The three of them—Chu Xuan, Ximen Changqing, and Wei Ji—strode confidently into the forest. The rich Spiritual Qi immediately enveloped them, a refreshing breeze mingled with the fragrance of the trees, invigorating their spirits. Though the Spiritual Qi here couldn't compare to the prime days of the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, it was still a rare and treasured experience to be in such a rich environment now.
Soon, the trio arrived at the center of the forest, where they found other cultivators. There were around twenty or so of them, gathered in small clusters around tables of various sizes, speaking in hushed tones.
Their arrival drew attention. Nascent Soul cultivators were few, and most of them knew each other. Since Chu Xuan, Ximen Changqing, and Wei Ji were from the Heavenly Infinite Sect, they were unfamiliar to the others. This, in part, was why Chu Xuan didn't easily alter his appearance—his sect's distinct identity would make such efforts pointless.
A young cultivator in white robes smiled and cupped his hands. "I am Kang Jia from the Fiery Sky Cloud Tower. Fellow Daoists seem unfamiliar. May I ask which sect you come from?"
Chu Xuan immediately transmitted a message to Wei Ji, telling them they were from the Falling Sun Demonic Fortress.
Wei Ji sighed, reluctantly speaking up. "I am Wei Ji, from the Falling Sun Demonic Fortress."
Kang Jia froze for a moment. "The Falling Sun Demonic Fortress? A demonic sect?!" With a swift motion, he retreated several steps, holding a talisman in his hand, his face full of suspicion.
Thud, thud, thud.
Several righteous dao cultivators stood up immediately. One of them pointed an accusatory finger at Wei Ji and shouted angrily.
"How dare demonic cultivators join a trading gathering! Get out!"
"Vile demons! If it weren't for your kind, we wouldn't be trapped in this situation!"
However, most of the righteous cultivators remained seated, watching coldly without making a move. Chu Xuan and Ximen Changqing stood motionless, arms crossed.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, as if a confrontation was imminent.
At this moment, a voice rang out, calm and smiling. An old man with a youthful face and flowing white hair strode over, his presence radiating authority.
"Fellow Daoists, there's no need to be so tense. These three are here simply to attend the gathering, not to engage in life-and-death battles. We are all trapped in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. The priority now is how to survive. Why waste energy fighting among ourselves?"
Next to him stood an elderly woman, who merely snorted without speaking.
Kang Jia and the other righteous cultivators immediately cupped their hands in respect. "Greetings, Senior Brother Shangguan, Senior Sister Qiu."
The two elders—Shangguan He from Fiery Sky Cloud Tower and Qiu Wanhong from the Crazy Dragon Valley—had organized this trading gathering. The third person, however, had yet to appear.
Earlier, when Chu Xuan and his group had approached the entrance, the voices from the puppet guards had been those of Shangguan He and Qiu Wanhong.
Kang Jia couldn't help but speak up, "But... they are still demonic cultivators, after all. The righteous and demonic paths have never coexisted. How can we possibly align ourselves with them?"
Shangguan He spoke in a solemn tone, "Junior Brother Kang, you've just recently entered Nascent Soul. You might not understand, but the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths must be considered in context. This war is, at its core, the struggle between the Reincarnation Sect and the Heaven Shaking Sect. Our respective sects were dragged into this conflict without cause. Now, we are all trapped in the Heavenly Metal Battlefield due to the sudden depletion of Spiritual Qi and the failure of the teleportation arrays. In the end, we are all innocent victims caught in the crossfire. Why make things difficult for one another?"
Kang Jia scratched his head, looking somewhat perplexed but also feeling that there was some truth in what Shangguan He said.
Qiu Wanhong snorted coldly, "Rest assured, fellow daoists, these demonic cultivators wouldn't dare cause trouble."
Shangguan He smiled and waved his hand, "This gathering has nothing to do with the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths. It's just a simple trade. Please, everyone, take your seats."
After hearing these words, the righteous cultivators who had stood up returned to their seats, albeit reluctantly. Chu Xuan, Ximen Changqing, and Wei Ji casually found a spot and sat down.
Chu Xuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It seemed likely that some of the righteous cultivators had already realized that the sudden loss of Spiritual Qi was caused by the formation.
That formation, of course, had been laid down by the Reincarnation Sect. This undoubtedly caused a lot of resentment toward the Reincarnation Sect, which might explain why some cultivators were reluctant to serve them. It was only natural that they would prefer trading with demonic cultivators instead.
Shangguan He smiled again, "I won't waste time with pleasantries. Let me start with something of value." He raised his hand, and two copper coins appeared in his palm.
The first coin was ancient and weathered, dark and lustrous, with faint traces of mortal history etched into its surface. The second coin was as fresh as new, startlingly white, as if it had just been forged.
Shangguan He gently infused some Spiritual Qi into them, and in an instant, the two coins began to expand. Within the blink of an eye, they had grown to the size of a zhang.
Kang Jia immediately exclaimed in surprise, "One old and one new, one black and one white... these are Senior Brother Shangguan's Two Yis Copper Coin, aren't they? These are top-tier magic treasures! Senior Brother Shangguan is willing to part with them?"
Shangguan He withdrew his Spiritual Qi, and the Two Yis Copper Coin returned to their original size. He gently stroked them, a trace of melancholy crossing his face.
"Whether I am willing or not, in the end, I've had to part with them. It's all for the sake of survival."
He looked at everyone, "The Two Yis Copper Coin, a top-tier magic treasure, capable of both offense and defense. In exchange, I would like two bottles of Black Dragon Pills. If you don't have Black Dragon Pills, ten great spiritual stones will suffice."
Black Dragon Pills were a type of pill used by Nascent Soul cultivators to rapidly replenish their Spiritual Qi.
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. A top-tier magic treasure, under normal circumstances, would require at least one hundred thousand small spiritual stones to purchase. One great spiritual stone could be exchanged for a hundred medium spiritual stones, or ten thousand small spiritual stones. Thus, the price of this treasure, in terms of great spiritual stones, would usually be a hundred. But now, Shangguan He was offering it at a tenfold discount. It was clear that the value of pills and spiritual stones had surged dramatically.
Chu Xuan had anticipated the sharp rise in the value of pills and spiritual stones, but he hadn't expected it to surge to this extent. At this moment, he was even more grateful for his foresight in seizing the spiritual stone mine in advance.
"It's a shame this trade conference doesn't allow for disguise," he thought, his heart giving a quiet sigh. "Otherwise, I'd buy every single top-tier magic treasure here."
The current prices of these treasures were absurdly low. He had plenty of great spiritual stones, but if he were to buy one treasure after another, it would undoubtedly attract the envy of the righteous cultivators. Such attention would cause trouble, and before he knew it, a group of them would be ganging up on him.
That was why he had asked Wei Ji to claim they came from the Falling Sun Demon Fortress instead of revealing their true identities. After all, many cultivators had fought fiercely over the spiritual stone mine in the past, and although some had fled midway, there was always the possibility that someone might return secretly, lurking in the shadows, observing from a distance.
Then there were Dong Qi from the Fallen Sun Demon Fortress and Su Jue from the Heavenly Corpse Palace. Chu Xuan had originally intended to silence both of them, to eliminate any potential future threats.
However, these two hadn't yet shown all their cards, and Chu Xuan couldn't gauge their full strength, so he had refrained from acting rashly. Instead, he allowed them to leave unharmed. He certainly didn't expect either of them to keep their mouths shut. The news of him seizing the great spiritual stone mine outside Heaven-Three City had likely already spread over the past six months.
Whether the news was confined to a small circle or had reached a broader audience, Chu Xuan couldn't say for certain. These righteous cultivators weren't fools. If he were to suddenly start splurging large amounts of spiritual stones here, they would likely recognize him immediately. At that point, he would become the target of their collective hostility.
The Two Yis Copper Coin were indeed valuable, but they weren't an ideal fit for him. It would be better to wait for other treasures to make an appearance and then make a move when the time was right.
The Two Yis Copper Coin was certainly a top-tier magic treasure, but for Chu Xuan, they weren't the perfect match. Yet, to other cultivators, they were a rare and precious item. It didn't take long before someone purchased the Two Yis Copper Coin for eleven great spiritual stones and twenty-five medium spiritual stones.
After that, Shangguan He sat down, and Qiu Wanhong took out two more treasures. The first was a set of array disks and array flags, called the Crimson Flood Flag. The second was a giant sword-type magic treasure, the Silver Edge Sword. Both were also top-tier magic treasures. The price for both was the same as Shangguan He's: ten great spiritual stones.
Chu Xuan couldn't help but shake his head. These weren't treasures that caught his eye. However, Wei Ji was quite tempted. Yet, he didn't have enough to afford them—ten great spiritual stones was no small amount.
After the auction of the two hosts' treasures, the event moved into the free trading segment. Cultivators found a place to sit and began placing their wares on nearby tables, ready for trade.
Chu Xuan glanced around and couldn't help but shake his head. These righteous cultivators seemed to be used to standard trading practices. But how could they display their truly valuable items in such an open manner? Did they not fear someone swooping in and stealing them?
With a wave of his hand, Chu Xuan took out a mirror. It shimmered with light, and within its reflective surface appeared the items he intended to sell today. If he spoke the name of any of these items aloud, they would enlarge and a series of descriptive text would appear beside them.
This item was the Hundred Treasures Mirror. It had no offensive or defensive capabilities, but it could record and display all kinds of treasures, making them visible on the mirror's surface.
Chu Xuan had obtained it from Miaochan's storage bag, finding it incredibly useful, so he had kept it. Now, it had come in handy.
Wei Ji looked on in amazement. "This treasure is something new, fellow daoist Chu. Where did it come from?" he asked.
Chu Xuan smiled. "Of course, I acquired it through some... unsavory means. I didn't make it myself."
Wei Ji's mouth twitched. "That makes sense," he thought.
Chu Xuan didn't look like the type who would craft treasures himself. Shang Xingchen also took out a similar treasure, though on his table were only the projections of his items. The actual treasures remained hidden in his storage bag.
Chu Xuan and Shang Xingchen immediately stood up and began to stroll through the forest, looking for anything that might be useful or of interest to them from the other cultivators.
As for Wei Ji—He had originally planned to lay his treasures out for display. But seeing Chu Xuan and Shang Xingchen doing their thing, he scratched his head. He decided it was safer to just sketch out the various treasures he had, write down their uses, and place them on his table. Only then did he feel comfortable enough to leave his seat and browse the other traders' goods.
Chu Xuan wandered around for a bit, but still couldn't find anything that caught his eye. However, as he passed by a cultivator in white, something caught his attention. It was none other than Kang Jia.
When Kang Jia saw Chu Xuan stop in front of him, he instinctively wanted to smile and greet him. But as soon as he remembered that the other party was a demonic cultivator, he quickly suppressed his smile and cleared his expression.
"Do... do you wish to buy something?" Kang Jia began to say "fellow daoist," but stopped himself at the last moment.
Chu Xuan pointed at a white cocoon and asked, "What is this?"
Kang Jia answered, "It's a Spirit Insect—the Moonlight Butterfly. It feeds on wind and dew and can grow to match the strength of an early Nascent Soul cultivator."
Chu Xuan smiled slightly, "Isn't it just a kind of Gu insect? Why call it a Spirit Insect?"
Kang Jia frowned, "Gu insects consume human blood, but Spirit Insects feed on the essence of heaven and earth, the sun, and the moon. They are not the same at all."
Chu Xuan chuckled lightly, "But from what I know, this Moonlight Butterfly needs at least a thousand years to match the strength of an early Nascent Soul cultivator."
He had read extensively about Gu insects. Naturally, he was aware of the Moonlight Butterfly's growth cycle. To him, Gu insects and Spirit Insects were no different—both were just insects, after all.
He continued, "Which Nascent Soul cultivator would be so bored as to raise such insects?"
Kang Jia, with a somewhat awkward expression, replied, "...I would."
Chu Xuan couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't expect you, fellow daoist, to be so inclined toward such leisurely pursuits."
Kang Jia, slightly irritated, retorted, "You demonic cultivators! Either buy or leave; don't waste my time."
Chu Xuan pointed at a golden insect, "What's this?"
Kang Jia answered, "It's a Golden Spirit Moth. It feeds on metal to grow, and one needs a Black Dragon Pill to trade for it."
Before Kang Jia could say anything further, Chu Xuan pointed to the next insect, "And this one?"
Kang Jia, with a look of restraint, answered, "That's the Black Wind Cicada."
Chu Xuan continued pointing at various insects, and Kang Jia answered them all, though his patience was clearly wearing thin.
Finally, Kang Jia couldn't hold it in any longer. "Buy or don't buy! Leave or don't leave! Why the hesitation?"
Chu Xuan smiled calmly, "Don't rush, fellow daoist. I'm just curious about the Gu insect path."
He pointed to a purple cocoon. "What about this one?"
Kang Jia, clearly annoyed, responded, "This is the Ancient Evil Bug—the Shadow Demon Worm. This insect is a descendant of the Ghost Shadow Insect. If refined into a puppet, it can withstand a full-strength attack from an early Nascent Soul cultivator. However, I lack the ability to refine it. It can be exchanged for one Black Dragon Pill, or ten medium spiritual stones."
Chu Xuan, pretending to be disinterested, casually tossed ten medium spiritual stones onto the table.
"I'll take it. Please pack it up for me."
He deliberately acted this way—he didn't want Kang Jia to realize that the Shadow Demon Worm was exactly what he needed. If he had immediately asked for it, Kang Jia would undoubtedly have raised the price in secret.
Though he had control over a great spiritual stone mine, it had already been mined for thousands of years, and he wasn't sure how much was left. And as for when he would be able to leave the Heavenly Metal Battlefield—that was still uncertain. So, although he had plenty of spiritual stones, he couldn't afford to waste them. As a demonic cultivator, the key was thriftiness and frugality, after all.
Kang Jia was momentarily stunned, then quickly and skillfully packed the Shadow Demon Worm, handing it over to Chu Xuan. Finally, the first insect had been sold. It hadn't been easy.
After acquiring the Shadow Demon Worm, Chu Xuan wandered around a bit more, picking up several rare materials and secret techniques at incredibly low prices. Among the items he acquired were Black Flood Dragon Horns, needed to enhance the Evil Soul Chain, Dragon Transformation Ginseng, which was essential for crafting Black Dragon Pill, and the Lotus Escape Technique from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, among others.
Of these, the Lotus Escape Technique stood out. It possessed abilities that enabled the user to suppress their presence. It could also counter divination and prophetic abilities. This technique was truly a jack-of-all-trades.
However, countering divination required the user to condense a Merit Lotus, which would consume considerable merit. The monks of the Celestial Sound Zen Temple were hesitant to use it recklessly, knowing how precious merit could be. But Chu Xuan didn't mind the cost of merit at all.
Now possessing a Four-Tier Merit Gold Wheel, his store of merit was far more vast and potent than a Three-Tier Gold Wheel. A little consumption meant nothing.
Before long, Chu Xuan returned to his seat and found three cultivators waiting for him. Among them was Kang Jia.
Chu Xuan smiled lightly, "What can I do for you, fellow daoists?"
The first person, a tall and stern cultivator, spoke in a deep voice, "I need a Nascent Soul early-stage Puppet Beast and five Mining Puppets." He paused and then added, "I have a Demonic Talisman Sutra from Falling Sun Demon Fortress. Would you be willing to trade?" With that, he took out the Demonic Talisman Sutra.
Chu Xuan took it from him and flipped through it briefly, a pleased expression crossing his face. This Demonic Talisman Sutra was remarkably complete, covering everything from Qi Refining stage talismans all the way up to Nascent Soul-level talismans.
He had long been interested in creating Demonic Talismans but had never had access to the appropriate methods. Now, with this Demonic Talisman Sutra handed to him, it was as if a major obstacle had been cleared from his path.
Chu Xuan sighed lightly, shaking his head, "The Demonic Talisman Sutra is good, but it doesn't hold much value for me."
The orthodox cultivator in front of him showed a look of surprise. "Doesn't it hold value? Aren't you all from the Demonic Dao?"
Chu Xuan shook his head. "The Demonic Dao is not a single entity. The Falling Sun Demon Fortress specializes in Human Skin Dao and Blood Dao, but I don't practice the Human Skin Dao. I'm a rather affable and kind person, someone who seeks to get along with others."
He paused, then added, "For me, the Demonic Talisman Sutra is just something to look at to broaden my perspective. That's why I said it's not of much significance to me. I'm not downplaying its value, just telling the truth."
After a slight pause, Chu Xuan continued, "As for the Nascent Soul early-stage Puppet Beast, its value is already quite high. I walked around just now and saw that someone offered five great spirit stones for it, and I didn't sell."
The orthodox cultivator couldn't help but roll his eyes. After a long moment, he spoke again, "Then I'll add something."
He gritted his teeth, and with some reluctance, he took out a spiritual sense jade slip. The slip was a deep red color, with six large black characters inscribed upon it: "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art".
"This is the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art from the Heavenly Capital Blood Alliance. I obtained it by accident. This is a core cultivation technique of the Blood Dao, even if it's only at the Nascent Soul stage, it's still extremely valuable."
Chu Xuan's heart leapt with joy. This was indeed a good find. The cultivation technique Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art was highly sought after among Demon cultivators. He had long been aware of it, especially the several spells and secret techniques contained within it. There were a few that every demonic cultivator wanted to learn, but the Heavenly Blood Alliance strictly forbade its external circulation.
It was unexpected to see it here, on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield. This cultivator must have killed a Heavenly Blood Alliance cultivator to obtain it. But, of course, that had nothing to do with Chu Xuan. He was simply a kind and amicable person who had no desire for conflict.
"That will do, barely."
Chu Xuan handed over the items and took the two spiritual sense jade slips, casually placing them into his storage bag. His brow remained furrowed, as if he had been the one who lost out.
In business, the first rule is: no matter whether the deal is done or not, always present yourself as though you've suffered a huge loss. If asked, claim that the cost is exceedingly high. If pressed further, explain that the profit is minimal. Make the other party feel like they've made a huge profit while the merchant has taken a great loss.
As the first cultivator walked away, the second one stepped forward, hoping to make a trade.
"I am Long Hao from Crazy Dragon Valley. This Heavenly Star Gale Formation is good, and these five Golden Core late-stage Puppet Wolves—I'll take them all. And as for your Crazy Dragon Valley cultivation techniques, heh, I'll pretend I didn't see them. Six great spirit stones—do you want to trade?"
Chu Xuan chuckled lightly, his expression amused. "Do you think I look like an easy mark?"
Long Hao froze for a moment, then his brow furrowed. "You're not willing to trade?"
Chu Xuan's tone was cold, indifferent. "Scram."
Long Hao's face changed several times, his expression shifting between anger and disbelief. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and growled, "If you dare harm a cultivator of Crazy Dragon Valley, you'll regret it. Don't think you'll get away with this! Wait until you fall into my hands!"
With that, he turned and stormed off. It seemed like he was heading straight for Qiu Wan Hong to report the incident.
Chu Xuan's face remained unfazed, calm like still water. Both Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji had heard the entire exchange.
Shang Xingchen lowered his voice, "When do we make a move?"
Chu Xuan casually replied, "When he comes back to deliver it."
Shang Xingchen nodded, "Count me in when the time comes."
Chu Xuan also nodded, "If the numbers are right, I'll call you."
Meanwhile, Kang Jia was trembling. Was this really happening in front of me? Talking about killing someone so casually, so calmly. No change in their expression, not even a flicker of hesitation. This is what the Demon Dao really is—ruthless.
Chu Xuan turned to Kang Jia and flashed a warm, friendly smile. "Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy? My prices are always fair—no deception, honest business."
Kang Jia turned to leave, but before he could take a step, Chu Xuan's voice turned icy. "Planning to leave without buying anything?"
An invisible chill spread out, suffocating the air around them. It felt as though dozens of sharp blades were pressing against the back of Kang Jia's head. One more step forward, and an overwhelming terror would descend upon him.
Kang Jia swallowed hard, and hurriedly turned back around.
Chu Xuan's smile returned to its usual warmth. "That's better. I, Dong Qi, have always treated others with sincerity and run an honest business."
Kang Jia scratched his head, looking a little uncomfortable. Eventually, he pointed to a spiritual sense jade slip.
"I want this Ten Thousand Insects True Canon."
Chu Xuan gave it a quick glance. The Ten Thousand Insects True Canon was something he had obtained from Song Lingfeng of the Red Flame Temple.
This canon originated from Heavenly Insect Cavern, a fifth-tier cultivation sect under Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. Their strength was a little weaker than that of the Heavenly Blood Alliance and Falling Sun Demon Fortress, but comparable to Heavenly Corpse Palace.
Chu Xuan chuckled, "This is a manual for raising Gu Insects. Didn't you say that Gu Insects and Spiritual Insects are completely different?"
Kang Jia's face immediately flushed red. "I was just looking, alright? Gu Insects and Spiritual Insects are indeed different, but they also share some similarities…"
But as he saw Chu Xuan's knowing expression, Kang Jia's voice grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, he sighed deeply, admitting, "Fine, I just want to learn the way of Gu Insects. Senior Brother Shangguan said, methods aren't divided into right or wrong, as long as I always maintain a kind heart, I'll always walk the righteous dao. Out there, I might not be able to get this Ten Thousand Insects True Canon. I've wanted to see it for a long time."
Chu Xuan couldn't help but smile, "Well said. So, what price can you offer? This is a Nascent Soul stage manual, after all."
Kang Jia immediately pulled out a spiritual sense jade slip from his storage bag.
"This is my alchemy experiences, and it contains many Nascent Soul stage pill formulas. Among them are the Black Dragon Pill to restore Spiritual Qi, the Forget Dust Pill to improve the chances of Deity Transformation, and the Four Extremes Blood Pill to strengthen the body… I have some talent in alchemy, so I've improved these formulas. Now, most of them require fewer materials to make. Trust me, they're definitely worth more than what you'd expect." Kang Jia spoke earnestly.
Chu Xuan nodded slightly. These pill formulas were certainly valuable.
"I'll take a look." Chu Xuan extended his hand.
"Of course." Without hesitation, Kang Jia handed it over.
Chu Xuan took the spiritual sense jade slip and pressed it to his forehead.
It took a while before he finally smiled, "You're showing me your alchemy experience now? Aren't you afraid I'll back out of the deal?"
Kang Jia froze, immediately showing a panicked expression. He really was! He had been too trusting of others.
"You… I…"
Kang Jia stammered, unsure how to respond. Before coming to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, he had been immersed in his cultivation at Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion, focused only on advancing his realm. The cultivators he met were always kind and friendly senior brothers or disciples, or Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators who respected him. He had never encountered someone like Chu Xuan, who played by his own rules.
"Here you go."
Chu Xuan casually tossed the Ten Thousand Insects True Canon to him.
Kang Jia blinked in confusion. "Eh?"
Chu Xuan smiled faintly. "As I said, I, Dong Qi, run an honest business—no deception, no tricks."
Kang Jia, still somewhat dazed, walked away with the spiritual sense jade slip in hand. Was the deal really done just like that? He had thought Dong Qi would actually hold back on the Alchemy experience, but this demonic cultivator… seemed to be a rather decent person.
"Falling Sun Demon Fortress's Dong Qi, truly a man of integrity. I'll remember you. If you were a righteous dao cultivator, we would have been like-minded friends, but alas…"
Kang Jia couldn't help but glance back at Chu Xuan a few more times before finally leaving.
Shang Xingchen chuckled softly, "This Fellow Daoist Kang, he seems so inexperienced. Probably a disciple personally trained by a Deity Transformation ancestor at Feiry Sky Cloud Pavilion, always focused on his own cultivation there."
Chu Xuan nodded, "Indeed. But why would he come to the Heavenly Metal Battlefield to take such risks?"
Shang Xingchen's expression shifted with curiosity.
Wei Ji interjected, "Probably because of that so-called righteous and its grand ideals."
Chu Xuan and Shang Xingchen both laughed.
Righteous dao cultivators were always waving the banner of "acting on behalf of the heavens" and "eradicating demons and evil." After a while, they even started to believe it themselves. Over the next period, more righteous dao cultivators continued to visit the trio's booth. After all, demonic cultivator items were hard to resist.
Whether it was Demonic Talismans or Evil Pills, they had side effects, but they could unleash power far beyond that of normal talismans and pills in a short amount of time. Moreover, with the decline of Spiritual Qi on the Heavenly Metal Battlefield, righteous dao cultivators were forced to seek out other means to maintain their combat strength.
Body refining, Gu Insects, blood techniques, poison arts… These methods didn't rely on Spiritual Qi and could still enhance one's power. Out in the outside world, they would have scorned using such means. But now, to survive, they had no choice but to rely on them. Even the strongest cultivators had to bow to reality. Before long, the trio had sold most of the items on their tables.
Chu Xuan wasn't sure about Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji's circumstances, but as for himself—he had made quite a profit. All the items he had obtained could easily be converted into combat power with just a little time and effort. Especially the Shadow Demon Worm—that was one of his key supports for advancing into Deity Transformation in the future.
Just then, two figures approached together. Chu Xuan looked up to see Qiu Wanhong and Long Hao. At this moment, Long Hao was standing proudly beside Qiu Wanhong, a smug look on his face.
The surrounding cultivators immediately took notice. It seemed like the two from Crazy Dragon Valley were about to confront the three demonic cultivators from Sunset Demon Fortress.
Long Hao pointed a trembling finger at Chu Xuan's nose and growled, "Senior Sister, I just saw him take out the cultivation techniques of our Crazy Dragon Valley! He must have killed one of our Crazy Dragon Valley cultivators!"
Chu Xuan shook his head repeatedly, "Just because I possess your Crazy Dragon Valley's cultivation techniques, does that mean I killed your people? Fellow Daoist, you must be mistaken. I, Dong Qi, have always focused on cultivating merit and acting with kindness. How could I casually kill people? After all, even among demonic cultivators, there are kind-hearted ones!"
At those words, both Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji couldn't help but cringe.
Qiu Wanhong furrowed her brow deeply. Cultivating merit? What nonsense! If demonic cultivators could cultivate merit, the entire cultivation world would have long since changed!
The onlookers couldn't hold back their laughter either. The idea of a demonic cultivator cultivating merit was surely the greatest joke in the world! Clearly, Dong Qi from Sunset Demon Fortress was just putting on an act.
Qiu Wanhong looked Chu Xuan up and down, her voice cold, "Dong Qi, hand over the Crazy Dragon Valley's cultivation techniques."
Long Hao was taken aback. From the way Qiu Wanhong spoke, it seemed like she had no intention of making a move. That wouldn't do! This Dong Qi must be killed to uphold the prestige of Crazy Dragon Valley! Just as he was about to speak, Qiu Wanhong shot him a sideways glance. The commanding presence of an elder was unmistakable.
Though both were Nascent Soul cultivators and addressed each other as Senior Brother and Junior Brother, Qiu Wanhong had long been in the later stage of Nascent Soul and was well-established in her reputation. Long Hao, on the other hand, had only recently entered the Nascent Soul stage less than ten years ago. Naturally, he dared not oppose Qiu Wanhong's intentions.
Seeing that Chu Xuan still hadn't moved, Qiu Wanhong was about to scold him when Chu Xuan's aura suddenly surged, rising from Golden Core late stage to Nascent Soul early stage. The Nascent Soul aura caused the onlookers to grow serious. To still possess such power at the Nascent Soul stage—this Dong Qi must be no simple character!
Qiu Wanhong's expression subtly changed, and her tone softened, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist Dong, where did you obtain the Crazy Dragon Valley techniques?"
Chu Xuan smiled, "I picked them up, just some remnants."
Qiu Wanhong nodded, "In that case, it's no trouble. Our Crazy Dragon Valley's complete techniques are not meant to be leaked according to our rules. I was merely inquiring out of courtesy."
Chu Xuan nodded, "I admire Fellow Daoist Qiu for your dedication to your sect."
Qiu Wanhong gave a slight tug to the bewildered Long Hao and turned to leave. The righteous dao cultivators, who had been watching eagerly, quickly turned away and resumed their own transactions. No one dared glance at Chu Xuan again.
On the other side, in a secluded corner, Long Hao couldn't help but ask, "Senior Sister, why didn't you make a move on him? This person must have the vengeful souls of our Crazy Dragon Valley cultivators! It could even be my missing cousin, Long Chen!"
Qiu Wanhong shot him a fierce glare. "He still retains the power of the Nascent Soul early stage! Demonic cultivators often have many secretive methods up their sleeves. Given the current environment, where Spiritual Qi is waning, the techniques he hides may well surpass mine. To kill him, we'd need to use several of our trump cards. Engaging him in a full-scale battle, what would we truly gain from it? How would it benefit us? Have you thought about these questions?"
Long Hao stammered, unable to answer immediately. He lowered his head after a long pause. "Senior Sister, I was wrong."
Qiu Wanhong scolded him, "You need to change your reckless habits, or one day, you won't even know how you died. Do you really think that just because you've reached the Nascent Soul stage, you can live a carefree life?"
Long Hao gave a perfunctory nod but couldn't help but ask, "So, we're just letting him go?"
Qiu Wanhong sighed deeply, thinking to herself, "Did I just waste my breath? Being reckless and bloodthirsty is not the way to immortality. This Spirit Wood Forest is rich in Spiritual Qi, and its value is only slightly less than the great spirit stone mines. As long as we stay here, the decline in our strength won't be rapid. We just need to wait. Time will naturally widen the gap between us and Dong Qi. At that point, killing him will be as easy as killing a dog!"
Long Hao's eyes lit up with understanding, and he grinned, "So, Senior Sister, you do want to kill him! I understand now!"
Qiu Wanhong looked at her junior brother with a shake of her head.
Long Hao's cultivation journey had been smooth sailing. He became a Nascent Soul cultivator in less than four hundred years. But his lack of real-world experience was evident. Just the fact that he couldn't hide his excitement now was a potential weakness that could cost him his life someday. How could he take over the position of Crazy Dragon Valley's sect master if he kept this up?
Qiu Wanhong sighed inwardly, "Forget it, there will be plenty of time for him to gain experience. That Dong Qi is nothing but a mere obstacle, not worth thinking too much about. In time, we'll simply deal with him when the time is right. But what we need to focus on now is the great spirit stone mine outside Heaven-Three City. How powerful is Chu Xuan, the cultivator from the Heavenly Infinite Sect, who occupies it? Before making any real moves, we need to probe his strength first."
The trading session concluded quickly. Shang Xuanhe exchanged a few pleasantries with Qiu Wanhong before announcing the end of the event. The three of them, Chu Xuan, Shang Xingchen, and Wei Ji, split off and went their separate ways.
Chu Xuan used a teleportation technique and circled around the Spirit Wood Forest a few times, ensuring he had shaken off any potential trackers before returning to the great spirit stone mine.
Shang Xingchen and Wei Ji did the same. As Nascent Soul demonic cultivators who had fought their way through life, they were all far too sharp to be easily followed. The three who had been tailing them, Long Hao and his companions, revealed a look of helplessness as they lost track of their targets.
"These demonic cultivators are truly cunning. They don't give us any chance at all."
"Hmph, demonic cultivators have committed countless heinous deeds. They are just guilty and insecure. Their behavior of circling around is ingrained in their bones."
Long Hao scoffed, "It doesn't matter that we don't know where their base is this time. Sooner or later, they'll reveal themselves, and leave behind traces. When that happens, we can deal with them."
...
Back at the great spirit stone mine, as soon as Chu Xuan returned, he immediately deployed all his puppet beasts to guard the mine. He also sent out dozens of mining puppets to accelerate the extraction of the spirit stones.
The mine had long been under the watch of others. It was only a matter of time before someone would act, unable to hold back any longer. If he could finish mining the spirit stones before they attacked, there would be no need for a confrontation. Running away would be the best option. Fighting would only result in casualties—why bother?
Once the situation was secured, Chu Xuan stepped out and used the Myriad Realm Mirror to return to Blue Star. During the trading session, he had acquired numerous treasures. These items needed to be quickly converted into combat power.
The Black Flood Dragon Horn had to be refined into the Evil Soul Chain as soon as possible. This would not only increase the chain's toughness but might even provide the chance for it to evolve into a supreme-level magic treasure.
As for the Lotus Escape Technique, he needed to begin cultivation immediately. Once perfected, it would allow him to conceal his presence to the greatest extent. Anyone below Deity Transformation would be unable to see through his disguise.
There was also the Demonic Talisman Sutra and the Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art. Both were exceptional treasures. The former required human skin to create demon talismans, acquiring the human skin wasn't a problem. He could just peel it off the zombies.
"Zombies really are a treasure trove. Only the bones are missing. Too bad I couldn't get any cultivation methods related to the White Bone Path."
Chu Xuan clicked his tongue, feeling a great sense of regret.
The Heaven Shaking Divine Sect's affiliated fifth-tier cultivation sects did not practice the White Bone Dao, but many of the sect's own disciples seemed to have taken it as their primary cultivation method.
Chu Xuan couldn't help but wonder whether he might someday have the chance to collect the corpses of the sect's disciples… With that fleeting thought, he immediately assigned the task of skinning zombies to his subordinates.
Yet, just as he was about to proceed, an idea suddenly flashed in his mind, sparking a new plan. He quickly used his teleportation technique to head straight to the farm.
Under the careful watch of his Corpse Puppets, including the Water Corpse Puppet, the farm had grown substantially in size, expanding fivefold. Now, it occupied an immense area, nearly covering half of East Lake City. Even the headquarters of Black Blade had been forced to relocate to accommodate the growing space.
Of course, no one in Black Blade had any objections. When the immortal gives an order, they follow it without hesitation. The higher-ups at Black Blade knew well that their standing and growth into the colossus that dominated Blue Star had only been possible due to the support of the immortal. Without the immortal, they would be nothing.
Take, for instance, the Four Founders of Black Blade. Back then, they were merely Level 2 Superhumans, insignificant in the grand scheme of things. At that time, the Lingjiang Army and the Ship Gang were far stronger than Black Blade—more influential, more powerful. If it weren't for the immortal's help, the founders would have perished in some dark and decayed corner, long before they could establish their current dominance. In the absence of the immortal, there would be no massive Black Blade that spanned the entire Blue Star. A person who doesn't even know where their strength comes from is walking the path to self-destruction.
Floating in mid-air, Chu Xuan made his way to the heart of the farm. There, the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress were being meticulously guarded by Corpse Puppets. They lived a carefree life, being fed and tended to every day.
No matter how they felt about it, Chu Xuan certainly thought their existence was one of leisure. Both the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress had reached the highest possible levels within Blue Star. They produced massive quantities of zombies daily, with each zombie swiftly pressed into service to further Chu Xuan's demonic path.
But there was another special kind of zombie they produced. These zombies had no human form left in them, resembling large, fleshy sacks instead.
Chu Xuan had dubbed these unique zombies "Flesh Sack Zombies", specifically for cultivating demonic plants that required the extraction of flesh and blood to thrive. But now, he had come up with a new idea.
Chu Xuan murmured to himself, "Skinning zombies is too much of a hassle. Why not create a type of zombie that retains only the human skin, discarding all the useless organs? This way, the excess energy can be used to produce even more zombies. Let's call it the Skin Zombie."
Chu Xuan couldn't help but smile at the idea he had just come up with. To put it simply, creating a full-bodied zombie—one with intact limbs, tough bones, and full muscles—might require ten units of energy. But creating a Skin Zombie could potentially cost just one unit of energy.
After all, the Skin Zombie didn't need bones, muscles, or much blood at all. The only thing that mattered was ensuring it was alive when it was produced. This way, not only would Chu Xuan acquire the human skin he needed, but he could also continue to accumulate meritorious deeds without any issues. It was a win-win situation for him—he'd get two benefits for the price of one!
Chu Xuan couldn't help but praise himself for his cleverness. He then sent his instructions to the Zombie Matriarch and Zombie Empress, who immediately obeyed without hesitation. They consumed large amounts of flesh and blood and began to breed the zombies according to his specifications.
At first, the result was a bit deformed. After all, it was their first attempt. But it didn't take long for them to perfect the design, shaping the zombies exactly as Chu Xuan wanted.
"Good, good, good! With this, the human skin will only need to be air-dried before being used directly to make demonic talismans. This eliminates the tedious process of skinning. If I had to skin them manually, I'd have to assign numerous Corpse Puppets to do the laborious work. There's also the risk that the skin wouldn't come off perfectly, and that would be a hassle."
Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. These zombies truly understood what he needed. They had grown into exactly the form he required.
With that matter settled, Chu Xuan returned to his residence on Blue Star. The grand hotel he had once owned had been completely demolished and transformed into a massive cave dwelling. It was now outfitted with all the necessary facilities: a pill refining room, a weapon forging room, a poison crafting room, an insect cultivation room, and more.
Chu Xuan had personally named it Water Curtain Cave, as a small tribute to his very first cave dwelling.
Sitting down cross-legged, he took out the "Great Transformation Blood Demon True Art" and placed the spiritual sense jade slip against his forehead, immersing himself in its contents. After quite some time, he finally removed the slip and frowned in contemplation.
"This really is a top-tier blood cultivation technique. The spells learned from each layer are impressive. But the daily blood consumption is far too much. If it really becomes unbearable, I may have to make the zombies suffer a little."
Chu Xuan sighed.