Translator: CinderTL
Jin Xun watched as the two figures entered the grand formation, and the nine chains ceased their assault. A wave of relief washed over him, but his nerves immediately tightened again.
He knew this temporary truce was merely a calculated pause. If he failed to offer terms satisfactory to the pair, they would undoubtedly resume their attack.
Though brief, the preceding battle had been perilous, draining a significant portion of his spiritual power. Another confrontation would likely prove fatal.
Instinctively, Jin Xun sought to replenish his spiritual power, reaching for a medicinal pill. But he remembered his storage ring was still in Mi Hai's possession. Clasping his hands in a fist, he forced a grateful smile and addressed the descending figures.
"Many thanks, fellow daoists, for showing mercy."
Song Wen hovered a dozen feet before Jin Xun, his expression as cold as frost.
"Fellow Daoist Jin Xun, share your intelligence regarding the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass. If your information satisfies me, you might yet have a sliver of hope."
Abandoning any pretense of monastic humility, Song Wen addressed Jin Xun directly as "fellow daoist."
Jin Xun glanced at the two figures who had arrived in succession, then raised his gaze to survey the surrounding formation barrier. Only then did he reply.
"This matter is of utmost importance and cannot be divulged even in the slightest. I implore Master Mi Hai to activate the formation and isolate us from external prying eyes."
Song Wen didn't refuse Jin Xun's request. After casting several magic seals toward the array disk, a massive surge of Corpse Qi erupted from the barrier high above.
The Corpse Qi, as dark as ink, clung tightly to the barrier, solidifying without dissipating. It dyed the originally translucent barrier pitch-black, preventing any external observation of the conditions within.
The space inside the barrier plunged into sudden darkness, so complete that one couldn't see their own hand before their face. However, this had no effect on the three divine transformation stage cultivators present.
"Fellow Daoist Jin Xun, you may speak now," Song Wen said.
Jin Xun nodded. "Approximately fifty million li south of Phoenix Feather City lies Xin Tang Mountain. Its master is Yun Xinghai, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. To my knowledge, he possesses both Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass—and more than just a single specimen of each."
Song Wen knew nothing of this "Yun Xinghai" and couldn't verify the truth of Jin Xun's claims. He turned to Ye Bing.
"Fellow Daoist Li Yue, have you heard of this person?"
Ye Bing replied, "Indeed. Yun Xinghai is a rogue cultivator who prefers solitude and operates at the early Void Refinement stage. Rumor has it that his lifespan is nearing its end."
Song Wen nodded and addressed Jin Xun again.
"Fellow Daoist, since you know this person possesses Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass, why not simply visit him and request them? As a rogue cultivator, he should show some deference to the Jin Family."
Jin Xun explained, "Fellow Daoist, you may not be aware, but Yun Xinghai, though a rogue cultivator, is a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. He has refined medicinal pills for numerous factions in the region, cultivating extensive connections. Why would he give face to a mere Divine Transformation Stage cultivator like myself?"
"Then why didn't you ask a Void Refinement Stage cultivator from your Jin Family to intervene?" Song Wen pressed.
Jin Xun paused, a hint of resentment flickering in his eyes. "As Yun Xinghai's lifespan dwindles, his temperament has grown increasingly erratic, shifting between joy and rage without warning. Major factions avoid contact with him, fearing they might inadvertently provoke his wrath. Given his volatile nature, any offense would inevitably unleash his fury upon the entire faction, even leading to the wholesale slaughter of lower-level disciples. As a rogue cultivator with no ties, he has long abandoned all restraint, capable of any atrocity as his lifespan nears its end. Moreover..."
He paused again, his gaze darkening with bitterness. "The Jin Family once refined a Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill for me, but I failed to advance to the Void Refinement Stage. Since then, they've written off my chances of reaching that realm, refusing to provide me with any further spiritual objects related to Void Refinement. This is why I've been forced to search for the Spirit Herbs for the Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill myself, rather than relying on the Jin Family's resources."
Song Wen immediately understood that the true reason lay in the latter half of Jin Xun's statement.
Every faction, regardless of its size, possesses limited resources. To ensure its long-term survival, it's impossible to pour resources into someone deemed useless.
The Jin Family had already provided Jin Xun with a Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill, confirming his lack of aptitude for advancing to the Void Refinement stage. Naturally, they would no longer waste further resources on him.
This revelation also resolved another lingering question in Song Wen's mind: why Jin Xun, as a member of the Jin Family, had to personally search for all the Spirit Herbs required to refine the Void Union Primordial Breakthrough Pill.
Jin Xiuqi had mentioned that Jin Xun was his uncle, the younger brother of his father, Jin Fengyu. Jin Fengyu was a mid-Void Refinement stage cultivator, and his own brother had already reached the peak of the Divine Transformation stage. Logically, he should have assisted Jin Xun in advancing to Void Refinement.
Yet Jin Xun had been searching for the Spirit Herbs for decades without success, clearly lacking any support from Jin Fengyu or the Jin Family.
Now it was clear: it wasn't that Jin Fengyu and the Jin Family hadn't offered assistance; they had simply abandoned Jin Xun altogether.
Song Wen cared little about Jin Xun's cultivation talent.
Jin Xun's words made Song Wen realize they could temporarily cooperate.
They shared a common goal.
Song Wen's eyes sharpened as he scrutinized Jin Xun, asking, "Fellow Daoist, are you seeking longevity herbs to trade with Yun Xinghai for Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass?"
Upon hearing this, a great weight lifted from Jin Xun's heart, and a flicker of joy crossed his face.
He knew he had swayed 'Mi Hai' and was temporarily safe. Moreover, he saw an opportunity to obtain the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass.
"Fellow Daoist, your keen insight is truly admirable. Yun Xinghai has consumed countless Longevity Spirit Herbs, rendering ordinary ones utterly ineffective. If you provide me with the complete Devouring Soul Array, I guarantee I can trade it for enough Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass for all three of us."
Song Wen and Ye Bing exchanged glances, both seeing the same 'refusal' in each other's eyes.
Handing the complete Devouring Soul Array to Jin Xun would be like throwing a lamb to the wolves—a one-way trip with no return.
They had no trust in Jin Xun.
Even if he obtained the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass, he would never honor his promise to share them.
Song Wen's eyes turned icy, a cold smirk curling his lips.
"Fellow Daoist Jin Xun, it seems you've outlived your usefulness to us."
Jin Xun had already revealed all his information about Yun Xinghai. Song Wen and Ye Bing could now contact Yun Xinghai directly, offering the Devouring Soul Array as a trade. There was no further need for Jin Xun.
However, Jin Xun's willingness to divulge everything so easily suggested he had some hidden leverage, which was why Song Wen hadn't acted against him yet.
Jin Xun countered, "As I mentioned earlier, Yun Xinghai is notoriously volatile and unpredictable. As a member of the Jin Family and an acquaintance of his, I'm uniquely positioned to mediate a successful transaction. While you possess the Devouring Soul Array, you're ultimately just rogue cultivators. Approaching him rashly would not only jeopardize the deal but also invite Yun Xinghai's covetous attention, potentially leading to your deaths."
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner
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