Chapter 460: Chapter 445: Showdown!
"Disciple Luo Zhenying, leading sect disciples Fu Yulong, Ren Feng, and sixty-three others, respectfully welcomes the esteemed Ancestor Master Guo!"
On Wanhua Mountain, as that mass of five-colored cloud grew nearer, all cultivators of the Haoyang Sect bent low in the air, their faces brimming with reverence as they bowed in the direction of the five-colored cloud, offering their respects.
At the same time, the Qing Clan’s Patriarch, Qin Mingde, upon hearing the celestial music reach Wanhua Mountain, swiftly emerged from his meditation chamber, leading all the senior members of the Qin Clan to the main venue of today’s birthday celebration.
Once all Haoyang Sect cultivators had completed their salutes, these Qin Clan cultivators, except for the Golden Core Stage cultivators Qin Mingde, Qin Wufeng, and a few Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, all knelt in the direction of the five-colored cloud.
"Junior Qin Mingde, leading all cultivators of the Qin Clan, respectfully welcomes the esteemed Elder Guo!"
Even cultivators like Zhouyang and others unrelated to the Haoyang Sect or the Qin Clan, at this moment, collectively held their breath, slightly lowering their heads in the direction of the five-colored cloud as a sign of respect.
The awe-inspiring might of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator was evident.
In the collective anticipation, the five-colored cloud swiftly floated above Wanhua Mountain, revealing a luxurious and majestic five-colored carriage, with twelve beautiful palace-dressed maidens on the surrounding clouds.
This five-colored carriage is a Tier Six Lower-Grade Flying Spiritual Artifact, not passed down from the Haoyang Sect but personally refined by Guo Jinhong, the only one of its kind in the Land of the Far West, always regarded as Guo Jinhong’s emblem.
Indeed, this Ancestor Master of the Haoyang Sect, Guo the Elder, is an extraordinary figure.
Other cultivators, after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, become detached from mundane needs, focusing solely on the pursuit of the True Immortal Dao, unmoved by external matters.
However, after forming his Nascent Soul, this Ancestor Master Guo took a different path, not only taking the beauties of the sect and Jinyang Country as concubines for pleasure but also frequently issuing missions for sect disciples to find rare birds and exotic beasts to prepare delicacies for his enjoyment, even ordinary spirit wine is made from Tier Four Spirit Fruit as if to make up for past losses.
Furthermore, ever since Guo the Elder refined this five-colored chariot "Five-Colored Smoke Luo Chariot," he always rode it on trips, randomly choosing companions from his vast harem to attend him.
Just like now, the twelve beautiful female cultivators standing on the colorful clouds, though the weakest among them are at the Foundation Establishment Stage, when they hold wine jugs, jade plates, and play instruments like pipa or dongxiao, will only be seen as serving maidens in a tavern, garnering no more attention.
In reality, if one of them were to venture into any marketplace alone, they would surely be revered as fairy maidens by many young cultivators, adored by all.
At this moment, inside the luxurious and majestic five-colored carriage, the mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator Guo Jinhong, clothed in a crimson golden dragon robe, with a purple gold jade dragon crown on his head, sat majestically like an emperor.
He held in his arms an exquisite female cultivator dressed in a moon-white long skirt, who, despite being a powerful Golden Core Stage cultivator, acted as docile as a kitten in his embrace.
Although numerous cultivators awaited respectfully below, including the relatives and elders of the female cultivator herself, she seemed completely oblivious, smiling as she offered a grape-like silver Spirit Fruit from a nearby plate to Guo Jinhong’s mouth.
Guo Jinhong, maintaining a calm demeanor, opened his mouth to consume the spirit fruit, chewing and swallowing slowly without rushing to command others to rise.
Thus, after countless cultivators awaited for half an incense stick’s time, having consumed the tenth spirit fruit fed by the concubine in his arms, Guo Jinhong finally lowered his gaze over the crowd. He lazily said, "Rise, there is no need for so many formalities today. I am merely passing through."
After speaking, he paid no heed to the reactions below, just smilingly instructing the concubine beside him, "Little darling, bring out the birthday gift for your clan’s patriarch. After presenting the gift, we must head to Xiangyun Pool for a bath!"
"I obey Ancestor Master’s decree, Yun’Er thanks Ancestor Master for his grace on behalf of my grandfather!"
The exquisite female cultivator in Guo Jinhong’s arms, who was a Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Qin Family named Qin Zhiyun, immediately restrained her smile, respectfully rose, and saluted Guo Jinhong, before flying off from the carriage, stepping on a cloud as she descended to Wanhua Mountain.
As she landed in front of Qin Mingde, she gave a slight bow and saluted, saying, "Zhiyun greets Grandfather."
Then, lifting her jade hands, she presented a purple jade box to Qin Mingde, continuing, "Knowing that today is Grandfather’s significant birthday, Ancestor Master Guo, in appreciation for the Qin Family’s over two thousand years of unwavering loyalty and dedication to the Haoyang Sect, specifically gifts a portion of ’Jade Liquid Golden Pill’ to celebrate Grandfather’s nine-hundred-year birthday!"
Hiss—
A collective gasp echoed from the mouths of the numerous cultivators on Wanhua Mountain.
Including Zhouyang, all Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, were fixated on the purple jade box in Qin Zhiyun’s hand, their intense gazes enough to melt metal!
That was a "Jade Liquid Golden Pill!"
A portion of "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" could increase a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator’s core formation success rate by thirty percent, holding an allure more significant than any treasure.
Such treasures are ordinarily unattainable, things money cannot buy, appearing only at grand auctions or in exchanges among Nascent Soul Stage cultivators.
Zhouyang now has gathered several spiritual objects assisting with Core Formation, giving him some confidence in the process.
However, if he could have the help of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," he would not just have some confidence, but great confidence!
Unfortunately, this "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" is so precious and rare that even with his wealth, he has no guarantee of obtaining it.
He possesses many treasures, including the demon pill of a Tier Five Lower Grade Demon Beast "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf," a spatial treasure like the "Spirit Plant Map," several Tier Five magical artifacts, the "Kunxu Order" to access the Kunxu Realm, and rare body refining divine techniques like the "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique" that even Nascent Soul Stage cultivators can practice...
If possible, he is willing to trade any of these treasures for a share of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill"!
But reality offers no hypotheticals, and even presenting a Tier Five High-Grade Spiritual Artifact may not guarantee obtaining the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill."
Only a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like Guo Jinhong would be willing to give such a treasure, which might determine the rise and fall of a sect and clan, as a birthday gift.
If it were anyone else, even those Ninth-Layer Golden Core cultivators who have formed cores for hundreds of years, they would certainly not give away such treasures.
"Indeed, having connections in the palace makes things easier! No wonder those officials and nobles in mortal realms always want their women to serve the Emperor; if not for Qin Zhiyun becoming Guo Jinhong’s favored concubine and deeply loved by him, Guo Jinhong wouldn’t even want to visit the Qin Family, let alone gift such a treasure as the [Jade Liquid Golden Pill] as a birthday present!"
At this moment, Zhouyang felt a deep envy for the Qin Family’s connections, even briefly considering learning from them.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
He understands that the Qin Family’s success is due to many factors.
Even if the Zhou Family wanted to emulate them, they couldn’t find a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like Guo Jinhong who reaches such a level yet still loves beauty.
Moreover, Zhouyang was unaware that Guo Jinhong was willing to use the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" as a birthday gift to the Qin Family due to a trade behind it.
If it weren’t for the Qin Family presenting a treasure to him through Qin Zhiyun more than ten years ago, which was quite useful to him, he wouldn’t have wasted ten years of cultivation time to refine this "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" for the Qin Family!
"Qin Mingde thanks Elder Guo for the bestowed treasure!"
"Elder Guo’s great kindness, my entire Qin Family is deeply grateful, and will never forget the ancestor’s benevolence, forever loyal to Haoyang Sect!"
Qin Mingde came to his senses and immediately beamed, reaching out to take the purple jade box from Qin Zhiyun’s hands, then respectfully bowed towards the chariot in the sky and loudly expressed his thanks.
"The Qin Family’s loyalty to my Haoyang Sect is naturally known by us. As long as you continue to be loyal and serve the Haoyang Sect, the Haoyang Sect will certainly not treat you benefactors unjustly!"
Guo Jinhong said, glancing at the cultivators who came to Wanhua Mountain to celebrate the elder’s birthday, seemingly hinting at something.
Subsequently, Qin Zhiyun didn’t stay in the Qin Family to celebrate Qin Mingde’s birthday but quickly boarded the chariot again and left the Qin Family with Guo Jinhong.
Today, the birthday man was Qin Mingde, and with a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like Guo Jinhong here all the time, Qin Mingde would have been too embarrassed.
Thus, Guo Jinhong’s brief visit and departure not only did not make the cultivators who came to celebrate look down on the Qin Family, but instead made them feel Guo Jinhong’s emphasis on the Qin Family.
If he didn’t really value the Qin Family, why would a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator like Guo Jinhong care about Qin Mingde’s feelings, coming and going so hastily, willing to be just a passer-by?
"I once thought that after the departure of the Qin Family’s patriarch, the Qin Family would keep a low profile for a while. But now it seems that even if the Qin Family elder passes away, as long as Elder Guo is still around, and as long as one from the Qin Family serves beside Elder Guo, the Qin Family’s status is as stable as a mountaintop, unshakeable by anyone!"
Watching the "Five-Colored Smoke Luo Chariot" gradually vanish into the distance, Wu Xian, the Haoyang Sect cultivator who had just separated from fellow sect members, couldn’t help but sigh with a full face of emotion.
His words resonated with the feelings of many present, immediately striking a chord with them.
And this was exactly the effect Qin Mingde intended to achieve.
At this moment, Qin Mingde turned to scan the expressions of the many cultivators present. With a flip of the hand, he collected the purple jade box containing the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," then cheerfully cupped his hands towards the crowd and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, Elder Guo had matters to attend to, so he left early. Fellow Daoists, please don’t mind."
"I appreciate all the fellow Daoists taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my birthday celebration. My Qin Family is extremely grateful. Today, everyone who comes is a guest of my Qin Family. Let me toast you, thanking you all for your presence!"