Chapter 28: The Fireworks of Ten Thousand Spirit Stones Were Indeed Beautiful

Huafeng House, beside the alchemy furnace, Zhong Ningyao strained to control the flames as she forged a magic treasure.

Nearby, Xiang Yuan, who kept adding peach wood charcoal to the furnace, couldn’t help stealing glances at his senior sister.

Zhong Ningyao, with her Qi Refining realm, used a Qi Refining technique to control the peach wood spiritual fire, relying on two protective spiritual artifacts she wore.

But both artifacts were designed to be revealing, stirring Xiang Yuan’s heart deeply.

After a long while, sensing the seals were complete, Zhong Ningyao called out.

“Done! Extinguish the fire!”

Xiang Yuan hurriedly stuffed stones into the furnace to slow the burning of the peach wood charcoal.

The alchemy furnace opened under Zhong Ningyao’s control, revealing two copper beads, fist-sized, glowing red, spinning rapidly inside.

Zhong Ningyao used tongs to place the two copper beads on a stone table, checked them carefully, then said with relief.

“Not bad—one six-layer, one five-layer.”

“One furnace, two artifacts—congratulations, Senior Sister, your cultivation has advanced again!”

Though Zhong Ningyao had forged both items, Xiang Yuan shared her joy.

Zhong Ningyao cast a subtle glance at this foolish boy, wiped her sweat, and pulled on her outer robe.

“What advancement? Just two low-grade magic treasures. One’s for you, one’s for Yulou.”

“The five-layer one goes to Yulou, the six-layer one is yours—reward for your hard work stoking the fire.”

Xiang Yuan was utterly dazed.

What?

Two low-grade magic treasure copper beads—and Senior Sister is giving me the six-layer one?

Does she like me too?

Seeing Xiang Wangyu silent, Zhong Ningyao waved her hand before his face, suspiciously warning:

“What are you staring at? Don’t tell Yulou your bead has six layers—I’m afraid he’ll think I’m favoring you, understood, Xiang Yuan junior?”

Xiang Yuan stared at his senior sister’s pale, slender hand, snapped out of his daze, and vowed repeatedly:

“Understood, understood, Senior Sister—I get it all!”

Taking the copper bead Zhong Ningyao handed him, Xiang Yuan walked to the front hall.

Seeing Yulou still reading a travelogue and slacking off, he kicked Yulou’s reclining chair, jolting him hard.

Yulou, lying down with the travelogue pressed to his chest, glared at Xiang Yuan, annoyed:

“What now?”

Xiang Yuan proudly held up a copper bead and shoved it into Yulou’s hand.

“Look—six-layer sealed copper bead. Senior Sister just forged two in one furnace—we each get one.”

Yulou paused, instantly grasping the implication.

“Good, good, good—Jiang Bao takes the big share, Master takes the small, and we still get a sip of broth. Our Wang family’s collective fees weren’t wasted after all.”

Leaning against the counter, Xiang Yuan muttered quietly to Yulou:

“You don’t know—the schematics Gao Jian brought were already shoddy, but Master still managed to scrape out a bit of copper from every firework artifact, just enough to make two small pieces for Ningyao Senior Sister to practice on.”

“But if Master’s gift is only this little, won’t the Clan Chief lose face when he brings him to visit True Person Danri?”

Zhong Ningyao thought the six-layer copper bead might win over Xiang Yuan, who adored her openly.

After all, Yulou was clearly hard to manipulate—his mind was deeply guarded.

Xiang Yuan was different—he was the universally recognized honest boy of the entire village.

But she couldn’t understand the Wang family’s upbringing, nor the bond between the two brothers who grew up and studied together at Qingxi Alley.

Xiang Yuan didn’t just give the higher-sealed bead to Yulou—he instantly saw the gift was too light.

Two low-grade magic treasures? What’s the big deal?

Xiang Yuan’s own Bailli Escape Talisman could buy ten low-grade magic treasures!

“No loss—the Clan Chief never makes a bad deal.”

Yulou picked up his travelogue and resumed reading.

Suddenly, a female cultivator’s voice echoed across Qingxi Alley’s sky:

“To facilitate exchanges of desired magic treasures, elixirs, cultivation techniques, and secret transmissions, the Qingxi Grand Gathering is now open! The Red Lantern Division of the Merit Hall welcomes all hermits, clans, and sects!”

“Starting today, the division will be stationed in Qingxi Market for three months before departing!”

The voice sounded youthful, as if from a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl, yet carried immense magical power, filling Qingxi Alley.

Yulou stepped out of Huafeng House, startled, gazing at the red flying vessel in the sky: Golden Crow Chasing the Sun.

“Boom~ Boom~”

Jiang Bao’s disposable firework artifacts exploded in the sky—though it was daytime, the blooming petals were stunningly beautiful.

In the sky, the Golden Crow Chasing the Sun hovered center, flanked by Huang Family’s Baibao Pavilion and the Immortal Alliance’s mobile headquarters, while other flying spiritual artifacts from various clans, sects, and guilds scattered around.

Fireworks bloomed among them—the spectacle of ten thousand spirit stones was indeed magnificent.

Watching the fading splendor, Xiang Yuan cursed:

“Damn Jiang Bao!”

Ten thousand spirit stones!

Just like that, Jiang Bao stole them away!

Beneath the dazzling sky, Yulou lowered his head and turned back into Huafeng House.

“Endure! Only by enduring what others cannot endure can we shoulder our family’s duties and advance further on the Dao.”

“True vigor belongs only to true Jin Dan True Persons, Xiang Yuan—never speak recklessly again without regard for context!”

His brother’s advice was sound; Xiang Yuan listened—but still felt his thoughts unbalanced.

“Pah!”

He spat toward the direction of the Golden Crow Chasing the Sun, fully venting his fury, then returned to Huafeng House.

Wait. Just wait.

When I, Wang Yulou, become an immortal, it will be your death day!

The fire of youth—Xiang Yuan didn’t yet know that even if he were only a Zi Fu, Jiang Bao was no better than a pig or dog.

Why wait until becoming an immortal to seek revenge?

In the afternoon, Wang Xianmao led the two youths into Huang Family’s Baibao Pavilion.

Upon entering, Yulou immediately thought of Diagon Alley from Harry Potter.

A narrow alley, packed on both sides with shops; though few people walked through, most were Qi Refining cultivators, and the place buzzed with energy.

“This Baibao Pavilion is no ordinary place—it contains hidden depths yet remains compact, existing between a magic treasure and a true treasure.”

“You may slightly channel your energy and feel—the spiritual energy here is richer than in our clan’s lands, isn’t it?”

Yulou closed his eyes, sensing for several seconds, then exclaimed in surprise:

“This… is very high.”

Wang Xianmao explained with envy:

“The gap between Zi Fu clans and Foundation Establishment clans is like heaven and earth. The Huang family has several such Baibao Pavilions.”

The Huang family, the wealthiest clan in Wunan’s cultivation world, specialized in wealth—the first of the Four Essentials: wealth, law, companions, and land.

“So, Clan Chief, is the Red Lantern’s appointment of Huang family members as Sect Master exactly as I suspected?” Yulou asked quietly.

“Hahaha, come—I’ll take you to the Huang family’s alchemy chamber. Their forge is far superior to Huafeng House.”

The Clan Chief dodged the question, giving no answer.

Nearby, Xiang Yuan had observed the whole way—he noticed something unusual.

One shop bore an exquisitely carved red gatehouse, inscribed with three large characters: Baili Xuan.

Below the gate, a crowd of eager male cultivators jostled, the scene lively.

Pointing at the beautiful gatehouse, Xiang Yuan asked innocently:

“Clan Chief, why is this shop so crowded?”

Wang Xianmao glanced over, his mouth twitched, then slapped Xiang Yuan on the forehead.

“Don’t stare—that shop has female cultivators practicing charm arts—they drain the yang energy from boys like you!”