Mortal: I am the young sect master of the Thousand Illusions Sect

Chapter 19 The Moon-Covered Market

After settling the black tortoise shell, the father and son returned to the tea room of Mi Lian Palace along the same route.

As soon as she sat down, Su Mixin picked up her teacup, took a sip, looked up at Su Yunluo, and said solemnly, "Father, I wish to go into seclusion soon to break through my cultivation level as soon as possible."

Su Yunluo's hand, which had just picked up the teacup, suddenly stopped, her eyes filled with obvious surprise.

He then pressed further, "You're aiming for the mid-Foundation Establishment stage? Mi Xin, you only broke through to the early Foundation Establishment stage less than three years ago, that's incredibly fast!"

Su Mixin put down her teacup and calmly replied, "Father, I have never slacked off in my cultivation over the past two years. My progress has been quite fast, and my realm is already very stable. I will not be greedy for quick results or rush ahead recklessly."

Su Yunluo frowned slightly, her tone filled with concern, "Advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage is crucial to one's future path; a single misstep could leave hidden dangers."

"You're so eager to succeed; wouldn't it be a pity if something went wrong?"

"Father, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Su Mixin said firmly, "I have carefully examined my own condition. It was not a momentary impulse. Now my mind is at peace, without the slightest impetuosity."

Looking at his son's determined expression, Su Yunluo remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Since you are so confident, I will not stop you. However, you must not be reckless during your seclusion. If you encounter a bottleneck, do not force a breakthrough. Your own safety should be the priority."

"Your child will remember your teachings, Father," Su Mixin replied, bowing respectfully.

"You have your own palace and quiet room, rich in spiritual energy and secluded. You may arrange your seclusion as you wish."

Su Yunluo's tone softened, "If this breakthrough is successful, it will coincide with the upcoming invasion war launched by the six sects of the Demonic Path. At that time, the sects will gather directly to discuss and decide, and you will be able to bring honor to us among your peers in the sects."

"But once you've reached a higher level, you must guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and move forward steadily."

Su Mixin nodded: "I understand."

Seeing that he already understood the advantages and disadvantages, Su Yunluo said no more.

After chatting about everyday things for a while, Su Mixin got up to say goodbye and leave.

After leaving the Mi Lian Palace, Su Mi thought for a moment, then summoned her golden feather and flew towards the Linghuan Palace.

She hadn't seen her senior brother for over two years and missed him terribly, as he was the closest person to Su Mixin besides her parents.

Su Mixin arrived at the gate of the Linghuan Palace, dismounted from the eagle's back, and had just retrieved her golden feathers when, before the servants could announce her arrival, the palace's vermilion gate was pushed open from the inside.

Clearly, the senior brother had already detected him with his divine sense and was eager to come and greet him.

Qi Danyan, dressed in a plain-colored sect leader's robe, strode out. His face lacked any of the sect leader's authority; instead, it was filled with genuine longing and joy. He rushed forward, exclaiming, "Mi Xin! You're finally back!"

More than two years had passed since they last met, and Qi Danyan's aura remained as restrained and composed as ever. Su Mixin felt as if he were enveloped in a gentle aura.

His heart warmed, and he quickly cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Senior Brother."

"Come in quickly, you've had a long journey. Let's rest in the tea room first," Qi Danyan said, patting his shoulder naturally and leading him towards a side hall inside the palace.

Although Linghuan Palace is the residence of the sect leader, many disciples come and go to consult on matters, and one can often hear footsteps and whispers along the way, so it is certainly not a quiet place.

In the tea room, Qi Danyan poured him a cup of hot tea, carefully examining him with concern: "You still smell of monsters on you. You must have just returned from Panlong River and haven't had time to rest yet."

"You've been hunting demons alone for the past two years, you must have encountered quite a few dangers, right?"

Holding the warm teacup, Su Mixin felt a surge of warmth in her heart and replied truthfully, "Fortunately, with the protection of two Core Formation elders from the sect, things were neither too smooth nor too bumpy. We killed more than twenty level two to four demonic beasts, so we have gained something."

"At least I've improved a lot in combat experience, which has made up for some of my shortcomings."

"Level two to four monsters are already quite ferocious. It's good that you came back safely."

Qi Danyan nodded, his tone filled with tenderness, "Are you having any difficulties in your cultivation? Do you lack spirit stones, pills, or cultivation tools? Just tell me, and your senior brother can provide them for you."

Su Mixin's heart stirred. He had just exhausted his Blood Sword Talisman in the previous cave secret realm, so he said frankly, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I still have enough spirit stones and pills, but I have used up all the Blood Sword Talisman I brought with me. Now I lack a trump card to quickly defeat the enemy."

Upon hearing this, Qi Danyan took out a talisman from his storage bag without hesitation and handed it over: "This is the 'Sky-Splitting Cone' talisman. It has extremely strong penetrating power. Take it, and it will give you an extra layer of protection when you travel outside in the future."

As the sect leader, Qi Danyan handles various miscellaneous matters daily, so it's not surprising that he keeps something in his storage bag.

Su Mixin accepted the talisman and quickly bowed to express her gratitude: "Thank you, Senior Brother! It's just what I needed most."

"Why are you being so polite with your senior brother?" Qi Danyan waved his hand, his eyes full of affection. "When you're all alone out there, I, as your senior brother, can't always take care of you. Giving you more trump cards will put my mind at ease."

He paused, then said, "My Linghuan Palace looks impressive, but it's actually quite complicated and much noisier than your palace. You'll need to have some peace and quiet for a few days after you come back to recharge."

The two chatted about the local customs and culture of Panlongjiang and their experiences hunting demons. Qi Danyan sometimes reminded him not to be reckless, and sometimes asked him about his insights from his training.

As they chatted, Su Mixin took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Senior brother, I plan to rest for a few days after returning this time, and then I will go into seclusion to cultivate for a while and reflect on what I have gained in the past two years."

Upon hearing this, Qi Danyan immediately nodded in approval: "That's right. Practical experience needs to be honed with a calm mind before it can truly be put to use."

"If you encounter any problems in your cultivation, or need any assistance, feel free to message me anytime. There's no need to worry."

Qi Danyan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and gently stroked the rim with his fingertips.

"Speaking of which, your return is just in time; the situation is about to change drastically."

Su Mixin looked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity: "Senior brother, are you saying... the six sects of the demonic path are going to launch an invasion?"

"Exactly." Qi Danyan nodded, a hint of fatigue showing between his brows, yet he remained composed.

"These days, all sects are preparing for war with all their might, and the Thousand Illusions Sect is no exception."

Su Mixin smiled faintly, "Then you, the sect leader, will have a lot to do."

Qi Danyan shook his head in denial, "I only grasp the general direction. As for who's really busy, it's the Core Formation elders below who are in charge of the specific tasks."

He looked at Su Mixin, his eyes filled with expectation: "You've returned to seclusion to reflect and mature. If you make progress, all the sects will surely gather before the battle, and I'll take you there to show off."

"However, you don't need to rush things. Cultivation should be done step by step. Nothing is more important than a solid foundation for yourself."

Su Mixin nodded solemnly: "Senior brother, rest assured, I understand the importance of this matter. Once my seclusion ends, I will certainly serve the sect if needed."

After a long conversation, Su Mixin took her leave.

That evening, Su Mixin announced that she was going into seclusion. She had originally planned to meet Xin Ruyin and Qi Yunxiao, but she was thinking about quickly completing the task of finding the Chaotic Star Sea teleportation array. After that, she would need to ask Xin Ruyin for help in repairing the teleportation array.

I might as well just hide in a quiet room first.

The next day, Su Mixin's figure suddenly appeared in a grove of trees dozens of miles away from the gate of the Hidden Moon Sect's market.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated in the forest, and the moist air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

There are few people around here, so using Hearthstone to teleport doesn't necessarily mean you'll be discovered.

He snapped his fingers, and a golden light shot out from the world ring, landing on the open ground in front of him and transforming into a giant golden eagle, which was none other than Golden Feather.

Sensing its master's presence, Jin Yu affectionately nuzzled Su Mixin's arm with its head, emitting a low cry. Its wings flapped slightly, creating a gust of wind that dispersed some of the surrounding mist.

Su Mixin raised her hand to stroke the smooth feathers of the golden feather, having already decided to ride it on her journey.

But just as he was about to flip over and leap onto the eagle's back, a thought suddenly struck him, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He is now all alone, and it's a bit too conspicuous for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to ride a golden-feathered horse.

Jin Yu was a level four Golden Feather Eagle, with a powerful aura and such an eye-catching appearance. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator to ride such a spirit beast through the city was tantamount to telling others, "I possess a great treasure, come and rob me."

The cultivation world is treacherous; it's better to avoid trouble. If this attracts the covetousness of Core Formation cultivators, it would be a greater loss than gain.

You should know that Li Huayuan of Huangfeng Valley in Yue Kingdom treasured his Level 3 spirit beast, the Silver-Armored Horned Python, to the extreme, even though he was a proper Core Formation cultivator.

"Alright, I'll leave you to stay in the world ring for now." Su Mixin patted Jin Yu's head, her tone tinged with apology.

Jin Yu seemed to understand his words, and let out a low growl of dissatisfaction, but still obediently transformed into a golden light and returned to the world ring.

Su Mixin took out the disc-shaped flying artifact, looked at it for a long time, and suddenly slapped her forehead.

As the young master of the Thousand Illusions Sect, he always wanted the best. Before, when he was traveling, Lu Xin was using a flying boat, so he didn't feel anything was wrong. But now he really felt that this high-level magic artifact was too slow.

"As the young master of a sect, why should you compromise like this?" Su Mixin shook her head and turned her gaze to the direction of the Hidden Moon Sect's market not far away.

Since we're near the market, why not go in and try our luck? Maybe we can find a top-tier flying artifact that suits our taste.

Half an hour later, Su Mixin used the disc-shaped magic artifact to arrive at the gate of the market, put away the artifact, and stepped inside.

The streets were bustling with monks coming and going.

Su Mixin arrived at the core area of ​​the market, her gaze sweeping over the shops on both sides before finally settling on a magnificent store.

The shop is called "Yujilou".

The facade was carved from a single piece of white jade, with intricate engravings of forbidden patterns. Two large glass lamps hung at the entrance, exuding a spiritual aura, clearly indicating that it was a large-scale merchant guild.

Su Mixin stepped inside, and as soon as she entered, a faint fragrance wafted towards her.

"Senior, please come in." A gentle voice rang out, and a beautiful young woman dressed in a light green dress came forward to greet her.

She had a beautiful face, fair skin, and a capable air about her. Her cultivation level was at the eleventh level of Qi Refining.

She could see that Su Mixin had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and her attitude became even more respectful.

Su Mixin nodded and was led into a VIP tea room.

After they were both seated, a maid brought over a pot of spiritual tea.

The young woman poured Su Mixin a cup of tea, handed it to her with both hands, and then asked, "Senior, you look unfamiliar. May I ask what kind of treasure you wish to purchase?"

"I'm looking for a top-tier flying artifact, preferably a flying boat." Su Mixin got straight to the point, her tone calm but exuding an undeniable confidence.

Upon hearing this, the beautiful young woman showed a hint of embarrassment on her face and said apologetically, "Senior, you may not know this, but top-tier magic artifact-level flying boats are extremely valuable. The spiritual materials and refining processes required are extremely demanding. Although my Jade Pavilion has some in stock, we rarely put them directly on the shelves for sale."

Su Mixin raised her eyebrows slightly, about to speak, when the young woman quickly added, "However, senior's timing is just right. Today, my Jade Pavilion is holding a small auction, which includes several flying artifacts. Perhaps there is a top-tier flying boat that senior may be interested in."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to make an introduction. Would you be interested in participating?"

"Oh? An auction?" Su Mi's heart skipped a beat. Auctions often featured rare items, and perhaps she could find a flying boat that suited her taste.

He immediately nodded and said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you, fellow Daoist."

The young woman smiled when she saw that he had agreed.

She took out an exquisite wooden token from her storage bag and handed it to Su Mixin: "Senior, this is a VIP token for the auction. You can enter the VIP room with this token."

"The auction will begin at 1:00 PM today. We kindly request that you arrive at the building on the top floor at that time."

Su Mixin took the wooden plaque. It felt warm and smooth to the touch. The four characters "Jade Pavilion VIP" were engraved on it, and there was a faint flow of spiritual energy. It was obviously not an ordinary object, but a low-level magic artifact.

He carefully put away the wooden plaque, stood up, and said, "Thank you."

He then turned and left Yuji Tower, finding a secluded inn to rest and wait for the auction to begin.

Two hours later, the sun was high in the sky, and the sunlight was perfect.

Su Mixin straightened her robes, thought for a moment, changed into a black hooded cloak, and, holding a wooden plaque, returned to Yuji Tower.

At this moment, the area outside the Jade Pavilion was bustling with noise, and many cultivators were rushing towards the entrance of the auction.

Su Mixin showed the wooden token. The guards, seeing that it was a VIP token, dared not be negligent in the slightest and hurriedly and respectfully led her through the side door to the VIP room on the upper floor, which was specially separated.

The VIP room was exquisitely furnished, with warm spiritual tea laid out on a pear wood table. The aroma of the tea was mixed with a faint spiritual energy. Looking through the carved window, the auction hall below was already packed, bustling with people yet orderly.

Su Mixin sipped her tea while waiting patiently.

A quarter of an hour later, it will be exactly 11:00 PM.

Just as everyone was eagerly anticipating what was to come, an invisible pressure suddenly enveloped the entire venue, and the noise instantly ceased.

An elderly man dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe slowly walked up to the high platform. He had a thin face, silver hair but a ruddy complexion. As he opened and closed his eyes, two condensed beams of light swept across the entire area, and a powerful aura far exceeding that of the Foundation Establishment stage rushed over – he was actually a Core Formation cultivator!