Multiple Invitations, Visiting the Scripture Pavilion

"It's already the twelfth lunar month, the perfect time for winter fishing."

Lie Que True Monarch chuckled and explained, "My Soul Division Sword Pavilion sends disciples to participate in the winter fishing every year, and most of the fish kings in recent years have come from my sect."

"If Daoist Xiao has some free time these days, you are welcome to visit the Sword Washing Pavilion."

"We just received news yesterday that they've captured Dragon Blood Red Cod King."

"It should be shipped back tomorrow, perfect timing to try it out."

Dragon Blood Red Cod is a very famous specialty Sea Fish in the Eastern Domain. It is small in size, with most weighing no more than ten pounds.

It is world-renowned for its exceptionally delicious taste.

There are also folk tales that say they contain a trace of True Dragon Bloodline, and that consuming them will bring good luck.

Ordinary Dragon Blood Red Cod is therefore very expensive, with a single cod selling for thousands of Spirit Stone, and depending on its size, it is equivalent to a high-grade or even Top-Grade Magical Artifact.

Among a group of Dragon Blood Red Cod, there is a very small chance of giving birth to Dragon Blood Red Cod King.

Basically, on average, only one or two cases can be caught in the entire Eastern Domain over the course of a year.

Moreover, even the Dragon Blood Red Cod King will not weigh more than thirty pounds.

As the saying goes, scarcity increases value.

Although the Dragon Blood Red Cod King is a Third-tier Sea Fish, its rarity makes it just as precious as some relatively common Fourth-tier Sea Fish.

After all, a Fourth-tier Sea Fish has tens of thousands of kilograms of meat on its body.

As long as one fish is hunted, a large amount of fish meat will be available on the market, and it will be no problem for any True Lord to eat it if they want.

However, there's only enough Dragon Blood Red Cod King to make one dish.

Even Nascent Soul Cultivator typically only get to taste it once every few years.

"Daoist Lie Que, you received the news yesterday but kept it to yourself. That's not very kind of you."

Upon hearing this, Huo Xinghuai smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was saying. I wanted to buy some good fish from you so I could use them to entertain my fellow comrades next spring."

"Now we'll have to think of another way."

Lie Que True Monarch chuckled, "This was never for sale, and besides, it weighs only about twenty pounds, which isn't enough for your grand banquet."

"If you want a good fish, and you catch this year's king of fish later, I'll save some for you in advance."

"This one will be reserved for Daoist Xiao to enjoy."

He then looked at Xiao Chen again. "It's alright if you don't have time right now, I can recuperate inside the sect for the time being."

"Anyway, these small fish are easy to cook, so it's convenient for Daoist Xiao to come anytime."

Xiao Chen was indeed busy these past two days.

Since he had already said that, there was no need to refuse. "Daoist Lie Que is so kind, then it would be impolite of me to refuse."

"However, I really haven't been able to find the time these past few days."

"How about I visit you at the Sword Washing Pavilion later this month?"

Lie Que True Monarch readily agreed without hesitation, "No problem, then I will await your arrival at the gate in advance."

For him, it was a good thing as long as Xiao Chen was willing to come as a guest.

Let alone waiting a few days, even waiting for several months is no big deal.

After making the invitation to the dinner party first, Lie Que True Monarch consciously stepped back half a step, giving the other True Lord space to talk.

"Daoist Xiao, there isn't much delicious food in Hundred Herbs City, but there will be an Exchange Meet next spring."

Huo Xinghuai continued, "We have already invited quite a few like-minded people."

"Besides all the fellow Daoists present, who will be attending."

"It also includes Daoist Golden Whip of the Golden Haze Sect, Daoist Xiang of the Flame Manipulation School, Daoist Hidden Ice of the Lightless Sea, as well as the Three White-Bearded Immortals and the Twin North-South Twin Swords who roam the world."

"Furthermore, Vice President Gu of the Azure Mist Commerce Association previously indicated that he might bring two more new comrades with him."

"If Daoist Xiao has the time, would you like to join us for some fun?"

If Xiao Chen had heard these words last month, he probably would have fainted.

However, he had seen a lot of important information about the Storm Sea in the Yin Corpse Sect's Scripture Pavilion.

It was mentioned that, in addition to the major sects and Hidden Dao Heritage, there were several rogue cultivators and True Lord in the Inner Sea.

The Three White-Bearded Immortals refer to three Nascent Soul True Lord are respectively skilled in alchemy, weapon crafting, and Talisman Making.

In fact, the three of them are not related by blood, and they are not very familiar with each other.

However, because all three were renowned for their Dao Arts and were already eight or nine hundred years old, they were collectively known as the Three White-Bearded Immortals.

The North-South Twin Swords were also two solitary swordsmen.

He is also a role model in the hearts of all independent swordsmen in the entire Storm Sea.

Because apart from the Three Great Sects of the Dragon Slaying Sea, only these two swordsmen in the entire Inner Sea have broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

As for the Azure Mist Commerce Association, it is a very special chamber of commerce.

He doesn't open his business to outsiders, and he never does business with independent cultivators—except for Nascent Soul True Lord.

Therefore, Xiao Chen had never heard of such a chamber of commerce before.

Normally, there are only a handful of Nascent Soul Cultivator, so there's no room for middlemen when they trade with each other.

The reason why the Azure Mist Commerce Association is able to profit from this is because they are backed by a Divine Ability and influential President.

They can bring spiritual treasures from the Eastern Domain to the Central Region, and they can also bring back many treasures from the Central Region.

Although the frequency wasn't high, each trade was highly profitable.

They only do the kind of big business where they don't make a sale for three years, but when they do, they make enough to last them for three years.

Gathering so many True Lord together is no easy feat in itself.

Perhaps only Hundred Herbs City, with its long history of extensive connections, could achieve this in the entire Inner Sea.

"Daoist Xiao, this is just a private Exchange Meet."

Seeing that Xiao Chen seemed hesitant but didn't show any resistance, Huo Xinghuai immediately advised, "Apart from necessary attendants, there will be no outsiders."

"The entire transaction process was also very flexible."

"They can either display the spirit items to everyone for exchange during the first half, or they can discuss it privately with each other during the second half."

"Nothing that happened during the entire Exchange Meet will be leaked to the outside world."

"Private discussions are known only to the two parties involved, ensuring absolute safety and peace of mind."

"And even if you don't participate in the transaction, you can still come and get together; there are no extra conditions."

"It doesn't matter if you arrive midway or leave early."

"It was less of an Exchange Meet and more of a private gathering among like-minded people."

"I believe that once Daoist Xiao attends such a gathering, he will definitely come to love it."

To put it bluntly, this was a high-end Exchange Meet exclusively for Nascent Soul True Lord.

Or rather, a small circle organized around Hundred Herbs City.

It's worth mentioning that the Yin Corpse Sect wasn't previously among those invited; they've never been able to integrate into the Inner Sea's circles.

"Great! That's exactly what I'm looking for – where can I meet more like-minded people?"

Xiao Chen immediately nodded in agreement. "Since Fellow Daoist Huo has so kindly invited me, how could I refuse?"

In fact, he wasn't hesitating at all; he was just recalling the information he had seen in the Yin Corpse Sect Sect's Scripture Pavilion.

Now that I've received the invitation, I certainly won't miss such an opportunity.

Moreover, such an opportunity is rare, even if it's just to get to know someone.

You might even encounter a spiritual item that could be useful to you, which would be even better.

"Very good!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Xinghuai's face immediately lit up. "The time for this Exchange Meet is a little later than in previous years, set for the last three days of late February."

"Daoist Xiao is welcome to come at any time during this period."

"A protective array will be set up to isolate the City Lord Manor. This is the token to open the Temporary Passage; please keep it safe, fellow Daoist."

As he spoke, he took out a token with the two characters "Baicao" engraved on the front.

Xiao Chen noticed that he was actually using the Ancient Spirit Script.

In addition, the deliberately retro-styled inscriptions give the entire token an antique feel, conveying a sense of historical weight.

Moreover, the token itself was crafted from Fourth-Order Spiritual Item.

If it were picked up by some unsuspecting rogue cultivator, they might mistake it for a relic from some Ancient Ruins.

Seeing that Xiao Chen had accepted two invitations in a row.

The other True Lord also spoke up, some wanting to treat him to a meal, others wanting to Tea Tasting and Dao Discussion, and still others wanting to invite him to see the wonders of the East Sea.

It was said that Cloud Robe Weaving Sea would appear sometime soon, one of the Eight Great Sceneries of the Eastern Domain.

I hope that if Xiao Chen has time, we can go sightseeing and have some fun together.

Cui Yunxian, who had been listening to this, was extremely frustrated.

If she were to come to all of them, wouldn't she have to wait in line until the year after next?

Fortunately, Xiao Chen did not continue to accept these strange invitations.

Instead, he declined all the other invitations, citing that he had important matters to attend to and was unsure if he would be available at the moment.

This also relieved Cui Yunxian.

In that case, we shouldn't have to wait until next year.

"Daoist Xiao, it's great to finally meet you today."

Finally, it was Cui Yunxian's turn. She immediately stepped forward and introduced herself, "My name is Cui Yunxian, and I come from Hundred Herbs City."

"I haven't been given Dharma Name yet, you can just call me by my name."

"Actually, I've wanted to meet you for six years, but I've never had the chance."

"It's quite an honor to meet you this time. I wonder if Daoist Xiao could spare a few days so we can find a place to exchange our cultivation experiences?"

In order to get Xiao Chen to agree.

Cui Yunxian subtly pointed out that they were on the same path. "By the way, I should also say thank you to Daoist Xiao."

"I was stuck at the Golden Core Great Perfection because I chose the Path of Enlightenment, but I didn't know if the path ahead would be successful."

"It was Daoist Xiao's appearance that gave me tremendous encouragement."

"This makes me even more convinced that this path is also viable."

"I now have many insights and questions about the Great Way, and I want to find someone to discuss and consult with."

"After much thought, there is simply no one more suitable than Daoist Xiao."

"I happen to be free these days, so I can be a few days earlier or later, it all depends on when is convenient for Daoist Xiao."

Wow, you're a genius at Path of Enlightenment?

Xiao Chen was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, as it was the first time he had ever seen Nascent Soul pursuing the Path of Enlightenment.

Then I immediately realized something—why did you say you wanted to see me?

consult?

"Oh dear, that's really unfortunate."

Xiao Chen shook his head regretfully. "I've been busy lately, so it's not convenient for us to talk."

"Fellow Daoist Cui, you should look for someone else."

He refused decisively, almost without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Cui Yunxian's beautiful eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

Why?

We're kindred spirits, don't you want to find another person to communicate and exchange ideas with on the Path of Enlightenment?

She couldn't understand why Xiao Chen would refuse so decisively.

After all, she had been thinking about this for a long time.

The main problem is that some issues are difficult to explain and discuss with cultivators who don't practice or Path of Enlightenment.

Now that she had finally found someone who had also cultivated and Path of Enlightenment, someone who could even be called a senior, Cui Yunxian was naturally filled with anticipation.

To her utter surprise, the other party seemed completely uninterested.

Not only did they refuse, they even directly suggested that she find someone else.

What do you mean by that?

Do you really not want to communicate with me?

Various possibilities flashed through Cui Yunxian's mind.

Suddenly a thought popped into my head—you wouldn't be looking down on me because I've only just broken through to the Nascent Soul Early Stage, would you?

That's outrageous!

Everyone here follows the Path of Enlightenment, and they are absolutely strong in Dao Comprehension.

In this situation, the minor realms of the Nascent Soul Realm are actually just a difference in the amount of true essence.

If she had enough true essence right now, Cui Yunxian could also break through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage immediately.

If that's the case, why should I look down on her?

Was Xiao Chen really that confident that he had far surpassed him in terms of Dao Comprehension?

Is there even no need to draw inferences from similar cases or learn from each other's strengths to make up for one's weaknesses?

Uh... it can't really be like that!

Thinking of this, Cui Yunxian was greatly surprised.

Could it be that he has truly reached a level of Dao Comprehension that far surpasses mine?

Those who cultivate Path of Enlightenment may not be considered exceptionally intelligent, but they are certainly exceptionally talented.

Cui Yunxian believed that Xiao Chen's decisive refusal must have had a deeper reason.

It's most likely just as I guessed.

Upon realizing this, Cui Yunxian was both shocked and angry.

They were both surprised that Xiao Chen had reached such a high level.

She was also angry that the other party had underestimated her.

Cui Yunxian silently thought to herself: It's just a temporary lead, you just wait!

I've already broken through to the Nascent Soul, so it's hard to say who'll be ahead in a few years!

And then she thought about it again, and realized that this was actually a good thing!

The further Xiao Chen progresses in his Comprehension Path, the more reliable that path becomes.

At the same time, the more capable he is, the more Cui Yunxian can learn from him.

It was just a failed invitation; it's no big deal.

Next, I can try to invite them a few more times; at least I won't be rejected every time.

Thinking of this, Cui Yunxian's mood immediately brightened again.

As the saying goes, nothing is impossible for a willing heart.

As long as she puts her heart into it, she's not afraid that Xiao Chen won't agree.

Cui Yunxian was the last person to step forward and speak with them.

After she finished speaking, everyone exchanged a few more polite words and then took their leave.

"Withered Leaf, please wait."

Xiao Chen raised his hand in a gesture of obstruction. "There's something else I might need your help with."

Withered Leaf True Monarch was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then immediately agreed, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, you're too kind. There's no trouble at all."

"Fellow Daoist, just tell me what it is, and I promise to do my best."

I promise to do my best, but I can't guarantee that I will succeed.

"It's not a difficult thing, I just want to find someone."

Xiao Chen took out a portrait and handed it over. "This person's former Dharma Name Azure Wave Rogue, and he was a Golden Core cultivator."

"He is also one of the rogue cultivators who fled from the Compassion Sea to seek refuge here."

"If he has safely crossed the Kunpeng Sea, he should already be in the Lightless Sea or even the Inner Sea by now."

"I've heard that the Jade Leaf Commerce Association has gathered many fellow cultivators from the Compassion Sea."

"So I would like to ask you, fellow Daoist, to help me find out where this person is."

Many cultivators who come from the Compassion Sea feel a sense of familiarity when they see the sign of the Jade Leaf Commerce Association.

Even if they haven't joined the Chamber of Commerce or don't meet the recruitment criteria, they'll often visit the shops of the Jade Leaf Commerce Association, because it's easier to meet other fellow villagers there.

Therefore, if you want to find cultivators from the Compassion Sea, you should contact the Jade Leaf Commerce Association first.

"I see, I'll take care of it!"

Upon hearing that it was such a trivial matter, Withered Leaf True Monarch immediately patted his chest and guaranteed, "As long as he reaches the Storm Sea alive, I will definitely find him."

"By the way, should we invite him to meet you, fellow Daoist, or how should we phrase it?"

The word "please" is very clever; it sounds very polite and civilized.

"No need for such a big fuss."

Xiao Chen waved his hand. "It's good that you can help me find the person's location; I'll handle the rest myself."

Withered Leaf True Monarch immediately nodded. "Oh, I understand. I'll go and tell them to find the person right now."

With that, he rolled up the portrait and put it into his sleeve, then hurriedly left.

Xiao Chen watched the other person leave, then turned and went to the Scripture Pavilion.

The scale of the Heavenly Sound Sect's Scripture Pavilion is far smaller than that of the Yin Corpse Sect.

However, the contents of many of the books were quite novel to Xiao Chen.

After all, you really can't see so many musical scores and movements outside of this world, let alone so many musical Cultivation Method.

"This Way of Melody seems to be a good thing, at least for highly perceptive rogue cultivators."

After reading more, Xiao Chen discovered that the Way of Melody actually had its own unique characteristics.

It doesn't rely much on the cultivator's own Spirit Root, nor does it rely much on the help of external spiritual objects; it depends almost entirely on the cultivator's own comprehension and talent in music.

This is also because there is no sound-based Spirit Root in the Cultivation World, and spiritual objects containing the Way of Melody are extremely rare.

Aside from some universal spiritual items like Foundation Establishment, there's no way to rely on external objects.

However, for independent cultivators, since they don't have many spiritual items anyway, it's not a bad option.

We made our way to the top floor, where all the top secrets of the Heavenly Sound Sect were kept.

In the very center, there was a spacious desk.

There were many papers and pens scattered on the table.

Xiao Chen took a look; it was an exploration plan and preparation scheme for the Vast Sea Secret Realm.

Based on the experience gained from previous explorations, two relatively safe routes of action were identified.

At the same time, they also planned out corresponding solutions for the risks that might be encountered on the road.

To put it simply, it means finding a fourth-tier Talisman Master and Alchemist in advance to customize the corresponding Talisman and elixirs.

During their earlier pleasantries, Xiao Chen had already learned that the Inner Realm might open within a year or two.

Since that's the case, he must be planning to go in and take a look.

So he carefully examined the contents of these plans, taking them as a reference.

However, it was discovered that most of them were used to counter unexpected situations such as Strange Poison and illusions, and the few were mainly used to enhance combat abilities.

For Xiao Chen, there seemed to be no need to prepare at all.

After all, he Divinity Veil, which saves him trouble and conserves resources.

In addition, Xiao Chen also saw that Shu Yu True Monarch had a letter that was only half-written.

The general idea is to commission Iron Gallbladder Master from the Three Mountains Grotto-Heaven to make two spirit umbrellas that he himself crafted.

It was specifically noted that it must be able to withstand Yin Wind.

"Would you consider this a negative effect?"

Xiao Chen quickly recalled that the Golden Booklet mentioned that in some areas outside the Vast Sea Secret Realm Inner Realm, Bone-corroding Yin Wind would occasionally blow.

Unlike toxins, this might not be able to be blocked by the Divinity Veil.

"I remember seeing a Yellow-grade Spell related to resisting Yin Wind at the Azure Sea Immortal Sect before."

Xiao Chen thought for a moment and quickly remembered, "Right, it's called <Golden Light Wind-Fixing Art>."

"In that case, I don't need to bother with Custom Spirit Tool. I'll just focus on learning another Auxiliary Spells."

Given that I have Hextech Buff, as long as I take some time to practice and get to the basics, that should be enough.

Xiao Chen silently kept this in mind and decided to find some time to deal with it as soon as possible.

Then he rummaged through his desk and actually found four more letters that had already been written in a drawer.

The first two letters were for Talisman Making and elixirs from the Three Mountains Grotto-Heaven, while the middle letter was an instruction to Zhi Qin True Monarch to curry favor with and win over the Yin Corpse Sect.

The last letter, however, was addressed to Vice President Gu of the Azure Mist Commerce Association.

He was entrusted to bring back a batch of blank Array Foundation from the Central Region, and it was specified that they should be top-tier Array Foundation created by the Golden Lock Gate.

"Well, we still have to rely on outsiders for alchemy, artifact crafting, and talisman arrays."

Xiao Chen was somewhat surprised. "So the Heavenly Sound Sect doesn't have anything of its own?"

That's true, the Way of Melody can indeed be considered a niche Dao Arts.

Under such circumstances, it is extremely difficult for all disciples of the Heavenly Sound Sect to cultivate a second Dao Arts, as they lack both time and resources.

From this perspective, the Way of Melody do indeed have their limitations, which explains why they haven't become mainstream.

Xiao Chen then looked through all the books in the surrounding library.

The complete process of making Deep Sea Rock Paste was found in one of the Ancient Books.

Between the lines, one can also see the small additions made by the True Lord of the Heavenly Sound Sect throughout the ages, recounting some experiences accumulated during the production process.

It mainly discusses how to save time and production costs.

It was through this discovery that Xiao Chen realized they had been making Deep Sea Rock Paste for a long time.

This was intended to be sold to those few Sword Dao Sects in exchange for other cultivation resources.

This is actually the main reason why Shu Yu True Monarch chose to side with the Yin Corpse Sect — the Heavenly Sound Sect was simply too poor!

She was eager to change things and wanted to obtain a large amount of cultivation resources.

Therefore, they had the idea of taking a shortcut, and even though the Yin Corpse Sect clearly had ill intentions, they still tried to snatch chestnuts from the fire.