In this Floating City, Zong Shou stayed for approximately three more days. The momentum behind the sell-off of low-grade elixirs was even stronger than he had anticipated, driving the price down to around twenty-four times the original value before the momentum slightly slowed two days later. This drop exceeded the decline from his previous life by nearly eight times.

At this point, everyone in the Floating City looked at Zong Shou with eyes shining red. Their gazes seemed fixed on a gold mine, filled with a mixture of greed and envy, yet not a single person dared to show the slightest contempt anymore.

Over these past few days, the majority of resources had plummeted in value. Only those low-grade elixirs had not fallen; instead, their prices were skyrocketing.

A rough estimation showed that Zong Shou had acquired over a hundred seventh-tier Beast Cores and equivalent materials to purchase them. If he were to exchange the elixirs back for Beast Cores now, the difference in price compared to a few days prior was nearly seventy-fold!

It was even foreseeable that these low-grade elixirs would surge dramatically in value in the coming years.

Yet, Zong Shou hesitated for no reason. On the third day, he offloaded the vast majority of the low-grade spirit elixirs to the Sanlu Bank and the pawnshop established by the Taiyuan Sect, selling them at a price two-tenths lower than the market rate.

The manager of the Taiyuan Pawnshop accepted the goods without hesitation.

He smiled warmly at Zong Shou, his eyes holding a profound meaning.

However, the old steward of the Sanlu Bank sighed faintly, "The actions of the Young Lord are truly admirable. Do you realize that with proper maneuvering over the next few years, these low-grade elixirs could easily increase their value five or even ten times over?"

Zong Shou offered no reply, musing that achieving such a price depended heavily on who was operating and what force was behind them. Even if he could manage it, he needed to be alive to spend the profits.

The old steward seemed to understand the unsaid answer, his expression unusually serene. "By gifting away these elixirs, you are essentially gifting us several thousand seventh-tier Beast Cores. What do you require from us in return?"

Hearing this, Zong Shou remained silent, merely rolling his eyes. He thought to himself that this man was far less decisive and straightforward than the one from the Taiyuan Sect. The old steward then offered a bitter smile. "Those lunatics from the Taiyuan Sect could fight the entire Cloud Realm without blinking. We, the Five Absolutes Villa, do not possess that kind of nerve. Very well, the Five Absolutes Villa will handle this matter on the Young Lord's behalf. Over ten thousand seventh-tier Beast Cores—we truly cannot bear to turn them away. However, while we can restrain those reclusive sects, dealing with forces below the Celestial rank will still depend on you. By the way, Young Lord, I know a reliable Spirit Master at the Rebirth Realm. Would you like an introduction?"

Only then did Zong Shou smile; reliable protection was exactly what he needed.

Barely half an hour later, Zong Shou walked out of the bank with satisfaction. Despite him engaging in what appeared to be a losing business deal today, Hu Zhongyuan and Tan Tao had surprisingly not made any further comments. As for the latter, the way he looked at Zong Shou had grown increasingly complex. When action was required, he never hesitated; when it was time to let go, he was equally resolute. This Young Lord was becoming increasingly inscrutable to him.

Although those elixirs were sold cheaply, Zong Shou's wealth had instantly ballooned from just over a hundred seventh-tier Beast Cores to seven thousand.

And just as Zong Shou stepped out of the bank, he saw on the light screen that the price of Beast Cores had dropped another tenth.

"These Sacred Land sects, their methods are truly ruthless. I admire them, I truly admire them!"

After uttering this cryptic remark, Zong Shou began preparations to depart. Hu Zhongyuan did not understand, but Tan Tao smiled faintly. Since the decline could not be stopped, they might as well crush the price completely and then buy back at a lower cost later to still profit. While the Beast Cores might not be worth much now, once the human martial cultivators and spirit masters in the realm increased with the spiritual tide, the prices would inevitably rebound to some degree. This could be considered an enormous profit. Zong Shou was certainly not wrong in calling the Sacred Land sects ruthless.

The last day in the Floating City was spent on a frenzy of purchasing. By the time Zong Shou left, the number of Cloud-Flipping Vehicles had tripled, and he was accompanied by two new individuals—a man named Li Luo and a woman named Shi Dan, both in their forties or fifties. The latter was the Rebirth Realm Spirit Master introduced by the old steward, who had already condensed eight True Talismans. The former was personally delivered by an elder from the Taiyuan Sect; he was a Black Tortoise Grandmaster at the Earth Wheel Seventh Meridian, the same rank as Tan Tao.

However, when this man arrived, Zong Shou regarded him with notable surprise. While this man might not match Hu Qianqiu and was somewhat inferior to Zhu Junhou, his combat strength allowed him to fight above his rank, challenging the Eighth Meridian!

Neither of the newcomers wished to exchange many words with Zong Shou and his group; they were merely entrusted to escort him to Mount Qiantian. They offered only a brief, perfunctory bow before standing silently by, like statues carved from wood.

Zong Shou himself paid them no mind. After purchasing a massive quantity of goods, he departed the Floating City.

Zong Shou ultimately did not agree to Tan Tao's suggestion to mobilize more troops from Xuan Mountain City. However, he did leave behind the three thousand cavalry that had accompanied him.

Five hundred Iron Tiger Great Halberdiers, one thousand Black Armor Wind Dragon Riders, plus three thousand regular cavalry—totaling four thousand five hundred men, accompanied by over a thousand Cloud-Flipping Vehicles—plunged mightily into the Ruohai Mountain Range.

On the third day, several Red Swift Birds, like balls of fire, streaked in from a distance, landing before Tan Tao. Each had a small golden sleeve wrapped around its leg.

Tan Tao casually took out the scroll inside, but without even glancing at it, he passed it through Zong Shou’s carriage window.

After opening it, Zong Shou gasped sharply, then pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling a splitting headache. "I only managed to earn them a bit of money, and I only sold over three hundred seventh-tier Beast Cores for their elixirs. How could it be this exaggerated?"

Tan Tao then took the scroll back. As his gaze swept over the number on it—a figure approaching seven digits—his body trembled slightly, followed by a wry smile. Over three hundred seventh-tier Beast Cores—this was equivalent to having severely fleeced these two major powers. How could they possibly not harbor hatred?

After a moment's contemplation, Tan Tao calmed down. "Young Lord, if my estimation is correct, the two cities of Cloud-Scar Mountain and Blazing Flame Mountain must have set their sights on the spirit stone mines within the Ruohai Mountain Range. How about we retreat temporarily back to Xuan Mountain City?"

Hu Zhongyuan initially frowned, showing some displeasure. But when the scroll was in his hand, his stance immediately solidified: it was best to retreat quickly.

All four exits were guarded by armies numbering over two hundred thousand. This was sheer madness; heading toward any of those directions would be tantamount to suicide. Zong Shou stared into the distance in thought. After a long while, he turned back. "I heard that my father, in his early years, led a thousand iron cavalry across the Cloud Continent, never once showing fear regardless of the enemy's strength. Mount Qiantian is the same; there have only ever been men of Qiantian who died fighting, never one who retreated a single step, even until the last man fell. Are all the people of Xuan Mountain City like this, running away and changing course the moment the enemy appears stronger?"

The surrounding knights were mostly the Black Armor Wind Dragon Riders from Xuan Mountain City. Upon hearing this, they all let out muffled snorts, their expressions furious, glaring directly at him. Tan Tao also clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the rising anger in his chest. To charge forward when he knew the opponent was unbeatable was not bravery, but recklessness!

He intended to offer more counsel, but upon seeing the faint, mocking look in Zong Shou's eyes, Tan Tao ultimately held back, his expression turning cold. "Then we shall follow the Young City Lord's decision! May I ask which route the Young City Lord intends to take? The Cloud Fold Pass is flat and often misty, but the entrance is narrow. The Hengjing Plain is vast, but it is blocked by a great river—"

Before he could finish, Zong Shou smiled. "No need to choose; we will take the Ruohai Strait. The very strait that once trapped our forty thousand strong army of Xuan Mountain City."

Tan Tao's teeth ground together; he vaguely heard a crisp 'crack' sound as if his jaw was breaking. After a long moment, he managed to speak again with difficulty. "Young Lord, do you know what you are saying? Although the Ruohai Strait is wide and ideal for the valor of cavalry, and it is the closest route to Mount Qiantian, however—"

"However, it is also the only place where we can fully deploy our armies! The other three routes can accommodate a maximum of two hundred thousand men, whereas this Ruohai Strait can accommodate three hundred thousand, possibly even over four hundred thousand. Moreover, if the rear is blocked, there will be no escape."

Before Tan Tao could finish, Zong Shou directly interrupted, causing Tan Tao's expression to shift to one of slight surprise, then he shook his head faintly. "Tan Tao, you only see that the enemy is formidable, but do you also understand the struggle between martial might, military power, and national fate? We cannot yield at this juncture. Xuan Mountain City is surrounded by enemies; how many forces can they really muster?"

Tan Tao frowned, clearly not fully grasping the meaning. Zong Shou didn't bother explaining further, merely stating lightly, "Forget it; I won't explain it to you now. You will understand in the future. In short, we cannot lose our spirit in this battle! What if they have four hundred thousand troops? We will carve a path right through their strongest point. Since cultivating martial arts, the sword in my hand has never known retreat. The battlefield must be the same!"

Tan Tao’s pupils constricted sharply, and he glanced at Zong Shou with surprise. After a slight bow, he said no more. Li Luo and Shi Dan also showed slight astonishment, but after exchanging a glance, they too remained silent.

Upon receiving the message carried by the Red Swift Birds, the speed of these four thousand five hundred riders and over ten thousand warhorses and beasts did not slow down; under Zong Shou’s urging, their pace increased by several points.

Two days later, they reached the location called the Ruohai Strait, a gorge on the eastern side of the Ruohai Mountain Range, surrounded by peaks.

The first thing Zong Shou did was climb a vantage point with Tan Tao for several days of observation. Although they were still several hundred li away, Zong Shou now had a Rebirth Realm Spirit Master by his side.

A Dao technique was cast, and a thin, transparent water mirror materialized before them. Spiritual patterns flickered within, occasionally rippling, allowing them to see hundreds of li away.

"Good heavens, they actually reached forty thousand!"

Hu Zhongyuan couldn't help but gulp, a trace of shock lingering in his eyes.

In the gorge two hundred and eighty li distant, there were indeed layers upon layers of military camps, occupying an area spanning dozens of li—a truly spectacular sight.

Zong Shou focused more intently on the bursts of imposing aura rising from the barracks, counting nearly a thousand. Among them, there were six whose power level was comparable to Tan Tao's.

"Six Black Tortoise Grandmasters, two Rebirth Realm Spirit Masters. This battle will be truly difficult. Right, and those two..."

Recalling Feng Yuxiongkui, who, though not a Black Tortoise Master, possessed Black Tortoise combat strength—Zong Shou's lips twitched slightly. He knew the opponent was strong, but to this extent, even he had little confidence in achieving a breakthrough.

"It seems I can only risk it all. I just hope he doesn't disappoint me..."

Just as he was contemplating this, Zong Shou suddenly let out an 'Oh' and looked behind him. In that split second, countless streams of cold light flew towards them!