Chapter 133 - 131: The Socially Adept Zuo Feiyu
Chen Yuan had achieved a preliminary mastery of the Celestial Fire Secret Manual, but he still had a slight reservation.
This Cultivation Technique was a Secret Technique from the Great Brightness Sect’s former Celestial Fire Hall. If he were to use it openly, it would be troublesome if someone recognized it.
Previously, Chen Yuan had used the Secret Techniques from the Blood Spirit Scripture without hesitation. This was because very few people knew about the original version of the scripture; even within the Blood God Sect, only a handful could recognize it.
Based on appearance alone, the Secret Techniques from the original Blood Spirit Scripture looked no different from some Qi Blood-type Demonic Secret Techniques.
Of course, being recognized by Gongyang Li last time was just an accident.
If something like that happened again, Chen Yuan could just claim it was malicious slander from a Blood God Sect fiend trying to sow discord. That would be enough to cover things up to a degree.
After all, the Blood God Sect’s reputation was known to all. Compared to someone from the Blood God Sect, people would believe Chen Yuan even if he claimed to have a compassionate heart and a love for helping others.
But the Celestial Fire Secret Manual was far too conspicuous. It was one of a kind, and anyone who knew the details of the former Great Brightness Sect would likely recognize it.
After pondering for a while, Chen Yuan suddenly had an idea. He began to slowly merge the Demonic Qi from his Other-Transformed Self-Free Celestial Demon Secret Manual with the Celestial Fire’s Power.
The next moment, a monstrous Demon Flame surged around Chen Yuan’s body. Within him, a Starfire ignited, and the Power of Burning erupted.
In an instant, the boundless Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the surroundings was madly drawn into his body, and his Qi Sea spun and burned furiously.
At this moment, Chen Yuan was circulating the Celestial Fire Secret Manual internally, but what he displayed externally was a powerful Demon Technique with monstrous flames.
Extinguishing the Starfire within him, Chen Yuan nodded in satisfaction.
The Other-Transformed Self-Free Celestial Demon Secret Manual was truly all-encompassing, an all-purpose Cultivation Technique that could seemingly merge with any kind of power.
Normally, when the Other-Transformed Self-Free Celestial Demon Secret Manual merged with other cultivation techniques, it would either enhance their power or, as with the Great Celestial Demon Seal, reduce their consumption.
The sole exception was the Celestial Fire Secret Manual, which was too domineering. When the Demonic Qi from the Other-Transformed Self-Free Celestial Demon Secret Manual was merged into it, not only did it fail to add power, but the presence of Demonic Qi actually diminished the might of the Celestial Fire Power, making it less pure.
Chen Yuan estimated that when using Demonic Qi to conceal the Celestial Fire Power, it could only exert about eighty percent of its original strength.
However, for the sake of safety, a twenty percent loss didn’t matter.
After familiarizing himself with his power once more, Chen Yuan delayed no longer. He got up and headed straight for Medicine King Valley.
Medicine King Valley was in the heartland of Ping Province. However, the valley needed to make preparations before the Cauldron Opening Assembly and would not be open to the public for the time being.
The Jianghu People who had come for the Cauldron Opening Assembly were all currently gathered in Danyang Prefecture.
Danyang Prefecture was only a few miles from Medicine King Valley and had the nickname "Medicine City."
Nearly half of all Spiritual Medicine transactions in the entire Jianghu took place in Danyang Prefecture. Every day, countless caravans transported large batches of Spiritual Medicines into the prefecture, while countless Elixirs produced by Medicine King Valley were shipped out from it.
As a result, the entire Prefecture City was exceptionally prosperous, even more so than Taining Prefecture, the very center of Ning Province and the location of Zhenwu Hall’s Main Hall.
When he arrived, merchants’ carts had so thoroughly blocked the city gates that Chen Yuan had to wait in line for a long time before finally entering Danyang Prefecture.
Upon entering the Prefecture City, a rich medicinal fragrance assailed his nose. In all of Danyang Prefecture, nearly every street was lined with apothecary shops buying Spiritual Medicines and selling Elixirs.
Moreover, all these shops claimed their Elixirs were from Medicine King Valley, but in reality, most were refined by unknown small workshops and low-level Alchemists.
Selling "Medicine King Valley" Elixirs in Danyang Prefecture was a classic case of slapping a premium label on a counterfeit product.
Chen Yuan found a passerby and asked for the location of the Celestial Fragrance Building.
The Celestial Fragrance Building was not a brothel, but the most famous restaurant in Danyang Prefecture, renowned for its medicinal cuisine.
All the dishes in the restaurant were made with rare spiritual medicines. Some of the top-tier dishes even used Top Grade Spiritual Medicines as ingredients, making them priceless and requiring reservations.
Since he was already here, Chen Yuan wanted to taste this top-tier medicinal cuisine for himself.
Meanwhile, in a private room at the Celestial Fragrance Building, Zuo Feiyu was chatting with a young Martial Artist who wore magnificent, moon-white robes, had a long sword at his waist, and possessed sharp brows and bright eyes.
This young Martial Artist’s name was Duan Mingzhen, and he had been sent by the Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion to attend the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
He was exactly thirty years old this year, and his Cultivation had reached the Peak of the Sea Realm, placing him right at the eligibility threshold for the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
Duan Mingzhen was not the most outstanding disciple of his generation from the Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion. That particular prodigy was already on the Hidden Dragon Rankings and currently in seclusion, so the spot for the Cauldron Opening Assembly had fallen to him.
In truth, for the groomed successors or the strongest of the younger generation from true top-tier Major Sects, the Cauldron Opening Assembly wasn’t a mandatory event; their attendance was entirely a matter of preference.
Although a Divine Pill was precious, some of the top Major Sects had their own Alchemy Grandmasters who were also capable of refining them.
As the strongest of their sect’s younger generation, they were naturally cultivated with the sect’s full resources and thus had no shortage of Divine Pills.
If they had the time, they might come to join the excitement, but if they were busy, they could simply choose not to attend the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
For instance, the Three Buddhist Temples and the Four Daoist Courts almost never participated in the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
Only newly emerged forces without deep foundations, like Zhenwu Hall, and the second-tier Jianghu Major Sects and Noble Families were particularly interested in the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion was the same; sometimes they attended, and sometimes they didn’t.
Duan Mingzhen had fought for this opportunity himself. His age was somewhat awkward, and he wanted to leverage his age advantage to win a Divine Pill and break through to the Condensing Truth Realm.
Zuo Feiyu was with Duan Mingzhen at this moment because their two factions had a long-standing connection.
Back when Zuo Tianyuan was roaming the Central Plains Martial Arts world, he had befriended an Elder from the Lifting Heaven Sword Pavilion. That Elder had greatly admired Zuo Tianyuan, even wanting to take him as a disciple.
But the young Zuo Tianyuan was ambitious and unwilling to be anyone’s subordinate, so he decisively refused and returned to Ning Province to found Cyan Blade Manor.
However, despite the rejection, Zuo Tianyuan was very tactful and managed not to offend the Elder, so their relationship remained on good terms.
Duan Mingzhen was that Elder’s grand-disciple. Zuo Feiyu, ever the social butterfly, struck up a connection with him while chatting, and in just a few days, the two had become like old friends.
An occasion like the Cauldron Opening Assembly was indeed the perfect stage for Zuo Feiyu. He hadn’t been in Danyang Prefecture for long, but he had already befriended many outstanding figures in the Jianghu.
"Brother Zuo, the ones I’m introducing you to this time are young prodigies from the Blazing Sect. You should know of the Blazing Sect’s great name, right?"
Zuo Feiyu nodded. "Of course. During the golden age of the Great Yong Dynasty, the founder of the Blazing Sect directly confronted several Divine Generals of the dynasty to establish his sect in Yong Province. Who hasn’t heard of such might?
Is Brother Duan introducing me to Su Changhe, the ’Celestial Brilliance Golden Feather,’ who is currently ranked eleventh on the Hidden Dragon Rankings and known as the number one expert of the Blazing Sect’s younger generation?"
The Blazing Sect was one of the Nine Martial Sects, and one of the stronger ones at that.
Yong Province was where the capital of the previous Great Yong Dynasty was located, so one can imagine how high its status was in that era.
To establish a foothold in Yong Province, the Blazing Sect’s founder had to face the suppression of the Great Yong Court at its peak. Only by withstanding that pressure did they earn the right to exist in Yong Province.
Duan Mingzhen shook his head. "Su Changhe is currently out gaining experience in the Southern Border; he won’t be attending the Cauldron Opening Assembly.
However, the ones attending this time are also outstanding disciples of the Blazing Sect’s younger generation, all of them personal disciples of various Elders."
Zuo Feiyu nodded. Even if it wasn’t Su Changhe, these individuals still had extraordinary backgrounds.
Every Elder in the Blazing Sect held a high position and great authority. Although they might have many disciples, each had only one personal disciple, the one who would inherit the mantle of their lineage.
In the future, even if these personal disciples didn’t become the Sect Leader, they would still be pillars of the Blazing Sect. There was no harm in befriending them.
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside, and three Martial Artists from the Blazing Sect, dressed in magnificent golden robes, stepped into the private room.
Duan Mingzhen smiled and introduced them to Zuo Feiyu. "These three are outstanding figures from the Blazing Sect’s younger generation: Yao Tiancheng, Qiao Huan, and Zhu Chengzong.
Brother Yao is over thirty and was ranked ninety-third on the previous Hidden Dragon Rankings. He has attended the Cauldron Opening Assembly before and is leading the team this time.
Brother Qiao Huan is the direct grandson of the Blazing Sect’s Elder, ’Heaven-Turning Hand’ Qiao Yuanwu.
And Brother Zhu Chengzong is the personal disciple of the Blazing Sect’s Elder, ’Celestial Imperial Sword’ Dan Tiancheng. These two are the ones participating in the Cauldron Opening Assembly."
Hearing this, Zuo Feiyu couldn’t help but feel that the Blazing Sect was truly a major power, to actually send two young disciples to participate in the Cauldron Opening Assembly at the same time.
Two disciples meant two Top Grade Spiritual Medicines for the entrance fee. If the two of them ended up facing each other in the end, it would be equivalent to wasting one Top Grade Spiritual Medicine.
But for a Sect of the Blazing Sect’s caliber, a single Top Grade Spiritual Medicine was a small price to pay for letting their young disciples broaden their horizons.
Duan Mingzhen then turned to Zhu Chengzong and the others. "This is Brother Zuo Feiyu from Ning Province’s Nine Swords Alliance. You all may not have heard of the Nine Swords Alliance, but Brother Zuo’s father, Alliance Leader Zuo, is a regional powerhouse. Even my grandmaster has high praise for his Sword Dao Cultivation."
Zuo Feiyu enthusiastically cupped his fists and greeted the three, but Qiao Huan and Yao Tiancheng seemed slightly indifferent.
In their eyes, any Jianghu Force not on the Jianghu Wind and Cloud Rankings was second-rate.
Zuo Feiyu was, at best, from the family of a local big shot.
Zhu Chengzong’s attitude toward Zuo Feiyu, however, was quite good. After all, his own Zhu Family wasn’t a major power either.
Zuo Feiyu naturally noticed this but paid it no mind. After the food was served, he deliberately showered the other two with flattery, and Yao Tiancheng and Qiao Huan immediately started to feel that this Zuo Feiyu wasn’t so bad after all.
Though he was from a minor place, he knew how to talk and was tactful, which made them feel very comfortable.
Just then, Yao Tiancheng suddenly asked, "Brother Zuo, is your Nine Swords Alliance very influential in the Youning Border region?"
Zuo Feiyu replied humbly, "I wouldn’t dare say we have that much influence, but it’s true we don’t have many rivals in the vicinity."
"That makes things easier," Yao Tiancheng said. "Strictly speaking, Junior Brother Zhu’s family was also within your Nine Swords Alliance’s sphere of influence, but they were tragically exterminated some time ago.
If your Nine Swords Alliance has the means, this is a perfect opportunity to help Junior Brother Zhu investigate the culprits."