Chapter 256: Two-Pattern Magical Artifact, the Xu Family's Fangs

As the absolute top faction in the Northwest Region, the Profound Moon Sect's rewards were naturally far more precious than those of the Heavenly Azure Sect.

Consequently, a fervent wave of searching for traces of the ancient demon swept through the various prefectures of the Northwest Region.

Yeluomo did not dare to show his face at all.

If his whereabouts were discovered, it would be extremely difficult for him to hide his tracks from the meticulous investigations of those Golden Core stage immortal cultivators.

After all, he could no longer easily execute powerful evasion Divine Abilities.

Nor did he have any true demonic qi to fuel a desperate outburst!

Deep underground beneath a nameless mountain peak.

Yeluomo slumbered here to heal his injuries. Every time he thought of Chen Changge, he grew so furious that it tore his wounds open anew.

'Why is it that despite searching Dong Zuo's memories multiple times, I still cannot find anything? Why on earth did this Chen Changge attack me?!'

At the Chen family estate.

A Golden Core elder from the Heavenly Azure Sect, skilled in formations, arrived to set up a Tier 3 Mid-Grade grand array for the Chen family.

Since Chen Changge had formed his Golden Core within the secret realm, the Heavenly Azure Sect elder viewed him as someone with a destined connection to the Heavenly Azure Secret Realm and naturally wished to befriend him.

Because of this, the originally planned Tier 3 Low-Grade grand array was temporarily upgraded to a Tier 3 Mid-Grade one.

A single difference in grade was like the gap between heaven and earth.

A Tier 3 Low-Grade grand array could be broken by a late-stage Golden Core cultivator expending some time and full effort. For someone like Yeluomo, who possessed multiple Divine Abilities, it would be even easier.

However, a Tier 3 Mid-Grade defensive grand array could not be shattered in a single strike, not even by a peak Golden Core stage immortal cultivator.

Perhaps only someone at that realm wielding exceptionally formidable Divine Abilities and magic treasures might have a chance.

As for a Tier 3 High-Grade array, unless seven or eight mid-to-late stage Golden Core immortal cultivators joined forces in a frenzied assault, or a Nascent Soul expert took action, it would remain perfectly safe.

Of course, across the entire Southern Heaven Region, array masters capable of setting up Tier 3 High-Grade or higher arrays were exceedingly rare, with each being deeply respected and highly sought after.

Even Nascent Soul stage immortal cultivators would treat them with the utmost courtesy.

"Elder Cang, I thank you profusely for setting up this Tier 3 Mid-Grade grand array for our Chen family,"

Chen Changge said, clasping his hands toward a gray-robed elder.

"You made a great contribution to the Heavenly Azure Sect by discovering the ancient demon. Following this incident, your Chen family will undoubtedly be targeted by its grudge. Therefore, setting up an array for your family is only right and proper."

Hearing this, Chen Changge felt a wave of bitterness in his heart.

He had only intended to do Xu Chuan a casual favor by testing out that Dong Zuo.

Yet that test ended up exposing an ancient true demon!

The only comforting thing was that his original plan to plot for a Tier 3 grand array for the Chen family had been realized ahead of schedule, and it was even a Tier 3 Mid-Grade grand array at that.

Ordinary Golden Core aristocratic families rarely possessed Tier 3 Mid-Grade clan protection grand arrays.

It truly was a case where misfortune is the root of fortune, and fortune is where misfortune hides!

"Brother Chen, if your Chen family produces any outstanding descendants in the future who wish to join the Heavenly Azure Sect, my Cang family can offer some assistance."

"Thank you, Elder Cang. When that time comes, I will certainly impose upon you."

If they could join the Heavenly Azure Sect, it would naturally be far better than entering the Green Wood Sect.

Furthermore, the Chen family could not afford to endlessly clash with the Green Wood Sect!

Currently, Chen Changge had already become the Law Enforcement Elder of the Green Wood Sect, holding a status second only to the sect's First Elder and the Sect Master.

After remaining in seclusion for several days and consuming the Essence Cultivating Pill obtained from the Heavenly Azure Sect, he had thoroughly stabilized his Golden Core realm.

If it had not been for the ancient demon matter, he would have likely held his Golden Core Grand Ceremony long ago.

Time quietly slipped away for two months.

Seeing that they truly could not find any trace of the ancient demon, the various factions in the Northwest Region finally gave up. They withdrew the vast majority of their personnel, leaving only a small fraction to continue scouting and maintaining vigilance.

Xu Deling and Perfected Person Fire Cloud immersed themselves in studying the Dao of Artifacts inheritance within Fire Cloud Valley.

Xu Deling's proficiency in the Dao of Artifacts refined itself significantly once again.

Because Xu Chuan's Heavenly Wood Shield had been cleaved apart by that mysterious magic treasure, Xu Deling intended to forge an even stronger top-grade defensive magical artifact.

It would still be a Heavenly Wood Shield, but this time its main material would be Tier 3 Cloud Iron Spirit Wood, making it exceptionally sturdy.

Two artifact patterns, "Wood" and "Life", were inscribed upon it.

Both of these artifact patterns came from the Azure Dragon Sect's Dao of Artifacts inheritance, and Xu Deling had only managed to comprehend their first-tier intent.

Previously, not even Perfected Person Fire Cloud had grasped these patterns.

If a top-grade magical artifact could be inscribed with three first-tier artifact patterns, its might could rival that of a low-grade magic treasure.

Only by inscribing a second-tier artifact pattern could it truly transform into a low-grade magic treasure.

However, comprehending a second-tier artifact pattern was excruciatingly difficult. It was virtually impossible before reaching the Golden Core stage. Only a true peerless genius in the Dao of Artifacts could forge a magic treasure during the Foundation Establishment stage.

Inscribing artifact patterns was the path taken by blacksmiths and artifact refiners, but natal magic treasures were fundamentally different. Because they were linked to their creator's essence, energy, and spirit, they could grow alongside them.

Even without the augmentation of artifact patterns, their power far surpassed that of ordinary magic treasures.

A magic treasure could bear a maximum of nine second-tier artifact patterns. This was the absolute limit for magic treasures, granting them power comparable to a spirit treasure.

The Heavenly Wood Shield Xu Deling forged this time had already reached the absolute apex of defensive magical artifacts, capable of withstanding several blows even from a low-grade magic treasure.

Looking at the small, cyan-gray shield floating before her, Xu Deling sighed softly. "It's still lacking a little."

"This magical artifact is already exceedingly outstanding. Even if I were to step in, it would be immensely difficult to forge a top-grade magical artifact inscribed with three first-tier artifact patterns."

Xu Deling turned in surprise. "Honored Master, why is that?"

"Perhaps it is a restriction of the Heavenly Dao. Such an item belongs to the tier of magical artifacts but can unleash the power of a magic treasure. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator can exert its formidable might by expending a vast amount of mana.

However, if it were a normal magic treasure, even if a Foundation Establishment cultivator could activate it, they could only draw out thirty to forty percent of its true power.

It's just like how a very select few cultivators in the cultivation world manage to surpass their limits—such as comprehending Divine Abilities during the Foundation Establishment stage, condensing a Divine Ability Seed, or possessing a divine consciousness on par with a Golden Core stage immortal cultivator ahead of time.

For a magical artifact to reach the level of a magic treasure, it also depends on opportunity.

It requires the right materials perfectly aligning with three compatible first-tier artifact patterns to be successfully forged.

Such magical artifacts are often even more expensive than ordinary low-grade magic treasures.

Not even the Heavenly Azure Sect possesses such profound foundations regarding these kinds of magical artifacts.

In all my years, I have only ever seen them within the Heavenly Foundry Sect."

"I understand now. It's just like creating a new pill recipe in the Dao of Alchemy. It requires endless experimentation, studying the complex medicinal combinations and interactions between various spirit grasses, before finally forming a flawless pill recipe."

"You learn quickly," Perfected Person Fire Cloud said, smiling as he stroked his beard.

"Well, deduction has never been my strong suit anyway," Xu Deling sighed lightly. "Grandfather will just have to make do with this Heavenly Wood Shield for now."

Hearing this, Perfected Person Fire Cloud's hand abruptly froze. His mouth twitched imperceptibly, and a look of sheer helplessness flashed across his brow.

Countless Foundation Establishment cultivators would beg for a single top-grade magical artifact possessing an artifact pattern. As for a magical artifact engraved with two patterns? Even among the Golden Core aristocratic families across the seven cities, they probably didn't have more than a handful in their entire collections.

"Out of your several senior brothers, only Xue Shi has the slightest hope of forging a two-pattern magic tool in the future. The rest of them are nothing but blockheads!"

Xu Deling covered her mouth, stifling a soft laugh.

Right at that moment, Perfected Person Crimson Fire's voice echoed from outside the cave.

"Why is he here?"

"Honored Master, the three-month period must have arrived."

"Ah, right. I was studying the inheritance so intently that the matter completely slipped my mind." Perfected Person Fire Cloud's lips curled up slightly. "Come, my disciple. Let us go out and give these mortals a small shock."

"Honored Master, my Xu family's ancestral teachings state that one should go all out when facing anyone!"

This competition in the Dao of Artifacts.

Naturally ended in Perfected Person Crimson Fire's defeat.

He had originally assumed that given the short time since Xu Deling became Perfected Person Fire Cloud's disciple, merely comprehending how to forge a one-pattern magic tool would already prove she possessed monstrous talent.

Yet, in just a few short years, she had actually reached the level of crafting a two-pattern magic tool.

Three-pattern tools appeared almost exclusively in legends.

Perfected Person Crimson Fire couldn't even forge one himself, so he naturally didn't believe a junior could succeed in making one.

"Take it. Here is the Crimson Sun Crystal you wanted!"

Perfected Person Crimson Fire's face was etched with displeasure. After tossing the crystal over, he immediately added, "Your luck is truly absurd, old man. To think you managed to take in a disciple with such terrifying aptitude for the Dao of Artifacts."

"What, are you upset?"

"Damn right I'm upset!"

"Well, bottle it up!" Perfected Person Fire Cloud chided with a laugh. "You were the one who proposed this competition, it wasn't me tricking you."

"Hmph. It's merely a Crimson Sun Crystal. With the Heavenly Azure Sect backing me, the resources at my disposal are far beyond your imagination."

Fire Cloud didn't bother arguing with him.

He was fully aware of the pros and cons of joining a sect.

But in the end, he had still chosen to remain a rogue Golden Core cultivator.

"Yue'er, let's go!"

Yan Yue nodded, taking one last, deep look at Xu Deling.

Following that, a crimson glow enveloped Yan Yue, transforming into a streak of light that shot off into the distance.

Perfected Person Fire Cloud shook his head with a chuckle. He handed the Crimson Sun Crystal to Xu Deling and smiled. "With the four-thousand-year-old Blazing Sun Flower, combined with this Crimson Sun Crystal and your other materials, it will greatly benefit your cultivation of the Fire Emperor's True Pupil.

Now that you've successfully forged your grandfather's shield, your mastery over the Dao of Artifacts has fundamentally reached its current zenith. Continuing to study that inheritance will yield negligible results, unless you encounter another opportunity and comprehend a pattern up to the second-tier intent."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "From now on, dedicate yourself entirely to secluded cultivation. Core formation must be your absolute priority. Only by stepping into the Golden Core stage will your true path in the Dao of Artifacts begin!

You will have an abundance of time to delve deeper into this path in the future!

As for this Heavenly Wood Shield, I will personally deliver it to the Xu family and hand it to your grandfather."

Xu Deling thought for a moment and opened her mouth, intending to say something else, but ultimately just nodded. "I understand, Honored Master."

The great opportunity Perfected Person Fire Cloud had spoken of, which could aid her Dao of Artifacts, currently left her with only one viable option: enhancing her divine consciousness.

Improving her divine consciousness would naturally assist in comprehending artifact patterns.

Within the sphere of influence of the Heavenly Azure Sect, the most famous method for enhancing divine consciousness was the Spirit-Nourishing Pill. Even other Nascent Soul tier powers across the Northwest Region traded with them for high-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills.

However, even for a grandmaster in the Dao of Artifacts like Perfected Person Fire Cloud, obtaining high-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills was incredibly difficult.

Previously, he had even gone to inquire at the Green Wood Sect.

But due to the poor harvest of Heavenly Spirit Fruits—the main ingredient for the pill—during the recent secret realm expedition, the Green Wood Sect would only have their leftover reserves of Spirit-Nourishing Pills for the next sixty-year cycle.

Given the minuscule quantity, it was virtually impossible for them to trade any away.

After Xu Deling entered seclusion.

Perfected Person Fire Cloud delivered the Heavenly Wood Shield to the Xu family estate.

"Thank you for delivering the magical artifact, Senior."

"Cherish it well. This is a two-pattern magic tool. It can be hailed as a pinnacle masterpiece among magical artifacts, with might comparable to a complete set of one-pattern magic tools."

"This junior understands. It is all thanks to Senior's guidance that Deling's proficiency in the Dao of Artifacts has advanced so rapidly."

"Haha, there's no need to flatter me. Given Deling's talent in the Dao of Artifacts, as long as she has the inheritance, reaching this step wouldn't have been difficult even without my pointers. It just would have taken a bit more time."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly upon hearing this. He then patted his storage pouch, extracting a porcelain bottle of pills and offering it to Perfected Person Fire Cloud. "I must trouble Senior to pass these pills to Deling."

"Deling has already reached Foundation Establishment Perfection. She cannot advance any further right now. What kind of pills are these?" Perfected Person Fire Cloud asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Senior just needs to hand them to her. She will understand perfectly."

"Very well. It's not as if you would harm your own granddaughter. This old man is simply overthinking things."

Saying so, Perfected Person Fire Cloud accepted the pills, bid his farewell, and departed.

Upon returning to his grotto-residence, he handed the porcelain bottle to Xu Deling before heading off to study the Azure Dragon Sect's Dao of Artifacts inheritance himself.

While it was exceedingly difficult for Xu Deling to gain any deeper enlightenment from it at her current stage, for him, there was still much to study and learn.

Inside her quiet room.

Xu Deling opened the porcelain bottle. Just smelling the pill's fragrance made her feel as though her divine consciousness was about to boil.

'As expected of a high-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pill.'

'There are three pills. Does Grandfather mean for me to swallow all three at once, hoping they can help me break through the limits of my Foundation Establishment divine consciousness?'

Having experienced the transformation of her spiritual sense and gaining divine consciousness during the Qi Refining stage, Xu Deling fully understood the deeper meaning even without Xu Chuan explicitly explaining it.

'Grandfather once mentioned that he first reached the absolute limit of Foundation Establishment divine consciousness before using high-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills to step into the Golden Core divine consciousness.

Because I obtained divine consciousness early in the Qi Refining stage, my divine consciousness is a cut above other immortal cultivators in the same realm. Yet, there is still a slight gap before I reach the true limit of Foundation Establishment divine consciousness.

Grandfather only needed one pill, but I need three.'

Xu Deling stared at the pills in the porcelain bottle for a moment before a look of absolute resolve flashed through her eyes. Adjusting her condition to its absolute peak, she directly swallowed all three high-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pills.

The pills melted the moment they slid down her throat, transforming into three streams of warm medicinal energy. They slipped into her dantian before abruptly surging upward, rushing straight into her spiritual sea.

A moment later.

The medicinal energy erupted, turning into a raging torrent that churned fiercely within her spiritual sea. Wherever it washed over, her previously stagnant divine consciousness began to grow and expand at a frenzied pace.

"Ugh!"

A muffled groan tore from Xu Deling's throat. She clenched her jaw tight, the muscles in her cheeks pulling taut, as cold sweat instantly beaded on her forehead.

The agony of her divine consciousness rapidly inflating felt as though countless fine needles were repeatedly impaling her spiritual sea. It was as if an immense, unseen force was violently stretching her divine consciousness, threatening to shred it to ribbons.

Xu Deling dug her fingers deeply into the edge of her meditation cushion, her knuckles turning white. Her body trembled faintly as she condensed her violently expanding divine consciousness into a single, focused stream, violently slamming it against the invisible bottleneck deep within her spiritual sea.

Again and again.

She continuously exhausted the power of her divine consciousness, causing her spiritual sea to shudder violently with every impact.

Several hours later.

Xu Deling's divine consciousness surged to the absolute peak limit of the Foundation Establishment stage, yet it continued to swell furiously.

She relentlessly battered the divine consciousness bottleneck. Only by breaking through could she seize a sliver of hope for survival.

For too much of a good thing could be fatal. If her divine consciousness was overly nourished, her soul might be unable to endure the pressure, leading to catastrophic rupture.

Hovering on the knife's edge between life and death, Xu Deling endured endless cycles of birth, nourishment, expansion, and exhaustion, continuously forging and tempering her divine consciousness with every breath.

Three days later.

The Golden Core divine consciousness bottleneck abruptly shattered.

Her soul underwent a profound transformation!

The excess divine consciousness overflowing in her spiritual sea poured madly into her soul. As it nourished and filled her soul, it spurred on its own miraculous evolution.

Half a day later.

The transformation finally concluded.

Xu Deling's divine consciousness had completely evolved into a Golden Core level divine consciousness.

"So this is a Golden Core divine consciousness?"

Xu Deling quietly savored the profound mysteries granted by her newly minted Golden Core divine consciousness. After a long moment, she muttered to herself, "Breaking through to a Golden Core divine consciousness from Foundation Establishment is several times more dangerous than the spiritual sense transformation during Qi Refining.

If it had been anyone else, they might not have survived the sheer strain.

If the Nine Flames Art were cultivated to great accomplishment, it should reduce the danger by a fair margin. It would be best to first use other methods to elevate one's divine consciousness to the absolute limit of Foundation Establishment, and only then rely on Spirit-Nourishing Pills to assault the Golden Core divine consciousness barrier."

These breakthrough experiences were unfathomably precious.

If it hadn't been for Xu Chuan's own unique circumstances, he would never have allowed Xu Deling to be the first to attempt such a harrowing process.

Afterward, Xu Deling resumed her comprehension of the Fire Emperor's True Pupil.

Bolstered by her Golden Core stage divine consciousness and her recently transformed soul, deciphering the technique no longer felt as agonizingly obscure as before.

'My innate talent is still quite lacking compared to true, heaven-chosen geniuses of the fire element. If not for Grandfather's meticulous planning, even with my innate Spirit Eyes, I fear I wouldn't have had much hope of grasping this ocular Divine Ability during the Foundation Establishment stage.

Ocular Divine Abilities are, after all, vastly more difficult to cultivate than ordinary Divine Abilities.

Now that I finally see a glimmer of hope, perhaps I can also attempt cultivating the Divine Sense Materialization secret method recorded in the Dao of Artifacts inheritance.'

This was a terrifyingly powerful spiritual sense attack method.

Xu Deling, possessing a divine consciousness far exceeding her own cultivation realm, was perfectly suited to practice this art.

Compared to it, the Spirit Condensation Spell could be considered woefully crude.

However, cultivating this secret art was incredibly difficult. Not even Perfected Person Fire Cloud had managed to master it.

But even merely learning a fraction of its applications regarding divine consciousness would allow her to completely dominate any spiritual sense clashes when fighting peers of the same realm.

While Xu Deling isolated herself in Fire Cloud Cave...

Xu Chuan was similarly comprehending his Withered Glory Divine Ability back at the Xu Residence. His progress, however, was far faster than Xu Deling's.

That night.

Receiving Xu Chuan's divine sense transmission, Ye Fan made his way to his master's quiet cultivation room.

"Honored Master, you summoned me?"

"Take this token."

Xu Chuan handed the Heavenly Azure Sect token over to Ye Fan.

"Honored Master, what is this for?" Ye Fan asked, his face painted with confusion.

"Plans rarely keep up with changes. Originally, I intended for our Xu family to develop slowly like this, waiting until the day we produced a Golden Core stage immortal cultivator before finally baring our fangs.

But now, having secured a century of protection from the Heavenly Azure Sect, our Xu family essentially has no more worries holding us back.

The figures backing the Yuan and Fang clans absolutely wouldn't dare strike at our family either.

Since that is the case, what reason is there to let those two clans remain?"

Saying so, he then handed over the pill recipes for the Spirit-Gathering Pill and Origin-Gathering Pill.

"Have the demon-hunting teams cooperating with our Xu family gather the materials listed on these recipes. Send some people to the seven cities to purchase the rest. From now on, our Xu family will heavily promote these two types of pills."

A glint of joy flashed across Ye Fan's eyes. "With these, crushing the alchemy businesses of the Yuan and Fang clans will be as easy as flipping a hand."

"How goes the recruitment of rogue cultivators skilled in alchemy, artifact forging, formations, and talisman making?" Xu Chuan asked with a faint smile.

"We have recruited three rogue cultivators for the Dao of Alchemy. Two of them can stably refine high-grade Qi-Gathering Pills, and the third can refine high-grade True Essence Pills.

Two for the Dao of Artifacts. One can forge fine-grade magical artifacts. The other is Senior Sister Ling's fifth senior brother, Jin Zhan. He can forge top-grade magical artifacts, though his success rate is only a dismal ten to twenty percent.

Two for the Talisman Dao. One is capable of drawing Tier 1 High-Grade talismans, and the other can draw Tier 2 talismans.

For the Array Dao, just one person. He's seventeen or eighteen. Uncle Mingxian personally tested him and noted that he possesses some genuine insight into arrays, making him worth cultivating."

Hearing this, Xu Chuan called for Xu Mingxian and inquired about this young man.

"Feng Ming's parents were also rogue cultivators," Xu Mingxian explained. "They died in the jaws of demonic beasts in the Heavenly Azure Mountain Range about five or six years ago. Because his family had a few ancient classics on arrays, he began studying them just to scrape by and survive.

Right now, he's a Tier 1 array master. He can set up Tier 1 Low-Grade formations and craft low-grade array disks.

He possesses his own unique understanding of the Array Dao. You could say he has a fair bit of potential."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly. He then looked up at Xu Mingxian. "Do you have any interest in taking him in as a nominal disciple?"

Hearing this, Xu Mingxian blinked in surprise. After musing for a brief moment, he asked, "Father, are you planning to nurture a new generation of talents in pills, artifacts, formations, and talismans right here in Cloudstream?"

"Exactly. The members of the Wu branch family are almost all at the 4th Layer of Qi Condensation or higher. Select those with some aptitude and have them begin learning the four great arts.

Even though you, Deling, and I are more than enough to support the Xu family's current foundation, we all have far more important matters to attend to. We can occasionally step in to craft things, but we cannot squander all our time on it.

Nurturing successors to uphold the clan's commercial enterprises is absolutely imperative."

"Father's words are completely reasonable. Then, I shall officially accept Feng Ming as my nominal disciple tomorrow."

"Mhm. Whether you eventually promote him to a personal disciple will be entirely up to your own discretion."

"I understand."

The following day.

Under the watchful eyes of Ye Fan and the others, Feng Ming performed the formal master-acknowledgment ceremony, kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times.

He knew profoundly well that Xu Mingxian's mastery over the Array Dao was astoundingly deep. Being able to take him as a master was an incredible stroke of luck.

"Honored Master, please accept this tea."

Xu Mingxian accepted the teacup and took a light sip.

"Feng Ming, from this day forth, you are my disciple. You must remain unfalteringly loyal to the Xu family. If there ever comes a day when you commit an act of betrayal, I will personally step forward to cleanse the sect of its traitor!"

"This disciple will carve Honored Master's teachings into his very bones! I would never dare betray the Xu family!"

"Rise."

Xu Mingxian offered a faint smile. He tapped his storage pouch, pulling out an ancient classic and handing it to Feng Ming. "This is a compendium of my personal insights regarding Tier 1 arrays.

It contains numerous Tier 1 formations, detailed accounts of the array-setting process, and my accumulated experience.

Take it and study it closely. If you encounter anything you do not understand, come and ask me.

The path of formations ultimately relies on personal enlightenment. If one lacks comprehension, even the greatest teacher cannot force them to learn."

"Yes, Honored Master."

Afterward, Ye Fan addressed the rest of the recruited alchemists, blacksmiths, talisman makers, and the hand-picked immortal cultivators from the Wu branch clan.

"In addition to completing your daily quotas for pill refining, artifact forging, and talisman crafting, you all will be required to instruct these apprentices. Our Xu family will naturally provide generous compensation.

Such as pills to assist in foundation establishment, or pills to break through foundation establishment bottlenecks."

Every single guest elder recruited by the Xu family had to swear a solemn oath never to leak a single thing they saw or heard within the estate, even if they learned the recipe for the Spirit-Gathering Pill.

Even if they eventually left the Xu family, they would only be permitted to refine it for their own personal use.

Furthermore, simply joining required enduring the grueling trials of the Heart-Interrogation Array.

It was precisely because these terms were so harsh that they had managed to recruit so few people.

Otherwise, given the Xu family's current prestige in Cloudstream Town and the protective backing of the Heavenly Azure Sect, throngs of rogue cultivators would have battered down the gates begging to become their guest elders.

"Understood, Elder Ye," the crowd replied, bowing respectfully.

At the Xu Clan Trading Company, the pill business was the absolute core. Talismans, magical artifacts, and array disks were all merely auxiliary.

After Ye Fan amassed a batch of materials for Spirit-Gathering Pills and Origin-Gathering Pills, Xu Chuan took some time to personally refine about a quarter of them. A staggering ninety percent emerged as high-grade pills, serving as the company's premium stockpile for these two items.

After all, even if the newly recruited alchemists managed to refine Spirit-Gathering and Origin-Gathering Pills in the short term, they would likely only be low-grade, and the success rate would be pitiably low.

Following that, Xu Chuan washed his hands of the trading company's affairs.

In the blink of an eye, half a month slipped by.

The Xu family formally debuted the Spirit-Gathering Pill at their trading company.

After a few days of calculated promotion, the name of the Spirit-Gathering Pill echoed throughout every corner of Cloudstream Town.

"Have you heard? The Xu Clan Trading Company is officially selling Spirit-Gathering Pills today."

Countless people crowded outside the trading company's main entrance, engaging in widespread discussion.

"Who in Cloudstream Town hasn't heard of the Spirit-Gathering Pill by now? This is an ancient pill recipe Family Head Xu secured from the Heavenly Azure Secret Realm! It's a top-tier pill that the ancient sects specifically used to aggressively advance their Qi Refining stage disciples' cultivation."

"I heard that just a low-grade pill has effects matching a mid-grade Qi-Gathering Pill. I wonder if it's actually true?"

"Look, the doors are opening! It's Manager Ye and Vice Manager Xu!"

Ye Fan and Xu Deyue stepped out through the grand double doors first, flanked by two members of the Wu branch and four from the Yan clan.

"Manager Ye and Vice Manager Xu both look incredibly youthful, and yet they are already at Foundation Establishment. They must have established their foundations in their early twenties to preserve their appearances so flawlessly."

"The Xu family's foundations are terrifyingly deep!"

"I heard the Xu family originally arrived here as refugees. Do you think they might have been a Golden Core aristocratic family from somewhere else before fleeing?"

"It's entirely possible. Whether it's Family Head Xu, Elder Xu Deling who became a disciple at Fire Cloud Valley, the reclusive Elder Xu Mingxian, or these two standing before us... they are all far too extraordinary.

If they weren't one-in-a-hundred elites carefully groomed by a massive, ancient clan, how could every single one of them be this monstrous?"

When stepping out into the wider world, identities were often thrust upon you by the speculation of others.

"Daoist friends, please quiet down! Today, the Xu Clan Trading Company will introduce a brand new medicinal pill: the Spirit-Gathering Pill. I am well aware that you are all here to witness this very pill.

Allow me to first explain its origins.

Both the Spirit-Gathering Pill, as well as the Origin-Gathering Pill we will debut at a later date, were obtained from the Heavenly Azure Secret Realm. They are legacies of ancient pill recipes.

The Spirit-Gathering Pill is tailored for Qi Refining stage cultivators. Its purported effects have been exhaustively tested and verified by our own Qi Refining immortal cultivators.

A low-grade Spirit-Gathering Pill possesses efficacy rivaling a mid-grade Qi-Gathering Pill. A mid-grade Spirit-Gathering Pill is roughly ten percent more potent than a high-grade Qi-Gathering Pill.

As for a high-grade Spirit-Gathering Pill... it is an astonishing eighty percent stronger than a high-grade Qi-Gathering Pill.

Even accounting for minor physiological fluctuations, the variance in effect will not exceed ten to twenty percent.

After all, some individuals possess unique constitutions, or perhaps they have consumed too many low-grade pills, leading to an accumulation of pill toxins that hinders absorption."

"Dare I ask Manager Ye, what is the asking price for this pill?" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Low-grade Spirit-Gathering Pills are four spirit stones each. Mid-grade are six spirit stones. As for the high-grade, they are ten spirit stones apiece."

"Ten spirit stones for a single pill?!"

Hearing the shocked exclamations, Ye Fan offered a calm, unbothered smile. "Do you all find it expensive?"

"A high-grade Qi-Gathering Pill is already the absolute best cultivation pill ordinary immortal cultivators can ever hope to obtain during the Qi Refining stage. As for the Spirit-Gathering Pill? Among all the surrounding powers, only the Heavenly Azure Sect has access to them.

Rarity naturally breeds value. Not to mention, its medicinal efficacy is genuinely terrifying.

Let me give you an example. A True Spirit Root immortal cultivator exclusively consuming high-grade Qi-Gathering Pills might reach Peak Qi Condensation by the age of twenty-three or twenty-four.

But if they consume high-grade Spirit-Gathering Pills instead, they could break through to that realm by sixteen or seventeen!

That surplus of time is more than enough to cultivate several powerful techniques, comprehend profound secret methods, or safely hunt a slew of late-stage Qi Refining demonic beasts.

You could accumulate a fortune, upgrade to top-tier magical artifacts, and easily earn back every single spirit stone spent on these pills.

Ladies and gentlemen, for us immortal cultivators, time itself is spirit stones!"

"He's right. Manager Ye makes a devastatingly logical point. Put like that, ten spirit stones really isn't expensive at all."

"Words are cheap without proof!"

A burly man forcefully shoved his way to the front of the crowd. A mocking, derisive glint shone in his eyes. Anyone could see at a glance that he was here to cause trouble.

A cold, mocking sneer curled onto Ye Fan's lips. Without a single wasted word, he yanked a token from his robes. Engraved plainly on the front were the words "Heavenly Azure"!

"If you harbor doubts, you can go argue with the Heavenly Azure Sect. This pill recipe has been personally verified and recognized by the elders of the Heavenly Azure Sect. Do you genuinely believe a Heavenly Azure Sect elder needs to conspire with my insignificant little Xu family just to scam a few measly spirit stones out of your pockets?"

"M-Manager Ye, don't twist my words! I never meant any disrespect toward the Heavenly Azure Sect elders!"

The burly man never dreamed Ye Fan would completely ignore conventional pleasantries and instantly drop his ultimate trump card right out of the gate.

"If you cause any more trouble, I will cut you down right here in the street. And the person hiding in the shadows egging you on wouldn't dare take a single step forward to seek justice for your corpse. Do you believe me, or do you want to test it?"

The burly man's eyes darted frantically, nervously scanning his surroundings. Gritting his teeth in humiliation, he spun on his heel and fled.

"The Xu Clan Trading Company conducts business openly and honestly. Integrity is our foundation. If you wish to buy, then buy. If not, we will never force you."

As soon as he finished, thunderous applause erupted from the crowd.

Ye Fan and the others then stepped aside, parting the way for the swarms of eager Cloudstream Town residents scrambling to get inside.

"Top-grade magical artifacts! And there are a full seven of them!"

"That's a complete set of top-grade magical artifacts!"

"The trading company has vastly expanded its inventory with incredible items. This spread is practically on par with some of the premium artifact pavilions in Corner Constellation City and the rest of the Heavenly Azure Seven Cities!"

"A Jade Marrow Pill?! A pill that aids in Foundation Establishment?!"

Hearing this, the cultivators frantically surged forward to gawk at it.

Ye Fan gestured to the display. "This pill is only low-grade, but its effects are identical to a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. It will increase the chances of a successful breakthrough by ten percent. The fixed price is two thousand spirit stones, and at present, we only have a single one in stock.

However, I must be clear—the effects of mid-grade and high-grade versions of this pill fall slightly short of an actual Foundation Establishment Pill."

Two thousand spirit stones was an astronomical sum that ordinary rogue cultivators simply could not casually pull out.

The vast majority would immediately spend whatever spirit stones they earned on cultivation pills or upgrading their magical artifacts. Almost no one ever hoarded such a massive fortune.

And if word got out that they possessed such wealth, it would instantly attract murderous greed.

Countless Peak Qi Condensation cultivators stared longingly at the pill with profound envy before bitter, self-deprecating smiles touched their lips.

Their pockets were tragically empty!

Beyond that, there was a Tier 2 Mid-Grade Protective Formation Plate on display, which successfully stoked the burning desires of many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Yet, it was priced several hundred spirit stones higher than even the Jade Marrow Pill. Its value wasn't a hair less than a full set of top-grade magical artifacts. It was meant to serve as the trading company's crowning centerpiece for the array and artifact section.

Only the talisman section lacked any truly breathtaking, eye-catching treasures.

But this mattered little. The demon-hunting teams of Cloudstream Town mostly bought a few Tier 1 High-Grade talismans anyway. Tier 2 talismans were simply too expensive, and since they were one-time consumables, extremely few were ever willing to buy them.

Over the next several days.

The Xu Clan Trading Company utterly drained the lifeblood from the surrounding Foundation Establishment families' businesses—especially the Yuan and Fang clans.

The Yuan clan primarily dealt in medicinal pills, while the Fang clan specialized in magical artifacts.

In the past, the Xu Clan Trading Company had rarely rolled out items useful to Foundation Establishment cultivators, so they hadn't attracted much attention from high-tier immortal cultivators.

But now...

It was as if the Xu family had completely cast off their shackles and no longer harbored a single reservation.

They were rolling out top-grade magical artifacts left and right. They even unveiled magical artifacts engraved with actual artifact patterns, Tier 2 Low-Grade trapping array disks, protective formation plates, and breathtakingly rare pills.

In a mere half a month, the two clans' businesses plummeted, hemorrhaging nearly thirty percent of their usual revenue.

If they couldn't quickly convert their inventory into spirit stones and liquid capital, the various spirit grass shops and raw material suppliers they worked with would immediately start voicing complaints.

If this dragged on, they might even sever their partnerships entirely.

They were not like the Xu family, entirely self-sufficient in all four major disciplines of pills, artifacts, formations, and talismans. Many of the resources their disciples desperately needed had to be purchased out of pocket with spirit stones.

When a massive hole was torn in a family's spirit stone supply chain, the larger the clan was, the more spectacularly and violently they would collapse.

Inside the Yuan clan estate.

"Brother Yuan, the Xu family has finally bared its fangs. My Fang clan's business has suffered catastrophic losses! What on earth should we do?"

Hearing Family Head Fang's panicked rambling, Family Head Yuan felt a surge of resentful venom in his heart. He sneered internally, 'Back when the Xu family still hadn't found their footing, I told you we should crush them. But you hemmed and hawed, making endless excuses.

'Now they've grown into a monstrosity, even leaping into the arms of the Heavenly Azure Sect as a protected vassal clan.

'Even the Golden Core Perfected Beings standing behind us wouldn't dare casually strike at them now.

'What should we do?

'We just lay down and die, you idiot!'

Despite his venomous thoughts, Family Head Yuan maintained a serene smile. "At present, our two families can afford this minor loss. But if this drags out for three to five years, I fear we will be reduced to the same pathetic state as the rest of the Foundation Establishment families.

Reduced to begging for scraps falling from the Xu family's table.

If we wish to avoid that fate, there are only two paths left: either pack up and abandon Cloudstream Town... or fight the Xu family to the bitter death."

Family Head Fang fully understood the unspoken weight behind those words. He tentatively probed, "Which path does Brother Yuan intend to take?"

"Within the Heavenly Azure Sect's entire sphere of influence, only Cloudstream Town possesses a Tier 2 spirit vein. All other minor towns lack one entirely. Moving anywhere else would throttle our development.

As for the seven massive cities... while our two clans boast some strength, squeezing our way in there would make us insignificant small fry. We would have to walk on eggshells every single day, terrified of accidentally offending some disciple from a Golden Core aristocratic family.

It's vastly inferior to remaining here as the unquestioned local tyrants of Cloudstream Town."

"I completely understand your meaning, Brother Yuan. However, this matter is far too severe. I need to return and thoroughly discuss this with the elders of my clan. I will give you my final answer in a few days. Does that work for you?"

"Of course. But the Xu family's commercial assault waits for no man. Brother Fang, do not make me wait too long."

"I won't."