Chapter 1201: The Procurement Envoy

Chapter 1201: Provision Envoy

This iron needle differed from the one Xu Qing had left behind on Wanggu Continent.

First, in its form.

The iron needle on Wanggu Continent resembled a vajra scepter—quite unlike the original shape of Xu Qing’s earliest needle.

But this one was precisely as it had been at the very beginning: slender and long, its tip razor-sharp.

Yet in terms of sheer power, neither could clearly claim superiority. After all, the former needle had undergone multiple refinements—especially with Seventh Master’s personal intervention—and even possessed a spirit core. It brimmed with formidable abilities, though Xu Qing’s cultivation at the time had been too weak to unleash them fully.

But as for suitability… this current needle was undeniably more fitting for Xu Qing to manifest his own Xian.

For now, Xu Qing’s true strength lay in his Xian—and this needle, infused with his Xian essence, was the perfect Xian-treasure for him. It could accompany his Xian into the layered cosmos, traverse countless timelines, and resonate with him!

Crucially, its tangible existence meant that during resonance, not only did its power surge dramatically, but it could also interchange with Xu Qing, granting him far greater versatility in how he manifested his Xian.

Moreover, because it contained particles of Heavenly Principle Dust, its ontological weight was immense—so much so that even quasi-immortals held it in awe.

Thus, this iron needle could rightly be called the mightiest Xian-artifact currently in Xu Qing’s possession!

And no one else could wield it!

Merely touching it would trap a person within spacetime—as if the needle itself carried its own realm of endless suffering.

Even forcibly suppressing it would require the power of a true Immortal.

“This treasure is quite impressive,” the old man in crimson robes seated by the firepit murmured, gazing at the needle he had forged and enriched with rare materials. Deep within, he felt genuine satisfaction toward this creation.

With a casual wave of his hand, the needle hummed softly, lifted from the firepit, and shot straight toward Xu Qing.

It halted before him, hovering motionless.

Xu Qing’s heart surged. He reached out and grasped the needle firmly.

Instantly, the familiar sensation of wielding his old needles flooded his palm. As his mind connected with it, the kaleidoscopic spacetime woven within the needle slowly faded away.

It melted into his palm, concealed within his Xian-spacetime, resonating and nurturing itself constantly.

After sensing it thoroughly, Xu Qing was deeply pleased. He bowed respectfully toward the crimson-robed elder by the firepit.

“Many thanks, Senior. May I ask your honored name? This kindness, I shall never forget.”

His gratitude toward this quasi-immortal elder was utterly sincere. Not only had the elder accommodated him by repairing his Star Tower, but had also crafted for him such an extraordinary treasure—going so far as to contribute materials of his own during its forging.

Each gesture, Xu Qing understood clearly, was profound grace.

“No need for such formality—it was yours by right. You may call me Lord Jiusi.”

At this, the crimson-robed elder atop the firepit smiled faintly and added, “I am Second Senior Brother to Linshan.”

Xu Qing blinked, then comprehension dawned.

All quasi-immortals were addressed as “Lord.”

But the title “True Lord” was reserved exclusively for disciples of Immortal Sovereigns.

Thus, Xu Qing now grasped the elder’s standing.

And Zhou Linshan—was Lady Linghuang’s true name!

“Youngest Junior Sister once sent word to us senior brothers, asking that we look after you well.”

“So should you ever need anything in the future, come find me in the Daolian Cosmos.”

“Go now.”

Lord Jiusi’s gentle voice echoed as he waved his hand lightly. The surroundings blurred instantly. When clarity returned to Xu Qing’s vision, he was no longer inside the Daolian Furnace—but standing upon a vast Void Belt.

Though many cultivators thronged here, this belt differed from the previous one: all present had completed their artifact forging and were preparing to depart.

Standing there, Xu Qing turned back to gaze distantly at the Daolian Furnace.

He bowed once more.

Within his heart stirred quiet emotion.

His journey to Aurora Immortal Palace had rekindled the severed bond between the Aurora Young Lord and Lady Linghuang. The lingering fragrance of those moments now slowly diffused throughout the Nine-Shore Heaven.

“I wonder… where they are now…”

Scenes from the Aurora Immortal Palace replayed in Xu Qing’s mind. Carrying blessings for them both, he turned and began walking along the Void Belt, ready to leave.

He had originally allocated ample time for this expedition—but its unexpected smoothness had saved him far more than anticipated.

“Then next… I shall visit the Perseus Tombs!”

Resolved, Xu Qing reached for the Perseus Spirit’s teleportation jade slip—when suddenly, a familiar voice drifted into his awareness from afar.

Hearing it, Xu Qing’s brows lifted. Instead of teleporting away immediately, he flew toward the source of the sound.

The voices continued, growing increasingly heated.

“How dare you push us so far! Do you truly think we brothers are made of clay?!”

“Exactly! To humiliate us is to insult every ascender of this generation—to insult our master, Sword Immortal Lanfu—to insult our entire Sword Immortal Sect!”

The speakers were none other than the twin sword cultivators Qianjun Biyi!

“Therefore…” they growled lowly, “as long as the sword exists, we live!”

Their faces burned with fury, their voices ringing with righteous indignation. They invoked every possible connection they could muster, standing defiantly against the three who blocked their path!

Those three wore identical attire—long gray robes stitched with a hundred pockets. Literally “hundred-pocket” robes: each pouch seemed to contain its own spatial dimension, far from ordinary.

Faint wisps of death-aura clung to them—not emanating from within, but residue from external exposure.

Though their appearances differed, a certain quality united them: a feral, jackal-like demeanor, their greed and malice so ingrained as to seem instinctive.

As for cultivation—two stood at the peak of Dominator realm, while the central figure had already reached Quasi-Immortal status.

Facing Qianjun Biyi’s fierce declarations, the trio merely grinned, utterly unconcerned.

The Quasi-Immortal among them raised his little finger, cleaned his ear with it, blew lightly at his palm, and chuckled.

“Of course I know you’re this generation’s ascenders—but then again… weren’t we all ascenders once? We’re just from earlier generations.”

“And besides, once outside, though every sect within Xian Du has its own connections… but who doesn’t have connections?”

“Moreover, we were merely discussing with you the possibility of purchasing your swords. If you refuse to sell, so be it—we never insisted.”

“However… our duties grant us the authority to conscript.”

“If we conscript the two of you and you refuse to cooperate, then there’s nothing more to be done.”

The middle-aged quasi-immortal shook his head.

Qianjun Biyi’s expression grew even grimmer at these words.

Numerous cultivators nearby had been watching the scene, and now they murmured among themselves.

“Judging by their attire, those three must be those greedy Provisioners!”

“Hmph! Those Provisioners are nothing but mangy curs, plundering across countless universes under the pretense of gathering supplies for the battlefield—everyone despises them on sight!”

“Especially these Provisioner squads: each group numbers at least dozens, sometimes hundreds, all colluding together yet fiercely loyal to one another. Ordinary cultivators dare not provoke them.”

“Isn’t that exactly what’s happening today? These three mongrels have set their eyes on those brothers’ immortal swords. When the sale fell through, they noticed the pair were newly ascended—and now they plan to conscript them into their ranks.”

“If they’re truly conscripted, their lives won’t be deliberately endangered—but their immortal swords will surely be lost.”

Whispers rippled through the crowd, yet clearly restrained by fear of the Provisioners’ notorious reputation; no one intervened, all merely observing.

Qianjun Biyi, meanwhile, burned with inner anxiety. Having just arrived, they hadn’t yet located their fellow disciples who’d ascended before them. They also understood that leaving Nine-Shore Heaven was like stepping from a river into the boundless ocean.

The Fifth Star Ring had always permitted competition.

Thus, if they lacked strength, losing their immortal swords would simply be the natural order of survival—the strong preying upon the weak.

This realization only intensified their desperation.

Just as tensions reached their peak and conflict seemed inevitable… Xu Qing, hidden within the distant crowd, cast a long glance toward the scene, silently weighing whether to offer aid.

After all, those two swords nominally belonged to him.

But before Xu Qing could decide, a blazing arc of light roared through the sky with overwhelming force.

Within the radiance stood a figure clad in black robes, his raven hair flowing, his expression icy cold. Quasi-immortal aura radiated from his entire being, and faintly shimmering around him were chains of cosmic law.

All eyes turned toward him as he passed.

It was none other than Xinghuanzi.

His destination lay elsewhere—he certainly wasn’t here to rescue anyone—but merely happened to be passing by after finishing the refinement of a magical artifact.

Yet the sheer, unrestrained might of his presence instantly lit up Qianjun Biyi’s eyes. Without hesitation, the pair shot forward, crying out:

“We pay homage to Senior Brother!”

“Senior Brother, save us!!”

Though from the same generation, calling him “Senior Brother” was still somewhat acceptable.

Desperate and frantic, Qianjun Biyi immediately performed a deep bow upon drawing near—so much so that Xinghuanzi halted midair, frowning slightly.

He hadn’t paid attention to this affair until now. A single sweeping glance revealed the gist of the situation. He’d originally intended to ignore it entirely—but Qianjun Biyi had already darted behind him.

To simply leave now would make him appear cowardly.

Thus, despite his inner irritation, Xinghuanzi fixed a cold gaze upon the three Hundred-Pouch cultivators who’d been pursuing Qianjun Biyi. His quasi-immortal pressure surged forth in an instant.

The trio froze in their tracks. The two Peak Sovereigns among them grew visibly tense, while the central quasi-immortal narrowed his eyes.

None dared advance further.

Seeing this, Xinghuanzi withdrew his gaze and continued onward.

Qianjun Biyi exhaled in relief and hurried after him.

Thus, the three figures gradually receded into the distance.

Onlookers watched with glints of astonishment in their eyes.

The three Provisioners, meanwhile, stared after Xinghuanzi’s retreating form. Suddenly, the quasi-immortal among them spoke:

“The foremost cultivator of this world’s ascended batch… surely isn’t this man!”

“It seems we underestimated this generation. This one is no ordinary figure. Go—find out who he is!”