Marketplace

He struck Bai Yue's face heavily.

Bai Yue's expression was full of resentment, tears glimmering in her eyes.

Xiao Yu slapped her again. "What kind of expression is that? Get clear on your status!!"

Bai Yue said, "If you want to kill me, then kill me..."

Xiao Yu laughed coldly. "You don't want to die either, do you? Otherwise, you would have killed yourself long ago! A woman like you, burdened with blood-deep hatred—if you died just like that, how would you face your disciples beneath the Nine Springs?"

"Don't worry. I won't kill you. I'll cherish you dearly!"

(Please remember, Taiwan Novel Network, ₮₩₭₳₦.₵Ø₥, offered ultra-convenient access and the fastest chapter updates anytime.)

"I'll cherish you until the day you admit your mistakes!"

Bai Yue immediately flew into a rage and cursed, "You son of a bitch!!! Sooner or later, I will..."

Before she could finish cursing, Xiao Yu leaned close. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Don't let yourself go hungry!"

"If you don't eat your fill, where will you get the strength to curse me?"

The moment Bai Yue heard that she was going to eat, her brows and eyes trembled.

Her face instantly turned deathly pale. "Don't you dare..."

Three days later...

Hehuan Sect Branch Mission Office.

Wang Mei was complaining to Zhao Gang. "Missions, missions, missions—there are endless missions every single day!"

"I told you to get rid of that bastard Xiao Yu. Why haven't you acted yet? What are you doing?"

Zhao Gang looked irritably at the mission board. "I want to, all right? Last time I took people there, the alchemy room had a Black Tortoise Formation. What was I supposed to do?"

"That turtle has been hiding inside the Black Tortoise Formation and refusing to come out for three whole days!"

"What do you expect me to do? I can't exactly force my way through the Black Tortoise Formation. The commotion would be too great, and if it brought your master here, we'd both be punished!"

Wang Mei shot him an annoyed glare. Looking at the missions posted on the board, she found it truly hard to vent her hatred.

The thought of that bastard Xiao Yu humiliating her in public made her want to tear him apart!

Let him keep hiding in there if he dared!

Just then, Zhao Gang suddenly thought of something. "Mei'er~ We may not be able to touch Xiao Yu, but we can touch Lü Ling'er!"

Wang Mei lowered her eyes at those words. "She's Master's disciple. If Master discovers that I attacked a fellow disciple, she'll definitely expel me from the sect..."

Zhao Gang put on a fawning expression and grabbed Wang Mei's hand. "What are you afraid of her for? What the hell is Zhang Ziling anyway? She's nothing but trash abandoned by the sect master. Do you think this place can stay peaceful for much longer?"

"Before long, this place will be razed to the ground..."

"I have news. Lin Ce of the Profound Spirit Sect's father has arrived in recent days. He's a Foundation Establishment Late Stage expert... Together with Lin Ce's master, Zhang Ziling definitely won't be able to stop them!"

"When that time comes, Mei'er, come back to the Hehuan Sect's main branch with me. My father is Elder Zhao. As long as you follow me... what need is there to fear having no way out?"

A charming smile appeared on Wang Mei's face. "Senior Brother Zhao truly plans far ahead... But when you plot against that slut Lü Ling'er, make sure you don't expose yourself! She has three low-grade Dharma artifacts in total, so you'd better be careful..."

Zhao Gang chuckled. "Do I need to personally act to eliminate that bitch? We can tamper with the missions."

"Isn't there a mission to head out to Jiangliu Mountain for reconnaissance? I can arrange for someone to infiltrate Lü Ling'er's team through that mission..."

Wang Mei's eyes immediately lit up.

Inside the alchemy room, Xiao Yu looked at his cultivation, which had already reached Qi Refining, Second Layer. Instead of delight, he felt worry.

His cultivation was advancing a little too quickly.

Originally, he had wanted to suppress it somewhat. In a place like this, rising a minor layer in three days would easily arouse suspicion.

Senior Sister Mei was an example of that.

The problem now was that even if he wanted to suppress it, he could not hold it down.

Mainly because he could not hold himself back...

Li Qingyun, Hua Lian, and the others were no big deal.

They were all still in the Body Tempering Stage.

The main issue was Bai Yue's Innate Dharma Body.

And then there was Zhao Hongye. She was a genuine Qi Refining Stage cultivator.

If this kept up, he reckoned he really would have to find a way to slip away early.

Hua Lian, who stood to one side watching the pensive Xiao Yu, hurriedly stepped forward. "Why is Master so troubled?"

Xiao Yu lowered his head. "I need to control it. If this continues, I'll reach Qi Refining, Third Layer in another couple of days! Then people will start watching me."

"Especially Wang Mei. They'll definitely come after me, and I still need to find a way to judge her."

Hua Lian immediately thought of something, her face lighting up with excitement. "That's easy. I can refine Qi-Concealing Pills for Master!"

"A First-Rank Qi-Concealing Pill can conceal the user's aura. Unless one is in the Foundation Establishment Realm, it is difficult to notice!"

Xiao Yu was delighted, but before he could speak, Hua Lian added, "But refining Qi-Concealing Pills requires Qi-Concealing Stones. I don't think there are any in the alchemy room..."

Xiao Yu rested his chin on one hand. If he could conceal his cultivation, that would be ideal.

"Hmm... Qi-Concealing Stones? I'll think of something. Do you know where such things can be found?"

Hua Lian wrapped both arms around Xiao Yu, her face earnest. "There are some on Jiangliu Mountain, but it's too dangerous. Master should just visit your Hehuan Sect's marketplace! You only need to get a few!"

Xiao Yu set out after changing his appearance and covering his face.

He arrived at the Sect Affairs Hall and looked around.

The Enforcement Hall, the Servant Hall, the Scripture Repository, the Mission Office, the Marketplace...

Xiao Yu's gaze could not help drifting toward the Scripture Repository, the place every disciple dreamed of.

The cultivation arts and secret techniques stored there were what every disciple yearned for.

However, only disciples who completed major missions were permitted to select cultivation arts from within.

Looking at Bai Yue's unfocused eyes in the Judgment Room, Xiao Yu's lips curled upward.

Once Bai Yue's Judgment Score was full, he would have her write out every cultivation art she knew.

According to Hua Lian, Bai Yue was a walking repository of cultivation arts, possessing countless high-grade techniques.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yu headed toward the marketplace.

The moment he reached the sect marketplace, Xiao Yu saw spiritual radiance curling around the archway, while the place beyond bustled with prosperity.

All kinds of stalls filled the marketplace in dazzling profusion.

Pills, magical treasures, and talismans—everything was available.

The fragrance of alchemy furnaces drifted through the air, while treasure-light spilled in every direction, drawing countless cultivators to stop and browse.

Some cultivators haggled before the stalls, while others sparred and exchanged insights. The place was exceptionally lively.

Yet amid this flourishing marketplace, Xiao Yu also saw some dark things.

Slaves, cultivation cauldrons...

There were even some imprisoned mortal children.

In an iron cage in the distance was a wolf-shaped spirit beast. Though one of its legs was lame, its eyes were exceptionally vicious.

It had probably been taken from the spirit beast pouch of some righteous-path cultivator.

Hua Lian was also watching the scene outside from the Maidservant Pavilion. With a serious expression, she introduced everything to Xiao Yu like someone who knew all things.

"Master, that's a Tier-Two Gale Wolf. One look tells you it has an owner. Whoever buys it will be in for bad luck!"

"Don't bother looking at those copied cultivation manuals over there. They're all handwritten copies and useless!"

Xiao Yu asked Hua Lian in the Maidservant Pavilion with some confusion, "Lian'er, what do you mean, handwritten copies are useless?"

Hua Lian's eyes sparkled. "There are many kinds of cultivation arts: Yellow Rank, Profound Rank, high-grade, Earth Rank, Heaven Rank, and Divine Rank! Almost all cultivation arts practiced by ordinary cultivators are handwritten copies!"

"Such cultivation arts have a drawback: they cannot reproduce the true essence of the original manual, only its superficial skin!"

"For cultivation arts above high-grade, only Golden Core Stage cultivators can copy them. And when copying them, they must infuse Dharma power into the text, reproducing everything contained in the original manual into the new copy!"

"If one merely writes down the incantations, at most one can reproduce seventy percent of the original manual's true essence!"

As Hua Lian spoke, her eyes became increasingly excited. "Master's Elysian Union Art is a Heaven Rank cultivation art. Even if you wrote it out, others could only learn at most seventy percent of it!"

"If it were a Divine Rank cultivation art... the moment it entered the world, heaven and earth would produce strange phenomena!!! It would absolutely stir up a storm of blood and wind!"

Upon hearing that, Xiao Yu was momentarily stunned. Looking at Bai Yue in the Judgment Room, he said uncertainly, "So my plan to have your master write cultivation arts for me won't work?"

Hua Lian propped up her chin with one hand. "Hehe, my master has three cave abodes... Every one of them has restrictions, and the treasures inside are too numerous to count! There are definitely original cultivation manuals there!"

"When the time comes, just have Master take you there~ There are high-grade Dharma artifacts and talisman treasures too!"

Xiao Yu smiled and continued onward.

As he passed a stall selling slaves, the stall owner hurriedly called out, "Fellow Daoist!!! This is a servant disciple from the righteous Profound Spirit Sect, Body Tempering, Fifth Layer. Only twenty spirit stones! The price is negotiable!"

"Look at this woman's skin. I guarantee she's untouched!"

A man opposite him also shouted, "Little brother~ I have a virgin boy here with a Three-Element Spiritual Root. Buy him as a servant, and you definitely won't lose out! Twenty-five spirit stones will do!"

Hua Lian looked at those people with disgust. "They're truly devoid of all conscience. How can they sell women and children?"

Xiao Yu continued walking without paying those people any attention. "Your righteous path isn't much better. You and your master previously killed those of the demonic path—how many mortals did you harm in the process?"

Hua Lian became somewhat aggrieved. "Master, you've truly wronged Lian'er... Back then, I could only obey Master. Now that I follow you, I'll definitely be obedient in the future... Whoever Master tells me to kill, I'll kill..."

"Besides, Master shouldn't pity those mortals too much. Some mortals are even more hateful than cultivators... Do you think they're really all simple and honest mortals?"

Xiao Yu said nothing. Naturally, he understood the principle of utter evil.

But neither would he slaughter innocents indiscriminately.

Just then, Xiao Yu suddenly spotted a female cultivator ahead selling puppets.

She appeared to be at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement.

Thinking of the Puppet Eagle's combat strength when Mei Chunlan and Ma Hongcui had ambushed him before, he immediately walked over.

Hua Lian hurriedly spoke from the Maidservant Pavilion as well. "Master, puppets are different from spirit beasts. Puppets have no feelings and will absolutely never betray you, unlike spirit beasts..."

"Spirit beasts are basically demonic beasts. They need to eat spirit-feeding pellets and require psychological guidance. Some spirit beasts may run away, slack off, or even kill their masters!"

"The one advantage spirit beasts have over puppets is that their ability to fight independently is extremely strong. Puppets, on the other hand, need all kinds of commands!"

"Each has its own advantages and disadvantages..."

Xiao Yu stepped forward and carefully examined the seven or eight puppets on the stall.

Puppet beasts of all kinds were arranged across the stall, each with a different form.

Some were imposing and mighty, some small and exquisite, some exceptionally ferocious, and some tame and adorable.

Complex runes were carved across every puppet's surface, flickering with strange light.

Xiao Yu took a liking at first glance to a small puppet rat, but he did not pick it up to inspect it.

Instead, he picked up a puppet doll beside it and examined it.

The stall owner was a female cultivator in green robes. She was quite beautiful, though her lips were somewhat pale.

When she saw Xiao Yu, she set down the Puppet Manual in her hand and began introducing her wares. "Junior Brother, the puppet doll in your hand costs one hundred and fifty spirit stones. It can be equipped with a low-grade offensive Dharma artifact and can help you break formations, scout, and restrain enemies!"

"I just refined this one. It definitely isn't secondhand... Cough, cough..."

As she spoke, the woman raised a handkerchief and covered her mouth and nose.

Xiao Yu pursed his lips and set down the humanoid puppet with an unhappy expression. "One hundred and fifty spirit stones... That's enough to buy a first-rank spirit beast. And to control a puppet, don't you also need to load spirit stones into it as a source of Dharma power?"

The woman smiled faintly. "Junior Brother is correct. However, I learned my puppet-refining arts from the Puppet Manual of Thousand Mechanisms Hall. You can put three spirit stones into it at once, and its combat endurance will definitely not be shorter than that of a spirit beast!"

"It is also easy to carry and can be placed directly in a storage pouch. Some puppets can even be hidden in one's sleeve. If equipped with a Qi-Concealing Artifact, cultivators of the same realm absolutely will not discover that you have a puppet on you!"

Xiao Yu picked up a puppet tiger and inspected it again. "Hmm... It's just a little expensive! I'm only looking around."

The female cultivator laughed softly and picked up a puppet doll. "Junior Brother, if you have Qi-Replenishing Pills, I'll trade one puppet for two pills!"

Hua Lian in the Maidservant Pavilion immediately laughed. "Hehe, she really knows how to fool people. A single Qi-Replenishing Pill costs a hundred spirit stones, yet she's actually raising the price..."

Xiao Yu's eyes immediately turned mocking. "Is Senior Sister taking advantage of Junior Brother's ignorance? Then I don't want to buy anything now!"

When the woman saw Xiao Yu preparing to leave, she hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed him. "Junior Brother, wait!!!"

During the tugging, Xiao Yu saw her arm, pale to the extreme.

She was obviously injured, and her injuries were not light.

Seeing this, the female cultivator hurriedly withdrew her arm. "Don't be alarmed, Junior Brother. Business is something to negotiate. Senior Sister was injured by Lin Ce recently, and I truly need pills. Otherwise, I would never have brought out the puppets I keep at the bottom of my chest to sell!"

"As long as Junior Brother gives Senior Sister two Qi-Replenishing Pills, you can choose any two puppets here!"

"My name is Lü Rui, a first-rank puppet master... Please help me, Junior Brother!"

Xiao Yu lowered his head in thought. A puppet master...

A woman with a secondary profession.

And the system had not issued an evil-woman judgment yet.

He knew that cultivators such as beast tamers and puppet masters might not be very strong themselves, but in a group fight, they were unquestionably formidable forces.

One person fighting three or four others was absolutely not a problem.

"Hmm... I do have Qi-Replenishing Pills, but for an injury like Senior Sister's, I'm afraid four or five Qi-Replenishing Pills won't be enough to heal it, right?"

Lü Rui exhaled helplessly. "Exactly... The fighting is tense right now. Healing pills like these are all in the hands of inner sect disciples. How could outer sect disciples like us possibly get them..."

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yu stepped forward and said softly, "Junior Brother does have a way to help Senior Sister Lü recover completely... I wonder whether Senior Sister would be willing to join Junior Brother..."

Lü Rui's eyes immediately widened, her face flushed with shame and anger. "You... you..."