In truth, he wasn’t interested in studying Alchemy. After all, with his Heart of the Alchemist, if he claimed to be second among Tier Two Alchemists, no one would dare claim to be first.

But that didn’t stop him from wanting to learn the pill formulas available in Hezhou.

Afterward, the three of them took turns recounting what they had seen and heard during their time in Hezhou.

Xiao Chen listened patiently for four hours, taking note of every piece of potentially useful information.

In the middle of their conversation, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Immediately after, Steward Chen knocked on the study door. It turned out that two Cultivators from the first batch of reinforcements to Hezhou had returned to the Sect on leave.

One of them was from the Song Family, and the other was Elder Chai of Blazing Fire Peak.

The two had already gone to the Sect’s main hall, and Mei Yong had also sent someone to invite the others over to hear firsthand accounts of Hezhou from their own people.

Xiao Chen accompanied the members of the Chen Family to the Sect’s main hall.

As soon as he entered, he saw Elder Chai, his face beaming with a wide smile. He was glowing with health and looked exceptionally spirited.

In his hands, he held a seven-foot-long Red Tassel Spear. Its pointed tip was currently burning with Spiritual Fire, emitting waves of heat.

Judging from the oppressive aura emanating from the Spiritual Fire, even if it wasn’t a Top Grade Magical Artifact, it was very close.

This was naturally a reward Elder Chai had acquired in Hezhou.

Soon, everyone learned that in a previous battle, Elder Chai had slain three Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators in a row.

This Red Tassel Spear was a special reward bestowed upon him by the Lingyuan Sect; it hadn’t cost him any of his points.

It was an Upper Grade Magical Artifact, but in the hands of a Cultivator with a Fire Spirit Root, it was no weaker than an ordinary Top Grade Magical Artifact.

Hearing this, everyone was filled with envy.

"It seems the Lingyuan Sect is truly generous to offer extra rewards like this."

"Congratulations, Chai. This Magical Artifact is a perfect match for your Cultivation Technique. You might not find one so perfectly suited even if you were willing to spend ten thousand Spirit Stones."

"To think they even have such uncommon weapons. Hezhou is truly a land of riches."

Afterward, Elder Chai also helped by giving an update on the situation of the other Cultivators.

He had also brought back letters and items from other Cultivators on his trip, and he took this opportunity to deliver them.

"This is a Foundation Establishment Pill that Qi Ningyan asked me to bring back. Could I trouble you, Feng, to deliver it to her disciple, Shen Siyue?"

Qi Ningyan was Elder Qi.

After she left for Hezhou, Bishui Peak was temporarily managed by another Honored Guest Elder by the name of Feng.

It was unexpected that even after going to Hezhou, she was still so concerned about her head disciple, Shen Siyue.

"This is a Stabilizing Pill that Huang Haoran asked me to bring back. He said he borrowed a Spirit Pill from Qian before he left, and this is to repay the debt."

It sounded like Huang Haoran was doing fine, and it seemed he had also made some decent gains.

...

Overall, despite a few isolated casualties, the vast majority of Cultivators who went to reinforce Hezhou had obtained quite bountiful spoils of war in just a few short months.

The items brought back, in particular, stirred the hearts of everyone present.

Seeing all those treasures on the exchange list was one thing,

but seeing them with your own eyes was another matter entirely.

Somehow, in the two days that followed, this news spread throughout all of Li State until it was common knowledge.

And so, over the next few days, Xiao Chen noticed a large-scale mobilization of personnel within the Sect.

The clan elders of the Five Great Clans almost all stepped forward, preparing to head to Hezhou to fight for their families’ futures.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the various smaller families outside the Sect also became exceptionally active.

Even many top-tier Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had long since gone into seclusion or closed-door cultivation reappeared.

Some of them had originally been skeptical that the Lingyuan Sect would truly offer so many Spiritual Objects, while others had only just received news from their friends.

But now, they were all preparing to go to Hezhou.

Some of the faster-moving ones had already set out in advance.

Xiao Chen heard that a Loose Cultivator had seen Li State’s Young Chess Saint, Hei Bai Zi, heading east into the rocky desert.

Over the next few days, more news trickled in one after another.

"Did you hear? The Hongfeng Twin Swords have also gone to Hezhou."

"Someone saw Elder Tie Xin in Shattered Stone Valley. They said he bought twenty bottles of Fasting Pills and a jug of Volcano Ant Wine."

"Even Lone Sword Willow Wind has come out of seclusion!"

"Latest news! All of the Ten Heroes of Li State are on the move."

...