Blessings of Two Beauties

"Xu Yan, greetings, fellow Daoist."

Xu Yan put away the Wenjin Shuttle and cupped his hands without betraying a hint of emotion. "What you said is correct, fellow Daoist. Back at Dragon Whisker Ravine, I indeed received some guidance from a senior of the Divine Sect."

"Sword cultivator Jiang Qingcheng."

Jiang Qingcheng casually returned the gesture, then sized Xu Yan up again. His eyes widened in surprise. "Pulse Opening Level Four? How did you make it to the latter half of the Immortal Treasury, fellow Daoist?"

He was clearly astonished that a Daoist with Xu Yan's cultivation could have appeared in the latter half.

"By chance, I obtained a Great Teleportation Token. Only with its aid did I reach this place." Xu Yan's gaze darkened slightly. After a pause, he glanced at the mountain of corpses and sea of blood behind him. "Fellow Daoist Jiang, do you know what this place is?"

"A mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. This is the Patriarch's method, meant to temper the disciples' Dao hearts. For Fellow Daoist Xu to have emerged from it proves that your heart in seeking the Dao is resolute." Jiang Qingcheng narrowed his eyes, then continued, "Enough of that. Come with me, fellow Daoist. Let us first head into Spirit-Sealing City."

Xu Yan seemed thoughtful and cupped his hands. "Then I shall trouble Fellow Daoist Jiang."

He found it somewhat strange. Why was this man so kind as to remain here specifically to receive those who came out?

In his estimation, the struggle for supremacy in the latter half of the Immortal Treasury should have been even fiercer!

After all, the vast majority of those who had reached this point at such a stage were exceptionally gifted prodigies.

The two rode Mystic Qi beneath their feet and flew toward Spirit-Sealing City in the distance.

Along the way, Xu Yan asked about several matters, and this Jiang Clan disciple answered everything he knew.

By now, nearly forty days had passed since the Dragon Ridge Immortal Treasury opened. Within Spirit-Sealing City in the latter half of the Immortal Treasury, only thirty-six Daoists had gathered.

The so-called "top prize of the Immortal Treasury" meant that the first hundred disciples to break out of the Immortal Treasury would receive spiritual treasures from the Dragon Ridge Hundred Academies and gain the chance to cultivate in the Upper Three Academies.

Jiang Qingcheng had arrived here twenty days ago.

Over these past days, they had already roughly explored every part of the latter half of Spirit-Sealing City. They had also found quite a few terrain formations that could shift them through mountains and rivers; if they wished to leave, they could do so at any time.

The reason they had remained here was naturally because of a certain land of opportunity.

As they spoke, the two arrived at Spirit-Sealing City's gate.

The Spirit-Sealing City here remained towering and majestic, though it was clearly somewhat smaller than the previous two. Its walls were only a hundred zhang high, and the air within was steeped in ancient simplicity.

Within the largest palace pavilion in the city.

Including Jiang Qingcheng, all thirty-six prodigies who had reached this place were gathered within that palace pavilion.

There were neither too many nor too few—just over a hundred cave residences inside. This place had also been artificially renovated; a great formation covered every cave residence. Forget fighting between disciples—even divine sense could not penetrate them.

"Nine hundred li west of the city, there is a Heaven and Earth Furnace."

As Jiang Qingcheng led Xu Yan inside, he spoke with a slight frown.

Heaven and Earth Furnace.

Hearing this, Xu Yan grew thoughtful. Using heaven and earth as a furnace, whether it refined Dharma artifacts or pills, the results would naturally be no ordinary things.

"We have already investigated it. At least fifty people are needed to break the ancient formation there." Jiang Qingcheng narrowed his eyes, glanced at Xu Yan from the corner of his eye, and raised a brow. "That place is the greatest land of opportunity in the latter half of the Immortal Treasury. In past years, disciples have taken Heaven Mending Pills from within the Heaven and Earth Furnace!"

"Heaven Mending Pills?"

Xu Yan's expression froze.

Naturally, Xu Yan had heard of the great renown of such pills.

Heaven Mending Pills were the most famous and rarest pills of the Foundation Establishment Path, coveted in the dreams of countless disciples. Once consumed and refined, they could elevate a cultivator's spiritual vein grade, laying a solid foundation for condensing a Dao Embryo in the future.

This pill had been passed down since antiquity, but its method of refinement had long since been lost. Only certain ancient ruins and Longevity Orthodoxies possessed them, and the Longevity Orthodoxies would grant them only to their most astonishingly talented disciples.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, do not leave just yet. Once a few more people arrive, we can venture into the Heaven and Earth Furnace together and contend for the opportunity within."

Jiang Qingcheng stopped, staring straight at Xu Yan with a smile on his lips.

Xu Yan appeared thoughtful, his mind stirring slightly.

So that was why. No wonder these prodigies neither fought one another nor used the Ancient Teleportation Array to clear the Immortal Treasury. They all had their eyes on the precious pills within that land of opportunity.

"Does Fellow Daoist Jiang know how many Heaven Mending Pills may emerge from the Heaven and Earth Furnace?" Xu Yan asked.

"Opportunities are decreed by heaven. How would I know?" Jiang Qingcheng waved a hand and immediately said, "When everyone is gathered and we break the formation, will we not find out? Even if there are no Heaven Mending Pills, there will still be plenty of ancient pills rarely seen outside!"

"If I did not go to such a wondrous land of opportunity, it would be far too regrettable." Xu Yan smiled calmly.

"Excellent." Jiang Qingcheng patted Xu Yan's shoulder and lowered his voice. "When the time comes, you and I can join hands. Together, we shall contend for the opportunity. Would that not be splendid?"

Jiang Qingcheng did not look down on Xu Yan because he was only at Pulse Opening Level Four. Having received the Dharma King's guidance and reached this place, how could Xu Yan be an ordinary independent cultivator? He surely possessed something extraordinary.

"Of course, of course!"

Xu Yan nodded and continued walking, finding an empty cave residence here.

Just as he arrived at the entrance of the vacant cave residence, the door of the neighboring residence suddenly opened. A stunning woman in purple robes walked out expressionlessly.

The woman in purple glanced at Xu Yan and Jiang Qingcheng.

Jiang Qingcheng raised a brow and looked at the woman in purple with a beaming smile. She ignored them both, treating Xu Yan and Jiang Qingcheng as air as she walked out of the cave residences on her own.

Only after she left did Jiang Qingcheng turn back and say, "Fellow Daoist Xu, in Spirit-Sealing City, you may offend anyone you please, but never offend that woman."

"Who is she?" Xu Yan asked.

"Murong Ziyao." Jiang Qingcheng stroked his chin and said gravely, "That woman has a strange temperament and is utterly devoid of human warmth. If not for the matter of the Heaven and Earth Furnace, she would never keep company with the rest of us."

As he spoke, the door directly opposite Xu Yan's cave residence opened as well.

A woman far more familiar to Xu Yan emerged—it was Tushan Jiuyuan!

When the Immortal Treasury had first opened, the two had briefly crossed paths over the Earth Spirit Spring water. Her cultivation was deeper than it had been then; she had already reached Pulse Opening Level Eight.

She wore a scarlet fur robe, with a white fox's head and a human body. Most of the Demon Race could only fully assume human form after condensing a Dao Embryo.

"Jiang Qingcheng greets Fairy Tushan. One day apart has left me with my heart and guts tangled in longing. I have missed you terribly." Jiang Qingcheng's eyes curved into crescents as he cupped his hands with a slick, glib smile.

"Get lost!"

Tushan Jiuyuan showed no mercy. With a fierce sweep of her sleeve, she glared at him with disgust brimming in her vertical-pupiled demonic eyes and barked her rebuke.

Suddenly, she noticed Xu Yan as well. Her figure stiffened, and her eyes trembled slightly.

She was clearly surprised that Xu Yan had appeared here.

Xu Yan cupped his hands and bowed to her.

However, she did not speak with Xu Yan. Her surprise lasted only an instant before she returned to normal and walked toward the door on her own.

"Brother Xu certainly knows how to pick a cave residence. Between these two women, you will enjoy the blessings of two beauties."

Jiang Qingcheng watched Tushan Jiuyuan's graceful retreating figure and the fluffy white fox tail exposed behind her, stroking his chin as he spoke.

"Mm... I think I should change to another place."

Xu Yan said it casually.