Jiang Lu climbed the bluestone mountain path at an unhurried pace. Beyond layers of cloud and mist, magnificent towers and pavilions emerged and vanished from view. Their carved beams and painted rafters formed an immortal marketplace of grand proportions, more splendid and imposing than the markets of ordinary domains, its air alive with immortal energy.
Jiang Lu had learned all she needed to know. She stopped following the crowd and turned away alone.
The Azure Tide Domain was a realm of islands and sea. Its immortal mountains and islands varied enormously in size: the smallest spanned only a few dozen miles, while the largest stretched over a million, with deep spirit veins and unfathomable reserves.
Cultivators came from every direction. Spirit Boats and ocean-going treasure ships passed without end, making for a scene of dazzling prosperity.
The Soaring Clouds Sacred Land, which was hosting this Treasure Appraisal Gathering, was one of the foremost sects in the Azure Tide seas.
The immortal mountain before her, wreathed in immortal energy, was merely one of its outlying bases.
Jiang Lu let out a soft breath and began calculating.
Few of the heavenly treasures in her storage space remained.
The Spirit Beasts at her side were all bottomless pits when it came to resources. If the four auspicious beasts were to shed their mortal forms and advance into Divine Beasts, diligent cultivation alone would not suffice. They would need vast quantities of rare heavenly treasures to nourish and temper them.
The resources her master had once given her had dwindled to almost nothing after several expeditions and the Spirit Beasts' consumption.
Forget feeding them—she barely had enough for her own cultivation.
On this trip to the Azure Tide Domain, settling Senior Xuan somewhere along the way was only a secondary matter. Her true purpose