Chapter 1228
Qingyun Mountain Conference: Individual Development
Chapter 1228 Qingyun Mountain Conference: Individual Development (10,000-word chapter seeking monthly votes)
Yang Fengyu of the "Tianji Sect" is a Nascent Soul cultivator of the same generation as Li Mufeng, and now he only has a little over a hundred years left to live.
In order to prevent the sect's Nascent Soul cultivators from dying out, and to ensure that someone can properly take over the "Heavenly Extreme Sect" after his death.
Over the years, Yang Fengyu has also cultivated many talented juniors in his sect and supported them in their attempts to reach the Nascent Soul realm.
However, the path to enlightenment is not easy. The Heavenly Extreme Sect had previously been unlucky, and several of the Nascent Soul seedlings they selected ultimately failed to form their Nascent Souls.
This cast a shadow over the entire "Tianji Sect," with fears that they would repeat the tragedy of the "Lingyin Sect."
Decades ago, during the "monster turmoil," the "Tianji Sect" followed behind the "Xiaoyao Sect" and reaped considerable benefits, also making a fortune.
Using this resource, not long after the turmoil, Yang Fengyu personally went to the "Eastern Phoenix Kingdom" to purchase items for the Nascent Soul stage.
Now, they have finally helped Wei Dongcheng successfully form a Nascent Soul, relieving the "Tianji Sect's" urgent crisis.
Although his lifespan is short, his cultivation path can only reach the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage.
However, Yang Fengyu was able to successfully cultivate a Nascent Soul cultivator for the "Tianji Sect" before his death, which also fulfilled the expectations of the sect's predecessors.
This elderly man, with his white hair, appeared noticeably more relaxed than before when he came to attend the "Trade Conference".
While chatting with Song Qingming, the smile on his face never stopped.
After decades of "monster turmoil," the major human sects in the Floating Cloud Mountains united as one and successfully reclaimed most of their northern territories, also profiting considerably from the great war.
In addition to the fact that the "Tianji Sect" has gained another Nascent Soul cultivator.
With the help of this large batch of demon beast materials, as well as various spiritual items and resources obtained from the demon race.
Other major sects in the Floating Cloud Mountains, including the "Free and Unfettered Sect," have gradually recovered from the great war and have all made considerable progress.
The biggest beneficiary was naturally the "Xiaoyao Sect" to which Song Qingming and others belonged.
In the decades following the "Monster Uprising," Xu Ziyan of the "Free and Unfettered Sect" first formed her Nascent Soul, and then Bai Yuxian successfully broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage.
Song Qingming, Li Xuanyi, Zhou Ziyang, and "Wind Ape"—these Nascent Soul Grand Elders of their respective sects have all made progress in their cultivation over the past few decades.
In addition, the number of low-level disciples in the "Free and Unfettered Sect" has also grown rapidly.
In previous years, taking advantage of obtaining a large amount of demon beast materials from within the sect, the "Xiaoyao Sect" reached an agreement with the "Tiandan Alliance" in exchange for numerous spiritual items that could assist in Foundation Establishment and Core Formation.
Suddenly, spiritual items piled up in the "Good Deeds Pavilion." These precious spiritual items, which were usually highly sought after in the sect, no longer required queuing up as before.
Anyone can easily exchange it as long as they accumulate enough good deeds.
This ignited the passion of the entire "Free and Unfettered Sect".
Many disciples in the sect who were close to breaking through their cultivation levels were collecting merit points from all over the place and going to the "Merit Point Pavilion" to exchange for the spiritual items they needed to go into seclusion and break through their cultivation levels.
They might borrow from teachers, relatives, or friends, or donate their magical artifacts or spiritual objects in exchange for good deeds.
Even worse, some took this opportunity to make money by lending money within the sect, forcibly extorting profits from low-level disciples who were eager to raise spirit stones.
Finally, it alarmed the Supreme Elder Bai Yuxian, who strictly ordered the sect's "Enforcement Hall" to crack down on it.
Riding this wave of opportunity, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the "Free and Unfettered Sect" has seen a significant increase.
In just a few decades, the number of people increased dramatically from less than 1,500 after the "monster turmoil" to more than 2,000, an increase of nearly 30%.
Although the number of Golden Core Elders is not as exaggerated as that of Foundation Establishment cultivators, it has increased by seven, bringing the total to fifty-six, once again breaking the record in the sect's history.
After taking over Qingyun Mountain, the number of disciples in the entire Xiaoyao Sect has exceeded 60,000.
In addition, there are numerous cultivation families within the territory, as well as vassal forces of surrounding small countries.
The "Free and Unfettered Sect" can now summon and deploy nearly 100,000 cultivators at any time.
Its influence has long surpassed that of the "Ten Thousand Spirits Sect" of yesteryear.
It can be described as the strongest sect in the cultivation world of the Floating Cloud Mountains in the last few thousand years.
The Jade Cloud Sect of Lu, where Chen Yunxiao resides, has also undergone significant changes in recent years.
Previously, in the great battle with the "Tianhai Alliance", the "Yuxiao Sect" was destroyed.
The entire sect suffered heavy losses, with most of its disciples gone, leaving only four Golden Core cultivators. The situation was truly dire.
If it weren't for the valiant efforts of Nascent Soul Ancestor Chen Yunxiao, the Jade Cloud Sect's strength would probably not even be comparable to that of a stronger Golden Core sect like the Golden Sun Sect of Pei State, and it would be in a precarious situation.
Now, more than a hundred years have passed, and the number of cultivators in the Jade Cloud Sect has gradually recovered.
Decades ago, with the help of a large amount of monster materials, the Jade Cloud Sect successively cultivated two Golden Core cultivators, and the number of elders in the sect has increased to seven.
The strength of the sects is not much different from that of more than a hundred years ago.
Under Chen Yunxiao's leadership, the "Yuxiao Sect" moved its mountain gate to the "White Crane Valley" in the north, a fourth-level spiritual vein, a few years ago, and renamed it "Yuxiao Mountain".
Chen Yunxiao's plan was not only to properly manage the northern territory, but also to leave a way out for the sect in advance.
Even if the Floating Cloud Mountains and the "Heavenly Sea Alliance" were to engage in another great war, with this territory in the north, the "Jade Cloud Sect" would not suddenly face annihilation.
It's not just the "Jade Cloud Sect".
In the years following the turmoil, the Wu Kingdom's "Star Gate" has also been actively developing the newly occupied territories in the north.
On the mid-grade level four spiritual mountain "Wild Wind Ridge" alone, the Starry Sky Sect has stationed a Nascent Soul ancestor and tens of thousands of cultivators to guard the place.
Around "Gale Ridge", there are also many vassal forces that followed "Star Gate" northward, as well as numerous cultivation families.
Today, "Wind Ridge" has also changed drastically, with Star Gate having built a sizable market town on top of it.
It has become the most bustling place closest to "Qingyun Mountain".
Under the leadership of major sects, with the "Free and Unfettered Sect" at the forefront, countless cultivators began to migrate to these newly occupied spiritual mountains in the north, where the surrounding areas had already become somewhat populated.
If we can maintain stable operations for another few hundred years, the entire northern part of the "Floating Cloud Mountains" will once again return to the prosperity it was ten thousand years ago.
For human cultivators, it is not impossible.
Not long after Yang Fengyu and Chen Yunxiao sat down, Ye Linyuan, who was stationed at "Kuangfeng Ridge", soon appeared at the door with several figures.
Decades ago, during the chaos caused by the demon beasts, Ye Linyuan's cultivation had already broken through to the sixth level of the Nascent Soul realm.
When they met again, the other party had advanced further, reaching the peak of the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage, and was only a step away from breaking through the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage.
Ye Linyuan's lifespan is similar to Song Qingming's. To be able to cultivate to this level at over six hundred years old, his future prospects are far beyond those of Yang Fengyu and Chen Yunxiao.
Upon seeing Ye Linyuan arrive, Song Qingming quickly led everyone forward to greet him.
"Fellow Daoist Ye!"
"Greetings, fellow Daoists!"
Although he had known Song Qingming since the Golden Core stage, Ye Linyuan was always indifferent to fame and fortune, and his mind was mainly focused on his own cultivation.
Apart from occasionally taking the initiative to ask Song Qingming for advice on cultivation issues a few times, he never wanted to curry favor with him.
After waving to everyone, Ye Linyuan walked to an empty seat on the side of the hall.
But when his gaze swept over Bai Yuxian, who was sitting not far away, his originally calm expression faltered slightly, and he stopped in his tracks.
"It's been decades since we last met. I never expected that Fellow Daoist Bai would have already broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage. I have fallen behind you once again."
"Late Nascent Soul stage!"
Upon hearing what Ye Linyuan said, all the cultivators present, except for Song Qingming and a few others who already knew the truth, looked at Bai Yuxian with some surprise.
At this moment, as their divine senses fell upon the other party, Yang Fengyu and Chen Yunxiao also sensed a slight change in Bai Yuxian's aura.
A hint of shock couldn't help but show in his eyes.
Unexpectedly, Bai Yuxian in front of me had already entered the late Nascent Soul stage and become the second great cultivator of the "Xiaoyao Sect" after Song Qingming.
A cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage possesses magical power and divine sense that far surpass those in the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
Previously, Bai Yuxian had concealed her aura and had not intentionally displayed her cultivation level, which is why Yang Fengyu and Chen Yunxiao did not notice the changes in her at the first moment.
Although Ye Linyuan was also at the peak of the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage, his spiritual power was significantly higher than that of Yang Fengyu, whose strength had begun to decline.
Only when he got close enough did he notice a slight change in Bai Yuxian's aura.
It has only been a little over a hundred years since Song Qingming last advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage.
Unexpectedly, Bai Yuxian broke through the bottleneck of the late Nascent Soul stage so quickly, which was quite unexpected for Yang Fengyu and the others, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.
"I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Bai to have successfully broken through his realm. I was completely unaware just now. I am truly ashamed."
"Hehe! Yu Xian had been in seclusion in the sect and only recently broke through her cultivation level, which is why she hadn't had time to announce it to the public."
It's understandable that Fellow Daoist Yang didn't notice.
Just as Yang Fengyu stepped forward to congratulate Bai Yuxian, another figure appeared outside the door and strode in. It was Li Mufeng, who had arrived a step later.
"Oh! It's Fellow Daoist Li. I've wanted to visit my old friend at Guyang Mountain several times over the years, but I haven't heard any news of you coming out of seclusion."
"To see you today, fellow Daoist, makes this trip worthwhile!"
When Li Mufeng attacked "Boyun Mountain" back then, he was severely injured by "Ice Fox Demon King" and his physical body was seriously injured.
Li Mufeng's lifespan was already somewhat limited, and after suffering such a severe injury, even though he consumed many high-level healing pills, he still has not fully recovered.
For decades, Li Mufeng had been in seclusion in the "Guyang Mountain" cave, healing his injuries.
He only came out of seclusion to join the fun after learning that "Qingyun Mountain" was holding a trade fair not long ago.
Because he stayed at "Golden Feather Mountain" and chatted with "Wind Ape" who was cultivating there, he arrived a little later than Bai Yuxian and the others.
“Alas, Fellow Daoist Yang and I have been friends for many years, why be so polite?”
I've heard that your sect has produced a genius junior who has successfully formed his Nascent Soul. I wonder when you plan to hold a celebration? I'll also go to Tianji Mountain to join in the fun and share in the joy.
"Hehe! Fellow Daoist Li, you are making fun of this old man."
Before your esteemed sect, what true geniuses do we in the Floating Cloud Mountains possess? We are but fireflies under the bright moon.
The Tianji Sect has been passed down to this day, thanks to the hard work and dedication of countless predecessors.
I hope that Fellow Daoists Song and Bai will, out of respect for me, offer some assistance in the future.
In terms of sect history, the "Tianji Sect" is also a Nascent Soul sect that has been passed down for thousands of years, and its foundation was no weaker than that of the "Xiaoyao Sect".
However, since Bai Yuxian and Song Qingming achieved Nascent Soul, the sect has developed rapidly over the past few hundred years. The Nascent Soul combat power of the "Xiaoyao Sect" far surpasses that of other sects, and it has firmly secured its position as the number one sect in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range.
Although the "Tianji Sect" also cultivated a Nascent Soul cultivator, Wei Dongcheng, its strength remained stagnant, not much different from hundreds of years ago.
I learned that Bai Yuxian has now broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage.
Yang Fengyu looked at his old friend Li Mufeng, whom he had known for many years, with envy in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, Li Mufeng quickly replied, "As the saying goes, each generation has its own blessings. Both our sects have successors, so why should Fellow Daoist Yang worry so much about the future?"
It is an honor for our sect that all of you fellow Daoists have graced us with your presence.
"Please don't stand here, everyone. Let's take a seat!"
Although Li Mufeng's lifespan is limited, his cultivation level and strength are far inferior to what they used to be.
But now, as the Grand Elder of the "Free and Unfettered Sect," he still commands a great deal of respect from the people.
At his invitation, everyone quickly took their seats, and low-level cultivators who had been waiting outside served them fragrant spirit wine.
As one of the few Nascent Soul cultivators standing at the top of the "Floating Cloud Mountain Range," it was a rare occasion for everyone to gather, and the hall quickly became lively.
Li Mufeng and Yang Fengyu were both nearing the end of their lives, and when they sat together, they mostly reminisced about the past.
The younger generation of Nascent Soul cultivators, such as Zhou Ziyang, Xu Ziyan, and Chen Yunxiao, surrounded the two great cultivators, Song Qingming and Bai Yuxian, humbly asking for their guidance on the path of cultivation.
Even Ye Linyuan, who doesn't usually like to chat, took the initiative to ask Bai Yuxian, who had just advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage, for some advice.
Just as everyone was chatting, another Nascent Soul cultivator arrived outside the door.
Song Qingyu, who was in charge of organizing the conference, had no choice but to smile and get up to go out and greet them.
The person who came this time was not a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Floating Cloud Mountains, but a Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Pill Alliance, Daoist Yanhuo, who came all the way from the East Sea.
During the last disturbance caused by the demon beasts, "Yanhuo Daoren" and the Grand Elder "Xuantong Daoren" led a large army of cultivators from the Tiandan Alliance to provide support, which greatly helped Song Qingming and his group.
After the war, the two sides cooperated in alchemy and made a big deal. Their relationship is much better than before.
Upon learning that Qingyun Mountain was hosting a trade fair, Daoist Yanhuo personally came to support the event on behalf of the Tiandan Alliance, bringing Song Qingming and his group a number of high-grade spiritual pills.
They're going to be put up for sale at the upcoming "auction".
Besides "Yanhuo Daoren" and a few others, Long Ziyun also arrived at Qingyun Mountain early on behalf of the "Four Seas Business Alliance".
However, as a partner of the Sihai Business Alliance, Long Ziyun had many things to do at this "Trade Conference" and only rushed over half a day later.
In addition to the major sects in the eastern part of the "Floating Cloud Mountains", two Nascent Soul cultivators from the "Hun Yuan Sect" and "Lei Yun Sect" located on the west side of Taiyue Lake also made a special trip here.
Liu Qingyin of the Hunyuan Sect was also injured in the war against the demon race in the north a few years ago.
However, her injuries were not as severe as Li Mufeng's. Decades later, not only did her injuries heal, but her cultivation also improved, reaching the peak of the third level of the Nascent Soul stage.
Liu Qingyin's cultivation has always been steady and methodical, and breaking through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm should not be too difficult for her.
It is estimated that after another twenty or thirty years of dedicated practice, he will be able to achieve his goal.
Luo Qianshan, who came on behalf of the "Thundercloud Sect", is a Nascent Soul cultivator who had only recently advanced to the next level.
Like Bai Yuxian, Luo Qianshan is also a rare cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root in the cultivation world.
This person broke through to the Nascent Soul realm nearly a hundred years ago, but his cultivation level is currently still at the second level of the Nascent Soul realm.
For a cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, this cultivation speed is relatively slow, far slower than that of Bai Yuxian when she first formed her Nascent Soul.
However, the "Thundercloud Sect" to which Luo Qianshan belongs is, after all, a sect that has just been promoted to the Nascent Soul stage.
The sect's foundation is far inferior to that of the "Xiaoyao Sect" and "Tianji Sect," which are long-established sects with thousands of years of history.
In addition, when Luo Qianshan had just reached the Nascent Soul stage, the Thundercloud Sect was once again secretly suppressed by the Myriad Spirits Sect.
It's not surprising that their cultivation speed would be somewhat affected as a result.
Previously, Song Qingming had stepped in to help mediate the conflict between the "Thundercloud Sect" and the "Myriad Spirits Sect," so Luo Qianshan was still somewhat grateful to the "Free and Unfettered Sect."
Despite his own tight finances, he still brought several jars of valuable high-grade spirit wine with him on this long journey.
On behalf of the sect, he personally and solemnly thanked Song Qingming and the others.
".
Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and as the "Trade Conference" continued, the highly anticipated auction was about to begin.
As the doors to the "auction" venue opened, countless cultivators filed in, quickly filling most of the venue.
Just like the "Red Cloud Mountain" conference before, the thousands of cultivators who were able to enter the auction were all people with certain wealth and cultivation, with the lowest being at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Compared to the last "auction", the number of high-level cultivators attending this time has more than doubled.
There were more than two hundred Golden Core cultivators sitting on the second floor alone.
Above the third floor, more than a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators were seated.
In the cultivation world of the "Floating Cloud Mountains," only the current "Free and Unfettered Sect" could organize such a large-scale "auction."
As a Nascent Soul ancestor of his sect and the host of this "Qingyun Mountain" conference, Song Qingming would naturally not be absent from the auction.
As a streak of light flashed across the stage, the number one cultivator from the "Floating Cloud Mountains" appeared in person below the venue. Decades ago, Song Qingming led human cultivators to a decisive victory over the northern demon army, reclaiming "Qingyun Mountain" and a large territory in the north from them.
Such a feat has long been etched into the hearts of every cultivator in the Floating Cloud Mountains.
It was a rare opportunity to meet this legendary human hero.
As soon as Song Qingming appeared on the stage, all the cultivators present immediately stood up and bowed, their eyes filled with respect.
"We pay our respects to the Ancestor!"
"Please, everyone, no need for formalities!"
"I am deeply grateful to all of you fellow Daoists for coming from afar to attend the Qingyun Mountain Conference today."
".
After waving his hand, Song Qingming expressed his gratitude to everyone before announcing the official start of the "auction".
Soon, one precious spiritual item after another was placed on the auction stage by Song Siqing and others who were in charge of the auction.
To ensure the success of this "auction," the organizer, the "Xiaoyao Sect," spent three years preparing, practically emptying most of its sect's treasury of high-level spiritual items.
Although Song Qingming did not participate in the entire process, he still contributed a lot of good things from his own possession.
He produced dozens of level-three or higher talismans and magic arrays over the years, along with several level-four or higher spiritual items.
The other Nascent Soul elders of the "Free and Unfettered Sect" are Xu Ziyan and Zhou Ziyang, who have only recently formed their Nascent Souls.
Each of them took out a few high-level spiritual items that they didn't need and put them into the "auction" to support the event.
The "Tian Dan Alliance," "Si Hai Business Alliance," and many merchants in Qingyunfang, who also cooperated with the auction, prepared a number of valuable items to participate in the auction.
In particular, the "Heavenly Pill Alliance" had obtained a large number of demon beast materials last time and stored up a lot of high-level spiritual pills.
This time, "Daoist Yanhuo" made a special trip to attend the conference, and he certainly wouldn't miss this great opportunity to earn spirit stones.
As the organizers, Song Qingming and his team would receive 10% of the profit for every successfully auctioned spiritual item.
Those who wish to offer high-level spiritual items for auction are naturally very welcome.
However, all high-level spiritual items must be inspected by specialists to ensure that only those of qualified quality can be put up for auction.
As various precious spiritual items were brought to the stage one by one, the "auction" was very lively, with bids coming in one after another.
On the very first day, hundreds of high-level spiritual items were sold, bringing in over a million spirit stones.
The quality of the spiritual items on the platform improved significantly on the second day, with more than thirty Foundation Establishment Pills being taken out at once.
The final few level-four talismans and magic weapons ignited the entire venue.
This attracted numerous Golden Core cultivators from above, and even Nascent Soul elders sitting atop the pavilion to participate in the competition.
Hearing the incredible bids, even the ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators below, who were unable to compete, were filled with excitement.
To ensure fairness and prevent the internal monks who were preparing for the conference from taking advantage of any loopholes.
Bai Yuxian, Song Qingyu, and the others had already agreed that disciples of their sect were not allowed to participate in the competition for these high-level spiritual items of level four or above.
The few level-four spiritual items that were put up for auction mostly ended up in the hands of the many Nascent Soul elders above.
On the final day, numerous "Five Elements Core Formation Spiritual Objects," "Jade Dust Pills," and even the "Golden Core" rarely seen in the cultivation world of the Floating Cloud Mountains were put up for auction.
After moving north and occupying a large area of territory near Qingyun Mountain, the Xiaoyao Sect discovered many large mineral veins of various types in the surrounding area.
In addition to the large spirit stone mine in the outer sea, the "Xiaoyao Sect" can find a Five Elements Core Formation Spiritual Object almost every few years.
Currently, the sect is basically self-sufficient in meeting its needs for this item.
Unlike in the past, when Bai Yuxian and the other Nascent Soul elders had to frequently go out to purchase "Five Elements Core Formation Spiritual Objects" in order to help their disciples form their Core.
Compared to the "Foundation Building Pill" on the second day, the competition for the "Core Formation Spiritual Item" on the last day was even more intense.
Not only did most of the thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators on the field participate in the competition for the spiritual items, but the high-level cultivators representing the various sects above also made their bids.
Compared to the rapidly developing "Xiaoyao Sect," the other sects in the "Floating Cloud Mountains" have not grown as quickly, and there is still a gap in their demand for Core Formation spiritual items.
Not only the Golden Core sects like "True Yang Sect" and "Heavenly Star Gate," but even Nascent Soul elders like Chen Yunxiao and Luo Qianshan each purchased a "Golden Core" for their sects.
As the entire "auction" drew to a close, the much-anticipated level-four spiritual items were brought onto the auction stage.
The high-level spiritual items used to conclude this event are two mid-grade level four talismans, a mid-grade level four magic weapon, and a mid-grade level four spiritual pill that can enhance cultivation.
Compared to yesterday, the items brought out by the "Xiaoyao Sect" on stage were significantly more valuable.
In particular, the mid-grade fourth-level spiritual pill immediately attracted the attention of many Nascent Soul cultivators above.
This pill is called "Dragon Flame Pill". It was refined by the Grand Elder Xuan Tong Zhenren of the "Heavenly Pill Alliance" a few years ago. It can save cultivators below the late Nascent Soul stage thirty years of arduous cultivation.
More than a decade ago, after "Master Xuantong" refined this pill, many Nascent Soul cultivators who were on good terms with him came to his door seeking the pill.
Unfortunately, these people couldn't produce any high-level spiritual items that could impress "Master Xuantong," so the pill hadn't been successfully sold.
Upon learning of the trade fair being held at Qingyun Mountain, "Master Xuantong" instructed Daoist Yanhuo to bring the pill to Qingyun Mountain and place it in the auction.
The "Dragon Flame Pill" is a high-grade spiritual pill that is rarely seen in the outside world. Song Qingming was aware of its value and specially arranged it to be the last item to be used to suppress the enemy, as a way of repaying the "Heavenly Pill Alliance" for its strong support in this conference.
Apart from Song Qingming and Bai Yuxian, two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who looked down on the item, most of the Nascent Soul cultivators present participated in the competition for the "Dragon Flame Pill".
After a fierce bidding war, the "Dragon Flame Pill" finally broke through 500,000 spirit stones and fell into the hands of the wealthy and powerful Song Qingyu.
Since embarking on her cultivation journey, Song Qingyu has had the support of her elder brother Song Qingming, making her path much smoother than others.
During the "monster turmoil" a few years ago, he single-handedly killed two Nascent Soul Demon Emperors.
He had made outstanding contributions and thus accumulated a lot of spirit stones.
Among the many Nascent Soul cultivators present, excluding Song Qingming and Bai Yuxian, the others probably couldn't match Song Qingyu's wealth.
After the "Dragon Flame Pill", another mid-grade level 4 magic weapon, the "Azure Cloud Sword", was acquired by Long Ziyun, the Supreme Elder of the "Four Seas Merchant Alliance", who participated in the conference, at the cost of 430,000 spirit stones.
The remaining two mid-grade spirit talismans were personally crafted by Song Qingming.
After a fierce competition, they fell into the hands of Liu Qingyin and "Yanhuo Daoren" respectively.
Seeing that several of the most anticipated items had already been sold, the audience thought the "auction" was over.
Unexpectedly, Song Siqing, standing on the stage, took out two exquisitely crafted white jade porcelain bottles from her person in front of all the cultivators.
"Fellow Daoists, these are two special spiritual items specially prepared by our sect, called Cold Jade Spiritual Water."
The function of this item is probably self-evident and needs little explanation; everyone has likely heard of it.
"Frosty Jade Spirit Water!"
"Did I hear that right? Could this be the Cold Jade Spirit Water that can help with Nascent Soul formation? I never expected that the Free and Unfettered Sect would be willing to put this up for auction. It's really surprising!"
This trip to Qingyun Mountain was truly worthwhile; I never expected to see such a thing here. Today has been an eye-opening experience.
"I heard that when the Xiaoyao Sect conquered Qingyun Mountain, they found a Cold Jade Pool on the mountain."
I always thought it was just a rumor, but I never imagined it was true.
"Hehe! We rogue cultivators who want to break through to the Nascent Soul realm cannot miss this item."
".
Seeing the commotion below, the atmosphere was heightened once again, and Song Siqing, who was displaying the spiritual object, continued:
"These two bottles of Cold Jade Spirit Water were specifically instructed by our sect's ancestor not to participate in the auction bidding, but only to be used to exchange for spiritual items of the same level."
Fellow Daoists, if you have anything that can impress the Ancestor, you can send it to me directly via telepathy in a moment.
"When the ancestor makes his choice, we can directly exchange it for the Cold Jade Spirit Water."
After acquiring the "Qingyun Mountain," a fourth-grade superior spiritual vein, Bai Yuxian found a "Cold Jade Pool" on the mountain that could stably produce spiritual water, and obtained more than a dozen bottles of precious "Cold Jade Spiritual Water."
This "Cold Jade Pool" can accumulate a bottle of spiritual water every ten years or so. Several elders in the "Free and Unfettered Sect" who are planning to break through to the Nascent Soul realm have exchanged for this item in preparation for seclusion.
There happened to be two bottles left in the treasury for this "auction," and after discussing it, Bai Yuxian and Song Qingming decided to bring them along as well.
I plan to use these two bottles of spiritual water to build up some reputation for the conference, and also see if I can exchange them for some useful spiritual items from the cultivators present.
Compared to the previous level-four spiritual items, "Frosty Jade Spiritual Water" is not as valuable as the other one.
However, this item is extremely rare and is a special spiritual object that can assist in breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.
Among the many Golden Core cultivators present, none could easily let go of this item that was so important to their fellow cultivators. They all revealed excited eyes and began to think about how to exchange it for their own.
In just a short while, Song Siqing, who was standing on the platform, received voice transmissions from dozens of cultivators and quickly had them recorded.
After a process of screening, eliminating useless low-level spiritual items and spirit stones, and removing bids that were unlikely to be selected by their ancestor.
He then personally delivered a compiled list to Song Qingming and the others, who were located on the top floor.
After taking the list and scanning it carefully, Song Qingming's gaze quickly stopped on one of the spiritual items, revealing a hint of surprise.
He then asked Song Siqing, "Which cultivator brought this Jade Soul Fruit? Has their identity been verified?"
"Reporting to the Ancestor, this item was presented by Sect Leader Lu of the Heavenly Star Sect. According to him, he obtained it by chance in the Broken Cloud Mountains."
"The people from the Heavenly Star Sect are quite lucky. Bring him to see me!"
The "Jade Soul Fruit" is a rare fourth-level spiritual fruit in the cultivation world that helps enhance a cultivator's spiritual sense.
Previously, Song Qingming's cultivation of the "Tongtian Wanling Jue" had been hindered. Upon seeing that this item appeared on the list, he immediately made a decision.
Before long, Song Siqing brought over an elderly man with silver hair dressed in the "Tianxing Sect" attire.
The "Tianxing Sect" was originally the largest Golden Elixir sect in the Zheng Kingdom.
After the human cultivators launched a counterattack on "Red Cloud Mountain", the cultivation world of Zheng Kingdom was freed from the threat of the northern demon army and gradually recovered after nearly a thousand years of turmoil.
Over the past few centuries, the "Tianxing Sect" has voluntarily become a vassal of the "Xiaoyao Sect" and has benefited greatly from the counterattack against the demon race.
The sect's strength has improved considerably compared to before.
Currently, the sect has eight Golden Core elders, controlling more than 70% of Zheng Kingdom's territory and also acquiring a level-three spiritual vein around "Qingyun Mountain," extending its influence to the northern territory.
Over the years, the "Tianxing Sect" has accumulated a lot of spiritual items. So when they saw that the other party could take out a level four spiritual fruit to exchange for "Cold Jade Spiritual Water", it did not surprise Song Qingming and the others too much.
After confirming that the spiritual fruit in the other party's possession was of good quality, Song Qingming immediately exchanged spiritual items with the other party.
To show that his ancestor acted fairly and did not want to take advantage of the other party, he even took the initiative to compensate the other party for the difference of tens of thousands of spirit stones.
After successfully trading for the spiritual item he needed, Song Qingming handed the list in his hand to Bai Yuxian, who was standing next to him.
"The other things here are of no use to me. Senior Sister Bai, why don't you take a look and see if there's anything you like?"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony with my junior brother!"
Knowing that Song Qingming intended to take care of her, Bai Yuxian did not refuse too much and quickly picked out a level four spiritual herb that would be useful to her.
Both of them received something they liked, and both showed a hint of satisfaction.
The last two bottles of "Frosty Jade Spirit Water" were successfully exchanged, and the entire "auction" officially came to an end.
As many cultivators departed, the bustling market of Qingyun Mountain, which had been lively for several months, gradually began to quiet down.
Song Qingming
According to statistics compiled by Song Qingyu, Xu Ziyan, and others, the Xiaoyao Sect reaped a total of eight million spirit stones at this Qingyun Mountain "Trading Conference".
After deducting the spirit stones distributed to partners such as the "Tian Dan Alliance" and the "Si Hai Business Alliance," as well as the manpower costs and various expenses incurred in the market over the past few days.
The total remaining profit is 5.2 million spirit stones.
Of the more than five million spirit stones, the sect and the "Qingyun Mountain" market split the money in half, with Song Qingming ultimately receiving two million six hundred thousand spirit stones.
Song Qingming was quite satisfied with the profit of more than two million spirit stones he could get from holding the "Trade Conference" for the first time at Qingyun Mountain.
He immediately took out 600,000 spirit stones and gave them to Song Qingyu, Li Xuanyi, and Huang Siyuan respectively.
Those who contributed to organizing the conference, such as Song Siqing, Zhang Yurong, Song Linyu, and Song Linrui, also received rewards of tens of thousands of spirit stones each.
For a time, the entire summit of Qingyun Mountain was filled with laughter and joy.
During the previous conference, Song Qingyu and the others were so busy that they barely had time to go into seclusion and cultivate.
Seeing the numerous sparkling spirit stones before him, his fatigue vanished instantly, and he joined Li Xuanyi, Zhang Yurong, and the others in playing with the jade tokens.
Even Huang Siyuan, who wasn't very good at this, was kept by Song Qingyu.
Song Qingming, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested in this. He happened to hear that Bai Yuxian, Li Mufeng, and a few others had come up the mountain to visit, so he took a few disciples with him to the second floor to entertain the guests.
The successful completion of this "Qingyun Mountain" conference is also due to the concerted efforts of everyone in the "Xiaoyao Sect".
Elder Li Mufeng, who rarely goes out anymore, praised Song Qingming and Bai Yuxian on the spot, his smile showing genuine satisfaction.
“Junior Brother Song, after we return this time, I can officially step down as the Grand Elder and hand over the reins to you. From now on, the sect will need your and Junior Sister Bai’s assistance.”
Although Li Mufeng's injuries have improved, his cultivation level is far from what it used to be due to his approaching lifespan, making it difficult for him to return to his peak condition.
At this moment, in front of Bai Yuxian, Zhou Ziyang, Xu Ziyan and others, he once again took the initiative to propose the idea of abdicating the position of Grand Elder.
Moreover, compared to the last time, Li Mufeng's tone was noticeably more serious this time.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked surprised and turned to look at them.
When Li Mufeng offered to relinquish his position as Grand Elder, Song Qingming waved his hand repeatedly.
"Brother Li has already recovered, why do you say that!"
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. Senior Sister Bai and I will certainly be fully involved in the management of sect affairs, but I absolutely cannot accept the title of Grand Elder."
"I understand what Junior Brother Song means, but I am now of an age where it is time for me to retire."
"My junior brother has contributed so much to the sect over the years; his succession as Grand Elder is perfectly legitimate. Even if outsiders knew, they wouldn't dare to say anything."
"Senior brother, you mustn't!"
Despite Li Mufeng's initiative to step down, Song Qingming remained steadfast in his stance, having no intention of taking over the position of Grand Elder.
Seeing that they couldn't persuade the other party, Bai Yuxian and the others began to try to persuade them.
Li Mufeng could only give up for the time being and did not say anything more.
The group chatted until nightfall before saying their goodbyes and leaving.
After Song Qingming saw Li Mufeng and the others off and returned upstairs, Huang Siyuan seemed to have lost a lot of spirit stones and offered her seat to Song Siqing who was sitting next to her.
If you're alone, you can sit in a separate room and enjoy your tea.
Upon seeing Song Qingming approach, Huang Siyuan quickly poured a cup of spiritual tea and presented it to him.
After taking his seat, Song Qingming took a sip of the spiritual tea and immediately nodded in satisfaction.
Seemingly noticing the somber look on Huang Siyuan's face, Song Qingming raised his hand and waved it, suddenly producing a two-inch-tall jade cauldron that he presented to her.
Upon seeing the small jade cauldron appear, Huang Siyuan's previously calm expression flashed with surprise.
"This is a mid-grade level four alchemy furnace!"
"This item is called the Crimson Dragon Cauldron. I obtained it by chance in the cultivation world of the East Sea back then, and I haven't had a chance to give it to you all these years since we parted ways."
"Take a look and see if you can use it."
"My husband, you specially left this for me!"
Upon hearing what Song Qingming said, a warm smile appeared on Huang Siyuan's face, and she softly confirmed it.
(PS: I wrote a bit more today, a 10,000-word chapter to make up for it, fellow cultivators. I'll try to update earlier tomorrow.)
(End of this chapter)