Storehouse Metal

Su Yao pondered for a moment and said:

"Flower-Shifting Palace... is that the one in Fuzhou, Linchuan?"

Liu Yunhe nodded in agreement.

Su Yao immediately understood. This family could barely be considered Biyou Palace. It had only been established for a little over a thousand years, and its founder was still alive. He had heard that the founder was already at the Purple Mansion Peak and was ready to seek the throne at any time.

A thousand years ago, that patriarch listened to the teachings under the Primordial Lady of Purple Void at the Biyou Palace and received the Dharma from the Yuanjun. The Flower-Shifting Palace itself is nothing special, but the Primordial Lady of Purple Void behind it is extraordinary.

This Yuanjun attained enlightenment many years ago and, like many of her predecessors, had already departed for the heavens ten thousand years ago. However, she suddenly returned two thousand years ago. Since the Three Pure Ones began to spread the Dao, there have only been three instances of someone who went and then returned.

Having considered this, Su Yao remained outwardly calm, but secretly used the Prism to probe Liu Yunhe's body.

Seeing that the protective light of the Qixia Temple's immortal artifact, Ask Amid the Clouds, and that no one had secretly interfered with him using their Fate Divine Ability, he felt relieved and continued to ask:

What is the reputation of this villa in the Nanzhao region?

Liu Yunhe pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and replied, "Replying to Daozi, Flower-Shifting Palace has been operating in Nanzhao for at least five or six hundred years, and its reputation is fairly decent. One of its True Person Immortals is often away traveling, and the affairs of the separate residence are managed by several Foundation Establishment Late Stage stewards. They maintain good relations with the surrounding Witch Department, chieftains, and immortal clans, and never actively provoke trouble." He paused for a moment, then added:

"However, his family is very disciplined in their business dealings, only accepting elixirs, Law Artifact, or spiritual items at the Foundation Establishment or Purple Mansion levels. I was delivering invitations these past few days and heard the county magistrate mention that a batch of spiritual embryos was about to mature some time ago. If Daoist only wants to add a few more servants to sweep and answer the door, this batch of spiritual embryos will suffice."

Su Yao nodded upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, then took out a bottle of pills and handed it over, saying:

"Yunhe, you must be tired from your journey. Please keep this bottle of pills and rest well when you get back." He then looked at Li Siyi: "Siyi, go and call Ziyan and Xuejie here."

The two agreed and turned to leave. As they turned back, they exchanged a glance, each knowing what was going on. It had been quite some time before Daozi addressed them so intimately.

Zhang Ziyan had been studying Daoism on the mountain, so it was understandable that he was acquainted with the Daoist Master. However, Zhu Xuejie had clearly only recently met the Daoist Master, and besides, the Daoist Master had been in seclusion ever since...

Su Yao naturally noticed the glance the two exchanged and knew roughly what they were thinking. But the difference in their demeanor was indeed different. Ziyan, of course, was someone the two had known for many years.

As for Zhu Xuejie, it was ultimately out of consideration for the Zhu Household.

Leaving aside the fact that the Zhu Household have always been the most loyal among the Qixia's subordinates, and also because three thousand years ago, the Zhu Household suffered the most severe losses while covering the then abbot of Qixia Temple as he dragged his crippled body back to Qixia Mountain.

Rather, it is because these Zhu Household were originally the secular families of the three generations of Qixia patriarchs, descendants of the younger brother of the three generations of patriarchs, and thus connected by blood with the three generations of patriarchs.

As for taking the blood relatives and descendants of the three generations of patriarchs as their divine generals, this was originally the path arranged by the three generations of patriarchs for Zhu Household.

All the patriarchs of the past were merely following the orders of the patriarch.

Soon, Zhang Ziyan and Zhu Xuejie arrived together.

Zhang Ziyan was tall and muscular, and from a distance he grinned at Su Yao, cupping his hands in greeting:

"Ziyan greets Daozi. I was just planting some osmanthus trees with Junior Sister Xuejie in front of the mountain when I heard the summons and came over. Does Daozi have any tasks to assign?"

His brows were full of cheerfulness as he spoke, and his white robe made the golden longsword behind him even more dazzling. The way he stood there was like a piece of gold in a box, bright and shining.

Zhu Xuejie, on the other hand, had a completely different demeanor.

She was slender and graceful, her crimson palace dress standing motionless in the mountain wind, the jade hairpin in her hair as smooth and lustrous as jade.

She merely gave Su Yao a slight bow and stood silently, but her bright eyes were fixed on Su Yao.

Su Yao's gaze swept over the two of them, and he had already made up his mind.

These two, one active and one quiet, one metallic and one fiery, are both useful talents. Especially Xuejie, whom we've only just met, so we need to use a job to test her abilities.

This trip to the Flower-Shifting Palace was conveniently arranged for the two of them to accompany us. Ostensibly, it was for business, but secretly, each of them would be undergoing their own trials.

Without saying another word, he took a token from his sleeve, handed it over, and instructed:

"Ziyan, Xuejie, you two take my Mysterious Gate token to the Flower-Shifting Palace's detached courtyard. Yunhe just said that the Spirit Wood Child from the Flower-Shifting Palace only accepts elixirs, Law Artifact, or spiritual items from those at the Foundation Establishment or above in exchange."

Zhang Ziyan reached out and took the token, stuffing it into his pocket without a second thought, his face showing no change in expression.

He cultivates the path of the Granary Metal, Immortal Foundation, "Storehouse Metal," is inherently a repository of the virtue of Metal Virtue.

It is his duty to store gold in the treasury and make careful calculations. Daozi asked him to do this business of purchasing boys, which was a good thing.

However, his next sentence caused his forthrightness to falter.

Su Yao took out a jade box from his Storage Bag and gently placed it on the stone table. He opened the box and found seven or eight Foundation Establishment spiritual items neatly arranged inside.

These were all Foundation Establishment spiritual items plundered from the White Sand Lu Household, including fire-attribute cinnabar, wood-attribute Spirit Root, and several pieces of high- Higher Vehicle Geng Metal.

"These are the assets from this exchange, and I'm handing them over to you." Su Yao said calmly, "Since the Storehouse Metal has the ability to store things, you may also register these spiritual items. From now on, you will be in charge of the financial transactions of the Pear Garden."

Zhang Ziyan stared at the box full of spiritual items, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his previous magnanimous demeanor completely gone.

"Daozi..." He rubbed his hands together and chuckled awkwardly, "Could we perhaps find someone else to manage the accounts? You know my Immortal Foundation is such that I can't stand seeing treasures in front of me; I'd love to pocket them all. I'm afraid..."

Zhu Xuejie added coldly from the side:

"Good to know."

Su Yao didn't say anything, but just looked at him with a half-smile.

Zhang Ziyan felt uneasy under his gaze. Finally, he gritted his teeth, made a bitter face, carefully closed the jade box, and tucked it into his robes.

"Your subordinate obeys. At worst, we can sew the pocket shut later."

Su Yao nodded and turned to Zhu Xuejie.

He sized her up for a moment.

A path of Radiant Fire, the Immortal Foundation "Body-Burning Practice."

Fire means burning, and Radiant Fire) also represents the Fire Virtue Transformation Position, signifying fire that rises and changes.

This is a domineering lineage that transforms itself into firewood, sacrificing its life to ignite the flames.

Among the spiritual items he took out, the fire-attribute cinnabar was what she needed for her cultivation, but he didn't intend to reveal it at the moment.

Some things, it depends on whether she can figure them out herself.

"Xuejie," Su Yao began, "You and Ziyan go to the Flower-Shifting Palace together. Be mindful of everything along the way. This exchange isn't just about these few boys. How we talk and how we handle things will affect the future relationship between our two families. Go and observe, and learn from them. If you do this job well, you'll be rewarded; if you make a mistake..." He paused, "I won't let you off easily."

Zhu Xuejie was about to agree when Zhang Ziyan spoke first, smiling as he said on her behalf:

"Don't worry, Daozi. Junior Sister Xuejie is much more composed than me. With her watching over me, I definitely won't cause any trouble."

Zhu Xuejie, having been interrupted, glared at him sideways before bowing respectfully to Su Yao and uttering only two words:

"I obey."

Su Yao waved his hand. "Go."

The two bowed, then turned and left, one after the other.