Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 165: Chapter 162: Spirit Core, a Huge Harvest

Pill King Valley.

The Medicine Pavilion.

The vast space was filled with rows of shelves, all densely packed with various medicinal herbs.

Any herb that made it into Pill King Valley’s repository was, at the very least, an Upper Grade Treasure Medicine. Beyond those, Top Grade Treasure Medicines were simply innumerable.

”Since the Medicine Pavilion was established, it has amassed over a thousand types of Treasure Medicines, about a third of which are Top Grade. You could say that if it exists in Cyan Cloud Country, our Medicine Pavilion has it.”

At this moment, Lu Changsheng was at Ning Jiang’s side, introducing him to the Medicine Pavilion.

The Medicine Pavilion was Pill King Valley’s greatest treasure, the culmination of decades of effort. They had scoured the lands for precious Treasure Medicines to store within its walls, creating a collection that was truly all-encompassing.

Of course, this was limited to the borders of Cyan Cloud Country.

Pill King Valley was powerless to search for herbs beyond it.

”It’s not bad,”

Ning Jiang said nonchalantly.

Any other Alchemist who stepped into this repository would have been stunned by the rich collection. But with Ning Jiang’s experience, having seen even Holy Medicines and Immortal Medicines, these were just minor Treasure Medicines.

He had come this time specifically to select some Treasure Medicines that would be useful to him.

”Spider King Grass, a Top Grade Treasure Medicine. It’s highly toxic; a single drop of its juice can kill an Innate Realm expert.”

”Bone-Strengthening Flower, a treasure for Body Refining Experts. Consuming it allows one to directly break through to the Body Refining Master level, strengthening their muscles and bones.”

”Ice Face Flower. This one is rather precious; it allows a woman to preserve her youthful beauty.”

As Ning Jiang walked along, he could accurately state the effects of each Treasure Medicine by merely glancing at its appearance and smelling its fragrance, with no need for Lu Changsheng’s introductions.

However, he had little interest in these precious Treasure Medicines.

What he was primarily looking for were items that could raise his cultivation.

His cultivation was currently at the Innate Late Stage. Once he reached the Innate Peak, he would be truly unrivaled within the Innate Realm.

And if he reached the Innate Limit, he would even have the power to fight those in the Spirit Realm.

”Pill King, please take whatever herbs you want.”

Lu Changsheng said generously, though his heart was bleeding inwardly. ’He’s probably going to ask for a king’s ransom and empty out the entire repository.’

But facing the current Ning Jiang, Lu Changsheng didn’t dare say much. Besides, according to their agreement, he had lost to Ning Jiang in alchemy and was now his subordinate.

Ning Jiang didn’t say much either. He proceeded to pick out a dozen or so herbs from the repository, things like the Thousand-year-old Blood Lingzhi, Life Tree Juice, Thousand-Year Blood Sunflower, Fire Pear Fruit...

All of these could be used to enhance one’s cultivation.

’With these ingredients, if I refine them into an Elixir, I’m confident I can break through to the Innate Peak.’

These herbs were all quite valuable. If any other Martial Artist were to consume them, it would be more than enough to help them break through to the Innate Limit.

However, Ning Jiang’s Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill required an immense amount of energy to advance his cultivation—more than ten times that of a normal person.

”Alright, this should be enough.”

Afterward, Ning Jiang also took some healing herbs for emergencies and prepared to leave.

Lu Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief. Ning Jiang had taken less than a tenth of the herbs and hadn’t emptied the repository as he had feared.

”Wait, what’s this?”

Just as a satisfied Ning Jiang was about to leave the Medicine Pavilion.

Suddenly, he spotted a piece of black wood on an inconspicuous shelf.

When he picked up the piece of wood and examined it closely, a flash of shock crossed his eyes. ’What a miracle. To think a small place like Cyan Cloud Country would have something like this.’

Seeing the delighted surprise on Ning Jiang’s face, Lu Changsheng was taken aback.

This piece of wood had been collected long ago. The only remarkable thing they knew about it was that it was indestructible, but even he had no idea of its origin.

From the looks of it, however, Ning Jiang clearly knew what it was.

”May I ask, Pill King, what is this?”

Lu Changsheng asked curiously. A piece of broken wood actually warranted this much of Ning Jiang’s attention?

He knew that Ning Jiang had been completely calm upon entering the repository, yet this piece of wood had made him utter the word ”miracle.”

He had a feeling that perhaps all the herbs in the entire repository combined were not as valuable as this piece of black wood.

”A Spirit Core.”

Ning Jiang uttered two words. The black wood in his hand was unusually cold and extremely heavy, weighing what felt like ten thousand pounds.

”A Spirit Core? What’s that?”

Lu Changsheng knew little about such things.

”The realm after the Innate Realm is the Spirit Realm, you should know that, right? This Spirit Core is the very essence of a Spirit Tree.”

Ning Jiang said calmly, ”Every Spirit Tree hides its life essence within its Spirit Core. The Spirit Core is the tree’s life core.”

”So, it’s like the Demon Core of a Demon Beast?” Lu Changsheng asked in surprise.

Every Demon Beast had a Demon Core within its body. The Demon Core was the Demon Beast’s life core, and Martial Artists often hunted them for it.

”Correct.”

Ning Jiang nodded. Demon Beasts have Demon Cores, and Spirit Trees have Spirit Cores.

However, the birth of a Spirit Tree was an extremely difficult process.

First, a tree must absorb Spiritual Qi in a suitable environment for over a thousand years. But even nourished by Spiritual Qi, most trees only grow taller and thicker.

To become a Spirit Tree, in essence, is to gain true life.

For example, it’s like a wooden puppet gaining a heart. The Spirit Core is equivalent to a human heart.

Therefore, it is incredibly difficult for a tree to become a Spirit Tree; the probability is about one in ten thousand.

Only one in ten thousand trees!

’To think this thing has such an incredible origin, yet it’s been collecting dust all this time.’

Lu Changsheng stared at the Spirit Core in Ning Jiang’s hand with feverish eyes, wishing he could snatch it back.

Spirit Trees were basically impossible to find in Cyan Cloud Country anymore.

Cyan Cloud Country didn’t even have any Spiritual Qi. Under such conditions, how could a Spirit Tree possibly be born?

The value of this one Spirit Core alone was greater than all the Treasure Medicines in the repository combined.

At this thought, Lu Changsheng’s heart bled.

”Alright, let’s go.”

Ning Jiang said calmly, putting away the Spirit Core.

’This was a truly unexpected windfall!’

With this item in hand, he was confident he could advance his Great Sun Glazed Golden Body from the Great Success stage to Perfection.

Once his Golden Body reached Perfection, he could even slay those in the Spirit Realm!

After leaving the Medicine Pavilion, Ning Jiang met Wei Yanran outside.

”What’s wrong?” Ning Jiang asked, noticing Wei Yanran’s slightly displeased expression.

”An Innate Limit Strong Person from the Jiang Family came. He said you killed Young Master Qingjiang and gave you three days to go to the Jiang Family and admit your guilt,” Wei Yanran huffed.

”The Jiang Family truly doesn’t know what’s good for them. I’ll have someone send him away.”

Lu Changsheng frowned. ’It seems the Jiang Family doesn’t know that Pill King Valley has already submitted to Ning Jiang. Otherwise, where would they get the nerve to cause trouble for him?’

”No need. Since they’re here for me, I’ll go take a look.”

Ning Jiang waved his hand dismissively. When he arrived at Pill King Valley’s reception hall, he indeed saw a green-robed man with a hostile air.

”So you’re that Ning Jiang? What audacity! How dare you kill Yun Fei! Do you have any idea what a terrible mistake you’ve made? Come with me to the Jiang Family to confess your crimes now, and you might be left with a path to survival...”

The moment he saw Ning Jiang, the green-robed man’s expression turned cold and aggressive.

But before he could finish, a thunderous voice suddenly boomed from outside: ”Cao Tiangang has come to pay respects to Young Master Wushuang.”

Hearing this, the green-robed man froze.

He naturally knew of Cao Tiangang. As a Protector of Tianya Pavilion who presided over the Jiangnan Region, he was famous and could stand on equal footing with the Jiang Family’s old Patriarch.

What surprised him was, who was this Young Master Wushuang?

As he watched in astonishment, Cao Tiangang entered the reception hall.

Behind him were several other Innate Limit Strong Persons.

’What’s going on? Why are so many people from Tianya Pavilion here at once?’

The green-robed man was stunned. Besides the great Protector Cao Tiangang, behind him was a group of Tianya Pavilion Elders, all of them holding high positions.

Normally, it was difficult to even get a glimpse of them, but today, they had all come.

”Brother Cao, who are you looking for?”

The green-robed man couldn’t help but ask.

But Cao Tiangang ignored him completely. He walked straight up to Ning Jiang, bowed respectfully, and said, ”Congratulations to Young Master Wushuang for reaching the top of the Innate List!”

”The top of the Innate List?!”

The green-robed man’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

”We pay our respects to Young Master Wushuang.”

The many Elders from Tianya Pavilion all bowed to Ning Jiang.

At that moment, the green-robed man’s scalp was about to explode. What in the world had happened? How had Ning Jiang become number one on the Innate List?

He wasn’t the only one who was shocked; Pill King Lu Changsheng was also stunned.

He never would have imagined that Tianya Pavilion held Ning Jiang in such high regard as to place him directly at the top of the list!

”Young Master Wushuang, this is the Innate List. We came specially to deliver it,” Cao Tiangang said, handing over the ranking.

”You’ve been thoughtful.”

Ning Jiang took it from Cao Tiangang’s hands and glanced at it.

”’Unrivaled Under The Heavens’? Your Grand Pavilion Master is quite bold with his assessments.”

Ning Jiang commented lightly after seeing the description of himself on the list.

”We believe that the Young Master is worthy of those four words.”

Cao Tiangang said, his eyes filled with emotion. Half a year ago, he had felt that Ning Jiang had great potential, which was why he had made a special trip to deliver the Famous Family List.

Who would have thought that in just half a year, Ning Jiang’s growth would far exceed his imagination? Ning Jiang’s current status was now so high that even he had to look up to him.

’Cyan Cloud Country has truly produced a monster!’

Beside them, the green-robed man’s face was pale. Once he understood everything, he was already cursing up a storm in his head. ’If I had known Ning Jiang was this terrifying, I wouldn’t have dared to come here even if you gave me ten times the nerve!’

”You wanted me to go to the Jiang Family and confess my crimes?” Ning Jiang asked at this moment.

”Pill King, he has offended you. By rights, he should be killed!” Lu Changsheng said, clasping his hands.

”I... I... I...”

The green-robed man’s lips trembled. He felt as if Ning Jiang’s calm gaze was a sword hanging over his head, putting him under immense pressure.

Under this pressure, cold sweat drenched his body. Finally, his knees gave out, and he knelt with a THUD.

”Young Master Wushuang, spare me! I know I was wrong.”

The green-robed man knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

”Forget it.”

Ning Jiang shook his head. He had no interest in even dealing with an ant like this.

PS: Today’s update is late, my apologies. There will be one more Chapter around 2 AM. Everyone should rest early and read it tomorrow morning.