Chapter 4101 — Zhang Lifeng's Disciple
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"You flatter me, Elder Cai. It's all Wei Zhao's doing. Without his guidance and the Foundation Establishment Pill, I couldn't even have found my way to the threshold of foundation building, let alone succeeded in it," Xueli explained.
"Ha ha, neither of you young friends is meant for a shallow pond, so there's no need to be so modest," Cai Zhongxuan said with a nod and a smile. Since Wei Zhao was a friend of Hong Zhong, it was hardly surprising that he had a Foundation Establishment Pill on hand.
Pausing a moment, Cai Zhongxuan continued, "When I was at the door just now, I heard you two mention the Snow Sword Sect's cultivation art. Are you young friends troubled over this matter?"
"That's right." Wei Zhao and Xueli exchanged a glance. From how he had behaved so far, this Vice Steward Cai seemed a trustworthy man of their own camp, and there was no need to hide it from him.
"In that case, wait here a moment, both of you. I'll be right back." Cai Zhongxuan smiled mysteriously, turned, and went out the door, leaving Wei Zhao and Xueli staring at each other.
A short while later, Cai Zhongxuan returned, carrying a scroll that was archaic yet refined. Smiling, he handed it to Wei Zhao.
"What's this?" Wei Zhao took it and opened it, and his eyelid gave an involuntary twitch. Astonished, he said, "The Snow Sword Heart Art? Elder Cai, how do you come to have this?"
Just moments ago he had been racking his brains over how to get his hands on the Snow Sword Sect's cultivation art, and then Cai Zhongxuan turned around and brought it to him—truly, no sooner had one thought of dozing off than someone arrived with a pillow.
Cai Zhongxuan laughed heartily. "Have you forgotten, Young Hero Lin? My master is the Pill God. The heads and masters of sects like the Snow Sword Sect must speak meekly and humbly when they come to my master for help. And my master commands the Five Elements Merchant Guild—spirit jade is the last thing he lacks. So anyone who wants him to refine pills must trade rare resources for the privilege. Apart from those once-in-a-lifetime heavenly treasures, what's left is each sect's core cultivation art."
Wei Zhao clicked his tongue in secret amazement. Which of the Mid Island sect heads and masters was not a fearsome figure whose stamp of the foot shook the four corners of the world? Yet before his own cheap master they all had to bow and scrape. Clearly, once one's pill-refining skill reached the realm of Pill God, one took all comers, great and small alike.
Still, however one looked at it, these arts were the highest secrets of any sect. That Zhang Lifeng could have talked them out of it was no small feat. Wei Zhao did not believe the Snow Sword Sect lacked other heavenly treasures; the only explanation was that Zhang Lifeng had specifically demanded this one.
Cai Zhongxuan went on, "Not long ago my master happened to come back for a visit. He gave me some of the rare finds he'd gathered in recent years, putting me specifically in charge of such rare resources, in preparation for the Mid Island Grand Auction that's coming up soon."
"The Mid Island Grand Auction?" Wei Zhao was briefly taken aback, and unbidden there rose in his mind the Four Island Auction Exposition he had attended on the Far North Island.
"Have you not heard of it, Young Hero Lin? The so-called Mid Island Grand Auction is a colossal auction open to every merchant guild on Mid Island, held officially by the Mid Island Lord and the Council of Elders. Among the five great islands of the Heaven Tier, it is the highest-caliber auction of them all," Cai Zhongxuan explained patiently. "Every item on offer at this auction is a rare find not seen in a thousand years. This Snow Sword Sect cultivation art my master gave me is precisely in preparation for it."