Scheming Against a Mortal Foe

Chen Nianzhi smiled faintly at this. The Chen Clan's Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword Divine Ability was renowned throughout Yu Commandery.

Relying solely on this Divine Ability, the Old Clan Leader was no weaker than the vast majority of Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators, much less now that he had obtained the even more powerful Divine-Burning Separation Fire Banner.

The Divine-Burning Separation Fire Banner possessed extraordinary might. Under the control of a Tier 2 High-grade formation master like the Clan Leader, this set of Formation Flags alone was enough to contend against one or two ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators.

"With this set of Formation Flags, even if they have some contingency prepared, it should be enough to handle them."

"Then the question now is how to lure them out."

Chen Nianzhi said, frowning. This was a rather troublesome problem.

"There is no need to make things so complicated." The Old Clan Leader smiled with complete confidence. "As long as we resume the Five Elements Essence trade at Heavenly Ruins Mountain, they will naturally come looking for me."

"Why?" Chen Nianzhi asked.

The Old Clan Leader stroked his beard and smiled. "Because they will be afraid."

Chen Nianzhi could not help but laugh. Only then did he realize that he had still underestimated the deterrence of a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.

As one of Yu Commandery's only three Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators, and a cultivator of Yu Commandery's strongest offensive Divine Ability, the Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword, the Old Clan Leader's strength was far from ordinary. Otherwise, five years ago, he would not have killed one of his attackers in return while under the siege of five Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Having offended such a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator, the few who had participated in that battle were probably still haunted by fear even now.

Although the Old Clan Leader's injuries had recovered, he had sold all his magical artifacts, so it could be said that he was at his weakest.

Once the Old Clan Leader spent the next few years acquiring a set of Tier 2 magical artifacts, even if they were not defeated one by one, they would still have to live every day with their hearts in their throats.

Therefore, as long as the Lineage resumed the Five Elements Essence trade at Heavenly Ruins Mountain, and as long as the Old Clan Leader left the Mountain-Protecting Array of Qingyuan Mountain, which he had operated for hundreds of years, those people would likely be forced to make a move.

"Since they are certain to act, then this will be easy to handle."

"Now that you have emerged from seclusion, we will send someone tomorrow to discuss the matter with the other great Lineages."

"The last time our Chen Clan went to Heavenly Ruins Mountain to trade Five Elements Essence was ten years ago. It is time for it to be our turn again."

Chen Nianzhi said with a smile. The Five Elements Essence business at Heavenly Ruins Mountain was no trifling source of income.

The Old Clan Leader calculated inwardly for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "If we want to conduct the Five Elements Essence business, I am afraid the Lineage does not have enough Spirit Stones."

Together, the more than one hundred cultivation Lineages of all sizes in Yu Commandery and the Rogue Cultivators numbered nearly ten thousand low-level cultivators. Every year, they refined over fifty or sixty thousand strands of Five Elements Essence.

To purchase this batch of Five Elements Essence from the Rogue Cultivators, based on previous years' prices, would require roughly eight thousand Spirit Stones. Selling it at Heavenly Ruins Mountain would bring in about ten thousand Spirit Stones.

A business with a profit of two thousand Spirit Stones was not so easy to undertake. Not only did it require sufficient strength, it also required capital of eight thousand Spirit Stones.

Chen Nianzhi calculated as well before saying, "Over these years, most of the Spirit Stones earned by the Clan Treasury have gone toward repaying internal and external debts. There is not much left."

"However, the Qi-Accumulating Grass ripened not long ago. Once the Qi-Absorbing Pills are sold, we should have around two thousand Spirit Stones."

"After this year's Spirit Peaches ripen, I can provide more than eight hundred Spirit Stones from my side. If this year's stipends are delayed until next year, after we return from Heavenly Ruins Mountain, we can save nearly another thousand Spirit Stones."

"By that calculation, if we borrow another four thousand Spirit Stones from the major Lineages, we can keep this business going."

Chen Changxuan considered it, then nodded. "Borrowing four thousand Spirit Stones in an emergency will require three hundred Spirit Stones in interest for one year. It is a little expensive, but we will still make a profit."

"Then it is settled." Chen Nianzhi nodded. "Tomorrow, I will have the Third Elder handle this matter. Evergreen Pavilion in Yuyang Market can begin purchasing Five Elements Essence."

News that the Chen Clan had borrowed external debts from several major Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans in Yu Commandery and begun purchasing Five Elements Essence swiftly spread throughout all of Yu Commandery.

This sent a signal to the outside world: Chen Changxuan's injuries had healed. Otherwise, the Chen Clan would have had no ability to undertake the Five Elements Essence business.

Half a year later, in neighboring Feng Commandery, tens of thousands of miles from Yu Commandery, three figures gathered together.

If Chen Changxuan had been present, he would likely have recognized the identities of these three at a glance. They were the Chen Clan's irreconcilable enemies.

Standing on the left were Zuo Mingxu and Zuo Zhouqi, the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Zuo Clan, a Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan of Feng Commandery. The man on the right was Lin Taihe, a Rogue Cultivator from Heavenly Ruins Mountain.

At this moment, Zuo Mingxu looked at Lin Taihe and asked with a frown, "Fellow Daoist Lin, what brings you all this way to find us?"

"Clan Head Zuo, there is no need to pretend you do not know." Lin Taihe sneered, his expression cold. "Surely you have heard that Chen Changxuan's injuries have recovered and he has emerged from seclusion."

Zuo Mingxu's expression changed. Gritting his teeth, he said, "What, do you still want to seek revenge against him?"

"Eight years ago, the five of us joined forces. Not only did we fail to stop him from escaping, he even killed one of us in return. Now that his injuries have healed, what can we possibly do to him?"

"That is not the way to put it." Lin Taihe also revealed a trace of helplessness. "He recognized us all back then. If we do not act, sooner or later, he will pick us off one by one."

"We might as well kill him while he has no Tier 2 magical artifacts, has lost his Life-bound Magical Treasure, and is at his weakest."

"Easier said than done." Zuo Mingxu's face was grave, with lingering fear in his voice. "Have you not seen the Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword Divine Ability? How did Liu Yuyang die? And how were all of Zhang Old Devil's Demon Treasures destroyed?"

"With only the three of us, not only might we fail to kill him, we may even have to leave behind one or two lives."

Bzzzz—

As the two spoke, Lin Taihe released his aura. Their expressions froze, and both revealed grave looks.

Seeing their astonishment, Lin Taihe smiled faintly. "Now then, can we contend with him?"

"You broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?" Zuo Zhouqi said enviously.

"After Liu Yuyang fell in that battle years ago, I visited his Cultivation Abode once."

Lin Taihe licked his lips, greed flashing in his eyes. "Fellow Daoist Liu had stored away quite a fortune. It allowed me to purchase a pill from Heavenly Ruins Pavilion and break through the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

"Although you have broken through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, with the strength of the three of us, I am afraid we still cannot keep him there."

This time, Zuo Mingxu carefully considered Lin Taihe's plan, but in the end, he still shook his head in refusal. He was the head of a clan, not a Rogue Cultivator like Lin Taihe, able to do certain things without a care in the world.

Moreover, he knew very well that as long as he remained within the Zuo Clan, protected by the Mountain-Protecting Array the clan had operated for hundreds of years, Chen Changxuan could do nothing to him.