Mortal: Fifteenth Realm Sword Cultivator

Chapter 233 Can't Bring It Up

A flash of light appeared in the old demon Yunlu's hand, and a delicate folding fan snapped open.

He gently waved his fan, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy: "The three great cultivators of Tiannan breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage was a thing of the past five hundred years. In the last five hundred years, has any mid-Nascent Soul cultivator ever been able to cross this insurmountable chasm? What do you think?"

Dong Xuan'er blinked and voiced the question that had been lingering in her mind: "If Father were given five hundred years, would he be able to cross this insurmountable barrier?"

Upon hearing this, Yunlu chuckled, gently waving her folding fan to conceal her mouth.

"A cultivator who can reach the Nascent Soul Realm is one in ten thousand, truly the pinnacle of excellence. However—"

He paused, his fan gesturing in the air, "Even among these exceptional individuals, eight or nine out of ten will only ever remain at the early Nascent Soul stage. Of these, less than one in ten will be able to break through to the next level. As for the mid-Nascent Soul stage? It's extremely rare, requiring immense opportunity, unwavering perseverance, and an exceptionally resilient mind. These layers of barriers are like insurmountable chasms, each one more difficult to overcome than the last. As for late-Nascent Soul stage cultivators—ha, that's beyond human control; it's simply a matter of fate."

A pavilion atop a mountain, nestled amidst swirling clouds and mist.

Yunlu Zhenren and Dong Xuan'er descended gracefully from the sky, their robes fluttering in the wind, without making a sound.

Upon entering the main hall, the interior furnishings are extremely simple, with only thick beams and pillars supporting the dome, leaving a large open space in the center.

Around the open space, a dozen or so rustic wooden chairs were arranged in a circle.

Three of the chairs were already occupied.

Upon seeing the arrival of True Person Yunlu, one of the three people inside the hall, an elderly man with a long, emerald-green beard, put down the blue-and-white lotus leaf cup in his hand.

The cups were placed on the stone table beside the chair. The wine slowly filled the cups from nothing to the rim, filling them with a wonderful aroma.

Everyone present was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Naturally, it could not escape the keen senses of those inside the hall.

All eyes turned to the magical lotus cup. Even the Soul Shattering True Person, who had just met Yunlu, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. Then his eyes lit up and he stared intently at the wine cup, unable to look away.

"Brother Dongmen, where did you get this wine cup? Is it unique, or is it part of a pair?"

This old man was none other than Dongmen Tu, the Grand Elder of the Yuling Sect.

"Fellow Daoist Shattered Soul, what a coincidence! I also obtained this by chance the other day, and it's the only one I have. If it were an ordinary item, there would be no need to talk about exchanging it; why not just give it to you? But this kind of rare item that can generate its own nectar is truly a treasure to a drunkard like me who loves wine more than life itself."

Sitting beside the Soul Shatterer, the Heavenly Fiend True Lord, dressed in a purple robe and wearing a jade crown, was surrounded by wisps of blood-red evil energy, causing ripples in the air around him.

"Brother Dongmen doesn't mean he won't exchange it at all. Rather, he means that if Fellow Daoist Shattered Soul really wants it, he'll have to offer something truly rare. Perhaps then Brother Dongmen will be tempted and willing to part with it?"

Upon hearing Heavenly Fiend True Monarch's words, the Soul Shatterer's eyes gleamed with even greater interest. He stared intently at Dongmen Tu and pressed, "Oh? Brother Dongmen, what level of rare treasures do you require to part with this Wine Spring Cup? Just name it, as long as I can provide it, I will not be stingy!"

Yunlu casually sat down on an empty chair.

Dong Xuan'er stood respectfully behind him.

Let alone a Core Formation cultivator like her, even an ordinary early Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't have the right to sit in this hall right now.

Before arriving at the main hall, Dong Xuan'er had nervously asked Yunlu whether she should wait outside.

Yunlu made no attempt to hide her opinion, stating bluntly, "What can a junior like you do? If you don't say anything, consider it an eye-opening experience."

Upon hearing this, Dong Xuan'er remained silent and stood quietly behind her.

Her gaze was irresistibly drawn to the magical wine glass on the table, her heart filled with curiosity. Though she had questions, she remained silent.

Yunlu seemed to have eyes in the back of her head, seeing through her thoughts, and said leisurely without turning her head.

"This is a rare and precious treasure, named the Wine Spring Cup." The holder of this cup can drink endlessly from morning till night, yet its bottom remains unseen. This small cup seems to contain rivers, lakes, and seas, inexhaustible and boundless. In terms of its wondrous nature, it easily ranks among the top ten rare treasures. It is said that only about three exist in the entire Tiannan region. These items have been passed down from ancient times, priceless and unavailable. Even 100,000 spirit stones would hardly sway its owner, especially for those who are addicted to wine. Even more wondrous is the wine that naturally flows within the cup, its rich and mellow flavor no less than that brewed from thousand-year-old spiritual herbs and fruits, and its flavor changes with the seasons, offering endless delights in the alternation of new and old. Of course, this is merely hearsay; its mysteries are perhaps only truly known to Brother Dongmen Tu."

He spoke eloquently, his voice carrying a uniquely feminine tone, yet he thoroughly dissected the preciousness of this Jiuquan Cup.

The eyes of Shattered Soul True Man and Heavenly Fiend True Man gleamed even brighter, clearly indicating that what Yunlu said was true.

Although they disliked Yunlu's androgynous appearance.

But one has to admit that this guy is indeed very knowledgeable.

Dongmen Tu's face showed a hint of smugness as he chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Yunlu flatters me. However, this cup is indeed one of my favorites. Fellow Daoist Suihun asked about the price earlier not because I was unwilling to part with it, but because this item is like half of my body. If you could really offer—well, perhaps that 'Cloud Root Green' or 'Calamus Burl'—I might consider it?"

"Cloud-root green? Calamus tree gall?"

Shattered Soul's withered face twitched, and his voice rose several decibels.

"Old ghost Dongmen, are you trying to make fun of me? Even if we emptied the entire Ghost Spirit Sect's treasury, we might not find a single specimen the size of a fingernail! You—"

Before he could finish speaking, Shattered Soul's eyes narrowed and he slowly leaned back.

"Fellow Daoist Dongmen, you're asking for such a top-grade wood-attribute spiritual item right off the bat. Are you perhaps crafting some kind of magical treasure?"

Among those present, none who had cultivated to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm were easy to reach.

All eyes turned to Dongmen Tu, and Yunlu suddenly closed the folding fan she was playing with.

While battles between Nascent Soul cultivators often rely on brute force, a top-tier supernatural ability or a trump card is often the key to turning the tide of battle.

Of course, everyone here is a shrewd and calculating person, so why would they really expect Dongmen Tu to reveal everything?

To be able to pry out even a single word from him and glean some clues would be an unexpected delight.

Although the six sects of the demonic path each have their own lineage, they also share commonalities. With this clue, even if they face Dongmen Tu in the future, they can be more prepared.

Everyone present understood this intention without saying a word, their eyes shining brightly as they waited for Dongmen Tu to speak.

However, Dongmen Tu has been famous for many years; how shrewd and experienced is he?

He picked up the celadon lotus cup, slowly brought it to his lips, took a small sip, and then tilted his head back to drink it all.

The empty cup was placed back on the stone table, and the wine inside began to gush out again, slowly overflowing.

Having made up his mind, he didn't utter a single word.

Seeing this, Yunlu lightly tapped the fan ribs with her fingertips, making a crisp tapping sound.

"These two wood-attribute spiritual items are truly remarkable in their own way. The former is an excellent material for refining a wood-attribute natal magic weapon, something that fellow cultivators of wood-attribute techniques would dream of. As for the calamus burl—well, this thing grows from the heartwood of a six-thousand-year-old camphor tree. It's a first-rate material used to shape array patterns, buffer against spiritual energy impacts, and refine puppets. Brother Dongmen's high standards suggest he has quite a grand ambition."

As soon as Yunlu said this, the three Nascent Soul stage monsters opposite him all focused their attention on him.

A hint of surprise flashed in Dongmen Tu's eyes.

Although True Immortal Shattered Soul and True Lord Heavenly Fiend were aware of the names of these two wood-attribute spiritual objects, their understanding of their specific effects and characteristics was far less detailed than that of Yunlu.

In the world of cultivation, it is common practice for cultivators to study rare and precious materials related to their own cultivation techniques, all in order to broaden and extend the path to immortality.

As for other things, I rarely bother to delve into them unless absolutely necessary.

At this moment, two more streaks of light drifted in from afar and flew straight into the main hall.

The light faded, and two figures materialized, each finding an empty seat to sit down.

An elderly man in yellow robes, looking sharp and spirited, stood with his arms crossed and an air of arrogance about him.

A young cultivator with exceptionally handsome features was dressed in a flowing, emerald-green robe.

His face was as smooth as jade, without a trace of age; at first glance, he truly resembled a handsome young man untouched by the world.

As soon as the old man in yellow sat down, he burst into laughter, "Yunlu, I can smell your perfume even from a hundred miles away."

Yunlu chuckled lightly, covering her lips with her folding fan. "What? Fellow Daoist Yin also wants to experience our Hehuan Sect's wondrous dual cultivation and stamina-gathering techniques? But—"

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze lingering on the old man in yellow, "With your appearance, even if I, Yunlu, am bisexual, I simply cannot bring myself to eat you."

Upon hearing this, the Nascent Soul cultivators in the hall couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Even the green-robed youth, whose expression had always been calm and composed, couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth turn up slightly.

The old man in yellow choked, his face turning red, and pointed at Yunlu, uttering "you—you—you—" a few times.

That's a truly ruthless person.

He even criticizes himself.

When it comes to sarcastic and sarcastic remarks, he's really no match for Yunlu.

The Soul Shattering True Man turned his gaze to the green-robed youth at the opportune moment. "Sect Leader Du, your mastery of the Great Luo Thousand Illusions Technique has become even more unfathomable. In just a hundred years, you have made such progress that even my divine sense cannot detect the slightest flaw."

""

The young man in the green robe smiled faintly and nodded slightly: "Fellow Daoist Shattered Soul, it's been a long time."

Dongmen Tu's gaze swept over the two newly arrived people.

The old man in yellow was the Grand Elder of the Demon Flame Sect, surnamed Yin, while the young man in green robes was the Sect Leader of the Thousand Illusions Sect.

He had little interaction with these two people in his life, and had no intention of exchanging pleasantries at this moment.

So he turned his gaze to the old demon Yunlu, who was waving a folding fan.

"The meeting is basically complete now. Fellow Daoist Gu, are you still planning to come?"

Yunlu Old Demon leaned lazily in his chair and slowly spoke in a soft, feminine tone: "Senior Brother didn't concern himself with the details of this matter, only letting us few decide to select three Nascent Soul stage cultivators from the six sects to represent us in the arena battle."