Chapter 118: Chapter 26: There Is More to the Story

Headed all the way west.

Li Jizhou slightly furrowed his brow. On this journey, he encountered many magical duels along the way. This was attributed to Golden Sun Sect mobilizing a large number of disciples to Inverted Mountain, resulting in a short staff for sect patrols.

It was uncertain whether it was robbery or private disputes, but upon sensing Li Jizhou’s aura from afar, they all stopped fighting and scattered away. Li Jizhou made no response and simply continued on his way.

A month later, Li Jizhou reappeared in Spirit Pearl Mountain’s marketplace in disguise.

The marketplace was bustling, thanks to the treasure exploration at Inverted Mountain, making it very lively.

The three sects aimed to attract more Loose Cultivators to explore the underground vaults, as it would be impossible not to allow them to bring their finds out.

Many Loose Cultivators who obtained treasures in the underground vault would come to the nearby marketplace to sell them.

At this moment, Spirit Pearl Mountain’s marketplace also opened a personal trading area, obviously aiming to let these people sell their finds from Inverted Mountain.

Moreover, not far from the personal stalls, the marketplace also set up an auction house.

Each day’s auction involved items that were most needed by these Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivators, items that weren’t easily obtainable even with Spirit Stones on ordinary days.

Such as Breaking Rank Pills, Top-Grade Cultivation Techniques, magic secret skills, and even the great pills endorsed by Li Jizhou.

With these items attracting Loose Cultivators, even if they gain something precious inside Inverted Mountain, possibly beneficial for their future with high appreciation potential, they couldn’t help but sell.

After all, achieving immediate breakthrough was the primary choice.

Li Jizhou saw through the marketplace’s techniques in an instant.

Of course, this was beneficial for him too, otherwise, some scarce and precious herbs might still be hoarded until someone puts up a high bounty for them.

After wandering the marketplace, Li Jizhou roughly understood the current situation of the underground vaults at Inverted Mountain.

With the influx of sect disciples and Loose Cultivators, the development progress was noticeably faster.

Three years ago, most resources were Tier One, but now, quite a few Tier Two resources had emerged.

And because these resources were appearing out of thin air, their market prices greatly dropped.

Certainly, this is owing to the marketplace’s endeavors.

Some Loose Cultivators were desperate to obtain certain crucial pills from the auction, fearing losing the chance, hence lowering their own prices just to make quick sales.

Li Jizhou waited nearly a month to gather three kinds of medicinal herbs.

Additionally, he bought a small amount of artifact refining materials. Three years ago, after receiving the artifact refining legacy from Han Zhen, he delved into it over the years, although progress was slow due to his main focus on Tier Two talismans and puppets, he barely entered the field.

This time returning, he could start experimenting.

Of course, this visit to the marketplace had another significant purpose.

He intended to acquire some Melted Spirit Sand.

The Body Refining technique from Central Domain Sacred Land was indeed extraordinary. At Body Refining Third Layer, he could withstand a full-power strike from Black Xuan Tier Two Demon Beast, sufficient to prove its value.

Body Refining is the ultimate lifeline and the best defense against sneak attacks.

Thus, on this day, he arrived at a stall specializing in selling artifact refining materials, bought some items available there, and expressed a desire to try artifact refining using Melted Spirit Sand, willing to buy ten sets at Tier One Spiritual Iron prices.

Melted Spirit Sand was useless for ordinary cultivators. With Thunder Spirit Crystal Ore mined for so many years, the caves should have plenty, usually heaped like garbage.

The vendor understood Li Jizhou’s words and promised diligently that in a month, while collecting, he could have not just ten sets, but twenty if needed.

Li Jizhou agreed readily and provided a down payment for fifty sets.

With fifty sets of Melted Spirit Sand, conservatively it’s enough for Body Refining Sixth Layer, ultimately comparable to Late Stage Core Formation’s Mana Shield.

Nonetheless, Li Jizhou was unsure if he could truly collect fifty sets, as it’s no small amount.

After marketplace dealings were done, Li Jizhou reverted to his true form and arrived at the Yang family by Qingshui River.

After five years of absence, the Yang family’s development was not far off from Li Jizhou’s predictions.

Five years ago, he visited as an honorary elder of Golden Sun Sect, and Yang Yuyan successfully reached Foundation Establishment. With two members achieving Foundation Establishment in a family, they’d have little worry in this small region.

Additionally, Yang Yuyan’s skills in Alchemy brought new profits to the Yang family businesses.

The Yang family was thriving now.

Uncertain about what happened to Yang Yutong in Divine Intent Sect, Li Jizhou didn’t disturb others but relayed a message to Yang Yuyan ahead, discreetly entering the Yang family’s central ancestral grounds.

Here, he met Yang Yutong, who had been mentally incapacitated for over three years.

Due to the collapse of her Sea of Consciousness and prolonged inability to channel Spiritual Qi, her cultivation fell. Once lively and adorable, despite the Youthful Appearance Pill refined by Yang Yuyan, she now suffered and appeared like a middle-aged woman.

It truly felt sorrowful.

However, within the entire cultivation world, this was not unheard of.

Li Jizhou, having lived two lives, had his previous one end at Perfect Foundation Establishment, living two hundred and eighteen years. Although not highly cultivated, in a small Cultivation Country like Liang Kingdom, he deeply experienced and witnessed countless cultivation world tragedies as a Loose Cultivator, family, sect over his life journey.

This allowed him in this life to calmly face the fading beauty, watching indifferently the farewells of life and death.

It wasn’t merely due to two hundred years of life experiences achieving ruthless severance.

Primarily, in this life, he intentionally avoided forming deep bonds with anyone.

This was a means of avoidance, a form of self-abandonment.

Otherwise, let alone living only two hundred and eighteen years in a previous life, even ancient beings of a thousand years, once deeply tied in emotional bonds, might not be able to calmly confront the beloved’s bones or blood kin’s tribulations!

“You stay outside and guard. This matter must remain confidential,” after sending Yang Yuyan away.

“Calm yourself!” Li Jizhou placed a fingertip on Yang Yutong’s brow, causing her to instantly fall asleep.

Then, using Divine Sense, he conducted a thorough check, finding no hidden methods.

Inside her Sea of Consciousness, Spiritual Sense was chaotic, entirely turbulent like a fiery oil cauldron.

“Hope this works!” He sighed inwardly, knowing he could only treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

Immediately, strands of concentration force from the third cycle of annual growth entered her Sea of Consciousness.

“It worked!”

Once the concentration force entered Yang Yutong’s Sea of Consciousness, the chaotic Spiritual Sense instantly calmed.

A quarter-hour later, as half of Li Jizhou’s concentration force accumulated through three cycles was transferred, Yang Yutong’s Sea of Consciousness gradually stabilized and returned to tranquility.

After waiting a bit longer, seeing no signs of further agitation, Li Jizhou placed his finger on her brow again.

“No, really no, Master, I honestly don’t know about any secret realm or opportunity you mentioned. Senior brother can testify. I went to Thunder Spirit Crystal Ore with senior brother, I truly haven’t…”

The moment Yang Yutong awoke, she hastily explained with grumbling sighs.

This first sentence left Li Jizhou momentarily stunned!

“Master? Not Ye Jingyu!”

In an instant, a wave of coldness surged through Li Jizhou’s heart.

Comparing such information to recent events surrounding Ye Jingyu, some connections seemingly began to crystallize.

“Calm!” Li Jizhou hastily placed his finger on Yang Yutong’s brow, stabilizing her emotions to restore clarity.

“Li brother? I…”

“Let’s cut to the chase, tell me exactly what happened?”

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