Chapter 170: Submission
When the disciples of the Vajra Sect and Luoxia Mountain arrived at Yunshui Town, it was already three days later.
As Shen Wenxing came out to welcome them, he noticed a strange cloaked figure among the disciples of the Vajra Sect.
Just as he was curious, that cloaked figure slowly lifted their head, revealing a familiar face.
"Elder Qi!?"
Shen Wenxing looked at the person in surprise.
"Patriarch Shen, we meet again."
Qi Dashan slightly cupped his hands and smiled.
This person was Qi Dashan, a Fourth Realm Body Refining expert sent by the Vajra Sect to oversee the Jinghe Market.
Shen Wenxing quickly cupped his hands in return, opening his mouth in confusion: "There isn't a Fetal Breathing Realm expert from Hundred Beasts Mountain stationed in the spirit ore, isn't it overkill for you to come here, Elder?"
Qi Dashan slightly shook his head: "There are several old Fetal Breathing Realm figures from Hundred Beasts Mountain in the Western Wilderness, for the Immortal Sect, the spirit ore is far more important than Patriarch Shen thinks."
"Not only did I come this time, but Luoxia Mountain also feared sending a Fetal Breathing Realm expert."
"We will not take action on our own but are just here to guard against the old entities of Hundred Beasts Mountain."
As Shen Wenxing realized, the disciples of Luoxia Mountain also approached.
Indeed, as Qi Dashan predicted, Luoxia Mountain sent a middle-aged woman in the Fetal Breathing Realm this time.
"Luo Yao greets Daoist Qi."
After arriving, the middle-aged woman first bowed slightly to Qi Dashan, then looked at Shen Wenxing, saying: "You must be Patriarch Shen?"
"I am Luo Yao from Luoxia Mountain."
Shen Wenxing repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Elder Luo."
"Elders, please come inside."
After inviting the two of them to the guest room and each taking their seats, Luo Yao looked at Qi Dashan and said, "Daoist Qi, the tasks for both of us this time may be much easier."
Qi Dashan paused after hearing this: "What do you mean, Fairy Luo?"
Luo Yao lightly smiled and said: "Daoist Qi should not have returned to Danzhou recently, right?"
Qi Dashan nodded: "I have been stationed at Jinghe Market for the past two years, indeed not having returned."
"Did something significant happen in Danzhou?"
Significant?
Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing suddenly recalled that his father had asked him to pay attention to major events in Danzhou some time ago.
He had been quite busy recently and had neglected this matter.
After hearing Luo Yao say this, he immediately looked over curiously.
Luo Yao took a sip of tea from the tea cup she held and continued: "Daoist Qi should remember Master Guangyuan from a thousand years ago, right?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Dashan's expression tensed up.
"That Nascent Soul Realm predecessor?"
"Could it be that Master Guangyuan's abode has emerged in the world!?"
Luo Yao shook her head and said: "It's not Master Guangyuan's abode, but an Exotic Beast Bai Ze that has some connection with Master Guangyuan."
"In the Cultivation Realm, it is said in Master Guangyuan's handwriting in the 'Guangyuan Chronicles' that when he was at Qishan, he discussed Dao with an Exotic Beast Bai Ze for over a hundred years, forming a deep friendship."
"Several months ago, on East Screen of Qishan, hundreds of miles east of Cang Mang City, a celestial phenomenon appeared, and a Bai Ze Beast with a tiger head, red hair, and deer antlers appeared in the sky."
"Several Golden Core Realm Great Demons emerged from deep within Qishan."
"Then, senior members from the Danzhou Upper Three Sects' Cyan Ruo Sword House, Yinhe Sect, and Celestial Monarch Mountain also rushed to East Screen."
"Both sides engaged in battle for the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl, gathered from Bai Ze Beast's lifetime of Dao practice, causing the collapse of the mountains for miles."
"If it hadn't been for the senior from Cyan Ruo Sword House protecting it, the entire Cang Mang City would likely have been turned into ruins."
Upon hearing this, Qi Dashan's pupils contracted.
"Who has the treasure finally fallen into the hands of!?"
Qi Dashan felt very regretful.
If he hadn't been assigned to Jinghe Market this time, staying in the sect, he might have personally witnessed that great battle.
That was a battle in the Golden Core Perfection Realm, something one might not see once in a lifetime, let alone with seven Golden Core Realm experts involved!
Luo Yao sighed and smiled: "If the treasure had an owner, there wouldn't be all these events that followed."
"According to news released later by Yinhe Sect, the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl, left with a set-back by Bai Ze Beast, directly carried a man and a woman into the depths of Qishan."
"Now, throughout Danzhou, every cultivator who considers themselves somewhat capable has rushed into the depths of Qishan."
"It is said that even some rumored old monsters who had already passed away have emerged to vie for the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl."
"Among them is that Old Ape of Hundred Beasts Mountain."
Upon hearing this, Qi Dashan couldn't help but feel wistful.
He longed for it but also understood very clearly that such an opportunity to compete required at least a cultivator in the Fetal Breathing Perfection Realm, with Fake Pill and Golden Core Realm cultivators being even more numerous.
Among all the Immortal Sects in Qishan, except for that Old Ape of Hundred Beasts Mountain, others wanting to participate probably need to weigh their strength.
"Elder Luo, what exactly is the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl, that it draws so many powerful beings to fight over it?"
Shen Wenxing couldn't help but ask.
Luo Yao slightly shook her head: "I don't know much myself."
"It is only heard that Bai Ze possesses extreme wisdom and is an Auspicious Beast favored by the Dao, the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl condensed from its lifetime of Dao practice can not only help a cultivator remold their Divine Spirit, enhance enlightenment but also bring fortune."
"For us cultivators, though fortune is ethereal and untouchable, it is crucial!"
"If one is greatly fortuitous, breaking realms is as easy as eating and drinking, stepping out might strike a great opportunity."
"But if one's fortune is poor, bad luck may ensue; unlucky in cultivation is minor, perhaps one could perish from a small matter."
Shen Wenxing nodded in realization.
The ability to remold the Divine Spirit, increase a cultivator's enlightenment, and bring fortune...
This Female Essence Wisdom Pearl is simply a heaven-defying treasure.
In thinking of this, he suddenly became puzzled.
Is this what his father wanted to know as the "Danzhou major event"?
But how did his father, who is in Yangnao Land, come to know about Danzhou matters?
Thinking of Shen Yuan dreaming of the Bai Ze Auspicious Beast before, Shen Wenxing vaguely felt if it was the Bai Ze Auspicious Beast used some kind of ability to connect with his father far away in Yangnao Land?
Saying so, could it be that the Shen Family is perhaps imbued with a thread of the Bai Ze Auspicious Beast's fortune?
Shen Wenxing was lost in thought, but was interrupted by Qi Dashan.
"Patriarch Shen?"
Shen Wenxing snapped back to reality and quickly bowed in apology, "Forgive me, two elders. I was distracted hearing such secrets for the first time."
Luo Yao chuckled softly, "It's not just you, Patriarch Shen; I've also been deeply shocked in recent times."
"To think that Qishan has not had such large movements in hundreds of years."
Qi Dashan nodded.
Luo Yao continued, "This time, the ancestor of Hundred Beasts Mountain has already left the mountain gate, and many in the Immortal Sects know of it. Since Hundred Beasts Mountain is used to being domineering, they fear that with their ancestor gone, other Immortal Sects might have ideas. They have secretly called back several Fetal Breathing Realm powerhouses from Yangnao Land to the sect."
"That's why I said earlier that it would be much easier for the two of us."
Qi Dashan grinned widely at these words, "The old creature of Hundred Beasts Mountain goes to seize the great opportunity, and we'll take their small opportunity."
"With so many old monsters involved in vying for the Female Essence Wisdom Pearl, if that Old Ape meets an unfortunate end, heh heh..."
A cold glint flashed through Qi Dashan's eyes.
Clearly, if the ancestor of Hundred Beasts Mountain perishes in this opportunity contest, the fate of their sect would be uncertain.
At this moment, Shen Wenxing also felt a flicker of hope rising in his heart.
If things proceed as Qi Dashan suggested and the ancestor of Hundred Beasts Mountain dies, causing their distant sect in Danzhou to be besieged by other Immortal Sects,
even if they aren't completely destroyed, significantly weakening their strength would significantly reduce the pressure on the Shen Family.
"If that's the case, then let's start acting right away."
Qi Dashan slapped his thigh and stood up, "The sooner we get the Spirit Ore, the sooner we can mine and exchange for Spirit Crystals."
Luo Yao also stood up slowly.
Shen Wenxing followed the two outside, bowing and saying, "The two elders may take people over. My son Chongming and brother-in-law Huang Qi are already in the mountains."
Qi Dashan and Luo Yao nodded slightly and then led a group of disciples as they headed deeper into Hidden Dragon Mountain.
On the mountain defense line.
Once the people from Luoxia Mountain and the Vajra Sect arrived, they went straight to find Shen Chongming.
The youngster, seeing so many Immortal Sect disciples and two Fetal Breathing Realm elders for the first time, didn't appear too restrained.
After courteously receiving them, he began to talk about the Spirit Ore.
In recent days, he had contacted the Centipede Leader, asking it to send its children to infiltrate the Spirit Ore and managed to obtain a small piece of Spirit Ore.
"Two elders, this is the ore from the Spirit Ore vein, but Chongming doesn't know what it is."
Handing a thumb-sized crystal-clear ore to Luo Yao, Shen Chongming bowed and said.
Luo Yao took the ore, a trace of joy flashing in her eyes.
"Fellow Daoist Qi, it's Water Smoke Stone."
Qi Dashan examined it closely, nodding with a smile, "Water Smoke Stone is good stuff indeed."
"Young fellow, with everything clear, let's not waste time. Let's go."
At this point, he already considered this Water Smoke Stone vein as his own, and even a moment's delay could allow Hundred Beasts Mountain to mine another piece of Water Smoke Stone.
That would be a loss.
Shen Chongming nodded, immediately taking Zhao Tuan and four others to follow the teams from the two Immortal Sects toward the vein.
In the Water Smoke Stone vein, there were only a little over thirty people when combining those from Hundred Beasts Mountain and Western Desolate Cultivators, while Luoxia Mountain and Vajra Sect in total brought over sixty disciples, with two Fetal Breathing Realm powerhouses overseeing.
The battle almost ended in a one-sided manner.
Of the thirty Western Desolate Cultivators, twenty-one died in battle, nine surrendered, and two disciples of Hundred Beasts Mountain, along with their War Beasts, were slain.
As for the ordinary common people of the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race, they had no intention of resisting at all and knelt on the ground without moving as the battle began.
"Elder Qi, how should we deal with these Barbarian Loose Cultivators?"
A disciple from the Vajra Sect approached Qi Dashan and asked.
"Just kill them," Qi Dashan responded nonchalantly.
"Wait a moment, elder!"
Shen Chongming spoke up, glancing at the few Barbarian Cultivators and bowing, "Elder, these people were likely coerced by Hundred Beasts Mountain..."
"Yes, yes!"
"Immortal Master spare us; we were forced by Hundred Beasts Mountain. If we survive this, we will flee far away and never serve Hundred Beasts Mountain again."
Before Shen Chongming finished speaking, one of the nine Western Desolate Cultivators kneeling in front hurriedly knocked his head on the ground, pleading loudly.
Qi Dashan glanced at Shen Chongming and suddenly smirked.
Shen Chongming slightly bowed, a hint of entreaty in his eyes.
Qi Dashan understood his intention and with a straight face said immediately,
"Just kill them; it saves trouble!"
The nine Western Desolate Cultivators' faces turned deathly pale upon hearing this, feeling chilled to the bone!
The one who just spoke hurriedly kowtowed to Shen Chongming, crying out, "Young Immortal Master, save us!"
"We are willing to pledge allegiance to the Shen Family. We beg the Young Immortal Master to save us!"
The remaining Western Desolate Cultivators suddenly realized that only Shen Chongming could save their lives and began to kneel and plead.
"Elder..." Shen Chongming pretended to be troubled as he looked at Qi Dashan.
Qi Dashan chuckled secretly and shook his head slightly, then said seriously,
"If the Shen Family is willing to take them in, you may spare their lives."
The group instantly rejoiced, looking at Shen Chongming with eyes full of hope.
Shen Chongming hesitated on the surface, but his heart was filled with joy.
The Shen Family was in need of people at that moment, and suddenly gaining nine Qi Cultivation Realm cultivators would greatly enhance their strength.
However, he was uncertain if these nine were genuinely loyal.
Beside him, Luo Yao seemed to notice his concern and, appreciating the young man's attentiveness, smiled and said, "I have a Spiritual Oath here; they can swear with their Essence Blood. Should they defy it, they will face death and the dispersion of their Dao."
Shen Chongming was overjoyed at this, hurriedly bowing in gratitude.
Following this, under the supervision of Qi Dashan and Luo Yao, the nine Western Desolate Cultivators each swore the Spiritual Oath using the Essence Blood from their hearts.
Feeling that subtle binding force from the void, the nine dared not harbor any rebellious thoughts anymore.
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