Chapter 250
Chapter 250
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: The Immortal Sect's Market City, a Brotherly Reunion
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"Spirit items as payment?"
A thought stirred in Chen Jianghe's mind, and joy welled up within him. The one thing he didn't lack was spirit items; he had a full three storage bags of second-tier low and mid-grade ones.
"I have some second-tier low-grade spirit items on me. I wonder if they can be used to offset the spirit stones?"
"Yes, as long as their value reaches fifty thousand spirit stones."
"Alright, Senior, please wait a moment."
Chen Jianghe said this and left the third-floor bartering fair, returning to his private room on the first floor.
He sorted through his second-tier low-grade spirit items.
He gathered all the spirit materials for artifact refinement that were useless to him. As for the alchemy herbs, he could give them to Jiang Ruxu once they reached the Immortal Sect's Market City.
Of course, he could also keep some for his own use.
He had a decent talent for alchemy. Before entering the secret realm, he was already a first-tier high-grade alchemist. Although he had neglected it for a few years, as long as he continued to practice, he was certain he could become a second-tier alchemist in the future.
Stalactites, Hundred-Refined Iron, Bronze Essence… Chen Jianghe sorted out seventy-five pieces of second-tier low-grade artifact refinement materials.
Their value should be around fifty-one thousand spirit stones.
He placed these spirit materials into a storage bag and returned to the third-floor bartering fair.
"Senior, can these spirit items, along with this spirit pill, be exchanged for this thousand-year fleeceflower root?"
Chen Jianghe handed the storage bag over.
The beautiful woman swept her divine sense over it, then glanced at Chen Jianghe with a hint of surprise. She hadn't expected the spirit items he prepared to actually exceed fifty thousand spirit stones in value.
Although they were all supplementary materials for crafting top-grade magical artifacts, they were all quite valuable and could be sold directly at the Treasure Pavilion.
She was well aware of the attitude she had displayed, an intense desire for a soul-healing spirit pill.
Generally, the other party would overstate the value of their spirit items to drive down the price when using them as payment.
After all, she desperately needed a soul-healing spirit pill. Even if the spirit items were only worth forty-five thousand spirit stones, she would have still made the trade.
"They can."
The beautiful woman's divine sense inspected the Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill. Nodding with great satisfaction, she handed the storage bag containing the thousand-year fleeceflower root to Chen Jianghe.
"If you have any more soul-healing spirit pills, you can find me at Number 36, Fushou Street in the Immortal Sect's Market City. I will give you a satisfactory reward."
"Understood. If this junior is fortunate enough to obtain more soul-healing spirit pills, I will certainly seek you out, Senior."
Chen Jianghe said with a cupped-fist salute.
He still had one more Soul-Calming and Spirit-Settling Pill, which he was keeping as a backup and couldn't trade away.
The beautiful woman erased the writing on her trade tablet and turned to leave.
Chen Jianghe, however, did not move from her spot. Condensing magical power at his fingertips, he wrote a line of trade information on the tablet.
Trading a second-tier wind-attribute spirit core for a second-tier ice-attribute spirit core.
Xiao Hei and Maoqiu were both water-attribute spirit beasts, requiring water-attribute spirit cores and items.
Latiao, on the other hand, needed ice-attribute spirit items and cores.
Water was one of the five basic attributes, so its corresponding spirit items were relatively easier to find and obtain.
Ice was a special attribute, making its items much harder to acquire.
Therefore, it was better to trade the wind-attribute spirit core he had for an ice-attribute one.
Half an hour later.
Chen Jianghe successfully traded away the wind-attribute spirit core.
Once Latiao finished refining the Ice Soul Bead, this second-tier ice-attribute spirit core could be given to it to devour.
Chen Jianghe wiped the writing off the trade tablet and continued to browse the bartering fair, searching for spirit items useful to him.
For many cultivators, traveling on an inter-domain flying ship or a river-crossing treasure vessel was an opportunity in itself.
A chance to obtain spirit items useful to them.
"Wind Fiend Mystic Iron?!"
When Chen Jianghe saw this information on a trade tablet, he was somewhat astonished. This was a supplementary material for forging Dharma treasures.
It was priceless, a treasure among treasures.
Why would someone offer it for trade?
But when he saw that this head-sized piece of Wind Fiend Mystic Iron was being offered in exchange for a Core Formation spirit item, he was taken aback.
Chen Jianghe scoffed inwardly and walked right past without stopping.
What a joke.
Wanting to trade Wind Fiend Mystic Iron for a Core Formation spirit item—no one but a fool would make that trade.
Not all third-tier mid-grade absorbable spirit items could be called Core Formation spirit items.
Take the True Spirit Fruit in Chen Jianghe's possession, for example. The reason it could be called a Core Formation spirit item was that it contained a wisp of the primordial energy of heaven and earth.
This primordial energy could solidify magical power, helping a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator's sea of magical power to condense into a core.
For instance, the Thousand-Year Snow Jade Marrow he had obtained from Lu Qingming was a third-tier mid-grade absorbable spirit item.
It could be absorbed and refined to enhance one's cultivation.
It could also be refined into a third-tier spirit pill or used as a supplementary material for forging Dharma treasures.
But it wasn't a Core Formation spirit item because it didn't contain any primordial energy.
Two hours later.
Chen Jianghe left the third-floor bartering fair and returned to his room to rest and conserve his energy, waiting for their imminent arrival at the Immortal Sect's Market City.
He went to the flying ship's observation deck, looking down at the Immortal Sect's Market City below the clouds.
In the distance was an endless mountain range, stretching as far as the eye could see, with countless towering peaks—at least ten times more than Thousand Mountains Market City.
That was the largest mountain range in the Tiannan Domain, the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range.
On the edge of the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range stood a hundred-zhang-tall mountain, its peak seemingly sheared flat by some great power's Dharma treasure.
The Immortal Sect's Market City was built upon the flattened peak of this Hundred Zhang Mountain.
Surrounding the base of Hundred Zhang Mountain were numerous small cultivator towns, dotting the landscape like stars, all guarding the Immortal Sect's Market City.
To the north of the Immortal Sect's Market City were more continuous mountain ranges. This was the territory of the South Gate of the Tiannan Sect, and also where the sect's main branch was located.
The Sect Master of the Tiannan Sect could only be chosen from the South Gate.
"Greetings, fellow Daoists. We will arrive at the Immortal Sect's Market City in one hundred breaths. Next, I will explain the current rules of the market city."
"As you are all entering the market city via the inter-domain flying ship, your entry fee for the first year will be waived. However, from the second year onwards, you will be required to pay the standard fee, which is one hundred spirit stones per year."
"Masters of the Hundred Arts are granted the privilege of free entry into the Immortal Sect's Market City."
"When purchasing special resources within the Immortal Sect's Market City, they must be used in designated cultivation areas and cannot be taken out of the city. Violators will be punished for smuggling the Immortal Sect's spirit items; their cultivation will be crippled, and their Dantian shattered."
"The Immortal Sect's Market City, like the Heaven's Gate Market City, has a curfew. After the first quarter of the Xu hour, one must not be on the streets without reason. Violators will be fined two hundred spirit stones."
"..."
A clear and pleasant female voice echoed across the inter-domain flying ship, listing twenty-eight rules and precautions for entering the Immortal Sect's Market City.
Chen Jianghe felt a bit dazed listening to it all.
Back in Qinghe Market City, he knew the Immortal Sect's Market City had many rules, but he never imagined there would be so many.
But this was also a good thing.
The more rules, the safer it was.
It was perfectly suited for a cultivator like him who didn't actively seek trouble and only wanted to cultivate in peace.
As for cultivation resources...
It was the same everywhere. As long as you had connections, you could trade for the resources you needed.
"The Immortal Sect's Market City holds Masters of the Hundred Arts in high regard, even waiving their head tax."
In Heaven's Gate Market City, Chen Jianghe, a Talisman Dao Grandmaster, had to pay the annual head tax of one hundred spirit stones just like any ordinary cultivator.
Of course, this was only during the turmoil in the Tiannan Domain. In normal times, it would only be one spirit stone a year.
A guide would cost twenty spirit sand at most.
One hundred breaths later.
The inter-domain flying ship came to a stop in the southwest of the Immortal Sect's Market City. Cultivators disembarked one after another.
Flying was prohibited within the Immortal Sect's Market City.
Of course, if you were a Core Formation expert, you could fly. Foundation Establishment cultivators, however, had to obediently follow the rules.
Never mind Foundation Establishment cultivators, even False Core itinerant cultivators were not allowed to fly in the Immortal Sect's Market City.
Chen Jianghe followed the crowd off the flying ship and walked towards the market city, pondering where to go first.
In the letter Gao Peiyao had sent him...
It contained the current addresses of Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu, Yu Daniu's address, and Gao Peiyao's own address in the Immortal Sect's Market City.
"Big Brother!"
"Brother Jianghe."
"Big Brother Chen~"
The moment Chen Jianghe left the flying ship's docking area and entered the market city, he heard several familiar voices.
He looked towards the sounds and saw Yu Daniu, Gao Peiyao, Zhuang Xinyan, and Jiang Ruxu.
"Daniu!"
Chen Jianghe called back, his pace quickening.
Reaching Yu Daniu, Chen Jianghe gripped his friend's arms, his eyes filled with joy as he looked at the brother he hadn't seen in years.
He had left Qiyun Mountain at the age of eighty-three.
Now, returning at one hundred and five, he and Yu Daniu had not seen each other for twenty-two years.
"Big Brother, you're still as handso... no, you've gotten more handsome!"
A film of moisture gathered in Yu Daniu's eyes. Seeing Chen Jianghe return safely, he felt an indescribable happiness.
"Haha... Peiyao's letter mentioned you even have a great-grandson now? I remember when we corresponded four years ago, Qirui's son wasn't even married yet."
Chen Jianghe didn't follow Yu Daniu's line of conversation, instead turning to his family matters.
He had a lifespan of seven hundred and eighteen years. At only one hundred and five, he was in his prime, full of vigor and youth.
In contrast, Yu Daniu's hair was already white, and wrinkles had appeared on his face.
Even with the Life Extension Pills Chen Jianghe had the Xu brothers deliver, Yu Daniu was already one hundred and five this year.
If he hadn't taken the pills...
He would probably already be showing signs of death qi by now.
It was true that Qi Refining cultivators could live up to one hundred and twenty years, but due to various factors, their lifespans could fluctuate by about ten years.
Some Qi Refining cultivators who focused on wellness, without taking Life Extension Pills or Youth Retaining Pills, could live to be one hundred and thirty.
There were also many ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators, with full spirit and robust bodies, who only lived to be just over a hundred.
"Big Brother, you still remember my family's affairs."
Hearing Chen Jianghe's words, Yu Daniu was deeply moved. He looked at Chen Jianghe and laughed heartily, "Yes, he was born just before the new year, so he's one year old now. I'll bring him to see you when I get the chance, Big Brother."
"Don't wait for a chance. Let's go to your place now. I want to see this fine great-grandson of yours."
Chen Jianghe waved his hand and said directly.
"But Peiyao has already..."
"It's no matter. We can have the Immortal Sect Restaurant deliver the spirit feast to Qingyun Town. As it happens, I'd like to meet the little one too."
Gao Peiyao said with a light laugh.
"Peiyao." Chen Jianghe looked at Gao Peiyao and nodded.
"Brother Jianghe."
Gao Peiyao had a faint smile on her face as she greeted him.
"Xinyan, Ruxu..."
Before Chen Jianghe could finish, Jiang Ruxu said with a grin, "My senior sister and I have already packed. Let's go to Qingyun Town."
"Huh?..."
Chen Jianghe was taken aback. He looked at Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan, then smiled and turned to Yu Daniu, "Daniu, it seems I'll be imposing on your family again."
"What are you saying, Big Brother? Of course you'll stay with us now that you're back. Let's go to Qingyun Town."
Yu Daniu was overjoyed, his beard trembling with excitement.
"Alright, to Qingyun Town."
Chen Jianghe nodded, and the group immediately left the Immortal Sect's Market City, heading for Qingyun Town.
Before arriving, Chen Jianghe had familiarized himself with the small cultivator towns surrounding the Immortal Sect's Market City.
There were thirty-two small cultivator towns around the Immortal Sect's Market City, all considered part of its territory.
Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't be affected by the flames of war.
Qingyun Town was a hundred li in circumference, a small cultivator town relatively close to the Immortal Sect's Market City, located just thirty li east of Hundred Zhang Mountain.
After leaving the Immortal Sect's Market City, the group soon arrived at the Yu family residence in Qingyun Town.
Several years ago, thanks to Chen Jianghe's warning, Yu Daniu had proposed moving the entire family to the Immortal Sect's Market City.
They spent sixty thousand spirit stones to lease Qingyun Town for twenty years.
At the time, both Yun Siniu and Yu Qirui had felt the pinch of that decision.
After all, Qingyun Town only had five mu of high-grade spirit fields, and a combined twenty mu of mid and low-grade spirit fields.
Elsewhere, the annual rent for such a small cultivator town would be five hundred spirit stones at most.
But the rent for Qingyun Town was sixty thousand spirit stones for twenty years, equivalent to three thousand spirit stones a year.
The number of spirit fields was pitifully small, offering practically no value.
Its only advantage was its proximity to the Immortal Sect's Market City.
However, as the flames of war spread, all the cultivator clans began migrating towards the Immortal Sect's Market City, causing the rent there to skyrocket.
Small courtyards in the market city had already reached astronomical prices.
The small cultivator towns within the market city's territory were even more in demand.
Not long ago, a Core Formation Immortal Clan had even offered an annual price of ten thousand spirit stones to sublet Qingyun Town from the Yu family.
In other words.
If the Yu family sublet it, they could earn over a hundred thousand spirit stones.
Of course, they knew full well that once they gave up Qingyun Town, it would be impossible to rent another small cultivator town in the Immortal Sect's Market City for ten thousand spirit stones a year.
Arriving at the Yu family manor in Qingyun Town.
Upon learning of Chen Jianghe's arrival, all the Yu family disciples rushed out to welcome him. Most of them had never seen Chen Jianghe before.
But they had all grown up hearing the legends of him and their Old Ancestor.
"Uncle~"
"Grand-uncle!"
When Yun Siniu, Lady Zhou, and Yu Qirui saw Chen Jianghe, they all hurried forward to pay their respects.
They were all keenly aware that if not for Chen Jianghe's letter, the Yu family might have ceased to exist.
"There's no need for formalities."
With a wave of his hand, Chen Jianghe used a gentle magical force to help Yun Siniu, Lady Zhou, and Yu Qirui to their feet.
Yun Siniu was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his appearance unchanged. His cultivation had improved somewhat, but he hadn't broken through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
Lady Zhou was over seventy this year, but having taken a Youth Retaining Pill, her appearance hadn't changed much.
Perhaps due to her years of managing the Yu family, her naturally alluring temperament had become dignified and poised.
Her cultivation had also risen to the ninth level of Qi Refining.
Foundation Establishment was beyond her reach.
As for Yu Qirui, he was forty this year. Perhaps due to excessive loss of vital essence in his youth, his cultivation was only at the eighth level of Qi Refining.
Considering the Yu family's current resources, Yu Qirui's progress to the eighth level of Qi Refining by age forty was indeed a bit slow.
Foundation Establishment would be difficult.
"Is he the Old Ancestor's big brother, Chen Jianghe?"
"Our grand-ancestor is so young!"
"Of course he's young. Our grand-ancestor is the renowned Old Man of Many Fortunes of the Tiannan Domain."
"Right, right, that's it. Our grand-ancestor is incredible. He's also a Talisman Dao Grandmaster. I heard from my great-grandmother that the Foundation Establishment Pills our two grand-uncles took were all obtained through his planning."
"Even the talisman dao legacy we practice was left behind by this grand-ancestor."
"It's a pity our grand-ancestress passed away. I heard she was an Artifact Refinement Grandmaster, even more amazing than our grand-ancestor!"
"..."
Yu Qirui's sons and daughters saw Chen Jianghe and hurried forward to pay their respects.
"We pay our respects to the Old Ancestor~"
Dozens of the Yu family's direct descendants respectfully performed a grand kowtow to Chen Jianghe.
Looking at these younger generations of the Yu family, Chen Jianghe couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨. When he left the Yu family...
The main branch of the family could be counted on one hand.
Returning after more than twenty years, the direct descendants of the Yu family had grown to several dozen. Including the side branches, the Yu family now had over a hundred members.
It had to be said, it was remarkably easy for a cultivator clan to expand its direct bloodline.
Especially a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan.
Although it was difficult for cultivators to bear children, they could make up for it with a large number of wives.
Crucially, the Yu family also had a talent for fertility.
"Good, good, all of you rise!"
Chen Jianghe was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. He didn't even have a wife, yet he had become an Old Ancestor.
"Xiaoyue, go make the arrangements. The Yu family will hold a grand banquet today to welcome my big brother."
Yu Daniu instructed.
"I will see to it at once, Father-in-law."
Lady Zhou replied and quickly left to arrange the celebratory banquet for the Yu family.
Afterward, Yu Daniu invited Chen Jianghe, Gao Peiyao, Jiang Ruxu, and Zhuang Xinyan to the elegant reception hall in the rear courtyard.
"Qirui, it's been over twenty years. You little rascal, you even have a grandson now. Quick, go bring him over for me to see."
Chen Jianghe said to Yu Qirui.
"Hehe~"
Yu Qirui chuckled foolishly and hurried out of the reception hall to fetch his grandson.
Seeing this, Gao Peiyao understood that it was unlikely they would be discussing any serious business today.
She estimated she would have to stay at the Yu family residence for a day.
But observing the atmosphere of the Yu family, she felt it was quite nice.
Although Yu Daniu had not succeeded in the immortal path, he had started a family early and was now blessed with children and grandchildren, which was much better than Zhou Miaoyun's fate.
She had hoped for success in the immortal path in her early years and missed her chance at marriage.
In the end, she failed to achieve immortality and left behind no children. With death, her lamp was extinguished, and she was long forgotten by the later generations of the Zhou clan.
If one had no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, it was better to marry early and leave behind a bloodline, placing one's hopes for Foundation Establishment on one's children and grandchildren.
Just like Yu Daniu. Although he didn't reach Foundation Establishment, both of his sons became Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Of course, Gao Peiyao was also well aware that the Yu family's development to this day was largely due to its connection with Chen Jianghe.
Without Chen Jianghe's help, the Yu family would never have reached its current state.
Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan had many things they wanted to say to Chen Jianghe and also wanted to ask about his experiences in the secret realm.
But they were not in a hurry.
There would be plenty of time to talk later.
Soon.
Yu Qirui brought his grandson over. The boy was born in July of last year and was now over a year old.
He could even walk on his own.
Chen Jianghe took the little one from Yu Qirui's arms and played with him for a while, making the little guy giggle with delight, revealing his tiny white baby teeth.
"Gwan... pa..."
The little fellow's bright, watery eyes looked at Chen Jianghe, letting out a stuttering, milky sound.
"Daniu, this boy is clever. He knows to call me grandpa, haha..." Chen Jianghe laughed, looking at Yu Daniu.
"Huh? He couldn't say it just two days ago!"
"Haha~ This child and I have an affinity. Daniu, what's his name?" Chen Jianghe asked.
Yu Daniu looked at Yu Qirui, who immediately said, "Grand-uncle, the child hasn't been named yet. Since he has such an affinity with you, why don't you give him a name?"
"Me? Name him?"
Chen Jianghe was stunned. Thinking of the names he had given Xiao Hei, Maoqiu, and Latiao, he couldn't help but chuckle.
However, he still wanted to experience the thrill of naming a person.
"You're of the Qi generation, so your grandson is of the Guang generation. Hmm... let's call him Yu Guangzhu. How about that?"
"Guangzhu, Guangzhu. 'Zhu' means pillar. In the future, he will surely become the pillar of the clan. Grand-uncle, that's a great name. Little Guangzhu, quickly thank the Old Ancestor."
Yu Qirui said with great delight.
"Gwan, pa~"
Yu Guangzhu giggled happily.
"Good, good. We have an affinity. Old Ancestor will give you a little gift."
Chen Jianghe chuckled and took out a Verdant Vine Shield Talisman, placing it in Yu Guangzhu's small hand.
Yu Guangzhu seemed to have found a new toy. He curiously brought it to his mouth, gnawing on the Verdant Vine Shield Talisman with his baby teeth.
"A Verdant Vine Shield Talisman? Brother Jianghe really likes this little one!"
When Gao Peiyao saw the small gift Chen Jianghe gave, which was actually a Verdant Vine Shield Talisman, she showed a look of astonishment.
She had personally experienced the power of the Verdant Vine Shield Talisman in the secret realm.
After the vine shield shattered, it could transform into spiritual power to heal one's injuries. Even for a sect's Foundation Establishment disciple, it was an incredibly rare treasure.
"Verdant Vine Shield Talisman? What kind of spirit talisman is that?" Yu Daniu asked Gao Peiyao, looking puzzled.
The Verdant Vine Shield Talisman looked plain and unremarkable, with no special features other than its more complex patterns.
"Brother Daniu, that's a second-tier high-grade talisman. Even a Foundation Establishment disciple of the sect like me would find it hard to acquire one."
Gao Peiyao said with a smile.
Though surprised, she wasn't so envious of a baby over a single second-tier high-grade talisman.
"Hiss~ This... Big Brother, this is too valuable!"
Yu Daniu quickly said.
The fact that Chen Jianghe remembered the Yu family's generation names had already moved Yu Daniu deeply. He hadn't expected him to also give a second-tier high-grade defensive talisman.
"Grand-uncle, this talisman is too valuable," Yu Qirui also chimed in.
Clearly, he hadn't expected the talisman Chen Jianghe gave to be so precious. He had assumed it was a high-grade spirit talisman.
He never imagined it was a second-tier high-grade talisman, and a defensive one at that.
"Ahem~"
Chen Jianghe raised his hand, gesturing for them to say no more.
"I find this little one delightful. Besides, the Verdant Vine Shield Talisman wasn't a gift for you two, so what are you objecting for?"
"That's right. I find this little one delightful too. But I'm not a Talisman Dao Grandmaster like Jianghe."
Gao Peiyao took out a second-tier mid-grade attack talisman and said, "This is a second-tier mid-grade Gold-Severing Spirit-Slaying Talisman. It's a gift for little Guangzhu."
"This..."
Yu Daniu looked at Chen Jianghe, then at Gao Peiyao, his heart filled with a gratitude that was difficult to express.
For a moment, his face flushed red, at a loss for words.
"Big Brother Chen, let my senior sister and me hold him."
Jiang Ruxu said as she took Yu Guangzhu from Chen Jianghe's arms and started playing with him alongside Zhuang Xinyan.
However, the next words from the two women made Chen Jianghe's expression shift slightly.
Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan both glanced at Chen Jianghe, then looked at the little Guangzhu in their arms.
They took out an Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
"We sisters also adore this child. Let this spirit pill be our first meeting gift!"