Chapter 149: Exotic Beast Essence Blood

"Please do not stand on ceremony, everyone, please sit."

Jiang Qing stroked his beard and said, "I invited you all here today simply for a small gathering. There is no need to be too restrained."

Xiang Meng nodded slightly. "We haven't gathered for more than half a year, ever since Elder Shang left for Tai'an Prefecture."

Ding Zhong looked at Yang Xing and smiled with a chuckle, "With Elder Shang's return today, and Brother Yang joining our circle, this can truly be called a double celebration."

Through their subsequent conversation, Yang Xing came to understand their relationships.

Although the Tri-River Escort Agency was one of the three major escort agencies in the prefecture and occasionally transported extremely valuable goods, the agency naturally lacked a sufficient number of top-tier martial artists. Jiang Qing would therefore spend a handsome sum to invite various experts from the jianghu to assist them.

The masters present here were all martial artists who had previously collaborated with the Tri-River Escort Agency.

Jiang Qing was meticulous and tactful, adept at handling all kinds of people, and would routinely invite them to small gatherings to foster closer ties.

None of these experts refused such gatherings; not only could they forge connections with masters from all walks of life, but they could also acquire a wealth of information and experience.

Originally, Yang Xing's strength would not have qualified him to attend this intimate gathering, but his status as the chief senior disciple of the Xuanwu Academy gave him a standing and position that were far from ordinary in the outside world.

"I never imagined that during my trip to Tai'an Prefecture, such drastic changes would take place in the lands of Heyang."

Shang Lujing said in a deep voice, "If the Heavenly River Sect is truly tainted with the Returning Source Cult, then it certainly deserves to be destroyed."

The changes he spoke of were naturally the recent, widely sensationalized affairs concerning the Heavenly River Sect.

The matter was still fermenting, and the tempest had not yet subsided.

Shang Lujing sighed. "When I was in Tai'an Prefecture—which happens to be the stronghold of the Returning Source Cult—many villages were left nine-tenths empty. Countless commoners were refined into 'Yin Pills' and 'Yang Pellets,' and their lifeless corpses were tossed straight into the Ten Thousand Corpses Pool."

Xiang Meng frowned slightly and asked, "Does the imperial court do nothing?"

She rarely left Hezhong Prefecture, and thus had very little understanding of external affairs.

Hearing of the tragic state of Tai'an Prefecture now, she could not help but feel a tremor in her heart.

"Do anything? How could they?"

Shang Lujing shook his head. "The Returning Source Cult has numerous members, with Grandmaster-level experts holding the fort. Furthermore, all the major clans and aristocratic families in Tai'an Prefecture are tied to the Cult. Are we supposed to let them investigate themselves?"

"That is why, once the Returning Source Cult infiltrates Hezhong Prefecture and manages to thoroughly take root here, it will undoubtedly spell a colossal disaster."

The few people present fell into silence. The Returning Source Cult was just like bone-gnawing maggots.

Once tainted by it, not only was it exceedingly difficult to eradicate, but it would also continuously absorb the blood of those attached to it to grow stronger.

After a long while, Jiang Qing spoke up, "If not for the notorious reputation of the Returning Source Cult, the Heavenly River Sect would not have collapsed so swiftly."

The affair with the Heavenly River Sect served as a warning to everyone: under no circumstances should one have any ties with the Returning Source Cult, and even if such ties existed, they must never be exposed. Otherwise, even a behemoth like the Heavenly River Sect would collapse in an instant.

Ding Zhong smiled and said, "Actually, you all needn't worry too much. It won't be easy for the Returning Source Cult to truly take root in Hezhong Prefecture."

Xiang Meng's eyes lit up. "Brother Ding, could it be that you have other news?"

As a retainer of the Xie family, Ding Zhong had access to information channels far superior to those of ordinary jianghu travelers.

Ding Zhong explained, "The Returning Source Cult has recently been targeted by the Abbot of the Great Sun Hall of the Baolian Temple, suffering heavy casualties in the southwestern territories. They simply have no spare energy to focus on Hezhong Prefecture. Moreover, we have the Qingping Sect here in Hezhong, and they will never sit idly by and watch the Returning Source Cult grow."

"The martial arts community of our Hezhong Prefecture jianghu is also considered united, and our three Grandmasters are all individuals who detest evil as they would their mortal foes. It will prove extremely difficult for the Returning Source Cult to make a massive incursion into Hezhong Prefecture."

Hearing Ding Zhong's words, the others all nodded in agreement.

Inwardly, Yang Xing also let out a breath of relief; at the very least, judging from the current situation, the environment in Hezhong Prefecture remained relatively stable.

Following that, the group began to chat idly.

Shang Lujing possessed a calm demeanor and a wealth of experience and insight. Not only was he well-versed in the art of poisons, but he was also exceptionally skilled in medicine. Aside from the matter concerning the Returning Source Cult, he rarely spoke, appearing somewhat reticent.

Xiang Meng was a remarkably shrewd woman who displayed immense warmth toward everyone present.

Ding Zhong, on the other hand, spoke with seasoned wisdom and practiced smoothness.

Shang Lujing asked, "I heard that the ruins of the Broken Blade Sect have appeared on Yunping Mountain. Do any of you know the specifics?"

More than two hundred years ago, the Broken Blade Sect was a celebrated and renowned sect in Hezhong Prefecture, its momentum and influence no less formidable than today's Four Absolute Sects.

For reasons unknown, every single member of this sect vanished overnight.

At that time, it was the early days of the founding of the Wu State; the imperial court's military was robust and mighty, brimming with numerous experts. They had dispatched countless personnel to investigate, yet ultimately found not a single clue.

Some claimed they had offended a certain Great Grandmaster and were wiped out overnight, while others alleged the Broken Blade Sect practiced evil arts and suffered divine retribution, a bolt of thunder obliterating the entire sect.

Regarding the fate of the Broken Blade Sect, opinions varied wildly, and rumors were rampant.

Every year, quite a few people headed to Yunping Mountain hoping to unearth the treasures left behind by the sect of yore, only for their efforts to invariably prove futile.

"They are merely a few hunters who stumbled upon some ancient structures."

Ding Zhong shook his head, then chuckled and said, "Could it be that Elder Shang is interested?"

Shang Lujing nodded. "If time permits, I might go take a look."

Ding Zhong offered, "If the opportunity arises, I would certainly be glad to guide Elder Shang there."

Shang Lujing was well-versed in medicine and poison; forging ties with an expert of his caliber carried tremendous benefits.

Yang Xing cupped his fists and said, "I have a question, and I wonder if Elder Shang might enlighten me."

Shang Lujing smiled faintly. "Please, speak freely. As long as this old man knows the answer, I certainly won't conceal it."

Yang Xing asked, "Does Elder Shang know of any supreme medicinal ingredients capable of harmonizing conflicting types of vital energy...?"

He had checked ancient texts and learned that certain supreme medicines possessed the capacity to harmonize vital energies of differing attributes.

"That, of course, I know."

Shang Lujing shook his head. "However, such supreme medicines are worth a king's ransom. It is said that in the treasury of the Prince of the Southwest, there is a thirty-year-old Cloud Essence which possesses the power to harmonize conflicting attributes of internal energy within the body. Back then, a Grandmaster-level expert went to request it, but the Prince of the Southwest politely refused."

Upon hearing this, Yang Xing could not help but secretly knit his brows.

It seemed that attempting to utilize supreme medicinal ingredients to harmonize the vital energy within one's body was a dead end.

Xiang Meng raised her slender brows and asked with a smile, "Could it be that Brother Yang wishes to cultivate a second mental cultivation method?"

Yang Xing smiled. "I was merely asking out of curiosity."

Shang Lujing continued, "In fact, there are other methods to harmonize the internal vital energy. For instance, the *Yellow Court Scripture* contains techniques for harmonizing conflicting energies. Aside from that, there are certain secret arts such as the *Seven Stars and Northern Dipper* and the *Hidden Sea Key*, all of which possess harmonizing effects."

Hearing Shang Lujing's words, Yang Xing could only shake his head inwardly.

The *Yellow Court Scripture* was hailed as one of the three peerless mental cultivation methods of the Wu State, an unsharable secret of Mount Linlang.

As for the two secret arts mentioned, one had long since been lost to the ages, while the other was stored securely within the imperial treasury of the Wu State.

Obtaining either of them was practically impossible.

"Actually, I do know of one other method."

Shang Lujing glanced at Yang Xing. "Although it cannot achieve full harmonization, it does possess a tempering effect and can lower the repulsive nature of conflicting energies."

Yang Xing hastily inquired, "What method is that?"

Shang Lujing replied, "The primordial blood essence of rare exotic beasts."