"Oh, they truly are the chosen ones of heaven," Elian murmured, his eyes flickering slightly as he placed his teacup down without a trace of emotion.
Casually steering the conversation away, he asked, "I've come to purchase a Sun Crystal. Would your esteemed establishment happen to have one in stock?"
"A Sun Crystal?" The Qin-family Purple Mansion cultivator's brows twitched slightly before he smiled and said, "It seems fellow Daoist is cultivating a pure Yang divine ability."
He shook his head slightly and continued, "Our Qin family has accumulated some, but they've been taken by one of our ancestors to cultivate a divine technique."
"You might have better luck waiting for the Purple Mansion Trade Conference in Yuan Kingdom in five years. If you can meet the price, you'll certainly be able to purchase one there."
Hearing this, Elian nodded without showing any reaction.
Sun Crystals were extremely rare, often fetching high prices from those who needed them. The Qin family would naturally reserve such items for auction at an event like the trade conference, ensuring they secured the highest bid.
Realizing this, Elian rose and excused himself.
"It seems I'll have to wait for five years, then."
"Take care, fellow Daoist," the Qin cultivator said politely, seeing Elian out of the shop before returning to the inner chamber.
Inside, two cultivators were seated, sipping tea. One, a middle-aged man, turned to the shopkeeper and asked, "Well?"
The Qin-family Purple Mansion cultivator bowed and shook his head.
"He does not possess a Dao Constitution."
The middle-aged man waved dismissively, signaling the shopkeeper to leave.
After he had gone, the man looked disappointed and said, "He seemed quite talented—I thought he might have a Dao Constitution. Turns out, he's nothing special."
"Seventh Brother," an elder sitting across from him frowned, his expression grim.
"The two ancestors have repeatedly warned us not to target Dao Constitution cultivators above the Purple Mansion stage. Are you still entertaining such thoughts?"
"Third Brother…" The middle-aged man looked slightly embarrassed and chuckled nervously.
"I was only inquiring. I wouldn't act rashly."
"I still advise caution," the elder said seriously.
"A Dao Constitution cultivator who has reached the Purple Mansion stage is bound to have unique abilities. Even if they're not from a major faction, they are likely under the protection of some powerful figure."
"If exposed, not only will the Qin family fail to save you, but the entire clan might be dragged down with you."
The elder's face darkened as he recalled the warnings from their ancestors.
As one of the few Golden Core elites of the Qin family, he was privy to the truth behind their rise.
Harvesting bloodlines to refine pills and stealing Dao Constitutions through forbidden methods was utterly inhumane.
The origins of their techniques were so sinister and vile that even the Qin family's senior members lived in constant anxiety. Should the truth come to light, the entire Purple Cloud Realm would have no place for them.
Despite being a Nascent Soul clan, the Qin family's top brass lived in fear of exposure.
If revealed, not only would the other cultivator clans of the Eastern Wilderness turn against them, but even the Daoist sanctuaries would not spare them.
Even if the Qin family produced a Soul Formation Dao Lord, it might not be enough to escape the consequences.
Closer to home, entities like the Tianlu Sect in Tianlu Continent, Haoran True Monarch in the Heavenly Spine Mountain Range, or the Ji family in Ji Continent—all had the power to annihilate the Qin family.
The elder's expression was grave as he warned once more, "Second Ancestor once ventured into Ji Continent to extract the bloodline of a Dao Constitution cultivator. He inadvertently provoked the awareness of a terrifying being."
"If he hadn't fled immediately, he might not have survived. Fearing pursuit, he forbade Qin family members from stepping into Ji Continent for years."
"That Dao Constitution cultivator was only in the Foundation Establishment stage. If you target a Purple Mansion Dao Constitution cultivator, it will likely lead to disaster."
The middle-aged man's pupils contracted, and a trace of fear appeared in his eyes.
Even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Second Ancestor remained deeply wary of Ji Continent, proving that it harbored great and terrifying dangers.
Trembling slightly, he asked in a low voice, "What kind of existence could have frightened the Second Ancestor so?"
"Perhaps the Ji family," the elder replied, gazing toward Ji Continent with a solemn expression.
The Ji family had once been an illustrious immortal clan, producing numerous Soul Formation Dao Lord and even legendary immortal beings in the distant past.
Although it had declined over the ages, its foundation remained intact. The Ji family's ancestral treasure, the Refining Immortal Furnace, was renowned across the universe. It was said to be capable of striking down celestial beings and ranked among the top ten Pure Yang treasures in the Purple Cloud Realm.
After leaving the Qin family's shop, Elian didn't linger in Qinyuan Market.
For now, he lacked the strength to confront the Qin family and didn't dare to confirm if they were responsible for the events of the past.
Still, he had gained valuable insights. While not entirely certain, he strongly suspected the Qin family's involvement.
"Focus on cultivation for now. Once I break through to the Golden Core stage—or even Nascent Soul—I'll take action."
Suppressing his thoughts, Elian purchased a map of Tianlu Continent and flew toward the Flame Abyss Sea.
As Haoran True Monarch had mentioned, the Flame Abyss Sea was an excellent place for soul refinement. Since he was already in Tianlu Continent, he wouldn't miss this opportunity.
Following the map, Elian flew north for over two million miles before finally arriving at the legendary Flame Abyss Sea, situated at the northern edge of the continent.
"Is this the Flame Abyss Sea?"
Gazing at the vast, fiery expanse before him, Elian couldn't help swallowing nervously.
Stretching for millions of miles, the Flame Abyss Sea was a barren land of molten lava and roaring flames.
No life existed here—only endless killing intent and destructive fire. It was a place so desolate that Elian felt as though he had stepped into a hellish realm.
"The Flame Abyss Sea…"
"No wonder it's described as a sea of fire and an inferno."
Elian's heart trembled as he recalled the history of this place.
Eight thousand years ago, this was the location of the Blood Demon Ridge, a forbidden domain ruled by a fearsome Demon Lord whose power shook the ages.
That era was so distant that even historical records contained only fragments of the story.
It was said that the peerless Dao Lord Jiang Huang came from the Central Ancestral Region to challenge the Blood Demon Ridge in a battle that shattered the heavens.
In the conflict, a Pure Yang treasure was destroyed, and the Blood Demon Ridge, which had endured for countless years, was utterly annihilated.
The battle ruptured the earth's crust, unleashing endless subterranean fire that burned the Blood Demon Ridge to ashes, transforming it into the Flame Abyss Sea of today.
Only after this battle did cultivators bring mortals from the Central Ancestral Region to settle nearby, eventually giving rise to the cultivation worlds of Tianlu Continent and Ji Continent.
Reflecting on this, Elian sighed.
"Generations of ancient sages expanded territories and fought demons and monsters with their lives."
"Only through their sacrifices do we have today's flourishing cultivation world."
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D