"You recognize me?"
"Sixth Prince of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Hong, from the Five Regions of Dongli Province!"
In response to Yang Hong's question, Nine Sword True Person quickly and accurately stated Yang Hong's other identity besides that of the master of Qingfeng Villa.
"Huh? You really know me? Have we met before?"
"Yes! One hundred and ninety-six years ago, I accompanied my master to the Sui Dynasty to undergo dual cultivation consecration. That was also when I advanced to the ninth stage, Mahayana Realm."
Hearing Nine Sword True Person's words, Yang Hong carefully scrutinized the person before him. The figure appeared to be a robust young man in his thirties, with sharp sword-like eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a high nose bridge, and a face like jade. His posture was upright, a complete handsome gentleman. There was indeed a sense of familiarity between their brows.
"Are you Jin Changchang?"
"Hahaha~ You do remember me! We even celebrated our two hundredth birthday together."
"Indeed, in the blink of an eye, it's been nearly two hundred years."
"One hundred and ninety-six years."
"Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, we're both three hundred and ninety-six years old."
Yang Hong and Nine Sword True Person, Jin Changchang, were indeed fated. Back then, when the Buddhist sect shifted the Taiyuan Star and the immortal sects were hit hard, many outstanding disciples were dispatched by the immortal sects to the Great Sui, where Yang Hong helped them with consecration to improve their cultivation. Nine Sword True Person was one of them, and because they shared the same birthday, a friendship was formed. Little did they expect to meet again nearly two hundred years later.
Nine Sword True Person warmly shook Yang Hong's hand and ushered him into the Sword Forging Hall with great enthusiasm. He owed his current position as the sect leader of Qian Yuan Sword Sect entirely to Yang Hong's help; otherwise, how could he have cultivated to the ninth stage, Mahayana Realm, before the age of four hundred?
"Brother Yang, how is your cultivation still at the fourth level of the Integration Realm? I remember you were already in the late stage of Integration Realm back then. How has your cultivation regressed?"
After entering the Sword Forging Hall and taking their seats as host and guest, Nine Sword True Person immediately asked with curiosity.
"I was tricked by that old hag, Puji Bodhisattva, back then. Not only was my cultivation sealed, but it also regressed. It took me considerable effort to cultivate back."
He answered Nine Sword True Person's question frankly, even calling Puji Bodhisattva an "old hag." Hearing Yang Hong's audacious address, the seven or eight people from Qian Yuan Sword Sect beside him were so startled they stood up. Nine Sword True Person, even more terrified, leaped over and covered Yang Hong's mouth.
"Brother Yang, speak with caution! If you address them by name, those from the Upper Realm will sense it."
Seeing their fearful expressions, Yang Hong rolled his eyes, nodded to indicate he understood, and then let Nine Sword True Person release him.
"Rest assured, Brother Jin. That person is either dead or sealed. I've been cursing for over a hundred years and haven't seen her descend. And the Bodhisattva descending this time isn't her."
"Even so, it's best to be careful."
"..."
He couldn't understand the tension of the Qian Yuan Sword Sect members. He then changed the subject, "Brother Jin, Qian Yuan Sword Sect is one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects. With the arrival of immortals this time, I presume some seniors from your sect in the Upper Realm have also descended?"
"Yes! Twenty immortals, five Earth Immortals, and five Heavenly Immortals, making a total of thirty."
Nine Sword True Person was truly open with Yang Hong, stating it directly before adding, "The Upper Realm predicts the demon race will attack the Taiyuan Realm in a thousand years. During this millennium, although the demon race cannot enter the Taiyuan Realm, they will inevitably use demonic souls or other methods to incite demon cultivators in the Taiyuan Realm to cause chaos. These immortals are here to purge demonic souls and demon cultivators."
"I see."
Yang Hong nodded. He indeed hadn't heard any news about demon cultivators for a long time. It turned out that immortals and Buddhas were suppressing and clearing them. This earned the immortals and Buddhas from the Upper Realm some goodwill in his heart.
After discussing immortals, Buddhas, and the demonic sect for quite some time, Yang Hong remembered the purpose of his visit and the little fatty Qing Zhongying he had left outside Sword Guard Mountain. Duanmu Yitong personally went down to fetch the little fatty, making the tree demon, who only had a sixth-level cultivation, tremble throughout the journey. The moment he entered Sword Guard Mountain, he discovered that his spatial teleportation abilities were restricted; he couldn't even attempt to escape through instant movement. However, upon seeing his sect leader and the head of Qian Yuan Sword Sect conversing amiably, he felt relieved.
"Brother Jin, you must know that Qingfeng Villa specializes in spiritual plants, and I'm also skilled in formations. I can now use spiritual plants to set up teleportation arrays. Many places on the Taiyuan Realm continent now have my spiritual plant teleportation arrays. The only areas without them are near the Ten Great Immortal Sects. I've come to discuss the matter of planting spiritual plant teleportation arrays with you."
With other matters settled, Yang Hong directly stated his purpose.
"I'm aware of Qingfeng Villa's spiritual plant teleportation arrays and have even used them. Although planting them is convenient, using them is very troublesome. After each teleportation, it requires a significant amount of time to re-gather spiritual energy, and it's quite risky to have tree demons control the teleportation."
"Brother Yang, I suggest you don't plant these spiritual plant teleportation arrays. It's better to set up several profound crystal stone teleportation arrays instead, as they are stable and reliable."
In response to Yang Hong's request, Nine Sword True Person directly pointed out the shortcomings of the spiritual plant teleportation arrays and then interrupted Yang Hong, continuing, "However, I can agree to you planting one spiritual plant teleportation array, but it must be located thirty thousand miles away from Qian Yuan Immortal City. If it's too close, it might bring harm to Qian Yuan Sword Sect."
"Hmm, that's feasible. Thank you, Brother Jin."
Yang Hong understood Nine Sword True Person's concerns. Just like the teleportation arrays he planted throughout the Lihuo Plain, they all avoided important locations of sects. For instance, all teleportation arrays in the Seven Colored Plains had to be far from the Seven Colored Crystal Platform to prevent enemies from counter-invading Qingfeng Villa through the spiritual plant teleportation arrays in case of an accident.
"You can find the location yourselves. Report it promptly once you've found it, to avoid any further unnecessary misunderstandings."
"Of course."
It was convenient to discuss matters with an acquaintance. Moreover, Nine Sword True Person and even the entire Qian Yuan Sword Sect owed Yang Hong a favor, which made the discussion even smoother. Although Yang Hong noticed that the other elders and deputy sect leaders of Qian Yuan Sword Sect didn't seem very happy, since Nine Sword True Person had agreed, they couldn't object further.
With the main business concluded, Nine Sword True Person licked his lips and said, "Brother Yang, I've heard you have an eighth-grade spiritual tea tree, the Moonlight White Spiritual Tea. Could you spare a few saplings for this humble brother?"
"Hah~ Since Brother Jin has spoken, how could I possibly deceive you with eighth-grade Moonlight White? I'll directly give you ninth-grade Moonlight White. However, I'm also interested in the Blacksmith Bamboo, Falling Star Grass, Sword Intent Flower, and other spiritual plants on Sword Guard Mountain. I wonder if Brother Jin would be willing to part with them."
"Ninth-grade spiritual tea? Exchange! Exchange! Exchange!"
Upon hearing about ninth-grade Moonlight White, Nine Sword True Person excitedly stood up. The other high-ranking officials of Qian Yuan Sword Sect, who had been indifferent, also sprang to their feet. A black-robed, white-haired elder even fiddled with his ear, worried he had misheard. After confirming he hadn't, the elder instantly vanished and reappeared with the seven types of spiritual plants Yang Hong had just named hovering around him. Each was an eighth-grade specimen, with three plants of each type.
"Young friend Yang, how many saplings of ninth-grade Moonlight White can I exchange for these twenty-one eighth-grade spiritual plants?"
"Your speed is truly remarkable, Daoist friend. Since you are so straightforward, I won't haggle. I'll give you four saplings, as Qingfeng Villa doesn't have much ninth-grade Moonlight White."
"Deal!"
Before Nine Sword True Person could speak, the elder finalized the trade. This made Yang Hong realize the value of ninth-grade spiritual tea and gave him more confidence for his upcoming journeys to other Ten Great Immortal Sects.