Chapter 261

Yan Buji gazed at Feng Xiaoqing's residence, where a large crowd of male cultivators stood bearing assorted gifts, seeking an audience; but the gatekeeping little maid, single-handedly against a hundred, barred them all.

"Senior brothers, my lady has already said she's in seclusion and won't see visitors!" The little maid stood at the door, figuring they wouldn't dare barge in, speaking firmly.

"Please, Xiao Huan, could you let me see Feng Shijie?"

"Xiao Huan, is Feng Shijie really still in seclusion?"

"The lady said that if you truly intend to stay long, she won't come out."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding cultivators sighed and each left.

Seeing these Foundation Establishment cultivators return empty-handed, Yan Buji stepped forward, smiling, and said, "Greetings, Senior Sister; I am Huang Hao, a new disciple of the Accumulation Device Peak."

Xiao Huan's expression changed; looking at the gift box in Yan Buji's hand, she said, "Hand over the item, you may leave."

"This... I was entrusted by my senior brother to personally deliver this precious item to Feng Zhenchuan. Senior Sister, could you make an exception?" Yan Buji feigned hesitation, stating his purpose.

In fact, upon seeing Xiao Huan's expression, Yan Buji roughly guessed that the item his senior brother gave him was no ordinary thing; although he could have simply handed it over and left, he actually wanted to meet this Feng Zhenchuan, whose reputation was mixed.

Xiao Huan's expression shifted, she glanced at Yan Buji a few times, then nodded, saying, "Wait here; I'll go ask the lady."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

"By the way, when you see the lady, don't ask too many questions."

"Then how shall I know whether the person is Feng Zhenchuan?"

Xiao Huan raised her brows: "You old fogey, does anyone dare to impersonate my lady?"

"Don't be angry, Senior Sister; because the item is valuable I must be cautious. However, I've heard Feng Zhenchuan has already reached the Golden Core realm; just standing before her, I should feel that terror."

Xiao Huan pursed her lips: "Do you think my lady is some flood-beast? She's actually quite nice."

Yan Buji smiled and said nothing.

Following Xiao Huan into the inner hall, Yan Buji caught sight of a woman's silhouette.

She had black hair like a waterfall, wearing palace robes; her visage was jade-like, naturally beautiful and unalterable; her figure was graceful, with the delicate tenderness of a willow in the breeze; her apricot eyes glistened like autumn water, her curved brows like willows hanging in the clouds.

Yan Buji bowed and said, "Disciple Huang Hao of the Accumulation Device Peak, I pay my respects to Feng Zhenchuan."

"What? You don't ask if I'm real or fake?"

"Facing Feng Zhenchuan, one cannot feign." Yan Buji chuckled.

Feng Xiaoqing glanced at the old man before her, probed slightly, and knew his strength was roughly at the peak of the Lianqi Phase.

However, for a Golden Core cultivator like her, someone at the Lianqi Phase normally lacks the qualification to speak to her in this manner.

"Feng Zhenchuan, this is the gift my senior brother asked me to deliver."

"Hmm, set it down; you may leave."

Feng Xiaoqing looked at the elderly man before her, made a brief assessment, and knew that he was roughly at the peak of refined Qi strength.

Yan Buji set down the item and turned to leave.

Xiao Huan carried the gift box to Feng Xiaoqing's front, pursed her lips, and said, "Lady, this old man is strange; he insisted on seeing you before handing over the item."

"Being polite to an elder doesn't hurt."

"But you often say that in the cultivation world, ability comes first."

Feng Xiaoqing smiled: "Know that there is no eternal strength or weakness; today he seeks an audience below the hall, just as I once sought my master below the hall."

Feng Xiaoqing took the gift box, casually tossed aside the letter, and opened it to look.

"Nangong Shidi truly is capable, a pity he's too stubborn."

"But don't you often say that the attained are foremost in the cultivation world?"

Having returned to Accumulation Device Peak, Yan Buji had just reached the main hall when his senior brother rushed out, anxiously asking, "How did it go? What did Feng Shijie say?"

Yan Buji shook his head: "I didn't say anything; she just let me go."

"Why didn't you say anything?! Ah, I've been pondering my words for half a year!" The senior brother clutched his head, lamenting.

Yan Buji's face twitched: "Senior Brother, I think such matters are better spoken by you personally; messages relayed by others lack feeling."

When Yan Buji returned to Accumulation Device Peak and had just stepped in front of the main hall, his senior brother immediately rushed out, anxiously asking, "How did it go? What did Senior Sister Feng say?"

Yan Buji shook his head: "I didn't say anything, and she let me go."

The senior brother stalled, thought carefully, then nodded: "Indeed, once I next refine a fine Accumulation Device, I'll send it to Feng Shijie."

As it turns out, it's still a one-sided wish.

Yan Buji sighed and asked, "Senior Brother, does Accumulation Device Peak receive any sect-issued tasks on a regular basis?"

"Tasks? None, the master is in seclusion; Accumulation Device Peak only has the two of us, so what tasks could there be? Even if there were, they'd go to the master." The senior brother said.

"Oh, then... could I regularly take missions from the Mission Hall? I, too, need to cultivate." Yan Buji said with a bitter expression, hinting at his meaning.

The senior brother nodded: "That's right; with the master in seclusion, after you finish cleaning Accumulation Device Peak, you may attend to your own affairs; nothing else needs worrying."

"Senior Brother, with Accumulation Device Peak so short-staffed, on what basis do we occupy a mountain within the sect?" Yan Buji asked curiously.

"Hmph! Naturally it's because... my master is formidable. You should know, my master is the sole artisan in Qing Shan Sect capable of refining Fivefold Transformation Accumulation Devices!"

Fivefold Transformation Accumulation Device?!

Yan Buji was somewhat surprised; the higher the transformation number of an Accumulation Device, the greater the strength required to support it. Like Yan Buji, under optimal conditions, he can barely manage to craft a Second-Tier Accumulation Device.

If those Nangong Ping senior brothers were to act, they could at least produce a Third-Tier Accumulation Device.

In the battles Yan Buji has encountered, basically they mostly use First-Tier Accumulation Devices, with no instances of employing Second-Tier Accumulation Devices in combat.

To be able to refine a Fivefold Transformation Accumulation Device, at minimum one must be a Golden Core cultivator; I also don't know when this Elder, or rather the Peak Master, will emerge from seclusion.

"Ah, that explains it; no wonder the sect's resources allot Accumulation Device Peak such a share. However, Senior Brother, take note: recently the sect's Flowfire Mine has encountered trouble, and next month's supply of flowfire stone may be cut by roughly half." Yan Buji said.

If these Nangong Ping senior brothers take action, at least they can refine a Threefold Transformation Accumulation Device.

In the battles Yan Buji has encountered, basically most involve using a First-Tier Accumulation Device, with no instances of fighting using a Second-Tier Accumulation Device.

To be able to refine a Fivefold Transformation Accumulation Device, at minimum one must be a Golden Core cultivator; I also don't know when this Elder or Peak Master will emerge from seclusion.

"Originally like that, no wonder the sect's Resource Accumulation Device Peak can get so much. However, Senior Brother should be careful; recently the sect's Lava Mine has encountered problems, and next month's Lava Stone supply may be reduced by about fifty percent." Yan Buji said.

Ah? That won't do! How did you know?

Yan Buji cupped his hands and said: "Senior brother, it was I, the junior brother, who overstepped. Over the past six months, all the cultivators who came to distribute resources within the sect have been handled by me, the junior brother. I have also called out to you, senior brother, but each time you...."

Nangong Ping's face flushed, and he coughed once: "Thanks for the trouble, junior brother. This was originally my duty as well. But seeing that you handle these matters without any problem, from now on I'll leave it to you."

Don't worry, senior brother.

Seeing that Yan Buji, despite his age, still had to worry about these matters, Nangong Ping felt somewhat embarrassed and took out a yellowed book: "These are some of my insights on regularly crafting Accumulation Devices. I see you have the intention to develop as an artifact refiner, so take a look at this first, eh?"

Thank you, senior brother!

Yan Buji's eyes lit up, and he solemnly accepted the book.