Xiao Fei glanced at the Phoenix clan's secret technique with disdain and tossed it back.
"You call this a secret technique? In this lower realm, there's no immortal energy. How can you cultivate?"
"The three of you tell me, what do you want to trade for this useless thing?"
The three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses, having cultivated for tens of thousands of years, possessed thick skins.
Upon hearing Xiao Fei belittle their secret technique as worthless, the three remained unfazed.
"We wish to exchange for a secret method that allows you to act freely without attracting heavenly tribulations."
Xiao Fei mused that they were indeed discerning. However, they were unaware that his secret technique also required materials from Earth Immortals.
Obtaining materials from Earth Immortals was, in fact, even more difficult than the Heavenly Phoenix clan's immortal ascension secret technique.
"Since the esteemed Daoist friends of the Heavenly Phoenix clan are so sincere, I shall take a slight loss and exchange with you."
He immediately copied a brief description of talisman refinement onto a jade slip and handed it to them for examination.
The three were surprised by Xiao Fei's accommodating nature and trembled with excitement. They quickly accepted the jade slip, their divine senses simultaneously surging into it with impatience.
After reading it, their emotions swung wildly between ecstasy and agony, unable to extricate themselves.
"Fellow Daoist, this talisman of yours is indeed a precious item, but the refining materials require the skin of an Earth Immortal, as well as their vital blood. This is far too difficult. How can we possibly find such things?"
In the lower realm, encountering an Earth Immortal was exceedingly rare.
To then obtain their skin and vital blood was akin to a fool's dream.
"The path of cultivation is inherently fraught with difficulties and perils. Three Daoist friends need not fear; you must bravely advance and face the challenges head-on.
See, I have already refined several talismans."
It was now Xiao Fei's turn to console and encourage the three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses with the same words.
The three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses whispered amongst themselves for a long time, finally deciding to trade with Xiao Fei.
After all, both sides possessed rather uninspiring secret techniques. A chicken rib for a chicken rib, neither party lost anything.
Who knew if luck might strike in the future and they might find the materials?
After deliberation, both parties completed the transaction amicably.
Xiao Fei pocketed the Heavenly Phoenix clan's immortal ascension secret technique and then produced another talisman.
"When I was refining talismans last time, I accidentally made an extra one. It's of no use to me now."
Upon seeing this talisman, the eyes of the three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses gleamed with avarice.
If they hadn't been outmatched, they would have pounced to seize it.
"How does Fellow Daoist wish to trade?"
"What do you think of Heavenly Phoenix City?"
The remaining one, who remained silent and appeared somewhat dull-witted and honest, directly transmitted his thoughts to Xiao Fei.
"If Fellow Daoist desires their lives, that is also possible."
Seeing their reactions, Xiao Fei knew how to set his price.
"I feel an instant kinship with the three of you, so I intend to sell this talisman at a friendly price."
The three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses had no faith in the notion of a "friendly price." Any treasure like this was considered a rare commodity by anyone who possessed it.
"How much does Fellow Daoist intend to sell it for?"
"It is a friendly price, as I said. You only need to purchase it with all of the Heavenly Phoenix clan's spirit stones."
"Really?"
The Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses still found it hard to believe. For powerhouses at their level, spirit stones were long irrelevant.
"Of course, it's true."
"Excellent! Fellow Daoist, please accompany me. All the external possessions like spirit stones are hidden in the eighth level."
It turned out Xiao Fei had misunderstood. He thought the ninth level of Heavenly Phoenix City would contain supreme treasures, but in reality, it was primarily the secluded cultivation place for the Heavenly Phoenix clan's successive Great Ascension ancestors.
"Please wait a moment, the three of you. I need to tidy up here first."
As Xiao Fei spoke, he unceremoniously collected the items within the treasury into his spatial dimension.
The three from the Heavenly Phoenix clan could only grit their teeth and wait for Xiao Fei to finish his looting before leading him down to the eighth level.
The appearance of three Great Ascension ancestors who had been in seclusion for a long time sent the entire Heavenly Phoenix clan into a state of panic.
"Open the spirit stone treasury."
Under the ancestors' command, the Heavenly Phoenix clan members dared not disobey and opened all the treasury formations where spirit stones were stored.
"Fellow Daoist, please come in."
Xiao Fei entered the treasury. Indeed, it was filled with spirit stones collected by the Heavenly Phoenix clan. He naturally did not stand on ceremony and took them all. The sheer quantity delighted Xiao Fei.
"Three Daoist friends, you are not being entirely honest! I said all of the Heavenly Phoenix clan's spirit stones."
However, Xiao Fei was still not entirely satisfied. He felt he had sold it too cheaply and wanted to squeeze out a few more spirit stones.
Spirit stones, after all, could always be found with a little pressure and squeezing.
"Fellow Daoist, all of the Heavenly Phoenix clan's spirit stones are stored here!"
Another Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouse slapped his forehead and quickly instructed the clan members to hand over the spirit stones from their storage bags.
If an outsider were to rob them, they might have banded together to resist.
But now, with the ancestors personally issuing commands, they could only obediently hand over their spirit stones.
Xiao Fei collected another large sum of spirit stones, feeling pleased. He finally produced the talisman.
At this moment, the three Heavenly Phoenix clan powerhouses simultaneously extended their hands to receive it. Xiao Fei casually placed it in one of their hands and, accompanied by a fish and a dog, turned to leave.
He believed that after his departure, another fierce struggle would ensue, but that was no longer his concern.
After leaving Heavenly Phoenix City, Xiao Fei found a place and entered secluded cultivation for half a year.
He then entered his spatial dimension to study the immortal ascension secret technique.
After carefully perusing it several times, he had gained some understanding of this secret art.
It was a cultivation method, but it required absorbing immortal energy to cultivate. He surmised that it might have originated from the Celestial Realm.
In fact, he had once heard Xiao Hei mention that in the Immortal Realm, the transition from Great Ascension to Earth Immortal did not require enduring such terrifying heavenly tribulations.
The heavenly laws of the lower realms were petty and stingy, guarding only their own small territories.
Once someone cultivated from Great Ascension to Earth Immortal, they were bound to ascend to the upper realm, taking a large amount of spiritual energy from this world.
If this continued for a long time, the spiritual energy of this world would become increasingly depleted, eventually turning into a barren wasteland.
Some worlds, like the Tian Yuan Realm, had produced too many powerhouses in the past, with a few escaping the net to successfully pass tribulations, become immortals, and ascend to the upper realm.
The accumulated spiritual energy of heaven and earth within every Great Ascension cultivator was immense. If it were taken away, it represented a significant loss for an entire world.
As the heavenly law of a world, its primary concern would naturally be to maintain the prosperity and flourishing of its own realm. What use would heavenly law have if the world itself became desolate?
Supplying talent to the Celestial Realm, or individual development, were none of its business.
Therefore, the heavenly laws of the lower realms acted as ruthlessly as possible, aiming to kill as many as they could.
The purpose of this cultivation method was to allow one to cultivate from Great Ascension to Earth Immortal realm without undergoing tribulations.
However, during the cultivation process, there was no guarantee that heavenly tribulations would not still find them.
Xiao Fei took out an immortal stone and attempted to cultivate with it. He found it indeed effective.
However, the cultivation speed was rather slow, which felt unaccustomed to him, who could break through by simply eating and sleeping.
He had previously obtained 56 immortal stones, but during his last advancement to Great Ascension, the Creation Jade Disk had absorbed all but three.
Some time ago, he had also used the Law of Gathering to artificially synthesize an immortal stone.
He now possessed four immortal stones, enough for him to cultivate for a period.