Chapter 34

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The young man in white nodded and said, "So it's Brother Xuanyuan. You've come to the right place. From your demeanor, I can tell you wouldn't collude with such people." He then cast a haughty glance at the man lying on the ground: "You should be grateful that someone helped you just now. Otherwise, you would have met your end long ago. You are not allowed to come back to Chongxuan City again. If you do, you won't leave alive. Get out." He emphasized the last word with a heavy tone, his arrogance displaying his authority.

The man, enduring the pain, struggled to his feet and said shakily, "You, you dare not, you dare not." After saying this, he glanced at Chen默, as if in gratitude or warning, but the words died in his throat as he stumbled away.

Chen默 was puzzled. What had this man done to be beaten so badly? It must be related to the 'Xuandan Pavilion' transactions.

Noticing his confusion, the young man in white stepped forward and said, "This man brought a fake spirit herb, trying to cheat for gold notes. Do you think such a person deserves punishment?"

Chen默 nodded indifferently, indicating his understanding.

"The spirit medicine you brought? Let me take a look," the young man in white said with a bit more enthusiasm.

Chen默 frowned slightly, remaining silent.

One of the attendants stepped forward and said, "This is our young master Qu Ke, the heir of Xuandan Pavilion."

"Brother, don't worry. We at Xuandan Pavilion are very honest in business. Why don't we go inside for a detailed discussion?" Qu Ke put on a merchant's demeanor, smiling warmly.

Chen默 thought for a moment, becoming more cautious.

A short while later.

Qu Ke saw the spirit medicine and exclaimed, "Cold Spirit Grass? Hmm? This level of refinement, it seems to be over a hundred years old. Good stuff, good stuff." His eyes showed a hint of surprise.

To Qu Ke, the Cold Spirit Grass was like a treasure, especially one refined for over a hundred years. Since he practiced water-based techniques and cultivated the Cold玄 Palm, it would greatly benefit him.

"Does this Cold Spirit Grass meet your satisfaction, Young Master Qu?" Chen默 closed the jade box, causing Qu Ke to look at it with lingering affection.

"Brother Xuanyuan, please wait a moment. I'll have someone take a look."

In less than half an hour, an elderly man over fifty years old, with a silver hairpin in his hair, snow-white hair like feathers, and a childlike rosy complexion, appeared. He had a white beard, a youthful appearance, and sharp eyes. His colorful green silk fluttered in the wind, making him look like a refined alchemist.

Qu Ke followed closely behind, not bowing low, but clearly showing more respect. Alchemists held a high status in the family, and even the patriarch would show deference, let alone a junior like him.

The old man first examined Chen默. The "Cold Spirit Grass" emitted a warm coldness, its leaves crystal clear, and it could no longer be described as fresh. It seemed to have a life of its own. He said calmly, "This Cold Spirit Grass has been refined for over a hundred years. It's worth two thousand gold pieces. Young Master, please have someone exchange it with him."

Chen默 was secretly delighted. With this gold, he had a good chance of breaking through to the higher stage of Spirit Apprentice.

Though the first place was difficult to achieve, he had to try. He had to completely摆脱 the suppression of the past three years. Chen默's heart was boiling, like a thousand horses galloping, filled with excitement.

Just as Qu Ke was about to take out the gold notes, Chen默 said, "Please exchange it for a second-grade spirit pill, the Condensing玄 Pill."

"That's worth a thousand gold pieces," Qu Ke was somewhat shocked, feeling jealous. This kid had good luck, finding such a valuable spirit pill. Even as the heir of Xuandan Pavilion, he could only enjoy the Condensing玄 Pill when preparing to break through a level.

A thousand gold pieces? Chen默 also felt a pang of pain, but in his plan, such a powerful spirit pill was essential. Money could be earned again, but quickly enhancing his strength was the key. He gritted his teeth and said, "A thousand gold pieces for the Condensing玄 Pill, and ten first-grade spirit pills, the Spirit Gathering Pills."

The Spirit Gathering Pills were much stronger than the Lesser Spirit Gathering Pills and belonged to the first-grade spirit pills.

"Spirit Gathering Pills, one hundred gold pieces each, totaling a thousand gold pieces," Qu Ke calculated.

Chen默 knew the price was high, but it was worth it. He said, "I'm spending two thousand gold pieces in your shop. You should give me something extra, right?" If he exchanged it within his family, he would get various discounts, but that would make it known to everyone.

Qu Ke was speechless for a moment but, with his eye on the Cold Spirit Grass, said, "Alright, I'll give you one more Spirit Gathering Pill."

Chen默 shook his head. "I have enough Spirit Gathering Pills. How about four lower-grade ordinary cultivation techniques?"

Even the old man was puzzled. He had seen people add spirit pills as extras, but not cultivation techniques. Cultivation techniques, as main cultivation methods, were usually limited to one.

"Lower-grade ordinary cultivation techniques may not be expensive, but four of them would cost two hundred gold pieces," Qu Ke's eyes gleamed, then he chuckled and said, "But to make a friend like Brother Xuanyuan, I'll take the initiative and agree to this deal."

Chen默 knew that those who practiced water-based techniques couldn't resist the allure of a second-grade Cold Spirit Grass, so he wasn't worried about Qu Ke refusing this small extra.

In the end, Chen默 left with a full load, including four lower-grade cultivation techniques: the Fiery Sun Technique, the Ice Cold Technique, the Earthy Soil Technique, and the Sharp Metal Technique. Like the Green Wood Technique, they were all entry-level main cultivation methods, widely spread on the continent and not very valuable.

Leaving Chongxuan City, he traveled for dozens of miles, moving as light as willow fluff.

Under a hundred-year-old locust tree, the stream was clear to the bottom, the flowing water like the sound of a zither and a lute. Several smooth large stones were scattered around, sparkling in the sunlight.

A figure, light as cotton, suddenly drifted down. Chen默 put down his bag, scooped up some stream water, and washed off the wax-yellow color on his face. The reflection in the water made him look much more spirited, completely different from his previous disguise.

A figure unexpectedly appeared nearby, dressed in blue, with a slightly thin face and deep-set eyes, staring at Chen默 by the stream like a hunter eyeing his prey.

"I've been waiting for you for a while. Why are you so late?" Chen默 didn't turn his head, his voice calm and composed. Having experienced life and death, he had become more sensitive to danger. In Xuandan Pavilion, he had already guessed that Qu Ke, who had agreed to the deal so readily, likely saw him as a fat sheep.

The man in blue, his small eyes filled with killing intent, sneered, "Since you know, then give me your life." Since leaving the city, he had been secretly following Chen默. Observing him, he found that the boy was only a mid-stage Spirit Apprentice, though his movements were skillful. With his own high-stage Spirit Apprentice strength, he was confident he could take him down.

As he spoke, he quickly leaped forward, and in an instant, a burst of earth-yellow energy exploded, sending sand and stones flying. He soared into the air and, from a high position, punched fiercely at Chen默's head.

With a "bang," the stream seemed to be cut in half, water splashing high. The sand and stones fell, and the stream returned to calm.

"Huh~ So slow, how can you be a bandit?" Chen默, using the Willow Fluff Technique, lightly leaped and landed on a tree behind the man.

"Little dog, you're being too cocky!"

The man in blue, enraged and humiliated, his face flushed with anger. He channeled玄 energy into his feet, leaped with a powerful kick, and spread his limbs, his body faintly enveloped in earth-yellow玄 energy. With a whistling sound, he pounced at Chen默, delivering a powerful Mountain Shaking Palm.

The Mountain Shaking Palm, a mid-grade ordinary玄 technique, relied on the intense flow of玄 energy within the body to create a powerful physical impact, combined with other techniques to deliver a fatal blow to the opponent.

This was his confident move, even though he had only mastered it to a basic level, it could kill a large beast on the spot.

Chen默 immediately felt a powerful energy surge toward him, causing the tree branch to shake violently. Using the Willow Fluff Technique, he kicked off the branch and drifted away gracefully.

The powerful punch narrowly missed him. When he landed, the man in blue hit a large branch, causing the tree to shake and crash to the ground, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.

Chen默 landed lightly and said coldly to the man in blue, who was still entangled with leaves, "The power is decent, but your reaction is too slow."

The man in blue, having missed twice, could no longer suppress his anger. Originally, he had come to kill and rob, but now he felt humiliated, as if his pride had been trampled by a thousand people. He roared at Chen默, "Kid, relying on your agility to dodge is no skill. If you're a man, fight me head-on."

"With your intelligence, you dare to be a bandit?" Chen默 patted his blue robe, hands behind his back, not taking the man seriously. He mocked, "No wonder a dog in his forties is still a high-stage Spirit Apprentice."

The man in blue's face turned red, feeling as if his organs were being gnawed by insects. He had never been so humiliated. A surge of blood rushed to his head, and he laughed in anger, "Good, kid, you have guts. I won't rest until I flay you alive."

He gathered玄 energy in his body, which had been faintly earth-yellow, now clearly visible.

Chen默 knew that at the Spirit Apprentice stage, if the flow of玄 energy was too fast, it could damage the blood and meridians. The man in blue's move was clearly a desperate attempt to fight to the death.

Chen默 took a deep breath, his face serious. The momentum of this move was unknown, and it seemed that narrow-minded bandits couldn't be provoked.

In an instant, the man in blue had gathered all his玄 energy, the air around him humming, dust and stones scattering. He kicked off the ground with a powerful leap, moving like a boulder rolling down a hill, heading straight for Chen默.

Chen默 felt a powerful wind and a deafening roar coming toward him. With no place to hide behind him, he steeled himself, gathered all his Bright玄 energy into his right fist, and planted his feet firmly. His fist shot out to the left with the force of a tiger descending a mountain, delivering a powerful strike with the technique "Buddha's Path," fierce and mighty.

"Bang!"

A sound like a temple bell echoed, deep and resonant.

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