Chapter 260

When Sect Leader Kang Da arrived at Brocade Splendor Mountain in Guo County, Jiang Qing had already been waiting there for several days.

Brocade Splendor Mountain is the birthplace of the Book and Sword Gate Sect. The sect was founded very early on, by the disciples of the founding patriarch of the Five Aspects Sect, which had been destroyed by the state court.

However, after so many years, the ancestral spirit passed down from our ancestors has long been worn away by the passage of time.

His family was quite pragmatic. During the battle of the Five Aspects Sect, although the Book and Sword Gate had a close relationship with the Five Aspects Sect, they did not send anyone to help, nor did they provide even half Spirit Stone.

Kang Dabao had also heard from idlers that when the local militia gathered at the Five Aspects Sect temple on Cloth Bag Mountain, the Book and Sword Gate even removed the ancestral tablet of the founding patriarch of the Five Aspects Sect, which had been enshrined in its ancestral hall since the Ye Zhen's inception, overnight.

Whether Ye Zhen this intentionally or not, the person he sent to Sect Leader Kang Da Heng Yiban, a disciple of the Book and Sword Gate Sect whom the latter had met during the attack on the Grass Witch Cult.

I don't know if it's because Jia Wenze died and there were no close elders to take care of him since then; or because he caused a group of Rogue Cultivator to rebel outside the Grass Witch Cult last time, damaging the sect's reputation and incurring the elders' dislike.

Kang Dabao could tell that this guy was less prominent in the Book and Sword Gate now, and he no longer had the arrogance he had when he used to criticize the Sect Leader Kang Da for "besieging the enemy's stronghold and attacking their reinforcements."

Upon seeing an old friend, Heng Yiban's face showed a hint of shame and embarrassment, while Sect Leader Kang Da and Jiang Qing remained calm, as if they had seen an ordinary junior, and had no intention of making any sarcastic remarks.

Ignoring Heng Yiban's mixed feelings, the two brothers enjoyed the flowers and the breeze along the way, and arrived at the residence of Ye Zhen, the leader of the Book and Sword Gate.

Upon arriving at such an important place within the sect, ordinary disciples like Heng Yiban were not allowed to enter.

Kang Dabao and his companion were to be treated as honored guests, and their sect leader Ye Zhen came out to greet them and entertain them. Heng Yiban could only respectfully point out the direction to Kang and Jiang before returning to the mountain gate to stand guard, full of sorrow.

After the Sect Leader Kang Da and Ye Zhen exchanged greetings, Kang entered Ye Zhen's tea room and realized that the rumors of the Book and Sword Gate's wealth were indeed true.

Although Chongming Sect has undertaken significant construction in recent years compared to its past, it still lags far behind established sects like Book and Sword Gate, which have a long and continuous history.

Putting everything else aside, the Chongming Sect has only been established for a little over two hundred years, which is only slightly older than Ye Zhen, the head of the Book and Sword Gate.

Just look at the tea room where Ye Zhen entertains guests; the spiritual materials used are a grade higher than those in the Chongming Sect's council hall, not to mention the shabby and dilapidated sect leader's cloud room of Sect Leader Kang Da.

This is the difference in the family's foundation. It would have been very difficult for Kang Dabao's generation alone to seize or earn back such a large family fortune.

Having just left Sima Fei's ornate and luxurious mansion, Kang Dabao wasn't so stunned by Ye Zhen's modest decor.

He lightly tapped his knuckles, thanked Ye Zhen for the spiritual tea, and was about to speak when Ye Zhen, the host, interrupted him, saying, "Distinguished guests have arrived, but our humble abode is empty. We apologize for any shortcomings in our hospitality."

"You're too modest, senior," Sect Leader Kang Da replied casually, then got straight to the point and stated his purpose.

"Oh? So Sect Leader Kang came for this matter?" Ye Zhen's face showed a slight surprise. He glanced at the two people sitting opposite him, then without the slightest hesitation, he smiled and said:

"Since this matter was proposed by Fellow Daoist Black Shoes, I cannot refuse. How about this, please stay at our sect for a few more days, and I will send word to invite all the fellow Daoists in the alliance to attend the gathering."

"Could it be that this old thief also wants to eat a few more pieces of fragrant meat?!" Kang Dabao saw it clearly; this wasn't because Ye Zhen, the old cultivator, was giving face to the Daoist Black Shoes.

Ye Zhen, in front of Sect Leader Kang Da, made no attempt to hide anything and readily agreed to the matter.

After another half month, the leaders of each faction in the New Cloud Alliance finally arrived one after another.

As usual, Shan Sheng from the Shan Sheng Jade Moon Shan Household sat down alone at the table.

The sect leader of Hemu Dao, surnamed Han, brought along a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator ordinary appearance.

As for Zi Maple Valley, both its head and deputy head were present.

After the death of Shen Ang, the former leader of Zi Maple Valley, the Shen Household, who had originally held a dominant position in Zi Maple Valley, gradually became unable to suppress another branch of the Shen family.

The position of sect leader of Zi Maple Valley was also snatched from the Shen Household by Shen Baiyue, the head of the Shen Household family, who took advantage of having just broken through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

As for the other Foundation Establishment Shen Xing from the Shen Household, he could only accept the position of deputy sect leader, a position that Zi Maple Valley had never established before.

If things had been like this, the two families might have been able to live in peace.

However, Shen Tu, the Foundation Establishment seed of the Shen Household, lived up to expectations. He achieved the Dao Foundation with only a not-so-good "Reed Flower Pill" as his Foundation Establishment spiritual object.

From then on, the Shen Household had two Foundation Establishment still alive. Shen Baiyue had just succeeded as the sect leader and her foundation was shallow, so she could hardly suppress the Shen Household who were deeply rooted in Zi Maple Valley.

It is said that in the past year or two, there have been several clashes between the two sides involving more than a hundred cultivators. Some even say that during the most intense battles, Foundation Establishment were among those who perished.

These rumors have caused quite a stir, and outsiders find it difficult to discern the truth.

However, judging from the fact that the Sect Leader Kang Da believes this matter is mostly true, just by looking at how the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master of Zi Maple Valley are unwilling to even put on a show and clearly distinguish between themselves, one can tell that their family must be in great chaos.

"I am deeply honored that all of you fellow Daoists have gathered at our sect. It is truly a joyous occasion for our humble abode!" Ye Zhen laughed heartily, stroked his long beard, and raised his cup first.

Even though Ye Zhen, this old cultivator, had no prestige, he was still their nominal leader. The other cultivators wouldn't refuse to give him that much face, so no one spoiled the mood. They all agreed and raised their cups to drink together.

"It's been quite a while since our New Cloud Alliance has held a meeting. The Alliance Leader's letter summoning us was somewhat vague; we wonder what the matter is?"

Unlike Shen Baiyue, who remained seated, Shen Xing, the deputy sect Shen Xing of Zi Maple Valley, was somewhat impatient. He spoke first after drinking the first cup of wine and asked a question.

"Haha, there's no rush. Let's have a feast first. It's rare for fellow Daoists to gather like this, so let's make it a lively occasion. After the feast, we can hold a Daoist gathering and an exchange fair, so that everyone's trip will be worthwhile. Then we can discuss serious matters."

This arrangement naturally failed to satisfy everyone, who were filled with doubts.

However, Ye Zhen's suggestion was not bad either. In the path of cultivation, the most taboo thing is to work in isolation.

Although the Foundation Establishment True Cultivator present were not acquainted, they were nominally allies.

If we can hold a Dharma talk among ourselves, its value will always be much greater than discussing the Dharma with others outside.

As the host, Ye Zhen took the lead and went on stage to talk about the wonderful uses of the Spirit Transformation Technique.

Sect Leader Kang Da could tell that Ye Zhen hadn't used empty rhetoric; his explanation contained a lot of substance. However, Ye Zhen's mastery of this technique wasn't necessarily that profound; at least, he was far inferior to Fire Dragon Daoist.

That's understandable, after all, the old thief's Spirit Transformation Technique was so exquisite that it truly astonished and left Sect Leader Kang Da speechless.

Unfortunately, when they crushed that old thief to ashes, Sect Leader Kang Da was unable to find any cultivation manuals or similar items on his body.

If the opportunity arises in the future, perhaps we could try to find a way to get to the descendants of the old thief, Fire Dragon.

However, since he still carries the title of a descendant of a loyal martyr, Kang Dabao would probably have to think long and hard before making a move.

After Ye Zhen set a good example, the other Foundation Establishment True Cultivator stepped forward to explain their Daoist teachings. Like Ye Zhen, although they certainly didn't reveal everything, they certainly shared a lot of valuable insights.

Even the Foundation Establishment guest elder from Hemu Dao spoke of a decent water technique, which was quite insightful.

This exchange made many Foundation Establishment present look at this fellow Rogue Cultivator, who came from a humble background, with True Cultivator.

After listening to all the fellow practitioners' teachings, Sect Leader Kang Da felt he had greatly benefited and eventually went on stage to give a speech himself.

He was talking about the application of pupil techniques. Sect Leader Kang Da is quite accomplished in this field, and just by offering some not-so-profound insights, he was enough to make everyone present gain a lot.

"The Dao Assembly has concluded. Thank you all, fellow Daoists!" Ye Zhen bowed in thanks, then took out three bottles of pills. "Then, as usual, I will now offer my humble opinion at this exchange meeting."

"Fellow Daoists, please take a look. This is the Yellow Dragon Hundred Leaf Pill -Leaf Pill, perfectly suited for those in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage to consolidate their cultivation. It was made by Alchemist from Ginseng Spirit Mountain and is priced at four hundred and fifty Spirit Stone per bottle. If any fellow Daoists offer the same price, those who offer metal-type spiritual items will have priority in exchanging."

"Four hundred and fifty Spirit Stone? If it really is the Yellow Dragon Hundred Leaf Pill refined by the Alchemist of Ginseng Spirit Mountain, then the price is fair." Sect Leader Kang Da was somewhat tempted.

Thinking about it, I wonder if Ye Zhen specifically arranged for this item to be useful to both myself and my brother Jiang Qing.

Ye Zhen, a seasoned Foundation Establishment, was quite wealthy, and it was rather rare for him to use this elixir for trade. Many people present were interested and took the silk scrolls from the plump and pretty maid, writing down their prices.

After examining each one, Ye Zhen kept only one in his hand and used his spiritual light to scatter the rest into ashes.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Shen." Ye Zhen said with a happy expression, handing the pill in his hand to Shen Xing.

Shen Baiyue looked unwell, and Sect Leader Kang Da was equally unhappy.

Kang Dabao's personality of only wanting to take advantage of others and not wanting to suffer losses meant that he would find it difficult to obtain satisfactory spiritual items at these small-scale barter fairs.

After Shen Xing the first bottle of Yellow Dragon Hundred Leaf Pill, Shen Xing still participated in the bidding for the second bottle.

Kang Dabao thought that it must have been purchased for the purpose of Shen Tu. He also noticed that Shen Baiyue, who had not made any moves before, had called over a pretty maid and brought a piece of spiritual silk.

Sect Leader Kang Da then realized that this auction had become a battle of wits between the leading figures of the old and new factions in Zi Maple Valley.

Not only Kang Dabao could see this clearly, but just by looking at the sharp decrease in the number of fellow practitioners participating in the auction for the second bottle of elixirs, and the undisguised smile on Ye Zhen's face, it was clear that most people present understood it.

"Only a fool would bid at this time!"

As expected, after Ye Zhen read through Shen Baiyue's and Shen Xing's bids one by one, he wondered what the price was written on the silk. This made the smile on Ye Zhen's old face almost overflow.

Originally, after seeing the prices for the two, the old cultivator had given up hope. However, after picking up the last piece of spiritual silk and examining it, even this two-hundred-year-old Foundation Establishment couldn't help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes.

The light in his palm turned into crimson flames, burning everything, including the bids from Zi Maple Valley and the other person, into ashes.

This move caused everyone present to show a hint of surprise, and even the Sect Leader Kang Da, thought to himself, "Which fool offered this price?"

Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Jiang! You've successfully acquired the elixir!

When Kang Dabao saw his junior brother take the jade bottle from Ye Zhen's hand from his side, he showed no joy whatsoever. Instead, his rosy face gradually turned ashen, and he was so angry that he almost cursed out loud.

At this moment, not only outsiders showed surprise, but Shen Baiyue and Shen Xing themselves were also surprised.

After all, they were perfectly clear about the prices they each offered just now, all in an attempt to vent their anger.

Jiang Qing's offer was even lower than theirs; this was definitely a huge loss for them... well, he's a big spender.

Following the usual Shen Xing, after bidding on the second bottle of elixirs, Jiang Qing also took the spirit silk during the bidding for the third bottle.

For some reason, Shen Baiyue and Shen Xing both breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, exchanged a glance, and then wrote down the price quote again.

After Ye Zhen collected the spirit scrolls from the two people in turn, he was about to go and receive Jiang Qing when a large hand beat him to it.

"Sect Leader Kang?" Ye Zhen's tone was somewhat displeased. Strictly speaking, Kang Dabao's actions had violated a major taboo.

"Ha, my junior brother retrieved the spirit scroll for me, I haven't written anything yet! Please wait a moment, Sect Leader Ye."

Sect Leader Kang Da gave a perfunctory smile, first crossing out the price Jiang Qing had set—enough to buy five bottles of Yellow Dragon Hundred Leaf Pill —and then casually writing down another price.

Ye Zhen knew what he was thinking, but Jiang Qing's previous offer had already made him a fortune, and the main events would require Chongming Sect to put on a show, so the old man didn't bother to argue with Kang Dabao anymore.

Because of Sect Leader Kang Da's meddling, Shen Xing ended up snapping up the bottle of Yellow Dragon Hundred Leaf Pill Shen Xing a dark expression.

Ye Zhen made a fortune, his old face wrinkled like a blooming chrysanthemum. The others went on stage to sell their spiritual items. The items that these Foundation Establishment cultivators brought out were all quite good, but some relatively rare materials still failed to sell.

However, Kang Dabao managed to snag a bargain, spending 1,500 Spirit Stone to purchase a Qi Refinement Ninth Layer training puppet from a Foundation Establishment of the Book and Sword Gate at a low price.

It's easy to see from its crafting techniques that it shares the same lineage as the mechanical puppet that Sect Leader Kang Da purchased before.

This Foundation Establishment wasn't very particular; he didn't even bother to wipe the bloodstains off the mechanical puppet before selling it. It was most likely picked up from the Storage Bag of a core disciple of a certain Ingenious Craftsman Fort.

We've just finished those two appetizers, and now the main course is finally here.

Ye Zhen sat calmly in his seat, and after a long silence, he finally spoke, "The Daoist Black Shoes sent a message last time, suggesting that the share of the Spirit Stone mine in Tanggu County should be re-determined."

This is why we've asked you all to take time out of your busy schedules to attend. After all, as you all know, the output of this Spirit Stone mine isn't as promising as Commander Tie had previously predicted. Moreover, the state court's decree has changed, which was something we hadn't anticipated."

Upon hearing this, the expression of Han, the Sect Leader Han Hemu Dao, changed immediately; Shan Sheng's expression shifted slightly; the sect leaders of Zi Maple Valley exchanged a glance before turning to Ye Zhen, who had spoken, their faces showing a hint of anger.

"I have presumptuously drafted a rough version myself, and I would like to invite everyone to discuss it."

"Hemu Dao, still half-finished." Sect Leader Han and the Foundation Establishment cultivator beside him visibly relaxed.

"Jade Moon Shan Household sales have dropped to 10%."

Shan Sheng opened his mouth, then looked at Kang Dabao, who gave him a reassuring look, and he silently agreed.

"Zi Maple Valley has been reduced to one-tenth of its original strength, Chongming Sect..."

"Alliance Leader, please wait a moment, I have something to say." Shen Baiyue stood up, but Shen Xing still did not make a move.

A moment of silence fell over the room. Ye Zhen glanced at Shen Baiyue, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes for the first time, like a ravenous wolf in the winter moon, utterly ruthless.

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