"It’s my duty to support the Sect’s junior disciples. There’s no question of being able to handle it or not... However, I do have a favor to ask of you, Nephew Bai."

Elder Jin’s small eyes narrowed as he glanced over, and Lang Zhongping immediately took the hint.

"Junior Martial Uncle Jin, Junior Brother Bai, I just remembered I have an appointment with two Loose Cultivator Clans to discuss a Talisman supply deal... It completely slipped my mind. I have to rush over there right now."

"Nephew Bai, this is a simple matter for you, but it’s of the utmost importance to me."

With only the two of them left, Elder Jin got straight to the point.

"I only need one promise from you. When you successfully reach Foundation Establishment, I need you to choose a specific Spiritual Artifact for me from the Ancestor Hall. I will pay you thirty percent above the market price in Spirit Stones!"

"Junior Martial Uncle Jin, could you explain the details? Only then can I consider whether or not to agree."

Bai Zichen had already made up his mind. ’If this gets too complicated, I’ll just refuse outright.’

’The Jade Flame Ice Flower Wine is certainly good, but the Dragon Power Pills I have are sufficient for now. It’s not irreplaceable.’

"You probably don’t know this, Nephew, but my Cultivation path is quite different from that of my sect brothers. I follow the path of Insect Taming..."

After reaching Foundation Establishment, Elder Jin had traveled through the nearby provinces and obtained an Insect Taming Inheritance Jade Scroll. After reading it, he developed a profound interest in the subject.

There were Beast Taming Cultivators and even the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, but Insect Taming was far too niche. Not a single Sect in the entire Liang Country specialized in it.

But Elder Jin never gave up. For decades, he searched everywhere for Exotic Insects, breeding and mutating them according to the methods in the Jade Scroll. He actually managed to cultivate several formidable species.

The problem now was that the number of Spirit Insects he was raising had grown into the hundreds, even thousands. It was becoming a financial strain, even for a Foundation Establishment Elder like him.

After mulling it over, he set his sights on a Spiritual Artifact hidden within the Sect’s collection.

A Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Blood Flame Bag.

This Spiritual Artifact originally belonged to a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Ghost Spirit Sect. It had been refined using Mother and Child Yin Souls and Underground Filthy Blood. Anyone sucked into it would be reduced to a bloody pulp in under an hour, which in turn would enhance the artifact’s power. It was an incredibly vicious tool.

However, that Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator had the misfortune of running into Ancestor Ge. A single strike of Divine Thunder turned him to ash, and the magical artifacts he carried fell into the Qingfeng Sect’s hands as spoils of war.

Normally, such a Demon Path Spiritual Artifact would be destroyed and re-refined. However, re-refining the Blood Flame Bag would have rendered it worthless. In the end, the Master of the Artifact Refining Hall personally modified it, preserving its grade but completely altering its function.

"Now, you just have to toss a large amount of livestock flesh and blood into the Blood Flame Bag, and after a few hours, it will spit out a slurry of flesh and blood mixed with Spiritual Qi. Most cultivators find it too filthy to use, and it lacks enough Spiritual Qi to be made into Spirit Beast Pills, but it’s absolutely perfect for my precious Spirit Insects!"

"I’ve done the calculations. Just ten head of cattle and sheep a month would be enough to feed my Spirit Insects. Even if their population grows several times over in the future, it would be an easy problem to solve."

Elder Jin’s expression was feverish. It was clear he had poured an immense amount of passion into the path of Insect Taming.

"I see. But Junior Martial Uncle, why bring this matter to me? Shouldn’t you be speaking with the Sect Leader or the other Hall Masters?"

Bai Zichen understood now. The Blood Flame Bag was crucial to Elder Jin. In fact, within the entire Qingfeng Sect, only he, with his vast number of Spirit Insects, could truly make use of the artifact’s current abilities.

"I’ve raised the issue at the Elder Council several times. But once a Spiritual Artifact enters the Ancestor Hall, it’s no longer on the exchange list... Ah, I see you’re not yet familiar with the tradition for new Foundation Establishment members, Nephew Bai. All new Elders get an opportunity to enter the Ancestor Hall and select one Spiritual Artifact. The selection is mostly composed of Low-Grade Spiritual Artifacts, along with a few restricted Mid-Grade ones. The Blood Flame Bag happens to be one of them."

"When that day comes for you, Nephew Bai, choose the Blood Flame Bag for me, and I’ll pay you four thousand Spirit Stones. What do you say?"

Elder Jin’s expression was eager as he revealed his true intentions.

"Does Junior Martial Uncle Jin have that much confidence in me? If I take too long to reach Foundation Establishment, wouldn’t your trust be misplaced?"

Bai Zichen didn’t answer directly, asking a question instead.

"That’s right. I’m confident that among the seven True Inheritance disciples, you, Nephew Bai, will be one of the first three to reach Foundation Establishment. As long as you agree to this matter, I’ll give you this jug of Jade Flame Ice Flower Wine today, regardless of whether you eventually succeed or not."

"I am honored by your confidence, Junior Martial Uncle Jin... I hope I won’t disappoint your expectations."

After a moment’s consideration, Bai Zichen smiled openly and put away the jug of Jade Flame Ice Flower Wine on the table.

’When I reach Foundation Establishment, unlike the other new Elders, I’ll already have the Low-Grade Spiritual Artifact, the All Living Beings Bell, plus another one that Pei Dongyong promised to sponsor. I won’t be dependent on the Sect’s reward for a Spiritual Artifact.’

’Agreeing to this exchange seems beneficial, with no downside.’

"Excellent! I knew you were a straightforward man, Nephew Bai!"

Elder Jin extended his chubby palm, holding it in the air. The two men slapped their hands together, sealing the promise.

He summoned a troupe of Gauze Dancers to perform at the banquet, accompanied by several Musicians striking bells and beating drums. It was a scene of pure extravagance.

’These cultivators stationed far from the Sect really live extravagantly,’ Bai Zichen noted.

...

The Wind Shuttle.

Bai Zichen stood on the deck, feeling the gentle breeze on his face. His understanding of the Qingfeng Sect’s deep reserves had grown once more.

For this trip to the Five Mountains Temple, Sect Leader Wei Dao had specially approved the use of a Wind Shuttle for transportation. It was to make an impressive showing, as a new Cultivation Family from Black Mountain would be present.

As a Top-Grade Flying Spiritual Artifact, the Wind Shuttle’s frame was constructed from Tier Three Low-Grade Spirit Wood and supplemented with countless other Spiritual Materials. The sail atop it was refined from the Beast Hide of a Tier Three Wind Element Demon King. When in flight, it was completely silent and exceptionally stable, gliding through the air like a thin, silent thread.

Such an extravagant use of Tier Three Materials gave the Wind Shuttle two distinct features.

First, it was massive.

The Flying Shuttle could accommodate at least a hundred cultivators, and its cargo hold could carry enormous quantities of supplies.

Second, it was inscribed with several small Arrays, allowing it to handle various complex situations. It was also equipped with multiple War Magical Artifacts, unlike ordinary Flying Spiritual Artifacts that could only take a beating without fighting back.

All these features indicated that the Wind Shuttle wasn’t built for a single cultivator, but for use in sect-level warfare.

Bai Zichen estimated its speed was roughly the same as his own when using Sword Flight at full power.

For a Top-Grade Flying Spiritual Artifact, that was definitely slow. But considering the Wind Shuttle’s immense size and stable flight, it was still very impressive. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

For the past three months, he had been diligently cultivating his Body Refining technique.

With the help of the Jade Flame Ice Flower Wine, Bai Zichen’s cultivation of the first level of the Five Crystal Glaze Body had been exceptionally smooth.

But even by the time he boarded the Wind Shuttle, he still hadn’t managed to cultivate the first level to Perfection.

’It’s been almost ten months... I grasped the basics in under a year and haven’t stopped taking various Body Refining Elixirs, but my cultivation speed is still just average.’

Bai Zichen sighed. He secretly flexed, and his left arm slowly began to change, taking on the color of the Five Crystals, as if a crystalline layer was forming on its surface.

Without using any Magical Power, relying solely on his physical strength, he squeezed a piece of Cold Iron.

After a few seconds, he let go, leaving a shallow imprint on its surface.

Completing the first level of the Five Crystal Glaze Body would make one’s physical body as hard as a Top-Grade Defensive Magical Artifact and grant an additional ten thousand catties of Giant Power.

It had taken Ancestor Ge six years to master the basics of the first level, but only another six months to complete it.

’My own progress in grasping the basics was shockingly fast, but my cultivation speed couldn’t compare to a Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator like Ancestor Ge.’