Chapter 240: Fire-Pattern Sword

"This must be Fellow Daoist Song from Mount Funiu! I am Cao Rongxue. I heard that you came to Jin Shan Market this time to purchase a second-tier mid-grade magic tool. I happen to have a magic tool that has not yet found its master. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Song is interested in coming with me to my Shuiyue Hall to sit for a while?"

Song Qingming looked up at the woman, only to discover that she, who looked unremarkable, was actually a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. He hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed.

"Fellow Daoist's kind invitation is hard to refuse, so Song will have to trouble you!"

Hearing the news of a second-tier mid-grade magic tool from her, Song Qingming hurriedly nodded and agreed, then followed Cao Rongxue back to the second floor of Shuiyue Hall.

The two first exchanged a few polite words, and then Cao Rongxue somewhat reluctantly took out a second-tier mid-grade flying sword.

"This sword is called the Fire-Pattern Sword. The sword body carries three spiritual fires, and the power of using it is almost no less than an ordinary second-tier spiritual talisman. It is very suitable for a cultivator like you who is about to break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. This sword was personally refined by my third grand-uncle a few years ago. Its quality can be considered a relatively good boutique among second-tier mid-grade magic tools. I wonder if you are interested?" After Cao Rongxue finished speaking, she narrowed her eyes and handed the sword to Song Qingming.

Song Qingming held it in his hand and looked at it carefully, finding that it was indeed as Cao Rongxue said; the quality of this flying sword was quite good among second-tier mid-grade magic tools. That the Cao family could take this sword out was indeed beyond Song Qingming's expectations.

"Since I have already arrived here today, Song will not beat around the bush with you. This magic tool is indeed to my liking. How many spirit stones are needed? I hope you can be straightforward."

Cao Rongxue heard this and didn't exchange any more pleasantries, directly saying: "Since you are so sincere, then of course I won't hide anything. One thousand eight hundred spirit stones, what do you think, Fellow Daoist Song?"

"Fine! Then it's a deal."

Seeing that the price quoted by Cao Rongxue was within his acceptable range, Song Qingming didn't hesitate too much and directly took out a bag of spirit stones from his storage bag and placed it on the table.

Cao Rongxue saw that a deal had been made so quickly, and her face also showed great joy. After counting the number of spirit stones and confirming it was correct, she handed the Fire-Pattern Sword to Song Qingming.

After the two reached this deal, Song Qingming did not leave immediately. At Cao Rongxue's invitation, the two drank tea and chatted for a while, until Song Qingming realized it was getting late, and then he stood up to take his leave.

Through this exchange with Cao Rongxue, Song Qingming gained a deeper understanding of the Cao family of Pingyang County.

As the largest Foundation Establishment family in Pingyang County, the Cao family's strength was even a bit stronger than the Huang family of Qinghe County. Now, there were five Foundation Establishment cultivators in the clan, and with Cao Wanjiang at the peak of Foundation Establishment sitting in town, their strength could be said to be firmly seated as the number one cultivation family in Pingyang County.

However, Cao Wanjiang, who currently has the highest cultivation in the Cao family, does not have much lifespan left. After he passes away, it is estimated that it will be a bit difficult for the Cao family to maintain the title of the number one cultivation family in Pingyang County.

Cao Rongxue has only just broken through to the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment not long ago. As the second-highest Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Cao family, she will take over from Cao Wanjiang to manage the Cao family in the future. Her taking the initiative to come out to receive Song Qingming at this time seems to have some intention of building better relationships with other surrounding cultivation families.

After leaving Jin Shan Market, it took Song Qingming two days to return to Mount Funiu from Jin Shan Market.

This trip to Jin Shan Market could be considered to have achieved his goal beyond expectations. Originally, his expectations were not very high, but unexpectedly, he still managed to purchase a second-tier mid-grade flying sword that was very suitable for him. It could only be said that his luck recently seemed to have favored him a bit more.

This trip out didn't last long, taking less than five days. Not long after Song Qingming returned to Mount Funiu, Sixth Uncle Song Changfeng suddenly sent someone to find him and invite him to the council hall.

Over the past few years, as Patriarch Song Changfeng's health slowly recovered, he had been managing the trivial matters in the family. Only when encountering major issues that were difficult to decide would Song Changfeng send someone to invite him.

Upon hearing this news, Song Qingming was also a bit nervous. Recently, things had been too smooth, and he always felt in his heart that something bad might happen.

When Song Qingming arrived at the council hall with some trepidation, Song Changfeng hurriedly dismissed all the other clansmen in the hall, leaving only him and Song Qingming.

"Qingming, I know you just returned, and I shouldn't have disturbed you, but this matter is indeed a bit tricky, and I find it difficult to make a decision alone, which is why I had to invite you over."

"Sixth Uncle, what exactly happened? Why are you so nervous?" Seeing Song Changfeng with his brows somewhat furrowed, Song Qingming was suddenly startled. Could it be that something bad really happened?

Under Song Changfeng's detailed account, Song Qingming learned of a major event that had recently occurred in the Song family's territory, and he couldn't help but furrow his brows as well.

Just two days ago, the Wang family of Mount Fengtou, a Qi Refining family under the Song family, suddenly sent someone to the Song family to inform Song Changfeng of a very unexpected piece of news: the Wang family had discovered a Geng Metal mineral vein on their own territory.

The matter occurred two months ago. At that time, several cultivators from the Wang family discovered a mineral vein in their territory. At first, the Wang family thought it was an ordinary refined copper mine and didn't think too much about it, directly arranging for mortals to dig out a portion.

As a result, they found that the dug-out ore was a bit wrong, so the Wang family cultivators took a few pieces to the neighboring Jiangling Market, wanting to sell them to see what the ore was. As a result, they learned a more shocking fact: the mine they dug was not an ordinary refined copper mine, but a Geng Metal mine, which is very rare in the cultivation world.

After learning this fact, the Wang family was completely panicked and could only hurriedly send someone to inform the main family.

After hearing this news, Song Qingming was also truly quite surprised. Unlike lower-tier artifact refining materials like black iron and refined copper, Geng Metal is a material that can be used to refine high-tier magic tools. There are probably only a dozen Geng Metal mineral veins in the entire State of Wei, and they are basically all controlled by the Xiaoyao Sect.

This kind of high-tier artifact refining material has a very high value. Even if it is just a small mineral vein, its overall value is more than ten times higher than that of an ordinary refined copper mine. Facing such rare mineral vein resources, let alone a small Qi Refining family like the Wang family, even if the Song family discovered this mineral vein, they would not have the qualifications to mine it alone.

"Sixth Uncle, this matter must be reported to the Xiaoyao Sect immediately. Otherwise, if the matter drags on, and in case the Xiaoyao Sect learns of this news from elsewhere and comes to accuse us of the crime of deliberately concealing it, even if we are in the right, it will be very difficult to explain."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 241 =====