Chapter 213: Jin Clan's Chance Encounter with Red Peony & Smooth Entry into the Spirit Herb Banquet

Chapter 213: Jin Clan's Chance Encounter with Red Peony & Smooth Entry into the Spirit Herb Banquet

The process of exchanging for the Spirit-Fungus Soul-Cleansing Pill wasn't complicated.

Within the Lantern-Holding True Sovereign's temporary Cave Mansion, Xiao Chen completed the transaction directly with the Sovereign's attendant.

No unexpected issues arose—no Golden Core Zhenren took interest in him, nor did anyone covet the source of his medicinal treasures.

To Golden Core cultivators, Fourth Stage Spirit Herbs were valuable, but Fourth Stage spirit pills were even more critical.

In truth, a single Purple-Gold Bodhi wasn't enough to attract the Lantern-Holding True Sovereign's attention. The Sovereign was preoccupied with catching up with Lord Huo.

"Boom!"

As Xiao Chen exited the opulent temporary Cave Mansion and returned toward Hundred Grasses City, a thunderous explosion suddenly split the sky.

He looked up. Six hundred li northward, lightning crackled violently at an altitude of hundreds of meters. Barrel-Thick Lightning surged from the heavens, striking something below.

Almost immediately, golden light techniques bloomed across the sky, blinding observers.

The sea below surged upward, coalescing into a divine general hundreds of meters tall, radiating awe-inspiring might.

The two sides exchanged blows, their eighth strike sending shockwaves of spiritual energy rippling outward. Clearly, Golden Core cultivators were dueling.

On Hundred Grasses Island, figures immediately appeared atop clouds, watching from afar.

Some eager spectators even moved another hundred li closer, desperate for a better view.

Xiao Chen joined the crowd midair, observing the distant battle.

Excellent! Finally, a duel to watch!

Judging from the commotion, the combatants were formidable. Unfortunately, radiant lights and spells obscured the battlefield, making it hard to identify the participants.

No matter. Someone would surely recognize the techniques on display.

"Hey! Isn't that the Jin Clan's Hundred Refinements Golden Pearl? Why is the Jin Clan suddenly attacking? Did they catch the culprit?"

"Amazing! No wonder the Jin Clan is one of the Wanxian Archipelago's Seven Great Clans. They found the culprit in just a few days!"

"Fellow cultivators, the divine general in the sea looks familiar. Does anyone know its origin?"

"Judging from its style, this might be the Peng family's secret technique from Wanxian Island."

"What? If that's true, the other party must be a sword cultivator!"

Unlike spell cultivators, whose duels were dramatic and visible from afar, sword cultivators' battles only revealed their killing intent at close range.

Suddenly, the sky darkened.

Then, a torrent of flames erupted, spreading thousands of meters in all directions.

Like a blooming Red Peony, the inferno vaporized vast swathes of seawater, leaving the air thick with white mist.

"Stop!"

A sharp shout pierced the heavens. Two figures burst through the mist, scanning wildly for their foe.

The watching crowd gasped.

"Damn! What terrifying fire magic!"

"Unbelievable! That flame was at least a thousand meters wide!"

"It's Red Peony ambushing the Jin Clan! I knew the Pale-Faced Scholar wouldn't dare do this."

Red Peony ranked fourth on the Bounty List, with a reward of 285,000 spirit stones.

The signature technique exposed the attacker's identity immediately.

Speculation erupted.

"So that's Red Peony! I heard she's a female cultivator. Is it true?"

"Hmph! Bandit cultivators have no gender. They all deserve death. Why hasn't anyone caught this bastard yet?"

"Strange. Red Peony never operated in the Nanlao Sea before. Why target the Jin Clan now?"

"Right! I heard the Jin Clan lost a treasure recently. Could it be a Fourth Stage legacy?"

"How could it be a cultivation manual? To attract Red Peony, it must be something like the Purple-Hearted Breakthrough Pill."

...

The Purple-Hearted Breakthrough Pill was a stage-breakthrough medicinal treasure. It was said to increase a cultivator's Nascent Soul Formation success rate by 20%.

The crowd's theories grew increasingly wild. Xiao Chen stopped listening, slipping quietly into the throng.

He didn't know why Red Peony had appeared here or clashed with the Jin Clan, but it was undoubtedly good news.

If the Jin Clan focused on hunting Red Peony, he could watch from the sidelines.

The conflict's cause was simple.

Red Peony had merely been passing through but noticed Jin Clan cultivators lying in wait outside Hundred Grasses Island as she departed.

With old grudges between them, neither side hesitated.

Red Peony fled immediately. The Jin Clan gave chase.

Thus, the spectacle unfolded.

As expected, the Jin Clan soon updated their bounty order, adding 100,000 spirit stones.

They withdrew their forces from Hundred Grasses Island, redirecting them northward to pursue Red Peony.

Calculations revealed Red Peony's total bounty now reached 325,000 spirit stones, surpassing the third-ranked Ghost-Faced Scholar by 50,000 and securing her a spot in the top three.

Hearing this news in the plaza, Xiao Chen silently turned and left, concealing his achievements as if they were never his.

The Jin Clan's threat had temporarily receded. The matter wasn't over, but settling scores could wait.

For now, hunting demon cores was unwise. Fortunately, the Spirit Herb Banquet would proceed as scheduled in two days.

"Should I attend the Spirit Herb Banquet?"

After finishing cultivation in his courtyard, Xiao Chen pondered while resting: "Since someone else is taking the blame, should I use the Yanling Wanshou Pill for entry?"

"Or play it safe and use the Spirit-Fungus Soul-Cleansing Pill?"

After all, attending the banquet had its benefits.

Setting aside networking, listening to Golden Core Sovereigns' insights and seeing other Fourth Stage Spirit Herbs would broaden his horizons.

If luck was on his side, the exchange might even yield something better than the Spirit-Fungus Soul-Cleansing Pill.

Perhaps something more suitable.

The next day, Xiao Chen received additional good news: Mo Mei True Sovereign, another friend of Lord Huo, would add a demon core auction at the Spirit Herb Banquet.

Mo Mei True Sovereign enjoyed exploring the outer seas, unlike most Golden Core Sovereigns who preferred the inner sea's stability.

They only returned for major sect events or occasional respite.

Over time, Mo Mei had accumulated many Third Stage demon cores, seeking to sell them now.

Lord Huo naturally supported his friend.

He even posted advance notices, advising interested cultivators to prepare extra spirit stones.

Pricing would range from 20,000 to 50,000 spirit stones per demon core, depending on quality.

While not cheap, the prices were reasonable for an auction.

For Xiao Chen, this was a valuable opportunity.

Rarely did cultivators sell demon cores, and bulk purchases were nearly impossible outside major auctions.

Buying demon cores was cheaper than Spirit Herbs, with comparable cultivation benefits.

With the Jin Clan still patrolling the seas, hunting was inconvenient.

Purchasing a few cores would maintain his cultivation pace.

As for the spent spirit stones, he'd recover them tenfold from the Jin Clan's vaults.

Resolving his doubts, Xiao Chen decided to attend the banquet with the Spirit-Fungus Soul-Cleansing Pill.

The next day, he visited the eastern district to sell unused items:

Leftover top-grade magic artifacts, blood jade obtained by chance, unused spirit sand, and six Third Stage Jade Talismans sold at a discount.

Even the superior-grade magic artifact teaware set, unpopular in the Southern Domain, found buyers in the Eastern Territory as exotic gifts.

These sales netted him 176,300 spirit stones, replenishing his reserves to 700,000 lower-grade spirit stones.

He also accumulated 10,500 middle-grade spirit stones for future use.

"Should I sell more spirit herbs?"

Xiao Chen considered his upcoming outer sea journey in May. Prices might drop there, and self-hunting was an option.

Buying ten demon cores should suffice for advancing to the Golden Core Middle Stage.

He decided against selling herbs, instead browsing the city for updates.

The Jin Clan's pursuit of Red Peony continued. Despite their efforts, Red Peony's fourth-place bounty reflected her skill.

Two more skirmishes occurred, but the Jin Clan lost her trail beyond the Nanlao Sea into the chaotic Jianhai region—nearly Red Peony's home turf.

Another report from the Jingkong Sea caught Xiao Chen's attention:

The Three Great Clans and Jin Xia Sect avoided full-scale war after mediation by the Heiyan Sea's Wu Lei Pavilion and Yunchi Sea's Tianyin Sect.

Though Jin Xia Sect suffered losses—several Third Stage spirit beasts and two Golden Core Zhenren—the Three Great Clans, backed by Pagoda Zhen Jun, held the upper hand.

The Jin Xia Sect had no choice but to demand compensation and settle the matter peacefully.

Hiss!

Xiao Chen sucked in a sharp breath upon hearing this. This was going to be tougher than he’d thought. If even the Jin Xia Sect couldn’t handle it, he’d probably need to break through to Golden Core Perfect Completion just to deal with the Three Great Clans—maybe even breakthrough to Golden Core True Sovereign.

But on the bright side, he could always head to the Outer Sea first and avoid the Inner Sea altogether. If he could breakthrough to Golden Core out there, he’d return and deal with both the Three Great Clans and the Jin Clan in one fell swoop.

By noon on the third day, the city lord’s mansion was already in full festive swing. Crimson lanterns lined the entrance, their glow reflecting off embroidered carpets patterned with mythical beasts that stretched from the mansion gates all the way down the street.

Disciples from Hundred Grasses City, clad in matching Magic Robes, stood at street corners maintaining order. Xiao Chen noticed their robes bore new, custom-made designs—clearly tailored for this event.

He wondered if the disciples would get to keep the robes afterward. If so, standing guard for a few hours in exchange for a free Magic Robe didn’t sound half bad.

Truth be told, Xiao Chen had never really enjoyed many sect benefits. For one, Lihuo Sect was perpetually broke, and small sects like theirs simply didn’t have much to offer. For another, his cultivation speed had always been too fast to participate in events like the grand Three Sects Joint Competition, which was strictly for Foundation Building cultivators.

“I wonder if there are similar events in the Eastern Territory,” he mused, taking his seat as a servant girl guided him.

By all rights, the Eastern Territory should host grand Sect Competitions and duel tournaments, drawing celestial geniuses from across the land. The rewards were usually spectacular—fame, fortune, and prestige for the victor.

But with his identity issues unresolved, he’d likely be barred from joining such events. Frustrating!

Thankfully, he’d been cautious enough to use the alias “Chen Xiao” back then. Otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble he’d be in now?

After spending some time in Hundred Grasses City, he’d come to understand the Xuantian Immortal Palace’s towering influence in the Eastern Territory. The legacy of that immortal palace was enough to make Golden Core True Sovereigns salivate.

Perhaps this was part of the price for inheriting such a legacy.

Boom!

At the third watch of the You hour, evening drums echoed through the city, signaling the official start of the banquet.

The event was held in the city lord’s expansive back garden to encourage mingling. At the center stood a massive pool, over 333 meters long and 33 meters wide. In the middle of the pool sat a pavilion for admiring the moonlight.

Tonight, however, the water surface was lined with Eight Immortal Tables arranged in a crescent shape, complete with incense burners and plush seating. The pavilion itself held five exclusive seats adorned with pearl curtains, ornate canopies, fans, and jeweled ornaments—reserved for Golden Core True Sovereigns.

Xiao Chen scanned the area. Over 190 cultivators had been seated, all Golden Core Zhenren without a single Foundation Building cultivator in sight.

Four tables to his left sat Wen Ruoxi, looking utterly transformed from the last time he’d seen her at the Xuantian Immortal Palace. She wore a crimson ceremonial gown with a golden-threaded shawl, a sash of red silk, and a Nine-Pheasant Crown. The crown bore two pearl flowers, five pearls, eleven clusters of jade clouds, and nine jeweled blossoms.

She radiated elegance and regality.

He hadn’t expected her to breakthrough to Golden Core already—or to hold such a high status. That Nine-Pheasant Crown alone, with its Third Stage Ice Spirit Pearls, emitted a natural blue glow that even the red lanterns couldn’t mask. Her entire seat shimmered with an expensive azure light.

Another guest in full splendor was Gao Chang Geng from the Star-Plucking Sword Pavilion. Seated at the table to Wen Ruoxi’s left, he radiated five-colored mists, his jade belt gleaming like a white rainbow. A crystal-clear gem adorned his forehead, and he even carried a folding fan with tasseled edges.

From Xiao Chen’s sharp eyes, these weren’t just decorations—they were likely spiritual artifacts with special functions.

Hmph. A sword cultivator carrying all this extra baggage? How unrefined.

In contrast, Ling Tianyi to his right looked far more restrained. The only thing glowing on him was his spirit beast bag. Even his sword hung unassumingly at his side.

Xiao Chen glanced at the spirit beast bag. He suspected the Mo Jiao was inside. This bag was a specialty of the Eastern Territory—unheard of in the Southern Domain. It could carry live spirit beasts for months, a truly wondrous artifact.

Before long, the True Sovereign Mo Mei arrived. With a clean sweep of his sleeve, he summoned nearly 300 demon cores floating into the air.

“No need for extra words. There are four tiers here—higher tiers cost more.”

“Just take what you want and pay accordingly.”

With that, he turned and took his seat in the pavilion. The demon cores hovered two feet before the tables, drifting slowly for inspection.

A cultivator reached out, and a demon core immediately flew into his palm—effortless.

Soon, another True Sovereign with a face like carved jade entered the pavilion, chatting casually with Mo Mei.

Outside, the demon cores were steadily claimed, but Mo Mei seemed utterly unconcerned—unworried about theft.

Xiao Chen observed carefully. The lowest tier held ordinary demon cores, the cheapest. The next three tiers were all mutated.

The third tier contained water-attribute cores—the most numerous. The second tier held the other four elements, though their numbers were halved. The top tier held rare ice, thunder, and wind-attribute cores—only eight in total.

Wen Ruoxi immediately claimed four ice-attribute cores but ignored the rest. Gao Chang Geng lazily took the remaining four wind-attribute cores, handing two to his junior sect sisters behind him.

For them, demon cores were trivial. When they truly needed one, they’d simply ask their family or sect.

Xiao Chen, however, carefully selected twenty water-attribute cores. Since he planned to refine true mana, the attribute didn’t matter much.

From past experience, two ordinary cores yielded one true mana strand. The mutated cores, however, could produce three strands—or even four if refined slowly.

Out of curiosity, he also took one wood and one metal core for comparison. Even if it cost him a little extra, it was worth testing.

The cores cost him 680,000 spirit stones, drawing sidelong glances from other Golden Core cultivators. But most were just curious about this unfamiliar face—no one doubted his wealth. After all, everyone here was a heavy hitter.

Xiao Chen noticed everyone had taken at least one core. Clearly, they were all playing along.

This segment lasted only a quarter-hour before Mo Mei waved his sleeve again, and the remaining cores vanished.

Xiao Chen saw clearly—they hadn’t been stored in the pavilion but had simply disappeared.

The other cultivators noticed too. Ling Tianyi’s eyes flickered with unease, and Gao Chang Geng’s expression darkened.

This ability was unsettling. If he could snatch cores from this distance, he could just as easily snatch lives.

Golden Core True Sovereigns killing Golden Core cultivators wasn’t hard, but the display still unnerved everyone.

While others exchanged fearful glances, Ling Tianyi calculated how long he could resist before fleeing. Gao Chang Geng wondered if his spiritual artifacts could buy him enough time to escape.

Xiao Chen, however, had different thoughts.

With Night’s Blade, he had little to fear. What intrigued him was that midair retrieval technique.

Once I reach Golden Core, I’ll study how that works.

Mastering it would let him show off at future exchanges.

This is called learning from the virtuous!

Learning from others’ strengths was the path to greatness.

“Cultivator Xuan Shuang, please sit. Cultivator Ti Deng, make yourselves comfortable—no need to be formal. Treat this as your own home.”

Lord Huo entered the pavilion, greeting two other Golden Core True Sovereigns before waving casually to the cultivators outside.

Though few were from Hundred Grasses City, everyone politely responded.

True to his blunt style, Lord Huo began, “Glad so many cultivators and young friends could join tonight.”

“I’ll skip the fluff. This Spirit Herb Banquet is simply to facilitate exchanges—everyone should find the Fourth Stage spirit pills they need.”

“No special rules here. Just a standard exchange event.”

“Speak freely, barter boldly—no need for restraint.”

He paused, then shrugged. “That’s all. Let’s eat first—full bellies make for better conversations.”

“Bring the food!”

End of Chapter(End of Chapter)

Chapter end