Chapter 72: Descending the Mountain

Several days of alchemy experience gave Xu Chen a relatively superficial understanding of alchemy. To him, as long as there was sufficient Qi, the correct pill formula and refining method, and the quality of the medicinal herbs was up to standard, he could successfully refine a first-grade spirit pill.

However, it was the strange and peculiar plants in the Medicine Garden that gave him the most headache.

They had to be fertilized with Spirit Stones to grow well; once fertilization stopped, not only would they grow slowly, but their aura would also begin to decline.

Because these plants might all be rare immortal herbs and spirit seeds seldom seen between heaven and earth, Xu Chen was also very eager to see what exactly they were once they matured.

It was just that the cost required was something he could not afford at all; even the entire Taiyuan Sect could not afford it right now, and they simply could not be raised.

"Junior Brother, don't be discouraged. We will always think of a way. You can refine pills now, which is the most sought-after profession in the Immortal World. Refining one furnace of Small Yuan Pill can earn at least five Spirit Stones. In the future, I will have all the senior brothers and sisters bring you the spirit medicines they find. You can collect a twenty percent labor fee for each furnace you refine. If you refine two or three furnaces of pills a month, you can barely maintain the expenses of the Medicine Garden," Zhao Xuan comforted him softly.

Xu Chen said with a wry smile, "If I refine one furnace of pills, I have to consume three Small Yuan Pills. If I only collect a twenty percent labor fee, I'm afraid I'll lose so much I won't even have pants left. Senior Sister, this idea of yours is afraid to make me run naked at the mountain gate."

Zhao Xuan covered her mouth and giggled, "Then what else can we do? At worst, I'll lend you my skirt to wear then."

Xu Chen's face turned black instantly, but a moment later he sat up with a start and said, "But Senior Sister's reminder is right. Refining spirit pills is strenuous, but I am still very relaxed with Small Yuan Pills. As long as there are sufficient medicinal herbs, I can refine at least two furnaces a day. If I sell them, I can also earn several Spirit Stones. Tomorrow I will go to Wild Wolf Valley, sell some Small Yuan Pills first, and see if I can collect more spirit medicines for alchemy. This way, I can slowly support the expenses of the Medicine Garden."

Zhao Xuan nodded with a smile and said, "That's perfect. Wild Wolf Valley is not far, and I also want to go down the mountain to relax. Tomorrow I will accompany Junior Brother!"

"Good!"

Thus, after the two agreed, Zhao Xuan left on her flying sword. Xu Chen looked at the scrapped pill furnace and couldn't help but sigh. Scrapping a first-grade pill furnace for one furnace of pills was a cost so great it made one want to vomit blood.

He also didn't know where Seventh Senior Sister could get a second-grade pill furnace.

Xu Chen was very expectant.

Among all magic treasures, the pill furnace was the most special kind and almost the hardest to refine and build. Moreover, the higher the grade of the pill furnace, the rarer it was. The Taiyuan Sect only had one second-grade pill furnace, which was said to have been passed down by a predecessor of the previous generation of the Taiyuan Sect.

If one were to find someone to specifically build one, it would be impossible to get it without thousands of Spirit Stones, making it more expensive than many third-grade magic treasures.

However, before getting the pill furnace, he should still try his best to collect materials for refining Small and Small Yuan Pills. He flipped through his Storage Bag and found that there were less than ten Spirit Stones left inside, so he sighed again.

He was poor when he was a mortal before, and he was just as poor now that he was an immortal.

As long as those strange plants in the Medicine Garden did not mature for a day, he felt that he would remain poor forever.

Get rich, get rich, where can one go to get rich.

He urgently needed to get rich overnight right now.

Although the path of alchemy could earn money, with his current cultivation realm, if he wanted to get rich quickly, it seemed there was no other way besides robbery.

Thinking of the situation of his last trip down the mountain for training, he felt a bit restless.

The next morning, just as Xu Chen got up to wash his face and rinse his mouth, and was gnawing on a cold, hard pancake with mountain spring water, he saw a cyan Escape Light break through the air. Soon, Zhao Xuan jumped down from her flying sword, holding a food box in her hand.

Seeing Xu Chen gnawing on a pancake, she was immediately both annoyed and amused. She shoved the food box into his hands and said, "You are too lazy. I cooked you some rice porridge and vegetable soup, eat it while it's hot!"

Xu Chen laughed dryly and quickly put down the pancake, opening the food box. Inside was indeed a bowl of steaming yellow rice porridge, with lotus seeds, nuts, and two shelled bird eggs inside. He was overjoyed, squatted on the ground, swallowed it all into his belly with a slurping sound, then wiped his mouth and let out a satisfied burp.

Of course, after eating, he didn't forget to flatter her, saying, "Senior Sister's cooking skills are truly excellent. This porridge is cooked soft, glutinous, and rich; it's delicious. It must have taken a lot of time."

Zhao Xuan chided, "It's not as delicious as you say, but the mountain is cold and clear, so eating some hot porridge is warmer. Clean up and let's go!"

"Good!" Xu Chen turned and went into the house to pack his things. Zhao Xuan also took the porridge bowl to the water spring to wash it clean. A moment later, the two rose into the air on their swords and headed towards the northeast.

In the blink of an eye, it had been nearly two months since their last trip to Jingshi.

It was now autumn. Although the mountains and fields of the Southern Border were still lush and green, many trees had already begun to wither and turn yellow. Therefore, as they flew along, the mountain ridges beneath their feet were colorful, looking a bit more autumnal and even more pleasing to the eye.

Over these two months, Xu Chen's cultivation progress was not slow. He was now stabilized at the middle stage of the Kaiyuan Realm, and his cultivation was almost on par with Zhao Xuan's.

With sufficient Qi and the control of his powerful Divine Sense, flying on a sword was even easier and more handy for Xu Chen. Not only did his speed increase significantly, but he was no longer in the embarrassed state of needing to ride the sword like before.

An hour later, the two landed in Wild Wolf Valley.

Wild Wolf Valley was still the same, with almost no change at all.

However, there seemed to be quite a few more people this time.

Just as they entered the valley, Xu Chen's powerful Divine Sense had already sensed seven or eight fluctuations of souls. Among them, several auras were not weak, clearly already cultivators in the middle and late stages of the Kaiyuan Realm.

Before the two landed, several figures flew over to welcome them. Leading them were the Great Valley Master Song Qingshi and the Second Valley Master Ouyang Ping. The other few had been vaguely seen last time, but three of them had thick auras and were very unfamiliar.

Meeting acquaintances, everyone was naturally very happy. After some pleasantries and greetings, Song Qingshi introduced the three unfamiliar cultivators—two men and one woman. They were not ordinary rogue cultivators, but disciples of the Taihua Sect, another Immortal Sect that also had a name in the Great Song. However, their ranking was much lower than the Taiyuan Sect, and the Sect Master with the highest cultivation in the sect was only at the early stage of the Danyuan Realm.

Among the three from the Taihua Sect, the leader was named Ma Xiuping, about thirty years old, at the late stage of the Kaiyuan Realm.

The other man and woman were much younger, both only in their twenties. The man was named Ming Lang, and the woman was named Su Xiaorou; both were in the middle stage of the Kaiyuan Realm.

Just like the Taiyuan Sect, although Xu Chen and the others were usually so poor they ate dirt, the sect still had Danyuan Realm powerhouses sitting in command, so even if they were poor, they still had some foundation. Therefore, the state of the Taihua Sect was about the same. The three had decent cultivation and were considered a righteous sect, so in the eyes of the group of rogue cultivators in Wild Wolf Valley, they were all high and mighty figures who could not be offended.

Furthermore, since Song Qingshi was saved by Xu Chen last time, he was very excited to face his savior. He led the two to a wooden house to sit down and then had people serve fragrant tea.

The three from the Taihua Sect didn't think much of the few rogue cultivators in Wild Wolf Valley, but they showed unusual enthusiasm and respect towards Xu Chen and Zhao Xuan.

After all, times were different now. The events of Xu Chen and the others causing a scene in Jingshi, severely injuring Yulong Zhenren, and even the rumors that they had finished off Liang Feng of Yuqing Hall and Guo Ming of Longmen Mountain, had long spread throughout the Great Song Immortal World.

And the recent news of Danchenzi's successful Spirit Transformation was like a thunderclap that shocked the large and small immortal sects of the Song Kingdom, and even caused violent tremors among the high-level officials of the surrounding neighboring immortal worlds.

Regarding Danchenzi's advancement, there were many rumors in the Immortal World, but some news said he did not advance through a Spirit Transformation Pill, but had another method. In addition, the unprecedented Eightfold Lightning Tribulation triggered when Danchenzi advanced was also incredibly shocking.

Ordinary Immortals were shocked and envious that after Danchenzi's Spirit Transformation, the Taiyuan Sect would flourish from then on.

But for large Immortal Sects and Danyuan Realm powerhouses, the process of Danchenzi's advancement was what excited and interested everyone the most.

After all, Spirit Transformation was as difficult as ascending to heaven, and being able to advance without a Spirit Transformation Pill made people have wild fantasies.

However, ever since Danchenzi successfully transformed into a spirit and stabilized his realm, he had gone out to visit others.

In the blink of an eye, nearly ten days had passed and he still hadn't returned to the mountain.

Xu Chen and the others naturally didn't know where Danchenzi had gone.

But with such a Spirit Transformation Great Cultivator sitting in command, Yuqing Hall and Longmen Mountain should not come to find trouble for them anymore. Thus, the three culprits who caused a scene in Jingshi could also swagger down the mountain to roam openly and honestly.

Therefore, while drinking tea and chatting, Ma Xiuping and the others heaped enthusiastic praise on Xu Chen and the Taiyuan Sect, their faces full of envy and flattery.

"With a Spirit Transformation Great Cultivator sitting in command, the Taiyuan Sect will surely flourish in the future and stand shoulder to shoulder with Yuqing Hall and Longmen Mountain. My Taihua Sect will need to rely on the care of the many Daoist Friends of the Taiyuan Sect!" Ma Xiuping bowed with cupped hands.

Xu Chen smiled slightly and returned the salute, "The three Daoist Friends are too polite. The Great Elder is the Great Elder; we who cultivate immortality and seek the Dao must still rely on our own abilities and opportunities."

"Yes, yes, Daoist Friend Xu is right. However, hearing about Daoist Friend Xu's incident of causing a scene in Jingshi last time made us admire you endlessly. It's just a pity that it wasn't the three of us who went at that time, but two other senior and junior brothers, so we missed that earth-shattering good show!" Ma Xiuping nodded repeatedly and explained with a smile.

Zhao Xuan couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. Xu Chen laughed dryly, "Hehe, why mention past events? I don't know what business the three Daoist Friends have in my Southern Border territory? Since you have arrived in Nanyang, why not go to the Taiyuan Sect to drink tea and discuss the Dao?"

Ma Xiuping smiled awkwardly and cupped his hands, "We were indeed following our master's orders to go to the Taiyuan Sect to pay a visit, but just as we arrived in Nanyang, we were told by several fellow Daoists in Wild Wolf Valley that the Taiyuan Sect had recently sealed the mountain, so we didn't dare to rashly go up the mountain to disturb you. Today, we were lucky enough to meet Daoist Friend Xu and Fairy Zhao down the mountain; this is truly luck."

Xu Chen was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "So that is how it is. It seems our Taiyuan Sect has been lacking in courtesy. However, the mountain has indeed been quite chaotic recently. The Great Elder underwent his tribulation, and the mountain gate's main hall was leveled by the Tribulation Lightning. We have all been busy with repairs lately, fearing that if various Daoist Friends were to visit, there would be nowhere for them to stay. Thus, we announced a temporary closure of the gate. I imagine that in a few more days, once the Great Elder returns to the mountain, the seal will be lifted. At that time, we will certainly come to invite the three Daoist Friends up the mountain for tea to apologize."

"How could we dare, how could we dare! In fact, the three of us are merely here to scout ahead and deliver a formal greeting card. In a few days, many Danyuan Realm cultivators and Spirit Transformation True Monarchs from the various Immortal Sects of the Song Kingdom and neighboring countries will come to the mountain gate to congratulate Xuanchen Zhenjun on his Spirit Transformation Ceremony. Our cultivation is shallow, so I fear it will not be our turn to go up the mountain for tea. Being able to meet the two Daoist Friends here in Wild Wolf Valley today can be considered an early congratulation. If you have leisure in the future, please do visit the Taihua Sect; everyone in our sect will certainly sweep the beds and wait for your arrival."

Xu Chen's face twitched slightly.

He finally truly understood the meaning of "when one person attains the Dao, their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

Danchenzi's Spirit Transformation has an influence that no longer stops at just a corner of the Song Kingdom; it seems it has already spread ten thousand miles away. Even the Immortal Sects of neighboring countries have been stirred and are coming to pay their respects and offer congratulations. They are indeed all snobbish people, no less so than those in the mortal world.

However, he did not want to continue listening to a group of people flattering him, so he smiled and said, "If there is an opportunity in the future, I will certainly visit the Taihua Sect. However, my Senior Sister and I came down the mountain today to collect some Spirit Grass and Spirit Medicine. I wonder if the three of you might be interested in an exchange."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuping hurriedly nodded and said, "Naturally, naturally. In fact, when we arrived in Nanyang, we also heard that Wild Wolf Valley is a place for rogue cultivators to trade in the Nanhuang region, so we came to join in the fun and see if there are any items to trade. Since the two Daoist Friends have come for this purpose, we will certainly support you."

Song Qingshi was also very happy and immediately had people clear the area, preparing to hold a small Immortal Treasure trading fair.

After all, having two renowned Immortal Sects from the Great Song region visit Wild Wolf Valley at once is an affirmation of them, these rogue cultivators. Plus, with the backing of the Taiyuan Sect, which now has a Spirit Realm Great Cultivator presiding over it, the reputation of Wild Wolf Valley will surely grow even greater in the future, and perhaps it will slowly develop into a large-scale trading venue.

(End of this chapter)