C74 Thirty Million Low Grade Spirit Stones!

Witnessing the chorus of cultivators below, Lan Wenhao chuckled and clarified,

"The crowd down there is in the dark. They think Mr. Qin has ascended to the Tribulation Crossing Stage."

"Yet, even without reaching the Tribulation Crossing Stage, Mr. Qin ranks among the elite of Blue Star's cultivators."

"Only two have achieved the Combination Stage on Blue Star: Mr. Qin and Elder Qi Yun."

Lan Wenhao leaned in and murmured to Qin Buyi, "Elder Qi has fallen to Mr. Qin, who now stands as the mightiest warrior among our cultivators."

From afar, Qi Yun, overhearing Lan Wenhao's hushed words about him, felt a pang of bitterness.

After a moment's pause, Qi Yun made his way over to Qin Buyi.

Arriving beside Qin Buyi, Lan Tianhe gaped at him, his expression asking, "What brings you here?"

With a blush on his weathered face, Qi Yun bowed slightly, "My congratulations to Qin on a triumphant Tribulation Crossing. Truly, the youth are to be feared."

"To incite a lightning tribulation at the Combination Stage is exceedingly rare."

Lan Tianhe sarcastically chimed in, "Not to mention, battling amidst a tribulation is even more unheard of."

Qi Yun offered a respectful bow to Qin Buyi, "I was rash before, Qin. Alas, the matter of Wanrou's mother... best left in the past."

Lan Wenhao played peacemaker, "Who knew Elder Qi had such amorous tales from his youth?"

Qin Buyi replied, "The past is behind us. Is there something you needed from me, Elder Qi?"

Qi Yun requested, "Could you return my Shu Mountain Sword, Qin? I'll trade you Spirit Stones for it."

Eager to avoid any misunderstanding, Qi Yun quickly added, "I'll trade with Spirit Stones."

"Agreed," Qin Buyi responded.

The Shu Mountain Sword held no purpose for Qin Buyi other than being converted into points at the System Mall.

Qi Yun's offer of Spirit Stones was just as good – it was all about the points.

Qin Buyi couldn't be bothered to haggle with Qi Yun any longer and decided to do him a kindness.

Qi Yun expressed his thanks with sincerity, "I'm grateful to you, Qin."

Qin Buyi dismissed the thanks with a wave of his hand and peered down at the throng of Blue Star cultivators gathered below. He turned to Lan Wenhao and inquired, "What's your plan for all these folks?"

Lan Wenhao was sharp enough to read between the lines; Qin Buyi's suggestion was a chance to elevate the Lan family's prestige on Blue Star. With a look of gratitude, Lan Wenhao proposed, "They've come for Mr. Qin. If it's alright with you, why not invite them to the Lan family's home to celebrate together?"

"I'll leave it to your discretion, Mr. Wenhao," Qin Buyi replied.

A surge of elation filled Lan Wenhao. The crowd below represented over ninety percent of Blue Star's cultivators. Welcoming them to the Lan family's abode, coupled with Qin Buyi's commanding presence, would send a powerful message that could significantly bolster the Lan family's renown.

Moreover, leveraging his close ties with Qin Buyi could greatly strengthen the Lan family's influence among Blue Star's cultivators.

Lan Wenhao's voice projected throughout the area, "Esteemed cultivators, today the Lan family honors Mr. Qin for his successful Tribulation Crossing with a feast in S City."

"Please join us if you would be so kind."

As Lan Wenhao extended the invitation, voices from the crowd responded enthusiastically:

"The Lan family is too gracious. We will certainly attend."

"Ha, with such a fine opportunity, how could we decline?"

"We may impose upon your hospitality, but we trust you'll forgive any inconveniences."

It was clear to any observer that their eagerness was largely due to the respect they held for Qin Buyi.

Lan Wenhao urged, "My friends, let's not delay any further. We shall depart now."

...

In S City, at the Lan Family Residence, the atmosphere was festive with red lanterns adorning every corner.

The courtyard was arrayed with tables and chairs crafted from millennium-old redwood. Maids bustled about, serving an endless array of exquisite dishes to the guests.

Lan family disciples were diligently working to keep the event running smoothly.

At the entrance, Lan Tianhe greeted the multitude of cultivators as they arrived, while inside, Lan Wenhao engaged in a leisurely conversation with Qin Buyi.

Lan Wenhao approached and said, "Mr. Qin, there's a matter I'd like to discuss with you."

Qin Buyi responded, "Please go ahead, Mr. Wenhao."

"Firstly, congratulations on securing the three great secret realms," Lan Wenhao began. "The issue I wish to discuss pertains to these realms."

Qin Buyi's eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

Lan Wenhao quickly clarified, "Please don't get me wrong, Mr. Qin. The Lan family isn't coveting the secret realms. It's just that the spiritual energy on Blue Star is alarmingly weak, nearly depleted."

"The spiritual energy within the secret realms is much denser, several times that of Blue Star. Could you possibly allocate a section within the secret realms for the Lan family's younger generation to cultivate?"

Qin Buyi grasped Lan Wenhao's intent and chuckled. "I was expecting something more serious. Consider it done."

Relief washed over Lan Wenhao as he bowed respectfully. "I am deeply grateful to you, Mr. Qin."

Qin Buyi dismissed the thanks with a wave of his hand. "Think nothing of it. I owe you for your assistance in the past."

Their mutual understanding was evident in the exchange of smiles between Lan Wenhao and Qin Buyi, with no need for further words.

At that moment, a Lan family disciple burst in, announcing, "Patriarch, there's an elderly gentleman at the door asking to see you. He says his name is Qi Yun."

Lan Wenhao frowned slightly. "What does he want?"

After Qin Buyi's Tribulation Crossing, Lan Wenhao had extended an invitation to everyone to visit the Lan family, except for Qi Yun. The reason was twofold: Qi Yun had previously battled with Qin Buyi, and with the Lan family now allied with Qin Buyi, they had to be mindful of his feelings. Additionally, Lan Wenhao wanted to subtly show their united front against common foes to Qin Buyi.

Qin Buyi didn't need to ponder long to realize Qi Yun's likely motive: his Shu Mountain swords. "Let him in," he instructed.

The Lan family disciple hesitated, seeking confirmation from Lan Wenhao with an inquisitive glance.

"Didn't you hear Mr. Qin? Please, bring him in quickly."

Lan Wenhao shot the Lan family disciple a stern look and spoke with irritation.

The disciple scurried off to fetch the guest posthaste.

Turning to Qin Buyi, Lan Wenhao apologized, "The juniors in our family lack finesse. I hope you won't take offense, Mr. Qin."

Qin Buyi chuckled and replied, "Mr. Wenhao, I'm not one to sweat the small stuff."

Lan Wenhao then proposed, "I'd be honored if you would consider becoming the Grand Upper Elder of the Lan family. How does that sound to you?"

"You wouldn't have any daily responsibilities, nor would we impose any restrictions on you. It's merely a nominal role. My hope is that, should the Lan family ever face a dire crisis, you would lend us your aid."

After a moment's consideration, Qin Buyi accepted: "Agreed."

By offering Qin Buyi the title of Grand Upper Elder, Lan Wenhao sought to forge a deeper bond between him and the Lan family.

As they continued their conversation, the Lan family disciple returned with Qi Yun.

With a discreet glance from Lan Wenhao, the disciple knew to close the door and leave without further ado.

Without any preamble, Qi Yun presented a storage ring to Qin Buyi, saying, "Qin, these are my life's accumulations. I hope they might be sufficient to reclaim the ancestral swords of Shu Mountain."

Qin Buyi accepted the storage ring and probed it with his Divine Consciousness.

Inside, he found boxes of Spirit Stones meticulously stacked, totaling an impressive thirty million Low Grade Spirit Stones.