Chapter 37 Part 2

He Yaoluo knew land in the Wild Domain wouldn’t be cheap, but hearing the words “Heaven-Tier” still shook her. Heaven-Tier spirit herbs were exceedingly rare, let alone a Frost-Dispelling Flower, which couldn’t be cultivated artificially! Her clan had never even laid eyes on a Heaven-Tier item. With a bitter smile, He Yaoluo said, “Heaven-Tier spirit herbs are truly precious. Can it be converted into Merit Points or Pill Jade?” How had those rogue cultivators at the Fire Element Dwelling raised the corresponding wealth? Could it be they only sold at exorbitant prices to the aristocratic families?

“It cannot,” Wei Mingyi said, looking regretfully at He Yaoluo. “If that is the case, then it seems the Fellow Daoist is not destined for it.”

He Yaoluo: “…” This was a task the Heavenly Dao Alliance had assigned to her clan; she had to at least report back to the Deacons first. Seeing the unshakeable resolve on the other’s face, she sighed and asked, “How should I address you, Fellow Daoist?”

Wei Mingyi’s eyes flickered. Unless someone specifically asked, she wouldn’t volunteer her name; she just called herself a Chongyuan Daoist. But now that He Yaoluo had asked directly, it wouldn’t be appropriate to pretend she hadn’t heard. Casually, she said: “Wuwang.” That’s right—when participating in the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate later, she’d also need a name. “Wei Mingyi” wouldn’t hold up; she would call herself “Wei Wuwang.”

The future head champion of the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate would be a mysterious genius from the Chongyuan Sect of the Wild Domain.

Perfectly logical!

He Yaoluo said, “Please wait a few more days, Fellow Daoist Wuwang. I need to return to my clan to discuss this with the elders.”

Wei Mingyi coolly said, “Acceptable.” She thought to herself: The Heavenly Dao Alliance wants to buy land—who else would dare to get ahead of them? Scattered individuals in the Wild Domain might dare, but major wealthy parties were extremely scarce. Those who could squeeze into Lang Fengya’s territory wouldn’t be willing to hand over such a sum. As for land in the Wild Domain, it should go without saying—its value far exceeded that in the Pure Domain.

Wei Mingyi didn’t engage in idle chatter, nor did she detain her guest. Once He Yaoluo had nothing further to say, Wei Mingyi simply waved her fingers and sent her out.

He Yaoluo had always been very courteous; Wei Mingyi reciprocated with corresponding goodwill.

Outside Yangchun Terrace.

He Yaoluo felt only a gentle breeze brush her face. By the time she came back to her senses, she was already out.

She mused silently: though the one who received her was a minor Meridian Opening stage Daoist, there was likely a being of far deeper cultivation watching from behind. Otherwise, how could she have been pushed out of Yangchun Terrace without any perception whatsoever?

“Perfected Person!” Members of the He clan, and even the Heavenly Dao Alliance Deacons, rushed over and surrounded her as soon as they saw He Yaoluo emerge.

He Yaoluo shook her head, saying quietly, “Let’s return first.”

At the outpost on the Lifeless Land, just as He Yaoluo stepped in, a serving child hurried over to deliver a message.

The four Ministers of the Heavenly Dao Alliance regarded the land in the Wild Domain with great importance. As soon as there was any news, they sent someone to summon He Yaoluo.

He Yaoluo was from a 3rd-Rate Clan, but ordinarily, she couldn’t even meet the clan’s presiding elder ancestor, let alone a Minister from one of the Four Great Clans. Upon hearing the summons, her heart immediately shivered, and her expression became solemn. She dared not delay. After clasping her hands respectfully toward the serving child and discreetly slipping her a pouch of Pill Jade, she followed her toward the Celestial Overseer Hall.

Inside the Celestial Overseer Hall.

Only one Minister was present.

She sat at the head seat, her entire being seeming to bathe in a hazy mist, making her features impossible to discern clearly.

At her side floated a Dao Script character for “Wu,” symbolizing her identity: Minister from Spirit Mountain’s Wu Clan, Wu Weiye.

The Tianwu He Clan was a power under Spirit Mountain. Among the four Ministers, He Yaoluo felt closer to the one from Spirit Mountain. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she bowed deeply toward Wu Weiye and said respectfully, “He Yaoluo pays respects to the Perfected Person.”

“Dispense with the formalities,” a cold voice came from above. After a pause, it continued, “You entered Yangchun Terrace? What was the situation?”

“Yangchun Terrace is protected by a great formation. Given my cultivation, I was unable to penetrate it.” He Yaoluo carefully recalled everything she had seen inside Yangchun Terrace, recounting it all to Wu Weiye above. “…Aside from a Daoist who calls herself Wuwang, I saw no other cultivators. I’m afraid there is another universe entirely within Yangchun Terrace.”

Wu Weiye then asked in a deep voice, “And the land?”

“The person claimed to be able to walk the Wild Domain freely, with the implication that there is more than one plot of land like Yangchun Terrace, capable of withstanding the Evil Tide. I haven’t yet been able to see the land’s true appearance.” After a moment’s hesitation, He Yaoluo added helplessly, “The price demanded for land in the Wild Domain is not low. I’m afraid my He Clan alone cannot afford it.”

Wu Weiye: “What did they want?”

He Yaoluo hesitated briefly, then said, “One Heaven-rank Frost-Dispelling Flower.”

Wu Weiye’s eyes flickered. After a moment, she gave a cold laugh: “They certainly dare to ask.” A Heaven-rank Frost-Dispelling Flower was an exceedingly rare item. However, the Heavenly Dao Alliance did indeed possess one. Even if the Alliance’s coffers weren’t abundant, they could request one from the Cloud Realm.

He Yaoluo: “Perfected Person, how should I reply?”

Wu Weiye said dismissively, “It’s merely a single Heaven-Tier spiritual herb. Give it to her.”

He Yaoluo: “Yes.”

–

Yangchun Terrace.

Wei Mingyi pushed He Yaoluo to the back of her mind. The Heavenly Dao Alliance was the one in a hurry; she wasn’t.

As for the conditions, they could only go up, not down.

After dealing with those trivial matters, Wei Mingyi contacted Lang Fengya, who was training in the Wild Domain, to inquire about the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate.

Lang Fengya didn’t disappoint; she indeed knew the details. She said, “The Heavenly Dao Alliance has already released the news. The registration period for the next Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate begins in March next year.”

Wei Mingyi’s heart tightened upon hearing this. It was now August; less than six months remained. Could she successfully reach Foundation Establishment by then?

“Fellow Daoist, you also wish to participate in the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate?” Lang Fengya fixed her gaze on Wei Mingyi, her voice serious. “Don’t be fooled by the immense benefits; in truth, it’s all a stage prepared for the aristocratic families’ chosen prodigies, purely for selecting candidates for the Four Great Clans. Rogue cultivators and the master-disciple lineage may technically have the right to participate, but they never come out ahead. They might even lose their lives.”

Wei Mingyi had already heard from Wu Chongyun about the dangers of the Paragon Debate, but she wouldn’t give up on this chance to get close to the Cloud Mountain Herb. She asked, “Has Fellow Daoist participated before?”

Lang Fengya nodded. “I have.”

Wei Mingyi said, “The Fellow Daoist survived.”

Lang Fengya toyed with her Buddhist beads, drawing a deep breath. “That’s because I didn’t compete.” But what was the point of joining the Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate without competing? What difference was there from not going at all?

She hated the aristocratic families, yet the lines between her and them weren’t entirely clear-cut—at least when she was at the Foundation Establishment stage, she had needed to equivocate and make compromises to obtain resources. Fixing her gaze on Wei Mingyi, whose face showed no trace of fear, Lang Fengya worried she might take a fatal misstep. She decided to reveal the hidden past she had always been unwilling to recall.

She said, “I survived back then as a follower of an aristocratic family. Those family scions, hah, on the surface they have plenty of friendships and affections. So things like arson, murder, and looting—things they themselves found inconvenient to do—they had hired rogue cultivators or master-disciple lineage Daoists carry out. If it succeeded, they’d bestow some meager benefits on the followers. If it failed, they’d push them out to take the fall.”

“The aristocratic families treat rogue cultivators like dogs they shoo away, but even a tiny bit that slips through their fingers might be the essential resource a rogue cultivator needs to climb higher. Fellow Daoist Wei, with Chongyuan Sect’s strength behind you, you won’t lack cultivation resources in the future. Why walk into the playing field of the aristocratic families?” Lang Fengya advised earnestly.

Wei Mingyi wouldn’t say that the Chongyuan Sect didn’t actually have such strength. She merely replied with utter seriousness: “One’s Dao cultivation must be honed through battle after battle. I have a reason I must go.”

Lang Fengya was speechless. After a long pause, she said half-jokingly, “I thought you wanted to follow those predecessors who raised the prestige of the master-disciple lineage.” Such people were indeed admirable, but given the murky state of affairs, being high-profile simply meant a death sentence.

“That could work too,” Wei Mingyi said, her eyes flashing with ambition. “If the prevailing atmosphere is no longer pure and simple, then I shall use my sword to clear out a bright, vast world.”

Lang Fengya had once possessed such ambition too, but over the years, it had gradually worn away. She had once seen the vastness of heaven and earth, but now only her own Dao Path remained. Her expression was somewhat complicated, unsure whether she should continue persuading. Only after a long while did she speak more lightly: “If I recall correctly, Fellow Daoist, you don’t practice the Sword Dao, do you?”

Wei Mingyi: “…”

Damn it, she’d start learning tomorrow!

But the moment she thought about how she hadn’t yet fully comprehended that Earth-Tier Six Classics Unrolled, she relented.

Greed for too much would be hard to digest, unless she added points.

After much hesitation, Lang Fengya let out a long sigh. She said, “In every past Heavenly Dao’s Paragon Debate, victory has been determined by how much Penglai Purple Qi one obtains. Penglai Purple Qi is a cultivation resource second only to Ninth-Grade Divine Sand. Like Divine Sand, it requires a Grotto-Heaven level Daoist to harvest. Therefore, aside from the Heavenly Dao Alliance, only the Jade Emperor Sect holds some in small quantities. Fellow Daoist, if you absolutely must participate, then once you obtain Penglai Purple Qi, use it immediately. Only the benefits you actually grasp in hand are true benefits.”

Wei Mingyi nodded, then asked, “Ninth-Grade Divine Sand?” Another unfamiliar term.

Lang Fengya explained, “When establishing the Foundation or forming the Golden Core, you can use ordinary cinnabar, or slowly absorb spiritual energy from a spirit vein. But once you reach Nascent Soul, that efficiency is far too low. To walk higher and farther, you must use Ninth-Grade Divine Sand for cultivation. As for this Divine Sand, if you can’t harvest it yourself, the only option is to purchase it from the Heavenly Dao Alliance, using either Merit Points or Pill Jade.”

No one had ever told Wei Mingyi about cinnabar-related knowledge; she was completely ignorant, and naturally never thought to ask. Now, catching an unfamiliar term from Lang Fengya, she pressed further: “What does ‘ordinary cinnabar’ refer to?”

Lang Fengya found it somewhat strange but, on second thought, reasoned that Fellow Daoist Wei was still at Meridian Opening stage, and her elders simply hadn’t mentioned it yet to keep her mind from wandering. Still, since she’d brought it up, Lang Fengya had to brace herself to continue the explanation: “High-Grade Cinnabar is a pure, condensed spiritual substance formed by Earth-Tier and Heaven-Tier Spirit Veins. It is an exceptionally effective cultivation resource. After Foundation Establishment, cultivators can directly absorb the spiritual energy within the cinnabar, rapidly honing their cultivation…”

Wei Mingyi took it all in.

After Lang Fengya left, she took inventory of her Qiankun Pouch.

Inside were things obtained from the aristocratic families, as well as her share of income from selling land and pills—the Sect Leader had always set it aside for her. Wei Mingyi had never needed it, so she hadn’t looked closely. Now, when she examined the labels on those items carefully, she realized she possessed both High-Grade Cinnabar and Ninth-Grade Divine Sand. But the Divine Sand was in extremely small quantities. After all, of the three families they’d destroyed, only the Zheng clan had imprisoned a Nascent Soul Daoist. And knowing how cautious those Zheng clansmen were, they surely wouldn’t have provided her with cultivation resources, right?

And then there was her beautiful, strong, tragic master—

Right now, unable to cultivate because of the Wither and Flourish Poison. But when the poison was eventually cured, wouldn’t she need Ninth-Grade Divine Sand?

If they could only obtain it from the Heavenly Dao Alliance… No wonder the Heavenly Dao Alliance could control the Nine Provinces.

“Shizun, after reaching Nascent Soul, is it really only possible to cultivate using the Ninth-Grade Divine Sand that the Heavenly Dao Alliance possesses?” Wei Mingyi, deeply worried, found Wu Chongyun and bit her lower lip.

Wu Chongyun cast her a faint glance.

Some small families and sects didn’t even have the right to hear the name Ninth-Grade Divine Sand, let alone obtain it.

Where had she gotten this information now?

Wu Chongyun lifted her eyelids and said, “You are merely at Meridian Opening.”

Wei Mingyi choked. Of course, she knew she didn’t need it.

Sighing, she knelt down before Wu Chongyun and said, “I’m worried about Shizun.”

Wu Chongyun spoke succinctly: “I have it.” She picked up her whisk and lifted Wei Mingyi’s chin with it, adding calmly, “You will have it too.”

Wei Mingyi replied obediently, “Thank you, Shizun.”

She understood the logic, but… could Shizun stop teasing her with the whisk?