"Still no news of the Jade Marrow Mushroom?"
Wei Zhong asked a male cultivator.
The latter shook his head.
"The Jade Marrow Mushroom has to be at least three hundred years old. How could it be so easy to find?"
The cultivator answering him was the one Wei Zhong had found who possessed the other supplementary spiritual herb, the Thousand Knot Flower.
Like Wei Zhong, he was a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator and a rogue cultivator. He called himself Yellow Millet Daoist.
"The Azurewood Sect controls the production of Jade Marrow Mushroom. The amount that leaks outside is pitifully small to begin with. On top of that, Hanzhu City has been far from peaceful lately, and another batch of cultivation resources being transferred here has dwindled away. If we want Jade Marrow Mushroom, I fear that aside from going to Hanzhu City, there will be no other way in the short term."
Wei Zhong shook his head.
"Hanzhu City is no place to visit right now."
In recent years, not only had the turmoil surrounding the inheritance of a Nascent Soul True Lord failed to settle, it had instead shown signs of growing ever more intense.
It had drawn out quite a few ascetic cultivators who had been quietly cultivating, including even Core Formation cultivators.
For the sake of the inheritance's secret treasures, the cultivators fought until life and death hung in the balance.
Even Bitter Bamboo Daoist, the pillar that steadied Hanzhu City, had been wounded by a mysterious cultivator.
For a time, Hanzhu City had become a powder keg.
At a time like this, how could they possibly rush toward it?
"Has Fellow Daoist Huai ever heard of another method for refining Foundation Establishment Pills?"
"Fellow Daoist means the refining method that uses a second-tier demon core as its main ingredient?"
Among second-tier demon beasts, those with exceptional talent would condense a demon core within their bodies. It was the most precious thing upon a demon beast.
"But demon beasts are scarce in our Mangyuan Prefecture. Second-tier demon beasts are even more renowned and easily accounted for. They are either kept in captivity by forces like the Azurewood Sect or taken as spirit pets by veteran Foundation Establishment cultivators. Where could we find a second-tier demon beast?"
"Could it be that Fellow Daoist has forgotten the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range?"
Although demon beasts were scarce in Mangyuan Prefecture, where the Azurewood Sect was located, that was not the case elsewhere. In this cultivation world stood a vast mountain range stretching across several prefectures, filled with demon beasts and resembling a kingdom unto itself—a paradise for demon beasts.
Not only did it contain countless demon beasts, it also held no shortage of spiritual herbs and precious materials.
The cultivators who returned from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range all spoke of its abundant resources.
Yet abundant resources also meant great danger. There were quite a few second-tier and even higher-tier demon beasts within, and legend had it that Great Demons capable of taking human form dwelled there.
"This poor Daoist does not dare go to such a place."
Wei Zhong shook his head.
Yellow Millet Daoist smiled faintly.
"Does Fellow Daoist Huai perhaps have some misunderstanding about the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range? From what I have heard, the Rakshasa Sect of neighboring Nether Luo Prefecture began developing the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range long ago.
"By now, it has reached a certain scale and is much safer, attracting many rogue cultivators to venture inside. As long as we invite several fellow cultivators and go together, not only might we find Jade Marrow Mushroom within, we would also have a strong chance of hunting a second-tier demon beast."
"Such a thing exists?"
Wei Zhong had lived in the Azurewood Sect for a long time, and his information was ultimately somewhat limited.
"I guarantee it. I heard it from one of my elders. He even invited me to develop myself in Nether Luo Prefecture. I had originally intended to consider the matter only after reaching Foundation Establishment, but now I have no choice but to change my plans."
Naturally, Wei Zhong would not take his word for it based on a single speech.
"Give me some more time to consider it, Fellow Daoist."
"Then please give me your answer in one month. If there is still no news of Jade Marrow Mushroom by then, I will leave this place and head for Nether Luo Prefecture."
After the two parted ways, Wei Zhong immediately went about gathering information. Sure enough, he heard such rumors circulating among the common folk.
For the Rakshasa Sect to dare develop the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, they truly had some nerve.
Throughout the ages, it was not as though no sects had attempted such a thing, but none of them had met a good end.
It was one thing for cultivators to occasionally enter the mountains and kill a few worthless demon beasts, but for a sect to treat us like vegetables ripe for harvesting—was that not courting death?
Who knew where the Rakshasa Sect found the audacity?
Wei Zhong shook his head, already rejecting Yellow Millet Daoist's proposal in his heart.
Leaving aside whether they could gain anything in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range, merely traveling to Nether Luo Prefecture was a long journey, and they might encounter robber cultivators along the way. It was simply too dangerous.
Wei Zhong still had time. He only needed to continue waiting in the Azurewood Sect.
One month later, Wei Zhong refused Yellow Millet Daoist and continued cultivating.
One year later, his lifespan was nearly exhausted, while his Qi Refining cultivation had also reached a point where it could advance no further. During this period, Wei Zhong slowed his cultivation of the Azure Wave Art and shifted his focus to the Nourishing Body Art.
Name: Wei Zhong Cultivation: Qi Refining Level Nine (99%) Cultivation Arts: Azure Wave Art · Mastery (13%); Nourishing Body Art · Proficient (36%) Lifespan: 141.9/142
After five years of accumulation, the Nourishing Body Art had increased by less than one-third. As always, it was difficult to cultivate.
But corresponding to that difficulty was its remarkable effect. Wei Zhong felt his vitality growing ever more abundant, not at all like an old man whose lifespan was nearly at an end.
However, he had now reached the limit of his lifespan and needed to level up once more.
"Lower one cultivation level in exchange for ten years of lifespan."
As before, the spiritual power within his body diminished, while his physical body regained vitality and his lifespan increased by another ten years.
With such a method, why would I need to risk my life in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range?
Just as he was marveling at this method of his, a white pigeon appeared outside the courtyard. Wei Zhong removed the golden invitation clutched in its beak.
"Luo Mingyan reached Foundation Establishment and is holding a banquet to invite fellow cultivators?"
Wei Zhong counted on his fingers. It had already been eight years since he came to the Azurewood Sect. Luo Mingyan had been at the ninth level of Qi Refining eight years ago, and had finally reached Foundation Establishment now.
"As expected of a sect disciple. He must have had a channel for obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills."
After composing himself, Wei Zhong planned to attend the banquet. No matter what, he was the "nephew" of Rogue Cultivator Chu He, Luo Mingyan's friend. Now that Luo Mingyan had even sent him an invitation, he had to make the trip.
Wei Zhong took out ten jars of first-tier spirit wine from the cellar, intending to use them as his congratulatory gift.
This spirit wine was called Green Vine Intoxication, and it was his own creation. It used many precious first-tier spirit fruits, with the ingredients alone costing no fewer than two hundred spirit stones. Its flavor was exceptional, making it one of the finest first-tier spirit wines. Moreover, there was a great quantity of it—enough to practically host a small banquet.
Three days later, Wei Zhong invited Steward Ning CanKun to attend the banquet with him.
"Fellow Daoist Chu is already at the sixth level of Qi Refining?"
Seeing the cultivation level Wei Zhong displayed, Ning CanKun's face filled with astonishment.
Wei Zhong had only arrived at the Azurewood Sect eight years ago, yet he had jumped two levels from the fourth level of Qi Refining to the sixth level.
Could this man possess some sort of spiritual body?
There was no lack of cultivators in the cultivation world who possessed special spiritual bodies. Even if their spiritual roots were ordinary, with the aid of such bodies, their cultivation speed could rival that of cultivators with middle-grade or even Superior Spiritual Roots.
Ning CanKun secretly speculated.
"Haha, I do not know either. Perhaps I am simply willing to spend spirit stones. In recent years, I have had my fill of all kinds of spirit pills and spirit wine. My cultivation has continued breaking through under such accumulation."
Wei Zhong scratched his head and laughed.
Wei Zhong had done this deliberately, both to lay the groundwork for his future Foundation Establishment and to accelerate the cultivation he revealed, allowing him to latch onto Luo Mingyan's connection.
Their relationship had merely been forged through mutual benefit and would not last forever. Only when his cultivation kept pace could they truly be fellow cultivators.
While they spoke, the two had already arrived at the site of the banquet.
"Outer Sect Steward Ning CanKun presents: one pair of Dragon Phoenix Treasure Jade."
"Rogue Cultivator Chu Zhong presents: ten jars of first-tier spirit wine, Green Vine Intoxication."
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