44: Chapter 44 Tianlan Prefecture City

Light reignited in Su Chengyuan's eyes: "I understand. I will set off for the Prefecture City immediately!"

Hope was right before him; he didn't want to wait a moment longer.

Su Cheng nodded, taking out twenty top-grade qi recovery pills and twenty top-grade qi gathering pills he had recently refined from his Storage Pouch and handing them to his father. "Father, the journey to the Prefecture City is long. Take these pills for emergencies. Remember, our goal is only the Cultivation Technique; do not cause any unnecessary trouble."

"I understand." Su Chengyuan packed the pills away without any delay and left Qingyang Town again that very night.

Half a month later, Qinghe Prefecture City, Treasure Gathering Tower.

It was the same familiar private room and the same beaming Fat Shopkeeper.

When he saw Su Chengyuan appear again, the smile on the Fat Shopkeeper's face became much more sincere.

The person before him was a mysterious big client who could produce over a hundred supreme-grade pills.

"Fellow Daoist, what a rare guest! What good things have you brought to look after your old brother this time?" The Fat Shopkeeper personally brewed spirit tea for him.

Su Chengyuan resumed his cold and hard appearance of a Loose Cultivator, getting straight to the point: "I need a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Technique."

The smile on the Fat Shopkeeper's face froze, replaced by a troubled expression as he shook his head. "Fellow Daoist, you're making things difficult for me. You know how precious Foundation Establishment techniques are; they are the closely guarded secrets of every Sect. Forget about my Prefecture-level Treasure Gathering Tower, even in the entire Qinghe Prefecture, I'm afraid you won't find one for sale. These things are priceless and unavailable."

Su Chengyuan frowned. Although he had expected this, hearing the confirmation was still disappointing.

He calmly pushed a jade bottle containing one top-grade qi gathering pill toward the Fat Shopkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, I only want information on where I can obtain a technique."

The Fat Shopkeeper's eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at the jade bottle on the table.

He picked up the bottle, opened it to take a sniff, and a look of intoxication appeared on his face. Only then did he carefully put it away and lower his voice. "Fellow Daoist is a straightforward person, so I won't hide anything. Just because the Prefecture City doesn't have it doesn't mean other places don't."

He pointed his finger upward. "Have you ever thought about why, besides those Sects, even foundation establishment pills are rarely seen in this Prefecture City, and techniques above Foundation Establishment are extinct? Yet the last auction was able to produce a Pill Formula? That's because some things are only allowed to flow down here with the tacit approval of those above. To put it bluntly, it's a restriction on the lower levels."

Su Chengyuan's gaze focused as he listened quietly.

"Above the Prefecture City is the Prefecture City. Our Qinghe Prefecture belongs to Tianlan Province," the Fat Shopkeeper continued. "Tianlan Province City is the true Holy Land of cultivation. With many Nascent Soul Old Ancestors presiding there, I wouldn't say Golden Core True Persons are as common as dogs, but Foundation Establishment Cultivators walk the streets everywhere. It's not far off."

"In a place like that, while Foundation Establishment Stage techniques are precious, they are far from being closely guarded secrets. It's common for Loose Cultivators who lack Spirit Stones or have had some opportunities, or declining small families, to bring them out to exchange for resources."

"As long as you have enough Spirit Stones, at the Treasure Gathering Tower in the Prefecture City, forget about Foundation Establishment techniques—you might even have a chance to find Core Formation techniques. After all, the Prefecture City and our Prefecture City are like heaven and earth."

"Prefecture City..." Su Chengyuan murmured to himself, his eyes flashing with light.

"However..." the Fat Shopkeeper's tone shifted, "the road to the Prefecture City is not peaceful. It is tens of thousands of miles from Qinghe Prefecture to Tianlan Province City, crossing several dangerous lands, including places inhabited by second-tier or even third-tier Yao Beasts. Even with your cultivation at Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining, traveling alone would be a near-certain death sentence."

Su Chengyuan pushed another jade bottle containing a supreme-grade pill over.

The Fat Shopkeeper beamed as he accepted it, his attitude becoming increasingly warm. "Fellow Daoist is generous! In that case, I'll point you to a clear path."

"Every three months, the 'Four Seas Chamber of Commerce' in the Prefecture City organizes a large merchant caravan to the Prefecture City."

"In this caravan, not only are there Foundation Establishment Cultivators serving as guards, but the trade routes they take have been secured with heavy bribes. The Sects and mountain strongholds along the way will show them some respect. The safety is far beyond what an individual can achieve."

"The only drawback is the high price. A spot to accompany them costs one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

One hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones! For an ordinary Loose Cultivator, this price was already astronomical.

But to Su Chengyuan, it was nothing.

"Thank you for the guidance, Shopkeeper." Having obtained the information he wanted, Su Chengyuan rose to take his leave.

He didn't go to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce immediately. Instead, he went to the black market on the outskirts of the Prefecture City and quickly sold another twenty supreme-grade pills, exchanging them for one thousand five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Only after doing all this did he arrive at the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce located in the center of the Prefecture City.

It was an imposing five-story pavilion, and most of those entering and leaving were Cultivators with extraordinary auras.

Su Chengyuan paid the hundred Spirit Stones, successfully obtained a spot, and was told that the caravan would depart in ten days.

He didn't stay idle during the waiting days, meditating in the inn every day to adjust his condition to its peak.

At the same time, he repeatedly refined his Medium Grade Magical Artifact, the 'water-severing sword,' and his newly purchased 'black tortoise shield,' striving to bring out their maximum power.

Ten days later, early morning.

Su Chengyuan only displayed a cultivation of Qi Refining Seventh Layer. With the concealment artifact he had purchased earlier, he wasn't worried about being seen through.

When he arrived at the backyard of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, over a hundred people had already gathered.

In the backyard stood more than ten wagons pulled by Spirit Beasts.

For Cultivators, valuable goods were already stored in Storage Pouches. These wagons mostly carried bulky miscellaneous items like food, water, tents, and cooking utensils consumed by the hundred-plus people in the caravan along the way.

The caravan guards all had fierce auras, with the lowest cultivation being at the Qi Refining Middle Stage.

In the crowd, Su Chengyuan also saw several accompanying Cultivators like himself.

There was a young Cultivator standing alone with an arrogant look, and several Loose Cultivators with steady auras gathered together, talking in low voices.

He did not interact with anyone, simply finding an inconspicuous corner to observe silently.

Soon, a determined-looking middle-aged man wearing blue martial attire walked out.

His aura was powerful, and his gaze was like lightning; he was impressively an Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.

"I am the Guard Commander of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, Zhao Shan. The journey is long, so I will only say the rules once." His voice carried a hint of Divine Sense, clearly entering everyone's ears. "Private fighting is prohibited within the caravan. In case of external enemies, all accompanying Cultivators must follow orders and cooperate to resist the enemy. If anyone deserts or causes trouble in secret, don't blame my Magical Artifact for being merciless! Is that understood?"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

"Good, let's move!"

With Zhao Shan's command, the massive caravan slowly drove out of Qinghe Prefecture City amidst a rumbling sound, heading toward Tianlan Province City.

Su Chengyuan sat on the edge of one of the wagons, watching the city walls recede rapidly, his heart completely calm.

Meanwhile, in the Inner Sect of the Tiangang Sect.

Outside Su Yunling's Immortal Cave, the Formation light flickered; she had been in seclusion for many days.

With the Five Sect Martial Competition approaching, although she was determined to be a one-round participant, she didn't want to lose too embarrassingly.

Besides meditating every day, she practiced those few Spells and occasionally went to the Mission Hall to browse through Jade Slips containing intelligence on Genius Disciples from other Sects.

Her reclusive behavior made Chen Zifan, who had been waiting in the shadows for an Opportunity, quite infuriated.

"Is this wench a turtle? Shrinking in her Immortal Cave all day, not taking a single step out!" Inside Chen Zifan's Immortal Cave, he paced back and forth irritably.

Lin Feier massaged his shoulders from the side and advised softly, "Senior Brother Chen, don't be anxious. She can't stay in there forever. The Five Sect Martial Competition is next month; she'll have to set off with the Sect's team then. That will be our best Opportunity."

Chen Zifan stopped in his tracks, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, but then he frowned again. "Attacking on the road? Not ideal."

He snorted and analyzed, "Although the Elder leading the team this time is not her Revered Master, he is a famous Late Foundation Establishment Stage Elder in the Sect, known for being upright and incorruptible. If someone dares to attack the Tiangang Sect's team halfway, it would be an open declaration of war! For a mere Qi Refining Disciple, do you think the Blazing Fire Sect would risk provoking a war between two Sects?"

Lin Feier was startled, the seductive smile on her face freezing. "Then... then what should we do?"