and alerted the demonic beasts inside, they would lose the chance to even collect these low and mid-rank second-tier spirit items.
First, secure the low and mid-rank second-tier spirit items to break even.
Then, plan for the treasures within the lake.
Another three days passed.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes, took out a second storage pouch from his robes, and placed the spirit items retrieved by seven puppets inside.
The corners of his mouth turned up, his eyes filled with joy.
In just eight short days, he had collected eighty-two spirit items, both low-rank and mid-rank second-tier.
If sold at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the least valuable among them would fetch five hundred spirit stones.
"It would be great if I could stay in this mystic realm for ten years."
Chen Jianghe sighed inwardly.
Of course, he also knew that only in a perilous place like Sunset Lake could they collect treasures like this. If it were anywhere else.
Gathering treasures so recklessly.
The puppets would have been destroyed long ago.
This place was guarded by a peak second-tier demonic beast, so there were relatively fewer restrictions. Even so, Chen Jianghe had lost two puppets.
While trying to retrieve an Iceheart Grass, one touched a formation restriction and was directly pulled into the formation.
Chen Jianghe had no way of finding it unless he also entered the formation.
Who knew what was inside that formation?
He certainly didn't dare to enter.
Another puppet got stuck in the flowing golden sand at the bottom of the river while trying to retrieve a Water Spirit Jade, an item that could absorb worldly spiritual energy.
He could only watch helplessly as the Water Spirit Jade lay quietly at the river bottom, with no way to retrieve it.
Although he could use his spiritual sense or mana, he was worried about getting trapped in a formation restriction. For safety's sake, it was better to take what was easily obtainable first.
The difficult ones would be left for last.
Or he could wait for someone else to get it, then find a way to get it back from them.
Another ten days passed.
The three of them had scoured the periphery of Sunset Lake clean of treasures.
Chen Jianghe's second storage pouch had little space left. He now had nearly two hundred spirit items, most of which were medicinal herbs.
Fifty-two mid-rank second-tier spirit items.
One hundred thirty-one low-rank second-tier spirit items.
As for high-rank second-tier spirit items and those that could absorb worldly spiritual energy, he had none.
It wasn't that he hadn't found any, but that he found them and couldn't get his hands on them.
For example, the Water Spirit Jade on the golden sands undercurrent. Once a puppet touched it, it would sink into the abyss.
He tried using a high-grade artifact.
As soon as it entered the range of the golden sands undercurrent, his spiritual sense lost its connection to the artifact.
It was simply impossible to retrieve.
This gave Chen Jianghe a deeper understanding of the rumors circulating outside.
"Opportunities are everywhere in the mystic realm, spirit items as far as the eye can see." This statement wasn't false, but they were all low and mid-rank second-tier spirit items.
As for high-rank and top-rank second-tier spirit items, they were quite rare.
And items that could absorb worldly spiritual energy were even scarcer, and all were protected by restrictions, making them difficult to obtain.
Six of Chen Jianghe's nine auxiliary puppets were destroyed, leaving three, but the value of the spirit items he obtained.
...far exceeded the value of the puppets.
Luo Xiyue lost seven puppets and obtained no fewer than one hundred and fifty spirit items.
Gao Peiyao lost five puppets and obtained the most spirit items. Chen Jianghe saw that Gao Peiyao used three different styles of storage pouches to collect her spirit items.
In other words, Gao Peiyao had obtained at least two hundred spirit items.
Both Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue were at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Their spiritual cultivation had likely reached the sixth level as well.
Although Chen Jianghe had only cultivated the Soul Sea Solidification Scripture to the fifth level, his soul essence was different from that of ordinary people.
It was inherently much stronger than that of other cultivators.
Therefore, his spiritual sense strength had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, so he didn't fall behind in controlling puppets to retrieve treasures.
It was just that Gao Peiyao's speed of collection was ridiculously fast.
Clearly, her spiritual sense was even stronger.
Surpassing both his and Luo Xiyue's.
Gao Peiyao watched Chen Jianghe as he collected his puppets. During the treasure hunt, she had been keeping an eye on both him and Luo Xiyue.
Luo Xiyue had retrieved treasures over two hundred times.
Chen Jianghe had retrieved treasures nearly two hundred times.
She, on the other hand, had done so three hundred and twenty-five times.
Chen Jianghe had the fewest retrievals, his ability to control puppets with his spiritual sense was insufficient, his spiritual sense strength was weak, and he even had to use barrier-breaking talismans to break minor restrictions.
All of this seemed normal.
But in fact, it was not.
Gao Peiyao could clearly judge from the process of Chen Jianghe's treasure retrieval that the strength of his spiritual sense had definitely reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
This was not the spiritual sense strength a normal mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator should have.
Chen Jianghe's spiritual cultivation technique had come from her, so Gao Peiyao was very familiar with the Soul Sea Solidification Scripture.
Before cultivating to the sixth level, it was absolutely impossible for one's spiritual sense to reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
As for cultivating to the sixth level?
Gao Peiyao didn't believe Chen Jianghe could have cultivated the Soul Sea Solidification Scripture to that level in such a short time, as it required a vast amount of resources.
"Could he be like me?"
"But if that's the case, his spiritual sense is a bit too weak."
"Even if he couldn't reach my level, it should still be slightly stronger than Luo Xiyue's."
Gao Peiyao didn't dwell on it further. No matter what trump cards Chen Jianghe had, she needed a friend like him who was blessed with opportunities.
"Brother Jianghe, where is the Water Spirit Jade you mentioned?"
"I'll take you there."
Chen Jianghe led Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue to the side of a snowy forest, to a river connected to Sunset Lake. It was covered in thick snow, and a probe with spiritual sense revealed that the river's surface was frozen three feet deep.
However, there was a hole in the ice, through which one could see the swift undercurrent below.
This was the very hole Chen Jianghe had made with his puppet.
"So much golden sand in the undercurrent?"
A look of shock appeared in Gao Peiyao's eyes, followed by immense joy. She looked at Chen Jianghe with a gentle gaze.
"Brother Jianghe, the Water Spirit Jade is yours. Could you give this golden sand undercurrent to me?"
"What's the use of this golden sand?"
"It can be used for artifact refinement."
Luo Xiyue's cool voice sounded.
"The golden sand undercurrent is a third-rank spirit item. It has the power to seal spiritual sense and suppress mana. It's a primary material for refining Dharma Treasures."
"Uh!"
Chen Jianghe was stunned. He hadn't encountered any high-rank or top-rank second-tier spirit items, but he had stumbled upon a third-rank one.
And it was a primary material for refining Dharma Treasures.
He looked at Gao Peiyao, thinking about what she had said.
Compared to the golden sand undercurrent, the Water Spirit Jade was like a single hair from nine oxen—practically worthless.
However, he didn't even have the means to retrieve the Water Spirit Jade, let alone the golden sand.
"The Water Spirit Jade is on top of the golden sand undercurrent. I can't even get the Water Spirit Jade, much less the sand. Peiyao, if you can take the sand, then the Water Spirit Jade is naturally yours as well."
Chen Jianghe gave a bitter smile.
To have a treasure right in front of him but no way to obtain it left him feeling rather helpless.
"There are three units of golden sand here. For refining a Dharma Treasure, one unit is enough."
Before Gao Peiyao could say anything, Luo Xiyue spoke up directly, "You discovered this golden sand undercurrent, but you have no means to collect it, and we are together."
"I'll collect these three units of golden sand, and we'll split it evenly among the three of us. As for that Water Spirit Jade... it's yours."
Hearing Luo Xiyue's words, Chen Jianghe didn't answer immediately but looked at Gao Peiyao.
"Sister Xiyue is right. Let's divide it that way."
Gao Peiyao let out a light laugh, the gentleness in her eyes undiminished. She wasn't angry that Luo Xiyue had interfered with her proposed distribution.
"Alright then. I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Luo."
Chen Jianghe said.
Since entering the mystic realm, Chen Jianghe had noticed a subtle change in the relationship between Luo Xiyue and Gao Peiyao.
The two of them were not as close as they had been outside.
It was as if their closeness outside had all been an act.
But something about that felt wrong to him.
If Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue's friendship was just an act, then why had Luo Xiyue helped him so much, seemingly for Gao Peiyao's sake?
A spirit-nurturing artifact, a talisman-crafting inheritance.
Although Luo Xiyue had a plausible reason for giving him these benefits, they felt somewhat forced.
He had always believed it was because of Gao Peiyao that Luo Xiyue didn't mind helping him so much.
But in the matter of the third-rank spirit item, the golden sand undercurrent, Luo Xiyue was clearly undermining Gao Peiyao.
Otherwise, all three units of the golden sand would have gone to Gao Peiyao.
And Chen Jianghe would have only gotten a piece of Water Spirit Jade.
Now, he had gained a unit of the golden sand—a third-rank spirit item, and a primary material for refining a Dharma Treasure at that.
Its value was immeasurable.
"Perhaps Luo Xiyue also wanted a piece of the pie, so she undermined Gao Peiyao. My benefit was just a side effect."
Chen Jianghe thought to himself.
A snowflake insignia appeared on Luo Xiyue's brow, and a silver-gray light fell upon the jade bottle in her hand.
Her delicate hand formed a seal. A profound seal flashed with light and imprinted itself on the mouth of the jade bottle, which then flew to the hole in the ice, its mouth aimed at the river.
"Ice Spirit Seal, collect!"
Luo Xiyue shouted delicately. The profound seal entered the riverbed and struck the golden sand undercurrent.
A suction force emerged from the jade bottle, and the golden sand was drawn up like mud, forming a golden pillar as it entered the bottle.
Afterward, Luo Xiyue took out two more jade bottles, applied seals to them, and divided the golden sand evenly among the three bottles.
She gave one jade bottle each to Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao.
The next moment, she extended a fair, delicate hand and pointed at the river. The piece of Water Spirit Jade landed in her palm.
It then flew in front of Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe didn't stand on ceremony. He accepted the jade bottle containing a unit of the golden sand and also took the Water Spirit Jade.
"Brother Jianghe, you're truly our lucky star. We've been in the mystic realm for less than a month and have already obtained a third-rank spirit item, a primary material for refining Dharma Treasures no less."
"With this treasure, our trip has already been worthwhile."
Gao Peiyao said joyfully.
"Then let's leave Sunset Lake..."
"No!"
"No!"
Before Chen Jianghe could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by both Gao Peiyao and Luo Xiyue at almost the same time.
Their decisive words rejected Chen Jianghe's proposal.
Sunset Lake was right before them.
How could they possibly leave?
Their purpose for entering the Wind and Snow Valley Mystic Realm was to retrieve the Core Formation spirit item from Sunset Lake.
It was true that the golden sand was a primary material for refining Dharma Treasures.
It was also true that its value was enough to be traded for a lesser Core Formation spirit item outside.
But the spirit item in Sunset Lake was even more precious.
Chen Jianghe rolled his eyes.
If you're not willing to leave, what's this talk about the trip already being worthwhile?
At this moment, he really wanted to leave Sunset Lake, find a safe place, and hide there until the mystic realm's passage opened again.
"Sister Xiyue, we can't use our Talisman Treasures right now. We must be careful when dealing with the peak second-tier demonic beast."
"Mm, I know."
"Then let's act in three days. We'll lure out the peak second-tier demonic beast to buy Brother Jianghe time to retrieve the treasure."
"Agreed."
The two women finished their discussion.
Luo Xiyue immediately sat down cross-legged by the river and began to restore her mana and cultivate her essence and spirit.
Facing a peak second-tier demonic beast, even with her Profound Ice Sword Art, she didn't dare to be careless without using her Talisman Treasure.
Gao Peiyao glanced at Chen Jianghe but said nothing. She also sat down cross-legged to restore her mana and calm her mind.
"Brother Jianghe, if you get the spirit item, don't worry about us. Just run south. Thirty li to the south is Golden Eagle Cliff. Senior Brother Xiao Chen is searching for treasures there; he can protect you."
Gao Peiyao sent Chen Jianghe a voice transmission.
This made Chen Jianghe feel extremely insecure.
If he had known coming in with these two would involve such great risk, he wouldn't have come no matter what.
The favor he owed could have been repaid in other ways.
This was too dangerous.
Instantly, the joy of obtaining the third-rank spirit item, the golden sand undercurrent, and the Water Spirit Jade was washed away.
"If there's a third peak second-tier demonic beast in Sunset Lake, don't try to get the treasure. Head directly to Golden Eagle Cliff. Your safety is the top priority."
"Remember, you must not go to the Snow Palace. There's a third-rank demonic beast there."
Gao Peiyao sent another voice transmission.
Chen Jianghe replied in the affirmative.
But inwardly, he was in a dilemma, not knowing who to listen to.
Luo Xiyue had said that if a third demonic beast appeared in Sunset Lake and it was late-rank second-tier, they should flee.
If they encountered great danger, they should flee towards the Snow Palace.
But Gao Peiyao said if a third peak second-tier demonic beast appeared, he should flee immediately to Golden Eagle Cliff.
And she had again emphasized not to go to the Snow Palace, as there was a third-rank demonic beast there.
...