Being Watched

Treasury Pavilion.

"Fellow Daoist, this is the Yellow Silk Umbrella. It combines offense and defense, an exceptionally fine magical tool."

"And this Mystic Iron Flying Sword—its edge is peerless..."

The Shopkeeper spoke in a torrent, smiling broadly as he continuously introduced the magical tools in the store. Every one of them was a Mid-Grade Magical Tool.

After looking them over, Lin Chang'an had to admit that he was tempted. But when he considered his Spirit Stones, he could only sigh softly.

He had spent his savings on cultivation over the years. Even his surplus provisions were not plentiful.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any Wood-Attribute magical tools, the sort of concealed weapons like flying needles? Preferably something that can restrain protective spiritual light."

Though the Shopkeeper was doing his utmost to promote his treasures, Lin Chang'an still had his own purpose in mind and could not help interrupting the introduction.

The Wood Spirit Thorn spell was better suited to magical tools such as flying needles, where it could display its greatest effect.

"Wood-Attribute concealed weapons!"

The Shopkeeper was briefly stunned. Concealed weapons already were uncommon enough, let alone Wood-Attribute ones. Then he seemed to think of something, and a smile spread across his face.

"Yes, of course we do! Fellow Daoist, let me put it this way: if Treasury Pavilion says it does not have the treasure you seek, then there is no need for you to trouble yourself searching the entire Green Bamboo Mountain Market."

The Shopkeeper patted his chest, pride written all over his face. At every turn, he displayed the deep foundations of Mystic Sound Pavilion, yet his hands did not slow in the slightest.

With a lift of his hand, two brocade boxes floated out from the back of the private room.

"Fellow Daoist, please take a look."

As the two vermilion brocade boxes opened, the Shopkeeper pointed at the first one beneath his proud smile.

"The Heart-Piercing Nail. Even among Mid-Grade Magical Tools, it is top-quality goods. It contains Corpse Poison, making it an absolute necessity for self-defense."

"And this second item, the Emerald Feather Arrow. Fellow Daoist, do not underestimate this short arrow. The wood it is made of contains a potent poison."

Good heavens, two in a row. The first was clearly a coffin nail, or perhaps a corpse nail. Lin Chang'an's eye twitched. Treasury Pavilion really did sell everything.

"The first is a little too big, while the second is a little too long."

Lin Chang'an shook his head. This spell required something easily concealed, or its effect would not be nearly as good.

"Big! Long!"

The Shopkeeper looked utterly dumbfounded. So he disliked these two magical tools for being too big and too long. That was rather unusual indeed.

But it did not matter. The Shopkeeper maintained his smile as he spoke the next moment.

"Do not be hasty, Fellow Daoist. According to your requirements, Mid-Grade Magical Tools truly are difficult to find. However, you have come at the right time today. There is a damaged High-Grade Magical Tool that seems to fit your requirements exactly."

At the Shopkeeper's raised hand, ripples flashed through the formation behind him. This time, a small and exquisite brocade box appeared on the table.

"Fellow Daoist, please take a look."

As the brocade box opened, three dark green wooden flying needles glittering with spiritual light appeared inside.

"Fellow Daoist, these were refined from the poisonous thorns on the stalks of Ten Thousand Poison Flowers in the Cloud Mist Mountain Range. Even a Second-tier Monster Beast would suffer unbearable agony if pricked by these thorns. They are rare High-Grade Magical Tools."

Among magical tools, concealed weapons such as flying needles were inherently expensive, not to mention a matched set.

When Lin Chang'an saw these three wooden thorn magical tools, he was moved. But upon thinking of their being High-Grade Magical Tools, his mouth twitched, and he shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist, High-Grade Magical Tools are generally worth over a thousand Spirit Stones. I cannot afford them."

He truly had his eye on them. His lack of funds was one reason, but more importantly, even if he had a High-Grade Magical Tool, he might not be able to wield it properly.

Qi Refining Cultivators generally wielded Low-Grade and Mid-Grade Magical Tools. Only some cultivators at Qi Refining Great Perfection could smoothly control a few High-Grade Magical Tools.

As for Supreme-Grade Magical Tools, they were already wielded by Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Seeing Lin Chang'an's interest, the Shopkeeper smiled and shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. This magical tool originally came as a set of thirteen. Unfortunately, its previous owner went to the Cloud Mist Mountain Range and never returned. Even this set of High-Grade Magical Tools was reduced to only three needles."

At those words, Lin Chang'an's eyes lit up, while the Shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and held up his thumb and forefinger.

"Eight hundred Spirit Stones!?"

"Fellow Daoist, why not just rob me? Add a little more to that price, and I could buy a High-Grade Magical Tool."

Lin Chang'an's eyes widened as he spoke hoarsely in irritation. This Shopkeeper was far too ruthless.

Yet business was business, and the Shopkeeper shook his head in explanation.

"Fellow Daoist, concealed weapon magical tools such as flying needles are expensive to begin with. A complete set can sell for fifteen hundred Spirit Stones."

"That price is for thirteen needles. You only have three."

"Fellow Daoist, magical tools cannot be calculated that way. The lowest price would still be seven hundred and fifty Spirit Stones."

"Five hundred Spirit Stones!"

"Fellow Daoist..."

After a round of bargaining, Lin Chang'an finally bought this incomplete set of three wooden thorn magical tools for six hundred and ninety Spirit Stones.

"What a rip-off!"

When he walked out of Treasury Pavilion, Lin Chang'an wore a pained expression. Yet when he touched the magical tools inside his Storage Bag, he felt somewhat reassured.

Flying needle magical tools inherently restrained mana shields. Combined with his spell, they were like a tiger that had grown wings.

To others, they might be defective goods, but to me...

No!

Having just stepped outside, a cool breeze blew over him. Lin Chang'an froze, only then realizing the problem.

Someone else had used these before. In other words, he could not use these magical tools lightly, or he might expose himself.

Damn it, I spent six hundred Spirit Stones on secondhand goods!

Lin Chang'an secretly gritted his teeth, inwardly calling it a black-hearted shop. Yet he also knew that with the situation so tense, where was there any room to choose?

Had Yun Yao, an inner disciple of Li Fire Palace, not also risked her life to take a gamble?

Yet the moment Lin Chang'an stepped out of Treasury Pavilion, he sensed a faint feeling of being watched from behind.

"Big Brother, I saw that old fellow come down from the second floor."

Two middle-aged Cultivator Bandits, one ahead and one behind, communicated through voice transmission.

"Be careful. Find somewhere secluded before making a move."

Lin Chang'an, disguised in another guise, mingled naturally with the crowd. If he had merely been suspicious before, he was now certain.

Have I been targeted?

He had drifted through the Cultivation World for over twenty years. Without a little vigilance and experience, he would have died countless times already.

After circling around once, Lin Chang'an covertly probed with his Divine Sense and discovered that one of the two followers was at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, while the other was at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Understanding dawned on him.

No wonder they were so bold.

"Unfortunately, people like you will never understand the wealth of a Talisman Master."

With a calm smile, Lin Chang'an entered an alley he had prepared beforehand in front of Treasury Pavilion.

The two Cultivator Bandits following him sneered and chose to take separate paths, one before and one behind, to cut him off.

"You!"

The moment one of the Cultivator Bandits entered, a figure approached him head-on.

It was Lin Chang'an, once again disguised as a bearded old man. Bent at the waist and hunched over, he approached with a hoarse voice. The burly Cultivator Bandit's eyes turned bloodshot as he stared in disbelief at the person before him.

Wood Spirit Thorn.

A streak of green light flashed. The Cultivator Bandit's pupils contracted, and before his consciousness sank into darkness, he had only one thought.

What happened?

As he passed the limp figure before him, Lin Chang'an calmly wiped the Wood Spirit Thorn in his hand. Yet a trace of shock also flickered in his eyes.

The Wood Spirit Thorn, this spell technique, was unexpectedly powerful!