Chapter 66: Visitors from the Profound Heaven Sect

Daoist arts are divided into three grades: high, middle, and low. Above Daoist arts, there are other things such as divine abilities.

Daoist arts, divine abilities, and the like are all collectively classified as Daoist methods. As for the distinction between the former and the latter, it is merely that the latter possesses greater power. When cultivated to a profound level, even burning mountains, boiling seas, plucking stars, and bathing in the sun are nothing more than trivial matters.

However, the functions of Daoist methods, generally speaking, are merely those fundamental, wondrous uses: growth, enlightenment, slaughter, defense, evasion, alchemy, arrays, and nourishment.

The reason why Treasure Gathering Pavilion dares not lightly accept Daoist methods has a long history.

According to Hao Qingyan, the reason this shop has been able to prosper to this day is that it picked up a bargain and inherited the legacy of predecessors.

In those years, the hegemon of the Southern Domain market was once the "Ten Thousand Treasures Tower." At its peak, even elders from major sects like the Divine Fire Cliff, Evil Food Mountain, and Flower God Mansion were their honored guests. They even extended their reach beyond the barren lands of the Southern Domain; even the Central and Eastern Domains of the Eastern Mi Continent had their branches.

But this tower, because it was schemed against by its rival, the "Six Harmonies Society," inadvertently accepted a divine ability from the Hu Zhao Sect—the "Five Yin Seizing Great Hand Seal"—and ignorantly put it up for sale in the tower.

Consequently, in just a single night, they were uprooted from the Eastern Mi Continent. Every member of the tower lost their lives, and even their primordial spirits were completely extinguished, leaving them unable to even seek reincarnation.

The Divine Fire Cliff, Evil Food Mountain, and others who were on good terms with the "Ten Thousand Treasures Tower" in the past were all struck dumb with fear, not daring to utter a single word.

On the contrary, several sect masters had to go to the Hu Zhao Sect overnight to plead guilty, claiming they were ignorant of the truth, and prepared generous gifts to beg for forgiveness.

This turmoil caused half of the Eastern Mi Continent to tremble with fear at the time. Every shop and trade was in danger, each fearing they would follow in the footsteps of the "Ten Thousand Treasures Tower."

And the "Ten Thousand Treasures Tower's" rival, the "Six Harmonies Society," naturally did not fare any better.

After the Hu Zhao Sect investigated and confirmed the truth, they did not allow them to argue or explain. A Primordial Spirit True Person proficient in curses directly cast a spell from afar, refining everyone into Yin-Mud Puppets, leaving them unable to live or die, miserable to the extreme.

And the rise of shops like "Treasure Gathering Pavilion" came precisely because they seized the opportunity when these two giants collapsed, and their fortunes began to turn.

If those two were still around, how would they have such luck? They would have long since been beaten by various overt and covert means, suppressed until they had no place to stand.

……

……

"Therefore, ever since then, we have not dared to lightly accept Daoist methods, fearing that we might be caught in a scheme, fall into a trap, and follow in the footsteps of those two."

Hao Qingyan sighed endlessly:

"Even if we do accept Daoist methods, there must be guarantors, contracts, and proof... We must also verify the seller's identity, draw up documents with them, and even the Daoist method being sold must be investigated for its origin. Otherwise, no matter how tempting it is, we absolutely dare not acquire it. Who knows if it's meant to intentionally lure you into a trap!"

"So cumbersome?"

Chen Hang frowned: "What if it's a loose cultivator with no connections who wants to purchase a Daoist method? Coming to your esteemed treasure ground, wouldn't they only be able to return empty-handed?"

"Haha! Fellow Daoist, you are attached to appearances!"

Hao Qingyan laughed upon hearing this and clapped his hands:

"Do you know how many ordinary Daoist arts there are in this world? One generation passes to another, one person tells another! It has long since spread throughout the world! Things like Qi Armor Art, Blood Evasion Art, and the like are truly too numerous to count; there are plenty! What I mentioned just now are only those that are uncommon or whose names have never been heard of, which is why we must take such precautions. If you, Fellow Daoist, wish to purchase Daoist arts..."

He took a book five fingers thick from his storage bag and handed it to Chen Hang.

And Chen Hang took it in his hand.

After just a brief glance, his expression changed slightly.

"The Daoist arts I obtained... why are they all recorded here?"

He continued to flip to the book of Qi Cultivation records, and upon seeing this, he really couldn't help himself.

"Gui Yuanzi's Energy Cultivation Essentials?"

Chen Hang pointed to one of the pages in the book and said: "As far as I know, this seems to be the Qi Cultivation decree of the Rong clan of the Rong State. How can it be for sale in your esteemed pavilion?"

"Oh, this?"

Hao Qingyan just leaned over to take a look and laughed:

"This was sold by the Rong State's founding ancestor, Gui Yuanzi, himself. Treasure Gathering Pavilion didn't even exist back then. I heard he sold it to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower in exchange for thirty beautiful mermaid girls. Hehe! This old senior was quite the player!"

Chen Hang was silent.

He continued to flip through and saw "Golden Man Substitution," "Lesser Wind-Calling and Mist-Summoning Art," "Blood Armor Art," and so on, simply dense and numerous, as many as the stars in the sky.

Moreover, the prices of these low-grade Daoist arts were exceptionally cheap; one could purchase one for just over ten talisman coins, far cheaper than talisman artifacts.

Hao Qingyan was also tactful and took the initiative to explain.

According to his words, these middle and low-grade Daoist arts not only spread widely but also had mediocre power, and cultivating them was very time-consuming, far less convenient than talisman artifacts.

After all, whether it is embryonic breathing or true qi, it is limited. If you use one more part to cast a Daoist art, you will have one less part when driving a talisman artifact; there is always a fixed amount.

Moreover, the power of middle and low-grade Daoist arts is mostly inferior to talisman artifacts, and coupled with their wide spread and the time required for cultivation, if the price were not set lower, I'm afraid few people would come to buy them.

After hearing all this, Chen Hang temporarily extinguished the thought of selling Daoist arts.

In his expectation, this "Golden Valley Market" was supposed to be a place where his True Dharma Realm could fully display its capabilities, simulating others' mental states, obtaining the Daoist arts in their primordial spirits, and then taking them out for sale.

The chicken lays eggs, and the eggs lay more chickens; in this way, it would be an endless supply.

But he hadn't expected that these merchants not only had so many restrictions on the sale of Daoist arts, but they themselves also collected quite a few, all sorts, of every category...

After receiving the thousands of talisman coins from the sale, Chen Hang originally wanted to purchase a flying sword.

However, he learned that because the "Golden Valley Market" had not yet been officially built, the several large merchant firms around had not yet moved their best treasures to this place, and they were all on the way, so he had to make an appointment with Hao Qingyan, asking him to notify him when the goods arrived.

After chatting a little more, Chen Hang did not stay long. He declined Hao Qingyan's offer to see him off and returned to Red Leaf Island.

With these talisman coins in hand, whether it was his Qi Cultivation base or his Tai Su Jade Body, he could make further progress. How could he have time to chat here?

His evasion light moved extremely fast, like a shooting star, and in the blink of an eye, his tracks were gone.

And on a floating building ship, a person on the deck had just caught a glimpse of Chen Hang's figure and hadn't had time to greet him when the evasion light had already vanished in an instant, disappearing into the vast water mist.

"Does Chen Chen Shidi Chen have some urgent matter? In such a hurry! He didn't even pay us any mind!"

Zhou Xingling laughed and scolded, saying to the surrounding junior and senior brothers: "After seeing our master, we must drag him out and make him drink a round of wine!"

The surrounding White Crane Cave Taoists who had chatted with Chen Hang all laughed, only Zhu Wanzhi remained silent, lowering her head.

Zhou Xingling knew her thoughts, but it was not easy to persuade her, so he just sighed and continued to steer the building ship forward.

After half a quarter of an hour, the building ship finally landed on a small island. The surroundings were covered with flowers, and falling blossoms were scattered, which was quite beautiful.

In the exquisite water pavilion not far away, two people were playing chess. Zhou Xingling and the others did not dare to disturb them, standing silently to the side, bowing and waiting.

It was not until half a cup of tea later, when a short old man with a full head of white hair laughed and threw his chess piece, that it finally ended.

"Xingling."

The short old man smiled: "You have been at Floating Jade Lake for so long. I told you to make friends with the talents of the world. Have you gained anything?"

"Reporting to Master, there is one person, his name is Chen Hang."

Zhou Xingling heard this and hurriedly bowed: "This Chen Chen Shidi is truly a scholar of heaven and man. Compared to him, I am far inferior."

"Chen Hang? Is it that Chen Hang from our Profound Heaven Sect?"

Before the short old man could answer, the person playing chess with him spoke first, saying:

"Tell us in detail!"

"Yes."

Zhou Xingling bowed again: "Elder Gu Jun.

……

…… ===== CHAPTER 67 =====