650: Chapter 650 Smuggling

Large quantities of essence of taisui had recently been flowing out from Great Sage Taisui, and Liu Xuan had learned a bit about its side effects.

Although this item could directly extend one's Lifespan, consuming it easily led to mental confusion and Qi Deviation; the more one consumed, the greater the side effects.

However, these side effects were not unsolvable; the user only needed to seek out Great Sage Taisui before their mind completely lost control and stay with him for a period of time, and this state would be purified.

According to news spread by the Southern Border Yao Race, regardless of whether it was a Human Race Cultivator or a Yao Race Cultivator, the limit of extending one's Lifespan by consuming the essence of taisui could reach nearly fifty percent of their original Lifespan.

A fifty percent increase in Lifespan was enough to drive those Cultivators and Yao Race members nearing the end of their limits into madness!

Take Demon Saint Xuanyu, for example; this old fellow had been waiting for death in the Black Mountain Holy Land ever since his great battle with Daoist Lord Lihuo, but he had suddenly become active recently, and it was rumored that it was because he had consumed a large amount of the essence of taisui.

Even knowing that the essence of taisui was poisonous, countless people still scrambled to consume it; for those nearing the end of their limits who only had a few years left to live, things like toxicity and future consequences were all unimportant—at the very least, this thing could let them live a few more years.

However, the Dao Court designated the essence of taisui as a demonic item and an evil object, explicitly forbidding any Cultivator from consuming it; once a Cultivator was discovered consuming it in secret, they would be immediately branded as an evil Cultivator or demonic Cultivator and could be executed on the spot.

Furthermore, the essence of taisui was not allowed to be traded toward the Central Plains; once discovered, not only would the merchant caravan's entire cargo be confiscated, but they would also be held jointly liable.

...

Biyou City, City Lord's Mansion.

"Brother Liu, your courage is truly too great. Now that the Southern Border Yao Race is in a standoff with the Dao Court, you are brazenly doing business with them. If the higher-ups were to blame this, I would also be punished along with you."

True Monarch Tachuan frowned deeply, constantly complaining to Liu Xuan, "The Bureau of Astronomy has observed that the Spiritual Qi fluctuations in the Southern Border are intensifying, and more and more Dao Monarchs are paying attention to the situation in the Southern Border. Brother Liu, you have the protection of various Dao Monarchs, so you are fine, but I am the one who is miserable. If a decree comes down from the higher-ups, it might result in me having no Soul Transformation Opportunity for the rest of my life."

"Brother Tachuan, it is useless for you to tell me these things. The one who truly makes the decisions for the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect is my Revered Master, Lady Yaoguang. If she does not nod in approval, how could I make decisions on my own?" Liu Xuan directly shifted the blame to Lady Yaoguang, who was far away at the Main Mountain of the Beast Taming Sect.

"Brother Liu, that is incorrect. Although the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect is Lady Yaoguang's territory, it is actually controlled by you and the Peach Blossom Demon Saint."

True Monarch Tachuan lifted his Spiritual Qi tea to sip it carefully, and with the expression of someone who had long since seen through everything, he said slowly, "I have been mingling in the Dao Court for many years, so I still have that much judgment."

Liu Xuan was getting a bit annoyed, so he stopped being polite with him and said bluntly, "Brother Tachuan, if you have any thoughts, you might as well say them directly; beating around the bush is meaningless."

If True Monarch Tachuan really wanted to make an issue out of this matter, he wouldn't need to say all this nonsense to Liu Xuan.

Looking at his demeanor, perhaps he just wanted to use this as leverage to fish for some benefits. As long as he didn't open his mouth too wide, Liu Xuan couldn't be bothered to argue with him and would just treat it as feeding a dog.

"Brother Liu is still the most straightforward!" True Monarch Tachuan smiled and gave Liu Xuan a thumbs up. Afterward, he carefully cast a shielding spell in the hall and whispered via voice transmission, "I heard that you have quite a lot of the essence of taisui in your hands, Brother?"

The essence of taisui? Liu Xuan suddenly became interested; he hadn't expected that True Monarch Tachuan had been beating around the bush for so long just for this.

No wonder he felt that this old guy was acting strangely; he used to be bright and generous in his dealings, but today he was dragging his feet.

"The essence of taisui is a contraband item of the Dao Court; Brother Tachuan, your courage is also not small!" Liu Xuan teased with a smile.

"What contraband or not contraband? Anything useful is a treasure!" True Monarch Tachuan's gaze sank slightly, and he said indifferently, "I still have a chance at a Soul Transformation Opportunity, so I don't need the essence of taisui for the time being. But the Great Dao is difficult to achieve; if I fail the Breakthrough..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: becoming a Spirit Transformation Dao Lord was not easy to Breakthrough to, and he himself didn't have much confidence.

If he failed the Breakthrough and his Lifespan did not increase, the essence of taisui was the fallback plan he had prepared.

Whether it was using the Lifespan increased by the essence of taisui to attempt the Soul Transformation again, or to continue living freely and enjoying himself for over a thousand years, it was a guaranteed profitable deal.

"You are still the one who thinks long-term, Brother!" Liu Xuan complimented him with a hint of sarcasm, then nodded and said, "I do indeed have some essence of taisui here, but as for the price..."

He didn't know if it was because Great Sage Taisui wanted to use the essence of taisui to tempt Liu Xuan, but Demon Saint Xuanyu would always bring a portion of the essence of taisui to offset the payment for goods, and Liu Xuan couldn't refuse even if he wanted to.

Liu Xuan couldn't consume it himself, and his Family descendants couldn't consume it either, so he had no choice but to sell it at a high price to those guards in the Merchant Alliance who had Cultivated True Qi.

The essence of taisui increased one's Lifespan, which happened to offset part of the Lifespan lost to True Qi, so it was highly sought after, especially by those older True Qi Cultivators who completely regarded it as a supreme treasure for Heaven-Defyingly changing their fate.

As for its side effects, Liu Xuan didn't care at all; this was their own choice, and these people were just Liu Family guards...

Once True Qi was Cultivated, it would never disappear. Even if they were controlled by Great Sage Taisui due to the side effects, the loss to the Liu Family would not be significant.

If Great Sage Taisui took them away and Cultivated them vigorously, it would be an even greater profit for the Liu Family!

However, at present, there weren't many Cultivators in the Liu Family guard team who were nearing the end of their limits and had also Cultivated True Qi. Moreover, most of these types of Cultivators didn't have much money, and their spending power wasn't very high.

Liu Xuan couldn't possibly give the essence of taisui to them for free, so since True Monarch Tachuan wanted some now, it wouldn't hurt to sell him some.

"We are all acquaintances; I, your younger brother, won't cheat you. Whatever the market price is, that's what it will be. How about that?" Liu Xuan said with a sincere expression.

Demon Saint Xuanyu insisted on selling this item to him, and the price was only about fifty percent of the market price.

True Monarch Tachuan nodded slightly, "Brother Liu is indeed generous; it was not in vain that I sent you so many maidservants!"

"However..." he lowered his voice again, "If I want a large quantity, could Brother Liu give me a bit more of a discount?"

"A large quantity?"

"How large?"

Liu Xuan looked at True Monarch Tachuan with confusion.

"I want as much as you have!"

Liu Xuan was taken aback and re-examined this middle-aged Cultivator who looked so upright. "Brother, your courage is even greater than I imagined. You even dare to smuggle items strictly forbidden by the Dao Court. Amazing!"

The more strictly the Dao Court forbade it, the more precious the essence of taisui became for Cultivators outside the Southern Border who were nearing the end of their limits, and the higher the profits from smuggling became.

Where there was profit, there would be people who dared to take risks. Liu Xuan had thought that someone might risk their life to do this kind of business that could cost them their head, but he hadn't expected that the first person to come knocking would be someone from within the Dao Court.

"It doesn't count as smuggling!" True Monarch Tachuan waved his hand and said, "I wouldn't be so arrogant as to transport the goods to the Central Plains; I am just providing a channel for those who want to buy it, letting them come to the Azure Profound Sect to buy it themselves."

"I have already reported this matter to the higher-ups; there is no risk, so rest assured, Brother Liu!"

The higher-ups that True Monarch Tachuan spoke of certainly referred to one or multiple Dao Monarchs, but he did not explain this in detail to Liu Xuan.