Chapter 352 - 191: Han Fashou
Setting aside the pleasantries, the mental acuity of an Orthodox Sect Zhenren who had refined a Primordial Spirit went without saying. In just a few sentences, Daochen Zhenren and Mingjing Zhenren had already drafted a rough outline of their plan for Nanzhan.
The more Mingjing Zhenren thought about it, the more he felt Daochen’s plan was feasible.
With the Demon Sect on the rise, it was the perfect opportunity to crush their momentum.
"However, according to your plan, while it won’t offend our fellow Orthodox Daoists, we can hardly expect any help from them. Blocking the Demon Sect will still fall upon the strength of our Tai Su Family alone."
Mingjing Zhenren said, "With the sect’s current strength, is that truly possible?"
When it came to its foundations, the Tai Su Orthodox Sect had much to be proud of. The sect had developed steadily from the time the Sect Founding Ancestor Grandmaster passed down the lineage. This continued until the fifth-generation ancestor, Jade Longevity True Monarch, attained Pure Yang and officially heralded the Tai Su revival. Each generation of ancestors built upon the last, carrying the torch forward, which led to the Tai Su Orthodox Sect’s current prosperity.
However, the Tai Su Orthodox Sect—or rather, all orthodox sects—always prioritized temperament when nurturing disciples for the sake of long-term planning, never rushing their development. After all, one could not attain long life without reaching the Primordial Spirit realm. Even an abundance of Nascent Soul Cultivators was not enough to inherit the sect’s lineage.
Therefore, as for whether the Tai Su Orthodox Sect could truly contend with the four great Demon Sects on its own, Mingjing Zhenren made a quick calculation and felt the prospect was not an optimistic one.
After all, the Demon Sect had long shown signs of a resurgence. Even a figure like Saint Fan of Calamity had emerged early. Over the past thousand years, the strength of the Demon Sect, especially its Golden Core and Nascent Soul Cultivators, must have grown.
However, in response to Mingjing Zhenren’s question, Daochen Zhenren simply smiled faintly. "Rest assured, Martial Uncle."
Mingjing Zhenren raised an eyebrow. Daochen Zhenren’s gaze drifted to some unknown place as he said serenely, "I have an immortal ’blade.’ The world knows of its sharpness, but in my view, it has yet to reveal its true, chilling brilliance."
"Oh? So you’re counting on Dao Miaozhi." Mingjing Zhenren mused, "That boy’s foundation is indeed unheard of. After all, achieving the Nine-Orifice Pill Formation..."
He recalled the scroll in the Langhuan Pavilion, the *Secret Records of the Three Phases, Six Seals, and Nine Orifice Condensing Pill*.
Xuzhuang’s sudden appearance had undoubtedly piqued the interest of many experts within the sect. But according to various deductions, the Nine Orifice Pill Technique was considered utterly fantastical, something simply impossible for a human to achieve.
Let alone the Nine Orifice Pill Technique, even the Six Seal Pill Technique was of little practical value to the Tai Su Orthodox Sect. To this day, only one disciple had been granted the Six Seal Pill Technique, and this had even added a sum of merit to Xuzhuang’s name.
But in the end, that disciple’s attempt at Solidifying his Pill failed by a single step. With his level of cultivation, he was almost guaranteed to form a Middle Grade Golden Core, but he ended up ruining his prospects for nothing.
Such a result undoubtedly caused the sect’s experts to lose much of their interest in the *Secret Records of the Three Phases, Six Seals, and Nine Orifice Condensing Pill*. Mingjing Zhenren couldn’t help but shake his head.
He said, "Dao Miaozhi left a manifestation in the sect to handle his affairs while his true self went off gallivanting."
"Are you going to call him back?"
Daochen Zhenren replied with complete composure, "Let him be. With the Heavenly Instrument Talisman, it won’t be too late to summon him back when the time is right."
***
Meanwhile, far away in Weiyun Immortal City within the Guangyuan Realm, Xuzhuang was just leaving a magnificent treasure tower with soaring eaves and vermilion pavilions.
This was not the Tai Su Pavilion, but rather the Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion, established by the Spirit Treasure Sect from the Profound Yellow Realm.
Whether it was because Yi Qing was naturally amiable or because he intentionally sought to befriend Xuzhuang—the immensely promising ’Thousand-Year Immortal Wind’—the two of them had a very pleasant conversation.
After learning about the situation in the Profound Yellow Realm, a sense of urgency grew in Xuzhuang’s heart, and he resolved to set out as soon as possible.
Although he had considered meditating in seclusion for a while to sort through his recent gains, with the Du Xu Palace, his cultivation would not be hindered even while traveling.
Therefore, after bidding farewell to Yi Qing and leaving the Tai Su Pavilion, Xuzhuang made a trip to Han Yuan Cave to formally say goodbye to Cen Fenghong before coming to this pavilion.
The Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion was one of the eleven Heaven-Reaching Treasure Pavilions in Weiyun Immortal City. Unlike the Tai Su Pavilion, it engaged in all manner of trade and also had a specialty that other Treasure Pavilions could not hope to match.
Three entire floors of the Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion were dedicated to appraising treasures for its clients.
According to rumor, no matter what treasure you had, if you couldn’t make heads or tails of it, you could bring it here for appraisal. They could determine its origins with near-certainty. For a Magical Artifact, they could not only determine the quality and number of its restrictive seals but even tell you the exact composition of its materials.
Even more, as long as you could afford the price, you could have your treasure inspected by a particular Magical Treasure in the Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion—the Great Tong Golden Mirror. Forget ordinary items; it could even deduce the Sacrificial Refining Skill for a shapeshifting Magical Treasure.
Weiyun Immortal City was known as a bustling hub where all paths converged. Countless items circulated within it, not to mention all sorts of strange and rare objects. Without deep resources or powerful deductive abilities, it would be impossible to offer such appraisal services.
Therefore, Xuzhuang was quite interested in learning more about this Great Tong Golden Mirror. However, the items he carried were either secrets that absolutely could not be revealed or ordinary things not worth the trouble of an inspection.
Besides, his purpose in coming to the Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion was not for that. Firstly, Mi Yuan Dao had extended him a warm invitation, but since Xuzhuang was about to depart immediately, he had come specially to say goodbye.
Secondly, although the Tai Su Pavilion was his own sect’s establishment, it didn’t engage in ordinary trade, so he couldn’t procure the items he needed there.
Of course, he could have entrusted such trivial matters to Yi Qing, but there was no need.
Inside the Upper Scenic Golden Pavilion, Xuzhuang exchanged the primordial essences he had no immediate use for—such as the Essence of Primordial Magnetism, Taiyin Essence, and Ice Extreme Essence—for Five Elements Essence and Yin Yang Essence to use in his cultivation.