Startling News

That manor truly was not far away.

In just a quarter of an hour, the two of them arrived.

Li Chang'an remained vigilant throughout. After all, this was the lair of two Rogue Cultivators, and they might have set up some means within.

Therefore.

He sealed Wang Er's cultivation.

He then had the Puppet Body and Da Huang follow Wang Er underground into the manor to retrieve the treasure.

Not long after.

That treasure appeared before Li Chang'an's eyes.

"It was actually a Spirit Eye!"

Li Chang'an was astonished, then overjoyed.

This thing.

Truly could be called priceless!

There was a concept of "Spiritual Veins" in the Cultivation World, and Clear River Market had been built atop a Second-tier Spirit Vein.

Spiritual Veins could gather the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, making cultivation within them vastly more efficient than in areas outside them.

Therefore.

Before establishing themselves, any cultivation force—whether a family or a Sect—would first seek out a Spiritual Vein.

And a Spirit Eye could be considered the embryonic form of a Spiritual Vein.

If carefully nurtured, it could become a small Spiritual Vein.

"Even without nurturing it, it can gather Spiritual Energy, and its effect far surpasses that Minor Spirit Gathering Plate I obtained before."

Delighted, Li Chang'an controlled the Puppet and put away the Spirit Eye.

A Spirit Eye could also be carried on one's person.

If it were nurtured into a Spiritual Vein, its ability to gather Spiritual Energy would become stronger, but it would be fixed in place from then on and difficult to move again.

Beside him, Wang Er watched helplessly as Li Chang'an put away the Spirit Eye.

Though unwilling and reluctant in his heart, he did not dare stop him in the slightest.

As long as he could live.

He could give up however much was necessary!

"Li Chang'an, are you satisfied with this Spirit Eye?"

Wang Er asked cautiously, his heart tense.

"Very satisfied!"

Li Chang'an smiled, his tone gentle.

Seeing this.

Wang Er finally relaxed.

It seemed Li Chang'an intended to keep his promise and let him go.

But suddenly.

A cold gleam flashed before his eyes.

"Sshk—"

Wang Er's body trembled. He clutched his neck, his pale face filled with terror.

Fresh blood continuously gushed out, staining the front of his robes red.

He staggered back several steps, his voice trembling.

"You... you promised you wouldn't kill me..."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, you're a Rogue Cultivator, yet you can so easily believe others?"

Li Chang'an asked in a surprised tone.

Wang Er's eyes widened as he pointed a bloodied finger at Li Chang'an.

"You... you..."

A moment later.

He collapsed to the ground, devoid of breath, dying with his eyes still open.

Li Chang'an casually tossed out a Fireball Talisman and burned the corpse clean.

"Time to head back."

After clearing away every trace, he set off on his return journey.

During the days he had been away.

The Marketplace had not changed much. Everything remained as usual.

Inside the room.

Li Chang'an took out Wang Da's and Wang Er's storage pouches and inspected their contents one by one.

"These two have quite a few good things in their storage pouches."

The Spirit Stones, pills, Talismans, Magic Tools, and other items in the two storage pouches combined were worth no less than what the Cave Mansion's owner had left behind.

After all, the Cave Mansion's owner had used most of his resources for Foundation Establishment.

"Some things are of no use to me and can be sold, but it wouldn't be convenient to unload them in the Marketplace. I can try the Black Market."

Li Chang'an pondered.

Beyond the Marketplace was a Black Market.

It was specifically used to trade all kinds of things that could not see the light of day.

The Black Market was a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes, poorly managed and far more dangerous than the Marketplace.

In the past.

Li Chang'an had lacked the strength and simply dared not enter the Black Market.

Now, however, he had sufficient confidence.

"I don't need to enter the Black Market myself. I can simply control the Puppet and send it in."

Li Chang'an thought it over.

With a thought, he took that copy of the Thousand Faces Divine Art from his storage pouch.

"Before that, I should first learn how to alter my aura."

Over the following months.

Li Chang'an stayed behind closed doors as before, cultivating diligently.

The Thousand Faces Divine Art was more difficult to cultivate than he had expected.

He cultivated for a long time before barely reaching the realm of minor accomplishment, allowing him to reluctantly alter his own aura.

On this day.

At dusk.

Li Chang'an sat cross-legged with his eyes lightly closed.

The aura around him slowly changed.

Very soon, he carried an additional fierce and brutal air, while faint, scorching Spiritual Energy shrouded his entire body. He looked every bit like a cultivator with a Fire Spirit Root.

Beside him, Da Huang's eyes showed a trace more confusion.

"Woof?"

The Li Chang'an before him seemed to have completely become another person.

However.

The Spirit Contract connection between them remained.

That was precisely why Da Huang was so confused.

"Da Huang, even you almost couldn't recognize me?"

Li Chang'an laughed heartily, thoroughly satisfied with this Spell.

Even his own contracted Spiritual Beast had become doubtful. Others needed no further mention.

The next day.

Li Chang'an put on a Mask and changed into a new outfit.

He left the Marketplace and headed straight for the Black Market.

"Of the Magic Tools I obtained previously, everything except the Shadowless Net and Ghost Needle can be sold."

Along the way.

He pondered to himself.

"Now that I have some funds, I should buy several more protective Magic Tools. With my current cultivation, I can barely activate a First-tier High-grade Magic Tool..."

Just as he was thinking.

His ears suddenly twitched.

He heard some unusual sounds.

Not far ahead.

Faint curses and shouts rang out.

Moreover, the owner of that voice was someone Li Chang'an knew.

"It sounds like Senior Zheng's voice."

Li Chang'an slowed down and concealed his aura.

Controlling the Puppet, he quietly approached the place where the voice had originated.

Not long after.

A bloody scene appeared before Li Chang'an.

Within the forest ahead lay more than ten corpses of Zheng Family cultivators, scattered every which way. Each had died an exceptionally gruesome death.

Li Chang'an's heart chilled.

"So close to the Marketplace, who would dare attack members of the Zheng Family?"

At this moment.

Within that stretch of forest.

Only one Zheng Family cultivator remained alive.

That man was Zheng Yunting, a Mid Qi Refining cultivator.

"It really is Senior Zheng."

Li Chang'an's gaze sharpened, his expression turning somewhat grave.

Back then.

Chu Daniu had been pursued by Rogue Cultivators and was saved by Li Chang'an.

When the two returned to the Marketplace, they encountered a Zheng Family patrol.

The one leading that patrol had been Zheng Yunting.

At this moment.

He was covered in wounds, his armor soaked red with blood. One of his arms had even been severed, leaving him in a wretched state.

"Come on! Who else wants to test my sword?"

Zheng Yunting roared, gripping his Long Sword with his remaining hand and swinging it in every direction.

Around him.

Stood more than ten Masked Cultivators clad in black.

Every one of them possessed a formidable aura and cold eyes, like a pack of jackals.

"Zheng Yunting, how does it feel to watch your juniors get slaughtered one by one?"

One of them spoke, his voice icy.

Zheng Yunting's gaze turned savage as he stared fixedly at that person.

"Just wait. My Zheng Family will never let you go!"

"Hmph! The Zheng Family?"

That man sneered, seemingly utterly unconcerned.

"That Mid Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor of yours won't live much longer. His previous appearance was nothing but a forced show of strength! Once he dies, can that remaining Foundation Establishment Ancestor withstand the pressure from the Cao and Wu families alone?"

"Utter nonsense!"

Zheng Yunting swung his sword and shouted furiously.

In the shadows.

Li Chang'an was secretly shocked.

He seemed to have heard some astonishing news.