Chapter 371: Final South Dao Discussion

Previously, He Pingsheng had been in a constant state of fleeing, running and running and running!

He had no time to care about the conditions of his master Yu Ning, his senior sister Zhao Linger, or his senior brother Xu Kunlun.

Now things were different.

Although he was still under others' covetous gaze, he had at least achieved some stability.

He had temporarily established himself in Hongshi City.

So now, sending Cheng Daocai to inquire after his master and the others was only sensible.

Thus, over the next two hours, He Pingsheng told Cheng Daocai one by one about the Grand Void Gate and the information of the Cultivation Alliance.

He also instructed him on several things he must remember before sending him on his way.

Before leaving, he gave Cheng Daocai a token: a jade slip containing He Pingsheng's voice.

He believed that if his master Yu Ning saw this, she would come.

……

After Cheng Daocai left, the front alchemy shop was left in Xiaohe's care.

Xiaohe had also faced a similar situation.

Without sufficient travel, his cultivation could not progress further.

But it didn't matter—guarding the alchemy shop and interacting with all kinds of people was a kind of travel too.

Though the effect was weaker.

He Pingsheng returned to his small hut and resumed his seclusion to contemplate the Dao.

He contemplated the Dao while consuming Gathering Essence Pills to boost his cultivation base.

Two months passed in a flash.

He stepped out of the hut and went again to Master Lu's artifact workshop.

"Comrade He, the results are ideal—take a look!" Master Lu handed He Pingsheng a small banner the size of a palm.

He Pingsheng glanced at it, then sent his spiritual sense deep inside.

Boom…

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner's twelve layers of sealing were forced open.

He Pingsheng clearly sensed there was one more layer.

The thirteenth.

He had only cultivated twelve layers before, so now he could only force open twelve.

After retrieving the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, He Pingsheng said with satisfaction: "Thank you, Master Lu—excellent…"

In the cultivation world, artifact ranks from low to high are: Magic Artifact, Spirit Artifact, Magic Treasure, Ancient Treasure, Mystery Treasure…

Twelve sealing layers make a top-grade Magic Treasure; one more layer breaks beyond the Magic Treasure tier into an Ancient Treasure.

Ancient Treasures have sealing layers from thirteen to sixteen.

Thirteen layers is a low-grade Ancient Treasure.

I wonder if it can be strengthened.

He Pingsheng returned to his quarters with the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】 and directly tossed it into the Treasure Basin.

Theoretically, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was now a low-grade Ancient Treasure, a rank-four item, within the Treasure Basin's strengthening range.

It should be strengthenable.

But after one night, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner showed no change.

That meant it could not be strengthened.

Why?

He Pingsheng guessed it was still the 【One-Time Encounter】 rule—something already strengthened cannot be strengthened again.

Even after being upgraded.

"Forget it!" He Pingsheng waved his hand and sealed the Ten Thousand Souls Banner into his dantian.

Let it be nurtured.

Though it couldn't be strengthened by the Treasure Basin, Magic Treasures and Ancient Treasures, when nurtured within a cultivator's dantian and nourished by Dao and spiritual power, could still ascend over time.

One day, it might reach top-grade Ancient Treasure status.

It was just a matter of time.

He Pingsheng resumed his seclusion and cultivation.

Six months later, Mi Cangyuan suddenly appeared at his alchemy shop.

"Hey…" Seeing He Pingsheng, Mi Cangyuan could not hide his shock: "Your cultivation is terrifying—how many years has it been? You're already at Golden Core fourth layer?"

He was stunned!

Advancing through the Golden Core realm was never easy.

Normally, breaking one layer required at least ten years.

But He Pingsheng's breakthroughs were too fast.

Last time he was at Golden Core second layer—only sixteen years passed, and now he's at fourth layer?

"Hehe…" He Pingsheng scratched his head. "Just lucky."

"It's your talent!" Mi Cangyuan said. "In another hundred years, you'll catch up to me… I used to call myself a genius, but compared to you, I'm garbage!"

He Pingsheng quietly extended his spiritual sense to scan Mi Cangyuan.

Mi Cangyuan's cultivation was still Nascent Soul first layer.

Of course, breaking into Nascent Soul was truly difficult—no doubt about it.

Above Nascent Soul, all beings are equal: to break the physical barrier, one must first break the Dao barrier.

If your understanding of the Dao lags, you cannot break through.

"Master Mi, have you heard any news?" He Pingsheng asked, hopeful.

"Mm." Mi Cangyuan nodded. "There is news… Several Nascent Soul cultivators in Hongshi Commandery are preparing to hold a Dao Discussion on Mount Zhongnan!"

"Called: Final South Dao Discussion!"

"It will last three days."

"Mount Zhongnan is not far from Hongshi City—you can reach it in three days."

"The Dao Discussion begins in seven days."

"Dao Discussion?" He Pingsheng frowned at the name—he wanted a Jiaoyi Society, what use was a Dao Discussion?

And it was only three days long.

"Hehe…" Mi Cangyuan chuckled. "You misunderstand—'Dao Discussion' is just a fancy name; it's really just a Jiaoyi Society!"

"Everyone will bring their own items and trade with each other!"

He Pingsheng's heart leapt with joy.

Mi Cangyuan added: "Participants include Nascent Soul cultivators from our Hongshi Commandery and some outsiders who've stayed here—about twenty or so."

"Whether there's metal or earth elemental rule force as you need—that's unknown."

He Pingsheng said: "Then it's up to fate."

But there was no need to worry too much.

After all, the greatest desire of Nascent Soul cultivators is to break through the Dao barrier.

Thus, what they need most is elemental rule origin force.

So among Nascent Soul cultivators, eight or nine out of ten exchanges involve origin force swaps.

You have metal origin, I have wood origin, he has fire origin—we trade among ourselves.

So with over twenty cultivators, the chance of metal origin rule force appearing is fairly high.

If it doesn't appear, there's nothing to be done—just leave it to fate.

Mi Cangyuan added: "Actually, I have a metal elemental root and also need metal Dao rule force, but you seem more urgent—so if it appears at the gathering, I'll let you have it."

He Pingsheng said: "I'm truly desperate, because I must soon participate in the Liang Kingdom's Nine Kingdoms Grand Competition—I won't hold back then!"

"Alright!" Mi Cangyuan said. "The Final South Dao Discussion begins in seven days, but we still have three days of travel!"

"Let's set off now!"

He Pingsheng briefly explained the shop's affairs to Xiaohe, packed his belongings, and left the city with Mi Cangyuan.

Then they boarded Mi Cangyuan's flying vessel and headed south toward Mount Zhongnan.