Cultivation Breakthrough, Qi Refining Third Layer

Chen Ze racked his brain for a long time, but couldn't think of a single person.

After the original owner left the Qingyun Sect, he had been nothing but a drunkard and a pauper; if someone wanted to harm him, they wouldn't even need a Knockout Drug—he was dizzy every single day as it was.

As for Chen Ze himself, he had only been in this world for a few days, living with such extreme caution and avoiding all contact with others that he was even less likely to have provoked anyone.

Could it be an accomplice of that thief from the other day coming for revenge?

After pondering for a long time, this was the only person Chen Ze could think of who held a grudge against him.

But upon closer reflection, he felt it was impossible; if it were an accomplice of that thief, they should have come in together that day.

Then I can only play along. Since you used a Knockout Drug, you must intend to come inside, so I shall wait patiently for your arrival.

With his cultivation broken through and his Grandmaster-level Ignition Art, Chen Ze felt he possessed at least a small measure of self-preservation.

Chen Ze decided to give the person using the Knockout Drug a sudden, lethal blow.

Having made his plan, Chen Ze slowly retreated back to the bed and lay down.

He used his Breath Concealment Art to suppress his aura, appearing as if he had truly been drugged into unconsciousness.

His Ignition Art was already prepared, and the Low-grade Yellow Tier Short Blade had been tucked into his Myriad Things Space, ready to appear in his hand at a moment's notice.

He waited in silence.

After a full ten minutes of waiting, Chen Ze finally heard the sound of the front door slowly opening.

Truly cautious enough, Chen Ze mused inwardly.

According to the potency of the Knockout Drug, the Thug could have entered much earlier; he had even waited an extra ten minutes.

Moreover, when he entered, he had covered his own nose and mouth with a piece of cloth.

After the Thug walked in, he didn't light a lamp, but by the moonlight, he confirmed that someone was lying on the bed.

To be safe, the Thug deliberately released his cultivation aura to test the waters, and seeing that the person on the bed remained motionless, he knew the Knockout Drug must have taken effect. His heart relaxed, and he looked at Chen Ze on the bed with a mocking expression as he slowly approached.

Chen Ze had already sensed the aura the Thug released: Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

Not bad, an Ignition Art should be able to handle this.

Chen Ze could already feel the intruder reaching his bedside.

Chen Ze did not act rashly; he was waiting for the perfect opportunity for a one-hit kill.

Suddenly, Chen Ze opened his eyes, locked onto his target, and instantly unleashed the Ignition Art he had been preparing.

A fireball twice the size of a basketball flew out.

Just as the Thug reached Chen Ze's bedside, he saw Chen Ze open his eyes and cursed inwardly, "Damn it, I've been tricked."

But things had reached this point; it was no longer the time to retreat.

He was confident that with his Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation, he could quickly finish off Chen Ze, even if it meant making a bit of a scene.

As long as he could quickly take Chen Ze away from here and avoid the Patrol Team, he still had a chance.

However, he saw the fireball Chen Ze had thrown already right before his eyes.

What kind of spell is this? Is this a spell a Qi Refining Second Layer cultivator can use?

He could no longer dodge this strike and had no choice but to take it head-on.

Seeing the fireball flying toward him, he instinctively tried to block it with his hands, but it was to no avail.

While casting the Fireball Art, Chen Ze threw out seven or eight more in rapid succession.

At this moment, the Short Blade appeared in his hand, and he thrust it forward with all his might.

When the fireballs slammed into the Thug, he tried to fend them off while activating a dozen Defense Talismans, but it was like trying to put out a burning cart of firewood with a single cup of water.

What the Thug failed to notice was Chen Ze's true killing blow; he couldn't even withstand the barrage of fireballs, and just then, he felt a chill in his chest, followed by a sharp, agonizing pain.

He couldn't utter a single word, his body no longer had the strength to resist the fireballs, and the cluster of flames exploded instantly upon him.

The Thug was dead beyond any doubt.

Chen Ze glanced at his handiwork and then at the room outside; the door was still open. I wonder if this will alert the Patrol Team?

Chen Ze quickly went to close the door before returning to the Thug's corpse.

There was no time to destroy the evidence, and without even checking the Thug's identity, Chen Ze stowed the entire body into his Myriad Things Space.

He quickly cleaned up the traces of the recent battle.

He scanned the room, confirming nothing had been missed and all signs of the struggle had been cleared away.

Chen Ze returned to the bed and lay down to continue feigning sleep; he knew that private duels were forbidden within Wannan City, and he didn't want to be dragged away by the Patrol Team.

The commotion from the fight shouldn't have been too loud, but he was still a bit worried.

Doing all this was merely a precaution.

After waiting in silence for a long time, there was still no movement outside.

It seems no one noticed.

Chen Ze felt a sense of relief wash over him, and only then did he allow his consciousness to enter the Myriad Things Space.

Upon seeing the corpse of the thug, Chen Ze shook his head and sighed, "I used too much force; his face is completely blown away. How am I supposed to identify him now?"

It was Chen Ze's first time using a Grandmaster-level Ignition Art against an enemy, and he hadn't expected the power to be so immense that even a Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator couldn't withstand it at all.

He realized now that his Heart Piercing Stab from just a moment ago had been somewhat redundant.

When exactly did I catch the attention of a Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator? I don't have anything worth coveting, surely.

Chen Ze pondered this while examining the corpse.

"A Storage Bag?"

Chen Ze found a Storage Bag on the body. He knew that in this world, while Storage Bags weren't exactly rare, they weren't something just anyone could possess.

Within the Qingyun Sect, every Inner Disciple received one upon entry.

Outer Disciples, however, had to trade Merit Points for them, and Service Disciples couldn't even dream of earning Merit Points, let alone trading for one.

Outside the sect, an ordinary Storage Bag cost 100 Low-grade Spirit Stones, and even then, the capacity was quite small.

In this Cultivation World, it was quite difficult for a Rogue Cultivator who relied on neither sect nor family to obtain a Storage Bag.

Spirit Stones were barely enough for cultivation as it was; where would they find the extra stones to buy a bag?

The fact that this corpse possessed a Storage Bag was enough to prove that the man was no simple character.

Chen Ze felt as though he had inadvertently provoked a force unknown to him.

With a sense of trepidation, Chen Ze spent some time erasing the restriction covering the Storage Bag.

He probed the bag with his Spiritual Sense, hoping to find some clues within that might point to those who wished him harm.

He saw that the space inside the bag was not very large, roughly less than ten square meters; it was a most basic Storage Bag.

Inside the bag were a few bottles of pills Chen Ze didn't recognize, as well as a Low-grade Yellow Tier Flying Sword.

Seeing that the bag also contained over a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, a wave of joy surged through Chen Ze's heart.

"Indeed, the fastest ways to make money are all written in the criminal code."

"However, since you brought this upon yourselves, don't blame me."

"I have you to thank for the early activation of the Myriad Things Shop."

"Now, I shall see exactly who is targeting me."

Having discovered 150 Low-grade Spirit Stones inside the bag, he had more than enough to open the Myriad Things Shop.

Chen Ze now had the confidence to go toe-to-toe with whoever was behind the scenes trying to take him down.

He had already linked the previous thief with this thug; this certainly wasn't a coincidence—someone was definitely targeting him.