Chapter 259: The Millennial Spirit Milk

Chapter 259: The Millennial Spirit Milk

Ling Cang took the initiative to speak up at this moment: "I am Ling Cang from the Jiuhua Sect, and this is our sect's Elder Chu. We are here together at your invitation."

"So it's Elder Ling and Elder Chu, please follow me," the middle-aged cultivator said, gesturing invitingly while his eyes widened in surprise.

"Elder Xue did mention that Elder Ling from the Jiuhua Sect would be bringing another elder from his sect. But Elder Chu is incredibly young. Could it be the result of a miraculous elixir that keeps him youthful?" he thought to himself, maintaining a neutral expression on his face.

"These Golden Core stage elders have eccentric personalities. I must be careful not to offend them easily," he reminded himself.

Chu Ning noticed the middle-aged cultivator's surprised expression but didn't react much. Given his youthful appearance, it was natural that he would stand out when accompanied by other Golden Core cultivators.

Led by the middle-aged cultivator, Ling Cang and Chu Ning ascended to the fifth floor of Tianyin Tower. Seven cultivators were already present there.

As soon as the two stepped onto the fifth floor, an elderly man with a kind face, similar in age to Ling Cang, approached them.

"Brother Ling, it's been years since we last met, yet you remain as vigorous as ever," the elderly man remarked.

"Brother Xue, you flatter me. I'm already half a foot in the grave," Ling Cang replied modestly.

Hearing this exchange, Chu Ning realized that this man was none other than Xue Shoujing of Tianying Pavilion, the organizer of this gathering of cultivators.

As expected, Ling Cang proceeded to introduce them: "Chu Ning, let me introduce you to Daoist Xue, Elder Xue of Tianyin Pavilion. Elder Xue, this is our sect's newly appointed Elder, Chu Ning."

As Ling Cang finished his introduction, not only did Xue Shoujing's gaze fall upon Chu Ning, but the other six Golden Core cultivators also turned their attention towards him.

Among them, an elderly Daoist priest with a surprised look on his face opened his mouth as if to say something, but he remained silent as Xue Shoujing was already speaking.

Xue Shoujing, slightly taken aback by Chu Ning's youthful appearance, asked curiously, "Is this the Daoist Chu that Brother Ling mentioned? We haven't met before. Could it be that you've just formed your Golden Core recently?"

Chu Ning cupped his fists and replied, "Greetings, Daoist Xue. Indeed, I've only recently formed my Golden Core. I look forward to your guidance in the future."

Xue Shoujing also cupped his fists and responded, "You're too kind, Daoist Chu. Given your youth and achievement of the Golden Core stage, I dare not presume to offer any guidance. Please, take a seat. There are a few more Daoist friends on their way, and they should be arriving shortly."

Ling Cang nodded and scanned the room, seemingly looking for familiar faces. Then, he led Chu Ning towards the elderly Daoist priest who had shown surprise earlier.

"Daoist Qu!"

"Daoist Ling!"

The two men exchanged greetings, and before Ling Cang could introduce them, the elderly Daoist Qu spoke up, addressing Chu Ning, "Daoist Chu, it's been over a decade since we last met. I never expected that you would have already formed your Golden Core. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Daoist Qu," Chu Ning replied.

At that moment, Chu Ning recognized Elder Qu as one of the five witnesses arranged by the Yunxiao Alliance during the competition between the Jiuhua Sect and the Great Luo Sect. Elder Qu was skilled in pill refining, and he had been responsible for appraising the pills during the competition.

After some cordial conversation, Elder Qu couldn't help but feel impressed. He recalled how Chu Ning, as the final representative of the Jiuhua Sect, had faced off against the proud genius of the Great Luo Sect, Ao Xuan. Not only had Chu Ning outperformed him in pill refining and artifact crafting, but he had also dominated the battle, severely injuring Ao Xuan and impacting his future cultivation.

Elder Qu had also heard about the subsequent conflict between the two sects at the ancient ruins. Over the past decade, the Jiuhua Sect's strength had noticeably increased, a fact well-known among the sects of the alliance. Now, with the emergence of Chu Ning as a Golden Core cultivator, it was clear that the Jiuhua Sect had held the upper hand back then.

Elder Qu attributed Chu Ning's breakthrough to the acquisition of treasures from the Wolong Valley ruins. Of course, his assumption wasn't entirely incorrect. Aside from the pill formulas, Chu Ning's ability to refine a variety of pills was indeed connected to his possession of the ancient pill formulas. Additionally, the cultivation of the Five Elements Chaos Technique had been instrumental in his formation of the Golden Core.

After Ling Cang introduced Chu Ning to Elder Qu, Chu Ning also learned that Elder Qu was an elder from the Taizhen Temple of the Yunxiao Alliance. Ling Cang then introduced Chu Ning to another Golden Core cultivator at the mid-stage, an elder from the Dongsha Sect, another sect within the Yunxiao Alliance.

As for the remaining four cultivators, Ling Cang didn't recognize them, indicating that they weren't from the Yunxiao Alliance.

Among the group of nine, Chu Ning noticed that only he and another cultivator who appeared to be in his thirties were at the early stage of the Golden Core. The rest, who were older in age, had all reached the mid-stage.

Subsequently, a few more cultivators arrived, bringing the total number of Golden Core cultivators in the room to thirteen. There were ten cultivators at the mid-stage and three at the early stage. Interestingly, none of them were at the late stage of the Golden Core.

Chu Ning was slightly surprised to see that even the Guiyuan Sect had sent a representative, and he recognized her as the palace-dressed female cultivator, Jia, who had accompanied Elder Qu on their previous visit. She, too, was astonished to find that Chu Ning had become a Golden Core cultivator, and their greetings were filled with a sense of wonder.

At that moment, Xue Shoujing, seated at the head of the gathering, stood up and addressed the group: "Fellow Daoists, the primary purpose of this gathering is to catch up and reminisce. However, before we indulge in our reunion, let us follow the old tradition and hold a small trading session. I believe that one of the main reasons for your attendance is this very opportunity."

Xue Shoujing was refreshingly direct, wasting no time in getting to the point of the gathering.

He then proceeded to introduce a few items: a water-attributed entry-level magical artifact and several extremely rare spirit herbs. He also presented some rare artifact refining materials, expressing his desire to trade for other precious medicinal ingredients.

Upon seeing these items, Chu Ning sighed inwardly. Xue Shoujing was seeking several types of spirit herbs, two of which Chu Ning happened to have in his possession. He had found them deep within the Jiuhua Mountain Range recently.

However, Xue Shoujing's collection lacked the one herb Chu Ning desired the most—the Xianlu Grass. Thus, Chu Ning refrained from speaking up immediately, opting to observe further and consider whether to offer his items for exchange.

Others shared a similar mindset, choosing to remain quiet initially. Only an elderly man clad in hemp clothing with the surname Liao seemed particularly interested in one of the spirit herbs Xue Shoujing had presented, and he offered a material in exchange.

After their trade, Xue Shoujing indicated that it was the Qu-surnamed old Daoist's turn. Perhaps due to their shared profession as pill refiners, the old Daoist also brought out several spirit herbs, seeking to acquire different types in return.

The old Daoist had indeed brought a substantial collection of spirit herbs, and this time, Xue Shoujing directly made an exchange with him. Even Ling Cang joined in, offering a type of spirit grass to obtain a spirit fruit from the old Daoist.

Subsequently, the crowd took turns speaking up, and the number of items being exchanged gradually increased. However, as time passed, Chu Ning grew increasingly restless.

His goal for attending this gathering was straightforward—to obtain the Xianlu Grass. While he was tempted by a few of the spirit herbs presented, he ultimately refrained from making an offer.

Soon, it was the turn of a silver-haired elder seated near Ling Cang and Chu Ning. This person was evidently not from the Yunxiao Alliance, but he didn't introduce himself, and Xue Shoujing didn't seem inclined to do so either.

"I'm not a pill refiner, and my presence here is purely coincidental as I had some business with Fellow Daoist Xue. I'll just offer a few idle items I have, and you can see if any of them interest you." With that, the silver-haired elder presented several items.

Most of the crowd showed signs of disinterest, but Chu Ning's eyes widened slightly upon seeing one of the items.

"Here, I have two types of artifact refining materials—silver spirit sand and phoenix spirit tree roots, commonly used in artifact forging." The silver-haired elder first opened a jade box to reveal a small handful of silver sand and a tree root. He then picked up a small green sword.

"I also have a magical artifact here. It's one of a pair of Ghost Shadow Swords, obtained by chance. Using them together would naturally yield greater power, but they can also be wielded independently."

After the silver-haired elder finished speaking, there was a moment of silence. Most of those present already possessed their own magical artifacts, and this incomplete set wasn't particularly appealing.

Just as the elder was about to shrug and put everything away, a voice suddenly piped up. "Fellow Daoist, how would you like to trade for that Ghost Shadow Sword?"

All eyes turned to Chu Ning, who had unexpectedly spoken up. The group was mildly surprised by his sudden interest but quickly realized the reason.

"Ah, Chu Ning has just advanced to the Golden Core stage and doesn't have a signature artifact yet. It seems he intends to make do with another artifact for now."

However, they were puzzled by his choice. "Why did he pass up on the water-attributed artifact that Xue Shoujing offered earlier, only to show interest in this Ghost Shadow Sword?"

The silver-haired elder was equally taken aback by Chu Ning's interest but quickly regained his composure. "Since many of you are skilled in pill refinement, let's conduct a trade in pills. I'm particularly interested in acquiring consciousness-enhancing or healing pills, as well as water-attributed spirit pills. Naturally, if you wish to obtain this artifact, the quantity of pills required will be substantially higher. If you don't have a sufficient amount of pills, I'm also open to offers of demon beast cores or other valuable materials."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning immediately retrieved a jade bottle and a jade box from his storage bag and tossed them toward the silver-haired elder. "Fellow Daoist, take a look. I wonder if these two items are sufficient to trade for your Ghost Shadow Sword."

The silver-haired elder caught the items in surprise. Upon opening the jade bottle and box, he discovered a bottle of high-grade, superior-quality consciousness-enhancing pill and a fifth-grade Black Flood Dragon Pill. A smile spread across his face as he said, "These two items certainly meet my requirements. Consider the Ghost Shadow Sword yours."

He tossed the green sword to Chu Ning, who examined it briefly before storing it away with a satisfied expression.

As soon as the silver-haired elder had taken out the green sword, Chu Ning had recognized it as identical to the one he had obtained over a decade ago when he slew a late-stage Zhuji cultivator. The elder's mention of it being one of a pair further confirmed his suspicion.

Without a signature artifact of his own, Chu Ning welcomed the addition of another set to his arsenal, especially since he occasionally needed to conceal his identity.

The rest of the group glanced at Chu Ning with renewed interest. Based on the silver-haired elder's conditions, they could surmise that Chu Ning had likely offered Spirit Awakening Pills and Demon Beast Elixirs.

However, he didn't seem to mind, appearing satisfied with the pills and demon beast cores he received from Chu Ning.

Upon seeing this, Xue Shoujing gestured for Ling Cang to proceed.

Ling Cang smiled and said, "I came here mainly to accompany Chu Ning, so let him go first.

If any of you have treasures that my junior disciple needs, I'm also willing to lend a hand."

Hearing Ling Cang's words, Chu Ning understood that he was concerned about him not having enough items to exchange.

After thinking for a moment, he started taking out items from his storage.

"I have various demon beast cores and materials from fifth-rank demon beasts.

I also have a variety of high-grade spirit herbs, consciousness-enhancing pills, and high-quality talismans.

I'm looking to purchase Xianlu Grass and other heavenly treasures or elixirs that can quickly restore spiritual energy."

Worried that the others might be holding back their best items, Chu Ning wasn't sure what they were interested in, so he decided to bring out a wide array of items.

Of course, he didn't take out everything. For example, he only brought out about half of the demon beast cores and materials he had collected.

He didn't touch the sixth-rank demon beast cores at all.

As for the pills and talismans, he only took out less than a fifth of his collection.

Even so, when the group saw the items Chu Ning produced, they were all astonished.

At this moment, they even began to doubt.

"Is he really a newly minted Golden Core cultivator? Or has he plundered a significant portion of Jiuhua Sect's treasures?"

No wonder they thought so; the number of items Chu Ning presented was indeed astonishing.

He had complete sets of materials, including demon beast cores, from various demon beasts, along with an assortment of spirit herbs, pills, and talismans.

It was an impressive collection.

Xue Shoujing, the host, was the first to speak up.

"I never expected Daoist Chu to have such an extensive collection. Are those the hide and a pair of antlers from a Yin-Yang Milu Deer?"

Chu Ning nodded, and Xue Shoujing immediately asked, "I don't have any Xianlu Grass. Can I substitute it with other spirit herbs?"

Xue Shoujing's eyes shone with eagerness as he looked at these items.

The secret techniques of their Tianyin Pavilion were indeed biased towards consciousness-based attacks.

These items were perfect for crafting artifacts.

Chu Ning shook his head and replied, "I'm sorry, but what I need the most right now is Xianlu Grass and other items that can quickly restore spiritual energy."

Upon hearing this, Xue Shoujing frowned slightly, his face showing hesitation. But soon, he took out a jade bottle and said, "I don't have any Xianlu Grass, but I have a drop of Millennial Spirit Milk. This substance is excellent for restoring spiritual energy.

However, it's also extremely rare. If you want this drop of spirit milk, Daoist Chu, you'll have to give me the Yin-Yang Milu Deer's demon beast core and two other types of spirit herbs as well."

"Millennial Spirit Milk?"

Chu Ning's eyes lit up at the mention of this item.

There was no doubt that it was a true treasure. A single drop of the spirit milk could instantly replenish a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator's depleted spiritual energy to its peak.

In terms of restoring spiritual energy, it was far superior to the Xianlu Pill that Chu Ning intended to refine.

The others also showed looks of surprise. Such an item was indeed a rare find.

Without hesitation, Chu Ning agreed. He handed over the complete set of Yin-Yang Milu Deer items and the two types of spirit herbs that Xue Shoujing requested.

Then, with anticipation, he asked Xue Shoujing, "Do you have more spirit milk?"

He needed to forge not one, but three spirit swords, and each would require a significant amount of time and resources.

While the Millennial Spirit Milk was excellent, there was only one drop, which was far from enough.

However, Chu Ning was slightly disappointed when Xue Shoujing shook his head and replied, "I don't have any more."

After Xue Shoujing walked away with the items he wanted from Chu Ning, the elderly Daoist Qu with the surname of Guo approached with a smile, holding out a jade box towards Chu Ning.

"Daoist Chu, I don't have any Xianlu Grass, but I have several Starfruits, which are also effective for restoring spiritual energy.

I'd like to exchange them for two fifth-rank demon beast cores. What do you think?"

"Starfruits?" Chu Ning asked, taking the jade box and looking inside.

Upon seeing the five starfruits within, he considered for a moment before nodding and smiling.

Daoist Qu then took away two fifth-rank demon beast cores from Chu Ning's collection.

While the Starfruits were not as effective as the Millennial Spirit Milk for restoring spiritual energy, they were comparable to the Xianlu Pill in terms of efficacy.

More importantly, these fruits could be consumed directly without the need for further refinement into pills.

Consequently, they didn't require additional rare spirit herbs to be as effective, making them quite valuable.

"However, these are still not enough. Ideally, I'd like to have Xianlu Grass as well. Once I refine a high-grade, mid-tier Xianlu Pill, I can then refine my spirit.

Perhaps it can be turned into a high-grade, top-tier pill, which would yield the best results."

As Chu Ning pondered this, another person spoke up.

It was the relatively quiet and reticent Liao, the elderly man clad in hemp clothing, who was not a member of the Yunxiao Alliance.

After trading a type of spirit herb with Xue Shoujing earlier, he had remained silent.

"Daoist Chu, I have several stalks of Xianlu Grass for exchange."

As soon as Liao mentioned the Xianlu Grass, Chu Ning's eyes lit up, and he asked, "What item has caught your interest, Daoist Liao?"

Liao shook his head after examining Chu Ning's items and said, "I'm not interested in any of your items, but I am intrigued by your talisman-making techniques."

Confused by Liao's words, Chu Ning asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Liao hesitated for a moment before transmitting his voice directly to Chu Ning.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end