"What is a Moon Profound Stone?"

Seeing how unusually the Sect Leaders of the Floating Cloud and Spirit-Taming Sects reacted, Su Xuan asked curiously. He also wondered about Flying Wolf Villa, which had gone to such lengths to meticulously plan and provoke a fight between the two sects, all for that single ore vein.

What kind of ore vein is it exactly? Could it be even more valuable than a gold mine?

"Brother Su, Moon Profound Stones are truly wonderful things!" Dai Xiu, who had taken a liking to Su Xuan, was quick to resolve his confusion. "A Moon Profound Stone is to the world of the mountains what cash is to the world below. It's very... valuable! Well, to be precise, Moon Profound Stones *are* money!"

"Money?" Su Xuan wasn't familiar with the currency of the world of the mountains.

"Yes, money!" Dai Xiu continued, "I don't remember exactly when it started, but all transactions in the world of the mountains are measured in Moon Profound Stones, just like money in the world below. Not only that, but Moon Profound Stones are also excellent for cultivation because they contain dense nature's spiritual energy!"

"How so?" Su Xuan asked.

"Brother Su, look." Dai Xiu gestured in the air. "The reason cultivators in the world of the mountains have the power to uproot mountains and overwhelm the world is that they can use their techniques to absorb the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth."

"Right, I understand that." Su Xuan was certainly a cultivator himself. He knew that to advance his realm, he needed to absorb the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth; it was the very core of Taoist cultivation.

"As for Moon Profound Stones, the nature's spiritual energy contained within them is hundreds, even thousands of times denser than what's in the air. It's so dense that the Spiritual Energy has condensed into Spiritual Essence. Using Moon Profound Stones for cultivation can dramatically increase your speed!" Dai Xiu's eyes sparkled as he took a deep breath. "Considering how precious they are, just imagine... what if there was an entire mine of them?"

Su Xuan narrowed his eyes.

I understand now just how precious a Moon Profound Stone mine is! And I finally understand Flying Wolf Villa's motive! Moon Profound Stones can be spent like money and can aid in cultivation. Anyone who owns a Moon Profound Stone mine would be a tycoon in the world of the mountains! And I don't even need to ask. A mine like that must be incredibly rare!

"This is a matter of great importance. We can't afford to dawdle!" Qi Qingshan suddenly grabbed Niu Wangqian's arm. "Take us to that Moon Profound Stone mine now!"

"Understood!" Niu Wangqian nodded immediately.

Yan Peng of the Spirit-Taming Sect quietly clenched his fist, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to say something.

Qi Qingshan seemed to read his mind. "Brother Yan, we've already buried the hatchet and are on good terms again. Besides, the mine is on the border between our two sects. I certainly won't monopolize it. No matter how many Moon Profound Stones we excavate, we'll split them evenly!"

"Deal!"

A great weight lifted from Yan Peng's heart. He had been genuinely worried that Qi Qingshan wouldn't want to share such an immense treasure. He was in the Floating Cloud Sect's territory, after all. If Qi Qingshan became greedy, he might never leave this place alive.

"Qi Li, I'm counting on you to hold down the fort here at the Floating Cloud Sect!" Qi Qingshan then looked at his daughter and said solemnly, "Your Uncle Yan and I are going to inspect the mine!"

"Yes!" Qi Li knew how significant this was and nodded immediately. But then she remembered something. "Father, have you forgotten something? Su Xuan has done our sects a tremendous favor. In my eyes, his contribution is as valuable as the mine itself. Shouldn't you be helping him with his problem?"

"I haven't forgotten!" Qi Qingshan smiled. "Relay my orders: immediately summon all Physicians and Pill Masters of the Floating Cloud Sect to come up with a solution for young Su. I won't be able to preside over it myself."

"The Pill Masters and Physicians from my Spirit-Taming Sect will also lend their aid to Brother Su!" Yan Peng added, calling for a loyal retainer and sending him back to his sect to gather their experts.

"Alright!" Qi Li pursed her lips, watching as her father and Yan Peng departed in a rush.

The rain outside was still pouring, a testament to their urgency.

A short while later, Qi Li had gathered all the available Physicians and Pill Masters. The experts from the Spirit-Taming Sect also arrived, converging in the Floating Cloud Sect's main discussion hall.

"This..." Su Xuan couldn't help but gape when he saw them.

I thought the two sects could scrounge up dozens of Pill Masters and Physicians, but there aren't even ten people here! So few... Are these really all the Pill Masters and Physicians the two sects have?

Qi Li then doused his hopes with more cold water. "Su Xuan, there are only four Pill Masters among them."

Seeing his expression, she took the initiative to explain, "Physicians are common in the world of the mountains; many people practice medicine. But Pill Masters are much rarer. The aptitude requirements are extremely high, and refining pills is immensely difficult. Some people study for a lifetime and still can't successfully refine a single one. I hope you can understand."

"Alright..." Su Xuan could only nod, hoping that the Pill Masters here could help him.

Or perhaps the Physicians alone can solve the problem. Then I can finally go home. To be honest, even though I'm doing alright for myself here and have at least found a foothold, I don't like the atmosphere in the world of the mountains. The people are too dark, full of schemes at every turn, and lives are lost far too easily. How can it compare to the peace and quiet of my home? I'm a simple man who prefers a quiet life.

"Respected masters," Su Xuan cleared his throat. "I must apologize for troubling you all. It is a matter of great urgency. An elder in my family has contracted a strange illness. The medical expertise in the world below isn't advanced enough to cure him, so I must ask for your help."

"The medical arts of the world below are far too superficial," a gray-robed elder immediately scoffed, stroking his grizzled beard. "They only address the surface symptoms. If something is broken, they simply cut it out, acting like brutes. They are helpless against any truly unusual illness. It's nothing like our medicine in the mountains, which is based on the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, the unity of man and nature, the laws of the Heavenly Dao..."

The elder droned on and on. When he finished, the others actually broke into enthusiastic applause.

Su Xuan wasn't offended. After all, he was the one asking for help, so he had to maintain a respectful attitude.

But truthfully, he didn't agree with the gray-robed elder. The medical science of the world below was a product of technological advancement. It was still developing rapidly and had already achieved microscopic precision. How could that be compared to the work of a brute?

"Young man!" Seeing Su Xuan's youth, the elder spoke to him with an air of arrogance. "Describe your elder's condition. This old master will take a look for you first!"

"Su Xuan," Qi Li whispered, worried he would be annoyed by the elder's attitude. "His name is Wu Qiu. He's a Pill Master from the Spirit-Taming Sect and even more skilled than our own. If he can't find a solution, it's unlikely anyone else can."

"Okay, I understand." Su Xuan took out his smartphone, found the photos of Richard's condition, and handed the device to the old Pill Master named Wu Qiu.

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