Chapter 3779: Haoyuan Crystal, Golden-Backed Demon Ape

A young man in a red shirt wore a golden jade crown. His nose was straight, an air of arrogance emanating from his brows, and a green, shimmering jade pendant hung from his waist. This was Shen Liming, a core disciple of Hundred Refinements Island.

"Fellow Daoist Shen," Huo Yushuang introduced, "these two are True Immortal Taihao and Immortal Tianqin."

"The two of you have cultivated your divine sense quite well; it's much stronger than that of ordinary True Immortals," a beautiful young woman in a yellow dress said with a faint smile. "No wonder Madam Huo speaks so highly of you."

The young woman in the yellow dress had a graceful figure. Her two upward-slanting sword-like eyebrows gave her a heroic appearance.

"When it comes to divine sense, we can't compare to Immortal Feng!" Wang Changsheng said modestly.

The young woman in the yellow dress was named Feng Chuchu. She possessed a Nine-Star Body, and her divine sense was exceptionally powerful. The Dark Hall had gathered intelligence on her.

Over a hundred thousand years ago, Feng Chuchu was attacked by five True Immortal cultivators while out on a task. Alone, she controlled five First-Order immortal puppets, killing three True Immortals and severely injuring two. Her reputation soared.

"Fellow Daoist Wang is right," a short, stout man in a purple robe said with a smile. "In terms of divine sense alone, none of the fellow Daoists present can compare to Immortal Chu. However, when it comes to vital energy and blood, perhaps only Fellow Daoist Yuan and Fellow Daoist Gu can rival Fellow Daoist Wang."

"Fellow Daoist Wang's vital energy and blood are that strong?" Feng Chuchu said in surprise. "Fellow Daoist Yuan's true form is a True Immortal-stage Herculean Golden-Backed Ape."

The man in the purple robe was named Luo Feiyu. He possessed a Blood Spirit Physique and was highly sensitive to beings with abundant vital energy and blood.

Body cultivators naturally have more abundant vital energy and blood than ordinary cultivators. The stronger their physical body, the more robust their vital energy and blood, and the stronger Luo Feiyu's perception became.

"There's always a higher mountain, and a stronger heaven," a burly man in a yellow shirt said casually. "It's not surprising that Fellow Daoist Wang's vital energy and blood are stronger than mine. After all, he was able to kill a True Immortal cultivator from the Heavenly Ghost Sect in the early True Immortal stage."

This was Yuan Lei, a True Immortal in the mid-stage.

"I am Gu Xiong, pleased to meet Fellow Daoist Wang," a pale-faced man in a black robe said politely, standing up. Despite his refined appearance, the man in the black robe exuded a strong aura of malevolence, clearly indicating a history of considerable slaughter.

"I am Wang Changsheng, and this is my wife, Wang Ruyan. We are pleased to meet all fellow Daoists," Wang Changsheng introduced himself.

"Please, have a seat, Fellow Daoist Wang," Shen Liming said, gesturing for Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan to sit down.

Wang Changsheng showed no outward emotion but was secretly surprised. It seemed there were indeed many True Immortal cultivators with powerful divine senses.

Cultivators continued to pass the assessment and entered the venue to join the gathering. The lowest cultivation level was mid-stage True Immortal, with even some at the True Immortal Great Perfection stage.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, you're almost through with all thirty-six immortal apertures, aren't you?" Luo Feiyu asked, looking at Shen Liming with a face full of envy.

Early-stage True Immortals break through twelve immortal apertures to advance to the mid-stage, twenty-four to reach the late-stage True Immortal, and thirty-six to enter the early Golden Immortal stage.

Most cultivators require external assistance to break through all thirty-six immortal apertures, which makes it considerably easier. Some True Immortal cultivators with special physiques can break through all thirty-six immortal apertures without external aid, but such cases are extremely rare.

"How could it be that easy to break through thirty-six immortal apertures? I've been stuck in the late True Immortal stage for over a hundred thousand years," Shen Liming sighed.

Bottlenecks are something every cultivator must face, and they vary from person to person.

"That's only a bit over a hundred thousand years," a fair-skinned young woman in a white dress said nonchalantly. "My grand-uncle has been stuck in the mid-stage True Immortal for over two hundred thousand years."

This was Gu Bing, a mid-stage True Immortal from the Snow Crystal Clan.

"Bottlenecks are indeed not easy to overcome," Huo Yushuang said, her face full of envy. "However, with Fellow Daoist Shen's aptitude, I believe you will overcome your bottleneck soon. Speaking of which, I heard that Immortal Xingyue, the newly ascended Golden Immortal of the Bright Moon Alliance, possesses the Star-Moon Spirit Body. This spirit body is an auxiliary type, and before reaching the Grand Unity Golden Immortal stage, its possessor will encounter no bottlenecks; they can advance simply by cultivating step by step."

"Immortal Xingyue's cultivation speed is indeed fast," Wang Changsheng said. "I heard she advanced to the Golden Immortal stage in less than two hundred thousand years of cultivation. In the Sky Dawn Sea Territory, probably only Sky Dawn Child's cultivation speed surpasses hers." When they first ascended to the Immortal Realm, the Bright Moon Alliance gained a new Golden Immortal cultivator, Immortal Xingyue, and Wang Changsheng had also heard about her deeds.

Without bottlenecks, Immortal Xingyue's cultivation speed would indeed be very rapid.

"Fast cultivation speed doesn't necessarily mean strong combat power. It's not an Immortal Body, after all," Shen Liming said dismissively.

After chatting for over an hour, someone suggested exchanging materials, and all the cultivators agreed.

Shen Liming was the first to offer materials for exchange. He took out dozens of items, including more than ten low-grade immortal artifacts, showing off his immense wealth.

"I'm looking to exchange for materials to refine immortal-destroying cannons or puppet beasts," Shen Liming stated. "Rare materials of equivalent value are also acceptable."

Wang Changsheng's gaze swept over the items, landing on an earthy-yellow crystal. The yellow crystal was only the size of a pigeon's egg, its surface bearing some mysterious, natural patterns. "A Wu Yuan Crystal!"

Wang Changsheng picked up the yellow crystal, feeling its considerable weight.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, how about I exchange this item for your Wu Yuan Crystal?" Wang Changsheng asked, taking out a golden jade box and handing it to Shen Liming.

That semi-finished item had yielded many materials; some were exchanged at the underground auction, and some remained. Shen Liming opened the jade box, glanced inside, nodded, and agreed to the exchange.

Most of the items Shen Liming put forward were exchanged; all the low-grade immortal artifacts he offered were traded. It was well-known that Shen Liming's artifact-refining skills were exceptional.

The immortal artifacts he refined were naturally superior to those found on the market and were highly favored by True Immortal cultivators.

After completing his exchanges, Shen Liming sat down. The other cultivators then successively stood up and presented items for exchange. Some succeeded in their exchanges, while others did not.

Wang Ruyan successfully acquired three materials for refining immortal talismans. Wang Changsheng, on the other hand, had his eye on a few materials, but the other party's price was too high, so the exchange was not successful.

A quarter of an hour later, Luo Feiyu stood up and presented dozens of materials. A golden crystal ball caught Wang Changsheng's attention.

Inside the golden crystal ball was a miniature ape with a ferocious, demonic face on its back. It was clearly a spirit soul.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, is that the spirit soul of a True Spirit Golden-Backed Ghost Ape?" Shen Liming asked.

Golden-Backed Ghost Apes are born in the Netherworld. They feed on ghostly entities, restraining most of them. They possess soul-based divine abilities and are adept at concealment. Without defensive soul-type immortal artifacts, one can easily be ambushed by them.

"Precisely," Luo Feiyu stated. "This is the spirit soul of a mid-stage True Immortal Golden-Backed Ghost Ape. I would like to ask an immortal talisman master to help me refine a First-Order immortal talisman. I will provide the materials and the refining method."

Immortal talisman masters are even rarer than immortal artifact refiners. There's no way around it; talismans are easy to learn but difficult to master.

The number of immortal alchemists and immortal artifact refiners is relatively higher, while the number of immortal talisman masters and immortal array masters is lower. As for immortal diviners, they are even scarcer.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, this humble one is an immortal talisman master and is willing to help refine the First-Order immortal talisman," Wang Ruyan said. "What do you think, Fellow Daoist Luo?"