Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: Inter-Domain Ark and a False Core Senior
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The only female Artifact Refining Grandmaster in the Tiannan Region capable of crafting Spirit-Nurturing Dharma Tools, Fairy Luo, wife of the Fortunate Elder Chen Jianghe, has perished in the Wind Snow Valley Mystic Realm.
"Luo Xiyue has fallen?"
Chen Jianghe set the magazine's jade slip aside.
Thinking about it, it did make sense.
Luo Xiyue didn't emerge from the mystic realm, so wasn't it natural to assume she had died inside?
However, Chen Jianghe knew that Luo Xiyue had indeed left the Wind Snow Valley Mystic Realm, just not back to the Tiannan Region.
Instead, she had entered the Tiannan Cultivation World through the spirit grotto.
But there was no reason for him to clarify this to anyone. Since everyone believed Luo Xiyue had perished, then so be it.
Let her be dead to the world!
If he were to claim Luo Xiyue was alive and reveal the information she had given him, he would likely invite a fatal disaster upon himself.
As the hegemon of the Tiannan Region and its only orthodox immortal sect, the Tiannan Sect had a living immortal, a Nascent Soul True Lord, within its ranks.
They surely knew about the Tiannan Cultivation World.
The lower-level cultivators were kept in the dark because the Tiannan Sect wished it so. If Chen Jianghe were to stick his neck out, he might just end up on the Tiannan Sect's contribution mission board.
He might even attract the direct attention of a Core Formation elder.
"It seems I'll have to stay in Tianmen Market City for a while."
Among the five magazines Chen Jianghe had purchased was the *Tianmen Magazine*, which recorded the history and development of Tianmen Market City.
He learned that Tianmen Market City possessed a flying ship that could travel directly to Immortal Gate Market City. It was an inter-domain ark that could fly straight across the Heaven-Reaching River without stopping midway.
This inter-domain ark made one round trip a year.
It was actually an internal vessel of the Tiannan Sect, specifically for sect disciples traveling between the north and south banks of the Heaven-Reaching River.
Later, it was opened up to cultivators outside the sect, but the price was exorbitant.
A single ticket cost two thousand spirit stones.
And that was during normal times. Now, with the entire Tiannan Region engulfed in the flames of war—a war between cultivators, not mortals—the situation was different.
Flying ships between market cities had all been grounded.
Chen Jianghe had read in the *Current Affairs Magazine* that even the flying ship from Tianmen Market City to Cloud Dream Marsh Market City had ceased operations.
One could imagine that the entire flying ship network in the Tiannan Region was paralyzed.
Even the flying post service had been affected. Only a few major market cities could still exchange letters.
Elsewhere, even the flying posts in the capitals of immortal kingdoms had been suspended.
Chen Jianghe estimated that a ticket on the inter-domain ark would now cost at least five thousand spirit stones.
Never mind five thousand; even if it were ten thousand spirit stones, people would still pay.
Because there was no other choice.
Without the inter-domain ark, one would have to fly to Ferry Market City alone.
Ferry Market City was already a chaotic place teeming with marauding cultivators. Now, the situation was likely even more rampant.
Although Chen Jianghe was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with trump cards that put him on par with a late-stage cultivator, and he could even escape from a Core Formation expert, why would he take the risk if he could avoid putting himself in danger?
Spending extra spirit stones for safety was a price well worth paying, no matter the amount.
Chen Jianghe wrote a letter to Gao Peiyao, telling her about his current situation and asking about Immortal Gate Market City.
Was Yu Daniu there?
And how were Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu doing in Immortal Gate Market City?
He refrained from asking about more important matters, deciding to wait until they met in person.
Chen Jianghe didn't know Yu Daniu's mailing address, nor those of Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu.
He could only write to Gao Peiyao first.
Even then, he was using her old address, uncertain if she had changed her mailing address in Immortal Gate Market City.
After finishing the letter, Chen Jianghe left his room and entrusted it to the Tianmen Inn to be mailed for him.
Staying at the Tianmen Inn included mail services.
He then paid another four hundred spirit stones.
Including the eighty he had paid earlier, he had now paid a total of four hundred and eighty spirit stones, which would allow him to stay at the Tianmen Inn for half a year.
In half a year, the inter-domain ark would depart for Immortal Gate Market City.
Afterward, he went to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion next to Tianmen Market City, heading to the second floor to purchase conventional cultivation resources for Foundation Establishment cultivators.
It wasn't that he lacked resources for himself, but Maoqiu and Xiao Hei did.
The Spirit Spring Pearl had long been absorbed and refined by Xiao Hei.
The second-tier water-attribute spirit core he had given Maoqiu was fully absorbed more than half a year ago.
Now, both Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were relying on Water Spirit Pills for their cultivation.
Tianmen Market City had no exchange fair.
Chen Jianghe had no connections in the city, so he couldn't trade for second-tier, high-grade absorbable natural treasures.
He could only buy Water Spirit Pills for Xiao Hei and Maoqiu for the time being.
As for Latiao, the Ice Soul Pearl would sustain its cultivation for at least another three years.
"Eight hundred spirit stones?"
Chen Jianghe frowned. Even the price of resources for nurturing spirit beasts like Water Spirit Pills had increased.
And it wasn't a small increase either, jumping from five hundred to eight hundred spirit stones.
"Twenty Water Spirit Pills."
"Right away, Senior."
Chen Jianghe purchased twenty Water Spirit Pills. Even with the price hike, he had to buy them. He couldn't delay Xiao Hei and Maoqiu's cultivation.
Their time was more precious than spirit stones.
Still, the instant expenditure of sixteen thousand spirit stones made Chen Jianghe's heart ache.
After returning to the inn, Chen Jianghe used ten Sealing Talismans to reinforce the spirit sense-blocking array. While it couldn't stop the spirit sense of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the talismans would shatter if scanned, giving him an early warning.
He would be able to sense it in advance.
With everything prepared, Chen Jianghe released Xiao Hei and Maoqiu. The low-grade room instantly became crowded.
Xiao Hei's massive body occupied ninety percent of the space.
Fortunately, after swallowing the Water Spirit Pills, Xiao Hei could cultivate the Six Revolutions Great Demon Art even within the spirit beast space.
At least its cultivation wouldn't be delayed.
As for Maoqiu, it didn't have this ability.
But it didn't matter. It could stay by his side to cultivate. The fact that he owned a second-tier water-system spirit beast was already public knowledge.
Moreover, Maoqiu had shrunk in size and was now only eight feet and three inches tall, just a bit taller than a cultivator.
Its limbs were agile, and apart from being unable to speak, it was much like a cultivator.
After swallowing five Water Spirit Pills, Xiao Hei returned to the spirit beast space to cultivate the Six Revolutions Great Demon Art.
Maoqiu remained outside. After consuming one Water Spirit Pill, it also began to refine the spiritual energy within.
As for Latiao, he would keep it hidden for now and wait until they reached Immortal Gate Market City.
He lacked the materials to craft second-tier, high-grade talismans.
For now, Chen Jianghe could only focus on cultivating the Myriad Waters True Scripture and the Tidal Marrow Cleansing Art.
As for crafting second-tier, mid-grade talismans, that would require taking out the Dragon Pattern Red Pine, which was not suitable given his current circumstances.
He would have to put off talisman crafting for later.
---
Immortal Gate Market City.
Yu Daniu and Yun Siniu traveled from Qingyun Town to the market city, heading towards the Immortal Gate Restaurant.
"Fourth Brother, your Aunt Yao invited us to meet. Do you think she has news of your uncle?"
Yu Daniu's voice was filled with anticipation.
"Don't worry, Dad. Uncle will be fine. Didn't Aunt Yao say two years ago that Uncle had already left the mystic realm safely?"
Yun Siniu comforted the old man.
Two years ago, after Gao Peiyao returned from the Wind Snow Valley Mystic Realm in the Arctic Snow Forest, Yu Daniu had repeatedly asked about Chen Jianghe.
But he never received any concrete news.
"Sigh, your uncle has had a hard life. He finally met someone he connected with, and yet..."
Yu Daniu lowered his gaze and sighed helplessly.
"Dad, once we're at the Immortal Gate Restaurant, you can't mention Aunt again. The last time we saw Fairy Jiang and Fairy Zhuang, they both seemed to have taken an interest in Uncle."
"Don't worry, I know."
Before long, Yu Daniu and Yun Siniu arrived at the Immortal Gate Restaurant. They went up to the second floor and entered the private room they had agreed upon.
They saw that Gao Peiyao, Jiang Ruxu, and Zhuang Xinyan were already there.
"Peiyao, Fairy Jiang, Fairy Zhuang."
Yu Daniu cupped his hands in greeting.
Yun Siniu, standing behind Yu Daniu, also bowed with cupped hands but said nothing.
Although Yu Daniu was only at the late-stage of Qi Refining, he was well-connected. He and Gao Peiyao were childhood friends.
And his bond with Chen Jianghe was like that of blood brothers.
"Brother Daniu, please, sit." Gao Peiyao's phoenix eyes crinkled with a smile as she stood up and invited Yu Daniu to take a seat.
When Yu Daniu entered, Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu had also stood up with Gao Peiyao.
They had stayed on Qiyun Mountain for a time and knew of the relationship between Yu Daniu and Chen Jianghe.
"Siniu, you sit too."
"Yes, Aunt Yao."
Yun Siniu said shyly, sitting down next to Yu Daniu.
Soon, dishes of spiritual cuisine were served, along with two pots of top-grade immortal spirit wine. It was clear that the atmosphere of this gathering was much better than the previous ones.
"Peiyao, is there any news of Big Brother?"
Yu Daniu asked eagerly.
Gao Peiyao nodded and chuckled softly. "Brother Jianghe sent a letter. He's currently in Tianmen Market City and plans to take the inter-domain ark to Immortal Gate Market City in early September."
"Good, that's great! As long as Big Brother is safe." Yu Daniu let out a sigh of relief.
Receiving Chen Jianghe's letter had also brought great joy to Gao Peiyao.
Right now, the entire Tiannan Region was in turmoil, and it wasn't safe for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to be out alone.
Crucially, the rumors circulating outside were very unfavorable for Chen Jianghe.
Killing Lu Qingming, a direct descendant of the top-tier Puppet Immortal Lu Clan, was a direct and mortal offense against the Lu Clan.
Although the Lu Clan had not yet made a clear statement on the matter, the Two Clans of Qinghe, who were rising to prominence in the Eastern Territory, had. They declared their intention to eliminate Chen Jianghe, this "fiend" who had murdered the son of an immortal official of an immortal kingdom.
The Two Clans of Qinghe had been expanding their territory south of the Heaven-Reaching River on behalf of the Qing Kingdom, receiving a large amount of resources from Perfected Qingyou.
Now, the two clans already had three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and a late-tier, second-tier demonic beast.
They also had eight early-stage Foundation Establishment disciples.
It could be said that in the Eastern Territory, apart from the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan and the three Core Formation immortal clans, the Two Clans of Qinghe were the most powerful force.
The expansion of Qinghe Prefecture was already threatening the territories governed by those three Core Formation immortal clans.
Yet, they showed no intention of suppressing the Two Clans of Qinghe.
Even the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan had not acted against the Qing Kingdom's arrogance. It was obvious that a formidable power was backing the Qing Kingdom.
It was either supported by the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan, which sought to consolidate the fragmented Eastern Territory and establish a massive immortal kingdom, or it was backed by the Tiannan Sect.
Otherwise, how could a mere Perfected Qingyou dare to act so recklessly in the Eastern Territory?
One must remember that the Lu Clan had Core Formation Perfected Masters.
They had no fewer than five Core Formation experts.
They could annihilate the so-called Qing Kingdom with a flip of a hand.
And with the Two Clans of Qinghe, the rising immortal official families of the Qing Kingdom, issuing a kill order on Chen Jianghe, it meant that the Qing Kingdom was going to make a move against him.
An hour later, Yu Daniu and Yun Siniu left.
Jiang Ruxu then looked at Gao Peiyao and asked, "Sister Peiyao, did Fairy Luo really perish in the Wind Snow Valley Mystic Realm?"
"She never came out of the mystic realm. Her fate is unknown," Gao Peiyao said calmly.
"By the way, I heard that Sister Ruxu can now refine Origin Spirit Pills. Would you be willing to help me refine a batch?"
In the years since coming to Immortal Gate Market City, Jiang Ruxu's alchemy skills had improved rapidly. She could now refine second-tier, high-grade spirit pills.
She had also joined the Alchemist Alliance, which was established under the leadership of the Tiannan Sect.
It was an alchemical organization that only Alchemy Grandmasters could join, with no restrictions on its members.
Of course, it offered no benefits either; it was simply a forum for alchemy grandmasters to communicate.
However, there was one perk: members could apply to join the Tiannan Sect and potentially become a guest alchemist.
Or even a guest elder.
Once one became a guest alchemist of the Tiannan Sect, they would be under its protection and would be largely safe from danger within the Tiannan Region.
Jiang Ruxu had exchanged for the recipe for the Origin Spirit Pill in the Alchemist Alliance and was now capable of refining it.
"Of course, I can," Jiang Ruxu said with a gentle smile in her pretty eyes.
"Thank you, Sister Ruxu."
Gao Peiyao took out a second-tier, top-grade absorbable spirit item, which could be used to refine mid-grade Origin Spirit Pills.
"Sister Peiyao is Brother Chen's good friend. There's no need for thanks over a single batch of pills." Jiang Ruxu accepted the second-tier, top-grade absorbable spirit item from Gao Peiyao.
"Hehe~"
Gao Peiyao smiled faintly, then bid farewell to Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan and left.
Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu also left the Immortal Gate Restaurant and returned to their residence.
"Senior Sister, what do you think of Gao Peiyao?"
Jiang Ruxu asked.
"She has a lot on her mind. Her feelings for Brother Chen aren't as pure as Yu Daniu's," Zhuang Xinyan said flatly.
Jiang Ruxu nodded in agreement.
"She is a Core Formation seedling of her sect and will be useful to Brother Chen. We should still maintain good relations with her."
"Mm, which is why, Junior Sister, you couldn't refuse her request for alchemy."
"Senior Sister, Brother Chen is coming. Should we move to a different courtyard?"
"That won't be necessary. We'll probably move to Qingyun Town when the time comes."
"That's right. Yu Daniu is in Qingyun Town."
---
Early September.
Chen Jianghe spent eight thousand spirit stones to purchase a ticket for the inter-domain ark and boarded the hundred-zhang-long vessel, leaving Tianmen Market City behind.
The ticket was three thousand spirit stones more expensive than he had anticipated.
Fortunately, it was still within his means.
At a time like this, being able to travel safely from Tianmen Market City to Immortal Gate Market City for eight thousand spirit stones was well worth it.
The inter-domain ark was not fast. The distance between the two market cities was only fifty thousand li, yet it would take two days to arrive.
It was practically crawling.
The ark had three levels. The first was for cultivators from outside the sect, the second for sect disciples.
The third level housed an exchange fair.
During the two days on the inter-domain ark, all cultivators could come to the third level to trade and barter.
On the second day, Chen Jianghe went to the exchange fair on the third level.
He first walked around, looking for any spirit items that might be useful to him.
"Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit?"
Chen Jianghe stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed on the words on the trade plaque before him. It clearly read 'Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit'.
This was the main ingredient for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.
Although he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the pill was still of great use to him.
At the exchange fair, two types of pills were considered hard currency.
One was the Foundation Establishment Pill, and the other was the Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
Many non-equivalent trades included a request for Foundation Establishment Pills as part of the deal.
Back in Thousand Mountains Market City, Chen Jianghe had missed out on many spirit materials for crafting second-tier, high-grade talismans precisely because he didn't have any Foundation Establishment Pills.
The exchange condition for this Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit was one Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill. Coincidentally, Chen Jianghe had one left.
For a rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator, the value of a Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill was certainly higher than a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit.
The fruit was useless to them, whereas the pill was a life-saving elixir.
But Chen Jianghe was not short on Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pills.
"One Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit plus five hundred spirit stones for my Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill."
Chen Jianghe sent a voice transmission to the cultivator behind the trade plaque.
"Deal."
The person was straightforward and agreed immediately.
Chen Jianghe's request was reasonable.
At an auction, a Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit would typically sell for between one thousand eight hundred and two thousand spirit stones.
A Muscle-Growing and Bone-Mending Pill, on the other hand, would fetch around two thousand five hundred spirit stones at auction.
That was why Chen Jianghe had asked for an additional five hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe put away the Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit and continued his search.
With this fruit, he now had two Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruits, two pieces of Profound Ice Jade Marrow, and one Illusion Heart Grass.
If he could just get one more Illusion Heart Grass, he could have Jiang Ruxu refine two batches of Foundation Establishment Pills.
"Supreme Clarity Jade, Thousand-Year Maple Leaf, Jade Water Lotus Leaf."
Chen Jianghe stopped again.
The trade plaque before him was set up by an old man. There were no fluctuations of magical power from his body, so he was likely a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The exchange conditions were somewhat outrageous.
The Supreme Clarity Jade and Thousand-Year Maple Leaf were to be traded for a second-tier, high-grade talisman of any kind.
The Jade Water Lotus Leaf was to be traded for a second-tier, high-grade offensive talisman.
One piece of Supreme Clarity Jade could be used to craft two second-tier, high-grade talismans, and one Thousand-Year Maple Leaf could craft one.
The Jade Water Lotus Leaf was a leaf from a third-tier spirit plant, the Jade Water Golden Lotus. It was brimming with spiritual energy and could be used to craft two second-tier, high-grade talismans.
But the demand was too high.
Any kind?
The Supreme Clarity Jade and Thousand-Year Maple Leaf could at most be exchanged for a single second-tier, high-grade talisman.
As for the Jade Water Lotus Leaf, it wasn't even enough to trade for one.
"One second-tier, high-grade defensive talisman plus six thousand spirit stones for your Supreme Clarity Jade, Thousand-Year Maple Leaf, and Jade Water Lotus Leaf. What do you say?"
Chen Jianghe sent a voice transmission.
The old man looked up, his murky eyes glancing at Chen Jianghe before he lowered his head again, clearly uninterested in the trade.
Seeing this, Chen Jianghe turned to leave.
"Fellow Daoist, wait. Could you change the second-tier, high-grade defensive talisman to an escape talisman?"
Seeing Chen Jianghe turn to leave so decisively, the old man immediately sent a voice transmission.
In truth, the price Chen Jianghe offered was very reasonable. If the other party wasn't willing to trade, he wasn't going to be a sucker.
"I can, but I'll reduce the spirit stones by four thousand."
Chen Jianghe replied.
"Alright, it's a deal."
Chen Jianghe took out a Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman and two thousand spirit stones, exchanging them for the old Foundation Establishment cultivator's Supreme Clarity Jade, Thousand-Year Maple Leaf, and Jade Water Lotus Leaf.
Once he returned to Immortal Gate Market City, he could use these materials to craft five second-tier, high-grade talismans.
It was a very worthwhile trade.
Chen Jianghe continued to browse.
The third-level exchange fair was vast, and there were many cultivators on the inter-domain ark—at least several thousand.
There were both Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Chen Jianghe even saw a dozen or so False Core Rogue Cultivators and two Core Formation experts.
After another hour of wandering, Chen Jianghe stopped in front of a beautiful woman. She looked spiritually exhausted, her eyes lifeless, and her face was pale without a trace of color.
Her aura was unstable, yet there were no fluctuations of magical power leaking out.
It was clear she was seriously injured, but there were no visible wounds. It wasn't hard to guess that her soul had been wounded.
"Xiao Hei, can you sense the aura of the cultivator closest to me?"
Chen Jianghe transmitted the thought to his spiritual platform.
He couldn't sense the beautiful woman's magical power fluctuations. Logically, with such an unstable aura, her magical power should also be unstable.
With his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, he should have been able to sense at least a trace of it.
"Stronger than an ordinary peak second-tier demonic beast. Comparable to that Frosty Three-Horned Python that's about to break through."
Xiao Hei sent a voice transmission.
Chen Jianghe now had an idea.
The beautiful woman before him was likely a False Core Rogue Cultivator.
Even a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment would find it difficult to match a peak second-tier demonic beast, let alone one on the verge of a breakthrough like the Frosty Three-Horned Python.
That only left the possibility of a False Core Rogue Cultivator.
"Senior, I wonder if a second-tier, mid-grade soul-healing spirit pill would be enough to trade for this Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root?"
Chen Jianghe asked via voice transmission.
Beside the beautiful woman was a trade plaque, on which was written that a Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root was being traded for a soul-healing spirit pill.
However, it didn't specify the grade of the pill.
That was why Chen Jianghe had to ask.
The Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root was a second-tier, top-grade medicinal herb that could be used to refine Origin Spirit Pills or Dust-Settling Pills.
It was a rare treasure.
Chen Jianghe didn't want to miss out on it.
When he reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment in the future, he would undoubtedly need the aid of Dust-Settling Pills.
"A second-tier, mid-grade spirit pill? Plus fifty thousand spirit stones."
The beautiful woman replied.
Chen Jianghe sighed inwardly, thinking that he was fated to miss out on this treasure.
The Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root was a second-tier, top-grade absorbable spirit item. Its value was far beyond what a Spirit-Calming and Soul-Settling Pill could compare to.
In terms of spirit stones, a Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root could be used to refine a batch of mid-grade Origin Spirit Pills. After subtracting the costs and the alchemist's fee, one could still get three mid-grade Origin Spirit Pills.
A single mid-grade Origin Spirit Pill was priced at over thirty thousand spirit stones, so three would be worth nearly one hundred thousand.
A Spirit-Calming and Soul-Settling Pill could indeed heal soul injuries, but its value was nowhere near one hundred thousand spirit stones.
The fifty thousand spirit stones the beautiful woman was asking for was not an unreasonable valuation.
"Although a second-tier, mid-grade soul-healing spirit pill is precious, it still falls far short of a Thousand-Year Fo-ti Root. My request is very reasonable."
The beautiful woman sent another voice transmission.
"This junior knows Senior's request is reasonable, but I do not have that many spirit stones."
Chen Jianghe replied helplessly.
"How many spirit stones do you have?"
"Six thousand and eighty."
"..."
The beautiful woman was speechless, but hearing Chen Jianghe's precise, down-to-the-last-digit number, it didn't seem like he was lying.
"Do you have any spirit items that can be used in place of spirit stones? You can use them to offset the cost."