Exchange Meet (Please Follow)

Ba Commandery.

Because of the previous chaos and warfare in the cultivation world, Dao Foundation Aristocratic Clans and Purple Mansion immortal sects had each gone into seclusion, using Qi Ingestion cultivators as chess pieces and turning the entire cultivation world into a foul miasma.

Many markets had simply shut their doors, and trade routes had become clogged.

Only after Li Rulong had stabilized half the realm did the cultivation world begin to settle down. Yet many markets Fang Qing knew well, such as Jade Heaven Market and Floating Boat Market, had fallen into ruin and closed down.

Fang Qing had spent the past few years constantly making inquiries and building his own network... and had thus obtained qualifications to attend several irregularly held Rogue Cultivator exchange meets.

The bright moon hung high overhead. In the wilderness, the atmosphere was cold and desolate.

Beside the road stood a small, half-collapsed temple. The divine statue within had long since become too blurred to identify, leaving only the rough shape of a pottery figurine, with a circle of half-blackened red cloth wrapped around its neck.

"Stove?"

Fang Qing stared at the shattered plaque for a long while before barely making out the character for "stove."

"What temple is this? A Stove God temple?"

He blew out a breath and lit a candle.

"Hehe... not the Stove God, but the Kitchen Lord! The Kitchen Lord Temple!"

A black shadow emerged from behind the statue, speaking in a raspy voice. Its form looked profoundly unnatural.

Only when it drew close did Fang Qing realize it was a fox standing upright like a human, with a skull perched atop its head.

"Kitchen Lord?"

Fang Qing nodded. "It does not seem to be one of the Twelve Year Guardians. What sort of great being is it?"

"Rustic commoners offering disorderly sacrifices, entirely without decorum... Enough. This old man is Dark Candle Adept. Fellow Daoist, are you here for the exchange meet as well?"

The old fox continued speaking.

"Indeed."

Fang Qing, wearing a conical hat that concealed most of his face, nodded.

"Then that is excellent. This old man is attending a human exchange meet for the first time and does not know what requires attention."

The old fox seemed rather humble.

"This..."

Before Fang Qing could speak, another cultivator appeared by the temple entrance. "Hmph! Now that Ba Commandery is in turmoil, every ox demon and snake spirit has crawled out of the woodwork. You monsters actually dare come here? Are you not afraid of being slain by cultivators and purged as demons?"

"Tsk, tsk... This old man observes that Fellow Daoist is steeped in the aura of [Tail Fire]. Could you perhaps be from the Pu Family of Yulin?"

The old fox did not mind in the least. "Purple Mansion Immortal Clans truly are impressive, but this old man has not gone to Yulin Commandery... Over at the Black Blight Sect, they are close friends of us Demon Race. If we pay a little more of a price, we demons may well help the Black Blight Sect strike your Pu Family."

"Bold indeed!"

The Pu Family cultivator sneered. Flames emerged from his nostrils and mouth, as though he would attack the next instant.

"Everyone... give this old Daoist some face."

Just as Fang Qing thought the man and demon were about to fight, a voice abruptly cut in.

Fang Qing looked over and saw the Shabby Daoist, whom he had met once before outside Floating Boat Market, walking in. The man made no effort to conceal himself, and his cultivation had astonishingly reached Qi Ingestion Perfection.

"Hehe... This old Daoist is the organizer of this exchange meet. During the trade, everyone's safety is guaranteed by this old Daoist. If Fellow Daoist insists on making a move, this old Daoist may only be able to suppress you first."

The Shabby Daoist looked at the surnamed Pu cultivator.

Under the Purple Mansion prohibition, Qi Ingestion Perfection was already the pinnacle of Ba Commandery's cultivation world.

"Since that is so, I shall give Fellow Daoist some face."

The surnamed Pu cultivator immediately took the offered step down, and the flames on his face vanished.

Everyone entered the little temple and found places to sit.

Half an hour later, Fang Qing swept his gaze around and found that more than a dozen cultivators had gathered in the temple.

Among them were old farmers holding tobacco pipes, with a grandson and granddaughter beside them, as well as richly dressed noblewomen.

Of course, more cultivators were like Fang Qing, hiding themselves beneath hooded robes.

Although the Shabby Daoist's earlier warning to Li Rulong had made Fang Qing feel that he was fairly upright, one could never be too guarded against others.

As for demons, there seemed to be only the old fox.

"Alright, thank you all for coming to this small gathering... We may first exchange what each of us needs, then converse for a while."

The Shabby Daoist explained the rules. "Let us begin with this Fellow Daoist."

He pointed at the old farmer-like cultivator.

"This old man is surnamed Tian. Fellow Daoists may simply call me Old Tian."

Old Tian revealed a mouthful of mottled yellow-black teeth. "My Household unexpectedly entered the Dao and cultivates [Bond Metal]... But the cultivation method is mediocre and can only reach Late Qi Ingestion. Do any Fellow Daoists have clues to a follow-up cultivation method? It must at least reach Dao Foundation."

Someone snickered upon hearing this. It was the surnamed Pu cultivator.

He sneered. "You rustic stray cultivators want a Dao Foundation cultivation method? Now that the markets of this Land of Ancient Shu have withered away, if you want a Dao Foundation cultivation method, you can only seek one from Dao Foundation Aristocratic Clans. If you want a Purple Mansion cultivation method, you can only seek Purple Mansion forces."

"So that is how it is?"

Old Tian's eyes went vacant as he muttered, "This old man had thought Spirit Grain could be used in exchange..."

Fang Qing found it rather difficult not to laugh.

Then he thought of himself. Although he had always taken care to collect cultivation methods, he truly possessed very few Dao Foundation methods. Furthermore, gathering Qi was troublesome, and he himself was indeed more suited to the path of [Winnowing Basket Water], so he had never begun cultivating a second Ancient Shu cultivation method.

"If it is a [Great Sun Violet Qi] cultivation method, then sacrificing some cultivation time would be worthwhile... As for the rest, I have not encountered anything particularly tempting."

Exchanging for too many cultivation methods did not actually increase one's combat power by much, though it did make one highly adaptable.

At this moment, the old fox, Dark Candle Adept, spoke. "If Fellow Daoist's Household is not set on [Bond Metal], this old man does have a cultivation method. It belongs to the Lunar Tradition, under [Net Moon], and cultivates the Dao Foundation technique [Heaven-Overturning]. At the very least, reaching Dao Foundation should pose no obstacle."

"What?"

Old Tian was overjoyed. "Fellow Daoist... are you willing to exchange a cultivation method for Spirit Grain?"

"Ahem!"

At this moment, the Shabby Daoist spoke. "Dark Candle Adept, since you intend to sell that cultivation method of your [Net Moon] tradition, you must make the hidden danger clear in advance."

"A hidden danger?"

Fang Qing was startled and looked toward Dark Candle Adept.

Yet the old fox remained unmoved. "This old man merely spoke too slowly and had not finished explaining... That cultivation method originates from [Net Moon]. Once cultivated, one will become a Half-Demon and grow close to us demons."

"What? You cannot even remain human? Th-this... Forget it, then."

Old Tian hurriedly shook his head.

"Why does this cultivation method turn one into a demon? Could there be some hidden danger?"

Fang Qing's eyes shifted as he asked.

"Hehe, it is not that the old fox's cultivation method has a problem. Rather, every cultivation method of the [Net Moon] tradition is only suitable for demons... After all, during High Antiquity, the Demon Race Great Sage Bi Yue Crow was born and threw the world into chaos. From then on, [Net Moon] spread only among the Demon Race, and every cultivation method became contaminated..."

The surnamed Pu cultivator had originally been unwilling to reveal such cultivation secrets, but since the Shabby Daoist had already spoken, he opened his mouth as well, intending to disgust the old fox.

"This..."

Fang Qing was speechless. What kind of rotten place was this? There were even cultivation methods that could turn someone into a demon without them realizing it?

"Hehe... That Great Sage Bi Yue Crow was skilled at swallowing metal and devouring fire, truly majestic... But that was more than eight thousand years ago. These past years, it is the Demon Race that has continually colluded with the demonic path and supported the fortune of the Hu people. Otherwise, how could the world be in such chaos?"

The surnamed Pu cultivator pressed his advantage without mercy.

Fang Qing listened, yet a faint understanding arose in his heart. This world divides history into three eras: Primordial Antiquity, High Antiquity, and Near Antiquity... By the Immortal Calendar, this should now be the year 8529 of the Near-Ancient Calendar... The positions of the Twelve [Year Guardians] were established in Primordial Antiquity, but... the Great Sun Tradition and the traditions of metal and fire may have been satisfied, yet what of the other traditions? Could there have been vendettas between them? Bloodshed? Twists and turns? The Demon Race Great Sage Bi Yue Crow swallowed metal and devoured fire—could that have represented the Lunar Tradition's counterattack? Even beings as powerful as the [Year Guardians]... could still fall?

The old fox spoke no more, and Old Tian withdrew awkwardly.

Next, the noblewoman-like woman stepped forward. "This concubine possesses a piece of Innate Geng Metal, an excellent material for forging a flying sword... I seek information regarding a flying sword."

"Which flying sword?"

A cultivator asked.

"Must Enjoy to the Full!" the noblewoman answered.

"Heh... Although this sword is not among the ten most famous flying swords in the world, it is still exceedingly renowned in the Land of Ancient Shu, enough to rank among the Forty-Nine Famous Swords of Ancient Shu... A mere piece of Innate Geng Metal, and not even a proper flying sword, is not enough! Not enough!!" The cultivator shook his head.

"Oh? Then what if this concubine offers a flying sword?" The noblewoman's eyes rippled as she quietly asked.

"This... I do not know where that Must Enjoy to the Full sword is either. This sword is famed far and wide. It was the personal sword of the Purple Mansion sword cultivator Misty-Wave Adept. It is said that its sword light was brilliant as brocade clouds and proud as a roaming dragon..."

Longing filled the cultivator's voice.

"Are you making sport of this concubine?" The noblewoman's tone immediately became extremely dangerous.

"Alright, Lady Qi, wait..." The Shabby Daoist helplessly stepped forward again. "This Fellow Daoist merely speaks too bluntly... Please spare him."

"Hmph!"

Lady Qi gave a cold snort and quietly returned to the group.

After her, it was Fang Qing's turn.

Fang Qing touched his conical hat. His voice was clear and bright. "I... seek a cultivation method of the Great Sun Tradition. The payment can be offset with pills that enhance cultivation power."

"A Great Sun Tradition cultivation method? Since Great Sun Violet Qi was cut off, what use does such a cultivation method still have?"

The surnamed Pu cultivator sneered, his tone full of disdain.

"Hehe... Although Great Sun Violet Qi has been severed for several thousand years, ancient ruins and secret realms may not necessarily lack remnants of it..."

Dark Candle Adept had clearly locked horns with the surnamed Pu cultivator. "Your knowledge is shallow, so do not speak recklessly and make yourself seem cheap... Oh, right. Was your Pu Family ancestor, Lord Pu, not someone who chanced upon a cave abode left behind by a predecessor and soared into the heavens through the cultivation method and True Qi acquired there? Your ancestor could do it, yet others are forbidden from finding such a thing?"

"You?!"

Firelight burst from the surnamed Pu cultivator's nostrils again.

The cultivators present, meanwhile, fell silent as cicadas in winter.

That was the Pu Family ancestor! A Purple Mansion cultivator! A wielder of Divine Ability!

It was said that he had fallen into an ancient cultivator's cave abode as a child, cultivating bitterly until he reached the Dao Foundation Stage before emerging from seclusion. He then made a fearsome name for himself in Yulin Commandery.

Furthermore, during Late Dao Foundation, he had found a Heavenly Earth Spirit Fire—Ember Tribulation Flame! Risking his life, he forcibly contained and devoured it, mastering this spirit fire.

This Ember Tribulation Flame ranked ninety-eighth on the Heavenly Earth Spirit Fire list. It was a rare treasure coveted even by Purple Mansion cultivators. Once refined, its power was boundless, and it was invincible in battle.

He later broke through to Purple Mansion and established the Pu Family, which had now existed for more than two hundred years.