**Chapter 33: Evil Cultivators and Golden Scaled Beast
As the sun set behind the mountains, the nocturnal birds in the deep forest began to chirp.
Ye Jingcheng, aboard the spirit boat, finally saw the expanse of bamboo groves. Relieved, he put away the spirit stones he had been absorbing and stored the Red Flame Fox and Jade-Eared Mouse in their beast bags. He knew better than to take risks near the market, especially with the constant presence of Purple Mansion cultivators. He had sensed a faint, lingering spiritual consciousness trailing him, and although the Jade-Eared Mouse wasn't making a fuss, it was clearly unsettled.
In the wild, a cultivator's swift departure could mean they were either intimidated by superior strength or fetching help. This urgency was why Ye Jingcheng pushed on despite the consumption of his recovery pills.
Upon landing and performing a spell to clear the bamboo, he entered the market, now bustling with activity. Ye Jingcheng found this unusual, as the Taihang Market typically didn't allow ordinary cultivators to stay overnight. Many would leave early to avoid spending spirit stones.
He arrived at the Ye family's shop, where some itinerant cultivators were inquiring about spirit beast prices.
"Thirteenth Aunt!"
"Jingcheng, you've arrived. Your uncle is in the inner courtyard!"
Ye Jingcheng headed directly to the inner courtyard.
"Uncle!"
Ye Xinghe was inspecting a Golden Scaled Beast, resembling a mountain dog but covered in golden scales. The beast was impressive and sought-after at the Ye family's establishment.
Seeing Ye Jingcheng, Ye Xinghe rose and asked, "Jingcheng, did you encounter any problems on your way? I've heard of many missing itinerant cultivators lately."
Recalling his recent encounters, Ye Jingcheng mentioned the three bandit cultivators he had faced, explaining how two were driven away by his Red Flame Fox.
Ye Xinghe's expression grew concerned. "Let's check the bandits' storage bags."
Ye Jingcheng opened the bags, revealing several fresh corpses and minimal loot—a few spirit stones and some low-grade first-tier magic tools. The most valuable item was a mid-grade first-tier sword that the gray-robed cultivator had wielded.
"It looks like we're dealing with evil cultivators. These bandits must have been cursed," Ye Xinghe said, frowning. The presence of evil cultivators requiring large amounts of cultivator blood was troubling.
"Jingcheng, if you come across treasure maps or cultivator cave residences, be wary. I'll take these corpses and the gray-robed cultivator to Master Jiang of the Taiyi Sect for further investigation." Ye Xinghe gathered the bodies and departed, knowing the issue's gravity.
Ye Jingcheng, relieved but shaken, realized that if he had stayed put, the situation could have become fatal with the arrival of the evil cultivators' reinforcements. Thankfully, he was merely an alchemist and could remain safely in the market.
Determined to avoid dangerous situations until he advanced to the late Qi Condensation stage, Ye Jingcheng turned his attention back to the Golden Scaled Beast. He observed it closely; its golden scales were still pale, but its eyes were fierce.
[Translator: sauron]
To his surprise, his ancient book reacted again, flipping to a page showing a larger, more formidable Golden Scaled Beast resembling a qilin—though the image was too blurry to discern clearly. This indicated the Golden Scaled Beast's exceptional nature, a far cry from the Red Flame Fox's flamboyant appearance and blazing fireballs.
This was the second spirit beast to trigger the ancient book's response, the first being the Red Flame Fox. If possible, he would buy the Golden Scaled Beast. With its earth attribute aligning with his own, it could enhance his cultivation speed and potentially allow him to practice a dual-attribute technique.
However, Ye Jingcheng was uncertain about the price, estimating it would be no less than five hundred spirit stones, especially given its robust health and appearance. With only a little over a hundred spirit stones and depleted contribution points, his finances were tight. He would need to sell some magic tools to afford it.
"Jingcheng, you're here?" Ye Jingcheng's older brother, Ye Jingli, came out, surprised to see him. He inquired about the dangerous journey, knowing there were no other late Qi Condensation cultivators from the Ye family currently in the market.
Ye Jingcheng shared his experiences, and Ye Jingli offered some valuable advice. Ye Jingcheng absorbed all useful information and remained cautious, understanding the importance of being well-informed in the world of cultivation.
After a brief conversation, Ye Jingli returned to his room to focus on his own training and refining more magic tools. He also bought some spirit beast food from Ye Jingcheng, revealing that the Green Scaled Python, which had improved significantly since its purchase, belonged to another cultivator's temporary storage.
Ye Jingcheng, learning this, resolved to rest and recover. Having used a recovery pill and spirit stones, he had only half of his full spiritual energy left. He spent two hours meditating to restore his energy fully, feeling clearer and more focused.
Although the Fire Elemental Technique wasn't a high-level skill, it was steady and effective for quickly restoring spiritual energy. Ye Jingcheng planned to begin alchemy soon, noting that the Red Flame Fox's ability to produce up to four fireballs indicated progress. This reaffirmed that using the Red Flame Fox for alchemy was a sound decision.
**End of Chapter**