When the bartering ended, Ke Huai stood up: "This small bartering session has been fruitful for all Fellow Daoists, which is truly rare."

"If there’s an Opportunity, let’s meet again at the next bartering session."

After a few polite exchanges, the several people left the venue.

"Daoist Wu, Fellow Daoist Rong, this bartering session was unexpectedly smooth. This superior room still has about two hours left. If you don’t mind, you can stay here and talk in detail with Fellow Daoist Tong."

Ke Huai greeted them and then left on his own: "May we meet again if fate allows."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Ke..."

Song Yan, however, stayed. He made a huge profit by exchanging those items for three bottles of Huang Ya Pill. Since it was just a casual chat, he was naturally willing to give Face.

"You two specifically invited me for a private discussion; is there something you wish to discuss?"

Wu Huaguo was a female Cultivator of ordinary appearance, without the allure of Lin Xiaoyu or her ethereal, fairy-like attire.

She looked at Song Yan, her Face filled with the resolute determination of someone who had weathered many storms in the Cultivator world: "Fellow Daoist Tong, you just said you wanted information about a Supreme Spiritual Item. To be frank... my husband and I do indeed know news of a Supreme Spiritual Item."

"Oh?"

Song Yan’s eyes lit up, and he listened intently.

The couple recounted their story in detail.

It turned out that the last time this couple attended the Lingyuan Ze Night Market, they accidentally obtained information about an Immortal Cave belonging to a Foundation Establishment Stage Loose Cultivator.

That Loose Cultivator rose from humble beginnings. Although his Spiritual Root Aptitude was extremely poor, he had an extraordinary talent for the Dao of spellcraft. Coupled with some fortuitous Opportunities, he eventually managed to Cultivate to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment Realm.

One must know that in Chu Kingdom, a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator could already be called a Senior, an Immortal Master.

Even within the Six Major Sects, a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator was a pillar of strength and a core combatant.

Unfortunately, that Senior ultimately succumbed to his Aptitude and passed away while meditating in his Immortal Cave.

It was rumored that the Cultivator, during his lifetime, enjoyed collecting various spellcraft texts due to his practice of spellcraft. Therefore, those Cultivators who knew about this planned to jointly explore it.

It was said that the Immortal Cave was protected by a spell formation, requiring at least ten Cultivators at the Middle Stage Qi Refining or above to slowly break it with their spiritual power. This was why they sought out the couple.

"The Cultivator who approached my wife and me said that the Senior’s lightning-fire spellcraft was unrivaled among his peers during his lifetime. From this, we deduce that there might be a lightning- or fire-attributed Supreme Spiritual Item within the Immortal Cave."

"However, we didn’t fully believe what that person said, which is why we didn’t make a definite statement at the bartering session just now to exchange for it."

"My wife and I are not familiar with them, so we claimed at the time that we needed to invite a more powerful friend, and they agreed..."

"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Tong would be willing to accompany us, for the sake of the Huang Ya Pill..."

"You two, you are familiar with Fellow Daoist Ke and the others. Why didn’t you invite them, but instead invited me, a stranger?"

Wu Huaguo shook her head: "I don’t trust Lin Xiaoyu or Ke Huai. Zhou Jiasheng is simple-minded, but he is close to Ke Huai, so we dare not take the risk."

"Fellow Daoist Tong is different. Your identity as an Outer Sect Disciple of the Cave Abyss Sect is enough for us to invite you. Furthermore, slaying demonic Cultivators and destroying Pill Formulas shows Fellow Daoist Tong’s Heart-Nature."

Song Yan asked: "What if what I said was false?"

"No."

"On this point, Fellow Daoist Tong absolutely spoke no falsehoods."

Wu Huaguo smiled freely.

"From the moment Ke Huai called out to you until now, you’ve only told one lie."

"Tong Chuping is not your real name."

"..."

Song Yan remained silent, thinking to himself what kind of Daoist art or secret treasure this was that he had never heard of.

It could actually discern whether someone was speaking the truth or lying!

"Alright, when?"

"Fellow Daoist, don’t rush. The time is set for a year and a half from now."

"That long?"

It was true that Cultivators generally spent a long time in seclusion, but these people were all in the Qi Refinement Stage; why would they need such a long period of seclusion? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

However, that was fine. He was about to embark on a joint Sect mission anyway.

The longer the time, the more he could improve his strength, and the more confidence he would have in protecting himself.

"We only heard about the meeting time and arrangements from that person."

Song Yan nodded... The three discussed the matter in detail for a moment, then Song Yan got up and left.

By now, the lights in Lingyuan Marsh were sparse, and the Night Market was gradually dispersing.

With his items sold, Song Yan had no reason to stay any longer and returned directly to the Outer Sect Disciple Immortal Cave.

Three bottles of Huang Ya Pill were placed before Song Yan; this was perhaps the most affluent he had ever been.

According to his original plan, he would first sell one bottle of Huang Ya Pill to make up for the Spirit Stone deficit from his trip to the Night Market.

But on second thought, with less than a month left until the outer mission, why bother expending effort to refine Qi Nourishing Pill?

It would be better to improve himself in all aspects.

"My spiritual power Cultivation is truly difficult to Breakthrough in a short period of time..."

Song Yan decided that in the coming days, in addition to basic spiritual power Cultivation, he would primarily focus on Spirit Refining daily.

Although the Five Stars Seizing Meridians incantation had no continuation, it was actually a method for training Divine Sense. Therefore, continuous Cultivation, though slow in progress, could still increase Divine Sense.

Finally, there was the method of "condensing sword essence" mentioned in the "Sword Planting Technique."

Song Yan carefully took out a Huang Ya Pill. Its color was light yellow, and its medicinal aroma was elegant.

The Medicinal Pill entered his stomach, and a surge of pure spiritual power flowed through his limbs and bones... The Dongyuan Immortal Sect, with its seven main peaks, encircled the great Lingyuan Marsh, with three mountains to the south and four peaks to the north.

Lianyou Peak only accepted female Disciples.

"Oh? Qingqing, Xiaoyun, what are you doing?"

Inner Sect Disciple Liu Yuechan passed by Lotus Terrace and glimpsed two young girls in the outer pavilion, furtively holding a small booklet and whispering to each other from time to time.

"Senior Sister Liu, in a few days, Qingqing is going to participate in that Sect joint mission."

On a peach tree in the outer pavilion, a petite girl sat barefoot, giggling mischievously and swinging her fair feet.

"It’s her first time leaving the Sect. They’re checking out the male Cultivators who are going with her, trying to find Qingqing a match!"

"Zhaozhao, what nonsense are you spouting!"

The two female Cultivators below immediately blushed and ran to the peach tree, shaking its branches together.

They seemed very displeased with this "traitor" who had betrayed them.

The girl on the peach tree was named Xiang Zhaoling. Upon entering the Sect, she was directly admitted to Inner Sect Cultivation due to her exceptional Aptitude of a natural single fire Spiritual Root.

A single Spiritual Root is commonly known as a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

At that time, it indeed caused quite a stir, and several other major Sects had subtly inquired about the news.

"Hey... hey... wrong... wrong... stop shaking, I’m getting dizzy!"

"Oh?"

Liu Yuechan became interested: "Let me see..."

"Which Senior Brothers are fortunate enough to go out and sightsee with our Qingqing."

"Lu Ziye..."

Upon seeing this first name, Liu Yuechan frowned.

"What’s wrong, Senior Sister Liu?"

"Ah... nothing, this Senior Brother Lu..."

"He’s quite... quite... humorous."

"If he says anything to upset you, tell Senior Sister when you get back, and Senior Sister will beat him up."

"Alright."

"Shao Sichao... has been in the Sect for over two years, Qi Refining Stage 6, passable."

In truth, Liu Yuechan had barely heard of most of these Outer Sect Disciple names.

"Song Yan..."

"Has been in the Sect for one year and seven months, Qi Refining Stage 5. His Aptitude is a bit lacking."

He does look quite handsome and refined... Hmm?

Liu Yuechan suddenly looked puzzled.

"I always feel like this name sounds familiar."

Did I misremember?

It seems I heard it from Senior Sister Qin in the Inner Sect.