Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Grandmaster Rong looked down at the recorded data, his fingers shivering. After a long time he closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

"Ziyue, if this data isn't wrong then the storehouse should be where the key issue lies."

Xiang Ziyue looked out at his teacher, grit his teeth, and took out a grass leaf. "Teacher, I have already gone to the storehouse and found this leaf of an ash line grass."

"Ash line grass?" Grandmaster Rong received the leaf. With the sharp senses of a beast trainer, he soon realized something was off about this ordinary-looking ash line grass. There was an unusual strength contained within this leaf.

He stood up. Taking the leaf, he went to his study room. Moments later, after coming up with his own data, his face filled with shock.

In order to verify that the data was correct, he repeated the test two more times. The same experiment yielded identical data points every time.

"To think that ash line grass with such alarming potency actually exists in this world. The one who cultivated it must be a true grandmaster class existence!"

Grandmaster Rong looked up. His voice was firm and decisive. "Notify the sect. Tell them that no matter what the cost is, we must find this grandmaster!"

"Teacher…" Xiang Ziyue had a complex look.

Grandmaster Rong smiled. "What, do you think that teacher will conceal this matter and keep the rewards given to me by the sect?"

"No, that's not it. This disciple doesn't dare!"

"Since I am exalted by the sect, I should do my best in working for them. You should have already realized how important this ash line grass is to the dark star ice serpent." Grandmaster Rong's tone turned solemn, "You are the disciple I value the most. You must remember that in this world, there are certain things that you can do and certain things you cannot do. Even if you are faced with a greater temptation than this, you must always adhere to the bottom line and personal integrity that a beast trainer should possess."

Xiang Ziyue had an excited look. He respectfully said, "Teacher, you will forever be my shining example of how to live. You will always be the light that guides my path!"

He took several steps back and hurried away.

The Hidden Fog Sect's high level figures were shaken. Several beast trainer grandmasters were convened to verify the data provided by Xiang Ziyue. After they realized the function of the ash line grass, their eyes filled with excitement.

According to the conclusion that the several beast trainer grandmasters came up with, this ash line grass contained a strange strength that could stimulate the bloodline of the dark star ice serpent. Once it saved enough strength, it would be able to successfully complete its breakthrough.

This time, the reason the dark star ice serpent had such a listless appearance was because its acc.u.mulations were insufficient when it was promoted to the next level. As a result, it had to use up its flesh and blood essence energy to serve as a tool for its breakthrough.

In summary, theoretically speaking, if the dark star ice serpent was provided with enough of this ash line grass, then its future breakthroughs would continue unimpeded. Even if resistance developed to this sort of medicinal herb, it would be after two or three more advances.

The Hidden Fog Sect's high level figures believed that they could see a path to surpass their ancestors and cultivate the sect's strongest guardian spirit beast. If they could really accomplish this and obtain the protection of the dark star ice serpent, the foundation of their Hidden Fog Sect could be maintained for tens of thousands of years!

This was a matter of the utmost importance that involved the continued inheritance of the sect and the passing down of their orthodoxy. Even though numerous factions plotted against each other within the Hidden Fog Sect, on this occasion they achieved an unprecedented state of unification.

"Hurry! Hurry! Find the origin of that ash line grass!"

"This is related to the foundation of my sect for tens of thousands of years to come! This matter must be kept secret! No outsiders can know of it!"

"No matter the cost, we must invite that grandmaster to help us and provide a batch of that precious ash line grass to our Hidden Fog Sect!"

Thanks to the foresight of their ancestors, the sect had extremely detailed records related to the materials that were fed to the high level spirit beasts. Soon, they locked down its origin - First Moon Mountain Range, Kun City!

…

Green Tree Hall was one of the True Wood Sect's stores in Kun City. Their main business was in selling precious cultivating materials to various sects and their side business was in collecting intelligence. The shopkeeper was an initial Divine Soul realm cultivator. He had been sent here to run this place, suffering for almost a hundred years. Finally, after waiting for all this time his replacement had arrived. Overjoyed, he didn't clean anything up as he happily left.

For cultivators of the True Wood Sect, there was no place more comfortable to cultivate in than their sect. With the sect's great array formation gathering the world's green wood aura, it allowed their cultivation to progress several times faster.

The new shopkeeper was a young cultivator. It was said that he had been a disciple that was highly regarded by the powerful and influential Elder Yu Qing. Unfortunately, some time ago there was a disturbance and Elder Yu Qing lost face, becoming a laughingstock of the entire sect. The Sect Master seized that chance to isolate and exclude him, depriving him of many of his rights.

This shopkeeper was clearly a sacrificial victim. Otherwise, why would an elder disciple with such potential be relegated to this forgotten place of exile?

Feeling the cold and gloomy atmosphere of the new shopkeeper, his subordinates tactfully kept their distance. They all waited to greet guests, afraid that the new shopkeeper would vent his anger on them if they made any mistakes.

But when would these kinds of days come to an end?

As everyone was quietly complaining in their hearts, light flashed at the entrance and three people stepped inside. The one in front was a thin old man, with a scholarly middle-aged man and a tall and burly large man with closed eyes behind him.

"Dear guests, what need do you have?" A True Wood Sect cultivator hurried over to greet them. This was a shop for immortals. There was a spell cast outside so that only cultivators could step in.

The thin old man spoke with a hoarse voice, "A little more than two months ago, this shop sold a variation ash line grass. The ones who acquired it were the trade association of Peng City, and I was the final consumer of this ash line grass. So, there are some matters I need to ask of you."

The True Wood Sect cultivator's complexion changed. He also remembered this event. After all, the reason Zhou Li was able to enter the True Wood Sect was all because of this ash line grass. Due to the disturbance created afterwards, he had a profound impression of this event. Now, someone had come up to their door? Was there a problem with the ash line grass? This was truly troublesome.

Cough cough. "Dear guests, please wait a moment. I cannot process this matter myself. Please allow me to ask the shopkeeper to come out."

The thin old man nodded.

The young servant raced into the hall. Several breaths of time later, with an angry cough, the new shopkeeper walked out, his face dark and uninviting. "The three of you, too much time has passed and no one knows the details of the shipping process or whether or not other accidents might have occurred along the line. Because of a trivial ash line grass, you come to my True Wood Sect to cause trouble?"

The other guests in the hall all looked over, puzzled expressions on their faces. A variation ash line grass might be incomparably precious to ordinary mortals, but it was only a relatively rare spirit grass to cultivators. Even if it had some value, it wasn't worth causing such a commotion.

Moreover, this shop was founded by the True Wood Sect. Causing enmity just because of a spirit grass wasn't reasonable at all.

Several True Wood Sect cultivators widened their eyes. They never expected that this new shopkeeper would be a piece of trash with such a foul mouth. How could he say such things? Did he never hear the logic that guilty people gave away their crime by consciously protesting their innocence? Speaking a little less wouldn't hurt you!

The thin old man furrowed his eyebrows and a cold chill appeared in his eyes. "I have no intention of stirring up trouble. All you need to do is tell me the origin of this ash line grass."

The new shopkeeper sneered, "Since the ash line grass we sold has no problems, I have no additional comment. If the three of you have no other business here, then please leave and don't return!"

"Insolent!" The thin old man grasped out a hand and a terrifying strength gushed out from the void. No one saw what he did, but the new shopkeeper had already been grabbed by the throat.

"Old Wei, calm down!" The pale middle-aged scholar hurriedly said.

A red light flashed in Old Wei's ice cold eyes. Every word he said dripped with a cruelty and viciousness that left one feeling desperate.

"Honestly answer my question. This is your final chance."

He loosened his hand. The new shopkeeper gasped for breath, his face deathly white.

This person dares to kill me…he actually dares to kill me!

When the young servant had reported this matter to him, the shopkeeper thought it was a good chance to take revenge.

The prime culprit for him ending up in such a situation was Zhou Li, and these people had come for her.

With a turn of his thoughts, the new shopkeeper had decided to intentionally enrage these people, otherwise they might show some caution towards Zhou Li's current status and wouldn't investigate it any further.

But, he never expected that he would almost lose his life because of this. The new shopkeeper didn't doubt that if the middle-aged man hadn't spoken up just now, he would already be dead.

Just where did these people come from? They actually conducted themselves with such an overbearing attitude and didn't even place the True Wood Sect in their eyes. But, there was one thing he could determine: these people had an uncommon background and wouldn't necessarily fear Sky Declaring Pavilion. Zhou Li, since you harmed me so much, this will be your retribution!

"Senior, please forgive me! I will immediately search the archives! Hurry, hurry, what are you all doing!"

Moments later, after obtaining all the information there was, Old Wei brought the other two with him and left.

"Sky Declaring Pavilion!" His eyebrows furrowed together, revealing a heavy look. "Grandmaster Rong, what do you think of this?"

This pale middle-aged scholar was the Hidden Fog Sect's beast trainer grandmaster - Rong Wei. He thought for a moment and said, "It should only be a coincidence. If Sky Declaring Pavilion really knew that this Zhou Li was acquainted with a grandmaster class existence of cultivating spiritual things, then she wouldn't have freely been allowed to become Feng Qing's maid."

Rong Wei's eyes flashed. He continued to say, "And, that True Wood Sect cultivator should have been trying to deliberately enrage Old Wei just now. He wanted to take advantage of your hand so that we would delve deeper into this ash line grass incident. Thinking about it, there must be some enmity between this person and Zhou Li. If Zhou Li's relation with that grandmaster was exposed, there is no way that person would be so reckless."

Old Wei smiled. "Grandmaster Rong holds the same views I do. But how do we confirm this?"

Because the recent incident at the True Wood Sect had happened at their sect meeting, it was impossible to conceal it. News of that event had already spread everywhere. Without taking too much time, the Hidden Fog Sect were able to determine that even until now, no one had been able to uncover the relation between Zhou Li and that mysterious grandmaster.

"Sky Declaring Pavilion possesses a tyrannical strength. Although my Hidden Fog Sect doesn't fear them, it still isn't good to offend them. The best way would be to figure out some way that they would give Zhou Li to us on their own initiative." Old Wei muttered beneath his breath. His eyes suddenly widened, "There is one!"

Rong Wei furrowed his eyebrows. "You want to use the ash line grass as an excuse?"

Old Wei knew that Rong Wei was a righteous man with an upright personality. He smiled and explained, "It's just a way to expedite things. As long as Zhou Li tells us what she knows of that grandmaster, not only will I not make things difficult for her, I will give her a rich reward."

Rong Wei thought for a moment and slowly nodded. "For the time being, that's all we can do."