Chapter 88 - 84: Auction’s Aftermath

Chapter 88: Chapter 84: Auction’s Aftermath

Three hours later, Chen Jianghe finished his cultivation and rose, returning to his cabin.

He took out the Talisman-Making Materials one by one and arranged them on the table. Concentrating, he lifted his brush and began to draw a Spiritual Talisman, his strokes flowing across the talisman paper like a roaming dragon.

For the past two years, he had been practicing drawing the Five Elements Escape Talisman, the most complex of all Lower-Grade Spiritual Talismans. Once he could raise its Talisman Success Rate to forty percent, his Talisman Dao Skills would have made a huge breakthrough.

The success rate for drawing Attack-Type Spiritual Talismans could then also be raised to seventy percent.

At that point, he could attempt to draw Middle-Grade Spiritual Talismans. Only by becoming a Middle-Grade Talisman Master could he, a Loose Cultivator, obtain Cultivation Resources on par with those given to the core disciples of the Immortal Races.

He might even surpass them.

He was all alone, unlike Zhou Miaoyun, who had to give most of the Spirit Stones she earned from drawing Spiritual Talismans back to her family.

In another two years, his agreement with Talisman Master Chu Lang would expire, and all the Spirit Stones he earned from drawing Spiritual Talismans would be his to keep.

If he broke through and became a Middle-Grade Talisman Master, he would be able to build his fortune even faster.

It wouldn’t be impossible to buy a Storage Pouch, a Spirit Beast Circle, or even a Magical Artifact.

***

「The Yun Family Ancestral Hall.」

The upper echelons of the Yun Family were gathered here, their faces filled with urgency. Upon seeing Yun Bufan’s return, the Patriarch, Yun Xiaotian, immediately stood up.

"Bufan, how did it go?"

The other high-ranking members of the Yun Family also looked toward Yun Bufan with nervous expressions. This concerned whether the Yun Family could break the Lu Family’s blockade.

The Puppet Immortal Race Lu Family was the hegemon of the Eastern Domain of Celestial South, and they would never allow an Immortal Race with four Foundation Establishment cultivators to appear in the Eastern Territory.

Of course, with the Celestial South Sect in the picture, the Lu Family could only suppress these Foundation Establishment Immortal Races through official channels.

At auctions, for example, the Lu Family would not allow a family that already had three Foundation Establishment Ancestors to obtain another Foundation Establishment Pill or a Third-Grade Bloodline Spiritual Beast.

However, some families had managed to break the Lu Family’s blockade, becoming Top-Level Immortal Races with four Foundation Establishment cultivators.

At this most recent auction, the fact that the Third-Grade Lower-Class Bloodline Mountain Fleece Beast was purchased by someone from the Western Border undoubtedly gave the Yun Family an opportunity.

This was because the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Eastern Territory would never let a cultivator from the Western Border leave safely with the Mountain Furred Beast.

"It wasn’t just one Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Western Border; there were three others waiting to provide support."

"However, in the ensuing chaos, the Mountain Furred Beast escaped into a tributary of the Tongtian River. The Western Border cultivators didn’t manage to get the Third-Grade Lower-Class Bloodline Young Beast either."

Yun Bufan said with a faint smile.

"Excellent, excellent. As long as the Mountain Furred Beast is still in the Eastern Territory, the Yun Family has a chance of obtaining it."

Yun Xiaotian said with a satisfied smile.

The seventy-thousand-li Tongtian River spanned the Celestial South Domain from east to west. As long as the Mountain Furred Beast didn’t enter the river’s main channel, there wasn’t a major problem.

Besides, the Mountain Furred Beast wouldn’t dare enter the main channel. The current there was so swift that even the Water Avoidance Curse of a Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator would be useless.

Moreover, even someone at Late-Stage Qi Refining couldn’t use Qi Manipulation to fly over the main channel, as the violent Gang Wind was strong enough to shred their Protective Gang Qi.

Since the Mountain Furred Beast was not yet an adult, it couldn’t enter the main stream of the Tongtian River. That meant it could only be hiding in the tributaries around Jingyue Lake.

"Bufan, there is another matter we must be wary of."

At this point, Ninth Elder Yun Xiaoqian said, "After you left, members of the Bai Family bought the *Ten Thousand Waters True Scripture Qi Refining Chapter*. It’s a Water Element Supreme Technique, and cultivating it increases one’s Magical Power by thirty percent."

"I’m worried the Bai Family will make a move against our Yun Family."

"Haha... Uncle Qian, don’t worry. The Bai Family has already lost its chance."

Yun Bufan burst out laughing and said to the assembled members, "In the ambush against the Western Border cultivators, both sides lost one person. Do you know which Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Eastern Territory died?"

"Could it be the one from the Bai Family?"

Instantly, everyone in the hall shot to their feet, their faces a mixture of excitement and tension as they stared at Yun Bufan.

"It was indeed the Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Bai Family."

Yun Bufan’s eyes grew cold and a smirk appeared on his face. "Now," he said in a chilling tone, "is the time for the other clans in the Eastern Territory to make their move against the Bai Family."

"Father, you can now give the order to attack Qiyun Mountain. However, to be safe, we should still deploy the Clan Guardian Spirit Beast."

"Our Yun Family has three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and a long-standing feud with the Bai Family. If we occupy half of the Qiyun Mountain territory, I doubt the other families will raise any objections."

Yun Xiaotian nodded. "Mm, I understand."

"Then I will go cultivate."

Yun Bufan left the main hall and walked toward a secret chamber in the back.

Yun Xiaotian returned to the head seat. He sat down and then gestured with a downward press of his hand, signaling for the others to take their seats.

"You all heard what Bufan said."

Yun Xiaotian’s expression grew stern. As he aged, his every word and action had come to carry an increasing weight of authority.

Although he himself had missed his best opportunity for Foundation Establishment, the Yun Family would see more and more disciples with the potential to achieve it in the future.

Therefore, he had to continue planning for the clan and do everything in his power for its long-term prosperity.

"Right now, our Yun Family has three urgent matters to attend to. For the glory of our clan, I expect every one of you to give it your all."

"Your orders, Patriarch."

All the Elders and Stewards immediately rose, bowing as they spoke in unison.

"Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, and Seventh Elder will take the Clan Guardian Spirit Beast, twenty Late-Stage Qi Refining disciples, and ten Guardian Guest Elders, and head to Qiyun Mountain immediately. Make sure not a single member of the Bai Family is left alive."

Yun Xiaotian’s murderous words echoed through the ancestral hall.

"Yes!"

Fourth Elder Yun Zhongwei, Fifth Elder Yun Zhonghou, and Seventh Elder Yun Zhongyong accepted their orders and departed from the ancestral hall.

"Ninth Elder," Yun Xiaotian continued, turning to his fortunate cousin, "you will lead ten of the clan’s Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators and thirty Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivators to search every tributary of the Tongtian River within the Jingyue Lake region. Do everything you can to find the Mountain Furred Beast."

"I will find the Mountain Furred Beast and add another Tier Two Spirit Beast to our clan."

Yun Xiaoqian accepted his order and left.

"Daniu."

"Here."

Yu Daniu stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Yun Xiaotian.

Yun Xiaotian asked in a level voice, "Back when you were a Fisherman and Farmer in the Outer Waters, you had dealings with Wang Kui, correct?"

"Yes. Wang Kui’s territory in the waters was right next to mine. He still owes me fifty grains of Spiritual Sand," Yu Daniu said, growing irritated at the thought.

It wasn’t that he was short on fifty grains of Spiritual Sand now, but he was furious about being cheated.

"Good. Since you’re familiar with Wang Kui, you will lead twenty of the clan’s cultivators and take charge of the search for him within Jingyue Lake."

"Remember, if you do find Wang Kui, you must not kill him. You are not to touch the contents of his Storage Pouch, either. Everything must be handed over to Steward Lan from the Celestial South Sect."

Yun Xiaotian instructed him gravely.

Lan Yi was a Steward of the Celestial South Sect with a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, and it was rumored she was on the verge of Core Formation.

She was an existence the Yun Family could not afford to offend.

"I understand."

After leaving the ancestral hall, Yu Daniu went home and told his wife, Yun Huizhen, everything. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that her father had only been assigned to search for the Mountain Furred Beast.

"Daniu, that Wang Kui has had the Demon Cultivator’s Storage Pouch for three years now. We don’t know if there’s a Demon Dao inheritance inside it. If there is, he has almost certainly started cultivating it."

"You must not try to be a hero. Let the other clan members engage first. As a family Steward, you are far too important to the clan."

Yu Daniu was deeply moved by his wife Yun Huizhen’s concern and her words of caution. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a little conflicted. ’Is it really right to let others go first?’

’After all, my father-in-law gave me a High-Grade Flying Sword and a High-Grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact. Even if I run into a Demon Cultivator, I have the means to save my own skin. The other Late-Stage Qi Refining clan members might not be so well-equipped.’

Of course, these were just his private thoughts. He didn’t dare say them aloud, lest his wife scold him for such naive thinking.

"This trip might take me three to five years to return from. Have Xiaoniu visit Brother Jianghe often while I’m gone. I can tell Brother Jianghe is quite fond of the boy."

Yu Daniu paused for a moment, then scratched his head. "Since I have the chance to leave Huxing Island this time," he said, "I’d like to go back to Shixia Town for a visit."

"Absolutely not."

Yun Huizhen immediately refused.

"Daniu, you’re a Steward of the clan now, a member of the upper echelon. You absolutely cannot harbor thoughts of returning to your old home. Doing so would bring a fatal disaster upon not just you, but your parents and younger siblings as well."

"And you don’t need to worry so much. Over the years, I’ve secretly sent people to check on them. I’ve given them plenty of gold and silver. They’re living very comfortable lives now."