It sounded like quite a commotion.

It didn’t seem to be just two or three people.

It sounded more like a whole group.

A thought flickered in Jiang Xu’s mind. After activating the Concealing Breath Spell, he flew toward the source of the sound.

Before long, Jiang Xu activated his Spiritual Eye Technique from a distance. He got a clear view of the scene ahead: Magic of all attributes intertwined and flashed in the air like brilliant fireworks, a dazzling, multicolored display.

Thanks to the unique nature of the Spiritual Eye Technique, he could see the attributes and intensity of the Magic even through obstacles.

It looked like a heated battle, with the intensity at the Qi Cultivation Middle Stage or higher.

Moving closer, Jiang Xu could finally see the scene of numerous Cultivators brawling.

They appeared to be from three different Sects.

It was a conflict between the Celestial Blade Sect, Cyan Island Valley, and a Sect called the Crescent Sect.

Beside their fierce battlefield, a small tree caught Jiang Xu’s attention.

This was no ordinary sapling. It looked as if it were carved from precious Yellow Jade, emitting a faint, gentle glow. Its trunk was smooth and delicate, its branches and leaves lush. Each leaf was like a finely sculpted work of art, its veins clearly visible and shimmering with a subtle luster.

Even more eye-catching were the three fruits growing on this little Yellow Jade tree. The fruits were plump and translucent, like three small Yellow Jade gems hanging from the branches, so succulent they made one want to reach out and pluck them.

Jiang Xu recognized the fruit’s name at a glance.

A Tier Two Lower Grade Yellow Jade Fruit, one of the main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Its effects included Strengthening the Foundation and Nourishing the Essence, as well as protecting the meridians.

When a Cultivator undergoes Foundation Establishment, they must compress their Magical Power to its absolute limit, transforming it from a gaseous state to a liquid state.

One of the Foundation Establishment Pill’s functions was to prevent a Cultivator’s Qi Sea from rupturing due to excessive pressure during Foundation Establishment, which could lead to failure in advancing, or even death.

In the Ancient Era, when the resources between Heaven and Earth were abundant, who needed a Foundation Establishment Pill? To advance to Foundation Establishment, one only needed some high-quality Spirit Medicine and the protection of a clan elder. Success was practically guaranteed.

But in the last few thousand, or even tens of thousands of years, the remaining Spirit Medicines in the world have become exceedingly rare, no longer able to support such consumption by Cultivators.

Thus, a prodigal Alchemist researched countless types of precious Spirit Medicines and developed a highly cost-effective Pill Formula.

And the amount of Spirit Medicine that could previously only support one Cultivator’s advancement to Foundation Establishment,

once refined into pills, was enough for three people to advance.

That was a twofold increase!

However, what was considered cost-effective thousands of years ago is now exorbitantly expensive.

Even a Golden Core Major Sect couldn’t refine many Foundation Establishment Pills throughout the year.

In any case, a Qi Cultivation Great Perfection Cultivator with no power or influence could sell their life away for a dozen years and still not necessarily obtain a single one.

But having a main ingredient for the Foundation Establishment Pill was a different story.

The Foundation Establishment Pill required three main ingredients and over twenty auxiliary ingredients of varying importance.

One batch yielded three finished Elixirs.

Within the Profound Origin Sect, the exchange rate was two portions of the main ingredients for one Foundation Establishment Pill.

For Loose Cultivators outside the Sect, it was three portions of the main ingredients for one Foundation Establishment Pill.

Right now, there were exactly three Yellow Jade Fruits here. Even a Loose Cultivator could exchange them for a Foundation Establishment Pill. The value was immense, so it was no wonder these people were fighting so fiercely.

Jiang Xu observed the chaotic battle. The three Sects were coordinating closely, each with their own formation.

Some Cultivators held Magical Artifacts—be it swords, blades, or prayer beads—each one imbued with formidable power. As Spirit Binders, they commanded their artifacts and were responsible for attacking the enemy.

Other Cultivators focused on Defense, casting various Defense Techniques like the Golden Light Spell and Stone Skin Technique to form solid barriers against enemy attacks.

Still others moved at high speeds, cleverly using the terrain and obstacles to evade attacks, weaving through the battlefield in search of enemy weaknesses.

Once they found an opening, they would strike swiftly, delivering a fatal blow when least expected.

But while their formations were organized, these people seemed crazed, fighting as if their lives meant nothing.

Jiang Xu used his Spiritual Eye Technique and discovered they were already thick with Demonic Qi. Although they hadn’t transformed into Demons, they were clearly influenced by the Demonic Qi and had lost their reason.

’It seems the influence of the Demonic Qi is quite strong.’

Jiang Xu maintained his Stealth and silently approached the Yellow Jade Fruits.

After confirming that everyone was caught up in the fight and no one was paying attention, Jiang Xu stealthily plucked the three Yellow Jade Fruits, tucked them into his Storage Bag, and then spurred himself on with the Light Body Spell to make a swift escape.

But even after Jiang Xu was long gone, the combatants still hadn’t noticed, continuing their endless fight.

And in the midst of their struggle, the Demonic Qi was seeping into them even faster.

Jiang Xu’s reason for secretly taking the fruits wasn’t just their value; he also wanted to make them stop fighting.

With the source of the conflict gone, there was no point in fighting anymore.

Jiang Xu didn’t want to see these dozens of perfectly fine Cultivators turn into Demons just from fighting each other.

But he never expected that they were so lost in the heat of battle they had probably forgotten the Yellow Jade Fruits even existed.

So, left with no other choice, Jiang Xu circled back and, while still using Stealth, shouted loudly from nearby:

"STOP FIGHTING!!! THE THING IS ALREADY GONE!!!"

Instantly, the twenty-some people on the field froze.

SWOOSH!

All eyes turned to the Yellow Jade Fruit tree.

It was completely bare.

Only leaves remained. It had been picked clean.

Only then did the crowd snap out of it.

So, while they were busy fighting, some despicable little thief had actually stolen the precious Yellow Jade Fruits!

How disgusting!

The leader of the Celestial Blade Sect was furious. He swung his great saber, instantly creating a ten-foot-long gash in the ground!

"Damn it! You punks from Cyan Island Valley! Speak! Was it you?!"

The Cultivators from Cyan Island Valley blew up.

"Bullshit! Which one of your eyes saw us do it?! I’d say it was obviously these shameless bastards from the Crescent Sect!"

The people from the Crescent Sect flared up as well.

"I would never do something so low-down! It must’ve been you, Celestial Blade Sect, pulling a thief-crying-’stop-thief’! Truly despicable!"

With this argument, the anger of the three Sects surged even higher.

"Fine! Let’s have another round and see who really stole it!"

"Bring it on! Who’s afraid of you?!"

"Hmph, you talk big. Don’t be so stubborn when you’re dead!"

With that, the three Sects started fighting again.

Jiang Xu was dumbfounded.

’I don’t know if it’s because the Demonic Qi is too powerful or if these three Sects are just not that bright.’

’How can they start fighting again when the prize is gone?’

Jiang Xu was speechless.

’As a human, if I hadn’t stumbled upon this, I could have ignored it. But now that I’m here, I can’t just stand by and watch them all turn into Demons.’

’In the end, I feel like I’ll be the one who suffers.’

So, Jiang Xu wanted to find a way to help them.

’I’ve got it.’