A Third-Tier Treasure Cauldron and an Unexpected Calamity
Chenjiang County, Kang Changping cave abode
About ten days after Kang Rongquan returned, Kang Xiangyi, who was staying at the entrance of the cave, was greeted by Sect Leader Kang Da's friends.
In the eyes of Kang Xiangyi, who had dominated the area for many years, the people who came this time were all important figures rarely seen in Chenjiang County.
Among them, Senior Cultivator Wufeng led Zhou Yun to arrive first. Because Kang Dabao had Xie Yi Jie Yi Shangxiu alive before, the former could rest easy in Ding Prefecture.
As a result, they naturally owed Sect Leader Kang Da a considerable favor.
Favors from such people should be repaid as soon as possible to ease the burden.
Normally, Zhou Yun, the chief disciple of Senior Cultivator Wufeng, would greet Kang Dabao with a smile and say, "Brother Dao, how are you?"
However, this time, Senior Cultivator Wufeng Zhou Yun's master, could only straighten his clothes and compose himself, bow deeply to Sect Leader Kang Da, and say "Greetings, Lord Marquis."
Sometimes, even Senior Cultivator Wufeng himself sighed inwardly, wondering if this kid surnamed Kang had any extraordinary talent. How come, after only a few decades, the latter had already killed several powerful figures of the same level, while he himself remained lukewarm?
It has been nearly two hundred years since he Core Formation stage, yet he still hasn't even reached the threshold of the Middle Stage of Golden Core, let alone dream of becoming a Nascent Soul.
Sect Leader Kang Da was unaware that in the short span of time, Senior Cultivator Wufeng had already gone through a number of thoughts.
He was as kind as ever to people. When he first met Senior Cultivator Wufeng, he almost called him "senior," but the latter was tactful and didn't take offense.
Despite his seniority among the many Golden Core Senior Cultivator Wufeng has gradually become a marginal figure in the Office of the Duke of Qin due to his lack of skill.
But he was, after all, a True-Grade Golden Core. Compared to getting closer to the increasingly powerful and noble families in the Duke's mansion and befriending such people, this was a worthwhile and cost-effective deal, so Kang Dabao had no reason not to do it.
Following closely behind Senior Cultivator Wufeng was Yang Baoshan, one of the ancestors of the Ye Prefecture Yang Household. Before the Sect Leader Kang Da had achieved his elixir-making, he had taken a risk for the Yang Household family.
If Kang Dabao were still just a Foundation Establishment cultivator at this time, after the two patriarchs of the Yang Household had been reprimanded by Fei Nanying and compensated with spiritual treasures, the Yang Household family would naturally no longer have to worry about such things.
However, at present, such compensation is clearly too lenient.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Yang Baoshan, despite being deeply engrossed in his cultivation, still took time out of his residence to lend a helping hand at the invitation of Sect Leader Kang Da.
Yang Wuwei, who was very familiar with Kang Dabao, was said to have failed to condense his core on his first attempt and even suffered a great loss of vital energy, so he was still in seclusion and did not come this time.
The next senior cultivator who came after Yang Baoshan was also an acquaintance of the Sect Leader Kang Da.
Cao Xianlu, from the Savage Ghost Sect, finally attained the Golden Core before the new year. He is also considered the second Golden Core son-in-law of the Fei Household's She Mountain Hall after Kang Dabao. He and the Sect Leader Kang Da are officially related by marriage, and he is the only Golden Core cultivator who has come to help this time.
Although he is still in the stage of solidifying his elixir body, he was already quite outstanding when he was Foundation Establishment. Even though he lacked a bit of foundational knowledge, he was still not someone to be underestimated.
Seeing that the three senior cultivators who had come were all very respectful to Kang Dabao, Kang Xiangyi actually felt a sense of pride in his heart.
Sect Leader Kang Da and Third Master Jiang were unaware of the old cultivator's changing intentions; they simply greeted each of the newcomers.
Kang Changping was only a Middle Stage of Golden Core cultivator back then, and he died a violent death outside. His cave abode probably didn't have many treasures. So the fact that he was able to find so many powerful cultivators to help him this time was all thanks to Kang Dabao's favors.
Having arrived at this place and witnessed this scene, it goes without saying what Sect Leader Kang Da wanted the cultivators to help with.
Following common practice, the three cultivators soon reached a gentleman's agreement with Kang Dabao that they would each receive only one-tenth of the cave abode. As a gentleman's agreement, its binding force was naturally not strong.
If the cave abode only contains ordinary items commonly used by Golden Core cultivators, the cultivators can still maintain some tacit understanding; however, if it contains Nascent Soul Formation spiritual objects, even if their closest loved ones are by their side, it is only natural that they would turn against each other in an instant.
Despite his lack of Senior Cultivator Wufeng is a rare Second-Tier Upper-Grade array master whose expertise far surpasses that of the laymen around him.
However, he took out the compass and counting rods to examine them, and after about two days, he found a few flaws in the array base.
Kang Dabao and several other cultivators tried it one by one, only to find that the array positions calculated by Senior Cultivator Wufeng were completely wrong. The Lord of the Miasma Cage Court was so ashamed that his face turned as red as a date, and it took him a long time to recover.
Fortunately, Sect Leader Kang Da had not placed all his hopes on Senior Cultivator Wufeng. After discussing with the other upper cultivators, they unanimously decided to break the formation with force.
Perhaps because few cultivators held back their strength, it took about ten days for a gap the size of a person to finally appear in the great formation of this cave abode.
When it comes to exploring cave abode and seeking fortuitous opportunity, which of the cultivators present wasn't an expert? Without any instructions from Sect Leader Kang Da, the cultivators entered the formation through the opening in a calm and orderly manner.
After Jiang Qing, who was at the very end, entered the formation, a few breaths later, the gap in the formation's light screen slowly closed, making it difficult for outsiders to find any flaws.
The group pushed open the door together and probed out with their Divine Sense. They found that the furnishings and utensils inside the cave abode did not look like something that had not been opened for hundreds of years.
The outermost area only contained some top-grade Spirit Artifact. Among the Golden Core cultivators, apart from Sect Leader Kang Da and Cao Xianlu, who currently lacked offensive Law Treasure, the rest showed little interest.
So Jiang Qing and Zhou Yun, who had come with the other cultivators, divided the spoils equally.
Having cultivated for many years, Yang Baoshan possessed a remarkable ability to appraise spirit stones. He calculated the value of the Spirit Stone and included them in each person's share. His quoted price was considered reasonable by all the cultivators present.
Continuing inside, what should have been the Ice Lotus Jade Spring had transformed into a pool of blood, quite different from what Kang Xiangyi had previously described.
The Sect Leader Kang Da summoned him and asked him a question, but Kang Xiangyi was also puzzled. After a moment of silence, Kang Dabao, without needing an answer, had a rough idea in his mind. "This place must have been usurped and changed hands."
Having figured this out, Sect Leader Kang Da became even more vigilant and explained it to the cultivators present. However, the several high-ranking cultivators did not show any fear; instead, they all focused their gazes on the blood pool and lingered there for a long time.
Kang Dabao's eyesight was no worse than anyone else's, so he could see the thick blood mist moving around in the cave as if it were alive.
Dark red crystals, like sharp teeth, hung upside down on the rock face. Thick bubbles surged in the blood pool, and the scarlet corals deposited at the bottom twisted into branches, each edge oozing a murky pearly light.
Crystal-clear Blood Amber beads were embedded in the crevices of the rocks by the pool. Their translucent shells were covered with the essence Essence Blood of cultivators or Demon Beast, adding another layer of color to them.
Whenever the blood-red waves surged in the pool, the crisp sound of the Blood Coral colliding with each other was mixed with a barely audible hiss.
The cluster of hexagonal Blood Coral was sprouting, oblivious to the presence of outsiders in the arena. Its gnarled form unabashedly released the fragrance of decaying flowers, a rare sign of advancement.
"What a sacred place for Blood Dao cultivators! Even if you randomly bring over a few Foundation Establishment blood cultivators, without imparting any cultivation techniques, they might still be able to cultivate into Golden Core cultivators using this pool of blood."
Cao Xianlu spoke with fervent eyes. The Savage Ghost Sect, from which he came, could hardly be considered a righteous sect, and they were not averse to practicing unorthodox methods and taking human pills.
The Blood Amber formed in the blood pool before him, and the Blood Coral attached to the edge of the pool, were all rare treasures in his eyes.
Even a simple refining of the former can extend the lifespan of Golden Core cultivator by five years; the latter can be used as a main ingredient in several pills that enhance the cultivation of Golden Core cultivators, and is equally rare in the outside world.
Although there was no lust in Third Master Jiang's eyes, he could hear the barely suppressed gasps in his ears, which made him raise his eyebrows, quickly step out of the crowd, and keep observing.
Sect Leader Kang Da was well aware of the principle that "wealth can move people's hearts," but he also roughly knew that although these Blood Dao spiritual materials were rare, they were not enough to make the three of them turn against him.
He cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "I never expected to gain anything extra. Fellow Daoists, please don't be impatient. I, Kang, will collect all these treasures. After we leave the cave, I will ask Fellow Daoist Yang to appraise and distribute them."
This arrangement wasn't exactly satisfactory to the other three, but they had no other choice. After all, Kang Dabao's reputation was far better than theirs. If these treasures weren't kept by the Sect Leader Kang Da but in the hands of others, the cultivators would hardly feel at ease.
Storage Bag are something that Chongming Sect, from outer disciples to the Supreme Elders, has plenty of.
With a casual gesture, Sect Leader Kang Da freed up a space, and with a wave of his hand, crystal-clear Blood Amber and vibrant coral fell into the jade box he had prepared, and then flowed into his Storage Bag in an orderly fashion.
With mixed feelings, Kang Xiangyi followed the group of cultivators and flew over the blood pool, which should have been "as clear as the moon reflected in an ice pot, as blue as jade" as recorded in the Lineage's records. Then, the sect Sect Leader Kang Da to break through most of the restrictions on the way with Jiang Qing and Zhou Yun, and only then did they see the true core of this cave abode.
The Third Tier Pill Furnace Six Harmonies Kan-Li Cauldron, that Kang Changping used back then still stands in the Alchemy Chamber in its original form, nourished day and night by the earth fire cultivated by a high-level geomancer, its spiritual energy constantly increasing.
However, Kang Xiangyi felt that the Pill Cauldron seemed to lack much of the immortal aura and had more of a bloody smell compared to what was recorded in the clan's records.
This is clearly due to the change of owner. However, for a pill cauldron that has reached the level of Law Treasure and is sufficient to serve as the Pill Cauldron of Golden Core sect, this problem is merely a minor flaw and cannot affect its value by even a fraction.
Even the usually composed Sect Leader Kang Da's eyes lit up when he saw this treasure, for a Law Treasure- level Pill Cauldron is quite rare.
Let alone someone like Senior Cultivator Wufeng, who is so poor that he could never accumulate even one Golden Core in his entire life, even powerful forces like the Fei Household's She Mountain Hall and the "Three Administrations" under the Star-Picking Pavilion might not be able to have one.
"No wonder Kang Changping didn't carry such an important item with him when he traveled back then. The quality of this earth fire is the highest I've ever seen in my life. This Pill Furnace has been nurtured here for hundreds of years without interruption. Without having to do anything else, the quality of this Pill Cauldron has already increased by one grade. It's really worth it!"
The Six Harmonies Kan-Li Cauldron left by Kang Changping was something Kang Dabao was determined to obtain on this trip. However, the grade of this Pill Cauldron was a level higher than he had guessed earlier.
This also means that the Blood Amber and Blood Coral mentioned earlier are no longer relevant to the Chongming Sect.
Sect Leader Kang Da felt it was a bit of a pity, after all, these Blood Dao treasures were hard to find in the outside world. Even if no one in the Chongming Sect was skilled in blood techniques, if they encountered someone who desperately needed them in the future, they wouldn't be afraid of getting a good deal even if they traded for them.
The Third Tier Pill Cauldron naturally made Wufeng and his companions extremely envious. Even the Sect Leader Kang Da could see the fierce aura in their eyes. However, he simply brandished the Slaughter and Extermination, and the bright light of the halberd made the three of them feel a chill, and the heat on their faces seemed to subside at the same time.
The first to realize this was Cao Xianlu, the least senior of the three. After all, he and Kang Dabao were brothers-in-law and both trusted by the Duke. With this relationship, it wasn't necessary to insist on going to war with the latter.
Seeing Cao Xianlu's friendly demeanor towards Kang Dabao, the inappropriate thoughts that Senior Cultivator Wufeng and Yang Baoshan had just had gradually dissipated.
After all, they had heard of Sect Leader Kang Da; three against one was barely enough, and the two of them together certainly had no chance of winning. They weren't completely out of their minds, so why would they do something so foolish?
Upon reflection, this was a very worthwhile deal, as it involved repaying Kang Dabao's favor and acquiring a valuable item from the Blood Dao with minimal effort.
If they were bolder, they could sell the news of the Chongming Sect obtaining Third Tier Pill Cauldron at a suitable time later, which would bring in a considerable sum of money.
Sect Leader Kang Da took in everyone's thoughts, but he didn't say much. He simply bowed and thanked them, then handed over the Blood Amber and coral he had just obtained to Yang Baoshan, asking him to distribute them as needed.
After this, the atmosphere in the cave visibly improved considerably.
Kang Dabao was discussing the matter of collecting the Pill Cauldron with Jiang Qing, while Zhou Yun and Kang Xiangyi, who were standing to the side, did not stop their searching. The two of them did not know what kind of person the Sect Leader Kang Da was, and they really thought that there would be some treasures that Golden Core cultivators would not care about and would be left here.
However, the two of them had cultivated for one or two hundred years. If they hadn't been careful and cautious, they probably wouldn't have survived to this day. Zhou Yun saw that there was a very well hidden cave, but he didn't think much of it. After all, this place had already been explored by powerful cultivators with their Divine Sense, so there shouldn't be any hidden secrets.
However, he was unaware that the Golden Core True Cultivator who had come to investigate earlier were all in perfect health, while he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was different.
Unbeknownst to them, a wisp of life force emanated from Zhou Yun and flowed into the cave.
The dilapidated restrictions that had been dormant in the dark cave for an unknown period of time suddenly loosened, and then a corpse shrouded in bluish-gray miasma suddenly trembled. Its eyelids opened, and when the old grime fell off, the pair of upturned triangular eye sockets on its face still had cold, burning eerie green eyes embedded in them, which was extremely terrifying.
As soon as the refining corpse awoke, the thick corpse aura on its body could no longer be concealed. When it overflowed into the cave abode through the dark acupoint, not only Zhou Yun, who was closest to it, was filled with fear, but even the other cultivators who were sharing the spoils also changed their expressions drastically.
Kang Dabao had fought against high-level corpse refiners before, but as soon as he was exposed to this corpse energy, he knew that this bronze corpse was definitely not something that had only entered the Third Tier level.
Sure enough, before they could make a move, a dark figure darted out from the cave, ferocious and terrifying, exuding a fierce aura.
Yang Baoshan, the most knowledgeable person present, instantly lost all joy at acquiring the treasure. His eyes widened, and a trembling voice escaped his throat as he uttered, "Here... how could there be Third-Tier Upper-Grade Bronze Corpse here?!"
(Lao Bai, due to a work error and checking for inventory defects, I was later than expected. I also failed to fulfill my promise to stay up all night to update, which I am truly ashamed of. Please forgive me, everyone. Today, I risked doing some sloppy work and cobbled together a chapter. Tonight, Lao Bai still need to check for inventory defects and will try my best to update!)