Having decided on their direction, Chu Zheng immediately set out with Fu Quanliang.


    Avoiding the core territory of Phantom Spirit Sect, the two cultivated at night and traveled during the day. After more than a half month and over a hundred thousand miles eastward, they stepped into the territory of a small sect known as Tianhe Sect.


    This ce was called Zishi Dynasty, and though it was their territory, it was still within the control of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Tianhe Sect had a heritage of just a thousand years; its founding Elder was a Loose Cultivator of the Soul Condensing Realm. Due to ack of resources, the sect was gradually declining. The most powerful was only at the early stage of the Entry Dao Realm, and was already not young in age. There were only a handful of Cultivators in the Spirit Spring Realm inside the sect.


    In total, the entire sect had barely more than twenty members.


    The reason why Chu Zheng came here was that among Tianhe Sect''s dwellings, there was an Artifact Refiner.


    While merely a Low-Grade Artifact Refiner, capable of crafting only First Order Magic Artifacts, he was extremely famous among the local Loose Cultivators.


    Artifact Refining also required Divine Fire, and within Tianhe Sect, there was a Low Grade Fire Seed, which was most likely the Earth Fiend True me.


    In the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, worldly fire seeds are divided into nine orders.


    The mostmon Earth Fiend True me is of the Second Order and could significantly elerate one''s cultivation speed.


    Chu Zheng, with Fu Quanliang in tow, headed directly into the Imperial Capital of the Zishi Dynasty. After some inquiries, they quickly learned the whereabouts of the Tianhe Sect.


    Located near the mortal world, the Tianhe Sect''s dwelling was just thirty miles outside the Imperial Capital, situated halfway up a hill.


    Compared to Great Zhou, the Zishi Dynasty was not at all unfamiliar with Immortal Sects; their rtionship was quite close.


    The disciples of Tianhe Sect often entered the Imperial Capital to examine the bones of newborns, looking for Immortal Seedlings, and they enjoyed a particrly harmonious rtionship with the Royal Family.


    Over a decade ago, a gue spread throughout the Zishi Dynasty, and it was the Tianhe Sect that intervened, preventing a major disaster.


    The Sect Leader, True Person Nanfeng, was known to all for hispassionate heart, having wandered thends in his youth, saving countless lives.


    Throughout the dynasty, there were many shrines erected in his honor.


    These smaller sects, clearly devoid of the remoteness of the hidden major sects, possessed a certain mundane atmosphere.


    Perhaps because they could not be self-sufficient, they always had to find ways to gather resources, inevitably dealing with the secr world, gradually bing as such.


    After making inquiries, Chu Zheng, with Fu Quanliang, left the Imperial Capital and headed straight for the Tianhe Sect''s dwelling.


    During the journey, Chu Zheng hadpleted the preliminary repairs of the Heavenly Aura Sword and had stored it within his Dantian to nourish it with Yuan Qi.


    Together with the Condensing Space Bracelet and a few other Magic Treasures in the Ethereal Ring, dealing with an Entry Dao Realm Cultivator shouldn''t be a difficult task.


    What was on the agenda next was business negotiation.


    Only when the strengths of two parties are equal can there be a negotiation; otherwise, it''s just a one-sided extraction.


    The distance of just over thirty miles passed in a blink, and as they approached the base of the mountain, Chu Zheng caught sight of the Sect Gate situated halfway up the hill.


    The Sect Gate was very simple: a thirty-foot high stele engraved with the bold characters ''Tianhe Sect''.


    A Spirit Gathering Array slowly rotated, striving to gather the sparse spiritual energy from heaven and Earth, delineating and suitable for cultivation.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes shed with a spiritual light. After observing for a while, he turned to look towards the Imperial Capital, having made his assessments.


    The founding Elder of Tianhe Sect chose this ce not arbitrarily. The Feng Shui pattern here was where a Dragon Vein breathed out water.


    Although there were no Spirit Veins and the energy returned by the Dragon was not substantial, it was still much better than ordinarynd and could sustain a cultivating sect, albeit not a thriving poption.


    For a Loose Cultivator alone and with limited strength, achieving this much was not easy.


    After observing for a moment, Chu Zheng ascended the mountain to knock on the gate.


    They did not conceal their tracks and before reaching the stele, two figures came to meet them, a man and a woman, both Cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm, appearing to be nearly forty years old.


    "From where do you hail, Daoist Friend?"


    The man was the first to speak, inquiring about Chu Zheng''s intention with a somewhat cautious demeanor.


    Two Spirit Spring Realm Cultivators would not stand out in arge sect, but among Loose Cultivators, they were not to be underestimated.


    ced in Tianhe Sect, they were responsible for a significant part of the sect, and their importance was self-evident.


    Fu Quanliang nced at Chu Zheng and, noticing that he had no intention to speak, understood the cue and stepped forward to say,


    "Disciples of Qi Sect, we have heard of the Artifact Refiner of Tianhe Sect and havee to discuss business."


    Upon hearing the word ''business,'' the two rxed significantly and a smile appeared on their faces. Though they had never heard of the Qi Sect, they still stepped aside,


    "Please enter, Daoist Friend."


    It was quitemon for some Loose Cultivators and small sects toe here to purchase Magic Artifacts.


    Chu Zheng followed one step behind Fu Quanliang, walking side by side as they made their way into Tianhe Sect.


    After a moment, the two entered the main hall, where a disciple of the Nourishing Power Realm served them Spiritual Tea.


    Once seated, the middle-aged man spoke first, offering a greeting, "My name is Xu Xinke, and this is my junior sister Fang Yu. How may we address the two of you?"


    "Fu Liang."


    Fu Quanliang pointed to himself without revealing his real name, and got straight to the point,


    "I wish to purchase your sect''s Fire Seed; price is not an issue."


    "Fire Seed?"


    Upon hearing this, Xu Xinke slightly furrowed his brow.


    Fu Quanliang nodded and said, "There''s an Alchemist in our sect who needs this item; the price is negotiable."


    "This Fire Seed of our Tianhe Sect is a legacy of our founding ancestor; it''s not really a question of how many spirit stones, it''s not suitable for sale, I hope you understand."


    At this point, Xu Xinke looked puzzled, "Why doesn''t Daoist Friend Fu go directly to the Phantom Spirit Sect to purchase it?"


    A Fire Seed of Earth Fiend True me isn''t considered rare; any cultivator above the Soul Condensing Realm could use the Earth Escape Technique to acquire it from the heart of the earth.


    "I offer three thousand Lower Quality Spirit Stones," Fu Quanliang stated directly, naming his price.


    Xu Xinke''s expression was hesitant; the sum was already double that of a normal Fire Seed.


    "Five thousand," Fu Quanliang upped the offer. His expression was steady, but inside he was feeling somewhat anxious.


    The price Chu Zheng had instructed him to offer was indeed too high, already more than triple the normal amount.


    "Deal!"


    Without waiting for Xu Xinke to speak, Fang Yu immediately epted the offer. The transaction was guaranteed to be profitable.


    Xu Xinke started to speak but then hesitated and finally, with a soft sigh, stayed silent.


    "I need to verify the Spirit Stones first," Fang Yu added.


    "Of course," Fu Quanliang nodded. He looked toward Chu Zheng; he had only about twenty Spirit Stones on him.


    Chu Zheng didn''t speak but raised his hand and took out five hundred Middle Quality Spirit Stones, neatly stacking them on the desk.


    "Please wait for a moment, I will fetch the Fire Seed."


    Seeing the Spirit Stones, Xu Xinke''s look of regret vanished, and he got up somewhat flusteredly and walked out of the hall.


    Just as he reached the doorway, he abruptly stopped, turned his head, and said gravely, "Junior sister, go and ask master to leave seclusion."


    "Do we need to disturb master over such a trivial matter?"


    Fang Yu was perplexed, but obediently stood up and walked towards the back of the hall.


    Chu Zheng turned his head and nced, his gaze suddenly sharpening.


    Tiny specks of light twinkled on the horizon as more than then cultivators approached together. The leader was a man in his thirties, already at the Entry Dao Realm with a Celestial Foundation condensed.


    All of these people were dressed in alternating blue and white clothing with a pattern of joined green lotuses on their chest, clearly indicating they were from the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Chu Zheng instinctively activated his Spiritual Eye, and his expression changed immediately.


    The Qi within these cultivators was raging incessantly, an obvious sign they were ready to strike at any moment.


    "Be careful in your response; I will act ording to the situation," Chu Zheng, sensing something was wrong, passed a message to Fu Quanliang. He began to use the Invisibility Technique, gradually vanishing into the void.


    After a short time, more than ten cultivators entered the hall, their expressions as stern and cold as ice.


    "Are you from the Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    Fu Quanliang looked at the unfamiliar faces with suspicion.


    A cultivator at the Entry Dao Realm could be an Outer Sect Elder; in the entire Phantom Spirit Sect, it was impossible for him not to recognize an Entry Dao Realm cultivator, or even Spirit Spring Realm ones.


    "Who are you? You look somewhat familiar," the leading man narrowed his eyes slightly.


    "He is Fu Quanliang! I''ve seen his portrait; Junior Brother Jiang died by his hand!"


    Out of nowhere, one of the cultivators standing behind the man spoke up loudly.


    "Junior Brother Jiang?"


    Fu Quanliang was taken aback, a sh of realization crossing his mind as his eyelids suddenly flew open, and he shouted,


    "You are people from the Night Light Pavilion?!"