Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yan Hong was a little confused when he saw the item in the box.
Although he had been involved in the market all year round and could be considered experienced and knowledgeable, he really had no chance to see true good things with his standards.
He did not know how valuable this thing was or what its use was.
However, the pupils of the other parasitized cultivators in the Prosperous Jiang Hong Inn constricted.
Someone took out a communication spirit stone and immediately wanted to send the news out. Someone rushed forward and pulled Yan Hong away.
However, the benevolent-looking old Daoist only swept the horsetail whisk in his hand, and after a ray of light, the inn returned to calm.
Recently, there had been several instances where the spiritual root seeds had suddenly disappeared.
Parasitized cultivators of the Nine Nether Wood were one of Jiang Li’s greatest secrets.
This strange situation naturally attracted his attention.
However, the Nine Nether clone’s reaction to the spiritual root seed was only limited to direction and strength.
It could not locate the exact location very precisely, nor could they communicate remotely.
As a result, Jiang Li was unable to determine what had happened immediately.
He used the communication spirit stone to ask each of the strongholds, but there was no problem when they replied.
He had already arranged for the Hidden Rock cultivators to investigate, but there was no result for the time being.
He could only guess that there might have been some losses when capturing humanoid creatures.
…
While Jiang Li was in seclusion, an invitation with peach blossom markings caused a commotion in the cultivation world of the Eastern Region.
Exquisite invitations were sent to the hands of many sects in the Eastern Region and even those famous and powerful cultivators in the cultivation world.
It was said that the grand Longevity Peach Banquet held once every nine years in the Peach Forest’s Mu family was currently in the midst of preparation.
The Mu family’s Ten Mile Peach Blossom Forest blossomed every three years, produced every three years, and matured every three years.
Every Longevity Peach had the effect of healing injuries and illnesses, extending one’s lifespan, increasing cultivation level, and raising aptitude.
Although it was not as good as the few they had auctioned earlier, it was indeed an ordinary and rare top-grade spiritual fruit.
An invitation at the very least represented a nine-year-old Longevity Peach.
If that was all, a banquet would not have caused such a commotion.
To sects and forces, a nine-year Longevity Peach was nothing.
However, other than that, there were also 1,200 unnamed peach blossom invitations that were deliberately spread among the rogue cultivators.
Obtaining an invitation not only meant a Longevity Peach for free to extend their lifespan by nine years, but their cultivation would also rise greatly.
If they could perform well at the Longevity Peach Banquet and win, they would have a chance to obtain a higher-level Longevity Peach, or be chosen by the Mu family and change their fate.
Rogue cultivators liked to join in the fun to begin with. To most rogue cultivators, this kind of opportunity was an irresistible temptation.
Just thinking about the price of the Longevity Peach at the auction, one could tell how much the Mu family had invested.
Ordinary forces would definitely hold such a good thing in their hands.
However, the Mu family of the Peach Forest was different. They would convene such a meeting every nine years.
This was also an important reason why they could survive in the Eastern Region for so many years.
The stronger a cultivator was, the harder it was to reproduce. How many descendants could the Mu family produce with just their direct descendants?
A large portion of the reason why they could have their current faction was because of their vassals and relatives.
Apart from those old and famous cultivators who had exhausted their lifespans and begged them, they also held such a meeting every nine years and used this method to gather some young talents in the cultivation world.
At the same time, they could form a good relationship with some unfamiliar sects.
There was no need to mention those large sects. To the rogue cultivators, the first stage was to obtain a peach blossom invitation.
Of course, although the Great Mountain Alliance did not have much status yet, they had accumulated 810,000 merit points in just a few months.
Among the many forces that had yet to join the Divine Judgment Hall, this was already quite high-level and was considered a potential stock.
It was naturally very normal to send an additional invitation to such a faction.
As the Alliance Leader, this invitation card was finally in his hands.
In the beginning, Jiang Li originally did not want to go. After all, his cultivation method countered the Mu family of the Peach Forest, and it might cause some conflict.
However, the peach blossom in the invitation attracted his interest.
It was different from the peachwood warship back then.
This smell and aura was definitely not ordinary peach tree spirit.
After handing this peach blossom to the Nine Nether clone, his feeling was even clearer than Jiang Li.
It was the smell of mortal enemies and prey.
The Mu family’s patriarch was so enthusiastic about chasing after the Nine Nether Wood.
Jiang Li did not believe that it was only hatred.
The other party must have obtained some shocking benefits from the Nine Nether Wood to act like this.
This situation was the same for him.
As the Spiritual Root Branch of the Nine Nether Wood, no matter what, he was still at the top of the food chain.
Even if they were mortal enemies, they should hunt each other.
Now, Jiang Li’s Golden Core was mixed with half of the chaotic power of the Asura World, and the aura characteristics of the Nine Nether Dao Scripture’s spiritual qi had completely changed.
Even the Nine Nether clone was unable to distinguish the aura of Jiang Li’s cultivation method, let alone the others.
Thus, Jiang Li gained the advantage of having his hidden enemy in the open.
At this moment, he took the opportunity to make a trip to the Peach Forest. Jiang Li really wanted to see exactly who that Mu family’s ancestor was.
Jiang Li could only leave a Nine Nether Wood Realm in the coffin and divert a portion of his mind to control it to continue killing the monsters.
He temporarily came out of the coffin and rode the flying ship towards the pink peach forest.
…
In a dark swamp.
A smelly purple poisonous fog filled the air above. A tragic battle had just happened here. Hundreds of bleeding corpses were lying in the mud, attracting a large number of rotting crocodiles and greedy crows to share this banquet.
Suddenly, a hand stretched out from the pile of corpses. In his hand was a pure white peach blossom invitation.
In a bloody Fighting Arena.
On the venue covered in blood, the roaring slave warriors fought with their bare hands.
Every punch was fatal. All the fighters here were skilled in killing.
In the end, all the enemies fell. A strong young man with a face covered in blood and a determined expression stood at the end… winning an invitation for his master.
In a dark casino.
After a group of cultivators were pasted with talisman papers that sealed their spiritual qi, they threw themselves on the gambling table with red faces and stared at the only invitation left for the winner.
They gambled their wealth and future, wanting to make a fortune.
In a flying ship with red lights.
There were orioles and swallows singing and dancing. A group of young cultivators dressed as refined Confucian scholars spent a lot of money and recited poetry for the number one courtesan.
Finally, an elegant young master stood out among all the guests and won the night of the Courtesan Belle.
After a night of interaction, the Courtesan Belle flew away, leaving only an invitation letter with the fragrance of peach blossoms beside the pillow.
In the Eastern Region, 1,200 anonymous invitations were distributed in various ways.
Among the winners, some were wild with joy, some were smug, some smiled lightly, and some were disdainful…
Ten days later, Jiang Li stood on the deck of the Great Mountain Alliance’s flying ship and looked at the gorgeous pink peach blossoms in the distance.
The location of the Mu family of the Peach Forest was very good. It was a place where the earth vein was rich in spiritual qi. The climate was even warmer and moist, and the four seasons were like spring.
It was said that the peach blossoms here would never wither and would always be like this.
Although it was called a Ten Mile Peach Blossom Forest, this peach blossom forest stretched for at least 50 miles.
However, the center ten miles was filled with precious Longevity Peach spiritual fruits, so it was still called the Ten Mile Peach Blossom Forest.
“Alliance Leader Jiang, Qiuhua, the Mu family is ahead.”
Standing beside Jiang Li were Shu Mountain’s Elder Mu and Shenshan Qiuhua.
As members of the Mu family, they had also received two invitations.
Although they did not know Elder Mu’s past experiences, from the performance of Mu Chunyang and Mu Chunkong, their attitude could be considered respectful.
Elder Mu still had some ties with the family.
After all, she was the biological descendant of the Mu family. How could she break off?
Since the main family had invited them, Mu Chunkong could be considered to have helped a little in finding Shenshan Qiuhua, so it was not good for them to refuse, so they simply accompanied Jiang Li.
The flying ship landed in a large manor on the outside. In this spaceport, there were already gorgeous flying ships parked in rows.
Even if all the flying ships in the cultivation world of the Great Mountain Region were combined, they might not be able to reach this number.
With the Mu family’s connections, and coming here to eat a spiritual fruit banquet for nothing, very few forces would not give them respect.
The three of them disembarked. There were already many sects and forces below.
Sitting in the picturesque peach forest manor, many representatives of the sects and factions sat under the peach trees. They could also take this opportunity to make a delightful transaction.
“I haven’t been back in a long time.” Elder Mu sighed when she returned to her hometown.
“This place is similar to our small courtyard.”
Shenshan Qiuhua was also a little surprised. The courtyard she had grown up in was just like this place. It was filled with peach blossoms.
“Over there, there seems to be something.”
Looking at the surrounding peach forest, Shenshan Qiuhua suddenly covered her head and looked into the depths of the peach forest in confusion.
Ever since she awakened a special ability last time, Shenshan Qiuhua could always sense something from time to time.
It was precisely because of this ability that she had felt the hatred of the hundreds of children on the flying ship that was traveling in the sky.
In the Ten Mile Peach Blossom Forest, Shenshan Qiuhua clearly sensed something special.
However, her mother, Elder Mu, was a little secretive about the talent that Qiuhua had awakened and was unwilling to talk about it in detail. As a result, they still did not know the exact function of this talent.
However, Shenshan Qiuhua’s high-grade water and fire spiritual root had actually become a top-grade dual-attribute spiritual root after awakening.
For a supplementary effect to have such a miraculous transformation, it could be seen that this ability was not ordinary.
“Alliance Leader Jiang, long time no see. How have you been!”
Not far away, a voice sounded.
Jiang Li looked over and greeted one of their few business partners in the Eastern Region, Shopkeeper Jiang of the Medicine King Pavilion.
“Shopkeeper Jiang, long time no see.”
In the cooperation of the Medicine Garden Mystic Realm in the Misty Mountain Range, the two sides cooperated very happily and established some friendship.
The Medicine King Pavilion’s merit points had long reached more than 900,000. Moreover, it was a sect that could produce medicine, so it naturally received the Mu family’s invitation.
In such an occasion where sects gathered, it did not seem too awkward for one or two familiar faces to speak to each other.
They found a stone table under the peach tree and sat around it, tasting the unique peach blossom brew of the Mu family.
Not long after, there was a commotion ahead.
Many representatives stood up or walked out of the courtyard. They surrounded the two sides of the forest path and stopped to watch.
“Young Master Chunhao!”
“I’ve long heard of the Mu family’s Eldest Young Master’s reputation as a genius. Now that I see it, he’s indeed peerless!”
“Yes, yes, yes. In our Eastern Region’s cultivation world, Young Master Chunhao is definitely the number one!”
From the rising and falling compliments, it could be seen that this person was of high status.
“Alliance Leader Jiang, that person is the Eldest Young Master of the Mu family, Mu Chunhao.”
“It’s said that this child is extremely valued in the clan. He’s less than 40 years old and his cultivation has already reached the Nascent Soul realm.”
“With such a cultivation, countless old fellows are ashamed.”
Shopkeeper Jiang knew that Jiang Li knew very little about the Eastern Region and took the initiative to explain from beside him.
The age of cultivators could not be measured like ordinary people.
Ordinary Golden Core cultivators could live for 500 years without illness or calamity, let alone Nascent Soul cultivators who could establish sects in many places.
40 years old was indeed ridiculously young.
As they spoke, they realized that something was amiss.
Looking at the direction where the crowd separated, why did Mu Chunhao look like he was coming towards them?
Sure enough, a few breaths later, a tall young man stood before Jiang Li and the others.
“Greetings, Aunt.” Mu Chunhao stepped forward and bowed gently, causing the surrounding sect cultivators to be surprised.
He did not expect that there was a person of high status from the Mu family here.
Wasn’t Mu Chunhao’s aunt the sister or sister of the current head of the Mu family?
That status was incredible.
Everyone else was thinking about the relationship and situation between Elder Mu and the Mu family. Mu Chunhao then placed his gaze on Shenshan Qiuhua.
“This must be Cousin Qiuhua. This is the first time we met. This is my gift to you.”
He actually used Jiang Li’s method from back then to give gifts as soon as he arrived.
It was a pure wooden hairpin. As soon as he took it out, everyone could sense the dense vitality and surging spiritual qi hidden within.
Clearly, this was an accessory-type artifact of high quality.
“Miss Qiuhua, quickly accept it. This is made from a precious tree bestowed by the ancestor to Young Master Chunkong. He specially forged this brilliant hairpin for you. It’s very precious.”
A maidservant behind Mu Chunhao spoke and began to praise her master, but she clearly treated them as country bumpkins.
It was just a Profound-rank artifact. Jiang Li did not think much of it now. How could the little princess of the Shu Mountain Five Elements Peak, the Shenshan Clan, lack such a thing?
If he wanted to put on a show, he could casually give an Earth-rank artifact to Jiang Li. That would be impressive.
Otherwise, why bother to come and act like a nice guy?
“I can’t take a reward without merit. Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Mu.”
Shenshan Qiuhua directly rejected it, and then she took two steps back and stood behind Jiang Li.
What cousin? Sorry, she did not recognize him at all.
At this moment, Mu Chunhao seemed to have finally seen Jiang Li who was standing at the side, and he sized him up without saying anything.
“Cousin Qiuhua is quite shy. Aunt, I hope you will accept this hairpin on her behalf.”
“In addition, Aunt, you’ve been away from home for a long time. Father misses you very much. Aunt, come in and have a chat..”