In truth, Li Yan had long made it clear to Zhuo Lingfeng that their trip to the Huchen family had been nothing more than a transaction.
However, Zhuo Lingfeng had since learned of Huchen Wuding's current situation from Li Yan. To him, this was a form of karma, a resolution to the final obsession lingering in his heart.
Huchen Wuding had now become the Family Head and maintained a good relationship with Li Yan. In Zhuo Lingfeng's eyes, this all added up to a debt of gratitude he owed to Li Yan, one that weighed even more heavily than before.
"Fellow Daoist Li, please speak!"
"I have come seeking your help, Fellow Daoist, in refining a Buddhist magical treasure for me. Of course, I have already prepared the raw materials, so please rest assured on that point!"
Upon hearing Li Yan's words, a flicker of surprise passed through Zhuo Lingfeng's eyes. He hadn't expected Li Yan's request to be unrelated to the Wind Beasts, but rather to ask for his help in refining a Buddhist magical treasure.
"Please elaborate, Fellow Daoist. This old monk will certainly do his best!"
With a wave of his hand, Li Yan summoned a string of golden, shimmering prayer beads and a jade slip, which appeared out of thin air in the Chan chamber.
"This is an upgradable magical treasure. At present, only a single Vajra Hand Bodhisattva has been refined into it. I wish to refine several more, but there are a few things I cannot accomplish on my own."
"First, I am not proficient in Buddhist cultivation methods. Second, I only possess the original version of the refinement art. The true refinement method likely needs to be deduced from this original version."
After listening, Zhuo Lingfeng neither agreed nor refused. Instead, he reached out a hand and drew the string of prayer beads into his grasp.
Immediately, without employing any specific technique, a mere infusion of his magical power caused the prayer beads to erupt in a light far more brilliant than before.
Then, Zhuo Lingfeng's Divine Sense delved into the beads, and he closed his eyes.
Li Yan could discern that Zhuo Lingfeng's magical power contained an orthodox Buddhist force. The prayer beads' reaction to his power was already different from when Li Yan himself wielded them.
'Thankfully, I only need to activate and use it, not wield it with perfect flexibility in combat. It's not necessary for the magical treasure to reach a state of effortless control!'
It was clear that if Zhuo Lingfeng were to use this magical treasure against an enemy, it would be far more versatile and unpredictable.
Zhuo Lingfeng did not activate the magical treasure. He simply immersed his Divine Sense within the prayer beads, carefully sensing the changes in the formations inside. After several hundred breaths, he finally withdrew his magical power and Divine Sense.
Then, with a flick of his finger, he drew the airborne jade slip into his hand. He pressed it to his forehead; inside was the transcribed copy of the "Golden Pearl Dragon-Subduing Art" he had obtained from the Spirit Moth.
This time, Zhuo Lingfeng remained in this state for a full half-hour. When he finally removed the jade slip from his forehead, he kept his eyes closed, lost in contemplation.
Li Yan sat to the side, slowly sipping the Sand Gate Temple's unique "Emptiness Tea," his expression unhurried all the while.
Only when Li Yan had finished his tea and was refilling his cup for the third time did Zhuo Lingfeng slowly open his eyes. Li Yan set down his teacup and smiled at him.
"This magical treasure is a suppressive-type artifact. In battle, a single Vajra Hand Bodhisattva can suppress an Initial-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, causing their movements to become sluggish and the magical power in their body to be obstructed."
"If supplemented by the willpower within, it could even contend with an ordinary Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator!"
Zhuo Lingfeng organized his thoughts and, in a single sentence, identified the function of the "Secret Traces Vajra Suppresses the Sacred Mountain." At the same time, he was thoroughly astonished by the vast amount of willpower contained within the prayer beads.
Even at the current Sand Gate Temple, the willpower accumulated by his master, Divine Monk Kong Hai, might not match what was in this string of beads.
The reason for this was actually quite simple. Although the Sand Gate Temple was larger than the Mingtuo Temple, it was precisely for this reason that the daily incense offerings were spread thin among many monks.
There was more than just Kong Hai as a Divine Monk in the temple, whereas at Mingtuo Temple, Great Master Dajing had claimed roughly eighty percent of the incense offerings for himself.
"Do you have a way to refine it, Fellow Daoist?" Li Yan asked softly. This was what concerned him most.
"I have a twenty to thirty percent certainty, but that's not with my power alone. I will still need to consult my master; after all, my understanding of the Buddhist Dharma is far inferior to his."
"Although you have the original refinement art and a finished product to reference, the one who created this cultivation method was undoubtedly a Saintly Monk of a generation, whose mastery of the Buddhist Dharma was exceptionally profound!"
Zhuo Lingfeng's reply was direct, and he shared his judgment.
His assessment of the magical treasure's power was accurate; it was a decent artifact for a Nascent Soul cultivator, fundamentally capable of dealing with those at the Initial-stage.
However, the person who created this cultivation method was by no means an ordinary monk. Even with a reference, Zhuo Lingfeng wasn't confident in how much he could decipher.
Hearing this, Li Yan fell silent for a moment. He was comfortable entrusting these items to Zhuo Lingfeng, but handing them over to others made him uneasy. And even after Divine Monk Kong Hai looked at them, there was only a twenty to thirty percent chance of success.
Seeing this, Zhuo Lingfeng also remained silent. He could not persuade Li Yan in such a matter; it was clear that Li Yan held this magical treasure in high regard.
He simply had no idea that Li Yan's valuation of this item had reached a point where he would risk his life for it.
In his view, Li Yan probably just wanted an additional, unconventional trump card.
After all, in this Cultivation World, it was common for cultivators to wield magical treasures that were completely out of character with their other skills. In fact, such items could often be used as a finishing move, turning the tables in a single stroke.
Since Li Yan was helping the Tianli Clan, it was only natural that the more cards he held, the better.
Soon, Li Yan raised his head.
"No problem. What conditions does Fellow Daoist Zhuo require?"
Hearing this, Zhuo Lingfeng immediately smiled and shook his head.
"Fellow Daoist Li, no payment is needed this time. Consider it a token of appreciation for your continuous care of Wuding."
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Wuding and I are but acquaintances. How can we speak of care?"
"However, even if you do not require it, Fellow Daoist, we are still asking for Divine Monk Kong Hai's assistance. We cannot let him toil for nothing."
As Li Yan spoke, he flipped his hand, and four dark-brown, half-fist-sized stones appeared between them. It was the "Sand Star King Stone."
Then, with a gentle push from Li Yan, the four "Sand Star King Stones" floated lightly toward Zhuo Lingfeng.
"This is..."
Seeing Li Yan produce four strange stones, Zhuo Lingfeng couldn't help but be taken aback.
"You should have heard of this item, Fellow Daoist. It is called 'Sand Star Stone,' but this is a specially refined version. I do not have many of them. I suggest you and your esteemed master take two each; they will be of great use at certain times."
"After being specially refined, even a cultivator without the ability to tear through the void can do so easily while holding this treasure."
"Furthermore, this stone can generate defensive, illusory brown wings, which can resist the Astral Wind for about the time it takes for one and a half incense sticks to burn when used by a single person."
"And if one is split, with one half in hand and the other left elsewhere, it has an extremely strong penetrative positioning function, even in a Chaotic Flow Space or a black hole!"
Having said this, Li Yan fell silent.
Zhuo Lingfeng, who had been about to refuse after hearing the first half of Li Yan's explanation, found his expression shifting to one of shock as he listened to the rest.
He had never seen a "Sand Star Stone," but just as Li Yan said, he had heard of it. The item was exceptionally precious, and it was said that even a piece the size of a chicken egg was incredibly rare.
Yet the four pieces before him were each the size of half a fist, and they were even specially refined.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator, this was truly a supreme treasure. Whether it was traversing the void or adventuring into a Chaotic Flow Space to seek treasures, the greatest fear was always those unknown spaces.
With such a treasure in hand, they would have a way to counter terrifying situations like the chaotic flow of time and spatial disorientation found in places like black holes. A wry smile appeared on Zhuo Lingfeng's face.
"Fellow Daoist Li, you... how can you expect this old monk to refuse? Indeed, indeed!"
Faced with such a treasure, it would be an absolute lie to say he wasn't moved.
"Hahaha... Fellow Daoist Zhuo, there is no need for pleasantries. I shall leave the matter of the refinement to you."
Li Yan cupped his hands. He had over one hundred and forty of these stones in his storage space, most of which came from the First Sir's storage ring. He had also used three of them when crossing the Chaotic Flow Space.
But he didn't take out too many at once.
Rarity determined value, and this item was, by its very nature, absolutely rare. Li Yan was clear on Zhuo Lingfeng's character, but he couldn't be so sure about Divine Monk Kong Hai.
He had inquired before; Divine Monk Kong Hai was already a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. They would venture into the Chaotic Flow Space more often and would have a greater need for such treasures. Li Yan understood well the principle that wealth moves the hearts of men.
"Very well, then. My previous words contradict my actions now, but I can only accept with a thick face. Amitabha, my deepest thanks for your generous gift, Fellow Daoist Li!"
Zhuo Lingfeng subsequently stored away the "Sand Star King Stones" and spoke to Li Yan once more.
"Fellow Daoist Li, if you have no other business to attend to in the near future, please feel free to stay here for the time being. This old monk will arrange a quiet Chan chamber for you."
"I will go to my master shortly after, but I cannot guarantee how long it will take to deduce the refinement art. Let us set a tentative period of one year. After one year, I will give you an answer, no matter the outcome. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Li?"
"Excellent. I also need to cultivate in peace for a while. In that case, I will trouble you to arrange a quiet room for me!"
Li Yan had nowhere else to go at the moment. His primary purpose in coming here was to have them deduce the refinement method. Once successful, he would provide the raw materials and have Zhuo Lingfeng begin the refinement immediately.
And so, in the days that followed, Li Yan took up residence in the Sand Gate Temple. He never stepped out, spending his days in seated meditation, cultivating and circulating his arts...
In cultivation, time has no meaning. One day, Li Yan, who was in the middle of his cultivation, suddenly opened his eyes. With a wave of his sleeve, the door to his room swung open. Seeing the originally haggard face of Zhuo Lingfeng, Li Yan immediately stood up.
His heart was, of course, filled with anticipation, but Zhuo Lingfeng, standing at the door, merely pressed his palms together and gave him a slight bow.
"A year has passed. Fellow Daoist Li, my master and I have studied the refinement method for a year, and we can only say we have a slight inkling. My apologies, but it seems we may need to continue our research."
Because of Li Yan's matter, Zhuo Lingfeng had gone to find Divine Monk Kong Hai. He gave all four "Sand Star King Stones" to his master.
He was truly grateful to Divine Monk Kong Hai, and whenever he had a chance to repay him, he did so with sincerity. This was Zhuo Lingfeng.
Divine Monk Kong Hai had seen "Sand Star Stones" before. Upon seeing these four "Sand Star King Stones," he immediately recognized their value; they were not comparable to the "Sand Star Stones" he had seen in the past.
He was greatly surprised to see his disciple produce such a treasure. Later, when Zhuo Lingfeng explained his purpose and presented the string of prayer beads and the jade slip, he did not refuse. Soon, the master and disciple pair were immersed in deducing the cultivation method.
It should be known that, in this matter, they were the biggest beneficiaries. Not only did they receive the "Sand Star King Stones," but they also obtained a semi-finished cultivation method from another sect, and even the complete "Golden Pearl Dragon-Subduing Art."
If Li Yan were not in a hurry to refine the upgraded version of the "Secret Traces Vajra Suppresses the Sacred Mountain," he could have used the "Golden Pearl Dragon-Subduing Art" alone as a condition for exchange.
After all, regardless of success or failure, Kong Hai and the others would have learned this refinement art and obtained several treasures for free. They were guaranteed to profit.
Li Yan looked at Zhuo Lingfeng and nodded, his expression showing no surprise.
"Then let's take another year, and see the progress then!"
"Amitabha. Fellow Daoist Li, my master wishes to invite the other two Temple-Protecting Divine Monks to study it together. I wonder if it is permissible for them to view this cultivation method!"
Zhuo Lingfeng's face bore a hint of apology as he stated the other purpose of his visit.
"It is permissible. I will have to trouble the Divine Monks!"
Hearing Zhuo Lingfeng's words, Li Yan agreed almost without hesitation.
Since Divine Monk Kong Hai had already seen the cultivation method, Li Yan decided not to overthink it. With several Divine Monks studying it together, the chances of success were naturally higher.
Seeing Li Yan agree, Zhuo Lingfeng felt a wave of relief. He was a person of great sentiment and integrity. He had originally wanted to repay Li Yan's kindness, but instead, he had accepted a treasure from him, and in the end, the task was not even accomplished!
Since Li Yan had agreed, Zhuo Lingfeng felt more confident. In fact, over the past year, he and his master had not been without gains.
On the contrary, after continuously testing the subtle connections between the Vajra Hand Bodhisattva and the prayer beads, and using the "Golden Pearl Dragon-Subduing Art" as a foundation, they had managed to deduce quite a few things.
It was just that the results of these deductions were fragmented, covering various aspects without any sequential order, making it impossible to string them together.
If two more Divine Monks were to join, Zhuo Lingfeng would be even more confident. Immediately, after another slight bow, he departed.
Li Yan watched Zhuo Lingfeng's departing figure, his eyes flickering for a moment before he closed the door again...
On the North Ice Continent, in a barren and untamed wilderness, the tall, grey-robed elder channeled power into his palm. Instantly, the head clamped in his five fingers began to melt.
It was as if a stream of water flowed down from the crown of the head, as the opponent's body started to dissolve from the top down, silent and traceless, without even a drop of blood to be seen.
In about three breaths, the large man had been reduced to a single drop of black water, which then sank into the ground, vanishing without a trace, not even leaving the faintest scent of blood.
The scene was utterly bizarre. The tall, grey-robed elder gazed toward the northern horizon, a dark tide surging restlessly in his deep-set eyes.
Behind him, a handsome, white-robed youth stood quietly all the while.
After a long moment, a respectful look appeared on the white-robed youth's face as he finally spoke.
"Martial Uncle, have you obtained any news? This is the seventeenth person I've lured out. If there's no connection between them, then no one should have noticed anything unusual yet."
"But if they are indeed connected, with some ties between them, it's likely we may have already attracted their attention."