Chapter - 9

"If you need something, call me Uncle Chen. If you don't, call me Fellow Daoist Chen!"

Chen Xiuping, the old Daoist, stroked his beard with a pleased expression. Gossip was his favorite pastime.

It was a habit of his.

Though stingy to the bone—always ensuring he never suffered a loss in business, even splitting the stall fee with young cultivators like Gu Shengtian, who was merely at the third level of Qi Refining—when it came to storytelling, he was surprisingly generous.

Perhaps the only thing he shared freely was the knowledge he had accumulated over his sixty-plus years of life.

"A Crane in the Clouds? You mean Master Yunhe!"

"To the common folk, he's just a legend, but this old man knows a thing or two."

"In the vast expanse of the Eastern Wilderness, there are thirty-six domains. We are at the extreme east, bordering the Million Mountains. The six domains nearest to the mountains have a collective name—the Six Eastern Regions."

"Each domain is home to countless sects, but only those housing Nascent Soul cultivators can name a domain after themselves."

"Master Yunhe hails from the Hehuan Realm, under the strongest sect there—the Hehuan Sect!"

Gu Shengtian listened with fascination. This was his first real glimpse beyond Dahefang City.

"So, our domain is called the Yuding Domain?" he asked curiously.

"Precisely! The dominant sect here is the Yuding Sword Sect, thus our name."

Chen Xiuping nodded, then continued, "The Yuding Sword Sect is famed for its martial prowess. Sitting at the very edge of the Million Mountains, it serves as a frontline stronghold. Several large market cities, including Dahefang, fall under its jurisdiction."

As he spoke, he suddenly frowned.

"Wait! How did we get here? Weren't we talking about Master Yunhe?"

He coughed, then resumed his tale.

"The Hehuan Sect is infamous for its dual cultivation techniques, and its business operations span all six realms. Take Tianxiang Tower, for example—it's just one of their many establishments."

Tianxiang Tower was an extravagant place, raking in a high-grade spirit stone every night. And yet, it was considered a 'minor' business of the Hehuan Sect?

Gu Shengtian's interest was piqued. A powerful sect, immense wealth, and beautiful women—wasn't this the ideal goal?

"Many say the Hehuan Sect strays from the righteous path, indulging in carnal pleasures rather than pursuing true cultivation. But three hundred years ago, an anomaly emerged!"

Gu Shengtian clapped his hands. "Master Yunhe, right?"

"Address him properly!" Chen Xiuping scolded. "For Jindan cultivators, you must use an honorific title—he is Yunhe Shangren!"

"Master Yunhe refined the Hehuan Sect's core techniques to unparalleled heights. Not only was he revered for his grace, but his combat strength was also unmatched."

"When the Yuding Domain was first opened, many sects sent their elites to the other five domains. Master Yunhe, still a relatively unknown early-stage Jindan cultivator at the time, was among them."

"But in that decisive battle, he single-handedly captured a fourth-tier demonic beast!"

Gu Shengtian's eyes widened in shock.

Then he took a sharp breath, contributing significantly to global warming.

Then he swallowed hard, making a loud gulping sound.

Finally, he exhaled deeply, like a cultivator descending a whole realm from sheer astonishment.

"A fourth-tier beast… Isn't that equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator?!"

Chen Xiuping grinned, stroking his beard with satisfaction, as if he had accomplished the feat himself.

"Indeed! A fourth-tier beast is also known as a Beast King. Their combat prowess often surpasses that of a human Nascent Soul cultivator."

Gu Shengtian frowned. "But isn't it nearly impossible to fight beyond one's realm? How did Yunhe Shangren, a mere early Jindan, achieve such a feat?"

"The true details remain a mystery," Chen Xiuping admitted. "Some say he took advantage of the Demon Crane Emperor's tribulation period. Others claim a Nascent Soul elder of the Hehuan Sect secretly assisted him. But regardless of how it happened, that battle cemented Master Yunhe's legend!"

With a dramatic gesture, Chen Xiuping pointed to a grand red-pink building in the inner city.

"The Hehuan Sect's businesses extend across all six realms. Even the wealthiest factions, like the King of Medicine, only operate in four. Yet, even a remote city like Dahefang has a Tianxiang Tower where music and laughter never cease."

"And all of this… is largely thanks to Yunhe Shangren—the strongest below the Nascent Soul realm!"

Gu Shengtian nodded in admiration. A powerful name, a grand story!

He cast a grateful glance toward Wang Yuan's distant street stall. That book, The Six Realm Chronicles, had been worth every coin.

If he ever had the money, he'd definitely buy a copy to study further.

Chen Xiuping suddenly coughed. "Ahem, boy, my throat is getting dry. How about a piece of dried beef to quench my thirst?"

Gu Shengtian ignored him, spreading out his freshly crafted pills.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, it's time to make money for cultivation. One day, you and I might also be honored as 'Shangren.'"

Chen Xiuping's white beard trembled with rage.

Taking advantage of his height, Gu Shengtian patted him on the shoulder. "I just hope that when we meet again as Golden Core cultivators, we can still call each other fellow Daoists!"

"Bah! I'm sixty-five! To hell with your Golden Core dream!"

Chen Xiuping cursed, taking a deep breath to calm himself. No point in arguing—stress was bad for health.

His gaze then drifted toward Gu Shengtian's stall, and his eyes widened.

"Twenty-one bottles? All Bigu Pills? Or… did you actually refine something new?"

Gu Shengtian sighed dramatically. "Alas, this junior has mediocre talent and has exhausted his entire fortune. Only through sheer perseverance did I barely refine a single bottle of a new elixir."

Chen Xiuping gulped audibly.

"You… you didn't actually refine a second-tier pill, did you?"

Gu Shengtian shook his head. "Alas, I am not capable of such a feat."

"Of course not! You're just a—"

"So, I had to settle for something else—deriving it into a first-tier pill instead."

"A first-tier Jade Dew Pill?!"

Chen Xiuping's eyes bulged. His expressions were ever-changing—spitting, gasping, trembling—it was a full performance.

Gu Shengtian clasped his hands behind his back. "But of course, this is not a mere imitation of the Jade Dew Pill. It is actually a secret elixir passed down by Yunhe Shangren himself."

Chen Xiuping's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"In a great battle that shaped the Yuding Domain, this very formula was left behind in Dahefang City. So, Fellow Daoist Chen… do be careful with your words in the future."

A chorus of gasps filled the air.

Gu Shengtian covered his face, bracing himself for the surge of spiritual energy warming the region.

And indeed, the temperature did rise—the sun had come out.

With daylight breaking, foot traffic in the market increased.

Soon, the first customer approached Gu Shengtian's stall.

"Bigu Pills?"

Inspecting the bottles, the man nodded in approval. "Good quality! The aura retention is excellent. How much?"

He casually picked up five bottles, tossing a low-grade spirit stone in payment.

After pocketing the stone, Gu Shengtian called out to him.

"Fellow Daoist, are you interested in learning about Zhongmiao Maru?"