Chapter 25

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Given the quick and strong reaction from the Shanmen side, someone must have exaggerated and reported to them.

After coming out of the Zhenlong Abyss, the martial artists I've encountered, apart from those from the Dongtang Kingdom, are either from Linyuan City or Lingfeng Valley of Guangcheng Mountain.

Between Xu Chuan and Wen Ningzhi, the latter is more suspicious.

Over the past two days, Yan Zhaoge also had Ah Hu investigate Wen Ningzhi. The relationship between Wen Ningzhi and the former Zongmen Elder Cui from the Zongmen Executive Hall is no longer a secret.

Yan Xu coldly glanced at Yan Zhaoge: "Wen Ningzhi reported to me, and I submitted it to the sect. I am in charge of the Dongtang region and also the direct supervisor of the Lingfeng Valley Executive. I reported the events in the Dongtang Kingdom to the sect. Do you have any issues with that?"

Yan Zhaoge laughed: "Not much of an issue, but I suspect that Wen Ningzhi might have betrayed the sect and colluded with outsiders."

"So, I can't help but associate this matter with him. Perhaps his report to me wasn't just an internal sect issue."

"After all, Elder Yan, you know, I just beat someone's disciple half to death in the Zhenlong Abyss."

Yan Xu's gaze suddenly turned cold and fierce, staring at Yan Zhaoge: "Yan Zhaoge, watch your words!"

Yan Zhaoge calmly replied: "I am being careful, so I said 'suspect' and 'suspicion.'"

The Law Enforcement Elder looked at Yan Zhaoge, then at Yan Xu, sighed, and said to Sima Qing: "Sima Shiniang, you can step down for now."

Sima Qing quietly looked at Yan Zhaoge and then retreated as instructed.

After she left, the Law Enforcement Elder asked: "Yan Shiniang, what's really going on?"

Yan Zhaoge took out something, opened his palm, and the others in the hall saw a pale yellow crystal with patterns resembling clouds.

Elder Xu Chuan from Linyuan City saw the crystal and his eyelids twitched: "Cloud Pattern Stone!"

Yan Xu glanced at it and said: "Cloud Pattern Stone, what are you doing with this?"

Yan Zhaoge smiled but didn't speak, then took out a spirit grass and said to Elder Xu Chuan: "Elder Xu, could you please boil this Meiling Grass into a juice?"

Elder Xu Chuan's eyes flickered. The spirit grass in front of him was called Meiling Grass. When burned to ash, it could serve as a medicinal guide for another treasure. Boiling it into juice was neither toxic nor beneficial, and it was a waste.

However, he didn't refuse and immediately instructed a servant to do as Yan Zhaoge said.

Yan Xu coldly stared at Yan Zhaoge, while the Law Enforcement Elder and the Dongtang Kingdom Lord remained silent, observing quietly.

The juice was quickly boiled, and Yan Zhaoge smiled, picking up the Cloud Pattern Stone and began to infuse it with his Inner Strength.

The Law Enforcement Elder frowned: "Yan Shiniang, you can't directly infuse a martial artist's Inner Strength into a Cloud Pattern Stone, or it will explode and shatter!"

Yan Zhaoge laughed: "Elder, don't worry. I know that. So, apart from its brain-awakening and calming effects, the Cloud Pattern Stone is sometimes used as a weapon. Even if it shatters, the power is limited."

"But at this moment, the Cloud Pattern Stone in my hand won't explode."

As he spoke, Yan Zhaoge immersed half of the Cloud Pattern Stone in the Meiling Grass juice, holding the upper half with his hand.

His Inner Strength continuously flowed into the Cloud Pattern Stone.

Sure enough, the Cloud Pattern Stone did not shatter and remained stable.

Elder Xu Chuan closely watched Yan Zhaoge's hand, not believing that Yan Zhaoge would go to such lengths just to prove such a trivial matter.

The next moment, Elder Xu Chuan's eyes widened.

The Dongtang Kingdom Lord, who had been leaning back in his chair, straightened up.

The Law Enforcement Elder and Yan Xu, who were watching Yan Zhaoge, were also momentarily stunned.

In front of them, the Cloud Pattern Stone in Yan Zhaoge's hand, with its cloud-like patterns, suddenly became softer, and a milky white liquid seeped out, blending into the Meiling Grass juice, floating on the surface like milk.

A rich fragrance overpowered the pungent smell of the medicine, instantly filling the entire hall.

Everyone present, all well-informed, knew what the milky white liquid was just by the smell.

It was not a drink or medicine but a treasure called Jade Essence.

This treasure had a wide range of uses and was highly valuable. Whether in weapon forging or alchemy, adding it would greatly increase the success rate and improve the quality of weapons and medicines, saving raw materials.

In the Eight Extreme World, the production of Jade Essence was extremely limited, found only in a few places in the Mountain and Wind Domains. The demand was astonishing, leading to a constant shortage, and sometimes even a situation where it was available at a price but not for sale.

Both Guangcheng Mountain and the Dongtang Kingdom spent a large amount of resources and money each year to purchase Jade Essence.

Even so, it was difficult to truly meet the demand, and they could only use it sparingly, not freely.

But now, after Yan Zhaoge's demonstration, this small Cloud Pattern Stone contained Jade Essence, and the extraction method was very simple.

Compared to Jade Essence, both the Cloud Pattern Stone and Meiling Grass were much cheaper and had a much higher yield.

This meant how much Jade Essence?

There would be more than enough for personal use, and it could even be exported for sale!

The three Grandmasters couldn't sit still, standing up from their seats and instantly reaching Yan Zhaoge, each extending a finger to touch the white liquid.

Soon, they all confirmed that it was indeed Jade Essence!

In front of them, this couldn't be a trick by Yan Zhaoge but was truly the result of the interaction between the Meiling Grass and the Cloud Pattern Stone.

The Law Enforcement Elder took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and said: "Yan Shiniang, you have made a great contribution!"

"It's no less valuable than the current Inner Crystal Furnace, and perhaps even better!"

Yan Xu's cold face softened, but then his expression changed.

The next moment, Yan Zhaoge's voice slowly drifted into his ears: "Elder, you flatter me. I discovered this by chance."

"However, as far as I know, Lingfeng Valley has produced a lot of Cloud Pattern Stones in recent years, and most of them seem to have been sold to the Fire Domain where the Great Sun Holy Sect is located."

Yan Xu's face darkened: "This method is something I am learning for the first time, and I have never heard of it before, nor has it ever been known in the entire Eight Extreme World."

"Since we know about it now, we will naturally prevent the Cloud Pattern Stones from being exported. However, the previous sale of Cloud Pattern Stones by Ning, though regrettable, should not be blamed, as ignorance is not a crime."

"Ah—" Yan Zhaoge drew out the word: "How can Elder Yan be sure that he really didn't know?"

Yan Xu opened his mouth to say something but noticed a hint of amusement in Yan Zhaoge's eyes, which clearly had a cold glint.

"Was it a mere oversight, or did he deliberately hide it and secretly collude with the Great Sun Holy Sect?" Yan Zhaoge stretched his neck, smiled, and showed a row of white teeth: "I can't be sure, but since the Law Enforcement Elder is here in Dongtang, and both Uncle and Elder Yan are present, why not investigate it as well?"