Chapter 16: Geng Metal True Qi

Xuan Ye spoke up for Yan Taibai and "painted a big picture" for the Yan Family, partly because he had developed some affection for Yan Taibai after spending several years together.

After all, Xuan Ye was responsible for everything concerning Yan Taibai, especially matters regarding his cultivation.

If one were to ask who had poured the most heart and soul into Yan Taibai within the entire Yan Family Fortress, it was Xuan Ye.

In this regard, even Yan Taibai's aunt, Yan Yun, could not compare—not that she was inferior, but what Xuan Ye could provide for Yan Taibai was something Yan Yun could not match.

This was a sunk cost; having invested so much effort, Xuan Ye naturally did not wish for Yan Taibai to develop a rift with the Yan Family Ancestor and the Yan Family over such a trivial matter.

This was something Xuan Ye absolutely did not want to see; a hundred or so Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones were not much for the entire Yan Family.

As for whether it would stir up discussion among the Yan clansmen, Xuan Ye did not care at all.

Such discussions could not affect anything regarding Yan Taibai, and if they did, he would not be polite.

As for Xuan Ye's intentions, both the Yan Family Ancestor and Yan Taibai were perfectly clear, so neither argued about it.

Yan Taibai obediently left the Flying Cloud Pavilion.

The next day, Xuan Ye took over a hundred Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones from the Yan Family treasury for Yan Taibai's cultivation, causing quite a stir in the Yan Family Fortress.

This was ten thousand Spirit Stones; even among the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators of the Yan Family Fortress, few possessed so many Intermediate Grade Spirit Stones.

Not to mention, they were Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones, which were even more valuable.

However, opinions were one thing, but for Xuan Ye, he simply did not care.

Just as he had said to the Yan Family Ancestor, Xuan Ye dismissed all these dissatisfied discussions with a single sentence.

"If you have a Heavenly Spirit Root, I will also give you a hundred Intermediate Spirit Stones for cultivation."

Although this statement was slightly overbearing and different from how Xuan Ye usually handled Yan Family affairs gently, the effect was indeed excellent.

From then on, there were no more complaints or dissatisfaction; after all, a Heavenly Spirit Root was not something one could just be born with.

In fact, both the Yan Family Ancestor and Xuan Ye could have suppressed this matter without a whisper leaking out, but they both tacitly chose not to, all so that Yan Taibai would know.

Therefore, when Xuan Ye entered the Library Pavilion with over a hundred Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones and handed them to Yan Taibai, the latter bowed and thanked him respectfully.

"Many thanks, Sir. Taibai is deeply grateful."

"No need for gratitude. If you truly want to be grateful, just cultivate well. As for the words of others, you need not pay them any mind; they are completely different from you. You are the future pillar of the Yan Family; how could they compare to you?"

Xuan Ye chuckled and comforted him.

"Taibai understands."

Yan Taibai nodded.

"As long as you understand. Remember to cultivate well; you don't need to worry about other matters, just leave them for me to handle."

Xuan Ye was quite satisfied with Yan Taibai's reply and nodded with a smile.

As he spoke, he reached out his hand but then lowered it, and then he left the third floor of the Library Pavilion.

After Xuan Ye left, Yan Taibai looked down at the Storage Bag in his hand, which contained over a hundred Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones.

Originally, Yan Taibai had wanted a thousand, but that was purely a joke; the Yan Family Ancestor and Xuan Ye would likely have thought he had gone wrong in his cultivation or lost his mind.

One thousand Intermediate Spirit Stones was a full one hundred thousand Spirit Stones; one could even purchase one or two Dharma Treasures with that.

It was a completely different concept from one hundred Intermediate Spirit Stones; even the Yan Family Ancestor and Xuan Ye could not suppress that—or rather, they wouldn't suppress it, they would only think Yan Taibai had encountered a problem in his cultivation.

One hundred Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones was already the limit of what the two could accept.

Moreover, this was at most a one-time occurrence; in the future, he would have to rely on himself for Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones.

Therefore, before reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, there was no need to consider obtaining more Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones.

Without Metal-attribute Spirit Stones, if he wanted to cultivate the "White Emperor Golden Emperor Slash," he would need to head to mineral veins containing metal materials.

Yet, all the various material mineral veins in the current Yue Country for immortal cultivation were controlled by the Seven Sects; let alone wanting to get in to cultivate.

Even just getting access was impossible, so this matter had to be planned long-term.

"I can only cultivate for now."

Yan Taibai took the Storage Bag into the cultivation chamber on the third floor of the Library Pavilion, then, as usual, first used the Intermediate Talisman left behind by Qiong Laoguai to isolate all external sensing.

The Intermediate Talisman was sufficient to block the divine sense of a Golden Core Stage cultivator, and it was not a one-time use item; clearly, Qiong Laoguai had done this intentionally.

However, this helped Yan Taibai quite a bit.

After confirming there were no issues, he sat cross-legged on the floor cushion.

He took two golden, glittering Spirit Stones that looked like golden glaze from the Storage Bag and held them in his hands.

Then, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and followed the circulation path of the "White Emperor Golden Emperor Slash" in his mind, absorbing the metal-attribute spiritual energy from the two Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones in his hands.

And this "White Emperor Golden Emperor Slash" was worthy of being a "Five Emperors Great Demon Divine Ability"; in just a few breaths, the two Intermediate Spirit Stones in Yan Taibai's hands shattered into dust, the spiritual energy within them completely extracted by Yan Taibai without a trace left behind—the efficiency was top-notch.

But Yan Taibai himself felt almost nothing, and he could only open his eyes helplessly.

He had not expected that these Intermediate Spirit Stones, which could support a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator's cultivation for ten days or half a month, could not even last a few breaths in front of the "White Emperor Golden Emperor Slash."

Furthermore, he did not feel the slightest increase in his realm, nor was there any growth in his True Essence Magic Power.

It really made him doubt whether it was too early to cultivate the "White Emperor Golden Emperor Slash."

But the thought of potential assassinations at any moment extinguished that idea, and he took more Spirit Stones from the Storage Bag.

This time, he took out twenty Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones, placed them between his legs, and then closed his eyes to refine the metal-attribute spiritual energy within them.

But similarly, this time it did not last long; in just three or five breaths, all the Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones between Yan Taibai's legs turned into dust and debris.

However, a slight change occurred; after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yan Taibai slowly opened his eyes and spread out his palm.

Then, a "thread" that was almost negligible but bright and dazzling appeared in his hand.

Yet, looking closely at this "thread," one's eyes would feel a stinging pain, as if thousands of fine needles as thin as ox hair were continuously piercing into the eyes.

This sharp pain made one unable to help but close their eyes, but Yan Taibai endured it until blood seeped from the corners of his eyes, at which point he showed a satisfied expression and drew the "golden thread" in his palm into his body.

This was his achievement: Geng Metal True Qi.

He just didn't know how powerful it was, but judging from just now, it was definitely not weak, as it was the result of cultivating with over twenty Intermediate Metal-attribute Spirit Stones.

(End of this chapter)