**Chapter 32: Two Stories
In front of the Treasure Pavilion, Ye Jingcheng walked out with a pained expression. He had exchanged for a new alchemy formula, this time for a top-grade first-tier elixir, the Ice Clear Pill.
The Ice Clear Pill was one of the easiest first-tier top-grade elixirs to refine, primarily used to counteract illusions. Ye Jingcheng had chosen this formula to build his confidence and skills in alchemy before tackling the more complex elixirs described in the ancient book.
Despite its simplicity, this formula cost him a hefty 230 contribution points, nearly all the points he had earned through his hard work in the market.
Besides the formula, Ye Jingcheng also exchanged for more spirit beast meat, which served as food for his Red Flame Fox.
Having left the Treasure Pavilion, Ye Jingcheng headed directly down the mountain. He had spent nearly a month at Lingyun Peak and now needed to rush back to the market. The elixirs there, regardless of their popularity, were bound to run out.
Unlike before, where he traveled alone to the market, this time the family provided him with a first-tier mid-grade spirit boat. Although it was only a rental and would need to be returned after completing his market tasks, Ye Jingcheng was pleased. It was a significant improvement over flying on a sword, offering both greater safety and speed.
The rented spirit boat was of standard size, similar to Ye Jingyu's, so he was familiar with it. With a gesture, the boat expanded to about ten meters long. Ye Jingcheng boarded it, releasing the Red Flame Fox and the Jade-Eared Mouse, and started slowly flying towards the market.
He followed a familiar route but remained extra cautious this time. Even the Jade-Eared Mouse received the maximum amount of spiritual energy to ensure its large ears were fully alert.
During the day, he continued traveling and at night stayed in previously established caves. For the first two days, everything went smoothly. However, on the third night, as Ye Jingcheng was meditating, the Jade-Eared Mouse's ears suddenly twitched and it began to squeak. The Red Flame Fox leaped into a defensive stance, ready to spring outside!
Ye Jingcheng acted swiftly. Without a defensive formation, he had set up a simple concealment spell. Suddenly, the sound of wind cut through the air, and a young cultivator in a gray robe burst in, looking anxious.
"Friend, please run quickly! There are two bandit cultivators chasing us!" the gray-robed cultivator urged urgently.
The Red Flame Fox snarled and launched a fireball spell at the intruder, who was forced back several dozen meters.
"Are you in cahoots with those bandits?" Ye Jingcheng asked, suspicious.
"No, I am not. It's you who are allied with them!" The gray-robed cultivator retorted as Ye Jingcheng activated an ironwood token. Vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring the gray-robed cultivator.
[Translator: sauron]
The cultivator, evidently prepared, leaped into the air. The cave was high enough for the ironwood vines to miss.
"Friend, this is a misunderstanding. The two behind are real bandits!" The gray-robed cultivator tried to explain. "I have a treasure map. If you help me deal with the bandits, I'll share the treasure map with you. It leads to a foundation establishment cultivator's burial site with several third-tier magic tools!"
Ye Jingcheng was skeptical. "You're spinning quite the tale, telling two stories at once!" He didn't believe the gray-robed man.
The cultivator indeed pulled out a treasure map. "Friend, look at this."
"You've made a mistake!" Ye Jingcheng continued, unconvinced. "If it's truly a mistake, then surrender now and I'll deal with the bandits!"
"I'm a cultivator from the Buqing Li family, with a reputation for integrity!" The gray-robed cultivator insisted.
Ye Jingcheng didn't believe him. In these times, someone who entered a cave was more likely to be part of a coordinated effort rather than an escapee. If they were truly fleeing, they would have fled far and wide, rather than being trapped in a dead-end cave.
Ye Jingcheng continued to convince the gray-robed cultivator to surrender, while using the ironwood token and various spirit talismans to bind him. The Red Flame Fox launched another round of fireballs.
Ye Jingcheng's training paid off as the gray-robed cultivator was quickly overwhelmed and turned to ash, along with the treasure map.
At this point, two more cultivators in black robes entered the cave. Seeing the gray-robed cultivator had fallen, they were furious and attacked with their flying swords. One was a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, and the other was a mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator, both fierce in their assault.
In the cave, the Red Flame Fox fired off three more fireballs, sending the two flying swords off course and creating a massive fire wave that seemed ready to engulf everything.
"An early-stage demon beast!" The black-clad cultivators hesitated and quickly retreated.
Ye Jingcheng did not pursue. The cave was his advantage, and so was the ironwood token. His concern now was whether there were more enemies outside and the nature of the artifacts possessed by the late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
Suddenly, the two black-clad cultivators began to destroy the cave, attempting to bury Ye Jingcheng alive. He quickly took out a soil escape talisman, having anticipated such a situation.
With the spirit beasts safely stored, Ye Jingcheng used the soil escape talisman, which emitted a bright light, allowing him to tunnel through the earth and escape.
Upon reaching the surface, he saw the two cultivators preparing to attack him again. Ye Jingcheng activated a wooden shield artifact, which was instantly shattered, but he seized the opportunity to deploy the Red Flame Fox and the Jade-Eared Mouse.
Ye Jingcheng took out a silver needle and a sealing bell artifact. Just as he was about to confront them, the two black-clad cultivators fled using their spirit boat.
With a sigh of relief, Ye Jingcheng realized that although the Red Flame Fox and he hadn't fully unleashed their power, the retreat of the two cultivators was good news.
He didn't want to delay further. He quickly boarded the spirit boat and flew towards the market, fearing that the two cultivators might follow him. Swallowing a recovery pill, he pushed himself to the limit in his flight.
**End of Chapter**