Inside the wooden hut, Li Tui spread open his palm.
A Yin Baleful Stone lay in his palm, its once-vibrant luster now dim and lifeless.
Li Tui activated the Yin Baleful Qi Refinement Method, sending his spiritual sense into the stone. He discovered that the Killing Intent remaining within the Yin Baleful Stone was so thin he could barely grasp it—likely not even enough for the next round of Killing Intent condensation.
Running out already. Li Tui frowned slightly.
For the past few months, Li Tui had relied on the Killing Intent contained in the Yin Baleful Stones brought out from the bottom of the mine pool to aid his cultivation and condense baleful stones. Without them, the meager Killing Intent in the marketplace was simply not worth mentioning.
Li Tui closed his hand around the stone and tucked it away close to his body. Today was supposed to be the day he delivered the goods to the old man.
He then changed into a worn gray shirt, put on a bamboo hat, and climbed out of the wooden hut through the back window. Rather than taking the main street, he deliberately chose narrow alleys. The alleys were wet after the rain, moss growing in the corners of the walls.
As he neared the street where the old man's shop stood, Li Tui stopped at the mouth of an alley.
He leaned out halfway and swept his gaze across the street.
Two people stood at the entrance of the shop.
A young cultivator in blue robes was speaking with the old man. Across the street, a man in gray crouched beneath the eaves, his eyes fixed on the shop entrance.
Li Tui drew back, pressing his back against the wall.
Something was wrong.
The young cultivator spoke with an easy