Oil Exhaustion and Lamp Waning

The condition of the Zheng Family's Mid Foundation Establishment Old Ancestor remained a mystery.

At this moment.

The leader of these Masked Cultivators actually declared that he did not have long to live.

Zheng Yunting's eyes turned bloodshot as he rasped:

"Our Old Ancestor is in the prime of his strength. If you do not believe it, why not go test him yourselves?"

"Is that so?"

The Masked Cultivator sneered.

"If he is truly unharmed, why did the Zheng Family send people to Yellow Crane Immortal City to secretly purchase Second-grade Longevity Pills? Yellow Crane Immortal City is crowded with prying eyes. Did you really think this matter could be kept hidden?"

"You..."

Zheng Yunting's expression changed.

Beneath that furious face, a trace of worry quietly surfaced.

The Masked Cultivator's eyes gleamed with mockery as he added, "Come to think of it, doesn't the Zheng Family have a Second-tier Alchemist? Why not refine Second-grade Longevity Pills yourselves? Could it be that your Second-tier Alchemist has also run into trouble?"

This time.

Zheng Yunting did not answer.

His gaze was as cold as blades as he stared fixedly at them, veins bulging along the arm gripping his sword.

The next instant.

His aura suddenly surged.

Boom!

Terrifying flames rose before his chest, transforming into a sinuous dragon with claws bared and fangs exposed. It let out a long roar toward the heavens, then pounced straight at the Masked Cultivators.

Spell technique, Fire Dragon's Roar!

"Explode!"

Zheng Yunting's eyes widened in fury, Mana surging around him.

The fire dragon exploded with a bang, turning into deadly flames that filled the sky and swept in every direction.

At the same time.

He flung the Long Sword in his hand with all his might.

The sword blazed brightly and rang sharply. A moment later, it exploded as well.

Countless fragments became icy glints, pelting the surroundings like raindrops.

"Aah—"

Several Masked Cultivators failed to dodge in time. Blooms of blood burst across their bodies as their screams rang out one after another.

Seizing the chance.

Zheng Yunting flickered, becoming an afterimage as he raced toward the Marketplace.

"Chase him! Don't let him get away!"

"Why has his aura suddenly risen so much? It is practically approaching the late Qi Refining stage!"

"It's the Zheng Family's Spirit Burst Pill. A person can only take this pill once in their lifetime..."

The leader of the Masked Cultivators had ice-cold eyes. He too became an afterimage and gave chase from behind.

The other masked men followed in pursuit as well.

No one noticed.

After they left.

A figure flashed past and took the storage bags from every corpse.

Not far away.

Li Chang'an looked at the dozen-odd storage bags in his hands and could not help sighing.

"Sure enough, staying home may be safe, but only by going out can one encounter all sorts of unexpected delights."

Even so.

He remained firm in his belief that he should go out as little as possible.

Otherwise, he might have bad luck one day, run into great trouble, and turn his own storage bag into someone else's unexpected delight.

"Da Huang, we are not going to the Black Market today. We are returning to the Marketplace first."

Li Chang'an gave the order.

Man and dog immediately hurried back.

Along the way.

Li Chang'an opened the masked men's bags and inspected them one by one.

"Why are they all so poor?"

He could not help frowning.

That was because the items in every storage bag were not worth much.

Perhaps because they had just gone through a fierce battle, there were barely any pills, Talismans, and such left in the bags.

"Never mind. The storage bags themselves are worth quite a bit. I cannot be too greedy."

Li Chang'an remained even-tempered and continued searching.

Soon, he found a Token.

On the front of the Token.

The two characters "Black Wind" were engraved.

"They are actually from Black Wind Mountain!"

Li Chang'an's gaze sharpened, and his expression turned grave.

Black Wind Mountain.

The strongest Rogue Cultivator force in this region!

It was said that Black Wind Mountain's Great Leader had remained at peak Qi Refining for many years and could break through to Foundation Establishment at any time.

Moreover, this band of Rogue Cultivators had no fixed residence.

Like a gust of wind.

They came and went without a trace.

Many Righteous Path Cultivators had wanted to wipe them out, yet they could not even find their trail.

"Those who attacked the Zheng Family today should only have been a small portion of Black Wind Mountain's forces."

Li Chang'an pondered.

If that rumored Great Leader had acted, the battle would have ended long ago.

Zheng Yunting would have had no chance of escaping alive.

"Over these past days, the Zheng Family has killed quite a few Rogue Cultivators. They likely angered Black Wind Mountain."

Based on the recent situation, Li Chang'an roughly pieced together what had happened.

Before he knew it.

The Marketplace was already visible in the distance, and the various noisy sounds within could be heard.

Zheng Family cultivators on patrol could also be seen all around.

Li Chang'an let out a breath of relief.

"It is too dangerous outside. The Marketplace still feels safer."

He quickened his pace and was about to return to the Marketplace.

Just then.

Da Huang suddenly pawed at Li Chang'an's trouser leg.

Then, he pointed toward a patch of shrubs not far away.

"What is it?"

Li Chang'an froze, then looked in the direction Da Huang was pointing.

That cluster of shrubs.

Looked perfectly ordinary.

But Da Huang's sense of smell was sharp, far surpassing Li Chang'an's. He had clearly discovered something.

Whoosh!

Da Huang moved nimbly, leaping into the shrubs.

Not long after.

He sprang out of the bushes with a blood-covered person clenched in his jaws.

"Senior Zheng?"

Li Chang'an narrowed his eyes and examined him carefully.

This person was Zheng Yunting!

He was already unconscious, his aura weak. If he did not receive treatment, he likely would not live much longer.

"He collapsed when he was only one step away from the Marketplace."

Li Chang'an sighed. This senior was likely at the point of Oil Exhaustion and Lamp Waning.

Since he had already found him, he might as well save him.

He grabbed him and tossed him into the Spirit Beast Bag.

After returning to the Marketplace.

Li Chang'an switched back to his original aura.

He headed to the Market Central Area and knocked on the courtyard gate of Zheng Qingqing's residence.

Knock, knock, knock...

Very soon.

The courtyard gate opened.

Zheng Ling'er was the one who opened it.

She wore a white dress, and a hint of surprise appeared on her pretty face.

"Young Master Li, why have you come?"

"I have an important matter to discuss with the Young Miss. Please inform Miss Zheng."

Li Chang'an spoke gravely, his expression serious.

"Young Master Li, please come in."

Zheng Ling'er sensed that the matter was somewhat serious and hurried toward the depths of the courtyard.

Not long after.

Zheng Qingqing appeared in a green dress.

Her expression was puzzled as she asked, "Fellow cultivator Li, what happened?"

"Young Miss, I just found Senior Zheng Yunting outside the Marketplace, gravely injured and unconscious."

Li Chang'an kept it brief.

After speaking.

With a thought, he moved the unconscious Zheng Yunting out of the Spirit Beast Bag.

Beside him, Zheng Ling'er cried out in alarm.

"Uncle Yunting, how did he end up so badly injured?"

"I do not know."

Li Chang'an shook his head.

He stated that Zheng Yunting had already been like this when he found him.

"Could cultivators from the Cao and Wu Families have done this?"

Zheng Qingqing's delicate brows furrowed, and several more traces of gravity appeared on her fair cheeks.

She took out several pills, dissolved them with Spiritual Energy, and guided the medicinal power into Zheng Yunting's wounds.

Zheng Ling'er's little face turned pale as she asked worriedly, "Sister Qingqing, can Uncle Yunting still be saved?"

"He can be saved, but he took a Spirit Burst Pill. His future path of cultivation will inevitably be affected."

Zheng Qingqing sighed softly.

The Spirit Burst Pill was a medicinal pill that squeezed out one's potential. After taking it, the body would suffer irreversible damage.

Unless one faced a life-or-death crisis, it must never be taken.

Afterward.

Zheng Qingqing's eyes shifted as she looked at Li Chang'an.

"Thank you, Fellow cultivator Li, for saving a member of my Zheng Family. The Zheng Family will surely reward you handsomely!"

A handsome reward?

How handsome?

Li Chang'an could not help feeling a little expectant, but his expression remained unchanged.

"There is no need. It was merely a small effort."