On top of Deadman Peak, at the summit of the Tier Two Spiritual Vein, an ancient-style cultivation cave mansion was situated upon a massive stone wall.
Next to the cave mansion, a spirit beast covered in purple-red flames was sleeping soundly, occasionally emitting bursts of snores, and its flames fluctuated with its breathing.
If a discerning person were present, they could recognize at a glance that this was a Tier One Superior spirit beast ā the Purple Flame Ming.
Rare and powerful.
When its whole body turns purple-red, it signifies that its strength has reached the peak of its bloodline, comparable to a late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator. It can even best an ordinary late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator and rival a Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer cultivator.
But at the sound of its snoring, Ye Chen slapped it. "Why do you sleep all day like a pig?"
Slapā
The sound of the slap echoed.
Purple Flame Ming jolted awake, hurriedly raised its head, and then looked around confusedly.
Leaving Ye Chen standing speechless in front of it.
Just as Ye Chen was about to complain again, a sound tore through the air, and a middle-aged man with a scarred face in red armor came riding on a magical artifact, but upon seeing him, Ye Chen immediately turned away.
"Fellow Daoist Ye, we havenāt seen each other for a year. Why are you walking away the moment we meet?" The newcomer shouted hastily.
Ye Chen didnāt look back, "I donāt want to deal with you."
"Fellow Daoist Ye, look at this," the red-armored scarred man said, taking out a jug of wine from his storage bag.
A jug of purple-blue wine, seemingly ordinary to the naked eye, but the bottle housing it was a Tier One High-grade Spiritual Artifact.
Ye Chen twitched his nose, turned around and smiled, "Weāre brothers, you donāt have to bring Purple-Blue Immortal Brew when you visit... What year is it? Iām telling you, the Purple-Blue Immortal Brew tastes best at three hundred years old."
"Three hundred and fifty years!"
The red-armored scarred man spoke with pride, unsurprised by Ye Chenās reaction.
Because this was the best Immortal Brew in the entire Far West.
A celestial product among wines!
Ye Chen snatched it away at lightning speed, examining it with great affection, sniffing carefully, and after confirming its authenticity, he let out a deep breath of satisfaction.
A few moments later, Ye Chen slowly spoke, "Alright, what do you want? You wouldnāt visit me or bring such a fine gift without a reason."
"I heard thereās a Heterodox Dao genius?" The red-armored scarred man asked, and his question froze Ye Chenās smile.
The wine was also returned.
Ye Chenās smile vanished immediately, waving his hand in dismissal, "Take care, Iām not falling for your tricks."
"Wait, just hear me out," the red-armored scarred man quickly interjected, blocking Ye Chen and forcing the wine back into his hand, "After three months of cultivation, heās reached Qi Cultivation Third Layer. Wouldnāt such a Heterodox Dao genius be more suitable for me...? Though your strength is formidable, itās irrelevant since you havenāt practiced Heterodox Dao. But I have mastered many forms of Heterodox Dao!"
"So raising a ghost who doesnāt wear clothes counts as cultivating Heterodox Dao?" Ye Chen retorted again, "And keeping a seduction worm is considered Heterodox Dao cultivation? I still donāt understand why Master entrusted the Spirit Suppression Department to you..."
The red-armored scarred man wasnāt irritated; instead, he chuckled proudly, "But the Great Elder said whoever seizes him gets him."
"Even the eldest senior brother knows?"
Ye Chenās expression tightened.
The red-armored scarred man nodded, "Three months, reaching Qi Cultivation Third Layer, with the Great Elder in control of the All-Knowing Tower, itās hard for such news to go unnoticed... All these years, you wonāt find a second one in the entire Cultivation Realm of Deadman Peak."
"Heās trying to snatch him too?"
"The Great Elder wonāt compete with us, as heās currently focused on achieving Qi Cultivation Perfection, so he has no time to train disciples."
"Who else knows?"
"Just the three of us."
"So why should I, with my Thousand-Pound Tyrant Axe stronger than your Canglan Staff, let you, a ghost-keeper, take my disciple? Besides, you already have six direct disciples, and the Peak Master has decreed that all elders can only have up to six direct disciples."
"Thatās why, Brother Ye, I want to ask for a slot from you. I can exchange for an entry slot to the Blue Moon Ruins in five years, one, or even two, as long as you are willing to let me have this disciple."
Hearing this, Ye Chenās expression tightened, "According to the Three Sects and Six Peaksā rule, each entrant to the Blue Moon Ruins can bring at most three people, and youāre willing to give me two slots? Xiang Wenlong, you really are crazy."
Xiang Wenlong responded resolutely, "Brother Ye, someone previously offered me five Tier One High-grade Spiritual Artifacts and over ten thousand Spirit Stones, yet I didnāt sell them, but for this one disciple, Iām willing to trade slot for slot."
Ye Chen fell silent.
Truth be told, the two slots to the Blue Moon Ruins were indeed tempting. The Blue Moon Ruins open every thirty years, each opening accompanied by great opportunities. Taking one more person inside increases the harvest, even possibly obtaining a Foundation Establishment Treasure.
His master, the Master of Deadman Peak, relied on a secret technique acquired from the Blue Moon Ruins to achieve the Foundation Establishment Stage.
So one can only imagine the value of a single slot.
But after much contemplation, Ye Chen still chose to shake his head, "I already promised that kid, as long as his performance is satisfactory, I would take him as a direct disciple. I mustnāt break my word, but if he fails to satisfy me, then I can make this deal with you."
Originally, Xiang Wenlongās expression changed when Ye Chen refused, but upon hearing his next words, Xiang Wenlong was delighted.
He quickly asked, "Brother Ye, what would make you satisfied?"
"Break that personās record."
The words fell.
Xiang Wenlongās expression tightened.
He couldnāt believe what he had heard.
"Brother Ye, that personās record is no simple feat, no one has broken it in all these years, do you think he can?"