Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 284
Chapter Title: Third-Tier Treasure, Leaving the Immortal Sect Gate
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"Haha... then I shall take your auspicious words to heart, Grandmaster Chen."
Xu Feng let out a hearty laugh.
However, he did not ask where Chen Jianghe planned to go.
The Immortal Sect Market City was withering, its decline already apparent.
Chen Jianghe would certainly be leaving as well. As for where he was going? That was not something he could ask.
Xu Feng knew his place.
Chen Jianghe was different from him. He was just a rogue cultivator; at worst, he might encounter bandits when traveling.
With the stabilization of the Feng Kingdom, he probably wouldn't even run into bandits.
But Chen Jianghe was different. He was a Talisman Grandmaster, and he was accompanied by an Alchemy Grandmaster.
The resources on his person were enough to make reformed bandits return to their old ways.
Enough to make demonic cultivators who had turned over a new leaf return to the demonic path.
But if he didn't ask about these things, he really had nothing else to say.
In the end, his relationship with Chen Jianghe was limited to a few transactions, and in every transaction, Chen Jianghe had given him a friendly price.
He had been treated quite well.
For a moment, he was speechless, an awkward smile on his face.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, on your trip to Xichuan Prefecture, is there anything I can help you with?" Chen Jianghe slowly asked.
Seeing Xu Feng's persistently awkward smile, Chen Jianghe understood that he was too embarrassed to speak up.
He didn't have time to waste with Xu Feng.
Besides, Xu Feng had helped him obtain four stalks of Three-Leaf Blood Lotus Grass. As long as the value was equivalent, he could sell Xu Feng two second-tier high-grade talismans.
"Haha..."
Xu Feng gave an awkward laugh, looked at Chen Jianghe, and said with some embarrassment, "As you know, Grandmaster Chen, I have taken a wife and had a son, with the intention of starting a family line."
"Yes, I understand."
Chen Jianghe nodded. The conversation had started; the rest was up to Xu Feng.
Seeing Chen Jianghe nod, Xu Feng no longer held back. Without another word, he directly took out a storage bag.
"I am not a man of great ability, but I have always been under your care, Grandmaster Chen. I have escaped danger several times, all thanks to your talismans."
Seeing Xu Feng say this and take out the storage bag, Chen Jianghe remained silent, watching him quietly and waiting for what would come next.
"Decades ago, my brother and I traveled to the Boundless Sea and were fortunate enough to obtain an item that might be of use to you, Grandmaster Chen."
"Today, I would like to trade it with you, Grandmaster Chen, for some second-tier high-grade talismans for protection, and also to leave some foundation for my family."
As Xu Feng spoke, he took an item out of his storage bag.
It was as thick as a baby's arm, seven inches long, with interlocking blue and white patterns, and it emanated a chilling aura.
"Profound Ice Sunken Wood?!"
Chen Jianghe's expression froze. He hadn't expected the treasure Xu Feng took out to be a third-tier low-grade spiritual object, Profound Ice Sunken Wood.
This was a material for crafting third-tier treasure talismans.
Its value was immeasurable.
Trying to trade for it on the open market was simply wishful thinking.
"I wonder if this piece of Profound Ice Sunken Wood is of any use to you, Grandmaster Chen?" Xu Feng asked, looking at Chen Jianghe.
The moment he saw the Profound Ice Sunken Wood.
Chen Jianghe decided he had to trade with Xu Feng.
It wasn't just useful; it was incredibly useful!
If he obtained the Profound Ice Sunken Wood, he could inscribe a second-tier talisman on it and then nurture it into a Talisman Treasure, or even a third-tier treasure talisman.
For him.
Whether it was a Talisman Treasure or a third-tier treasure talisman, both could serve as a trump card.
"To be honest with you, Fellow Daoist Xu, this Profound Ice Sunken Wood is extremely useful to me. However, its value is exceedingly high. If you trade it for second-tier talismans, you will be at a great disadvantage."
Chen Jianghe said sincerely.
"Haha... as long as it's useful, that's all that matters."
Hearing that it was useful to Chen Jianghe, Xu Feng was overjoyed, and even his wife showed a happy expression.
'Everyone says Grandmaster Chen is a man of integrity, and it's true. Profound Ice Sunken Wood is a third-tier spiritual object. After seeing it, not only did he show no greed, he even advised me that trading it for second-tier talismans would be a great loss. A truly honorable man.'
Xu Feng thought to himself.
Then, Xu Feng looked at Chen Jianghe and said, "The Profound Ice Sunken Wood is extremely valuable, but for me, it is not a blessing, but a calamity."
"Grandmaster Chen treats me with sincerity, so I dare not hide anything. I have tried to sell this Profound Ice Sunken Wood many times, but if I want an equivalent exchange, I'm afraid it would be difficult to trade it away anytime soon."
"At that point, I would surely attract all sorts of covetous eyes and offend people in the process. Although I am just a rogue cultivator, I understand the principle that an innocent man gets into trouble for carrying a treasure."
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe nodded.
A third-tier low-grade spiritual object, Profound Ice Sunken Wood, a material for crafting third-tier treasure talismans. A treasure like this could easily be exchanged for four or five quasi-third-tier absorbable spiritual objects.
Not to mention allowing Xu Feng to cultivate to the peak of Foundation Establishment.
At the very least, it could allow Xu Feng's physical cultivation technique to reach the sixth level, and his spiritual cultivation technique to reach the sixth level as well.
Reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment with the trinity of body, spirit, and qi was certainly possible.
But once it was revealed that he possessed a third-tier spiritual object, a Spirit Thief like Xu Feng would likely not survive to see the next day.
One must remember, Xu Feng was previously only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
By the time he broke through to the late stage, the Immortal Sect Market City had already declined, making an equivalent exchange impossible for him.
"What type of talismans do you wish to trade for, Fellow Daoist? And how many?"
Chen Jianghe asked.
"I want to trade for six talismans: two second-tier high-grade offensive talismans, two second-tier high-grade defensive talismans, and two second-tier high-grade escape talismans."
After he spoke.
Both Xu Feng and his wife watched Chen Jianghe cautiously, afraid he would be unwilling.
Even when trading resources, one needed a reliable network.
Chen Jianghe was the only reliable connection he knew. As for approaching Ruan Tieniu, Xu Feng truly didn't dare.
As for other cultivators?
It wasn't that he looked down on them, but they were all Spirit Thieves. What good things could they possibly have?
Chen Jianghe shook his head.
This made Xu Feng and his wife's hearts sink with disappointment.
"This Profound Ice Sunken Wood is very valuable and of great use to me. It's just that I don't have many talismans on hand. Otherwise, I would definitely give you nine or ten second-tier high-grade talismans, which would barely match the value of this piece of Profound Ice Sunken Wood."
As Chen Jianghe spoke, he took out two Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans, two Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, and two Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans.
Then he took out two Dustfall Pills.
"I can only use these two Dustfall Pills to make up the difference. Although it's still not enough to match the value of the Profound Ice Sunken Wood, this is all I can offer at the moment. I hope you can forgive me, Fellow Daoist Xu."
"Ah?! This..."
Xu Feng was stunned, looking at Chen Jianghe with utter disbelief. He had thought Chen Jianghe shook his head because his request was too high.
He never imagined it was too low.
Not only did Chen Jianghe give him six second-tier high-grade talismans, but he also threw in two Dustfall Pills.
For him, this was an unexpected delight.
To be honest, after reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment, his cultivation base had not yet stabilized. It wasn't for lack of time.
It was a lack of cultivation resources.
In other words.
He had no Dustfall Pills to cleanse the impurities in his spiritual power.
The main ingredients for refining Dustfall Pills required some special second-tier top-grade absorbable spiritual objects, as well as special quasi-third-tier absorbable spiritual objects.
After all, most second-tier absorbable spiritual objects could only be used to refine Spirit Origin Pills, not Dustfall Pills.
"Grandmaster Chen, you..."
"Fellow Daoist Xu, you came to me to trade the Profound Ice Sunken Wood. This is a sign of your trust in me. Now that you are about to embark on a long journey, how could I take advantage of your situation?"
"This Muscle Regrowth and Bone Mending Pill is also for you, Fellow Daoist. I hope you will have no need for it on your journey to Xichuan Prefecture."
Chen Jianghe gave the six second-tier high-grade talismans to Xu Feng, along with two Dustfall Pills and one Muscle Regrowth and Bone Mending Pill.
Xu Feng and his wife were immediately filled with gratitude, bowing repeatedly to Chen Jianghe to thank him.
Chen Jianghe exchanged a few pleasantries and saw the couple off.
Although he had given so many resources, it was still far from matching the value of the Profound Ice Sunken Wood.
This was a true third-tier spiritual object.
It was also a material for crafting a third-tier treasure talisman, indirectly providing Chen Jianghe with a third-tier treasure talisman.
"Fellow Daoist Xu Hong's death was truly worth it."
Chen Jianghe sighed. He had to admit the two brothers were very lucky. Xu Feng's luck was relatively better, as he had survived to enjoy the benefits brought by the resources.
After giving away the six second-tier high-grade talismans, he still had twenty Purple Lightning Cloud-Piercing Talismans, eighteen Second Wood Green Vine Shield Talismans, and twenty-five Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans.
As for Dustfall Pills, he had nine left.
He had even more Muscle Regrowth and Bone Mending Pills.
To others, Muscle Regrowth and Bone Mending Pills were incredibly precious, but to Chen Jianghe, they were just ordinary spiritual pills.
The reason Chen Jianghe gave Xu Feng two extra Dustfall Pills and one Muscle Regrowth and Bone Mending Pill...
...was to foster a good relationship.
He always tried to maintain good karma with those blessed by fortune.
In the future, it might bring him a pleasant surprise.
He couldn't look down on someone just because their strength was lacking.
The changes of fate were difficult to fathom.
Perhaps one day in the future, a once-small figure would become a being one could only look up to.
The Heavenly Dao is fickle, and fortune is ever-changing.
Be kind to others, foster good connections, develop steadily, and act with caution. These were Chen Jianghe's principles.
If he truly became enemies with someone, he would eliminate them at all costs, leaving them no chance for their fortune to turn.
Returning to the East Courtyard, he entered the cultivation chamber.
Chen Jianghe took out the Profound Ice Sunken Wood. It was two inches shorter than the piece he had obtained in the Ancient Wind and Snow Mystic Realm.
Crafting a second-tier high-grade talisman with complex runes would be difficult, but crafting second-tier low-grade and mid-grade talismans was still possible.
The talisman Chen Jianghe was most interested in was still the Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talisman, a talisman that attacked the soul.
If it could be nurtured to the level of a third-tier treasure talisman.
For Chen Jianghe, it would be like having a fatal blow against False Core Rogue Cultivators.
"Then I'll craft a Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman and nurture it with the [True Spirit Treasure Nurturing Art]."
After a moment of thought, Chen Jianghe decided to craft a defensive talisman.
Since he was crafting a defensive talisman, there was no difference between crafting a Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman and a Golden Light Body Protection Talisman.
Both were Five Elements defensive talismans.
He chose to craft the Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman because it was a second-tier mid-grade talisman, which would reduce the nurturing time.
Taking nurturing a Talisman Treasure as an example, a second-tier low-grade talisman required twenty-five years of nurturing, while a second-tier mid-grade talisman only needed twenty-three.
As his cultivation level increased, the time required to nurture a Talisman Treasure would shorten further in the future.
With this in mind.
Chen Jianghe no longer hesitated. He took out the Peachwood Heart-Clearing Talisman Brush and second-tier spiritual ink, and began to inscribe the Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman on the Profound Ice Sunken Wood.
With his current talisman crafting skills and cultivation level, he could successfully craft a Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman in about twenty days.
After successfully crafting it, Chen Jianghe used the [True Spirit Treasure Nurturing Art] to refine the Green Wood Immortal Shield Talisman, then placed it in his Dantian to nurture.
Time flew by, and more than eight months passed.
In the cultivation chamber, a faint green light flickered as a Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talisman was completed.
Chen Jianghe took a deep breath.
"Thirty Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans, the soul attack characteristic they form should be enough to annihilate a False Core Rogue Cultivator, right?"
False Core Rogue Cultivators could control Dharma Treasures, but not every one of them possessed one.
The preciousness of Dharma Treasures was hard to imagine.
Even among the Core Formation elders in a sect, not everyone had a Dharma Treasure.
Back then, after Perfected Master Lan successfully formed her core, she didn't immediately obtain a Dharma Treasure. If it weren't for the Darktide Golden Sand Chen Jianghe provided to the Tiannan Sect.
Perfected Master Lan would have probably needed another ten or twenty years to acquire a Dharma Treasure.
If it was so difficult for Core Formation elders of a sect to obtain a Dharma Treasure, it was even harder to imagine how difficult it was for rogue cultivators.
As for False Core Rogue Cultivators?
It was nearly impossible for them to possess a Dharma Treasure.
Therefore, with thirty Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans, even if a False Core Rogue Cultivator were to come for him, he had a way to deal with them.
He wouldn't have to resort to just defending and fleeing.
If truly pushed to the brink, with thirty Second Wood Soul-Entangling Talismans, even a False Core Rogue Cultivator would have to pay a price!
Walking out of the cultivation chamber.
With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Chen Jianghe retrieved the letters from the post box. There were three in total.
They were from Yu Daniu, Ruan Tieniu, and Zhou Xiaoxuan.
Arriving at the pavilion, he first opened Yu Daniu's letter. It contained only a short sentence.
It was asking if Chen Jianghe was still in the Immortal Sect Market City.
If he hadn't left, he was to reply with his new mailing address once he settled in a new place.
Chen Jianghe first wrote a reply to Yu Daniu.
He explained his current situation, saying he would write again once he had a new address and that there was no need to send letters to the Immortal Sect Market City anymore.
Next, Chen Jianghe opened Zhou Xiaoxuan's letter.
The content was very tactful.
The general meaning was, when was he going to Muyun Mountain?
It was still about the talismans and spiritual pills.
After all, Zhou Xiaoxuan's safety after entering the mystic realm depended entirely on the talismans and spiritual pills provided by Chen Jianghe.
Fifteen talismans.
What a wealthy number that was!
Chen Jianghe also replied to Zhou Xiaoxuan, telling her to go directly to Muyun Mountain when the mystic realm was about to open.
There was no need to wait for him.
He would naturally go to Muyun Mountain when the time came.
Before arriving at Muyun Mountain, Chen Jianghe would not reveal his whereabouts, let alone write them in a letter.
Finally, Chen Jianghe opened Ruan Tieniu's letter.
Reading the contents of the letter, Chen Jianghe's expression turned strange.
"What is this Ji Wujin trying to do?"
Previously, after hearing that Ji Wujin had returned to the Tiannan Region, Chen Jianghe had asked Ruan Tieniu to help track his movements.
Now, Ruan Tieniu's letter reported that Ji Wujin was actually in Qinghe Prefecture.
That was the territory of the Two Clans of Qinghe.
"Wait, some time ago, two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Two Clans of Qinghe perished. Could it be this guy's doing?!"
"Is he trying to vent my anger for me?"
Chen Jianghe was a bit surprised.
He and Ji Wujin hadn't seen each other in nearly sixty years, and he didn't think their friendship was that deep.
But according to Luo Xiyue.
This Ji Wujin seemed to consider him a close friend.
"Wait, Ji Wujin also has a Thousand Illusions. He wouldn't transform into my appearance and attack the Two Clans of Qinghe, would he!"
Chen Jianghe felt a little worried.
Before he had sufficient strength, he didn't want to make enemies with any power, not even the Two Clans of Qinghe who had put a kill order on him.
He would not confront them at this time.
If it really came time to act, he would do so with absolute certainty, leaving not a single trace behind.
"The deaths of the cultivators from the Two Clans of Qinghe should be an accident, unrelated to Ji Wujin. He's only at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Killing an Immortal Official in Qinghe Prefecture would be a provocation against the authority of the Qing Kingdom."
"The Qing Kingdom has Core Formation mighty figures, and more than one."
"Ji Wujin shouldn't be that reckless."
Chen Jianghe continued reading Ruan Tieniu's letter, which now turned to matters concerning Xichuan Prefecture.
It was an invitation for Chen Jianghe to attend an auction at Duobao Market City in Xichuan Prefecture.
In two years, at the Treasure Pavilion auction in Duobao Market City, a third-grade high-class bloodline spirit beast would be auctioned.
This was something he, the Immortal Emissary Commissioner of Xichuan Prefecture, had secured from the Feng Kingdom's imperial court.
Also, he wanted Chen Jianghe's help in crafting some second-tier high-grade talismans to be consigned at the Duobao Market City auction.
This would also help build up popularity for Duobao Market City.
Attracting more cultivators to Duobao Market City.
This way, his position as the Immortal Emissary Commissioner of Xichuan Prefecture could rise steadily within the Feng Kingdom, surpassing the commissioners of other prefectures.
Of course, Ruan Tieniu also knew that with the opening of the unknown mystic realm, Chen Jianghe couldn't possibly take out second-tier high-grade talismans for auction.
Therefore, Ruan Tieniu's request for him to consign second-tier high-grade talismans was for after the unknown mystic realm opened.
"He even wants Ruxu to help refine some Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills. This Ruan Tieniu is really confident!"
Refining Ice Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills required Ice Heart Grass.
The meaning of Ruan Tieniu's letter was that he wanted Chen Jianghe and Jiang Ruxu to help refine the talisman materials and alchemy ingredients obtained from the unknown mystic realm into spiritual pills or talismans.
The unknown mystic realm hadn't even opened yet.
Ruan Tieniu was already thinking about what to do after getting out of the unknown mystic realm.
He was thinking a bit too far ahead.
Entering the unknown mystic realm was incredibly dangerous.
Even he needed to prepare various means of self-preservation, despite having so many protective treasures now.
Chen Jianghe still felt unsafe.
Yet Ruan Tieniu was so confident he would walk out of the unknown mystic realm alive!
Immediately.
Chen Jianghe wrote a reply to Ruan Tieniu.
He agreed to Ruan Tieniu's request. He would be living in Xichuan Prefecture for some time, so it was best to maintain a good relationship with Ruan Tieniu, the Immortal Emissary Commissioner.
After all, Ruan Tieniu was overtly the most powerful cultivator in Xichuan Prefecture.
But there was one thing Chen Jianghe didn't understand.
Why was Ruan Tieniu trying so hard to develop Xichuan Prefecture, even at the expense of his own interests, just to benefit the cultivators there?
"A karmic fortune enterprise?"
Back then, Chen Jianghe had wondered what benefits the Flying Post could possibly offer.
After all, not only did it not earn spirit stones, it probably lost millions of them every year.
Even so, Silver Moon Peak was unwilling to give up the Flying Post, even sending Perfected Master Lan to the north of the Heaven-Reaching River ahead of schedule.
To control the Flying Post north of the Heaven-Reaching River first.
Gao Peiyao had said it was a karmic fortune enterprise, but she didn't specify what that meant.
She only said that once he formed his core, he would naturally understand what a karmic fortune enterprise was.
Now, Ruan Tieniu's strange behavior—seeking benefits for the mortals and rogue cultivators under his jurisdiction—made him seem like a completely different person.
It was possible he was also engaged in some kind of karmic fortune enterprise.
"I'll find out when I see Ruan Tieniu in the future."
Chen Jianghe didn't dwell on it.
He calculated the time. There were less than four months until his appointment with Gao Peiyao.
Meaning, at the beginning of the second month of the next year, he would leave the Immortal Sect Market City.
At that time, Gao Peiyao would escort them on her Spirit Serpent Boat.
He walked out of the East Courtyard.
Glancing at the seclusion spot of the two women, who showed no signs of emerging, he began to cultivate in the West Courtyard.
With the decline of the Immortal Sect Market City and the departure of most Foundation Establishment cultivators, Jiang Ruxu had stopped refining pills to focus on her cultivation.
She had accumulated a vast amount of cultivation resources.
So she didn't have to worry about what she needed for cultivation.
This was the advantage of being an alchemist. During the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages, one rarely lacked resources.
But when it came to Core Formation resources.
Even an Alchemy Grandmaster would find them difficult to obtain.
After all, no matter how exquisite an Alchemy Grandmaster's skills or how profound their insights were at the Foundation Establishment level.
They could not possibly refine a third-tier spiritual pill.
And thus, they couldn't trade for Core Formation resources.
Time passed in a flash.
Another two months went by.
Seeing that the two women had not yet emerged from seclusion.
Chen Jianghe put away his talisman brush and spiritual ink, returned to the East Courtyard, and first stored the Dragon Pattern Red Pine in his spiritual plant bag.
He also put Xiao Hei and Latiao into a second-tier spirit beast bag.
As for the spirit turtles, they couldn't be put into a spirit beast bag. Only contracted spirit beasts could be stored in a spirit beast bag or a spirit beast ring.
Standing by the lotus pond, he looked at the spirit turtles. The Stone Rock Turtles were slightly larger, with each carapace being about eight feet in size.
Next were the Flame Turtles, with shells about six feet in size.
The Mystic Water Turtles were the smallest, only three feet in size.
Among these forty-six spirit turtles, a dozen had already become first-tier late-stage spirit beasts.
The rest were at the first-tier mid-stage.
But it wouldn't be long before all of them, except for the three purchased later, would reach the first-tier late-stage.
This was the benefit of using Five Elements spiritual pills. As long as one wasn't worried about damaging their foundation and affecting their potential, one could achieve highly efficient, forced growth.
These spirit turtles all had to be taken with him.
Since they couldn't be put in a spirit beast bag, he bought large cages to hang on the Spirit Serpent Boat later.
Although it would slow them down, there was no other choice.
After packing up everything in the East Courtyard, Chen Jianghe left Maoqiu to watch over the spirit turtles and returned to the West Courtyard.
He cultivated in the pavilion for over a month.
Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan emerged from seclusion one after another.
Chen Jianghe told them about his departure and asked them to pack up quickly.
The two women didn't have much to pack, just their alchemy furnaces. Everything else was in their storage bags.
Seeing that the appointed day with Gao Peiyao was approaching.
Chen Jianghe brought Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan to the East Courtyard, put the spirit turtles into cages, and used his spiritual power to move them to the West Courtyard to wait for Gao Peiyao's arrival.
Having lived together in Clearwater Bay for over twenty years, this was the first time Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan had entered Chen Jianghe's courtyard.
It was clean, tidy, quiet, and elegant.
Three days later.
Gao Peiyao arrived as promised. When she saw the large cages in the courtyard and the spirit turtles inside.
She guessed Chen Jianghe's intention for raising the spirit turtles.
After all, she was the one who had given the [Soul Sea Foundation Consolidating Scripture] to Chen Jianghe.
She just hadn't expected that Chen Jianghe would use such a simple, clumsy, yet effective method to cultivate the [Soul Sea Foundation Consolidating Scripture].