Beast Taming Clan: I Have a Jade Book Chapter 1460 - 1048: Array Completed, Coiling Heaven
Previously on Beast Taming Clan: I Have a Jade Book...
However, to Xu Haocheng, this was still quite a novelty. Even though the Xu Family had once been wealthy, they only dared to use Tier One Spirit Fragrance. Even if they acquired Tier Two ones, they would quickly sell them. Because of this, he felt that taking a few more deep breaths would help recoup the cost of using the Teleportation Array.
"Xu Haocheng of the Xu Family greets the three elders!" he said respectfully upon seeing Ye Jinghu, Ye Xingxiao, and Ye Qingfu walking over together.
Deep in his eyes, there was a hint of disappointment. He had heard that when the Ma and Wan families offered their treasures in the past, Ye Jingcheng had personally received them, resulting in massive rewards. However, he dared not let his true feelings show. Besides, the Golden Core Cultivator he had requested to see was right in front of him; he had already acted quite boldly. He knew that if he pushed his luck any further, his efforts might end up completely in vain.
"You look a lot like your father, but it’s a pity he failed to break through to the Purple Mansion," Ye Xingxiao said. Although Ye Jinghu had the highest Cultivation among them, he believed he wasn’t as skilled at reading people as Ye Xingxiao and Ye Qingfu, so he let Ye Xingxiao take the lead in the interaction.
Hearing this, a look of sorrow naturally surfaced on Xu Haocheng’s face. His father’s talent hadn’t been bad at all. However, as a Loose Cultivator, he had suffered hidden injuries in his early years. Later, as his vitality declined, he failed to break through to the Purple Mansion using his own True Essence. Ultimately, his Lifespan was severely depleted, and he faded away in obscurity. This tragedy caused the gap between the Xu Family and the Ma and Wan families to widen ever since.
"It is indeed a pity. Back then, my father was fortunate enough to receive your noble clan’s nurturing to establish our family. Failing to break through meant he let down your family’s good intentions," Xu Haocheng said, keeping his posture exceedingly humble. He knew exactly what Ye Xingxiao was hinting at. After a moment of reminiscence, he glanced around. "Elder Ye, I kindly ask that you set up an Array. This junior has a Secret Treasure to offer to Elder Qianchen.
"Actually, I had originally planned to present this treasure in a few days when the grand ceremony begins. However, I worried that a long delay might lead to unforeseen accidents, so I decided to offer it to the three elders in advance," he added.
Seeing how cautious Xu Haocheng was, Ye Xingxiao waved his hand, and the Array within the grand hall instantly activated.
Once the Array enveloped the surroundings, Xu Haocheng reached into the front of his robes and took out a Small Brocade Bag. Opening it revealed a flower shell the size of a child’s fist. The shell was uniquely slender, and the Spirit Patterns adorning it were striking.
"Three elders, please do not be deceived by its lack of a Magical Treasure’s aura. As long as True Essence is channeled into it, one can enter inside," Xu Haocheng explained.
He then manipulated a Spiritual Light, and the four of them entered the Shell Grotto Heaven together.
The Spiritual Energy inside was nothing spectacular, only sustained by a Tier Two Spirit Vein. The terrain was mostly comprised of grasslands. At that moment, numerous Long-eared Deer roamed the fields. These Tier One Spirit Beasts were of little use other than serving as ingredients for Spiritual Cuisine, but their presence unequivocally proved that this was not a mere Secret Realm Space like the Secret Realm in the Painting, but a genuine Grotto Heaven.
"It’s at least the size of a large Oasis or a massive county city," Ye Jinghu noted. Having the strongest Divine Sense, his assessment carried the most weight, and a smile broke out on his face.
The Xu Family had not deceived them; this Grotto Heaven truly warranted such caution. One had to know that even the Ye Family’s current Jade Celestial Heaven wasn’t this expansive, though the Spirit Vein in this Grotto Heaven was somewhat lacking. However, to the Ye Family—who had plenty of Tier Four resources, even if they couldn’t yet deploy Tier Five Spirit Gathering Arrays or Tier Five Spirit-Attracting Stones—it would be a simple matter to elevate this Coiling Heaven to a Tier Four Spirit Vein, provided they were willing to invest the time and Spirit Stones.
"Three elders, this Flower Shell Treasure was obtained from a Secret Realm. The Xu Family lost several juniors in the process, but fortunately, we fulfilled our mission and safely delivered it to the Ye Family," Xu Haocheng said, taking out a Jade Talisman. "In addition to the Flower Shell Treasure, there is also the inheritance of a Golden Core Cultivator that this junior wishes to present. Consider it a congratulatory gift for Elder Ye’s newly ascended Golden Core Cultivators."
The Jade Talisman contained a Water Attribute Cultivation Technique that barely qualified as Profound Tier Top-Grade, allowing one to cultivate up to the Middle Stage of Golden Core. To the Ye Family, such a Cultivation Technique was naturally nothing special. The Ye Family members even harbored suspicions about whether the two items were truly acquired together. Of course, regardless of their internal speculations, the Xu Family had indeed made a significant contribution.
The three exchanged glances. After a brief discussion, Ye Xingxiao asked, "Friend Xu, you have indeed rendered a great merit. The Ye Family will certainly reward you. Do you have any desired treasures in mind?"
"Elder Ye, this was originally intended as a congratulatory gift from this junior. How could I dare ask for anything in return? I only hope to work harder in the future and share more of the miscellaneous burdens for the Ye Family," Xu Haocheng said, waving his hands dismissively.
In his heart, however, he was incredibly desperate. At that very moment, he wished for nothing more than for the Ye Family to grant him an abundance of Purple Mansion Jade Liquid. Otherwise, he worried his breakthrough to the Purple Mansion wouldn’t be secure. This was also why he had brought out the Golden Core Cultivation Technique. Offering two treasures couldn’t possibly result in just a single reward.
"Then we will grant you one portion of Purple Mansion Jade Liquid, and we will lend you the Primordial Demon Jade three times to assist your breakthrough to the Purple Mansion. Is that acceptable?" Ye Xingxiao, having already figured out the man’s underlying intentions, offered directly.
Currently, the Ye Family didn’t have much Purple Mansion Jade Liquid to spare, but they had plenty of Primordial Demon Jade. Furthermore, unlike the Jade Liquid, which was a consumable, the Primordial Demon Jade Bed was not.
"The Primordial Demon Jade Bed can suppress Heart Demons and stabilize one’s original mind. This is precisely why the Ye Family’s Purple Mansion Cultivators experience so few breakthrough failures. There are even quite a few clansmen who broke through relying solely on the Primordial Demon Jade without needing any Purple Mansion Jade Liquid," Ye Xingxiao explained, noticing the visible confusion on the other’s forehead.
Clearly, Xu Haocheng was unaware of its miraculous effects. After all, the Primordial Demon Jade was something the Ye Family had obtained in the Central Domain.
After hearing Ye Xingxiao’s explanation, Xu Haocheng was instantly overjoyed. Although he hadn’t received two portions of Purple Mansion Jade Liquid, in his eyes, this arrangement was perhaps even better. After all, two portions of the Jade Liquid couldn’t be consumed simultaneously. Nothing could beat having two distinct breakthrough aids working in tandem.
With this, his chances of a successful breakthrough would surge, naturally allowing him to eventually stand toe-to-toe with the Wan and Ma families. As for failing to secure an extra portion of the Jade Liquid to store for his family, he couldn’t care less at this moment. Once he reached the Purple Mansion, the Xu Family’s ability to earn Spirit Stones would drastically improve, making it entirely possible for them to bid for Celestial Spirit Qi at future auctions.
In his view, the Ye Family was bound to host auctions in the future featuring Celestial Spirit Qi or even Purple Mansion Jade Liquid. It was a perfect strategy to offer a glimmer of hope to all Cultivators in the Desert Sea while simultaneously draining them of their wealth. He thought to himself that if he were in the Ye Family’s shoes, he would do the exact same thing.
"Considering that the Xu Family suffered significant losses this time, the Ye Family will also gift you two Foundation Establishment Pills," Ye Xingxiao added.
The moment those words were spoken, any lingering reservations in Xu Haocheng’s mind vanished. He was now engulfed in ecstatic joy. He would keep the two Purple Mansion breakthrough treasures for himself to guarantee a secure advancement, while the two Foundation Establishment Pills would go to the rest of his family to stabilize clan morale. After all, he wasn’t the one who had retrieved the treasure—other members of the Xu Family had bled for it. Armed with these two pills, it would be much easier to justify the situation to his clansmen.
"Wait here for a moment. I will have someone bring the treasures over," Ye Xingxiao said, seeing that the other party eagerly agreed.
Regarding the Xu Family’s lack of a Purple Mansion Cultivator, the Ye Family had actually planned to prop them up for a long time. Having two affiliated Purple Mansion Clans was simply not as stable as having three. A tripartite balance where they plotted and competed against one another would endlessly solidify the Ye Family’s rule. The only reason they hadn’t granted the Xu Family any Purple Mansion Jade Liquid earlier was to avoid waste.
Providing the Jade Liquid, the Primordial Demon Jade, and the Foundation Establishment Pills now was all done to help the Xu Family quickly catch up to the other two clans. While giving away the Foundation Establishment Pills might seem like an immediate expense, once the Xu Family needed to set up Tier Three Spiritual Veins and Tier Three Arrays in the future, the Ye Family would stand to make a massive profit. To fill the gaping hole in their Spirit Stone reserves, the Xu Family would naturally work even harder, scheming to acquire treasures or developing Oases and various resources for the Ye Family.
Once Xu Haocheng gleefully departed with the treasures, Ye Qingfu looked at the other two. "Should we spread the news of this clan reward?"
"Yes, but leak it secretly. Having the Wan Family and the Ma Family spread the word will be enough. This way, when those Affiliated Clans acquire treasures, they will enthusiastically offer them all to the Ye Family," Ye Xingxiao replied. "If we spread it ourselves, it would just look like we’re bragging."
"A few days ago, Eleventh Brother seemed to be in need of something like this Coiling Heaven. I’ll send a Transmission to let him know," Ye Jinghu said, holding the miniature Grotto Heaven.
The others nodded. This Magical Treasure was originally intended as a Nascent Soul congratulatory gift anyway, so giving it to Ye Jingcheng wasn’t an issue at all. As for the Ye Family also severely lacking a Grotto Heaven, they would just have to exercise restraint for a while longer. Right now, the most vital and important figure in the Ye Family was undeniably Ye Jingcheng.