Apricot Grove

Seriously though, this Heavenly Book questline is damn long. And who exactly is this Immortal of Yuntai Peak? How come he's been spotted in Li Country and Xun Kingdoms? I initially thought he was targeting that unlucky brat Yang Si'an, but the mirror side quest at Iron Buddha Temple is from so many years ago, it can't possibly be related to Yang Sheng too, right?

There's still too little information, so Li Fan can't make many guesses. But he has plenty of experience running quests and knows that sometimes you can't skip these story quests; you just have to get through them one by one. He estimates that once he finishes the prerequisite quests, he can start doing that Yuntai Peak dungeon.

Fortunately, the Iron Apricot Temple was just across the street in Jiangling Prefecture of Zhen Country, and it wasn't far to get there by teleportation.

Speaking of which, Li Fan had met people from the Xiao family of Zhen before, and he had also met Princess Xiao Hanzhen of the Xiangdong King's Mansion once. That sweet girl even gave him a sachet and invited him to be her guest, hehe cough cough!

However, since he's currently disguised as an old beggar, he shouldn't casually take a princess's sachet to the palace to strike up a conversation. It would be one thing if he were mistaken for a thief, but it would be a real sin if others misunderstood that the princess had awakened some strange and heavy fetish. Cough cough cough!

However, the Xiangdong King's Mansion in Jiangling Prefecture was easy to find. It occupied almost half of the city, and the entire city of Jiangling could be considered the outer city wall of the mansion. Although Jiangling was indeed a key location in Zhen guarding the northwest border, the mansion was built with high walls and deep moats, three layers of parapets, as well as docks and military ports within the city. Watchtowers, terraces, and barracks were stacked one after another, turning this plain into a military fortress. This was clearly overstepping its bounds.

At a glance, there were quite a few immortal soldiers and generals in this palace. Some of the local garrison should have already responded to the call of the Three Realms and followed the army to conquer Kun Country in the west. But now, Li Fan did a quick calculation and found that there were still thirty or forty Nascent Soul level Nascent Soul Stage generals in the palace. He was afraid that even the Well Lodgings Guard would have a hard time assembling such a large army in a short time.

For a mere vassal king to possess the wealth and influence to support so many celestial soldiers and generals is truly impressive. I recall the military advisor from the royal court whom Li Fan had befriended before; that General Wang was already quite formidable. If all these people possessed even half the skill of General Wang, the national strength of Zhen would be utterly terrifying.

Are these troops meant to defend against the Three Palaces Immortal Palace? Or to deal with the allied Xun Kingdom? Or to resist the refugees? Or do they have some other motive? It seems this King of Xiangdong is quite the restless fellow...

With Yang Sheng's earlier warning and what he had witnessed firsthand, Li Fan realized that Zhen Country, this lucrative territory, was definitely being eyed by wolves both inside and outside the country, and trouble was bound to arise sooner or later. He was already too busy completing a bunch of side quests, so naturally he wouldn't actively get entangled with the Xiao Family; there was no need to invite trouble. Therefore, he bypassed the Prince's Mansion and headed directly to the east of the city to find Iron Apricot Temple.

It seems Li Fan's opportunity has arrived. He hadn't flown far east when he observed the surrounding air and saw hundreds of Golden Core cultivators gathered in a conspicuous ginkgo forest on the mountain east of the Prince's Mansion. It seemed they were having some kind of festival event, and it appeared he had arrived just in time to advance the plot.

As you fly closer, you can see that the branches and leaves of the ten-zhang-tall tree are golden, like gold foil and yellow clouds. Under the sunlight, it is a perfect spot for internet celebrities to take photos. Even Li Fan couldn't help but feel the urge to find a tree and carve "I was here" on it. Cough, impulse, impulse! This is uncivilized behavior, so please take it as a warning.

However, given that it's already winter, the scenery is still so beautiful. There must be a magic array supporting it underneath. This ginkgo forest must be the location of the Iron Apricot Temple.

At this moment, not only many Golden Core cultivators were gathered in the apricot grove outside the Iron Apricot Temple, but also more than a dozen Nascent Soul Stage cultivators. This group was probably not simply there for an autumn outing. Far away on the outer edge of the mountain, many carriages and ceremonial guards were parked, and some celestial soldiers and generals were on duty outside, including a Nascent Soul Stage level divine general. It seems that this place is not for rogue cultivators to enter; it is probably inhabited by nobles and their families from the vicinity of Jiujiang, and perhaps the girls of the Xiao Clan of Lanling are among them.

With protective arrays and numerous security guards, and given that Li Fan was unfamiliar with the terrain and didn't recognize either Cihui or Fahui, he had no way to sneak in.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to use Qingyue's identity and take out the Xiao Family's mission items to openly go in and take a look. However, after glancing at the troops gathered by the Xiangdong King's Mansion not far away, she thought it best to avoid getting involved with the Xiao Family's affairs.

So, to avoid being kicked out by security before even entering the parking lot, Li Fan first went to the town to buy a clean set of clothes, tidied himself up a bit, and transformed himself from an old beggar into a presentable old show-off. Then, displaying the aura of Nascent Soul Stage, he directly took Fa Jue's letter of introduction and officially made his debut as a fake identity, having been framed for murder and arson.

"Li Yaoshi, the owner of the Tan Flower Island in the South China Sea, pays his respects to Cihui Iron Apricot Temple Nunnery."

Those who have reached the True Person realm can speak loudly. Li Fan shouted from afar, then stood there leisurely, and sure enough, people rushed up to greet him.

When Nascent Soul Stage cultivator came to visit in person, along with a formal letter of introduction bought with ten taels of gold, the guest master in the outer hall of Iron Apricot Temple was naturally busy bowing, tidying up, serving tea, and handing over the book.

The three Nascent Soul Stage generals who had come at the door stared at Li Fan for a long time before hesitantly approaching to speak, "Your Excellency, could it be the same Li Yaoshi of the Beichen Sword Sect who kidnapped Princess Quan a few days ago, extorted 100,000 gold coins from the Princess Quan of the Beichen Sword Sect Ruler of Xun Country, and is now wanted throughout the country?"

Li Fan turned his head away. "I don't know what you're talking about. Excuse me, you're blocking my sunlight."

The gods looked at each other in bewilderment.

How many Nascent Soul Stage cultivators in the world could be so flamboyant and have such an unusual and strange name Li Yaoshi? Isn't that him? However, considering the rumors that he could easily fight four opponents at once, and could blow up a mountain in a matter of minutes, as well as his extreme ferocity and danger, these Nascent Soul General knew the gap between themselves and the True Cultivator of the Xuanmen. Counting that there were only three of them present, they did not dare to challenge him for the time being.

Seeing that they were backing down, Li Fan raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you going to fight or not? If you're going to fight, then come at me all at once. I'm too lazy to waste time talking nonsense with you guys. If you're not going to fight, then skip this part."

The gods swallowed hard and took two steps back so as not to block the sun from this old man's view...

The atmosphere became awkward, and after a short while, the guest master returned with a reply, "Our temple is currently holding a Dharma assembly, and the front hall is not convenient. Please follow me to the side hall in the back mountain."

Iron Apricot Temple dared not offend either side. The Nascent Soul General only wanted to prevent Li Yaoshi, this dangerous element, from barging in and kidnapping the big boss's family again, so they naturally didn't dare to forcibly stop them.

Li Fan didn't make things difficult for the workers. He nodded and swaggered into the forest with the guide, all the while secretly memorizing the array formation of the ginkgo grove.

You know what, this place is quite mysterious. It was set up using profound Qimen Dunjia techniques, and it was definitely the work of a righteous Xuanmen sect. Although Li Fan could forcibly memorize the way in, the formation and the timing of the formation could change at any time. Without divination, he probably wouldn't be able to deduce the origin of this formation in a short time.

No wonder those powerful noble families gathered for banquets in this forest. If an outsider were to forcibly break in, he would most likely be trapped inside. If the army from the nearby Xiangdong King's Mansion were to arrive, the outcome would certainly be dire.

Cihui, or Fahui, the nun, was already waiting outside a side hall in the apricot grove to greet the master. Li Fan glanced at her and was taken aback.

He had expected to encounter a hermaphrodite or fake eunuch like Dong Bi Bubai, but the person in front of him was clearly a normal female cultivator with her hair still intact. She wore a light purple monk's robe, wrapped her head in white gauze, and had a red mole between her eyebrows. Her appearance was indeed somewhat androgynous, and her frame was slightly large, but it shouldn't be the result of a simple surgical procedure.

Furthermore, this person's cultivation level is only at the Golden Core stage. Judging from his aura, he is a fake Golden Core from the External Alchemy of the Immortal Palace, and his strength is extremely weak.

"Greetings, Master. I am Fahui from back then. My junior brother Fa Jue wrote to say that you wanted to ask about the Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror and Yuntai Peak, is that right?"

It seems she is him. Fahui's voice doesn't sound like a man's at all, but it is quite direct.

"Indeed, I have come here precisely to seek guidance from Master Tai... Fellow Daoist..."

Fahui interrupted him, saying, "I have a letter from my junior brother Fa Jue here. Whatever you wish to ask, Master, this humble monk will answer without reservation. I will not hold back here. I only wish to ask you, Master, if you could first bestow upon me eight thousand strings of cash."

"Eight thousand strings of cash!" Li Fan nearly choked on his own spit. "Do you guys really think I'm your ATM?!"

Fahui sighed, clasped his hands in prayer, and said, "Please forgive me, Master. This humble monk has no other choice. Since you have met Junior Brother Fa Jue, you should know that my fellow disciples have also cultivated to the level of a True Person."

Actually, my original aptitude wasn't bad, but due to the calamity at Yuntai Peak, my yin and yang were reversed, my body was out of balance, and my skills in our sect couldn't improve at all. I was also at risk of going into qi deviation from my original sect. So, I had no choice but to disperse my skills and start over, and instead went to Iron Apricot Temple to practice women's Cultivation Method. But who would have thought that even after reaching the Golden Core realm, my yin and yang were still out of balance, and my true essence was difficult to forge.

This humble monk has wasted many years, ultimately lacking the enlightenment to forge a new path. Left with no other choice, I resorted to using the external elixirs of the Immortal Palace to prolong my life. Five Declines of Heaven and Man are appearing, and I fear my lifespan is nearing its end. But heaven never closes all doors; at this Dharma assembly on the front mountain, an astonishing thirty-six Divine Infant Pill have miraculously appeared!

"With such an opportunity, if I were to exhaust all my wealth, perhaps this humble monk could obtain a life-saving pill! I humbly beg the Immortal to lend me a hand; I can never repay such a life-saving grace!"

Li Fan frowned upon hearing this. Thirty-six Divine Infant Pill? No wonder so many Golden Core cultivators had come. "But a mere eight thousand strings of cash... can buy Divine Infant Pill?"

Fahui shook her head, "Of course that's not enough. The Divine Infant Pill has always been exclusively enjoyed by nobles and high-ranking officials. It is usually bestowed by the Three Palaces. There are very few masters in the Twelve Countries who can refine this pill. There are countless cultivators in the Immortal Palace who seek pills. It is usually not available to the common people."

This was also informed by a good friend of mine. Apparently, twelve pieces have already been auctioned, with an estimated value of around 400,000 strings of cash. This 8,000 strings is just for the entrance fee.

Li Fan's worldview was completely shaken. "Eight thousand strings of cash for tea???"

Fahui sighed, "This Dharma assembly was originally organized by the Xiao Family. They're just using Iron Apricot Temple Nunnery as a venue. The attendees are all powerful and wealthy families from the Jiujiang area. They have to pay 10,000 strings of cash just to enter. I'm just a guest at Iron Apricot Temple, practicing my faith. I only have 2,000 strings of cash on hand..."

However, this humble monk has accumulated quite a bit of material over the years, and also possesses some magical treasures and supernatural abilities. If I can gather enough ten thousand strings of cash to enter the arena, perhaps I can find a family head I know and promise to serve the powerful clan, and maybe I can obtain a Divine Infant Pill to prolong my life."

Li Fan, "..."

Okay, so they charge ten thousand strings of cash for admission. The Xiao Family really knows how to make money... And they can casually throw out thirty or so Nascent Divine Infant Pill for circulation, and they can lure cultivators like Fahui to serve them with a wave of their hand. It's no wonder that the Xiangdong King's Mansion has so many Nascent Soul Stage...

But where did they get so many Divine Infant Pills? Do they have a grandmaster of alchemy? And how many resources would it take to refine so many pills! Isn't Zhen Country's national strength a bit too great?

While spending 8,000 strings of cash just to buy an entry ticket is a bit ridiculous, a cultivator like Fahui, who has cultivated for a long time and achieved the Golden Core stage at least three times, shouldn't be unable to come up with a few thousand strings of cash. He's probably just having a temporary cash flow problem and is afraid of missing the opportunity while trying to raise the money, and having the remaining Divine Infant Pill sold to someone else.

Li Fan thought for a moment. He figured he could help in an emergency, but not in a long-term relationship. Besides, he probably couldn't avoid this kind of plot where payment was required to unfold. At worst, he could just borrow some money from Xiao Feiyang's house after the meeting. So without saying much, he readily took out the basket of gold ingots and handed it to Fahui.

"I never expected you to be so generous, fellow Daoist! I will forever remember this kindness and will surely repay it!"

Fahui had clearly never met someone as magnanimous as Li Fan before, especially since his fellow disciples were all so stingy. He was deeply moved and excitedly said, "Thank you so much for your help, fellow Daoist! Please stay in the temple for a few days. When I return from Yuntai Peak, whether or not I obtain the divine elixir, please tell me everything you have to know!"

"Hmm? How many days? Yuntai Peak? Wait a minute," Li Fan frowned and stopped her. "Wasn't the transaction supposed to be in front of Iron Apricot Temple? What's the meaning of coming back from Yuntai Peak?"

With a relationship worth eight thousand strings of cash, Fahui readily explained, "In the apricot grove ahead, there is the Xiao Family's most precious treasure, the Golden Silver Treasure Tree. This treasure tree is similar to the Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror; it can open a door that leads directly to Yuntai Peak. Cultivators at the Golden Core stage who cannot yet separate their primordial spirit from their bodies can store their physical bodies under the tree roots and, guided by the treasure tree, their primordial spirits can travel to Yuntai Peak to conduct transactions."

The 10,000 strings of cash for tea was the cost of borrowing this precious tree. The ceremony for trading the Divine Infant Pill was actually held on Yuntai Peak."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan was taken aback. Could it be that Yuntai Peak was also connected to the Xiao Family? Could the power of one family span three kingdoms?

"Fellow Daoist, wasn't it because you offended the cultivators of the Yuntai Peak lineage that you were... Is it alright that you can still trade freely?"

Fahui smiled wryly, "Fellow Daoist, are you really a rogue cultivator from the South Sea? You misunderstand. Yuntai Peak is vast and boundless. The place that the golden and silver iron trees lead to is not the same as the Phantom Moon Treasure Mirror. Moreover, Yuntai Peak is not a single sect. If you must say that it is the master of that place, shouldn't we say nine sects? You must know about the Nine Great Xuan Sects, right?"

Li Fan almost jumped up, "Yuntai Peak is Nine Great Xuan Sects!?"

Fahui patiently explained, "This Yuntai Peak Blessed Land is a celestial peak in the Nine Yin Mountain -Heaven of the Central Plains. The Nine Yin Mountain was once the leader of the Xuanmen and the main mountain of the Beichen Sword Sect. Yuntai Peak was also refined into a treasure-hiding celestial mountain by the experts of the Sword Sect, and a restriction was set up, which only allows the primordial spirit to enter and exit."

After the Beichen Sword Sect was wiped out, Nine Yin Mountain was without a master. The Xuanmen sects were already severely weakened, so to avoid internal strife over the struggle for the cave heavens, they agreed to make Nine Yin Mountain the joint headquarters of the Nine Great Xuan Sects. Each sect would have a master stationed there to handle daily communication matters between the sects. Moreover, each sect could hand over any elixirs or magical treasures for trade, or any family heirlooms they were worried about not being able to protect, to be stored on Yuntai Peak for safekeeping by the Xuanmen sects.

When one's primordial spirit goes to Yuntai Peak to trade, one can directly observe the quality of those magical treasures and immortal pills. With a master from the Xuanmen sect overseeing the event, naturally no one would dare to cause trouble or plunder the immortals' treasures; otherwise, they would at least be beaten to a pulp.

However, Nine Yin Mountain is located in the Central Plains, which is too far from the Southern Country. Those who come and go are all Nascent Soul Realm Persons in the Nascent Soul Realm. Therefore, the first-class aristocratic families in the outer vassal states, such as the Xiao Clan of Lanling, will be given 'Mysterious Gate Treasures' by the Mysterious Gate. Through these treasures, the 'Mysterious Gate' can be opened, and the primordial spirits and souls of those who have not yet reached the True Person Realm can be directly drawn to the Yuntai Peak Immortal Mountain.

"If it weren't for the blessings of our ancestral masters, our Iron Buddha Temple lineage would have had no chance at all with these authentic immortals."

Li Fan stood there with his chin agape, speechless for a moment.

Holy crap, so the Xuanmen really is exactly what it sounds like in the literal sense!

Seeing that he hadn't reacted for a while, Fahui, impatient with the transaction of the Divine Infant Pill, couldn't wait any longer and suggested, "Senior Brother said in his letter that you also left something at Yuntai Peak and want to retrieve it? If you have the means, why don't you come with me?"

Since you are at the True Person realm and don't need to purchase the Divine Infant Pill, but only wish to borrow the power of the Golden Silver Treasure Tree for guidance, the cost shouldn't be too high. This humble monk also has some influence in Jiangling and can act as your guarantor."

Li Fan's eyes darted around. Although leaving his Dao Body here was a bit risky, how could he miss the opportunity to go to the Beichen Sword Sect's lair and see for himself? He immediately nodded and said, "Excellent."