Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

“By the way, are there any Tier Two Sword Bamboo Leaves that need exchanging? Those people from the Artifact Refining Hall have asked me many times.”

“Of course there are, and in addition, I will also submit a batch of Spirit Fruits.”

As he spoke, Ji An took out several Storage Bags and placed them on the table.

“Good, every time you come, the Treasure Pavilion’s warehouse becomes a little fuller.

Currently, how many Tier Two Profound Leaf Sword Bamboos are there at the Red Flame Peak?”

“Ten Tier Two Middle Grade Sword Bamboos, 175 Lower Grade Sword Bamboos.”

“They’ve grown so quickly?”

Jia Yu was surprised and scratched his head:

“If I remember correctly, there were only 8 Middle Grade Sword Bamboos half a year ago!”

He couldn’t possibly forget this number; when he toured Red Flame Peak, he was most concerned about the number of Spiritual Peach Trees and Profound Leaf Sword Bamboos.

In merely half a year, the quantity of Middle Grade Profound Leaf Sword Bamboos increased by two, which was somewhat astounding.

In the past, it would take three to four years to increase by two Middle Grade Spiritual Bamboos.

“Senior Brother’s memory is indeed correct; perhaps some Spirit Plants have already reached the threshold for breaking through their tier.”

Jia Yu nodded slightly; this possibility was very likely, and he continued to ask:

“How many Tier Two Spiritual Peaches are there now?”

Ji An laughed and replied:

“Eight Tier Two Middle Grade, sixteen Tier Two Lower Grade.”

Jia Yu’s hand froze while opening a Storage Bag, and he felt as if time had momentarily suspended.

This growth rate is absolutely abnormal.

“How did you achieve this?”

He couldn’t resist asking, but suddenly thought of something and quickly waved his hand:

“Alright, it’s your private ability, I have no right to inquire; consider my previous words unsaid.”

In this situation, it must be either heaven-defying treasures or someone possessing Companion Spirit Treasures, thus able to rapidly fertilize Spirit Plants.

The most widely circulated story in the Cultivation Realm is about a cultivator surnamed Han who obtained a Profound Celestial Treasure and finally became an Immortal.

The Golden Spirit Sect has established its mountain gate here for three thousand years; if there were originally heaven-defying treasures, they would have been discovered long ago.

Moreover, even if treasures are later nurtured, they would shine brightly during emergence.

From this deduction, the individual most likely possesses Companion Spirit Treasures.

Due to the nature of Companion Spirit Treasures, he felt only envy and jealousy, without any greed.

Jia Yu sighed and began to inspect the resources within the Storage Bags.

“1000 Tier Two Lower Grade Biluo Fruits, 4000 Small Merit.”

“Azure Dragon Wood, 2000 Small Merit.”

“Clear Spirit Bamboo, 500 Small Merit.”

“150 pounds of Lower Grade Profound Leaf Sword Bamboo Golden Leaf, 4500 Small Merit.”

“10 pounds of Tier Two Middle Grade Sword Bamboo Leaves, 2000 Small Merit.”

“A total of 13000 Small Merit; seeing you earn merit so easily truly makes me envious.”

Jia Yu lamented that the other party wouldn’t need to worry about repaying the ten thousand Small Merit required for exchanging the Cultivation Technique.

Years ago, he struggled for over a decade to repay debts.

Ji An smiled and said:

“What’s there to envy? This is the result of decades of diligent work at Red Flame Peak, earned bit by bit.

I rarely went on excursions outside the sect over the years, and the few times I did were due to sect mission orders.”

The largest output at Red Flame Peak is Tier Two Pine Seeds, easily exchanged for ten thousand Small Merit yearly.

When tallied, he easily earns over twenty thousand Small Merit annually.

He never lacks Small Merit, and the longer he takes, the less he lacks.

“That’s true; wherever time is spent, there’s bound to be reward.”

Jia Yu requested a Jade Token, into which he transferred Small Merit.

After a brief chat, Ji An said his goodbyes and departed.

He maneuvered the Flame Light Banner and passed by Liu Yu’s Dao Field.

A maid came forward and said:

“Honorable Upper Master, Junior Martial Uncle Liu is out performing tasks; if there’s anything you need, please instruct me, and I’ll certainly relay it to him upon his return.”

The maid cautiously observed the cultivator before her; he was unfamiliar to her, likely not someone Junior Martial Uncle Liu knew.

Ji An nodded slightly and replied:

“I am Ji An from Red Flame Peak; tell Liu Senior Brother to seek me at my Dao Field upon his return.”

Three pounds of Tier Two Lower Grade Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea were too precious and he wasn’t comfortable handing them to the maid; it was best to let the other party retrieve them personally.

“Certainly, I’ll be sure to deliver your words.”

The maid expressed surprise; she had heard Junior Martial Uncle speak of Ji An, a Great Cultivator at the Chao Origin Stage.

Ji An nodded slightly and left, maneuvering his Spiritual Artifact, the blue tail flame tracing through the sky, quickly disappearing from the maid’s view.

…

Mangcang Mountain, Nameless Deep Valley.

At the bottom of the valley, a cavern entrance was shrouded in dense black air, and gusts of gloomy wind blew through, akin to ghostly wails.

Outside the entrance, jagged rocks were covered with a layer of white frost, permeated by an icy aura.

The cavern wound deeply downward, and the further one descended, the chillier and more mysterious the atmosphere.

Deep underground, there was a small cavern containing a White Bone Altar.

Within the altar, blood plasma roiled, emitting haunting screams.

Around the altar, bluish flames flickered with erratic movements, seeming peculiarly eerie.

A naked cultivator leaned weakly against the stone wall near the altar, half of his body missing, revealing stark white bones and pulsating organs.

He also bore a spherical object enveloped in black air at the center of his chest.

Opposite him stood a disheveled female cultivator, resembling a desiccated corpse or evil ghost.

“Little Yun, I am gravely injured; the Blood River Altar cannot heal my wounds.

You should consume all the Blood River Origin to heal your own injuries.”

The cultivator emitted a low, bleak laugh and continued:

“I thought that achieving the Golden Core meant we could act indiscriminately, yet we were besieged by the Three Sects. I feel such hatred!

If only given a few more years, we might have reached the Late-stage Golden Core.

By then, as a couple, dominating the Western Continent would have been no problem.”

The female cultivator showed no reaction to his words, her gaze remained fixed upon him.

Moments later, the cultivator weakly said:

“Little Yun, why aren’t you consuming the Blood River Origin? The altar’s power is barely containing the Yin Souls inside.”

With a hoarse laughter akin to a night owl, the female cultivator chuckled:

“Blood River Origin mixed with Blood Poison; how dare I consume it!”

Silence ensued as the cultivator murmured:

“So, you knew all along.”

Blood Poison is a toxin refined from blood, capable of temporarily severing a cultivator’s connection with their Golden Core.

“Of course I knew; when we discovered the Blood Demon legacy, we did so together.

The Jade Slip recording the Cultivation Technique was first seen by me.

Did you think you could conceal the Secret Technique from me?”

“Since you know, why stay here?

Knowing that I have to consume you to survive, why persist?”

The cultivator’s tone turned vicious, and his body suddenly detonated.

There was no gory scene; only a rain of blood and a black Golden Core heading towards the female cultivator.

In the next instant, a terrified voice resonated from the Golden Core:

“What did you do to me? Why is my Spirit Soul…”

His voice abruptly ceased, and the black Golden Core fell weakly.

Little Yun beckoned, and a gust of Black Wind whisked the Golden Core into her hand.

Sinister laughter echoed within the cavern:

“Haha, when I saw the Jade Slip, I erased the Secret Technique of Soul Poison creation from the legacy.”

She opened her mouth, swallowed the black Golden Core, then sat cross-legged to operate her Demon Skill.

A multitude of mist spewed from her body, soon enveloping the area in dense blackness.

After half an hour, the black fog quickly receded, revealing a female cultivator with snow-white skin exuding wild allure, standing leisurely beside the altar.

She licked her lips, accentuating their blood-red hue.

“It’s time to practice the Blood Demon Divine Fetus Rebirth Technique.”

Malice flickered in the female cultivator’s eyes; they were injured by Golden Core cultivators of the Three Sects, leaving considerable blood and tissue behind, sure to be used in Sensing Magical Artifacts.

If unable to appear with an entirely new identity, once exposed, they would be quickly discovered.

Through this ordeal, she understood deeply the importance of staying hidden.

The Blood Demon Divine Fetus Rebirth Technique was also a Secret Technique she had erased.

She stepped onto the altar and took out a black Jade Bottle, pouring yellow powder into the blood. It was Secret Medicine for neutralizing Blood Poison.

Moments later, the blood became calm.

The female cultivator bit her lip and slowly stepped in, sitting cross-legged.

She activated the Secret Technique, and blood began to climb up her body.

Soon, she transformed into a statue of blood.

After a short while, the blood in the altar completely evaporated, leaving an egg-shaped amalgam of flesh and blood, riddled with veins and pulsating rhythmically.