Chapter 118: Terms of Exchange

News of this event soon reached Yuelai Restaurant.

At this moment, Xu Fugui was in the middle of preparing a Spiritual Cuisine.

When he heard the news, he was so stunned that the kitchen utensils in his hands clattered to the floor.

"What?"

"You’re telling me the Zhou Family Elder suddenly went berserk at the banquet, like he’d gone mad, and killed many of the guests?"

Xu Fugui, shocked to his core, questioned the restaurant attendant who had brought him the news, finding it hard to believe.

The attendant nodded repeatedly, his face filled with terror.

"Yes, Elder Xu! I was just passing by. So many people are dead, and there’s blood everywhere!"

"This... this..."

Xu Fugui froze on the spot, stunned for a long moment.

At that instant, he suddenly recalled what Li Chang’an had told him earlier.

Originally, he hadn’t taken it seriously at all.

He had even felt that Li Chang’an was being overly cautious.

But now, with this news, it was proven that Li Chang’an was completely right!

’Thank goodness... thank goodness I didn’t go!’

Xu Fugui’s expression shifted rapidly, a wave of lingering fear washing over him.

With his Qi Refining Sixth Layer Cultivation, if he had gone and faced the frenzied attacks of a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator head-on, he would have most likely been smashed to pieces by now!

’Big Brother saved my life again!’

Xu Fugui was secretly grateful.

At the same time, he also began to reflect on himself.

After so many years in Yellow Crane Immortal City, he had indeed changed from how he used to be.

He had thought that he had more experience and a broader perspective than Li Chang’an, that he could finally stand on his own and, in turn, help Li Chang’an.

But as it turned out, his Big Brother was still the same Big Brother from all those years ago.

Always able to save his sorry hide at the crucial moment.

Just then, he suddenly remembered what Li Chang’an had previously said about their Second Senior Brother, Mo Chen.

’Big Brother told me to be wary of Second Senior Brother, but no matter how I look at it, he would never harm me. If he really wanted to hurt me, why would he wait until now?’

After thinking for a long time, Xu Fugui shook his head.

On the matter of Mo Chen, he trusted his own judgment.

’Ultimately, Big Brother just doesn’t know Second Senior Brother well enough. If they spent more time together, he would naturally understand,’ Xu Fugui thought.

And just then, Mo Chen walked over with a smile, asking with concern, "Fugui, why are your utensils on the floor? Did something happen?"

Xu Fugui’s heart warmed, and he replied with a smile.

"It’s nothing. I just heard about the tragedy at the birthday banquet and was a little shocked."

...

Meanwhile, in the courtyard.

Li Chang’an had also just learned of the news.

His neighbor, the Artifact Refiner Wang Dong, was the one who told him.

"Daoist Li, you have no idea! The scene was absolutely tragic. Several famous Celestial Prides were beaten to a pulp."

Wang Dong had gone to see the scene for himself.

In fact, when the tragedy occurred, he had been in a nearby teahouse, discussing Artifact Refining insights with a few fellow Daoists.

Because he was so close, he was almost caught in the crossfire.

"Sigh, everything was perfectly fine. How could he suddenly go mad like that?"

Wang Dong truly couldn’t understand.

He was just a Loose Cultivator with no Foundation Establishment elders backing him, so he didn’t know the rumors about Heart Demons.

"According to the survivors, that Elder was perfectly fine at first, smiling as he accepted birthday gifts from all the guests. But then he suddenly said he was a bit tired, and after that... he abruptly started shouting things like, ’All Immortals must die!’"

"’All Immortals must die?’"

Li Chang’an was taken aback.

That was the same as the last words the Elder from Cyan Cloud Sect had carved into the Jade Table.

"Yes, and that Elder is a Cultivator himself. By cursing like that, isn’t he cursing himself as well?"

"How strange."

Li Chang’an also put on a puzzled expression.

He cupped his hands and asked, "Daoist Wang, how did this incident end? Has that crazed Foundation Establishment Elder been slain?"

"He has."

Although the incident erupted suddenly, it was quickly suppressed by Yellow Crane Immortal City.

The one who took action was Huang He Master’s ninth disciple, Pei Yingyao.

"Elder Pei truly lives up to her title of ’Female Sword Immortal.’"

As he said this, an expression of admiration appeared on Wang Dong’s face.

According to him, after Pei Yingyao arrived on the scene, she slew the maddened Zhou Family Elder with a single strike of her sword.

You must understand, the Zhou Family Elder’s Cultivation was the same as Pei Yingyao’s.

Both were at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Even in a state of delirium, he would not have been an easy opponent.

...

That afternoon, Li Chang’an went out to personally gather more information.

He was now very curious to know, now that the Zhou Family Elder was dead, who had ended up with his Storage Pouch?

However, after asking around, Li Chang’an still couldn’t get the information he wanted.

Just as he was about to head home, he suddenly ran into an acquaintance.

"Daoist Zhou."

"Daoist Li..."

Zhou Xuan wore a bitter expression as he cupped his hands toward him.

Li Chang’an asked in confusion, "Daoist Zhou, what happened to you? Why is your aura so weak?"

"Sigh, you may not know, Daoist Li, but I also attended that birthday banquet today."

"I see."

Realization dawned on Li Chang’an, and he largely understood the situation.

He asked with concern, "Daoist Zhou, are you alright?"

"Sigh, luckily my status is rather low, so I was only in the outermost area of the banquet. I wasn’t able to go inside to offer birthday wishes. Otherwise, Daoist Li, you wouldn’t be seeing me now."

Speaking of the matter, the look of fear still lingered on Zhou Xuan’s face.

To come face-to-face with a crazed Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator...

It was simply too terrifying.

At that time, the entire banquet was divided into an inner hall and an outer courtyard.

Among Qi Refining Cultivators, only the exceptionally talented Celestial Prides were qualified to enter the inner hall to offer their birthday wishes.

Most of those who died this time were those young Celestial Prides.

At this point, Zhou Xuan couldn’t help but feel emotional.

"No matter how talented you are, you still have to survive long enough to grow. Otherwise, you just end up as a pile of dirt. Daoist Li, we must be cautious in all our future actions and never take unnecessary risks."

"I understand. Thank you for telling me, Daoist Zhou."

After exchanging a few more words, Li Chang’an asked about the ownership of the late Elder’s Storage Pouch.

As it happened, Zhou Xuan knew about this.

After all, he was also a member of the Zhou Family.

"The Treasures left behind by the Elder were initially taken by Pei Sword Immortal. But Pei Sword Immortal is a person of noble character and returned them to several of the Elder’s descendants."

Zhou Xuan explained slowly, understanding what Li Chang’an wanted to ask.

"Daoist Li, the Profound Crystal you’re looking for is in the hands of one of them. That person is my uncle."

"Daoist Zhou, could I trouble you to ask him for me?"

As he spoke, Li Chang’an took out a Gold Element Treasure. This was something he had found in Cao Shaolin’s Storage Pouch.

Zhou Xuan’s eyes lit up.

"Rest assured, Daoist Li, I will have an answer for you by tonight!"

With that, he hurried away.

...

It had to be said, motivated by the Treasure, Zhou Xuan’s efficiency was indeed remarkable.

It wasn’t even evening yet when he arrived at Li Chang’an’s courtyard.

"Daoist Li, I’ve asked for you. The Profound Crystal can indeed be traded, but my uncle specifically requested a Treasure called ’Celestial Cyan Dew.’"

"Celestial Cyan Dew?"

Li Chang’an frowned.

This was an extremely rare Water Element Treasure.

After consuming it, one could enhance their comprehension of the Water Attribute.

Last year, a single drop of Celestial Cyan Dew was sold at the Yellow Crane Immortal City auction, fetching a high price of a full nine thousand eight hundred Spirit Stones!

"Daoist Li, you won’t be at a disadvantage in this trade."

Seeing that he seemed to hesitate, Zhou Xuan said hurriedly.

"I understand."

Of course, Li Chang’an knew.

The Profound Crystal could increase the success rate by twenty percent. To a Demon Beast, it was comparable to a Foundation Establishment Pill for a Human Race Cultivator.

Its value was far more than just nine thousand-some Spirit Stones.

But the problem was, he didn’t have a Treasure like Celestial Cyan Dew on him at all.

If he had known this would happen, he would have bought it at the auction a year ago.