Xu Yuan made his way through the mountain paths and entered Biyou Market, heading toward the Merit Hall.
Of the three who had gone down the mountain this time, only Xu Yuan had returned. All the rewards and merit points for this mission had thus fallen into his hands.
A total of fifty low-grade spirit stones, along with an equal fifty merit points, had all been credited to him.
With his pockets swelling fuller and fuller, Xu Yuan walked through Biyou Market with his back unconsciously straightening a little.
Selling blood, selling flesh, selling oneself, selling strength—none of it compared to completing a single mission.
His gaze swept over the disciples around him, then his eyes could not help drifting toward the tall buildings on either side. Like a poor man suddenly grown rich, he actually found himself wanting to spend a little.
Naturally, Desire Immortal Pavilion was not where he intended to spend it. That gold-devouring den harmed both purse and body, and he still needed to preserve his pure yang body to break through to Foundation Establishment.
The places he truly wanted to visit were several restaurants in Biyou Market. As they said, food came before all else under heaven—even immortals who dined on wind and drank dew still possessed an appetite for earthly pleasures.
Grains and livestock flesh were mostly impurities, however. Eat too much, and the physical body would inevitably be tainted. Thus, truly wealthy cultivators drank spirit wine and ate spirit food. That was the purpose of Biyou Market's restaurants.
The chefs within those establishments were immortal cooks, and their ingredients were all immortal delicacies.
When cultivators ate them, not only were they harmless, they were greatly beneficial.
His Adam's apple bobbed several times, but in the end Xu Yuan silently withdrew his gaze. How could I start thinking about spending the moment I earn a little money? I still haven't found the second entry.
This time, he had merely gathered enough spirit stones. The other five-element spiritual materials and the heart's blood of a Qi Refining peak demon beast would be even harder to obtain.
The five-element spiritual materials could be bought, though together they would cost roughly three to four hundred low-grade spirit stones.
But the heart's blood of a Qi Refining peak demon beast—even if he needed only a single drop—was not something that could be purchased in the market.
Born with powerful sinews and bones, along with innate demonic arts, demon beasts were generally three parts stronger than cultivators of the same rank. This disparity could only be reversed after Foundation Establishment, once cultivators had more tricks at their disposal.
Therefore, Biyou Market's rabble, even tied together in a bundle, would not dare provoke one. If Xu Yuan wanted it, he could only exchange merit points and spirit stones for it at the Merit Hall. That would likely cost him a hundred low-grade spirit stones, and he would need sufficient merit points as well.
"I'll still need to grind away for a while."
After returning home, Xu Yuan closed his eyes slightly. His return to the sect did not mean the matter was over. Nan Yun was dead, but Zhu Zihua was not.
That fellow had an uncle who was a Hidden Moon Sect steward and an elder sister who was an inner mountain disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect—two mountains looming over him.
Though the other's death had nothing to do with him, he had traveled with him after all. There was no guarantee those two mountains would not vent their anger on him.
This was Hidden Moon Sect territory, so they would not dare openly kill him at will, but it was still a hidden danger.
Just as Xu Yuan was feeling somewhat worried, he suddenly heard the sound of beating wings beside his ear. Startled, he looked up and saw that a black crow had somehow flown into his room.
"Xu Yuan... Hm? You've broken through to the third level of Qi Refining?"
The black crow spoke in surprise, then landed on Xu Yuan's shoulder.
"Greetings, Senior Rong Ling." Xu Yuan bowed, while inwardly mocking the privacy of Hidden Moon Sect residences. To these inner mountain disciples, they were truly like latrines—come whenever they pleased, leave whenever they wished.
"I had a fortuitous encounter some days ago and happened to make a breakthrough."
As he spoke, Xu Yuan quietly concealed his blood and qi. He did not believe that Rong Ling, without personally arriving in her true body, could see through his reality.
Sure enough, she did not pursue the matter. Instead, she turned to look at the storage pouch Xu Yuan had yet to hide.
"Was this also part of that fortuitous encounter?"
There was a trace of amusement in Rong Ling's voice as her crimson pupils stared at Xu Yuan, waiting for his answer.
"No."
Xu Yuan shook his head, then told Rong Ling about accepting the mission and going down the mountain.
Of course, what he told Rong Ling was nine parts truth and one part falsehood. In the details, he greatly emphasized Zhu Zihua's role while downplaying Nan Yun's terror, doing his best to portray himself as a lucky fellow who had picked up the scraps.
But whether Rong Ling believed it, and how much she believed, was her own business.
"Oh, so that was it."
Rong Ling looked at Xu Yuan with great interest. She had not expected this boy, who had entered the mountain only three months ago, to stir up such a commotion.
"May I ask, Senior Rong Ling, now that this has happened, how should the aftermath be handled? Will Zhu Zihua's blood relatives come looking to make trouble for me?"
Xu Yuan asked. The crow housing Rong Ling seemed to roll its eyes at him before replying as though it were only natural:
"If your own younger brother died while on a mission with others, wouldn't you, as his elder sister, at least ask about it?"
Put that way, it did make sense. No matter how devoid of human feeling the Hidden Moon Sect was, when blood relatives were involved, they would at least make inquiries.
"And." Rong Ling's tone became teasing once more. "That little bitch Zhu Yan cultivates the Chamber Formation Art. To her, her younger brother was not only blood kin, but also a supplement. Now that her toy is gone, she won't let this go so easily."
Xu Yuan: "..."
"Please enlighten me, Senior Rong Ling."
"Enlighten you?" The black crow continued looking at Xu Yuan, and this time it truly rolled both eyes. "I can't tell whether you're genuinely stupid or merely pretending to be clever. No matter how formidable Zhu Yan is, she only barely broke through to late-stage Qi Refining this year. In the mountain, she must salute me when she sees me. Now that you're working for me, are you still afraid she'll make things difficult for you?"
Joy surged in Xu Yuan's heart. This was exactly what he had been waiting to hear. He hurriedly bowed. "Many thanks to Senior Rong Ling for your protection."
"Hmph. In truth, it would be difficult for her to touch you in the mountain anyway. But with me behind you, she will be more wary when doing other things as well."
With that, the black crow suddenly flew up. "Still, you should go down the mountain less often for the near future. At least for the next half year, stay curled up here. I do not know whether that little bitch who has practiced herself into brain damage will suddenly go mad. My true body is currently in seclusion, so I cannot go to her door and threaten her directly."
At this point, the black crow seemed to recall something and said regretfully, "In that case, I'll have to abandon a task I had originally planned to give you."
"May I ask, Senior Rong Ling, what matter is it?"
"A small matter." After preening her feathers, the black crow raised her head again. "You remember Tu Fang, yes? The people above him feel that he has become somewhat difficult to control lately. And recently, it seems an elder discovered issues in the mining area and intends to intervene. So he needs to die."
Having decided Tu Fang's fate as lightly as if discussing the weather, Rong Ling the black crow looked toward Xu Yuan again. "I had originally planned to send you there and see whether you could contend for the position in the mining area below. But now, forget it."
Xu Yuan recalled the manager sitting at the entrance to the mining area, shrewdly calculating every detail, old and cunning.
Yet at this moment, Xu Yuan felt strangely little pleasure. Instead, a faint chill seeped into his heart.
"Tu Fang is going to die..."
Before you continue