He leisurely wiped his hands and strolled to Guan Xingmiao:

"Yihai Prefecture, Jade Shop, Guan Family?"

Guan Xingmiao's appearance was old, no longer as mighty as before, and he spoke weakly:

"This young sir, I am the second in the Guan family's main lineage, not changing my name while walking nor sitting, I am Guan Xingmiao.

This night, I am grateful for your assistance, and I will never forget your life-saving grace..."

Bai Qi was uninterested in these pleasantries, waved his hand to interrupt:

"The Guan family of the Jade Shop is quite famous. It is said that within a thousand miles of Yihai Prefecture, there are seven or eight steel jade mines of untold value, all with the surname Guan.

Let's do this, for your life, I won't charge much, just offer a few tens of thousands of taels of snowflake silver to show your gratitude."

Guan Xingmiao was stunned, seemingly not expecting Bai Qi to be so direct, then smiled bitterly:

"My life indeed is worth the tens of thousands of silver. If you can take me and Ting Qing..."

He originally intended to say "corpse," but upon looking up, Guan Tingqing was already a mess of flesh and blood, a sadness flashing in his eyes, he corrected himself:

"If you can return me to Yihai Prefecture, the Guan family will surely reward you generously."

Guan Xingmiao was very courteous, without the former arrogance of "Hundred-Step Divine Fist Lord Guan."

After all, that Demon King uttered but a single "weak" word, only to be smashed to death.

This demonstrated that this spirited, handsome young man was by no means a soft target.

"Later, we'll have the villagers at the foot of the mountain lend a hand to get you a boat, you can row yourself back."

Bai Qi softly nodded; although there indeed lay many blood debts between Tongwen Hall and the Thirteen Houses, he did not regard every high house in Yihai Prefecture as an enemy.

Characters like He Jingfeng and Feng Shao Ling, who can steadily produce gold coins and understand the times, can barely maintain a bit of friendship.

Of course, the premise is that they have not shown malice.

A vigilant mind perceives and hears without any fish slipping through the net.

"I'll be taking the Tai Sui Chen Earth shortly, you have no objections, do you, Lord Guan?"

Bai Qi spoke kindly, his gaze calm, yet with a subtle prickling discomfort.

"This young sir obtained the treasure through his own ability, it is his fortune deep and thick, where do I have the position to comment?"

Guan Xingmiao's face twitched, quickly responded.

A dignified martial artist of Third-Stage Skin Cultivation Great Success, talking so politely to a young man of Second Bone Training Barrier, left Tao Yun stunned.

"That fellow... Young Master Tao, what do you think?"

Bai Qi turned his gaze and asked again.

Entering the mountains to seize treasures can't be hidden from those who care.

Moreover, Tai Sui Chen Earth is such a rare gem, the number of people coveting it is vast.

Therefore, he planned to directly settle with both the Guan and Tao families, serving as a deterrent to others.

To prevent other heedless ones from coming out and wasting his cultivation time.

Life's time is precious, petty schemes pale in significance to quietly growing, diligently forging ahead. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Young Hero Bai eliminated Old Thief Helian, and also slain the Wuyan Python causing harm to one side, it was a great act of righteousness!

Tai Sui Chen Earth rightfully belongs in Young Hero Bai's pouch!

My Tao Family has been merchants for generations, most faithful to promises, and today Young Hero saved me, Tao Yun will surely repay with a hundred gold coins!"

Although Tao Yun was a pleasure-seeking, indecisive young master, at such a critical moment, he clearly knew his place.

"Just send it to the East Market Pier in Black River County."

Bai Qi did not decline at all, for these upper echelon of the Thirteen Houses, are each wealthy and strong, giving up gold coins, tens of thousands silver, like a drop in the ocean.

"Young sir, I have something to say, but I don't know if it's appropriate..."

Guan Xingmiao greatly depleted his vitality essence, if not for the Third-Stage Skin Cultivation with complete spirit and vitality, fully accumulated, he might not have maintained his Martial Dao level at this moment.

"Please speak."

Bai Qi originally intended to reply "then don't speak," but seeing the earnest expression of this Lord Guan, grudgingly showed some patience.

"Tai Sui Chen Earth is one of the Five Elements rare treasures, especially valuable to high houses of the County City, Daoist Officials.

If young sir has no strong backing, even if obtained, may not be able to keep it..."

Guan Xingmiao carefully deliberated his words, fearing the young man might misunderstand as him attempting coercion.

"My master's surname is Ning, named Hai Chan."

Bai Qi proudly replied with seven words.

"Ah..."

Guan Xingmiao was momentarily stunned, then confirmed he hadn't heard wrong, his face showing an expression of "as expected":

"So, young man, you are the Bai Qilang for whom the Hidden Pavilion has posted a thousand gold reward. A great teacher produces outstanding disciples, no doubt about it."

Just the name Ninghai Zen is enough to deter any plans by the Thirteen Trades and other forces.

Bai Qi, who earned tens of thousands of silver and hundreds of gold with a few words, ignored Guan Xingmiao and Tao Yun, instead lifting Old Man Zhou with one hand:

"What is your esteemed name?"

Old Man Zhou, who had just witnessed the prowess of this young master who was surprisingly strong, quickly spilled the beans:

"I'm Zhou Sheng, and I've learned a few Daoist skills from Wild Grass Mountain. The first is the 'Body Fixation Technique' which can suppress ordinary people, making them feel as if they are in a nightmare. The second is the 'Shadow Catching Technique', which allows tracking and tracing, effective within five hundred miles.

Recently, I ran into a wandering group of Red Eyebrow Bandits. After showcasing my skills, I deceived them and thought to go for a big score.

I happened to cross paths with the eldest young masters of the Guan and Tao families, so I staged a play, initially intending to swindle some valuables, but later, seeing they trusted me deeply, I contemplated becoming a Tributor for the Thirteen Trades..."

Zhou Sheng confessed truthfully, which made Qi Yan and Lv Nan, descendants of the authentic Maoshan lineage, feel indignant as they listened to someone flaunting the name of their sect to deceive others.

"And what is this Tai Sui Chen Earth?"

Bai Qi invoked his thoughts, using his insight to discern truth from falsehood, and continued interrogating.

In his perception, "fear," "trepidation," and "awe" floated above Zhou Sheng's head as negative states.

"I often wander the mountains and fields. About half a month ago, I found a group of heterodox loose cultivators fighting over something called the 'Ascension Token', with heavy casualties, allowing me to profit as an opportunist.

Getting my hands on this item filled me with joy, yet due to my Second Realm of Dao Skill limits, I couldn't attain a Divine Soul and had difficulty using it.

So I thought to seize the good opportunity brought by the disorder of the Four Trades, seeking a chance to boost my cultivation.

The Tai Sui Chen Earth, I learned about from the Red Eyebrow Bandits. But lacking the five-element exquisite treasures to make a Treasure Basin, I aimed at the young masters Guan and Tao instead."

Old Zhou was an experienced man of Jianghu, aware that he had caused big trouble, quickly taking out a dense iron token, palm-sized, with the words "Ascension" engraved in yang script, strong and vigorous.

"Ascension Token?"

Bai Qi lightly stroked the token in his hand, recalling that before the Dao's decline, when sects prospered, many sects would often issue tokens like this.

If one were fated to obtain it, they could find the mountain gate with it and, if they passed the test, join the sect.

"After the Dao's decline, spiritual essence came under Dragon Court's control, and this traditional method was long discarded."

Bai Qi was puzzled, his thoughts refined through cultivation of the "Flood Dragon Subdues Yellow Springs Sutra" slightly touched, immediately sinking like a mud cow into the sea, completely pulled in.

An immense mind sea suddenly revealed a fierce and evil flood dragon, a hundred zhang long, rampant and unruly, as if to overturn the world.

"This token is indeed curious. It seems like the attack of an external demon, stimulating my homicidal and lustful instincts..."

Bai Qi guarded his mind tight, various skills bolstering him, so stray thoughts scattered like flowing clouds, unable to take shape, finally dispersing slowly.

The hundred-zhang fierce evil flood dragon seemed cut by blade light splitting the void, immediately settling in the mind sea, no longer restless.

...

...

Yihai Prefecture, Martial Arts Chen Family.

In the quiet and cold back courtyard, Chen Ye, sitting in a wheelchair, held a carved bone ornament.

White and eerie, with crimson engravings snaking across it.

"To hand over or not to hand over?"

Chen Ye hesitated.

He could discern the deeper meaning in his stepfather Chen Xing's words.

But involving the Four Reversals Demon Sect is a substantial matter.

Uncertain as to whether his stepfather, who securely holds the top seat in the Martial Arts Leader chair, might sell him out?

"Would a Four Cultivation Grandmaster truly care about 'feelings'?"

Chen Ye lowered his gaze, pondering for a long time, then called out:

"Xiaoyu, is father at home? I have matters to discuss with him, please ask him to come to the back courtyard for a detailed conversation."

"Alright, young master. I'll go check the front yard; the master should be back from fishing."

Chen Ye tightly clutched the carved bone ornament, reluctant to board the Four Reversals Demon Sect's pirate ship.

But, with a crippled body, aside from finding alternative paths to progress in cultivation, what other options are there?

Even if his stepfather Chen Xing paved the way into the Daoist School as a student.

How can a naturally flawed body surge forward on the path of Dao skill?

"Oh, who obtained the Ascension Token released by the Demon Sect?"

While pondering, the carved bone ornament in Chen Ye's hand flickered gently, and his spirit within the physical body felt something.