Join the Vajra Gate? Become the Sect Leader? Jia Ren was a bit stunned; he had only used the Mixed Refining Vajra Body to muddle through the trial. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.

This was different from covertly controlling the Blood Demon Sect.

Demon Cultivators ravaged, killed, and looted, slaughtering mortals. The Blood Demon Sect had been annihilated by the combined forces of the Great Sects, solely because they had slaughtered hundreds of thousands of mortals in the territories of those Great Sects years ago. Their shocking atrocities had united the Great Sects in common hatred, leading them to join forces to exterminate the Blood Demon Sect.

The Blood Demon Sect had not been wiped out entirely; they had moved from the light into darkness, plotting their resurgence.

Jia Ren had no fondness for Demon Cultivators; their wanton bloodshed left messes for others to deal with.

If he became the Sect Leader of the Vajra Gate, he wouldn't use the methods he had before.

There were too many matters, big and small, within the Sect, which would affect his Cultivation.

With the development and expansion of the Sect, a variety of interests and compromises needed to be balanced.

If the Sect was too weak, it couldn't provide any assistance to him.

If the Sect was too powerful, they couldn't avoid competing with other Sects for territory, causing wars to break out and leading to deadly threats.

It's still better to develop and flourish on my own.

The most valuable things in the Vajra Gate were its Alchemy and Formation inheritances; cooperating to obtain those would be possible.

"How is the situation with the Vajra Gate?"

Although Jia Ren asked this question, he already had the answer in his mind. If the Vajra Gate's situation were good, at most they would invite him to join the Sect, not offer him the position of Sect Leader.

"The Vajra Gate has established a cooperation with the Thousand Illusion Sect; a future full of possibilities awaits."

Cooperation? It's more accurate to say they've thrown in their lot with the Thousand Illusion Sect and become vassals, right? The Vajra Gate now has a Supreme Sect lording over them? No wonder they're willing to hand over the Sect Leader position so readily. They probably suspect the Sect Leader would be constrained at every turn, an uncomfortable position. It's better to entrust it to someone else and, in the process, rope in a late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

"If you return to the Sect, the Vajra Gate will support you with all its might to form your Golden Core."

Forming a Golden Core isn't that simple, is it? If resources could easily be piled up to form Golden Cores, the Five Elements Sect wouldn't be without successors either. If they truly had treasures capable of forming Cores, they would likely pocket them for themselves. Such words are good to hear but must never be taken as truth.

The Thousand Illusion Sect and the Cold Moon Palace had entered the Barren Extreme Land, ostensibly to deal with Bizarre Demons; they would surely claim the Barren Extreme Land for themselves. Sects like the Five Elements Sect and the Sky Sword Sect wouldn't just perish obediently; war would inevitably break out. The Thousand Illusion Sect would undoubtedly use the Vajra Gate Cultivators as cannon fodder to shield themselves, reducing their own casualties under the guise of Revenge.

On the surface, being a Sect Leader of a Sect is a good thing, but in reality, it's fraught with hidden dangers. He didn't want to wade into troubled waters.

"Let's talk about this matter after the exchange meeting."

Jia Ren adeptly used the tactic of procrastination. Once I leave the exchange meeting and change my alias, who will recognize me? The vast amount of cultivation resources he had just purchased was sufficient for quite a long time.

After sending off the cultivator from the Vajra Gate, Luo Yuzhu walked up with a smile and said to Jia Ren, "Daoist Shi, may we have a private chat?"

"Certainly."

Jia Ren also wanted to know what Luo Yuzhu was hiding up her sleeve. With the fall of the Yuding Sect, who knew how many were left alive? Could I gain their Alchemy inheritance? Success or failure, one has to try to know the answer.

The two of them proceeded to a secluded location, where Luo Yuzhu waved her hand to deploy a soundproof barrier, preventing any bystanders from overhearing their conversation.

"Daoist Shi, you must be an Alchemy Grandmaster. I wonder if you are adept at refining Second-Grade, Superior-Grade Third Turn Resurrection Pills?" As she spoke, her voice couldn't help but take on an urgent tone.

A Second-Grade, Superior-Grade Pill?

Jia Ren shook his head regretfully and said, "The inheritance I've learned is incomplete, mostly consisting of First Order; I'm not very familiar with Second-Grade Pills, and do not have the Three Revolutions Rebirth Pill Recipe."

Her eyes quickly dimmed.

Luo Yuzhu had come to the exchange meeting also to obtain a Third Turn Resurrection Pill to treat her master. Her master had desperately led her to escape from Bizarre Demons and formidable enemies; they were fortunate to survive, but her master had suffered serious injuries and had also been affected by an unknown poison. Pills such as the Resurrection Pill, Qingling Powder, and Life Creation Pill had proven useless, and the injury kept worsening, failing to heal over time. The only thing useful was the Third Turn Resurrection Pill.

Such quality Pills were simply not available for purchase…

Her master could refine this Pill, but her condition was too poor to perform Alchemy. Her own Alchemy Skills were insufficient, and despite having the recipe, all her attempts at Alchemy had ended in failure. With such a gap in Alchemy Skills, continuing to try would just be wasting precious Spiritual Medicine.

Since she couldn't get what she wanted at the exchange meeting, she considered joining the Town Demon Alliance. It was not easy to become an Alchemist in the Bizarre-Suppressing Guard; the lowest requirement for members was the early stage of Foundation Establishment for Cultivation Level, and they had fairly high requirements for Alchemists as well. Being able to perform Alchemy wasn't enough to join the Town Demon Alliance. One needed to be a Second-order Alchemist, at the very least mastering the refinement of one type of Second-Grade Pill and maintaining a stable success rate of fifty percent.

Luo Yuzhu's Alchemy Skills were still at the First Order, and she couldn't meet the requirements anytime soon. If she wanted to join the Town Demon Alliance to obtain the Third Turn Resurrection Pill, she could only rely on her Cultivation Level. As a Bizarre-Suppressing Guard, she would have to face the dangers of Bizarre Demons directly. Luo Yuzhu had only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment and mainly focused on Alchemy; her combat abilities were weak. Even a slight mistake could mean not only failing to obtain the Third Turn Resurrection Pill, but also dying on the spot.

Meeting Shi Bai had given her a new option. Hope arrived quickly, only to shatter even faster.

"If I learn how to craft the Third Turn Resurrection Pill, it won't be hard to produce this Pill," Jia Ren said, his voice filled with an inexplicable confidence and infectiousness.

This is a great opportunity to acquire the Alchemy Recipe for free; I can't miss it at any cost!

"Could Daoist friend be joking..." Luo Yuzhu had barely spoken when she remembered that Shi Bai was an Alchemy Grandmaster, with an attainment in the path of Alchemy far beyond the reach of ordinary people. What others couldn't achieve, an Alchemy Grandmaster could accomplish differently.

"You give me the Three Revolutions Rebirth Pill Recipe, and I'll craft a few Third Turn Resurrection Pills for you in return," Jia Ren proposed.

Trading Elixirs for Alchemy Recipes is a surefire way to profit. If this is successful, I can obtain more high-quality recipes in the future. This will become a new source of Alchemy Recipes for me, far safer than dealing with the Vajra Gate. Moreover, based on Jia Ren's understanding of the Vajra Gate, this Sect focused mainly on Body Refinement, not Alchemy, and could not compare to the Yuding Sect in terms of Elixirs. He was also interested in the Vajra Gate's Mixed Refining Vajra Body advanced Body Refining Techniques but put the thought aside for the time being, considering the risks involved.

"I will need to discuss this with my master first. Can you give me a few days to consider and then respond?" Luo Yuzhu asked. She would not have considered such an exchange before, nor would she have revealed her Sect's Alchemy inheritance. However, now that her Sect was destroyed, and in order to save her master's life, it required deliberation.

"Crush this object, and you can contact me." Jia Ren gave Luo Yuzhu a round bead Magic Artifact, without intending to continue the conversation.

After the soundproof restriction was lifted, the vanished voices returned.

"Daoist friend has good eyesight, recognizing the River Mountain Bag at a glance. Such a treasure from ancient times; its value is immeasurable..." Celestial Twilight Elder was again flaunting the River Mountain Bag he had obtained, strutting like a proud rooster.

I hope no one thinks he's a shill I hired… Jia Ren thought, fingering the dozens of River Mountain Bags in his sleeve, pondering whether to take them out for exchange.

Dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators sat discussing the Dao, sharing their cultivation experiences. Discussing the Dao indeed had the effect of sparking analogous insights. Jia Ren, who cultivated alone, had fought his way through various hardships, relying entirely on the Proficiency Panel to smooth his path of Cultivation. Isn't Cultivation supposed to yield rewards?

The discussion continued for a day, and just when he was getting impatient, it finally ended. Then came the much-anticipated mutual exchange segment, for which many Foundation Establishment Cultivators had come to the gathering specifically to barter treasures.

"Daoist Shi, please begin."

As he had the highest Cultivation Level, Jia Ren was to start the exchange. He did not stand on ceremony, declaring the items he sought.

"Spiritual Medicine of three hundred years or older, Second-order Pill Recipes, Formations to Seal Bizarre Demons, Foundation Establishment Techniques, living Rhinoceros Beasts and Scarlet Fire Spirit Birds—preferably young..."

The need for the former went without saying; as for Formations, Pill Recipes, and aged Spiritual Medicines, the more, the better, as he never found them excessive. The Rhinoceros Beasts and Scarlet Fire Spirit Birds were considered for upcoming efforts in taming Magical Beasts. Ever since his Three-tailed Phoenix Carp had evolved into a Phoenix Flame Tail Fish, he had gained a new Warding Off Evil material. Jia Ren planned to immediately refine a large quantity of Beast Spirit Pills. These pills could cause atavistic regression in Magical Beasts, and the Rhinoceros Beasts and Scarlet Fire Spirit Birds were priority targets. If the Rhinoceros Beasts' and Scarlet Fire Spirit Birds' bloodlines reverted, the quality of Warding Off Evil materials would also improve.

Making the most out of one's abilities and treasures—that's the true path to power.

"Daoist friend's requests are myriad. Are you proficient in Pills, Formations, artifacts, talismans, and beast taming? Could it be you intend to establish your own Sect?"

They could not be blamed for their speculation. Anyone who heard the extensive list of items Jia Ren required would be taken aback. Apart from Sects, no Cultivator would need so much. Most Cultivators were not proficient in all cultivation arts, usually specializing in just one area, and could not achieve mastery in all. Any Cultivator attempting such a feat was bound to lack depth in their skills, with their Cultivation progress hampered and advancement difficult to achieve. Since Shi Bai had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, he couldn't be one of the former; there had to be a powerful backing behind him.

"I appreciate your concern, fellow Daoists. Anyone who has what I seek may exchange for it," Jia Ren announced.

Not long after he finished speaking, some people presented the items he needed for immediate exchange, while others sent voice transmissions to arrange private discussions. The Pills he offered in exchange were the marketable versions of the Solidifying Yuan Pill. The quality of his Elixirs outperformed those sold by the Thousand Illusion Sect and the Cold Moon Palace for the Foundation Establishment Stage, becoming a veritable currency among Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Leading with Superior Grade Elixirs, the traders all showed satisfaction.

"Daoist Shi's Elixirs are commendable. Might this Pill be available for purchase?" a cultivator asked. The quality of the Solidifying Yuan Pill far exceeded that of the Green Spirit Pill, drawing a multitude of interested buyers.

"There are not many Elixirs available, and there are no plans for them to be sold to the public at the moment," Jia Ren responded. The supply of low-quality Solidifying Yuan Pills was diminishing, and he did not wish to trade Grandmaster Level or higher quality Elixirs at this time.

He didn't manage to exchange for the Formation to Seal Bizarre Demons but acquired one Second-order Pill Recipe for a relatively obscure Elixir named Pure Spirit Jade Dew Pill. After ingestion, those blind could regain their sight, and it also improved one's vision. The Pure Spirit Jade Dew Pill had somewhat limited practical use, as most Cultivators were not blind and wouldn't spend centuries' worth of Spiritual Medicine to craft a Second-Grade Spirit Pill just for a slight enhancement in vision. Taking a large quantity of high-quality Pure Spirit Jade Dew Pills might bring me an unexpected pleasant surprise.ŸŸŸ

He exchanged for seven stalks of five-hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicine and fourteen stalks of three-hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicine. He only managed to trade for two Foundation Establishment Techniques: the mid-level Spell Earth Flow Barrier and the Foundation Establishment Secret Technique Earth Vision Technique. The Earth Flow Barrier was a control Spell with good practical use. The Earth Vision Technique was a decent auxiliary Secret Technique that allowed one's vision to penetrate soil, revealing hidden things beneath the ground.

He had also made arrangements for seven young Rhinoceros Beasts to be delivered. After their arrival, the exchange would be completed with Elixirs.

"I'm aware of some information on the Scarlet Fire Spirit Bird. Could I exchange it for some Elixirs?" Just then, a voice transmitted directly into his mind.

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