Elian smiled at the remark. The Chen family's Heavenly Flame Sword Art was renowned throughout Yu County.
The old patriarch, armed with this technique alone, was already on par with most late-Foundation Establishment cultivators. Now, with the addition of the formidable Blazing Fire Divine Flags, his strength was even greater.
The Blazing Fire Divine Flags were extraordinary. With the old patriarch being a second-tier high-grade formation master, this set of flags alone could match one or two ordinary late-Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"With these flags, even if they have some hidden cards, we should be able to handle it."
"The problem now is how to lure them out," Elian said, frowning. This was a tricky matter.
"No need to overcomplicate things," the old patriarch said confidently.
"If we restart the Five Elements Essence trade in Tianxu Mountain, they will come to us."
"Why?" Elian asked curiously.
The old patriarch stroked his beard and smiled.
"Because they'll be afraid."
Elian chuckled, realizing he had underestimated the deterrent power of a late-Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As one of the three late-Foundation Establishment cultivators in Yu County, and the wielder of the county's most powerful offensive technique, the Heavenly Flame Sword Art, the old patriarch was far from ordinary. Otherwise, five years ago, he wouldn't have managed to kill one enemy while being besieged by five.
Having offended such a powerful cultivator, it was likely that those who participated in the attack had been living in fear ever since.
Although the patriarch had recovered from his injuries, he had sold off all his magical artifacts, making him weaker than ever. In a few years, once he acquired a new set of second-tier magical artifacts, their enemies would either be defeated one by one or live in constant anxiety.
Thus, if the family resumed the Five Elements Essence trade in Tianxu Mountain and the patriarch left the protective formation of Qingyuan Mountain, their enemies would feel compelled to act.
"If they are certain to act, this will be easy to handle."
"Now that you've come out of seclusion, let's send someone tomorrow to discuss this with the other families."
"It has been ten years since our family last managed the Five Elements Essence trade in Tianxu Mountain. It's about time for our turn," Elian said with a smile. The Five Elements Essence trade was highly lucrative.
The old patriarch calculated for a moment and said, "To engage in this trade, the family may not have enough spirit stones."
In Yu County, there were over a hundred cultivation families and nearly ten thousand low-level cultivators, collectively producing fifty to sixty thousand strands of Five Elements Essence annually.
To purchase the essence from rogue cultivators at market prices would require around 8,000 spirit stones. Selling it in Tianxu Mountain would bring in about 10,000, yielding a profit of 2,000 spirit stones.
However, such a venture required significant resources—not just sufficient strength but also the capital of 8,000 spirit stones.
Elian thought for a moment and said, "Most of the spirit stones the family treasury earned in recent years have been used to repay debts, leaving us with little surplus."
"However, the recent harvest of Spirit-Nourishing Grass should bring in around 2,000 spirit stones after selling Qi Restoration Pills."
"When this year's spirit peaches mature, I can contribute over 800 spirit stones. If we postpone this year's wages until after returning from Tianxu Mountain, we could save nearly 1,000 more."
"By borrowing 4,000 spirit stones from the other major families, we should have enough to proceed."
Chen Changxuan nodded after some thought.
"A short-term loan of 4,000 spirit stones will cost us 300 in interest for the year. While it's a bit steep, the trade will still be profitable."
"Let's proceed, then," Elian agreed.
"I'll have the Third Elder handle this tomorrow, and Evergreen Pavilion in Yuyang Market can begin purchasing Five Elements Essence."
News quickly spread throughout Yu County that the Chen family was borrowing spirit stones from the major Foundation Establishment families to restart their purchase of Five Elements Essence.
This sent a clear message to the outside world: Chen Changxuan's injuries had healed. Otherwise, the Chen family wouldn't dare to take on the lucrative Five Elements Essence trade.
Six months later, thousands of miles from Yu County, in the neighboring Feng County, three figures gathered.
If Chen Changxuan were present, he would have recognized them immediately as mortal enemies of the Chen family.
To the left stood two Foundation Establishment cultivators from Feng County's Zuo family: Zuo Mingxu and Zuo Zhouqi. To the right was Lin Taihe, a rogue cultivator from Tianxu Mountain.
Zuo Mingxu, the Zuo family head, frowned at Lin Taihe and asked, "Fellow Daoist Lin, what brings you all the way here to meet us?"
"Zuo family head, there's no need to feign ignorance," Lin Taihe sneered coldly.
"Surely you've heard the news that Chen Changxuan has recovered and come out of seclusion."
Zuo Mingxu's expression darkened. He gritted his teeth and said, "What, do you plan to seek revenge?"
"Eight years ago, the five of us joined forces, and not only did we fail to kill him, but he also managed to kill one of us. Now that he's recovered, what can we possibly do?"
"It's not that simple," Lin Taihe replied, a hint of helplessness in his tone. "Back then, he recognized us. If we don't act, he'll eliminate us one by one."
"It's better to strike now, while he has no second-tier magical tools or his natal artifact, and is at his weakest."
"Easy to say," Zuo Mingxu said with a wary expression, clearly apprehensive.
"You've seen his Heavenly Flame Sword Art. You know how Liu Yuanyang died and how Old Devil Zhang lost all his magical treasures."
"With just the three of us, we'd stand no chance of taking him down. We'd only lose a life or two in the attempt."
"Hmm—"
As they spoke, Lin Taihe released his aura, causing the other two to pause in surprise.
Seeing their startled expressions, Lin Taihe smirked.
"What about now? Do you think we can face him?"
"You've broken through to mid-Foundation Establishment?" Zuo Zhouqi asked enviously.
"After Liu Yuanyang fell, I visited his cave abode," Lin Taihe said, licking his lips with a hint of greed in his eyes.
"Liu left behind a considerable fortune, which allowed me to purchase a pill from Tianxu Pavilion and break through the bottleneck."
"Even if you've reached mid-Foundation Establishment, the three of us still might not be enough to defeat him," Zuo Mingxu said after careful thought, ultimately shaking his head in refusal. As the head of a family, he couldn't take the same risks as a rogue cultivator like Lin Taihe, who had no attachments.
Besides, Zuo Mingxu knew that as long as he stayed within the Zuo family's mountain-protection formation, painstakingly maintained over centuries, Chen Changxuan wouldn't be able to harm him.
...
27+ chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
I need POWAAA!