Two Years Later

The white clouds were gently parted by two rows of gray feathers, and a petite figure gracefully passed through the clouds, brushing past the dense treetops and tender green leaves. Finally, after a single spiral, she landed steadily on a broad arm.

Duan Anle smiled sheepishly and reached out to pat the Gray Spirit Falcon that had painstakingly returned with the news, as a gesture of comfort.

Before him was a long caravan, consisting of about a hundred mixed-blood pack animals and nearly twenty advanced spirit beasts, a mighty procession that kicked up dust and almost filled the wide official road.

"Senior Brother Duan, Deputy Steward Lu said that someone from the Mi Household's main branch came to invite us at the mountain pass ahead. Should we change our route and go there?" Du Qing rode up to Duan Anle on a Desolate Ox carrying a six-leaf blue lotus flag and asked for instructions.

"I won't go. I'll trouble Deputy Steward Lu and Chief Steward Mi Household to apologize. My family is pressing me for a visit, and I, a junior, am too busy to pay my respects. Please forgive me, Uncle."

After listening to Du Qing's words, Duan Anle considered it for a while, but still shook his head and refused.

This Mi Household clerk had a very good personal relationship with He Dezong of the He Household. After being taken by the latter to drink with Sect Leader Kang Da a couple of times, they began to call each other brothers.

The Mi Household Stockade under his command is the most prosperous village in several counties recently. The village has three hundred Qi Refinement sorcerer soldiers, and they also possess a strange curse, making them truly formidable.

However, his family seemed to be entirely from out of town. Although they hadn't been in the area for long, their reputation spread very quickly.

Legend has it that he once defeated two rogue cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage with these three hundred sorcerer soldiers. Although many people in the community spoke of this matter with great certainty, Duan Anle did not readily believe it.

Such a powerful person is not to be trifled with, but it's also best not to get too close to him.

Duan Anle's decision was quickly relayed by Du Qing to the trusted confidant sent by the Mi Household's chief. At the same time, all the other cultivators in the caravan also learned of the news.

Upon learning that they wouldn't be going to Mi Household Stockade, everyone felt somewhat disappointed.

After all, Mi Household Da Dang was a generous person, and whenever the Chongming Sect's caravan passed by, he would send some delicacies and beautiful women for everyone to enjoy.

Although everyone knows what kind of business Mi Household Da Dang does, no one is unaware of where these beautiful women from Mi Household Da Dang come from.

But these days, how many independent Rogue Cultivator with merchant caravans? As long as they can be comfortable, they don't care where the money comes from.

Despite their complaints, no one dared to show any discomfort.

They understood perfectly well that the Mi Household family, a powerful and influential family, was only sending someone to invite them for the sake of the disciple of the Sect Leader Kang Da Chongming Sect. It had nothing to do with them, these peasants.

They dared not utter a word of resentment in their hearts. Putting aside the fact that Manager Chongming Sect prestigious figure as the head of the Chongming Sect, his own abilities were enough to Rogue Cultivator these rogue cultivators who were accustomed to relying on their fists.

When the Chongming Sect first sent its second disciple to replace Lu Xun as the caravan manager, everyone didn't think much of this young master. He was a disciple of a major sect, so his background was good, but he was too young, and his skills might not be that sharp.

It wasn't until one day when the caravan encountered a foolish village with six or seven Qi Refinement at the early and mid-stages of Qi Refining that Duan Anle single-handedly defeated them with his falcon. After Duan Anle distributed all the spiritual items in the village, everyone was finally convinced of his superiority.

After all, being good at fighting isn't enough to win people over; you also need to be willing to spend Spirit Stone.

In this respect, Deputy Steward Lu Xun was a bit more petty than Duan Anle.

Furthermore, despite Duan Anle being under twenty years old and only Qi Refinement Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, he was not particularly outstanding among the caravan members.

However, in private discussions, most people felt that if Lu Xun, the only Late Qi Refinement cultivator in the caravan, were to actually spar with this young master, he would likely not gain any advantage.

Now that Duan Anle has been in charge of the caravan for two years, his prestige within the caravan has grown increasingly profound. Since he has spoken, everyone should simply follow his instructions.

Fortunately, we will soon reach Double Brightness Trade Market. It is now thriving under the management of Market Commandant Kang, so everyone can use the dowry they just received to have some fun.

While the Chongming Sect's caravans have stricter rules, forbidding even ordinary pastimes like harassing mortal villages on their trade routes, they do have one redeeming quality: they always pay betrothal gifts on time and in full.

Unlike other caravans, which either take a while or find fault with the caravan and give less Spirit Stone, this caravan...

This also gave his family's caravan a good reputation among the nearby Rogue Cultivator. Generally, once they entered, they were reluctant to leave, as long as it was for the sake of the Spirit Stone, and they could work steadily for several years.

Filled with anticipation, the Rogue Cultivator drove their pack train to the outskirts of Double Brightness Trade Market.

A short, stocky man with blond hair and a black beard, dressed in spirit armor, stood outside the gate of Double Brightness, smiling as he watched Duan Anle lead the caravan towards them.

"Martial Uncle Chu," Duan Anle, walking at the front of the caravan and seeing Chu Huer on duty. He immediately dismounted from his Desolate Ox and bowed in greeting.

Chu Huer was invited into the sect by Pei Yi half a year ago and became a formal disciple of Double Brightness under Kang Dabao's Martial Uncle Li.

Chu Huer's experience inspired many of the Rogue Cultivator Shandu Ridge.

Most of them now hold the title of "external affairs disciples," and on ordinary days they do patrol and guard duties in Double Brightness Trade Market, arresting and deterring those who are starting to show signs of Bandit Cultivator.

The Sect Leader Kang Da did arrange some cave abode for them in the two newly acquired spiritual lands of Fangshi Mountain and Zither Leaf Forest, but the patrol soldiers had few days off and many tasks, so they rarely had any free time and few people could go there more than a few times.

Only Sun Buer, the old fellow with brewing skills, benefited, not only staying in the cave abode to cultivate but also bringing his little Sun, who has Spirit Root, along with him.

In his spare time, he could even go to the Reward Hall to take on some cheap tasks, just like the formal disciple of the Chongming Sect, and earn some extra resources, which truly made others envious.

"Alright, my junior brother Han passed through the market yesterday and said he ran into you on his way to help Ji Wuwu exorcise demons in Chongming City. I figured you'd probably arrive today, so I came out to greet you."

Chu Huer put his arm around Duan Anle's shoulder. He hadn't been in the Chongming Sect for long, and he had no intention of putting on airs as an elder in front of Duan Anle, the sect leader's disciple.

"Senior Brother Yuan returned to the sect a few days ago. Before he left, he temporarily entrusted the patrol team to me. Deng Baichuan is keeping a close eye on things, so I won't be able to host a banquet for you today. We'll just have some tea and food, and we'll make up for it another day."

"Martial Uncle Chu, there's no need for that." Duan Anle's face showed a hint of helplessness after hearing this.

In the eyes of this honest child, Chu Huer, the newly initiated junior uncle, had no other faults, except that he was always so respectful and polite to everyone regardless of the occasion, which made them, the younger generation, quite uncomfortable.

After having a rather complicated meal with Chu Huer and Ye Zhengwen, two elders who were permanent residents of Double Brightness Trade Market, Duan Anle stepped into the newly renovated Chongming Small Pavilion.

Zhou Xinran maintained her charming butler demeanor, but in the past two years, with Pei Yi and Yuan Jin's skills improving considerably, the goods on the shelves on the first floor of the shop had become much more abundant.

On the plain Jade Slip on the table behind Zhou Xinran, several pages of newly placed contracts from regular customers were already recorded, with a few transactions of First-Tier Middle-Grade pills and Law Artifact artifacts also interspersed among them.

"Senior Sister Zhou, could you please fetch a bottle of Qi Refining Powder and Spirit Beast Pill? Here are Spirit Stone." Duan Anle smiled at Zhou Xinran before taking out a handful of Spirit Stone and arranging them on the table.

Although the Chongming Sect distributes a certain number of pills to its disciples every year, it is not enough for diligent cultivators like Duan Anle, so they naturally need to purchase some.

Buying from anyone is the same as buying from anyone else, so of course you should prioritize your own business.

"Junior brother, you've returned from your trip to Hong County. Did you encounter anything interesting?" Zhou Xinran chuckled, quickly accepted the Spirit Stone and handed over the pills, then asked curiously.

"I haven't heard anything new, just that a few more Foundation Establishment sects have been wiped out by the state court, and several small clans that came south from the Capital Circuit to seek refuge with the state court were intercepted and killed on the road by people of unknown origin."

Duan Anle thought for a moment before shaking his head and saying...

After speaking, he uncorked the bottle, smelled the aroma of the pill, and sighed inwardly, "Martial Uncle Pei's craftsmanship is actually a bit lacking. Compared to the Qi Refining Qi Refining Powder by several Foundation Establishment sects, its efficacy should be significantly lower."

"Has anything happened in the sect lately?" Seeing that Zhou Xinran hearing his words, Duan Anle asked curiously.

It wasn't that he didn't ask Chu Huer and Ye Zhengwen, the two elders, about what he was supposed to know, but rather that as a junior, they would only tell him what he needed to know.

If she wanted to know anything else, she would have to ask Zhou Xinran, since Zhou Yixiu wouldn't hide too much information from her.

Upon hearing Duan Anle's question, Zhou Xinran's smile gradually faded, and her expression became somewhat conflicted.

"It seems that Senior Martial Uncle Yuan was..."

--Chongming Sect Leader Yunfang

Kang Dabao sat cross-legged on a jade futon with his eyes closed. In each of his hands he held a snow-white jade tablet, and a Jade Slip was suspended in the air in front of Sect Leader Kang Da.

Two jade tablets in his hands occasionally emitted a faint spiritual light, which entered through the Sect Leader Kang Da and circulated throughout his body's meridians.

Each time Kang Dabao, his brows relaxed a little. Before long, he slowly opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"I've finally mastered the 'Long Breath Art Technique.' Without these jade tablets, I definitely wouldn't have been able to complete it," Kang Dabao said with emotion as he put away the Jade Slip in front of him.

These two jade tablets were picked up by Yuan Jin and Kang Rongquan and handed to them by themselves. When they were separated, they were unremarkable and not much different from many low-grade spirit jades.

However, once a cultivator holds both of them in their hands, they will instantly feel their minds become clear, their comprehension greatly increased, and their speed of comprehending the Dao will increase by at least two times compared to before.

This is why the "Long Breath Art" obtained from Kuai En was finally deciphered by Sect Leader Kang Da.

Sect Leader Kang Da had only ever heard of such treasures in stories compiled by idle people before, and never imagined that he would actually encounter them himself.

This is an extraordinary treasure. It's just unknown whether it will maintain the same beneficial effect when comprehending higher-level Cultivation Method and Daoist arts in the future. Kang Dabao Golden Core n't guess whether this thing is for Golden Core cultivators, but it's definitely not for Foundation Establishment. Sect Leader Kang Da has truly gotten a great deal.

That said, I could tell at a glance that Kuai En wasn't a smart guy, so I wonder how he managed to learn the Long Breath Art? There must be something fishy about this.

Kang Dabao decided that he would have to go to the Kuai Household again in a while to ask Kuai Wu for clarification, and maybe he could find some treasures.

However, he has something more important to do right now, so he can't worry about this for the time being.

With a thought, the Black Bone appeared in the hands of Sect Leader Kang Da. At this moment, with just a brief glance, he could tell that the Black Bone was quite different.

The greatest help Yu Gui provided to Kang Dabao was not in deciphering the "Long Breath Art," but rather in lifting some of the veil of mystery surrounding Black Bone.

Kang Dabao had already deciphered most of the silver seal script that was originally imprinted on the Black Bone. The strokes had turned from silver to gold, with only the last stroke still shimmering with white light.

According to Sect Leader Kang Da's own speculation, if he were to fully comprehend this final stroke, the Black Bone would undergo a completely new and radical transformation. Perhaps he would even be able to glimpse the power of a spiritual treasure?

However, this seemingly simple task proved to be incredibly difficult. Kang Dabao struggled with this hurdle for over half a year before finally giving up and turning to study the "Long Breath Art."

Fortunately, the Long Breath Art has finally been completed today, so I can continue to focus my energy on Black Bone.

Just as Sect Leader Kang Da was about to use his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes again, Little Qi walked out of its private little house with an endearing, clumsy expression.

"First-Tier Middle-Grade -grade, you lazy bum, you've finally made it!" Kang Dabao saw that Little Qi's aura had increased significantly and immediately burst out laughing.

Little Qi merely raised his Sect Leader Kang Da before striding confidently toward the Lion Insect Nest in the other corner of the room.

Before Little Qi fell into a deep sleep and broke through to the next level, out of curiosity, he leaned over and peered into the Lion Insect nest.

Unexpectedly, Sect Leader Kang Da was chanting scriptures at the time and did not notice what was happening. As a result, Little Qi was severely beaten by the Lion Insect swarm protecting the nest, and even a lot of the tender flesh that was usually hidden under the carapace was bitten and damaged by the Lion Insect swarm.

Now that Little Qi has emerged from seclusion, he naturally intends to settle accounts with those foolish insects.

Unexpectedly, upon noticing Little Qi's movement, Kang Dabao stopped it and took it back into his hand.

It wasn't that Sect Leader Kang Da was biased; rather, in the short span of half a year since Little Qi broke through while asleep, the Lion Insect Swarm had not only collectively advanced to the First-Tier Middle-Grade of the first rank, but its population had also exceeded one hundred.

This was all thanks to the Star Frost Soil. After most of the Lion Insect advanced to the First-Tier Lower-Grade, Sect Leader Kang Da fed them Star Frost Soil as the expert had advised.

Even though it's only the size of a palm, it hasn't shrunk much after all these days.

After consuming the Star Frost Soil, the Lion Insect not only advanced in rank but also developed silver star-like spots on its back and a faint silver shimmer on its mouthparts.

Just by looking at its appearance, it's clear that it's much better than before.

Such a large and powerful swarm of insects is enough to threaten most Qi Refinement cultivators. It's definitely not something Little Qi can retaliate against. It was only by pulling it back that Sect Leader Kang Da saved it!

However, this good intention was not rewarded. Little Qi struggled incessantly in Kang Dabao's hands, kicking his four short legs as if he wanted to fly away.

Kang Dabao had just managed to calm it down when a talisman flew into his courtyard and stuck to the protective barrier outside the cloud room.

Sect Leader Kang Da pushed open the door and took a look.

The good mood that had been brought on by so many good things immediately dissipated; "Another person is going to die."

Thank you, Brother Xiang Xiaoshuai, for the 100 coins!

Thank you to Brother Xingyao Sifang for the nine monthly tickets.

Thanks to readers 20180525184557300, Dada Mouse, Super Diligent Reader, Wooden Bamboo, and several other readers for their Extended Net Moon.

Thank you to the following readers for their monthly tickets: 20220429000943447, 20180201210714132, 20210301105262635998, Tingnan11, Buqipaibuqitang100, KevinHK, Jiekexiu, Yibulianrenxin, and Wuhuangleige.

Thank you all for reading, subscribing, voting, and commenting!

Thank you everyone!