Why Go Looking for Death?

He parted ways with Liu Bohu.

Zhao Huaian quickly headed in another direction. Disguising himself, he soon left Greenwood Sect.

By then, he had put on a Human Skin Mask and removed the Concealment Talisman from his body, revealing his original Qi Refining Layer Six cultivation.

That way, Zhao Huaian was confident that even someone who knew him well would never suspect a thing.

Soon, Zhao Huaian reached the agreed meeting place. He wore a Long Sword at his waist, and Zhao Huan had already used other means to hide the scar on the Human Skin Mask.

A thick layer of makeup had transformed what had been a dark-skinned, scar-faced brute into a handsome, fair-faced young man.

The main reason Zhao Huaian had done this was that, on his way there, he had suddenly remembered that this identity of his was quite popular in Greenwood Market.

Besides, his features were very distinctive.

If anyone with ulterior motives recognized him, it would be difficult to smooth things over, and he would arouse suspicion.

Everything was ready.

Zhao Huaian sat cross-legged on a boulder on the hillside, quietly waiting.

The summer breeze swept by, making the black robe he wore flap loudly.

He looked rather aloof like this.

Less than half an incense stick later,

just as Zhao Huaian had closed his eyes to rest, a streak of light flew across the sky.

He opened his eyes slightly.

He saw a Qi Refining Layer Seven cultivator flying over with Liu Bohu on a sword.

The cultivator looked incredibly dashing.

Once this matter is settled, I'll definitely learn the Art of Sword Riding and Flying. It'll be useful for traveling, chasing someone, or fleeing.

Watching the dashing Qi Refining Layer Seven cultivator, Zhao Huaian thought to himself.

"Are you the person Brother Zhao Huaian introduced, Brother Zhao?"

As soon as he landed, Liu Bohu looked at Zhao Huaian with eager anticipation.

Zhao Huaian nodded calmly and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. "I once saved Zhao Huaian's life, and he's helped me before. He said you have a Sword Cultivator inheritance from the Foundation Establishment Realm?"

Liu Bohu nodded, restraining his excitement as he said, "That's right. I assume Brother Zhao has already told you the details? My price is six hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones."

"Fine. Money for the goods, goods for the money!"

Zhao Huaian replied simply.

As he spoke, he took six hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag and piled them at his feet.

Six hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones formed a small mountain, glittering in the sunlight and looking incredibly tempting.

"You're certainly straightforward, Brother. No wonder you're an acquaintance of Brother Zhao!"

Liu Bohu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took out the Jade Slip containing the Sword Dao inheritance.

Zhao Huaian examined it with Spiritual Energy and, once he had confirmed it was genuine, immediately pushed the pile of Spirit Stones toward him.

"Brother, you're a man of your word. There are exactly six hundred Spirit Stones!"

After counting them to make sure they were all there, Liu Bohu quickly put them into his Storage Bag and clasped his hands toward Zhao Huaian.

"You're Brother Zhao's fellow disciple. Why would I cheat you?"

Zhao Huaian clasped his hands in return.

He quickly put the Jade Slip into his Storage Bag, bade Liu Bohu farewell, and strode away.

Watching Zhao Huaian's retreating figure, Liu Bohu smiled and said to the cultivator beside him, "Senior Brother Wang, let's go. We need to hurry back to the sect and buy a Detoxification Pill."

The cultivator surnamed Wang shook his head. "Greenwood Sect isn't far from here. Go back first; I'll be along shortly."

Without waiting for Liu Bohu to react, the cultivator surnamed Wang quietly slipped away.

Liu Bohu frowned, vaguely guessing what was going on.

But he didn't meddle in other people's business.

For one thing, his cultivation wasn't up to it. For another, buying a Detoxification Pill was his top priority right now, and he couldn't afford any complications.

Meanwhile, after completing the trade with Liu Bohu, Zhao Huaian cautiously headed away from Greenwood Sect.

He planned to find somewhere to restore his appearance, then loop around and return to Greenwood Sect.

But when he reached a secluded spot, he couldn't help frowning and quickened his pace.

Soon, Zhao Huaian was well away from Greenwood Sect and had reached a forest.

He stopped amid the thick vegetation, leaped onto a sturdy tree, and shook his head with a sigh. "I wanted to make an honest deal, but you've decided to rob me instead. You've been following me for so long. Come on out and show yourself."

In a dense grove not far ahead, a Qi Refining Layer Seven cultivator had appeared.

It was the cultivator surnamed Wang who had been beside Liu Bohu.

Looking at Zhao Huaian, the cultivator surnamed Wang sneered. "Kid, you handed over six hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones without even blinking. Clearly, you've got plenty more. I'm a little short on cash right now, so lend me some to spend, will you?"

The cultivator surnamed Wang looked at Zhao Huaian with utter disdain.

In his mind, how could a mere Rogue Cultivator at Qi Refining Layer Six compare to him?

It wasn't that he didn't keep his word. The main thing was that Zhao Huaian's cultivation was inferior to his, and he was a Rogue Cultivator to boot.

"I don't have any Spirit Stones, but I can give you something else."

Zhao Huaian smiled.

"What?"

Just as the cultivator surnamed Wang stared at him in confusion, thick vines suddenly surged out of the grass around them, closing in on him from all sides.

"Grandmaster-level Entangle Spell?"

Seeing the thick vines, the cultivator surnamed Wang's pupils contracted. He hurriedly dodged and swung his Dharma Artifact.

As he struggled to fend them off, enormous fireballs appeared out of thin air, hurtling toward him like falling meteors.

Boom!!!

Bound and disrupted by vines sweeping in from every direction, the cultivator surnamed Wang couldn't react in time and could only hurriedly summon a defensive Dharma Artifact.

One huge fireball after another crashed into the defensive artifact, unleashing deafening explosions.

The cultivator surnamed Wang spat blood. Flames engulfed his body as he was hurled backward.

He hit the ground hard. The cultivator surnamed Wang cried out in disbelief, "Two Grandmaster-level spells? How is that possible?!"

Zhao Huaian was only a Rogue Cultivator, and he didn't look very old. How could he possibly possess two Grandmaster-level spells?

And they were the most basic Fireball Spell and Entangle Spell. Who would bother cultivating two basic spells to the Grandmaster level?

"What's impossible about it?"

Zhao Huaian sneered and channeled Spiritual Energy through his palm.

Countless vines surged toward the cultivator surnamed Wang once more.

At the same time, several enormous fireballs appeared in the sky again, carrying a fierce, scorching heat as they crashed down.

"Hmph! Grandmaster-level spells may be powerful, but yours are just the most basic Fireball Spell and Entangle Spell. My cultivation is higher than yours, and I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve. You won't necessarily be able to do anything to me!"

Seeing Zhao Huaian's attack come again, the cultivator surnamed Wang snorted, swallowed an Elixir Pill, and released a sudden surge of Spiritual Energy.

He had been careless before and had been caught off guard, sustaining an injury.

Now that he had taken an Elixir Pill to boost his strength, he was sure he could take down Zhao Huaian. After all, he had Qi Refining Layer Seven cultivation and several Dharma Artifacts.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

A barrage of explosions rang out.

The entire forest caught fire, turning into a sea of flames in just a few breaths.

Zhao Huaian kept launching Fireball Spells from a distance, utterly unconcerned about his Spiritual Energy reserves.

Under the Grandmaster-level Fireball Spells' relentless bombardment, the cultivator surnamed Wang could hold on at first, but he struggled more and more as time went on.

He had been careless again!

He hadn't expected Zhao Huaian's Fireball Technique to be cast instantly.

One fireball after another, without the slightest pause.

In these circumstances, even after swallowing an Elixir Pill to boost his strength, he could barely hold on.

"Damn it! How is this possible?"

The cultivator surnamed Wang was completely flustered. As he frantically defended himself, he looked around.

By now, he had given up on stealing Zhao Huaian's Spirit Stones and Sword Dao inheritance.

He just wanted to find an opening and escape.

Just as the cultivator surnamed Wang was preparing to strike with all his might and flee, a flash of light suddenly flickered before his eyes.

Pfft!

Blood sprayed through the air, glittering brilliantly in the sunlight.

"This..."

The cultivator surnamed Wang collapsed heavily to the ground, his eyes full of disbelief.

Even at the moment of death, he couldn't believe that it wasn't the dangerous, powerful fireballs that had killed him, but a Silver Needle.

"Alas... why bother? Some things are beyond your grasp. Why come looking for death?"

Zhao Huaian shook his head with a sigh and sent a Fireball Spell crashing down.

As the flames erupted and spread, the cultivator surnamed Wang was quickly burned to ashes, leaving behind only a Storage Bag and two damaged Dharma Artifacts.

"And just like that, another unexpected windfall..."

Zhao Huaian smiled faintly, walked over, and picked up the Storage Bag and the two damaged Dharma Artifacts.

"Qi Refining Layer Seven... nothing special."