txolops Chapter 289 The Joyous Union Sect, Awakening
Chapter 289 The Joyous Union Sect, Awakening
Let reading always be a chapter faster than others.
"Where should one practice spiritual cultivation?"
After asking the question, Old Monster Chi Lei stared at Li Ping intently, waiting for his answer.
The cultivation world in the Western Wilderness is not large, with only about a hundred Core Formation True Immortals in total, each of whom has a name and surname.
Suddenly, Li Jingyu appeared, and Old Monster Chi Lei was also very curious about his origins.
Li Ping merely smiled, not directly answering the question: "Oh? What? Does entering the Donghua Mountain market require a confession of one's entire life? I had no idea such a rule existed."
As a Core Formation True Person, although Old Monster Chi Lei was famous, the two were basically on the same level in terms of identity, status, and strength. Li Ping naturally had no need to admit defeat in front of him.
After all, this wasn't a fight over treasure, and he believed that Old Monster Crimson Thunder wouldn't attack him just because he didn't reveal his origins.
As a Core Formation cultivator who has lived for hundreds of years, and especially since True Person Chi Lei was originally a rogue cultivator, he could not possibly be a reckless person.
As expected, upon hearing Li Ping's words, which were soft yet barbed, Old Monster Chi Lei was taken aback for a moment, then smiled apologetically: "I was being presumptuous. Of course, there is no such rule in the market. I was just curious. It's alright if Fellow Daoist Li doesn't want to say."
"I see. Then there's no harm in telling Fellow Daoist Chi Lei." Li Ping nodded. "Like Fellow Daoist Chi Lei, I also come from a humble background as a rogue cultivator."
He then changed the subject: "But Fellow Daoist Chi Lei, now that you're in Donghua Mountain Market, could it be that you've joined some sect?"
"So Fellow Daoist Li is also a fellow rogue cultivator. My apologies for my rudeness!" Old Monster Chi Lei couldn't help but show a look of surprise when he heard Li Ping say that he was a rogue cultivator.
As a fellow rogue cultivator, he knew just how difficult it was for rogue cultivators to form their core.
He possessed a mutated spiritual root of the lightning attribute. Back then, he went through countless hardships and paid a heavy price to borrow a third-tier spiritual vein in order to successfully form his core.
The Fellow Daoist Li before us, who was able to achieve the Golden Core Dao as a rogue cultivator, must have extraordinary abilities and should not be underestimated.
He then gave a detailed explanation in response to Li Ping's subsequent question.
It turns out that he had not joined any sect, but was instead employed at a high price by the Donghua Mountain Market to maintain order in the market.
At this point, Old Monster Chi Lei couldn't help but sigh, "When I was young, I naturally couldn't do these chores. But now that I'm getting old, I have to plan for the younger generation of the family. I have no choice but to swallow my pride and do these things so that I can leave some resources for them."
Li Ping nodded in sudden realization, without commenting on his actions.
Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect.
Let alone Old Monster Chi Lei, even he himself bestowed many resources upon Yan Hengchuan and other younger generations.
Of course, with his lifespan nearing its end, Old Monster Crimson Thunder could only place his hopes on the younger generation of his family.
For him, the most important thing is his own self-cultivation; everything else has to wait.
When talking about the younger generation of his family, Old Monster Chi Lei's eyes softened a bit. He smiled and said, "By the way, Fellow Daoist Li, if you need anything while you're here to trade in the market, feel free to ask. I have some influence in the market."
Upon hearing this, Li Ping couldn't help but give him a strange look.
The Crimson Thunder Old Monster, who ventured into the Western Wilderness cultivation world as a rogue cultivator, acted recklessly and frequently made threats.
But after establishing his family, he actually took the initiative to offer help to Li Ping to build up goodwill.
Indeed, at any time, children are a person's greatest weakness.
Thinking of this, Li Ping smiled and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Speaking of which, I do have something I'd like to ask you for help with."
As he spoke, he mentioned his need for third-grade spiritual materials and asked Daoist Chi Lei to recommend a place where he could purchase such materials.
"A third-tier spiritual material?"
Upon hearing that Li Ping had come to Donghua Mountain for this very reason, Old Monster Chi Lei nodded slightly in surprise.
For a Core Formation cultivator, only spiritual objects of the third rank or higher are worth their personal attention.
He smiled and said, "To be honest, Fellow Daoist Li, almost all the shops in this Donghua Mountain market were opened by fellow cultivators at the Core Formation stage, and most of the third-tier spiritual materials traded have ended up in our hands."
Li Ping nodded. He had encountered this problem when he first came to Donghua Mountain nearly a hundred years ago, wanting to purchase a thousand-year-old spiritual herb and a third-tier spiritual fire.
Before coming here, he guessed the situation would be similar.
That's why he ignored the low-level cultivators who were crowding around him when he was in the market.
If he wanted spiritual items of the third rank or higher, his only option was to trade with other Core Formation cultivators.
Li Ping still possesses many precious treasures, such as a thousand-year-old spiritual herb, a thousand-year-old demon-attracting grass, and two Qi-condensing pills, all of which are third-tier items.
If someone needs it, exchanging it for a third-tier spiritual item with water or fire attributes is no problem.
The only problem is that Li Ping is not familiar with the situation in Donghua Mountain and doesn't know who has the corresponding spiritual items; otherwise, he could go directly to them to trade.
"I have come to Donghua Mountain this time hoping to exchange some spiritual materials with you fellow Daoists," Li Ping said with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Chi Lei, do you have any guidance for me?"
"I dare not presume to offer guidance," Old Monster Chi Lei waved his hand.
"However, I must say that Fellow Daoist Li, your arrival is quite timely. In six months, the righteous and demonic paths will jointly hold a grand auction at Donghua Mountain. Perhaps the items you need will appear at the auction."
At this point, Old Monster Chi Lei glanced at Li Ping and, seeing that his expression remained unchanged, continued, "Furthermore, after the auction, the Core Formation cultivators who came to participate in the auction will organize a small-scale exchange to share what they have."
Therefore, even if you don't manage to buy your desired item at the auction, you'll most likely get it when the exchange event starts.
After speaking, Old Monster Crimson Thunder took out a bronze token from his storage bag and placed it on the table: "As an elder of the town, I am qualified to issue an invitation. This token is the entry token for the auction and exchange fair. With this token, you can participate in the auction and exchange fair."
"Six months?" Li Ping frowned slightly.
He originally planned to obtain the spiritual items he needed in a short time and then leave Donghua Mountain Market.
After all, he killed Hua Hong seventy years ago. If the matter were exposed, he might have to face the pursuit of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator.
So he didn't want to stay outside for too long.
After a moment's thought, he accepted the token: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Chi Lei."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Li Ping got up to take his leave, and Old Monster Chi Lei also got up to see him off.
However, before leaving, his gaze seemed to casually sweep over the side room not far away.
After Li Ping left, the smile on Old Monster Chi Lei's face gradually disappeared.
At that moment, the door to the side room was pushed open, and a woman with a slender waist, a charming figure, and a light veil on her head walked out.
The woman looked at Li Ping with a slightly strange gaze: "Senior Brother Chi Lei, this person seems to have only recently formed his core. If we join forces, are we confident we can take him down? Judging from what he said, he seems to be quite wealthy."
At this point, the woman licked her lips, her gaze turning sinister like that of a venomous snake.
Old Monster Chi Lei glanced down at the untouched spirit tea on the table and shook his head: "This Fellow Daoist Li is very cautious and not so easy to deal with."
Seeing that the woman was about to speak again, he explained, "This person's spiritual pressure is indeed from someone who has only recently formed his core, but his aura is calm and long, indicating that he has already stabilized his realm."
Moreover... during our conversation just now, I secretly used the 'Treasure Refining Technique' to sense that there was a faint aura of a magic weapon emanating from his body, indicating that he had already refined the magic weapon.
Once a Core Formation cultivator possesses a magical treasure, their combat power increases dramatically, and this should not be taken lightly.
The woman was somewhat taken aback: "He already possesses a natal magic weapon? I thought his trip was to search for spiritual materials to refine a magic weapon."
"It's hard to say. Perhaps the magic weapon within him was inherited from someone else, rather than being his own natal magic weapon," Old Monster Crimson Thunder shook his head and said uncertainly.
The woman seemed to understand something: "That makes sense."
"By the way, Junior Sister Zhou, I think that Fellow Daoist Li's attitude is a bit off. Could it be that he discovered you?" Thinking of Li Ping's seemingly unintentional glance when he left, Old Monster Chi Lei's expression turned somewhat ugly.
Upon hearing this, the woman couldn't help but chuckle: "Senior Brother Chi Lei, you're overthinking it. Although my strength is not as great as yours, my cultivation technique excels at concealing my aura. Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator can't detect me, let alone a mere early-stage Core Formation cultivator like him."
"That's good." Old Monster Crimson Thunder nodded, then changed the subject, "That matter concerning my sect..."
The two ignored Li Ping and started talking about other things, but their voices grew softer and softer until they were barely audible.
……
"Interesting. The person hiding in Old Monster Chi Lei's side room, if I'm not mistaken, is Zhou Lingyan, the Supreme Elder of the Hehuan Sect. Why is she here? Could it be that she and Old Monster Chi Lei are having an affair?"
After leaving the Crimson Thunder Monster's cave, Li Ping's expression immediately darkened: "Or is it that she came specifically for me?"
Silently pondering this, Li Ping made up his mind to stay away from Old Monster Chi Lei from now on.
He also doesn't plan to attend the semi-annual auction and exchange meeting.
If Old Monster Crimson Thunder really intends to deal with him, six months of preparation is enough time for him to lay a trap, leaving him with no way to escape...
Upon realizing that Old Monster Chi Lei might be colluding with the Hehuan Sect, one of the four major sects of the demonic path, Li Ping couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"Thinking about it carefully, I don't need to rush to master the third-order array. I can just crawl through a dog hole; no one will see me."
"Let's go now, return to Jiang Kingdom to cultivate the Nine Tribulations True Spirit Secret Manual to the Core Formation stage, refine a natal magic weapon for the second Golden Core, and refine a third-tier puppet. After I have enough strength, I will deal with the teleportation array and the inheritance of the array path."
With that thought in mind, Li Ping no longer hesitated.
Before the Crimson Thunder Monster could react, he immediately used his escape light to fly towards the array gate.
After leaving Donghua Mountain, he found a river and threw the token that the Crimson Thunder Monster had given him into it without hesitation.
In the following days, Li Ping quickly left the State of Qi.
He only breathed a sigh of relief after entering the territory of the Jiang Kingdom and realizing that no one was chasing him.