Chapter 143

Has Yunhe junior brother broken through to late Foundation Establishment?

Looking at Yunhe before him, Kong Zhibai wore a look of surprise.

Thinking back to the past.

When Yunhe first joined the Qingzong Sect, he was only at late Qi Refining; at that time, as sect master, he had already reached late Foundation Establishment.

But now, after so many years, Yunhe has reached late Foundation Establishment, yet he remains stagnant.

This made Kong Zhibai involuntarily feel a sense of disparity.

However, fortunately, as the sect master of the Qingzong Sect, seeing the sect's cultivators make great progress in their cultivation base, aside from the sense of disparity, he felt more relief and joy.

The sect's growing strength is absolutely due to his efforts as sect master.

"This is all thanks to the master's help; junior brother merely basked in the master's glory." Yunhe said humbly, clasping his fists.

"The master opens the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. Elder Hua naturally deserves credit, but junior brother, you shouldn't sell yourself short."

Kong Zhibai waved his hand.

As sect master, how could he not know what state the Golden Core elders are in when they usually teach disciples?

After all, it's still Yunhe's own hard work.

But Yunhe's cultivation breakthrough speed somewhat lets him understand why Elder Hua accepted him as a disciple.

"In the past five years, junior brother is the second cultivator in our sect to break through to late Foundation Establishment; our Qingzong Sect shows signs of great prosperity." Kong Zhibai's face lit with joy, and he couldn't help but exclaim.

"Second?" Yunhe startled, "Are there other senior brothers in the sect who have broken through to late Foundation Establishment?"

This somewhat surprised him.

"It's Huah Lin, junior brother Hua."

Huah Lin!

Yunhe's pupils contracted slightly.

Back then, the Hua senior brother who survived the self-detonation of the Insect Sect's Trapped Beast Pillar together with him?!

As for that Hua senior brother, Yunhe naturally had an impression of him.

He was one of the few good-natured elders in the sect.

Although Yunhe didn't know much about his cultivation, only knowing he was at mid Foundation Establishment, he never expected him to also break through to late Foundation Establishment so quickly.

He didn't know why.

Upon hearing the name Huah Lin, Yunhe felt a little uneasy in his heart.

Suppressing that feeling, he said with a smile:

"That is indeed a fortunate event for the sect."

Kong Zhibai nodded.

"Since junior brother voluntarily applied to go to the Guiyuan Sect to offer condolences, then this matter will be left to junior brother. I have already ordered disciples to prepare the condolence gifts; now I will order them to come."

Speaking, he flicked his sleeve, and a talisman shot out from the cuff.

"Thank you, Sect Master senior brother."

One day later.

Guiyuan Realm.

The Guiyuan Sect is situated on a flat piece of land.

"I have long heard of Daoist Yun's great reputation; seeing you today, you truly live up to your name. I am Zheng Jin of the Guiyuan Sect; pleased to meet you, Daoist."

A white-clad cultivator at late Foundation Establishment received Yunhe, who had come from afar.

"So it's Daoist Zheng; hearing your name is no match for meeting you. I, Yun, have long admired you, Daoist."

Facing such a nearly formulaic greeting, Yunhe showed no sign of embarrassment on his face, smiling as he responded.

Even though he had never heard the name 'Zheng Jin' before, he put on a look of surprise.

"Daoist Yun, you're too polite, too polite."

Those sent out to receive guests are usually smooth operators; although Zheng Jin's cultivation is not weak, judging by his appearance he is likely not young, presumably taking on some affairs of the Guiyuan Sect because he has no hope of reaching Golden Core.

Following the 'protocol,' Yunhe first represented the Qingzong Sect in offering condolences to the Three Origin Daoist, then presented the condolence gifts to express his sentiments.

Afterward, the Guiyuan Sect arranged for him to rest at an inn.

That night.

Yunhe sat on the bed in his room cultivating, when someone lightly knocked on his door.

"Daoist Yun, I am Zheng Jin; I wonder if you would be interested in joining the exchange gathering?"

He had come.

Yunhe, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

During the day, Zheng Jin intentionally or unintentionally told him several times that there would be an exchange gathering in the evening.

Opening the door, seeing Zheng Jin outside, Yunhe smiled and said, "Thank you, Daoist Zheng."

The two went to a side hall of the Guiyuan Sect.

Inside the hall were already seated many cultivators; aside from those from other sects who came to offer condolences, there were also many Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Guiyuan Sect present.

Obviously, everyone clearly understood the purpose of this exchange gathering.

Yunhe did not know the cultivators in the hall, but thanks to Zheng Jin's presence, it counted as a simple introduction for Yunhe.

And after Yunhe arrived, more and more Foundation Establishment cultivators continued to show up.

Moreover, in that not-so-large hall, nearly forty Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered, most of them from the Guiyuan Sect.

Leading them was an elderly woman dressed in plain white, with mid Foundation Establishment cultivation, the initiator of this exchange gathering, Cao Xucui.

She is also one of the numerous descendants of the Three Origin Daoist within the Guiyuan Sect.

Her face was full of sorrow, her brows filled with grief, yet facing the cultivators present, she had to force a smile to respond.

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If one wishes to rally again, at least within the Cao family there must appear a Golden Core seedling, or even a cultivator who has reached perfection in Foundation Establishment.

For this reason, although holding this exchange meeting will draw criticism, for the sake of the Cao family and the younger generation, she has no choice but to do so.

"Those who could attend, this old lady merely represents the Cao family to express gratitude."

Cao Xucui forced herself despite discomfort and offered a salute.

"Alas, Fellow Daoist Cao, please accept my condolences."

"Fellow Daoist Cao, you're being too polite."

Yunhe and the others hastily returned the salute.

"Before our ancestor entered meditation, he left some things for this old lady, but because the later generations are unfilial, we have no choice but to exchange them for further resources; this old lady feels ashamed before our ancestor." As she spoke, Cao Xucui still took out an embroidered handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

Although everyone continued to offer comfort, Yunhe could see that those present didn't really care about how the Cao family would fare in the future; they were merely going through the motions because Daoist San Yuan had just passed into meditation.

After a while, Cao Xucui gradually recovered, which also marked the formal start of this exchange meeting.

She first took out a long sword from her storage bag; the sword was three chi three long, the hilt milky white, the blade humming softly, with ripples of Spiritual Power flowing.

Upon seeing this sword, many people's eyes lit up.

"This is the flying sword used by our ancestor in his youth—the White Cloud Slayer Snake Sword, a high-quality upper-grade Spiritual Artifact; fellow Daoists who are interested may barter or purchase it with Spirit Stones."

"Here, elixirs that enhance and refine cultivation base come first, defensive-type Spiritual Artifacts second, flight-type Spiritual Artifacts third, and Spirit Stones are the least preferred option."

As for what to exchange, Cao Xucui had clearly made preparations long ago.

"An upper-grade Spiritual Artifact?"

Gazing at the humming blade of that flying sword, Yunhe secretly shook his head.

He had still expected there to be a treasure.

But upon second thought, even if there truly were a treasure, the Cao family would not have fallen to such a state, and the Guiyuan Sect would not allow such a treasure to drift to another sect.

After all, the Cao family being able to hold this exchange meeting surely indicates some tacit understanding with the Guiyuan Sect.

Among the treasures left by Daoist San Yuan, the truly valuable items were likely already taken by the Guiyuan Sect, or they had compensated the Cao family with Spirit Stones, or perhaps some promise had been made.

"Fellow Daoist Cao, I have five bottles of 'Yellow Ear Elixir' here; would that be acceptable?"

"I also have four bottles of 'Spirit Origin Elixir', plus."

Yellow Ear Elixir is an elixir suitable for early Foundation Establishment cultivators to increase their cultivation base, while Spirit Origin Elixir is suitable for mid-Foundation Establishment.

Yunhe was not interested, but there were still many cultivators present interested in this upper-grade Spiritual Artifact.

Afterwards.

Cao Xucui took out various items one after another for exchange.

Most of them were Spiritual Artifacts once used by Daoist San Yuan, or other things, also including some talismans and formation devices.

It must be said, the foundation of a Golden Core cultivator whose lifespan is nearly exhausted is still very abundant.

Even if some of the most precious items were withheld by the Guiyuan Sect or the Cao family, it still caused many Foundation Establishment cultivators present to scramble to compete for them.

After exchanging Spiritual Artifacts, formation devices, talismans, and the like, came some rare and exotic treasures, many of which appeared to come from the 'White Mountain Secret Realm'.

But what disappointed Yunhe was that, despite the exchange meeting lasting a long time, Cao Xucui never produced anything that interested him.

Until Cao Xucui took out a special small cage; when a spirit bee, nearly curled into a ball and of black-and-gold interlaced color, was taken out, Yunhe's heart jolted.

"According to our ancestor's instructions, this spirit bee was found by him in a stone crevice deep within the secret realm. Although it was in poor condition when found, this bee is quite extraordinary; even when weak, it has astonishing speed and extremely strong aggression, to the point that even our ancestor once found it difficult to handle."

Cao Xucui introduced the motionless spirit bee inside the cage.

As for how much of what she said is true and how much is exaggerated, the cultivators present must judge for themselves.

Yunhe stared at the cage, extending his divine sense without hesitation.

Some other cultivators present also swept their divine sense over it; most showed expressions of doubt, while a few fell into contemplation.

Upon seeing this bee, the first name that sprang to Yunhe's mind was the Four-Winged Gold-Spotted Bee!

However.

Compared to the Four-Winged Gold-Spotted Bee, the spirit bee in Cao Xucui's hand has three pairs, i. e., six wings, and its jet-black body bears larger, more conspicuous gold spots.

"To be honest, this spirit bee should be called the Six-Winged Gold-Spotted Bee!"

"Or perhaps the Gold-Shadow Six-Winged Bee!"

"It still has vitality, but it is even weaker than the previous Four-Winged Gold-Spotted Bee, and its condition is worse."

After scanning with his divine sense, Yunhe made a simple judgment.

"If anyone is interested, if not, this old lady will take out the next item."

Yunhe, seated with his hands crossed, his eyes flickering, yet had no intention of making a move.

If no one exchanges, he could privately approach Cao Xucui to propose a trade, but if he now puts forward a price, someone might interfere.

The corner of his eye glanced at the two Ling Beast Sect cultivators who had arrived together.

However, although Yunhe did not speak, someone still showed interest.

"Fellow Daoist Cao, I don't recognize this spirit bee, but I am somewhat interested; I am willing to offer three Yellow Ear Elixir," said a cultivator from the Qin Hai Sect with interest.

"Oh?" Cao Xucui's eyes brightened slightly.

Whether it be the Cao family or the Guiyuan Sect, neither is particularly interested in the path of insect control.

Moreover, one can tell at a glance that this spirit bee won't live long; being a solitary individual, it cannot reproduce to form a swarm, making it hardly useful in large scale—anything gained is better than nothing.

"Fellow Daoist Cao, Xu Mou is willing to offer one bottle of Yellow Ear Elixir."

The one who spoke was Ling Beast Sect cultivator Xu Liang, who said with a full-face smile.

One bottle of elixir is conventionally ten pills.

Seeing that not only someone had bid, but it was a Ling Beast Sect cultivator, Yunhe's heart sank.

"Never mind, even if it means heavy losses, this bee must be obtained!"

He who owns the red-ring gold-spotted bee swarm knows best how important that bee is to him.

"I am willing to offer one bottle of Spirit Origin Elixir," Yunhe said for the first time.

Xu Liang of the Spirit Beast Sect, seeing that the bidder was Yunhe, couldn't help but narrow his eyes, a profound meaning flashing in his pupils, and spoke again: "Fellow Daoist Cao, I am willing to offer two bottles of Yellow Ear Elixir."

Yunhe turned a blind eye to Xu Liang's gaze.

He simply picked up the tea cup on the table and took a light sip.

"Two bottles of Spirit Origin Elixir."

"Three bottles of Yellow Ear Elixir."

Many cultivators present, watching the two bid, couldn't help but show strange expressions.

Is this a showdown?

Meanwhile, a hint of joy flickered in the dim depths of Cao Xucui's eyes.

"Seven bottles of Spirit Origin Elixir."

Yunhe remained expressionless, clasped his hands, and made a light bid.

"Fellow Daoist Yunhe, you're truly deep-pocketed; seven bottles of Spirit Origin Elixir is no small sum," Xu Liang said with a teasing smile.

Yunhe lifted his eyelids, glanced at him, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, can't you keep up?"

Upon hearing that, Xu Liang's face stiffened, a flash of anger in his eyes quickly fading, but he soon put on a teasing smile and said:

"Fellow Daoist Cao, I once heard my master mention a kind of spirit bee that once dominated the ancient cultivation world, called the Gold Shadow Eight-wing Bee, which bears some resemblance to the spirit insect you hold."

Ancient spirit bee?

Once dominant?

Many cultivators present, as they looked at the cage in Cao Xucui's hand, saw their gazes shift.

"Oh?" Cao Xucui's expression also changed; he couldn't help but place greater importance on the spirit bee in his hand.

And Yunhe, noticing the change in everyone's expressions, felt a chill in his eyes.

This guy can't compete himself, yet he's trying to stir up others' interest.

Such behavior that harms others and brings no benefit to oneself truly makes one feel displeased.

If before, this person's malicious bidding let Yunhe console himself, then now his actions truly have provoked him.

He suppressed his emotions and said:

"I, Yunhe, am a cultivator born into a spirit bee farming family. I don't know whether Fellow Daoist Cao and everyone present have ever raised spirit bees; this bee's condition is extremely poor, no doubt, but even if it were in good condition, what then?"

"Can a swarm really be cultivated from just one bee? If Fellow Daoist Cao has no intention to trade, take it back; why would Yunhe waste so much elixir on a mere crippled bee?"

Exactly.

Even if this bee were extremely precious, it's still just a single bee.

Ordinary spirit bees couldn't possibly mate with such bees; how could the queen bear it?

The people present instantly lost interest.

"Hehe—Fellow Daoist Yunhe, you're joking; the old woman wouldn't go back on her word. Since no one else is bidding against you, this spirit bee naturally belongs to you, along with that elixir," Cao Xucui said with an apologetic smile.

Yunhe's expression unchanged, he flicked his sleeve, and seven delicate jade bottles flew out.

Cao Xucui, who had caught them, was overjoyed and hurriedly sent the cage together into Yunhe's hands.

After placing the weak Gold Shadow Six-wing Bee into his storage bag, Yunhe finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The fist beneath his sleeve tightened slightly.

The regrowth of the bee swarm now has hope!

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Yunhe, on obtaining this bee for seven bottles of Spirit Origin Elixir—quite a gain!"

At this moment, Xu Liang of the Spirit Beast Sect even added a sentence with a hint of schadenfreude.

Yunhe relaxed his fist and also gave the other party a smirk that didn't reach his eyes.

A loss?

Naturally, it's impossible to lose; for him it's absolutely a bloody profit.

However, for Xu Liang

"May you never walk the night road!" Yunhe silently thought.

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PS: This chapter 4.2k, today's 1.2w words, please vote for monthly ticket!

(End of chapter)