https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-76-Splashing-the-Cash-Securing-the-Gold-Foundation-Building-Spirit-Herb/13509966/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-78-Why-Couldn-t-You-Destroy-the-Formation-Earlier-/13509972/
Chapter 77: Natural and Man-Made Disasters · Fenghou Mountain Incident
Chapter 77: Natural and Man-Made Disasters · Fenghou Mountain Incident
After obtaining the millennium sword bamboo, Xiao Chen decisively declined the Xiong Clan's invitation. His objectives had been met, and he had no interest in their upcoming marital selection ceremony. Though the Xiong Clan hinted they'd be choosing outstanding young talents for marriage alliances, he had no desire to become a mere son-in-law. He rejected all invitations from other clans as well.
This trip to Shi Valley had been entirely worthwhile—he’d tasted the valley’s specialty spirit wine, resolved the Duyan issue, repaired his Green Gourd, and acquired millennium sword bamboo. Having been away for nearly a month, it was time to return.
“Since I’m here, I might as well bring back some local specialties,” he mused, strolling through the market town outside the valley.
To his surprise, his gaze swept the street vendors but found no sellers of spirit herbs. After walking further, nearing the town’s exit, he still hadn’t encountered a single one. This was strange.
Spotting a solitary cultivator selling pills, Xiao Chen approached and picked up a bottle of Nourishing Qi Pills. “Fellow cultivator, are you a Pill Forging Master?”
The man shook his head. “Hardly. I’ve just learned enough to scrape by. Would senior like to buy some pills?”
“A single bottle of Nourishing Qi Pills costs ten spirit stones. Buy two, and I’ll deduct five spirit sand grains.”
Xiao Chen was stunned. “Ten spirit stones? When did the price skyrocket like this?” Compared to five spirit stones per bottle two years prior, this was double.
While some cultivators treated Nourishing Qi Pills or Qi Gathering Pills like daily meals, most ordinary cultivators only used them in emergencies. Beginners often pooled resources, buying a single bottle to split among several people. With the recent price hikes, many could no longer afford them.
The vendor sighed, “Senior must not know—Li Prefecture has two main sources of common spirit herbs: Pingyuan County and Big Foot Basin.”
Xiao Chen knew Big Foot Basin was a natural depression southwest of Cangyan Sect, nestled among volcanoes. From above, its shape resembled a giant footprint.
“But on the twenty-ninth day of last year’s twelfth lunar month, a volcanic eruption scorched the entire basin. Not a single herb survived.”
“That wasn’t all. Last month, bandits raided Pingyuan County.”
“They say if the Liu Family hadn’t deployed a Foundation-Building elder to repel the bandit leader, all the spirit herbs would’ve been destroyed.”
“It’s not that pill prices are rising—it’s that spirit herbs have run out entirely.”
A chill ran through Xiao Chen. This was serious. While many clans maintained their own spirit fields, they likely struggled to meet their own needs. Li Prefecture’s spirit herb shortage might last years.
Frowning, he wondered: Last autumn, he’d heard rumors of bandits attacking Pingyuan County. Now, another raid—this time with a Foundation-Building bandit cultivator involved. Why target spirit herbs? Robbing pills or spirit stones made sense, but this hinted at a deeper motive.
“Natural and man-made disasters,” he muttered. Trouble was brewing.
Xiao Chen abandoned his search for souvenirs and left Shi Valley.
Soon after, Cangyan Sect’s Dark Hall Master Lu Wuqiang stormed into Xiao Chen’s rented courtyard with a group of subordinates.
“Where is he? Already gone?”
Smack! Lu Wuqiang backhanded a subordinate, splitting his lip. “Useless! What good are you?”
“A man appears on our sect’s territory, and you wait until he leaves to tell me?!”
The others froze in silence.
Only the Dark Hall’s Shi Valley supervisor stammered, “Boss, I asked around. Xiao Chen stayed indoors for ten days straight. With so many newcomers lately, it was hard to notice.”
Lu Wuqiang kicked him. “Still making excuses? You want me to beat you too?”
“Send word to Tian Jia Sanxiong! Ask what they’ve been doing!”
“If Xiao Chen leaves the sect, why wasn’t I informed immediately?”
“Give them one month. If they haven’t dealt with Xiao Chen by July, they can forget returning.”
Twelve days later, Xiao Chen trekked 400 miles south of Lihuo Sect to Fenghou Mountain.
While climbing, he spotted thick black clouds churning twenty miles east, engulfing a village. Toxic smoke billowed skyward, and villagers’ corpses littered the entrance.
Black-robed Demonic Dao cultivators were collecting blood in wooden barrels.
Xiao Chen rubbed his eyes, then pinched his arm. Was he dreaming? How could he stumble upon demonic cultivators in broad daylight?
He’d been gone only a month, yet everything felt decades changed. Where was Lihuo Sect’s defense?
He studied the black clouds again—could the sect itself be trapped?
Cautiously approaching, he noted lingering magical traces. Among them were the Inner Flame True Manual’s signature from sect disciples and the Azure Water Peak’s Water Explosion Art.
He recalled the Star-gazing Aura-Reading Technique’s heart sutra, then activated his divination skill.
The world faded, leaving only swirling spiritual energies. The three demonic cultivators at the village entrance became humanoid energy masses.
“Only Core Formation mid-stage?” Xiao Chen blinked. “That’s all?”
Turning inward, the village revealed thousands of struggling, silent souls—six spots radiating late Liangqi-stage energy.
(End of Chapter)
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