85: Chapter 85: The Unexpected News

That broker seemed to have vanished into thin air; not a trace of him could be found in any corner of Qinghe Prefecture.

The Blazing Fire Sect was currently unable to clear its name despite having a hundred mouths to argue with.

What made it even more difficult for them was that although the Zhenpin Pavilion claimed to be considering moving its operations, it had quietly increased its monthly quota of Medicinal Pills within the Prefecture City.

These supreme-grade pills all flowed toward other Sects and aristocratic families.

For a time, good news spread from various Sects in the Prefecture City; many Disciples who were originally stuck at a Bottleneck made a Breakthrough in their cultivation one after another with the help of the supreme-grade pills.

This trend of one side rising while the other fell made the senior management of the Blazing Fire Sect feel as if they were sitting on pins and needles; they could almost see the scene where their own Sect's Disciples were left far behind by other Sects, with no hope of ever standing out again.

This was something they absolutely could not tolerate.

"We can't wait any longer!" Inside the main hall, the Elder who advocated for an investigation suddenly stood up. "The Zhenpin Pavilion is completely unyielding; they clearly intend to ruin us! Since the soft approach isn't working, they can't blame us for playing hardball!"

A flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes.

"Aren't they planning to move their operations to other prefectures? Hmph, the journey from Qinghe Prefecture to other prefectures is long, with desolate mountains and wilderness along the way. Wouldn't it be perfectly normal for a few people to die?"

"Nonsense!"

The Sect Master of Blazing Fire Sect slammed his palm onto the armrest, interrupting the Elder.

"Do you want my Blazing Fire Sect to go to total war with the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce? Don't forget, they have the Prefecture City behind them! To strike rashly before we've even figured out their background—do you think things aren't chaotic enough?"

The Sect Master's voice echoed throughout the hall.

The Elder was rebuked, and his expression turned sour, but he ultimately didn't dare say more and sat back down resentfully.

The Sect Master rubbed his temples, feeling that the situation was very thorny.

If they fought, the other side had already raised their banner, and other powers were siding with the Zhenpin Pavilion.

If they negotiated, what could they possibly achieve?

The Blazing Fire Sect felt like it was caught in a net; no matter how they struggled, it only seemed to tighten further.

"Sect Master," a white-haired Elder spoke up, "I'm afraid this is no ordinary chamber of commerce dispute. According to our investigation, aside from the few Disciples of our Sect who hold them, there isn't a fifth 'Precious Token' in the market. This is clearly a calculated move specifically targeting our Blazing Fire Sect."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was shocked.

"Does Elder Fei mean that someone is pulling the strings from behind?"

"I wouldn't dare say for certain." Elder Fei shook his head. "But it's worth investigating. I suggest we first look into the material and origin of these Precious Tokens, and focus on those Sects and aristocratic families that are on bad terms with us. I truly cannot imagine why a profit-oriented organization like the Zhenpin Pavilion would make an enemy of us for no reason."

"Fine, then investigate!" the Sect Master barked. "Start with these Precious Tokens! Conduct a thorough investigation! I want to see which power dares to provoke my Blazing Fire Sect!"

Once the Blazing Fire Sect's resources were mobilized, they were highly efficient.

They inquired everywhere and even spent heavily to bribe some peripheral personnel of the Zhenpin Pavilion.

Finally, heaven rewards the diligent, and they managed to find some clues.

The material of the Precious Token was no ordinary item; it was crafted from a rare Ore called Profound Iron Mother.

This kind of Ore is extremely difficult to mine and has a low yield; it is a controlled resource throughout the entire Qinghe Prefecture, and ordinary powers have no way of obtaining it.

More importantly, they "accidentally" learned that the Zhenpin Pavilion had recently had frequent and secret transactions with Elder Chen Tai of the Tiangang Sect's Law Enforcement Hall and Deacon Lin of the Artifact Talisman Hall, selling none other than supreme-grade pills.

"Tiangang Sect!"

This name made the senior management of the Blazing Fire Sect seethe with secret hatred.

They were already on bad terms with the Tiangang Sect, and there was a high probability that the death of three Core Disciples outside last time was linked to them.

Now, not only were they fanning the flames behind the scenes and using the Zhenpin Pavilion to strike at the Blazing Fire Sect, but they had also privately reached deals to buy supreme-grade pills to boost the cultivation of their own Genius Disciples.

With old and new grudges intertwined, all the senior management of the Blazing Fire Sect were enraged!

"Well played, Tiangang Sect! Well played, Zhenpin Pavilion!" The Sect Master's voice carried uncontrollable fury. "Since they're playing dirty, they can't blame us for showing no mercy!"

Meanwhile, at the Tiangang Sect.

Beside Elder Jing Xuan's Immortal Cave, the stone door of an independent cultivation Immortal Cave slowly opened.

Su Yunling walked out, the dense Spiritual Qi slowly dissipating with her movements, her moon-white Daoist robe fluttering even without wind.

She closed her eyes and felt for a moment; the spiritual power in her Dantian, which seemed ready to overflow at any time, finally brought a touch of joy to her face.

Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining!

She walked to her Revered Master's Immortal Cave, bowed, and said toward the interior, "Disciple Su Yunling requests an audience with Revered Master."

"Come in," Elder Jing Xuan's gentle voice came from inside the Immortal Cave.

Su Yunling entered the Immortal Cave and saw her Revered Master, Elder Jing Xuan, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

The moment she saw Su Yunling, a hint of surprise flashed in Elder Jing Xuan's eyes.

After observing for a long while, she sighed in admiration, "Good, a fine Peak Tenth Layer Qi Refining. I thought you would need at least a few more years; I never expected you to reach this stage so quickly."

This cultivation speed would be among the top even among all Disciples of the Tiangang Sect in the last hundred years.

Although Elder Jing Xuan had many questions, seeing Su Yunling's steady aura and incredibly solid Foundation without the slightest sign of instability, she knew this Disciple had her own great Opportunity and did not press further.

"I owe everything I have today to Revered Master's cultivation," Su Yunling bowed again, her attitude humble.

"It is your own talent and hard work." Elder Jing Xuan waved her hand, signaling her not to be overly formal.

Over these years, aside from occasionally guiding the Disciples under her command, she spent her time searching for Opportunities outside; she had hardly done anything.

At her Late Foundation Establishment Stage Realm, she was certainly focused on her own Breakthrough, pursuing the Golden Core Dao.

"Now that you have reached Qi Refining Perfection, the next step is Foundation Establishment. Do you have confidence?"

"I... would like to wait a little longer." Su Yunling hesitated for a moment before speaking her mind.

"Wait?" Elder Jing Xuan was somewhat surprised.

"Yes." Su Yunling nodded. "I feel that although my Foundation is solid, my state of mind seems to lack a bit of harmony. I want to settle for a while longer before attempting to charge into Foundation Establishment.

Furthermore, I have heard that even among Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the same rank, there are differences in strength. I ask Revered Master to enlighten me: what should I do to maximize my own combat power during Foundation Establishment?"

Elder Jing Xuan was also taken aback upon hearing this, then revealed a gratified smile.

"Good! Neither arrogant nor impetuous, knowing when to advance and when to retreat—this is the true heart of the Dao. I truly did not misjudge you." She nodded approvingly and continued, "As for the differences in strength you mentioned, there are indeed ways.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, the gap between Cultivators of the same rank, aside from the quality of their Cultivation Technique and the superiority of their Magical Artifacts, lies more in the compatibility of their cultivated attributes and their comprehension of heaven and earth."

Elder Jing Xuan's tone became solemn. "Transforming Qi into liquid—that is Foundation Establishment. This is the first leap in a Cultivator's life level, using all of one's spiritual power within the Dantian as Materials to cast the cornerstone of the future Dao.

The first and most important step of Foundation Establishment is to select the spiritual power attribute you will specialize in. Once the Dao Foundation is formed, the attribute is very difficult to change."

"I have observed your daily Cultivation; you have made many achievements in water-element Spells. You are proficient in using Ice Thorn and Profound Ice Strength, and your comprehension of water Spells is quite deep."

As she spoke, she lightly raised her fair hand, and a translucent water droplet condensed on her fingertip without dispersing. "Water-element spiritual power is both soft and resilient, with myriad changes, capable of both offense and defense. If you choose a water-attribute Foundation Establishment, I can teach you everything I know.

However, in terms of killing power, the metal and fire attributes are often more sharp and overbearing."

She finally added, "Ultimately, the choice is entirely up to your heart."