Wanfa Daojun, starting from the Little Cloud and Rain Technique

Chapter 836 Heavenly Evolution True Monarch
For the next few days, Ji An stayed in the small world without going out, constantly activating the Melting Gold Divine Fire Technique to accelerate the nurturing of the spiritual treasure.

The condition of these magical treasures is related to the strength of the defensive domain.

The Plain Cloud Banner, the Profound Origin Water Control Banner, and the Azure Lotus Banner sustained relatively minor damage and quickly recovered completely, leaving the dantian to roam freely in the small world.

Now, the Yuanming Fire only needs to nourish the two 'seriously injured', and the Lingbao's recovery speed has increased even further.

If Ji An's magical power and consciousness are exhausted, A Yun will light the sandalwood soul-nourishing incense and quickly cook a table of spiritual food.

Once, Qin Yan smelled the Soul Fragrance and felt as if he had jumped into a deep mountain pool on a hot summer day. He felt refreshed from head to toe, and his soul felt cool and comfortable.

Generally speaking, low-level cultivators cannot withstand high-level spiritual objects because they are too weak to receive such nourishment and are not fortunate enough to enjoy them. However, there are a few exceptions.

Lower-level cultivators can benefit from high-level soul incense, and they can also take Five Qi Pills that are much higher than their own cultivation level, because these pills are gentle tonics with slow and lasting effects and almost no negative side effects.

The only thing to be careful about is that if a cultivator feels an increasing chill in their soul when absorbing the incense, they should avoid continuing to absorb it.

Ten days passed.

Ji An summoned the Flaming Banner and the Apricot Yellow Banner, and the damage to his natal spirit treasures had been repaired. He transformed into an earth unicorn and flew to play in the Gathering Yuan Tree.

The large hole pierced by the flame flag has been repaired, leaving only a small hole about the thickness of a finger.

Lingbao transformed into a fire phoenix, circled him twice, and then returned to his dantian.

It can now barely take human form, but it still needs more nurturing.

Ji An nodded slightly. All the spiritual treasures were ready for battle, and he prepared to set off for the headquarters of the Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance.

Ping Tian Zhenjun once told him a rough time, saying that it's better to go early than late, as going early would give him more time.

Two days later, at noon.

Ji An arrived at the Qingluan Mountains and, after negotiating with the guest master, sat in his guest room to wait.

With nothing else to do, he took out the black heart-shaped stone he had obtained from the white bone bird. He had concluded that the stone was essentially a condensation of pure yin energy mixed with demonic energy.

If one can purify the demonic energy and leave only the yin energy, it can be refined into something similar to a soul crystal. Of course, the soul crystal is only of the third tier and is only useful to Golden Core cultivators.

Ji An refined the demonic cultivator's nascent soul and obtained a soul crystal. After refining the soul crystal, the strength of the nascent soul increased by more than 10%, which was a very significant gain.

He began to think about how to refine this stone into a soul crystal. Using the Azure Lotus Burning Heart Fire was absolutely not an option, as the yang fire would only burn the yin stone completely, and might even cause an explosion.

However, since he possesses a Yin-attribute spiritual fire, he could try using the Netherworld Bone Fire.

This was not the right time to use the spiritual fire of heaven and earth to temper the Yin Stone, so he put the items away and used the Melting Gold Divine Fire Technique to nurture the spiritual treasure.

After an unknown amount of time, True Lord Pingtian arrived at the guest room.

"Fellow Daoist, I've kept you waiting. Please follow me to Ziyang Mountain."

Ji An stopped his incantation and said in surprise:

"There doesn't seem to be a Ziyang Mountain peak in the Qingluan Mountains, does there?"

This is the headquarters of the Yunhai Business Alliance, but the location of the mountains in the area is not confidential information; they are roughly marked on the map.

"Haha, Ziyang Mountain is the ancestral home of the Wan clan. Under the protection of the Dao Ancestor, Ziyang Mountain was not a key target of the True Demon Army during the Great Calamity, and the Wan clan's Wanshou Manor was preserved."

Ping Tian Zhenjun sighed inwardly. The Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance had suffered enormous losses, and the lineages of several Nascent Soul allies were in danger of being severed.

He paused and then said:
"The Golden Puppet Sect's mountain gate was breached, and only True Monarch Tianyan and a few dozen disciples were able to escape."

According to Fellow Daoist Tianyan, in the first few years, the Golden Puppet Sect and the besieging demon army fought back and forth, so although they were vigilant, they did not take it too seriously.

One night, the True Demon Army suddenly mobilized nearly a hundred Nascent Soul level True Demons, and more than ten Nascent Soul level True Demons.

The entire True Demon Army launched a full-scale attack, reportedly using the Barrier-Breaking Pearl, and with their powerful attacks, they managed to break through the great formation within a few hours.

Although the great calamity has ended, the spiritual veins of Golden Dragon Mountain have been severely polluted by demonic energy. Although they have not completely transformed into demonic veins, their grade has dropped from mid-grade fourth rank to low-grade third rank.

If the Golden Puppet Sect cannot upgrade the grade of its spiritual veins, it will lose its foundation as a Nascent Soul sect.

Normally, after the mountain gate's protective array is attacked, the spiritual vein's grade will continuously drop before it can be broken.

Unless subjected to an attack far exceeding the protective array's capacity in a short period of time, the array will not break directly.

The Golden Puppet Sect's protective formation was destroyed too suddenly. Although True Monarch Tianyan escaped, he didn't have time to take away the sect's accumulated resources.

They are currently penniless and lack the resources to upgrade the spiritual vein's grade. They are working hard to completely purify the pollution, otherwise the grade of the Golden Dragon Mountain's spiritual veins may fall again.

"This is truly sad news."

Ji An's emotions were somewhat complicated. He had met Tianyan Zhenjun once before, and if it hadn't been for Lianshan Zhenjun's intervention, he would have been captured by this person.

If he were caught, all his efforts would be in vain, and whether he could survive was uncertain, but most likely not.

Hearing that the Golden Puppet Sect was nearly destroyed, he felt both a sense of lament for the devastation the True Demon Tribulation had inflicted on the cultivation world and a touch of secret delight.

The weakened Golden Puppet Sect is actually a good sect; he might be able to gain some benefits from it, such as the Golden Puppet Sect's inheritance.

Ping Tian Zhenjun exhaled and said:

"Hey, why talk about such discouraging things? Fellow Daoist, let's set off, please!"

The two left the guest room and rode away on a cloud.

The Yunhai Business Alliance suffered heavy losses; all those flashy cloud chariots, canopies, and elaborate processions with strongmen leading the way and heavenly maidens following were gone.

They've lost everything, so they don't care about saving face anymore.

Three days later, at the Xiaguang Hall on Ziyang Mountain.

True Lord Pingtian acted as the introducer, pointing to a thin cultivator with a long beard and saying:

"This is True Lord Yuanrong, the master of Longevity Manor."

Yuan Rong Zhenjun wore an ochre-colored Taoist robe with several fiery clouds embroidered on the sleeves, and his gray hair was tied up with a golden lotus crown.

His eyes were deep-set, but his gaze was bright and his spirit was vigorous.

Ping Tian Zhenjun then pointed at Ji An and said:

"This is the Xuanqing True Monarch of the Western Continent, an unparalleled genius and the successor of the Five Elements Sect's lineage."

Ji An scratched his head and chuckled as he listened to the string of titles. "Fellow Daoist, if you keep going, you'll be exaggerating the value of free-range cattle in mortal towns."

During his journey over the past two days, He Pingtianzhenjun recounted how he obtained the Five Elements Sect's inheritance, which provides a reasonable explanation for his rapid advancement in cultivation.

As for how to explain it, others will fill in the blanks themselves.

"Haha, there's no exaggeration involved. If Fellow Daoist Yuanrong knew about your past experiences, he would definitely be greatly shocked."

Ping Tian Zhenjun transmitted his voice:
“Old friend, this Fellow Daoist Xuanqing was once at a similar level to Jinrong in cultivation, but now he is a Nascent Soul Level 6 cultivator.”

I believe he not only received the Five Elements Sect's cultivation techniques but also a resource that can accelerate his breakthrough in cultivation realms, making his future limitless. That's why I invited him to attend the ceremony.

He pondered the growth trajectory of Xuanqing Zhenjun several times, and the more he thought about it, the more incredible it seemed.

The opponent was like a peerless sword buried in the soil, which, after being washed clean of dust, radiated boundless brilliance. Without a sufficiently profound understanding of the cultivation technique, simply acquiring resources would not have made such a rapid breakthrough.

Cultivating at the Nascent Soul level is not as simple as breaking through from the Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage. Thinking that you can break through one after another by piling up resources is just a pipe dream.

A glint of light flashed in Yuan Rong Zhenjun's eyes as he smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:

"It is truly an honor for Ziyang Mountain to welcome fellow Daoists."

He has cultivated diligently for over 1,500 years, but his current cultivation level is only at the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage. It has been over 800 years since he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage.

After years of cultivation, he had long understood that comparing people is a recipe for disaster, and comparing goods is a recipe for disaster. Some people can successfully break through to the Nascent Soul stage by taking a Nascent Soul Pill, while others die in the tribulation of lightning after taking one.

Some people are destined to be eagles soaring in the sky, while he is just a bird foraging in the forest.

It's true that we should cultivate a good relationship since the younger generation of our clansmen are acquainted with such a cultivator.

Ji An returned the greeting with a cupped hand, "Greetings, fellow Daoist."

After exchanging pleasantries, the group sat down to enjoy tea and chat.

Ping Tian Zhenjun took a sip of tea and said:
"Fellow Daoist, we can arrange for Jinrong and Xuanqing to meet and exchange ideas tonight. Perhaps it will inspire Jinrong."

After pondering for a moment, Yuan Rong Zhenjun waved his hand and said:
"That's a bit inappropriate. I didn't mean to target Fellow Daoist Xuanqing."

Jinrong is currently adjusting his state of mind. If he sees Fellow Daoist Xuanqing, his emotions will inevitably fluctuate, which would be detrimental to his breakthrough.

It's pointless to rush into making friends now; it's better to wait until the younger generation has made breakthroughs before cultivating friendships.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Ji An and continued:
“Fellow Daoist, I will try to avoid seeing Jinrong these days, please understand.”

"When in Rome, do as the host says. I will follow your arrangements."

As long as he could witness the ceremony and receive the Daoist essence, Ji An was not in a hurry to see his old friends.

Ping Tian Zhenjun nodded, "It was my oversight."

It would be good if Wan Jinrong gained even more courage after meeting the two; otherwise, it would be a loss if he began to doubt himself because of the vast difference in their moral character.

Fellow Daoist Yuanrong smiled and said, "There are still seven days until the ceremony. I have arranged a beautiful and excellent place for everyone."

After the banquet, I will show my two fellow Daoists around the lower mountain villa.

Five days later, the monks who were invited to attend the ceremony began to arrive one after another.

As a member force of the Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance, the Golden Puppet Sect also had Tianyan Zhenjun among those invited.

Although he was overwhelmed with problems, he still came, since he would need to ask his fellow Daoists in the alliance for help in the future.

During the banquet, the worried-looking True Monarch Tianyan saw Ji An and his eyes suddenly opened. He remembered the other person, or more precisely, he remembered the avatar of the late Nascent Soul stage.

Ping Tian Zhenjun was unaware that the two had met before, so he gave them a warm introduction and specifically pointed out that the two had joined forces to kill the monk Kong Wen.

Tianyan Zhenjun cupped his hands and smiled:
"I never expected to meet you here again, fellow Daoist. Haha, I apologize for my rudeness that day."

Upon hearing the introduction that the other party came from the Western Continent and inherited the Five Elements Sect's lineage, he vaguely understood that the avatar he had encountered years ago came from the ruins of the Five Elements Sect.

When they met back then, the other party must have brought a lot of resources with them.

He let out a soft sigh. The cultivation level of the minor Golden Core cultivator he once looked down upon had now reached his own. Thinking of the shattered sect, a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

Lacking resources and manpower, while other forces are thriving and regaining their glory, the Golden Puppet Sect is slowly dying.

Ji An was surprised that the other party recognized him and even recalled the events of that year. He returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me. It was my good fortune to witness your brilliance that day."

If this kid brings up old grudges and tries to take action secretly, it could have bad consequences.

Ping Tian Zhenjun asked curiously:
"You two actually knew each other before? How come?"

"It's a long story. Before the True Demon Tribulation broke out, our sect's Master Xuanji died unexpectedly, and I was in charge of investigating the matter."

Fellow Daoist Xuanqing happened to be in the direction of the search, so we met.

Tianyan Zhenjun spoke vaguely, saying that he had adopted the attitude of "better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free" regarding what happened back then, and wondered if the other party harbored any resentment.

If he still harbored resentment, things would be bad. He had also met Kong Wen and knew that this Buddhist monk was not easy to deal with.

If he and Ping Tianzhenjun join forces against the enemy, in a two-on-one situation, there is a high probability that they will be defeated and forced to flee in terror.

Ping Tian Zhenjun knew things wouldn't be that simple, but since the other party was unwilling to talk about it, he didn't ask for details.

After the banquet, True Lord Pingtian proposed:

"Gentlemen, it is a rare treat to have so many fellow Daoists present today. We would like to take advantage of Fellow Daoist Yuanrong's special place to hold a small trade fair. What do you all think?"

Tianyan Zhenjun responded immediately, saying:

“Excellent, I agree.”

Upgrading the spiritual veins of Golden Dragon Mountain requires a lot of resources, and he can exchange his fourth-tier resources for third-tier resources.

Even if people don't have his resources right now, they can wait until later to trade if they are interested in them. This is much more efficient than him coming to their door to inquire.

"Okay, I agree."

"Count me in."

The True Lords responded enthusiastically, and True Lord Yuanrong watched with a smile.

Some resources are only produced in certain special regions, so it is normal for them to exchange resources.

In addition, the True Demon Tribulation caused enormous damage to the cultivation world, and some previously hidden resources may be brought out for trade.

Ji An also expressed his agreement, as he was still short of resources to upgrade the grade of his spiritual treasure, and he couldn't have been happier to have this opportunity.

"Very well, since it was my suggestion, I'll offer my humble opinion as a starting point."

Ping Tian Zhenjun took out a metal box, opened the seal on it, and took out a piece of ore that emitted an ominous green light:
"I believe everyone recognizes this as Demon Iron Ore, a mineral that can only be produced in the True Demon Realm."

I am buying up large quantities of this ore at the same price as fourth-grade low-grade amethyst copper ore.

Fellow cultivators who possess this ore are welcome to trade with me, or exchange it for other resources.

Wanbaolou possesses a secret method to purify this ore and then create a high-performance alloy comparable to a fourth-grade superior metal-elemental spiritual item.

He proposed holding the trade fair at the request of an old friend.

Anyone who has killed a Nascent Soul level True Demon will obtain some Demon Iron Ore to some extent.

This ore was very useful when dealing with true demons, but now that the great calamity is over, it is of little use to keep it.

　I have some things to do today, so the update will be a bit late. The third update will be tomorrow morning. This is the first update for today.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)