Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 134, pp. 136-137: Dao Heart Vow, Mid-Stage of Spirit Condensation, Senior Uncle Refining Treasure (Two chapters combined into one, please subscribe)

"Junior Sister Hua, your disciple... is indeed quite capable."

In response to Hua Qingshuang's greeting, Yan Lan slowly gathered her robes, her eyes flashing with an unfathomable light.

After a moment, she suddenly smiled, patted her storage bag, took out twenty source crystals, and tossed them to Zhao Wuji with a few quick flicks. "Here's your consultation fee. Come back tomorrow to continue your treatment."

Zhao Wuji raised his hand and used a gentle force to wrap around and catch the source crystal, but instead of putting it away immediately, he shook his head and said.

"Uncle Yan, I have come to treat you not for the fee, but to ask you to protect Peak Master Hua!"

A red glint flashed in Yan Lan's eyes as she glanced at Hua Qingshuang and said with a faint smile, "Junior Sister Hua, this Junior Nephew Zhao is truly thinking of you in every way."

She picked up a stray strand of hair with her fingertips and lazily curled it.

Hua Qingshuang's face was cold and beautiful as she said, "Senior Sister once said that if Wuji could expel the fire poison from you, you would agree to protect me and help me break through to the Condensation Realm."

"I did say that!" Yan Lan suddenly stood up, crimson flames surging from the hem of her skirt. "But what I said was that I would consider your opinion, not that I would directly agree to it."

Hua Qingshuang's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in her cool eyes. Her lips parted slightly, "It's come to this point, and Senior Sister still refuses to completely let go of her obsession. Then let's just forget about the cooperation."

She suddenly turned around, flicking her sleeve, and said, "Wuji, let's go."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuji threw the ten source crystals back onto the bed without hesitation, then turned and left with them.

Although he was poor, he was not so poor that he lacked backbone.

Although he needed yang energy, he didn't need Yan Lan's charity.

"etc."

Just as the two turned around, Yan Lan said coldly in a low voice, "I didn't say I disagreed, but Junior Sister Hua, if I help you break through to the Nascent Soul stage first..."

Her eyes flashed, and she suddenly looked up and said, "You must swear an oath with your Dao heart that you must immediately help me break through afterward."

Upon hearing this, Hua Qingshuang paused, a faint smile flickering in her eyes. She had anticipated that her senior sister would have such concerns.

This usually arrogant senior sister is now making concessions.

A vow made with a clear conscience? That suited her perfectly.

Even if she breaks through to the Nascent Soul stage, she alone would find it difficult to fight against the Cave Master; at best, she could only protect herself.

“Alright!” Hua Qingshuang turned around, about to swear an oath with her Dao heart.

Yan Lan then turned her gaze to Zhao Wuji, "And you, brat! You too must swear an oath with your Dao heart."

"Me?" Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

What does this have to do with him?

Yan Lan snorted coldly, her eyes sharp as knives, "When I break through, the fire poison will also erupt. At that time, you will be needed to expel and treat it for me. You must also swear that you will do your best to help me."

"Senior Sister!" Peak Master Hua frowned slightly, "If I break through to the Nascent Soul stage, helping you will be enough!"

Yan Lan's red lips curved slightly, but there was no hint of a smile in her eyes. "Not enough."

Her gaze was fixed on Zhao Wuji, and she said, word by word, "What I want is absolute certainty."

Zhao Wuji pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded, saying, "No problem, I will swear on my Dao heart right now."

He simply held up three fingers to swear.

It's not really a problem to administer acupuncture to Yan Lan during his breakthrough; in fact, it's a good thing.

At that time, it will be able to absorb more yang energy.

As Hua Qingshuang said, the amount of fire poison in Yan Lan's body was not much; the acupuncture treatment just now only yielded a little over a thousand strands of yang energy.

Even after two more treatments, the myriad strands of yang energy required for the first yang pearl will still not be fully absorbed.

However, if the opponent unleashes a large amount of fire poison during his breakthrough, there is a chance that his Yang Pearl will reach perfection.

He couldn't be more eager to agree to this right away.

Seeing that he agreed so readily, Hua Qingshuang's eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't say anything more. She also raised her hands to form a hand seal and made a vow of Dao heart.

Once the two had made their vows, they didn't linger and turned to leave.

Amidst the howling mountain wind, wisps of cloud swept past the two of them.

Zhao Wuji turned his head to look at Hua Qingshuang, who was traveling with him in the air, and said solemnly, "Peak Master, my medical skills have now made some progress. If I can break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, I will be able to better suppress the cold poison when you break through."

Hua Qingshuang's dark hair swayed gently in the wind. Upon hearing this, her eyes flickered slightly, but she gently shook her head: "I have never doubted your abilities."

She paused, her slender hand unconsciously stroking the jade pendant at her waist. "I was just worried that the cold poison might get out of control during your breakthrough and hurt you instead. But since Senior Sister Yan is protecting you, it's alright."

Zhao Wuji nodded to himself.

A breakthrough at the intersection of the spiritual vein and the dragon vein would indeed very likely alarm Emperor Zhaoming.

With Yan Lan, a powerful figure, protecting us, things are indeed much safer.

But thinking of this, he suddenly asked in a telepathic message: "Peak Master, if you and Senior Uncle Yan both break through to the next level, what are your chances of defeating the Cave Master?"

Hua Qingshuang paused almost imperceptibly.

She gazed at the distant sea of ​​clouds for a long time before softly saying, "Less than forty percent."

Seeing Zhao Wuji's expression change drastically, she added, "The cave master has cultivated the complete Nine Revolutions Primordial Chaos Technique for a hundred years, and his foundation is very deep."

"Could it be."

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice unconsciously lowered, "The cave master has already reached the late stage of the Condensation Realm?"

She stood with her hands behind her back, her robes fluttering in the wind. Her gaze was fixed on the distance, her voice clear and cold as frost: "In this degenerate age, cultivation is like rowing against the current. Even with exceptional talent, without sufficient spiritual resources, one can hardly make a single step."

She paused, a wisp of spiritual light gathering at her fingertips, outlining the main peak in the air: "I have been secretly observing the flow of spiritual energy on the main peak of Linglang for three years. The cave master's cultivation level should be at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow slightly.

A century has passed, and it's only now that we've broken through from the initial stage to the middle stage?

This old guy's cultivation speed is slower than I expected.

As if sensing his thoughts, Hua Qingshuang suddenly turned around. Her eyes, as cold as a deep pool, stared directly at him: "Breaking through to the Condensation Realm does not mean fighting him to the death."

Her jade-like hand clenched slightly in her sleeve, and her tone grew serious, "As long as we can confront him, prevent him from making any rash moves, manipulate us at will, and suppress our breakthroughs, that will be enough."

Zhao Wuji nodded in agreement, but he had other plans in mind.

If the cave master is injured in his battle with Immortal Yunfeng, then perhaps he will have a real chance.
Don't oversimplify things.

Hua Qingshuang suddenly spoke, interrupting his thoughts: "That old fox is very cunning."

This provocation of war with Yunfeng Cave Heaven presents us with a golden opportunity to fish in troubled waters, but how much we can gain depends on the timing and circumstances.

Hua Qingshuang paused slightly, then gently patted the storage pouch at her waist, and a luminous white jade talisman appeared.

She twirled her fingertips and handed the jade talisman to Zhao Wuji: "With this jade talisman, you can communicate with me at any time."

Her gaze sharpened slightly, and her voice softened a bit, "The battlefield seven days from now is fraught with unpredictable dangers. If you encounter any crisis, send a message immediately. When the time is right, I will inform you."

Zhao Wuji accepted the jade talisman with both hands, his fingertips gently tracing the delicate cloud patterns on it, feeling the warm touch concealing fluctuations of spiritual energy.

He immediately nodded solemnly: "I understand."

After parting ways with Hua Qingshuang, Zhao Wuji went straight to the Hall of Magical Implements.

Before even entering, one could hear the incessant clanging of hammers and forging inside, several times noisier than usual.

"Senior Brother Zhao!"

A sharp-eyed disciple on duty quickly pushed aside his fellow disciples, stepped forward, bowed deeply, and forced a troubled smile. "You've come at a very inopportune time. With war imminent, the hall is working at full speed to produce the large magical artifacts ordered by the elders."

He glanced at Zhao Wuji's expression, then bent down even lower, "For the time being, we will not accept any other refining requests."

The disciple sighed inwardly.

If the person in front of him wasn't the renowned Senior Brother Zhao from the cave, a prodigy personally praised by Elder Jiao, why would he need to be so cautious?

Anyone else would have been dismissed with a few words.

Zhao Wuji was taken aback upon hearing this, and suddenly heard a rumbling sound coming from the magic weapon hall.

A bronze chariot was pushed out of the weapon-refining room, and a roar pierced through the smoke and dust inside: "What are you all standing there for? We must get the last five Spirit-Breaking Crossbows out tonight!"

Immediately, many gray-robed disciples rushed past carrying materials, knocking over roadside tables and chairs without anyone paying attention.

He immediately chuckled and shook his head: "It was I who didn't think it through."

He returned the greeting with a cupped hand, saying, "In that case, I won't disturb you any longer."

Zhao Wuji then went to Ziyun Palace and the market to check on the situation.

As expected, a long queue had formed outside the Ziyun Hall.

A steward at the palace gate calmly announced, "Each person is limited to one bottle of healing pills! Cultivators below the Blue Robe True Inheritor level must present a battle preparation token to purchase them!"

The crowd in the group immediately stirred, and one of the disciples shouted, "There are only three pills in a bottle. How can that be enough when the fighting starts on the battlefield?"

The deacon ignored him and instead posted a new notice announcing that the price of the pills would double in two days, and the line immediately quieted down again.

Zhao Wuji sighed inwardly, didn't join the queue, and turned to leave.

When war breaks out, resources become even more scarce.

Fortunately, for some time now, he had been having Xiaoyue help him collect medicinal herbs and some discarded pills.

Although it cost him more than ten source crystals, he managed to buy a lot of the medicine he needed at a reasonable price.

As for other necessary items such as Earth Escape Talismans and Water Mirror Talismans, he already had a few left, so there was no need to procure any more.

"With the ingestion technique, I can quickly recover my spiritual power and injuries even outside the cave by refining waste pills. In addition, with the medicine technique, I don't need any healing pills at all. However, I am still a little short of source crystals."

Thinking of this, Zhao Wuji felt a pang of regret for having previously refused Yan Lan the twenty source crystals.

However, thinking of Master Hua made his painful mood much better.

While the Source Crystal is valuable, the Peak Master's breakthrough is even more important.

"Taking advantage of the current resource shortage and soaring prices, I'll sell off the few Dragon Tiger Pills I have now."

A thought crossed his mind, and he arrived at the Lotus Moon Valley Market, where he sensed a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

The once bustling streets were now crowded with fellow disciples dressed in blue robes, and arguments even broke out in front of several stalls.

"Three Source Crystals and one Fire Serpent Talisman? They only cost one and a half yesterday!"

A disciple in blue robes shouted angrily, while the stall owner sneered and pointed to the notice board across the street: "Didn't you see the conscription order just issued by the Affairs Hall? All the offensive and defensive talismans from the Talisman Hall are being prioritized for the front lines. There aren't many left on the market right now! Think it's too expensive? Come back and buy some after the war is over!"

"Senior Brother Zhao!"

"Senior Brother Zhao, you've arrived!"

Upon seeing Zhao Wuji, many disciples in green and blue robes immediately bowed in respect.

Seeing him suddenly stop in an open space and take out a piece of blue cloth from his storage bag and spread it out, the disciples watching immediately brightened up and tacitly gathered around.

Before Zhao Wuji could even take out his goods, a long queue had already formed spontaneously in front of his stall.

What treasure is Senior Brother Zhao going to sell this time?

"Could it be the Dragon-Tiger Pill? We can't afford such a powerful elixir."

A young disciple scratched his head and smiled wryly, then earnestly asked, "I've heard that Senior Brother's Bigu Pills are extremely effective. I wonder if they can help you?"

Recently, the price of spiritual rice has soared, and the area outside the cave is filled with foul air.

One Bigu Pill can be equivalent to three days' worth of food, and it can also protect the spiritual energy within the body from dissipation. Pills that were once ignored have now become hot commodities.

Zhao Wuji smiled and took out three bottles of Dragon Tiger Pills from his storage bag, placing them on the table. After a moment's thought, he added five more bottles of Bigu Pills and two newly developed Healing Talisman Pills.

"Three bottles of Dragon Tiger Pills, the highest bidder wins."

He lightly tapped the jade bottle with his finger, his voice clear and bright, "Each bottle contains three Bigu Pills and one Source Crystal."

He paused, then held up the porcelain bottle decorated with green leaves. "This is my newly developed healing talisman pill. It can cure ordinary injuries instantly."

After saying that, he casually picked out a volunteer.

With a single sword strike, the opponent's arm was instantly torn open, blood gushing out.

A gasp of surprise rang out from the crowd.

Zhao Wuji calmly took out a medicinal pill with cinnabar runes, flicked it with his fingertips, and the pill fell precisely into the wound.

In an instant, the runes glowed faintly, and the flesh healed and scabbed over at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In just a few breaths, only a faint red mark remained on the wound.

"Wonderful!"

The disciple who was testing the pills moved his arms and was pleasantly surprised to find that even the pain had disappeared.

He accepted the fasting pill from Zhao Wuji as a reward, grinning and saying, "Senior Brother Zhao, this pill is miraculous!"

Zhao Wuji stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his lips: "This healing pill not only heals injuries, but also allows one to fast for a day."

He paused, then raised his voice a few decibels, "It's not easy to refine; it takes one and a half source crystals!"

The price is just right.

Although made from materials used in Bigu Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine), the ability to use the pills to cast spells enhances the effects of the medicine, thus amplifying its post-operative efficacy.

The cost is only a single strand of spiritual energy, but the profit is quite considerable.

The disciples who witnessed the miraculous effect were immediately excited.

Compared to the expensive pills in Ziyun Palace, this is simply a bargain.

In the blink of an eye, the stall was crowded with people eager to buy.

"Even if we can't afford Dragon Tiger Pills, we should at least have a few of these Healing Talisman Pills on hand!"

"Exactly! Having this pill on the battlefield is like having an extra life!"

Before long, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance.

More than ten disciples in blue robes rushed over, their clothes fluttering in the wind, clearly there for the Dragon Tiger Pill.

"I, Yu Zishan, want one of these Dragon-Tiger Pills!"

A loud voice boomed like thunder, and the crowd parted like a tide. The burly Yu Zishan strode in, his jade pendant jingling at his waist.

He stopped in front of Zhao Wuji, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Fifteen Origin Crystals! With the help of these pills, I will be able to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining immediately."

His eyes were piercing, and his tone was sincere. "I hope Junior Brother Zhao will grant my request."

Zhao Wuji's gaze swept across the surroundings.

The disciples, who had been eager to try, were now silent and trembling, bowing their heads and stepping back.

A slight smile played on his lips as he spoke calmly, "Your shout scared everyone else away from bidding."

He tapped the jade bottle lightly with his fingers. "This means I'll earn one less source crystal, but you'll get sixteen."

Yu Zishan was taken aback upon hearing this, glanced around at his timid fellow disciples, and suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter: "Hahaha! Good!"

He patted the storage bag with a flourish, "Sixteen yuan it is!"

Yu Zishan was only convinced of the merits of this Junior Brother Zhao; if it were someone else, there would definitely be a dispute.

After a stick of incense.

Zhao Wuji left satisfied, clutching a storage bag now containing sixty new source crystals.

Of these sixty source crystals, three Dragon Tiger Pills sold for a high price of forty-seven source crystals.

Normally, it would be impossible to sell it for such a high price.

He's been hoarding goods for so long, and now his hard times are finally over.

He immediately went to the Spirit Monitoring Hall and paid the extra two Yuan Crystal spiritual energy fees for the month.

After returning to the cave, he took out ten source crystals and gave them to Xiaoyue to collect medicinal herbs and for daily use in the cave.

"Sir, have you struck it rich?"

When Xiaoyue passed ten source crystals, her eyes shone like two little lanterns.

He pulled Yuan Jing into his arms, rubbed his cheek against the cool crystal, and muttered, "I'm rich, I'm rich!" He was already planning how to bargain when he went to Ziyun Palace to collect medicinal herbs and waste pills.

"The battle in the cave is about to begin, and I estimate that I will have to go out as well. In the next few days, you should take good care of the cave within the cave."

Zhao Wuji uttered a single sentence.

Xiaoyue's joyful smile immediately crumbled again.

Her voice betrayed barely concealed panic: "My lord, will this time be even more dangerous than last time? I've heard about those people from Yunfeng Cave Heaven outside."

Seeing her like a frightened rabbit, Zhao Wuji chuckled and reached out to ruffle her soft hair. "When have I ever suffered a loss, my lord?"

He shook the bulging storage bag at his waist. "Besides, I just made a windfall, so I need to save up for it while I'm alive, right? You just need to stock up on the medicinal herbs, and I'll come back to refine new pills."

Xiaoyue still tugged at his sleeve and muttered softly, "Then, then you have to bring all the array flags from the cave. I won't need them in the cave."

"Mmm." Zhao Wuji smiled and patted Xiaoyue's head.

Now that he has a storage bag, it is also very convenient for him to carry the battle flag.

The following day, inside the main bedroom of Crimson Flame Peak.

Yan Lan leaned lazily against the bed, her red gauze robe half-open, revealing a large expanse of her snow-white skin with a lingering blush.

A strand of her hair was twirled between her fingers, and the afterglow of the acupuncture treatment lingered in her eyes as she stared at Zhao Wuji, who was tidying up the gold needles, with a half-smile.

"Junior Sister Zhao," she suddenly drawled, her toes seemingly brushing against the hem of his clothes, "when you gave my Junior Sister Hua acupuncture, was she also like this... too comfortable to speak? Or..."

She suddenly sat up, her eyes blazing with fury. "What tricks did you play in the shadows? Did you deliberately try to embarrass me?"

Zhao Wuji's golden needles fell into the wooden box with a "clink," and he said without changing his expression, "Uncle Yan is joking. When the fire poison travels through the meridians and stimulates the acupoints, the body will feel hot, sweat, and even lose control. These are all normal reactions. I have always been single-minded when performing acupuncture, and I would never play tricks on patients."

As he finished speaking, his expression became solemn and serious, and he spoke in a low voice.

"Unfortunately, the golden needles I'm currently using are all ordinary needles, with only one being a magical artifact. This limits my ability to perform acupuncture, and may cause you, Uncle Yan, discomfort."

Yan Lan suddenly grabbed his wrist, her nails almost digging into his flesh: "Is that so? I find your hands more uncomfortable than the golden needles."

Zhao Wuji frowned slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Why does Master Uncle always choose to make things difficult for his disciple when Peak Master Hua is not around?"

He sighed softly and cupped his hands, saying, "I went to the Magic Weapon Hall yesterday, but unfortunately, with the war imminent, the hall is no longer accepting orders. Otherwise, if I could have forged a set of golden needles, it would surely have made my master feel more at ease."

Yan Lan narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, her gaze lingering on Zhao Wuji's sincere face for a moment, and she scoffed inwardly, 'This pretty boy is a slippery little devil.'

She suddenly let go, a playful smile curving her red lips: "What the Magic Artifact Hall can't forge, your senior uncle can."

A cluster of crimson flames suddenly appeared at her fingertips, causing the red gauze curtains to flutter even without wind. "Have you forgotten what kind of cultivation technique I practice?"

With a casual wave of her hand, flames traced dazzling paths through the air: "Leave the needle box. I will personally forge a pair of magical golden needles for you!"

Zhao Wuji was taken aback upon hearing this, but then secretly delighted.

This saves the trouble of accumulating hundreds of great merits.

It is true that it is nice to sit under a big tree and enjoy the shade.

He immediately bowed deeply: "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Uncle!"

Yan Lan rose lazily, her red dress billowing: "These two acupuncture treatments have removed about 70-80% of the fire poison from my body."

She walked to the window, looked at the distant Linlang Main Peak, and said in a low voice, "I'm afraid there won't be a chance to clear the rest for the time being."

He glanced back at Zhao Wuji and said, "Tomorrow I will leave the cave with Junior Sister Hua. I will give you the golden needles next time we meet."

"Alright! Senior Uncle, please take care on your journey to the battlefield," Zhao Wuji said.

Yan Lan glanced at Zhao Wuji and chuckled, "What a sweet-talking lad."

She flicked her sleeve and said calmly, "Go!"

When Zhao Wuji flew away from Crimson Flame Peak and returned to his cave, he learned that the Affairs Hall had also issued a summons for him.

He pressed the summons to his forehead, and the message immediately appeared.

"Linlang Cave Heaven Recruitment Order (Class C Confidential)"
The one who received the order: Zhao Wuji, a true disciple of Hanyue Peak
Mission Type: Breaking the Formation

Execution method: acting alone

Mission Location: Yunfeng Cave Heaven has set up three core nodes of the "Nine-Bend Yellow Sand Formation" on the border of Xuan Kingdom. Once the formation is complete, it will greatly weaken the combat power of our cultivators.

According to inside intelligence, the "Wind Howling Cliff" formation node of the stronghold is poorly guarded and is currently garrisoned by two Qi Refining Stage 4 cultivators.

Mission requirements: Concealed movement, must not travel with the main force, and must infiltrate independently along the underground river of the spiritual vein.

Destroy the node: Destroy the "Earth Flag" at the core of the formation (Note: the flagpole's melting point is the intensity of ground fire).
It is recommended to take action when the Yin energy is at its peak at midnight, as the spiritual energy of the formation will flow more slowly at this time.

Tactical coordination: Immediately ignite the "Beacon Talisman" after destruction (which can be obtained from the Affairs Hall).

Note: "You are skilled in formations. You made a great contribution by breaking the formation at Guanyun Mountain in the past, and you were able to fight against Kang Laogui of Yunfeng Cave. This task is yours alone. The formation node diagram has been branded on the back of the order. After reading it, burn it. Set off immediately today and complete the mission within four days."

—He Ming, Head of the Affairs Department!

Zhao Wuji flipped the jade token over and saw a sand table displaying light and shadow on the back, showing the layout of the sentry post on the cliff top.

"Fortunately, I'm traveling alone, which is actually safer and more convenient for me!"

Zhao Wuji felt a sense of relief.

If he were to lead a large force to the battlefield, given his bounty on the Yunfeng Kill List, it would be extremely dangerous, and he might even attract the elders of Yunfeng Cave Heaven to hunt him down.

Now that he is operating alone in secrecy, his invisibility and other skills make it difficult for the enemy to find him.

Moreover, Elder He, who issued the conscription order, had analyzed all of his advantages, making it a task tailor-made for him.

Without hesitation, he instructed Xiaoyue to guard the cave, then summoned Xiongba and sent a message to the peak master using a jade talisman.

He then took the battle flags and other supplies and flew down the mountain to the Affairs Hall.

"Gah!" Xiong Ba reluctantly landed on Zhao Wuji's shoulder.

Upon hearing that it was time to leave the grotto, the Blessed Bird was extremely unwilling.

However, upon hearing Zhao Wuji mention that he could choose a few lively female mynahs to bring back to the cave next time, Xiong Ba's eyes darted around quickly, and he kept calling out "Ba, Ba".

These blissful days are good, but without the female myna bird, they're just not quite the same.

An hour later, Zhao Wuji donned the Phantom Cloak and flew away from the Linglang Cave.

Xiongba suddenly flapped its wings and cried out uneasily.

Not far away, an unfamiliar aura, like a venomous snake, locked onto Zhao Wuji's direction, then slowly receded.

However, they were completely unaware of the slight smile that appeared on Zhao Wuji's lips.
(End of this chapter)