While Chen Jiuge’s eyes gleamed as he was extracting the Fire Qilin Bloodline in the Secret Realm, the Loose Cultivators outside were in an uproar.
At the site of the Heavenly Fire Marrow underneath the Fire Essence Ore Vein, a Fire Elf resembling a Fire Qilin had appeared. This Seventh Rank Fire Elf was captured by Elder Ouyang Xingwen of the Vermilion Bird Peak. After discovering it possessed a strong Fire Qilin Bloodline, it was Contracted by his disciple and clansman, Ouyang Sihai.
The ultimate development of the situation was not important for the Loose Cultivators who came to the Immortal City hoping to leap over the dragon gate. What mattered was that this Fire Essence Ore Vein had most likely been created by the fall of a Fire Qilin that was, at the very least, at the Heavenly Immortal level.
Then, since a Fire Elf with a strong Fire Qilin Bloodline could appear within this vein, it was not impossible for a second one to emerge. As word spread among the Loose Cultivators, nearby forces with some strength began to converge on the newly developed Mo Qilin Immortal City.
「Meanwhile, inside the City Lord Mansion.」
Ouyang Xingwen looked gloomily at the diminutive and casual Mo Yang, expressing his dissatisfaction, "Didn’t Dao Tian tell you about such an important matter?"
Mo Yang was nonchalant. "It’s just the site of a Heavenly Immortal Fire Qilin’s fall, so what if these Fire Elves contain Fire Qilin Bloodline?"
"Certainly, it can’t regenerate a little Qilin after so many years since its death," Mo Yang seemed to think of something amusing and laughed.
"What kind of Divine Beast has such an ability?" Ouyang Xingwen said sternly, word by word.
"It really could." Mo Yang’s jaw dropped in astonishment before he skeptically said, "Old man, don’t spout nonsense. I’m also a Qilin, and a Heavenly Immortal at that. Why don’t I know about this ability?"
"You are from a lesser branch at the bottom of the Qilin Clan. How could you possibly know about the abilities of the Five Elements Qilin?" scoffed Ouyang Xingwen.
Before Mo Yang could get angry, Ouyang Xingwen sighed, "As expected, the Myriad Beasts Sect should not be left to that brute Dao Tian, who only knows how to fight. Even his Lifebound Spiritual Beast is this unreliable."
Mo Yang bristled, "Old man, are you looking for death?"
Ouyang Xingwen no longer wanted to pay attention to this Mo Qilin, who only knew how to brag.
"Sihai, notify all the disciples of Vermilion Bird Peak to guard the Fire Essence Ore Vein. Try to prevent the Loose Cultivators from getting close to the site of the Heavenly Fire Marrow. People from the Bihai Immortal Sect will probably do the same. When the time comes, act accordingly. I’ll notify the Sect to send reinforcements," Ouyang Xingwen instructed Ouyang Sihai by his side.
"Yes, Elder," Ouyang Sihai respectfully accepted the command.
In fact, Ouyang Xingwen was not particularly concerned about the Fire Qilin. After all, it was merely at the level of a Heavenly Immortal, and there were plenty in the Myriad Beasts Sect. However, the news had spread far too quickly. He had personally captured that Fire Qilin, and not many had seen it at the time. Even with the Loose Cultivators’ wide network, the news could not have spread so fast.
Ouyang Xingwen stood by the window, looking down at the Cultivators below, and sneered, "Do they think the Myriad Beasts Sect is easy to bully? I want to see which audacious fiends dare to oppose the Myriad Beasts Sect."
After staying in the Secret Realm for a full month and extracting from all the Fire Elves within, Chen Jiuge emerged, his clothes in tatters.
He couldn’t help it; the Fire Elves all looked too similar. These Spiritual Beasts were not his to just violently capture, especially since these groups of Fire Elves always liked to cluster together. If over 30,000 Fire Elves breathed fire at once, Chen Jiuge himself would definitely turn to ash.
Fang Zhi was not in the backyard. After Chen Jiuge cleaned himself up, he proceeded to the front shop.
"Little Fire, Little Fire, could you have Fire Qilin Bloodline? If you do, when can you turn into a Fire Qilin?" Dali exclaimed, looking at the small Fire Qilin in front of him, his eyes gleaming with fantastic hopes.
Chen Jiuge was shocked upon hearing Dali’s words. Could this little guy also have a Golden Finger? Had he also discovered the secret of the Fire Elves having Fire Qilin Bloodline?
With a cautious attitude, Chen Jiuge asked, "Dali, what were you talking about just now?"
Startled by Chen Jiuge’s sudden appearance, Dali patted his chest and said, "Master Chen, you scared me by showing up out of nowhere."
Then Dali gave a rough recount of the significant happenings over the past month.
After listening, the corners of Chen Jiuge’s mouth twitched. Damn it, who was so shameless as to spread the news? Now the price of Fire Elves is bound to increase, and the difficulty of assembling my Fire Qilin Bloodline has become even greater.
However, are there any Fire Elves with a concentration of Fire Qilin Bloodline so rich that they transform into the likeness of a Qilin? But aren’t the Fire Qilin Bloodlines in the Fire Elves from the Secret Realm around one in a million? The highest is only three in a million. Could it be because the birthplaces of the Fire Elves differ?
Chen Jiuge asked, "Dali, do you know where the Fire Elves we have here were caught?"
Scratching his head honestly, Dali replied, "Master Chen, I don’t know that. The Manager always brings them back personally."
Even though he didn’t receive an answer, Chen Jiuge still gave Dali an Upper Spirit Stone.
In the evening, Fang Zhi returned, travel-weary.
Seeing Chen Jiuge in the shop, he curiously asked, "Junior Brother, you’ve come out?"
"Yeah, I’ve cultivated all the Fire Elves from the Secret Realm using a Secret Technique. They just need regular feeding now," Chen Jiuge replied.
"Just in time! Due to the rumors about the Fire Qilin, Fire Elves’ prices have skyrocketed. I’ve brought back quite a few Fire Elves, Junior Brother. I’ll need your help checking them with the Secret Technique," Fang Zhi asked courteously.
To showcase his abilities, Chen Jiuge had stayed in the Secret Realm for several days, extracting the Bloodline from a few Fire Elves using his Golden Finger. The Spiritual Fire of the Fire Elves with purer Bloodline was a bit more powerful, which greatly impressed Fang Zhi.
However, this was because the concentration of Fire Qilin Bloodline in these Fire Elves was too low. Otherwise, a high concentration of Fire Qilin Bloodline could significantly enhance the power of a Fire Elf’s Spiritual Fire.
"Senior Brother, where do our Fire Elves come from?" Chen Jiuge asked.
"Where from? They’re caught by Loose Cultivators outside, or by disciples from the Sect like me, who catch them to exchange for Spirit Stones and Merit," Fang Zhi responded, looking puzzled.
"I meant, where exactly are they caught – from the top of the Fire Essence Ore Vein or by the Heavenly Fire Marrow underneath the vein?" inquired Chen Jiuge.
"Oh, that? Of course, it’s from the upper layers of the Fire Essence Ore Vein. The Heavenly Fire Marrow is mostly found deep underneath. Down there, the Fire Elves are usually at the Nascent Soul Cultivation level, or even at Divinity Transformation or Returning to Void levels. And remember that Fire Qilin the Elder captured not long ago? That one was Mahayana level! Us lesser cultivators dare not go down there," Fang Zhi explained.
Chen Jiuge now understood. The density of the Fire Qilin Bloodline likely increases the closer one gets to the Heavenly Fire Marrow. That Qilin they caught must have been near the core of the Heavenly Fire Marrow; that’s why its Bloodline concentration was so high and why it manifested a Qilin appearance.
"But, Junior Brother, the ten Fire Elves I brought back this time were all caught near the Heavenly Fire Marrow. Each one has Fourth Rank Cultivation," Fang Zhi said, somewhat proudly.
Due to his age and past injuries, although Fang Zhi still had late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivation, his combat ability was greatly reduced. If he were to directly confront a large number of Nascent Soul Realm Fire Elves, it would be easy to get into trouble. So, obtaining ten Fire Elves and making it back in one piece was genuinely a point of pride for Fang Zhi.