Firecloud Valley

Finding a place to live went smoothly.

With Steward Li Yunshan's recommendation, Lin Chen took a liking to a courtyard near the Four Seas Merchant Guild branch.

The courtyard was spacious, quiet, and elegant, with two sections, front and back. A small Bamboo Grove stood in the rear courtyard, just to Lin Chen's liking.

He paid a hefty sum for it, tidied it up, and settled in.

Liu Yun took care of the household affairs while Lin Chen continued his daily cultivation and kept abreast of events outside. Life was peaceful.

Seven or eight days passed like this.

Early one morning, Lin Chen was practicing Thundercloud Sword Art before the Bamboo Grove when he sensed visitors outside the gate.

A sweep of his spiritual sense revealed Li Yunshan, accompanied by a middle-aged man.

"Liu Yun, open the gate and welcome our guests."

"Yes."

Liu Yun went to open the gate and led the two men into the main hall.

Lin Chen sheathed his sword and entered the hall. Li Yunshan rose with a smile. "Sorry to disturb you, Fellow Daoist Lin."

"Not at all, Steward Li. Please, sit."

Lin Chen's gaze fell on the unfamiliar man.

He looked to be in his fifties, with a resolute face and a dark red robe. His cultivation was around the first level of the Profound Martial Realm.

Li Yunshan introduced him. "Fellow Daoist Lin, this is Liu Tong, formerly an elder of Firecloud Valley's Branch Line. He later joined our Four Seas Merchant Guild as a guest elder."

"After seeing the bounty you posted, Fellow Daoist Liu said he had a solution, so he came to visit."

Liu Tong cupped his hands in greeting, his voice steady.

"Liu Tong greets you, Fellow Daoist Lin."

Lin Chen returned the greeting. "Please, sit."

The three took their seats. Once spirit tea had been served, Lin Chen came straight to the point.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, you said you could remove the violent Demonic Qi from the Wind-Eroded Crystal Core?"

"That's right."

Liu Tong nodded.

"To be frank, Fellow Daoist Lin, an underground Fire Vein runs beneath Firecloud Valley. The Earthflame it produces is supremely yang and pure, ideal for refining impurities and purging evil influences. The violent Demonic Qi inside the core is troublesome, but a month of refinement with Earthflame will remove it completely without harming the core's essence."

Lin Chen's interest stirred.

He had heard of Fire Veins. They could not only support cultivation of fire-based arts but also be used to refine pills and forge artifacts, making them immensely valuable. If Liu Tong spoke the truth, there was hope of purifying the Wind-Eroded Crystal Core.

Lin Chen smiled.

"Excellent. What compensation would you require, Fellow Daoist Liu? Spirit Stones, pills, or something else?"

Liu Tong shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, you are a first-class promising martial artist of our guild, with high standing and considerable strength. How could I presume to ask for payment? It's just... I do have a favor to ask. I hope you'll agree to help me accomplish something."

The free offer really was the most expensive.

Lin Chen lifted his teacup calmly, took a small sip, and said, "I'm listening."

Liu Tong drew a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Firecloud Valley has existed for hundreds of years. Our family is divided into the Main Line and the Branch Line. The Main Line holds the central region and enjoys seventy percent of the Fire Vein's power, while the Branch Line occupies a corner and receives only thirty percent."

"Under our ancestral rules, the two lines hold a Fire Vein Contest every ten years. The winner becomes the Main Line for the next decade and enjoys seventy percent of the Fire Vein's power; the loser becomes the Branch Line. In all these years, our Branch Line has never won."

"You want me, an outsider, to get involved in Firecloud Valley's affairs and help you win the contest for the Main Line's position?"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Liu Tong nodded, then shook his head. Li Yunshan spoke up at just the right moment.

"Fellow Daoist Liu joined our Four Seas Merchant Guild because he couldn't stand Firecloud Valley's habit of shutting itself away and refusing to make progress. He believes the Branch Line and Main Line are one family, yet they fight each other over a single Fire Vein. There's no future in that."

Liu Tong nodded, a sharp glint crossing his eyes.

"Exactly! If put to good use, that underground Fire Vein could turn the valley into a treasure ground for refining pills and forging artifacts!"

"But those stubborn old men of the Main Line only use the Fire Vein for their own cultivation. They're terrified outsiders might get a share. As a result, after three hundred years, Firecloud Valley remains a third-rate force, unknown throughout Cloudmist Territory."

"Only after joining the Four Seas Merchant Guild and seeing its business span the world did I understand what a real future could be."

"That's why I want to win the Fire Vein Contest. Only as the Main Line will our words carry weight. I want Firecloud Valley to become a renowned pill-refining family in the centuries to come!"

A light flashed in Liu Tong's eyes as he spoke.

Lin Chen was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked,

"How strong is Firecloud Valley?"

Liu Tong grew serious. After a moment's thought, he replied,

"Among both the Main Line and Branch Line, Firecloud Valley has only six martial artists in the Profound Martial Realm. The Branch Line is weaker. Including myself, we have three. Our strongest is an elderly elder at the third level of the Profound Martial Realm, but his vitality has waned, and he has little room to advance."

He paused, then continued in a graver tone:

"The Main Line is considerably stronger. They also have only three, but each is a notch more powerful. Their current First Elder is Liu Yan, who has led the Main Line for nearly forty years."

"Publicly, he is at the peak of the third level of the Profound Martial Realm. He has spent many years at that level, giving him a solid foundation, and his Firecloud Palm is extraordinarily powerful. In several past contests, our Branch Line elder lost to him."

Liu Tong looked up at Lin Chen and lowered his voice, uncertainty creeping into it.

"However... over the past three to five years, Liu Yan has kept to himself and rarely fought in public. Rumor has it he has taken that step and reached the fourth level of the Profound Martial Realm."

"He may have reached the fourth level of the Profound Martial Realm?"

Hearing this, Lin Chen felt relieved instead.

He hasn't even reached the late stage of the Profound Martial Realm. It seems Firecloud Valley is merely an ordinary third-rate force, perhaps even weaker.

"What are the specific rules of the Fire Vein Contest?"

Lin Chen went on to ask,

"The rules are simple. The Main Line and Branch Line each choose one person. The winner's side takes over as the Main Line."

Liu Tong replied,

"As long as you agree to fight, Fellow Daoist Lin, I'll help purify the core as payment for this trip, win or lose."

"If you win, I'll also offer you an Earthfire Spirit Lotus! It grows deep within the Earthflame Spirit Vein and blooms once every thirty years. It contains pure fire spirit energy and is greatly beneficial for refining True Essence and strengthening one's foundation."

"To be frank, Fellow Daoist, Firecloud Valley has several Profound Martial Realm martial artists because of this lotus. It helps those at the Tenth Level of the Spirit Martial Realm break through to the Profound Martial Realm."

Lin Chen's heart gave a sudden leap. He thought of his father.

Father could use this to try breaking through to the Profound Martial Realm...

The thought flashed through his mind. Lin Chen considered it a while longer and made his decision.

"You're making it rather hard for me to refuse, Fellow Daoist Liu. But since there are still a little over three months until the Fire Vein Contest, why not purify the core first? If my strength improves before then, I'll have a better chance of winning."

Liu Tong considered this for a moment, then agreed.

"You've thought this through, Fellow Daoist. That's only reasonable. Please come with me to Firecloud Valley. We'll purify the core with Earthflame first. By the eve of the contest, your cultivation may have advanced further, and you can fight then."

"It's just that, while I'm qualified to recommend you, the Branch Line's other two elders have some reservations. When the time comes, I'm sorry to trouble you, but you'll need to demonstrate your strength and put their doubts to rest before we can proceed..."

"Don't worry. I'm very good at persuading people with reason."

Lin Chen nodded, brimming with confidence.