Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 194 - 192: Golden Core Borrowing Debt

Chapter 194: Chapter 192: Golden Core Borrowing Debt

Cao Wenjin was in a pretty good mood right now.

He had just attended Master Cyan Yang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony, not only did he meet many Golden Core stage fellow cultivators from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm at the ceremony, but he also watched the sparring between Master Cyan Yang and another Nascent Soul stage Zhenren, reaping great rewards from the event.

Especially when, at the ceremony, Master Cyan Yang unexpectedly gifted him a Tier Five Spirit Fruit, which has a decent effect even on Golden Core stage cultivators, as thanks for the help he provided during the eradication of Blood Nether.

Though the Tier Five Spirit Fruit was indeed precious and delicious, it wasn’t enough to move someone like Cao Wenjin, who oversees a sect as a Golden Core stage cultivator.

However, the public awarding from a Nascent Soul stage Zhenren was enough to make him feel honored and greatly enhance his social standing.

What does this imply?

It signifies that Cao Wenjin has a connection with Master Cyan Yang!

A Golden Core stage cultivator able to have ties with a Nascent Soul Zhenren of a major sect like the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, even those Golden Core stage cultivators from major sects wouldn’t dare underestimate him.

Consequently, Cao Wenjin made a small name for himself in the circle of Golden Core stage cultivators at Master Cyan Yang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony and thereby acquainted himself with many Golden Core fellow cultivators.

Therefore, when Zhouyang and Xiao Ying arrived at the backyard of the Yunlai Immortal Inn, they found Cao Wenjin happily chatting with his daughter Cao Qian.

Seeing Zhouyang and Xiao Ying enter, Cao Wenjin first glanced at the two holding hands as they walked in, then gave a slight smile and said, "Zhou Xiaozhi, you acted quickly, it seems I should congratulate the two of you."

Zhouyang had no intention of hiding his union with Xiao Ying as Dao Companions, so when he heard Cao Wenjin’s jesting remark, he simply smiled and said, "Judging by Elder Cao’s look, attending the Nascent Soul Ceremony of Master Cyan Yang must have been quite rewarding for you."

"Hahaha, you guessed right; in my eight hundred years of cultivation, this was my first time attending a Nascent Soul ceremony of a Zhenren, I never expected to receive a Spirit Fruit directly bestowed by Master Cyan Yang..."

Cao Wenjin seemed to be tickled by Zhouyang’s curiosity, laughed heartily, and recounted his experience at Master Cyan Yang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony.

Although he had told his daughter Cao Qian once before, he was still animated with facial expressions as he narrated again.

Listening to Cao Wenjin’s account, Zhouyang’s eyes involuntarily displayed a hint of envy, though not for Cao Wenjin receiving the Spirit Fruit from Master Cyan Yang, as he too had enjoyed such treatment, and in double portions.

What he envied was the magnificent scene Cao Wenjin described of a gathering of thousands of cultivators on the Nascent Soul Ceremony, and the grand spectacle of the magical combat spar between two Nascent Soul stage Zhenren.

Some Golden Core stage cultivators might never encounter such an opportunity to witness a sparring between Nascent Soul stage Zhenren in their entire lifetime.

After all, when Nascent Soul stage Zhenren make a move, the impact often results in mountain collapses and earth splits; to avoid causing excessive ruin to the mountains and earth veins, and prevent endless destruction, these beings typically showcase their prowess in the Nine Heavens Gang Wind layer during real magical combat.

Only during a Nascent Soul Ceremony, due to the sparring nature of the engagement, and with the aim to showcase the skills of newly ascended Nascent Soul Zhenren to other middle-to-high tier cultivators, would the two Nascent Soul stage Zhenren perform normally in the sky, with other Nascent Soul stage Zhenren helping to quell the resulting aftermath from their exchanges.

If it hadn’t been for Master Cyan Yang specifically advising Zhouyang not to take part in the Nascent Soul Ceremony, he would have long used the Profound Sun Order to access the event site for a good feast for his eyes.

"Alright, Father, haven’t you already said these things several times? Surely you didn’t invite Fellow Daoist Zhou and his spouse here just to hear you repeat all this, did you?"

As Cao Wenjin was about to enthusiastically finish narrating the situation between the two Nascent Soul stage Zhenren’s encounter and continue with other topics, his daughter Cao Qian finally couldn’t hold back, and playfully interrupted.

For Golden Core stage cultivators, it is not easy to have offspring. Cao Qian was born when Cao Wenjin was already advanced in age, and hadn’t seen her for decades, garnering much of his affection; hence, even though his talk was interrupted causing slight displeasure, he had no grounds for venting at his beloved daughter.

Thus, he could only pause his narration, nodding as he conveyed to Zhouyang, "Qian’Er is right, I invited you over not only to have you accompany me to the auction tomorrow, but also to ask you to lend me some spirit stones. If I find myself short on spirit stones tomorrow, could you lend me your remaining spirit stones and some useless treasures for collateral to bid?"

Could Zhouyang refuse when a Golden Core stage cultivator asks for money?

Of course not!

If he didn’t lend the money, did he plan to return to his clan?

But while he could lend, there were still matters he needed to voice.

He put on a serious expression, solemnly said to Cao Wenjin, "Elder Cao borrowing spirit stones is no problem; however, I would like to say, if you borrow all the spirit stones in my possession, I would appreciate it if, when you return, you could repay using the Foundation Establishment Pills and Tier Three arrays. Because this time, I ventured out specifically to purchase these items!"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing his words, Cao Wenjin shook his head repeatedly and said, "Forget about the Foundation Establishment Pill this time; the previous demon chaos almost depleted the sect’s storage of Foundation Establishment Pills, it is impossible to take them out for you now. But I can promise you, for however many spirit stones I borrow from you, I will supplement you with an equal amount of Sect Merit Points when I return. You can use those to exchange for desired items at the sect’s Treasure Vault!"

The Yellow Sand Sect’s treasure vault has almost been emptied out by you. Even if you give me merit points, what good things can I exchange them for?

Zhouyang looked at Cao Wenjin, who had a look of "this matter is non-negotiable," and felt a pang of toothache.

Once a Golden Core Stage Cultivator throws away his shame, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him has no tricks up his sleeve!

What else could he say?

He could only smile bitterly and nod, saying, "This junior understands. I’ll follow the ancestor’s instructions in everything."

Cao Wenjin could naturally detect the reluctance in his words, but since he had decided to do this, he couldn’t change his mind just because of Zhouyang’s reluctance.

He looked at Zhouyang expressionlessly and said, "Then it’s settled. Go and sort out your luggage, see how much stuff you can give this old man as collateral. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, kid. If you deliberately try to fool this old man, don’t blame me for making life difficult for you and your Zhou Family in the future!"

Well then, even the expression "making life difficult" was openly said. This showed how determined Cao Wenjin was this time. Zhouyang, hearing this, completely gave up the little idea of hiding some private savings, and honestly went inside to organize his storage bags.

As for Xiao Ying, she was taken by Cao Qian to go shopping, saying she wanted to broaden the young lady’s horizons.

Zhouyang didn’t think much about this, he just sorted through several storage bags, putting all the magical artifacts he’d refined over the years and some unused artifacts and spirit talismans into one storage bag, then used another storage bag specifically for storing spirit stones.

After tallying it all up, he ended up giving Cao Wenjin more than forty thousand spirit stones and artifacts and talismans worth sixty to seventy thousand spirit stones.

"Good lad, you’re really wealthy. Generally, even a Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator, aside from usually used Tier Four Magical Artifacts, might not have as much wealth as you!"

Cao Wenjin was slightly surprised upon receiving the items Zhouyang handed over, then smiled broadly at him and said, "Very good, with these things of yours, the old man should be able to secure that item at the auction this time with utter certainty."

He didn’t say what item it was, and Zhouyang didn’t dare to ask rashly. Anyway, they’d know at the auction tomorrow.

At night, when Cao Qian and Xiao Ying returned from shopping, Zhouyang learned that Xiao Ying had been taken by Cao Qian to a female cultivators’ store to buy elixirs like the "Beauty Pill" and "Incense Pill," and he couldn’t help but feel speechless.

"Ah, my silly wife, not to mention the fact that the ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture’ you cultivate has the effect of keeping one’s appearance youthful, but given your age, you completely don’t need these things!"

"Besides, as an alchemist, you’re bound to carry the scent of elixirs with you over the years. Isn’t that more practical than any perfume or incense?"

He smiled wryly as he pulled the young lady into his arms, feeling a sense of exasperation as he gently nibbled her earlobe and spoke with vexation.

He already knew this was a particularly sensitive spot for her, and doing this was his way of "punishing" her, even though it usually ended in him escaping in a sorry state afterward.

"Ugh! I know I’m wrong, Zhou Lang please spare me..."

Sure enough, Xiao Ying quivered uncontrollably under his unique "punishment" method, pleading with a blush on her charming face.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became ambiguous.

Early the next morning, Zhouyang and Xiao Ying were taken by Cao Wenjin as they flew straight to the grand auction hall of Immortal Sun City.

This grand auction hall was located on the same Immortal Mountain as the Profound Sun Pavilion. It was a thirty-six-story white treasure tower, with three hundred and sixty-five independent chambers inside. Each chamber was an individual space where even a Master Nascent Soul couldn’t see the cultivators in other chambers with their divine sense or sight. They could only see the auctioneer and the items on the central auction stage.

Ordinarily, to enter the auction hall, cultivators must first pay an entrance fee of five hundred spirit stones and must have three thousand spirit stones on hand to prove their financial ability to join the auction.

Zhouyang held a "Profound Sun Order," allowing him to enter the auction hall without inspection and gain a chamber, and he could bring two attendants, with Cao Wenjin and Xiao Ying as his attendants following him inside.

After the three of them entered a small chamber on the twenty-eighth floor of the white tower, they completely lost their sense of the outside world.

The four walls of the small chamber were made of the Tier Three Spiritual Object "Forbidden God Stone," which had a very strong blocking effect on cultivators’ divine sense. The entire white treasure tower was also located within a Tier Five High-grade Array "Inverted Yin Yang Array." With this double protection, the cultivators who came to participate in the treasure auction could be assured of showcasing their financial power without worrying about their identities being discovered afterward and being targeted for murder.

"Let’s wait for everyone to arrive first. Once they do, the auction house will activate the projection crystal mirrors in each chamber. At that time, if we want to bid on any treasure we fancy, we just need to speak the price into this sound transmission conch, and the auctioneer will receive the message and call out the price."

In the small chamber, after the auction staff had closed the door, Cao Wenjin took charge, waving his hand at Zhouyang and Xiao Ying, and explained the auction process while pointing to a standing crystal treasure mirror and a black conch in the room.

Judging by his proficient manner, it was clear this wasn’t his first time in this auction hall.