Chapter 3327: Taiyi Golden Crystal

"Junior Martial Brother Yang, weren't you going to a gathering? Why are you back so soon?" Liu Yuxin asked, as if remembering something.

"Divine Lord Tianyou couldn't make it due to an urgent matter, so the gathering dispersed quickly. I thought I'd get to meet him! I wonder if the stories about him are true," the young man in the golden shirt said, his face full of curiosity. He had heard that Divine Lord Tianyou would be attending a gathering and went specifically to participate, but Divine Lord Tianyou had an unexpected urgent matter and couldn't come.

"I don't believe in any Heavenly Fortune Spirit Bodies. Some of the strange tales and anecdotes in the cultivation world are fabricated and then passed down and exaggerated. Perhaps Divine Lord Tianyou just has good luck," Liu Yuxin said dismissively. If a Heavenly Fortune Spirit Body truly existed, Divine Lord Tianyou wouldn't need to cultivate; he'd just wait to advance to the Mahayana stage. Why would he need to travel around then?

"Who knows! I was just curious and wanted to get acquainted with him. It's a shame he couldn't make it," the young man in the golden shirt said with a regretful tone.

Wang Changsheng walked on the street, his expression calm, but his heart filled with extraordinary joy. Fortunately, he had been cautious, deliberately altering his appearance and cultivation level. Liu Yuxin shouldn't have recognized him. The strange ore Wang Mengbin brought back from Qianyuan Continent was very likely Taiyi Gold Crystal, a material that could be used to refine Houtian Profound Heaven Treasures. Its value was considerable. If it were just an ordinary eighth-tier material, Wang Changsheng wouldn't have been so excited. But if it truly was Taiyi Gold Crystal, he would have struck gold.

Of course, he couldn't be certain it was Taiyi Gold Crystal, nor did he dare take it to other shops for identification again. He only needed to inquire about the characteristics of Taiyi Gold Crystal and compare them with the ore in his possession to reach a conclusion. Wang Changsheng began to stroll leisurely on the street, to ensure he wasn't being followed. He wandered until dawn, entering secluded alleys and changing his appearance and clothes, but he didn't find any trackers. When it was fully light, and the streets were bustling with pedestrians, Wang Changsheng returned to his residence.

Wang Ruyan sat in a stone pavilion, having been waiting for Wang Changsheng. "How was it? What was that item?" Wang Ruyan asked.

Wang Changsheng came to Wang Ruyan's side, took a cup of fragrant tea from her, and took a sip of the spiritual tea. He then conjured a shimmering blue orb, cast a spell into it, and the blue orb emitted dazzling blue light, transforming into a dense blue light barrier that enveloped both of them.

"It might be Taiyi Gold Crystal!" Wang Changsheng recounted the entire incident.

"So Mengbin was the one who brought it back. No wonder the Tianhou Clan and the Xu family cultivators couldn't recognize it," Wang Ruyan said, suddenly understanding. According to Wang Mengbin, that ore was brought out by the Xu family's ancestor from Qianyuan Grotto-Heaven. It seemed Qianyuan Grotto-Heaven contained many valuable items.

"We'll act separately when the time comes. We hope to exchange it for a Golden Thunder Talisman," Wang Changsheng said in a deep voice. If it were Xuanli Gold, it would merely be a misunderstanding. But if it was Taiyi Gold Crystal, they would need to proceed with extreme caution.

Wang Ruyan nodded. Remembering something, she said, "Oh, right, Qingshan sent back word that Fellow Daoist Ye is holding a gathering the day after tomorrow. It's said that many Integration cultivators will attend, and even disciples from the Luo family of Kunlun Realm will be there." Birds of a feather flock together; the Ye family disciples associate with cultivators from major powers. If Wang Changsheng and the others hadn't happened to be there, it wouldn't have been easy for them to meet the Luo family disciples.

Wang Changsheng nodded. After a brief chat, they entered the pavilion to meditate and regulate their breathing.

At the top of Mount Tianjian, there was a vast yellowish-stone plaza spanning thousands of mu, with over a dozen buildings. A yellow palace, over ten zhang tall, stood directly in front, adorned with carved beams and painted pillars, and upturned eaves and elaborate Dougong brackets. On a yellow plaque, the three golden characters "Tianjian Hall" were written in a flourishing, dragon-and-phoenix style, shimmering with spiritual light.

The hall's main doors were wide open. A short, stout old man in a yellow robe sat on the main seat, his expression grim. He had long ears, a high nose, small eyes with yellowish irises, and rough skin with some yellow spiritual patterns on his body. This was Shi Pan, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator, and one of the nine Mahayana cultivators of the Stone Cocoon Clan.

Over a thousand years ago, a Mahayana cultivator of the Stone Cocoon Clan died during their sixth Great Heavenly Tribulation. Within the next ten thousand years, three more Mahayana cultivators of the Stone Cocoon Clan would face their sixth Great Heavenly Tribulation. For this reason, the Stone Cocoon Clan had to hold a large-scale auction, hoping to acquire high-grade tribulation-crossing materials. Whether it was tribulation-crossing treasures or formations, they would eventually be expended. Although the Stone Cocoon Clan had deep foundations, they lacked high-grade tribulation-crossing treasures. Other items were fine, but high-grade tribulation-crossing treasures simply couldn't be passed down for long. All Mahayana cultivators wished for an easier passage through the Great Heavenly Tribulation. If the Stone Cocoon Clan's Mahayana cultivators were all gone, their tribulation-crossing treasures would only become a source of trouble for their descendants. Other treasures were easier to talk about, but high-grade treasures capable of withstanding the Great Heavenly Tribulation were always the private property of Mahayana cultivators.

A tall, slender young man in a yellow shirt was reporting to Shi Pan. The young man, named Shi Yi, was an Integration Late-stage cultivator and a key cultivation target of the Stone Cocoon Clan. Once he reached the perfected Integration stage, the Stone Cocoon Clan would provide resources to help him break through to the Mahayana stage.

"True Monarch Tianluo from the Luo family of Kunlun Realm, Venerable Tianhao from Tianqian Sect of Qianguang Realm, and True Monarch White Tiger from Tianyao Realm have all arrived," Shi Yi said slowly. "Besides them, there are more than a dozen other Mahayana cultivators, mostly from other parts of Xuanyang Realm."

"Receive them well. Send people to keep an eye out for news of rare materials. No matter who brings out rare materials, they must be treated as honored guests and exchanged with sincerity. Bullying and coercion are strictly forbidden," Shi Pan instructed. The Stone Cocoon Clan's rules had always been strict. Bullying or killing for treasures on their own territory would damage their reputation, and then no one would dare bring valuable items to their land for exchange.

Shi Yi agreed and departed with the order.

In a manor spanning a hundred mu, Ye Yuhuan and a tall old man in a white robe sat in a white stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting. The old man in the white robe had a fair complexion, a smiling face, and appeared amiable. This was Ye Yuhan, a Mahayana Mid-stage cultivator, who had survived three Great Heavenly Tribulations and was due to face his fourth within the next five thousand years.

"Divination attracting thunder tribulations? Leading a realm war? Is it really that exaggerated?" Ye Yuhan said with a frown.

"It's hard to say. Taking extra care of him won't be a problem, and for us, it's just a small effort," Ye Yuhuan analyzed.

Ye Yuhan nodded and said, "I didn't expect Ancestor Xuanji to be so stubborn, insisting on going to the Underworld for a look."

"With her divine abilities and the treasures the clan has provided, there shouldn't be a major problem. I just hope she can stay within the clan and not wander off," Ye Yuhuan sighed. If Ye Xuanji were to stay in the Ye family, she would undoubtedly be a formidable force.

Ye Yuhan nodded and said nothing more.

Two days passed quickly. Early that morning, Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, Wang Qingshan, and True Monarch Sihai arrived at the entrance of a hundred-mu manor. They were attending the gathering hosted by Ye Tongtian, hoping to befriend cultivators from major powers and see if they could exchange for rare items. Wang Changsheng had asked Wang Xiangrong to buy some ancient texts introducing refining materials. He found a record of Taiyi Gold Crystal in one of them. After repeated comparisons, Wang Changsheng could confirm that the ore was indeed Taiyi Gold Crystal.