One-Horned Azure Wolf Hide

After buying a Storage Bag, Xu Changshou returned to the counter selling spirit beast hides and pelts.

Every time he visited the trading hall, Xu Changshou would browse this counter.

Mainly, he wanted to see whether he could buy black antelope thunder ox hide or a Moon-Gazing Rhino horn.

He looked through everything at the counter, but once again, neither item was there. Xu Changshou could not help feeling disappointed.

"One-horned azure wolf hide."

Suddenly, a massive azure wolf hide caught Xu Changshou's eye.

The One-Horned Azure Wolf was one of the few wind-aspected spirit beasts. Its hide could serve as a medium for drawing wind-aspected talismans and was ideally suited for Windwalking Talismans and Flight Talismans.

A Windwalking Talisman drawn on one-horned azure wolf hide could carry someone five thousand li a day, even faster than Sword-Flying.

A Flight Talisman drawn on it could achieve the same speed.

What did five thousand li a day mean? Even a mighty early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator could not reach that speed. This was an unrivaled treasure for escaping with one's life.

He already had Earth Gang Talismans drawn on Yellow Weasel hide. In the Qi Refining Realm, his defenses alone were already invincible. With Windwalking Talismans drawn on one-horned azure wolf hide as well, his safety would be even more assured.

Even if he encountered a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he would have some means of escaping.

I'll buy it.

Having made up his mind, Xu Changshou looked at the person tending the counter. She was a middle-aged woman, around forty, who still retained her charm.

"Senior Sister, I'd like the one-horned azure wolf hide. How many spirit stones is it?"

"Eight spirit stones."

So expensive!

Xu Changshou was secretly startled. It actually cost more than Yellow Weasel hide.

However, this piece of one-horned azure wolf hide was much larger, at least three times the size of that Yellow Weasel hide, and could yield more talismans.

Calculated that way, it was still a fairly good deal.

"Junior Brother, are you really buying it?"

"Yes."

Once she confirmed that Xu Changshou really intended to buy it, the middle-aged woman brought over the one-horned azure wolf hide and asked with a smile, "Junior Brother, are you a disciple of Scarlet Fire Peak?"

The disciples of Scarlet Fire Peak all handled Qi Refining affairs. One-horned azure wolf hide was primarily used to craft enchanted robes, so the middle-aged woman mistakenly assumed Xu Changshou belonged to Scarlet Fire Peak.

"You've misunderstood, Senior Sister. I'm not from Scarlet Fire Peak. An elder asked me to buy this one-horned azure wolf hide for him. He wants to craft a wind-aspected enchanted robe."

"I see."

"Senior Sister, please check these. Here are eight spirit stones."

"That's right. Take care, Junior Brother."

"Goodbye, Senior Sister!"

After leaving the trading hall, he boarded the Public Flying Boat bound for Great Unity Peak.

Xu Changshou glanced at his Storage Bag with a pang of regret. Only eighty-eight spirit stones and some Fragmented Spirit Stones remained inside.

He had spent twenty spirit stones in one go. How could that not hurt? An ordinary Servant Disciple might not earn that much in an entire year.

Still, these were all things he needed to buy. The money had not been wasted.

By the time he left the trading hall, it was nearly dark, and the agreed time for the banquet was approaching.

Xu Changshou headed straight for the Great Unity Tower and strode confidently inside.

In the past, he would never have dared enter the Great Unity Tower. It was too expensive, and he could not afford it.

Things were different now. With eighty-eight spirit stones on him, he could not eat his way through them all, no matter how much he ordered.

He had to admit that in the Cultivation World, having spirit stones in one's pocket was the strongest backing of all.

Upon entering the Great Unity Tower, he found a group of young men and women waiting in the lobby.

Xu Changshou glanced over them. Ye Shanhua, Lin Xian'er, Jiang Xiaochuan, Han Zong, Zhang Feixian, Shi Wantong, Qian Yuanbao, and the others were all there.

Eight of the ten from their Gengzi Courtyard had arrived. Only Lin Haoran and Su Mo were still absent.

Seeing them again, he found that everyone had changed to some degree.

First was their appearance. After two or three years apart, nearly all of them had grown into adults.

Second, their expressions had changed slightly as well.

In Xu Changshou's memories, they had been brimming with youthful vigor, sunny and confident.

Now, that was no longer the case. They were all gathered around Ye Shanhua, their expressions ranging from fawning to timid, envious to self-conscious, vacant to numb.

"Junior Brother Xu is here."

"Senior Brother Xu, long time no see."

"Hello, Senior Brother Xu!"

When she saw Xu Changshou approach, Ye Shanhua was the first to greet him with a smile, and the others followed suit.

Xu Changshou responded to each of them with a broad smile.

"Senior Brother Xu, why did you only just get here?" Jiang Xiaochuan ran over and complained, sounding somewhat displeased.

Xu Changshou frowned inwardly at his words. "What's wrong, Junior Brother Jiang? Am I late?"

Jiang Xiaochuan pursed his lips. "Not exactly. But Senior Brother Lin is treating us to dinner, so arriving early makes a better impression. Luckily, Senior Brother Lin isn't here yet either. Otherwise, it wouldn't look good."

"Mm."

Xu Changshou nodded slightly and said nothing more.

"Damn it, why isn't Su Mo here yet? I told him again and again to come early. If Senior Brother Lin arrives before he does, it'll be embarrassing. He really doesn't know how to behave."

Jiang Xiaochuan muttered under his breath.

"Yes, Su Mo is going too far."

"Su Mo should have come earlier."

"What is Su Mo doing?"

Quite a few people echoed Jiang Xiaochuan's words.

Xu Changshou shook his head inwardly. All of them had changed.

Their former innocence was gone. Each was more bent on personal gain than the next.

A little more time passed.

Su Mo arrived, wearing a somewhat shabby azure Daoist robe riddled with countless holes burned through by fire.

Xu Changshou remembered that Su Mo was a Bellows Boy on Scarlet Fire Peak. His appearance certainly suited the role.

Taking another look at Su Mo's cultivation, Xu Changshou could not help frowning: seventh level of Qi Refining.

Most of their group had already broken through to the Qi Refining eighth layer, but Su Mo had not.

He knew something of the reason. The Su Family Fort, where Su Mo came from, had gone bankrupt, and his Lineage could no longer provide him with resources.

Without resources, his cultivation naturally fell behind.

Xu Changshou could not help feeling sympathy for Su Mo. If he had not activated the Bloodline Jade Talisman and learned to draw talismans, he would probably be just like Su Mo now, unable to break through to the Qi Refining eighth layer.

"Oh, Junior Brother Su is here."

"Long time no see, Junior Brother Su."

"Junior Brother Su, why haven't you broken through?"

Everyone greeted him, their expressions carrying varying degrees of disdain.

Su Mo seemed somewhat self-conscious. After greeting them, he found a corner to sit in and remained silent.

"Honestly, Su Mo, only showing up now. Isn't he afraid Senior Brother Lin will blame him?"

Jiang Xiaochuan spoke, and his words sounded particularly grating to Xu Changshou.

Xu Changshou could not help looking toward Su Mo. His fists had tightened slightly. It seemed he had heard Jiang Xiaochuan.

Xu Changshou walked over to Su Mo and asked with a smile, "Junior Brother Su, how have you been lately?"

"I... I've been well!" Su Mo's gaze shifted evasively, and he lowered his head, not daring to look at Xu Changshou.

"Junior Brother Su, I see you're close to breaking through. Take this."

As he spoke, Xu Changshou took out a jade bottle and handed it to Su Mo. Inside were ten Qi Gathering Pills.

Su Mo was already on the verge of a breakthrough. With a push from the Qi Gathering Pills, he might succeed.

"Senior Brother Xu, I! I'll definitely repay you."

Su Mo hesitated for a moment, but accepted the Qi Gathering Pills.

Right now, he desperately needed Qi Gathering Pills to attempt a breakthrough to the Qi Refining eighth layer.

Xu Changshou smiled. "There are long years ahead. Don't dwell on momentary gains and losses. I believe in you."

Su Mo nodded solemnly and declared with iron resolve, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Xu. I said it before: I will definitely reach Foundation Establishment."

"Mm. Keep at it!"

Xu Changshou smiled. At least among their group, Su Mo was still the same as before. He had not changed.

His ambitions still towered higher than the heavens.