thefictionvixens Chapter 114 Circumstances Change, Sect Transaction
Chapter 114 Circumstances Change, Sect Transaction
Chapter 114 Circumstances Change, Sect Transaction
"Hehe, everyone's here. That's perfect, saves me the trouble of notifying them one by one."
Accompanied by hearty laughter, an elderly man with a white face and no beard stepped into the courtyard first.
He was wearing a golden cloud-patterned robe, a special garment reserved for the imperial family, and was none other than Zhou Zhenren, who had been stationed in the Immortal City of Lakes and Seas for many years.
As the highest representative of the royal family in the Immortal City, he was responsible for coordinating all affairs of the secret realm and the Immortal City.
Following closely behind was a middle-aged cultivator with a serious expression, none other than Xu Tianyue, a pseudo-core elder of the Jade Dragon Sect.
As the sect's second-in-command in Immortal City, in addition to official business, he also had the mission of discussing Xu Jiu's matter with Qin Chengcheng.
Upon seeing this, all the prodigies immediately bowed and greeted him in unison.
As the shop owner, Chen Yi tactfully retreated to the far edge of the courtyard, silently observing this high-level meeting.
"I have already learned about the matter of the Hall of Inheritance in detail."
Master Zhou's kind gaze swept over everyone present. "You are all outstanding young talents of our Qi Kingdom. It is truly a blessing for our Qi Kingdom that you were able to break through the second level of the Inheritance Hall's restrictions on your own strength."
His gaze finally settled on Qin Chengcheng, and an expression of admiration appeared on his face:
"This must be Miss Qin, right? She is indeed beautiful, truly deserving of the title of the number one fairy in the Foundation Establishment stage of Qi Kingdom."
Master Zhou paused, his tone becoming even gentler:
"What's even more remarkable is that Miss Qin is both talented and beautiful. She was the first to enter the second level of the Thunder Soul Sect's Inheritance Hall, which must mean she has unique attainments in the way of the soul."
I have some connections with Master Lin of Miaoyin Pavilion. If Miss Qin is willing to return to her sect, I am willing to mediate on her behalf.
What knot between master and disciple can't be untied?
Upon hearing this, Qin Chengcheng gently stroked the strands of hair at her temples with her slender fingers, a slight smile playing on her lips.
She bowed slightly, her posture elegant yet resolute.
"Chengcheng thanks Senior Zhou for his concern."
Her gaze shifted slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes, but her voice remained clear and melodious.
"However, the matter between Lin Fan and me is not a simple matter of forced marriage. The reasons involved are truly beyond the comprehension of outsiders."
She paused, her voice growing colder:
"I admit that I am a disciple of Miaoyinfang, but there is no longer any master-disciple relationship between me and Lin Fan."
He harbors ulterior motives, using the guise of raising someone to manipulate them. I, Qin Chengcheng, cannot accept such 'kindness'.
Having said that, she raised her eyes and looked directly at Master Zhou, her determination leaving no room for doubt:
"Please, Senior Zhou, do not try to persuade me further on this matter."
Upon hearing this, Master Zhou frowned slightly and let out a long sigh.
His gaze lingered on Qin Chengcheng's stunningly beautiful face for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons.
"Fine."
He finally shook his head, a kind smile appearing on his face:
"Miss Qin is exceptionally talented, a rare genius that our Qi Kingdom has only seen once in a century. Given time, her achievements may not be inferior to those of prodigies like Wu Ba and You Rong."
As he spoke, he took out a pure white jade pendant from his sleeve, engraved with the royal family's unique cloud pattern emblem, which shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
"If you have any needs regarding cultivation resources, please feel free to speak to me."
"I have obtained the Emperor's permission that Miss Xu Qin shall enjoy the same treatment as members of the royal family, and may exchange for various rare resources at the Royal Merchant Guild."
He handed the jade pendant to Qin Chengcheng, his tone slightly coaxing:
"I've heard that you've found the main ingredient of the Crystal Condensation Pill and an important auxiliary ingredient?"
The other materials needed to refine the Crystallization Pill can be viewed in the royal family's internal exchange list using this jade token.
Qin Chengcheng's eyes flickered slightly as her gaze fell on the jade pendant.
She naturally understood the significance of this—it was not just a resource, but also an invitation to the middle and upper echelons of the Qi Kingdom.
If she agrees, it means she has joined the royal family's power.
Master Zhou's move, seemingly showing great care, actually concealed a hidden secret.
In just a few words, they almost managed to pull this rising star out of the Miaoyin Pavilion's sphere of influence.
The people in the courtyard had different expressions.
A look of joy flashed in Qi Yourong's eyes.
Feng Qingjun seemed to be deep in thought.
Xu Tianyue of the Jade Dragon Sect stood aside, his eyes filled with undisguised envy.
He gazed at the royal jade plaque, which gleamed in the sunlight, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
As a pseudo-core cultivator, he understood better than anyone what the resources represented by this jade tablet meant.
Qin Chengcheng spread her divine sense and felt the immense spiritual power contained in the jade tablet.
She lowered her eyes, concealing the complex emotions within them.
In recent years, without the protection of Miaoyinfang, those rare high-level cultivation resources have become virtually unattainable for her.
Countless times during her late-night cultivation sessions, she had to interrupt her breakthrough due to a lack of crucial materials.
Only she herself truly understands this suffering.
"This junior thanks Master Zhou."
She gave a graceful bow, her voice clear yet respectful. The jade pendant felt cool to the touch, yet seemed to weigh a ton.
"Hehe, that's great!"
Qi Yourong smiled radiantly and affectionately took Qin Chengcheng's arm, "Congratulations, Sister Qin! We sisters should visit each other more often in the future."
Her eyes sparkled with genuine joy, clearly showing her delight at being able to get closer to this rising star.
Master Zhou coughed lightly, and the kind smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
"Alright, let's get down to business."
He surveyed the crowd, his voice deep and powerful:
"The situation in Zhongzhou has changed again!"
We have just received confirmation.
The Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Thundercloud Sect in Central Continent is leading the sect's geniuses, along with elite disciples from several other major forces, across the Monster Beast Mountain Range.
It is expected to arrive within two months at most. This is more than half a year earlier than previously estimated!
Master Zhou paused, his gaze sweeping across each of the prodigies like lightning:
"If you cannot break through the last three layers of restrictions in the Thunder Soul Sect's Inheritance Hall within two months, then the best outcome that Emperor Qi can achieve is to let you compete with the geniuses of Central Continent."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat heavy:
"But let's be clear from the start."
"With the current strength and potential of the prodigies of my Qi Kingdom, they are probably slightly inferior to the direct disciples of those Nascent Soul Grandmasters in the Central Plains."
"Especially the Thundercloud Sect, as the sect that inherits the orthodox thunder-based techniques, has a unique advantage in breaking the Thunder Soul Sect's restrictions."
Master Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering even without wind:
"This matter is of utmost urgency. If you have any needs, please make them to your respective factions."
His gaze was distant, as if he saw some ominous future:
"The world of cultivation is ever-changing. If we cannot seize the initiative this time, our Qi Kingdom may find it difficult to gain a foothold in the grand plan for the next hundred years."
"Even worse, if a great calamity were to befall us, our Qi state would likely be the first to be affected and plunged into an abyss of no return."
Master Zhou's words were by no means alarmist.
The royal family of Qi has a history of over a thousand years and has always maintained high-level cultivators who are proficient in divination.
As early as ten years ago, certain ominous signs had already appeared on the divination.
The geniuses present had solemn expressions. Although they were Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were all core disciples nurtured by their respective sects and had heard about the secrets of the cultivation world.
The major sects of the demonic path have been lying dormant deep within the Monster Beast Mountain Range for hundreds of years.
After a long period of recuperation, it has now recovered its strength and its momentum is growing stronger every day.
These demonic cultivators cannot remain holed up in the spiritually barren Monster Mountain Range forever; they will inevitably return to the cultivation world to find a new foothold.
At that time, where the demonic path will choose as its breakthrough point and how it will launch its offensive will be closely related to the concept of destiny.
While Nascent Soul cultivators can certainly influence the course of battle, the growth potential of local prodigies is crucial to the power structure hundreds of years from now.
Master Zhou then gave a detailed account of the current situation before stepping aside to savor his spiritual tea and wait for Master Xu, who was traveling with him, to handle the matter.
Xu Tianyue turned his gaze to Qin Chengcheng and asked in a deep voice, "Fairy Qin, could you please summon that strongman Xu Jiu for a chat?"
Qin Chengcheng pursed her red lips slightly and gently shook her head: "This humble woman truly cannot contact Xu Jiu."
He's always the one who contacts me first. However, Xu Jiu instructed me that if the Jade Dragon Sect has any guidance, I can ask her for it, and she can relay it.
At this moment, Chen Yi was standing in the corner of the courtyard, and Qin Chengcheng was naturally not worried that Chen Yi could not hear her.
Seeing that Qin Chengcheng had agreed, Xu Tianyue immediately said seriously, "Alright, I'll get straight to the point."
His gaze swept over everyone present, his voice steady and powerful:
"I believe you have all heard clearly what Master Zhou just said. The rise and fall of our Great Qi Kingdom a hundred years from now depends entirely on you, the pride of your generation."
Xu Tianyue looked at Qin Chengcheng specifically, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity:
"It is truly rare for the Jade Dragon Sect to produce a warrior with exceptional talent."
I have informed the sect leader that regardless of how Xu Jiu obtained our sect's Vajra Skill, even if the acquisition was illegitimate, our sect is willing to forgive and forget.
He paused, then took out a jade slip from his sleeve, its surface shimmering with spiritual light:
"As long as Xu Jiu is willing to become a disciple of my Jade Dragon Sect, not only will the promised follow-up techniques of the Vajra Skill be presented to him immediately, but the sect's resources will also be allocated accordingly."
At that time, given Xu Jiu's qualifications, his treatment would even be comparable to that of the chief disciple, Long Xitian.
These words resonated deeply, causing a slight commotion in the courtyard.
It should be noted that the Jade Dragon Sect, as a major sect that governs a vast territory, has a powerful expert in the mid-stage of the Core Formation realm.
Ordinary independent cultivators who wish to join a sect must endure countless hardships and dangers.
Today, the Jade Dragon Sect has publicly promised to place a strongman of unknown origin on equal footing with the chief disciple. Such an honor is rare in a century.
If it were an ordinary rogue cultivator, they would probably be overjoyed.
however,
Chen Yi, sitting in the corner, didn't even lift his eyelids.
He stood quietly in the shadows, seemingly isolated from the noise in the courtyard.
Those deep eyes remained calm and unmoved, showing no sign of being touched.
There are no free opportunities in this world.
The more tempting the conditions, the greater the hidden cost often lies behind them.
The title of chief disciple may seem prestigious, but just look at Long Xitian's current situation to know that if he is not careful, he will end up losing all his authority.
Apart from him,
Despite the generous terms offered by Xu Tianyue, the assembled prodigies remained remarkably calm.
They looked indifferent, their eyes even showing a hint of disdain.
These prodigies from prestigious families knew perfectly well that, based on the strength Xu Jiu had displayed, he was already on par with the nine great prodigies (now, including Qin Chengcheng, there are exactly nine).
In their view, the conditions offered by the Jade Dragon Sect were hardly sincere.
If it were the forces behind them who were recruiting them, the treatment they could offer would be far superior.
However, due to the rules, Xu Jiu was, after all, a rogue cultivator who had grown up within the territory of the Jade Dragon Sect, and they could not overstep their bounds and interfere.
Qin Chengcheng remained outwardly calm, but in reality, she quietly released a wisp of divine sense to carefully observe Chen Yi's reaction in the corner.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, she understood immediately—given Chen Yi's consistently cautious nature, he would surely back down from such a temptation.
She hesitated for a moment, then asked the crucial question for Chen Yi:
"Master Xu's terms are indeed tempting, but I wonder what obligations Xu Jiu will have to fulfill if he agrees?"
Xu Tianyue stroked his beard, smiling broadly.
"Hehe, my Jade Dragon Sect never supports idlers."
Since Xu Jiu wanted to skip the disciple selection process and directly enjoy the treatment of the chief disciple, he naturally had to obey the Jade Dragon Sect's orders and make achievements in the secret realm.
He paused, his tone becoming serious:
"At least one formal inheritance of the Thunder Soul Sect is required."
The most core inheritance is not required, but it must be a soul-type or lightning-type cultivation technique that can be cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage.
In this way, we can also give an explanation to the sect.
These words drew sneers from all the geniuses present.
This old fox has a clever plan. He wants to exchange a mere second-tier top-level resource for the top inheritance of an ancient Nascent Soul sect. It's truly a brilliant way to get something for nothing.
Qin Chengcheng's eyes turned slightly cold, and she had already seen through Xu Tianyue's plan.
A leopard can't change its spots.
The Jade Dragon Sect's modus operandi is truly consistent. Back then, they used the guise of marriage to seize Chen Yi's first spiritual connection, and now they want to use the same methods to get Chen Yi for free.
In the corner, Chen Yi showed absolutely no reaction.
Qin Chengcheng understood that Chen Yi had rejected the offer.
"Master Xu has a good plan, but unfortunately, it took me a lot of time and resources to persuade Xu Jiu to enter the secret realm this time. He himself is not a person who likes to take risks."
He probably won't agree to Master Xu's conditions.
"I'd like to ask one last question: Is it only on the condition that Xu Jiu agrees to become a disciple of the Jade Dragon Sect that you will fulfill your promise and pass on the follow-up to the Vajra Skill?"
This question hits the nail on the head.
Xu Tianyue's expression stiffened, his brows furrowing: "Miss Qin, can you stand up for Xu Jiu?"
"Of course, we can't make all the decisions for him."
But I understand his feelings, and he is my good friend. I will not allow any sect or force to bully him because he is weak.
You made a promise before, and now you're making demands; that's going back on your word.
If the Jade Dragon Sect still reneges on its promise, then there's no need to discuss this matter further.
I believe that, apart from the Jade Dragon Sect, other forces would also be happy to pass on the subsequent techniques of the Vajra Skill.
Xu Tianyue's expression shifted repeatedly. "Hmph, ungrateful wretch."
He said coldly:
"Tell him that it's fine if he doesn't want to be a disciple of my Jade Dragon Sect, but if he wants to obtain the later parts of the Vajra Skill..."
We need at least five mid-grade Tier 2 Magnetic Thunder Beads. Of course, we won't take them for free; we can exchange them for spirit stones or resources of equal quality.
In the corner, Chen Yi lowered his gaze slightly, shifting his eyes halfway down.
Chen Yi generally agreed to the deal.
"A maximum of three!"
Qin Chengcheng immediately started haggling.
She sensed Chen Yi's gaze shifting downwards by about halfway and understood his meaning: to cut the price in half!
Considering Chen Yi's trading style, she didn't dare start by cutting the price down to one; going straight to three was already her limit.
When the number was announced, Chen Yi's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He could have easily agreed to five, since exchanging resources with the sect wouldn't have been a loss for him. After all, the production cost of a second-tier mid-grade magnetic lightning bead was only 500 spirit stones, and it could be sold for 5 or 6 spirit stones. So what if he sold it to someone else?
Moreover, the Jade Dragon Sect has some decent resources to exchange.
As a result, Xu Tianyue frowned and said, "Fine, three it is. I'm too lazy to argue with you."
Once you're ready, you can contact us through Zhao Jingwu or Long Xitian.
After saying that, Xu Tianyue left first, looking displeased.
(End of this chapter)