Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 725 Hidden Mission 11

Yun Chu had already stood up and stood respectfully outside the barrier.

He stepped forward quickly, gave a graceful bow, and said in a voice filled with sincere respect and joy: "Congratulations on your great success in cultivation, True Lord, reaching the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm!"

Yue Ze's gaze fell on Yun Chu, a subtle understanding flashing in his deep eyes.

He could tell at a glance that Yun Chu's aura was more stable and stronger than before she went into seclusion.

A slightly cold voice rang out, carrying a hint of certainty: "In just a few decades, Fellow Daoist Yun Chu has already reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm, and is not far from the Nascent Soul path."

He nodded slightly, a rare hint of appreciation appearing on his handsome face. "Truly exceptionally talented and commendably diligent."

Upon hearing this, Yun Chu humbly replied, "True Lord, you flatter me. How can my meager progress compare to your profound understanding of the mysteries of heaven and earth and your advancement to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm? I am truly unworthy of such praise."

Afterwards, Yun Chu calmed herself down and looked up to ask, "I wonder if True Lord has any plans for the next step after emerging from seclusion?" She was secretly pondering the system mission in her heart.

Yueze Zhenjun's gaze seemed to pierce through the distant, hazy sky, looking towards the direction of the Extreme Yin Palace. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable certainty: "We need to go to the Extreme Yin Palace." He paused briefly, then added: "The Yin Nether Market, held once every ten years, is about to open."

Yun Chu's heart skipped a beat; this was precisely the opportunity to travel together that she had been searching for! She was just about to carefully choose her words before asking to join them—

Yueze Zhenjun had already withdrawn his gaze, and his eyes fell on her again. He spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, even containing a hint of familiarity, as if he were simply informing a companion who had already traveled with him: "You shall come with me."

Yun Chu could barely suppress the upward curve of her lips. She immediately lowered her head, afraid that the gleam in her eyes would betray her secret joy, and respectfully replied, "Yes, thank you for your guidance, True Lord!"

It seems that during his several encounters with her before and after decades of seclusion, Yueze Zhenjun had indeed come to regard her as a trustworthy companion, or even a tacitly accepted fellow traveler!

Having become steadfast companions, how far are we from the goal of becoming Daoist partners? The dawn of mission completion is just around the corner!

After a brief tidying up, the two did not linger. Through a nearby teleportation array, the space distorted as spiritual energy flowed, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves in an even more gloomy realm, where spiritual energy was mixed with traces of cold and malevolent energy—the Extreme Yin Palace.

Yueze Zhenjun acted with great efficiency and quickly rented a secluded courtyard for short-term use.

The courtyard was shrouded in a barrier that isolated it from the outside world. Although simple, it ensured that it would not be disturbed by the outside world.

The two settled down here, waiting for the opening of the Underworld Market a month later.

Yun Chu arrived at this legendary gathering place of evil cultivators for the first time, filled with curiosity.

Yueze Zhenjun also needed to sell some of the special materials and weapon-refining results he had brought with him, so the two of them went out together.

Upon reaching the entrance of the courtyard, Yueze Zhenjun paused slightly, turned to Yun Chu and said, "The market area is complicated and chaotic. I know a place where you can sell items reasonably well. Please wait a moment, I will help you familiarize yourself with the environment first, and then we can go and take care of our business."

His tone was calm, yet it was an arrangement that brooked no refusal. Yun Chu nodded quickly, feeling an even greater sense of security from being valued.

Walking along the streets of the Extreme Yin Palace, which seemed to be forever shrouded in a thin gray mist, with strangely styled shops and stalls on both sides, exuding a dangerous aura.

Yun Chu quietly activated the system's detector, and invisible scanning ripples spread out silently.

She pretended to browse the stalls, but was actually searching for hidden treasures—an unremarkable, stubborn stone gleamed with the faint light of an appraisal instrument in her eyes:

【Name】: Sedimentary Iron Ore (Heavily Dusted)

[Quality]: Grade 4 Refining Material

[Estimated Value]: Market value approximately 5000 low-grade spirit stones. The stall owner is unaware of its effects and has listed it for 50 low-grade spirit stones.

[Characteristics]: When integrated into a defensive magical artifact, it can greatly enhance toughness and spiritual resistance.

...

【Name】: Soul-Condensing Netherfire Jade (Encased in Yin Sha)

[Quality]: Grade 5 Special Soul Material

[Estimated Value]: There is no market for this product; it requires special handling. The stall owner is unknown. The listed price is 100 low-grade spirit stones.

[Characteristics]: Can be used to refine rare treasures that aid in Nascent Soul cultivation and stabilize the divine soul...

Using the appraisal device, Yun Chu quietly snagged several precious, dusty items at extremely low prices, and happily pocketed them.

Shortly after, she silently followed Yue Ze Zhenjun to the destination he had mentioned earlier.

This is a magnificent, eerie, and cold building, constructed entirely of some strange, jet-black stone. Hanging in front of the entrance is a twisted plaque that appears to be burning with emerald phosphorescence—"Extreme Yin Treasure Pavilion".

The guards at the gate were dressed in black robes, their eyes cold and indifferent.

Stepping inside, the interior of the pavilion is far more spacious than it appears from the outside.

Each light shield or special restriction displays a dazzling array of items, some shimmering with spiritual light, others exuding malevolent energy.

True Monarch Yueze clearly had a clear goal and headed straight for a quiet room area deep inside, which was specifically for receiving high-level cultivators.

Inside the treasure pavilion, the person in charge of receiving guests was a black-robed steward with an obscure aura and sharp, eagle-like eyes.

This was clearly not the first time the two sides had dealt with each other.

True Monarch Yueze took out several jade boxes, several finished magic weapons radiating powerful spiritual energy, and some rare and precious materials that even Yun Chu could not distinguish from his storage magic treasure.

The black-robed steward looked solemn and carefully examined each item, his eyes occasionally flashing with a sharp light as he used a magnifying glass inlaid with strange animal bones to examine the texture and spiritual energy fluctuations of the materials.

Finally, he quoted an extremely high price that made Yun Chu gasp in astonishment, and took out several storage bags filled with spirit stones and a black domino symbol signifying that the transaction was complete.

Yueze Zhenjun nodded expressionlessly, seemingly within his expectations of the price.

After the transaction was completed, he did not leave, but instead took out another list—which listed the names of several rare spiritual plants.

After some somewhat cautious communication, the black-robed manager finally nodded, indicating that the goods could be transferred.

When the steward left for a moment and returned, he brought several boxes of cold jade marrow.

The moment the box was opened, an aura of icy coldness intertwined with pure, woody vitality filled the air.

Yueze Zhenjun carefully examined several of the crystal-clear ice crystal grasses, which were as if they had been carved from ten thousand years of black ice.

A kiwi fruit with a dark red sheen, shaped like a beating heart.

After finding an unidentified plant with leaves that had veins like golden threads and exuded an aura of extreme yang and strength, they collected them one by one and paid the corresponding amount of spirit stones.

When the two left the Yin Treasure Pavilion, the sky seemed to have darkened further. They returned to their rented courtyard and went to their respective quiet rooms to rest.

Yueze Zhenjun sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.

The sword had an ancient scabbard, and an almost invisible lightning bolt pattern was engraved on the hilt. Although it was not drawn at the moment, it faintly conveyed the intention to cut through everything.

He glanced at the thick, impenetrable gray fog outside the window, and then seemingly unintentionally sensed Yun Chu's calm aura in the quiet room next door before slowly closing his eyes and continuing to nurture the vast magical power of his newly stabilized late-stage Nascent Soul.

In another quiet room, Yun Chu sat cross-legged on a futon, but did not immediately enter a meditative state.

She was thinking about how to give the Life Space Stone to True Lord Yueze so that he could form a contract with it.

Could it be that she'll go to the secret realm with him and then take the opportunity to give it to him?

Forget it, I'll stop thinking about it for now. I'll give it to you when I have the chance.