Yu Ci's voice was not loud, and it was certain that the departing Shen Wan could not have heard him. Only Wan Quan, who was by his side, heard him clearly.
Then, Wan Quan's gaze towards Yu Ci changed subtly. He lowered his face, choosing to see nothing and hear nothing.
Regardless of what Wan Quan thought, Yu Ci's words were not frivolous but a simple assessment. Previously, by using the Divine Chart, he could only see the Golden Elixir cultivator scatter a powder that resembled light smoke, which upon contact with clothing, would dissolve, its concealment properties exceptionally strong. Now, he wanted to trace the scent, but Shen Wan's body was perfumed with an exceptionally high-quality fragrance. Though it was ethereal and refined, it could mask other odors. Even with his keen sense of smell, Yu Ci found it quite challenging.
What was more peculiar was the person's actions; after tampering, they immediately fled into the distance. If it were some deadly poison, to administer it through clothing in such a casual manner was far from conventional; yet, if it were a tracking powder or the like, why flee so far after targeting Shen Wan?
As he pondered, Yu Ci sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Turning his head, there was no obvious movement in the crowd, but soon, Steward Wen, who had just been inside the house, rushed out in a flurry, his portly figure disappearing like a gust of wind. Wan Quan greeted him, but he did not even see.
Had something happened? Yu Ci was among the more perceptive ones. At this moment, the majority were still engrossed in the dazzling array of precious materials and magical instruments, utterly oblivious to the minor disturbance in this corner.
Instinctively, Yu Ci activated the Divine Chart, eager to understand where Steward Wen was headed. But as soon as his mind made contact, he saw a twisted haze of fog obscuring the central area, including where he stood.
A Vacuum Walking cultivator had arrived.
Yu Ci's brow furrowed slightly as he adjusted his perspective. With the Divine Chart spread out in the Inner Void of the Heart, the central area's color instantly darkened. Many nearby places could no longer shift perspectives, forcing observation from a single angle and inevitably creating many blind spots. It felt as if an invisible nail had pinned the Divine Chart in place, a testament to the influence of the Vacuum Walking cultivator!
Fortunately, as a key subject of attention, the area around Steward Wen regained some color, allowing Yu Ci to observe more clearly.
Steward Wen's current location was already outside the bounds of the Dustless Market Exhibition Hall and not within the Hundred Streams Market, revealing the vast expanse of the black market's territory. Suddenly, from Steward Wen's point of view, a group of people approached. Steward Wen jolted, quickening his pace to meet them, his erstwhile dignified composure scattering to the winds.
"Boss Fifth He..." Steward Wen could barely utter the title before his words failed him. Boss Fifth He was of average height, yet his frame was robust and powerful, his entire being seemed to be brimming with explosive strength. His features were rough-hewn, especially his eyes, which shone with a cold, emerald gleam, piercing enough to chill the soul. It was under the weight of that gaze that Steward Wen found himself unable to continue.
This man was a practitioner of the Vacuum Walking technique, not the most eye-catching in the room, however. It was the individual beside him who truly captured attention—an elderly man.
Given that cultivation could slow aging, and considering the harsh environments faced, it was quite a challenge to find someone truly aged within the Cultivation World. Even Yu Zhou, who was nearing the end of his lifespan, maintained a vitality in his body that allowed him to soar the skies and traverse the earth with ease.
If one were to speak of those whose bodies could no longer withstand the strain, Tu Du was such an individual. Yet, he had the self-awareness to travel as a Yin Spirit when his physical form neared decay, thus retaining the freedom of movement. The elder beside Boss Fifth He, however, had aged to an extraordinary degree.
He stood no taller than five feet, his face so creased with wrinkles that they could trap flies, and the skin peeking from his garments was as withered as rotting wood. Stooped over, he still wore a long, gray robe that dragged on the ground, making one wonder if he might trip over it if he walked too briskly.
Another unfortunate soul who could not break through the Stasis Stage, he must have been of high status, for Boss Fifth He regarded him with considerable importance, deliberately slowing his pace to match the old man's.
Yu Ci had once pondered this, but the Cultivation Level... ah, the Nature-Connecting Upper Stage?
Six individuals followed behind the two, all seemingly in subordinate roles, yet their strength was far from weak. Judging by the Divine Chart, they were at least Golden Elixir Cultivators, each one exuding a formidable aura.
Was this still the North Wilderness, the most desolate and backward region of the Cultivation World? Yu Ci had spent two days in Yin Cave City, and the number of Golden Elixir cultivators he had encountered was swiftly catching up to the ranks of the Mountain Gate of the Lichen Sect, a fact he found quite unsettling.
"That's just your ignorance speaking."
Shadow Ghost, a male figure who had been silent all day, suddenly spoke up, delivering a jab before continuing, "The gap between a Lone Cultivator and the larger sects is indeed comprehensive, but the process of Forming the Golden Elixir is in itself a convergence of the dragon and the tiger, a pivotal moment for setting the cauldron's hinge. Even without a High-Grade Alchemy Manual, one can make do. On the Golden Elixir Stage, the difference isn't so vast as heaven and earth. The real divide lies in whether one possesses the Vacuum Walking Method. So, don't get cocky just because you've learned a thing or two from the Lichen Sect, or you'll have cause for tears later.
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"Of course, the quality of the Elixir Formula is also crucial. Those who come from sects and face these individuals either rely on a more profound foundational Dao to overpower others or employ the sect's mysterious techniques to compete in efficiency. That's all there is to it."
Yu Ci, a male figure, wasn't bothered by Shadow Ghost's mockery and simply asked out of curiosity, "What brings you out? Have you discovered something worthwhile?"
"There's nothing particularly good, but there is something... rather peculiar."
As Yu Ci hadn't explicitly refused, Shadow Ghost was able to peer through the Inner Void of the Heart and observe the line of people on the Divine Chart. After a long scrutiny, he finally said:
"That one who falls at the slightest breeze doesn't follow the common path. I can't figure out his background for now, so be careful."
"It's not likely to be aimed at me." Yu Ci, though falsely implicated by the Great Hammer Hall with a certain identity, knew their motives were impure and that their plans had come to naught. Thus, he no longer cared, just as he did not now.
At this moment, Steward Wen, a male attendant, had already welcomed Boss fifth He and his entourage into a Rock Chamber, where Tea and Spiritual Fruits had been prepared. However, none of them partook. They had been conversing while walking, and the discussion continued unabated.
"That scoundrel is cunning and slippery, utterly detestable."
Boss fifth He's voice boomed, causing the teacups on the table to rattle, but it was more a statement of intent than an emotional outburst. Yu Ci sensed that he was exerting pressure on certain individuals.
An old man sat quietly in his chair, resembling an ancient tree root propped up by a swath of grey cloth, completely unresponsive, and the atmosphere turned somewhat stiff.
Steward Wen, a man of astute mind, saw that the conversation was going nowhere. Despite being a "person of little influence and light words," he gritted his teeth and pressed on, "It seems there was some news from the Great Hammer Hall yesterday..."
"Great Hammer Hall?" Boss Fifth He found his footing and sneered, "That place is a joke. How many eyes are watching from the north? With just a flick of their tongues, every Tom, Dick, and Harry becomes an Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit? Tang He is quite the character, yet he's saddled with such unworthy underlings."
Steward Wen said no more. Meanwhile, the so-called 'every Tom, Dick, and Harry' from afar were getting a taste of how swiftly information traveled in the North Wilderness, and they couldn't help feeling somewhat resigned to their newfound nickname.
At this moment, every gaze within the Rock Chamber, whether overt or covert, was fixed on the old man's face, weaving an invisible net of oppressive intensity. A weaker spirit would have crumbled under such scrutiny, yet the old man sat there, firmly rooted as if he belonged.
Boss Fifth He's brow furrowed deeply, but due to certain considerations, he dared not push too hard.
The room fell silent again until, at last, the old man made a move. He extended a hand, his fingers naturally curved, and from them slipped a small thing that glimmered like a firefly. It flitted about the room, darting left and right in a dance reminiscent of a bee's.
Witnessing this, Boss Fifth He's frown relaxed, and he signaled with his eyes. Steward Wen, ever prepared, stamped his foot lightly, and the play of light and shadow in the room coalesced into a series of uneven images on the tabletop—a detailed map of the "Three Families Market" area, carved deep beneath the surface.
Yu Ci, watching from a distance, was taken aback. At first glance, this contraption bore a striking resemblance to a Divine Chart. The North Wilderness was indeed home to many peculiar wonders.
The "firefly" paused briefly, then settled on a specific location on the map.
"Hundred Streams Market?"
Boss Fifth He turned his piercing gaze back to the old man: "And then?"
Finally, the old man opened his parched mouth and said slowly, "The art of the Spiritual Witch is not omnipotent; in fact, it might be said to be utterly useless, except for this one ability to communicate with the spirits of heaven and earth. That person must already be aware of this method, always heading first to bustling places teeming with life to dampen the spirits' sensitivity, and then making a swift escape, cough..."
He was suddenly seized by a bout of heart-wrenching coughing, unable to continue. However, Boss Fifth He had already gleaned the unspoken part of his message and wasn't particularly surprised:
"So the Spiritual Witch is suggesting we have a mole among us?"
Steward Wen, quick-witted as ever, stepped forward to help the old man catch his breath, and attended to him as he sipped tea and swallowed a medicinal pill. Once the coughing subsided, the old man continued:
“Boss Fifth He should trust his own judgment; my unsophisticated methods are merely for reference... Hm?”
“What’s that, caught something?”
Boss Fifth He had been closely observing the old man’s reactions. Seeing a look of surprise cross the elder's face, he immediately inquired. Yet the old man shook his head, scanning the surroundings before saying, “It’s probably because the Dustless Market has too many Magical Instruments and spiritual materials on display. There’s been some interference just now…”
Far away, Yu Ci jolted suddenly, severing the mental connection with the Divine Chart. Just a moment ago, the divine consciousness starlight he had implanted in the old man’s Brain Palace was pushed out by some immeasurable force—an unprecedented occurrence.
Shadow Ghost, on the other hand, remained remarkably composed: “So it’s a Spiritual Witch, legendary beings who do not fear heaven and earth, yet can borrow the essence of nature; who do not revere the God Lord, yet can communicate with them. That dying person must have borrowed the power of some divine entity. At this moment, it’s best not to pry any further.”
Yu Ci deeply agreed.
※※※
It was deep into the night in the outside world, a time for rest and cultivation according to natural rhythms. The streets grew sparse with people; even in the most bustling Commercial District in the city center of South Sea Street, most shops had closed their doors. Only the clerks left on duty dozed off behind the counters, lending a rare tranquility to the streets.
However, some people were destined not to rest.
Shen Wan had just finished taking over from the bedridden Shopkeeper Guo, her emotions far from calm. She walked slowly along the small path in the courtyard behind the shop, heading towards the storeroom.
In the days before the formal handover, in an effort to break through the impasse, she had used her connections to transport a shipment of valuable goods from headquarters, only for them to be hijacked by the Yin Mountain Sect. To retrieve the goods, she had to risk her own safety, relying on her wit and a bit of luck to win them back from the hands of that dangerous brute Hun Liao. Although she emerged unscathed, the incident opened her eyes to the dire situation she faced.
If things continued this way—with the shop closing down, the reputation of Random Heart Pavilion tarnished, and the trust of the Elders in the pavilion lost—would these be the prices she had to pay for her so-called “ambition”?
Shen Wan was not discouraged, merely melancholic.
With these emotions, the female cultivator arrived at the storeroom. The next moment, she saw that the seals she had personally set up around the storeroom were unmistakably loosened.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e