In truth, Han Yi had always maintained a low profile, especially when it came to his finances. He never revealed how many Spirit Stones he possessed.
Only a few frequent trading partners, such as the female cultivators from Little Sea-Viewing Peak, suspected he was quite wealthy, given his exceptional Alchemy Technique.
Although the Profound Pill Sect specialized in Pill Refinement, many of its members' alchemy skills were mediocre at best. Otherwise, the entry requirement for the Inner Peak wouldn't be a cultivation level of Qi Refining Seventh Layer, but a specific level of alchemical proficiency.
Whether in the Inner or Outer Peaks, many disciples had achieved only modest success in Pill Refinement.
Moreover, beyond Pill Refinement, some had forged their own paths, excelling in Talisman crafting, weapon forging, or Formation Arts.
With over a hundred thousand disciples across its Inner and Outer Sects, the Profound Pill Sect resembled a miniature Cultivation World.
In such a microcosm, the weak were forced to lie low, while even the strong needed to maintain a balanced mindset.
If you constantly suppress yourself, always lying low and hiding, your mindset will inevitably become timid and hesitant.
What's the point of cultivating the Immortal Path if you live like that?
It's all about finding the right balance.
At that moment, Han Yi felt it was time to loosen his grip.
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was the perfect place to do just that.
"Tender-fried Flood Dragon Meat, Steamed Phoenix Fish, Nine-Leaf Immortal Peach Soup..."
Zheng Hai stared at the dazzling array of Spirit Food laid out before him, his mouth watering uncontrollably.
Each dish was crafted from rare Spirit Beasts and Plants. The six-course meal, accompanied by two jars of Spirit Wine, had cost a staggering forty-eight Spirit Stones—a truly extravagant indulgence.
"Eat up! What are you waiting for?"
Han Yi, experiencing such luxury for the first time, his eyes gleaming with delight, seized his chopsticks and began devouring the food with gusto.
The finest ingredients, simply prepared, transformed into delicacies of the Immortal Path.
The Spirit Food melted in his mouth, instantly dissolving into a warm stream of Spirit Qi that coursed through his body. His Mana surged, and he couldn't help but let out a contented groan.
Oblivious to Zheng Hai, Han Yi's chopsticks moved relentlessly, shoveling food into his mouth at lightning speed.
"Holy shit, slow down! Save some for me, you bastard!"
Seeing the feeding frenzy, Zheng Hai instantly panicked and joined the ravenous duo.
However, due to his year-long outpost assignment, his cultivation realm remained stuck at the early stage of the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, showing little progress.
His reaction time and chopstick skills were far inferior to Han Yi's.
In just one minute, the six dishes were scraped clean, and only half of the two jars of Spirit Wine remained.
This was only because they had deliberately slowed down their feasting to savor the flavors; otherwise, everything would have vanished even faster.
"Burp... Delicious! Absolutely divine! This single meal has boosted my mana more than my entire year of cultivation!"
"Han Yi, how many Spirit Stones did that cost again?"
"What? Forty-eight?"
"Holy hell!"
Zheng Hai confirmed the staggering price of the meal, his heart aching with both awe and lingering desire.
"This is probably the finest meal I'll ever be able to afford in my life. Utterly extravagant and expensive."
"Still, I'll definitely be freeloading on your future feasts whenever possible."
Han Yi drained the last drop of Spirit Wine, the spiritual energy exploding within him and coursing through his meridians and limbs, leaving him utterly refreshed.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This meal had been quite expensive for him as well. Indulging in such luxuries occasionally was enjoyable, but Spirit Food could never truly replace Spirit Stones. It couldn't sustain prolonged cultivation, and its exorbitant cost made it far less cost-effective than Spirit Stones.
"Speaking of which, Zheng Hai, you just returned from your outpost assignment. Have you heard of any major events happening in the Sect lately?"
After several courses and rounds of wine, Han Yi suddenly remembered the information he had originally intended to gather. Since Zheng Hai had just returned from his outpost assignment, he casually asked, though he didn't expect Zheng Hai to know anything.
To his surprise, Zheng Hai's expression turned serious. Gripping his wine jar, he leaned in conspiratorially. "There is indeed something, and I was planning to tell you about it anyway."
"You know about the Blood God Sect, right?"
The moment Han Yi heard the name "Blood God Sect," he sat bolt upright. The hazy daze from the Spirit Wine vanished instantly, his eyes widening with sudden clarity.
"Yes, of course I know about them."
"The Blood God Sect is a major power," Zheng Hai said, "far stronger than our Profound Pill Sect in terms of both territory and strength."
"What's going on with the Blood God Sect?" Han Yi asked, showing no outward urgency. It wasn't that he wasn't concerned, but he knew Zheng Hai would eventually reveal what he wanted to know.
Zheng Hai's expression turned grave. "You know I applied for an outpost assignment over a year ago. I was stationed in Gaodu City, the westernmost city in Nanyang County."
"Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!" Zheng Hai spat. "I ended up working at the Profound Fire Pill Shop. That shopkeeper kept assigning me all sorts of tasks, treating me like free labor! Ugh, just wait until I become someone important—if I don't make him pay, I'll be a coward!" Zheng Hai's tone shifted, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"Stop rambling. I'm not interested in your outpost assignment. Tell me about the Blood God Sect," Han Yi interrupted.
Zheng Hai grumbled resentfully, suppressing his anger, and continued. "Recently, just as my assignment was nearing its end, something happened."
"Oh?" Han Yi's eyebrows rose, sensing they were finally getting to the crucial point.
As Zheng Hai reached the key part, he glanced around to ensure no one was listening before lowering his voice. "You know about the West Mausoleum Mine, right?"
Han Yi was bewildered and shook his head, indicating his ignorance.
"Alright, let me explain," Zheng Hai said. "The West Mausoleum Mine is located near Westling City, hence its name. Westling City is a city within Taibai County."
"The West Mausoleum Mine is a Spirit Stone Mine, permanently garrisoned by Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators from our sect. Many disciples from the Inner Peaks are stationed there, and we also employ numerous Rogue Cultivators from the surrounding area to mine the Spirit Stones."
"Since its discovery, ownership of the mine has belonged to the Profound Pill Sect."
"But recently, for some unknown reason, the Blood God Sect claimed there was an issue with the mine's ownership and demanded a renegotiation. Naturally, our personnel stationed there dismissed this as nonsense. When negotiations broke down, they immediately clashed."
"I heard it was four Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators from our sect against four from the Blood God Sect. If you know anything about them, you'll know they're incredibly combative—far more skilled in combat than our Profound Pill Sect, which primarily focuses on Pill Refinement."
"Despite both sides having four Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators, our cultivators were ultimately defeated and forced to retreat with significant injuries."
"After this incident, the Blood God Sect seized control of the West Mausoleum Mine. All our sect's stewards, disciples, and other personnel originally stationed there have withdrawn to Westling City."
"The incident at the West Mausoleum Mine caused quite a stir at the time."
"But the Sect suppressed it, preventing the news from spreading. Back then, I simply thought the Sect was being spineless and didn't give it much thought."
As Zheng Hai uttered the word "spineless," he glanced around furtively to ensure no one was listening before continuing in a hushed tone.
"But..."
A flash of anger crossed Zheng Hai's eyes.
"But what happened next completely took me by surprise."
"After the incident at the West Mausoleum Mine, several other mines in Taibai County belonging to our Sect—including Spirit Stone Mines, spirit metal mines used for refining artifacts, and even special underground spirit medicine farms—were seized by the Blood God Sect within a month, all under trumped-up charges."
"During these takeovers, multiple confrontations and skirmishes erupted. I heard three Foundation Establishment Stage Stewards from our Sect were killed, and even a Golden Core Stage Supreme Elder sustained minor injuries. Countless Pill Refinement Stage disciples perished as well."
"As these events escalated, panic began to spread not only in Taibai County but also in Gaodu City, which borders Taibai."
"Sensing something was amiss, I took advantage of my expiring outpost assignment and rushed back."