Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 62 The Trip to Qingyang, Terrifying Speculation

Three days later, in the quiet room of the Meng family courtyard.

Meng Xihong laid out all the items from the secret realm and from the storage bag of Liu Xuan, the sect leader of the Yin Sha Sect.

The items were dazzling and gleaming, but most of them carried a chilling aura, clearly belonging to the Yin Sha Sect's techniques. They were not only useless to him and the future "Tian Yan Sect," but would also easily attract trouble, so they had to be disposed of.

“Senior, these are the items that need to be used.” Meng Xihong said, pointing to the magical artifacts and pill bottles that were glowing with a faint light.

Yun Songzi scanned the area with his divine sense, his expression calm: "Although the Yin Sha Sect belongs to the unorthodox path, their techniques in refining weapons and alchemy are indeed unique. These items are quite valuable, however..."

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "They are all branded with the unique mark of the Yin Sha Sect. If not handled properly, they may bring disaster."

After speaking, Yun Songzi flicked his sleeve, and a warm white light swept over all the objects, instantly concealing most of the lingering malevolent aura.

Meng Xihong followed instructions and categorized the items into storage bags, then began counting the spirit stones. As he separated the two thousand-plus low-grade spirit stones from the dozens of mid-grade spirit stones with significantly richer spiritual energy, Yun Songzi slowly spoke:
"In the cultivation world, the exchange rate for spirit stones is not simply one to one hundred. Mid-grade spirit stones have pure spiritual energy, are easy to absorb, and are very beneficial to cultivation. Therefore, one mid-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for one hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones."

"As for high-grade spirit stones, they are a common cultivation resource for Golden Core cultivators, and also the core for setting up high-level formations and driving some magical treasures. One high-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for one hundred and fifty mid-grade spirit stones. As for top-grade spirit stones..."

He shook his head slightly: "That is a treasure that even Nascent Soul Ancestors and those with higher cultivation levels would cherish. The spiritual energy it contains is almost condensed into a substance. I have cultivated for hundreds of years and have only seen it a few times. A top-grade spirit stone is worth more than ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, and it is priceless."

Meng Xihong paused, silently calculating in his mind: one high-grade spirit stone is equivalent to eighteen thousand low-grade spirit stones! He suddenly remembered the high-grade spirit vein in the secret realm that meandered like a dragon and emitted a dazzling halo; that numbered far more than tens of thousands.
An indescribable shock welled up in my heart.

Only now did he truly realize the astonishing wealth he possessed. If all those high-grade spirit stones were mined, they could probably fill the entire Meng family courtyard and still have room to spare.

Seeing him lost in thought, Yun Songzi seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "The spiritual veins in the secret realm are indeed extraordinary, but do not reveal your wealth before they have matured. In the cultivation world, killing and robbing are common occurrences."

"I know, senior." Having gone through so much, how could Meng Xihong not know this principle? However, the sudden wealth he had just acquired was like a person who had been poor for a long time suddenly becoming rich, and he was inevitably unable to control himself for a while.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and maintained a calm expression. He had unknowingly become incredibly wealthy, a feeling that was both exhilarating and unsettling.

Once he had calmed down a bit, he suddenly remembered a crucial matter and hurriedly took out the dark bronze token from his pocket, asking, "Will this token... expose my identity?"

Yun Songzi smiled calmly: "The Hundred Alliance Merchant Guild only recognizes the token, not the person. Merchants are profit-driven. Since the token is in your hands, they will recognize you as their customer. The cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world. The fact that you were able to obtain this token means that you are more valuable than the original owner."

Feeling somewhat relieved, Meng Xihong followed instructions and sorted the processed items and some unused Yin-attribute spiritual herbs into several storage bags. He then counted the more than two thousand low-grade spirit stones and dozens of mid-grade spirit stones he had obtained from Liu Xuan, to be used as purchasing capital.

"The primary purpose of this trip is to exchange these hot potatoes for clean spirit stones, or directly for the items we need. Secondly, we must purchase several sets of universal cultivation techniques that can be practiced up to the Foundation Establishment stage to lay the foundation for the sect." Meng Xihong composed himself and clearly stated his plan.

"Go with peace of mind, I will take care of everything at home." Yun Songzi nodded slightly, then took out a mask as thin as a cicada's wing and a gray cloak of ordinary material, and handed them over.

"These two items are called 'Thousand Illusion Mask' and 'Concealing Breath Cloak.' They were used by me to conceal my whereabouts when I was traveling in my early years, but they are now useless to me."

Although it's only a mid-grade magic artifact, it's enough to conceal your true appearance and cultivation aura. As long as you don't actively provoke Golden Core cultivators, you should be able to travel safely.

Meng Xihong respectfully accepted the two magical artifacts and put them on as instructed. Looking at himself in the mirror, he saw that the person in the mirror had transformed into a middle-aged rogue cultivator with an ordinary face and an aura that hovered at only the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining, with no trace of his original appearance remaining.

After making some preparations and giving detailed instructions to his family, Meng Xihong did not delay any longer and quietly embarked on his journey to Qingyang County.

Yunni Township is located on the edge of Qingzhou and is quite remote.

Just like his previous trip to the black market, Meng Xihong did not travel by ordinary carriages. Instead, relying on his Qi Refining Level 8 cultivation and the Lightness Talisman he wore, he discreetly traversed mountain paths.

He traveled by day and hid by night, avoiding official roads and densely populated areas. When he encountered cities, he would either detour or pass through them quickly.

Along the way, we passed through several small towns and crossed two or three mountain ranges, experiencing the transition from the harsh northern climate to the slightly warmer southern climate.

The territory of Qingzhou is very different from that of Yunzhou.

In Yunzhou, most of the cultivation forces are concentrated in the major prefectures. Outside the prefectures, the spiritual energy is sparse, and there are few cultivation families. In contrast, Qingzhou is martial, with numerous cultivation sects and families. Almost every county and prefecture has a cultivation force, although they are not as large as those in the prefectures of Yunzhou, each has its own unique characteristics.

As Meng Xihong traveled, he had already witnessed the prosperity of the cultivation world in Qingzhou. Even a small county like Qingyang was of such scale, so one could only imagine that the prosperity of the large prefectures in Yunzhou was probably far beyond his imagination.

Although Qingyang County is not a major county in the core of Qingzhou, it is still an important town for cultivation within a radius of hundreds of miles.

At Meng Xihong's pace, he could probably reach the destination in three or four days if he traveled at full speed, but in order to be safe, he deliberately slowed down and changed his route several times. It took him nearly seven or eight days before he could finally see the towering city walls of Qingyang County.

The black market Meng Xihong had visited before was on the outskirts of the county town, and he had made his purchases in a hurry before leaving. This time, after a closer look, he found that Qingyang County was indeed a major town for cultivation in the surrounding area. The city walls were made of dark blue-black stone blocks and were about five zhang high, which looked quite imposing from a distance.

The city gate was teeming with people, and the guards were all mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, with the leader even having late-stage Qi Refining cultivation. They were conducting a simple check on those entering the city and collecting entry fees.

Meng Xihong paid three low-grade spirit stones, received a token for a three-day stay, and entered the city discreetly.

The city suddenly became lively.

The streets are lined with shops, including alchemy shops, magical artifact shops, and talisman shops. They seem prosperous and orderly, but there is also a subtle sense of oppressive ruthlessness.

Cultivators came and went in an endless stream, with Qi Refining stage cultivators everywhere. The occasional pressure from early Foundation Establishment stage cultivators caused lower-level cultivators to avoid them and show them awe.

Compared to the well-planned large county city, Qingyang County, though not large in scale, appears more chaotic and real, with all sorts of people mixed together. Cultivation families and small sects each hold their own territory, forming their own forces, making it a miniature Shura field.

Meng Xihong moved through the crowd, observing with keen eyes.

He gradually realized that there were far more people with spiritual roots and the ability to cultivate in Qingyang County than he had originally thought, and it was not as rare as the saying in Wufeng County that there was "one in ten thousand".

Many people possess shallow spiritual roots but are unaware of it, or are trapped by a lack of resources and no one to guide them, thus remaining forever out of touch with the Great Way.

A chill ran through him: Could it be that Lin Lang's secret selection of those with exceptional aptitude to devour in various counties of Yunzhou was not a coincidence? Was the saying that "it is difficult to find a celestial destiny" just a deliberate smokescreen spread by the higher-ups?
If that's the case, wouldn't those seemingly impoverished counties and townships in Yunzhou become "human mines" for the lofty immortal sects and immortal cultivation families?
Those with exceptional talent and good character may be selected to join a sect, but many more with extraordinary abilities but no background will likely become nourishment for others before they even grow up...

Why did Xiao Jingzhan choose to live in seclusion in a small county in Yunzhou? Was there another reason?

Thinking of this, Meng Xihong felt a chill run down his spine.

He suppressed the surging speculations and forced these thoughts deep into his heart.

With our current strength being so weak, the more we know, the more dangerous it becomes.

He composed himself and strode towards a seemingly unremarkable mid-range inn called "Xiankeju," where he requested a quiet room with simple soundproofing.

Although the cost of living in the county town was not as high as in the major prefecture city, the room rate of one hundred low-grade spirit stones per day still made him secretly lament the high price of resources.

After settling in, he casually asked the shop assistant, "I've heard there's a Hundred Alliance Merchant Guild in the city. How do I get there?"

The waiter gave him a shrewd look and then lowered his voice to laugh, "Sir, are you new to Qingyang County? Our Hundred Alliance Chamber of Commerce, though a branch, is one of the most powerful forces in the area."

It's right next to the West City Square, in that five-story glazed pavilion. But if you want to go, you'll need to bring plenty of spirit stones."

Meng Xihong nodded his thanks, already having made up his mind.

Following the directions, he soon found the location of the Hundred Alliance Chamber of Commerce.

A building with upturned eaves and corners stood before them, the four large characters "Hundred Alliances Chamber of Commerce" on the gate plaque were vigorous and powerful, faintly exuding spiritual pressure. Most of the people entering and leaving were cultivators, and their auras were not weak.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his slightly excited emotions, tugged at his concealing cloak, and then calmly stepped into the hall.

(End of this chapter)