Chapter 289: Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly

Chapter 289: Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly

"Why would there be Foundation Establishment cultivators in a place like this?" Chu Ning couldn't help but be a little surprised as he sensed three approaching cultivators, a man and two women, not far away.

Chu Ning had no interest in interacting with others and was about to dig up the Earth Gold Grass and leave immediately.

However, the next moment, when he saw their actions clearly, he became even more curious.

At first, he thought they were wandering aimlessly, but after observing for a while, he noticed that a golden-winged butterfly was leading the way for the three cultivators. They had just plucked a spiritual fruit from somewhere and were now heading straight towards him.

Chu Ning guessed what was happening.

He recalled the two Golden Thunder Eagles that had already eaten their fill and put them into his spirit beast bag.

At the same time, he flashed and hid himself.

With his cultivation base and means, after hiding, not to mention a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator would not be able to sense his presence.

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators soon arrived within his line of sight.

Among them, the middle-aged man and woman who looked to be in their forties were both at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. The other younger female cultivator was at the early-stage of Foundation Establishment and seemed to have just formed her foundation recently.

However, judging by her appearance, which seemed to be only twenty-five or twenty-six years old, her talent in cultivation should be quite good.

At this moment, the leading middle-aged cultivator had already spotted the Earth Gold Grass and exclaimed happily, "Earth Gold Grass! There are more than ten Earth Gold Grass plants here!

Now we're in luck. With these, we'll have enough spirit stones."

The middle-aged female cultivator beside him also smiled and said, "This way, we can also get a decent magic tool for Xia'er."

It was obvious that the three of them were a family. The young female cultivator, called Xia'er, showed a hint of delight upon hearing this.

"Father, it's all thanks to you for obtaining this Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, which can sense the aura of metallic spiritual herbs.

Otherwise, even if most of the spirit beasts had hidden themselves before the opening of the Snow Mist Valley, we might not have had such a harvest."

After the young female cultivator, Xia'er, finished speaking, the middle-aged cultivator nodded and said, "Yes, a year before the Snow Mist Valley opens, there will be some subtle changes in the surrounding area, which the high-level spirit beasts can sense.

They know that a large number of cultivators will enter soon, so most of them will leave.

This is not a secret in the Ice Island Immortal City. In another month or so, a large number of cultivators will come to search for spiritual herbs in this area.

We took the risk of coming here early, and with the help of the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, our harvest is naturally higher.

After plucking these Earth Gold Grass plants, let's hurry back to avoid any unnecessary troubles."

While they were talking, the three of them had already reached the Earth Gold Grass and were about to start plucking it.

Just then, the middle-aged male cultivator with the highest cultivation among them suddenly sensed something.

But before he could react, the three of them noticed that a figure in a blue robe had appeared in front of them.

Then, they saw a young man with an unusually youthful face reaching out and grabbing the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly in mid-air.

The Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, usually known for its incredible speed, tried to flutter its wings and escape, but the blue-robed young man seemed to have a pulling force in his hand.

The butterfly was unable to move at all and fell into his hand.

"You..."

The young female cultivator, Xia'er, was about to speak, but the next moment, she swallowed her words as she felt a heart-palpitating aura emanating from the young man who seemed younger than her.

A Golden Core cultivator!

When Chu Ning released his aura, the three of them immediately knew his cultivation level.

The middle-aged male cultivator quickly signaled to his wife and daughter and then took the initiative to bow and salute, "Greetings, Senior. We didn't know that Senior was here collecting spiritual herbs, please forgive us for our intrusion.

Please forgive us, and we will leave immediately."

As he spoke, the middle-aged cultivator began to back away.

"Wait!"

Hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator's face changed slightly, and he dared not move any further.

Chu Ning looked at the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly in his hand with some curiosity, then glanced at the three of them.

"From what you said earlier, it seems that you've relied on this little thing to gather quite a lot of metallic spiritual herbs during your trip into the mountains.

Take them all out."

Hearing Chu Ning's words, the faces of the three cultivators changed simultaneously.

The middle-aged male cultivator felt bitter inside.

This time, their family had ventured into the Snowpeak Mountain Range and had finally gained some harvest, but now it seemed that their efforts would be in vain.

However, despite his bitterness, the middle-aged cultivator did not dare to hesitate. He reached into his storage bag and started to take out the items.

Although they were a family of three Foundation Establishment cultivators, the highest cultivation among them was only at the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, just one step away from the late-stage.

As for the young man in front of them, he couldn't even see through his cultivation level.

But the aura he exuded, which was much stronger than that of an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator, told him that this person was definitely not an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator.

Seeing the middle-aged cultivator's action, a trace of anxiety flashed across the face of the young female cultivator, Xia'er.

There were over ten different kinds of spirit herbs, each with their unique properties. Some had only two stalks, while others numbered in the dozens. And without exception, they all possessed the Metal attribute.

Chu Ning glanced at them briefly before focusing on two particular items. One was a plant that resembled a orchid, with golden-yellow petals that shimmered with a golden light. The other was a slender golden bamboo, its extraordinary hardness apparent at first glance.

There were only three stalks of the bamboo, but over twenty stalks of the orchid-like plant.

Chu Ning was surprised to find that these Foundation Establishment cultivators had two items imbued with the Geng-gold Qi on them. He said casually, "Are these all the things you've gathered? You're not hiding anything else, are you?"

"We wouldn't dare, Senior," the middle-aged cultivator replied respectfully.

Chu Ning nodded and waved his hand, sending out a golden glow that sucked all the items into his own storage bag.

"The things you have here are quite good, and I'm also interested in this little butterfly. I'll be taking them all."

Although the middle-aged cultivator's heart was bleeding inside, he maintained his respectful demeanor and said, "It's our fortune that you've taken an interest in our humble possessions, Senior."

He then took out a jade slip from his storage bag and added, "Senior, I obtained this Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly by chance. This jade slip contains the method to nurture and cultivate this spirit insect."

Chu Ning took the jade slip and scanned it with his spiritual sense, indeed finding the cultivation method for the spirit insect. He was quite pleased with the middle-aged cultivator's cooperation. "Good, it seems you know what's best. I appreciate your cooperation."

Hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator heaved a sigh of relief and quickly asked, "Senior, do you have any other instructions for us? If not, we shall take our leave."

The cultivator was more concerned about Chu Ning attacking them than losing the items. These spirit herbs were precious, but they paled in comparison to their lives.

Chu Ning didn't answer directly. Instead, he turned his gaze to the young female cultivator named Xia'er.

Seeing this, the middle-aged cultivator's face changed drastically, and he unconsciously placed his hand on his storage bag, ready for any eventuality.

"I can't believe they're still not satisfied even after our cooperation. If this person dares to lay a hand on Xia'er, we'll have no choice but to fight with all we've got."

He was well aware of cases where female cultivators were abducted by Jin Dan cultivators to be used as cauldrons or furnaces for their cultivation. His daughter had exceptional talent, and he feared that she might fall victim to such a fate at the hands of this young-looking but powerful cultivator.

Even the usually calm middle-aged cultivator was on edge, let alone the two female cultivators. Their faces paled, and they placed their hands on their storage bags, ready to either fight or flee at a moment's notice.

Chu Ning found their small actions amusing, and he couldn't help but smile. The reason he had demanded their possessions was simply to acquire more Geng-gold Qi.

At that moment, Chu Ning didn't bother with further pretense. He scanned his own storage bag with his spiritual sense and finally found a pair of golden short swords tucked away in a corner.

Amidst the three cultivators' confusion, Chu Ning handed the golden short swords to them.

"I won't take your things without giving something in return. Your daughter cultivates metal-attributed techniques, right? These swords are not the pinnacle of weapons, but they are still quite powerful. They should be a fair exchange for your spirit herbs."

As Chu Ning finished speaking, the tension on the three cultivators' faces turned into bewilderment.

The middle-aged cultivator looked up at Chu Ning's face, and upon seeing no hint of jest, he bit his lip and reached out to take the short swords from Chu Ning's hand.

"Top-grade spiritual weapons!" he exclaimed in astonishment as he felt the swords' power. Even as a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the best weapon he possessed was only a beginner-level top-grade spiritual weapon. But these swords in his hands were genuine top-grade spiritual weapons, and they were a matched pair, which made them even more valuable.

With these swords, the exchange for the spirit herbs was more than fair.

After all, in the Northern Cold Lands, it wasn't easy for wandering cultivators to obtain spiritual weapons, and the cost was often high.

Hearing the middle-aged cultivator's exclamation, the two female cultivators' faces lit up with joy as well.

Chu Ning wasn't surprised by their ecstatic reactions.

It was clear that they were from a lineage of wandering cultivators, and compared to the resources available to major sects or cultivation families, theirs were meager.

The short swords he had just given them were the ones he had obtained from Song Feng of the Song family back in the Thousand Lakes and Islands.

At that time, he had just acquired the Double Fire Rings and the Thunder Pearl from the Lei Huo Sect, and since these swords also had the Metal attribute, he hadn't seen a need to use them. In fact, he had almost forgotten about them until he specifically looked for them just now.

But for these three cultivators, the swords were an unexpected and valuable gift.

The middle-aged cultivator immediately bowed deeply to Chu Ning to express his gratitude.

However, the three of them waited for a response but heard none. When they looked up again, Chu Ning's figure was nowhere to be seen.

The three of them were initially taken aback, but the next moment, they exchanged glances, and a hint of joy flashed across their faces.

"Father, are these really top-grade spiritual weapons? Let me see them quickly!"

The young female cultivator, Xia'er, eagerly reached out and took the short swords from her father's hand.

Her face lit up with excitement as she examined them. "They really are top-grade spiritual weapons! This Senior is so kind. Father, Mother, he looks younger than me, but..."

"Alright, Xia'er, we shouldn't discuss Senior's affairs," the middle-aged male cultivator interrupted his daughter.

Then he said solemnly, "Keep these short swords with me for now. Let's hurry back, and remember, don't mention today's events to anyone."

The two female cultivators nodded repeatedly.

The three of them left immediately, heading back toward the Ice Island Immortal City outside the mountain range.

At this moment, Chu Ning, guided by the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, continued his exploration deeper into the Snowpeak Mountain Range.

The Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly had just been subjected to a secret art used by the middle-aged cultivator to drive it.

However, to Chu Ning, it was a simple matter to erase such a minor art.

Then, using the technique he had learned from Qi Guangshou of Jiuhua Zong, he easily brought the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly under his command.

"Golden Arrow Fruit, this is a good one. It not only has Geng-gold Qi, but it's also suitable for refining pills."

"Golden Glow Mushroom, can be consumed directly, but it doesn't contain any Geng-gold Qi."

...

With the help of the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, Chu Ning's search through the mountain range became much easier.

This little creature was indeed highly sensitive to metallic spiritual herbs and could often sense them from dozens of miles away.

Its senses were even better than Chu Ning's spiritual sense.

After traveling deeper into the mountain range for most of the day, Chu Ning arrived at a valley surrounded by heavy snow and wind.

Looking up, he saw that the valley was enveloped in a layer of white mist, obscuring everything within.

As one approached, they could feel a significant drop in temperature compared to the outer regions.

"Snow Mist Valley!"

Chu Ning's eyes were filled with curiosity as he gazed upon this famous treasure land near the Ice Island Immortal City.

"The reason why no one dares to venture into this snowstorm is not just because of the cold, but also because it seems to contain spatial energy."

Having stayed on Wuling Island for several years, Chu Ning was already very familiar with spatial energy.

So, as he drew closer, he could roughly sense its presence.

The wind and snow in this valley were infused with spatial energy, similar to what he had experienced in the Beast Mountain forbidden area on Wuling Island.

However, perhaps due to the presence of spiritual energy in this area, the spatial energy here also contained a strong icy force.

After carefully sensing it, Chu Ning found that he could barely withstand it.

Of course, without knowing what was inside the Snow Mist Valley, Chu Ning had no intention of taking such a risk.

Soon after, Chu Ning commanded the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly to detour around the Snow Mist Valley, and they continued deeper into the mountain range.

However, the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly became hesitant and fearful as they ventured further.

"Deeper into the mountain range, the entire area is covered in ice and snow, and the temperature is extremely low.

Even a typical early-stage Golden Core cultivator might not be able to withstand it.

This little creature is only a first-rank beast, barely reaching the second rank, so it's normal for it to be unable to endure such conditions."

Chu Ning himself did not feel much discomfort. Firstly, his spiritual power and physical strength far surpassed that of a typical mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Secondly, he also wore the Ice and Fire Silkworm Silk Armor he had obtained from the Lei Huo Sect ruins.

However, since the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly could not continue, Chu Ning had no choice but to turn back. He still chose to search in the relatively outer regions of the mountain range.

After exploring the Snowpeak Mountain Range for over ten days, with the guidance of the Golden-winged Spirit Butterfly, Chu Ning managed to find and harvest quite a few spiritual herbs and fruits.

Compared to the metallic materials, the number of spiritual herbs he found was relatively smaller due to the butterfly's inability to sense them.

Using his spiritual sense, Chu Ning only discovered a handful of varieties, and they still fell short of his desired materials.

Upon returning to the Ice Island Immortal City, Chu Ning first went to his cave abode and planted the seven types of spiritual herbs with Geng-gold Qi in his spirit herb garden.

Then, he performed the Xuan Qing Chunhua Art, causing these spiritual herbs to absorb more metallic spiritual energy.

"With so many spiritual herbs, at this rate, I should be able to refine a considerable amount of Geng-gold Qi every month."

Chu Ning nodded in satisfaction.

After that, he brought along some talismans and unused spirit pills and headed straight for the Frost Moon Pavilion.

He needed to forge the Golden Spirit Sword but lacked four types of materials. Now, he could only hope to find them at the Frost Moon Pavilion or wait for the next grand trading day or the opening of the Snow Mist Valley in a year, when more cultivators would be present, increasing his chances of obtaining the materials he needed.

On his way to the lower city to visit the Frost Moon Pavilion, Chu Ning noticed the busy traffic of cultivators and realized that today must be the pavilion's grand trading day.

Upon arriving at the Frost Moon Pavilion, he saw Bai Ruo, who was still guarding the building.

The two were already quite familiar with each other, and when Bai Ruo saw Chu Ning approaching, she greeted him immediately.

"Chu Ning, it's been a year since you last visited the pavilion.

However, with her mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, she couldn't discern that Chu Ning had actually advanced to the mid-Golden Core stage.

Not daring to say more, she simply added, "Most of the other Seniors have already arrived, and the small trading session should begin soon."

Hearing this, Chu Ning wasted no time and quickly made his way upstairs to the third floor.

Upon entering the private trading room, he found over ten people already seated inside.

Apart from Wu Lingwei, there were two familiar faces—Chang LingShan, whom Chu Ning knew quite well, and a middle-aged cultivator named Han Shihong, whom he had met during a trading session after the opening of Snow Mist Valley nine years ago.

After exchanging greetings with Wu Lingwei, Chu Ning turned to greet the two acquaintances.

At that moment, a hint of strangeness flashed across Wu Lingwei's eyes, and she smiled, "I was wondering why it's been so long since you last visited Frost Moon Pavilion, Chu. So it turns out you've been in closed-door cultivation."

As she spoke, both Chang LingShan and Han Shihong sensed Chu Ning's mid-Golden Core cultivation, and they couldn't help but express their surprise.

"Congratulations on reaching the mid-Golden Core stage, Chu," they exclaimed.

The other cultivators, though unfamiliar with Chu Ning, also offered their congratulations upon hearing the news.

"Thank you, everyone," Chu Ning bowed in acknowledgment and took a seat next to Chang LingShan.

Wu Lingwei then proceeded to initiate the trading session, following the usual custom where Frost Moon Pavilion would first present several treasures, after which the cultivators could trade among themselves.

To Chu Ning's slight disappointment, neither the items offered by Frost Moon Pavilion nor those presented by the other cultivators included the materials he sought.

He casually selected a few decent spirit pills and materials to put up for exchange, then approached Wu Lingwei.

As he drew near, Wu Lingwei smiled and said, "Chu, you've been asking for large quantities of several types of spirit herbs and materials over the years, and our stock ran out long ago.

We've managed to acquire one or two types in the past year, but I'm afraid they won't meet your demands.

You'll have to wait for the opening of Snow Mist Valley next year."

Chu Ning shook his head and said, "I'm not here for spirit herbs this time, Wu. I'm actually looking for some refining materials. Do you happen to have any of these?"

As he spoke, he handed over a jade slip to Wu Lingwei.

She took it and scanned the contents, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Nine Ritual Gold, Stellar Core Sand, Raven Quill Water, and Golden Chalice Wood. These four materials are quite rare," she remarked.

"Do you have any of these for sale at Frost Moon Pavilion?" Chu Ning inquired.

Wu Lingwei smiled and replied, "You're really giving Frost Moon Pavilion a lot of credit, Chu. We don't have most of these, but we do have some Raven Quill Water.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with the rest."

Though slightly disappointed, Chu Ning persisted, "In that case, may I ask how you sell the Raven Quill Water?"

"The same as before, Chu. Just provide us with some high-grade talismans," Wu Lingwei replied with a smile.

Chu Ning readily agreed, then recalled the materials needed for the Ice Shadow Sword Talisman and asked, "By the way, do you have any Ice Condensing Jade or tail feathers from the Golden-Silver Bird?"

Hearing Chu Ning's additional requests, Wu Lingwei gave him another appraising look before answering, "We do have some Ice Condensing Jade. As this Immortal City is backed by the Snowpeak Mountain Range, Ice Condensing Jade is hard to find but not impossible.

However, the Golden-Silver Bird is a seventh-grade peak beast, or even an eighth-grade or higher. Its tail feathers are considered treasures, and we don't have any in stock."

"In that case, could you please get me some more Ice Condensing Jade?" Chu Ning requested.

Wu Lingwei gave some instructions, and soon, Bai Ruo returned with a bottle of Raven Quill Water and two sizable pieces of Ice Condensing Jade, along with a couple of spirit pills that Chu Ning could use.

Chu Ning handed over the high-grade talismans he had prepared, along with some unnecessary spirit pills, and returned to his seat.

He had now gathered four of the materials needed to forge the Golden Spirit Sword, but the remaining three remained elusive, dampening his excitement.

Chang LingShan, noticing Chu Ning's expression, asked curiously, "Chu, I saw you asking Frost Moon Pavilion for some materials earlier. Did you not get what you needed?"

"No, I didn't," Chu Ning shook his head, then had a sudden thought.

Chang LingShan was well-connected, and he might be able to help.

With that in mind, Chu Ning proceeded to inquire about the missing materials.

"Nine Ritual Gold, Stellar Core Sand, Golden Chalice Wood, and tail feathers from the Golden-Silver Bird," he listed.

Upon hearing these, Chang LingShan's expression turned peculiar, and he transmitted his voice to Chu Ning, "Let's discuss this further after the session, Chu."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end