Chapter 77: Plundering

Leshan County, an unnamed desolate mountain—Jiang Chen arrived riding the wind.

While Qinghe County was in a restless uproar over the name of the Rainbow Sword Immortal, Jiang Chen quietly withdrew and journeyed to Leshan County, letting the arrow fly a little longer.

“This is the place.”

After carefully confirming his bearings and ensuring he had not mistaken the location, Jiang Chen descended.

"Open."

Forming a seal with his fingers, he lightly pointed at the barren slope before him.

In the next instant, spiritual energy surged, the air rippling as if it were water. The scenery of grass and trees distorted, and a deep, shadowy passage appeared before Jiang Chen.

“A clever trick, but it could only fool ordinary people or cultivators at the Spirit Sense stage.”

After a brief inspection, Jiang Chen walked forward at a measured pace. Once he entered, the scene restored itself to its original state, concealing all traces—this was a minor illusion formation set by the An family.

“It seems the An family put some thought into choosing this place.”

Twisting and turning through the passageways, Jiang Chen eventually reached the heart of the cave. Before him spread a spacious, orderly chamber, and his eyes gleamed with interest.

“A meditation chamber constructed with a minor spirit-gathering array, and a patch of medicinal field yet to be fully cultivated. Clearly, the An family intended to turn this into their own cultivation sanctuary.”

Examining the area, Jiang Chen was pleasantly surprised. Although he had already scoured An Yuxuan’s soul and learned many things, An Yuxuan himself had never actually been here and thus lacked full understanding.

In Jiang Chen’s eyes, the place still held rich, untapped value. For instance, the meditation chamber’s spirit-gathering array was actually an array disc, which could be removed. The seemingly barren medicinal field was in fact composed of valuable spirit soil.

Such things might appear unremarkable, yet were often closely guarded secrets of cultivation families; even with spirit sands, they would be difficult to buy on the open market.

“These are all fine treasures, truly fine treasures.”

The more Jiang Chen looked, the more delighted he became.

After a while, his gaze fell upon the deepest part of the sanctuary—a pool of molten lava, where bubbles would occasionally burst, releasing waves of scorching heat.

“The earthfire here erupts violently, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, and is not at all stable. Without the proper methods to control it, it would be hard to harness. Still, this environment is perfectly suited for the cultivation of the True Flame Sutra of the Earth’s Core.”

“If I were willing to switch to this fire cultivation method, with these conditions I could quickly resume training in the breathing arts.”

With that thought, Jiang Chen shielded himself with true qi and approached the lava pool.

In the world of cultivation, earthfire was commonly used, especially in alchemy and refining equipment, though it needed to be properly harnessed. The An family, however, lacked such skills; though they had obtained the True Flame Sutra of the Earth’s Core, their main occupation remained farming.

“Scarlet Fire Ganoderma—a first-rank spirit herb, containing the essence of fire. For cultivators practicing fire techniques, it is a fine elixir, boosting cultivation. Even Spirit Sense cultivators could use it to break into the Breathing Arts realm.”

By the lava pool, Jiang Chen’s eyes rested on nine Scarlet Fire Ganodermas—one large and eight small. The large one had grown there naturally and was ready for harvest, while the smaller ones had been deliberately planted by the An family, seeds sown in hope of future yields.

Cultivation families differ from solitary cultivators; they seek not immediate gains, but long-term prosperity.

“The An family does possess some heritage when it comes to farming.”

With a flicker of thought, Jiang Chen harvested the mature Scarlet Fire Ganoderma. Though best suited for fire cultivators, he could also make use of it—one of the mysteries of the Minor Formless Sutra.

“This Ganoderma is valuable, whether for my own use or for trade. I should visit the cultivation marketplace in Qingyuan County soon. Now that I’ve reached the Breathing Arts stage, my needs have increased. Secluding myself in bitter cultivation is not the best strategy.”

“Besides, I must assess the industries controlled by the Peaceful Sect. The An family excels at agriculture, but the Peaceful Sect currently has little of real value.”

After examining the Scarlet Fire Ganoderma, Jiang Chen stored it away. Having formed an alliance with the Lu family, he now had a basic understanding of the cultivation world in Qingyuan County.

Qingyuan County was dominated by cultivation clans, with no truly formidable sects. Once his Peaceful Sect was properly established, it would undoubtedly become the leading sect in the region.

Beyond that, the largest cultivation marketplace in Qingyuan County was on Yan Hui Island in the Qingyuan River, founded by the itinerant cultivator Master Fu Ling, who had achieved perfection in the Breathing Arts. The three major families all had interests there, and even cultivators from other counties had established themselves on the island. The marketplace was well supplied with various resources.

As for other markets in Qingyuan County, they existed but were generally small, mere circles of local influence.

There were also rumors of a ghost market, where rare resources could be found. In truth, it was a demon market, with its entrance at Five Immortal Mountain, and one needed a token to enter.

“This place could serve as an auxiliary residence for the Peaceful Sect in the future.”

With that thought, Jiang Chen took out two storage bags. Using threads of true qi, he began collecting everything of value—a practical application of his cultivation techniques, seamlessly woven into daily life.

The threads of true qi sometimes wove into nets, sometimes gathered into hands, displaying Jiang Chen’s precise control—a testament to his recent progress. He had already reached the minor accomplishment stage in the Art of Qi Threads.

Though merely a foundational technique, not a profound secret art, it still revealed many subtleties once mastered.

Time passed, and before long, relying on his proficiency in the Art of Qi Threads, Jiang Chen finished gathering all the resources.

After his departure, a dry wind swept through with a mournful howl, leaving the An family’s secret sanctuary stripped bare. Not only had all their stored cultivation resources been taken, but even the soil from the medicinal field was gone, and the meditation chamber had been dismantled—nothing was left behind.

With shallow roots and scant accumulation, and having endured too many lean years, Jiang Chen could hardly avoid being thorough in his scavenging. Such is human nature.

As for establishing an auxiliary residence, that was a matter for the future. For now, all these resources were to be taken away, since, apart from Jiang Chen, only Hongyu practiced cultivation in the Peaceful Sect—and she cultivated water and wood qi, not fire.

“With all these resources, I should have no trouble reaching minor achievement in the Breathing Arts.”

Stepping out of the tunnel, Jiang Chen looked at his two bulging storage bags. His mood was light as he summoned a clear breeze and rode away on the wind.