21: Chapter 21 The Recruitment by Baiyun Temple!

In the blink of an eye, the Baiyun Assembly had already convened.

This was the largest trading site under the jurisdiction of White Cloud Temple, built in a flat valley on the western side of White Cloud Mountain. Held once every five years, the Baiyun Assembly saw Cultivators from all nine counties gather, with Loose Cultivators as numerous as carp crossing a river.

Even Cultivators from other counties would rush over to join this grand feast!

The East District of the market.

The Sun Clan arrived early, occupying three temporary storefronts in advance.

Sun Boan stood behind a wooden counter, his hands manipulating an abacus. The clacking of the beads was crisp and dense; he did not dare to be the slightest bit careless.

"Are there any more Pathfinding Rats? I'll pay sixty Spirit Stones!"

A scarred Loose Cultivator squeezed into the shop and slammed down a pouch of Spirit Stones. It looked like he had been waiting in line for a long time.

"Sold out."

Sun Boan didn't even look up. It wasn't that he was so arrogant as to be rude, but he was simply too busy to cope: "The ten Spirit-Seeking Pathfinding Rats were sold out an hour ago."

"If you Fellow Daoists truly want them, go to the Hongtian City market in half a year to collect them. The next batch of Spirit-Seeking Pathfinding Rats won't be ready for another six months. Those who pay a deposit now will have priority."

A chorus of frustrated sighs rang out around him.

These Pathfinding Rats sold for thirty Spirit Stones in Hongtian City, but at the Baiyun Assembly, Sun Boan had directly raised the price to fifty Spirit Stones.

He had thought they might receive a cold reception, but it turned out the Loose Cultivators under White Cloud Temple's rule were even more affluent. Hearing that these rats could provide early warnings and help avoid danger, they scrambled to buy them.

Ten rats brought in five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones directly!

Added to that were the hundreds of Talismans drawn by Sun Wanqing. Although their rank was low, the quality was acceptable and the price was good, so they also sold in a massive wave.

There were also the improved Medicinal Pills refined by Sun Changping, as well as various Spirit Materials collected from the general store.

In just half a day.

The Sun Clan's several storefronts had brought in nearly two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. In these few days alone, they had earned almost an entire year's worth of profit from previous years.

Sun Boan tied the last Storage Pouch tight and tucked it into his robes. In his forty-eight years of life, he had never felt his chest feel so heavy and secure.

Several Qi Refining Clan Chiefs at the neighboring stalls stared with wide eyes.

Feng Shoude stood before his own ironware stall, clutching a newly repaired Flying Sword, his expression shifting uncertainly. He had been busy for half a day and earned less than one or two hundred Spirit Stones.

Sun Boan just moved his lips and probably earned more than Feng could in a lifetime...

"Clan Chief, we've struck it rich!"

Sun Xing leaned in and lowered his voice, his tone nearly trembling.

"What 'struck it rich'?"

Sun Boan glared at him: "This is all the Old Ancestor's capital. If not for the Old Ancestor protecting our Sun Clan, would you and I even have today?"

"Go, buy that first-rank High Grade Formation from the East Street. The Family market is just missing a defensive array. Also, acquire three top-quality Pill Furnaces; we need to cultivate Alchemists within the clan in the future..."

"The remaining Spirit Stones are all to be exchanged for Medicinal Pills that increase cultivation and first and second-rank Spirit Medicine seeds."

Ever since being lectured by Shi Jian, Sun Boan had seen the light.

Money kept in hand is a dead thing; only when transformed into foundation does it become the Sun Clan's future. His vision was becoming more long-term, and he was increasingly acting like a proper Clan Chief should.

Behind the stall, a large green-canopied beast carriage was parked under the shade of a tree.

Shi Jian lay inside the carriage, eyes closed, resting. He didn't care at all about how much money was being earned outside, until a sword light descended from the Main Peak of White Cloud Mountain and hovered in front of the Sun Clan's shop...

Yun Song put away his Flying Sword, his gaze sweeping past Sun Boan as he walked straight toward the beast carriage.

"Fellow Daoist Shi."

Yun Song stood before the carriage and bowed with cupped hands: "The Temple Master has come out of seclusion and has set a private banquet at the Main Peak. He has specifically commanded this humble Daoist to invite Fellow Daoist to the feast."

The surroundings instantly fell deathly silent.

Countless gazes gathered all at once. The Temple Master of Baiyun—that was a Golden Core powerhouse whose status in Baiyun Prefecture was extraordinary.

Even at the assembly held every five years, the Temple Master rarely made an appearance.

Let alone hosting a private banquet for that Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Seeing this, Sun Boan's palms began to sweat.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Shi Jian stepped out. His ten-foot-tall black body radiated an incredibly dense Demonic Qi under the sunlight.

He shook his fur, and his bones let out a series of crisp cracks. His size rapidly shrank, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into the size of an ordinary black bear...

"Lead the way."

Yun Song nodded and summoned his Flying Sword to lead the way. Shi Jian exerted force with his limbs, leaped into the air, and followed, treading upon a cloud of pitch-black demonic wind.

The Main Peak of White Cloud Mountain.

Clouds and mist swirled around. The great hall was built at the peak, with blue bricks and black tiles, devoid of any superfluous decoration, exuding an air of solemn austerity.

One look and it was clearly the style of Sword Cultivators—stubborn, single-minded Daoist priests.

"The Temple Master is waiting inside. Please proceed as you wish, Fellow Daoist."

After bringing the bear there, Yun Song stopped and stepped aside to let him pass.

As Shi Jian lifted his leg and crossed the extremely high threshold, the hall doors slammed shut behind him, and the light inside the hall suddenly dimmed...

On a prayer mat directly ahead sat a middle-aged man wearing grey cloth Daoist robes.

His face was thin, and his eyes were slightly closed. There were no fluctuations of spiritual power, and one couldn't even sense his breathing, but the moment Shi Jian stepped into the hall, the air around him gradually solidified!

An incredibly terrifying pressure descended out of nowhere, slamming directly onto Shi Jian's back.

This was not a Spell, but pure Golden Core Stage pressure. A Golden Core can live for six hundred years; in the eyes of Mortals, they are Earth Immortals!

Locked by a Golden Core Stage Divine Sense, fine cracks appeared in the blue bricks on the floor.

Shi Jian's four limbs gripped the ground firmly, his sharp claws even piercing through the blue bricks. The thick demonic power within his body circulated frantically, forcibly withstanding this pressure.

He did not retreat a single step, nor did his back bend even slightly. He merely looked coldly at the middle-aged man ahead, appearing incredibly resolute!

After ten breaths.

The heavy pressure suddenly dissipated, and the air began to flow again.

The middle-aged Daoist opened his eyes, his gaze deep and carrying a hint of admiration as he said, "Not bad. Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, yet your Physical Body is honed several times more solid than an ordinary Body Cultivator!"

"It seems Lei Lie did not exaggerate after all."

Shi Jian straightened up and, mimicking human behavior, cupped his front paws: "Shi Jian, the Guardian Spirit Beast of Hongtian City, greets the Temple Master."

"No need for formalities. Sit."

Zhao Qing pointed to a jade prayer mat on the left. Shi Jian didn't stand on ceremony either, sitting down in a bold, sprawling manner and grabbing a spirit fruit from the table to take a bite.

Juice splattered everywhere, and Spiritual Qi was abundant!

A second-rank Medium Grade Thick-Milk Spirit Peach, which only ripens once every thirty years—this was good stuff.

"I have heard about the events in Hongtian City. You fought seven demon Cultivators alone to protect the people under my rule and later slew the evil; this is a meritorious deed."

"I merely took someone's money to eliminate their troubles. I do not deserve such praise from the Temple Master."

Shi Jian spat out the fruit pit, looking humble.

"What can the Sun Clan give you?"

"A dilapidated household that doesn't even have a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. For you to remain there is nothing but casting a pearl before swine, wasting your natural talent."

Zhao Qing didn't waste words and directly threw out his chips:

"Come to my White Cloud Temple. Become my sect's Guardian Protector. If you like these spirit peaches, I can give them all to you in the future."

"The first three floors of my sect's Scripture Pavilion can also be fully opened to you. You will receive an annual stipend of a hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, plus three bottles of second-rank Medicinal Pills suitable for demon Cultivators. The resources of the nine counties under White Cloud Temple's rule will be at your disposal."

"Your status will be second only to mine, equal to the Elders of each peak in our sect."

"What do you think?"