Chapter 428: Heavenly Spirit Realm

Heavenly Spirit Fruit?

Yan Buji thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "Is it the legendary fruit that can send a person to the Nine Heavens?"

"No," Zhao Jinzhong laughed, "The Heavenly Spirit Fruit is an unimaginable treasure to us, but for cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage it can be obtained for a price. Its function is to let a person ascend in daylight and go to another world."

"Huh?" Yan Buji asked, puzzled.

Zhao Jinzhong laughed, "Among the mundane there are legends like 'A Dream of Yellow Millet' and 'The Rotten Ke Man,' right? In the cultivation world, it's because the Heavenly Spirit Fruit carries a person to a realm belonging only to immortals."

Yan Buji scratched his head, his face strange, "So this Heavenly Spirit Fruit…"

What great use does it have?

"Simply put… hmm, after eating the Heavenly Spirit Fruit one is taken to a secret realm. That realm is vast yet empty; cultivators can trade resources or arrange duels inside. Since the major sects set rules, all conflicts among those above the Nascent Soul stage now unfold in that world of the Heavenly Spirit Fruit. Of course, only those who follow the rules are bound; the unruly are naturally hunted by everyone."

Yan Buji thought for a while, "So the City Lord is willing to offer Heavenly Spirit Fruit as exchange for us doing work for them?"

"Exactly. This time the City Lord has three slots for Heavenly Spirit Fruit; if you, Brother Yan, are interested, you may go and learn the details."

Yan Buji nodded and clasped his hands, "Thank you for the information, brother."

After that, Yan Buji went to inquire about the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

According to rumors, the Heavenly Spirit Fruit appears to be a patent of a great sect; long ago a sect discovered a barren world where there was no Spiritual Qi, not even air. Only dry earth and the turning of sun and moon, unsuitable for any living being.

Moreover, that world does not rely on reality; it lies beyond the Five Domains, said to be a ruined world.

There, someone discovered a Heavenly Spirit Fruit tree and brought it back to the Five Domains for cultivation.

Later it was found that the Heavenly Spirit Fruit could transport people to that world; some considered turning the ruined world into a back‑garden stronghold, but eventually everyone abandoned the idea and used it only as a battlefield.

Subsequently, the Heavenly Spirit Fruit spread throughout the Five Domains. A faction called the Nine Heavens Five Domains Grand Trade Association employed a spatial technique to anchor coordinates to the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, distributing it free to all cultivators, even sending out anchored Heavenly Spirit Fruit trees.

Later, a place emerged where Five Domains cultivators could trade freely.

To the present, the area called the Heavenly Spirit Realm is largely occupied by the Nine Heavens Five Domains Grand Trade Association or other trade houses, and there are dedicated dueling arenas for Nascent Soul‑stage cultivators seeking to settle disputes.

However, the Heavenly Spirit Realm is not accessible to everyone; because there is no air, Lianqi Phase and Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot go; and without it, Core Formation and Golden Core stage cultivators easily suffer rapid depletion of magical power and are sent back.

Thus the Heavenly Spirit Realm is mostly populated by Nascent Soul cultivators; independent cultivators and those from factions at the Nascent Soul stage frequently trade there, making commerce quite prosperous.

Yan Buji is quite interested in this.

With his commercial sense, he clearly sees that the Heavenly Spirit Realm's uniqueness can unblock trade restricted by the Five Domains' barriers; no wonder many great powers, even when holding their ground, can reap substantial economic benefits.

Nevertheless, the existence of the Heavenly Spirit Realm still poses several serious problems.

First, although a few trade houses lead in jurisdiction, everyone has backing; who fears whom? No one can guarantee that transactions in the Heavenly Spirit Realm are safe.

Second, who guarantees price parity during trade? Bartering can be cumbersome, and who maintains the Spiritual Stone standard? If the trade houses control it, they could buy low, sell high, short the market. Some well‑funded powers might also collude, inflating prices then spreading rumors to drive them down, causing market Chaos, with only a few benefiting.

Third, personal safety—no need to elaborate. What if you get black‑eaten by black?

Thus, even if he wishes to visit the Heavenly Spirit Realm, Yan Buji will not go now; it's truly dangerous, and he does not urgently lack Spiritual Material.

Nevertheless, Yan Buji went to the City Lord's mansion to explain his background.

A short while later.

Two Nascent Soul cultivators approached; Yan Buji froze, then quickly rose, clasped his hands, and said, "Greetings, True Lord Huang Feng, greetings, True Lord Yun Shang!"

True Lord Huang Feng looked at Yan Buji, nodded satisfactorily, "You are the third‑stage Alchemist Yan Buji?"

"Yes. How could I trouble the two True Lords in person? I have heard of your invitation and came to see if there is anything I, Yan, can assist with."

True Lord Huang Feng chuckled, "Alchemists are rare, and Brother Yan, being able to dual‑cultivate Martial and Law and to forge third‑stage pills, makes my modest True Huang Island seem negligent."

"I would not dare; I am very willing to serve the two True Lords."

"Since that is so, we indeed have a batch of pills that need to be refined quickly. What reward do you require?"

Yan Buji clasped his hands, "Thank you, True Lords. I heard you intend to use a Heavenly Spirit Fruit as reward; my reward is simply to obtain one Heavenly Spirit Fruit, nothing else."

"Oh? A Heavenly Spirit Fruit?" True Lord Huang Feng frowned, pondering carefully.

Immortal Maiden Yun Shang looked at Yan Buji, "What do you want the Heavenly Spirit Fruit for?"

Yan Buji sighed, "Seeing you both in person, you can tell I am merely a Martial Dao Golden Core; with sages having severed the Martial Dao ahead, I am at an impasse, unable to advance or retreat; if I cannot find a way to break my limits, I feel dissatisfied."

"So you wish to probe the Martial Dao path through the Heavenly Spirit Realm?" Immortal Maiden Yun Shang said.

"That's right."

"Then… I can tell you clearly that within the Five Domains, I fear no one can break the Martial Dao restriction," Yun Shang said.

Yan Buji widened his eyes, hung his head dejectedly, "Really… is there truly no way?"

True Lord Huang Feng nodded, "If you want something else, that's fine, but our stock of Heavenly Spirit Fruit is scarce and has already been exchanged."

"Then… sigh, thank you both, Yan will not bother you further."

"Hey!" Immortal Maiden Yun Shang quickly called out to Yan Buji; although they truly had no Heavenly Spirit Fruit left, at this moment they did not want to let a third‑stage Alchemist go.

"Brother Yan, do not lose heart. Though we cannot give you extra Heavenly Spirit Fruit, if you help us with alchemy, I have an item that can greatly aid your Martial Dao breakthrough. Will you accept?" Yun Shang said.

Yan Buji was startled, "May I ask, True Lord, what is it?"

Immortal Maiden Yun Shang smiled, produced a piece of Spiritual Material resembling a dark‑red clot of blood, and said,

"This is the ancient warrior's Blood‑Nurturing Pure Essence Paste, a supreme Spiritual Material that can help you increase your True Essence!"