Chapter 898: Misunderstood the Implication

Of the four carriages traveling to the capital with the Li family, Li Feng naturally held the most authority. When he invited Ji Yuan and Zuo Wuji to join him, no one dared to object, especially since the two had already met.

Once Ji Yuan and Zuo Wuji were settled in Li Feng's carriage, he urged his servants to continue the journey. The four carriages slowly began moving again. This time, Li Feng sat inside with the two, rather than next to the coachman.

"Mr. Ji, Great Hero Zuo, I've prepared plenty of delicious food and drinks. Look, this box contains pastries, this one has preserved fruits, this bottle holds honey, this one fruit wine, and this is a sweet paste..."

Zuo Wuji ran his hand over the plush cushions lining the carriage. These were crafted from sewn sheepskins, and a small copper brazier, fixed on a wooden stand in the center, kept the interior considerably warmer than the outside.

"The Li family truly is a prominent household; the interior of this carriage is quite an eye-opener."

"Great Hero Zuo, this is nothing. I've heard the Imperial Palace in the capital is truly adorned with gold and jade."

Li Feng had already opened the pastry box, unfolding its layers for Ji Yuan and Zuo Wuji to take their pick. As Zuo Wuji reached for a pastry, he posed a question.

"What if you had to leave this life of luxury and wealth? Could you accept that?"

"Of course I could accept it! Clothes just need to be wearable, food just needs to fill me up. Even if I don't get enough to eat, I'm very resilient to hunger. Sleeping rough is no problem at all. I'm brave, I'm not afraid of the dark!"

After speaking, Li Feng's eyes darted around as he looked at Ji Yuan and Zuo Wuji and said.

"Mr. Ji, Great Hero Zuo, are you planning to take me on a long journey? I don't want to go to the capital. You can take me anywhere; I'm not afraid of hardship!"

"Heh, easy for you to say. You've never known hardship, kid."

After saying that, Zuo Wuji began eating pastries. Ji Yuan, meanwhile, started flipping through a book in the carriage, then looked at Li Feng and Zuo Wuji and said.

"You still need to go to the capital. No matter how much you dislike your father finding you a teacher, you need to tell him face-to-face and make it clear to the teacher as well. After all, the Xia Yong Dynasty might now be supported by some immortal cultivators, and being disrespectful won't do your father any good."

"Oh..."

Li Feng mumbled a reply, then, holding a pastry, went to the carriage window. He unlatched the wooden catch, pushed open the window cover, and gazed at the scenery outside.

"Then it would be good if this carriage arrived slowly in the capital..."

Zuo Wuji joked from the side.

"That might not be the case. Who knows, if Mr. Ji is in a good mood, with a wave of his sleeve, we might fly directly to the capital through the clouds; it certainly wouldn't take half a day."

Ji Yuan shook his head, picked up the book, and began to read. Interestingly, although it was a collection of miscellaneous essays, it contained some poems and articles by Yin Zhaoxian. He wondered how their influence had traveled across the ocean—perhaps brought by some benevolent cultivator?

Deep within the Great Southern Wilderness Mountains lay a region of towering peaks, where colossal trees stretched skyward both on the slopes and in the valleys. At the foot of one particular peak was an exceptionally beautiful cluster of buildings, covering at least several dozen acres of mountainous land. Within, pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing streams were all meticulously designed.

Naturally, if an ordinary person were to get lost in the Great Southern Wilderness Mountains and stumble upon this place, provided they weren't entirely foolish, they would most likely turn and leave. A luxurious mansion appearing in such a wild and desolate place would most certainly be the work of a monster.

However, while there were indeed many monsters within this grand mansion, the estate itself was an authentic immortal treasure. It could expand or shrink, extend its boundaries by ten *li*, and possessed an inherent confounding enchantment.

In the courtyard of one of the gardens behind the mansion, a man wearing a loose, dark green, broad-shouldered warrior's robe was currently seated.

The man's physique was slightly robust, his eyebrows thick, and his eyes fierce. He wore neither topknot nor crown, his white hair no longer than half a finger. A matching white short beard extended from his chin down to his jowls. He was completely absorbed in the chessboard on the table, with both black and white chess piece containers at his side. There was no one else in the courtyard, suggesting he was playing a game against himself.

"Great King..."

Someone outside the garden called softly, seemingly afraid of disturbing the man playing chess in the courtyard. Hearing the call, the man inside slightly frowned, looking up towards the courtyard gate.

"What is it?"

A rough-faced man dressed in animal skins quickly entered from the courtyard gate.

"Great King, the wild boar, Du, sent someone to report that the local Earth God only seemed to have six Dharma coins to begin with. He went to Kuinan County City but couldn't get the rest; it's likely the Earth God was just boasting."

The man in the garden offered no response, his attention already returned to the chessboard. He held a black piece, contemplating where to place it. After a long silence, before the piece was even set down, he finally spoke a question.

"Du Gangzong didn't find out who gave the Dharma coins?"

"Uh, he did ask, but the Earth God said he had previously helped a powerful individual guard an item and was given the Dharma coins after the individual retrieved it."

The man looked up at his subordinate.

"What item?"

"This subordinate doesn't know, and Du Gangzong didn't get a clear answer either. Apparently, the Earth God talked for a long time but couldn't explain it clearly. It seems that ever since that powerful individual retrieved it, the Earth God has increasingly forgotten the details of the item, and by now, he's forgotten it entirely."

The man's face showed contemplation. He stroked the beard on his chin with the chess piece in his hand, murmuring.

"This is quite interesting. What could it have been...?"

"Great King, should we bring the Earth God here?"

The man smiled and shook his head.

"No need. These Dharma coins are very interesting. Their vibrant Dao essence and refined magical power truly surprise even me. If someone who can casually bestow such a treasure wants a minor Earth God to remain ignorant of something, then no matter how much you inquire, you won't get an answer. You may leave."

"Yes, Great King!"

The man in animal skins bowed, took a few steps back, and turned to leave. But just as he reached the courtyard gate, a voice came from behind him again.

"Wait. You should still go to Du Kuifeng and ask him directly for clarification. If you deem it necessary, you may also visit Kuinan County City to investigate."

"Yes!"

This time, the man in animal skins left without hesitation.

Meanwhile, the man in the courtyard, still holding a chess piece in one hand, took out a Dharma coin with the other and began to examine it. This coin appeared to be a copper piece only slightly larger than common currency, with a dark, ancient hue. The external Dao patterns forming its texture were remarkably stable, revealing no aura, and sealing the internal Dao essence and magical power. Such a small coin, yet it contained a considerable amount of profoundness.

"Who exactly made these Qiankun Ruyi Coins? Could there truly be such a master in the Lingbao Pavilion? No, no, if that were the case, why would they be so rarely sold? They might even be eager to use them as a foundation to establish a universal currency for the cultivation world."

Ordinary currency naturally held little purchasing power in the cultivation world. While occasionally accepted, obtaining these so-called 'yellow and white objects' (gold and silver) was far too simple for cultivators who had already achieved a certain level. Dharma coins, however, were different; they were absolutely coveted by everyone.

While Five Elements Quintessence could, to some extent, be considered a hard currency, it had significant limitations and was not universally needed. However, Dharma coins of this caliber would not be refused by any cultivator, regardless of their cultivation level. Even Zhu Yan himself felt this way, because this item was genuinely useful.

However, if such a currency were truly circulated, it certainly couldn't all be of the Qiankun Ruyi Coin caliber. After all, these items possess infinite wondrous uses and are absolutely not simple to create. Those who acquire them would likely not casually use them as mere money, but rather preserve them for emergencies. There would definitely need to be distinctions in quality and quantity, with different tiers functioning as currency. If a conversion rate were also added...

This might make some individuals in the various cultivation realms a bit materialistic, but since the essence of cultivation is not external, it would generally have no major impact. Instead, it could truly broaden the ties between the various cultivation realms and foster more diverse interactions.

If Ji Yuan were here and knew Zhu Yan's thoughts, he would surely be slightly surprised. Zhu Yan, having obtained the Dharma coins only a very short time ago, had already conceived a clearly feasible circulation scheme, which was strikingly similar to some of Ji Yuan's own initial, undeveloped ideas.

The Dharma coin continuously flipped on the back of Zhu Yan's left hand, gently swaying along his fingers, as if performing somersaults on his knuckles. Zhu Yan's eyes, fixed on the coin, slightly narrowed.

"The one who can refine this item might just have similar ideas... If I can make them serve me, that would be ideal. If not, and there's a possibility of them acting on this, then I must find a way to eliminate them..."

Zhu Yan had indeed been paying more attention to human affairs lately, but as an ancient fierce beast of great power, no matter how calm he appeared, he naturally held immense disdain for humanity. In his eyes, the true threats came from the various cultivation realms: immortals, Buddhas, spirits, deities, and even demons. Therefore, the sudden discovery of the Dharma coins had made the seemingly unconcerned Zhu Yan take notice.

In this regard, Du Gangzong had actually misunderstood Zhu Yan's true intent. Even Ji Yuan hadn't realized that what Zhu Yan truly cared about was not what happened in Kuinan County City, but the Dharma coins themselves. After all, no one would have considered Zhu Yan to be a materialistic being who would care about a treasure like Dharma coins, but Zhu Yan had instantly seen through to the value behind them.

After contemplating for a moment, he slapped the table. All the chess pieces on it jumped up and flew back into their respective black and white containers. He then tossed the piece in his hand into the container as well, turned, and left the garden.