sinovels Chapter 473 News from the Thatched Cottage! Soul-Nourishing Wood!
Chapter 473 News from the Thatched Cottage! Soul-Nourishing Wood!
Old Li quickly took the storage bag, scanned it with his divine sense, and immediately gasped:
"So many! And the quality..."
He was so excited his hands were trembling. He quickly called over a worker: "Quick, move these to the backyard storeroom! Be careful not to break them!"
Several men stepped forward and carefully carried the storage bag away.
Old Li rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with joy: "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, this is truly a godsend! To be honest, our inventory was almost gone a few days ago, and Elder Eighteen was pressing us for more. I was really worried! Your arrival has solved everything!"
Chen Fan took a sip of the spiritual tea that Cuihua had served and asked, "Any news about the Soul-Nourishing Wood?"
"Yes! Yes!" Old Li nodded hurriedly, "Headquarters delivered it!"
He turned around, took out a jade box from behind the counter, and presented it with both hands.
The jade box was pure white, smooth to the touch, and its surface was engraved with intricate array patterns, clearly indicating that it was a specially made artifact for preservation. Chen Fan took it and opened the lid.
The box was lined with soft velvet, upon which rested a piece of black wood about a foot long. The wood was entirely black, with natural grain patterns on its surface, the lines winding like veins, faintly shimmering with an eerie light. Upon closer inspection, the wood grain seemed to be slowly wriggling, as if it were alive.
This is the Soul-Nourishing Wood, a supreme treasure for nourishing the soul.
Chen Fan closed the box lid and put the jade box away: "Thank the Eighteenth Elder on my behalf."
"Of course, of course!" Old Li laughed. "The Eighteenth Elder said that if you ever need anything in the future, just ask, and Baicaotang will do its best to help!"
Just then, footsteps came from the backyard.
Two figures entered the shop one after the other; they were Aoki and Chiyan, two Nascent Soul guest elders.
Two years had passed, and both of their auras had become even more refined. Aoki still had a slender face and a gentle aura like spring wood, while Chiyan had thick eyebrows and large eyes, and a fiery aura like flames.
When they saw Chen Fan, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, and they immediately stepped forward and bowed.
"Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, it's been a long time," Qingmu said with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, your aura... has improved again!" Chi Yan looked Chen Fan up and down, a look of surprise in his eyes. "Mid-Nascent Soul stage?"
Chen Fan stood up and returned the greeting: "A slight breakthrough."
"It's more than just a slight breakthrough," Aoki exclaimed. "When I met you half a year ago, you were still in the early Nascent Soul stage, but now you've reached the middle stage. Such a speed of cultivation is truly astonishing."
Chi Yan grinned: "It seems Fellow Daoist Chen has reaped quite a harvest in the past six months!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group sat down again.
Old Li had Cuihua serve some more tea and snacks before saying, "The two elders have arrived at the perfect time. Fellow Daoist Chen Fan just delivered a large batch of spiritual plants of excellent quality. Please take a look."
Aoki nodded, but didn't rush to look at the spiritual plants. Instead, he looked at Chen Fan, his expression slightly grave: "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, a lot has happened in the past six months, are you aware of it?"
Chen Fan looked up: "What is it?"
Aoki and Chiyan exchanged a glance, and Chiyan spoke up: "Over in Old Dragon City, the eight major families are making frequent moves. The Qingyun Sect, Xuanqing Sect, Lingxi Sect, Fu Sect, Jingang Sect, and Zixia Mountain—these six sects have close ties with the eight major families..."
"According to the information we have gathered at Baicaotang," Qingmu continued, "they seem to be preparing to break the seal. The eight major families have mobilized a large amount of resources from beyond the realm, and the six sects have also contributed a lot. There are no fewer than fourteen Nascent Soul cultivators gathered here."
A gray glint flashed in Chen Fan's eyes: "So fast?"
"Yes." Aoki lowered his voice, "The place where the Soul Refining Sect's ancestor was sealed has existed for ten thousand years. The eight major families have been plotting against it for a long time, and now they are finally going to make their move."
Chi Yan added, "What's even more troublesome is that our headquarters' spies outside the domain have reported back that the main branches of the eight major families in the Tiannan Domain have also sent people to guard outside the sealed area, waiting for the seal to break open and for them to break in!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan frowned slightly: "Isn't the sealed land off a place that can't be entered casually?"
"The stronger one's cultivation, the harder it is to enter," Qingmu explained. "The sealed land has its own rules. Cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage can hardly enter, and even Nascent Soul cultivators have to pay a considerable price. Moreover, to force one in, one needs the assistance of special secret techniques. Only major forces possess these techniques; independent cultivators cannot enter."
Chen Fan suddenly realized.
No wonder there haven't been many Nascent Soul cultivators in the sealed land these past few years; it turns out there are such restrictions.
But then, a thought struck him, and he remembered Ji Daozi.
Ji Daozi is also a rogue cultivator. How did he get in?
If he comes from a powerful family, he has never mentioned any sect or family behind him.
If he is a rogue cultivator, how could he break through the restrictions of the sealed land?
Chen Fan suppressed this question and asked, "What is the strength of the people from the main branches of the eight major families?"
"They're very strong." Aoki's expression was solemn. "It's said that the leader is a Nascent Soul elder from the Wang family, accompanied by several late-stage Nascent Soul and Great Perfection guest elders. Once the seal is broken and they storm in, no one within the sealed area will be able to stop them."
Chi Yan sneered, "The eight great families have been plotting against the Soul Refining Sect's treasure for quite some time now, and they're determined to get it this time. Those old monsters from the six sects are also blinded by greed, trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin. They probably won't even know how they died."
The atmosphere inside the store fell silent for a moment.
Old Li glanced at Chen Fan and cautiously asked, "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Chen Fan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "It has nothing to do with our family."
Aoki was taken aback: "Fellow Daoist, aren't you worried? If the seal breaks, powerful beings from beyond the realm will flood in, and the entire sealed land will be thrown into chaos. The Great Abyss has now unified eight kingdoms, so it's inevitable that it will be affected."
"We'll deal with whatever comes our way," Chen Fan said calmly. "Besides, the seal might not be broken."
A glint of light flashed in Chi Yan's eyes: "What do you know, fellow Daoist?"
Chen Fan shook his head: "I just think that a seal that has lasted for ten thousand years is not so easy to break. Even if it is broken, the patriarch of the Soul Refining Sect is not a kind person. At that time, it is still unknown who will live and who will die."
Aoki nodded thoughtfully.
Chen Fan stood up: "The spiritual plants have been delivered, and we've also received the Soul-Nourishing Wood. It's time for us to go home."
Old Li hurriedly said, "Fellow Daoist Chen Fan, please wait! I will count the spirit stones later and send them to the Imperial Stables!"
Chen Fan nodded and stepped out of Baicaotang.
……
When we left Baicaotang, it was already close to dusk.
Chen Fan did not fly; instead, like an ordinary old man, he strolled slowly along Chang'an Street. The streets were still bustling, the cries of vendors, laughter, and the rumble of carriages creating a unique cacophony characteristic of the imperial city.
Blending into the crowd, my gaze calmly swept over the buildings and shops on both sides, but my thoughts had already drifted far away.
The Soul-Nourishing Wood has been obtained, and although there is still no trace of the Vitality Elixir, there has been progress. Tian Xiangzi's injuries are now more stable, and the burden on his shoulders seems to have lightened a bit.
As they walked, they unknowingly arrived at the foot of the palace wall.
The guards at the gate recognized his face and hurriedly saluted to make way for him.
Chen Fan nodded slightly and stepped into the palace gate. The palace was much quieter in the twilight. There were fewer palace maids and eunuchs who used to come and go during the day. Only a few patrolling guards walked in neat steps through the long corridor.