Chapter 1961: News of the Five Elements Master

A short while later, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan appeared at the entrance of a pavilion adorned with carved railings and ornate jade.

Xuan-Guang Tower, a shop with a wide range of offerings, was most famous for its Seven-Star Soul Nourishing Pill. This fifth-tier medicinal pill could enhance spiritual consciousness.

The cultivation techniques Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were currently practicing had high requirements for spiritual consciousness. Thus, medicinal pills or rare treasures that could enhance spiritual consciousness were something they had been searching for. Potent elixirs for spiritual consciousness were particularly sought after, though they were quite rare. Pills to increase spiritual consciousness needed to be taken in large quantities for the enhancement to be significant; taking just a few had little effect.

Of course, the most effective method was cultivation techniques specifically designed to enhance spiritual consciousness. Wang Changsheng had inquired with Chen Xin, who confirmed that Zhenhai Palace indeed possessed such techniques. However, they were only developed up to the Soul Transformation stage, their cultivation difficulty was relatively high, and the resulting spiritual consciousness increase was not substantial. Few high-level cultivators practiced them. Chen Xin had once attempted to cultivate it, but he felt the spiritual consciousness gained was too little for the significant time invested, making it not worthwhile, so he abandoned it.

While cultivation techniques for enhancing spiritual consciousness were rare, they were not nonexistent. Either their effects were minimal, or their cultivation conditions were too stringent, or they required a complete set of Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures as aids. After all, powerful spiritual consciousness offered many benefits. Major powers certainly possessed techniques for enhancing spiritual consciousness, but their effects were typically unremarkable.

Numerous cultivators were entering and exiting, making the place appear quite bustling.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan walked inside. They were met by a spacious and brightly lit hall. Behind the counter, made of Xuan-Qing jade, stood a tall silver wall adorned with an exquisite mural depicting a group of cultivators trading in a market, with spiritual light shimmering and runes flashing.

Over a dozen attendants, dressed in identical silver robes, stood behind the counter, introducing various items to customers. From time to time, a silver-robed attendant would reach out towards the silver wall; their hand easily passed through it, retrieving various goods.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan did not linger long in the main hall, heading directly upstairs.

The second and third floors were arranged more elegantly. Behind their counters also stood silver walls, from which staff retrieved various goods.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, they saw a plump, fair-faced middle-aged scholar flipping through a thick ancient text.

Seeing Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, the middle-aged scholar put down the text and stood up. He courteously said, "I am Jiang Yunhe, the manager of Xuan-Guang Tower. May I know the names of you two fellow Daoists?"

"My surname is Wang," Wang Changsheng said directly. "We wish to purchase some Seven-Star Soul Nourishing Pills."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, your timing is unfortunate," Jiang Yunhe said apologetically. "We have just sold out of the Seven-Star Soul Nourishing Pills; we currently have no stock. You may leave your contact information, and as soon as we restock, I will immediately send someone to notify you." The Seven-Star Soul Nourishing Pill was one of Xuan-Guang Tower's most famous and best-selling items.

"Sold out?" Wang Changsheng asked with a frown. "Do you have anything else that can enhance spiritual consciousness?"

Jiang Yunhe nodded. "We do, but they are not suitable for you two fellow Daoists. They only have some effect on cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage."

Wang Ruyan took out a blue jade slip and handed it to Jiang Yunhe. "We'd like to purchase these materials," she said. "Your esteemed shop has them, right?"

Jiang Yunhe took the jade slip, scanned it with his spiritual consciousness, and nodded. "We have all of these items," he said. "Please wait a moment, fellow Daoists."

He took out a light silver magic plate, made some gestures, and then cast a spell.

Jiang Yunhe began chatting with Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan; their conversation was purely casual.

"Manager Jiang," Wang Changsheng asked casually, "have there been any major events in the cultivation world recently?" If anything major had happened, Cai Yunfeng would surely have informed them.

"Heh heh, there really has been a major event," Jiang Yunhe chuckled mysteriously. "Five-Elements Master was ambushed and perished."

"What? Five-Elements Master perished?" Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan asked, full of shock. Five-Elements Master was a late Void Refinement stage cultivator. It was said that he had entered the Heavenly Venerable Xuan-Ling's cultivation ground, acquiring many treasures and Heavenly Venerable Xuan-Ling's artifact-refining legacy. His artifact-refining skills had improved rapidly. Over ten years ago, an auction held by the Seven-Star Chamber of Commerce had even sold a Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure crafted by Five-Elements Master.

Five-Elements Master had established the Five-Elements Sect himself; with tens of thousands of disciples, it had become an independent power.

"It's absolutely true," Jiang Yunhe stated emphatically. "His Natal Artifact was destroyed, and even the Five-Elements Sect's main headquarters was breached. There's no mistake about it."

"Manager Jiang," Wang Changsheng asked curiously, "was this a revenge killing, or was it done by a foreign race?" This news was too shocking; if a late Void Refinement stage cultivator was no match, could a Body Integration stage cultivator have made a move?

"I heard that Five-Elements Master was an alien spy," Jiang Yunhe said, his expression becoming serious towards the end. "He had been providing intelligence to foreign races and betraying humanity. However, Five-Elements Master used a set of rare treasures to break out of the encirclement and vanished without a trace. Now, all major powers are offering a hefty reward for Five-Elements Master, and the disciples of the Five-Elements Sect have become like rats running across the street, hated by everyone."

"An alien spy?" Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan said, sounding skeptical. Five-Elements Master had established his sect over a thousand years ago and had always been safe and sound. The sudden release of this news seemed problematic from any angle. It was highly possible that he had obtained some valuable treasure from Heavenly Venerable Xuan-Ling's cultivation ground, which attracted the covetousness of a major power. As the saying goes, "a man's misfortune is his wealth"; such incidents were not uncommon.

A shrewd-looking middle-aged man approached, handed a green storage ring to Jiang Yunhe, bowed, and withdrew.

"Fellow Daoist Wang," Jiang Yunhe said courteously, handing the storage ring to Wang Changsheng, "here are the items you requested. Please take a look."

Wang Changsheng poured out the contents of the storage ring and carefully inspected them. After confirming everything was correct, he nodded. Wang Ruyan then took out a blue storage ring and handed it to Jiang Yunhe.

A faint sound of footsteps was heard. A nine-foot-tall young man in white robes and a graceful young woman in a blue dress came up. The young man in white had a face like refined jade, red lips and white teeth, and a green jade belt around his waist. His eyes were deep, and an air of arrogance showed between his brows. The young woman in blue had delicate cherry lips and a refined nose, skin as fair as snow, and her hair styled in a high cloud bun.

Both were at the mid-Soul Transformation stage, though the young man in white had a stronger aura.

Judging by their attire, they were clearly disciples of the Xuan-Qing Sect.

"Manager Jiang," Wang Changsheng said, "if the Seven-Star Soul Nourishing Pills arrive, please send someone to Tianhai Tower to notify me."

Wang Changsheng stood up to take his leave and departed with Wang Ruyan.

The young man in white glanced at Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, but paid them no further attention.

After leaving Xuan-Guang Tower, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan strolled through the streets. They noticed many cultivators discussing Five-Elements Master's situation.

Some said Five-Elements Master colluded with foreign races to harm human cultivators. Others claimed he used human cultivators for his own cultivation. Still others rumored he possessed a set of powerful high-grade Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures that drew covetous gazes. There were also those who said he had a seventh-tier formation that could weaken the power of grand heavenly tribulations, which led to his troubles. Opinions varied widely.

Five-Elements Master's incident had occurred in recent years, and Wang Changsheng, being on his journey, was naturally unaware.

Three hours later, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan appeared at a secluded small courtyard with green tiles.