Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: Reunion with Xu Feng, Tieniu's Request
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“Fellow Daoist Xu Feng?!”
Chen Jianghe was resting with his eyes closed, pondering who to ask for help in acquiring ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’. He couldn’t afford to waste time in the Barter Tower.
Whether it was Zhou Xiaoxuan entering a conventional secret realm, or him entering an unknown one with Gao Peiyao.
All of this required sufficient preparation.
“Fellow Daoist Xu has come to Immortal Gate Market City as well?”
Chen Jianghe followed the voice and was surprised to see Xu Feng, the elder of the Xu brothers. Back in Thousand Mountains Market City,
Xu Feng had been monitored by the cultivators of the Yue Country because of his connection to Ruan Tieniu.
Later, Thousand Mountains Market City was destroyed.
Chen Jianghe had thought Xu Feng had perished in Thousand Mountains Market City, but unexpectedly, they met again in Immortal Gate Market City.
It had to be said, Xu Feng was truly fortunate to be alive.
Back in Beast Taming Market City, the Xu brothers had managed to escape. Unfortunately, Xu Hong's luck ran out; he was devoured by a demonic beast and became its meal while searching for treasure deep in the Boundless Sea.
“To be honest, Grandmaster Chen, I arrived in Immortal Gate Market City five years ago. I heard some time ago that you were also here, but I didn't know your address, so I couldn't pay a visit. Please forgive me.”
Xu Feng looked at Chen Jianghe, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise.
For Xu Feng, meeting Chen Jianghe in Immortal Gate Market City was undoubtedly a joyous event.
He and Chen Jianghe had some history together.
Back in Thousand Mountains Market City, Chen Jianghe had told him that as long as he had second-rank mid-grade talisman materials, he could come to him to have second-rank mid-grade talismans crafted.
Now, having arrived in Immortal Gate Market City, Xu Feng had no special skills and could only continue to work as a demon hunter.
Venturing deep into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range, slaying demonic beasts, and stealing treasures.
It was an extremely dangerous profession, but he had no other choice.
After learning that Chen Jianghe was also in Immortal Gate Market City, he had staked out the Hundred Treasures Tower and the Barter Tower many times, but never managed to find him.
However, he couldn't just wait around forever. He needed spirit stones to live in Immortal Gate Market City, and resources for his cultivation.
This required him to frequently enter the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range to obtain spiritual items in exchange for resources.
But venturing five hundred miles into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range was too dangerous. The last time, he and five other Foundation Establishment demon hunters had entered five hundred miles deep to steal some Profound Iron Gold Crystal, but only he and one other companion had made it back.
The other four had died in the mouths of beasts, becoming their food.
Xu Feng had even planned to inquire at the Yu Clan if he couldn't find Chen Jianghe, though it was a bit reckless.
But compared to his life, a little recklessness was nothing.
He never expected to run into Chen Jianghe on this trip to the Barter Tower.
“Fellow Daoist, what are you doing in Immortal Gate Market City these days?” Chen Jianghe asked calmly.
He knew Xu Feng quite well.
He was a demon hunter in Qinghe Market City, a spirit thief in Thousand Mountains Market City, and now he was in Immortal Gate Market City. If nothing had changed, he was probably still in his old line of work, a Foundation Establishment demon hunter.
“Sigh, still the same old business of living with my life on the line.” Xu Feng smiled helplessly, a bitter look on his face.
Back in Qinghe Market City, Chen Jianghe had been nothing but a Qi Refining ant in his eyes.
Now, he had become a lofty Talisman Grandmaster.
Even his cultivation level was on par with his own, at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
Chen Jianghe originally wanted to ask Xu Feng why he didn't go to the Feng Country. After all, it was a place where robber cultivators and demonic cultivators thrived. For someone like Xu Feng, with his background as a demon hunter, it should be easier to get by.
Furthermore, Ruan Tieniu was also in the Feng Country, and he was a Grand State Preceptor.
With their friendship, he could have looked out for him.
But the thought of mentioning Ruan Tieniu stopped him. He didn't want people to associate him with Ruan Tieniu.
“Grandmaster Chen, I wonder if what you said back in Thousand Mountains Market City still stands?”
Xu Feng's gaze sharpened as he looked at Chen Jianghe, his eyes full of yearning.
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe knew exactly what Xu Feng was thinking.
It was just that he was now a Talisman Grandmaster and needed to craft second-rank high-grade talismans for himself.
He really didn't have the time to help Xu Feng craft second-rank mid-grade talismans.
“Do you want second-rank mid-grade talismans?”
Chen Jianghe asked.
“As you know, Grandmaster Chen, a demon hunter like me often has to enter the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. The outer areas are fine, but once I enter the territory of second-rank demonic beasts, life and death are uncertain!”
“I hope Grandmaster Chen will consider our decades of acquaintance and sell me a few second-rank talismans.”
Xu Feng cupped his hands in a salute and made his request via voice transmission.
“Do you have any materials for crafting second-rank mid-grade or high-grade talismans?” Chen Jianghe asked.
He had known Xu Feng for fifty or sixty years.
Although they weren't deeply acquainted, they had traded a few times, and he had even asked him to deliver Life Extension Pills to Yu Daniu.
If the other party had second-rank high-grade talisman materials, he wouldn't mind helping out.
“This…”
Xu Feng looked embarrassed. After coming to Immortal Gate Market City, although he had gone to the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range a few times, he hadn't obtained any rare treasures.
They were all just regular cultivation resources of no great value.
In the past, he could have offered them to Chen Jianghe for a trade, but times had changed.
Chen Jianghe was now a Talisman Grandmaster. How could he possibly be interested in spiritual items worth less than a thousand spirit stones?
“I don't have any second-rank talisman materials, but I am willing to pay extra spirit stones to purchase second-rank mid-grade escape talismans from you, Grandmaster Chen.”
Xu Feng also wanted to buy second-rank high-grade escape talismans.
But he didn't have the financial means. Buying second-rank mid-grade escape talismans was already a struggle, let alone high-grade ones.
One must know that with the current unstable situation, both first-rank spirit talismans and second-rank talismans were being sold at a high premium.
“Spirit stones…”
Chen Jianghe mused.
Although he was short on spirit stones, he didn't want to craft second-rank mid-grade talismans to earn them. It would be a loss.
He would rather craft second-rank high-grade escape talismans for spirit stones.
But from the looks of it, Xu Feng didn't seem to have the resources to buy second-rank high-grade escape talismans.
“Right, I have the Blood Coagulation Grass you need, Grandmaster Chen.”
Xu Feng took out a stalk of Blood Coagulation Grass.
It was entirely blood-red, with three leaves that resembled a lotus flower. There was no trace of spiritual energy fluctuation; it looked like a perfectly ordinary plant.
It was the Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass!
“I can give this Blood Coagulation Grass to you, Grandmaster Chen, in exchange for the chance to purchase a few second-rank mid-grade escape talismans from you.”
Xu Feng was straightforward, placing the ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ directly on the white jade table.
The ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ was useless to him.
He didn't know how to refine ‘Blood Coagulation Pills’, and he had only read about ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ in a magazine.
He had wanted to trade it for a second-rank mid-grade talisman.
But he found that no one was buying ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’.
Now that he saw Chen Jianghe buying, the price offered was only fifteen hundred spirit stones, or a second-rank low-grade talisman.
In the old Thousand Mountains Market City, a second-rank low-grade escape talisman was about fourteen hundred spirit stones.
Now, a single second-rank low-grade escape talisman had risen to eighteen hundred spirit stones.
The premium was undeniably high.
This meant the price of a second-rank mid-grade escape talisman was even higher.
Therefore, this was not the time to haggle over a thousand-odd spirit stones. What he needed was a channel to purchase second-rank talismans.
As long as he could establish a connection with a Talisman Grandmaster like Chen Jianghe.
Not only would he not lack talismans for himself, but he could also earn a lot of resources from his friends.
In his eyes, Ruan Tieniu had built his fortune by relying on Chen Jianghe.
Now he was the Grand State Preceptor of the Feng Country, the undisputed master of Duobao Market City. He also wanted to rely on Chen Jianghe to make his mark.
“I do need this Blood Coagulation Grass. The Blood Coagulation Pills refined from it are just right for the body cultivation technique I practice.”
Chen Jianghe's expression flickered for a moment before he spoke with a serious face: “You and I have known each other for decades. How could I take advantage of your situation? The Blood Coagulation Grass is one thing, the talismans are another. They cannot be mixed.”
“Grandmaster Chen needs Blood Coagulation Pills refined from this grass for cultivation? Then I should certainly give it to you. It is my honor to be of help to you, Grandmaster Chen.”
“I found this Blood Coagulation Grass in Sunset Glow Valley in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. There were two stalks in total, but they were too far apart, and I was being chased by a demonic beast, so I could only grab one. Since you need it, Grandmaster Chen, I will definitely enter the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range again and retrieve the other stalk for you.”
Xu Feng spoke with great righteousness, as if he were willing to go through fire and water for Chen Jianghe.
To secure this connection for obtaining talismans, he was going all out.
What were two stalks of ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’?
Even if there were ten, he would willingly give them to Chen Jianghe.
Ruan Tieniu was gone.
This was the perfect opportunity for him to build a good relationship with Chen Jianghe. With Chen Jianghe's talismans, his status among the demon hunters would surely rise significantly.
He could also use this to earn a good amount of spirit stones.
“Alright, for the sake of our friendship, I can craft second-rank mid-grade escape talismans for you. But I absolutely cannot take this ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ for free.”
Chen Jianghe said sternly.
He then took out a Crimson Flame Cloud-Leaping Talisman and handed it to Xu Feng.
“Take this Crimson Flame Cloud-Leaping Talisman. I don't have any second-rank mid-grade talismans on hand right now, so I can't sell them to you.”
“You can come wait for me at the Hundred Treasures Tower on New Year's Eve. I will trade the second-rank mid-grade escape talismans with you then. How does that sound?”
Xu Feng was overjoyed to hear this.
“Thank you, Grandmaster Chen! On New Year's Eve, I will definitely be waiting at the Hundred Treasures Tower. And I will bring the other stalk of ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’.”
From Chen Jianghe's words, he could tell that he wanted him to go pick the other stalk of ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’.
Otherwise, there were still four months until New Year's Eve.
It certainly wouldn't take Chen Jianghe that long to craft second-rank mid-grade talismans.
After Xu Feng left.
Chen Jianghe's expression remained unchanged, but inside, he was ecstatic.
Sunset Glow Valley?
Isn't that the place four hundred miles into the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range where Ice Heart Grass grows?
“Duan Tiande's storage bag had both Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass and Ice Heart Grass. They must have come from Sunset Glow Valley as well.”
“In that case, there are three stalks of Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass in Sunset Glow Valley. I wonder if there's a fourth.”
“Xu Feng wants to get second-rank talismans from me, so he'll definitely do his best to get the ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ to curry favor. If there are any more Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass in Sunset Glow Valley, he'll surely bring them all.”
Chen Jianghe felt a wave of joy thinking about how he had exchanged a single second-rank low-grade Crimson Flame Cloud-Leaping Talisman for a stalk of Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass from Xu Feng.
If he could get one more stalk of Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass.
He would have three stalks of Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass, enough to raise either Maoqiu's or Latiao's bloodline to fourth-rank high-grade.
“I hope nothing goes wrong, and Xu Feng can safely return with the Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass.”
Chen Jianghe waited for another hour, but no other cultivator came forward with Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass to trade for his Crimson Flame Cloud-Leaping Talisman.
The Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass must grow only in Sunset Glow Valley. Having three stalks was already quite fortunate.
Chen Jianghe left Immortal Gate Market City, deciding not to wait any longer.
On his way back to Clearwater Bay, he passed through Qingyun Town and gave the remaining two Crimson Flame Cloud-Leaping Talismans to the Yu Clan.
He asked them to help acquire ‘Blood Coagulation Grass’ at the Barter Tower.
His time was precious.
The Yu Clan had people with time on their hands who could stake out the first floor of the Barter Tower for long periods.
Back at Clearwater Bay.
Chen Jianghe entered his cultivation chamber and began cultivating the Myriad Waters True Scripture, followed by talisman crafting.
For the next four months, Chen Jianghe planned to craft some second-rank mid-grade talismans for Xu Feng.
Since the man was helping him get Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass, he could help him bolster his life-saving measures.
It was just that Xu Feng was too weak.
He was nowhere near as fortunate as Ruan Tieniu, who had great luck on his side and numerous life-saving measures and trump cards.
He wasn't worth too much of an investment.
Who knew when he might perish in the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range. Then, all his investment would be for naught.
With Chen Jianghe's current cultivation, his speed at crafting second-rank mid-grade talismans wasn't slow.
In four months, he could craft six second-rank mid-grade talismans.
He planned to craft three Rushing Thunder Talismans, two Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talismans, and one Azure Wood Immortal Shield Talisman.
If he gave Xu Feng six second-rank mid-grade talismans.
The other party should be able to afford the equivalent in spiritual items.
Any more than that, and Chen Jianghe worried Xu Feng wouldn't be able to pay with spirit stones or equivalent items.
Time flew by.
As New Year's Eve approached, Yu Qirui came to Clearwater Bay and purchased a large number of high-grade spirit pills from Chen Jianghe at a thirty percent discount from the market price.
And over fifty first-rank low-grade spirit talismans.
He earned over three thousand three hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe now had 24,156 spirit stones.
It seemed like a lot, but it would soon decrease by 18,900 spirit stones.
On New Year's Eve, Chen Jianghe would go to Number 42, Fushou Street in Immortal Gate Market City to trade for the Giant Python Spirit Blood with Gao Peiyao.
Fifteen thousand spirit stones.
Also, the Peachwood Clear-Heart Talisman Brush in his hand was about to break.
He needed to buy a new Peachwood Clear-Heart Talisman Brush and three boxes of second-rank spirit ink.
During this period of inflated prices for talisman-crafting tools, a Peachwood Clear-Heart Talisman Brush cost three thousand spirit stones, and a box of second-rank spirit ink cost three hundred.
That added up to three thousand nine hundred spirit stones.
After Yu Qirui left, Chen Jianghe returned to the east courtyard to continue cultivating and charging the Flame Dragon Demon-Breaking Talismans with spiritual energy.
The next day.
Chen Jianghe walked out of the cultivation chamber, greeted Xiao Hei, and then left the east courtyard, preparing to head to Immortal Gate Market City.
Today was New Year's Eve.
It was the day he had agreed to trade with Xu Feng.
It was also the day to buy the Giant Python Spirit Blood from Gao Peiyao.
Most importantly, the Hundred Treasures Tower's New Year's Eve auction in Immortal Gate Market City was about to begin.
Ever since he arrived in Immortal Gate Market City, he had attended almost every auction.
Although there might not be anything he wanted, what if there was?
Just like Gao Peiyao, as long as she wasn't away, she would basically attend every auction in Immortal Gate Market City.
You never knew when an auction might have the spiritual item you needed.
“Brother Chen.”
Zhuang Xinyan saw Chen Jianghe walk out of the east courtyard and immediately went to greet him, calling out softly.
“Xinyan.”
Chen Jianghe smiled and nodded.
“Are you going out, Brother Chen?” Zhuang Xinyan asked.
“I'm heading to Immortal Gate Market City to attend the Hundred Treasures Tower's auction.”
Chen Jianghe didn't hide it and stated his purpose.
“Then I'll go with you, Brother Chen.”
Zhuang Xinyan said happily, “I'm going to the auction too, to see if I can find any materials for making puppets.”
“Oh, right. Here are the two second-rank low-grade puppets I made for you.”
Zhuang Xinyan took out a storage bag, her phoenix eyes gentle as she extended a delicate hand to pass it to Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the storage bag.
He swept it with his spiritual sense.
Inside were two second-rank puppets, both in the shape of monkeys, but different from Maoqiu.
Maoqiu was now entirely snow-white, while these two puppets were earth-yellow monkeys.
Chen Jianghe wasn't particular about this.
He just needed second-rank puppets for treasure hunting and had no other use for them.
“Alright, let's go together.”
Chen Jianghe readily agreed.
Taking Zhuang Xinyan out with him was no problem.
She was different from Jiang Ruxu. Jiang Ruxu was the famous Alchemy Grandmaster, Fairy Jiang, of Immortal Gate Market City.
She was highly sought after.
Zhuang Xinyan was now a second-rank Puppet Master, which was also impressive, but she had hidden her identity.
Otherwise, Zhuang Xinyan would also be famous in Immortal Gate Market City, becoming the Puppet Master, Fairy Zhuang.
After all, apart from the Puppet Immortal Lu Clan, there weren't many rogue Puppet Masters.
Chen Jianghe had never met one.
Hearing that Zhuang Xinyan was going to Immortal Gate Market City to buy puppet-making materials at the auction.
Chen Jianghe felt a bit helpless.
He had once told Zhuang Xinyan that he would provide her with materials for second-rank puppets, but such materials were too hard to find.
The supplementary materials were easy to find, but the main materials were rare.
Chen Jianghe and Zhuang Xinyan walked out of the courtyard side by side, about to fly towards Immortal Gate Market City, when they saw a flash of light from the direction of the spirit fields. A streak of blood-red light shot across the sky and vanished.
But within the spirit fields, a green light still shimmered.
“Brother Chen, what was that?”
Zhuang Xinyan looked over and asked Chen Jianghe softly.
“I'll use a puppet to check it out.”
Chen Jianghe frowned. That streak of blood-red light felt somewhat familiar. The object shining with green light in the spirit fields must have been left by the cultivator who had escaped using that blood-red escape art.
He took out a mountain monkey puppet, briefly refined it, and controlled it with his spiritual sense to go to the spirit fields.
He got a clear look at the shimmering green object.
It was a storage bag.
On the outside of the storage bag was a green light stone.
Just like the firefly stones Xiao Hei had found in the cavern back then, it was a low-grade spiritual item that could emit light.
In other words.
It was like a mundane luminous pearl, but its glow was much stronger.
“A storage bag?”
When the mountain monkey puppet brought back the storage bag, Zhuang Xinyan looked puzzled. She had also seen a cultivator leave in a streak of blood-red light just now.
“Brother Chen, who was that just now? Why would they leave a storage bag in our spirit fields?”
“I don't know. Wait a moment.”
Chen Jianghe didn't probe the storage bag with his spiritual sense directly. Instead, he first took out a first-rank talisman brush and some spirit fox hide to draw a few sealing talismans.
He then placed them on the storage bag.
Then, he circulated the Soul Sea Foundation-Solidifying Scripture, his soul spikes standing on end, ready to defend.
Only then did he extend his spiritual sense into the storage bag.
“Hiss…?!”
Chen Jianghe immediately withdrew his spiritual sense from the storage bag and said urgently to Zhuang Xinyan, “Let's go back inside first.”
“Okay.”
Zhuang Xinyan obediently agreed and returned to the courtyard with Chen Jianghe.
Under the pavilion.
Chen Jianghe took a letter out of the storage bag.
“Brother Chen, seeing these words is as if we are meeting face to face…”
Reading the contents, Chen Jianghe's expression shifted between cloudy and clear. There was anger in his eyes, which then dissipated, replaced by helplessness.
This left Zhuang Xinyan, who was standing to the side, completely bewildered.
“Brother Chen, who is the letter from?”
Zhuang Xinyan asked.
When Chen Jianghe took out the letter in front of her, she had tactfully moved to the side to sit down.
But seeing his fluctuating expression, she was very curious.
In her heart, Chen Jianghe had always been an extremely steady person, calm and composed, unfazed by honor or disgrace.
“Take a look.”
Chen Jianghe didn't hide it from Zhuang Xinyan and handed the letter to her.
Twenty breaths later.
Zhuang Xinyan's expression changed drastically. She looked at Chen Jianghe, her eyes filled with worry and anger.
“That Ruan Tieniu is truly despicable! You helped him so many times in the past, Brother Chen. Instead of being grateful, he repays kindness with malice. To come to Clearwater Bay at a time like this and leave such a letter... if the Tiannan Sect finds out, they'll definitely misunderstand and think you're colluding with the demonic cultivators of the Feng Country.”
“Ruan Tieniu's intentions are damnable!”
Zhuang Xinyan said angrily.
The content of the letter was simple.
It was still a request for Chen Jianghe's help, hoping he could find someone to refine a spirit-nurturing defensive magical artifact for him.
The talisman arts inheritance he gave before was considered a gift.
Furthermore, Ruan Tieniu had already placed all the materials for refining the spirit-nurturing defensive magical artifact in the storage bag.
In other words, the streak of blood-red light that had fled towards the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range just now was Ruan Tieniu.
He actually dared to show himself in the territory of Immortal Gate Market City. How audacious.
After becoming the Grand State Preceptor of the Feng Country, this Ruan Tieniu had become increasingly reckless.
“Xinyan, take a look at the spiritual items in the storage bag.”
Chen Jianghe took out the storage bag.
Zhuang Xinyan frowned, her delicate brows furrowing as she swept her spiritual sense over the storage bag. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“So many materials?!”
“A metal-attribute second-rank peak spirit core, a pair of Golden-Horned Tiger-Ox horns, Golden Essence Tiger eyes, Golden Essence Tiger bones, and Blood Fiend Gold Crystal.”
“Why is there also a quasi-third-rank absorbable spiritual item, a Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi?!”
Zhuang Xinyan was shocked by the materials Ruan Tieniu had sent.
Asking Chen Jianghe to help find someone to refine a spirit-nurturing defensive magical artifact and sending materials was one thing.
But what was the meaning of sending a Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi?
This was a quasi-third-rank heaven and earth spiritual treasure. It could be used to refine high-grade Origin Spirit Pills or the body-tempering Blood Soul Pill.
The value of a single Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi was no less than that of a spirit-nurturing offensive magical artifact.
“The letter didn't mention the Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi, but it's certainly Ruan Tieniu's payment to me.”
“The Golden-Horned Tiger-Ox horns, Golden Essence Tiger eyes, Golden Essence Tiger bones, and the metal-attribute second-rank peak spirit core are all body parts from a metal-attribute second-rank peak demonic beast or higher. They can be used as supplementary materials for refining a spirit-nurturing artifact.”
“The Blood Fiend Gold Crystal is a quasi-third-rank spiritual material that can be used to refine a spirit-nurturing artifact.”
Chen Jianghe was angry, annoyed, and helpless all at once.
Back then, Ruan Tieniu had asked for his help in getting Luo Xiyue to refine a spirit-nurturing defensive magical artifact, giving him the inheritances for the Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talisman and the Rushing Thunder Talisman.
If the spirit-nurturing defensive artifact was successfully refined, Ruan Tieniu would give him another second-rank top-grade absorbable spiritual item.
If Luo Xiyue couldn't help.
Then Chen Jianghe would have to give Ruan Tieniu ten Rushing Thunder Talismans and three Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans as compensation.
And now, Ruan Tieniu had sent all the materials.
He had even given him a Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi. This was a quasi-third-rank treasure. With this Thousand-Year Blood Lingzhi.
Chen Jianghe's Tidal Marrow-Cleansing Art would be able to reach the sixth level of perfection. He would no longer have to worry about resources.
This was why Chen Jianghe couldn't bring himself to hate Ruan Tieniu.
The scoundrel was playing the sincerity card with him!
“Brother Chen, should we help him? He's the demonic cultivator Grand State Preceptor of the Feng Country.” Zhuang Xinyan bit her lip and asked softly.