Cultivation Starting from Choosing Augments

Chapter 284 - 168: This Isn’t What We Said Before We Came

As for his cultivation.

Between the sudden attack by the Divine Fire Sect and being brought back to the Lingyuan Sect, he hadn’t had enough time to cultivate properly these past two days.

However, before the mid-month auction, he should still be able to break through consecutively to the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment.

He was still on track to stabilize his cultivation by the end of the month and reach the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

After that, Xiao Chen could shift his focus to strengthening his Qi Blood Body Refining and advancing his Magic Cultivation.

As for next month, or rather his overall plan for the year...

It seemed he now had three tasks and one common goal.

The three tasks were: find a way to go to the Cyan Cloud Sect to collect Evil Qi, earn points to exchange for a Rank-Breaking Spirit Pill, and obtain a Core Formation Secret Technique.

These would serve as ample preparation for his subsequent breakthrough to the Golden Core realm.

However, what Xiao Chen hadn’t expected...

...was to see two unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Cultivators waiting for him at his main gate early the next morning.

When they saw him open the door, they immediately greeted him in unison: "Dong Zhiheng of the Dong Family from Anyuan County, and Liang Xiuyuan of the Liang Family from Anfeng County, have come to pay our respects to Xiao."

’The Dong Family and the Liang Family?’

’Aren’t those the two families who were threatening the Wei Family?’

Xiao Chen was just about to go find them to discuss the matter of the Yichuan Red, but unexpectedly, they had taken the initiative to come to him first.

"Good morning, you two. Come, come, please come in."

After inviting them in and showing them to their seats, he asked, "May I ask what brings you both here today?"

Xiao Chen had a feeling that the two of them were here about the Wei Family’s business.

He had spent all of yesterday investigating leads and hadn’t had a chance to ask about the situation yet.

’But how did these two know I was here?’

Sure enough, Dong Zhiheng was the first to speak. "Xiao, I heard from Mr. Wei of Yichuan County that you are also interested in the formula for Yichuan Red."

"Please forgive my impertinence for asking, but is this true?"

’So, it was Wei Qixian who leaked the information.’

’But it doesn’t matter. If I don’t have all the information, I’ll just have to play it by ear.’

Xiao Chen nodded. "That’s right. I do want the Yichuan Red."

Hearing him admit it, Dong Zhiheng and Liang Xiuyuan glanced at each other, and their hearts sank.

This was clearly the news they had least wanted to hear.

For the sake of the Yichuan Red formula, the two of them had been wrangling with Wei Qixian for a full year.

They were on the verge of success, only to have this new variable thrown into the mix.

Xiao Chen had become the absolute center of attention lately, with news about him spreading everywhere.

You didn’t even have to ask around; just standing on a street corner for a little while, you could overhear at least a dozen stories about him.

The thought of clashing with someone like that made Liang Xiuyuan feel a bit cowardly.

Dong Zhiheng’s face was taut, betraying no emotion.

Inside, however, he was rapidly weighing the pros and cons, considering what to do next.

The Dong Family had some connections within the Lingyuan Sect that they could use to fight for the formula.

.

The profits that Yichuan Red could bring were truly substantial.

The Dong and Liang Families had already prepared all their subsequent plans.

As soon as they got the formula, they would use their connections in the Lingyuan Sect to jointly take over the Spirit Fields where the Yichuan Red Dates were grown.

Then, they would secretly brew the Spirit Wine, rebrand it, and sell it in large quantities.

Even by a conservative estimate, they could earn several thousand Spirit Stones a year.

In fact, before coming today, Dong Zhiheng had already prepared a whole speech in his mind.

He planned to negotiate with Xiao Chen using a combination of threats and inducements.

Of course, the threat wasn’t one of physical force, but rather his ability to sabotage the whole affair.

The Wei Family had concealed the matter in the first place, and once the Lingyuan Sect found out, they could seize the formula according to sect rules.

If Xiao Chen was unwilling to share the Yichuan Red, Dong Zhiheng could expose the matter.

At that point, no one would benefit except for the Lingyuan Sect.

This kind of thing was actually very common. Having the power to ruin things for others meant you could at least demand some hush money.

The problem was, now that the moment had arrived, Dong Zhiheng found himself hesitating.

He couldn’t quite gauge Xiao Chen’s temper and didn’t know if doing this would invite retaliation.

If it had been any other Foundation Establishment Cultivator, especially one from Li State, he would have dared to use the Lingyuan Sect’s backing to pressure them directly.

Even against a local Hezhou cultivator at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, Dong Zhiheng would have had the confidence to negotiate.

But the problem was that Xiao Chen had already formed a Fake Pill.

The more serious problem was that this guy had killed forty Foundation Establishment Cultivators in two days, not long ago.

It was said that even the Four Great Wanderers of the Demon Sect, who had run rampant for the past few decades, had fallen at his hands.

And just yesterday, new information had come out, rumored to be from the Celestial Secret Pavilion.

According to the rumor, on the night before Xiao Chen slayed the demons, the astrological phenomenon of a killing star descending upon the world was observed from the Star Gazing Platform.

Dong Zhiheng was afraid that if the man became displeased, the Dong Family would be wiped out.

You could never be sure with this kind of thing. What if he really was a killing star?

The more he thought about it, the less he was able to speak.

And so, Dong Zhiheng and Liang Xiuyuan sat on their stools, looking at each other, neither able to say a word.

A long moment passed just like that.

Dong Zhiheng even felt the atmosphere around them gradually growing oppressive.

’Staying silent forever isn’t an option.’

Gritting his teeth, he suddenly said, "Actually, I also have a jug of Spirit Wine. It’s considered a specialty of our Anyuan County, and I’d like to offer it to Xiao for a taste."

?

Both Xiao Chen and Liang Xiuyuan looked at him at the same time.

Dong Zhiheng, however, ignored them and took out a jug of Spirit Wine from his Storage Bag, uncorking it.

Then, he casually produced three Silver Cups and began pouring.

Liang Xiuyuan’s mind went blank.

’Wait, this isn’t what we agreed to before we came!’