Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Light, Dark, Poison

Two days later.

Inside the magnificent Bright Moon Workshop family manor, Chen Dengming followed the female cultivators of the Ming family into the corridor surrounded by intricately carved railings.

He followed behind, witnessing the female cultivator's graceful and alluring figure and her unique, elegant gait, wondering to himself whether the woman was deliberately walking in such a seductive manner.

Finally, the two arrived at the entrance of a huge, warehouse-like building.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, that's enough. Just pile the captured Demon Spider corpses here."

The female cultivator, with bright, kind eyes, smiled and made her request.

The warehouse-like factory gates opened, and several cultivators walked out, greeting Chen Dengming with friendly smiles and clasped hands.

The factory was filled with the corpses of many Demon Beasts, and a foul stench wafted through the air, a testament to the Ming family's recent success in hunting Demon Beast.

Chen Dengming nodded slightly, took out two Storage Bag and patted them. Instantly, the corpses of the four spider demons flew out and crashed to the ground, all of them already frozen.

Among them, the spider demon corpse at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Level was the largest, exuding a strong Sha Qi, and was the most eye-catching.

"It really is Green-backed Water Spider at the Qi Cultivation High Level!"

The female cultivator gasped, slightly losing her composure and abandoning her carefully maintained dignified and polite demeanor.

The cultivators behind him were also shocked and moved.

A robust middle-aged man immediately stepped forward, reached out and stroked the Demon Spider's corpse, his eyes filled with joy.

"Excellent, excellent, Master Liu is just lacking such high-quality refining materials."

Chen Dengming smiled, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, and said politely, "According to our previous agreement, after I hunted the spider demon, I will sell its corpse to your Ming family at half the market price."

However, this is, after all, Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Beast, and its value is hard to estimate. I don't think Bright Moon Workshop has any Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Beast for sale lately, right?"

The female cultivator nodded upon hearing this, naturally understanding the meaning behind Chen Dengming's words.

Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Beast have completely different values.

Chen Dengming could have easily chosen not to bring it over in the transaction.

Now that they've taken it, it shows their trust and respect for the Ming family.

After calming herself down, the female cultivator smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, what you say makes sense. Our Ming family has always prioritized harmony in business, and we treat everyone fairly, young and old."

However, you will have to exchange this Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Beast for two spider demons. We need to make this clear to you.

After half a cup of tea.

Chen Dengming politely declined the generous offer from the Ming family, leaving behind the Ice Spirit Blade to be reforged and upgraded, and left the Ming family satisfied.

After demonstrating her strength in killing Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Beast once again, the female cultivator from the Ming family became much more polite, promising significantly better treatment and benefits than before, and making certain concessions during the transaction.

As expected, wherever you go, you still have to rely on your abilities.

Chen Dengming was very satisfied with the outcome of the transaction. The Ming family did indeed have a good reputation and hadn't caused any trouble.

The Ming family's solution for dealing with the Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Spider was to either acquire them at 80% of the market price, with the market price being based on past transaction prices.

Alternatively, the Ming family's weapon-forging master could have upgraded Chen Dengming's Ice Spirit Blade and then used materials from Qi Cultivation High Level spider demon to forge a high-level Law Artifact for him.

The value of a high-grade Law Artifact is roughly between eight and thirty Mid-grade Spirit Stones, with the specific price depending on its performance.

Chen Dengming ultimately chose the latter, adding another high-level Law Artifact.

He will soon be going into seclusion again for further cultivation.

This time, I might not emerge until I've reached the Qi Cultivation Ninth Level.

With increased Law Power, controlling several high-level Law Artifact will not be too much of a challenge.

Now, he has successfully obtained a Qi Cultivation High Level technique, the Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art, from the Ming family, and has reforged the Ice Spirit Blade, upgrading it to a high-level Law Artifact.

As for the Demon Beast carcasses he had hunted recently, after processing them all, he had now obtained nine Mid-grade Spirit Stones. He gave one to Xu Wei, and considering the savings he hadn't used up, he still had fifteen Mid-grade Spirit Stone and over a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stone left.

For Qi Cultivation Cultivator, even high-level cultivators, this is a very substantial fortune.

Although Zhu Xun didn't get his share of the spider demon's profits, he still received nearly eight Mid-grade Spirit Stones from the 70% share of the profits after the other Demon Beast processed them.

Just by doing this calculation, Little Zhu couldn't stop grinning.

He was even more determined to follow Chen Dengming, saying that he had wasted half his life, but since following Fellow Daoist Chen, he had finally understood life and was living a life of luxury.

However, Chen Dengming was temporarily satisfied, retired from the business, and prepared to continue his seclusion to improve his strength.

The current environment is peaceful, making it a good time for cultivation. Boss Hu's assumptions about the Ming family feeling threatened by the Luo Family 600 miles away and that things will not be peaceful are all nonsense.

Lüo Bing clearly had no interest in managing the Lineage and was ready to return to the sect at any time.

Leaving Luo Ping in Leshangou wouldn't pose much of a challenge to the Ming family.

Under such circumstances, there is absolutely no possibility of conflict between the two companies.

The hypothesis that all the conflicts originated from nothing more than the atmosphere deliberately created by the merchants of Bright Moon Workshop in order to inflate prices.

Before going into seclusion, Chen Dengming went to the Merchant Alliance shop again and picked up a newly ordered batch of nourishing supplements for the spirit body and materials for raising Gu from Boss Hu.

After greeting his neighbor Zhu Xun, he prepared to begin a new round of seclusion.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, are you planning to go into seclusion for several months again? Aren't you bored?"

Zhu Xun somewhat puzzled.

He was an active person, and it would be too difficult for him to stay indoors and cultivate for months at a time, so he would Cultivation Practice Method every night when he rested.

Chen Dengming glanced at it and said indifferently, "If you want to be prominent in front of others, you must suffer in private."

You asked me how I cultivated to such a high level? Actually, it's just this: simple. To become a master, you must be able to endure loneliness.

Zhu Xun froze, watching Chen Dengming enter the courtyard. Feeling the atmosphere suddenly become heavy, she was not quite used to it. She looked around, clicked her tongue, and tried to force a smile, but then fell silent.

He had been at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Level for quite some time, and had felt the urge to break through several times, but had never been able to seize the opportunity.

Is it because I'm too restless? Too unable to bear loneliness?

"Fellow Daoist Chen, will you become Qi Cultivation Ninth Level cultivator next time you come out?"

"He seems to have said he's leaving. If I want to follow Fellow Daoist Chen, will he look down on me for Qi Cultivation Fifth Level?"

With this thought in mind, Zhu Xun scratched his head in frustration, then turned around and strode into the courtyard, intending to cultivate diligently in order to seek a breakthrough.

Even a butcher like him has his pride; back in the day, he was the most respected person in this small area.

Although I'm now following Fellow Daoist Chen and calling myself Little Zhu, I'm still a proud Little Zhu who doesn't want to fall behind others.

"Come in and soak in the tub. After you're done, come help me with my cultivation, and you won't be so tired."

Inside the house, Chen Dengming finished preparing the nourishing medicinal soup in the wooden tub, and with a smile on his face, he turned around to look at the Little Array Spirit floating behind him.

"Fellow Daoist, actually it's... it's alright. I've been soaking in it too much lately, so it won't have much effect anymore. Besides, this medicinal soup is too... too hot."

Despite her reluctance and stammering, the Little Array Spirit still floated over.

She obediently entered the wooden tub, her pretty face quickly flushing red, and she hummed softly in pleasure.

As a spirit, she naturally couldn't sense cold or heat.

The medicinal soup in the wooden tub, which produced similar sensations in her, was actually nourishing her spirit.

Recently, Chen Dengming has purchased a lot of nourishing medicines for the spiritual body from Boss Hu, spending a total of two Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

Such a large investment is also intended to treat Little Array Spirit better.

There's a long road ahead, and we'll have to rely on the Little Array Spirit for a long time to come, so we can't let it break down.

The Little Array Spirit's spirit body is indeed much fuller than when we first met, as if it has started a new round of development.

Even his keen perception had become much stronger, and the range of his senses had expanded, which made Chen Dengming feel that his investment had yielded a very good return.

He once had a sudden inspiration: could he guide the Little Array Spirit to the legendary path of a ghost immortal?

According to ancient Daoist texts, the Cultivation World seems to be divided into five types of immortals: human immortals, earth immortals, divine immortals, celestial immortals, and ghost immortals.

However, that Daoist book was only mentioned in passing.

The details of how to cultivate into a ghost immortal are not described.

Chen Dengming is currently only thinking about it, regarding the Little Array Spirit as a kind of partner somewhere between a human and a spirit pet.

Besides the Little Array Spirit, the Golden Silkworm Gu and the Blood Centipede Gu, these two battle partners, also need to improve together in this round of training.

Moreover, Chen Dengming also planned to refine a few more Golden Silkworm Gu.

He was once poor and lacked resources; he had no choice.

Now that he has money, among the materials he bought from Boss Hu are three golden silkworms, which he can use to refine three Golden Silkworm Gu.

Half a day later.

A full moon hangs high in the sky, casting its cool moonlight.

At each of the three crossroads in the courtyard, there is a statue of the plague god, all facing south.

A simple, small-scale Gu-refining field was drawn on the ground, and a Low-grade Spirit Stone was placed there.

A faint, strange field of power permeated and enveloped a small area.

A faint aura of poison emanated from the Plague God statue Law Artifact and then merged into the bodies of the three golden silkworms.

In the very center of the courtyard, there are two raised mounds on the ground.

The two bulges were filled with the blood of Qi Cultivation High Level Demon Spider, mixed with Chen Dengming's spiritual blood.

In addition, one of the bulges was filled with powder made from eleven kinds of poisonous insects, including centipedes, small snakes, centipedes, ants, poisonous bees, cicadas, and earthworms.

Inside the other bulge, blood-red centipedes crawled, their hundreds of limbs colliding and tearing at each other, making chilling sounds.

After finishing all this, Chen Dengming stopped with satisfaction, feeling no fatigue. He then began to look for some trees in the courtyard to study the Qi Cultivation High Level cultivation technique he had obtained from the Ming family, the <Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art>.

The "Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art" is not a type of 'Gu technique'.

However, the insidious and vicious nature of this Technique Method is somewhat similar to Gu poison.

The so-called metal, fire, thunder, and light; water, wood, poison, and darkness.

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth; Wind, Thunder, Light, Darkness, Poison.

The ten natures of heaven and earth are interconnected yet also mutually destructive.

Once a Daoist technique reaches the Qi Cultivation High Level, it becomes completely different from the mid-to-low-level techniques, is more difficult to cultivate, and involves more profound principles.

Among the Qi Cultivation High Level techniques of the Metal element, there is the <Golden Flame and Thunder Technique>.

Among the Qi Cultivation High Level Daoist techniques of the Wood Element, there is the <Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art>.

All of these involve the application of Spiritual Qi beyond the corresponding five elements, thereby enhancing the power of Daoist magic.

In Chen Dengming's understanding, this high-level Dao technique is somewhat similar to what he had previously envisioned: a combination of a large fireball and an ice spike technique, or a combination of Great Fireball Technique and a Dao technique similar to splashing oil, to create a stronger combination of Dao techniques.

However, his ideas were clearly unsystematic and based on weak principles, and therefore he did not succeed.

However, the recent research on the combination of the Flowing Qi Turning Gold Technique and the Innate Qi Skill Entangling Silk Force seems to have enhanced the power of this Daoist technique, making it somewhat beyond the scope of a mid-level Daoist technique.

Just as Chen Dengming was focusing on his cultivation...

Leshan Valley.

Inside a pavilion deep within the Luo Family manor, Xi'er was reporting her recent discoveries to Lüo Bing.

"Miss, I think it must be that man surnamed Chen. He may have come to our Luo Family Lane recently and met with Miss Xu."

These past two days, I've noticed that girl seems different; her demeanor is quite different. This feeling... eh...

Lüo Bing frowned and said calmly, "Chen Dengming and Xu Wei have always had a good relationship, otherwise he wouldn't have made the request to keep Xu Wei in the Luo Family."

Even if he came by recently and met with Xu Wei, that's between the two of them; there's no need to tell me such a trivial matter."

"But."

Xi'er muttered, "But Miss, didn't you do this Chen fellow a favor back then?"

Now he's actually come to the Luo Family without even paying a visit, sneaking around to meet people. What kind of behavior is this? I think he's gotten a bit arrogant now that he's made it big."

Lüo Bing shook her head slightly. "He's seen the current state of the Luo Family, so it's better if he doesn't visit. I won't see him either."

Now that I have reached the Foundation Establishment, my most urgent task is to return to the sect immediately.

She paused, surprised, "You mean he's made it big?"

Xi'er perked up. "That's right. I secretly observed Xu Yatou, and she actually had a Mid-grade Spirit Stone. It must have been given to her by that Chen guy. He's so generous; he must have struck it rich!"

Lüo Bing chuckled, then thought that for a Qi Cultivation Cultivator, casually giving away a Mid-grade Spirit Stone was indeed quite a stroke of luck.

However, considering Chen Dengming's lifespan, she shook her head and said, "This person is indeed suited for the demonic path. He can spare no effort to improve his strength and amass some ill-gotten gains. It's normal for him to thrive in a certain region."

Just as Xi'er was about to speak again, Lüo Bing sensed the aura of the person outside the room and waved her hand to send Xi'er away.

She had no interest in dealing with the affairs of insignificant people in the Qi Refining Stage.

Although I recently heard that Nangong Yun, who was taken to the Moon Reflection Sect back then, seems to have studied and replicated some of that Sha Star's methods under the guidance of two masters in the Moon Reflection Sect, and has the hope of embarking on the path of Martial Immortal, and is highly valued.

But this has nothing to do with Rogue Cultivator like Chen Dengming, whose lifespan is not long.

She currently has a host of troubles to deal with.

No sooner had Xi'er left than a handsome man strode in through the door; it was none other than Luo Ping.

"Bingbing, what have you decided? Since you're going to the sect soon, why don't we get things done in the next couple of days, so we don't have to wait for our ancestor to urge us?"

Lüo Bing frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes. "I haven't thought it through yet. I've said it before, don't use your family's ancestor to pressure me, and I don't need you to tell me what to do."

Luo Ping was taken aback, but then smiled instead of getting angry, and said in a calm tone, "Bingbing, I only tried to persuade you because I didn't want to force you. You should know very well what our ancestor's methods are."

Trying to please everyone and easily get away with it? Do you really think you're the smartest one around?

Lüo Bing stared coldly at Luo Ping with an expression as cold as frost, without uttering a word.

Luo Ping lowered his eyelids slightly and said calmly, "You don't need to think that just because I didn't reach the Foundation Establishment, my life is over."

With your intelligence, you should be able to think about why, among so many members of the Luo family, our patriarch favored only me.

"Two Foundation Establishment were used on me alone, and you're still willing to expend another Foundation Establishment just to unite us?"

Upon hearing this, Lüo Bing frowned even more deeply, and a hint of doubt appeared in her eyes.

Indeed, she had thought about this question before and felt puzzled, but she only assumed that it was because the Luo Family Ancestor spoiled Luo Ping too much.

But now that the problem is facing us again, it seems that the previous reasons no longer hold water.

(I've met the monthly pass requirement today, so I'm continuing to update. I've reached 10,000 words today! Please continue to vote for me!)

Some readers dislike poetry, while others do. If I were to simply discard it, it might displease one side, and it wouldn't align with my original intention of conveying the title. From now on, unless there are specific circumstances, when composing a titled concluding poem, I'll generally include the author's words. That way, those who don't want to read it don't have to, and those who do can read the author's words.