Mo Huaiyuan said calmly, "He's my brother." His words carried an air of self-righteousness.
Tianqu shook his head. He was a lofty and unparalleled hermit who had almost forgotten worldly emotions. After hearing Mo Huaiyuan's words, he felt a sense of both strangeness and familiarity.
Tianzhen said, "Don't worry, it's just a small favor."
As they were talking, Pu Niu entered with a Loose Immortal. Yi Zhen said sweetly, "Brother Chenya is here."
Rong Chenya bowed and said, "Venerable One."
Li Qiang looked at him curiously.
Rong Chenya wasn't wearing any immortal armor, but only a pure black robe that seemed to be made of monster hide. A thick silver chain was wrapped around his neck, adorned with a blue bead the size of an egg, which hung down to the center of his chest.
He had sharp eyes and a serious look. His black hair was casually tied up with a black hairpin.
Tianqu said, " Chenya, these are some friends. Please get to know them." He introduced them one by one, and then said, " Rong Chenya is the head of the sect here. He manages all the affairs within the God-Sealing Plaque. If you have any problems, just go to him for help."
The so-called "big shot" is the head steward here.
Rong Chenya stepped forward to greet everyone.
He said Tianzhen and pitifully, " Xiao Ya, I don't have any gifts for you. You know... I'm penniless."
Rong Chenya seemed to recognize Tianzhen, and he said earnestly, "Senior, I didn't ask for a gift. Chenya 'm just happy to meet you."
Tianzhen frowned, clicking her tongue, and said, "Look how sensible Xiao Ya is."
Chiming chuckled, "You're getting a very easy time being an elder."
Because Tianzhen didn't offer any gifts, Mist Star Cold Woman, Qian Shanyong, Xuan Long, Dainan Fengyu, Mo Huaiyuan, and Qi Junsha were all too embarrassed to give gifts either. Only Li Qiang, who was used to giving gifts, casually took out a Withered Green Divine Pill and handed it over, saying with a smile, "Brother Rong, I don't have anything good, so I'll give you this divine pill."
Upon seeing it, Tianqu exclaimed in surprise, " The Withered Green Divine Pill from the Seven Assemblies Pill Set? Good heavens, Chenya is in luck!"
Tianzhen glared at Li Qiang, Qian Shanyong shook his head, Xuan Long smiled bitterly, Mist Star Cold Woman took a step back so her expression was hidden, Chiming watched indifferently, grinning but saying nothing.
By doing this, Li Qiang almost completely humiliated these people.
Even in the eyes of ancient immortals, the Seven Assemblies Pill was a top-grade divine pill, let alone for a Loose Immortal.
Rong Chenya was both surprised and delighted, never expecting Li Qiang to give him such a precious elixir.
Within the God-Sealing Plaque, there is very little fighting, and no Heavenly Tribulation to temper one's character. To further improve one's cultivation, besides arduous practice, the only way is to rely on elixirs and miraculous medicines to enhance one's power, which is far more valuable than receiving any Law Treasure. He couldn't hide his excitement and repeatedly said, "Thank you, thank you, senior."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "I'm not some senior; they are."
Tianzhen finally couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Wow, you brat... you... you've made me lose face as an elder!"
Li Qiang spread his hands and said, "Whether you have the nerve to act like an elder... is none of my business."
Tianqu couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Yi Zhen and Pu Niu jumped to Li Qiang's sides, one on each side, and simultaneously held out their hands, saying, "Me too!"
Li Qiang was a very generous man, and he had plenty of elixirs on him, so he gave away two more without hesitation.
Seeing Li Qiang's Qian Shanyong and the others had no choice but to take out some rare treasures to give away, while Tianzhen and Chiming pretended not to see anything.
Qi Junsha and Mo Huaiyuan were both Loose Immortal, and among the crowd, they were the juniors. They stood aside without saying a word, feeling at ease.
In this way, Tianqu felt embarrassed, as he should do something as a senior.
As a result, everyone except for Mist Star Cold Woman and Tianzhen received one of his treasures.
Li Qiang obtained a Hui Condensation Pearl, a water-repelling pearl that could create a large space underwater.
Rong Chenya happily led Pu Niu and Yi Zhen out. A little while later, Pu Niu and Yi Zhen returned first, bringing out various rare and exotic fruits.
Yi Zhen said with a smile, "Brother Chenya went to the Bishe Sea. He said he was going to fetch the Thousand Liquid Elixir."
Tianqu was a little skeptical. " Chenya is really willing to give up the Thousand Liquid Essence?"
Tianzhen said with a grin, "Wow, Xiao Ya really went all out! This is some good stuff, hehe, I'm getting some too!"
Li Qiang asked, "What is Thousand Liquid Essence?"
Tianzhen rubbed his hands together excitedly and said, "The best drink!"
Immortals rarely eat solid food, usually only consuming rare fruits or their own brewed liquids. In particular, their brewed liquids are generally called Jade Liquids, which are said to evoke a hundred different State of Mind and a thousand different flavors. The Thousand Liquids are the finest of Jade Liquids, brewed from a hundred kinds of rare fruits.
The brewing of Thousand Liquid is no less complex than alchemy. It requires various restrictions and a great deal of time. Only someone with a lot of free time would attempt to brew something so complicated.
The Loose Immortal in the God-Sealing Plaque of the Gods, because they don't need to resist Heavenly Tribulation, can only ponder these things to pass the time.
Immortals have extremely picky tastes. After long periods of seclusion or without food or drink, their mouths feel very uncomfortable. They always seek out rare and precious spiritual fruits to taste in order to cleanse their palates. Various kinds of jade liquids are also among their favorites.
Li Qiang discovered that Tianqu was a very particular person; every item he used was exquisitely crafted.
Seeing the various plates and cups displayed in Pu Niu, as well as the low Xiaoyu table, Li Qiang couldn't help but sigh. The luxury and refinement here were definitely not what the ancient immortals should be living.
Tianqu seemed to have read Li Qiang's thoughts. He laughed and said, "Don't be surprised. The people living inside the God-Sealing Plaque spend most of their time making all sorts of gadgets, except for cultivation. They won't rest until they've reached perfection, hehe. So, anything I have here would be top-notch if taken outside. Anyway, you'll be staying here for a while. When you have time, Chenya can take you to the item exchange place. There are many of these kinds of things there. As long as you have something special, you can exchange it."
Li Qiang nodded and said, "Great! This place is a world of its own, and I'd love to see what it's like here."
After obtaining the Withered Green Divine Pill, Pu Niu and Yi Zhen did not want to linger for a moment. They hurriedly got up and bid farewell to everyone.
After Tianqu nodded and let them leave, he smiled and said, "Those two have been stuck at their current level for too long. Now that they have the divine pill, they're not at ease."
After hearing Tianqu's words, Mist Star Cold Woman gave a soft hum and continued eating the precious fruit on the white jade low table.
Chiming also ate heartily without any hesitation.
Li Qiang asked, " Tianzhen, how long are we going to stay here?" Ever since rescuing his master and elder brother, he had lost interest in Xinbo Cape and just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
Tianzhen thought for a moment and said, "It won't be long. The three of us old guys will clear the way for you, so don't worry, there's no danger."
Qi Junsha said sharply, "Let's go together!"
Tianqu interjected, "Neither of you can go, and neither can she." He pointed at Dainan Fengyu.
Qian Shanyong hurriedly said, "She should be able to go. I can protect her as she goes in."
Tianqu shook his head and said, "That place is too dangerous; her skills are still a bit lacking."
Qi Junsha wanted to say something more, but Mo Huaiyuan gently pulled him back and shook his head slightly.
Dainan Fengyu sighed and said, "Brother Qian, there's no need to argue for me anymore. Maybe I really wasn't suited to come to Xinbo Cape. Now that I think about it, that old bastard Tianshi was very wise."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Sister Fengyu, with Old Qian here, you won't be shortchanged on anything."
Dainan Fengyu said, "It's a pity we can't go see what the Ancient God Repository looks like. It's a real pity... that's a game for true masters."
Chiming asked curiously, "My cultivation level... uh..."
He originally wanted to ask why he could go when his cultivation level was not as high as Dainan Fengyu's, but he suddenly realized that this would diminish his prestige, so he immediately stopped himself.
Tianqu glanced at him and said, "You are a cultivator of divine power."
A flash of azure light appeared, Rong Chenya appeared in the Cool Hall, his face beaming with joy. "Master, this time we've produced one first-grade Thousand Liquid Elixir and four third-grade ones, but none second-grade. This is truly remarkable."
As he spoke, he took out five crystal-clear, sealed vials, shaped like test tubes, only as thick as a thumb and as long as a palm, appearing small and exquisite.
Chiming stared wide-eyed and said, "Just this little bit... who's going to drink it? It's too little!" Upon hearing this, Tianzhen and the others all showed mocking expressions.
Rong Chenya said, "Brother, you probably haven't tasted Thousand Liquid Liquor before. The Thousand Liquid Liquor we have now is the original liquid. It needs to be mixed with other things to become a drinkable jade liquid."
The first-grade Thousand Liquid Essence is a clear blue, while the third-grade Thousand Liquid Essence is a deep crimson.
Rong Chenya explained, "The first-grade Thousand Liquid Essence is a cold-natured jade liquid, and the third-grade is a fire-natured jade liquid. It's a pity that there's no second-grade Thousand Liquid Essence, which is an extremely rare warm-natured jade liquid. I'll prepare the jade liquid for everyone."
Rong Chenya took out several fist-sized cups and placed one in front of each person.
Li Qiang picked up the cup and laughed, "Interesting. There's even a little array set up inside this cup. Oh, so it's to preserve the color, aroma, and flavor."
It was an oddly shaped cup. On the transparent body, four milky-white veins were faintly visible in four directions, like the veins on a plant leaf. There was a dark blue mark on the rim of the cup. The cup was an irregular circle, with a light, simple, and very exquisite and beautiful design.
Everyone watched intently as Rong Chenya prepared the ingredients, except for Tianzhen, Tianqu, and Mist Star, who remained indifferent.
Tianzhen said, " Xiao Ya, give me a cup of fiery lava, and then a cup of whirlwind ice liquid... and another cup..."
Tianqu interrupted him, saying, "They haven't even had any yet, what's the rush? Chenya, ignore him, prepare some for them first."
Rong Chenya smiled and asked Li Qiang, "Excuse me... um, brother, what do you want to be paired with?"
Chiming glared at Rong Chenya, then held out his hand and said, "I want the same as my brother! Whatever he drinks, I'll drink!" As he spoke, he leaned closer to Li Qiang, put his arm around his shoulder, and laughed, "Brother, I'm so hungry, let me have a drink first."
Li Qiang shook off his hand and laughed, "This is also my first time seeing this... How about this, I'll try what Tianzhen was talking about, something like fiery lava and icy liquid."
Tianzhen exclaimed hurriedly, "That's what I want!"
Li Qiang asked curiously, "Can't we just make you another one? What's the big deal?"
Rong Chenya said, "Brother, I'll provide you with a superior-level character. Why don't you order something else?"
Qian Shanyong, who knew a little about it, explained, "It seems that preparing the Thousand Liquid is very complicated; the taste is different every time, with countless variations."
Li Qiang hadn't expected there to be so many intricacies involved in preparing a cup of jade liquor. He smiled curiously and said, "It sounds quite tempting. Okay, I'll try it."
Tianzhen sat down helplessly and complained to Mist Star Cold Woman, " Cold Woman, look at them... they have no respect for the elderly at all. Alas, I am so pitiful."
The Mist Star Cold Woman trembled slightly, emanating a strong chill from her body, instantly making the Cool Hall even cooler.
Rong Chenya placed the five vials of Thousand Liquid on the jade table in front of him, took the cup in front of Li Qiang, and as if by magic, a golden pot appeared in his hand. After pouring half a cup of transparent liquid into it, the golden pot disappeared again.
In the blink of an eye, he had another small jade bottle in his hand. He flicked his finger at the mouth of the bottle, and a drop of dark blue liquid flew into the cup, forming a faint blue trace in the previously transparent liquid.
Picking up the first-grade Thousand Liquid Elixir, Rong Chenya made a hand seal, forcing out a drop of clear Thousand Liquid Elixir. With a gentle flick, the Thousand Liquid Elixir flew into the cup, and a wisp of green smoke rose up.
He casually wiped the rim of the cup, and the seal on the cup was released.
He raised the cup and said, "This is Whirlwind Ice Liquid, brother, have a taste." With that, the cup flew towards Li Qiang. The cup spun rapidly in the air and landed lightly on the jade table in front of Li Qiang.
Upon closer inspection, Li Qiang noticed that the surface of the jade liquid in the cup resembled a miniature tornado, with wisps of blue light rapidly swirling within the cup. Tiny bubbles continuously rose from the bottom of the cup, gathering and swirling around the rim without dispersing.
He didn't rush to drink; instead, he picked up the cup and placed it on Qi Junsha and Mo Huaiyuan's table, saying, "Master, Big Brother Mo, please have a taste first."
Qi Junsha was a very proud person, and being surrounded by such skilled seniors made him feel quite uncomfortable. Seeing how much Li Qiang respected him, he couldn't help but feel secretly moved.
He knew very well that he had been forced to become Li Qiang's master. Although he always called Li Qiang his good disciple, he had always regarded Li Qiang as a brother in his heart.
He smiled and said, "My dear disciple, you drink up, we have some too."
Mo Huaiyuan laughed and said, "Brother, don't worry about us, everyone will have some."
Suddenly, Tianzhen exclaimed, "Look at that brother! You... you're such a boring older brother. Oh, I'm so pathetic."
He started lamenting again. Tianqu looked unconvinced and didn't say a word.
Rong Chenya and said, "Brother, they can't drink the first-grade Thousand-Liquid Elixir. They can only drink the second or third grade. Their cultivation level isn't high enough. If they drink it, they won't be able to handle it. This is the jade elixir that ancient immortals or cultivators of gods drink."
Hearing this, Li Qiang nodded and said, "Okay, in that case, I'll drink it."
Li Qiang picked up the cup, ready to drink, Tianqu shook his head and said, "You need to circulate your internal energy to absorb it. Drinking it like this would be a waste of this Whirlwind Ice Liquid."
Li Qiang had never heard of drinking like this before. Fortunately, he was very skilled. With a casual sip, the tornado in the cup immediately expanded, with one end extending into his mouth and the other end remaining in the cup.
The crowd cheered and cheered, their excitement growing.
Li Qiang took a sip and found the jade liquor to be cool and fragrant, making him feel refreshed all over. The tornado-like wisp of liquid remained on the rim of the cup, but the amount of liquor had decreased slightly.
Li Qiang exclaimed, "What a wonderful whirlwind ice liquid! Absolutely brilliant!"
Unable to resist, Chiming leaned over, channeled his inner energy, and inhaled deeply. In just one gulp, half of the jade liquid in the cup was gone.
He smacked his lips and exclaimed, "It's really good... Oh... I want more!"
With Tianzhen flick of his wrist, he snatched the cup and sipped it all in one gulp. He licked his lips, saying, unsatisfied, "Too little."
Li Qiang stared in disbelief and said, "You... you guys grabbed it way too fast! Lao Rong, another cup of hot lava... ah, no, you should make some for everyone first." He was a little embarrassed.
Rong Chenya smiled and said, "Alright, let's serve everyone first."
Everyone except Qi Junsha and Mo Huaiyuan can drink the First-Grade Thousand-Liquor Elixir; the other two can only drink the Third-Grade Jade Elixir.
Rong Chenya prepared the ingredients for Qi Junsha and Mo Huaiyuan first, then prepared them for everyone else. Finally, he prepared a cup of fiery lava for Li Qiang.
Li Qiang held up the cup and exclaimed in amazement once again. This cup of jade liquid was like a work of art. In the small cup, the crimson jade liquid swirled slowly like magma, with bubbles rising from time to time. It looked no different from real magma, as if it were a miniature landscape of flowing magma. It was so exquisite that Li Qiang was reluctant to drink it.
After leaving the Cool Hall, Rong Chenya warmly invited Li Qiang to his place for quiet meditation while he waited.
Li Qiang knew that his master and Big Brother Mo didn't want to stay with these ancient immortals, so he smiled and said, "Alright, Master, Big Brother Mo, Xiao Ming, let's go together."
Qi Junsha said, "Yes, this is a good opportunity to learn from Senior Rong."
The four bid farewell to Tianqu and followed Rong Chenya.
After watching Li Qiang and the others leave, Tianqu said calmly, " Tianzhen, tell me, what are your plans?"
Tianzhen turned to Xuan Long and Qian Shanyong and asked, "Little guy, you can tell us what the Azure Emperor meant, right? And you... what are High Person Yuangu's thoughts? This Ancient God Repository has three layers of restrictions, the most crucial being to unlock the last two. Now that we have someone here who can unlock them, I want to hear your opinions."
Xuan Long and Qian Shanyong were both startled.
Tianqu hadn't expected them to have so many tricks up their sleeves, and asked in bewilderment, "Interesting. It seems everyone's keeping an eye on Li Qiang. This young man has something to be proud of. Is it just because he's a cultivator?"
Xuan Long sighed, " The Azure Emperor placed all his hopes on this Ancient God Repository, because... he... this..."
He hesitated for a moment, as if making a great decision, before whispering, " Azure Emperor, he's almost out of control of his cultivation level. If we don't find a solution, the consequences will be severe."
Qian Shanyong was shocked. He realized that Xuan Long was even more powerful than himself, and that he knew such a secret.
After thinking for a moment, he said, avoiding the main point, "I'm not sure what High Person Yuangu is thinking, but after hearing what Wood Dragon said, perhaps the ancient immortals also have some troubles. Maybe the Ancient God Repository is the only way to solve their troubles."
Dainan Fengyu suddenly stood up and said, "Senior, could you find me a place to meditate? I'm sorry, I've lost interest in the Ancient God Repository."
Tianqu looked at Dainan Fengyu with a smile and said, "Alright, I'll have someone take you there. Now that you're here, you can cultivate in peace. As long as you don't leave my God-Sealing Plaque for the time being, no one will disturb you, understand?"
Dainan Fengyu sensed the hidden meaning in his words, but she was too lazy to think about it further or ask any more questions. She simply smiled and said, "In that case, thank you, senior." After saying that, she turned and left Cool Hall.
Tianzhen fell into deep thought.
In an instant, Qian Shanyong felt a renewed sense of doubt. Tianzhen wasn't the kind of person who lived by fooling around as the legends suggested; he was even calmer than he was now. Looking at Xuan Long, who remained silent, he realized that Xuanlong was actually the Azure Emperor's most trusted confidant, and he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
The Mist Star Cold Woman sneered, "No wonder you were all so concerned, afraid I'd ruin him. So you've been plotting against that kid all along! Hmph! With so many top-tier old fogies watching him, even if that kid has extraordinary abilities, it's useless..."
Tianzhen interrupted her, saying, " Cold Woman, he didn't suffer a loss."
Mist Star Cold Woman gave a cold laugh and said nothing more.
Tianzhen said, "There's something I hope everyone can pass on: whoever opens the Ancient God Repository, the Cultivation Method inside will be shared by everyone who goes in. It can't be like the last time it was opened... Also, as far as I know, those few ancient immortals from the Western Sage, Bona, are also interested in participating, and there are a few other very powerful guys who also want to take advantage of the situation. So we must sneak in; there will definitely be people blocking our way outside."
Tianqu pondered for a moment, then said, "I'm not very interested in the Cultivation Method of the Ancient God Repository. I'm only interested in one thing..."
He paused, observing the crowd's reactions, and then continued, "It's those two Loose Immortal! You know, there are so few Loose Immortal these days..."
Tianzhen glared at him. "You're so boring! If you leave those two Loose Immortal behind, that little guy will come after you to your death! You don't know, do you? That little guy just blew up Cold Woman's lair— the Extremely Profound Ice Eye. Humph, I advise you to give up on that idea!"
Qian Shanyong and Xuan Long were both dumbfounded; they never expected that Tianqu would have a penchant for collecting Loose Immortal.
Qian Shanyong was the first to realize what was happening and hurriedly said, "Senior, Li Qiang came to Xinbo Cape entirely for his master and elder brother. If you keep them here, it will truly plunge the world into chaos, which is impossible."
Tianqu laughed, "Don't misunderstand. I'm not collecting Loose Immortal. I once vowed to give Loose Immortal a home, a home free from Heavenly Tribulation. I didn't..."
Tianzhen waved his hand and said, "Forget it, do you think I don't know what you're up to? The God-Sealing Great Array of the Gods Formation in the God-Sealing Plaque requires thirty-six Loose Immortal to preside over it. It's true that you can invite Loose Immortal to stay here to avoid the Heavenly Tribulation, but presiding over the God-Sealing Great Array is what you really want, isn't it? I don't care if you find other Loose Immortal, but the little guy's people... absolutely not!"
Tianqu's face darkened, and he said with a half-smile, "Really not okay?"
Tianzhen smiled wryly, "If you really want to become Loose Immortal, I'll go find one for you, but these two won't do."
Tianqu said calmly, "Alright, go and look for it! I haven't been out for a long time, and perhaps there really are still some Loose Immortal I don't know about."
Tianzhen rolled her eyes and said, "There is one, on Sealed Fate Planet..."
Qian Shanyong immediately understood that Tianzhen was referring to the Hen Buyi. He wanted to say something, but held back.
Tianqu revealed a delighted expression and said, "Really? I didn't expect there to be Loose Immortal immortal. I'm truly ignorant... Actually, I only need one Loose Immortal. Hmm, if you can guarantee that he can come to me, I will not only send you to the Ancient God Repository, but I can also help you protect your Dharma. How about it?"
Tianzhen glanced at Qian Shanyong, her eyes revealing a question.
Qian Shanyong hesitated for a moment, then immediately realized that he absolutely could not be indecisive at this moment. He nodded slightly without saying a word.
Tianzhen immediately perked up. "I promise I'll make him come! If he refuses, I'll drag him here."
The Mist Star Cold Woman let out another cold laugh.
Xuan Long thought to himself, "Luckily, my brother has already left, otherwise it would have been quite a scene."
Poor Hen Buyi was sold without knowing anything.