Pathway

"The price could have been more. Although, the concentration of the condensed spiritual energy in the stone is higher than the thousand pure grades combined, the face value is equivalent. Because, the spirit crystals contained traces of water element, assuming it was neutral it would have cost much more. I think it must have been created where there was too much water and the likes. But, it is still quite a fortune, it's good enough to cover any loss of value."

"One to hundred pure grades? It would have been better to be higher but that's still fine by me, senior alchemist Luo Peng. We can go ahead and the proceedings will be shared equally as discussed."

"One more thing Ju Feng, there's a request in advance for four total grade spirit stones, four of any kind in total. The potential buyer will also give some extras on the deal. There are people who want to buy it, if you have more we could easily dispose it off. You just need to let me know, okay?"

"Okay senior alchemist Luo Peng. I'll inform you if I have more. For now, these are the remaining three crystals."

He gave alchemist master Luo Peng three more blue crystals and left the marketplace. He knew that Senior Luo Peng would do his best to be honest due to the fact that he didn't know how much crystals he, Ju Feng, had. He didn't even know who was giving Ju Feng, maybe it was an hegemon. Who would risk anything like that?

Since the day was still a long way from dusk, he made a resolve to go for a little practice. He still needed to master the second stage of the swift spine technique and he only knew the first phase of the Skylight Technique, the Sundering Heavens. He simply had to keep practicing.

And just as he was getting to the Zhanshi training area.

"Ju Feng?"

Chenric who was at the other side of the training area, quickly moved to where Ju Feng was.

"Ju Feng, we've been looking for you. Where were you? Meditating?"

Meditating in seclusion? Ju Feng's mind suddenly went to the past events on Charat's planet and to the Savants of the Flying Stars sect who wanted to put him in solitary solitude. Solitary Solitude they called it, for him to reflect on his wrongdoings and seek redemption of his heart. Or was it his soul? Yes, they found him in a restricted area but they gave him three wrongdoings he didn't committed in the first place. How could he have proved otherwise since he was caught in the place? Well, fair enough.

"Hey Chenric, uhm, about that, let's say i was in solitary solitude. You know, secluded meditation and stuff like that."

"Yes we know, but at least you could have informed us about it beforehand instead of us looking for you everywhere."

Da Xia, who had caught up to them, uttered in a little displeased tone.

"Sorry about that, it only escaped my mind. Next time, I promise to tell you."

Ju Feng with a bit of remorse in his voice, looked at the two siblings apologetically.

"We want to show you something, come with us."

They took him to a quiet area, away from the eyes of others and after looking around for some time concluded it was a good place. Then, Chenric took out a small wooden box painted in red. Inside the box were a journal, a map and a big red Jasper ring.

"I must say, it's a beautiful ring."

"It's not the ring you needed to see, it's the journal."

Da Xia rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head.

"Yes, the journal. What about it?"

"The journal belonged to our grandfather, grandpa Ye Tian. We have red it and it was about a place our grandfather came across. He wrote that it was a place he found by chance when he was looking for the Heavenly Jade spirit fruit."

Chenric removed the journal from the box and offered it Ju Feng.

"Read it and you will see what I'm talking about."

"Maybe you can quickly go through it, we'll wait while you do."

Da Xia added.

Ju Feng quickly opened it and started to read.

".... I left JinJin village and entered the plain of Ivory Yonder. I was looking for the Jade Dragon spirit fruit when I came across the place. The Jade Dragon spirit fruit was the only thing in existence that could totally amend a cracked soul if three was eaten. One Jade Dragon could add ten million years to that of any cultivator, with cracked soul or not ....

I had on my finger, the red ring I had bought by chance from an antique dealer with most of my fortune. The ring the dealer had told me would locate the place where the spirit fruit was. Nearing the place, the ring I had on me started to glow bright red, it resonated with the gates of the place which appeared right in front of me. This gate, I didn't notice there before, it wasn't there.

There was no problem in me entering the yard where i saw a statue of what looked like a ruler. Upon checking closely, I realized I must have found the recreational forsaken palace of the ancient Jade Emperor, Wan Bao. It was the secret palace of Jade emperor Wan Bao, the place where he would sometime relax and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

The huge outer garden was filled with fruits and plants. My soul was overjoyed beyond words with this discovery. I patiently checked the garden to see if I could find the Jade Dragon spirit fruit, but I couldn't. I found many other spirit fruits, some I didn't even know about but later found out.

I took many but my aim was the Jade Dragon spirit fruit. It could only be inside the closed palace, I tried but couldn't enter the palace at that time. I left the place and marked the spot down for future references. I will be going back later when I become much stronger than I was.

My evanesce core had been damaged when I was attacked by Headman Deng Bai, of the Wonsong village due to a dispute between me and his brother He Bai.

Without the spirit fruit, I will surely die if I face the heavenly tribulations.....

....I'm going back inside the palace yard now to see if I can enter the palace or not. Until then..."

Ju Feng was captivated after reading the journal and curious at the same time. It was a true journal of a true cultivator who wanted to survive and lived. He could only give his respect right then. But how did they come by something like this?

"Heaven's tears, how did you get hold of this precious box? I know it belonged to your grandfather but I guess he wouldn't just give this to you."

"Yes you are right. He didn't give it to us, I found it in the place he was hiding it. There was a day I was hiding behind the tree when I saw him hiding something in a place close to it by chance but couldn't check what it was. For the trouble it would have brought me. But after he died, I checked the place and found this box."

Chenric looked at his sister who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Anyway, we have already located the Ivory Yonder and the plain is not too far from here. We are planning on finding the palace next week during the sect's luminary week and we are thinking maybe you will like to join us. So, what do you think?"

"Of course, I'm in. How can I let you enjoy the adventure without me?"

"Perfect. And we've already informed Yingjie. He is coming too."

"Good. Shall we, then. There's so much I need to learn."

Ju Feng with a smile gestured towards the training ground as he used his flash step to move towards an empty section of the area followed by Chenric and Da Xia.