Chapter 2857: Exchange

Zhenhai Palace possesses a Rengui Immortal Apricot Tree, a primary reason for the continuous emergence of Integration cultivators within its ranks.

During the last alliance between the Blazefire Race and the Yaksha Race against humanity, Zhenhai Palace lost two Integration cultivators. Yet, in less than ten millennia, four more Integration cultivators have emerged from Zhenhai Palace. Song Yuchan, being a spiritual body, does not require the Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit, but others do.

The Wang family began its ascent relatively late, and the appearance of two Integration cultivators was already a stroke of great fortune. Chen Yueying believed Wang Changsheng would not refuse, but rather, the question was what he would offer in exchange.

She only possessed a single Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit and could not simply hand it over to Wang Changsheng.

She didn't expect Wang Changsheng to offer materials like the Lightning Absorption Pearl, Nine-Light Divine Mud, or East-Yi Divine Wood; such an expectation would be unrealistic. For ordinary cultivators, consuming a Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit only increased their chances of advancing to the Integration stage.

Wang Changsheng's expression grew serious. Chen Yueying was correct; possessing a Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit would significantly increase the Wang family's chances of producing a third Integration cultivator.

The roots of the Rengui Immortal Apricot Tree obtained by his family were damaged and remained unrepaired. A formation relying on Level 6 Wood Demon Cores proved inadequate for its restoration. While Creation Divine Water could keep the tree alive, its growth was stunted, and a formation utilizing Level 7 Wood Demon Cores might be necessary for a full recovery.

Level 7 Wood Demon Cores were exceedingly rare, and despite years of searching, the Wang family had yet to find even one.

"A Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit!"

Wang Changsheng was tempted. Ordinary materials wouldn't impress Chen Yueying, but he was unwilling to part with overly precious ones for a Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit.

After some thought, he produced a section of pitch-black wood, its surface pitted and uneven as if gnawed by insects. It was Xuanming Ghostwood.

Its distinct growth rings made it easily identifiable.

"This is 200,000-year-old Xuanming Ghostwood that I acquired from the Burial Demon Cave-Heaven. What are your thoughts, Senior Sister Chen?"

Wang Changsheng's tone was earnest.

"What? 200,000-year-old Xuanming Ghostwood!"

Chen Yueying exclaimed in surprise. While many spiritual woods over 200,000 years old existed in the Profound Spirit Cave-Heaven, not all were suitable for artifact refining or establishing formations.

Like the waters of the River Styx, Xuanming Ghostwood was an exclusive material from the underworld. It possessed the ability to condense Yin energy, making it an excellent material for crafting ghost-path treasures.

Wang Changsheng naturally wouldn't reveal the full truth to Chen Yueying. Few Wang family members were aware of that specific piece of Xuanming Ghostwood. If ghost cultivators discovered the Wang family possessed a 200,000-year-old specimen, there was no guarantee they wouldn't try to seize it.

With a sufficient quantity of Level 7 materials and the 200,000-year-old Xuanming Ghostwood, crafting a top-grade Heaven-Piercing Spirit Treasure would pose no problem.

Chen Yueying accepted the Xuanming Ghostwood, her expression thoughtful. She certainly desired this piece, but the Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit ripened only once every 60,000 years, making it an exceptionally difficult acquisition.

Her current need was for tribulation-transcending materials. While Xuanming Ghostwood was excellent for establishing formations to gather Yin energy, making it highly attractive to ghost cultivators, Chen Yueying possessed the Qian Earth Physique and thus had no use for it.

She shook her head. "I require materials for transcending tribulation," she stated. "Specifically, a Level 7 Lightning Absorption Pearl, East-Yi Divine Wood, or Nine-Light Divine Mud. Significant information regarding tribulation treasures would also be acceptable, though mere information won't suffice for a Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit."

She had once obtained a piece of East-Yi Divine Wood in her early years and refined it into a treasure to aid in tribulation transcendence. Regrettably, it was destroyed by a Grand Heavenly Tribulation. The Grand Heavenly Tribulations faced by Integration cultivators were incredibly potent. Treasures refined from East-Yi Divine Wood were exceptionally difficult to repair, sustaining damage during each Grand Heavenly Tribulation and eventually being ruined over time.

If rare tribulation-transcending treasures, like those crafted from East-Yi Divine Wood, Lightning Absorption Pearls, or Nine-Light Divine Mud, could be easily repaired, the number of Integration cultivators within major forces would increase severalfold.

While ordinary treasures were easily repaired, a Grand Heavenly Tribulation would often render lower-grade treasures completely useless.

Wang Changsheng looked somewhat disappointed. He shook his head and replied, "I don't possess any of those. Would you consider a trade for 50,000-year-old Gold Magnetic Spirit Wood or Nine Thunder Bamboo instead?"

The Nine-Light Bottle was exceedingly precious. The Rengui Immortal Apricot Fruit, while accelerating the cultivation speed of ordinary cultivators to approach that of those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, still necessitated facing several Grand Heavenly Tribulations.

Cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots or Dual Spiritual Roots cultivated relatively quickly. Spiritual bodies were the fastest, followed by cultivators who had refined true spirit origins.

With the Nine-Light Bottle in hand, it could play a crucial role if Duan Tongtian, Wang Qingshan, or Wang Yidao sought to achieve the Integration stage. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were, in fact, relying on the Nine-Light Bottle for their own Grand Heavenly Tribulations!

If other forces were to discover the Wang family possessed a treasure like the Nine-Light Bottle, it would undoubtedly lead to significant trouble. However, the Wang family had intentionally downplayed its strength for years, and with its formidable power serving as a deterrent, other forces wouldn't simply launch an attack based on mere rumors.

Wang Changsheng had never revealed the Nine-Light Bottle's existence to outsiders, and only a select few within the clan were aware of it.

Chen Yueying shook her head; Zhenhai Palace's treasury already held Gold Magnetic Spirit Wood and Nine Thunder Bamboo of even greater age.

Which Integration cultivator would be willing to trade precious tribulation-transcending materials for this? Elixirs or rare treasures for advancing to the Mahayana stage were an entirely different consideration.

"I heard your family is collecting Level 7 Wood Demon Cores," Chen Yueying stated. "How about I trade a Level 7 Wood Demon Core, three pieces of Qian Thunder Crystal, and a 100,000-year-old Five-Thunder Wood for your 200,000-year-old Xuanming Ghostwood?"

Chen Yueying then produced an exquisite green jade box and five green jade caskets.

Xuanming Ghostwood was indigenous to the underworld, appearing only in rare locations within the Xuanyang Realm. An ordinary spiritual wood, even one 200,000 years old, could not command such an array of valuable items.

"A Level 7 Wood Demon Core! Qian Thunder Crystal! Five-Thunder Wood!"

Wang Changsheng was surprised. With a Level 7 Wood Demon Core, his family could establish a formation to repair the roots of the Rengui Immortal Apricot Tree. The Qian Thunder Crystal and Five-Thunder Wood, moreover, could be used to refine lightning-attribute treasures.

The Long family's treasured artifact, the Qian Thunder Demon-Slaying Pagoda, was primarily crafted from Qian Thunder Crystal. As a family-protecting treasure, its power was naturally formidable.

He readily agreed to the exchange with Chen Yueying.

"Oh, right," Chen Yueying said meaningfully, "I encountered Ye Xuanji, the artifact spirit you spoke of."

She spoke suggestively, noting that when she mentioned Wang Changsheng to Ye Xuanji, the latter still remembered him.

"Where is she now?" Wang Changsheng asked curiously. "The Ye family has been searching for her."

"The last time I saw her was on Xuanguang Continent, but I don't know her current whereabouts," Chen Yueying stated deeply. She had fought alongside Ye Xuanji and been greatly impressed by her formidable strength.

Wang Changsheng nodded, confirming his suspicion: Ye Xuanji and the artifact spirit were indeed the same individual.

This implied that Ye Xuanji had not descended to the lower realm with her true body. Even with a Realm-Breaker Plate, only Soul Transformation stage cultivators could descend; the higher one's cultivation, the greater the realm's resistance.

Ye Xuanji must have descended with a separated soul. If this was the case, her true body might have been killed, perhaps by a Mahayana cultivator, or she might have perished under a Grand Heavenly Tribulation. These were merely Wang Changsheng's conjectures; only Ye Xuanji herself knew the true circumstances.

"Her strength is immense," Chen Yueying warned, her expression solemn. "You would be wise not to mention Ye Xuanji's existence to the Ye family. If she were to hold a grudge against you, things would not end well. To my knowledge, she has killed no fewer than ten Integration cultivators on Xuanguang Continent."