Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 426

The meeting, led by Zhiyang Shangren with occasional input from Old Devil Yunlu, lasted nearly an hour before concluding.

It was evident that Long Han’s opinions carried more weight than those of other cultivators, especially in discussions concerning the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Everyone sought his input, confirming the rumors that the Alliance was balancing its power with three great cultivators through Long Han and his wife.

Finally, tasks were assigned to the cultivators who wouldn’t participate in the duel.

After Zhiyang Shangren dismissed everyone to prepare, most cultivators left the main hall. Only the three great cultivators—Han Li, Old Devil Yunlu, and a beautiful woman with a pale complexion—remained.

‘Junior Brother! Come with me. I need to speak with you privately,’ the black-robed giant said to Old Devil Yunlu before slipping out a side door. Old Devil Yunlu hesitated but silently followed, clearly intimidated by the giant.

‘Cultivator Han, Cultivator Bai, let’s talk as well. I understand you both want to inspect the items before committing to participate. The risks of this duel are significant, so it’s understandable you wouldn’t want to gamble easily. However, I hope you’ll participate after confirming everything.’ After the black-robed man left, Zhiyang Shangren addressed Han Li and the woman. Wei Wuya stood by, watching the two cultivators with his hands behind his back.

Han Li didn’t respond, but the beautiful woman frowned and replied coldly, ‘Whether the Moran people invade Tiannan or Tiannan invades the Moran Grasslands is of no concern to me. If you hadn’t contacted me, I wouldn’t have come down from the mountain. If the items aren’t satisfactory, I’ll leave immediately, so keep that in mind.’

‘Cultivator Bai, why are you like this? What happened back then was my fault as well, but it was also for the sake of the cultivators,’ Zhiyang Shangren said, not angered by her words but trying to appease her gently.

‘I will judge right and wrong myself, so don’t bring up the past. Just show me the items,’ the woman retorted, her face hardening.

Han Li, listening, showed no change in expression but found the exchange strange.

Zhiyang Shangren shook his head at the hostile woman and, with a wave of his sleeve, produced a white jade box. It looked ordinary, but the temperature in the hall plummeted the moment it appeared, creating a winter-like chill.

The white-clad woman felt the cold emanating from the box, and her eyes lit up. Zhiyang Shangren brought the box to her. When she opened it, a translucent silkworm cocoon emitting a white aura was revealed.

Judging by its shape, it was an Ice Snow Silkworm cocoon, listed near the bottom of the Spirit Insect Rankings [a list of powerful magical insects].

‘Why a silkworm cocoon? It’s not a mature Ice Snow Silkworm,’ the woman frowned as she examined the insect.

‘Cultivator Bai, this Ice Snow Silkworm was found in the ice layer a hundred feet below the Hanbing Cave. It’s not an ordinary one but a top-grade Azure King Silkworm. If you look closely, you’ll notice the difference,’ Zhiyang Shangren explained calmly.

‘Azure King Silkworm?’ The woman was skeptical but observed it closely, and soon her face relaxed.

‘Although the Azure King Silkworm is still in its cocoon state, it will be useful even in its spirit insect state once it awakens.’

‘I’ll take the item. I’ll also participate in the duel,’ the woman, who had been hesitant, finally took the jade box.

‘That’s a good decision. It’s easy for you to deal with just one Dharma Master with your White Snow Art,’ Zhiyang Shangren said with relief. The white-clad woman didn’t change her expression and walked away coldly.

Zhiyang Shangren shook his head with a wry smile, and Wei Wuya chuckled but remained silent.

‘Cultivator Han, do you have a specific amount of Geng Essence [a rare and valuable metal essence] you need?’ After the woman left, Zhiyang Shangren finally turned his attention to Han Li.

‘The more, the better. Of course, the value of Geng Essence is high, so if you two provide it, I will pay the price,’ Han Li said, not intending to stall.

‘Judging by your tone, Cultivator Han, you seem to have plenty of wealth. Let me tell you in advance, once we reach our level, there are very few items we desire. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have brought out so many of our possessions for this duel,’ Zhiyang said.

Han Li smiled in response, but suddenly Wei Wuya sighed and spoke, ‘Cultivator Han managed to escape from the Moran Divine Envoy in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm [a high level of cultivation], so it’s hard to see him as an ordinary cultivator.’

‘Is that so? I don’t know what Cultivator Han intends to exchange, but let’s check the Geng Essence first. If you have items that please us, we’ll give you all of it,’ Zhiyang Shangren said casually.

He shook one of his storage pouches, and three pieces of faintly golden stones of varying sizes emerged, enveloped in light. Zhiyang Shangren handed them directly to Han Li.

One was large, and two were smaller, but they were definitely Geng Essence. The large one was about the size of a peach, similar to the one that had been auctioned, and the smaller ones were half that size. This was enough for about a dozen flying swords, but it still didn’t meet Han Li’s needs. A faint look of disappointment crossed his face.

Zhiyang Shangren was surprised by his expression. ‘So much Geng Essence isn’t enough?’ He looked at Wei Wuya.

Wei Wuya also noticed Han Li’s expression and, after receiving Zhiyang Shangren’s gaze, immediately shook his sleeve and produced a fist-sized piece of Geng Essence. Han Li was greatly pleased to see it.

It was still not enough for all 72 flying swords, but if he gathered a little more, he could refine 36. If he used the Sword Shadow Splitting Technique on 36 flying swords, he could barely deploy a small-scale Great Azure Sword Formation [a powerful sword formation].

After receiving Wei Wuya’s Geng Essence, a surge of emotion arose in his heart, but he barely calmed himself and spoke, ‘It’s still not enough for me, but it’s enough to participate in the duel. I don’t know if the items I’m offering in exchange will be satisfactory.’

Han Li put away the Geng Essence and took out two different jade boxes from his storage pouch, throwing them to Wei Wuya and Zhiyang Shangren.

Zhiyang Shangren opened his box immediately, while Wei Wuya examined his before opening it. One contained scarlet scales, and the other contained a fist-sized black tortoise shell.

‘…What is this?’

‘They’re materials from demon beasts!’ the two asked almost simultaneously, and Han Li explained, ‘Yes, the one in Cultivator Wei Wuya’s possession is a scale from an eighth-grade demon beast, the Poisonous Flood Dragon. And the one in Zhiyang Shangren’s possession is the tortoise shell of an eighth-grade demon beast, the Ghost Tortoise. Even if they’re not heaven-defying treasures, materials obtained from demon beasts that have reached the Transformation Stage [a high level of demon beast evolution] are extremely difficult to find in Tiannan, aren’t they? They should be enough to exchange for Geng Essence.’ Han Li’s voice was filled with confidence.

Eighth-grade demon beasts were special even in the Chaotic Star Sea, and obtaining materials by killing them was like reaching for the stars. Moreover, in Tiannan, even sixth or seventh-grade demon beasts were nearly extinct and could not be found.

‘Eighth-grade Poisonous Flood Dragon scales!’ Zhiyang Shangren was slightly surprised but quickly regained his composure, while Wei Wuya couldn’t take his eyes off the scales. Han Li remembered that Wei Wuya was said to use abilities related to poison.

‘Could the Poisonous Flood Dragon scales have some mysterious use?’ Han Li was suspicious, but Wei Wuya picked up a piece of the scale with his long fingernails and was lost in thought.

‘Haha! It seems Cultivator Han’s item is just what Brother Wei wanted. I’m also excited about the Ghost Tortoise shell, so it’s only natural. If it’s a material from an eighth-grade demon beast, whether you make armor or a shield, its effectiveness will be extraordinary. It’s enough to exchange for Geng Essence,’ Zhiyang Shangren said, also surprised by Wei Wuya’s expression but quickly smiling at Han Li and examining the item.

While Han Li was lost in thought, Wei Wuya let out a long sigh. ‘It’s definitely a scale left by a Poisonous Flood Dragon in the Transformation Stage. The day my magic treasure’s power increases is finally coming.’ With a joyful face, Wei Wuya took the box containing the red scales. Then, looking at Han Li with a changed gaze, he said, ‘To be honest, I didn’t expect you to bring out such precious items. The Poisonous Flood Dragon scales are very valuable to me, so it’s appropriate for an exchange. However, since you’re representing Tiannan in the duel, it seems like you’re at a disadvantage. So, I’ll give you the last piece of Geng Essence I’ve kept for my descendants. It seems like you need it, so take it and use it.’ Wei Wuya flipped his hand again and threw a Geng Essence the size of an egg to Han Li.

‘I knew there would be more Geng Essence!’ Han Li’s lips curled up. With this, he had more than enough to refine thirty-six flying swords. If he hadn’t considered this possibility, he wouldn’t have brought out the eighth-grade demon beast materials, which were more valuable than Geng Essence.

Zhiyang Shangren, who had been watching, also finished his appraisal and smiled calmly. However, when he saw Wei Wuya take out another piece of Geng Essence, he had no choice but to rummage through his sleeves and take out a yellow tree root-like object.

‘Judging by the prominent wood-attribute spiritual energy in your body, you must have learned a related cultivation method. Since I don’t have a suitable item to give you, take this rattan root and use it to refine a magic treasure or cultivate your wood-attribute spiritual energy. This should be enough to compensate for the eighth-grade demon beast materials.’

‘This is…’ Wei Wuya recognized the piece of tree root the size of a finger that Zhiyang Shangren had taken out and was astonished. Han Li, who had been secretly disappointed, suddenly deduced something from Wei Wuya’s expression. ‘If it’s a rattan root?’ The reason he had secretly infiltrated the Righteous and Demonic Paths to obtain pure essence was to revive the rattan, a spiritual object called the Mysterious Heaven Vine.

‘Given your status, Brother Han, you must have heard the news that the Mysterious Heaven Vine has reappeared in the world. Unfortunately, despite trying many methods, we couldn’t revive it. In the end, we decided to divide it with the Demonic Path and use it as material for magic tools, and I had a quarter of it. Since I use fire-attribute cultivation methods, it’s useless to me no matter how precious it is, so I’ll give it to you.’

‘It’s the Mysterious Heaven Vine!’ Han Li was greatly surprised as he received the yellow root piece. What were called the rattan of the immortals were different species of spiritual trees made of vines and stems, and the Mysterious Heaven Vine was even more special. Only a few types of rattan spiritual trees passed down from ancient times had the prefix Mysterious Heaven. According to the scriptures, they were ancient spiritual trees that were born when the heavens and earth were created, and the flowers and fruits that bloomed from the rattan were all heaven-defying treasures with mysterious powers. However, the scriptures did not record what kind of effects the Mysterious Heaven Vine had, so no one knew.

The Righteous and Demonic Path cultivators had discovered a seemingly ordinary withered root in the ruins and recognized it as the Mysterious Heaven Vine because of the writings in the ruins of an ancient cultivator. Due to the sudden appearance of a precious treasure, the Righteous and Demonic Paths fought repeatedly until the higher-ups intervened and concluded that they should first see if they could revive the Mysterious Heaven Vine before discussing it further. They tried all sorts of methods, but nothing worked. In the end, the Righteous and Demonic Paths gave up and agreed to divide the Mysterious Heaven Vine root into about a dozen pieces and distribute them equally. Zhiyang Shangren was the Great Elder of the Righteous Path Alliance, so his share was naturally larger than others. Wei Wuya had recognized it at a glance because he possessed a part of the Mysterious Heaven Vine. Since it couldn’t be revived anyway, it was clearly an unnecessary material for Zhiyang Shangren, who practiced fire-attribute cultivation methods.

However, Han Li was a little disappointed when he realized it was the Mysterious Heaven Vine. He had given the eighth-grade demon beast materials hoping to get more Geng Essence because he didn’t lack top-grade materials.

# 428