346: Second Senior Brother Wants to Buy Demon Cores

"Stop it!"

"Save your deceptive sweet talk for Yun Xi; I'm not falling for it!"

An Yunmiao spoke bluntly, yet a faint smile lingered in her expression—she was clearly saying one thing and feeling another.

She scanned the Artifact Refining Workshop. "I have no interest in these trivial gadgets. Last time, your family's food was quite good. Could you tell me how it's prepared?"

Back at the Red Pine Sect, An Yunmiao had felt that the items Liu Xuan used to entertain her tasted excellent. Although they weren't of a high grade, they were full of color, aroma, and flavor, possessing a unique character.

"No problem!" Liu Xuan arranged for people from the Artifact Refining Workshop to help An Yunxi familiarize herself with the new facility, then instructed Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang to accompany An Yunmiao and introduce the Liu Family's specialty delicacies.

"Eldest Senior Sister, my Liu Family's requirements for food are different from other places. Other places focus more on the food's Spiritual Qi and efficacy, while my philosophy is that enjoyment is greater than efficacy."

Seeing An Yunmiao intrigued by his words, Liu Xuan continued to explain: "If you want to Cultivate, you can take Medicinal Pills. Cultivators like us don't need to extract energy from food like Mortals do; we should treat it as a form of pure enjoyment."

"When the spirit is satisfied, the Divine Soul becomes active. When the Divine Soul is active, one can Cultivate better. Ordinary chefs sacrifice taste to preserve all the Spiritual Qi of the Materials; that's actually putting the cart before the horse."

Liu Xuan spoke lightly, but in reality, treating spiritual Materials as food was an act of luxury. If one also wanted to ensure they were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, it required fundamental research into the Materials.

In other words, to prepare high-grade spiritual Materials like mundane dishes, one had to study their properties like an Alchemist. Otherwise, loss of medicinal efficacy would be the least of the worries; one might even create a harmful poison.

In the cultivation world, the most important thing was always one's cultivation level. With such ability, wouldn't it be better to just perform Alchemy? Why bother making delicacies?

From a cultivation perspective, Liu Xuan was greedy for pleasure; he was the one putting the cart before the horse!

An Yunmiao didn't point this out. Instead, she watched with great interest as Liu Xuan explained his warped logic while directing a group of women in cooking.

Liu Xuan had a group of Concubines specifically responsible for cooking for him. Although he researched recipes, he rarely did the work himself, usually leaving it to his Concubines and maidservants.

With Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang leading, there were over thirty formal Concubines and over a hundred maidservants and servants under them, and they even had a specific name: the 'Imperial Kitchen'.

The highest person in charge of the Imperial Kitchen was Liu Xuan's sister, Liu Miao. Liu Xuan's personal enjoyment was secondary; its main purpose was actually to cook for the children.

Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang hadn't brought many people over to Bone Fiend City. If they were back in the South Courtyard of the Red Pine Sect, there would be even more variety.

Even so, An Yunmiao felt Liu Xuan had a vast array of tricks. She had never seen a Cultivator who knew how to enjoy life as much as Liu Xuan did!

Liu Xuan didn't feel like a young Genius to her; he felt more like those Cultivators whose future prospects were cut off and who were facing their limit, focusing entirely on enjoying their remaining lifespan.

Those Cultivators might enjoy themselves, but there was always a sense of despair in their hearts. They lacked Liu Xuan's faint composure. They seemed to be enjoying life, but their hearts were actually in torment.

'What an interesting person!'

'Father told me to test your depth. I want to see exactly where you come from!'

An Yunmiao was interested in Liu Xuan, and Liu Xuan was interested in the high-level information she possessed. With mutual interest, they were soon chatting heatedly... Black Leopard Fortress.

Shen Yunshu suddenly arrived at Xiao Changfeng's secluded cultivation room. "Senior Brother Xiao, Immortal Master Yunhe has sent an order. Can you come out to discuss a few matters?"

Ever since he killed the Mid Golden Core Stage bat monster bird last time, Xiao Changfeng's name had spread throughout the Beast Taming Sect and the Peach Blossom Sect's Demon Court.

Slaying a Mid Golden Core Stage Yao Beast was big news even across the entire Peach Blossom Sect battlefield.

Wang Qiao was, after all, only a newly ascended Golden Core True Person. Not many people believed the 'dual sword combination' Xiao Changfeng spoke of; most believed he had hidden his strength.

Hearing Shen Yunshu's voice, Xiao Changfeng felt suspicious. 'An order from Immortal Master Yunhe? Could it be related to the last incident?'

Because he was worried about retaliation, Xiao Changfeng had been staying in the Black Leopard Fortress in seclusion during this period.

His true combat power was only at an ordinary Mid Golden Core level. If he were targeted as a Late Golden Core Great True Person, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Junior Sister Shen, what order does Immortal Master Yunhe have?" Xiao Changfeng asked as he walked out of the cultivation room.

Shen Yunshu showed a slight smile. "Don't be nervous, Senior Brother. It's a good thing!"

"Immortal Master Yunhe wants to purchase that Rank 3 Medium Grade Yao Core in your possession. He can give you ten million Beast Taming Sect Merit Points."

In the Beast Taming Sect, one merit point was equivalent to one Low-Grade Spirit Stone, but in reality, the value was higher because they could be used to exchange for high-level resources that were difficult to obtain.

The reason Late Golden Core Great True Persons like Shen Yunshu worked for the Beast Taming Sect was to accumulate Merit Points to exchange for Nascent Soul Formation Treasures.

The Mid Golden Core Stage bat monster bird had been slain by Xiao Changfeng and Wang Qiao alone, so there was no need to hand it over.

Immortal Master Yunhe didn't seize it by force but offered a high price to purchase it. In Shen Yunshu's eyes, this was indeed a good thing.

"This..."

While it was a good thing for Shen Yunshu, it was difficult for Xiao Changfeng. He was just a Puppet, and the Yao core wasn't even on him.

"What's wrong?"

"Does Senior Brother think the price is too low?"

Shen Yunshu had a good relationship with Xiao Changfeng and spoke very directly.

"No!" Xiao Changfeng's expression shifted. With Immortal Master Yunhe personally intervening, it was hard to refuse, and he couldn't make up his mind.

Since he couldn't decide, he would notify Liu Xuan!

Communicating through his thoughts deep within his Divine Soul, a mysterious connection linked to Liu Xuan's mind far away in Bone Fiend City.

"Hmm?"

Liu Xuan, who was cooking, suddenly paused. Xiao Changfeng's account of the entire process just now reached his consciousness.

With his mind divided and his consciousness switched, Shen Yunshu didn't notice that the gaze of Senior Brother Xiao Changfeng in front of her had changed slightly.

"The price is very suitable, and I am willing to sell it to Immortal Master Yunhe. However, the Yao core was taken away by Wang Qiao; it is not on me," Xiao Changfeng said.

Wang Qiao took it?

A Rank 3 Middle Stage Yao core worth ten million Merit Points—even she was tempted. How could he let Wang Qiao take it away?

"Senior Brother, Immortal Master Yunhe spoke personally. His natal Spirit Beast is a Nascent Soul Demon Lord, and he is the person in charge of this entire area..."

Xiao Changfeng smiled and said, "I understand what you mean, Junior Sister. However, the Yao core is indeed with Wang Qiao. I am not deceiving Immortal Master Yunhe."

Shen Yunshu nodded half-doubtingly. "As long as Senior Brother understands. I will reply to Immortal Master Yunhe as you said."

After Shen Yunshu finished speaking and left, the spiritual light deep in Xiao Changfeng's eyes dissipated... Bone Fiend City.

'What does Immortal Master Yunhe want the Yao core for?'

A Rank 3 Medium Grade Yao Core's value to Liu Xuan was far beyond what ten million Merit Points could measure. He didn't want to sell it!

However, if he didn't sell, he might offend Second Senior Brother Yunhe.

Although it wouldn't involve Liu Xuan himself, if Xiao Changfeng and Wang Qiao were suppressed, he would be the one suffering the loss. It was naturally best to avoid it.

Once Shen Yunshu reported that the Yao core was with Wang Qiao, Yunhe would likely send someone to the door.

Liu Xuan looked at An Yunmiao beside him. To resolve this matter perfectly, he had to pull her in to back him up!