Chapter 457: Kui Wood Island

Five years passed.

Yan Buji also succeeded in resolving the issue with the Bursting Anger Fire Technique; although his time spent on Jade Balance Island over the years was leisurely, his cultivation never lapsed.

"Have you heard? Wei Zixu is planning to attempt a breakthrough to Nascent Soul!"

"What? So fast? I remember she's only 360 years old."

"If she really succeeds, she'd be the youngest Nascent Soul True Lord in the history of the Dongxing Sea Region!!"

During this time, rumors about Wei Zixu spread like wildfire—some said she slew a demon emperor in the outer sea, some said she found an ancient treasure, and some said she was preparing to break through to Nascent Soul.

In short, Yan Buji was completely indifferent to these rumors; after all, they had nothing to do with him.

Soon after.

Chen Zhen and Fairy Hua Xuan found Yan Buji, and the three began chatting.

"Dao Friend Yan, have you been in seclusion all these years?" Chen Zhen asked.

"Not exactly constant seclusion; I still come out for a walk now and then." Yan Buji laughed.

Fairy Hua Xuan smiled: "That's true—cultivation balances movement and stillness, unless one can't manage to stay in seclusion."

Yan Buji poured drinks for the two and asked, "Any major happenings lately?"

"Nothing major, but the Twenty-Eight Mansions Island recently suffered a beast tide, sustaining heavy damage; the Sun and Moon Palace has urgently dispatched cultivators to suppress the demon beasts."

Yan Buji frowned: "Are there really that many demon beasts in the outer sea?"

"Although the demon clan's influence doesn't reach the Frigid Winter Ocean, the demon beasts in the sea have been proliferating like weeds lately—quite normal," Chen Zhen laughed.

Yan Buji nodded; the demon clan has always been able to command demon beasts—put simply, the demon clan itself are demon beasts, just those that have gained intelligence and lost the cheekbone in their mouths.

"Other than that, not much—but I recently heard that a fearsome demonic cultivator took advantage of the demon beast assault to launch massive sneak attacks on the Golden Core cultivators of the Twenty-Eight Mansions Island, indirectly causing many of the island's strongholds to fall to the demon beasts."

"The Sun and Moon Palace also issued a wanted order for that cultivator—dead or alive, capturing him nets three hundred thousand spiritual stones," Chen Zhen laughed.

Yan Buji's expression turned odd: "How strong is that person?"

"I heard he's a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, skilled in ice-system arts, and apparently knows two Earth Fiend Divine Abilities—his battle prowess is quite terrifying," Fairy Hua Xuan said.

That really is extraordinary.

Yan Buji certainly knows how formidable Earth Fiend Divine Abilities are; even the imperfect ones he's studied have noticeable effects, so a complete one would definitely require caution.

Still, Yan Buji didn't think he'd run into that demonic cultivator on Jade Balance Island; after all, the Dongxing Sea Region doesn't harbor much prejudice between righteous and demonic cultivators.

The Sun and Moon Palace dominates the Dongxing Sea Region; if there truly were a righteous-demonic divide, Yan Buji could only guess it was a tactic the Sun and Moon Palace used to balance the various powers.

Yan Buji pondered, then asked: "Setting other matters aside, do you two have any news about the Three Heavens Qi I'm looking for?"

Chen Zhen exclaimed: "I was just about to tell you—over at Kui Wood Island, I heard an auction house is planning to auction Crimson Heaven Qi!"

Yan Buji sprang up: "Really? When?!"

"Next month.... Hey, Dao Friend Yan!"

"Thanks, let's talk again later."

Chen Zhen watched Yan Buji rush off, shaking his head helplessly: "Dao Friend Yan is really impatient."

Fairy Hua Xuan waved a hand: "Otherwise, you're probably even more desperate for the spiritual material you want."

"Indeed."

Having received the news, Yan Buji immediately set out for Kui Wood Road; a month was plenty of time for him to get there.

That very day he boarded a passenger ship; these vessels are bolstered by formations, making their sea travel speed comparable to a cultivator's flight. To conserve energy, Yan Buji reached Kui Wood Island after half a month.

Upon arrival, he saw large quantities of demon beast carcasses being hauled by cart into the island's city.

After showing his identity token, Yan Buji quickly learned the auction house's news upon entering.

"In five days? That's fine."

Yan Buji nodded; fortunately, having heard the news right away, he'd rushed over just in time to prepare some spiritual stones these few days.

In the previous two days, Yan Buji exchanged pills for several hundred thousand spiritual stones by selling them in the city.

Immediately afterward, he encountered a demon beast attack and was forced to join the Kui Wood Island cultivators in defending the island.

After all that, Yan Buji waited another two days and finally arrived at the auction.

Entering the auction house, it was nothing like the one on Jade Balance Island; it resembled a grand theater.

"Is it you? How did you find me!"

Yan Buji had just sat down when he heard a familiar voice and turned to look.

"Fairy Wei? What are you doing here?"

Wei Zixu glanced at Yan Buji, nodded, and said, "I'm just here to clear my mind."

"Huh?"

Yan Buji ignored him, clasping his hands in acknowledgment.

Come to think of it, she probably doesn't think I came chasing after her, does she?

"What are you doing here?" Wei Zixu asked.

"I heard there's a spiritual material I desperately need, so I rushed over to check the situation," Yan Buji said.

Wei Zixu nodded: "That's right—I heard you're still a third-rank alchemist? Is the Soul-Returning Pill your creation?"

"Yes, though I can't compare to Dao Friend Chen and the others," Yan Buji laughed.

It seems Wei Zixu's connections are nothing to sneeze at, but it's unlikely she deliberately sought out my news; after all, as an alchemist, even if I kept a low profile, someone would still know.

Perhaps Wei Zixu simply happened to hear my name by chance.

Wei Zixu stared at Yan Buji, feeling that this tall figure had some quality that drew her in.

Of course she knew this wasn't any kind of romantic feeling—it was more like... her own fire seed?

Does he have heavenly fire?!

Wei Zixu was secretly astonished, but it wasn't appropriate to ask.

Yan Buji turned his head and asked, "Fairy maiden, do you have any problems?"

"No, you are at the Golden Core stage, right?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

Wei Zixu pondered: "Seeing how finely you controlled fire earlier, I had some guesses; only after learning you were an alchemist did I understand. I don't know when you plan to enter the Golden Core realm."

Yan Buji looked puzzled.

"Are we that close?"

Yan Buji didn't want to get overly involved with such influential figures; his current life still satisfied him, lacking nothing, with fame and ability.

Moreover, he still needs to cultivate, and he doesn't want to associate too much with her kind, lest he be drawn into some vortex.

"Fairy maiden, I heard you intend to break through to the Nascent Soul stage; is that true?"

Wei Zixu frowned and said, "Who said that?"

"Everyone on Yuheng Island is saying you're about to form a Nascent Soul."

"Tch, those guys!" Wei Zixu gritted his teeth, looking at Yan Buji: "If you encountered this, what would you do?"

"Huh?"

"What I mean is, if a group of people keeps pestering you and spreads rumors everywhere, what would you do?"

"What else can be done? Go up and give him two slaps to teach him a lesson." Yan Buji said offhandedly.

"Is that so?" "Of course, unless those people have some peculiar fetish, otherwise publicly embarrassing him will surely make him love-turned-hate, or rather make him self-consciously avoid approaching." Yan Buji looked ahead, anxiously waiting.

"Of course, unless those people have some special fetish, otherwise losing face in public will surely turn love into hatred.... or rather, they'll consciously keep their distance." Yan Buji looked ahead, anxiously waiting.