Selling Dragon Valley Hall

After emptying the entire scripture repository of its texts, Yang Dangmo and Zhao Zongkun took out the blank Jade Slips and books they had prepared beforehand and began making copies.

Unlike resources, which dwindled with use, this knowledge could be copied.

Both the Zhao Household and the Yang Household wanted a complete set of the scripture repository's texts, so naturally, they had to copy everything, giving each household a set.

Clearly, it was no small task.

Fortunately, cultivators had abundant stamina, and Foundation Establishment Cultivators had Spiritual Awareness to aid them, allowing them to copy the texts at great speed.

After working for three days and three nights without stopping, they finally finished copying the texts.

The Yang Household and the Zhao Household each took half the originals and half the copies. Only then did they leave the inner hall's space, satisfied.

Outside, Yang Dangmo and Zhao Zongkun walked out of Dragon Valley Hall one after the other, with Yang Tianyou and the other Zhao Household cultivators close behind.

"Brother Zhao, what should we do with Dragon Valley Hall?"

"Didn't we already obtain the Method Formula for controlling Dragon Valley Hall? Once we refine it, we can shrink it and take it away. It's a grotto-heaven Law Treasure of tremendous value. We can't possibly pass it up!"

Zhao Zongkun answered without hesitation, his eyes fixed on Dragon Valley Hall before him, making no effort to hide their fervor.

"But there's only one Dragon Valley Hall. How are our two households supposed to divide it? We can't very well take it apart, and besides, we don't have the ability to dismantle a Third Tier Law Treasure."

Faced with Yang Dangmo's question, Zhao Zongkun was taken aback and found himself at a loss.

That was right. There was only one Dragon Valley Hall, and as a grotto-heaven Law Treasure, it was immensely valuable.

Although it was only a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Law Treasure, its value was in no way inferior to that of a Third-Tier Middle-Grade Law Treasure.

Leaving everything else aside, the Spirit Gathering Formation in Dragon Valley Hall's space alone was equivalent to a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Spirit Vein. Although its functions certainly couldn't compare to those of a real Spirit Vein, it was more than enough to support the cultivation of a dozen or so Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.

There was also the Spirit Medicine Garden inside. Although it had been picked clean, with careful cultivation, it would produce a steady, endless supply of spirit medicine resources after a hundred years.

There were many other benefits besides. For that very reason, neither the Zhao Household nor the Yang Household could allow the other to obtain this treasure. Otherwise, after a hundred years, the other's strength would surely have increased greatly, and their own household might well be in danger.

Thus, after discussing it, the two ultimately decided to sell Dragon Valley Hall and divide the resources they received equally between their households.

Having settled on a course of action, they now had a choice to make.

Who should they sell it to?

First of all, they certainly couldn't sell it to the Three Rivers Sect or the Feng Household in Dragon Valley County. That would be as good as confessing without being asked.

Nor would nearby Golden Core sects do. Those sects were quite familiar with the situation in Dragon Valley County, particularly Foundation Establishment Realm forces as well known as the Zhao Household and the Yang Household. They knew all about them, so selling to those forces would make it far too easy for them to be exposed.

After those two considerations, the Golden Core forces in Dragon Valley County's three neighboring counties—Goldwater, Silver River, and Red Tide—were the first to be ruled out.

Luochuan Commandery had eleven counties in total. With four excluded, seven remained to choose from.

But at this point, Yang Dangmo and Zhao Zong Kun ran into another difficulty.

They didn't dare sell to Golden Core forces they knew. Did they dare sell to strangers instead?

If Foundation Establishment Cultivators took Dragon Valley Hall into the territory of a Golden Core force to sell it, wouldn't their lives be held in the other party's hands?

As before, the risk was too great. It wouldn't do.

In the end, the Zhao Household and the Yang Household simply weren't strong enough.

Without a Golden Core cultivator holding the fort, they didn't dare reveal the slightest sign of having obtained a valuable treasure. After all, killing people to seize their treasures was all too common in this world.

Everyone called for Evil Cultivators to be hunted down, but if the profit was great enough, many cultivators were willing to play the part for once.

Neither the Zhao Household nor the Yang Household dared gamble their Lineage's assets and their own lives. If they lost, they would lose both their lives and their wealth.

This wouldn't work, and neither would that. For a time, they reached a stalemate.

Just then, however, Yang Tianyou stepped forward. After giving a bow, he said to Yang Dangmo, "Fifth Granduncle, I have a good idea. Since we can't sell Dragon Valley Hall to the Golden Core forces in nearby counties, why not go farther afield?

"We could go to neighboring Zhou Commandery, Qingcheng Commandery, or somewhere similar and find a major force to sell it to, preferably a Nascent Soul force. Surely a major force like that wouldn't kill us and seize the treasure over a mere Third Tier Law Treasure, risking the reputation it had built over many years being ruined in a single day?"

"Another commandery..."

Yang Dangmo was taken aback, then shook his head. Zhao Zongkun was even more merciless in his mockery. "Youngster, I'm afraid you've never seen how treacherous the cultivation world is. Cross into another commandery? Without a Golden Core cultivator's protection, you'd die without even knowing how!"

Yang Tianyou wasn't angry at his words, but he silently added a mark against the burly man in his heart.

"Could it be that even Foundation Establishment Cultivators can't cross into another commandery alone?"

Yang Tianyou asked in confusion. He really didn't know, and the Lineage's records contained no information on the subject.

Yang Tianyou had originally thought that, apart from the Savage Wilderness to the north, a forbidden land that couldn't be entered casually, the other commanderies and counties of the Human Race shouldn't be so dangerous. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator should have been able to travel through them unhindered.

But judging by Fifth Granduncle and Zhao Zongkun's reactions, was it dangerous for Foundation Establishment Cultivators to travel between commanderies? And was the danger considerable?

"Tianyou, you're still young, and there are many things you don't know. For now, you only need to remember that Foundation Establishment Cultivators must not cross into another commandery alone!"

Yang Dangmo patted his grandnephew on the shoulder, his tone full of feeling. He glanced at the distant sky, then quickly looked away.

"I see..."

Something stirred in Yang Tianyou's heart, and he stopped insisting. Instead, he offered another suggestion.

"Fifth Granduncle, I know a Qi Refining cultivator at Yellowstone Market.

"As far as I know, the force he belongs to should be quite extraordinary, at least Golden Core level. And judging by his accent, he isn't from Luochuan Commandery either. We could speak to him and sound him out first. If it works, selling Dragon Valley Hall to the force behind him would make everyone happy."

"Hmph, a Qi Refining cultivator? What kind of joke is that? Go on, go on. You brat, you're just making trouble!"

Before Yang Dangmo could speak, Zhao Zongkun gave a disdainful smile and waved Yang Tianyou away.

Yang Tianyou added another mark against the man in his heart, but he showed nothing on his face. He remained calm as he waited for Yang Dangmo's answer.

"Is that friend of yours reliable?"

"He is. Even if he isn't, as long as we don't reveal exactly what we're selling and only say it's a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Law Treasure, I believe our two households are strong enough to possess one, aren't they?"

Yang Tianyou laid out his reasoning methodically, his tone calm.

He didn't say how close he was to that friend, nor did he vouch for him. He considered the matter entirely from the Yang Household's perspective.

Seeing this, Yang Dangmo gave an almost imperceptible nod, the satisfaction in his eyes growing.

Beside them, Zhao Zongkun folded his arms and fell into thought, looking somewhat tempted.

Yang Tianyou hurried to strike while the iron was hot. "Rest assured, Fifth Granduncle. Until this friend of mine tells me which force he belongs to, I won't reveal the slightest bit of information. I guarantee that Dragon Valley Hall's secret won't leak at all before the transaction."

Hearing his assurance, Yang Dangmo finally felt reassured and made his decision. He looked at Zhao Zongkun and said, "Brother Zhao, things have come to this, so this is all we can do. Let my grandnephew give it a try!"

The latter gave Yang Tianyou a look, then nodded slightly. "Very well!"