Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

If yesterday it was they who encountered the demon cultivator, I’m afraid they would have met the same fate.

Daoist Master Chi Yun surveyed the crowd and said somberly:

"Unfortunately, some disciples will never return to the Immortal City.

But now is not the time to grieve; we must find the demon cultivator and avenge our fallen comrades."

"Avenge them!"

The crowd shouted, filled with fervor, dispelling their previous dejection.

Daoist Master Chi Yun nodded and continued:

"Now, everyone spread out to search for wood, preferably dead branches; if not, cutting pine trees will do.

We must cremate our comrades to purify the filth on them."

Without cremation, they wouldn’t be at peace, as no one could guarantee that the demon cultivators hadn’t hidden other tricks within the disciples’ bodies.

"As you command," the cultivators dispersed.

.....

When Zhang Dong and his companion descended from the clouds, the flames were blazing fiercely.

Upon inquiring, they learned of what transpired here, and both sighed inwardly.

Daoist Master Chi Yun saw them return and asked:

"What happened? I remember you were assigned to Fellow Daoist Han Chi’s team."

"Yes, under Daoist Master Cold Qilin’s orders, we are reporting our findings. On the northern slope of Snow Dragon Ridge, we discovered a grotto mansion, suspected to be the demon cultivator’s lair."

"Good, come with me to see the Daoist Monarch."

Daoist Master Chi Yun immediately took Zhang Dong and the other person into the grotto mansion and recounted the events to Tianshui Daoist Monarch.

Upon hearing the description, Tianshui Daoist Monarch stood up and said:

"I’ll go take a look. You stay here and gather the troops."

He took Zhang Dong through the passage and reached the cliff where the cave was discovered in an instant.

Fellow Daoist Han Chi hastily led everyone to bow:

"Greetings, Daoist Monarch."

He did not expect the Daoist Monarch to come personally, thus feeling a sense of security.

"No need for formalities; have you not explored it yet?"

"No, I was worried there might be danger. I might be fine, but there could be casualties amongst these disciples."

"A prudent choice, very good.

Leave a few people to guard the entrance; the rest follow me."

...

A cave hall inlaid with countless Luminous Beads appeared before the crowd, rendering everyone somewhat stunned.

From the damaged structures, it was clear that this was a ruin, and the original builders were definitely not demon cultivators.

It’s just unclear what happened afterward that it became a demon cultivator’s lair.

Tianshui Daoist Monarch raised an eyebrow and said:

"Spread out and search, but don’t go more than ten zhang apart from each other."

His mind raced, pondering when the ruins were constructed and which faction they belonged to at the time.

The demon calamity that erupted over a thousand years ago swept through the entire Northern Realm, and it was only ended with the help of cultivators from the Central Continent.

Many Sects were buried in the dust of history, not lacking some once-thriving Major Sects.

It can be said that the current major forces in the Far North have grown over the bones of their predecessors.

If I’m not mistaken, this relic should be a resource point of some major force.

The ruins were not particularly large; even though they searched diligently, they reached the Central Region half an hour later.

Tianshui Daoist Monarch looked at the golden runes on the ground, pondered for a long time, and then said in a deep voice:

"These are Demon-Banning Runes passed down by Buddhist Cultivators from the Xixi Continent, once used to imprison demon cultivators."

Within the golden runes, there was a very conspicuous black mark, likely where the demon cultivator had forcefully endured the burning of the Demon-Banning Runes to escape.

Buddhist Cultivators’ methods are more effective against demon cultivators, reportedly leading to the absence of demon cultivators in the Western Continent.

"I will go in and take a look; you all stay here, and remain vigilant!"

Tianshui Daoist Monarch instructed, summoning a Magical Treasure to guard his body, cautiously entering one of the grand halls after testing the Forbidden Magic Array.

The temperature here was extremely high, with countless red runes flickering on the walls, and in the center was a deep well, with the stone slabs around the well also densely covered in runes.

A cluster of scarlet light flickered above the deep well.

"It’s the Red Dragon Abyssal Fiend, initially this was indeed a resource point."

Tianshui Daoist Monarch muttered softly to himself, observing the runes on the walls carefully before exiting the grand hall.

Fellow Daoist Han Chi sighed in relief upon seeing him walk out of the hall.

Tianshui Daoist Monarch looked at the crowd and called out:

"I guessed it right; this is a resource point. After I investigate the other two halls, you can go in."

He examined the other halls in turn, his expression turning grim.

This is a place that gathers Spiritual Fiends. It could produce Red Dragon Abyssal Fiends, Netherworld Soul-Suppressing Fiends, and White Tiger Wind Shriek Fiends.

A place gathering Earth Element Spiritual Fiends, suppressing a demon cultivator.

The earth’s virtue encompasses all, capable of continuously extracting demonic qi from the demon cultivator to weaken them.

Moreover, the predecessors used the Earth Evil Spirit Vein as a foundation to create the Three Talents Mysterious Killing Array to isolate the inside from the outside.

It should have been used as a temporary place to imprison demon cultivators. As for why they didn’t kill the demon cultivator, it’s beyond his conjecture.

Within the hall nurturing Earth Element Spiritual Fiends, there were two dry corpses, suggesting something had burrowed out from their abdomens.

Now, Tianshui Daoist Monarch’s mind has roughly pieced together the sequence of events surrounding the ruins.

The ruins were inadvertently discovered by Middle Continent Cultivators from the Immortal City, who explored them and ultimately broke through the Magic Array.

Although the demon cultivator was extremely weak, they still had the foundation of a Golden Core Level, killed the exploring cultivators, and turned them into Demon Soul Puppets.

Tianshui Daoist Monarch walked out of the hall and let the crowd in to view; by now, other Daoist Masters had also arrived.

Upon meeting, Tianshui Daoist Monarch said:

"You came just in time. Let’s conduct a thorough search of the entire ruins and then seal it."

Every participating force can take a share of the benefits from this resource point.

...

Wey’s Treasure Talisman Shop.

After tallying the number of Talismans, Wey Xianglin said:

"Senior, this time you brought one hundred and fifty Top-grade Fire Dragon Talismans and one hundred and sixty Top-grade Bursting Talismans. No issues with the numbers, right?"

"No issues."

"Each Fire Dragon Talisman costs three hundred and forty Spirit Stones, each Bursting Talisman fifty-two Spirit Stones, totaling fifty-nine thousand three hundred Spirit Stones.

Senior, what materials are you purchasing this time?"

Ji An chuckled softly and joked:

"How about three hundred sets of Fire Dragon Talisman materials?"

Earlier, when he negotiated with the shop, the selling price of each Fire Dragon Talisman increased by twenty Spirit Stones, and each Bursting Talisman by two Spirit Stones, while the prices of other Talismans remained unchanged.

Calculating this, each month he easily earns ten more Middle-grade Spirit Stones, even though he only drew Talismans in his spare time.

If he were to become a ’full-time’ Talisman Maker, he would surely be the most productive cultivator in the whole Immortal City, perhaps even being able to reduce the selling price of Talismans.

Wey Xianglin grimaced, "The shop’s Beast Hide stock is limited, I’m afraid I can’t meet your demand."

In recent years, the shop has acquired fewer and fewer Talisman-Making Materials, and it’s been more evident in recent months.

"How many sets can you provide me at most?"

"Sixty sets of Fire Dragon Talisman materials, twenty sets of Earth Escape Talisman materials, and one hundred and twenty sets of Bursting Talisman materials."

"That few?"

Wey Xianglin shook his head, sighed, and explained:

"A long time ago, the proportion of raw materials other Talisman Makers purchased from our shop began to decrease.

The materials that can be received now are much less, this is true for the whole Immortal City."

"Then we’ll do as you say, let’s settle the bill."

Ji An nodded, knowing the upheaval caused by the demon cultivator was gradually showing its impact. While other cultivators might not know what happened, they would notice the undercurrents in the Immortal City.

It’s unclear how long this influence will last; he can shift more of his time to Alchemy.

Wey Xianglin quickly did the mental calculation, muttering:

"Sixty sets of Fire Dragon Talisman materials, worth eight thousand two hundred Spirit Stones... Total material cost is fourteen thousand two hundred Spirit Stones, and I still need to pay Senior forty-five thousand Spirit Stones."

He greatly admired the other’s high productivity, able to consistently maintain such high standards, a feat few Talisman Makers in the whole Immortal City could achieve.

"Same as before, exchange for three Top-grade Spirit Stones."

"Alright, I was prepared for this."

Wey Xianglin chuckled, handed over a Storage Bag, and said:

"The Talisman-Making Materials are inside, please have a look."

After verifying the materials’ weight, Ji An nodded slightly and stored them in the Void Realm Space.

Wey Xianglin took out a yellow Jade Slip and solemnly asked:

"I’ve acquired a fragment of Talisman Making heritage; is Senior interested?"

This heritage is quite exquisite but very challenging, and he wants to collaborate with the best Talisman Master.