Chapter 97: Sect Transaction
Chapter 97: Sect Transaction
At the peak of the Spiritual Peak.
Chen Ji had many thoughts and sighed with emotion.
Months had passed. His youngest apprentice had now become the most dazzling cultivator under Revered Qin’s command. Even he, at the Peak Ninth Grade, could not see through Hangzhi’s cultivation level. He was steady, confident, and showed the unique aura of a powerful cultivator who could handle things independently.
“It is good that you are back… It is good that you are back!”
“The crisis of the Xuanxin Sect was thanks to you all. Hangzhi, please ask your friends to come with me to the main hall for the feast. I have already told Xiao Mu and Xiao Ying to pick spirit fruits and spirit bamboo shoots from your courtyard.”
“Master, you have taken too much trouble!”
Lu Hangzhi turned back and glanced around. Everyone smiled slightly. Without needing to say much, they all understood and followed into the main hall.
The one-month siege was finally resolved. Everyone in the Xuanxin Sect was cheering and celebrating.
Now that Lu Hangzhi, Hu Bugui, and the others had returned, it aroused the strong curiosity of the elders and the true disciples. They all attended.
The large main hall was filled with more than three hundred people. The atmosphere was lively.
Only at this moment did Lu Hangzhi realize that the cultivation levels of the elders had almost all reached the Ninth Grade. The lowest was at least Peak Eighth Grade.
The true disciples were more varied, from Fifth Grade to Eighth Grade, they were everywhere.
It was this force that blocked Jiuyou and thousands of evil cultivators outside the Sect Protection Array for a full month.
Then, Lu Hangzhi learned from Lü Liang and Xiong Qi that Elder Mo Li had returned just in time. He happened to return to the sect just as Jiuyou launched a fierce attack. He killed hundreds of evil cultivators under Jiuyou on the spot, then entered the Sect Protection Array, and had been fully supporting the Sect Protection Array’s operation until now without any problems.
“By the way, how was the battle at the Two Realms Mountain? To have such progress in just two months is truly astonishing.”
“Right, tell us about it, let us broaden our horizons too.”
Xiong Qi could not hold back and pressed for answers.
At these words, Lu Hangzhi and his group all became heavy.
Cheng Fei took the initiative and said:
“Actually, it is better to tell you earlier. After all, we need to prepare sooner rather than later.”
At the head position, the Xuanxin Sect Leader, Vice Sect Leader Chen Ji, and all the elders changed their expressions:
“What exactly happened?”
“Correct. Under normal circumstances, cultivators at the Epiphany Stage cannot leave the Two Realms Mountain. For you to suddenly leave the Two Realms Mountain collectively, something big must have happened.”
“Quick, tell us.”
A group of people all showed uneasy expressions.
“Senior Sister, why don’t you tell them.”
Lu Hangzhi handed this important task to Nangong Jun.
The latter, after all, was a relatively famous big sister among the true disciples of the Xuanxin Sect. Now with Ninth Grade cultivation, she could even hold an elder position, making her more persuasive.
Nangong Jun nodded. Then she told everything that had happened at the Two Realms Mountain in the past two months in great detail.
The atmosphere in the hall immediately took a sharp turn for the worse.
“The situation is actually this bad!”
“Even the Inspector Envoy has fallen in battle…”
“The monster beasts have escaped the Two Realms Mountain. What should we do? Did the Two Realms Mountain only send you… just your few people to chase and eliminate the monster beasts?”
The elders showed doubtful expressions.
They had experienced the battle at the Two Realms Mountain and deeply understood that monster beasts on land were completely different from when they were in the air.
“Revered Qin fought for this chance to leave the Two Realms Mountain. On one hand, it was to participate in chasing and eliminating the monster beasts. On the other hand, it was to rush to the aid of the Xuanxin Sect.”
Lu Hangzhi explained:
“This time returning to the sect, we did not reveal our relationship with the Xuanxin Sect. The ghost cultivator Jiuyou also does not know the relationship between us. He has now taken his people and retreated from the Xuanxin Sect territory. But I believe they will not just let it go…”
“Correct!”
Chen Ji showed a grave expression:
“The Xuanxin Sect was already in decline. Now facing the threat of monster beasts, a fierce battle is inevitable. If we are overrun by the monster beasts, so be it. But if both sides suffer heavy losses, Jiuyou will definitely lead the evil cultivators to return and take the Spiritual Peak.”
“Revered Qin and the Ancestral Master are having a closed-door discussion, probably to discuss this matter. When the two of them come out, they will tell everyone the next plan! We don’t need to worry too much. Come, everyone, try the spirit fruits grown on the Daoshan Peak of our Xuanxin Sect; elders, taste the Qiong Brew Immortal Elixir I brought from the Two Realms Mountain…” Lu Hangzhi’s words dispelled everyone’s worries, and they all turned their attention to the delicious food, spirit fruits, and Qiong Brew in front of them.
“Hangzhi is right.”
“Hangzhi, is this Qiong Brew Immortal Elixir from the Danxia Sect?” Many elders present felt their appetites stirred.
Lu Hangzhi said with a laugh:
“Of course! It’s the real deal!”
“I heard this stuff isn’t cheap. It needs to be exchanged for a Ninth-Grade Monster Core. You brought out dozens of bottles of Qiong Brew Immortal Elixir at once. This…”
Chen Ji seemed somewhat worried.
“Master, please drink freely. If it’s not enough, I have more here. As for Ninth-Grade Monster Cores, we collected about a few hundred in the final battle.”
“Pfft!”
Xiong Qi had just picked up his cup and taken a sip of Qiong Brew. Hearing this, he couldn’t hold back and spat it onto the face of Senior Brother Lü Liang beside him.
“How many?”
Everyone was shocked.
Chen Ji, as the head of the Golden Jade Hall, had very high requirements for the quality of monster cores in artifact refining and pill refining. Hearing this, he gave Lu Hangzhi a look and pulled him to a corner.
“Master.”
“No need for formalities. I just want to ask you, do you really have many Ninth-Grade Monster Cores?”
“I have about a thousand. Half of them were entrusted to me by Revered Qin for safekeeping.”
“Enough, that’s too many! I ask you, are you willing to take out a portion to help the sect repair the Sect Protection Array?”
Lu Hangzhi reached to untie his Qiankun Pouch, but Chen Ji stopped him:
“Wait a moment.”
“Huh?”
“I am not asking for these monster cores for free. It’s just that the siege by Jiuyou consumed a large stock of monster cores from the sect’s treasury. Coincidentally, the type we have the least stock of is the Ninth-Grade Monster Core. To repair the Sect Protection Array as soon as possible, we need at least more than a hundred Ninth-Grade Monster Cores.” Chen Ji said seriously: “In exchange, I can take you to the treasury and let you appropriately choose things you can use, including cultivation techniques, elixirs, spiritual artifacts, and magical artifacts.”
“…The Sect Protection Array is not only the most critical line of defense protecting our sect, but it is also crucial for resisting the invasion of monster beasts. Master, you don’t need to worry about me. I have many monster cores. If it’s not enough, Sister Jun and Senior Brother Hu also have some. But if you only need about a hundred, I have no problem at all.” Lu Hangzhi said heroically:
“The Two Realms Mountain might not have other things, but if you want monster cores, you can have as many as you want.”
Chen Ji felt very relieved.
“Good! Hangzhi, although you are my youngest disciple, in many aspects, you are more steady than your senior brothers and sisters.”
Lu Hangzhi was least short of monster cores now. Moreover, the Dual-Realm Mountains Market was destroyed. Even if he wanted to sell or exchange them for other spiritual items, there was temporarily no place to use them. If not for worrying that his master would be unwilling to accept, he…
“Master, please don’t praise me. Here are two hundred Ninth-Grade Monster Cores. Please count them. Keep the extra hundred monster cores for unexpected needs. Our sect’s treasury should always have some stock, right.”
“……”
Chen Ji did not say anything more.
“By the way, Master, here is some spirit honey. It has the effect of quickly restoring magic power. Once the Two Realms Mountain falls, the Xuanxin Sect will definitely be affected. The pressure will be great then. Please keep some in reserve.” Lu Hangzhi took out ten bottles of spirit honey and handed them to his master.
Chen Ji silently accepted them and sighed with emotion:
“Your Ancestral Master told me that Jiuyou hastily launched the siege against the Xuanxin Sect actually had a special reason. I didn’t really believe it at first, but now, I understand.”
“…You mean the Honeycomb Artifact.”
“Mm.”
Chen Ji nodded and said:
“It is also thanks to the artifact you obtained. Otherwise, if the Ancestral Master and Revered Qin both perished at the Two Realms Mountain, and this rotation of personnel was completely wiped out again, the Xuanxin Sect would definitely not be able to withstand Jiuyou’s attack. The Spiritual Peak would change hands, and centuries of foundation would be lost! It can be said that you single-handedly turned the tide and saved the Xuanxin Sect.”
“…Master, you overpraise me.”
“Talking about this now seems somewhat useless. The monster beasts from the Two Realms Mountain are starting to escape, proving that there is a huge flaw in the defense line, and the personnel cannot keep up. Who knows how long the Two Realms Mountain can still hold back the advance of the Demon Realm… Perhaps one day, the entire Barbarian Wildlands will completely become the hunting garden of the Demon Realm. The Xuanxin Sect is a small sect, only ten thousand miles away from the Two Realms Mountain. We will bear the brunt. Who knows how long we can last.”
Chen Ji’s words were full of negative pessimism. It was unclear whether it was because of Jiuyou’s siege of the Xuanxin Sect or the escape of the monster beasts from the Two Realms Mountain that had given him such a big shock.
Lu Hangzhi frowned and said:
“Master, you don’t need to worry too much. I will not let that kind of thing happen.”
“You?”
Chen Ji smiled faintly upon hearing this, then sighed:
“If you had entered the Xuanxin Sect two years earlier, with your talent, you would have an eighty percent chance of breaking through to the Spirit Concentrating stage and making a name for yourself among the Spirit Concentrating cultivators, having a certain say at the Two Realms Mountain.”
“It’s not too late now.”
“It is late.”
Chen Ji smiled bitterly and shook his head:
“Although the support of the spirit honey allowed you to survive the most difficult battle at the Two Realms Mountain, outside the Two Realms Mountain is a completely different concept from inside. Without the Matrix Tower, even Revered Qin and your Ancestral Master aren’t confident in facing a Soul-Concentrating Demon Beast head-on. What can you use to fight against a Soul-Concentrating Demon Beast?”
“……”
Lu Hangzhi was left speechless.
Seeing this, Chen Ji seemed to finally realize he had spoken too harshly. He quickly changed the subject:
“Anyway, it’s too early to talk about these things now. You are still using the spiritual artifact that your senior brother Xiong Qi prepared for you. It’s too poor. I will take you to the treasury to pick a spiritual artifact.”
Lu Hangzhi’s eyes lit up:
This was exactly what he needed.
“Master, I want more artifact flying swords. The higher the quality, the better.”
“Oh?”
“Master, you still don’t know. I have achieved minor success in the ‘Seven-Seven Sword Formation,’ reaching the realm of Seven Motions with One Thought.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Ji suddenly turned around, showing an expression of shock even greater than when he heard Lu Hangzhi had over a thousand Ninth-Grade Monster Cores.
“Seven Motions with One Thought?!”
“That’s right!”
Show me.
Lu Hangzhi casually showed a small display. Seven flying swords danced around him like spirit snakes, orderly and methodical.
Chen Ji’s face was filled with pleasant surprise.
“Well done! Haha! I never thought you could master the ‘Seven-Seven Sword Formation’ in such a short time. I originally thought you would give up after reaching five motions with one thought. After all, even reaching five motions with one thought is already of great benefit to a cultivator.”
Chen Ji’s words made Lu Hangzhi speechless.
So that’s what Master thought.
He thought to himself, if Master knew that he had not only achieved seven motions with one thought but could also inflict seven injuries with one sword, he wondered what expression Master would have.
“Since you have achieved success in the ‘Seven-Seven Sword Formation,’ conquering the first layer of the sword formation shouldn’t be difficult. It is indeed time to prepare more artifact flying swords… You, come with me!”