"Junior Sister, that piece of Purple Thunder Bamboo was rare. You gave it away too easily," Zheng Shaosi said, clearly displeased with how the Feng Clan Golden Core cultivator had conducted the exchange.
The Feng Clan liked to flaunt their descent from phoenix bloodlines, and who knew how many phoenix feathers they hoarded. Yet now, they dared to name such an inflated price.
"When the Five Realms Alliance meets again, I'll be sure to teach them a proper lesson."
"Don't be angry, Senior Brother. Some things aren't worth holding on to if they bring unease."
Chen Jinshu didn't care about such minor gains and losses. After all, she had more Purple Thunder Bamboo. Inside her spirit space, the bamboo had been growing for fifty years, and in that accelerated environment, it would take only a year or two to reach full maturity.
Even so, the Feng Clan's arrogance—especially here on Xuanming Sect territory—was a bit much. No wonder many of the other Golden Core cultivators present had been looking unhappy.
At this gathering, the Feng Clan carried themselves with pride, as if certain that Xuanming Sect would not retaliate. No one could say where their confidence came from.
During the last Five Realms Alliance, Chiyan Sect had lost prestige after their disciples performed poorly. It seemed they were looking to regain face this time.
That coming summit was sure to be fiercely contested.
"For now, we are still the hosts. It wouldn't look good to cause trouble. Otherwise, I would've taught him a lesson myself."
…
After the exchange concluded, Chen Jinshu quietly took her leave. She made her way to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion. This floor was where the sect stored its whip techniques, and she was here to choose a suitable one.
The dragonbone blood whip stored in her furnace space had already been refined by about ten percent. That alone had taken a great deal of time, only made possible because she had advanced to Golden Core and used the special suppressive effect of the furnace space.
Completely refining it would likely take a year or more.
Before that, she needed a whip art that matched its nature.
Whips were easy to find. Whip techniques, not so much.
"Falling Star Whip… channels internal metal-element spiritual energy to enhance sharpness. Cuts through all things like a blade."
She held a scroll containing the Falling Star Whip technique. It was the only one she had found that matched her elemental affinity—but only partially.
Her primary affinity was wood. Ideally, she needed a technique based on wood-element qi, though similar elements could work in a pinch.
Unfortunately, most of the whip arts stored here relied on aggressive elements like metal, fire, lightning, or ice.
There were a few wood-based techniques, but they were underwhelming.
Green Serpent Nine-Strikes was one such technique. While wood-based, it focused more on entangling and restraining the enemy than on offense, and its grade was too low to be paired with the dragonbone blood whip.
After a moment's hesitation, she returned the Falling Star scroll to the shelf. If a technique didn't match her core affinity, she wouldn't enjoy training with it—and forcing it would only lead to wasted effort.
She then walked over to the senior Golden Core elder guarding this floor.
"Elder Xu, I'd like to ask if the sect has any tier-four whip techniques in its collection."
Now that she too was a Golden Core cultivator, she addressed him by surname, as was customary.
"So it's Elder Chen. Hard to believe it's been thirty-four years since you first climbed these stairs as a little Qi Refinement disciple. Now look at you, already catching up to me in cultivation," Elder Xu said with a trace of self-mockery. His own aptitude had not been bad, but his insights into cultivation had fallen short. After all these years, he had advanced only one minor realm.
"Elder, your path is steady and grounded. Cultivation is a long journey, not a short sprint. I wouldn't be where I am today without the sect's help."
"Well said," Elder Xu nodded. "As for your request, there is one advanced whip art that comes to mind—but it's rare and dangerous."
The technique had once belonged to the Peak Master of Tianyue Peak, obtained during his time training in the mortal realm. It was a tier-four whip art, powerful but bloodthirsty in nature.
"Bloodthirsty?" Chen Jinshu's interest sharpened.
The dragonbone blood whip in her hands already had some such qualities. It was controllable and could absorb an opponent's spiritual energy during combat. That was one of the reasons she urgently needed to master a suitable technique.
Her musical cultivation method was formidable, but it had weaknesses. She had already encountered spiritual tools that could block its effects, such as the one used by a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a subordinate sect.
Xuanming Sect was currently ranked fifth overall. It was safe to assume the top sects possessed even more counters.
"Yes, it does have some dark properties. That's why the Peak Master of Tianyue refused to donate it to the Scripture Pavilion. He worried that someone with ill intent might misuse it."
"What sort of things does he like? I'd like to negotiate for that technique."
"He's been looking for a Core Formation item recently, something to help him break through."
"Thank you, Elder Xu."
With that, Chen Jinshu took flight toward Tianyue Peak.
She happened to have what she needed. During her time in the Nascent Soul demonic cultivator's lair, she had found a rare spiritual fruit—the Golden Cicada Jade Fruit—which she had already used for her own advancement. Its quality had been high enough to help her withstand the mighty tribulation of violet-gold lightning.
But her master had also gifted her a lesser yet still valuable Core Formation item: a Condensed Gold Fruit. That one she had not yet used.
Before long, she arrived at Lianyuan Hall and brought her Wind Gourd to a halt.
"Elder Chen from Yaowang Peak, what brings you to Lianyuan Hall?" came a calm voice the moment she landed.
"I'd like to make a trade, Peak Master. I'm here for the whip technique you hold."
"Come in," replied the Peak Master of Tianyue Peak after a brief pause, appearing at the entrance and gesturing her inside.
He exuded a faint pressure from his Nascent Soul cultivation, giving him a naturally commanding presence.
"So, Elder Chen. Since you know I have this whip art, you must also know its dangers. Are you sure you wish to proceed?"
"I am," she replied with steady eyes. "I need a powerful technique to help me succeed at the Five Realms Alliance."
"I see."
"And what will you offer in exchange?"
"I heard you were looking for a Core Formation item. I happen to have a Condensed Gold Fruit."
Chen Jinshu brought out the box and offered it to him. He opened it and peered inside, recognizing the pale golden, scale-patterned fruit within. His expression softened.
"Very well. I have no use for that technique anymore. You may take it. But let me be clear. This whip art is powerful and extremely aggressive. If it falls into the hands of demonic cultivators, it could cause great harm."
"You are not to pass it on to anyone else. Not unless you one day ascend and leave this realm entirely. In that case, it is no longer my concern."
"Understood. Thank you, Peak Master."
Moments later, Chen Jinshu stepped out holding the scroll titled Bloodlash of the Vine Calamity, a flicker of satisfaction on her face.
According to the scroll, the whip art fused the wood attribute's power of absorption with a blood-draining effect. It could siphon an opponent's blood and spiritual energy, making the whip stronger with each strike.
"This suits the dragonbone blood whip perfectly. With this in hand, I'll feel far more confident going into the Five Realms Alliance."
Filled with excitement, she returned to Ink Plum Courtyard. As soon as she arrived, the sword spirit from beneath the ink plum tree darted over.
"Hey, human! Do you still have anything to replenish my source energy? I'm so close to recovering one-third of my power!"
"That depends. Do you have something that would interest me? I don't make deals without value. Got any whip arts?" Chen Jinshu asked calmly.
"Huh? You're ditching sword arts for whips now?" the spirit asked, visibly puzzled.
"I might have a few. But they're... not exactly beginner-friendly…"