https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-67-Cangyan-Sect-s-Dark-Hall-The-Purge-Operation/13509944/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-69-Zhang-Xiaodi-s-Delusional-Fantasy/13509946/
Chapter 68: Zhang Junior Brother, Why the Rush?
Chapter 68: Zhang Junior Brother, Why the Rush?
At the foot of Lihuo Sect’s mountain, a riverside beach.
Unaware that he had already been targeted, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged in meditation, refining a newly acquired spell. Five Purple Gold Bamboo Slips lay before him, each inscribed with a top-tier Yellow-Tier Spell corresponding to the five elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
He had previously chosen the Green Thorn Technique because, as a wood spirit-root cultivator, he had long desired a Wood-attribute method. But now, with time to spare, his focus shifted to the Golden Armor Technique—a defensive spell that conjured a phantom golden armor over a cultivator’s body.
As its name suggested, this armor functioned like real steel: even if one section was breached, the rest remained intact. It could withstand multiple scattered attacks during chaotic battles or ambushes, unlike the Golden Light Technique, which collapsed entirely once pierced, leaving the cultivator exposed.
Xiao Chen particularly appreciated this resilience—it meant a significant boost to his survivability. With the Featherweight Class enhancement, the armor wasn’t a thin veil of illusion but ten layers of golden plating fused together, radiating a tangible, golden glow.
He strolled to the riverbank, gazing at his reflection. Nodding in satisfaction, he muttered, “Damn, I look good.”
Deciding to stay by the riverside, he spent days refining the remaining three spells, using this time to avoid the endless invitations from Azure Water Peak. Since his rise to fame, junior disciples he barely knew had suddenly appeared, begging him to share meals. Even unknown “junior sect sisters” had emerged from nowhere, inviting him to accompany them to the bazaar. Others brought gifts, hoping to curry favor.
Overwhelmed, Xiao Chen chose exile. He remained outside for a month, cultivating all five spells to foundational proficiency, greatly enhancing his arsenal. Eventually, disciples gave up searching for him and returned to their own affairs.
Except Zhang junior brother from the Fourth Sub-Academy. Initially indifferent, he grew increasingly frantic in the latter half of the month, checking Azure Water Peak twice daily.
One evening, finding Xiao Chen absent again, Zhang stormed back to his room, cursing, “Damn that Xiao Chen! Where the hell is he hiding?”
Zhang was the mole bribed by Cangyan Sect’s Dark Hall. After Xiao Chen’s rise, the Tian family brothers had contacted him, demanding Xiao Chen’s schedule and urging him to lure Xiao Chen out with false information. But Zhang hadn’t even seen Xiao Chen, let alone deceived him.
As time passed, the Tian brothers grew suspicious. They threatened him, bribed him, and even forced him to ingest poison. If he failed to deliver useful information within three days, they’d withhold the antidote, letting him die.
Panicked, Zhang regretted his greed for spirit stones one moment and cursed Xiao Chen the next, blaming him for hiding and dooming him.
That evening, overwhelmed by anxiety, Zhang rushed back to Azure Water Peak. This time, he finally encountered Xiao Chen returning at the mountain foot.
“Xiao Senior Brother, you’re finally back!” Zhang exclaimed, eyes red with urgency. “I’ve been waiting for you so long! If you hadn’t returned, it would’ve been too late!”
Xiao Chen scratched his head, puzzled. “Calm down, junior brother. What’s ‘too late’ about?”
Zhang leaned in, lowering his voice. “I recently stumbled upon information about a Five-Color Golden Lotus. My childhood friend’s acquaintance wants to sell one for spirit stones. I can take you to meet him.”
The Five-Color Golden Lotus was an extremely rare spiritual flower, its five colors corresponding to the five elements. It was an essential ingredient for Foundation Building Pills. Lihuo Sect publicly purchased it for one thousand spirit stones but strictly prohibited private transactions.
Yet many cultivators defied these rules. After obtaining the lotus by chance, they risked selling it secretly to gain more spirit stones—despite the dangers of being discovered by Lihuo Sect or deceived by buyers. In many cases, the lotus could fetch up to two thousand spirit stones, making the risk worthwhile.
Many buyers were influential families willing to pay premium prices. While two thousand spirit stones seemed substantial for an individual, for a family—especially those with only one Foundation Building ancestral founder facing the risk of losing their cultivation lineage—it was a trivial expense.
Zhang had chosen this bait carefully. He knew Xiao Chen had reached Li Qi Ninth Stage and desperately needed a Foundation Building Pill.
“Xiao Senior Brother,” Zhang urged, “I’ve already thought this through. Since you’ve become Elder Chen’s disciple, you needn’t fear the Sect’s punishment. With the Chen family’s connections, obtaining a Foundation Building Pill would be effortless once you secure the lotus. The seller is in urgent need of spirit stones—otherwise, they’d never part with it. Opportunities like this are rare!”
Xiao Chen hesitated. Though he already possessed three Heavenly Path Foundation Building Spirit Herbs, securing a Foundation Building Pill in advance would provide a safety net while collecting the remaining two. But he remained skeptical about Zhang’s reliability.
“Alright,” he said finally. “Let me prepare some spirit stones first. I’ll go with you in a couple of days.”
“No!” Zhang panicked. “By then it’ll be too late!”
Observing Zhang’s frantic state, Xiao Chen asked curiously, “Zhang junior brother, you seem unusually anxious. What’s the rush?”
(End of Chapter)
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