Dual Cultivation

"I only have 2 million high-grade spirit stones for me, so I cannot buy it off you, or I would've continued to bid. Maybe there is something else I can do for you?"

Luo Ziyi shook her head and said, "Unfortunately, we also need the Nightmare Dust, so we cannot give it to you regardless of your offer. Now if you'll excuse us, we have somewhere else to be."

The smile on the old man finally disappeared, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Young lads, think about this more carefully. You can either leave this place on good terms with the Violet Furnace Academy, or you can leave as…"

The old man didn't finish his sentence, but even an idiot could tell that he was threatening them with his background.

Luo Ziyi stopped and said, "You're going to hold a grudge over something this insignificant? That says a lot about your character and the Violet Furnace Academy."

"And if you're going to threaten someone, at least make sure you have sufficient backing to do so. The Violet Furnace Academy is barely a top 100 sect within the Celestial Heaven. How dare you go around bullying people with such a backing?" Luo Ziyi then retrieved the Grand Celestial Plaza's Jade Medallion and showed it to him.

""T-That's the—!"

The old man was greatly shocked when Luo Ziyi suddenly revealed her token.

"Maybe I should visit the Violet Furnace Academy and speak with your Sect Master. I happen to know Senior Guan very well."

The old man's body trembled when she mentioned his Sect Master so casually.

"P-Please have mercy! I was wrong!" The old man quickly lowered his head and apologized to them.

"Hmph!"

Luo Ziyi couldn't be bothered to waste her time with this old man any longer and proceeded to walk away.

"Are you sure it's okay to flash around the Grand Celestial Plaza's Jade Medallion so casually? What if it reveals your identity?" Su Yang asked her afterward.

"It'll be fine. It's not like I am the only person in the Four Divine Heavens with a Grand Celestial Plaza's Jade Medallion. In fact, there are hundreds of them. And even if my identity is revealed, it doesn't matter too much as long as your identity remains safe," she responded.

Sometime later, they returned to the hotel and proceeded to spend the next four days embracing each other.

On the fourth day, they went to participate in another auction that was selling one of the ingredients they needed, and Luo Ziyi ended up spending another million high-grade spirit stones.

The next auction was a week away, and the auction happened to be selling the last two treasures they needed for the trip.

"The Vermilion Dew will begin at 300,000 high-grade spirit stones!"

"One million." Luo Ziyi raised her hand first.

When the others heard the price, those who had their hands raised quickly lowered it.

"One million going once... going twice…"

"And sold to this esteemed guest for 1 million high-grade spirit stones!"

A few auctions later, the last ingredient they needed appeared.

"The Dragon Bindweed will start at 500,000 high-grade spirit stones!"

"One million." Luo Ziyi was the first to bid again.

"1,100,000 high-grade spirit stones!" Another person called out after her.

"1,500,000!" A new bidder joined.

The Dragon Bindweed was much more sought after than the Vermilion Dew, mostly because it was the key ingredient to many high-tier pills and more practical.

However, under Luo Ziyi's seemingly inexhaustible wealth, the other bidders were left speechless.

"2 million."

In the end, Luo Ziyi won the auction again.

After paying for the treasures at the end of the auction, Luo Ziyi and Su Yang returned to the hotel.

Su Yang laid all nine treasures on the table and nodded with a satisfied look on his face.

"We just need to reach the Jade Heaven and head to the center of the Jaded Garden now."

"Wait… We have to go to the Jaded Garden? Why didn't you say this earlier?" Luo Ziyi sighed.

"Hm? What's the matter? Is there something wrong with the Jaded Garden?" Su Yang asked her.

As far as he was aware, the Jaded Garden wasn't a special place that required special attention, so why was Luo Ziyi acting like this?

"Around a thousand years ago, the Jaded Garden suddenly became enveloped by an extremely deadly fog that can kill even a cultivator at Immortal Ascension if ingested… This poison fog is so powerful that even those with a Divine Body cannot get close."

"Experts have tried to examine the poison, but not even the best alchemy masters in the Four Divine Heavens can figure out what created this poison, nor do they have any solutions for it. It's literally impossible to enter the area."

"Perhaps the God of Alchemy might be able to concoct a pill that can protect one against the fog, but… Well, you already know the situation with her."

Su Yang raised his eyebrow after hearing this, and he asked her, "What does this fog look like?"

"I have not personally seen it, but from what I heard, it's a black fog."

"Hmm…" Su Yang immediately began pondering.

"Do you have an idea what it is?" Luo Ziyi had this feeling and decided to ask him.

He nodded and said, "When I was still studying under the God of Alchemy, I recall seeing something similar. I asked her about it, and she told me that it was an experiment to create the most powerful poisonous pill in the Four Divine Heavens."

"You're telling me that the God of Alchemy was the one responsible for the black fog— that she's the reason the Jaded Garden became enveloped in this deadly poison?" Luo Ziyi was speechless.

"Yes. The entrance to her secret location is also within the Jaded Garden, so it makes perfect sense why she did it, especially if she doesn't want to be bothered or found."

"Then what should we do now? Unless you have a solution for the poison fog, we won't be able to meet her." Luo Ziyi then asked him.