Undercurrents Surge

At dusk, the setting sun was on the verge of sinking, and the sky not far away had already been stained with a trace of profound night.

In Jia Tai Market, in an underground auction house tucked away in a corner of the western district, the auction had also come to an end.

Auctions generally began at noon and ended at dusk.

Once they ended, it would be just approaching evening. At this time point, it was much more convenient for cultivators to either flee or track someone.

Clearly, this was one of the auction house's methods for keeping regular customers.

After all, only if cultivators gained enough benefits here would they keep coming in an endless stream.

As for what methods were used, what schemes were employed, and how much slaughter and plotting resulted from them—that was none of the auction house's concern.

After all, I run an honest business. If anything happens, that is your own problem. What does it have to do with me?

At this moment, on a street not far from the auction house, a squad of market guard cultivators was patrolling when someone suddenly blocked their path.

"Who dares—" Seeing this, the patrol captain was just about to rebuke the intruder when he abruptly froze, then hurriedly led his men to drop to one knee. "Greetings, disciple of the superior sect!"

The other party had directly produced a lush, jade-green spirit leaf. A faint green light radiated from it, and it contained spirit pressure that made their hearts tremble.

This was Azure Cloud Sect's identity token. The phenomenon upon it further indicated that its owner was either a Foundation Establishment Realm elder of high authority or a True Disciple with a boundless future.

Whichever it was, they had to treat him with the utmost seriousness!

"I am Zhang Zhiming, a True Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. In the name of a True Disciple, I order you: send the signal at once, gather cultivators, and seal off every area in the western district of the market. No one is to leave, nor is anyone to approach. Any violators are to be executed on the spot!" The newcomer was none other than the blue-robed cultivator from the auction.

The instant the auction ended, he had immediately left the venue, found the market patrol, and issued this stern command.

"Th-this..." The captain was somewhat dumbfounded. One had to know that sealing off the market, even if it was only one area, consumed considerable manpower and resources and caused no small amount of disruption!

"If anything goes wrong, I will bear full responsibility. But if you delay matters..." Seeing that the other party had not acted at once, Zhang Zhiming's expression suddenly darkened, and an acute, razor-sharp aura radiated from his body.

"Yes! Yes!" Sensing that killing intent, the patrol captain shuddered from head to toe and immediately came back to his senses, hastily sending out the signal.

The other party was his superior, and his strength surpassed his own. If he continued to hesitate and delayed the matter, the man would likely slaughter him without hesitation!

"Humph!" Zhang Zhiming snorted coldly, then turned and said, "Junior Brother, take my token and immediately find the Foundation Establishment Realm elder managing the market. Inform him of this matter and have him seal off the auction house at once and seize those in charge!"

"And what about you, Senior Brother?"

"The Foundation Establishment Secret Method concerns our sect's rule. It absolutely cannot be allowed to spread beyond us. No matter who obtained it, kill them!" Zhang Zhiming did not answer directly. Instead, he looked toward the auction house, a trace of ice-cold killing intent flashing through his eyes.

At the same time, in a secret room within the underground auction venue, Zhao Ming stood respectfully before an old man.

Though the old man was advanced in years, he was vigorous and sharp-eyed, with crane-white hair and the rosy face of a child. Every gesture carried the bearing of someone long accustomed to high office.

Clearly, he was the true mastermind behind the auction house, a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator from the East Sea Rogue Cultivator Alliance.

"Is everything prepared?" the old man asked.

"Reporting to Elder Situ, everything has been packed up. We can set out at once," Zhao Ming answered respectfully.

"Good. Leave through the secret passage immediately. Take all the spirit stones and treasures. Dispose of every irrelevant person, so as not to expose our destination," the old man said indifferently.

"Once outside, board the flying boat and return to the alliance immediately. There must not be any delay along the way!... What is it? Is there a problem?" Seeing the hesitant expression on Zhao Ming's face, the old man turned to ask.

"This..." Zhao Ming looked at the old man's calm expression, gritted his teeth, and asked, "There is something this subordinate does not understand."

"Speak."

"Restricting the opportunity for cultivators outside the Three Major Powers to achieve Foundation Establishment was a rule jointly established by us and the righteous and demonic sects. Why are we violating it unilaterally? And... to the point that we must abandon this auction house—Elder, you must understand..."

To be honest, Zhao Ming did not care about the Foundation Establishment Secret Method. What he cared about was this auction house. It was the crystallization of his many years of painstaking effort, and now they were simply giving it up?

"This is not something you should know. Leave," the old man said, looking at him coldly.

"Yes." Zhao Ming's hands clenched involuntarily, but he still lowered his head and answered.

"Ah, these are troubled times indeed!" Only after Zhao Ming had left the room did the old man let out a long sigh.

This sale of the Foundation Establishment Secret Method had not been directed by the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. It had been the decision of the Situ Family, a Golden Core family within the alliance.

As for offending the Azure Cloud Sect by doing so, how could he not know? Yet he had no choice but to do it.

The Situ Family's Ancestor had suffered grievous injuries in a conflict with others in his early years, damaging his foundation. Then, years ago, something had gone wrong in his cultivation technique, costing him much of his lifespan. By now, he was on the verge of passing away.

Yet the strongest Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Situ Family had only a slim chance of breaking through to the Golden Core Realm. In the resource-starved Lingnan Cultivation World, even third-tier spirit items were difficult to find, let alone spirit items that could aid in forming a Golden Core.

Just as the situation was worsening further, the Mysterious Yin Gate had somehow obtained this information and proposed a deal.

The terms of the deal were that the Mysterious Yin Gate would offer a Golden Core Spirit Item as payment, in exchange for requiring the Situ Family to use every possible means to spread a Foundation Establishment Secret Method widely throughout Azure Cloud Sect territory.

And that Foundation Establishment Secret Method was precisely the one they had just auctioned—the Spirit Blood Foundation Establishment Method!

"Cooperating with the demonic path is simply seeking a tiger's skin, but at this point, my Situ Family has no choice. I can only hope we can weather this crisis..." The old man looked up, his gaze distant and dim.

Golden Core Spirit Items were extraordinarily precious even within the Mysterious Yin Gate. Since the other side was willing to offer one in trade, what they sought had to be significant.

Though he did not know the other side's purpose, the old man had grown wise with age. Based on the existing circumstances, he could naturally see that while the Azure Cloud Sect and Mysterious Yin Gate appeared calm on the surface, conflict had already been endlessly brewing beneath it.

If this continued to develop, it was highly likely to turn into a great war sweeping across the entire Lingnan Cultivation Land!

But the Situ Family could barely protect itself now. If they could not produce a Golden Core Cultivator before their Ancestor passed away, they would likely suffer a calamity of annihilation. Naturally, they could not care about future matters.

"Hmm?" The old man suddenly paused, as though he had sensed something. He looked up; though he was underground, it was as if he could see the brilliant fireworks in the sky. "A transmission signal? Those two little Azure Cloud Sect fellows really are decisive."

The old man smiled faintly, but it vanished in an instant. His expression immediately turned solemn and dignified, and an authority belonging to one in a high position radiated from his entire body.

He did not open his mouth, yet his voice rang in the ears of every designated person.

"Pass on my order. Everyone is to evacuate through the secret passage immediately. Make haste. Anyone who delays shall be killed without mercy!"

"Is that... Azure Cloud Sect's signaling fireworks?!" Inside a residence, the Chen Family uncle and nephew saw this scene, and their expressions changed slightly.

Although they had left the underground auction, they were still nearby, still within Azure Cloud Sect's blockade!

"Second Uncle, what do we do?!" the young man beside him asked anxiously.

"Proceed according to my plan. The people tailing us are already outside the residence. In a while, I'll have the servants drive out three carriages to confuse them. But after they leave, don't wait until midnight to depart. Set off immediately after a while, so Azure Cloud Sect's people don't catch you." The burly man was not flustered. Instead, he gave his instructions calmly.

"What about you, Second Uncle?"

"I'm going to fight for that Foundation Establishment Secret Method. It concerns the future of my Chen Family!" The man clenched his fist, his face ice cold.

"Then... Second Uncle, be extra careful." The young man gritted his teeth and said.

"Take the item back to the Chen Family!" The man nodded, glanced at him once more, and gave this instruction.

Soon, three carriages drove out through the residence's front gate. Greed flashed in the eyes of quite a few cultivators lurking nearby, and they all followed after them.

Not long after the three carriages left, a middle-aged man quietly emerged from the residence. He carefully surveyed the area in every direction, then leapt into the air and raced toward the outskirts of the marketplace.

After he left, several figures hidden deep within the shadows moved and silently followed him.

After he had been gone for a while, the young man in the residence solemnly took out a talisman from his Storage Bag—an Earth Escape Talisman.

The price of this type of talisman had always remained high. Coupled with the considerable price the Chen Family had paid to enlist an outstanding talisman master to improve it—

—it not only moved without a sound while sneaking through the earth, but also completely concealed its Spiritual Energy Fluctuation. It could be called exceptionally precious.

This was one of the most precious treasures in the Chen Family treasury. It had originally been prepared as a means for the family's core descendants to escape should the clan face a calamity of annihilation. Yet, to ensure the safety of this trip to the auction, the family elders had taken it out Without Hesitation.

"Edict!"

A flash of earthen-yellow spiritual light appeared, and the young man sank directly into the ground. After moving underground for a while, he emerged inside a residence purchased beforehand at the edge of the marketplace, then swiftly headed out of the marketplace.

It was not that he did not want to stay in the marketplace for a few days, rendezvous with his family's caravan, and leave after the storm had passed.

Rather, several other powers in Yunshan County had already set their sights on them when they departed. Once they joined up and left the marketplace, the chances of being intercepted and killed would be even greater.

But if he traveled alone, he could completely evade their notice and escape pursuit. Moreover, he carried a large number of Divine Movement Talismans on his body, as well as a one-use flying spirit artifact. If he traveled at full speed, he could return to the family within a single day, reducing the chance of unforeseen complications.

"I've already avoided the eyes and ears of Yunshan County's various powers. The cultivators who followed us from the auction have also been led away by Second Uncle. Coupled With my leaving the residence by a special method, it seems I should already be safe. As long as I remain careful, then..."

Outside the marketplace, in a dim forest, the young man held a Defense Spirit Artifact to protect himself as he cautiously observed his surroundings and muttered.

However, before he had time to finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed, and his body went rigid.

Because at This Moment, a crisp voice suddenly came from behind him:

"Fellow Daoist, Please Stay!"