Chapter 75 : A Master of Subtlety

She paused briefly, then continued, "In my estimation, among the hundred or so Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have established their foundational cultivation base] in the entire Border Province, fewer than a dozen possess the potential to one day break through to the Violet Sanctum [the realm of the Violet Palace, a significant advancement in cultivation]."

"Both Eternal Profound Chen of the Chen Clan and this Eldrin Chen are counted among that select dozen. It is possible we may one day find ourselves living under their shadow. Cultivating goodwill with them now is hardly a mistake."

"You, my dear, always see only the surface of things," the matriarch of the Liu Clan shook her head with a sigh of resignation. "That is precisely why our late uncle passed the mantle of leadership to me and not to you."

"…"

As Eldrin Chen soared towards Fengyang Market upon his flying sword, he pondered the intentions behind the Liu Clan matriarch's words.

The woman who steered the Liu Immortal Clan was indeed a master of subtlety. While Twin Jade Liu clearly wished to foster ties with the Chen Clan, she had done so without a hint of obsequiousness, striking a perfect balance.

Strictly speaking, seventy years prior, the Liu Clan had suffered a grievous blow alongside the Chen Clan, and they had even united in opposition against the Verdant Sun Sect at that time.

Yet, for such a shrewd Immortal Clan [a clan whose lineage is steeped in cultivation] leader to so pointedly snub a cultivator from the Verdant Sun Sect in order to sell a treasure to him was beyond his expectations.

What he did not know was that the very catalyst which had solidified Twin Jade Liu's resolve to sever ties with the Verdant Sun Sect was, in fact, the matter of Verdant Origin Chen perishing after consuming the Foundation Establishment Pill [a precious pill that aids in solidifying one's foundational cultivation base].

On the surface, the incident seemed insignificant. But to the discerning eye, it was a telling sign—a single fallen leaf heralding autumn's chill. It laid bare the profound callousness festering within the upper echelons of the Verdant Sun Sect, shattering any lingering, fanciful illusions. Your portal to cultivation novels: audi novel.com.

This matter chilled the hearts of many. Not just one Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan felt this keenly, but it was the final straw that solidified the resolve of the various great clans, their long-simmering grievances finally boiling over into decisive action.

A person, wounded or defeated, can always start anew if they regain their confidence. But once hearts are scattered and trust is lost, it is nearly impossible to return to how things were before.

"It seems this Feng County Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, or at least this Liu Clan, is signaling an intent to form an alliance,"

Eldrin Chen pondered. The Chen Clan was now the foremost Immortal Clan in Yu County, with the six great Immortal Clan clans jointly governing the county. In the face of shared interests and looming crises, they could be considered a unified entity.

To a certain extent, the current Chen Clan could speak on behalf of the various great families of Yu County.

The Beast Tide [a periodic, massive invasion of demonic beasts] would descend in just over two decades. No single commandery within the Border Province possessed the strength to withstand alone the demonic beasts under the command of the Heavenly Python Demon King.

Perhaps this Twin Jade Liu was first seeking to establish a personal connection here, with the intention of later discussing a potential alliance with the great clans of Feng County.

"Perhaps I am overthinking it."

"The relationships among the great clans of the Three Counties of Border Province are a tangled web of complexity. Countless grudges linger from past struggles over resources and power, with deep-seated hatreds festering between many."

"Unless the Beast Tide is truly upon us, casting aside such enmity to forge an alliance seems a distant possibility."

With these thoughts, Eldrin Chen suppressed his musings and continued flying on his sword towards Fengyang Market.

After merely two days, he had traversed over ten thousand Li-length [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] and arrived at the largest cultivation market in Feng County.

Compared to Yu County, which was closer to the Hundred-Thousand-Mile Great Wasteland, the cultivation world of Feng County was somewhat more prosperous. It was estimated to have roughly seven or eight more Foundation Establishment Cultivator [cultivators who have solidified their cultivation foundation] than Yu County.

The most crucial factor was that within Feng County, the Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan [an immortal clan with at least one Violet Sanctum Realm cultivator] Xu Clan was stationed here.

This Shyu Immortal Clan had a heritage spanning over eight hundred years. It rose to prominence three centuries ago when it produced its first Violet Sanctum Cultivator [a cultivator whose soul has condensed into a Violet Sanctum within their dantian].

After ascending to become a Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan, the Xu Clan cultivated a Third-order Spiritual Vein [a geographical formation that naturally gathers and radiates spiritual energy of the third rank]. Furthermore, they occupied the only Third Rank Lower Grade [the lowest grade within the third rank] Underground Earth Vein [a subterranean spiritual vein rich in earth-attribute energies] within Feng County.

Although that Underground Earth Vein was only of Third Rank Lower Grade, it periodically gave birth to various earth-attribute natural treasures. Most importantly, once every century, it would nurture a single Bulwark Earth Crystal.

The Bulwark Earth Crystal is a precious natural treasure born from the Underground Earth Vein. Like the Solar Fire Crystal, it contains a wisp of Creation [the primordial force of creation and transformation] power, capable of assisting cultivators with an Earth Spiritual Root [an innate affinity for earth-attribute spiritual energy] in breaking through to the Violet Sanctum Realm.

Additionally, they managed to secure a share of the profits from the only small-scale Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy, used as currency and for cultivation] mine in Border Province, the Border Mountain Vein.

A small-scale spiritual vein can transform Earth Mother Energy [the fundamental nurturing energy of the earth] to produce Spirit Stones. It is a renewable resource; with continuous investment and maintenance, it can be mined for tens of thousands of years.

This vein could yield over ten thousand Spirit Stone [a mineral that stores and radiates spiritual energy] annually. After the shares for the Xu Clan and the Yang Clan of Ling County—both Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan [an immortal clan with cultivators at the Violet Sanctum realm]—were deducted, it still generated an average yearly income of over seven thousand Spirit Stones.

Thanks to the Spirit Stone mine and the Third Rank Underground Earth Vein [a concentrated vein of earth-attribute spiritual energy deep underground], the Xu Clan had nurtured three Violet Sanctum Cultivator [cultivators who have opened their Violet Sanctum, the third major realm] over the past three hundred years. Excluding their first Violet Sanctum Patriarch who had passed away from old age and one Violet Sanctum cultivator who perished in a Beast Tide [a periodic, massive onslaught of demonic beasts] seventy years prior, two still remained alive today.

"Underground Earth Vein, Border Province Spirit Stone Mine."

"Setting aside the Underground Earth Vein, the dividends from the Spirit Stone vein alone surpass the entire annual revenue of the Sunward Market. The interests a Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan can secure far exceed what our Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [an immortal clan whose strongest members are at the Foundation Establishment realm] can ever hope to attain."

As Eldrin Chen entered the Fengyang Market, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly with this thought.

With a Violet Sanctum Immortal Clan overseeing it, the Fengyang Market was considerably more bustling than the Sunward Market. Join our community of readers at audio . novel . com.

In the Sunward Market, it was nearly impossible to purchase a Second Rank Magical Artifact [an enchanted artifact of the second rank, suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators]. However, within the shops operated by the Xu Clan in the Fengyang Market, a limited number of Second Rank Magical Artifact were available for sale.

This single factor placed it second only to the Heavenly Ruins Mountain Market. Indeed, among the three prefectures under the governance of the Verdant Sun Sect, it was considered a market of respectable standing.

With over ten days remaining until the trade fair, Eldrin Chen did not idle away the time. Instead, he decided to explore the Fengyang Market.

The Fengyang Market was jointly managed by the Shyu Immortal Clan and the Six Great Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan [the six most prominent immortal clans at the Foundation Establishment realm] of Feng County. The Shyu Immortal Clan alone held a fifty percent share of the market.

Within the confines of Fengyang Market, the sole establishment where one could procure Second Rank treasures was the shop operated by the Xu Clan.

No sooner had Eldrin Chen stepped into the Xu Clan's shop, the Fengyang Pavilion, than the managing Foundation Establishment Cultivator emerged with a welcoming smile.

This man was a refined-looking Middle-aged Man. Upon seeing Eldrin Chen, he smiled and said, "I am Famous Sun Xu. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

With that, he ushered Eldrin Chen into an inner chamber, had tea served, and then inquired politely.

"You seem unfamiliar, Fellow Daoist. Might I ask from whence you hail?"

"I am Eldrin Chen of Green Chariot Mountain," Eldrin Chen replied with a cupped-hand salute. "This is my first visit to the Fengyang Market, so it is only natural you find my face unfamiliar."

"So it is Fellow Daoist Chen in person,"

said Famous Sun Xu, his expression turning solemn and respectful. "I have heard that you achieved Self-Achieved Foundation Establishment [attaining the Foundation Establishment realm through your own efforts, without external aid] and decisively defeated White Hope Lin in the Green Chariot Mountain sword contest. Seeing you today, the reputation is indeed well-deserved."

"You flatter me, Fellow Daoist," Eldrin Chen responded hastily. "It is but a fleeting reputation."

After exchanging pleasantries, Famous Sun Xu finally asked, "Might I inquire what you wish to purchase?"

"This is the inventory of treasures within the shop," he said, handing over a catalog.

Eldrin Chen took the catalog and scanned its contents, finding that most items listed were Second Rank [the second major stage of cultivation] natural treasures and magical artifacts.

Most of these natural treasures possessed an earth attribute. Eldrin Chen spotted items like Verdant Void Earth [a rare type of spiritual soil] and Black Cloudstone [a dark, cloud-patterned ore], materials perfectly suited for refining a Second RankLifebound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact bound to a cultivator's life force and soul].

There were also several magical artifacts, the majority of which were also earth-attribute treasures. This content originates from audio-novel . com. Please respect copyright.