Chapter 200 - 199: True Talisman

Chapter 200: Chapter 199: True Talisman

Senior Brother Liu was tall and slender. His brow was perpetually furrowed, giving him an extremely solemn air, especially when he was silent.

This time, he thought for a long while with a somber expression before finally smiling at Chen Qingyang. "I wonder if you’ve heard Junior Brother Ji mention the True Register Elixir Platform of our Fulu Workshop?"

Seeing Chen Qingyang shake his head, Senior Brother Liu continued, "Right. This matter is still quite distant for you, so it’s understandable that Junior Brother Ji wouldn’t have mentioned it. You can think of it as being like the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion, except it only stores Pill Formulas and nothing else."

"The True Register Elixir Platform is five stories high. Even the Pill Formulas on the lowest floor are of a higher caliber than those in the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion. It’s completely unparalleled..."

At this point, Senior Brother Liu looked at him. "However, getting inside... will be very difficult for you."

Chen Qingyang immediately understood. When he said "difficult," it wasn’t about a genuine obstacle, but about setting conditions. "What exactly is so difficult? I ask for your guidance, Senior Brother."

Senior Brother Liu paced back and forth, seemingly having a plan ready. "Now that you’re an Inner Sect Disciple, there are some things you should know. Within our Tai Xu Sect, the Cultivation Techniques in the Cloud Scripture Jade Pavilion are all foundational. To obtain a True Skill, it must be passed down by a Foundation Establishment Master. And the techniques of a Foundation Establishment Master, in turn, come from their Golden Core Scripture. It’s a layered system, with each layer having its own factions..."

This explanation resolved a question that had long puzzled Chen Qingyang—why Cultivation Techniques were not passed on lightly. ’Back at the Four Golden Peaks, I was blocked by this very issue.’

"...The Sect’s flourishing Alchemy Dao is due to two main parties: the Separation Dragon Pill Institute on one side, and our Cyan Bamboo Peak’s Fulu Workshop on the other. You’ve attended the Tai Xu Elemental Separation Conference, so you must have seen Qing Yao True Monarch, haven’t you?"

Chen Qingyang was extremely perceptive. Senior Brother Liu wasn’t just making small talk; by explaining the Sect’s political landscape in simple terms, he was making it clear that there were internal factional disputes and that these Pill Formulas belonged exclusively to the Fulu Workshop.

"That’s right."

Seeing that he seemed to understand, Senior Brother Liu broke into a smile. "For the five-story platform, any disciple of Cyan Bamboo Peak who has been with Fulu Workshop for a full ten years may enter the first floor. To reach the second, one must have been here for fifty years, and their Cultivation must be at least at the Essence Condensation Four Realms. That’s why I said this is still some time off for you."

Chen Qingyang knew there was a "but" coming, so he simply nodded without speaking. As expected, Senior Brother Liu continued, "Pill Masters value the Fire Element, and you’ve shown great results with Fire Element Techniques. Plus, you have Master Jing Yuan’s favor. I can make an exception and grant you access to the first, second, and third floors. The Pill Formulas within are enough to keep you busy studying for a hundred years, ensuring your talent in this area isn’t wasted."

After hearing this, Chen Qingyang shrewdly asked, "Are there other conditions, Senior Brother Liu?"

"As expected of a clever junior brother. Your reputation first began to grow from that competition at the Separation Dragon Pill Institute, and you also hold the Separation Huo Dragon Pearl. According to Sect law, you are a Pill Master of the Pill Institute. When necessary, you must accept their assignments. The only reason they haven’t come for you yet is that you hadn’t entered the Inner Sect."

"As for our Fulu Workshop... our demands aren’t high. We only hope that you will remember this in the future: you are, in fact, one of us at Fulu Workshop, not a member of the Sect’s Separation Dragon Pill Institute!"

’The Tai Xu Sect seemed harmonious on the surface, but in reality, it was rife with competing factions and divided loyalties. I just didn’t know about it before because my status was too low.’

’The Separation Dragon Pill Institute has branches on every peak and practically represents the Sect’s official Alchemy Dao. Fulu Workshop is more of an unofficial entity, also vying for a slice of that pie.’

’An Immortal Cultivation Sect with hundreds of thousands of disciples, relying on the somewhat loose master-disciple relationship structure, is bound to have a complex, tangled internal web. Besides, cultivators are inherently focused on their own advancement. How could they possibly be a monolith, all living for a single purpose?’

None of that mattered to Chen Qingyang. What mattered was that the Separation Dragon Pill Institute had been stingy over a single Separation Huo Dragon Pearl, while this Senior Brother Liu was offering him significant benefits.

Chen Qingyang’s reply was perfectly straightforward. "I’m a simple man and can’t wrap my head around complicated matters. I only know that I must never forget those who are kind to me. And right now, Senior Brother Liu, you are showing me that kindness."

It was clear that Senior Brother Liu was extremely pleased with this answer; even the deep furrows on his brow smoothed out. "To be favored by Master Jing Yuan... it’s clear your future is boundless, Junior Brother!"

’The last person favored by the Master was his senior brother, Shen Chongzhou, who was now an esteemed Foundation Establishment Master. It was fair to say that half the advantages Chen Qingyang enjoyed today came from his own master.’

He clasped his hands in a salute toward the window. "Indeed, my master treats me very well. I have one more matter that I’d like to ask for your help with, Senior Brother Liu."

Having reached this level of understanding, Senior Brother Liu was naturally very courteous to him. "Please speak, Junior Brother. If it’s something I can do, I’ll see it done."

"If there are any assignments that require leaving the Sect for the Nine True Temple, or anywhere near it, please arrange one for me."

Senior Brother Liu had clearly heard of the Nine True Temple. He frowned. "Junior Brother, why must you go so far away for an external assignment? Besides, that’s a barren land where danger can easily arise."

Chen Qingyang had his excuse ready. "Last time, I traveled all the way there and gained quite a lot. I want to go a bit farther, maybe even take a look at the Dharma Gates of the Demon Sect. After all, experiencing the Red Dust is also a part of Cultivation."

Everyone has their own destiny and their own Daoist Techniques. Some can achieve Enlightenment by sitting still under a Bodhi Tree, while others must travel through the Red Dust. Senior Brother Liu was not in a position to comment on such matters.

"A small matter. If I notice anything, I’ll send someone to inform you, Junior Brother."

"Thank you!"

’As long as I get an assignment to go out to Nine True Mountain, or somewhere nearby, I can meet Purple Sun Master and ask about Xu Lingfeng and the Sumeru Secret Realm.’

’Now that he was an Inner Sect Disciple, he had to report everything to his master. This would also make it easier to get Master Jing Yuan’s approval to go.’

’After all, that place was sure to touch a nerve with the Master.’

...

After leaving the Commander’s Lower Palace, Chen Qingyang needed no guide. He went to the collection point, turned in his Elixirs, and along with his earnings from the previous few months, exchanged everything for a total of 600,000 Spirit Stones. Converted into Top Grade Spirit Stones, that amounted to six hundred pieces.

They felt heavy in his hand. Each Top Grade Spirit Stone was still about the size of a thumbnail, a pure crystal containing a rich golden hue. It was said that their Spiritual Qi concentration was over a thousand times that of an ordinary Spirit Stone, which explained the one-thousand-to-one conversion rate.

Chen Qingyang had been fortunate enough to see them before, back at the Four Golden Peaks. That place was a famous mining site for the entire Tai Xu Sect. Aside from old craftsmen like him who could carve Dao Rhyme Text onto Hongling Tokens, the vast majority of people were assigned to work in the mines.

They received no wages, only three meals a day, a copy of the Tai Xu Energy-Introducing Technique, and the ethereal dream of Immortal Cultivation—enough to make countless people flock there eagerly.

’Thinking back on his time at the Four Golden Peaks, that transition from mortal to cultivator... it felt like a lifetime ago...’

As for why he had taken out all his Spirit Stones, Chen Qingyang planned to make a trip to Gentle Breeze. Not to pay off his debt, but to demonstrate his financial power.

It was dusk. A heavy evening mist mingled with ethereal wisps of smoke, blanketing the mountain stronghold of Gentle Breeze.

Using the Void Step Attraction Method, he landed at the stronghold’s entrance and walked inside. People were setting up stalls on both sides of the path. Aside from a few useful items, most of the goods were just strange trinkets.

’They were the kind of things that made you feel like you’d found a treasure when you picked them up, only to spend a fortune taking them home and studying them for a while before realizing they were only good for propping up a wobbly table leg. It’s hard to find real gold in a mud pit, even for someone like him.’

Although he thought this, he couldn’t resist performing an Astrological Inference for himself. It consumed a great deal of energy and time, and in the end, all he got were two words: Hold fast.

To put it bluntly, it meant he should stick to his current plans. Wishful thinking was useless; in fact, there was a high chance of biting off more than he could chew.

He pushed open the door to the bamboo building, walked up to Shopkeeper Wang, and slammed the Spirit Stones down on the counter. Shopkeeper Wang looked the same as ever, only deigning to lift his head when he heard the noise.

"Aiya, it’s Senior Brother Chen! Long time no see!" He was a major customer, after all, so the shopkeeper didn’t skimp on the requisite enthusiasm. Upstairs on the second floor, young women brought them tea.

Chen Qingyang sat down at the long table and took a light sip. "Six hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Is that all right?"

Shopkeeper Wang said, "The quality of these Spirit Stones is excellent, Senior Brother Chen. And to pay back a portion before the twenty-year deadline is even up... truly a man of great integrity!"

As he finished, he gave a big thumbs-up.

"Shopkeeper Wang, do you know how I came by these six hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"

Shopkeeper Wang adopted an inquisitive look. "I would be eager to hear the details."

Chen Qingyang didn’t hide it from him. "I’m working for Fulu Workshop now. These six hundred thousand Spirit Stones? It only took me a little over half a year to save them up. At this rate, I can gather the five million in less than five years. I was wondering, Shopkeeper Wang, if I pay it back early, could you perhaps lower the interest a little?"

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wang immediately began wringing his hands, his brow furrowed and his expression deeply troubled. "Aiya... aiya, this... It’s not that I’m unwilling, but business must follow business rules. Our contract states it all very clearly... How about... you take the Spirit Stones back for now, Senior Brother Chen?"

Chen Qingyang knew Shopkeeper Wang would say this. He set down his teacup, his smile carrying a hint of sincerity. "I understand, I understand!"

Seeing that this difficult customer wasn’t pressing the issue, Shopkeeper Wang breathed a sigh of relief. "Senior Brother Chen is truly a reasonable man."

Chen Qingyang said, "Let’s not talk about that. Let’s discuss another matter. I’d like you to put together another two million Spirit Stones’ worth of materials for me—for the metal, water, fire, and earth elements. The term will be the same twenty years, and I’ll pay back three and a half million. What do you say?"

’As they say, the first step is always the hardest. Once you’ve taken it, the rest is easy. In twenty years, Chen Qingyang was confident that as long as he advanced far enough in his cultivation, Gentle Breeze would have to give him a discount one way or another.’

’If he even managed to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, the debt would likely be forgiven entirely. After all, who would dare demand payment from a Foundation Establishment Master? It served the black-hearted, loan-sharking merchant right!’

’As for the three-and-a-half-million figure, a greedy man like Shopkeeper Wang would never agree to it. It was just a Blinding Technique, a way to show his "sincerity" in the negotiation.’

’And the reason he’d brought the six hundred thousand Spirit Stones was to show off his cash flow.’

Chen Qingyang stared at him, watching as Shopkeeper Wang shot him a furtive glance and then began his usual act, his expression full of difficulty. "This... I really can’t do it... How about..."