Chapter 56 Jin Yue's Scheme

Ten more days passed. On this day, Chen Songxiao broke through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, having consumed nearly twenty bottles to achieve it.

After the Breakthrough, Chen Songxiao fiddled with his Fourth-grade star fixing plate. Upon discovering that he could finally utilize some of its functions, he stopped his cultivation.

After exiting seclusion, he immediately went to find Chen Li. At Zizai Pavilion, Chen Li was leisurely sipping tea.

The two chatted for a while, and Chen Songxiao said, "Father, I will spend some more time familiarizing myself with the operation of this star fixing plate and practicing the Qi Concealment Art to Minor Achievement."

"Hmm, once you are familiar with the star fixing plate, I will take you to the Boundless Forest to seek pulses together!"

"Thank you, Father!"

Looking at the tense appearance of his fourth son, Chen Songxiao, Chen Li maintained a patient smile throughout.

He patted Chen Songxiao on the shoulder and said, "Fourth, why are you still so rigid with Father? There is no need to be nervous. Do not rush matters regarding cultivation; learn more from your Third Brother!"

Fourth son Chen Songxiao met Chen Li's gaze and forced himself to relax, but the feigned naturalness was still apparent. "Very well, Father!"

The two chatted for a while longer. After Chen Songxiao left, Brother Ox came up to find Chen Li at Zizai Pavilion.

Brother Ox looked at Chen Li, his bovine eyes seeming to ask, "Where is it?"

Chen Li feigned ignorance and asked, "Which one?"

Brother Ox rolled his eyes again, and his hoof controlled the Spiritual Qi to draw a Cauldron and a Medicinal Pill, staring straight at Chen Li.

Chen Li laughed out loud, signaling that he understood, and then took out the "Complete Collection of Herb Identification," "Complete Collection of Medicinal Pill Categories and Uses," and "Basic Alchemy Secrets."

"Brother Ox, memorize the theoretical knowledge of Alchemy in these three books. Once you have learned them, I will provide specific Medicinal Pills for you to refine!"

Brother Ox signaled with his head, let out three moos, and left happily.

Chen Li had also been practicing Divine Soul-related Cultivation Techniques recently. Since his eldest had already cultivated it to Major Achievement, he, as the father and advocate, certainly could not fall behind.

At Zizai Pavilion, Chen Li took out the "Soul Suppressing Art" and began his cultivation.

...

In the Taihu Mountain Range, within a dense forest shrouded in thick fog, a masked Golden Core Cultivator and a Seventh-Grade Flying Feather Crane Demon were discussing something.

The masked Cultivator asked, "Has your Lord Red Gold agreed?"

The Seventh-Grade Flying Feather Crane Demon replied, "Hmph! Our Lord Red Gold said that he agrees in principle to let us part with some Fifth-level Demonic Beasts, but the terms must be increased!"

The masked Cultivator said with displeasure, "Increase them again? I have already given five sets of Fifth-grade Formations, one set of Sixth-grade Formations, and added the Legacy of Fifth and Sixth-grade Formations. Is that not enough?"

"Heh heh, Lord Red Gold says that if we are to cooperate, you must add another Talisman Legacy—a high-grade one—otherwise, there is nothing to discuss!"

The masked Cultivator fell silent, staring straight at the demon beast. After a while, he said, "Fine! I have a Fifth-grade Divine Thunder Talisman Legacy; you may take it!"

The masked Cultivator caused the Divine Thunder Talisman Legacy to float out from his Storage Pouch. After the Seventh-Grade demon beast scanned it with its Divine Sense, it laughed loudly, "Hahaha, good! When you humans get ruthless, even we of the Yao Race cannot compare!"

After the two finished their discussion, the Seventh-Grade Flying Feather Crane Demon flew away, leaving only the masked Cultivator in the dense forest. The masked Cultivator removed his mask, revealing his true face; this person was none other than Jin Yue.

Jin Yue then took out an empty bottle of foundation establishment human pellet and muttered, "It is not enough!"

At this moment, he released his cultivation base, which was approaching the Perfection of the Early Stage Golden Core. The ruthlessness, greed, and murderous desire in his eyes were displayed vividly.

One day later, inside the council hall of the Beast Hunting Sect's Hunting Hall, the Alchemy Pavilion Master Gui Qiutang, Hunting Hall Law Enforcement Elder Jin Yue, and Hunting Hall Master Wang Tian gathered.

The Grand Elder had generally not concerned himself with worldly affairs for the past hundred years, and matters related to hunting were decided by Hunting Hall Master Wang Tian, which is why these two had come to find him.

"Senior Brother Wang, the materials for Fifth-level Demonic Beasts in our Alchemy Pavilion have been exhausted for the most part, and the refining of some Medicinal Pills will stagnate. Therefore, I request that you secretly order some Foundation Establishment fellow Disciples to go to the Boundless Forest and capture some Fifth-level Demonic Beasts!"

Gui Qiutang stated this to Wang Tian in a gentle tone.

Wang Tian glanced at Gui Qiutang and hesitated, "Red Gold has unified the demon beasts in our area. Now, it is difficult to find traces of Fifth-level Demonic Beasts; there are only scattered ones. If we go to Red Gold's territory, there are many, but Seventh-Grade demon beasts usually guard them. In the previous group hunt, our Sect lost many Qi Refining Disciples, and now we cannot let Foundation Establishment Disciples lose their lives in vain. I think this matter should be considered carefully!"

Upon hearing Wang Tian's refusal, Gui Qiutang said, "Senior Brother, it is not that I do not care about the lives of the Foundation Establishment Disciples, but the Grand Elder requires some Medicinal Pills every so often. These Medicinal Pills all require Fifth-level Demonic Beasts as ingredients. If we in the Alchemy Pavilion cannot produce them when the time comes, I do not know how I will explain it to the Grand Elder!"

Wang Tian's expression became displeased upon hearing this. Jin Yue, standing to the side, seized the opportunity to smooth things over, "Senior Brother, why not do this? Let us secretly order some Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators or some Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans to handle it! We only need to pay with some Low Grade foundation establishment pills, some Fourth-grade Talismans, or some Fourth-grade spiritual items; bartering is fine too. They have always been willing to take risks, and we would not need our Sect's Foundation Establishment Disciples to take this risk. What do you think?"

Wang Tian heard this, thought for a moment, and nodded, "Hmm, that will do. I understand this matter. Let Junior Brother Jin deliver the secret order. Discuss other matters with Junior Sister Gui as well."

Jin Yue cupped his hands and said, "Very well, Senior Brother!"

After speaking, Wang Tian left. Inside the council hall, the two, having cast a sound-insulation Spell, were whispering to each other.

...

Time passed. Two months later, at Black Magpie Mountain, today was rainy and overcast.

At Zizai Pavilion, Chen Li's "Soul Suppressing Art" had already been cultivated to Major Achievement. For a Foundation Establishment cultivation base, spending two months cultivating this Third-grade "Soul Suppressing Art" was certainly more than sufficient, and he was unhurried.

Chen Songxuan came up carrying Chen Songmei, "Father, Songmei wants to eat roasted Spirit Chicken again, but there are no more Spirit Chickens in our Ice Fresh Pavilion!"

Chen Songxuan put Chen Songmei down, and Chen Songmei walked up to Chen Li, saying in a spoiled tone, "Father, I want to eat chicken!"

Chen Li gently flicked his thumb against Chen Songmei's forehead, "You little foodie!" Chen Li took out the last two Spirit Chickens from his spirit beast pouch.

"Yay, yay! Thank you, Father! We can eat chicken tonight!"

Chen Songxuan took the two Spirit Chickens and said to Chen Li, "Father, why not purchase some Spirit Chickens, Spirit Pigs, and other edible spirit fowl? We can clear some areas on Qingfeng Mountain specifically to raise them!"

Chen Li asked, "Raising these takes quite a bit of time. It seems no one in our family is free to feed these edible spirit fowl?"

Chen Songxuan replied unhurriedly, "Father, Uncle Niu and I can take turns. Once Li Chun and the others succeed in drawing Qi, we will hand it over to them!"

Chen Li shook his head and said, "You all should take turns together. Why not discuss it with your eldest sister?"

Chen Songxuan replied, "Yes, Father!"