Four days passed in a flash.
During this period, Tian Feng came three times.
Besides the initial delivery of two Spirit Plants, he gradually brought three more.
The five Spirit Plants brought in a total of thirty-two Spirit Stones for Chen Ye.
However, during their last meeting, Tian Feng showed a troubled expression:
"The Jade Lizard Association has recently been on high alert, and the weather has not been favorable, making operations difficult."
Implying that it would be challenging to find any dying plants for Chen Ye to treat in the near future.
During the conversation, Chen Ye learned of the secret of East Valley.
It turns out that a Demon Cultivator once hid in East Valley, cultivating a large number of Spirit Plants using evil techniques, hoping to break through their realm.
Unfortunately, their efforts failed, and they were discovered by the Lingyin Sect disciples, forcing them to flee in panic.
Leaving behind a large number of contaminated Spirit Plants.
These Spirit Plants are useless to Righteous Cultivators and would wither away soon if taken out of East Valley.
But to leave them unattended would be a waste.
However, with Chen Ye’s arrival, these "chicken ribs" turned into "delicacies."
But Chen Ye knew,
in the future, he might never get another sickly plant from East Valley!
After the Nascent Soul True Monarch undergoes their tribulation, a world-altering change occurs, drastically shifting the climate.
Those Spirit Plants in East Valley, after this disaster, are left with less than ten percent!
This means Chen Ye is about to lose an important source of income.
Fortunately, during these four days, he teamed up with the Dark Old Man to hunt down three Demon Beasts, reaping a substantial harvest.
Chen Ye sold only the Demon Beast materials, keeping all the meat.
Even so, he sold them for twenty Spirit Stones.
Now, his pouch holds eighty-one Spirit Stones!
...
The Three Thousand Great Mountains.
In the biting cold wind, two figures tread the deep snow, heading towards the Market.
The Dark Old Man carried an Iron-backed Pig on his shoulder, while Chen Ye subtly pinched the Geng Metal Technique in his sleeve, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
"Brother Chen, we’ve had a good haul this time. This Iron-backed Pig weighs two hundred pounds! It could sell for fifty Spirit Stones!"
The Dark Old Man blew out white breath, with blood and ice caked on the pig’s tusks, and six congealed blood holes on the pitch-black iron skin.
Chen Ye nodded, his face also bright with joy.
This Iron-backed Pig is enough to double the household’s reserve of Demon Beast meat!
During this period, he had stored all the hunted Demon Beast meat to prepare for the coming harsh winter.
"Whoosh—"
In the dusky sky above, flashes of Escape Light often pass by.
This is the Foundation Establishment Cultivators using sword flight!
Chen Ye watched, filled with both envy and tension:
"Gen, why have there frequently been Foundation Establishment Cultivators flying on swords in the Three Thousand Great Mountains these past two days?"
The Dark Old Man also stopped, sighed, and said:
"Mostly they are Lingyin Sect cultivators. In the Lingyin Sect, both Inner and Outer Sect disciples undergo trials in the Three Thousand Great Mountains. Usually, it’s the Outer Sect competition first, followed by the Inner Sect trials. But this time, due to terrible weather, the Outer Sect competition has been postponed. The Inner Sect trials are still held as scheduled."
Chen Ye understood,
Conventionally, the number of Outer Sect disciples is far greater than Inner Sect disciples but their strength is far inferior.
Considering the disciples’ safety, Lingyin Sect didn’t let the Outer Sect disciples take risks.
But it didn’t hinder the honing of Inner Sect disciples.
Moreover, Inner Sect disciples usually have mentors accompanying them, even when encountering a Beast Tide, they can retreat safely.
"Unexpectedly, this sect even cares about the lives of Outer Sect disciples."
Chen Ye felt more envious, seeing that the Lingyin Sect is quite humane from this detail.
As the two casually conversed,
Chen Ye’s face suddenly tensed.
A point of Geng Metal Qi from his fingertips instantly shot out!
Simultaneously,
there was a sudden chill behind him, followed by a sound of air being ripped apart.
From the side, a small sword flew straight for Chen Ye’s back!
"Clang!"
The Geng Metal Qi transformed into a streak of light, colliding with the small sword.
The small sword’s momentum was halted, stumbling unsteadily.
"Return!"
Behind a withered tree, a masked man showed a look of astonishment, raising his hand to recall the small sword.
Meanwhile, another tall and thin man stepped out from behind Chen Ye.
This is the fabled Tribulation Cultivator!
The Dark Old Man was like facing a formidable enemy, his muscles and bones clashing, whispering: "These past days, we’ve been marked in the mountains... but as they’ve gained nothing, they might not make another move."
Tribulation Cultivators also value their life.
Unless driven by greed, an unsuccessful ambush might not lead to further entanglement.
Otherwise, who knows what cards the other side holds?
The masked man leading them chuckled softly:
"In this biting cold, I likewise don’t want to fight you to the death, how about..."
Before he could finish,
the golden glow at Chen Ye’s fingertip burst forth, three golden stars tore through the wind and snow straight for his throat.
The speed and ferocity swept up layers of accumulated snow!
"Crash—"
The masked man hastily formed a technique, a wall of earth had just risen before being pierced, splattering a spray of blood.
"Thud!" The man fell heavily to the ground.
Chen Ye raised an eyebrow: "You can ambush... I can ambush too."
Such rapid magic!
Seeing the situation, the tall and thin man retreated violently, clenched his teeth, and suddenly pulled out a talisman.
As the yellow paper burned away, a Wind Blade slashed across the sky!
Chen Ye’s face changed slightly, he threw three golden stars, but they merely passed through the Wind Blade!
"Watch out, Brother Chen!"
The Dark Old Man, muscles bulging, roared and threw the Iron-backed Pig corpse.
It barely blocked the Wind Blade.
The azure Wind Blade sliced through half of the Iron-backed Pig, then dissipated without a trace.
The tall and thin man seized this chance and retreated dozens of steps.
However, just as he breathed a sigh of relief,
another piercing whistle came from behind.
"Psh!"
He stared blankly at the blood hole in his chest,
astonished even in his dying moments.
How could a cultivator of merely the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation possess such mysterious techniques?
Chen Ye sighed with relief, his heart pounding in his chest:
"I didn’t expect these two to be so easy to defeat."
The Dark Old Man chuckled bitterly: "They didn’t anticipate Brother Chen’s skillfulness in magic. These two were killed by Brother Chen; I won’t interfere."
Chen Ye said nothing at this,
went first to the vicinity of the masked man.
Both men had low cultivation, the first to die, the masked man, was of Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer.
The tall and thin man who died later was in the fourth layer.
Chen Ye paused, once again used the Geng Metal Qi to pierce through the man’s head.
After his head was pierced, he crouched down to lift the man’s mask.
Beneath the mask was a young, unfamiliar face.
"So young, choosing to be a Tribulation Cultivator..."
Chen Ye was quite surprised, the masked man looked barely over twenty, yet he had reached the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation.
But thinking about it, he felt it made sense.
Perhaps it was precisely by being a Tribulation Cultivator, plundering large amounts of resources, that allowed his cultivation to advance rapidly.
Unfortunately, he was somewhat inexperienced, not as cautious as the tall and thin man.
He searched the masked man’s corpse for a while,
obtaining the small sword that attacked him, as well as fifteen Spirit Stones, a Wind Blade Talisman, and a thin booklet.
"Qi Concealment Technique?"
Chen Ye quickly glanced through it; this technique was also common in the Cultivation Realm, but its effects were unique, suiting Chen Ye’s needs.
The masked man had used it to hide beside them.
The treasures from the thin man’s body, however, disappointed Chen Ye.
Only eight Spirit Stones and a Tier One Lower Grade dagger.
"Tsk tsk... So poor, no wonder they were so easy to kill."
Without hesitation, Chen Ye tossed the dagger to the Dark Old Man.
The Dark Old Man paused, then quickly grabbed it: "Brother Chen, I can’t accept this!"
He said so, but he held onto the dagger tightly.
Chen Ye smiled: "Thanks to you for blocking that Wind Blade Technique for me. How can this be unworthy?"
This dagger is indeed worth a dozen Spirit Stones.
But loot should be shared, and the Dark Old Man had indeed helped him a lot.
"Not bad, quite adept in the Geng Metal Technique!"
From the tree,
a young girl with long golden hair, looking not much older, tilted her chin up, regarding the two with disdain.