Exchange Meet (Please Keep Reading)

Ba Commandery.

Because of the previous chaos and warfare in the cultivation world, the Dao Foundation families and Purple Mansion immortal sects had each gone into seclusion, using Qi Ingestion cultivators as chess pieces and leaving the entire cultivation world choked with foul air and murk.

Quite a few markets had simply shut their doors, and the flow of goods had become obstructed.

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

Fang Qing had spent the past few years constantly gathering information and building his own network... and had only managed to obtain entry to several irregularly held rogue cultivator exchange meets.

A bright moon hung high above. Out in the desolate wilderness, the atmosphere was cold and clear.

Beside the road stood a small, half-collapsed temple. The statue within had long since been worn too blurred to identify; it barely retained the shape of a clay human figure, with a circle of half-blackened red cloth wrapped around its neck.

"Kitchen?"

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

"What sort of temple is this? A Kitchen God temple?"

He blew a breath and lit a candle.

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

A black shadow emerged from behind the statue, speaking in a hoarse voice. Its body looked extremely ill-proportioned.

Only when it came closer did Fang Qing realize it was a fox standing upright on two legs, with a skull perched atop its head.

"Kitchen Lord?"

Fang Qing nodded. "It does not seem to belong to the Twelve Year Guardians. What manner of mighty being is it?"

"Rustic commoners worshipping at random, without the slightest propriety... Enough of that. This old man is Dark Candle Adept. Fellow Daoist, are you here for the exchange meet as well?"

The old fox continued.

"Indeed."

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

"That is excellent. This old man is attending a human exchange meet for the first time. Is there anything I should take note of?"

The old fox seemed rather humble.

"Well..."

Before Fang Qing could speak, another cultivator appeared at the temple entrance. "Hmph! Now that Ba Commandery is in chaos, all manner of demons and monsters have crawled out of the woodwork. You monsters actually dare come here? Aren't you afraid cultivators will slay demons and eliminate devils?"

"Tsk, tsk... This old man sees an aura of Tail Fire all over you, Fellow Daoist. Could you be from the Pu Family of Yulin?"

The old fox did not take offense. "Purple Mansion Immortal Clan, how very impressive. But this old man has not gone to Yulin Commandery... The Black Blight Sect are close friends of us demons. Perhaps if we pay a bit more, we demons will help the Black Blight Sect attack your Pu Family."

"Bold indeed!"

The Pu Family cultivator sneered, flames spilling from his mouth and nose as though he would strike 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 attempt to conceal himself; his cultivation had clearly reached Qi Ingestion Perfection.

"Hehe... This old Daoist is the organizer of this exchange meet. During the trade, everyone's safety will be guaranteed by this old Daoist. If Fellow Daoist insists on taking action, I fear this old Daoist can only suppress you first."

The Shabby Daoist looked at the cultivator surnamed Pu.

Under the Purple Mansion ban, Qi Ingestion Perfection cultivators stood at the very pinnacle of Ba Commandery's cultivation world.

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

The cultivator surnamed Pu immediately took the offered way out, and the flames vanished from his face.

Everyone entered the small 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 inside the temple.

Among them were an old farmer with a smoking pipe, accompanied by a grandson and granddaughter, as well as a richly dressed noblewoman.

Of course, even 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.

"Very well. Thank you all for attending this little meet... We may first exchange what each of us needs, then have some discussion."

The Shabby Daoist explained the rules. "We shall begin with this Fellow Daoist."

He pointed at the cultivator dressed like an old farmer.

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

Old Tian revealed a mouthful of yellow-and-black teeth. "My family unexpectedly entered the Dao, and I cultivate Bond Metal... Unfortunately, my cultivation method is ordinary and can only reach Late Qi Ingestion. Do any Fellow Daoists have clues regarding a follow-up cultivation method? It must at least be capable of reaching Dao Foundation."

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

He sneered. "You rustic miscellaneous cultivators want a Dao Foundation cultivation method? Now that the markets of Ancient Shu have withered away, if you want a Dao Foundation cultivation method, you can only seek one from a Dao Foundation family. If you want a Purple Mansion cultivation method, you can only seek a Purple Mansion force."

"So that is how it is?"

Old Tian's eyes lost focus as he muttered, "This old man had thought I could trade Spirit Grain for one..."

Fang Qing could not help finding it rather amusing.

Then he thought of himself. Although he had always taken care to collect cultivation methods, he truly did not have many Dao Foundation methods. Moreover, gathering qi was troublesome, and he himself was indeed better suited to the path of Ji Water, so he had never begun cultivating a second Ancient Shu cultivation method.

"If it were a Great Sun Violet Qi cultivation method, I could sacrifice some cultivation time for it... As for the rest, I have yet to encounter anything that truly moves me."

Exchanging for too many cultivation methods did not actually increase one's combat power by much, though it did offer excellent adaptability.

At that moment, the old fox, Dark Candle Adept, spoke. "If Fellow Daoist's family is not set on Bond Metal, this old man does possess a cultivation method. It belongs to the Lunar Tradition, under Biyue. Its Dao Foundation path is Heaven-Overturning... At the very least, cultivating to Dao Foundation should pose no problem."

"What?"

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

"Ahem!"

At that moment, the Shabby Daoist spoke. "Dark Candle Adept, since you wish to sell that cultivation method of yours from the Biyue tradition, you should state the hidden danger clearly in advance."

"A hidden danger?"

Fang Qing was startled and looked toward Dark Candle Adept.

The old fox remained unmoved. "This old man spoke too slowly and had not finished explaining... This cultivation method originates from Biyue. After cultivating it, one will become a Half-Demon and grow close to us demons."

"What? I cannot even remain human? Th-this... forget it."

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 turned as he asked.

"Hehe, it is not that the old fox's cultivation method has a problem. Rather, every cultivation method of the Biyue tradition is suitable only for demons... After all, during High Antiquity, the great demon sage Bi Yue Crow emerged and threw the world into turmoil. From then on, Biyue was passed down only among the Demon Race, and every cultivation method was tainted..."

The cultivator surnamed Pu had not wished to reveal such cultivation secrets, but since the Shabby Daoist had already spoken, he too opened his mouth, intending to disgust the old fox.

"This..."

Fang Qing was speechless. What sort of rotten place was this? There were even cultivation methods that could turn someone into a demon without their 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 years, it is the Demon Race that has continually colluded with the demonic path and supported the fortunes of the Hu people. Otherwise, how could the world have descended into such chaos?"

The cultivator surnamed Pu pressed his advantage without mercy.

As Fang Qing listened, a faint realization 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 8,529 of the Near-Ancient Calendar... The positions of the Twelve Year Guardians were established in Primordial Antiquity, but... the Great Sun Tradition and the metal and fire traditions might be satisfied, yet what about the other traditions? Could there have been feuds? Twists and turns? The great demon sage Bi Yue Crow swallowed metal and devoured fire—did that represent the Lunar Tradition's counterattack? Even beings as powerful as the Year Guardians... could still fall?

The old fox said nothing more, and Old Tian withdrew awkwardly.

Next, the woman who looked like a noblewoman stepped forward. "I possess a piece of Innate Geng Metal, an excellent material for forging a flying sword... I seek information on a flying sword."

"Which flying sword?"

A cultivator asked.

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

"Heh... Though this sword is not among the ten most famous flying swords in the world, it is still exceedingly renowned in Ancient Shu and can 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? What if I offer a flying sword?" The noblewoman's eyes rippled as she asked softly.

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

Longing filled the cultivator's voice.

"Then are you making sport of me?" The noblewoman's tone instantly became extremely dangerous.

"Enough, Lady Qi, please wait..." The Shabby Daoist helplessly stepped forward again. "This Fellow Daoist merely speaks his mind too plainly... Please spare him."

"Hmph!"

Lady Qi snorted coldly and quietly returned to the group.

After her, it was Fang Qing's turn.

Fang Qing touched his bamboo hat, his voice clear. "I... seek a cultivation method of the Great Sun Tradition. The reward may be paid with pills that increase one's cultivation."

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

The cultivator surnamed Pu 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 was clearly butting heads with the cultivator surnamed Pu. "If your knowledge is shallow, do not speak carelessly and make a fool of yourself... Oh, right. Wasn't your Pu Family ancestor, Lord Pu, the one who stumbled upon a cave dwelling left behind by a predecessor and soared to the heavens through the cultivation method and True Qi he obtained there? Your ancestor could do so, but others are not allowed to pick up such an opportunity?"

"You?!"

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

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

That was the Pu Family ancestor! A Purple Mansion cultivator! A great master of divine abilities!

It was said that he had fallen into an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling as a child, then cultivated bitterly until reaching Dao Foundation before leaving seclusion and making a mighty name for himself in Yulin Commandery.

Furthermore, while at Late Dao Foundation, he had found a heaven-and-earth spiritual flame—Ember Tribulation Flame! Risking the greatest danger of life and death, he had forcibly absorbed and devoured it, gaining mastery over that spiritual flame.

This Ember Tribulation Flame ranked ninety-eighth on the list of heaven-and-earth spiritual flames. It was a peerless treasure that even Purple Mansion cultivators coveted; after refining it, its power was limitless, and it was unstoppable in battle.

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