Chapter 11 Upgrading Magical Weapons and Continued Breakthroughs

If Arius wanted to quickly advance to Bone Tempering Perfection or even break through to the Organ Tempering Realm, the medicinal power of one or two century-old Spirit Tempering Herbs was clearly insufficient.

After all, consuming unrefined herbs caused about 70% of their medicinal power to be wasted.

Looking at the remaining century-old Spirit Tempering Herb, Arius shook his head and decided not to consume it directly.

This herb, with its nine branches and hundreds of leaves, would be more useful to Arius if sold gradually for spirit stone fragments.

Shifting his gaze away from the herb, Arius began examining the belongings he had seized from the Ashfell family’s Third Elder.

The wealth of the Third Elder far exceeded that of an ordinary rogue cultivator.

He possessed not only a damaged Level 1 treasure, but also ten spirit stone fragments and three Body Tempering Pills!

Seeing these items, Arius felt quite satisfied.

Using the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror to enhance these items could potentially double their value!

With this in mind, Arius exited his chamber and summoned a servant, instructing him calmly:

“Go. Tell Simon to bring me all the gold ingots, jade stones, and agates that the family has accumulated.”

The servant dared not delay and quickly left Arius’s residence, heading straight for the De Molinos family’s patriarchal hall.

Before long, Simon, accompanied by many family guards, delivered several chests of worldly riches to Arius’s courtyard.

“Elder…”

“These are all the De Molinos family’s worldly assets accumulated over hundreds of years. We have 10 metric tons of gold ingots, 2 metric tons of agates, and 20 metric tons of jade stones…”

Hearing Simon’s report, Arius nodded faintly.

The De Molinos family’s financial reserves weren’t particularly surprising.

After all, the family had been around for centuries. Through the diligent efforts of successive patriarchs and the protection of their cultivators, accumulating worldly wealth had been relatively easy.

“Hmm. Not bad! Not bad at all!”

Looking at the mountain of gold and treasures, Arius was quite pleased.

If he were to use all these resources, the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror could likely produce many valuable items.

Of course, depleting these riches would plunge the De Molinos family into a financial crisis within a month.

However, Arius already had a plan in mind.

Just a hundred miles from Nezier Town was an ancient town under Ashfell family control: Icosium Town.

A Ashfell family branch resided there. While the accumulated wealth of Icosium Town might not match the De Molinos family’s, if Arius seized it, it would be enough to sustain the De Molinos family’s operations.

Furthermore, there were no cultivators stationed in Icosium Town.

In the thousand-mile radius around Purple River City, ordinary forces dared not target Icosium Town. But Arius was unafraid of the Ashfell family.

With the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror in hand, as long as he had gold and riches, Arius could continually enhance his cultivation resources and, in the shortest possible time, aim for a breakthrough to the Organ Tempering Realm.

For Arius, Icosium Town was already marked for plunder.

“Alright, everyone, leave now!”

After finishing his thoughts, Arius dismissed Simon and the guards who had transported the riches.

It was time for him to use the treasures to enhance his cultivation resources.

“Understood, Elder!”

Simon didn’t dare question Arius’s orders or harbor any doubts.

In fact, he felt relieved. The De Molinos family’s accumulated treasures were now under the protection of their elder.

Simon thought that perhaps Arius had a unique fondness for worldly treasures. After all, cultivators often had peculiar personalities.

For example, the elder of the Madden family from Bicester Town was obsessed with collecting gold and silver. His obsession had reached the point of extravagance—his entire residence was gilded with gold, adorned with jade and other precious stones.

So, if Arius preferred to keep the De Molinos family’s riches close at hand, that was perfectly reasonable.

Moreover, from Simon’s perspective, placing the family’s entire fortune under Arius’s protection only made it safer.

As a cultivator, Arius’s presence was a deterrent. Even the strongest mortal warrior would find it nearly impossible to steal even a single ingot or stone under his watch.

After Simon and the others left, Arius casually grabbed a chest full of gold ingots and carried it into the underground chamber.

The chest contained more than twenty gold ingots in total.

Arius placed the chest, along with its contents, onto the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror.

In the next moment, the mirror radiated a soft and mysterious glow.

Then, the entire chest of gold ingots was gradually “absorbed” into the mirror.

Holding the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror, Arius directed its light toward the damaged Level 1 treasure he had obtained from the Ashfell family’s Third Elder.

The glow, resembling the flow of a cosmic river, radiated a profound and mysterious energy. It enveloped the damaged treasure, as if projecting a miniature universe onto its surface.

In an instant, the damaged Level 1 treasure began to transform.

Originally, it had been a single red array flag. Now, it turned into three ancient flags, each inscribed with intricate runes and shimmering in gold, green, and red.

These three flags represented the elements of Metal, Wood, and Fire.

The transformed flags, now known as the “Threefold Element Array Flags”, had fully reached the level of a genuine Level 1 treasure.

And not just any ordinary one—it was of considerable quality.

If sold, it would easily fetch ten lower-grade spirit stones.

Arius recognized these flags from ancient sect records.

The Threefold Element Array Flags were powerful tools:

• Metal represented killing power.
• Wood represented suppression and entrapment.
• Fire represented energy consumption and destruction.

When wielded by a cultivator at the Level 1 Realm, these flags could cover an area of up to several hundred meters, turning it into a zone of death.

However, as a Bone Tempering Realm cultivator, Arius lacked the ability to harness spiritual energy directly from the heavens and earth.

If he wanted to use the flags, he would need to rely on spirit stone fragments to activate their power, which would significantly reduce their effectiveness.

Still, even at reduced strength, the flags were strong enough to threaten or even kill an Organ Tempering Realm cultivator.

With this treasure in his hands, Arius finally had a formidable weapon—a true trump card.

However, using it would require extreme caution.

Once the Threefold Element Array Flags were revealed, every enemy cultivator present would have to be killed without exception.

This was a Level 1 treasure, after all. If the news of him possessing it spread, cultivators at the Level 1 Realm or higher would stop at nothing to seize it for themselves.

After upgrading the array flags, Arius brought in several more chests of gold ingots.

He then upgraded the three Body Tempering Pills he had obtained from the Ashfell family’s Third Elder.

Finally, Arius turned his attention to the ten spirit stone fragments.

In theory, the Heaven-Seeking Treasure Mirror could also upgrade spirit stones.

However, the value of worldly treasures like gold and jade paled in comparison to spirit stones.

Despite this, Arius decided to test the mirror’s capabilities.

He placed several dozen chests of gold and silver onto the mirror’s surface, along with the spirit stone fragments.

Before long, the mirror once again emitted its soft, mysterious glow.

Chapter 12 Extremely Cautious, This is What a Cultivator Should Be

Holding the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal in his hands, Arius felt a mixture of anticipation and unease.

Yet, after a long wait, the ten fragments of spirit stones showed no significant changes.

Disappointment flickered across Arius’s face.

It seemed that spending mundane gold and silver treasures wouldn’t suffice to upgrade the spirit stone fragments.

“So, a trip to the Immortal Market is unavoidable…” he muttered to himself, tucking the fragments away and shaking his head in resignation.

Using the spirit stone fragments directly for cultivation wasn’t cost-effective for him. Ten fragments could be exchanged for thirty Body Refining Pills. Though a single low-grade pill wouldn’t compare to the effect of one fragment, with the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal enhancing them, even a single pill could far surpass the efficacy of absorbing a spirit stone fragment.

The key lay in the mirror’s ability to upgrade ordinary low-grade pills using mundane gold and silver.

If his strength grew sufficiently in the future, Arius could even purchase low-grade elixirs, enhance them using the mirror, and sell them for a hefty profit.

The thought brought a faint smile to his lips. Such a plan could yield endless returns.

Of course, pursuing this path required both caution and sufficient strength to back it up.

After organizing the cultivation resources in his secret chamber, Arius carefully packed a leaf from the century-old Spirit Purification Herb and five spirit stone fragments. As he prepared to leave for the Immortal Market…

Beyond the town of Nezier, a cloaked old man with long, gray-white hair approached slowly.

Though the elder was thin and frail, almost feeble-looking, the immense vitality emanating from his body surged like a vast ocean, radiating a suffocating pressure in all directions.

This was the Ashfell family’s Second Elder. As a master in the early Bone Refining stage, he lacked the arrogance of the Third Elder, instead maintaining a low-key and composed demeanor at all times.

Standing with hands clasped behind his back, he gazed toward Nezier Town but did not enter directly. Instead, he casually seized one of the armored guards at the gate, his voice dripping with menace as he demanded,

“I’ll ask, you answer.”

“If you lie… you die!”

“Do you understand?”

The Second Elder’s words sent the guard into a pale-faced panic. Nodding frantically, the man stammered out a trembling agreement.

Satisfied, the elder wasted no time. “Not long ago, did the Ashfell family contingent arrive in Nezier Town?”

“Y-Yes, Immortal Master… Please, have mercy! I’m just a common mortal working for the De Molinos family to earn a living…”

The guard dared not conceal anything. He was no fool. Not long ago, Arius had single-handedly slaughtered the Ashfell family’s envoys, even killing one of their immortal cultivators.

It was only natural that the Ashfell family’s cultivators would come seeking vengeance.

The guard could already tell this frail-looking elder was no ordinary man—he was undoubtedly a cultivator from the Ashfell family.

Though the guard had trained in martial arts since childhood and could handle even the finest mortal warriors, in the face of this elder, he couldn’t muster even the thought of resistance.

The elder’s mere presence was enough to freeze his blood and bind his body in invisible chains.

This was the divide between mortals and immortals.

Even the lowest-ranked cultivators of the Body Refining Realm were an insurmountable terror to ordinary people.

The guard’s trembling form only deepened the elder’s frown.

So, the Ashfell family’s contingent had reached Nezier Town… Yet now, the town bore no trace of their presence.

The stone walls of Nezier Town bore no signs of the Ashfell family’s banners.

That alone told a story.

Though the Second Elder of the Ashfell family already had a sinking suspicion about what had occurred, he clung to a sliver of hope as he pressed on with his questioning.

“And then? What happened to the Ashfell family’s contingent?”

“D-dead… They’re all dead… slaughtered entirely by the De Molinos family’s patriarch…”

The guard’s voice came in weak, broken gasps as the Second Elder’s hand tightened around his throat.

“The De Molinos family of Nezier Town dares this much arrogance!” the elder hissed.

His expression darkened to the extreme. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he hurled the guard to the ground with tremendous force.

Boom!

The impact resonated through the air like thunder. Under the overwhelming strength of a Bone Refining cultivator, the guard’s body exploded into a mist of blood the moment it hit the ground.

The surrounding earth trembled, forming a deep crater where the guard had fallen.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

Witnessing this horrifying scene, the guards stationed around Nezier Town and several residents scattered in a panic. Terror spread like wildfire. Only a handful of guards managed to keep their wits, their leaders hastily retreating toward the De Molinos family estate to report the situation.

But after killing the guard, the Second Elder made no further moves. He stood at the town’s edge, his cold eyes fixed on Nezier Town. Though his body radiated murderous intent, he did not dare to take a single step inside.

He knew the truth. Whoever had slaughtered the Third Elder of the Ashfell family—who had achieved the pinnacle of the Blood Tempering Realm—and wiped out two hundred elite Ashfell guards could not be an ordinary cultivator. That De Molinos family patriarch’s strength clearly surpassed the Blood Tempering Realm.

To recklessly charge into Nezier Town without fully understanding the De Molinos family’s strength would be to court death.

Unlike the reckless Third Elder, the Second Elder had never been a man of exceptional talent. The only reason he had climbed to his current position was through caution and restraint.

After careful deliberation, the elder suppressed his fury and made his decision. Turning sharply on his heel, he left Nezier Town without looking back.

The death of a family elder and the damage to the Ashfell family’s prestige were indeed grave matters. But compared to his own life? They were trivial.

The Second Elder had never been one to gamble with his survival.

In the world of cultivation, those lacking overwhelming strength or talent needed to abandon recklessness and act with utmost caution if they wished to live long and rise further.

With that thought in mind, the elder quickened his pace, his figure streaking like a comet across the mountain ranges. Within moments, he had disappeared completely, leaving not a trace of his presence.

Back in Nezier Town, the earlier commotion had alerted the entire De Molinos family.

Elders, guards, and warriors all hurried out, their expressions filled with a mix of vigilance and dread.

Simon, the head of the De Molinos family, personally stepped forward. When his gaze fell upon the blood-stained crater, his heart sank. Anxiety gripped him.

The Ashfell family’s retaliation had finally arrived.

“Stand down,” he ordered, his voice steady but strained.

“The Ashfell family’s cultivator has already left. There’s no need to worry…”

Despite his calm words, Simon couldn’t quiet the unease gnawing at him. His thoughts raced as he considered possible countermeasures.

Then, breaking through the tense air, a voice—ancient and commanding—resounded across the heavens.

“Disperse. There is no need for alarm.”

It was Arius.

The moment the Ashfell family’s Second Elder had approached Nezier Town and attacked the guard, Arius had sensed it.

He had even prepared the Three-Talent Formation Flags, intending to trap the Second Elder in the town. But the Ashfell family’s elder had been too cautious, fleeing before Arius could act.

Cautious, restrained, and rational… This was the true nature of most cultivators.

“Patriarch…”

“Patriarch…”

At the sound of Arius’s voice, the De Molinos family’s elders and guards immediately turned and bowed in reverence.

 

Chapter 13 Go to the Market to Purchase Items

“Hm…”

Arius stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the gathered family members and De Molinos family guards. He gave a slight nod before speaking again.

“There is no need to panic.”

“The matter with the Ashfell family will be handled by me.”

“When this is over, the De Molinos family of Nezier Town will officially take its place in Purple River City, reigning supreme over a Hundred miles of land!”

Though his tone was calm and measured, his words carried an undeniable weight of authority. The sheer dominance in his voice reverberated through the hearts of everyone present, steadying their unease.

As Arius’s piercing gaze moved across the crowd, it eventually settled on Simon, the family patriarch. He continued, his voice laden with purpose.

“Simon…”

“You need not concern yourself with the Ashfell family of Purple River City. From this moment forward, I want you to mobilize our family’s resources and start searching for children under the age of ten—infants included.”

“Especially orphans and vagrants. Bring them all back to the family.”

“If they possess spirit roots, I will personally teach them the ways of cultivation. If they don’t, they will be trained in martial arts to serve the De Molinos family.”

“Our De Molinos family has lingered in Nezier Town for far too long. It is time we step out—not just into Purple River City but into the lands beyond, a Hundred miles in every direction.”

Arius’s tone was even, but his words crashed into the ears of Simon and the others like thunderclaps.

His ambition was unmistakable, his vision clear. To replace the Ashfell family of Purple River City and expand the De Molinos family’s influence far beyond its current boundaries.

The idea sent a surge of exhilaration through the younger generation. Their hearts burned with fervor. Youthful spirits were always restless, eager to carve their names into the annals of history with the edge of their swords.

“Yes, Patriarch…” Simon replied, his tone filled with reverence and anticipation.

The blueprint Arius had painted was one that Simon himself longed for. As the family patriarch, he dreamed of strengthening the De Molinos family and leaving behind a legacy that would echo through the ages.

However, not everyone shared his enthusiasm. The older generation of the De Molinos family, their ambitions dulled by the passage of time, remained silent. They valued stability and feared the risks of expansion.

But none dared to voice their dissent.

In terms of seniority, Arius was the family’s patriarch—their most ancient, longest-living member.

In terms of authority, his position in the family was unshakable.

And in terms of strength, he was an immortal cultivator.

“There is one more issue,” Arius said, his voice cutting through the crowd once more. “Our family’s population is far too small.”

“Spread the word: encourage the family to bear children.”

“Those who bring new offspring into the world will be handsomely rewarded by the family. And if their child possesses spirit roots… I will personally bestow them with a grand reward.”

“Furthermore, any descendants of the De Molinos family who have spirit roots shall have the privilege of training under me.”

The moment Arius finished speaking, a fire ignited in the eyes of many De Molinos family members.

Having children? That was an easy task.

Beyond the allure of the family’s rewards, the prospect of having a child with spirit roots—earning the patriarch’s favor and giving their offspring a chance to train as immortal cultivators—was a dream worth chasing.

The atmosphere among the De Molinos family surged with excitement, a wave of enthusiasm spreading rapidly through the crowd.

But Simon felt the crushing weight of responsibility settle heavily on his shoulders.

The family’s territory and resources were limited. Over the years, he had implemented various policies to strictly control the family’s population growth. Without such measures, the De Molinos family would have long since exceeded twenty thousand members.

Having children was easy, but feeding and supporting a growing population required resources—resources the family couldn’t afford to squander.

Of course, Arius was well aware of this.

But he already had plans in place.

If Nezier Town’s resources and territory were insufficient… then they would simply claim Purple River City and the surrounding towns and villages within a Hundred miles.

After all, within the Aragon Kingdom, the methods of agriculture—its cultivation, transportation, management, and storage—were still woefully outdated.

Once the Ashfell family of Purple River City was dealt with, Arius planned to use the knowledge from his previous life to compile an extensive Compendium of Knowledge.

With that as a foundation, he would oversee the construction of roads connecting Purple River City to the surrounding ancient towns and villages.

The lands within a Hundred miles of Purple River City held rivers and fertile plains. With proper management, the population of the region could multiply tens—if not hundreds—of times.

And with more people, the likelihood of children born with spirit roots would naturally increase.

Building a thriving mortal base was an indispensable step in creating a powerful and enduring family.

However, developing Purple River City was only the first step in Arius’s grand plan.

With the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal in hand, Arius sought not only the highest realms of cultivation but also to establish a glorious, eternal immortal clan.

Once the De Molinos family members dispersed, Arius took a final glance around Nezier Town. Then, like a fleeting shadow, he disappeared into the night.

His destination was the Immortal Market

He knew the Ashfell family’s Second Elder would report everything to their clan upon his return.

And when that happened, whether for revenge or to protect their family’s reputation, the Ashfell family of Purple River City would undoubtedly launch an all-out assault on Nezier Town.

Time was not on Arius’s side.

At most, he had three or four days before the Ashfell family made their move.

In the meantime, Arius had to make full preparations.

But despite the looming threat, Arius remained calm.

As long as he could plan ahead and set the stage, he was confident he could kill the Ashfell family’s “Organ Tempering Realm” patriarch, along with their “Bone Tempering Realm” cultivators. At that point, the Ashfell family would be no more than fish on a chopping block.

The night stretched on as Arius moved with incredible speed, his figure a blur beneath the dark canopy of stars.

The Immortal Market was a hub of mixed intentions and hidden dangers. To avoid drawing unnecessary attention, he chose not to travel on his ferocious tiger mount.

For rogue cultivators conducting transactions in such a place, the more inconspicuous one appeared, the safer they would be.

The Immortal Market, situated one hundred miles from Nezier Town, was one of the few powers within a Hundred miles of Purple River City capable of rivaling the Ashfell family.

The market’s mysterious owner, an Organ Tempering Realm cultivator, rarely revealed himself. Since the market’s establishment, he had shown no interest in expanding his territory, resulting in an unspoken truce between him and the Ashfell family.

On the rugged terrain of Aragon Kingdom, separated by mountains and rivers, one hundred miles was neither far nor near.

After traveling at full speed, Arius finally reached the Immortal Market at the break of dawn, just as the first rays of sunlight touched the earth.

The exterior of the Immortal Market was concealed by an illusory formation. To ordinary mortals, it appeared as an impassable cliff face, deterring anyone from approaching.

However, as Arius stepped forward, his body did not fall into an abyss. Instead, it gradually vanished, swallowed by the formation.

Once inside, a bustling marketplace emerged before his eyes, resembling a mortal bazaar but entirely populated by cultivators.

There wasn’t a single mortal in sight.

Every stall owner, merchant, and passerby was a cultivator, and the items being traded included rare materials, pills, and cultivation manuals.

“Come and see! Body Refining Pills crafted by a Level 1 Alchemist—three for just one spirit stone fragment!”

“Fine iron chainmail! Capable of withstanding a million pounds of force. Wear it, and even a Bone Tempering cultivator’s attack won’t leave a scratch! Fixed price: ten spirit stone fragments.”

“Ten-year Spirit Purification Herb! Freshly matured and just harvested! Five spirit stone fragments per stalk—don’t miss out!”

The market was lively and chaotic, filled with cultivators haggling and trading. Stalls lined the streets, with treasures displayed for all to see.

 

Chapter 14: Selling Precious Medicine, Exceeding Expectations

Walking through the Immortal Market, Arius attracted stares wherever he went. The cultivators around him gazed at him with a mixture of awe and fear, instinctively keeping their distance.

In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme, and the hierarchy was rigidly enforced.

Though the Immortal Market was crowded with cultivators, most of them were only at the Skin Tempering stage.

Cultivators at the Blood Tempering or Bone Tempering stages were few and far between.

Arius had visited the Immortal Market within the Albigensians Sect during his time there, and this market was a far cry from that.

Compared to the Albigensians Sect’s grand market, this one was but a speck of dust.

In the sect’s market, as long as one had enough spirit stones, it was easy to purchase Level 1 Pills or artifacts.

On occasion, even Level 2 Pills could be found for sale.

As Arius’s thoughts wandered, he found himself, almost without realizing it, standing before the grandest structure in the market.

The building towered seven stories high, its design bold and imposing.

At the entrance stood two beautiful young women, their long pink dresses complementing their serene and graceful demeanors.

Though the two women were only at the early stage of Skin Tempering, they showed no trace of fear when facing Arius, whose vitality marked him as a Bone Tempering cultivator.

It was not because they underestimated him.

Rather, the building they guarded—The Blue Pavilion—was one of the enterprises owned by the mysterious master of the Immortal Market.

As long as they adhered to the rules, even Bone Tempering or early Organ Tempering cultivators wouldn’t dare cause trouble within The Blue Pavilion.

“Honored senior, welcome to The Blue Pavilion!”

“May I ask if you’re looking for artifacts, materials, pills, or cultivation manuals? Our pavilion offers a wide selection of everything you may need.”

“Since this is your first visit to The Blue Pavilion, if you would allow it, I would be delighted to guide you through and explain the details of our offerings.”

The young woman with long, jet-black hair and flawless, jade-like skin stepped forward, her smile warm and inviting.

Her gaze burned with a subtle intensity as it settled on Arius.

A Bone Tempering cultivator was likely to have substantial wealth. To her, Arius was a walking treasure chest.

The more she could convince him to purchase, the higher her commission for the month would be.

“There’s no need,” Arius replied coolly, unmoved by her enthusiasm.

Her identity was clear—she was a salesperson for The Blue Pavilion.

During his time at the Albigensians Sect, Arius had seen many large trading houses employ similar tactics, hiring young and attractive female cultivators—or handsome and charming male ones—as salespeople.

It was a proven strategy to boost profits.

But neither beauty nor sweet words held any sway over Arius.

Such methods might work on inexperienced, naïve cultivators, but Arius had cultivated for over a century. He was immune to these superficial tricks.

Despite Arius’s indifference, the young woman maintained her professional smile, showing no sign of discomfort or embarrassment.

This was her job, after all.

Being rejected by one customer didn’t faze her. Another would come along soon enough.

While most cultivators were shrewd and calculating, the vast sea of people always presented opportunities for persuasion.

“Please, senior, go ahead…”

“If you need assistance at any time, feel free to call on me.”

The young woman’s voice was soft and alluring, carrying a subtle charm designed to captivate.

Arius, however, didn’t respond further. He walked straight into The Blue Pavilion without sparing her another glance.

He felt no fondness for the two women outside.

In fact, their presence immediately put Arius on alert—not just toward them but also toward the mysterious owner of both the Blue Pavilion and the Immortal Market.

Though the two young women appeared harmless, Arius could detect faint traces of an evil cultivation aura emanating from them.

His ability to sense this wasn’t a coincidence; during his time at the Albigensians Sect, Arius had secretly practiced an evil cultivation technique himself.

Without it, given his “pseudo-spirit root” aptitude and lack of backing within the sect, breaking through to even the mid-stage of Skin Tempering would have been nearly impossible, let alone reaching Blood Tempering.

Evil cultivation techniques provided rapid progress in the early stages, but the further one advanced, the greater the risks became.

Within the cultivation world of the Aragon Kingdom, practicing such techniques was strictly forbidden.

Anyone found to be an evil cultivator would face relentless persecution from all sides.

The evil cultivation method Arius had once practiced was a fragmented and incomplete technique he had stumbled upon by chance.

When he advanced to the Blood Tempering level and sensed his cultivation beginning to spiral out of control, he had decisively abandoned the technique.

At lower realms, practicing evil cultivation might escape the notice of higher-level cultivators. But once the foundation of such practices solidified, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Entering The Blue Pavilion, Arius cast a quick glance around the first floor. It was stocked with basic treasures and materials—items meant for novice cultivators.

The second floor housed cultivation techniques suitable for Skin Tempering and Blood Tempering stages.

The higher levels, starting from the third floor, gradually introduced items intended for Bone Tempering and even Organ Tempering cultivators.

From the third floor onward, each level was guarded by a Blood Tempering stage cultivator.

At the very top of The Blue Pavilion, a Bone Tempering stage cultivator oversaw everything. However, Arius could tell that even these guards had all practiced some form of evil cultivation.

The more he observed, the clearer it became—The Blue Pavilion’s owner, the master of the Immortal Market, was no benevolent figure.

“Shopkeeper, will The Blue Pavilion accept this?”

Arius spoke calmly as he reached the top floor. From within his robe, he pulled out a single leaf from the century-old Spirit Purification Herb.

Since The Blue Pavilion sold various cultivation items, it also purchased materials, treasures, and techniques from others.

Though this was Arius’s first time visiting the market, he had already researched it thoroughly during his time at the Albigensians Sect.

Not just this market—over the past century, Arius had gathered intelligence on all the major powers in Huai Mountain Prefecture.

The master of this market was very likely an evil cultivator, but their business practices had earned a solid reputation for reliability.

Even so, Arius remained prepared for the worst.

In the world of cultivation, every transaction carried inherent risks.

“Oh!”

“A century-old Spirit Purification Herb?”

The elderly Bone Tempering cultivator overseeing the top floor immediately perked up at the sight of the leaf.

Even a single leaf from such a herb held significant value.

“We’ll take it! Of course, we’ll take it!”

“Fellow Daoist, how does thirty spirit stone fragments sound?”

The elder’s sharp eyes glinted as he looked at Arius, testing the waters with his offer.

 

Chapter 15: Psychological Gaming, Deal is Done

Hearing the elder’s offer, Arius was slightly surprised. The value of the century-old Spirit Purification Herb leaf far exceeded his expectations.

But after a moment’s thought, he quickly understood why.

In the Immortal Market of the Albigensians Sect, while such leaves were rare and precious, they could still be purchased if one was willing to part with enough spirit stones.

However, within a hundred, or even several hundred miles of Purple River City, no faction had the means to cultivate century-old treasures like this.

The cultivation of such herbs required not only a cultivator’s meticulous care but also superior spiritual farmland—resources far beyond the reach of most powers in this region.

As a result, a century-old Spirit Purification Herb leaf was essentially priceless within this vast area.

Realizing this, Arius didn’t respond to the elder immediately. Instead, he maintained a calm demeanor, furrowing his brow slightly as though dissatisfied with the offer.

Every negotiation was a battle of wits.

Only by seizing the upper hand could one maximize their gains. This was true in the cultivation world and in the mundane one as well.

Seeing Arius’s silent, discontented expression, the elder didn’t rush.

As the manager of Blue Pavilion, he had dealt with all sorts of customers and could easily recognize when someone was holding out for a better offer.

After a brief pause, he spoke again, raising the bid:

“How about this, Fellow Daoist? Let’s consider this a gesture of goodwill between you and Blue Pavilion—thirty-five spirit stone fragments, a fixed price.”

“While the century-old Spirit Purification Herb leaf has some value, it doesn’t serve much practical use in your hands…”

“Even if you were to consume it directly, it wouldn’t significantly increase your cultivation and would waste much of its medicinal properties. But if you exchange it for spirit stones, you could purchase refined pills or cultivation techniques that would be far more beneficial.”

Despite the elder’s raised offer and persuasive reasoning, Arius remained impassive, his expression calm and unaffected.

Thirty-five spirit stone fragments was already a generous price, but Arius knew it wasn’t Blue Pavilion’s best offer.

As the elder observed Arius’s composed demeanor, he began to feel a twinge of frustration. But instead of increasing the bid again, he shifted his approach, testing the waters.

“Fellow Daoist, thirty-five spirit stone fragments is the absolute limit Blue Pavilion can offer.”

“If you’re still not satisfied, perhaps you could name a price yourself? As long as it’s reasonable, we can negotiate.”

The elder emphasized the word “limit,” making it clear that he was approaching the boundaries of what he could offer.

This was part of the negotiation game.

In the Immortal Market of the Albigensians Sect, a century-old Spirit Purification Herb leaf might fetch no more than twenty spirit stone fragments.

But in the Purple River region, where such leaves were essentially unavailable, Blue Pavilion could easily sell it for 100 spirit stone fragments or more through their auction network.

By transferring the power to set a price back to Arius, the elder was probing for Arius’s bottom line.

In any negotiation, strategically ceding the initiative could often pave the way to gaining even greater leverage.

But Arius, a cultivator with over a century of experience and now 110 years old, wasn’t so easily manipulated.

“Eighty spirit stone fragments. Anything less, and I won’t sell it,” Arius stated flatly, naming a bold figure.

Eighty fragments was a steep price—approaching the value of an entire complete Spirit Purification Herb.

After all, a whole century-old Spirit Purification Herb might only sell for three or four lower-grade spirit stones.

And what Arius offered was merely a single leaf.

As expected, the elder’s expression shifted subtly at the mention of eighty fragments. A hint of helplessness crept into his eyes.

All his usual negotiation tactics had proven useless against Arius.

“Fellow Daoist, surely you jest.”

“Let’s compromise. How about we meet in the middle—sixty spirit stone fragments?”

“This price is already three times the market value for a leaf of century-old Spirit Purification Herb. Even if you were to visit other trading houses, you wouldn’t get a better deal,” the elder said with a sigh.

Sixty spirit stone fragments was indeed the highest price Blue Pavilion could offer.

While Blue Pavilion could potentially auction the leaf for one hundred fragments or more, every transaction’s profit required giving a thirty percent cut to the Albigensians Sect.

Not just Blue Pavilion, but the entire Immortal Market—and every cultivation force in Pyrenees Mountain County—was obligated to surrender thirty percent of their profits to the sect.

Failure to comply would mean facing the wrath of the sect and annihilation.

In Pyrenees Mountain County, the Albigensians Sect was the absolute ruler.

“Not enough.”

“Unless you add three copies of Organ Tempering cultivation techniques and one bottle of Spirit Purification Pills,” Arius said flatly.

Hearing this, the elder didn’t argue and quickly agreed.

Organ Tempering cultivation techniques weren’t particularly rare; Blue Pavilion had hundreds of them in its collection. Printing three copies for Arius wasn’t an issue.

As for the bottle of Spirit Pills, it contained six pills and was worth no more than two spirit stone fragments.

Once the deal was finalized, the elder wasted no time. He ordered someone to retrieve the three copies of the Organ Tempering techniques, along with a bottle of Spirit Purification Pills and sixty spirit stone fragments, which were promptly handed to Arius.

In return, Arius passed the century-old Spirit Purification Herb leaf to the elder.

With the transaction completed, the elder smiled warmly and spoke again.

“Fellow Daoist, is there anything else you need?”

“Our Blue Pavilion offers a wide range of premium artifacts, refined pills, and other treasures.”

“If there’s something you’re interested in, we can offer you a special discount—ten percent off this time!”

The elder’s tone was eager, trying to capitalize on Arius’s willingness to spend.

Arius didn’t refuse.

He had come to the Immortal Market precisely to stock up on pills, talismans, and arrays for his upcoming confrontation.

“Shopkeeper, I’ll take ten Fire Talismans, three Spirit Poison Bottles, and ten bottles of Body Tempering Pills,” Arius said casually.

Fire Talismans were among the most basic types of talismans.

A single Fire Talisman’s power was so limited that it couldn’t even harm a Bone Tempering cultivator.

Yet their price wasn’t cheap—one Fire Talisman cost a full spirit stone fragment.

Of course, while a single talisman might be ineffective, throwing hundreds—or even thousands—of Fire Talismans at once would force even an early Level one cultivator to retreat.

Arius’s purchase of Fire Talismans had a clear purpose: to deal with the Ashfell family’s Organ Tempering patriarch.

Though Fire Talismans were weak in their base form, Arius planned to use the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal to enhance and upgrade them.

Similarly, the Spirit Poison Bottles served as another basic offensive tool.

Each bottle contained a concentrated toxin derived from treasured herbs. When thrown at an enemy, it could inflict temporary paralysis.

However, low-grade Spirit Poison Bottles were only effective against cultivators at the Body Tempering stages.

 

Chapter 16: Immortal Cultivation, Only the Word Struggle

After returning to Nezier Town, Arius planned to use the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal to upgrade and enhance the Spirit Poison Bottles and Fire Talismans he had just purchased.

With those strengthened items, combined with his First Level artifact, the Three-Talent Formation Flags, he would be more than prepared to deal with the Ashfell family patriarch.

“Fellow Daoist, the total for everything comes to fifty-two spirit stone fragments.”

“With the ten-percent discount, you only need to pay forty-six fragments,” the elder said as he personally delivered the ten Fire Talismans, eleven bottles of Spirit Purification Pills, and three Spirit Poison Bottles to Arius.

Arius nodded in satisfaction at the price.

After carefully storing all the items, he didn’t linger in the Blue Pavilion any longer. Instead, he began wandering around the rest of the Immortal Market.

Compared to the Blue Pavilion, the other shops and stalls in the market primarily catered to Skin Tempering and Blood Tempering cultivators, offering basic tools and resources.

Many stalls were cluttered with so-called “ancient treasures”—items loudly advertised but clearly fake.

The stall owners hawked their wares enthusiastically to the passing crowd:

“Freshly unearthed two-handed sword artifact from the Crimson Fiend Valley! Cuts through iron like butter—could be a Level 1 artifact! Only two spirit stone fragments!”

“Level 2 artifact fragment! Come take a look! Genuine Level 2 artifact fragment—only one spirit stone fragment to take it home!”

Arius’s gaze swept across the items as he walked by. The so-called “Level 2 artifact fragment” was nothing more than a piece of dull, lifeless scrap metal.

And the ornate two-handed sword, supposedly imbued with mystical symbols and a cutting edge, was nothing more than an ordinary mundane weapon.

Even a novice cultivator could easily distinguish such fakes.

Yet, the stalls still attracted some cultivators who paused to examine the items.

Despite the abundance of counterfeit goods, these stalls occasionally featured genuine items or practical tools, drawing in hopeful or curious customers.

Some were driven by a gambler’s mentality, hoping for a lucky find among the sea of frauds.

Arius spent half an hour wandering through the market, eventually purchasing a batch of treasured herb seeds. Once he was certain there was nothing else of interest, he prepared to leave the Immortal Market.

But just as he turned to go, a heated argument caught his attention.

“This is a Second Level-grade Spirit Gathering Array! Even though it’s damaged, it still holds value. I absolutely won’t sell it for less than twenty-five spirit stone fragments!”

“Spirit Gathering Array? If it were intact and still capable of gathering spiritual energy, then maybe the price would make sense…”

“But look at it—it’s barely functional! Only one-tenth of the formation flags remain. Even if someone bought it, it’d be useless except for salvaging materials.”

“And even for salvaging materials, the remaining flags are so broken down that there’s barely anything left to work with.”

“Ten spirit stone fragments. Take it or leave it.”

Following the sound of the argument, Arius’s gaze landed on two men, both at the early Blood Tempering stage, fiercely haggling over the price.

The mention of a Level 2 grade Spirit Gathering Array immediately piqued Arius’s interest. His steps, which had been carrying him toward the exit, halted in an instant.

A Level 2-grade Spirit Gathering Array was designed to gather spiritual energy from its surroundings, drastically accelerating the cultivation of Level 2 cultivators.

Even the cheapest Level 2-grade array would typically sell for hundreds of lower-grade spirit stones.

Back at the Albigensians Sect, there had been several such arrays, all of which were invaluable resources.

However, the array next to the two men was in an extremely dilapidated state.

Only one-tenth of its formation flags remained, and even the most critical materials embedded in those flags had already been scavenged.

Its value had dwindled to a mere fraction of what it once was, barely one percent of its original worth.

Yet, even in its current state, as a Level 2-grade Spirit Gathering Array, it could still fetch several dozen lower-grade spirit stones.

Arius watched the two quarreling Blood Tempering cultivators, deliberating for a moment before making his decision. He would buy the array.

If the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal could repair even a portion of this array, the investment would be well worth it.

“No need to argue, gentlemen.”

“Fifteen spirit stone fragments. I’ll take it,” Arius said, his tone calm as he approached the two men.

As he spoke, the vast vitality within his body surged outward, enveloping the area with an oppressive aura. The weight of his presence descended like a mountain on the two Blood Tempering cultivators.

“G-greetings, Senior…”

“Greetings, Senior…”

The two men immediately turned pale, bowing respectfully under the immense pressure radiating from Arius.

The man who had been attempting to bargain the price down to ten spirit stone fragments dared not utter another word.

He was only in the early stages of Blood Tempering, while Arius’s aura clearly marked him as a Bone Tempering cultivator.

Though the Immortal Market prohibited fighting, the moment they stepped outside its bounds, those rules would no longer apply. For the sake of a broken Spirit Gathering Array, the man wasn’t about to provoke a Bone Tempering cultivator.

The seller, on the other hand, looked reluctant. Fifteen spirit stone fragments was not the price he had hoped for.

But after weighing his options, he ultimately chose to concede.

Such was the reality of the cultivation world. If Arius had been anything less than a Bone Tempering cultivator, the seller would never have backed down.

Strength ruled supreme, and the strong commanded respect.

Fairness existed only on the foundation of power.

Arius felt no guilt over the situation.

He was no noble gentleman of righteous virtue.

He was simply one of the countless beings bound by the harsh rules of this world.

Cultivation was, at its core, a struggle.

If you didn’t fight, you would be trampled. If you didn’t fight, you would become a stepping stone for others.

After leaving fifteen spirit stone fragments behind, Arius collected the broken Level 2-grade Spirit Gathering Array and, with a single step, transformed into a fleeting shadow as he exited the Immortal Market.

The entire trip had taken several hours, and time was running short.

He needed to return to Nezier Town without delay and complete his preparations before the Ashfell family launched their attack.

Crossing mountains, wading through rivers, and navigating treacherous marshes, Arius moved through terrain that would have been insurmountable for ordinary mortals. To him, these obstacles were no more challenging than walking across a plain.

At full speed, the two-hundred-miles journey would take him no more than an hour.

But Arius chose not to rush. Instead, he maintained a steady pace, conserving his energy.

When traveling in the outside world, it was crucial to keep one’s strength intact. If danger arose, exhaustion could lead to disaster—or even death.

This lesson, hard-earned through a century of cultivation, was deeply ingrained in Arius.

 

Chapter 17: Spirit of the spirit cultivator fight? Bugger off.

As Arius continued his journey back to Nezier Town, his senses remained sharp, constantly scanning his surroundings for any signs of danger.

Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted from the distant mountain range, shaking the air around him.

Even though the source of the sound was dozens of miles away, the booming noise was like rolling thunder, loud enough to make his ears ring.

The sound carried faint waves of spiritual energy—undeniable proof that cultivators were battling nearby.

Only cultivators at the Level 1 Realm or higher could harness the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cast such powerful spells.

Realizing this, Arius immediately became more cautious, retreating swiftly in the opposite direction.

A clash between Level 1 cultivators was not something a mere Bone Tempering cultivator like him could afford to get involved in.

A single full-power strike from a Level 1 cultivator could easily cover hundreds of meters, annihilating everything within range.

In the face of such power, even a peak Organ Tempering cultivator would be as insignificant as an ant.

As Arius quickened his pace, the distant explosions gradually faded.

Only when the world behind him returned to silence did Arius allow himself to relax, exhaling softly.

Encounters like this were rare near Purple River City.

In the hundreds of miles surrounding the city, even Body Tempering cultivators were uncommon, let alone Level 1 cultivators, much less ones fighting in the wild.

After all, the region lacked high-grade spiritual veins or rare heavenly treasures to attract such powerful individuals.

The two Level 1 cultivators battling in the distance were likely just passing through and happened to clash.

In the world of cultivation, conflicts between cultivators were as routine as eating or drinking.

Two cultivators of the same level might come to blows over resources, a technique, or a secret realm, often fighting to the death.

For lower-level cultivators, even the slightest offense toward a higher-level one could mean losing their lives on the spot.

After crossing two more mist-shrouded, beast-infested mountain ranges, Arius finally returned to the De Molinos family estate in Nezier Town just before sunset.

Though there had been a minor interruption on his journey back from the Immortal Market, things had gone smoothly overall.

The moment Arius returned, he began sorting through his spoils:

9 fragments of spirit stones

3 Organ Tempering cultivation techniques

12 bottles of Body Tempering Pills (36 pills total)

10 Fire Talismans

3 Spirit Poison Bottles

A severely damaged Level 2 grade Spirit Gathering Array

In addition, Arius still possessed his most valuable items:

The Crimson Flame Path Scripture, capable of cultivation to the Level 4 Realm.

The century-old Spirit Purification Herb, with seven leaves remaining.

The Level 1-grade Three-Talent Formation Flags, his greatest trump card.

Arius kept the Three-Talent Formation Flags close at all times, knowing it was the key to his survival.

Once activated, it made him practically invincible against anyone below the Level 1 Realm.

The 9 spirit stone fragments, however, were not intended for cultivation. Instead, they were reserved for powering the Three-Talent Formation Flags.

Without reaching the Level 1 Realm, Arius couldn’t fully utilize Level 1-grade artifacts without using spirit stones to fuel them.

After carefully organizing his inventory, Arius retrieved the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal and placed two chests of gold ingots on its surface.

Immediately, a mysterious celestial light began to shimmer across the mirror’s surface.

Holding the mirror in his hand, Arius directed it at one of the Fire Talismans.

Shhhh!

The radiant, mysterious light enveloped the talisman.

In an instant, the once-ordinary Fire Talisman began to emit a faint spiritual pressure.

Even from two meters away, Arius could feel an overwhelming sense of danger radiating from it.

The power of the Fire Talisman had increased at least a thousandfold.

Originally, its effects were limited, capable of mildly inconveniencing an Organ Tempering cultivator at best.

Now, the spiritual pressure it released was no weaker than that of a Level 1 cultivator in the early stages.

And this was before the talisman had even been activated.

Once triggered, it might even pose a serious threat to a Level 1 cultivator.

After putting away the enhanced Fire Talisman, Arius brought out chest after chest of mundane gold and silver, continuing to use the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal to upgrade various items.

For the next two full hours, Arius meticulously enhanced every object he owned.

By the end of it, the De Molinos family’s entire stockpile of gold and silver had been completely depleted.

During the process, Arius had even attempted a bold experiment: using enhanced items as resources to fuel the mirror, creating an infinite cycle—an endless loop of strengthening one item after another.

Unfortunately, the attempt failed.

While items enhanced by the mirror could indeed undergo secondary or even tertiary enhancements, they could not be used as consumable resources to enhance other objects.

Looking around the secret chamber at the array of strengthened items, Arius’s curiosity about the mirror’s origins grew even deeper.

But regardless of where it came from, the fact that it had fallen into his hands seemed like fate—or perhaps, a stroke of fortune for the De Molinos family.

As the last cultivator of the De Molinos family, Arius knew that if he fell, or remained stuck in the Blood Tempering stage, the family’s decline would be inevitable.

But as long as he lived and grew stronger, he could protect the De Molinos family for another century, another millennium, or even longer.

Eventually, the family would produce descendants with spirit roots, and their cultivation foundation would rise.

With time and patience, the De Molinos family’s strength and legacy could ascend to entirely new heights.

The Mirror of Immortal Appraisal wasn’t just Arius’s good fortune—it was the salvation of the De Molinos family.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t successfully enhance the Level 2-grade Spirit Gathering Array…”

“To upgrade it, I’d likely need to use spirit stone fragments—or better yet, a complete lower-grade spirit stone,” Arius muttered, glancing at the incomplete array spread out before him.

Shaking his head, he decided to put the array aside for now.

The nine spirit stone fragments in his possession were reserved for powering the Three-Talent Formation Flags, his most critical artifact.

As for the Spirit Gathering Array, with thirty-six Body Tempering Pills in his stockpile, Arius could still advance his cultivation in the short term without relying on the array’s benefits.

After carefully storing the Spirit Gathering Array, Arius turned his attention to the rest of his items, organizing the enhanced talismans, Spirit Poison Bottles, and other tools.

The strengthened Spirit Poison Bottles were now powerful enough to threaten even Level 1 cultivators.

With these tools in hand, and with sufficient preparation, Arius was confident he could handle not just one Organ Tempering patriarch from the Ashfell family, but several.

Even so, Arius wasn’t one to leave things to chance.

To ensure victory, he resolved to consume his pills and push his cultivation to the Organ Tempering stage as quickly as possible.

Breaking through to Organ Tempering would not only grant him a significant increase in strength but also extend his lifespan by another twenty years.

 

Chapter 18 Ashfell Family Arrives, Refining the Organs

After swallowing a Body Tempering Pill, Arius sat cross-legged on the ground, guiding the spiritual energy within him according to the first volume of the Crimson Flame Path Scripture.

The four stages of Body Refinement involved tempering the body with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth—from the skin to the organs. Only when the body returned to its innate state could one step into the Level 1 Realm.

Time flowed on, and the night gradually descended.

Even before slaying the Ashfell family’s Third Elder, Arius had sensed the faint signs of a breakthrough.

Now, as he continued his steady breathing and circulation of energy, his momentum surged higher and higher.

With the combined effects of the Body Tempering Pill and his mysterious-grade spiritual root, it took Arius only two days to reach the pinnacle of the Bone Tempering stage.

“Hah…”

Opening his eyes after his breakthrough, Arius let out a slow exhale.

The progress had come at a cost. Of the eleven bottles of Body Tempering Pills he originally possessed, only twenty pills remained—a single bottle of six pills was all that stood between him and his next stage.

Staring at the remaining pills, Arius’s gaze turned resolute.

He was just half a step away from advancing to the Organ Tempering stage.

But time was no longer on his side.

Several days had passed since he killed the Ashfell family’s Third Elder, and retaliation could come at any moment.

Any extra ounce of strength would give him more confidence when facing the Ashfell family’s forces.

Without hesitation, Arius grabbed all the remaining Body Tempering Pills and swallowed them in one go.

The prolonged use of these pills over the past days had caused his body to develop a resistance.

It was a universal truth for all pills—continued use dulled their effects.

As a cultivator’s strength advanced, lower-grade pills eventually became entirely useless.

Even Body Tempering Pills, when enhanced to their peak quality by the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal, would have no effect on Level 1 cultivators.

But for now, the twenty pills Arius consumed unleashed a tremendous surge of medicinal energy within his body.

The process of advancing to the Organ Tempering stage was far more agonizing than breaking through to the Bone Tempering stage.

The five vital organs had to be shattered and then reconstructed.

Arius’s eyes remained tightly shut, his forehead glistening with cold sweat.

Inside his body, his five organs began to crack and collapse. The pain that followed was beyond imagination—surpassing the cruelest tortures in the mortal world.

Only an unshakable will could endure such torment.

In the Body Refinement stages—skin, blood, bone, and organ—every step forward came with excruciating pain. Every step tested the strength of the heart and the clarity of one’s resolve.

Three days passed.

Gradually, the searing pain within Arius’s body began to subside.

His five organs had been successfully reforged.

The early stage of the Organ Tempering Realm—achieved.

Feeling the transformative change within himself, Arius couldn’t suppress his joy.

Reaching the Organ Tempering stage extended his lifespan to 160 years.

Though Arius was already 110 years old, he now had fifty more years to live.

But what mattered more than longevity was the staggering increase in strength.

At the Bone Tempering stage, even at full power, Arius could only muster a force of one million kg.

But now, at the Organ Tempering stage, a casual swing of his arm could unleash ten million kg of raw strength—a devastating force equivalent to 5,000 tons.

After successfully advancing to the Organ Tempering stage, Arius rose to his feet, no longer continuing his cultivation.

Ever since leaving the Albigensians Sect and returning to his family, Arius’s rapid advancements had left little time for consolidation.

The next step would be to let his strength settle and stabilize.

If Arius continued cultivating at such a breakneck pace, it could destabilize his foundation, jeopardizing his future path in immortality.

The journey of cultivation required steady progress. Blindly pursuing speed would only lead to disastrous consequences.

Concluding his cultivation session, Arius picked up the three Organ Tempering techniques gifted by the Blue Pavilion shopkeeper and slowly made his way out of the secret chamber.

After being enhanced by the Mirror of Immortal Appraisal, these three techniques had been elevated to Level 2.

Though Arius primarily practiced the Crimson Flame Path Scripture, studying other techniques would still benefit his overall cultivation.

As the saying went, “In the pursuit of immortality, all paths ultimately converge.”

The three techniques were:

• A beast-taming method called The Ten Thousand Beast Codex.
• A water-based technique named Water Melody Art.
• A swordsmanship technique titled The Minor Five-Element Sword Arts.

Of the three, The Minor Five-Element Sword Arts piqued Arius’s interest the most. Once he broke through to the Level 1 Realm, this technique would be worth cultivating.

Mastering the Minor Five-Element Sword Arts would make one nearly invincible within the Level 2 stage.

However, the path of swordsmanship was a difficult one, requiring not only perseverance and talent but also unique opportunities and fortune.

Arius lay on a grand armchair, leisurely flipping through The Minor Five-Element Sword Arts, a faint smile playing on his lips.

But his peaceful moment was interrupted by hurried footsteps outside his courtyard.

“Patriarch, we have a major problem!”

The voice was frantic.

Arius turned his gaze to see Simon standing outside, his face pale with worry.

“The scouts have reported: ten miles from here, a force of nearly twenty thousand is approaching Nezier Town.”

“The group includes Ashfell family elite guards as well as allied forces from several nearby towns around Purple River City. Their target… is us.”

Simon’s voice was filled with urgency, and his anxiety was evident. Ever since Arius had killed the Ashfell family’s Third Elder, Simon had been on edge.

The mounting pressure over the past days had left him haggard, his frame noticeably thinner from stress.

Though he had taken precautions—relocating some of the family members and intensifying the training of the guards—none of that seemed sufficient when facing the full might of the Ashfell family.

For centuries, the Ashfell family had been the dominant force within a thousand Miles of Purple River City.

Many powers had tried to challenge their rule, but all had been wiped out—erased from existence, their legacies extinguished.

“So, the Ashfell family has finally come?”

Hearing Simon’s report, Arius remained calm, his expression unperturbed.

He had been prepared for this the moment he broke through to the Organ Tempering stage.

Originally, Arius had assumed the Ashfell family would interrupt his breakthrough, forcing him to halt his cultivation early to deal with their attack.

But to his surprise, they had waited—delaying long enough for him to complete his breakthrough.

On second thought, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

The Ashfell family was notoriously cautious. Whenever they suffered a loss, no matter how seemingly minor or insignificant the opponent, they would mobilize their entire force and unleash their full power to eliminate the threat completely.

“Understood…”

“And you, as the patriarch, running around in such a panic—what kind of example is that?”

“The Ashfell family’s forces will be dealt with by me.”

“Your task is to calm the family members and maintain order in Nezier Town.”

“Go now, and don’t disappoint me.”

Arius’s voice was steady, his tone commanding, as he addressed Simon from within the courtyard.

Stepping lightly, Arius disappeared in a blur, leaving the courtyard and heading toward the outskirts of Nezier Town.

Meanwhile…

Thirty Mile from Nezier Town, a massive force was making its way over mountains and rivers, their momentum shaking the land itself.

The army consisted of five hundred heavy cavalry, five thousand elite guards, and over ten thousand regular soldiers.

Banners bearing the Ashfell family crest fluttered in the wind as the long convoy stretched endlessly into the distance.

In the surrounding villages, terrified mountain folk watched the army’s advance, their hearts trembling with fear and unease.

 

Chapter 19 Cruel reality, the Ashfell family attacks

Some villages and hamlets had already begun organizing their people, preparing to flee beyond the jurisdiction of Nezier Town.

By now, everyone understood that the Ashfell family of Purple River City was preparing to strike.

The last time the Ashfell family mobilized such a large force to conquer a town, every mortal within a hundred miles of that town was slaughtered—men, women, children, even the elderly. None were spared.

Although the Aragon Kingdom had laws strictly prohibiting the wanton massacre of mortals, the Ashfell family, as the dominant power within a hundred miles of Purple River City, acted with impunity.

Even if they wiped out an entire town, no one would intervene.

The administrative divisions of the Aragon Kingdom were structured into villages, towns, cities, counties, prefectures, and provinces.

The entire kingdom spanned three provinces, seventy-two counties, and thousands of cities. Its territory stretched across millions of li, from the southern seas to the northern mountains.

Nominally, the royal family of the Aragon Kingdom held supreme authority, ruling over the three provinces and seventy-two counties.

But the kingdom’s vast expanse made centralized control nearly impossible. Noble families and sects carved out their own domains.

As long as the Ashfell family delivered their tributes on time to their higher-ups, they were free to act however they pleased within their territory.

As villages attempted to flee, the Ashfell family’s forces largely ignored them.

However, the allied factions accompanying the Ashfell family—forces from neighboring towns loyal to them—showed no such restraint.

They brandished their blades, pillaging and slaughtering as they went.

The Ashfell family did nothing to stop them.

Allowing these subordinate forces to loot and plunder was a way to boost their morale.

With blood on their hands and spoils in their possession, these forces would be even more eager to charge into Nezier Town when the time came.

“No… please, don’t kill me!”

“I’m begging you, spare my child!”

Under the Ashfell family’s silent approval, the villages along their path became hellscapes.

Children cried. Women were slaughtered. Young men were bound hand and foot, reduced to slaves.

“Hehehe… Scream! Scream louder!”

“I love seeing people drown in despair…”

A burly commander with a full beard, clad in armor, reached out with a rough hand, his face twisted with a cruel grin as he approached a woman.

The woman’s face was filled with despair.

Her husband lay on the ground nearby, blood pooling beneath him. His breathing was shallow, but his eyes blazed with fury as he glared at the commander.

There was no miracle. No twist of fate.

No righteous cultivator descended to purge the evil.

“Hahahaha!”

“Commander, you’re unstoppable!”

The commander’s personal guards laughed as they stood around him, their hands gripping blood-stained blades.

The woman’s hair swayed in the wind, her eyes gradually shifting from despair to numbness.

Among the Ashfell family’s ranks, a young cultivator—one of their descendants—witnessed the scene and frowned deeply.

He stepped forward, intending to intervene, but an elder from the Ashfell family stopped him.

“Why?”

The young Ashfell family member’s voice trembled with anger, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.

This was the first time his ideals had collided so violently with reality.

“This is the law of the world,” the elder replied coldly.

“In the mortal realm or the cultivation world, the weak are nothing but weeds to be trampled.”

“To be weak is to have no dignity, no right to survive.”

“Remember this: you were born with spirit roots. Your future is destined—you will become a Ashfell family elder, perhaps even the patriarch of our immortal family!”

“Our Ashfell family has stood tall in Purple River City, commanding the submission of the surrounding forces, not through kindness, but through absolute strength and unyielding iron will.”

“I brought you here to show you the true, cruel face of the world.”

The elder who had stopped the young Ashfell family member spoke with a calm and steady voice, one laced with indifference and a hint of menace.

Many years ago, he too had been filled with ideals of justice.

But countless battles and endless conflicts had hardened his heart, stripping away any notions of righteousness.

In his experience, so-called justice brought no benefits to his family, no rewards for himself, and often invited unnecessary trouble.

Hearing the elder’s words, the Ashfell family youth fell silent.

Seeing this, the elder said no more and returned to his carriage.

As the slaughter along their path subsided, the Ashfell family’s forces, along with their allied factions, resumed their march toward Nezier Town.

This time, the Ashfell family had mobilized not only their elite guards but also a terrifying array of cultivators:

• Two Bone Tempering elders
• Three Blood Tempering elders
• Six Skin Tempering cultivators

And most crucially, the Ashfell family patriarch, the strongest and most revered figure in their ranks, was personally overseeing the campaign.

Including the cultivators from their allied forces, the Ashfell family had nearly fifteen cultivators in their invasion force.

Meanwhile, in Nezier Town, the atmosphere was tense, and the streets were eerily deserted.

Ever since Arius had killed the Ashfell family’s Third Elder, many residents of Nezier Town had fled to neighboring towns for safety.

The De Molinos family’s businesses and industries had taken a severe hit during this period.

Even among the De Molinos family’s guards, nearly half had deserted.

As for the De Molinos family’s members, most had been relocated by Simon.

Those who remained were either paralyzed by fear or had resolved themselves to die defending their home.

Arius was fully aware of the situation in Nezier Town.

But he didn’t care.

If he won this battle, the fleeing residents would naturally return, and the De Molinos family would rebuild its confidence and morale.

More than that, this victory would mark the start of the De Molinos family’s rise as the dominant power within a hundred miles of Purple River City, taking the Ashfell family’s place.

Arius’s preparations were complete.

With the Spirit Poison Bottles, Fire Talismans, and the Three-Talent Formation Flags in hand, he was ready.

If he could take down the Ashfell family patriarch, no number of guards, Bone Tempering elders, or Blood Tempering cultivators would stand a chance against him.

The autumn wind howled, and the setting sun painted the sky a blood-red hue.

Arius stood with his hands behind his back, outside Nezier Town, waiting.

Finally, a dense, black mass of Ashfell family guards appeared on the horizon, marching steadily toward him.

Their movements were precise, their steps uniform.

Even the foot soldiers wore heavy iron armor.

The five hundred cavalrymen were far from ordinary—they had all trained in martial arts and were each a force to be reckoned with.

Against such a force, even Skin Tempering or Blood Tempering cultivators would struggle to endure the prolonged assault.

Hooooo!

The sound of a deep horn echoed across the town as it reached the walls of Nezier Town.

De Molinos family guards pulled their bows to full draw, readying arrows and preparing vats of flaming oil.

The De Molinos family’s ballista, a massive crossbow capable of launching bolts weighing tens of thousands of kg, was also brought out and positioned.

This ballista was one of the De Molinos family’s most prized assets, capable of severely injuring Bone Tempering cultivators with a single shot.

Its only flaw was its slow firing speed and the need for hundreds of people to operate it.

“Nezier Town’s De Molinos family has sown chaos in the region, killing the Third Elder of the Ashfell family…”

“To restore order and stability, the Ashfell family of Purple River City will suppress this rebellion and annihilate the De Molinos family!”

“Once Nezier Town falls, all rebels shall be slaughtered!”

The proclamation came from one of the Ashfell family elders, who rode atop a fierce beast.

His voice was hoarse but carried authority, echoing across the entirety of Nezier Town.

Every word reached the ears of the De Molinos family guards and residents, filling the air with a deeper sense of despair.

“Begin the assault!”

The Ashfell family elder’s command rang out, and the allied forces charged ahead, leading the way.

These subordinate factions were nothing more than cannon fodder to the Ashfell family.

Even though they knew this, none of them dared to retreat.

Charging into Nezier Town gave them the chance to loot and plunder its residents.

But retreating?

Retreating meant certain death—execution at the hands of the Ashfell family. Not only would they die, but their families and entire clans would also be destroyed.

For these forces, moving forward offered a slim chance of survival.

Moving back offered none.

 

Chapter 20: Calculations, Formation Flags

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The earth trembled violently as countless Ashfell family guards began their charge.

From the walls of Nezier Town, flaming arrows rained down, igniting the battlefield below.

Standing atop the wall, Simon personally directed the De Molinos family’s defenders.

As patriarch, he knew it was his duty to lead and stabilize the morale of his people.

Everything else would be up to the Old Patriarch.

Whoosh!

On the wall, the De Molinos family’s massive ballista was being slowly drawn back, its tension building under the combined strength of numerous guards.

As the allied forces of the Ashfell family’s subordinate factions surged forward, the Ashfell family’s heavy cavalry and elite guards also began to advance.

For these soldiers, war wasn’t just about death—it was an opportunity for glory and promotion.

And for those who survived the assault on Nezier Town, there would be rewards: wealth to plunder, women to seize, and recognition to earn.

“Kill!!”

The Ashfell family’s guards roared with fervor, their faces twisted with bloodthirsty excitement.

Outside Nezier Town, Arius stood still, his gaze fixed not on the charging soldiers but on the heart of the Ashfell family’s formation.

That’s where the cultivators of the Ashfell family were gathered.

Without a sound, Arius stepped forward, his movements so swift he seemed to vanish. In moments, he was closing the distance to the Ashfell family cultivators.

The stone walls and defensive mechanisms of Nezier Town would hold for some time, even against overwhelming odds.

That brief window was all Arius needed to eliminate every single Ashfell family cultivator.

As Arius approached, his powerful presence radiated outward, causing the Ashfell family cultivators and their allies to falter.

“He’s an Organ Tempering cultivator! He’s reached the Organ Tempering stage!”

The Ashfell family’s Second Elder spoke with a trembling voice, cold sweat dripping down his back.

He vividly recalled his earlier reconnaissance mission near Nezier Town, where he had personally killed one of the town’s guards.

If Arius had attacked him then, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

What the Second Elder didn’t know was that Arius had only recently broken through to the Organ Tempering stage.

“Just early Organ Refining…”

“I can suppress him with one hand!”

As fear and caution spread among the Ashfell family and their allies, a booming voice erupted from a luxurious and spacious carriage.

The voice was filled with vitality, brimming with boundless confidence.

Moments later, an elder emerged from the carriage. He leaned on a cane and wore a striking red robe.

The elder had a head of yellowed hair, sparse teeth, and deeply wrinkled skin that resembled the bark of an ancient tree.

His narrow, triangular eyes glinted coldly, exuding an aura of immense pressure.

The instant the elder appeared, the Ashfell family cultivators and their allies all bowed their heads respectfully.

“Greetings, Patriarch!”

“Greetings, Senior Ashfell Lawrence!”

The elder didn’t respond to the greetings of the Ashfell family cultivators. Instead, he turned his sharp gaze to Arius, speaking in a calm yet commanding tone.

“Early Organ Refining, impressive, but still insignificant before me.”

“I’ll give you a chance: swallow this Soul Devouring Gu, become a servant of the Ashfell family, and I’ll spare your life.”

“You returned from the Falling Sunset Sect… you must still have an Immortal Ascension Token on you. Hand that over as well.”

“You have three breaths to decide. This is the last chance for you and your De Molinos family.”

As he spoke, the elder’s aura exploded outward, a suffocating pressure blanketing the battlefield.

He, Ashfell Lawrence, was at the pinnacle of the Organ Tempering stage, and he was utterly confident in his ability to crush Arius.

It was obvious to him that Arius had only recently broken through to the Organ Tempering stage.

Hearing Ashfell Lawrence’s words, Arius, who had initially been prepared to attack immediately, suddenly had a plan.

He feigned fear, his voice trembling as he respectfully replied:

“Greetings, Senior Ashfell…”

“I was ignorant before, which led to my offense against the Ashfell family. My De Molinos family is willing to relinquish all of Nezier Town’s industries, and I am willing to surrender the Immortal Ascension Token.”

“Please, Senior, show mercy. Spare us, I beg of you.”

“As for becoming a servant… that… that would be too much…”

Arius’s demeanor was humble, as if he had completely submitted.

But in truth, he was carefully calculating the distance between himself and Ashfell Lawrence, weighing the odds of delivering a decisive strike.

Activating the Three-Talent Formation Flags required some time, so he would first use the Fire Talismans and Spirit Poison Bottles to wound Ashfell Lawrence. Then, he would seize the opportunity to eliminate the two Bone Tempering cultivators of the Ashfell family.

With the Bone Tempering cultivators out of the picture and Ashfell Lawrence injured, taking down the rest of the Ashfell family and their allied forces would be a simple matter.

Ashfell Lawrence narrowed his eyes as he listened to Arius’s submissive words.

Despite Arius’s apparent surrender, Ashfell Lawrence’s instincts remained sharp.

As the patriarch of the Ashfell family and a pinnacle Organ Tempering cultivator, he wasn’t so easily fooled.

Though his words exuded confidence, he had already gathered his full strength, ready to suppress Arius at a moment’s notice.

“Hmph!”

“Did I say this was a negotiation?”

Ashfell Lawrence snorted coldly, taking a single step forward. His entire body tensed, prepared to strike and capture Arius.

Arius didn’t expect to fully deceive Ashfell Lawrence.

All he needed was to draw out the confrontation long enough to split Ashfell Lawrence’s focus.

The more distracted Ashfell Lawrence became, the higher Arius’s chances of landing a crippling blow.

Of course, Ashfell Lawrence had the same idea.

Both men were cunning veterans, each with a century of life experience.

Theirs wasn’t a battle of brute strength but a clash of wits, a psychological duel of feints and predictions.

For both, one decisive move would determine the outcome.

“Since that’s the case…”

Arius sighed softly, stepping forward as though reaching for the Soul Devouring Gu Ashfell Lawrence had offered.

But just as he closed the distance, Arius suddenly unleashed five Fire Talismans.

To prevent Ashfell Lawrence from dodging, Arius hurled the talismans in all directions—north, south, east, and west—while the fifth landed directly beneath Ashfell Lawrence’s feet.

No matter which way Ashfell Lawrence moved, he would be forced to endure the power of at least one talisman.

Despite his constant vigilance and readiness to strike first, the sudden activation of five Fire Talismans still caught Ashfell Lawrence off guard.

What’s worse, the destructive power radiating from the talismans was extraordinary, far beyond what ordinary talismans could produce.

Even Ashfell Lawrence, at the pinnacle of Organ Refining, could sense the immense danger emanating from them.

“Patriarch!!”

“Senior Ashfell Lawrence!!”

The Ashfell family cultivators shouted in alarm, preparing to rush forward and attack Arius.

But the allied cultivators accompanying the Ashfell family hesitated, their faces a mix of worry and anger, yet their bodies instinctively stepping back.

These subordinate forces worked for the Ashfell family out of necessity, not loyalty.

Their service was coerced, and they felt no obligation to risk their lives for the Ashfell family’s patriarch.

“Formation—activate!”

Arius’s eyes flashed with determination as he watched Ashfell Lawrence reel from the Fire Talismans’ impact.

He immediately took out two fragments of spirit stones, channeling their energy to activate the Three-Talent Formation Flags.

In an instant, the area within fifty meters was engulfed by glowing runes and a suffocating killing intent.

Within the formation’s radius, the powers of metal, wood, and fire descended, manifesting as tangible elemental forces.