See Xiao Wanchang Again

Just as he had expected, the people around him scattered rapidly toward the outskirts of the market, intent only on getting away. Not one of them noticed him.

It felt as if he were in another space entirely, bringing to mind the ghosts of legends from his previous life. At that moment, he was a ghost—everywhere, yet unseen by anyone.

Perhaps he was in another dimension, watching this world, which was why nobody could see him.

Otherwise, with so many people pouring out of the market, how had not a single one spotted him? This feeling was wonderful!

Still, it was a good thing. He needed everyone else to be unable to see him so he could do whatever he wanted.

At the thought, he suddenly hit upon something that greatly interested him. Since nobody could detect him, wouldn't it be easy to visit the treasuries of those great sects and Immortal Cultivating Families?

But he would have to find the right time to test it. Those great sects and Immortal Cultivating Families were nothing like this place; they were surely much more heavily guarded. Otherwise, rogue cultivators would have ransacked them long ago!

For now, though, he had to deal with what was right in front of him.

After all, Xiao Wanchang was the bastard he'd been trying to destroy. He'd come to Bayberry Market and was still acting so arrogantly. Now that they'd crossed paths, he was definitely going to kill him. That would also let him collect a little interest from Ouyang Tingting, that bitch.

If he couldn't deal with her, he could always deal with her son and make her learn what regret felt like!

But now he'd noticed something really awful: he'd spent too long chatting with Hu Yidao and had lost track of Xiao Wanchang.

At first, once the auction ended, the surging crowd had rushed out of the market as if they were hurrying to be reborn.

And now he'd lost sight of the person he was supposed to be watching. It made him furious.

Outside Bayberry Market, the surrounding area was all Shanty Town—the usual name for the neighborhoods beyond the market.

Shanties sprang up across the open land, stretching endlessly. They had been built by rogue cultivators from the surrounding area, who put up little houses of their own and paid the market a monthly protection fee.

Why build Shanty Town so close to the market? Mainly because the market had a grand formation that protected the shanties from Demonic Beasts and evil cultivators outside, keeping their residents safe.

The market also had Patrol Teams constantly making the rounds, adding to the sense of security. That was why the rogue cultivators from nearby flocked to the market's outskirts to build their little homes.

Usually, they came with friends, building their nests in twos and threes. As time passed, the rogue cultivators put up more and more houses, until the area became what people called Shanty Town, sprawling all around the market.

The building materials were cheap—usually lumber or bamboo—and the structures were extremely simple. The cultivators didn't need long to put one up; even a single person could finish quickly, after all, they were cultivators.

Of course, since there was no planning, the place was a chaotic mess, and, more importantly, full of filth and vice.

So when the massive crowd flooded into Shanty Town, it was like a hidden dragon diving into the sea. In an instant, they vanished without a trace.

After thinking it over, he understood why everyone had been in such a hurry to leave.

They weren't fools. After buying so many auction lots, they were probably worried other people would take notice of them. Of course they'd flee with the crowd, giving no one a chance to stop them. That was why everyone had poured out together in such a disorderly rush.

In the southwest district of the market, a middle-aged man covered in blood was fleeing at top speed.

Not far behind him, a young woman dressed in black was hot on his heels.

The two figures raced through Shanty Town, one chasing the other.

"Old Ghost Xu, what's wrong? Why are you running so fast? Just leave the item behind, old ghost!"

"Tu Jiaojiao, you bitch, dream on! Catch me first, then talk!"

The middle-aged man surnamed Xu raced ahead without looking back.

"Hehehe, Old Ghost Xu, if you keep running, your descendants will meet the King of Hell before you do!"

"Hahaha, you bitch! I won't let your Tu Family off easy, either. Just wait for my revenge!"

The middle-aged man surnamed Xu roared with laughter, his face twisted with grief and indignation.

The dozens of people in the Xu Family had endured for so many years, always hoping to get their hands on a Clan Establishment Order. Their Lineage was growing, and they had more and more cultivators who would need more spiritual energy to cultivate.

He'd never expected to win a Clan Establishment Order at this auction. As soon as he'd won it, he'd left early, but the others had still managed to corner him.

It was the Xu Family—the very people who'd competed against him at the auction!

After a bitter struggle, he'd finally escaped, but he was badly injured. Worst of all, the old hag behind him was like a maggot clinging to his bones, relentlessly pursuing him...

Meanwhile, the moment Lu Wanyuan left the market, he realized things had gone wrong. The Shanty Town surrounding the market was already in uproar, a complete mess.

Smoke billowed everywhere, flames roared, people wailed and shouted, and the crashing of pots and pans rang out now and then.

The whole place was a massive battlefield of brawling!

Before he'd even reached Shanty Town, he heard a violent Spiritual Energy Fluctuation in the distance, sweeping over like a whirlwind.

It felt as if a sudden gale had sprung from nowhere!

The blows of the spell duel boomed like thunder. Even from several miles away, the sound made his ears ring and ache.

The flimsy little houses near Shanty Town were also overturned by the shock waves, as if battered by stormy rain.

Building materials flew everywhere; the sky was filled with lumber and bamboo!

From the looks of it, Late Qi Refining cultivators were fighting there, and the nearby Shanty Town had been caught in the crossfire.

Seeing this, a nobody like him naturally had to keep well away.

Yet even after the market's Patrol Teams saw such an obvious spell battle, not a single team came out. It seemed the monthly Spirit Stone protection fee was nothing but money down the drain.

It felt as though the market's managers had known this would happen all along. Perhaps they'd simply turned a blind eye.

Especially after an auction like this, there were bound to be plenty of disputes. After all, so many people hadn't gotten the items they wanted.

Now they were giving everyone a chance to settle things!

Seeing this, he thought of heading back. After all, the person he'd wanted to chase was nowhere to be found now.

His opponent couldn't get away for good. Once he returned and his Cultivation Realm improved, he could go to Green Bamboo Peak and settle the score. They might escape the first day of the lunar month, but they definitely wouldn't escape the fifteenth.

Then he suddenly remembered that he was invisible. Going back now would be such a waste. After all, he hadn't obtained this Entry by following the usual method; it would be a real shame not to get something out of it.

Besides, with everything in chaos, maybe he could fish in troubled waters.

Lu Wanyuan's eyes lit up, but he still decided to play it safe and head for areas where the fighting wasn't too fierce.

After all, if the fighting got too intense, he was afraid something might expose him. With his small, frail body, he wouldn't be able to take it. He'd spent all his time loosening soil and turning fields; he had no experience with spell duels at all.

The last time he'd fought had been two years ago, when he came to Bayberry Market and was intercepted by someone. That was when he'd killed his opponent.

For the past two years, he'd spent most of his time farming at home.

But if the fighting wasn't too fierce, there'd definitely be a chance to strike. After all, you fished in troubled waters when they weren't too troubled. If the water was too rough, you could get hurt—and might end up with nothing but a stolen chicken and lost rice.

Given the situation, the southwest was definitely out of the question. He might be knocked down by the whirlwind of the spell battle before he even got there. That would be a disaster.

The sheer force of it was a clear warning: nobodies like him had no business getting involved.

Lu Wanyuan took a deep breath. He had the advantage now. He had to stay calm and think before acting, then he could advance or retreat as he pleased.

He immediately looked toward the northeast. There was fighting there too, but it was clearly smaller in scale than in the southwest.

So he ran northeast. Even though he was invisible, it was still best to be cautious.

The Shanty Town along the way was in disarray, with smoke and flames rising everywhere. It was like bandits had raided a village.

Corpses lay everywhere, some disemboweled, others missing arms or legs. Some were children, some elderly, others young adults; some were men, some women.

Some cultivators were barely breathing, on the verge of death. Despair showed in every one of their eyes.

The sight shook him to the core. Was this what cultivating immortality was supposed to be? They cultivated until they couldn't even keep their lives. Was it really worth it?

Bang!

Just then, a tremendous crash came from not far ahead.

Then came the roaring sound of buildings collapsing.

Lu Wanyuan immediately moved away from the wall. He was afraid the wall beside him might suddenly collapse too; that would be a truly senseless way to die. Then he cautiously headed toward the source of the crash.

He had just poked his head out when he saw Xiao Wanchang ahead, surrounded by three men and a young man.

To run into Xiao Wanchang here was like grinding iron shoes to find him and then stumbling upon him without even trying. He was definitely going to teach the man a good lesson.

"Brother Zhuge, let's see you escape now! So what if you have more Spirit Stones than me? You dared to fight me for the item. I think you're tired of living!"

A vicious glint flashed in Xiao Wanchang's eyes as he threatened him.

"Hmph, you little bastard! You're only so proud because your mother sells herself and flirts with strange men everywhere! You think we don't know?"

"You've disgraced all of Qinghe Village! And you still dare to run your mouth and pick a fight with me?"

"I wonder which wild man your mother hooked up with. I hadn't seen you for two years, and now your cultivation matches mine."

"If it weren't for your mother, how could you ever beat me at anything? Just look at that sorry face, like your father's dead! Bah!"

Then Zhuge Man spat and looked at Xiao Wanchang with contempt.