In truth, Han Yi's actions would be considered a colossal waste of resources by any Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator. Mid-Grade Spirit Stones were sufficient to sustain their daily cultivation needs, yet Han Yi, merely at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, was using them directly for his own practice.
Such extravagance! Such wastefulness!
If a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator were to discover this, they would undoubtedly be tempted to kill him and seize his Spirit Stones.
But who could blame Han Yi? Spirit Stones were currently the most abundant resource in his possession.
Delighted by his dramatically accelerated cultivation speed, Han Yi decided to pause his practice. Instead, he ventured out to the Inner Peak to monitor the ongoing war between the two sects.
He hadn't forgotten his mandatory sect mission, which remained unfulfilled.
Though his rushed trip to Heavenfall City had ended anticlimactically after a single chaotic night, he feared the sect might rashly launch another disastrous expedition.
Venturing out always carried risks, especially with the Blood God Sect looming. If he encountered a Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivator, he would have to flee. Against a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, his chances of escape would be slim.
Staying safely within the sect remained the wisest course.
As Han Yi left the courtyard and began descending Little Spirit Void Peak, he immediately sensed that something was amiss.
Fellow disciples brushed past him, their faces etched with complex emotions: some were grief-stricken and indignant, others were despondent, and still others gnashed their teeth in seething hatred.
Something must have happened, Han Yi thought, stopping a junior brother he recognized. After inquiring, he learned the full story and stood dumbfounded. A moment later, he let out a heavy sigh and turned back up the mountain to the courtyard.
The junior brother had described the outcome of the war between the two sects.
Two days prior, the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom had finally intervened as mediator. Both sects had agreed to a full cessation of hostilities.
However, the Blood God Sect would retain control of the mines they had seized from the Profound Pill Sect in Taibai County for the next twenty years. After that period, they pledged to return them.
Everyone understood what this meant for the Profound Pill Sect.
Humiliation.
Unadulterated humiliation.
Twenty years?
This was merely a thinly veiled excuse to save face. If the Profound Pill Sect hadn't grown stronger by then, what hope would they have of reclaiming the mines from the Blood God Sect?
Moreover...
Han Yi's thoughts ran deeper.
While the news of the ceasefire between the two sects might suggest a temporary truce, it did nothing to ease their strained relations. In the long run, their animosity was bound to deepen.
Even more troubling was the twenty-year term for the mining rights. Did the Blood God Sect truly intend to remain idle after that period? Han Yi found that hard to believe.
"So, three days ago, when He Fangwei mentioned the Sect Leader's appeal for aid from the Grand Void Sect, the outcome must have been far from ideal. This ceasefire undoubtedly conceals more complex motives."
Combining this new information with what he had previously overheard at the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild, Han Yi arrived at another deduction.
"The most probable scenario is that the Grand Void Sect remained noncommittal. Great Qian, realizing that continued conflict would further destabilize the Immortal Kingdom, ultimately stepped in to mediate."
"No, wait. There's more to it. The Great Qian Immortal Kingdom wouldn't normally need to defer to either the Grand Void Sect or the Southern Dipper Divine Palace. Yet recent events suggest otherwise."
"If the Profound Pill Sect and Blood God Sect are connected to the Three Great Sects, could those sects also have ties to the Two Great Holy Lands?"
"It's not impossible."
Han Yi shook his head, chuckling wryly. "This is just habit kicking in. Occupational hazard."
"Whatever the underlying reasons, they're far beyond the reach of a mere Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator like me. Why trouble myself with such matters?"
"Enough. It's best to focus on the present."
"At least for now, the ceasefire between the two sects has no negative impact on me personally. On the contrary, it guarantees my safety for the time being. I won't have to risk my life on the front lines fighting the Blood God Sect again due to mandatory missions."
With that thought, Han Yi unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
He wasn't gloating, nor did he wish such humiliation upon the Profound Pill Sect, nor was he acting out of selfishness. If the sect could have achieved a resounding victory against the Blood God Sect, he would have been overjoyed.
But from every angle he considered, he saw no path to victory for the Profound Pill Sect. Under the circumstances, this outcome was likely the best possible.
This was probably why the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom had mediated the ceasefire, prioritizing the stability of its borders. Otherwise, a full-blown Sect War would have led to the Profound Pill Sect's inevitable destruction.
Han Yi cleared his mind of these speculations.
He then resumed his cultivation. With the ceasefire in place, there was no need to waste time gathering intelligence.
In the blink of an eye, four days had passed.
True to his word, Han Yi returned to Red Sun Market and headed straight for the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild.
Today was the seventh day of his agreement with He Fangwei.
He Fangwei's face lit up with delight at the sight of Han Yi. "Fellow Daoist, please come in! The matter you entrusted to me has been taken care of."
These were the words Han Yi had been longing to hear. His face bloomed with boundless joy.
He Fangwei led Han Yi into a secluded meditation chamber. After they were seated, He Fangwei carefully retrieved a square jade box from his Storage Pouch and solemnly opened it.
Han Yi leaned forward, his eyes widening with delight as he glimpsed the contents.
Inside lay seven identical daggers, each entirely black, even the hilts as dark as ink. Only the razor-sharp blades glinted with a frigid, eerie light, unmistakably lethal.
"Mid-Grade Magic Artifacts: Wind Demon Daggers," He Fangwei announced. "However, I must warn you beforehand: these daggers have an ominous history. Please hear me out before deciding whether to take them."
Intrigued, Han Yi asked, "What's their story? Why are you being so cautious?"
"These daggers were originally custom-made for the grandson of a Supreme Elder of our sect. To obtain them, the elder personally visited the Wild Artifact Sect and paid a heavy price to have a Golden Core Stage cultivator forge them."
"That is the origin of this set of Magic Artifacts."
"Unfortunately, this set of Magic Artifacts wasn't fully refined before the Supreme Elder's grandson was ambushed and killed by demonic cultivators, never getting the chance to wield them."
"Ten years ago, the Supreme Elder himself perished during a journey abroad. His soul lamp in the Sect has already been extinguished."
"Thus, the set of Magic Artifacts became masterless."
"The Sect only recently decided to sell them. After extensive inquiries, I finally tracked them down and purchased them myself."
"Fellow Daoist, do you mind their history?" He Fangwei asked, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Han Yi chuckled heartily. "Why would I mind? Every Magic Artifact I own was obtained from the dead."
"Of course not," Han Yi replied. "However, there are seven daggers in the set. What's the price?"
As the conversation turned to pricing, He Fangwei's expression grew serious.
"This set of Magic Artifacts is called the Wind Demon Daggers. They're crafted from a unique material and imbued with miniature wind-attribute Formation Arts. When wielded, their speed surpasses that of ordinary Magic Artifacts by thirty percent."
"Furthermore, the fact that there are seven daggers in the set makes them significantly more expensive than typical Mid-Grade Magic Artifacts, even pricier than some High-Grade ones."
"As a personal favor, the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild will waive our usual markup and sell them to you at our original purchase price."
"How many Spirit Stones?" Han Yi asked, his heart quickening with anticipation.