Chapter 177: Chapter 149: The Currencies of the 4 Continents, a 3-Person Journey to the Ghost Country

Jiang Yi had always been the clear-headed type, able to keep a proper perspective.

He knew full well that before one’s profound potential was realized, it was like a pie in the sky promised by a superior—it might smell delicious, but it was useless if you couldn’t eat it.

Despite having the perfect [Saint King] fate, he was still just a "Lower Cultivator" at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. Naturally, he had no reason to refuse a task assigned by the Sect Leader.

’Even if I become the Daoist of an Ancestral Sect tomorrow, I still have to figure out how to get through today.’

Jiang Yi put away his Sleeve Pouch, gave Liu Huan a Daoist salute, and turned to leave.

Back at the Gao Village ancestral hall, Yang Xun, who had been in meditative seclusion, opened his eyes and awoke.

A small cluster of fiery patterns, about the thickness of a pinky finger, appeared between his eyebrows, glowing brightly.

His originally frost-white hair had turned glossy and black as his Primordial Essence and vitality filled his entire being, nourishing his flesh and blood. On his fierce, long face with its sparse eyebrows, many of the deep, crisscrossing wrinkles had also been smoothed away.

At a glance, he now looked like a man in his early fifties, brimming with energy, rather than the decrepit old man he was before, full of twilight air with one foot already in the grave.

"Congratulations on reaching the Seventh Layer, Grandpa."

Jiang Yi stepped through the ancestral hall’s entrance, gently placed True Master Xuanmiao on the offering table, and said with a smile:

"When you return to the clan, you’ll definitely be able to become an Elder Ancestor."

Yang Xun’s gaze was still a bit dazed, as if he had just awoken from a long dream. It took him a good while to come to his senses.

He stared intently at Jiang Yi for a moment, his gaze gradually focusing.

"I... I really did it?"

Jiang Yi nodded lightly.

For a man in his seventies to break through to the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Not only had his qi and blood declined and withered, but he also had numerous mental blocks—layers of obstacles that wore a person down.

If he didn’t Cultivate Ding Fire, and hadn’t mastered the Embrace Thought Nourishing Spirit Seven Emotions Curse, which made him adept at manipulating deep-seated thoughts and untangling distracting ones, he might not have been able to help Grandpa overcome this trial and achieve a breakthrough.

"This is all thanks to you, Ah Yi."

The corners of Yang Xun’s eyes softened. It was just as Elder Sui had said years ago: making the right choice just once in life can benefit you endlessly.

This was a true fortuitous encounter.

Jiang Yi gave a faint smile and changed the subject to prevent Yang Xun from harping on about it.

"I ran into the Sect Leader outside just now. He gave me a task."

He then recounted how Liu Huan’s Cultivation had gone awry and that he needed Yin-attribute Spiritual Objects like Yin Lingzhi and Yin Ginseng to heal.

"As for refining money from blood qi, that’s something I’m good at."

Yang Xun laughed heartily after hearing this.

"Leave this to me, you don’t need to worry about it. Dangyin Ridge used to have thousands of murky grottoes and qi vents, and was overrun with all sorts of Demons and ghosts. It’s a chaotic, lawless place."

"I ventured through there back in the day with that old coot, Elder Sui. ’Blood money’ circulates there, and I know the Refining Technique for it."

’As expected,’ Jiang Yi thought with admiration, ’an old-school Demon Cultivator like Grandpa is so knowledgeable. He seems to know a little about everything.’

He handed the Sleeve Pouch to Yang Xun, who easily opened it with a probe of his Divine Sense and said with a chuckle:

"The Sect Leader must have snatched this from someone. The restrictive seals have been completely broken."

Ordinary storage artifacts, limited by their material and grade, wouldn’t have too many layers of restrictive seals in the first place.

The Divine Sense of a Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer cultivator contains Spiritual Light, and with just a little refinement, it can "break down the door" and enter.

But for items used by Foundation Establishment True Masters, like a "Qiankun Bag" or a "Mustard Seed Stone," or even rarer "Life-Bound Items," it would take a great deal of effort to open them.

Jiang Yi had once heard his Cat Master mention that under the [Outer Dao], there was a group called the [Heterodox Sects]. The Cultivators among them specialized in the Metal Element and were true experts in this area.

They had even held several "Thief Conferences," where they would randomly pick a continent and ten Dharma Lineages to compete against with their various skills.

Later, due to a bout of terrible luck, they tried to steal from a True Inheritance disciple of the Immortal Dao, who reported them to the [Exorcism Institute]. This brought down celestial officials and soldiers, and they were all wiped out in one fell swoop.

"Grandpa, what’s the difference between this blood money and talisman money?"

Jiang Yi watched intently as Yang Xun circulated his True Qi. He observed him forming Seal Techniques, condensing wisps of blood qi into the shape of a "knife."

This was the "blood money" that both Demons and ghosts accepted.

It was cast from blood qi, imitating the shape of ancient knife coins.

"To Demons and ghosts, blood qi is hard currency. They can directly refine blood money upon receiving it, whereas talisman money is just useless paper to them."

Yang Xun’s technique was masterful as he sent out one Seal Technique after another.

"Elder Xu from the Skill Transmission Institute once said that the currencies circulating in the Four Directions Continent are all different."

"For example, because the Dongsheng Continent has a True Monarch of the [Jade Void], they don’t lack Spirit Stone and jade mines, or Spirit Shell Celestial Caves, so they mostly use those two."

"Over in the Ximizhou Continent, they use things like ’mother of copper’ and Iron Essence to cast ’incense money’."

"As for us here in the Nanzhan Continent, we use bills of talisman money. This stuff is much more convenient than ’Spirit Stones’ or ’ancient coins’."

Jiang Yi frowned slightly. It seemed the "currency" used by a Daoist Lineage wasn’t just related to the Resources it produced, but was also tied to its True Monarchs.

"Why talismans, specifically?"

he asked curiously.

"Legend has it that the founding ancestor of the Taifu Sect obtained an ultimate treasure, a ’Grand Register of the Great Dao,’ which can use Spiritual Energy to endlessly produce all kinds of magical talismans."

"On top of that, several True Monarchs attained positions like the ’Three Officials’ and the ’Four Shifts,’ grasping the key knack for ’spiritual resonance’ in talisman drawing. So they simply decided to implement ’talisman money’."

Yang Xun’s explanation was vague, leaving out many details, but Jiang Yi understood the gist of it.

The Taifu Sect was using "talisman creation" as a front for the real benefit of "printing money."

The Nanzhan Continent was already lacking in Spiritual Energy, making it impossible to use Spirit Stones or Spirit Shells as currency.

If all the cultivators of the Demon Dao used talisman money, then in the future, if any Dharma Lineage dared to be disobedient, the Taifu Sect could simply cut off the spiritual resonance of their talisman paper, and all that money would instantly turn into waste paper.

’This is controlling their very lifeline! It seems that under the Eight Sects’ Governance of the World, each major sect has its own method of monopoly. Every prominent Daoist Lineage is indeed rigorously structured from top to bottom, making it almost impossible to find any oversight or weakness that could shake its foundation.’

"In that case, does that mean the disciples of the Taifu Sect are the richest among all Demon Cultivators?"