novelraw Chapter 229 : Ji Yuan’s First Senior Brother
Chapter 229 : Ji Yuan’s First Senior Brother
Chapter 229: Ji Yuan’s First Senior Brother
The one questioning Real Person Heming now was the legendary Real Person Lingyu.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan instinctively had a thought… Just what was Real Person Lingyu feeling as he watched him being “auctioned off”?
And with Real Person Lingyu's inquiry, Real Person Heming also fell silent.
As if unsure whether to speak or not.
Or perhaps they were communicating via Divine Sense Transmission?
Just as everyone was confused, Real Person Heming suddenly spoke.
“Indeed, there was a small incident. Martial Nephew Ye Chen and Martial Nephew Cao Lang, when slaying the dragon, discovered that it was not just one Earth-Cracking Viper, but… two.”
“What?!”
A shocked exclamation rang out from somewhere in the first-floor hall.
Before everyone could react, Real Person Heming continued, “And while the two were engaging the Earth-Cracking Vipers, they were ambushed by demonic cultivators…”
“Fortunately, Real Person Canglin from our sect arrived in time, repelled the demonic cultivators, and brought them back.”
“Oh?”
Real Person Lingyu seemed slightly surprised. “What kind of demonic cultivators dared to cause trouble on my Lanshan Mountain? I shall personally go and take a look.”
With that, a stream of light shot away from the auction house.
Real Person Heming withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the indignant Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall. “Alright, the auction is over. There will be no Third-Tier Flood Dragon auctioned this time. Apologies to all.”
“In compensation, we’ve prepared a small gift for everyone. Please collect it freely at the exit as you leave.”
“Fellow Daoists, feel free to go.”
Once Real Person Heming finished speaking, accompanied by a clear crane cry, his figure turned into a white escape light and departed.
With the visible Golden Core expert gone, the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators instantly relaxed.
Most were discussing how Ye Chen and Cao Lang had been ambushed by demonic cultivators, vowing to slay the demonic scum, or condemning their deviousness.
Some who remained clear-headed analyzed that Ye Chen and Cao Lang, when working together, could fight on par with a Golden Core expert. Whoever dared to ambush them was likely also a Golden Core-stage demonic cultivator.
Foundation Establishment cultivators going after them would be nothing but cannon fodder.
Once this viewpoint was voiced, the hall quieted down a bit.
From the neighboring room, that chatterbox’s voice rang out again.
“Heh, ‘dragon-slaying, dragon-slaying’... in the end, who even knows which Flood Dragon was slain?”
Hearing this, Ji Yuan suddenly remembered something that Ning Shanshan had mentioned some time ago during an introduction.
She said Ye Chen had always been known within Beast Taming Sect’s territory as the “Rampaging Flood Dragon.”
Ji Yuan fell into contemplation. Before long, the black-robed old man who had previously received his Foundation Establishment Pills came knocking with a cheerful smile.
Here came the treasure delivery. Naturally, Ji Yuan opened the door and let him in.
“Congratulations, fellow Daoist! Congratulations indeed!”
As soon as the black-robed elder entered, his face lit up with joy.
In their line of work, Ji Yuan was his customer, and all the spirit stones Ji Yuan traded within the auction counted as his “performance.”
Especially when it came to auctioned items — he could take a cut.
So his cheerfulness was well-justified.
“Fellow Daoist is too kind,” Ji Yuan cupped his hands in return.
After some perfunctory courtesies, the black-robed old man waved his right hand lightly, placing a wooden box and a specially crafted jade bottle on the table.
Ji Yuan opened them — the wooden box held the two Heavenly Thunder Seeds, and the jade bottle contained the 10 drops of Millennium Spirit Milk.
He had the same items in his own storage pouch, so one glance was enough to verify authenticity.
After closing both items back up, Ji Yuan didn’t rush to put them away. The black-robed elder promptly introduced:
“This time, fellow Daoist auctioned 10 drops of Millennium Spirit Milk and two Heavenly Thunder Seeds, which fetched a total of 5630 middle-grade spirit stones.”
“As for the 8 Foundation Establishment Pills you consigned — the 6 Two-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills sold for 5100 middle-grade spirit stones; the 2 One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills sold for 580; along with other immortal materials and pills, those went for 880 middle-grade spirit stones. Here’s the auction pricing sheet for your verification.”
The elder handed over a specially made white paper listing all final auction prices.
Ji Yuan reviewed the list — he had noted everything and found no discrepancies in the pricing.
“Looks good.”
“Very well. The total proceeds from your auctions amount to 6560 middle-grade spirit stones. Our auction house charges a 20% commission — that’s 328 stones, leaving 6232 middle-grade spirit stones.”
“Will you be paying the auction fee separately, or deducting it from these proceeds?”
The black-robed elder asked courteously, not making any presumptions.
“Deduct it from these.”
“Alright, then here are the remaining 602 middle-grade spirit stones. Please take care.”
The old man handed over a small storage pouch. Ji Yuan peeked inside and found that it even had 10 individual stones separated, along with a small vial of pills. He took them out.
“This is…?”
“There were some issues during this auction. This is a token of apology from our auction house. Please accept it.”
“I see. Your establishment is thoughtful.”
Though he said so, Ji Yuan didn’t put the items away. Instead, he handed them back to the old man, startling him enough to stumble back several steps.
“What does fellow Daoist mean by this?”
“The thing is, an elder in my sect needs a Third-Tier Flood Dragon corpse for alchemy. Does your auction house have any in storage? Alternatively, Flood Dragon essence blood would suffice.”
Ji Yuan had received a large sum of spirit stones — aside from the 602 here, he had over 16,000 middle-grade spirit stones in his pouch. He had to spend them somehow.
“Oh, I see,” the old man smiled in relief. “Third-Tier Flood Dragon corpses are indeed in high demand. Even if we receive them, they’re quickly auctioned off. However, we do have a few bottles of Flood Dragon essence blood remaining. I can fetch them for you.”
“Much appreciated.”
Ji Yuan cupped his hands again. “Would there happen to be any Third-Tier Demon Cores? An elder in my sect requires them as well.”
The elder replied helplessly, “That item is also in short supply. Please understand.”
“Alright then…”
Ji Yuan could only accept it. Damn the demonic cultivators!
Without them, even if he couldn’t get the demon core, he should’ve been able to win the Flood Dragon’s corpse in the auction.
Now he could only settle for a few bottles of essence blood… Damn those demonic bastards!
As the elder was about to leave, Ji Yuan transferred the spirit stones into his own pouch and shoved the “apology gift” back into the old man’s hands.
The old man likely guessed that Ji Yuan was being polite not out of kindness, but because he didn’t trust them — fearing the auction might’ve tampered with the storage pouch or the gift.
“In that case… many thanks, fellow Daoist.”
Free spirit stones? Of course the black-robed old man gladly accepted with a smile.
Not long after, he returned with two small bottles of Third-Tier Flood Dragon essence blood, water-attributed — just what Ji Yuan needed. Ice-attributed ones were far rarer.
Unless he slaughtered the Second-Tier Ice Flood Dragon in his Spiritual Beast Pouch, which would yield some.
These two bottles cost Ji Yuan nearly 800 middle-grade spirit stones, but it was worth it — if he could cultivate a Third-Tier Ice Flood Dragon hatchling, it would be a huge gain.
With this matter settled, Ji Yuan was led out of the auction house through a special portal by the black-robed old man.
Everything remained discreet.
After leaving, Ji Yuan stopped by an inn. Once he entered and came back out, his face and aura had already changed.
If not for a Nascent Soul True Lord constantly watching him…
Even a peak Golden Core cultivator wouldn’t be able to detect any abnormality in his aura.
Soon, he strolled leisurely through the streets again.
At this moment, the topic on everyone’s lips was the ambush on Ye Chen and Cao Lang. Whether it was because Beast Taming Sect couldn’t hide it, or didn’t intend to, the incident was widely discussed.
Even the matter of Real Person Lingyu’s disciple slot being taken by Beast Taming Sect was no longer a hot topic.
Ji Yuan had always seen himself as a “passerby,” and neither matter concerned him. Since he had no other business in Lanshan City, after wandering for half a day—
He was ready to set off north again, heading for Mirror Lake.
Lanshan City prohibited flying for cultivators below the Golden Core realm.
Ji Yuan had no choice but to walk obediently to the northern city gate.
As fate would have it, just as he arrived, he saw a man clad in bronze armor squeezing through the gate. He was extraordinarily tall and brawny, with a face full of fierce muscles and a bushy beard. Just one glance from him gave off immense pressure—
Let alone the unfathomable aura he exuded.
Peak Foundation Establishment, or perhaps... a Pseudo-Core cultivator!
Those nearby instinctively moved aside.
Ji Yuan was shocked at the sight of this man, yet quickly stepped to the side and lowered his head.
That even someone as composed as Ji Yuan would be this stunned was because of the man’s identity.
Though this was Ji Yuan’s first time seeing him, he knew his appearance, name, and personality by heart.
Why?
Because this man was none other than the Senior Martial Brother Ji Yuan had never met—Ran Kui.
Titled Island Lord of Martial Mourning!
But why was he here in Lanshan City?
Ji Yuan remembered that not long after he became a disciple, Hua Yaoyue had said she had already sent a message to Ran Kui, asking him to return and meet his little junior brother.
At that time, Ran Kui had been battling on Shang Mountain, but he agreed.
However, despite his promise, Ji Yuan had never seen him return.
Later, during a visit to Hua Yaoyue, she explained that Ran Kui had encountered demonic cultivators on his return and had gone off to hunt them down.
Eventually, it seemed he had returned to the frontlines at Shang Mountain to continue fighting the demonic path.
So why was he now in Lanshan City...? Ji Yuan was confused.
While it had been fine not to make contact when he previously saw Island Lord of Qinghe Island, now that he’d encountered his senior martial brother for the first time, Ji Yuan felt he ought to make contact.
Because regardless of how flashy and divine Second Senior Brother Yun Qianzai acted, or how playful and adorable Third Senior Sister Feng Zhi Tao was—
When they spoke of Senior Brother Ran Kui, they both held him in deep admiration and respect.
From their stories, Ji Yuan had come to understand that this senior brother he had never met was genuinely kind and good-natured. Now, seeing each other for the first time in a foreign land… Ji Yuan sent his Divine Sense into his storage pouch and pulled out a golden Messaging Talisman.
This Messaging Talisman belonged to Ran Kui, but had been given to him by Hua Yaoyue.
She had said that before Ran Kui left, he left a few spare Messaging Talismans with her, and if necessary, she could give one out.
As Ran Kui’s little junior brother, Ji Yuan naturally counted as a necessary case.
With head lowered, Ji Yuan walked to a secluded corner and spoke through the talisman: “Senior Brother, this is your little junior brother. I saw you in Lanshan City.”
“……”
“Little junior brother?!”
Striding briskly through the street, Ran Kui received the message and instinctively glanced around. But he quickly realized that if the little junior brother had chosen to send a message instead of approaching in person, he must be traveling incognito.
After a brief moment of thought, Ran Kui messaged back:
“Good kid, I was planning to return to the sect to meet you! Didn’t expect you to come to Lanshan City.”
“Half an hour later, meet me at House D-3 on Xuanwu Street. That’s where I’m staying—very safe, don’t worry.”
After sending the message, Ran Kui’s previously gloomy mood lifted entirely and was replaced by joy.
He had no doubt about the matter—anyone who could get his Messaging Talisman and call themselves his junior brother in Lanshan City must be genuine.
On the other side, Ji Yuan felt relieved upon receiving Ran Kui’s reply.
Just like Feng Zhi Tao had said, although Senior Brother Ran Kui looked rough and rash, he was actually very meticulous.
With only a single message from Ji Yuan, he immediately understood that his junior brother was trying to stay hidden.
Ji Yuan replied with a simple “Okay.”
He stored away the Messaging Talisman and continued wandering the streets casually—though this time, heading east instead of north.
Half an hour later.
Ji Yuan knocked on the door of House D-3 on Xuanwu Street.
Ran Kui, looking at the middle-aged man standing at his door, instinctively furrowed his brows.
“Who are you looking for?”
At first, he assumed it was Ji Yuan—but from Feng Zhi Tao’s messages, he had heard that his little junior brother was handsome and refined. How could he look so… ugly?
“Senior Brother, it’s me. Let’s talk inside.”
Ji Yuan calmly used Divine Sense Transmission.
Ran Kui understood immediately, though his body didn’t move.
Ji Yuan knew what he meant, so he took out the wine cup Hua Yaoyue had given him—one that could withstand a Golden Core cultivator’s killing blow—and flashed it briefly at his chest.
Ran Kui recognized it and hurriedly stepped aside.
Once Ji Yuan entered, Ran Kui closed the outer door, activated the room’s formation restrictions, and turned around—
There, he saw Ji Yuan’s true appearance.
“As expected of my junior brother—handsome indeed!”
Ran Kui laughed heartily and clapped Ji Yuan’s shoulder—hard.
Ji Yuan made a dramatic grimace to indicate the pain.
“Senior Brother, weren’t you on Shang Mountain? Why are you in Lanshan City? When I saw you at the north gate, I almost thought I was mistaken.”
“Come, let’s talk inside.”
Some of the smile faded from Ran Kui’s face.
“Alright.”
After they entered, Ran Kui knocked on the table. “Pour your own tea. We’re all family—no need for formality.”
“Good. I prefer it this way.”
They sat across from each other. Ran Kui’s right hand, resting on the table, unconsciously clenched into a fist.
“Actually, not long after you became a disciple, Master messaged me, asking me to return. I did leave Shang Mountain at the time.”
“But on the way back to the sect, I happened to encounter a group of demonic cultivators. They were infiltrators from Western Shang heading east. I pursued them all the way north and eventually learned something from them.”
“What did you learn?”
Ji Yuan asked at the right moment.
“Their goal in infiltrating Eastern Shang was to establish contact with a certain cultivation sect.”
“This…”
Ji Yuan understood but found it hard to believe.
Ran Kui looked at him solemnly. “Yes, you heard right—one of the Six Immortal Sects of Eastern Shang has already sided with the demonic path.”
For a moment, Ji Yuan recalled Hua Yaoyue’s words… “This righteous-demonic war will be difficult to endure.”
The fighting hadn’t even begun, and there was already a traitor—how could it not be difficult?
“Did you tell Master and the others?”
Ji Yuan quickly asked, afraid that Ran Kui might try to investigate alone and not inform the sect.
Fortunately, Ran Kui was no fool.
“I did. I informed Master right away and asked her to notify the other elders. The other sects probably know by now that there’s a traitor among them.”
Only then did Ji Yuan feel a bit more at ease.
This matter… was unexpected, but not implausible.
No matter the world, there’s never a shortage of traitors.
“And what happened after that?”
“After learning the truth, I kept tracking leads. Unexpectedly, I ended up back at Shang Mountain again… This time I came down because I found more clues—Western Shang’s demonic cultivators were again in contact with that same Eastern Shang sect.”
He conveyed this to Ji Yuan via Divine Sense Transmission.
“You mean… the traitorous sect is one of the two located in Northern Waters?” Ji Yuan replied the same way.
“I can’t be sure.”
Ran Kui shook his head. “While tracking this time, I witnessed quite a scene in the Lanshan Mountain Range… Little junior brother, have you heard about Ye Chen and Cao Lang being ambushed by demonic cultivators?”
“I’ve heard.”
Ji Yuan nodded, and a thought formed in his mind.
All these years, Ran Kui had been investigating this, constantly fending off both assassins from the demonic path and wariness from the righteous side. One could say he was walking a tightrope.
“In this ambush, Ye Chen was seriously injured, while Cao Lang only suffered superficial wounds. The attacker was none other than a Golden Core cultivator from Corpse Herding Mountain.”
Ran Kui sneered disdainfully.
Ji Yuan: “That’s…”
“Why would someone from Corpse Herding Mountain ambush Ye Chen? Could it be…”
“Can’t say for sure.”
Ran Kui rubbed his bristly beard and shook his head. “From my years of dealing with both righteous and demonic forces, I’ve learned one thing—until there’s solid evidence, never be fooled by appearances.”
In other words… though Corpse Herding Mountain seemed like the traitor, without conclusive proof, no one could say for certain.
“Besides, the other sects must be investigating too. They probably have way more intelligence than I do.”
Ran Kui chuckled freely.
“Alright, little junior brother, your cultivation is still shallow. Don’t worry about this stuff—just focus on cultivating.”
“Come, since this is our first meeting, your senior brother ought to give you a greeting gift!”