Demonic Cultivator(177-180)

Chapter 177: The Duan Family's Solicitation

Righteous Dao City was rather simplistic, consisting only of two main avenues running north-south and east-west, with only customary small paths in between. Many areas lacked proper housing, featuring merely makeshift shacks.

At first glance, one might think it was an encampment for Qi Refining cultivators outside the Treasure Ship Market.

It was hard to imagine Golden Core cultivators, who dominated their respective planets, tolerating such modest conditions.

But considering that the weakest realm in the extraterritorial battlefield was the Golden Core phase, it seemed less surprising.

Duan Que pointed ahead to a mountain and smiled, "Fellow daoist Huikong, that is Righteous Dao Mountain. The three seniors reside in the topmost fourth-tier cave dwellings. From the bottom up, there are first, second, and third-tier dwellings."

"The higher you go, the richer the Spiritual Qi!" he continued. "These dwellings correspond to the early, middle, and late phases of the Golden Core respectively. A first-tier dwelling costs one hundred and twenty small spiritual stones or one medium spiritual stone per year. The price doubles for the second-tier, and doubles again for the third-tier."

Chu Xuan chanted a Buddhist name again, "I did not expect to receive such treatment on my first visit to Righteous Dao City. Dragon Buddha above, the three seniors are truly benevolent!"

Duan Que remarked with emotion, "My partner and I only reside in a second-tier dwelling; we have never experienced the Spiritual Qi of a third-tier dwelling..."

He looked at Chu Xuan with evident envy.

Soon, Duan Que arranged everything for Chu Xuan. "The three seniors are currently in seclusion. Right now, the heads of the three great families take turns managing the city and its affairs."

"You must be weary from your long journey to Righteous Dao City, rest for now," Duan Que advised. "In a few days, when the head of the Duan family is available, I will come to invite you to meet the leaders of the three great families of Righteous Dao City.

I can assure you, with your strength and virtue, just a nod from you, and you could become an honorary elder of our Duan family. You should know, the Duan family is the strongest of the three, a true Nascent Soul family, while the other two are merely False Soul families.

As an honorary elder of the Duan family, not only will your actions in Righteous Dao City become much easier, but even if you go to Majestic City or Feather Transformation City, you will be treated with great respect."

As he was leaving, Duan Que respectfully handed over a communication jade, "Fellow daoist Huikong, this is my communication jade. If you have any needs, just let me know!"

Chu Xuan smiled, "Thank you, fellow daoist Duan."

Boom.

The stone door of the cave dwelling closed heavily.

Chu Xuan murmured a Buddhist chant, "This dwelling is quite nice, indeed to my liking. Dragon Buddha above, I thank the three seniors for their generosity."

He then took several sets of formations from his storage bag and, in the blink of an eye, had the dwelling perfectly arranged.

Chu Xuan, although reassured by the array of formations like Spirit Gathering and Soundproofing already in place in the third-tier cave dwelling, didn't quite trust others to ensure his safety.

He had to lay out his own arrangements, because who knew if Righteous Dao City had installed any backdoors in the dwellings?

"Much more comfortable now," he murmured to himself as he finished setting up his additional protections. With a slight grin, he mused, "Huikong, oh Huikong, borrowing your identity shouldn't upset you, right?"

Casually, Chu Xuan summoned the Evil Soul Chain, and following its manifestation, the soul of Huikong appeared, standing obediently before him.

Upon hearing Chu Xuan's words, the soul scratched its head in confusion.

'What Huikong? Am I called Huikong? I'm not though!'

Reflecting on Duan Que's earlier attentiveness and warmth, Chu Xuan considered the implications.

"I knew the extraterritorial battlefield valued merit, but I didn't realize just how useful it could be. Just showing a single layer of the merit wheel garnered such a warm reception. If I revealed three layers..."

He shook his head vigorously, "That would paint a huge target on my back. No, that won't do."

Showing restraint was essential. A three-layer merit wheel, indicative of saving countless lives, was a blessing from the heavenly Dao typically reserved for humanity's saviors.

Not even a great cultivator at the Nascent Soul or Astral Projection stages might achieve such a feat, let alone a mere Golden Core cultivator like himself. If he were to display such a wheel, he might end up a subject of relentless study by the powerful.

The reasons for the battlefield's emphasis on merit were not detailed in the jade slip provided by Wan Wuying, only mentioning that spatial rifts, dangerous and lethal to many cultivators, appeared less frequently around those imbued with merit.

Cities with many meritorious cultivators also saw fewer spatial rifts around them, explaining why Righteous Dao City was quick to expel demonic cultivators. A single malevolent presence could disrupt the city's collective merit, inviting disasters.

Merit seemed to have other, less understood benefits, beyond the scope of what could be learned from available texts.

"Duan Que's eagerness clearly aims to recruit me on behalf of the Duan family," Chu Xuan thought. "This is expected. Anyone like me, endowed with such merit, could significantly bolster any family within Righteous Dao City if I joined them.

Joining the Duan family isn't a bad idea; to me, all three families are much the same. With my level of merit, not too high nor too low, it's unlikely many would go out of their way to target me. This could be a good opportunity to gather materials for crafting magic treasures."

Chu Xuan mulled over his plan to craft the Sky-Shielding Umbrella, a demonic treasure similar to the Myriad Souls Banner in its function of harnessing souls to nourish fierce ghosts.

Of course, the Sky-Shielding Umbrella could accommodate an even greater number of aggrieved spirits and fierce ghosts, easily surpassing hundreds of millions.

This type of umbrella was a widely known demonic treasure, and its crafting method was readily available, especially to someone like Chu Xuan who was a prominent figure in the Infinite Sect.

To craft the Sky-Shielding Umbrella, only two materials were essential:

The hide of a Golden Core stage demonic beast - The thicker and larger, the better, as it would serve as the main fabric of the umbrella.

Yin Soul Bamboo - Used for the ribs and handle of the umbrella.

Yin Soul Bamboo is as thick as a thumb and grows by absorbing the souls of the dead. The bamboo reaches three inches if it absorbs the souls of a thousand ghost soldiers; six inches for ten thousand ghost soldiers; and nine inches for a hundred thousand ghost soldiers.

While it could grow further by absorbing more powerful spirits like ghost generals, the cost-effectiveness for using such advanced Yin Soul Bamboo in the umbrella decreases.

For Chu Xuan, nine-inch Yin Soul Bamboo would suffice. He considered the acquisition of these materials:

"The hide of a Golden Core demonic beast... I just need to put out the word, and people will gather it for me without me having to spend time on it. As for the Yin Soul Bamboo..."

Chapter 178: What's Wrong with a High Buddhist Monk Using a String of Purple Jade Beads?

Chu Xuan chuckled lightly, then with a flicker, he arrived at Blue Star— it had vast numbers of zombies in the wild. Slaying through the hordes would quickly amass hundreds of thousands of souls.

Driven by hunger, these souls would battle each other, and the survivors would ascend as ghost soldiers. Within less than a day, Chu Xuan had accomplished his task, capturing four hundred thousand souls within his Grand Soul Banner.

All that remained was to wait for ghost soldiers to emerge from these souls.

Several days passed.

Chu Xuan scanned with his spiritual sense, nodding in satisfaction. It was done. His efforts had yielded one hundred and fifty thousand ghost soldiers, ample for nurturing a Yin Soul Bamboo to nine inches.

Near a zombie farm, Chu Xuan found a small mound and buried a bamboo shoot there. His storage bag was already filled with similar spiritual plants like Yin Soul Bamboo, ready for use whenever needed.

As for the growing environment—true powerhouses never complained about their surroundings. Even in a barren desert devoid of moisture, as long as there were enough ghostly souls, Yin Soul Bamboo could stubbornly sprout and grow.

Chu Xuan casually extracted a ghost soldier from the Grand Soul Banner. His spiritual sense formed a piercing needle, and with a casual stab, he threw it toward the bamboo shoot. He repeated this process with five ghost soldiers in total.

The bamboo shoot began to stir, taking root and sprouting. A young bamboo of a dark purple hue grew at a visible rate.

Chu Xuan smiled faintly, continuing to feed the Yin Soul Bamboo with ghost soldiers. After twenty or so were thrown, the leaves of the bamboo began to morph, resembling gaping maws full of sharp teeth!

Once Yin Soul Bamboo reached this stage, it no longer needed deliberate feeding; as long as ghostly souls were nearby, it would hunt on its own.

Sure enough, as soon as Chu Xuan threw another ghost soldier towards it, the surrounding leaves, snake-like, fixed their gaze on it. They snapped viciously, and in the blink of an eye, the ghost soldier was shredded into pieces, its essence absorbed as nutrients by the Yin Soul Bamboo.

Pleased with the progress, Chu Xuan nodded in satisfaction. He then summoned Bao from the Corpse Nurturing Tower, for another task or further cultivation activities, continuing his preparations for creating the Sky-Shielding Umbrella.

Having settled Bao with the task of feeding the Yin Soul Bamboo, Chu Xuan's attention now turned back to other matters. He returned to the rooftop of the Haotai Hotel on Blue Star.

There, he had yet to explore the storage bag of the Majestic Sword Sect female disciple he had encountered. For safety, he had chosen to open it on Blue Star.

"A direct disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator—perhaps there might be a small surprise inside," Chu Xuan mused as he prepared to delve into the contents of the storage bag. Rubbing his hands together, he first wiped away the spiritual imprint on the bag before opening it.

Instantly, a small sword of spiritual sense flew out, aiming straight for Chu Xuan's mind with a sharp whistle.

Chu Xuan's expression shifted slightly, and with a low shout, his own spiritual sense quickly condensed into a piercing needle to counter the attack.

Clang!

The spiritual sword clashed against the piercing needle.

For a moment, the two forces were locked in a standstill, then suddenly the spiritual sword exploded into fragments. The invisible shockwave of spiritual sense swept outwards, instantly killing any small insects hiding in nearby crevices.

Chu Xuan frowned. "Thankfully, my spiritual sense is strong enough. Another Golden Core cultivator might have fallen for this trap."

"Shangguan Hao the Flying Dragon Sword, this must be his safeguard left in the disciple's storage bag," Chu Xuan huffed.

The disciple was devoured by a demonic beast, and I kindly took the storage bag to prevent the treasures from being lost. And yet, this is how it repays me. Utterly ungrateful!

Now more cautious, Chu Xuan probed the storage bag more thoroughly with his spiritual sense.

"So many medium spiritual stones? This certainly solves my immediate needs."

There were at least eight hundred medium spiritual stones, equivalent to eighty thousand small spiritual stones! Surprisingly, there were only about a thousand small spiritual stones.

Aside from the spirit stones, there were two magic treasures inside the bag. One was the "Evil-Suppressing Sword," a mid-grade magic treasure with offensive and flight capabilities. The other was a string of "Purple Jade Beads Necklace," a mid-grade magic treasure with offensive, defensive, and detoxification properties.

The Evil-Suppressing Sword, designed to suppress evil spirits and demons, was obviously unusable for Chu Xuan, who employed such beings himself. Using it would only harm his corpse puppet and ghost followers.

Given that the Majestic Sword Sect specialized in sword techniques, using the Evil-Suppressing Sword would make it easy for members of the sect to recognize and potentially track him.

However, the string of sixteen Purple Jade Beads presented an opportunity. If he re-crafted and altered their appearance, they could be useful. From a distance, they looked like ordinary beads; up close, they were clearly prayer beads.

"What's wrong with a high monk like myself using a string of purple jade prayer beads?" Chu Xuan mused.

Chu Xuan continued his search within the storage bag and discovered numerous spiritual sense jade slips from the Majestic Sword Sect, all containing cultivation techniques. There were six methods suitable for Golden Core cultivators and even two for Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Shangguan Hao really spared no effort in training his disciple," Chu Xuan mused, impressed by the range of powerful techniques stored within the bag. Since these techniques were of no use to him personally, he planned to assume another identity to trade them later.

"This is a jade slip with a map of the extraterritorial battlefield? Excellent!" he exclaimed, pleased with the find.

His interest piqued as he stumbled upon a unique jade slip detailing a method of Nascent Soul formation.

"'Mixed Essence Sword Soul Technique', a high-grade method for forming a Nascent Soul…" he read aloud. "It's of no use to me. Why didn't they prepare some Nascent Soul techniques suitable for me?"

Shaking his head in mild frustration, Chu Xuan turned the storage bag inside out to make sure nothing was missed. Then, he began the process of consecrating the Purple Jade Beads Necklace.

As he prepared to erase the spiritual marks with his powerful spiritual sense, he heard an indistinct roar coming from within the beads. It sounded like an angry rant or question, but the specifics were unintelligible.

"Perhaps it's a remnant will left by Shangguan Hao in the magic treasure?" he pondered. "To give a magic treasure to a female disciple but leave his own remnant will in it… intriguing."

Meanwhile, in Majestic City, Shangguan Hao retracted his Nascent Soul, his face ashen with fury. He had discovered that the murderer of Ning Yurong was attempting to consecrate the Purple Jade Beads Necklace.

Immediately, he projected his Nascent Soul, hoping to use the remnant will left on the beads to mark the murderer remotely—a trick to help him track the murderer later.

However, what shocked him was the vast distance, both metaphorical and literal, between him and the murderer. He couldn't discern any details about the other's true identity or location.

When the remnant will on the beads completely dissipated, he lost all means to determine the murderer's whereabouts, which enraged him even further.

"Damned be! Where is he exactly?" he roared. "He must be somewhere in the extraterritorial battlefield! It can't be anywhere else. I've even utilized the essence of my Nascent Soul, why can't I find him?"

Since his favorite disciple, Ning Yurong, fell on this battlefield in the western region, Shangguan Hao had been restless, haunted by her loss.

Chapter 179: Celestial Sound Zen Temple

Nobody knew how much effort Shangguan Hao had invested in his female disciple, Ning Yurong. He had provided her with the best spiritual resources, magic treasures, and cultivation methods available. Everything of the highest quality had been given to her, and she had understood the significance of his actions.

Ning Yurong practiced a seductive demonic technique and was adept in the arts of charm and intimacy. The two had extensively explored the profound pathways of dual cultivation.

Through Ning Yurong, Shangguan Hao experienced a unique flavor of companionship quite distinct from that with his other partners, which made him value her highly.

He could not accept Ning Yurong's death.

"Who exactly is this He Liang?" Shangguan Hao pondered, his fists clenched and eyes bloodshot from rage. "My Majestic Sword Sect has destroyed many sects; which one did he belong to?"

He was determined to use all his resources to find He Liang and make him understand the pain of losing a loved one.

"Shangguan Hao, come here immediately and start the pill concoction!" a woman's dissatisfied growl came from the pill concoction chamber. "If you're even a breath late, I'll whip you ten times!"

Shangguan Hao's face, twisted with rage, instantly softened into a smile. "Little Qianqian, I'm coming, I'm coming, don't be mad."

...

In Righteous Dao City, within the Duan family's estate.

"Third uncle, the monk Huikong from Golden Dragon Temple possesses great merit. He should be the one we recruit," urged Duan Que. "Didn't you agree two days ago to offer him a position in the Duan family? Why have you changed your mind now?" He asked anxiously.

Duan Cang, the head of the Duan family, frowned deeply and said in a grave tone, "Yesterday, a high monk from Celestial Sound Zen Temple visited our family."

"Celestial Sound Zen Temple from the Holy Sound Star?" Duan Que was taken aback.

Duan Cang nodded. "Exactly. You should know the prohibitions of Celestial Sound Zen Temple."

Duan Que sighed deeply. "I know. Celestial Sound Zen Temple reveres only human Buddhas. As for 'Dragon Buddha,' like those from Golden Dragon Temple, they don't even recognize them."

Not being recognized was putting it mildly. In the eyes of the monks from Celestial Sound Zen Temple, heretics were even more detestable than adherents of other faiths.

If monks from Celestial Sound Zen Temple and Golden Dragon Temple were to meet, a fight would likely break out without a word.

Duan Cang continued calmly, "Celestial Sound Zen Temple is the absolute ruler of Holy Sound Star. Master Yuanming, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator who also practices physical cultivation, is among them. He also possesses a layer of the merit wheel. His spiritual root is an earth-grade Metal Spiritual Root.

Golden Dragon Temple, I've never heard of it before. It must be just a small force on Mystic Azure Star. Between the two, whom we should choose needs no further discussion, does it?"

Duan Que sighed deeply, "I understand now, family head. It was my oversight. However, I've already made the offer that he could join our Duan family with just a nod from him."

A bitter smile formed on his face.

Duan Cang patted him on the shoulder, "It's not entirely your fault. I also did not expect that a high monk from Celestial Sound Zen Temple would seek to join our Duan family."

"Family head, won't you reconsider? I can sense that Huikong is truly extraordinary," Duan Que pressed earnestly.

Unable to resist his urging any longer, Duan Cang finally said, "Very well, bring him here tomorrow, and I will assess his spiritual root with the magic treasure bestowed by our ancestors.

If his strength and talent surpass those of Yuanming from Celestial Sound Zen Temple, I will dismiss Yuanming without a second thought and take Huikong as an honorary elder of our Duan family. How does that sound?"

Duan Que nodded vigorously, "That would be excellent!"

...

Chu Xuan, sensing a visitor outside his cultivation chamber, promptly ceased his meditation.

A voice transmitted through the formation outside said, "Fellow daoist Huikong, this is Duan Que."

Chu Xuan then opened the gate of his dwelling. Standing before him was the bald middle-aged cultivator, Duan Que, who presented him with a storage bag, saying with a smile, "Fellow daoist Huikong, I've procured the Golden Core stage demonic beast hide you required."

Chu Xuan received it and swept his spiritual sense over it, instantly surprised.

"This is the hide of a Flying Squirrel, a complete hide that can sell for eight thousand small spiritual stones. How did you manage to obtain it, Benefactor Duan?"

Duan Que laughed heartily, "After all, I am a cultivator of the Duan family; I do have certain privileges. This Flying Squirrel's hide can be yours for just seven thousand small spiritual stones."

Chu Xuan nodded slightly and tossed over a storage bag. Duan Que caught it without looking and said, "Please, come with me. Our family head is currently free and has been very curious about you, given your great merit."

Chu Xuan nodded, "I too am eager to see the esteemed family head of the Duan family."

The Duan family estate was located in the eastern district of Righteous Dao City, which was not very large.

Led by Duan Que, Chu Xuan walked only a thousand steps before they arrived. The estate itself was not very large; after all, the real Duan family resided on their original cultivation star. The purpose of this estate was primarily to receive guests.

As Chu Xuan was about to enter the main hall, he suddenly noticed a copper mirror hanging above the entrance.

At first glance, the mirror seemed ordinary, yet it appeared to possess the ability to peer into the depths of those it reflected.

Chu Xuan frowned slightly and immediately cloaked his presence, his Turtle Breath Technique allowing him to easily conceal his cultivation level and physical condition.

As for his spiritual root and merit, the former could only be detected by probing with Spiritual Qi, and the latter would only be apparent if he chose to reveal it himself.

"Why does the Duan family wish to scrutinize me?" Chu Xuan frowned, disliking this invasive approach to probing guests.

Shortly thereafter, Chu Xuan and Duan Que were ushered into the main hall to meet the family head, Duan Cang.

With just one glance, Chu Xuan discerned that this man's cultivation level was higher than his own—likely at least at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage.

However, he had not cultivated his physical body. In terms of strength, Chu Xuan was confident he could overpower the head of the Duan family, though not necessarily kill him.

For Chu Xuan, an opponent he could defeat but not kill was not worth fighting.

Duan Cang greeted him enthusiastically, "Is this fellow daoist Huikong? Truly a man of great merit and fortune! One can see his grand aura at a glance!"

Chu Xuan responded modestly, "You flatter me, Lord of the City. I merely strive to contribute a modest effort for the welfare of the common folk."

Duan Que stood respectfully to the side, remaining silent.

Chu Xuan smiled and inquired, "I wonder, Family Head Duan, what is the purpose of inviting me here today?"

Duan Cang smiled back, "Our Duan family has always enjoyed making connections with heroes from all walks of life. Even if we do not become friends, forging a good relationship is still valuable.

Fellow daoist Huikong, you must have come to the extraterritorial battlefield in search of opportunities, correct? My family has collected several unique Buddhist cultivation methods. If you are interested, you may choose any one of them."

Duan Cang continued, "Rest assured, fellow daoist Huikong, there will be no charge. Consider it an investment by the Duan family in you."

Chu Xuan's eyebrows rose.

Such generosity? He wasn't one to pass up an advantageous offer without a reason. His own "Body Protecting Golden Wheel Decree" was merely a Foundation Establishment stage technique and was quite outdated.

Now that Family Head Duan was offering Golden Core stage cultivation methods, it felt as if he was being offered a pillow as he was about to sleep.

"Such a generous offer from Family Head Duan cannot be declined without appearing ungrateful," Chu Xuan said, bringing his palms together and chanting a Buddhist mantra.

"Duan Que, please lead Fellow daoist Huikong," Duan Cang instructed.

"Yes," Duan Que responded, ready to guide Chu Xuan to the archives where the cultivation methods were kept.

Chapter 180: The Most Expensive Things Come for Free

In a side hall of the Duan family estate, rows of bookshelves stood, each laden with some cultivation methods.

Since this was not the core repository of the family, the selection of cultivation manuals was limited. Yet, each tome was of at least the Golden Core stage.

Duan Que led Chu Xuan to a set of shelves. "Fellow daoist Huikong, here are several Buddhist cultivation methods collected by our Duan family. You can rest assured, practicing these methods will not draw the ire of any sects."

Chu Xuan nodded with a smile. Many cultivation methods were closely guarded secrets within their respective sects. Should these secrets be leaked, the original sect would likely exact furious retribution.

However, there were also common techniques, or partial methods that could not be fully practiced without further instructions from the sect.

Such dissemination was inconsequential and often forced cultivators of these methods to seek tutelage under these sects to learn the complete technique.

As the saying goes, the most expensive things come for free—a truth Chu Xuan was well acquainted with.

His gaze swept over three mid-tier Golden Core stage methods available to him:

1. "Gilded Lotus Seal" - Minor accomplishments allowed the cultivator to form a protective golden lotus, while major accomplishments could condense a glistening glass-like armor, making it a versatile offensive and defensive technique.

2. "Heartfire Karma Sutra" - This method transformed merit into karmic power to unleash boundless karmic flames against enemies, boasting formidable strength.

3. "Mahayana Swift Escape" - This technique specialized in escape and evasion. Ordinary in offense and defense, but if one expended merit, the speed could be enhanced to rival that of a Nascent Infant stage cultivator.

Truthfully, it was a difficult choice. All three methods were mid-tier Golden Core techniques and considerably effective, not just filler among Golden Core techniques.

Moreover, upon reviewing them briefly, Chu Xuan noted that while none of these methods could elevate his cultivation to the ninth level of the Nascent Soul, each could definitely advance him to the ninth level of the Golden Core.

For the time being, this was sufficient. Once he reached the Nascent Soul stage, he could always search for new methods.

"I shall choose the 'Mahayana Swift Escape,'" Chu Xuan decided after much contemplation, selecting the technique specializing in evasion that best suited his needs for the Golden Core stage.

Duan Que was somewhat surprised. He had expected Chu Xuan to choose the "Gilded Lotus Seal," but instead, Chu Xuan opted for the "Mahayana Swift Escape," a technique that consumed merit to significantly enhance evasion capabilities.

Wasn't merit considered incredibly precious? Many Golden Core cultivators strived desperately to accumulate it, hoping to weaken the heavenly tribulations they would face when attempting to form their Nascent Soul.

Yet, Huikong seemed to regard his own merit as something to be expended freely.

Facing Duan Que's puzzled look, Chu Xuan merely smiled. Merit, to him, was just something he had in abundance—enough for his needs.

The "Mahayana Swift Escape," after consuming merit, could enhance his evasion to levels comparable to a Nascent Infant cultivator. For him, this was what mattered most. Even if he couldn't defeat a Nascent Infant cultivator, he could at least escape from one.

"It's settled then," Chu Xuan nodded.

Seeing his decision, Duan Que didn't press further. At that moment, he received a message from Duan Cang.

"Form his bone age, this person is nearly three hundred years old, not quite exceptional. His cultivation is only at the early stage of the Golden Core, albeit with physical cultivation as well. But compared to Yuanming from Celestial Sound Zen Temple, he falls short."

Duan Que sighed quietly. Had he misjudged the situation?

From a young age, he possessed a talent for recognizing potential. Several overlooked talents within the Duan family had risen through the ranks due to his discernment, even nearing his own level of accomplishment over time.

Chu Xuan casually asked, "Fellow daoist Duan, is there a problem with my joining the Duan family?"

Duan Que gave an awkward smile, "You guessed it?"

Chu Xuan just chuckled.

In a low voice, Duan Que explained the situation with Yuanming from Celestial Sound Zen Temple. "Celestial Sound Zen Temple does not favor the worship of unusual Buddhas, and your Golden Dragon Temple venerates the Dragon Buddha... so..."

Duan Que looked troubled.

Chu Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine. I never planned on joining any faction when I came to Righteous Dao City."

With those words, Chu Xuan strode confidently toward the exit of the Duan estate. Duan Que started to follow, but Chu Xuan waved him off without turning back, "No need to see me out."

Reluctantly, Duan Que stopped.

Duan Cang, who had silently approached during the conversation, spoke calmly, "We have given him a mid-tier Golden Core technique, which is respectful enough. Let us not dwell on this matter any further and focus on awaiting the unearthed treasures."

Duan Que sighed deeply, "Yes..."

Chu Xuan was about to return to his cave dwelling when he noticed three cultivators approaching from a distance, also heading to their respective dwellings. Their abodes were adjacent to his. As they noticed Chu Xuan, a look of surprise crossed their faces.

The fair-faced cultivator bowed with a smile, "Are you the revered monk Huikong who recently arrived in Righteous Dao City? A pleasure to meet you! I am Xiao Fengxian, a Golden Core stage talisman master."

The couple beside him also greeted him, "We've heard of you, fellow daoist Huikong. I am Liu Zhuo, and this is my Dao companion, Jin Chan."

Chu Xuan nodded, "Indeed, I am Huikong."

Xiao Fengxian continued with a smile, "I heard that the Duan family intends to take you as an honorary elder. I have also received an invitation from the Duan family. Should the opportunity arise, I would be pleased to collaborate with you, fellow daoist."

Liu Zhuo and Jin Chan also expressed their interest, "Although we are not honorary elders of the Duan family, we hope to collaborate with you too, fellow daoist Huikong."

Chu Xuan merely smiled and waved his hand before entering his own dwelling. These three were likely unaware that the Duan family had not truly accepted him as an honorary elder.

Seeing Chu Xuan's dismissive departure, Xiao Fengxian's face twitched with embarrassment, but he said nothing.

Liu Zhuo muttered quietly, "This Huikong... seems somewhat aloof, perhaps feeling superior now that he's associated with the Duan family."

"Let's not speak ill behind his back," Jin Chan chided, shaking her head as they entered their dwelling.

Xiao Fengxian bowed to them and lingered his gaze on Jin Chan for a moment before returning to his dwelling.

Several days later, the news that Tianyin Zen Temple's Yuanming and Golden Core talisman master Xiao Fengxian had both become honorary elders of the Duan family spread rapidly.

The Duan family, being the most powerful in Righteous Dao City, provided significant privileges to their honorary elders. Many cultivators were envious of Yuanming and Xiao Fengxian.

In contrast, despite his close interactions with Duan Que, Huikong did not become an honorary elder, which became a subject of quiet ridicule among other cultivators. Even the other two major families in Righteous Dao City, the Bai family and the Qin family, showed no interest in inviting Huikong, likely due to Tianyin Zen Temple's well-known exclusivity and the potential risk of offending Yuanming by associating with Huikong.

During this period, only Duan Que visited Chu Xuan several times to exchange information about the extraterritorial battlefield. He also hinted that the increased numbers of Nether Crocodiles were a sign of an impending emergence of a treasure—an opportunity that might arise anywhere between three to ten years, advising Chu Xuan to stay alert.

...

"Success! My life-bound magic treasure, the Sky-Shielding Umbrella, is finally complete!"

Chu Xuan looked at the large umbrella radiating an aura of chilling darkness in his hands, a smile crossing his face.

With ample ghost soldiers to feed the nine-inch Yin Soul Bamboo, and his superb artifact refining skills, along with a modest amount of merit used in the process, crafting the Sky-Shielding Umbrella had been almost effortless.

Now that the treasure's emergence might take at least three years, it was time for him to venture to the Soul Star.