The black shadow's long-planned strike failed to kill the opponent, and naturally could not serve as a deterrent. Instead, the delay allowed the pursuers to catch up. Escape was no longer possible; he could only fight a fierce battle and look for an opportunity to flee.
Seeing that the black shadow had stopped running, the pursuers did not hurry to advance. A group of people surrounded him tightly. A Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator stepped forward and advised, "Fellow Daoist, you have reached the end of the road. We chased you across a thousand miles only for wealth; we have no interest in your head. As long as you hand over the Clear River Carp, we will naturally let you leave. Please do not lead yourself astray."
The black shadow had survived in the treacherous cultivation world until Foundation Establishment, so he was no fool. There was no way he would believe such nonsense. Even if he handed over the Clear River Carp, the result would only be being beaten to death by the group. It was better not to hand it over. These people feared damaging the Clear River Carp and would not dare fight without restraint, so he still had a chance to escape alive.
The black shadow directly attacked a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator. That man resisted with all his strength, but the others merely stood by with their arms folded. Not a single one stepped in to help.
The black shadow sneered. He had anticipated this long ago. This group wished for everyone else to be killed so they could monopolize the Clear River Carp themselves. They could never work together with one heart, which gave him an opportunity to escape.
A moment later, the Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator could no longer hold out and fled on his flying sword. The black shadow did not pursue him, instead fixing his sights on the next target and beating him with lethal force.
This happened repeatedly. Five or six Foundation Establishment Early and Mid Stage Cultivators left after being injured, while two others who refused to leave even in the face of death were killed.
The remaining Foundation Establishment Early and Mid Stage Cultivators no longer dared approach too closely, and the encirclement became exceedingly loose.
The black shadow chose another Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator as his target. After driving him back, he did not select another opponent. Instead, he dove downward with all his strength.
This left the besiegers somewhat dumbfounded. By all logic, the black shadow should have picked another target and beaten him to death. Everyone had been focusing intently on defense, trying to avoid becoming his target. Who could have expected this man to refuse to play by the rules? For a moment, no one stopped him in time.
By the time they reacted, the black shadow had already descended more than ten zhang. Everyone immediately gave chase downward. The black shadow threw out a magic artifact longsword, and when the others drew near it, he instantly detonated the artifact. The pursuers' momentum abruptly stalled, and the black shadow seized the chance to plunge into Clear Creek.
Though Clear Creek was called a "creek," its volume of water was truly considerable. The river was two or three li wide and four or five zhang deep. In such a vast body of water, if a Foundation Establishment Cultivator wished to hide, cultivators of the same realm could never catch him.
Most of the pursuers furiously launched several spells into Clear Creek. When they saw that it had no effect, they sighed deeply and departed on their flying swords. A few people remained unwilling to give up and continued searching underwater, but it was all futile. Unless a Violet Mansion Cultivator happened to be present and the black shadow had not gone far, there would be a chance of finding him.
The rising sun climbed into the sky, and rosy clouds filled the heavens. A cultivator flew toward the old market on a flying sword and landed in the back courtyard of Jade Spring Grocery Store. The newcomer was none other than Wang Zhian, the Wang Clan Patriarch.
Yesterday, Wang Zhide had sent word back to the Lineage that Wang Daoyuan had caught a Clear River Carp. Wang Zhian immediately summoned the Lineage elders to discuss how to handle the matter.
The elders all voiced different opinions. After wrangling for a long time, they still failed to reach a conclusion.
Time was pressing, and the patriarch would not allow the elders to continue wasting it. He made the decision outright to present the Clear River Carp to the Netherworld Sect.
After making the decision, Wang Zhian sent a message to Old Ancestor Yang, Yang Yong, asking him to convey their intention to offer the Clear River Carp to the Netherworld Sect.
Yang Yong was the Wang Clan's backer within the Netherworld Sect. He was over three hundred and fifty years old and possessed Violet Mansion Mid Stage cultivation.
The Wang Clan had been suppressed by a direct-descendant family of the Netherworld Sect for three hundred years, yet it had remained standing. This elder had contributed greatly to that.
The Wang Clan had been able to cling to this great tree because of their ancestors' lingering blessings as well. More than three hundred years ago, Yang Yong encountered a fortuitous opportunity and successfully reached Foundation Establishment while still young.
At that time, the overwhelming majority of Rogue Cultivators regarded Wang Chengzhu as their idol, and Yang Yong was no exception. He too intended to follow Wang Chengzhu's path to success: slay Demon Beasts, make a name for himself, and win the favor of the Zhao royal family.
While slaying Demon Beasts in the Skyrend Mountain Range, he carelessly provoked a pack of Black Cloud Wolves.
Adult Black Cloud Wolves were peak first-rank Demon Beasts, while the wolf king was an early second-rank Demon Beast.
A Black Cloud Wolf pack with a wolf king was something even Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivators had to avoid, much less Yang Yong, who had only just reached Foundation Establishment. He was surrounded on all sides by the wolf pack and was about to be unable to hold on when Wang Chengzhu happened to pass by while hunting in the mountains and saved Yang Yong.
Wang Chengzhu had saved Yang Yong's life, and Yang Yong knew how to repay kindness. After the Wang Clan fell into hardship, Yang Yong actively mediated on its behalf and preserved the Wang Clan.
For three hundred years, the Wang Clan had sent elders to visit Yang Yong every year, never ceasing to offer lavish gifts. The Wang and Yang families had continuously intermarried, from cultivators above to mortals below. Even Wang Daoyuan's mother came from the Yang family.
Upon receiving Wang Zhian's message, Yang Yong immediately reported it to the Netherworld Sect's sect master. The sect master did not attach too much importance to the matter. After all, the Clear River Carp had little practical use and was merely worth some Spirit Stones. Since the incident had occurred in Qingli Market, he entrusted the matter entirely to Elder Zhou, who guarded Qingli Market for the Netherworld Sect.
However, Elder Zhou was in seclusion cultivating and did not receive the message. Wang Zhian arrived at Qingli Market early and paid Elder Zhou a visit, only to be turned away. It was not until Yang Yong arrived and summoned Elder Zhou from his cultivation chamber that Wang Zhian finally met Elder Zhou.
By the time he had negotiated the matter of offering the Clear River Carp and returned to Jade Spring Grocery Store, it was already the next morning.
Wang Zhian learned from Wang Zhide what had happened the previous night, and it gave him quite a fright. If the Clear River Carp had truly been snatched away, the Netherworld Sect's wrath would have brought terrible disaster upon the Wang Clan.
Fortunately, Wang Daoyuan and Wang Zhide had switched the beams and pillars, diverting disaster eastward, and shifted the attention of the treasure-seeking cultivators. Otherwise, both Jade Spring Grocery Store and the Pill Talisman Pavilion would have been finished.
Just as Wang Zhian was finally recovering from his fright, Elder Zhou and Yang Yong arrived at Jade Spring Grocery Store with several Foundation Establishment disciples of the Netherworld Sect.
At this moment, Liang Jiaxing, the Liang family patriarch, also came uninvited. However, his complexion was not quite right, as though he had suffered serious internal injuries.
Wang Zhian and Wang Zhide paid their respects to Elder Zhou and Yang Yong. After the formalities, Elder Zhou said, "The Wang Clan, from top to bottom, understands righteousness and has voluntarily offered the Clear River Carp. The sect master is greatly pleased and has ordered this elder to handle the matter in full. He also said the Wang Clan should be properly rewarded."
Wang Zhian hastily thanked him. "As a subordinate family of the Netherworld Sect, offering the Clear River Carp is the Wang Clan's duty. We dare not hope for a reward."
Liang Jiaxing spoke from the side in a strange, mocking tone. "Why did I hear that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator broke into the Pill Talisman Pavilion last night, injured the brat who caught the fish, and stole the Clear River Carp? The Wang Clan lost the Clear River Carp, yet still shamelessly claims it wishes to offer it to the Netherworld Sect in order to fraudulently obtain a reward. What crime should that be?"
Wang Zhide asked in return, "May I ask how Patriarch Liang knew someone had stolen the Clear River Carp?"
Liang Jiaxing said disdainfully, "There was such a commotion last night. How could I not know?"
"Since you knew, why did you not lend a hand?" Wang Zhide questioned again. "Could it be that Patriarch Liang hoped the Clear River Carp would be stolen by someone else, or kept for himself, rather than handed over to the Netherworld Sect by my Wang Clan?"
Liang Jiaxing was rendered speechless. Wang Zhide had exposed what was in his heart. After holding it in for a long time, he could only weakly reply, "How was I supposed to know the Wang Clan intended to hand the Clear River Carp over to the Netherworld Sect?"
After gaining the upper hand, Wang Zhide did not press the attack, lest he provoke Elder Zhou's annoyance.
Elder Zhou knew a little about the grievances between the Wang and Liang families. As an outsider, there was no need for him to get involved, and he could not be bothered to listen to the two bicker. He asked, "So, is the Clear River Carp still in the Wang Clan's possession?"
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