Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 803 Thanks
The following day at dawn, Ji An, Lin Jiuxiao, and Li Haoran escorted the Taixu Sect's cloud-piercing flying boat away from the range of the mountain-protecting formation.

Zhenyue Zhenjun and his companion bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist, please return. The green hills remain unchanged and the clear waters flow forever. We will meet again in the future and share a drink and laughter."

Ji An and the others cupped their hands in greeting, wishing each other a safe journey.

After the flying boat had sailed away, Lin Jiuxiao let out a breath and sighed:

"They're finally gone. The mountain-protecting formation didn't reach the fourth level, so I always felt uneasy when entertaining Nascent Soul True Monarchs."

Li Haoran smiled and said, "When you are not strong enough to be with a cultivator with higher cultivation, you will subconsciously feel unsafe. I spent a long time with the two True Monarchs, and my heart was always on edge during that time."

He paused and continued:
"True Lord, Sect Leader, I have now obtained the complete Heavenly River Sword Manual and am preparing to go into seclusion to cultivate it, striving to reach the perfect level as soon as possible and then seek a breakthrough. However..."

He scratched his head, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Lin Jiuxiao asked, "But what? Are you worried about the Nascent Soul Pill?"

The sword cultivators spoke so directly that they made the other party feel embarrassed, which must be due to a breakthrough issue.

"Yes, although the breakthrough process for sword cultivators is slightly different from that of others, the Nascent Soul Pill is still necessary. Otherwise, it would take many years to reach the point where the Nascent Soul Tribulation can be triggered naturally."

The medicine still needs to be taken; it's a catalyst that allows the cultivator's magical power and soul power to rapidly transform.

Ji An laughed and said, "Get ready to exchange your merits for them from the Treasure Pavilion. I'll start refining them in a few days."

Holding half a batch of ready-made spiritual herbs in his hand, if he succeeds in refining them, he can make a pill; if he fails, he can accelerate the ripening of a batch of herbs.

The medicinal herb has been cultivated for over a hundred years, reaching an age of approximately 2,200 years. It is still over 200 years away from maturity, and the Daoist essence consumed in accelerating its ripening is now minimal.

A joyful smile appeared on Li Haoran's face as he cupped his hands and said:

"Over the years, I have traveled and killed many true demons, and exchanged some Purple Cloud Jade Mushroom Pills and a bottle of Divine Fire Spirit Nourishing Pills. I can use them to exchange for more. If it's not enough, I can add some more merits."

Some of these resources were obtained in the Cloud Sea Immortal City. After the city was captured, he fled to the Taixu Sect's mountain gate and obtained many pills through his battle merits.

Lin Jiuxiao stroked his beard and said with satisfaction:

"As more and more fellow disciples break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, the Purple Cloud Jade Mushroom Pill has become scarce. This batch of pills is a timely help."

In a few decades, the effects of the sect's improved spiritual vein grade will become apparent. As long as the medicinal herbs planted in the Agriculture Hall begin to mature, the spiritual herbs for refining pills can be harvested round after round.

Li Haoran cupped his hands in greeting, "I've only done my bit. I need to return to my cave to cultivate and strive for a breakthrough as soon as possible."

Ji An nodded slightly and said with a smile:
"waiting for your good news."

Lin Jiuxiao watched the sword light disappear into the distance and sighed:
"Seeing Junior Brother Li and Junior Brother Qin makes me feel like I'm getting old."

He was still working hard to break through to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, while his junior brother, who was once inferior to him, was already preparing to break through to a higher realm. The gap in his heart was actually quite large.

He changed the subject and continued:
"True Lord, I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Shall we go to Chaoyang Peak or Chiyan Peak to talk?"

Chaoyang Peak, Wuji Palace.

Inside the hall, white smoke curled from the incense burner, filling the air with a delicate fragrance.

Ji An sat in the chair, looked at the serious-looking sect leader, and smiled:

"What's the matter? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

Lin Jiuxiao, slightly embarrassed upon hearing this, coughed to clear his throat and said:
"That's right, the Azure Deer and the Five-Colored Deer cast spells on the sect's spiritual fields, and the feedback from the Department of Agriculture was excellent; they did even better than the Golden Core cultivators."

Monsters have a much longer lifespan than cultivators. I think sects could cultivate some spirit beasts specifically for planting, to gather enough of the four bloodlines: wood, fire, earth, and water.

In this way, the sect can be guaranteed peace for three or four thousand years. True Lord, what do you think of this plan?

Combat-type guardian spirit beasts do not engage in production on a daily basis; they are purely kept and fed. Over a long period of time, they are destined to consume a lot of spiritual resources, making them a 'burden'. The purpose of keeping them is to help the sect at critical moments.

However, the spirit beasts of the spirit farmer type are different. They consume spirit resources while also being producers, and the value of what they produce far exceeds what they consume.

Ji An frowned slightly and said:
“I have considered this issue. As far as I know, the Five-Colored Deer has several offspring, but none of the other offspring have shown the same planting ability as the Green Deer.”

It's really difficult to gather enough individuals of several types that can be cultivated.

"I think that once the number reaches a certain level, we will be able to get what we want. The key now is whether the Five-Colored Deer agrees."

Another question is, now that the Five-Colored Deer has become a powerful demon in human form, will it still be 'interested' in those deer demons?

Lin Jiuxiao lowered his voice. He dared not inquire about the orientation of the transformed demon, and could only inform the True Lord.

"Hehe," Ji An shook his head and chuckled, saying:
"The Five-Colored Deer is still in the process of transformation. I will subtly inquire about it after he succeeds. However, he is now a powerful demon in the process of transformation, so I cannot force him to do anything."

The thought of the Five-Colored Deer becoming a breeding deer for a sect is strangely amusing.

"Thank you, True Lord. The Five-Colored Deer has a powerful bloodline. Even if its offspring do not inherit the talent for planting, they will still be good beasts to keep. I believe many disciples will be willing to raise them."

Ji An smiled and nodded, "By the way, the Five-Colored Deer now has the Daoist name 'Five Mountains,' please inform the disciples, Sect Leader."

"Alright, please ask the True Lord to send over an image in a few days so that the disciples can recognize it and avoid offending the Five Sacred Mountains True Lords."

"Yes, I've noted it down. Once the Five Sacred Mountains have successfully taken form, I will order the Golden Feather Eagle to deliver the jade slip to Chaoyang Peak."

A few days later.

Ji An received an urgent report that two female cultivators at the Nascent Soul level were waiting outside the sect.

After ascertaining the location, he released a golden light that seemed to leap across the ground and flew to the scene.

Upon seeing the two familiar Celestial Foxes, a hint of embarrassment flashed across his face, and he cupped his hands in greeting:
"Fellow Daoists, we meet again."

He had fought with the woman beside Hu Yujie before; their Nascent Soul and Dharma forms clashed. This kind of battle, which was a contest of domains, was simple and brutal.

Hu Yujie smiled charmingly, her dimples appearing and her eyebrows arching, and she cupped her hands in greeting:
"I originally wanted to visit you as soon as possible, but Qingqiu suffered from severe pollution and trauma from the war, and the spiritual veins needed to be purified as soon as possible, so it was delayed for a few years."

I've come today with a small gift for you, fellow Daoist. Though it cannot repay even a fraction of your kindness, I hope you will not refuse this token of my appreciation."

As she spoke, she took out a storage bag and handed it over.

Why refuse? Do you think I'm the kind of person who's just being polite?

Ji An laughed heartily, generously accepted the storage bag, and said:

"Fellow Daoist, you are too polite. Please come into Crimson Flame Peak to talk."

He led the two celestial foxes to the Crimson Flame Peak cave, took out some roasted spirit cedar seeds and two top-grade third-tier dragon blood fruits from the cave stone, put them on a plate and placed them on the table next to the two foxes.

"The cave dwelling is simple; please do not find it offensive."

Hu Yuniang raised an eyebrow slightly and said softly:

"So you are True Lord Xuanqing. It's true what they say, we became friends after a fight."

She recalled her younger sister's description of the opponent's record and felt a little guilty. Judging from the clash of their Dharma forms that day, the opponent was indeed very strong.

What shocked her even more was that when they met, the other party was only a Nascent Soul Level 1 cultivator, but in just a few decades, he had advanced to the Nascent Soul Level 3—a speed of advancement beyond imagination. She would definitely report this to the Grand Elder when she returned to Qingqiu; perhaps a human cultivator with extremely powerful cultivation would be born in the Western Continent.

Hu Yujie slightly widened her almond-shaped eyes and hurriedly asked:

"What do you mean by 'no friendship without a fight'?"

Although she was a Nascent Soul level Celestial Fox and possessed the cunning of foxes, she was well protected.

Her capture was purely accidental. At the time, she was only allowed to attack within the magic circle. She felt that killing low-level true demons was not satisfying enough and fled from the protective mountain array. Unexpectedly, she was ambushed by Morag, who was hiding among the low-level true demons.

Hu Yuniang briefly recounted what had happened, not forgetting to embellish her own account.

Ji listened quietly without refuting anything; what the other party said was basically true.

After a brief conversation, Hu Yuniang said:

"I heard from my younger sister that Fellow Daoist Xuanqing wants to establish trade relations with Qingqiu. After careful consideration, the Grand Elder felt that Fellow Daoist is trustworthy."

We can agree on a time and place to transact every few years.

Hu Yujie immediately raised her small face and echoed:
“I begged my great-grandmother for this many times before she finally agreed.”

Her expression was somewhat smug, as if to say, 'Praise me! Praise me!'

Ji An forced a smile and said:

"Thank you for the decision, Elder. A few days ago, two fellow Daoists from Central Continent came to visit me and mentioned a decision made by the Nascent Soul Sect, which strictly prohibits contact with nobles."

This matter could be a big deal or a small deal. After careful consideration, I've decided to put the transaction on hold for now.

This ban has existed for thousands of years. He doesn't know if the ban is real, nor does he know if Qingqiu is aware of it, but for now, it's better to believe it's true than not to believe it. It's best not to make any deals.

He cupped his hands in greeting and said sincerely:

"Please apologize to the Grand Elder on my behalf."

The ban could be a big deal or a small deal, but since the sect is a human force, it can't be biased. He will find an opportunity to verify the authenticity of the ban later.

Hu Yuniang's face showed a slight hint of anger. "Fellow Daoist, are you here to make fun of Qingqiu?"

She was unaware of the so-called ban, because humans and demons had always been at odds, and it was common for the two races to fight each other when they met.

It's good to encounter a force willing to trade. Many things that humans have are liked by high-level demon races. When they can't trade, they need to obtain them through secret channels.

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me. How could I be so bored?"

Even assuming the worst, Qingqiu's power is beyond our ability to contend with, and I only just learned of this ban myself.

Ji An said calmly that he was not afraid of Qingqiu. Even if he encountered a Nascent Soul stage Heavenly Fox, he could exchange a few blows and would not be at a disadvantage.

Even if they encounter a stronger opponent they can't defeat, escaping shouldn't be a problem.

He only spoke up to explain because he was worried that a falling out with Qingqiu would affect the sect's development.

The atmosphere in the cave became strange, and the group fell into silence.

After a moment, Ji An spoke:

"To avoid misunderstandings among the True Lords of other continents, it would be best if our two families did not contact each other in the future, and let bygones be bygones."

He was somewhat frustrated. It seemed that letting Hu Yujie go was a bad deal, and he hoped that the thank-you gift would recoup some of the cost.

However, this is for the best. Many disciples have experienced the demon calamity, and although trading with the demon race is profitable, it would cause them unnecessary psychological unease if they knew about it.

You can't just focus on personal gain; otherwise, you'll go astray.

Thinking about this, Ji An began to reflect on himself, wondering if his cultivation over the years had been too utilitarian.

Having said all that, Hu Yuniang felt there was no need to stay any longer and said to her younger sister:

"Since we're not welcome here, let's not stay and become an eyesore. Let's go."

The little fox looked at Ji An, who gave a helpless smile.

If he had been on the opposite side from the beginning, he would have had no qualms about killing the two celestial foxes. Now that the two 'people' have brought him resources, it would be unethical to take action against them.

Besides, he is not prepared to antagonize Qingqiu at the moment.

He couldn't possibly fathom the depths of a top-tier demon clan that had stood for countless millennia.

After sending the two celestial foxes out of the sect, Ji An returned to his cave and entered the small world to check the thank-you gift sent by Hu Yujie.

Inside were all spiritual herbs, all of them low-grade fourth rank. He carefully searched through them and found that by combining them with the spiritual herbs he had obtained from the True Demon, he could make three more batches of Jade Dew Condensation Pills. He clapped his hands and laughed:

"That's great. The Dao Ancestor saw that my cultivation was progressing too slowly, so he came to help me."

He currently has five batches of pills, theoretically enough to produce twenty-five pills. It's unknown how many pills he can refine.

Once he refines and utilizes the elixir, his cultivation level will undoubtedly improve much faster.

Ji An chuckled twice, half-reclined on the rattan chair, found the jade slip recording the elixir formula, and began to study it seriously.

He first quickly glanced through it to get a basic impression, and then began to ponder it carefully.

The formula is very detailed, recording many crucial details that will save him a lot of trouble, ensuring a high success rate in this alchemy process.

Qingqiu is the first Yinshan Mountain.

Inside the cave, Hu Yuniang recounted everything she had seen and heard, including Ji An's rapid progress in cultivation, before bowing her head and awaiting instructions.

Elder Hu Lingshan of the Celestial Fox Clan listened quietly and said with certainty:

"This True Monarch Xuanqing must have a great secret, otherwise his cultivation would not have progressed so quickly."

If one truly receives an extraordinary opportunity, then Yu Jie's words should be trustworthy.

At this moment, she suddenly remembered something from the past. Many years ago, when she was cultivating, she felt the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder, which contained the meaning of judgment, vibrating in the far distance.

For no apparent reason, she connected this matter with this Xuanqing Zhenjun.

This power does not normally appear in the cultivation world; it only appears when one breaks through to the Three Flowers Realm, and to break through, one must enter the Outer Heavens.

This feeling was very strong. The Heavenly Fox Clan's cultivation method was special, and being able to generate this premonition almost certainly meant that there was a connection between the two.

Her heart was burning with desire as she wondered what kind of secret treasure the other party might possess, and how she could obtain it if she wanted it.

Hu Lingshan coughed to cover her excitement, "You can go now, I have my own plans."

"Ancestor, I shall take my leave."

(End of this chapter)