Mission Accomplished

"Someone had their eye on me?"

Had Lan Chang'an not possessed powerful divine sense and keen senses, he might have missed the trick planted on the spirit stones.

These past days, he had been cautious enough and believed he had not revealed any flaws.

Lan Chang'an's expression shifted uncertainly as he pondered again and again, analyzing the possible reasons.

Having experienced two lives of cultivation reincarnation, his knowledge and understanding were far beyond those of ordinary cultivators.

Before long, he reached a preliminary conclusion.

First, he might simply have had bad luck and been targeted by robber cultivators in the marketplace, who saw him as a fat sheep ripe for the slaughter.

Second, his disguise techniques could not possibly have been flawless, and someone might have happened to notice a clue during his movements.

Those two possibilities mainly came down to luck.

There was also a third possibility, one that had nothing to do with luck.

Lan Chang'an looked toward his Storage Bag.

In his Previous Life, he had known that certain spirit beasts with exceptionally sharp senses could detect treasures or aged medicinal herbs within a Storage Bag.

He had once known an eccentric man who only needed to get close to determine how many spirit stones were inside someone's Storage Bag.

In the Cultivation World, there was no end to strange things; all manner of rare treasures and secret arts emerged one after another.

One could never let down one's guard and assume everything was absolutely secure.

"Storage Bags in the Cultivation World are not true spatial items that create a space of their own."

Lan Chang'an let out a soft sigh.

The Storage Bags used by ordinary cultivators were forged from low-grade spatial materials combined with special Restrictions.

In principle, it was like compressing the capacity of several water vats into a little cloth sack.

They also required weight-reducing Restrictions, or else every step a person took would leave a crater in the ground.

A Storage Bag's protection mainly relied on Restrictions and sturdy materials, and could not completely prevent certain sophisticated methods of detection.

"Forget it. The profits from fencing the stolen goods this time will be enough for quite a few years."

Lan Chang'an did not intend to take any further action.

Inside the Cave Abode.

He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, his consciousness connecting with the clear handsome man of the First Life within the Nine Imprint Tablet.

Over the past few years, the imprint pattern of the First Life had once again been illuminated under the nourishment of his soul.

The higher his realm, the faster it lit up.

However, the white-bearded elder at Peak Core Formation from the Second Life had only had a single strand of hair illuminated.

Perhaps the soul foundation of the Golden Core Realm was simply too powerful.

The progress of illumination was as slow as a snail.

If he could illuminate the imprint pattern of the Second Life—

Then, when facing the Evil Cultivator Liang Shaotian last time, Lan Chang'an would not have needed to put on airs. He would have had every chance to seriously injure him, or even kill him.

Lan Chang'an surmised that after he reached Foundation Establishment, he would be able to speed up the illumination of the Second Life.

"No one is watching."

With the Soul Imprint of the Second Life empowering him, Lan Chang'an's divine sense could be amplified to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Divine sense at the Foundation Establishment Realm could be projected outward.

Over the past two days, Lan Chang'an had occasionally inspected the area around his Cave Abode and found no suspicious individuals.

"Did they realize they had startled the grass and alerted the snake, so they gave up—or decided to lie low for now?"

Lan Chang'an no longer went out.

A few days ago, he had purchased a large quantity of the First-Order sand and stones required for the Cloud Sand Body Refining Art, buying them in scattered batches and spending well over several hundred spirit stones.

That amount was not outrageous, but neither was it small. It could also have drawn the notice of observant people in the trade.

Lan Chang'an had heard that the marketplace had ways to contact the black market, which was more suitable for fencing stolen goods.

"Since it is a black market, it is a place that cannot see the light of day. The risks must be greater than in the marketplace."

Lan Chang'an shook his head.

Without absolute confidence in his own strength, he would not touch that black market even with a ten-foot pole.

Several days later.

The appointed time finally arrived. Lan Chang'an left his Cave Abode and headed straight for the Hundred Refinements Workshop.

"High-Grade Magic Item, Iron Net Umbrella. Its quality is as good as new."

Artifact Refiner Gu Lai handed the restored Iron Umbrella to Lan Chang'an.

"Two hundred spirit stones. Money and goods exchanged, and the deal is settled."

Lan Chang'an inspected it. The magic item had been repaired extremely well, with scarcely a trace of damage visible.

"By the way, Master Gu. If I had all the materials, could you forge another Iron Net Umbrella like this in the future?"

Before leaving, Lan Chang'an asked casually.

This High-Grade Magic Item, the Iron Net Umbrella, could switch forms, attack and defend alike, and concealed umbrella needles that could be launched. It suited Lan Chang'an's tastes quite well.

"Yes! The Iron Net Umbrella is an imitation of the magic treasure Thousand Mechanisms Umbrella. At its highest, it can be imitated into a Top-Grade Magic Item. However, with this old man's current skill, I can only forge High-Grade Magic Items."

"Besides, forging a new one would be costly. It would take at least seven or eight hundred spirit stones."

Gu Lai narrowed his eyes at him.

Lan Chang'an's disguise and altered appearance could not fool his eyes.

"Then forget it."

As though finding the price far too extravagant, Lan Chang'an immediately took his leave.

Although his divine sense was powerful, his mana cultivation was insufficient to truly support a High-Grade Magic Item.

For now, Mid-Grade Magical Artifacts suited him best. With his powerful divine sense, he could control two of them for a short time, rivaling a Qi Refining Late-Stage cultivator.

After retrieving the magic item.

Lan Chang'an did not linger for even a moment, swiftly leaving Five Peaks Market.

After flying some distance beyond the marketplace.

Lan Chang'an frowned, sensing a tail behind him and a faint, intermittent feeling of being watched.

He quickly descended into a patch of woods.

Closing his eyes and focusing his mind, he used the soul amplification of the First Life within the Nine Imprint Tablet, and his divine sense rapidly spread outward.

To maintain this state of amplified divine sense, he had to concentrate his consciousness and communicate with the Nine Imprint Tablet.

He could not use it normally, nor in battle.

Unless he allowed the First Life to descend into his body and used up one opportunity.

"It was actually him..."

Lan Chang'an revealed a surprised expression. His divine sense detected a gray-bearded old man at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, who was putting on a black face covering.

This man was the shopkeeper of the Spirit Medicine Pavilion in the marketplace.

Lan Chang'an had traded at the man's shop several times under various disguised identities.

"Kid, don't blame me for making my move."

"If you must blame someone, blame yourself for wandering into my shop time and again. The temptation was too great; this old man simply could not resist..."

The Spirit Medicine Pavilion shopkeeper formed a hand seal with one hand. Above his palm floated a small, plump winged insect, staring in the direction where Lan Chang'an was hiding.

This insect could sense precious aged herbs within a cultivator's Storage Bag.

Hmph!

A muffled thunderclap-like sound exploded beside his ears.

The Spirit Medicine Pavilion shopkeeper's face turned pale, and his mind trembled.

The next moment, the little flying insect above his palm let out a miserable cry, bled, and fell, its belly swollen.

It had been instantly shocked to death.

"Not good, it's Foundation Establishment!"

The Spirit Medicine Pavilion shopkeeper was so terrified that his soul nearly fled his body. He used the Blood Burning Secret Technique, then slapped two Acceleration Talismans onto himself in succession, fleeing toward the marketplace at a speed far exceeding that of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

Only after running back into the marketplace.

Was he drenched in cold sweat, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.

"How sinister! A dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator actually disguised himself as a weak Qi Refining cultivator. Good thing this old man reacted quickly."

After using the secret technique, the Spirit Medicine Pavilion shopkeeper nearly collapsed. His face was deathly pale as he dropped onto the ground.

"What speed!"

In the woods, Lan Chang'an stared in astonishment at the seventy-year-old man, who was striding like the wind, kicking up dust as he fled in a berserk rush.

The shopkeeper of the marketplace's Spirit Medicine Pavilion was a local tyrant with backing of his own, and he was also at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.

Lan Chang'an had merely used his divine sense as a warning, its sound-wave force killing the spirit insect that could sense medicinal herbs.

If he had shown himself and fought, victory would certainly have been in his grasp.

But if he failed to take the man down in a lightning strike, trouble might follow. Who knew whether the other party had accomplices or a powerful patron?

Five Peaks Market had Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed within it.

"Five Peaks Market, Spirit Medicine Pavilion?"

Lan Chang'an silently committed them to memory and quickly departed from Five Peaks Market.

One month later.

Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley and had the gatekeeping disciples announce his arrival.

Not long afterward, Zhao Siyao, as cool and ethereal as an immortal, flew out.

"Mission accomplished."

Without entering the mountain gate, Lan Chang'an took out a long box in a concealed corner and handed it to Zhao Siyao.

"Daoist Lu, I have troubled you this time."

Zhao Siyao accepted the long box and quickly opened it for a look. A trace of delight appeared on her picturesque, fair face.

"Daoist Zhao, are there any larger marketplaces in our surrounding area?"

Lan Chang'an inquired.

In his experience, the larger a marketplace was, the safer it was to sell high-value items there.

"Five Peaks Market is not small." Zhao Siyao pondered before saying, "The nearest larger marketplace nearby is Yellow Dragon Immortal City. It lies against the Black Mist Mountain Range and has many Rogue Cultivators. If one has enough wealth, one can even buy a Foundation Establishment Pill there."

"Yellow Dragon Immortal City? Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Lan Chang'an had heard people in the Mu Family mention Yellow Dragon Immortal City before. It was somewhat farther away.

His heart stirred. When Mu Renlong achieved Foundation Establishment years ago, he had likely made a trip to Yellow Dragon Immortal City.

"Daoist Lu, can you now refine High-Grade Talismans?"

Before they parted, Zhao Siyao asked.

"It is rather difficult, and the success rate is very low. Whenever I luckily manage to refine one, the costs spread across it leave me suffering a severe loss."

Lan Chang'an answered.

At this point, if he became a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Master, his talent in the Talisman Dao would be extraordinarily high.

Lan Chang'an did not want to be targeted by major powers and turned into a tool for drawing talismans. Once he was swept into certain whirlpools, he would no longer be able to control his own fate.

One month later, Lan Chang'an returned to Hengshui Prefecture.

He made a trip to the Royal Marquis Estate.

Lan Chang'an planned to leave a message. Rather than wait for Li Ergou, he would return to Jade Moon Lake first.

Li Ergou was working as a bodyguard in the capital and would need at least several more months.

Lin Yi happened to be at the estate. He personally received Lan Chang'an and proposed purchasing a new batch of Talismans, with higher quality requirements than before.

"Brother Chang'an, from now on, we will not meet at the Royal Marquis Estate."

Lin Yi wore a mysterious smile.

"Come, I'll take you to a Hidden Immortal Pavilion outpost and show you a surprise!"