Volume One, Chapter 16: The Hidden Arts of Tianyan
“Those are human cultivators, wielding the ‘Break’ sword technique from the Linglü Sect.”
“Humans? They look like mere fledglings, yet they managed to slay a sealed demon cricket spider?”
“Has the Qingyun Sect become so formidable now?”
The surviving demon clans in the town emerged from their hidden cellars, gathering around the scene of the incident. They were all utterly amazed by what they saw.
“The Qingyun Sect is indeed powerful, but that young man before us is not a disciple taught by the sect.”
The faint trace of purple pure demon aura did not follow Zhao Fusheng away; instead, it lingered here and spoke again.
The demons in Qinghe Town immediately burst into lively discussion.
“It’s the Purple Radiance Demon Seal, Yun Yao…”
“How could she be here, and even defending that youth?”
The purple energy transformed into Yun Yao’s figure, who responded to the chatter with a faint smile.
“I’m not important. Everyone should consider this carefully: how can a mere human fledgling be stronger than you after a hundred years of cultivation?”
For a moment, the demon clans lowered their heads in self-mockery.
Yun Yao’s graceful figure shifted slightly as she raised a porcelain bottle, her expression becoming somewhat solemn.
“Don’t be discouraged.”
“The secret is actually very simple—it’s this small bottle of special elixir.”
“As long as your dantian receives the same nourishment he has taken…”
“You will become the next him!”
The eyes of the demons sparked with brilliance!
Who wouldn’t want to be strong when the weak are bullied?
At this moment, with fierce beasts dying on the left and the Purple Radiance Demon Seal protecting on the right…
“I want it…”
“Me too!!”
The voices rose in unison.
Many demons in the group, dressed neatly, rolled their eyes around. Especially the fox clan with their pointed ears and tails, and the large-eyed macaque clan.
They exchanged glances, their expressions growing resolute.
…
Inside the guard post of Pogouzi Forest.
Zhao Fusheng returned home, disappointed. He had expected Yun Yao to mock him since she had advised caution earlier.
Yet unexpectedly, Yun Yao said nothing, instead greeting him warmly.
She helped him sit and poured some hot tea.
Zhao Fusheng was indeed thirsty, but after taking a sip, he was instantly astonished!
He raised the cup and peered inside repeatedly.
“What’s in here?”
Yun Yao poured another cup.
“You only helped the town’s demons out of goodwill.”
“No wonder you’re surprised.”
The cup contained nothing ordinary but the finest snow ginseng!
Grown on glaciers and snowy peaks, these roots take ten years to mature, a hundred years to grow, guarded by ancient Yuan clan demons for generations!
Even Senior Brother Wang had struggled and failed to acquire even a tiny portion at the Suwen Pavilion.
Now Zhao Fusheng drank tea brewed from several ounces of ginseng slices at once!
Just one sip warmed his condensed elixir, and the bruises on his leg began to dissolve, showing signs of vitality.
“This… seems too generous, doesn’t it?” Zhao Fusheng looked up at Yun Yao.
If he hadn’t understood earlier, he now saw clearly the significance.
When the demon aura lingered in his body across the river, knowing he had slain a demon beast, it had rewarded him with this precious hot tea…
There was no need for much guesswork.
Having spent time with Yun Yao, she could see through his thoughts and spoke plainly.
She recounted what she had done after Zhao Fusheng left.
“That’s a clever idea!”
“I can’t cultivate the fields alone, but if the demon merchants plant crops…”
“I’ll buy them at low prices to produce pills.”
“That would solve the supply shortage.”
Yun Yao leaned forward.
“Of course, this business has many benefits!”
“If demons don’t covet human pills due to condensed elixir cultivation, they won’t risk crossing the river recklessly.”
“It’s a form of indirect protection for the sect!”
Zhao Fusheng snorted.
He knew she worried he wouldn’t cooperate, but he had no interest in those matters.
His thoughts were more on the year-end affairs…
Currently, the harvest yields only about a hundred taels each time.
There are only three to four harvests a year!
Yet a single “qian” of snow ginseng costs one tael of silver.
A whole root weighs over half a catty, costing eighty to a hundred taels!
Only one and a half catty per year?
His grandfather said he needed to accumulate a hundredfold of past medicinal efficacy to break through the fifth level of the major tribulation.
At this rate, it would take over ten years—and a stroke of fate.
Hence, he had considered risking crossing the river to find the Dragon Leap Cave.
But if he collected herbs, made pills, and sold them, though requiring upfront costs for raw materials, the profits could multiply several times!
With money, he could buy third-tier formula herbs to accelerate the breakthrough of the fifth level in body refinement!
That way, he could catch up with Senior Sister Ning Qi!
“Where is the person who gave the tea now?” Zhao Fusheng asked.
“He’s waiting for you!” Yun Yao summoned the purple demon aura.
It condensed into liquid, then unfolded into a mirror, which soon showed an image.
Two large demon faces appeared on the screen.
One was handsome and elegant, with beautiful fox ears.
The other had high cheekbones, was lean and sharp, with notably large eyes.
“This is Keeper Hu, and this is Keeper Hou. You can talk with them,” Yun Yao introduced before stepping back.
Zhao Fusheng was unfamiliar with using the demon aura projection for the first time.
Fortunately, with good comprehension, he quickly adjusted and understood.
The people in the projection existed physically!
They synchronized space and time through a medium!
“...Regarding planting requirements, I’ll leave that to you two to allocate.”
“Due to the varying difficulty of planting, I will pay different prices accordingly.”
“After you harvest and make pills, you can distribute them for me, splitting the profits fifty-fifty.”
“If you agree, we’ll sign the contract immediately.”
Zhao Fusheng’s first business negotiation was somewhat awkward.
But in the projection, Keepers Hu and Hou clasped hands and repeatedly agreed enthusiastically!
Keeper Hu even leaned closer to the mirror.
“Agreed wholeheartedly!”
“As a lowly demon, I believe this will be a good business.”
“But since humans and demons have been estranged for long, Keeper Hou and I are a bit uneasy.”
“Consider the snow ginseng as a token of goodwill.”
“My brother and I will each give one hundred gold as capital!”
“Hope you remain consistent with this business in the future!”
As he finished, several demon servants came from behind the projection and placed two boxes down.
Opening them revealed ingots of gold, shining brightly!
Zhao Fusheng swallowed hard, never having seen such a sight since childhood.
Just one ingot could support his grandfather and uncle living comfortably for three years.
“Thank you, demon brothers!” Zhao Fusheng stood, respectfully bowing.
The two keepers were delighted by his respectful demeanor.
“Boss Zhao, happy cooperation!”
Yun Yao was pleased.
It seemed the unsealing was just within reach!
In the past half year of great nourishment, though not yet breaking the seal, he had restored one or two levels of power.
Now he could not only communicate through demon aura over distance but also convert between the real and the illusory!
With a flick of his fingers, purple energy condensed into rattan paper and a brush, on which contract terms were already written.
With a soft sound, the contract passed through the mirror and landed in the hands of the two demons across the river.
The boxes of gold ingots also turned into purple energy, passed through the mirror, and solidified into physical form in a corner of the room with a loud clatter!
The whole room trembled slightly…
…
Humans have good and evil; demons have kindness and wickedness.
Moreover, he had heard that demon merchants’ wealth came from human nobility.
The powerful and greedy purchased demon beast dantian to extend their lives, filling their desires.
It never reached common folk!
Otherwise, how could a tragedy like that at Tangkou Village occur?
Zhao Fusheng did not care about where the money came from.
He only cared about his own immortal path.
With money in hand, besides buying large quantities of herb seeds and sending them across the river for rapid cultivation, and setting aside funds to purchase harvested herbs, he entrusted Senior Brother to buy a large pill furnace at the Refining Hall!
The rest he stored in the embroidered purple azalea pouch left by Senior Sister Song.
He kept an eye on the Suwen Pavilion, waiting for rare and excellent herbs to appear for swift auction.
But since summer was turning to autumn, the demons who needed to hibernate in winter were especially active.
It was dangerous to go gathering herbs in the mountains or hunting demons for rare bones.
Hence, no new products had appeared yet.
Just as Zhao Fusheng was feeling frustrated, Senior Brother Wang suddenly visited.
He took a sip of the hot tea, his pupils trembling in shock—snow ginseng tea?
But he didn’t ask more and instead spoke of an important matter.
“Don’t keep your eyes only on the Suwen Hall lately!”
“A brother from the Treasure Pavilion revealed some insider news.”
“They just acquired a treasure artifact called [Tianyan], a top-grade mysterious item.”
“It can convert energy into a spiritual protective barrier that changes form with the surroundings, shielding the user!”
“But the usage threshold is low; any body-refining cultivator can use it.”
“Seems tailor-made for you, junior brother, for self-defense!”
“However… the insider price is a bit steep…”
“Twenty gold, and that’s just the quoted price!”
Zhao Fusheng focused deeply.
The fierce battle with the cricket spider was still vivid in his mind.
“I’ll pay thirty gold.”
“Another ten gold as a bonus for the brother’s effort in providing information and helping with the purchase!”
Senior Brother Wang’s pupils nearly burst.
He had suspected this kid was rich, able to auction rare herbs monthly.
But never imagined he was this wealthy!
He somewhat understood why someone of such mediocre talent could enter the sect as a disciple.
Money makes the world go round…