Journey to the head

At that moment, Lu Qian's heart skipped a beat.

It's actually innate spiritual energy, something that's incredibly rare and hard to come by! Innate spiritual energy that can directly boost cultivation without any side effects!

"This innate spiritual energy originates from our sect's mid-level sixth-grade spiritual vein. Seeing that you have only recently entered the Nascent Soul stage, it will surely help you advance directly to the late Nascent Soul stage, and you will be only one step away from the Nascent Soul perfection stage."

Yan Yi Zhenjun's words were light and airy, yet they resounded in Lu Qian's heart like a thunderclap.

A mid-level sixth-grade spiritual vein! The mountain gates of the Xuanwei Sect and the Ciji Sect are of the same level.

The innate spiritual energy born when a level 4 high-grade spiritual vein is destroyed can raise a Nascent Soul Spirit Lord by one level. Now, this level 6 mid-grade spiritual vein can almost directly raise a Nascent Soul to perfection!
This is truly a rare find; its rarity and preciousness are one aspect, but its ability to be preserved and not immediately used is another.

The innate spiritual energy released from the shattered fourth-level mid-grade spiritual vein of the Sky-Splitting Sword Peak years ago caused a stir in Cangzhou. If this innate spiritual energy were to spread, it's likely that more than a dozen states in a region would vie for it.

Now you want to give it to me?
Moreover, judging from the implication in Yan Yi Zhenjun's words, this is only part of the exchange.

Lu Qian took a deep breath, shifted his gaze from the innate spiritual energy, and used his mental power to calm his mind.

In any transaction, the goal is mutual benefit; both parties must feel they have gained something after the exchange.

My 90,000 points are equivalent to killing seven or eight Nascent Soul Mystic Lords. And this wisp of innate spiritual energy is equivalent to the mountain gate of a Nascent Soul sect. In terms of value alone, it's difficult to compare them; we can only look at the importance of "Daoist Dew" and "Innate Spiritual Energy" to each other.

In addition, there is the deeper meaning behind the deal reached between True Monarch Yan Yi and Lu Qian in front of True Monarch He Ming.

Perhaps, this is also a form of compensation that the Tai Su Xuan Qi Sect gave to Lu Qian.

Yan Yi Zhenjun continued to ask, "What did you originally intend to exchange your points for at Taiyi Paradise?"

Lu Qian quickly took out the exchange list he had prepared and presented it to True Lord Yan Yi.

The True Lord glanced at it and said directly, "Here's what I'll do: I'll give you another twenty One Yuan Pure Qi Pills that can improve your cultivation. If you think that's acceptable, then give me all the points you have."

The Primordial Elixir, the One Yuan Pure Qi Elixir! This elixir is a spiritual pill from the Tai Su Xuan Qi Sect, but its effects are basically the same as the Dragon Gate Golden Elixir on the Tai Yi Paradise exchange list.

Twenty pieces are equivalent to 32,000 points, while Lu Qian gave a total of over 90,000 points, which means that the innate spiritual energy was valued at 60,000 points.

Lu Qian bowed deeply without hesitation: "Thank you for your generous gift, True Lord Yan Yi!"

After consuming the innate spiritual energy, one can soon attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul realm. Although the "Life and Death Refinement" is extremely difficult, there are many spiritual treasures in the True Dragon Heavenly Monarch's Dragon Palace that can help one overcome the tribulation.

The Ascension Certificate truly lives up to its name!
If everything goes smoothly, after the Dragon Palace, I will be able to ascend to the position of the Primordial Spirit Sovereign!

Overwhelmed with emotion, he saw True Monarch Yan Yi hand over the spatial barrier that sealed the innate spiritual energy. He calmly asked, "Can you store this innate spiritual energy?"

The moment he loosens his grip, the spatial barrier immediately dissipates, and if Lu Qian doesn't have the corresponding means, the innate spiritual energy will dissipate directly!

However, Lu Qian smiled slightly and reached out to take it. The five elements of spiritual energy in his palm circulated endlessly.

All the primordial spirits saw through the mystery and were full of admiration. Only then did they truly believe that Lu Qian had used his supernatural powers to revive the long-lost peerless genius and eliminate many monsters.

The rapidly spinning Five Elements spiritual energy flickered, faintly revealing black and white colors, and directly sealed the spatial sphere within it. After the spatial barrier disappeared, the innate spiritual energy also floated within, without any leakage.

Even True Monarch Yan Yi nodded: "Impressive."

Lu Qian gently inhaled and swallowed the small ball, which was then held in his own nascent soul.

Yan Yi Zhenjun stopped speaking, and the primordial spirit behind him stepped forward and, witnessed by He Ming Zhenjun, completed the remaining transaction with Lu Qian.

Points reset to zero, and I've obtained twenty sealed One Yuan Pure Qi Pills in jade bottles!

True Monarch Heming laughed: "True Monarch Yanyi, you are very generous. Lu Qian, you are lucky to have stumbled upon such a good thing as soon as you arrive. This innate spiritual energy is so rare that it is not even on the exchange list of our Taiyi Paradise."

Lu Qian joked, "Thank you both, True Lords. The most important thing is done, so I'll just look forward to having a good meal at the banquet tomorrow."

Crane Cry True Lord patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Alright, you've redeemed all your points, but we can't just focus on eating and drinking. There are still plenty of good things to do tomorrow."

This intimate display once again changed the way the Tai Su Xuan Qi Sect members judged the Yun Shan Sect and Lu Qian.

When the group arrived at the floating island, the junior brother of True Monarch Heming, who was responsible for guiding them, finally arrived late and led True Monarch Yanyi to the residence of the Tai Su Xuan Qi Sect. Lu Qian, also led by True Monarch Heming, arrived at a small courtyard.

The place was secluded and surrounded by numerous magical formations. The two sat down and drank a cup of tea.

Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, Lu Qian added water for Crane Cry True Lord.

"I wonder if the True Lord could reveal what good things are happening tomorrow? I'd like to be mentally prepared so that I don't get carried away by too much good news and make a fool of myself at the grand event."

True Lord Heming seemed to have been waiting for this question, raising an eyebrow: "Mobilizing all states and sects to work together to eliminate evil is not only the main theme of this war, but also the theme for thousands of years to come. Therefore, in addition to the points exchange, our sect will naturally reward those who perform well in this great war with extra rewards, offering a thousand pieces of gold to honor their bones and set an example to encourage all sects of Yuheng to fight hard to defeat the enemy."

"The Yunshan Sect has over 90,000 points, which ranks among the top not only among the Nascent Soul sects but also among the Divine Soul sects. They deserve a generous reward."

“My master has told me that, I won’t go into the other various spiritual treasures, but the most important thing is,” True Monarch Heming smiled, “our sect plans to make an exception and bestow a celestial talisman upon the governor of Qingzhou of the Yunshan Sect!”

Offerings to the immortals, governing Qingzhou!
This was originally an honor reserved for the Yuan Shen sect, representing the Taiyi Paradise's recognition of its rule over a province!

Lu Qian was stunned, but after a moment of immense joy, worry welled up in his heart.

Does the Yunshan Sect truly have the strength to take over Qingzhou? Is the Yunshan Sect prepared for the rights and obligations of a state ruler? What risks will such an honor bring to the Yunshan Sect, which is already in a precarious position?
Furthermore, is it appropriate to strip the Immortal Register of the original controlling sect, the Magnetic Extreme Sect?

Crane Cry True Monarch continued, “I know you have the demeanor of a gentleman, but there’s no need to consider matters of righteousness and reputation. The Magnet Extreme Sect is now only at the Golden Core stage, so how can they continue to serve our sect? Possessing a treasure is a crime, and they can’t even protect their territory, which far exceeds their current strength. Although our sect has revoked their immortal rank, we have other compensation.”

"The Yunshan Party has made great contributions to saving Qingzhou and has rescued many sects. It is only right and proper for them to take over Qingzhou. There is no need to worry."

Having said all that, Lu Qian had no choice but to repeatedly express his gratitude for the bounty bestowed upon Taiyi Paradise.

After chatting for a few more minutes, True Lord Heming said, "There are important matters in the sect tonight, so I won't keep you company any longer. Other disciples will come to entertain you."

"This area is designated by our faction as a resting place for the primordial spirits of each state. There is still some time before the conference begins tomorrow. If you are interested, you can walk around and get acquainted with the locals."

Lu Qian thanked him again and saw off True Lord Heming.

This grotto-heaven is isolated from the outside world, so there's no way to get information back to Biluo Peak about their family's control of Qingzhou. There's no one to discuss it with, so they can only make plans as soon as possible.

With a heavy heart, Lu Qian first took a bath, changed his clothes, and rested for a while. Then he was about to walk out of the courtyard to see which Primordial Spirit Mystic Lords were around and whether he could get to know them.

To his surprise, just as he pushed open the courtyard gate, a person stood there with head held high and an imposing presence. Spiritual pressure swirled, and the space trembled—it was a True Monarch of the Void Refinement stage!
He was of medium height, with a dark complexion, and his body was filled with a fragrant aroma and radiant light. Many spiritual flowers, herbs, and medicines, as well as various illusory figures, floated and sank in a wisp of pure energy behind him, clearly indicating that he possessed profound Taoist knowledge.

However, his expression was rather arrogant, and he didn't seem very friendly.

Lu Qian immediately bowed down: "Lu Qian of Yunshan pays respects to the True Lord. I am ignorant and do not recognize the True Lord. May I ask the True Lord's name?"

Lianxu nodded and stepped inside.

"I am the True Lord Ziwu of Langhuan Danque!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Qian became even more respectful.

In the Langhuan Danque Palace, there are three True Lords of Refining Emptiness. True Lord Ziwu is the third True Lord of Refining Emptiness.

This school is renowned throughout the world for its alchemy, but it usually lives in seclusion in its grotto-heavens and rarely participates in mainland affairs.

His family has three main characteristics: first, their alchemy is incredibly profound; second, they have the smallest territory among the five major Void Refining Sects on the Jade Balance Continent, with their core all within their own cave heavens, giving them the strongest autonomy.

Thirdly, the cultivators of Langhuan Danque are notoriously difficult to get along with.

This is because their elixirs are mysterious and highly sought after, giving them a high status. Moreover, the cultivators of Langhuan are focused on alchemy and cultivation, rarely venturing out and are often not good at socializing.

Over time, he naturally developed a proud and aloof personality, which made him as famous as his family's alchemy.

At this moment, Ziwu Zhenjun had already sat down at the stone table in the courtyard, and Lu Qian hurriedly prepared tea for him.

Taking a cup of celestial tea, Ziwu Zhenjun glanced at it and saw Lu Qian standing beside him, his expression softening.

"You are quite polite; you haven't been blinded by your great reputation."

Lu Qian bowed and said, "My meager reputation is all due to luck. How can I be so presumptuous before a True Lord?"

Ziwu Zhenjun nodded: "That's right, it's good that you know it's just luck. The appearance of the illusory image of a grotto-heaven on your ancestral vein has caused quite a stir. In fact, with your strength, how could you possibly defend it?"

Lu Qian was slightly taken aback, but Zi Wu Zhenjun stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "Trade this spiritual vein to my Langhuan Danque!"

"I will not mistreat you. You have a heavy aura of decay about you, and it seems your lifespan is no more than a hundred years. As long as you hand over your spiritual veins, I have my own methods to help you advance to the level of a primordial spirit before your lifespan runs out!"

Under the confident gaze of Ziwu Zhenjun, Lu Qian shook his head.

Ziwu Zhenjun snorted coldly: "Bargaining? Fine, all you small sects are like this. Here's what I'll do: I'll give you enough Innate Spirit Pills for ten more people, which can help those in the early Golden Core stage gradually advance to the Golden Core Perfection stage! Plus ten Innate Fetal Breathing Pills!"

He picked up his teacup with a confident air.

"Think it through. Your illusory cave is nothing but a reflection in the water or a flower in a mirror. Not to mention that your small sect would definitely not be able to protect it, it is even unknown whether this cave will eventually emerge there."

"I have already paid a great price and taken risks to do business with you. But for you, it's a risk-free deal, and you even gain the friendship of my Langhuan Danque."

What are you still hesitating about?

Lu Qian listened quietly and smiled slightly.

“I didn’t hesitate, I disagree.”

Ziwu Zhenjun was stunned for a moment. His expression changed rapidly, and his voice became deep.

"What did you say?!"

Lu Qian respectfully poured him water: "Just as the True Lord said, it's uncertain whether the grotto-heaven will ever appear in the world. How can I take advantage of Langhuan Danque? Why don't we wait until the grotto-heaven truly appears before discussing it?"

Although Ziwu Zhenjun was arrogant, he was not stupid after all. He immediately understood Lu Qian's thoughts and was furious. His spiritual pressure flashed, and the stone table disappeared into dust. The water jug ​​in Lu Qian's hand was reduced to half a handle, with a smooth cut like a mirror.

"Nonsense! Don't be so ungrateful!"

"Are you planning to wait for the cave to emerge and then sell it for a high price, or are you just stalling for time in the hope of monopolizing the cave?"

"Ridiculous! Do you even have the ability? By then, let alone making a deal, it's uncertain whether the Yunshan Sect will even exist!"

Lu Qian calmly tossed the handle of the pot aside: "Originally, I wasn't sure about something, but now that the True Lord is so eager, I do have some guesses."

Ziwu Zhenjun looked over coldly: "What?"

"Perhaps the Langhuan Danque has a way to identify and roughly determine whether the grotto-heaven will appear in the ancestral vein of Yunshan?"

Ziwu Zhenjun's expression changed.

Lu Qian laughed and said, "As for whether the Yunshan Sect can exist, you don't need to worry about that. With the Taiyi Paradise's order not to attack us, there shouldn't be any madmen who would dare to lay a hand on us, right?"

Ziwu Zhenjun slowly stood up, a massive spiritual pressure brewing within his body. The aftershocks dissipated, directly erasing several layers of magic arrays in the courtyard. Lu Qian groaned and had no choice but to retreat several steps.

All that could be heard was the cold voice of the True Lord of Noon: "Can the Land of Supreme Bliss protect you forever?"

Just then, a long laugh suddenly came from outside the door: "Otherwise what?"

Ziwu Zhenjun's breath hitched, and another Refining Void Zhenjun walked into the courtyard!
He was tall and handsome, his long robe loose and flowing, exuding a relaxed and casual air. As he walked, Lu Qian heard the rustling of waves crashing on the beach, the low cries of seabirds, and the whispering of the sea breeze through the trees.

"I intended to pay a visit, but I stumbled upon this." The True Lord smiled and nodded at Lu Qian: "Young friend Lu Qian, don't panic. With me here, this guy can't hurt you."

Ziwu Zhenjun angrily said, "Xuanyou, what business is this of yours?"

Xuan You Zhenjun stopped in front of Lu Qian, waved his hand, and gently shook a feather fan: "Our Miaoxian Sect can't stand your bullying of the weak, so we naturally have to speak up for justice. Ziwu, you are so angry, you must be trying to extort the Yunshan spiritual vein, right? Since they are unwilling to give it, you cannot take it."

Ziwu Zhenjun stepped forward, and a small, exquisite white jade cauldron rose above his head, spewing forth wisps of cloud-like energy. Lu Qian heard an angry roar emanate from within the cauldron—this was a spirit treasure!
“Xuanyou, I know that your Zhongmiao Immortal Sect has always followed the lead of Taiyi Paradise, but you have overstepped your bounds. This is something you cannot control!”

Xuan Youzhenjun's feather fan shone brightly, and behind him, a vast ocean unfolded in the small space. An island surrounded by white sand floated in the sea, and as the island trembled slightly, several beams of spiritual light rose into the sky.

"Ziwu, others may fear you, but I do not!"

"If Taiyi Paradise wants to protect Lu Qian, then I will protect Lu Qian!"

"Try moving!" (End of Chapter)