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After Qi Yuan brought Zhou Yuan in, he briefly greeted the other guests.
In the small hall were gathered: Xinggong's Huang Jing, the sinister Gu Jianmo, the upright Yu quintuplets, and Feng Luotian, eldest son of the Feng Chamber of Commerce.
From the neutral Miaoyin Sect came Zhou Yuan.
Among the independent cultivators were Jian Chun, Taoist Maple Leaf, Beiyu Jushi, and Bu Dian Sanren.
Although grudges and rivalry simmered beneath the surface, everyone remained restrained for now.
As the host, Qi Yuan naturally took the lead. With just a few words, he guided the conversation toward cultivation.
While the start was a little awkward, the exchange of Jindan-level cultivation insights gradually brought a sense of superficial harmony.
Not only did Xin Ruyin and Xiaomei gain valuable enlightenment from the discussion, even Yan Ruyan was often lost in thought from frequent realizations.
Although Qi Yuan could pass on his own experience to Yan Ruyan, it would always be limited. But when everyone gathered to share and refine their insights at the Jindan stage, it helped them identify blind spots and shortcomings in their own paths.
Even without full transparency, the benefits were considerable.
After five hours of discussion, the first half of the secret meeting came to a quiet close.
Next came the bartering session.
Jian Chun stroked his white beard and said, "Fellow Daoist Qi, I heard you killed the Qingjian Patriarch a few years ago. His life-bound weapon, the Qing Jue Sword, must be in your hands. I specialize in swordsmanship and wish to use it as a spare. Do you still have it?"
The Qing Jue Sword had been nurtured for over a century by the Qingjian Patriarch. Even if it couldn't evolve further, its edge rivaled top-tier magic weapons. The sword aura remained sharp, though perfect synchronization with a new master was no longer possible.
Qi Yuan smiled slightly and summoned the sword from his storage bag. A faint green blade shimmered with sword light, bright as water, drawing everyone's attention.
"Fellow Jian, what treasure do you offer in exchange?"
Jian Chun's eyes lit up with greed. He had long coveted the Qing Jue Sword. With it, his defensive capabilities would significantly increase.
Three balls of light rose and hovered midair.
"In these are: a bottle of valuable Resurrection Elixir, a spiritual herb of equivalent value, and a fine magic weapon—the Red Moon Lamp. Which would you choose, Fellow Qi?"
Qi Yuan calmly chose the Red Moon Lamp on the left.
To him, these treasures weren't especially exciting—such things were only rare among a handful of Jindan cultivators.
Feng Luotian, for example, barely glanced at them before looking away.
Qi Yuan accepted the Red Moon Lamp and examined it with his seasoned eye. Once he confirmed it was intact, he tossed it to Yan Ruyan.
Traveling between the Chaos Star Sea and Tiannan wasn't without danger. One more refined magic weapon meant more security.
Ling Yuling, standing behind Huang Jing, watched this with dim eyes and a flash of jealousy.
Qi Yuan glanced at her knowingly. The scent of envy was unmistakable.
He thought, *Well, I'll have to smooth things over with her another day.*
Next up was Bu Dian Sanren, who sought information on a rare elixir. Feng Luotian handed over a jade box in response. After examining the contents with joy, Bu Dian reluctantly displayed several treasures for Feng Luotian to choose from.
Feng Luotian casually picked one and returned to his seat with a serene expression.
Other exchanges followed smoothly. Huang Jing and Zhou Yuan both secured treasures they needed, smiling in satisfaction.
Then Yu Jin, the eldest of the Yu quintuplets, turned to Qi Yuan. "Fellow Daoist Qi, in your early years, you searched extensively for rare Five Element treasures. Do you happen to have any spare Five Element Heavenly Star Stones? I'll take as many as you can offer."
Clearly, the Yu siblings' Five Element Sword Formation was still incomplete.
Qi Yuan calmly pulled out a Five Element Heavenly Star Stone, about the size of a pinky finger, glowing brilliantly. "This is all I have left. Will it do?"
In truth, he still had several others—each as large as a human head.
Yu Jin's expression mixed joy and frustration. He pulled out a jade slip. "This contains a clue about forming a Nascent Soul. But the information is over three thousand years old and full of danger. I can't guarantee its accuracy. Would you still trade, Fellow Qi?"
A clue on forming a Nascent Soul?
Everyone's eyes burned with desire. Even a vague hint could stir the hearts of all present.
Gu Jianmo stood abruptly. "Fellow Yu, I'll pay a high price for that jade slip!"
Feng Luotian chimed in, "I'll offer five times the reward—and a lifetime 50% discount at Feng Chamber of Commerce—in exchange."
Huang Jing calmly raised the stakes. "Whatever the price, Xinggong will offer ten times that."
Even though Xinggong already possessed rare Nascent Soul resources, such opportunities were not to be missed.
Qi Yuan tapped the Heavenly Star Stone against the table to quiet the room. "Fellow Yu, the decision is yours."
Yu Jin's heart ached as Qi Yuan knocked the rare stone on the table. "To be honest, this clue is three thousand years old. Its accuracy is questionable."
Three thousand years…
That was a long time. Any treasures might have already been taken—or destroyed.
If the clue was newer, there would be more hope.
Yu Jin's statement doused everyone's enthusiasm like cold water. No one wanted to overpay for a gamble.
Qi Yuan flicked the Star Stone toward Yu Jin. "I'm willing to make the trade."
Yu Jin lit up with relief and immediately tossed the jade slip over.
Qi Yuan caught it, scanned it with his spiritual sense, and fell silent with a complicated expression before storing it away.
The others noted his reaction but resumed their own trades.
"Fellow Daoist Huang," Taoist Maple Leaf said slowly, "I wish to trade for Xinggong's exclusive Zhoutian Star Radiance Pill. I offer a fine magic weapon in return."
He then produced a silver magic brush dotted with starlight, engraved with a name along the shaft. It hovered midair.
Was this once used by the 23rd Lord of Xinggong?
Huang Jing stood up, her expression changing slightly.
(End of Chapter)