Karmic Ties of the Past

Lin Qianshu's expression stirred slightly at his words, then quickly returned to normal.

"A few years ago, Master did refine a batch of Meridian-Nourishing Pills to treat Seventh Junior Sister's injuries. Only two remain now."

"However, I can make the decision to sell you one for fifteen hundred Spirit Stones."

Chen Nianzhi's face lit up with delight. The price was five hundred Spirit Stones lower than he had budgeted for. "Then this junior thanks you, Senior."

"It is merely business." Lin Qianshu shook her head. "There is no need to thank me."

"Wait here a moment. I will fetch the pill."

Only a short while later, Lin Qianshu returned with the Meridian-Nourishing Pill.

The transaction was completed smoothly. After Chen Nianzhi inspected the Meridian-Nourishing Pill and confirmed it was genuine, he could not help but smile.

"No matter what, this junior must thank you for this transaction, Senior."

Lin Qianshu said nothing further, merely smiling faintly. "Go on."

After Chen Nianzhi left Heavenly Ruins Pavilion, Lin Qianshu watched his departing figure for a moment before turning and flying her sword toward the summit of Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

After reaching the mountaintop, she landed outside a Cultivation Abode and respectfully bowed.

"Greetings, Master!"

"Come in."

A voice came from within the Cultivation Abode, and then the restrictions were opened.

Lin Qianshu stepped inside and saw an incomparably beautiful woman seated ahead, one who appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen.

Though the woman before her looked young, she was the foremost Purple Mansion realm cultivator in Chu Kingdom—the Jiang Daoist whose name shook the entire kingdom.

Jiang Daoist's true name was Jiang Linglong, and her origins were rather mysterious. Legend had it that she had come from the East Sea Shore.

She possessed peerless talent. In alchemy, formations, artifact refinement, talismans, and the other Cultivation's Hundred Arts, ordinary cultivators would have to exhaust their entire lives specializing in just one field, yet she had achieved great attainments in every one of them. Within Chu Kingdom, she could be called second to none.

The reason she appeared so young was because she had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment at a very early age. From then on, her appearance never changed, and her youth endured.

Jiang Linglong glanced at Lin Qianshu, a trace of puzzlement appearing in her eyes.

"What did you come to see me about?"

Lin Qianshu said, "This disciple acted on her own initiative and sold a Meridian-Nourishing Pill without obtaining your permission."

"This is no great matter." Jiang Linglong smiled and shook her head, then asked, "Who bought it?"

"Although this disciple did not ask, I can make a guess. At present, the only one in Yu Commandery who urgently needs such a thing is likely that person from the Chen Clan."

"The Chen Clan... I remember they bought a Foundation Establishment Pill from me more than three years ago. I wonder whether their Foundation Establishment succeeded."

Lin Qianshu shook her head and sighed. "It likely failed. Otherwise, the one who came to buy pills this time should not have been a Qi Refining realm cultivator."

"It seems the Chen Clan has endured many hardships as well." Jiang Linglong sighed as she spoke. "Sixty years ago, during the Beast Turmoil, Purple Mansion realm cultivator Wei Chongyang of the Azure Sun Sect stood by and watched them die over a piece of Violet Sun Jade. As a result, more than a hundred Chen Clan cultivators were swallowed by demon beasts in a single night."

"Later, that Violet Sun Jade passed through many hands before ending up with me. By that reckoning, your breakthrough into the Purple Mansion realm also bears the Chen Clan's karmic ties."

Their conversation revealed a heaven-shaking secret.

If Chen Nianzhi had been present, his scalp would likely have gone numb. Although he had long suspected that the Chen Clan had been plotted against during the Beast Turmoil, he had never dared imagine that the matter was connected to the Azure Sun Sect.

The Azure Sun Sect was one of Chu Kingdom's three great sects, with a Golden Core True Person seated within. Compared to it, the Chen Immortal Clan was merely a somewhat larger ant.

"Although the deaths of the Chen Clan cultivators had nothing to do with you, that piece of Violet Sun Jade was obtained by your master after slaying that Purple Mansion realm demon ape."

"Still, selling him a Meridian-Nourishing Pill at cost this time can be considered repaying that karmic tie."

As Jiang Linglong finished speaking, a pleased smile appeared on her face. "You did very well."

After obtaining the Meridian-Nourishing Pill, Chen Nianzhi did not dare linger on Heavenly Ruins Mountain. That very day, he set out for Yu Commandery.

Between Heavenly Ruins Mountain and Yu Commandery lay the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wilderness. Though there were no Purple Mansion realm demon beasts within those hundred thousand li, low-level demon beasts were nearly countless.

Although Chu Kingdom's major powers had continuously cleared the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wilderness over the past two centuries, many demon beasts still bred and thrived within it. In some places, there were even a small number of hidden Foundation Establishment demon beasts.

Chen Nianzhi returned by the same route, avoiding territories where Tier 2 demon beasts might be found. After several months of travel and covering seventy or eighty thousand li, he arrived before a lofty mountain one day.

"This is the place."

Looking at the mountain range before him, Chen Nianzhi compared it with the map in his hand and nodded slightly.

On this return journey from Heavenly Ruins Mountain, he had deliberately taken a detour in order to seek out the senior cultivator's Cultivation Abode marked on the map.

"There is a Spirit Vein on this mountain."

"The senior cultivator's Cultivation Abode marked on the map should be here, right?"

Thinking this, Chen Nianzhi put away the map and headed up the mountain.

When he reached the mountainside, he found that the spiritual energy had grown increasingly dense. He followed the direction from which it flowed and, not long afterward, stopped before a Cultivation Abode.

It was an ancient, weathered Cultivation Abode. Perhaps because no one had lived there for too long, the entrance had fallen into ruin, choked with wild grass.

"There is actually still a formation operating within this Cultivation Abode."

Chen Nianzhi frowned slightly as he looked at it.

If this was a formation left behind by a senior cultivator, no one could know its depths. If he rashly entered with his current cultivation, danger would likely await him.

At that thought, he hesitated, and the urge to retreat arose in his heart.

"I am carrying the Meridian-Nourishing Pill. It concerns the Clan Leader's injuries, so I cannot lightly take risks."

"The depths of this formation are unknown. I should return to Qingyuan Mountain first, then come back after I achieve Foundation Establishment."

With that in mind, he turned and walked down the mountain.

Little did he know that this single cautious thought allowed him to avoid a great calamity.

At that moment, inside the Cultivation Abode, three figures stared fixedly at Chen Nianzhi, killing intent gleaming in their eyes.

Among the three was the tall, thin cultivator who had sold Chen Nianzhi half a map back then.

Seeing that Chen Nianzhi was about to leave, the man finally could not sit still. He hurriedly said to the man at the lead.

"Big Brother, are we really going to let this fat piece of meat that is already at our mouths run away?"

"Damn it, this brat is too cautious." The leading man cursed. "Fuck it."

As soon as he spoke, he stepped out of the Cultivation Abode and unleashed a dharma sword toward Chen Nianzhi.

At the same moment, Chen Nianzhi heard the sound of wind cutting through the air and reflexively activated his small azure shield.

Then, with a crisp clang, the azure shield-light expanded and blocked the dharma sword. Turning his head, he saw the three men charging toward him.

His gaze hardened. When he saw the tall, thin man who had sold him the map, a chill ran through his heart.

"Baiting, ambushing, killing for treasure."

In but an instant, Chen Nianzhi pieced together the entire chain of events, and a lingering fear rose within him.