Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

「Six months later.」

A figure appeared near the Celestial Yu Sect’s residence.

News that the Celestial Yu Sect was about to seal its mountain had already spread throughout the Immortal Alliance, evoking a mix of regret, envy, confusion, and anger.

But this changed nothing.

Sealing the mountain was a foregone conclusion.

Since sealing the mountain meant the Celestial Yu Sect would no longer be able to obtain resources from the outside world, they organized a special trade fair. They would put their various collected supplies up for exchange to acquire what they needed for the long seclusion.

It was said that during this trade fair, the Celestial Yu Sect would offer up a Spiritual Artifact.

Spiritual Artifacts existed a level above Magical Treasures and were also known as Innate Spiritual Artifacts. They contained a wisp of the Innate Qi Mechanism from the dawn of creation, possessed immense power and wondrous functions, and were typically wielded by Nascent Soul True Men.

There were only a handful of Spiritual Artifacts in the world, and every single one was legendary.

The moment this news broke, it sent tremors through the entire Immortal Alliance.

Of course, among the Righteous Immortal Sects, only two or three could afford a Spiritual Artifact and had the strength to protect it.

Even if other factions had the money, they wouldn’t have the guts. Otherwise, it would be like a child carrying gold through a bustling market, only attracting covetous eyes.

However, besides the Spiritual Artifact, the Celestial Yu Sect would also be selling some top-tier Secret Techniques and Elixirs that could advance a Golden Core Grandmaster’s Cultivation or significantly extend a Cultivator’s lifespan.

These were also incredible treasures.

Over the past six months, all the major Righteous Immortal Sects had received missives from the Celestial Yu Sect, along with a Token for the trade fair.

The Bright Void Sect was no exception.

However, Pei Jingque hadn’t come this time.

She wanted to.

But she had no money!

As the number of Sect Disciples grew, so did their expenditures. Times were still tight for the Bright Void Sect.

The Sect had some Spirit Stones in reserve, but not many.

And they certainly couldn’t be used lightly.

SWISH!

The Tunneling Light halted in mid-air. Zhu Ju tossed out a Token, and the air before him immediately rippled.

His eyes flickered. After a moment of contemplation, he stepped slowly into the ripple.

Space twisted and shook.

By the time Zhu Ju came to his senses, he was in a bustling valley filled with the songs of birds and the scent of flowers.

”A Spatial Array...”

”Truly marvelous!”

”Fellow Daoist.” A Dao Foundation Cultivator in a Celestial Yu Sect Magic Robe approached him with a radiant smile.

”Are you Fellow Daoist Zhu from the Bright Void Sect?”

”I am Xiaoo Menglu. I was entrusted by Senior Brother Luu Dingwang to wait here and guide you.”

Xiaoo Menglu had a delicate appearance, looking like a girl of fifteen or sixteen, yet she already possessed a Mid-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivation.

One could only say, as expected of the Celestial Yu Sect, ranked second among the Righteous Immortal Sects, even a random member was so remarkably talented.

”Fellow Daoist Xiaoo.” Zhu Ju cupped his hands.

”Is Fellow Daoist Luu not here?”

”He is in charge of matters concerning the sect’s seclusion and isn’t here.” Xiaoo Menglu shook her head and gestured.

”This way, please, Fellow Daoist!”

”This place is called Panlong Valley. It’s considered a type of Secret Realm, so you have no need to worry about safety.”

”The northern side of the valley has residences for our visiting Fellow Daoists. The other areas are set up with various shops. In half a month, there will be a seven-day-long auction where our sect’s secret treasures will be sold. Of course, all you Fellow Daoists are also free to trade amongst yourselves...”

She led Zhu Ju to a manor.

”Fellow Daoist, you may stay here until the trade fair ends or you decide to leave early.”

”Thank you.” Zhu Ju cupped his hands and asked,

”Does the Celestial Yu Sect have any Foundation Establishment Pills for sale?”

”Of course!”

Xiaoo Menglu nodded.

”However, the Foundation Establishment Pills for sale this time aren’t sold individually, but by the cauldron-full—thirty pills per cauldron.”

’Thirty pills?’

Surprise showed on Zhu Ju’s face.

...

KNOCK KNOCK...

A knock sounded at the door.

”Enter!”

The wooden door opened, revealing an old man with white hair.

Zhu Ju’s steps faltered slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes, before he stepped inside and cupped his hands.

”Elder.”

The old man before him was, shockingly, a Golden Core Grandmaster!

In his hundred-plus years of Cultivation, besides a brief encounter with a Demonic Golden Core, this was the first time Zhu Ju had ever been so close to a Golden Core Grandmaster.

”Mm.”

The old man stroked his beard and spoke slowly.

”I am Fang Zhong, an Elder of the Celestial Yu Sect’s Pill Workshop. I am responsible for handling the sale of some of the Elixirs this time.”

”And what might I call you, young friend?”

Fang Zhong wore a pristine white Magic Robe, and his aura was ethereal and transcendent. His gaze was also quite gentle.

Just like a kindly neighborhood elder.

However, the aura emanating from him was as deep as an abyss, vast and endless. He was likely not just any Golden Core Grandmaster, but a powerful one at that.

”I am Zhu Ju.”

Zhu Ju cupped his hands.

”A disciple of the Bright Void Sect.”

”The Bright Void Sect?” Fang Zhong nodded slowly, his voice growing even gentler.

”A remnant of the Jade Void Sect. Speaking of which, a portion of the Celestial Yu Sect’s Pill Workshop lineage also comes from the Jade Void Sect.”

”It seems you and I are fated to meet, young friend!”

”Indeed.” Zhu Ju agreed.

”I have also heard that the Jade Void Sect’s Alchemy Dao was prosperous. It is a pity the Bright Void Sect did not receive that part of the inheritance.”

”Elder.”

”I intend to buy one cauldron of Foundation Establishment Pills.”

”Foundation Establishment Pills.” Fang Zhong nodded.

”Easy enough. You should be aware of the price. I am selling these on behalf of the Sect, so there is no haggling.”

”I know.” Zhu Ju took off his storage pouch, then paused and asked,

”Elder, do you have any Elixirs that can aid a Dao Foundation Cultivator’s Cultivation?”

”I do, but not many,” Fang Zhong said slowly.

”The Celestial Yu Sect is sealing its mountain for a period of at least a hundred years, perhaps as long as a thousand. We need to prepare all kinds of supplies, and Elixirs are the most important.”

”If you wish to trade, it’s most cost-effective to use Spiritual Medicines, Spiritual Plants, or their seeds.”

”Spirit Stones and Spiritual Materials are secondary...”

”Magical Artifacts and Magical Treasures are the least desirable.”

Zhu Ju understood.

The Celestial Yu Sect was sealing their mountain to travel to another world. There wouldn’t be many opponents there, so naturally, they wouldn’t need Magical Artifacts or Magical Treasures.

But things like Spiritual Medicines and Spiritual Plants were crucial for the younger generation of disciples to cultivate, so they needed to be procured in large quantities. Naturally, there wouldn’t be many for sale to outsiders.

”Thank you for your guidance, Elder.”

”Hehe...” Fang Zhong chuckled lightly.

”This is a small matter. You would have figured it out even if I didn’t say anything.”

”I have several types of Elixirs here that can aid a Dao Foundation Cultivator’s Cultivation. The best among them are the Golden Crow Pill and the Seven Spirits Passing Essence Pill, both of which use a Thousand-Year Spirit Elixir as a primary ingredient. Each pill costs thirty Middle Grade Spirit Stones.”

’Thirty Middle Grade Spirit Stones?’

Zhu Ju’s expression changed slightly.

”It can’t be helped. Thousand-Year Spirit Elixirs are rare, so the Elixirs refined from them are naturally not cheap.” Noticing his expression, Fang Zhong added,

”If you have a Thousand-Year Spirit Elixir, young friend, I can also refine it for you for a fee. I am a Tier Three Alchemist, and my success rate for refining Tier Two elixirs is over ninety percent. That’s much better than you’ll find elsewhere.”

’Huh?’

Zhu Ju looked up, surprised.

”Elder, are you not going to the Secret Realm?”

Alchemy could take anywhere from a few days to several years. Refining a Thousand-Year Spirit Elixir would take at least a month.

If he was taking on Alchemy jobs, he would surely miss the time when the mountain was sealed.

”I have already lived for more than eight hundred years. My time is short, and I do not wish to die in a strange place.”

Fang Zhong smiled.

”Besides...”

”Someone has to stay behind to look after the descendants who cannot leave. I am one of them.”

’More than eight hundred years old!’

A Golden Core Grandmaster has a lifespan of eight hundred years.

If they took a Life-Extending Elixir or cultivated certain Secret Techniques to prolong their life, they could theoretically live up to a thousand years.

In that case, Fang Zhong truly didn’t have much time left.

Not long after.

Zhu Ju took his Foundation Establishment Pills and departed.

Watching his back disappear, Fang Zhong slowly withdrew his gaze, a faint smile on his face.

”Mid-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivation, yet he has the Divine Soul Power of a Late-Stage Dao Foundation cultivator and the Physical Body of one at Dao Foundation Perfection...”

”It seems that in not too many years, the Righteous Immortal Alliance will have another Golden Core Grandmaster.”

”A Golden Core...”

”Sigh!”

After smiling, he sighed again.

”The Demon Dao is powerful. Even with one more Golden Core Grandmaster, what difference can it make?”

*

*

*

As time passed, more and more people arrived at the trade fair, and all sorts of Spiritual Objects made their appearance.

Thousand-Year Spirit Elixirs, usually extremely rare, had become common goods here.

Almost everyone one could see was a Dao Foundation Cultivator, and from time to time, one could even sense the auras of a few Golden Core Grandmasters.

An ordinary person might not see so many Dao Foundation and Golden Core cultivators in their entire life.

「One day.」

A paper pigeon fluttered to his window. Zhu Ju unfolded it, and his eyes lit up as he read its contents.

In a certain wooden cabin.

Xiong Chu of the Celestial Yu Sect sat on a stone chair, looking at the mysterious man in black robes before him.

A hint of confusion appeared in his eyes, but he still spoke politely.

”You wish to buy an Array, Fellow Daoist?”

”That’s right.” Zhu Ju nodded.

”I heard that you have a Tier Three Twelve Celestial Star Array?”

”It’s a damaged Tier Three product.” Xiong Chu shook his head upon hearing this and took out a Jade Scroll, tossing it over.

”Don’t say I tried to deceive you. Take a clear look first, then we can talk.”

PAK!

Zhu Ju caught the Jade Scroll. He swept his Divine Thought inside, and his eyes, hidden by the black robe, flickered slightly.

”Damaged...”

”It’s missing quite a bit.”

”Correct.” Xiong Chu nodded.

”The Twelve Celestial Star Array is indeed a Tier Three Array, but the one I have is incomplete. At best, it can exert the power of a Tier Two Middle Grade array, and it has very strict requirements for the environment it’s set up in. That’s why the price is so low...”

”Fellow Daoist Xiong.” Zhu Ju rubbed his chin.

”Can the Array be repaired?”

”Of course it can.” Xiong Chu nodded.

”If you really want to buy it, Fellow Daoist, I can give you the complete Array Map for the Twelve Celestial Star Array and even list out all the missing materials for you. However, the price will have to be a bit higher.”

”That’s only natural.” A satisfied look appeared on Zhu Ju’s face as he asked casually,

”Was this Array of yours destroyed by the hand of that Six Paths Demon Monarch?”

”...” Xiong Chu’s expression darkened. He paused for a moment before replying,

”Yes.”

”Miaoyan Ancestor’s self-detonating Nascent Soul and the Six Paths Demon Monarch’s rampage caused severe damage to the Sect Array. On top of that, since we’re sealing the mountain and won’t be coming out, we dug up all the damaged arrays to sell off in a bundle.”

”If you’re sincere about buying, Fellow Daoist, the price is negotiable.”

Zhu Ju understood.

He then took out a pair of Flying Swords.

”The Yin Yang Dual Swords!”

Xiong Chu’s eyes lit up.

”What a treasure!”

Flying Swords with the Yin Yang Attribute were historically rare and exceptionally powerful. Each of the dual swords was a Magical Treasure on its own, and together, they were almost comparable to a Middle Grade Magical Treasure.

However...

”It’s a fine item!”

Xiong Chu sighed.

”Unfortunately, no one I know cultivates a Yin Yang lineage, and it’s still not quite enough to trade for the Array.”

Magical Treasures were good, but ultimately, they couldn’t compare to an Array.

Zhu Ju thought for a moment, then took out a bracelet.

”The Five Elements Bracelet?”

Xiong Chu’s eyebrows twitched, his gaze lingering on Zhu Ju for a moment.

”A Demonic Magical Treasure?”

He was starting to suspect that the man before him was a Demonic Cultivator.

After all, an Array wasn’t like other goods. After the transaction, there were still numerous steps like setting it up and making adjustments. It wasn’t a simple exchange.

’If he doesn’t show his face,’

’how will we handle the follow-up?’

Furthermore, the items Zhu Ju had taken out were all unique Magical Treasures from the Yin Yang Lineage of the Joyful Sect.

As these thoughts turned in his mind, he subconsciously stroked his chin, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.

”Items with Yin Yang and Five Elements attributes can be refined and controlled by cultivators of both the Righteous and Demon Daos.” Zhu Ju said slowly.

”Even if you can’t use it, Fellow Daoist, someone else surely can. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

”...You’re right.” Xiong Chu pondered for a moment before nodding slowly.

”Deal!”

...

After Zhu Ju left, Xiong Chu let out a low chuckle and took out a Jade Talisman, making a few light gestures with it.

”Brother Hong, are you interested in a little business?”