Wine Immortal Town, the rear mountain.
This was by no means a tranquil, picturesque place. Rounding a mountain bend revealed a vast slope overgrown with wild grass, crowded with crooked, leaning steles and tablets. Whenever the mountain wind blew, withered leaves rustled in a scene of bleak desolation.
In the stone cliff on the slope’s western side, a pitch-black cavern gaped wide enough to admit three or four people abreast, its depths plunging out of sight. A sinister wind howled from within, hiding who knew what.
Several dozen zhang from the cavern stood a solitary house.
Calling it a house was generous; only its bare frame remained. Half of its earthen walls had collapsed, few tiles lingered on the roof, and daylight filtered through sparse rows of rafters.
One person, one leopard, and one old ape lingered in the dilapidated courtyard, a cart used for hauling corpses set off to the side.
At that moment, they circled a wooden door laid flat. Atop it lay a man—none other than Zhang Laosan, whose soul had been largely devoured by ghosts.
The red-furred old ape looked down at Zhang Laosan and asked, “Well? Have you made up your mind?
“Holding your soul together until now is the absolute limit of what Yuan can do. Once tonight passes, your soul can only scatter into nothingness.”
Shen Yunfei and Zhou Cang looked on in silence. The old ape continued:
“The death qi clinging to me must be transferred. If you draw it away and let your soul enter Yuan’s body, we can share this existence as one.
“What is there to hesitate over? If you refuse, your soul will drift free and be dissolved by the heaven and earth in an instant, leaving you just as dead. But if you merge with Yuan, we can roam the world together at our leisure, far better than spending the first half of your life scurrying like a rat in some petty sect.”
After a period of silence, the old ape received a response from Zhang Laosan’s frail, flickering spirit. His ape eyes lit up.
He immediately lay atop the door board, pressing against Zhang Laosan’s body. A dense mass of red fur enveloped them, weaving into a thick cocoon. Some time later... the old ape broke out from the cocoon.
He still bore the form of an ape, but with a flash of red light across his body, he transformed into Zhang Laosan; another flash of red, and he became the old ape once more. In the blink of an eye, the death qi clinging to him had vanished without a trace.
As for the Zhang Laosan who had been lying on the door, he had been entirely devoured by countless illusory, death-qi-laden gray bugs.
“Are you Instructor Yuan, or Zhang Laosan?”
Shen Yunfei was deeply wary. He could sense that the ape had changed, and he wondered if Zhang Laosan had been duped. And yet...
The old ape remained entirely solemn, replying sternly, “From this day forward, I am Yuan Laosan.”
His tone carried the blended mannerisms of both Zhang Laosan and Instructor Yuan.
Soon after, the old ape seemed to inherit certain dispositions from Zhang Laosan, and the image of a youth clad in green kept appearing in his mind, filling him with profound dread. It felt as though whenever anything concerned this youth, his instinct was to flee a thousand li to steer clear of him.
Ever since Zhang Laosan had arrived in Pingyuan Commandery City, crossing paths with Qin Xuan had brought him nothing but misfortune.
Once, twice, thrice, four times—each worse than the last, until he was thoroughly terrified.
Now that the old ape had merged with Zhang Laosan, merely thinking of Qin Xuan filled his heart with taboo and dread.
He thus told Shen Yunfei and the leopard, Zhou Cang, “From now on, don't go scheming after that Qin Xuan's immortal cowries.”
Zhou Cang was utterly speechless. Put that way, it made it sound as though they had ever succeeded in conning a single cowrie from Qin Xuan in the first place.
Seeing the old ape like this, Shen Yunfei felt considerably reassured.
For one thing, the old ape did not seem to have deceived Zhang Laosan—he had not devoured the soul, but merged with it. For another... Shen Yunfei had never wanted to provoke Qin Xuan again anyway.
A look of hope surfaced on Zhou Cang’s leopard face. “Fellow Daoist Yuan, do you know of a way to guide me back into a human body?”
“Why bother turning back into a human?”
Yuan Laosan sneered. “Occupying this leopard’s body is ideal for cultivating demon arts. I happen to know numerous secret tomes of the demon clans. Under my guidance, you could very well become a great power among demons.”
He then turned to Shen Yunfei. “You shouldn't return to Guanjiang Mountain to run errands for others, either. Years ago, a god of pestilence wrought havoc in Western Aparagodaniya before being slain by the Western Religion. I possess that pestilence god’s cultivation methods. Why endure humiliation when you can roam free with me?”
Shen Yunfei and Zhou Cang hesitated.
They had struggled through so much and performed tasks for Lai Jing precisely in pursuit of Dao affinities and opportunities. Hearing the old ape’s words now, their hearts stirred powerfully.
Yet after dealing with this ape over the past two months, they were well-accustomed to his swindles and deceptions. Perhaps he was merely spinning wild lies again.
Just as they were about to discuss it further, a commotion suddenly sounded in the distance.
Rushing out to look, they saw Elder Ji An, eyes blood-red, sprinting toward the mountain and plunging straight into the bottomless black cavern on the western cliff.
“It’s Elder Ji! He... he's succumbed to the demonic!” Shock filled Zhou Cang’s leopard face.
The old ape saw through the truth at once. “He couldn't withstand the dao arena's tribulation power, so succumbing to the demonic was inevitable.”
Shen Yunfei looked toward the cavern and asked, “What lies beneath that cave?”
“The Tomb of the Prince of Pingyuan lies below,” the old ape answered.
Shen Yunfei and Zhou Cang were stunned. They had never expected that the Tomb of the Prince of Pingyuan, which the outside world was desperately seeking, was actually located right inside the Ascension Ground.
Man and leopard exchanged a glance, then turned back to the old ape.
Previously, no matter how they asked, he had refused to speak. Yet today he had made an exception, revealing secrets to them.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Zhou Cang asked, “How did the Prince of Pingyuan's tomb end up here? When did it happen?”
The old ape grinned, pulling back his lips. “Yuan actually knows.
“The Wine Immortal originally needed quiet recuperation and would not move his dao arena lightly. But three thousand years ago, someone departed this place bearing Dao profundities. Not long after, the Wine Immortal brought the Tomb of the Prince of Pingyuan into the dao arena.
“I remember it clearly.
“Many people died during that period. That dense cluster of graves to the south was established back then.”
Shen Yunfei and Zhou Cang looked over; indeed, a massive, crowded graveyard lay to the south.
They marvelled that the old ape had personally experienced events from so long ago and was now recounting them so casually.
“Fellow Daoist Yuan, just how long have you been here?”
“A very, very long time...”
The old ape’s eyes turned cloudy. Suddenly thinking of something, he chuckled. “Yuan might be unlucky, but there's an even unluckier wretch in this place.
“That fellow originally ascended from the three thousand minor worlds. Yet the moment he entered the Nine Provinces, he barged straight into a mining area belonging to a great sect in Zhongzhou and was captured to dig ore. After mining for an entire sexagenary cycle, just as he was about to be released, he accidentally stepped into a spatial sinkhole, was displaced through the void, and landed in this dao arena.
“It’s utterly hilarious. Since ascending, he has stayed underground the entire time. He has never once laid eyes on the clouds, skies, or constellations of the Nine Provinces—he doesn't even know what the surface looks like.”
Hearing this, Shen Yunfei and Zhou Cang found it amusing at first, but then looked up mournfully at the sky of this minor world. “And when will we ever be able to leave this place?”
“Rest assured.”
Seeing their bewildered looks, Yuan Laosan spoke without riddles: “In this dao arena, aside from the Wine Immortal himself, no one has been here longer than Yuan.
“The person who obtained the Dao profundities three thousand years ago proved of immense help to the Wine Immortal. Now that he has brought your batch in, Yuan expects the Wine Immortal is not far from complete success.
“If you understand wine brewing, you might as well give it a try. If you earn that favor, it could prove immensely useful to us in the future.”
Shen Yunfei shook his head, and the leopard beside him did the same. Neither of them understood the first thing about brewing wine.
Yet neither was foolish; they could tell the old ape was full of confidence, which was why he had chosen this very moment to merge with Zhang Laosan and purge his death qi, while promising to lead them in roaming heaven and earth.
The two fell silent for a while, exchanged another look, and finally reached a decision.
Shen Yunfei asked, “Should we take Fellow Daoist Yuan as our master?”
“No need for master and disciple,” the old ape said with a shrug and a grin. “I shall pass you secret arts, but we shall remain fellow Daoists. In the future, we will support one another, forge a grand path, and make our mark upon the wider world.”
Though Zhou Cang and Shen Yunfei harbored lingering reservations, their minds were stirred. With a soft sigh, they bowed to the old ape.
They had boarded this pirate ship.
“Fellow Daoist Yuan!”
The old ape returned the courtesy. “Fellow Daoist Zhou, Fellow Daoist Shen!”
***
Qin Xuan was in no hurry to leave Wine Immortal Tower, keeping a close eye on the remaining brewers.
Captain Lu, Monk Jin Guan, and Mountain God Tan all managed to obtain middling evaluations from Lady Soul Snatcher, escaping unharmed.
Near midday, four people in succession received inferior evaluations. Amid horrified gazes, tribulation qi settled upon them.
Among them were two wicked monks from Liangfeng Temple.
Monk Jin Guan’s expression darkened as well. These two were branch heads within the temple, their cultivation barely inferior to his own. Yet their wine had been abysmal, and Lady Soul Snatcher dared not gamble with her own life.
Unlike Ji An and Xiang Bin, these four did not descend into madness. They merely slunk out of Wine Immortal Tower with faces shrouded in black qi, utterly dejected. Though still alive, they were scarcely different from corpses.
According to the rules circulating in town, once tribulation qi clung to a person, the night monsters would no longer knock; they would push the door right open and come in to devour their souls.
As Monk Jin Guan and Mountain God Tan departed, they brushed past Qin Xuan.
Qin Xuan paid them no heed. Once the wine tasting concluded, he sought out the old steward, Chang Qing. “Senior, may I speak with the wine tasters here?”
Perhaps because Qin Xuan had brewed superior wine, the old man maintained a warm, genial smile. “Little Friend Qin, as long as they are willing to speak with you, of course you may. However, aside from the days every two months when wine is delivered, you must not come here at other times.”
Qin Xuan committed this to memory.
The old man added, “You possess quite a few immortal cowries now. You might want to visit the Pavilion of Hidden Treasures below and see the Wine Immortal’s collection.”
He pointed toward a two-story building below. Just then, approaching footsteps were heard.
Seeing the newcomer, a subtle shift occurred in the depths of the old man’s gaze. Without waiting for Qin Xuan’s reply, he walked away.
“Little Friend Qin.”
The newcomer offered a dry chuckle, trying his best to appear humble as though seeking to befriend Qin Xuan, yet the long-accumulated arrogance beneath his skin could not be entirely hidden.
He wore an opulent python robe, the imperious air beneath his triangular eyes slightly restrained.
“This old man is Murong Sheng, Prince of Longhe Commandery of Great Yan.”
With his cultivation suppressed, Murong Sheng feared Qin Xuan lacked discernment and announced his identity right away.
This old fellow had been incomparably arrogant outside the prince’s tomb, so how could Qin Xuan fail to recognize him? There was no need to offend him now, so Qin Xuan smiled and said, “I have long heard of Senior’s illustrious name. Seeing you today, you are indeed towering and prominent, displaying full immortal grace.”
Beside him, Guanghan Fairy trembled slightly as she heard him spout such flattery on the spot, biting back a laugh and turning her head aside.
Accustomed to being fawned over, Murong Sheng found Qin Xuan’s words quite pleasing.
He came straight to the point: “Little Friend Qin, could you disclose your brewing method? This old man will certainly not treat you shabbily.”
After a brief hesitation, Qin Xuan spoke. Aside from withholding the use of hawthorn berries and soaking the fruits in spiritual water, he shared all the other details.
“Just this much?”
“Indeed, not a single word of falsehood.”
Murong Sheng pondered briefly, then tapped his myriad-treasure pouch. A single Mingqi Pill flew into Qin Xuan’s palm.
Foundation Establishment cultivators absorbed the vital qi of the five directions and five phases. A Mingqi Pill was an elixir infused with the qi of western brightstone. Had the old man offered a gourd full, Qin Xuan might have felt indebted to him.
Yet offering just a single pill—it was baffling how a commandery prince of Longhe could bring himself to present such a pittance.
“Many thanks.”
Qin Xuan voiced his gratitude, sparing the old fellow’s pride.
Murong Sheng then looked toward Ji Qingni. “Little Friend, why not wash some spirit fruits for this old man as well?”
“That won't do, Senior Murong.”
Ji Qingni produced her bronze medallion. “The steward arranged for me to wash spirit fruits exclusively for Little Sword Immortal Qin.”
Murong Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he looked back at Qin Xuan. “Little Friend Qin has just acquired a sizable fortune. Could you lend this old man a hundred immortal cowries first? I can trade you a defensive treasure, and once we leave this place and reach my Longhe Commandery, this old man will bestow other benefits upon you.”
Qin Xuan shook his head helplessly. “Senior Murong, Senior Jin Tu of Guanjiang Mountain’s Luogu Peak also needs immortal cowries, and I have already promised them to him. Thus, I have no surplus to lend.”
At the mention of Jin Tu, anger flared across Murong Sheng’s face.
His cultivation was inferior to Jin Tu’s, and Jin Tu was a reckless madman who fought without regard for his life—a fact Murong Sheng had already learned firsthand in Pingyuan City.
Though displeasure rose within him, he did not dare provoke someone associated with Guanjiang Mountain’s brutish crowd. With a flick of his python robe, he strode far away.
“Little Sword Immortal Qin, are you angry after being shaken down by a senior figure?”
Ji Qingni stepped forward with a smile, unfurling her small folding fan and waving it twice beside Qin Xuan, as if using the cool breeze to fan away his ire.
“Not at all. I never hold grudges.”
“Still, was what you just said true?” Qin Xuan pointed at her bronze medallion.
Ji Qingni shook her head. “Of course I lied to him.
“Washing fruits for him through all that trouble only to get a single Mingqi Pill in return? How could that compare to the bright future of following Little Sword Immortal Qin? The immortal cowries I've earned are practically more than I can spend.”
Speaking of immortal cowries reminded Qin Xuan of the white crane.
He Wushuang was not normally reckless, so where had it gotten such boldness? After a few more casual words with her, Qin Xuan headed into Wine Immortal Tower to find the master wine taster, the white crane.
Having received permission from the old steward, Qin Xuan entered the tower and asked around, eventually finding the white crane in a courtyard behind the first floor. The crane had imbibed a fair amount of wine.
The moment the two pushed open the courtyard gate, they saw it gliding airily around the yard, chanting to itself: “Shaping the frame until crane-like it grows; drinking immortal wine, light as a feather one goes.”
Reaching this line and spotting Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni at the entrance, it circled twice more and drawled leisurely, “The romance sword immortal speaks of romance; the charming fairy feels her mortal heart stir.”
Qin Xuan buried his face in his hand, introducing it with some difficulty: “This is my good friend, Brother Crane. Once an exotic beast of the mountains and seas, now fallen upon hard times—a drunken crane.”
Ji Qingni praised, “Your crane friend certainly has an impressive tolerance for wine.”
Even as she spoke, the fluttering of wings sounded from the air, and the drunken crane tumbled down.
Qin Xuan stepped forward and poured nearly half a gourd of spiritual water down its throat in a rescue effort, helping it sober up considerably.
Guessing his purpose, the white crane spoke plainly:
“Zihou, this crane originally intended to give you a middling evaluation just to let you slip by.
“However, the wine you brewed closely matched the Wine Immortal’s preferences as I understand them, and it carried an indescribable, delicate fragrance. Such wine hasn't appeared in this dao arena for many years. I was certain the Wine Immortal’s evaluation wouldn't be poor.”
So that was why.
The white crane was a veteran drunkard; Qin Xuan trusted its tasting abilities.
“Do you have any suggestions?”
“It’s lacking a touch of flavor.”
“What flavor?”
The white crane went silent for a long time, racking its brains as it paced the yard. Nearly half an hour passed before it finally found the words.
“Zihou, this crane loves your wine because it reminds me of Yudu. And in the Wine Immortal’s heart, there is also a Yudu.”
The crane gazed up at the sky. As a fellow drinker, it felt an overwhelming wave of melancholy.
“This crane wishes to return to my ancestral home of Yudu, and there remains hope for the future. Yet the Yudu in the Wine Immortal’s heart seems beyond return. From primeval antiquity to the present, across countless ages, that original tiny plot of land in his heart has become impossible to trace.”
The white crane spread its wings and suddenly shouted:
“Senior Wine Immortal, so you too are searching for that elusive, fleeting longing! We... are the same!”
To the astonishment of Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni—
A beam of immortal light flashed past, descending squarely upon the white crane.
At that moment, the white crane, just like Master Bear before it, began glowing all over, evoking the feeling of “White feathers like frost bathed in immortal spirit, no longer roosting on mortal branches.”
Gazing at the white crane, Fairy Ji couldn't help but remark, “Displaying full immortal grace.”
Qin Xuan chimed in, “Towering and prominent.”
The Ascension Ground had responded to the white crane’s words, which was equivalent to telling Qin Xuan that this direction was correct.
At the courtyard gate, the two withdrew their gazes from the crane and exchanged a look of mutual understanding.
Youzhou, the homeland, the Heart Lake Sea...
These were the demonic obsessions within the spotted Spanish mackerel, and the Wine Immortal’s delusions as well.
Combining the words of the white crane and Master Bear,
Fairy Ji sighed, “The great tribulation once caused Senior Wine Immortal to lose his way. He wishes to trace back along the river of time to find his true self.”
Qin Xuan also lamented:
“After such endless ages, Senior Wine Immortal seeks his ancestral land, hoping to hear the echoes from when he first embarked upon the Dao.”
Having spoken, the two waited for a response from the Ascension Ground, hoping to intercept a beam of immortal light of their own. Yet the Ascension Ground made no reply.
They waited a while longer, but still no benefits came.
The white crane and Master Bear had spoken from genuine sentiment, whereas the two of them were merely trying to game the system.
Qin Xuan comforted himself: missing out on a benefit was no great matter. He already had a lead.
Glancing toward the south of the town, he knew the Heart Lake Sea lay in that direction. The solitary island within that sea was likely the place buried deepest within the Wine Immortal’s heart.
Before long, the white crane, having gained substantial benefits, woke up.
“Brother Crane, have you seen Huaimin and the others?”
“Of course.”
The white crane pointed toward the rooms behind the yard. “They’re still asleep.”
“What?!”
Qin Xuan hurried over to check. On three straw mats in the room lay Zhao Huaimin, Daoist Wu, and Uncle Li, their eyes closed in deep slumber, completely devoid of any breath.
Had the white crane not appeared so composed, Qin Xuan would have burst into tears on the spot and run out to buy several coffins.
Could they really be fine without a single breath?
“Huaimin, Huaimin!”
Qin Xuan stepped forward and patted Zhao Huaimin’s cheek.
Huaimin showed no reaction. Qin Xuan thought for a moment, then shouted, “Zhao Huaimin, that girl from the Nangong clan has come looking for you!”
The slumbering Zhao Huaimin snapped awake, looked left and right, and upon seeing no one, lay back down and resumed his deep sleep.
Confirming he wasn't dead, Qin Xuan finally relaxed.
“What happened to them?”
Hearing this, the white crane said smugly:
“The moment the four of us arrived, we were all assigned to taste wine. Those three usually look dignified, but their tolerance is nowhere near mine, so they could only serve as my assistants.”
It then revealed the inner workings of the place.
As it turned out, Wine Immortal Tower already had its own brewers who constantly crafted wine.
Once the tasters entered this place and received knowledge imparted by the Wine Immortal, they began sampling the wine and offering critiques.
Qin Xuan looked at the three sleeping figures. “Still, that doesn't explain drinking themselves so senseless. Ji An seemed perfectly fine, didn't he?”
“Ji An’s cultivation is lacking, and his disposition is weak, so he couldn't extract many benefits from the wine.
“Of course, the benefits were only part of it. We guessed you would become a brewer and wanted to uncover the Wine Immortal’s tastes so you could find the right direction.
“Therefore, this crane remained sober the entire time...”
He Wushuang glanced at him. “In case your wine turned out terrible, I could have covered for you on an occasion like today.
“If a banquet opened where the Wine Immortal tasted each one personally, even this crane would have been helpless.”
“Good brother!” Moved, Qin Xuan gave the crane’s neck a firm hug.
“Hey, hey, hey, Qin Zihou, my neck’s about to snap!”
It squawked dramatically, then retrieved a thin booklet from the room.
“This is what we compiled while tasting wine.
“We only know how to drink, not brew. Everything rests on you now; otherwise, even if there's an immense fortuitous encounter here, it'll be useless if we can't carry it out.”
The white crane looked at Qin Xuan, its eyes seeming to say: *You are the hope of the entire village.*
“I will do my best.” Qin Xuan stowed away the wine-scented booklet.
Glancing at Ji Qingni, who was looking around the yard, the white crane whispered, “Not bad, Zihou. Where did you abduct another peerless fairy from?”
Qin Xuan rolled his eyes. “Fairy Ji is a good friend. Could you speak a little more politely?”
Seeing Ji Qingni look over, the white crane offered a friendly smile and said solemnly:
“Fairy Ji, the rumors circulating outside are entirely baseless. Zihou is as gentle as jade, a true gentleman. All that talk of romance is false; please do not misunderstand him based on idle gossip.
“This crane knows him well. His heart is pure, he blushes when meeting girls, and he is a truly innocent young sword immortal.”
Ji Qingni giggled uncontrollably.
Qin Xuan was lost for words. Isn't it a bit late to say all this now?
As the two left Wine Immortal Tower, Qin Xuan remarked, “Brother Crane is used to joking around with me like that. Please don't take it to heart, Fairy Ji.”
“Not at all. You two speak far more interestingly than people in the Ancient Immortal Province.”
Resting her chin on her folding fan, she said thoughtfully, “I have a friend who is somewhat guarded. Cold and aloof on the outside, she is always sentimental and sorrowful.”
Hearing this, Qin Xuan offered a suggestion:
“That’s simple enough. Brother Crane and I bonded over drinking. If we get out of here, bring back some of the Wine Immortal’s brew and get her thoroughly drunk. She’ll loosen up in no time.”
Ji Qingni felt it was unreliable. “A terrible idea.”
She then asked, “What do you plan to do next?”
Qin Xuan explained his thoughts in detail, first summarizing the anomalies that had appeared on the white crane and Master Bear, followed by the knowledge from Master Bear’s wine shop and the Wine Immortal Tower notes from the crane and Huaimin, combined with the delusions inside the fish.
“We definitely need to pick the fruit on the island.
“However, there's no rush right now. The opportunities in the Ascension Ground are tacitly permitted by the Wine Immortal, so I want to seize as many as possible.”
Ji Qingni looked toward the island in the lake. “I’ll accompany you.”
Qin Xuan smiled and nodded. He had plenty of enemies, and crossing the river would not be safe; with Chacha aiding him, things would be much more secure.
The two did not head south immediately.
Following the old man’s reminder, Qin Xuan made his way to the Pavilion of Hidden Treasures beneath Wine Immortal Tower.
The anticipated scene of myriad rare treasures laid out before them did not materialize. The shelves of the Pavilion of Hidden Treasures merely held a few antique objects.
The old steward, Chang Qing, sat behind the counter.
“Senior, might I ask where the Wine Immortal’s collection is kept?”
The old steward drew a divination cylinder from the cabinet. “You have fewer than five thousand immortal cowries. Looking at these will suffice.”
Within the cylinder were only four tallies, corresponding to magic treasures, cultivation methods, elixirs, and rare treasures.
The old steward explained:
“Ever since the Ascension Ground came into existence, the cultivators who perished here left behind many treasures, all of which the Wine Immortal placed here. Because they involve numerous heritages, the Wine Immortal neither inspects nor bestows them, allowing those in the Ascension Ground to claim them freely.”
Qin Xuan asked, “Is Senior Wine Immortal’s own heritage here?”
The old steward nodded. “It is.
“The Wine Immortal’s *Northern Mountain Yellow Millet Classic* is kept in another cylinder. It is a complete supreme Dao mental method, representing the path he once walked. If future generations follow this path, they will not stray; how far one can go depends entirely on talent.
“Within the Wine Immortal's classic are also numerous secret arts, such as the *Great Art of the Yellow Millet*, the *Everlasting Sorrow-Dispelling Sword Art*, and the *Drunken Immortal Moon-Ascending Steps*.
“Placed in any immortal mountain, they could establish a sect.”
Qin Xuan asked hastily, “How many immortal cowries does it require?”
“One million immortal cowries,” the old man calculated with a smile. “Actually, it isn't all that much. If you can brew superior wine every single time—six times a year—you could obtain the true Dao heritage in under six hundred years.
“A Golden Core cultivator can live for eight hundred years. Exchanging six hundred years for a supreme Dao art is already remarkably swift.”
The old man was right, but Qin Xuan had no desire to squander six hundred years here.
Ji Qingni picked up the rare treasure tally, while Qin Xuan selected the cultivation method tally.
Instantly, his consciousness felt as though it had entered a vast library. Unlike a mortal bookstore, scriptures and secret arts drifted through the air as ribbons of flowing light.
To his astonishment, he found quite a few Dao Sect arts here.
*Twenty-Eight Mansions Induction Art*, *Dipper Handle Returns to Yin*, *Southern Dipper Starlight Sword Qi*, *Five Dippers Star Formula*...
These arts actually originated from Qingyao Immortal Mountain in Zhongzhou!
It was said that when the Thirty-Three Heavens collapsed, a star fell there, giving rise to the Star Palace.
It was one of the four ancestral courts of the Dao Sect, a genuine supreme orthodox sect. These were merely foundational arts, yet each required upwards of four thousand immortal cowries.
Forget four thousand—even if offered for free, Qin Xuan would hardly dare practice them. The Wine Immortal truly possessed immense nerve...
A treasure light flew before Qin Xuan—a scroll inscribed with *Nine Palaces Guicang Sword*.
This was an esoteric technique from Zhongzhou, sharing roots with his Nine Palaces Shifting Formation Chart. However, it was also an incomplete fragment; otherwise, it would not have appeared in this cylinder. Even so, it cost three thousand immortal cowries.
He then saw the *Horse King Form*, *Divine Fish Form*, *Half-Lion Form*...
These were arts from the Thirty-Two Divine Forms of the Western Religion, each tied to weighty karmic bonds. Learning them would likely invite trouble from the Western Religion.
Qin Xuan browsed casually, his main purpose in seeking cultivation methods being to see if *Spring Tally and Autumn Lodgment* was present.
The Wine Immortal’s secret vault encompassed everything under the sun. Alas, it lacked Spring and Autumn.
After searching for a while, he ultimately gave up.
The old man reminded him, “No need to search blindly. Simply hold the thought in your mind, and the relevant collections will appear on their own.”
It worked like that?
Qin Xuan took the lesson to heart. Picking up the magic treasure tally, he thought of “flying swords”!
Instantly, several streaks of rainbow light swept before his eyes. There really were some!
An immortal flying sword was vastly different from a sword talisman.
Setting aside the spirit materials, an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator could not nurture a sword embryo even over an entire sexagenary cycle, let alone gather heavenly tiangang and earthly fiend qi for tempering—that was pure fantasy.
Even for a great Golden Core cultivator, spending decades of painstaking effort in burning and refining would yield only the most ordinary of flying swords.
Unless one specialized in swordsmanship, few would bother with such exertion, barring elders doting on favored juniors.
The flying swords appearing before Qin Xuan were each unique. Among them was a sword named Star Carp.
Its blade was heavy and edgeless; when it flew, it felt like a mountain hurtling forward. This sword cost three thousand immortal cowries!
There was also a broken flying sword with only half its blade remaining, forged entirely from profound ice, priced at one thousand immortal cowries.
While Qin Xuan was examining this profound ice sword, a flash of black light burst forth.
With a summon of his thought, a thin sword reeking of demonic qi hovered before his eyes. Its sword qi was restrained and unrevealed, but as the demonic qi surged and waned, the sword light seemed to breathe, flickering in and out of view in an extraordinary manner.
Information regarding this sword flowed into Qin Xuan’s mind.
Named Wusheng, it had been forged by a sword master of the demon sects based on the concept of formless flying swords. Five thousand immortal cowries—far too expensive!
He was sorely tempted, but even with his gold token offering a twenty percent discount, it would still cost four thousand cowries.
Qin Xuan felt he had contracted poverty disease—the incurable kind. He desperately wanted to hunt pestilence demons and amass cowries in the Ascension Ground, yet lacked the means.
Just then, he suddenly remembered the bronze divine beast zun.
The Wine Immortal’s dao arena bordered the Tomb of the Prince of Pingyuan; he wondered if the Prince of Pingyuan had ever been here.
He decided to try, focusing his thoughts on “Prince of Pingyuan” and “bronze divine beast zun.”
The flying swords before him vanished.
Just as he felt no resonance, a white light grew increasingly bright, flying before his eyes.
It was a talisman engraved with dense, golden characters. The rhythmic pulse between the glyphs closely resembled the divine sense true script recorded in *Spring Tally and Autumn Lodgment*.
Seeing this...
Qin Xuan’s breath quickened as he scrutinized the talisman.
Could this be the divine sense imprint-incantation for the bronze divine beast zun?!
To test it, Qin Xuan thought of flying swords again. The talisman vanished, replaced by the earlier swords. After a few breaths, he shifted his mind to focus solely on the “bronze divine beast zun.”
That white light flew before him once more.
It was real!
It truly was the imprint credential for that weighty treasure!
Qin Xuan could not decipher it yet, but having studied divine sense true script, he could not mistake the familiar resonance. Songsong had said the bronze divine beast zun was at least a spirit artifact, if not a spirit treasure.
Core Formation cultivators could refine treasure armaments.
Upon reaching the Golden Core stage and cultivating true fire, one could refine a treasure armament into a natal magic treasure.
In the future, surviving the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation and enduring the baptism of lightning tribulation would elevate a natal magic treasure into a tribulation-transcending true treasure.
And only when innate essences like the Five Directions and Five Phases Innate Essences were refined into a true treasure, awakening sentience within it, could it truly become a spirit artifact of boundless wondrous utility!
Mastering the divine sense imprint credential would allow him to activate a sliver of this treasure’s might.
The bronze divine beast zun contained Central Dipper Heavenly Tiangang, holding an unreleased strike from its master before death. Carried on one's person, besides taking up space, it was like a nuclear bomb capable of blowing up a Daoist temple. With this divine sense imprint credential, the treasure could finally be brought to life!
Qin Xuan practically began to drool.
Two thousand immortal cowries.
Qin Xuan’s eyes sparkled. That wasn't too much—just five superior wines, which would take less than a year!
Calming his emotions, he looked through the rare treasures and elixirs.
Though many appealing items caught his eye, Qin Xuan’s mind was now entirely consumed by the divine sense imprint credential.
“Senior, aside from brewing wine, where do most people in town obtain immortal cowries?”
Hearing this, the old man pointed toward the southern river. “Go to the Heart Lake Sea and catch river spirits. Bringing them ashore and slaying them will yield immortal cowries. You’ll need some spirit fruits to lure them.”
“The kind grown in my courtyard for brewing?”
“No, you must buy them at the fruit shop; bait fruits are not expensive.”
The old man added, “There are monsters on the island in the lake, and those monsters are worth even more immortal cowries. However, it is very dangerous, and people visiting the island generally steer clear of them...”
There were plenty of things in the Pavilion of Hidden Treasures Qin Xuan could afford.
Yet he made no purchases, stepping out with a rather solemn expression.
“You look distracted. Did you find some treasure?”
Qin Xuan nodded. “Is there anything you want?”
“Of course there is.”
“Do you have enough cowries?”
Regret surfaced on Ji Qingni’s face. “Not enough, far from it. I wanted to write an IOU, but the Wine Immortal probably wouldn't permit it.”
Qin Xuan paused; he had actually wanted to write an IOU as well.
“In any case, we have to pick fruits on the island. Let’s gather some information first and find a way to earn money while we’re at it.”
Chatting as they walked, they arrived at the spirit fruit shop. Qin Xuan glanced inside and immediately said, “Let’s go, find another one.”
Fairy Ji was confused.
However, a scholar in his fifties wearing a square headcloth came running out of the shop with extreme warmth.
“Young Master Qin, I heard you’ve struck it rich!
“Hey, Young Master Qin, Young Master Qin!”
Advisor Hu of Huyue Book Pavilion came chasing after them, but Qin Xuan kept walking.
Ji Qingni glanced back. “Why avoid him?”
“He’s an unscrupulous merchant. I need to save cowries and don't want to get fleeced by him.”
Seeing Qin Xuan show no sign of stopping, Advisor Hu shouted, “Young Master Qin, come back! I’ll introduce you to a massive deal!”
Qin Xuan turned around on the spot.
“Isn't he an unscrupulous merchant? Why go back?”
Qin Xuan understood well: “Just that line alone, he would have charged me ten immortal cowries previously.”
“How outrageous!”
Sensing the unscrupulous merchant’s gaze shift to her, Ji Qingni adopted a wary look as well; she needed to save money too.
Beaming warmly, Advisor Hu ushered the two into the spirit fruit shop.
Seeing them stand aloof in silence, Advisor Hu had no choice but to speak first: “Have you two come to buy bait fruit to catch river spirits?”
Only then did Qin Xuan respond, “What advice do you have, Mr. Hu?”
Old Hu waved his hands repeatedly. “Catching river spirits is a complete waste of time. I have a massive deal here that guarantees you can make a fortune.”
“If it’s so profitable, why haven't you gone yourself instead of looking for me, Mr. Hu?”
“I lack the capability!”
Seeing Old Hu rubbing his hands in agitation, Qin Xuan grew interested, his attitude softening. “Please explain clearly, sir.”
Old Hu said, “I can tell you, but after it succeeds, you must give me a share of the profits.”
Hearing “after it succeeds,” Qin Xuan nodded. Only then did Old Hu point toward the solitary island to the south:
“Go to that island in the lake, ignore everything else, and pick the fruits growing there. Picking the fruits will lure out the monsters within. They will pursue you all the way back to town.
“Come nightfall, they will enter your door to strike at you.
“However, as long as you survive a single night, the monster will perish. Slaying one of those monsters is worth catching ten river spirits!”
Qin Xuan eyed Advisor Hu suspiciously.
“That island is perilous. How could I withstand those monsters?”
Advisor Hu said with certainty, “Rest assured, the monsters will not act during the day. At night, you have a coffin, so there is nothing to fear.”
Qin Xuan narrowed his eyes. “Shopkeeper Hu, you trade with Old Mr. Gu; it’s impossible you don't possess a coffin. Why not go yourself?”
“You are quite right; Hu indeed has one. However... my coffin can only handle ordinary ghosts and is useless in this place.”
Advisor Hu explained, “The coffin’s value is secondary; what matters is having the ghost credential talisman and the credential incantation to fully manipulate it.”
Qin Xuan’s expression shifted slightly. Advisor Hu continued:
“The ghost credential talisman grants the ghost coffin the ability to change shape, allowing it to expand or shrink. Thus, in the eyes of ghosts, the coffin appears blurry and hazy; the moment they reach for it, it shrinks, leaving them unable to grasp it. Only then do they fail to strike at the person inside and lose interest.
“Grit my teeth as I might, I could still afford that ghost credential talisman.
“However...
“The incantation for this talisman involves the ghost arts of the Nine Nethers' Fengdu City. It is a secret of the Senluo Ghost Dao that carries the Dao itself, never committed to writing. Unless personally passed down to you, there is no hope of ever learning it.”
This?!
Qin Xuan recalled the day he bought the coffin. The ghost credential talisman had been gifted by Grandpa Fox without costing a copper. As for the credential incantation...
Grandpa Fox had indeed made no mention of giving it to him, but Mei’er had walked over and casually recited the complete incantation without asking for anything in return. Because he was well-versed in the supreme mental methods of the Nine Nethers, he hadn't found the incantation difficult at the time.
Nor had he paid much attention to the talisman or incantation, assuming they were simply standard accessories.
This...
Reflecting upon it, Qin Xuan realized this was most likely true. True Lord Yuanhai, who had walked the Nine Nethers, had recognized the Evil-Warding Divine Talisman and called it Fengdu ghost art. This credential incantation was undoubtedly of the same caliber.
Advisor Hu had a rough grasp of Qin Xuan’s temperament. Seeing him lost in thought, he refrained from interrupting, stepping aside to idly arrange the spirit fruits beside him.
Ji Qingni glanced at Advisor Hu, then sent a voice transmission to Qin Xuan: “Are you wondering whether what he said is true?”
“No...”
Qin Xuan transmitted back to Fairy Ji: “I was thinking of a little fox fairy who knocked on my door beneath the moonlight...”
Chapter 91