[POV: Ji Huan]
The discovery of the spiritual fire prompted a response from the Ji Clan that went beyond even Huan's expectations. Based on his report alone, the clan's upper echelon mobilized forces they would normally reserve for major territorial conflicts.
The reasoning behind it was straightforward and ruthlessly practical.
After refining the Flameheart Fruit, his talent had already reached half-step mid-grade Heaven-tier spiritual root. If he could also refine a first-grade spiritual fire, his future potential would rise to an entirely different level. Once he fully matured, elevating the Ji Clan from second rank to first rank would no longer be a distant possibility, but something well within reach.
In the cultivation world, potential like that was more than valuable. It was something worth killing for.
The information gathered by his informants was clear enough. The opposing side consisted of a single Nascent Soul cultivator, supported by two at peak Spirit Condensation, along with one Qi Refining and two Body Tempering cultivators.
At a glance, it might have seemed like a manageable fight.
In reality, it would be completely one-sided.
The Ji Clan had dispatched their Grand Offering, a peak Nascent Soul expert, along with three early Nascent Soul elders and more than a dozen peak Spirit Condensation cultivators. Accompanying them was the Second Offering, currently assigned as Huan's personal guardian, whose strength rested firmly in the high Nascent Soul realm.
With that lineup, there was never any real question of the outcome.
The plan itself was as direct as it was decisive. They would strike immediately, overwhelm the target, and eliminate any chance of resistance before it could even begin.
There would be no probing attacks.
----------
In the real cultivation world, far removed from the idealized versions found in popular novels, conflicts were handled with simple pragmatism.
When a junior from a family created a blood feud, the clan didn't react blindly. They would first consider who stood behind the other party, how strong they were, and what it would cost to act.
If the two sides were evenly matched, the matter could usually be resolved through negotiation. Concessions would be exchanged, and if the grudge wasn't too deep, a marriage alliance might even be arranged to settle things cleanly.
If the opponent was stronger, then there was no real choice. The clan would lower its head, offer apologies, and provide compensation to smooth things over.
On the other hand, if the opponent was insignificant, the situation became much simpler. By nightfall, clan elders and retainers would take care of it. After that, there would be nothing left to discuss.
As for concerns about vengeful spirits or grudges lingering beyond death, those weren't taken seriously in the Eastern Territories. The spiritual energy in the region was too thin to sustain such phenomena without effort, which meant that, in practice, revenge from the dead was almost nonexistent.
Generations of experience had already made the consequences clear. The families that failed to eliminate potential threats were the ones that eventually fell. Those that survived didn't forget. They passed those lessons down carefully, ensuring that every generation understood one simple truth: showing mercy to an enemy today was the same as endangering one's descendants tomorrow.
Even so, situations that required complete eradication weren't common.
Most cultivators weren't foolish enough to make enemies wherever they went. And if a family did produce someone like that, the clan would eventually begin to question whether that individual posed a greater danger to themselves than to others.
Ji Huan, however, had always managed to stay within acceptable limits.
The family was well aware of his flaws. He was narrow-minded, easily offended, and prone to holding grudges over even minor slights. Under different circumstances, that kind of temperament could have caused serious problems.
But he was also careful, choosing his targets with intent and only going after those who lacked the strength or backing to fight back, people like rogue cultivators or members of minor factions who could be dealt with quietly and without consequence.
When that caution was combined with his exceptional talent, the clan found little reason to interfere. In their eyes, a few dead nobodies were a negligible price to pay for the rise of a future top-tier expert.
Besides, the retainers needed work from time to time. It kept them from growing dull.
----------
[POV: Alexei]
Alexei woke slowly, aware first of the steady warmth resting on his chest. Snowdrift was curled up there, purring softly, completely at ease. The newly installed bed beneath him had survived the night.
Morning light filtered through the window. The inn was still, aside from the distant, muffled sounds of the city beginning to stir.
He lay there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, letting his thoughts settle before turning to the day ahead.
"Qingxue," he said at last, not bothering to move, "when are we heading back to the sect?"
She sat near the window, a book resting in her hands. From a distance, it looked like a cultivation manual, but he knew better. She had a habit of passing off novels as study material whenever anyone asked.
"Three to five days," she replied without looking up. "Yan wants us to wait until the Immortal Alliance finishes collecting spiritual seeds from the realm. And Quan still needs another two days to bring Changgui back from the mortal districts."
Alexei considered that. "Why did Quan take him to the mortal districts in the first place?"
"Changgui was focusing too much on cultivation. It was starting to affect his mental state. Quan took him somewhere he couldn't cultivate at all, just to force him to slow down."
Alexei raised an eyebrow, finally shifting slightly against the pillow. "Being too dedicated is a problem?"
"It becomes one when it starts to distort your thinking," Qingxue said, setting the book aside and looking over at him. "Cultivation isn't just about gathering power. If you keep chasing strength without understanding your purpose, you will eventually reach a point where you cannot move forward. Mental state is just as important as talent. At higher realms, it becomes even more important."
She paused, considering how to explain the rest in a way he would understand.
"Mental state also affects lifespan and aging. It's basically irreversible. Two Core Formation cultivators might both have seven hundred years of lifespan, but one could look twenty-five when they die, while the other turns into a withered corpse after a century. The difference is mental state. Even life-extension pills don't help with that. Higher cultivation slows aging slightly, but the effect is minor. If you only pursue power without cultivating your mind, you will still grow old."
Alexei sat up slowly, dislodging the fox, who made an annoyed chittering sound before curling back up on the pillow.
"So the reason there are no actual immortals in this world, despite people reaching the Immortal Realm, is because they all eventually age out anyway?"
"Essentially, yes."
"That's a bit depressing."
He thought about that for a moment. "You said mental state is basically irreversible. Does that mean there is a way to reverse it?"
"There are methods, but I don't know the details. You would have to ask Yan."
"Oh… okay."
Alexei nodded slightly, committing that to memory for later.
The room fell quiet again, broken only by the faint rustle of Qingxue turning a page. Then, without warning, the door to his room swung open.
He didn't even bother to look up. There was only one person in their group who would walk in without knocking.
"Morning!" Yan said brightly as she stepped inside, completely at ease.
She wore her usual traveling robes, though she had clearly put more effort into her appearance today. Her hair was tied back neatly, and she had even taken the time to apply a touch of makeup.
Qingxue glanced up at her arrival before returning to her book without comment.
Yan, as expected, paid no attention to the silence. She walked further in and sat down on the edge of his bed as if it belonged to her.
"Sleep well?"
"Until you showed up, yes."
"How sweet. You were thinking about me."
"That's not what I said."
"Close enough."
Alexei let out a quiet sigh and swung his legs off the bed, abandoning any hope of a peaceful morning. "What do you want?"
"We're heading to the Alchemy Alliance in an hour. I need to deliver a batch of pills, and you're coming with me."
"Why?"
"Because you're bored, I'm bored, and Mengyao refuses to leave the spirit boat while she is in the middle of a breakthrough. So it's just us."
"And Qingxue."
"Obviously."
Alexei paused, then gave a small nod. "Hm... I could use a change of scenery. It's getting boring here. Give me a moment to get ready."
---
The trip to the Alchemy Alliance was uneventful.
Yan handed over a jade box filled with pills, received a storage pouch of spirit stones in return, and spent a few minutes chatting with the receptionist about market trends.
Alexei stood off to the side, pretending not to listen while catching every word.
Apparently, the discovery of the ancient battlefield inside the secret realm had triggered a buying frenzy. Artifacts, pills, herbs, anything that might have come from that place was being sold at inflated prices. Most of it was probably fake, the receptionist admitted, but enough of it was real that people kept buying anyway.
By the time they finished and stepped outside, the plaza near the Verdant Vine Secret Realm exit had turned into a full market.
Cultivators crowded around makeshift stalls, shouting over one another as they inspected goods and argued over prices.
"Technique jade slips! 100,000 mid-grade spirit stones each! Limited stock!"
"Spiritual herbs harvested from the secret realm! Guaranteed authentic! Discounts for bulk purchases!"
"Ancient treasure, unknown grade! Highest bidder takes it! Don't miss this opportunity!"
He scanned the chaos and immediately spotted at least three scams in progress.
One vendor was selling "spiritual herbs" that were clearly just normal plants with a bit of spiritual energy painted on. Another was passing off a broken sword as an "ancient artifact in need of restoration." The third was offering technique jade slips that probably contained nothing more than basic meditation instructions repackaged with dramatic titles.
They wandered through the crowd, Qingxue trailing slightly behind, her eyes scanning for anything worth attention.
One stall caught Alexei's eye.
The vendor was a middle-aged man with an easy smile that immediately put him on guard.
"Half-used magical treasure!" the man called out. "Unknown grade, but clearly high quality! Perfect for material refinement! Discounted price for quick sale!"
Alexei stopped walking.
"Half-used?"
The vendor's smile widened immediately, as if he had been waiting for that exact question. "Yes. It still has some functionality left, so it's perfect for cultivators who need crafting materials."
Alexei didn't respond right away. Instead, he took a moment to properly examine the object.
It was a blade, or at least what remained of one. The metal had been split almost cleanly down the middle, and the spiritual circuits etched along its surface had degraded to the point where they were barely visible.
"That's broken, you know," he said after a moment.
The vendor didn't even blink.
"It has simply been used," he replied calmly.
Alexei looked up at him, then back at the blade in his hand. "No, I mean it's actually broken. It's split in half."
"I wouldn't describe it that way. It's only structurally compromised," the man said, as if that somehow improved the situation. "But it's still perfectly usable if you know what you're doing."
Alexei stared at him for a second. "You can't be serious."
"Of course I am. It can still be used for material refinement, dismantling, perhaps even spiritual extraction. There are many possibilities if you approach it creatively."
Alexei tapped the cracked edge with his finger. The metal gave a dull, lifeless sound. "The circuits are gone."
"Look more carefully. They haven't completely faded," the vendor said quickly.
"They're barely visible."
"And that simply means there will be less interference when you break it down," the man replied, clearly pleased with his own reasoning.
Alexei held his gaze for a moment, then let out a quiet breath. "You're really going to stick with that argument, aren't you?"
The vendor spread his hands slightly. "Naturally. I am a vendor, and I am presenting you with an opportunity."
"You're trying to sell me scrap."
"No," the man said with a smile, without missing a beat. "I am offering you the chance to acquire high-quality scrap, my friend."
Yan made a strangled sound and quickly turned away, covering her mouth as her shoulders began to shake.
"Alright. How much?"
"100 mid-grade spirit stones," the man said immediately.
Alexei blinked once. "You've got to be kidding. You want that much for this?"
"It's already discounted."
"Discounted from what, exactly?"
"From its original value," the vendor replied calmly.
"It doesn't have an original value anymore."
"I can tell you're still at the beginning of your cultivation journey. If you weren't, you would see that this still has potential. If you want to become a great cultivator, you need to learn how to recognize opportunities like this."
Alexei let the silence linger for a moment, then shook his head. "No. I don't."
He turned and started walking away, still faintly shaking his head.
Behind him, the vendor called out, completely undeterred, "Wait, I can lower it to 99 mid-grade spirit stones!"
Alexei didn't even slow down.
Half-used...
That was certainly one way to describe it.
---
Yan led them through the marketplace, weaving through the crowded stalls as her gaze moved from one display to the next. They were mainly looking for spirit plant seeds, jade slips, and anything unusual enough to stand out.
She had just received payment from the Alchemy Alliance and was carrying more than 3,000 mid-grade spirit stones. By her standards, that was a considerable amount, and it put her in a noticeably better mood as they browsed.
Alexei followed a step behind with his hands in his pockets, his eyes moving across the stalls. Most of what he saw was either overpriced or fake, and it showed in the way his attention rarely lingered. Behind him, Qingxue walked along with little interest. Mengyao, on the other hand, paid close attention to everything, quietly committing each detail to memory.
They slowed to a stop in front of a stall run by a middle-aged cultivator. The selection was small but carefully arranged.
Alexei reached out and picked up one of the jade slips, more out of habit than expectation, then focused on it.
[Fragment: Spirit Rain Technique]
He paused for a moment, caught off guard, before letting out a quiet sound.
"Huh. This one is real."
Most of the jade slips they had encountered so far today were fakes. He had started to wonder if there were any genuine ones in this entire plaza.
The vendor looked up, mildly surprised. "You have a good eye, young friend. I deal in credibility, not deception. While this slip is incomplete, about ninety percent of the technique is still intact. If you purchase it and deduce the rest yourself, you could master a useful spell."
Yan's interest was immediately piqued. She stepped closer, and without a word, summoned a thin barrier of spiritual energy around herself and Alexei, cutting them off from the vendor's hearing.
They turned their backs and spoke quietly.
"What technique is it?" Yan asked expectantly.
"Something called the Spirit Rain Technique. Should we buy it?"
"The Spirit Rain Technique?" Yan's expression shifted to one of faint disappointment. "That's just the precursor to the Small Rain Cloud Technique I learned from my master. In areas with dense spiritual energy, the Spirit Rain Technique can cover thousands of meters, sometimes even tens of thousands, without using much power. But here in the Eastern Territories, where spiritual energy is thin, you could exhaust yourself and still only produce a rain cloud a hundred meters wide."
She paused briefly before adding, "The Small Rain Cloud Technique only creates a cloud a few meters across, but it is far more practical in a place like this. Besides, the Aureate Summit Sect already possesses the full cultivation method for the Spirit Rain Technique. There is no reason to spend spirit stones on a damaged copy."
They turned back.
The vendor, reading their expressions, nodded in understanding. He didn't look disappointed. His jade slip was genuine. Someone would buy it eventually.
"Feel free to browse the rest of my wares. You might find something more suited to your needs."
Alexei gave a small nod. The fact that the very first item he had picked up from this stall was authentic left a good impression. That was rare in a place like this.
The stall didn't have much on display: a broken magical artifact of indeterminate material and purpose, a small emerald-green gourd about the size of a thumb, and several spiritual herbs and fruits.
Based on the variety, he guessed the cultivator had probably obtained all of this by killing a pill spirit inside the secret realm.
The spirit plants could be safely ignored. Anything left behind after a cultivator killed a pill spirit would be mild medicinal herbs. The ones that directly boosted cultivation would have been absorbed on the spot.
He reached out and picked up the small gourd.
[Spirit Essence Gourd:
Spiritual Energy Circuit I
Spiritual Energy Absorption I
Spiritual Energy Storage I
Spiritual Energy Refinement I]
"A magical treasure?" he asked, turning it over in his hand.
"Ah, not quite," the vendor said with a small smile. "That's a spiritual treasure. It's far more valuable than an ordinary magical item."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "This gourd formed naturally over time, drawing in the energy of the world around it. It absorbs spiritual energy and condenses it into a pure liquid inside. Refining that liquid will speed up your cultivation. Treasures like this are rare. 1,000 mid-grade spirit stones, and it is yours."
Alexei raised an eyebrow. The description sounded impressive, almost too impressive. He glanced up at Yan, who was standing beside him.
Yan's lips twitched slightly, clearly holding back laughter.
If the gourd really had that kind of power, why would this man be selling it at a random market stall? The answer was obvious: it didn't.
Still, the gourd might be worth buying.
"70 mid-grade spirit stones," she said flatly, taking the gourd from Alexei and turning it between her fingers. "If that's acceptable, we will take it."
Alexei stared at her.
She had just cut the price from 1,000 to 70. That wasn't negotiation. That was amputation.
There was no way the vendor would agree to it...
"Deal!" the vendor exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy. "You have an excellent eye, miss!"
Alexei blinked.
Yan's expression froze.
They had just been played.
The vendor's internal target price had probably been around 1,000 low-grade spirit stones, which was equivalent to 10 mid-grade stones. Based on his research, the gourd did have some function, but it was essentially a novelty.
Even in a place as rich in spiritual energy as the secret realm, letting it absorb and convert energy at full capacity for a month would only produce spiritual liquid equivalent to a single low-grade spirit stone.
In the Eastern Territories, where spiritual energy was sparse, it would be normal if the gourd didn't even produce the equivalent of one low-grade spirit stone in an entire year.
70 mid-grade spirit stones was enough to cover seven or eight thousand years of its output.
Forget seven or eight thousand years. Whether the vendor himself would even live a thousand years was uncertain.
He had just made a fortune.
Yan pulled out 70 mid-grade spirit stones from her storage pouch. She couldn't go back on her word now.
"You're very generous," the vendor said quickly, sweeping the pile of spirit stones into his storage bag.
As a rogue cultivator who had been cultivating for decades, his total savings amounted to just over 100 low-grade spirit stones. 70 mid-grade spirit stones, even without using a spirit-gathering formation, would be enough for him to comfortably cultivate for decades just by purchasing essential pills.
"Would you like to take a look at my other items?" the vendor asked with a smile.
Yan's eye twitched. The smile only made it worse.
She grabbed Alexei by the sleeve and pulled him away, heading for the next stall without a word.
The vendor didn't mind at all. After all, she was a valuable customer.
They made their way through nearly a hundred stalls over the next hour. In truth, only a handful were worth careful inspection.
They did gain a small harvest.
At one particularly unremarkable stall, tucked between two louder vendors, they obtained a spirit plant seed classified as Earth-grade, capable of enhancing cultivation.
[Black Thorn Flower Seed]
It only cost them a single mid-grade spirit stone, which, given its value, was theft in their favor.
Alexei pocketed it without comment.
---
After making another full circuit without finding anything else of value, Yan stopped at a stall run by an older cultivator and addressed him directly.
"There were reports of an ancient battlefield discovered inside the secret realm. Why has nothing from it reached the outside market?"
The vendor, seeing a group that included two well-dressed women, looked flattered by the attention. He answered readily, "Ah, you may not know, but those treasures can only be stored in spatial artifacts. If they leave the body for more than eight hours, they automatically disappear. It's very mysterious. I have heard that some of them are excellent alchemy materials. Many large families have already stationed people inside the secret realm to collect them, so naturally they wouldn't reach the outside."
Hearing that major families were involved, Yan could only give up on the idea. Given how those families operated, even if a few items did circulate outside, they would be extremely scarce and overpriced.
Alexei, however, felt something oddly familiar about the description. "Eight hours and then they disappear" sounded exactly like how items worked in Minecraft.
"Could you tell us what treasures can be found in that ancient battlefield?"
"Of course," the vendor said, clearly pleased. "There are mainly four types. The easiest to get is a yellow-green bead, dropped by the monsters inside. Refining it purifies spiritual energy."
"The second is a milky-white liquid dropped by white creatures. It contains a powerful, attribute-less vitality, but it cannot be consumed directly. It's usually added to healing pills to provide steady recovery over time."
"The third is a sticky black substance dropped by spherical black beasts. It's said to increase resistance to high temperatures."
"And the last, and most valuable, is a crafting material. It's a tough and flexible thread taken from ugly creatures that walk on lava. So far, no cultivator has been able to break it by force. It's also extremely heavy. A single strand can weigh over 300 kilograms."
Alexei stopped moving.
His brain caught up to what he had just heard, and for a moment, he could only stare at the vendor in silence.
These cultivators hadn't discovered an ancient battlefield. They had found a portal to the Nether and mistaken the lower world for some kind of historical site.
Experience orbs...
Ghast tears for brewing Potions of Regeneration...
Magma cream for Potions of Fire Resistance...
And string...
They were farming the Nether!
"Young friend?" the vendor asked. "Did I say something strange?"
Alexei blinked and forced himself back to reality.
"No, no, no," he said, shaking his head lightly. "I just got a bit lost in thought. Thank you for explaining."
The vendor chuckled. "It happens. That place leaves quite an impression on people. If you're thinking of going, make sure you prepare well. It's not somewhere you can enter lightly."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Alexei gave a small nod, then turned and walked away from the stall.
"What's wrong?" Qingxue asked, noticing the way Alexei's expression had shifted after hearing the vendor's explanation.
"I will explain when we get back," Alexei replied. He couldn't exactly announce in the middle of a crowded marketplace that the so-called ancient battlefield was something he had created himself.
Not that it would matter much if he did. No one would believe him anyway.
He tugged on Yan's sleeve, signaling that it was time to leave. Now that he knew what the "ancient battlefield" actually was, there wasn't much point in staying here any longer.
What he hadn't expected was that items produced in the Nether could apparently be used by cultivators of this world for alchemy and artifact forging. That opened up some interesting possibilities.
After leaving the plaza, the group didn't head straight back to the inn. Instead, Yan led them through the mortal districts for the rest of the afternoon, eventually wandering through a night market as well.
She claimed it was to celebrate his return from the secret realm, but Alexei suspected she just needed someone to carry her purchases.
By the time they returned that evening, his inventory was filled with mortal clothing, accessories, and various trinkets and storybooks that Yan had picked up along the way.
According to her, Qingxue had been distracted every time she tried to take her shopping while he was in the secret realm. Now that he was back, it was a good opportunity to make up for it.
Alexei didn't comment on that logic. It seemed easier to just go along with it.
---
Over the next two days, after Alexei explained that the so-called ancient battlefield was just the Nether and that the items found there weren't particularly rare, the group naturally stopped considering any purchases from that market.
That didn't mean he spent the time idly, though.
With so many cultivators entering the Nether, it was the perfect opportunity to gather information about what was happening down there. So for the past two days, the four of them had been sitting in a teahouse near the plaza, listening to cultivators talk and share stories.
Unfortunately, aside from learning that ghasts had undergone an unexpected and dramatic power increase, most of what he heard was information he already knew.
He guessed it had something to do with their original mechanics. In Minecraft, when a ghast was hit by its own fireball, it took a full 1,000 points of damage. That same trait seemed to apply to anything that wasn't from Minecraft.
1,000 hit points equaled five hundred hearts. Without protection, a single fireball would kill him instantly.
Even with the increased damage, though, ghast projectiles were still extremely slow by cultivator standards. It was almost impossible for them to hit anyone with decent reflexes. The few who had died were simply victims of their own carelessness.
During that time, the Verdant Vine Secret Realm officially closed.
Quan returned a day late due to delays on the road. By the time he and Changgui arrived, it was already the evening of the second day after the realm had ended.
Alexei noticed that Changgui seemed different. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what had changed, but the most obvious shift was that he no longer had his face buried in books all the time, relying on rote memorization for everything. He also seemed to have returned to his original, more straightforward demeanor.
Beyond that, he couldn't tell much else.
Later that evening, he and Mengyao listened as Changgui recounted his journey. In just over twenty days, Quan had apparently taken him across nearly half of the Yureth Kingdom. They had even played the role of wandering heroes for a while, helping people and settling disputes.
Honestly, it sounded like the kind of experience he wouldn't have minded having himself.
---
Early the next morning, the group of six checked out of the inn.
The innkeeper quietly warned them about some unusual activity around the area recently. Strangers had been lingering nearby, watching the inn.
In truth, he didn't need to say anything. If even a mortal innkeeper could notice it, there was no way the Aureate Summit Sect members wouldn't.
Still, Alexei appreciated the gesture.
The six of them boarded the spirit boat and headed to the Jade Prosperity Immortal Alliance branch to conclude the spirit seed collection mission they had posted before entering the secret realm.
The results were impressive.
They obtained over a dozen new Earth-grade seeds, and in addition to the Flameheart Fruit core he had brought back, they now had two more Heaven-grade seeds:
[Thousand Illusion Fragrant Fruit Core]
[Frostbind Profound Root Flower Seed]
Neither could be used in alchemy. However, refining just one of these plants could provide cultivation benefits equivalent to over a decade of hard work in the Eastern Territories. That wasn't the same as jumping several minor realms, as he had initially thought, but it was still significant.
Both plants also had severe side effects, which meant that even refining them wasn't necessarily the best choice.
In fact, using external aids to rapidly increase strength was never a good long-term strategy to begin with. Strength gained through external means would significantly increase the difficulty of heavenly tribulations when breaking through major realms.
Once a cultivator reached the Dharma Aspect stage and entered the Tribulation Transcendence stage, every minor breakthrough brought a heavenly tribulation. And advancing to the Immortal Ascension realm involved an ascension tribulation even more powerful than all the tribulations in the Tribulation Transcendence stage combined.
Mass refining of such spiritual plants was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. It brought endless future troubles.
Of course, this information came from the old sect master of the Aureate Summit Sect. There was no such widely accepted theory in the Eastern Territories yet. But regardless, it was better to believe it existed than to dismiss it outright.
In any case, no one from the Aureate Summit Sect planned to use those strength-enhancing spiritual plants.
---
After leaving the Immortal Alliance, the group departed from Jade Prosperity City entirely. Many forces that had been lurking in the shadows began to move. Among them, naturally, was the Ji Clan.
The Ji Clan's large spirit vessel trailed far behind the Aureate Summit Sect's boat, always keeping them within sensing range. Surrounding them in all directions were more than a dozen smaller spirit vessels. They weren't part of the same group, but their target was the same.
Inside the council hall of the Ji Clan's spirit vessel, more than twenty powerful experts had gathered.
The Grand Offering stood with his back to the crowd, gazing out the window at the surrounding smaller vessels.
"Fools without sense. Looks like there is no need to keep them around."
They were, after all, here to commit robbery and murder. If word got out, it wouldn't reflect well on the family's reputation or credibility.
"We will follow them for two more days before making our move," he said, turning to address the others. "Tonight, you will come with me to clean up these insects around us first, so no rumors leak out."
For great clans, as long as no one knew of their wrongdoing, it was as if it had never happened. They would still be the righteous, benevolent Ji Clan in the eyes of the world.
As for fearing heavenly punishment? That was overthinking it.
Cultivators already defied the natural order to seize their fate. Otherwise, why would there be lightning tribulations at every major breakthrough for humans, demons, beasts, and spirits after forming their core?
The greatest mercy offered to cultivators was merely a slight reduction in tribulation power if they performed good deeds. Nothing more.
---
On the Aureate Summit Sect's spirit vessel, Qingxue stood near the stern, her brow furrowed as she looked back in the direction they had come from.
The number of hostile cultivators this time was even more troublesome than she, Quan, and Yan had anticipated.
The enemy had five Nascent Soul cultivators alone, and one of them had even faintly touched the edge of the Dharma Aspect realm.
Still, she didn't feel much pressure.
Although their strongest opponent was only at the half-step Dharma Aspect level, he hadn't truly entered the Dharma Aspect realm. As for the twenty to thirty Spirit Condensation cultivators and the forty to fifty Core Formation cultivators, they were two major realms below her.
She had no reason to fear them.
Quan pushed the spirit vessel to its limit once again, increasing its speed to the maximum.
After a full day, the effort paid off. Aside from the large spirit vessel behind them, all the smaller ones had finally been shaken off.
Moreover, during that time, the Nascent Soul experts aboard the large vessel had left for a while. No one knew what they had gone to do, but Qingxue could guess.
---
Time passed to the third day after leaving Jade Prosperity City.
On the Ji Clan's spirit vessel, the Grand Offering stepped onto the deck. It was time to wrap things up.
He turned to face the others and spoke slowly.
"I will handle that Nascent Soul cultivator together with the Second Offering. As for the two peak Spirit Condensation cultivators, I will leave them to the three elders. If there is an opportunity, kill the three juniors directly to break the mental state of the adults. But do not damage the corpse of the white-haired one."
He paused, then continued, "As for the rest, once we begin the battle, four of you stay behind to protect the young master, three guard the vessel, and the rest spread out to intercept any passing cultivators. Prepare yourselves."
On the spirit vessel, the Ji Clan cultivators showed no signs of nervousness. Some even wore relaxed smiles. This wasn't their first time. They were already well-practiced.
Huan stood near the railing, his expression eager. He hadn't slept all night, too excited about the prospect of obtaining the powerful spiritual fire.
Thinking back to the white-haired cultivator's performance during their brief encounter made his anticipation even greater.
If such a talented cultivator were to realize that the person he had saved just days ago would now take his spiritual fire and his life... what kind of expression would be on his face?
Huan's face flushed slightly from excitement. This was going to be satisfying.