Cultivation begins with harvest.

There were no tall trees, only ankle-high natural rings of green grass surrounding the area. Every hundred paces there was a watchtower, with two cultivators at least in the mid-stage of Qi Refining monitoring the surroundings.

Caojie Sentry Village is one of the smaller sentry villages surrounding the thirty-three sentry villages of Bing.

The sentry posts, marked by numbers, are all under the control of the Qingheng Sect. Some rogue cultivators who have reached the Qi Refining stage will also establish smaller sentry posts around these strongholds after gaining recognition. Rogue cultivators also need cultivation resources, and establishing sentry posts is a low-cost and highly flexible option.

Some are even scattered cultivators who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage, but these kinds of sentry posts do not last long.

Foundation Establishment is difficult. Among the scattered cultivator families that have the support of the market and the Qingheng Sect, only the Dongfang and Zhao families are exceptions.

However, the endless wilderness offers many opportunities. Every one or two decades, one or two rogue cultivators will emerge to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Some are those who have made enemies of the various sects in the south, some have come south from the north, and some have been eliminated by the Qingheng Sect...

Their quality is inferior to that of the Qingheng Sect disciples, but their quantity far exceeds that.

They all turned their misfortunes around in the wilderness, which is why they came out and chose to settle on the edge of the Qingheng Sect to see what their next move would be.

With the whistle in sight, the three of them finally relaxed.

"Why not go to Bing Thirty-Three?" Dongfang Jianming felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, yet he also harbored a sliver of wariness towards the Grass Knot Sentinel Village. "These kinds of rogue cultivator sentry villages aren't exactly safe, are they?"

He now held the talisman in his sleeve with one hand, no longer possessing the ease he had when he first left the sect.

During the first attack, they failed to prepare a defense in time, and many of the talismans stored in their magical artifacts could not be retrieved in time, leaving them in a very sorry state, so they changed their strategy.

The first time he encountered the bandits of the Sword Sect, he lost a Crimson Blood Horse, which is why he was always terrified afterward. Chen Guang was no different, it was the first time for him.

It's only when compared to the other two that it seems like I'm handling things with ease.

"Let's rest for a bit. It won't even take half an hour to get from here to Bing Thirty-Three. Don't think you're the only one who's tired." Chen Guang stroked the red-blooded horse's mane, which was already matted together. The horse turned its neck and shook its head more frequently—it was even more tired.

The rules for the grass-tied whistle are simple: dismount and then walk.

Entering through the gate, one finds mostly simple wooden bungalows.

Any two parties involved in a conflict within the market would be immediately expelled. If any unrelated person or object was injured as a result, they would be arrested and sent to the 33rd floor of the Bing district to await further judgment.

Near the center, there were some wooden shops, and on both sides were more simple stalls. Further away from the street, there were dense residential buildings. The entire outpost was very simple, open inside and out, and was built around three streets. If it were to be abandoned, it wouldn't be much of a price to pay.

The road was five zhang wide, but neither Chen Guang and his two companions nor the other cultivators could completely relax while walking on it. The distance was still too close. Even though the grass was tangled and the crowds were not overwhelming, the fact that strangers were several feet apart would still bother any cultivator.

Chen Guang and his two companions were relatively well off. The Crimson Blood Horse represented the Qingheng Sect, and the other cultivators deliberately kept their distance and walked around it.

"It feels like a bustling city street..." Dongfang Lieming said softly, "but it's also a bit too deserted."

The Xingfeng Market was actually quite similar, but at least everyone there was dressed smartly and looked radiant. Compared to the disheveled, dusty, and grimy appearance of the other day, it was much better. Now, it felt like the mundane world, and in a remote and desolate place at that. People seemed indifferent, and everyone was walking several feet apart.

Although located in a market town, it was not bustling with activity.

The spiritual items on some stalls along the way caught Dongfang Jianming's eye; the spiritual energy of those items was so strong that they must be treasures!

"Senior Brother Chen..." Dongfang Jianming began to inquire telepathically.

Chen Guang simply shook his head. Without even opening his clear spiritual eyes, he could conclude from his experience that these spiritual energies were scattered and unconvincing, heavy but insubstantial, and were deliberately crafted "bait." In fact, because they were so crude, even if those rogue cultivators went to buy something from a stall, they would avoid such stalls.

Instead, Dongfang Jianming fell into the trap?

They didn't find a relatively grand shop to rest for a while until they reached the center of the market. This was the property of the group of Qi Refining Perfection cultivators at the very top of the Caojie Shaoluo. It was certain that the prices of all services were inflated, but it was safe and regulated.

Upon seeing the Red Blood Horse, the restaurant owner naturally treated the three to a warm welcome, offering them the best seats and serving them a continuous stream of food and wine, boasting that it was "fine cuisine."

These foods touted as "fine cuisine" are actually just a gimmick. Even Xingfeng Market can't guarantee that every dish is made by gourmets. The food here is simply made by processing ingredients in a simple way. It's just that the ingredients are fresh because it's close to the Endless Wilderness. But Dongfang Jianming still had high expectations for this, which made Chen Guang's meal very puzzling.

……

In another brightly lit house in the central area of ​​the Grass Knot Shooting Village, an old man dressed in a black short robe stared intently at the flat, round stone spirit object in the stove before him. He continuously poured his magic power into it, making hand seals that were dazzling to behold. After a while, a wisp of purple flame emerged from the crack in the stone and began to burn on its own. Only then did the old man breathe a sigh of relief and turn his head to look behind him.

Inside the dimly lit room, six monks, young and old, dressed in earthen-yellow undershirts, moved only slightly, their shadows trailing in the firelight. A corpse lay on the ground, a five-foot-long greatsword beside it. Only upon close inspection could one see a tiny needle mark on its chest, a burn scar.

"Alas, the years are not good."

The old man sighed and lowered his head, making the six kneeling monks even more nervous.

"The fire in the Purple Stone Furnace has gone out, and Sword Seventeen has also broken. This is not a good omen."

The old man waved his hand, and the longsword beside the corpse trembled twice before flying into his hand. His fingers traced every mark on the blade, but his eyes remained fixed on the single wound on the corpse's chest. After a long while, he finally couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Have you offended the people of the Thirteen Mountains?"

"Thirteen Mountains?"

Several Ji Mingzan looked at each other, and the eldest among them crawled forward two steps: "Elder, the Seventeenth Lord was defeated by three young men. We saw that their cultivation levels were not high, but they were riding the Crimson Blood Horse of the Qingheng Sect. We thought that, like the Twenty-Third Lord of Sword last time, they had encountered a lucky person who had received the favor of the Qingheng Sect, and we thought we could make a fortune. Elder, you know that the annual reward requested by the higher-ups has been received for thirty years, and it is still increasing every year. It is said to be thirty years, but in fact it is seventy or eighty years. We have no choice but to accept it, Elder."

The eldest, Ji Mingzan, wept uncontrollably, and those behind him were also all teary-eyed, their shoulders trembling.

The old man did not get angry as usual, but the wrinkles on his face suddenly appeared on his forehead.

They only saw that Jian Twenty-Three had made a fortune, but they didn't know that Jian Twenty-Three had already been executed, and that he had also caused the death of a Supreme Elder hiding in the Endless Wilderness, all because he had robbed Qing Heng's reward.

This is how the Qingheng Sect always acts. Killing a member of their family will certainly bring many difficulties, but taking away something that their family has given as a reward to others will result in immediate and swift punishment.

The Supreme Elder of the Precious Sword Sect had been hiding very carefully, but he was still easily found and killed like a chicken or a dog.

The reason this matter was kept so secret is that Jian Twenty-Three was still a smart man; he only injured people and robbed them of their wealth, without causing any deaths. Therefore, the Qingheng Sect was merely making an example of him.

This chicken is just too fat; it's one of the three chickens in the house that can lay eggs.

Even though the old man looked down on the title "Supreme Elder," a respectful term that even Qing Heng dared not use, the Sword Sect, with its utterly worthless members, used it.

But after all, he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

The three Supreme Elders of the Precious Sword Sect appear respectable to outsiders, but the elders know that two of them have no connection to the sect. They are merely desperate outsiders who banded together for mutual support, receiving offerings and cultivation resources along the way. At least they were a source of support. Now, the one with the most "pure and upright lineage" has died, and the other two are ruthlessly exploiting the sect, clearly indicating their intention to seek refuge elsewhere. The Precious Sword Sect is now facing the same fate as it did thirty-seven years ago, leaderless and destined for a life of hardship.

When I was young, I had no way to cultivate, and I was extremely grateful to the Precious Sword Sect for helping me. Now, however, I am trying my best to sever ties with them.

The Qingheng Sect is someone you absolutely must not provoke.

The old man's gaze darkened, and some ruthless thoughts flashed through his mind.

"If that's the case, then it might be Qingheng's men," the old man said slowly. "You've caused trouble, so you should go somewhere else as soon as possible. It's not safe here at Caojie Sentry Village. I heard there's a new swordsman at Qiutang Sentry Village. Go there and ask him. It's close to the Southern Sects, and although there are many rules there, they're not strict. The only thing you need to be wary of is the people from the Thirteen Mountains. It's a bit far, so set off soon."

Ji Mingzan and his men were even more terrified. Qiutang Shaoluo was not just far away, it was already tens of thousands of miles away.

However, this is the core of the Precious Sword Sect, the "Skillful Furnace." The forging of the Precious Light Sword is entirely dependent on the skill of the Skillful Furnace, who is an elder within the sect, second only to the "Transmission of Skill."

Whether they wanted to or not, they had to listen, so they could only try to find out: "Elder, what are the Thirteen Mountains?"

The old man explained, "They're just as famous as my Treasure Sword Sect. They occupy thirteen desolate mountains in the wilderness and are skilled in using thirteen kinds of unorthodox techniques, including hooks, forks, throwing knives, flying swords, flying needles, and poison beads. Each mountain has its own weapon. Not many people use flying needles, but their sect is one of the most famous. That's why I was mistaken just now."

"This cultivator prefers ambush and sneak attacks, and is especially skilled in the five elements of poison. Now is probably the time when they are changing their mountain, and people are restless. Most of them have switched to fire poison. This poison is fierce and good for fighting. If you can't defend against it, there will often be trouble. Be careful."

"How come Qingheng's disciple also uses fire poison?" Ji Mingzan and the others continued to ask.

The old man refused to answer further. A single flying needle had annihilated the person; what was the point of poison? In the hands of a master, fire poison was always an aftereffect, not a deliberate poisoning. It was mostly the poison of intense fire, causing pain and injury. It came on quickly, and if one could withstand the initial burst of toxicity, the pain would gradually wear off with time and healing, causing no major harm to the body or mind. If one couldn't withstand it, one would be seriously injured or even die on the spot. The Thirteen Mountains Ritual Poison Technique was actually a poor choice when the power of the weapon was weak, which was why they studied fire poison.

With a wave of his hand, a wisp of purple flame floated out from the alchemy furnace, spreading across the ground and instantly burning the corpse to ashes. A faint smell of burning wafted over, and the figures that had just been lying between each other were now just a ring of charred marks. Ji Mingzan understood immediately, hurriedly kowtowing several times before stumbling away.

The old man was in no hurry. He continued to watch the purple flames in the furnace and slowly nurtured them with his magic. Sure enough, half an hour later, a young man with his hair tied up and carrying a long sword rushed in and knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Elder, my elder brother—"

"Shut up!" The old man, his back to the boy, spoke in a booming voice that startled the latter before he calmed down and said, "Your kung fu isn't up to par yet. Instead of practicing, what are you doing here?"

The boy was not intimidated: "I must avenge my elder brother! Please, elder, show me the way!"

After saying that, he kowtowed three times with a loud "bang, bang, bang".

"Take him away and lock him in the 'earthen urn' for three days to sober him up," the elder said coldly. Immediately, two guards emerged from the shadows. They were tall and strong, and the boy dared not resist, but he kept calling out to the elder. After a long while, the sound finally stopped from a great distance.

"This Sword Sect is getting harder and harder to stay in. Those above want to leave, while those below are all looking for death. I'm just a skilled craftsman, obediently forging weapons here. Forget about passing on my skills; even the Supreme Elders have to coax me. But if I leave this place and join another sect, these guys who serve me like servants will kill their false master."

Refining artifacts is a true skill. When a rogue cultivator was learning it, he didn't care about so many things. This disdain often comes after one has acquired the artifact. Thinking this, the old man's hand brushed over the storage artifact, clenched into a fist, and his fingertips groped for a jade ring with tea leaf patterns. Looking at the flame in the purple stone furnace that could melt metal and stone, he still couldn't make up his mind.

This is because it represents the olive branch of the Dongfang clan.

He had long wanted to leave the Precious Sword Sect.