The jade slip bore only a few brief sentences, cryptically noting, "Originating from water, its energy entwines like silk, harming and controlling others from ten miles away." A special emphasis was added: "Within twenty apertures, more is not better."

Yu Ci was utterly perplexed as he read, "Just say what you want to do!"

Boss third He gave him a look that said, "Don't play dumb," followed by a quick cough before speaking, "Aren't you proficient in talismans? A customer over there wants to know if you can produce a talisman that meets these specifications... uh, Daoist friend."

"Insane..." Yu Ci muttered under his breath.

"Hm?"

With a smile, Yu Ci looked up, "How much?"

"How much what?"

"The reward."

Boss third He had anticipated this moment and replied seriously, "As long as you can do it, the compensation won't be any less than what you've earned this time."

Yu Ci said nothing, just stared at him intently, making Boss third He uncomfortable under his gaze. Eventually, unable to contain his irritation, Boss third He snapped, "If you can do it, do it; if not, just say so. There are plenty of people who would jump at this deal!"

"I suppose so," Yu Ci murmured, then pulled out a blank Jade Talisman. Divine light flickered, and in the blink of an eye, he inscribed a talisman and handed it over, "Here, take a look."

Boss third He was momentarily stunned and did not reach out to take it immediately. Yu Ci laughed, "What, still thinking about the price? Consider this Jade Talisman a gift!"

Finally snapping out of it, Boss third He shot him a fierce look, took the Jade Talisman, and examined it back and forth for a long while. Clearly a layman, he could not discern its quality and, eventually, he simply turned and left. Yu Ci wasn't worried about being cheated; he just smiled faintly and closed his eyes to rest.

In no time at all, Boss third He came back, bursting with excitement, "Well done, not bad at all... ah, Daoist friend."

He quickly cooled his enthusiasm, trying to maintain the pretense of detachment, but when Yu Ci opened his eyes, he still saw the man's fleshy face come alive with animation. Yu Ci smiled, "Since that's the case, let's talk about the price. You mentioned before that the items I wanted to purchase would be supplied to me as a priority, without your usual cut, and at a fifty percent discount. Now, if I'm to receive a similar reward, let's drop that fifty percent. As for the commission and such, it's not worth the hassle to reverse it, so let's waive it for now. Just ensure that Esteemed Shop promptly delivers those items to me."

Despite his high-ranking position within the Three Families Market, Boss Third He rarely concerned himself with the specifics of its operations. Yet, the audacity of Yu Ci's demands nearly had him spitting blood in frustration. Yu Ci had deliberately twisted his words. Boss Third He had intended to offer Yu Ci a handsome reward of over ten thousand Dragon Palace Shells to win his favor, but Yu Ci had the gall to insist that the Three Families Market pay in full for the sought-after items and deliver them directly to his Soul Chaser Master's Mansion!

Under normal circumstances, the price difference might not be significant. However, if they encountered a ruthless "butcher" who gouged them, the Three Families Market would suffer a substantial loss. Not to mention the indignation such a demand provoked—it was infuriating to even contemplate!

Observing the color drain from his face, Yu Ci allowed himself a slight smile, finally ceasing to tease him. Displaying one's authority occasionally could inflate one's worth, but overstep the mark and one could become an object of loathing and disgust. And in such cases, it wasn't just about wealth; even one's life could be at stake.

However, the fact that Boss Third He managed to contain his explosive temper in the face of such manipulation was peculiar. It raised the question—was someone holding him back?

"Get up, get up, time to work."

Boss Third He, with a belly full of fire, redirected his anger towards his subordinates. His roars thundered like a tyrant overseer in the Abandoned Mine District, driving his workers to the brink of exhaustion.

Yu Ci had expected a retort from him, an opportunity to offer an exit from the awkward situation. To his surprise, Boss Third He managed to hold his tongue, which only made Yu Ci realize that whoever or whatever could intimidate this brutish man was not to be trifled with.

"It must be the Demonic Sect," Shadow Ghost suddenly piped up with a definitive conclusion.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Yu Ci was taken aback. "What makes you say that?"

"The matter of the eyeball just now," Shadow Ghost explained. "It just occurred to me that it's a very peculiar technique from the Primordial Demon Sect, known as the Curse Demon Azure Blood Pupil Technique. Ordinarily, it's used to capture a person's soul—hardly a superior practice. But if someone is killed violently, their resentment can linger in the eyeball, with a certain chance of crystallizing into this form. If driven by a special method, it can be used to track down the murderer. No Divine Power can conceal it!"

"Is there such a thing?"

"Of course. The most insidious aspect of this method is that it doesn't just track an individual, but marks every place they have stayed, be it in the past, present, or future. These locations can be scouted through that eyeball. Depending on the Cultivation Level, the range could vary from one month to several years. Thus, you can't hide the key places you frequent, and the Primordial Demon Sect can easily trace you to your doorstep and wipe out your entire lineage. Even against the strong, they can arrange their schemes leisurely. The Demonic Sect didn't use this tactic sparingly when they contended with others in the past. Why is this ocular art called 'Cursed Demon'? Because of its damnably effective consequences. It's said to be 'the curse of the heavenly demon, bringing endless vexation to those afflicted.'"

Yu Ci gritted his teeth upon hearing this, resolving to steer clear of opponents with greenish pupils in the future. A moment's pleasure could cost him peace for the rest of his life! But then a thought struck him, and he asked, puzzled, "Wait a second, that True Immortal who used the Core-Melting Fiery Prison Technique—you said he was a Demon Sect Cultivator too, didn't you?"

"The infighting within the Demonic Sect is the norm, even more ruthless and decisive than their external conflicts. What's so surprising about that?" Shadow Ghost sneered again. "Congratulations, you've caught the attention of the Demonic Sect. You'll stir up trouble wherever you go. You truly are an oddity!"

Yu Ci cursed silently. Shadow Ghost's judgment was actually quite sound. The North Wilderness, being a No-Man's Land, thrived with the influence of the Demonic Sect, especially since it was located in the north. After the Primordial Demon Sect split, dozens of large and small sects could potentially set up Puppet Forces to act on their behalf in this region. The Three Families Market, a Black Market Manipulator, was indeed one of the best options.

Sighing at the thought that a peaceful cultivation was unattainable, one might wonder if they were now destined to live in anonymity.

At this moment, under Boss Third He's stern command, all the cultivators rose to prepare. In truth, they hadn't rested much; the battle for the True Immortal's Hunting Ground had been ongoing, shifting directions more than a dozen times. Sometimes the conflict even drew near, keeping everyone on edge and unable to relax.

Mr. Xia, Xia Shuanghe, also entered from outside. Judging by his expression, there seemed to be no progress in his research on the "Flying Fluorescence." Yu Ci suddenly thought, "Isn't the Spiritual Witch entirely reliant on innate talent? Is there still a question of success or failure?"

Shadow Ghost remained silent. In the Cultivation World, the lineage of the Spiritual Witch was shrouded in mystery, and Shadow Ghost's understanding was admittedly superficial, hence he could not provide an answer.

Boss Third He and Mr. Xia, Xia Shuanghe, together dispatched their five subordinates. Now that Yu Ci was aware of the orb's function, he could discern the intent behind their commands: their strategy no longer involved deliberately avoiding the magma flow areas. On the contrary, they approached them actively. It seemed they had obtained a precise location from the "orb," tracking the movements and patterns, or perhaps searching for something.

This was, of course, far more dangerous than before. For this reason, the party no longer moved in a tight group but dispersed as much as possible to avoid misfortune befalling them all at once, like Boss Fifth He and his men, who were utterly annihilated by a Fierce Culprit that had suddenly emerged.

Yu Ci was not assigned any tasks but remained with Boss Third He and Mr. Xia, Xia Shuanghe, enjoying the treatment afforded to leaders. Boss Third He also inquired about Yu Ci's knowledge of Talismanic Cultivation Levels, but as a complete novice, Yu Ci's explanations were somewhat disjointed. Eventually, Mr. Xia took over the conversation, and the discussion proceeded more smoothly, if only just.

Since he was already under surveillance, hiding any further seemed pointless. Yu Ci was also quite curious about what these individuals truly wanted from him, so he casually leaned towards the talisman as the conversation allowed. Of course, he hadn't forgotten that one of the foundational techniques of his talisman, the "Heavenly Flying Stars," originated from the Shangqing Sect, the arch-enemy of the Primordial Demon Sect in those days. This fact always played a tense string in his heart. Although his talk appeared to be an endless stream, in reality, it consisted of various unstructured, scattered skills. Putting everything else aside, their practicality was indeed very strong, which even elicited repeated nods of approval from Mr. Xia.

Time trickled away, and before long, more than two hours had passed. During this period, the several Golden Elixir cultivators dispatched had returned several times, each time bringing back news of "no anomalies." He and Xia, the two bosses, then reassigned new locations to search, indicating that the Fierce Culprit likely had quite a few hideouts in the vicinity.

Throughout this time, Yu Ci had squeezed out many of his peripheral skills, while Mr. Xia had questioned him to the point of dry mouth and parched tongue. Boss third He was so bored he was almost falling asleep. At some point, the three of them seemed to reach an unspoken agreement, all falling silent, simply waiting for the Golden Elixir cultivators to come and go.

And now, another one arrived!

Yu Ci couldn't help but yawn as he watched the cultivator in green clothes and a small hat approach. This person must have been a servant of the He family, with a relatively close relationship to Boss third He. Yu Ci had some impression of him. As the man entered the Rock Cave, he bowed his head and averted his gaze, moving straight forward.

"Something's not right..."

The warning voice of Shadow Ghost had just risen when the newcomer suddenly looked up, his lips parting like the delicate petals of a pale purple iris, gently unfolding.

*******

I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e