https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-149-Toying-with-the-Perfected-Qi-Refiners-Rejecting-Cen-Xianzi-Part-2-/12549485/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-150-Establishing-a-Cave-Abode-an-Immortal-s-Abode-Part-2-/12549489/
Chapter 150: Establishing a Cave Abode, an Immortal's Abode (Part 1)
Chapter 150: Establishing a Cave Abode, an Immortal's Abode (Part 1)
As they entered the belly of the mountain, the three of them immediately revealed delighted expressions on their faces.
Before them lay another spirit vein.
With just a slight sense, the trio instantly discerned the rank of this spirit vein.
"A second-rank spirit vein!" exclaimed Jiang Hongguang in surprise.
"Moreover, this second-rank spirit vein is of quite a high grade; I suspect it's already reached the middle tier," he continued.
"Only on the Thousand Illusions Island and those top twenty islands would you find spirit veins of this caliber," he added, his expression turning solemn.
The reason for his sudden change in demeanor was clear to him; he knew exactly what the presence of such a spirit vein implied.
The hidden spirit vein he had discovered earlier was merely a lower second-rank, and even that had attracted the attention of the Pill Tower Island's master, a cultivator who had perfected the Qi Refining realm.
If word got out that this island possessed a middle second-rank or higher spirit vein, it would undoubtedly pique the interest of the six great families.
Seeing the look on Jiang Hongguang's face, Chu Ning could easily guess what he was thinking.
Chu Ning's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as he too was surprised to find such a high-grade spirit vein within Fei Hong Island.
Although it appeared to be on the smaller side, its high rank was undeniable, and it was indeed something that could attract the greed of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Just as Chu Ning was about to speak, Jiang Hongguang took the initiative and said:
"Fellow Daoist Chu, we are the only three people who know about this spirit vein's discovery. My wife and I can swear upon our Dao hearts never to reveal a word of this to anyone else."
Before Chu Ning could respond, Jiang Hongguang continued:
"The three of us make up our family, and this spirit vein is slightly too small for us to establish our cave abodes. How about fellow Daoist Chu establishes your cave abode here, while we find another location? Of course, if fellow Daoist Chu has other plans for that other spirit vein, we will respect your arrangements."
Hearing Jiang Hongguang's words, Chu Ning gave him a second glance.
Although this spirit vein was smaller, it was only about 30% smaller than the previous one, which meant that establishing two cave abodes would be entirely feasible.
And now, Jiang Hongguang was being remarkably straightforward, which caused Chu Ning to view him with newfound respect.
However, Chu Ning was also aware that all of this was built upon the strength he had previously displayed.
After some thought, Chu Ning replied, "In that case, thank you, Fellow Daoist Jiang. I will establish my cave abode here, and you can handle the other spirit vein as you see fit."
Jiang Hongguang quickly waved his hand and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Chu is too kind. This island was preserved with your help, and the spirit vein was discovered by you. In fact, it is us who should be grateful to you for allowing us to have full access to the other spirit vein."
Then, Jiang Hongguang added, "I will immediately send a message to the entire island to prohibit anyone from coming to this peak from now on. However, Fellow Daoist Chu, it would be best if you set up an array here as well."
"An array!" Chu Ning agreed that it made sense, but he was also a bit bewildered.
He had no idea how to create such a thing.
Yu Yuanxiu, who was standing beside him, seemed to understand Chu Ning's dilemma and offered a solution, "It's not too difficult. The Cen family's store on Thousand Illusions Island sells the necessary array flags and plates, and they also provide instructions on how to deploy and use the array."
Chu Ning nodded, "Alright, thank you both for the reminder. I will establish my cave abode first, and then I'll head to Thousand Illusions Island to take a look."
"In that case, we won't disturb Fellow Daoist Chu any further," said Jiang Hongguang as he took his leave. They understood that establishing a cave abode was a matter that required privacy.
Chu Ning didn't try to keep them, and after seeing them out of the mountain, he returned to its depths.
After another careful inspection, a pleased expression appeared on Chu Ning's face.
Jiang Hongguang had actually been conservative in his assessment. The section of the spirit vein that they had just seen was of relatively lower quality compared to the rest of the vein.
In fact, another section of the spirit vein had already reached the upper second-rank in quality.
"If this spirit vein were just a bit larger, it might have been enough to establish a sect. Using it for a cave abode now feels a bit extravagant, even to me," Chu Ning thought to himself.
However, his hands didn't stop moving as he thought this.
This was his first time establishing his own cave abode, and Chu Ning began to work, combining his ideas with practical considerations.
First, he created rooms for cultivation, talisman-making, and resting, placing them where the spirit vein's quality was at its highest.
Above the section of the spirit vein with the highest quality, Chu Ning created six cave rooms.
Then, not far away, he created a few more rooms to serve as spirit beast chambers.
Among them were chambers for Ling Xiao Bai and the Iron Rock Beast.
However, Chu Ning also set aside extra rooms, considering that he might want to tame other spirit beasts in the future.
With the cave rooms mostly taken care of, Chu Ning looked at the vast space before him and began to feel a bit overwhelmed.
There was one more crucial aspect he needed to consider—the herb garden and spirit fields.
After all, he had a large number of spirit plants to cultivate.
But the soil above this mountain peak lacked sufficient spiritual energy, and if he wanted to create a herb garden, he would need to dig up half the mountain.
This was mainly because the spirit vein was hidden.
Otherwise, with a spirit vein of this caliber, the soil above would be brimming with spiritual energy.
And so, Chu Ning, accompanied by the Iron Rock Beast, began the arduous task of cultivating the land.
Fortunately, there was a depression next to the mountain peak, which turned out to be an ideal place to dump the excess soil.
Otherwise, the sheer amount of soil would have been enough to give Chu Ning a headache.
After a few days, Chu Ning had dug down half the mountain but decided not to continue any further.
His current location was already quite noticeable, and it was only because of Jiang Hongguang's orders that no one else came to this area.
Ling Xiao Bai responded with a soft "whine," indicating his understanding of the task. Assured by the little guy's presence, Chu Ning set off with peace of mind.
Little White had already advanced to the upper level of first-rank spirit beasts. With further cultivation, Chu Ning estimated that he wouldn't be far from breaking through to the second-rank. Ordinary cultivators at the ninth layer of Qi Refining might not even be a match for him. As long as it wasn't someone from outside the island, Little White could handle anyone from within.
As for the Iron Rock Beast, he couldn't stay there yet. Chu Ning had hastily created a simple contract using a method he learned from a Beast Taming disciple, but it only allowed him to control the beast. Although Little White often played with the Iron Rock Beast, he wasn't capable of taking complete command in critical situations. To avoid any unexpected troubles, Chu Ning decided to take the Iron Rock Beast with him, storing it in a spirit beast bag.
This time, when Chu Ning left Fei Hong Island, he didn't want to disturb the Jiang couple again. He directly used the teleportation formation to travel to Thousand Illusions Island. After a bit of inquiry, he headed straight for the Cen family's store.
The marketplace of Thousand Illusions Island was conveniently located near the teleportation formation, and each of the Six Great Families had their own shops there. The Cen family's store was called Cen Workshop, and its name was easily recognizable.
Chu Ning took a quick look around the marketplace and noticed that the other families, like the Chen and Liu families, named their shops in a similar fashion. Apparently, the reputation of the Six Great Families of the Thousand Isles Alliance was enough of a brand, making their names instantly identifiable.
While the name "Cen Workshop" wasn't particularly resounding, the building itself was quite impressive. It was a three-story mansion, exquisitely designed with a delicate and elegant style.
As Chu Ning entered the Cen Workshop, a cultivator immediately approached him. This cultivator was likely at the fifth layer of Qi Refining and greeted Chu Ning warmly, "What would you like to buy, esteemed customer? We have a variety of products here at Cen Workshop, including pills, talismans, artifacts, and arrays. Our specialty is, of course, our arrays."
Chu Ning was slightly surprised to hear this. He had always assumed that the Cen Workshop only sold array-related items, but it seemed they offered a more comprehensive selection. Taking this opportunity, he casually browsed their wares.
However, he found that the talismans and artifacts on display were not of particularly high quality. The highest-grade talismans they had were only upper-grade primary level, and there were only a few types available. As for quality, they couldn't compare to the ones he crafted himself. This confirmed his previous assessment of the overall talisman standards in the Thousand Isles and Thousand Lakes region.
Regarding artifacts, Chu Ning only spotted intermediate-level ones. Shaking his head, he directly asked the attendant, "How can I choose an array?"
"Please inform me of your requirements, and I can select the appropriate array flags and plates for you. If we don't have a suitable one, we can ask our clan to forge one. Alternatively, you can invite our clan's array master to set up the array for you, which would be the fastest option."
Hearing the attendant's suggestion, Chu Ning shook his head. "I'd rather not involve an array master, as that would expose the location of my cave abode."
So, he continued, "The array I need is quite demanding. It should cover an area of about 200 mu (approximately 33 acres). It should have a concealing effect, with internal partitions and restrictions, and certain areas should have spirit-gathering capabilities. Moreover, it should have strong protective capabilities, the stronger the better..."
As Chu Ning described his requirements, the Qi Refining cultivator in front of him showed a look of astonishment. After Chu Ning finished, the attendant quickly said, "Your requirements are extremely high, esteemed customer. Please wait a moment while I inform the manager."
Chu Ning nodded in agreement, and the attendant immediately went upstairs to the second floor. At that moment, Chu Ning noticed other cultivators entering the shop. They were also there to inquire about arrays, and one of them purchased a standard array for concealment, which cost a whopping 500 spirit stones.
Chu Ning couldn't help but be astonished by the price. If the array he intended to buy was indeed of a high grade, the cost would undoubtedly be substantial. Although he had some wealth, he also needed to consider his future cultivation expenses.
"Perhaps I could find a shop in the marketplace and hire someone to sell my talismans?" The idea popped into Chu Ning's mind.
He had only sold talismans to solitary cultivators in the past and hadn't explored the possibility of setting up a shop in the Thousand Illusions Island marketplace. However, he felt that this could be a worthwhile endeavor.
Just as Chu Ning was pondering this, the attendant returned and invited him upstairs. "Please follow me upstairs, esteemed customer. Our manager is waiting for you on the third floor."
Chu Ning nodded slightly, feeling that his request might indeed be beyond the scope of a regular attendant. The Cen family was renowned as the foremost array masters in the Thousand Isles and Thousand Lakes region, and he was relieved that their manager was willing to meet him personally.
The attendant led Chu Ning upstairs, and to his surprise, they went directly to the third floor. He had assumed that the second floor was where more advanced arrays were sold.
However, as soon as he entered, he paused in surprise.
Seated behind a tea table within was a woman with an ethereal aura, dressed in white and veiled.
It was none other than the renowned Cen Xianzi.
Up close, Chu Ning could sense that she was indeed a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
He quickly cupped his fists and bowed, "Greetings, Senior Cen."
"Please, have a seat, Chu Daoist. There's no need for such formality; just call me fellow Daoist," Cen Xianzi replied with a gentle voice.
No wonder she was held in such high regard by the male cultivators in the Thousand Isles and Thousand Lakes region, Chu Ning thought to himself.
"I am Cen Ziqin," she continued, her voice as soothing as a breeze. "I'm probably around the same age as you, and I meant what I said about not needing to be addressed as senior. It makes me feel old."
Chu Ning was slightly taken aback by her words but understood her sentiment. "Then I shall heed your wish, Fellow Daoist Cen," he said with a slight nod.
As Cen Ziqin busied herself with preparing tea, her eyes, bright beneath her veil, glanced at Chu Ning. "Please, have some spirit tea. This region is ideal for growing spirit tea, and ours is of the finest quality."
With a casual wave of her hand, she offered a cup of steaming spirit tea to Chu Ning.
He took a sip and instantly felt his spirit soar as the delicate fragrance filled his mouth. "Excellent tea!" he exclaimed.
Then, without further ado, he got straight to the point. "Fellow Daoist Cen, I came here primarily to purchase some array-related items."
"I've already been informed by my staff," Cen Ziqin replied casually, reaching into her storage bag and producing a set of array flags. "This set of array flags is my latest creation, incorporating my insights into the art of array formation. While it may not be on par with our clan's most advanced arrays and might not be sufficient for large-scale protective formations, it is more than capable of safeguarding a cave abode. In fact, I'm confident that no cultivator in the Thousand Isles and Thousand Lakes region could breach this array."
Cen Ziqin's voice was calm and her words bold, but given her reputation as the region's foremost array master, Chu Ning was inclined to believe her.
"Moreover," she continued, "this array does have spirit-gathering capabilities, as per your requirements. As for dividing it into separate zones with restrictions, I haven't incorporated that, but it can be easily done. Give me a few days to craft a few more array flags, and I can fulfill your request."
As she spoke, her eyes locked with Chu Ning's, awaiting his response. "What do you think of this array, Fellow Daoist Chu?"
Instead of answering directly, Chu Ning asked, "Fellow Daoist Cen, this array must be quite valuable, isn't it?"
Cen Ziqin nodded and then shook her head. "As I mentioned, this array is my latest creation, and in terms of its level and effects, it's one of the best in the Cen Workshop. It did require a lot of my time and effort, but it's not made from rare heavenly materials or spiritual treasures.
(End of Chapter)
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