Chu Yixian

"Your disciples pay their respects to the High Persons." Tang Yuan and Qi Feiming cupped their fists and bowed in unison.

"Did the two of you both find Purple Jade Huang in the Barbarian Di Secret Realm?" High Person Yaoxi asked in a seductive voice.

"Reporting to High Person Yaoxi, I, the outer disciple Tang Yuan, did indeed find a Purple Jade Huang.

The Purple Jade Huang was dark blue-green throughout, with dragon, fish, and cloud patterns, and its purple taiji emitted a faint trace of Spiritual Qi," Tang Yuan answered first.

Qi Feiming frowned, but nodded in agreement.

"According to legend, a thousand years ago, a Golden Core True Lord received enlightenment from Immortal Lord Chu Yixian. He fashioned a jade huang in the likeness of the divine artifact of High Antiquity, the Purple Star Jade Huang, and presented it to an orc tribe in the Barbarian Di Secret Realm.

He also infused the jade huang with a tiny wisp of Mystic Wood Spiritual Qi given to him by Immortal Lord Chu Yixian. That was why the yin root in the taiji diagram was purple.

That tiny wisp of Mystic Wood Spiritual Qi was of little use to a cultivator's cultivation, not even as useful as a strand of fifth-grade Spiritual Qi.

This Mystic Wood Spiritual Qi could make a tree dead for a thousand years take root and call a tree rotten for ten thousand years back to life. Thus, it could repair Law Treasures and Law Artifacts made from the Spirit Roots of heaven and earth.

High Person Li Bai's Law Treasure, the Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Bracelets, was made from ten-thousand-year-old lightning-struck wood.

But one of the bracelets developed a crack. That has long been no secret within the sect.

Only this Mystic Wood Spiritual Qi can restore it to its original state.

That is why, whenever the Barbarian Di Secret Realm opens, the sect issues a mission to find the Purple Jade Huang.

You have indeed shown dedication in finding the jade huang.

Quickly, bring it here for me to see." High Person Yaoxi held out her jade hand.

Qi Feiming did not understand why Tang Yuan had come along, but when he heard that High Person Yaoxi wanted to see the jade huang, he immediately stepped forward and was about to take it out.

High Person Kui Wood unleashed a wave of pressure, leaving Qi Feiming unable to move. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said, "Why the hurry, junior sister Yaoxi? Senior brother Li Bai hasn't even stated his position yet.

As long as senior brother Li Bai apologizes to me, I can give him the Purple Jade Huang my disciple found for free."

"Hmph, dream on," High Person Li Bai snorted coldly.

"You're both nearly two hundred years old, yet you're still here squabbling like children.

Why go to so much trouble? Didn't Tang Yuan find a Purple Jade Huang too? Just have him take his out first." High Person Su Ying wore a look of disdain.

"Reporting to the High Persons, the jade huang I found was snatched away by Qi Feiming." Tang Yuan looked indignant.

"Private fights, harming fellow disciples, and seizing their property are strictly forbidden among disciples of my Holy Cardamom Sect.

Qi Feiming, did you snatch the Purple Jade Huang in your hand from Tang Yuan?!" High Person Yaoxi's face was filled with anger.

Although High Person Yaoxi looked furious, she understood in her heart that everyone had long been well aware of Holy Cardamom disciples harming and robbing one another.

But the condition was that no one else could discover it, and they could not go too far.

The weak being prey to the strong was a tenet of the Holy Cardamom Sect that could not be brought into the open.

"I... I..." Qi Feiming stammered and lowered his head.

"Reporting to the High Persons, Qian Xiaobao was there when Qi Feiming snatched my jade huang. He can testify.

Please, High Persons, see that your disciple receives justice." Tang Yuan's eyes were full of grievance.

"Even without a witness, one trip through the Heart-Questioning Formation will make everything clear.

As an inner disciple, robbing an outer disciple of his property is a crime one degree more severe.

According to the sect rules, Qi Feiming has committed a capital offense." High Person Li Bai looked at High Person Kui Wood with contempt.

"Qi Feiming, explain yourself!" Killing intent appeared in High Person Kui Wood's eyes.

"Reporting to High Person Kui Wood, in the secret realm, Qi Feiming said he wanted to buy the Purple Jade Huang I found or exchange a Law Artifact for it.

But I gave him my Purple Jade Huang, and he gave me neither spirit money nor a Law Artifact. So what he did amounts to robbery." Tang Yuan cupped his fists and bowed.

"Is that so?" High Person Kui Wood frowned.

"Yes... that's what happened." Qi Feiming nodded.

"If Qi Feiming gave him spirit money or a Law Artifact, then it wouldn't count as robbing a fellow disciple, would it?" High Person Kui Wood looked at High Person Li Bai.

High Person Li Bai snorted coldly and did not answer.

After looking at High Person Kui Wood's expression, Qi Feiming immediately cupped his fists and said, "Junior brother Tang Yuan, things really were rushed in the Barbarian Di Secret Realm just now, and I didn't have time to give you the spirit money?

How much spirit money do you want?"

"I don't want spirit money. I only want that Azure Edge you're wearing at your waist." Tang Yuan pointed at the treasured sword at Qi Feiming's waist.

"That won't do.

This Silver Snake Sword is a middle-grade spirit sword. Master Kui Wood gave it to me." Qi Feiming instinctively pressed a hand against the treasured sword at his waist.

"I only want this Azure Edge. Otherwise, give me back my Purple Jade Huang.

If you won't give me the sword or return the jade huang, then you're robbing a fellow disciple of his property." Tang Yuan raised his voice a little.

The corner of High Person Li Bai's mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Tang Yuan and thought, That brat must be up to no good.

Qi Feiming looked at High Person Kui Wood and could only sigh softly. With the utmost reluctance, he removed the restriction on the treasured sword in his hand and passed it to Tang Yuan.

Cultivators' weapons and Law Artifacts were divided into three grades-mortal, spirit, and true-and nine tiers. The Silver Snake Sword was a middle-grade, middle-tier weapon; even in the hands of a Foundation Establishment High Person, it would not look out of place.

Tang Yuan happily ran his hands over the middle-grade Spirit Artifact, the Silver Snake Sword, before immediately putting it into his Storage Bag. Smiling broadly, he looked at High Person Yaoxi.

"Since you've obtained the Silver Snake Sword and no longer have the Purple Jade Huang, why haven't you withdrawn?

Go on..." High Person Yaoxi waved her hand.

"Reporting to the High Person, although senior brother Qi Feiming exchanged the Silver Snake Sword for the Purple Jade Huang this disciple obtained in the Barbarian Di Secret Realm, this disciple obtained two Purple Jade Huang in the Barbarian Di Secret Realm, so this disciple still has one." Tang Yuan cupped his fists and bowed.

"You still have another Purple Jade Huang?!

Are there that many Purple Jade Huang?" High Person Yaoxi gave a seductive laugh.

Looking at Qi Feiming's utterly bewildered face and then at Tang Yuan's smug expression, the High Persons had all guessed that the Purple Jade Huang in Qi Feiming's hand must be a fake.

"Since Tang Yuan still has a Purple Jade Huang, Qi Feiming, there's no need for you to take yours out. Afterward, present your jade huang to your master, High Person Kui Wood, in private.

Tang Yuan, quickly, bring me the Purple Jade Huang you have so I can take a look." High Person Yaoxi beckoned with a finger. She was giving Qi Feiming a way out, so that he would not take out a fake jade huang and cause High Person Kui Wood to lose face along with him.

"High Person Yaoxi, please look at the Purple Jade Huang in my hand first." Qi Feiming froze for an instant, then immediately took out the jade huang.

He thought High Person Yaoxi found Tang Yuan handsome and intended to give him the credit for finding the Purple Jade Huang.

High Person Yaoxi pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed softly. She had no choice but to accept the jade huang Qi Feiming handed her.

But the moment it touched her hand, High Person Yaoxi tossed the jade huang to High Person Kui Wood. "Senior brother Kui Wood, you had best appraise the jade huang your disciple obtained yourself."

High Person Kui Wood caught the jade huang and swept it with his Divine Sense. His brows immediately drew tight, and with a squeeze of his hand, the jade huang turned to powder in an instant.

"Master, why did you do that?

I followed your instructions and obtained the Purple Jade Huang." Qi Feiming fell to the ground and gathered the jade huang powder with both hands.

"Senior brother Kui Wood, look, this is a genuine Purple Jade Huang.

The purple Spiritual Qi in this jade huang is the tiny wisp of Mystic Wood Spiritual Qi that came from Immortal Lord Chu Yixian's hand all those years ago." Holding the jade huang Tang Yuan had given her, High Person Yaoxi looked at High Person Kui Wood somewhat teasingly...