Chapter 1565: Rogue Cultivator Exchange Conference
“It’s a pity we couldn’t obtain the Taiyin Netherfire. We’ll have to find another way,” Song Wen said, his voice tinged with regret.
“You already possess several Spirit Herbs for refining spiritual power, but it’s still not enough. The Taiyin Netherfire is exceptionally effective for refining spiritual power, especially for corpse dao cultivators. If the opportunity arises, it’s best to seize it. If that proves impossible, we can always seek alternative methods for refining spiritual power. This fire isn’t irreplaceable,” Gu Que advised.
“Understood.”
Song Wen fell silent, activating the Sea of Consciousness Black Hole to draw down Soul Source Essence. This essence nourished his divine soul and sea of consciousness, with a portion also allocated to the shadow void.
Years ago, during his bloody purge of demon races on the Western Rong Continent, Song Wen had absorbed countless Demon Souls, converting them into vast quantities of Soul Source Essence. Some of this essence remained unrefined, stored within the Sea of Consciousness Black Hole.
Upon reaching the Great Ascension Realm, the divine soul also required refinement. During his downtime, Song Wen slowly nurtured his divine soul with the Soul Source Essence.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Seeing that all was calm, Song Wen emerged from the pile of rubble.
As he prepared to leave, he realized he had no idea where to go.
After prolonged contemplation, Song Wen ultimately decided to head to Blood Brilliance City.
Whether it was the Taiyin Netherfire or other Spirit Herbs for refining spiritual power, Blood Brilliance City offered the greatest prospects.
Disguising himself as a young cultivator in the Divine Transformation Stage, Song Wen set out.
Three months later.
Midnight, Zi hour.
A mountain peak 100,000 li outside Blood Brilliance City.
The summit had been artificially flattened into a platform several li wide.
Dozens of Body Integration Stage and Void Refinement Stage cultivators had gathered here for a high-level exchange conference among rogue cultivators.
The cultivators were either clustered in small groups, whispering among themselves, or setting up stalls to sell and seek spiritual objects.
Song Wen, wearing a mask and a black cloak, wandered through the crowd.
Fearing that openly seeking Taiyin Netherfire would draw Yu Bi’s attention, Song Wen had spent the past three months discreetly inquiring about it through obscure channels.
But after scouring nearby markets and black markets, he had found no leads.
Upon learning of this exchange conference, he decided to try his luck.
Still wary of revealing his interest in Taiyin Netherfire, he could only eavesdrop on conversations and search the stalls carefully.
With the Shadow Void’s assistance, he could eavesdrop on nearly every conversation undetected, even if the speakers used divine sense transmission.
Two hours passed quickly, and the exchange conference was nearing its end.
Having made another fruitless trip, Song Wen pondered deeply before deciding to take a gamble. He would directly inquire about clues related to the Taiyin Netherfire.
The exchange conference was completely open, with no formations restricting entry or exit. Song Wen was confident that no one present could detain him. Moreover, after leaving today, he would change his appearance and cultivation aura entirely, eliminating any risk of being traced later.
Song Wen’s gaze swept across the platform, where only about twenty people remained as others had gradually departed.
Although the event was billed as an exchange conference for rogue cultivators, Song Wen knew that most of these twenty-odd individuals were likely members of the Divine Blood Gate.
Compared to large cultivation sects like the Divine Blood Gate, rogue cultivators often lacked resources and cultivation techniques. However, some occasionally stumbled upon great opportunities, inheriting legacies from ancient cultivators or lost sects, or discovering rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
It was not surprising for members of the Divine Blood Gate to attend such conferences, though they typically concealed their identities and avoided revealing their true faces.
Song Wen’s gaze finally settled on a small group of five.
The group consisted of three Body Integration Stage cultivators and two Void Refinement Stage cultivators.
Apart from one late-stage Void Refinement male cultivator who remained mostly silent, the conversation among the other four suggested they were undoubtedly rogue cultivators.
Song Wen approached the group and bowed respectfully.
“Greetings, fellow daoists.”
Hearing Song Wen’s voice, the five cultivators turned to look at him.
“Fellow daoist, what brings you here?” asked a woman in the Early Body Integration Stage, her face veiled by a light gauze that obscured her features, revealing only a pair of slightly cold eyes.
“I wouldn’t presume to instruct you,” Song Wen replied. “I’ve been searching for a spiritual object without success and came to seek your guidance.”
“Oh? What exactly are you looking for?” the woman inquired.
“Taiyin Netherfire,” Song Wen replied, switching to divine sense transmission to convey the name directly into their minds.
Upon hearing this, the two Void Refinement Stage cultivators showed no reaction, likely unfamiliar with the Taiyin Netherfire. However, a flicker of surprise flashed through the eyes of the three Body Integration Stage cultivators.
After a few breaths of silence, seeing no one respond, the woman shook her head.
“We’ve only heard of such a rare treasure, never seen it. You’ve likely asked the wrong people.”
“My apologies for the intrusion,” Song Wen said, cupping his hands in a farewell gesture before turning to leave.
“Please wait!” The usually taciturn late-stage Void Refinement male cultivator suddenly stepped forward, calling out to stop Song Wen. “May I have a private word with you?”
Song Wen paused, turning to scrutinize the cultivator.
The man wore a mask and seemed to possess treasures that concealed his aura, enough to evade detection by Body Integration Stage cultivators. Yet before the shadow void, his true cultivation level was laid bare.
This allowed Song Wen to accurately assess his cultivation.
“This way, please,” Song Wen said, gesturing toward a corner of the platform.
He strode toward the designated spot, the male cultivator following closely behind.
They halted near the platform’s edge.
“Fellow Daoist, you stopped me. What guidance do you seek?” Song Wen asked.
The cultivator didn’t answer immediately, instead glancing around.
“This isn’t a suitable place to talk. Could we move elsewhere?”
Song Wen studied the man’s eyes, a peculiar expression flickering across his face.
This Void Refinement Stage cultivator dared invite him, a Body Integration Stage expert, to leave the group for a private meeting.
Either he knew some secret too sensitive to reveal publicly, or his request was so significant that he was willing to risk his life for it.
Moreover, the cultivator hadn’t directly invited Song Wen to leave in front of everyone, but had waited until they were away from the crowd. This caution didn’t seem like the behavior of a reckless individual.
“Follow me,” Song Wen said, leaping into the air and swiftly vanishing into the darkness ahead.
Without hesitation, the male cultivator followed closely behind.
The pair flew tens of thousands of miles before finally stopping above a vast sea of trees.
“This place is secluded enough,” Song Wen said. “Fellow Daoist, you can speak plainly now.”
“Walls have ears,” the male cultivator replied. “Please condense a soundproof barrier, Fellow Daoist.”
A strange glint returned to Song Wen’s eyes, but he didn’t refuse, conjuring a transparent soundproof barrier as requested.
In truth, Song Wen considered this precaution unnecessary.
He had already sent the shadow void to scout the area. While not entirely uninhabited, the surrounding ten thousand miles contained only a few low-tier cultivators—rogue cultivators who had long established cultivation caves here and posed no threat of eavesdropping.
Seeing the soundproof barrier in place, the male cultivator wasted no time and spoke bluntly.
“Regarding the Taiyin Netherfire, this junior can assist you, Senior.”
(End of the Chapter)