Those Who Know the Times Are Heroes

Zhou Changwang was startled when he heard this.

This was a major matter.

Even though the Bai Lineage patriarch had been injured, it was eight poles away from Zhou Changwang and had little to do with him.

But he was currently in Phoenix-Cry Cove Market.

And Phoenix-Cry Cove Market was managed by the Bai Lineage.

Turmoil at the top would naturally trigger wave after wave of upheaval below.

Not to mention that this was a world where martial force and power decided success or failure, where order was exceedingly weak. The turmoil it caused would only be all the more violent.

"Who has set their sights on it?"

Zhou Changwang could not help asking.

"The Chen Lineage? The Wu Lineage? Or perhaps outside forces?

Who knows?"

Qian Xiaoyue shook her head helplessly and said, "I'm only a Rogue Cultivator myself. What I know is limited.

I only hope that when things erupt, we won't be caught up in it."

"Then have you considered moving into the market's inner city? To hide from the disaster that might come?"

Thinking of Manager Chen's earlier warning, Zhou Changwang could not help making the suggestion.

As for the Chen Lineage and the Wu Lineage, he knew of them as well.

They were both cultivation lineages in the surrounding area.

They wielded considerable influence within Phoenix-Cry Cove Market.

The Chen Lineage had three Foundation Establishment cultivators. Their patriarch had even reached the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, not much weaker than the Bai Lineage patriarch.

The Wu Lineage, meanwhile, had two Foundation Establishment cultivators. Their patriarch, Wu Yongchang, was a powerful sword cultivator at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment. Although the other Foundation Establishment cultivator in the lineage was only at the first level, he was a second-rank alchemist. It was said that he could refine Foundation Establishment Pills and had made friends far and wide.

Of course, the residences of the three great cultivation lineages were not in the market.

This place was merely one of the points where they fought over profits.

"Can't afford the rent."

Qian Xiaoyue rolled her eyes at Zhou Changwang, then said, "And if we're talking about avoiding disaster... if a battle truly breaks out, the inner city may not be safer than the outer districts.

After all, that is the main battlefield, the ground high-level cultivators will fight over.

One spell can affect dozens of meters. With your and my strength, we'd probably die in a single exchange.

We might as well keep huddling in the outskirts. It may get chaotic, but the threats we encounter should be much smaller too."

"That's true."

Zhou Changwang nodded in agreement.

Deep down, he also understood that danger was relative.

Once chaos erupted, powerful cultivators might step in to suppress it in the inner city, but out here on the outskirts, that was not necessarily the case.

The more chaotic it became, the more dangerous it would be.

Because many bandit cultivators, even Rogue Cultivators who usually looked honest and ordinary, would regard such chaos as a feast.

"And I have two bandit cultivators living right beside me?"

At that thought, Zhou Changwang's heart sank once more.

He returned home heavy with worry.

When his father asked, he only said that he had bought some talisman paper from Qian Xiaoyue and did not elaborate.

His father would soon be leaving for the mortal world to live out his days in peace, so Zhou Changwang naturally did not want him to worry.

"I only hope nothing changes in the next few days."

Zhou Changwang muttered to himself.

Yet the next day, Zhou Changwang still went out.

He had to make more preparations for the changes that might come.

Setting aside protective talismans, he also needed to acquire more spells. Defensive techniques in particular were essential life-saving tools for low-level Rogue Cultivators.

Thus, early the next morning, he hurried out the door.

By chance, he ran into the pair of brothers living next door and even greeted them amicably.

He had no choice but to greet them. Now that he knew they were bandit cultivators, did he dare put on a sour face? Was he not afraid they would be the first to turn their blades on him?

He only hoped to make himself familiar to them, so that for the sake of acquaintance, they might spare his life...

"I'm not cowardly. Those who know the times are heroes."

After leaving, Zhou Changwang comforted himself.

This time, because it concerned his own safety, Zhou Changwang did not dare hunt for bargains at the Rogue Cultivator Market. Instead, he headed straight for the cluster of major shops in the east.

He stepped onto East Street.

Zhou Changwang could clearly see that the road was much wider. Although the flow of people was not as great as at the Rogue Cultivator Market, every one of them carried a more extraordinary aura.

Mid-stage Qi Refining Realm cultivators were everywhere, and there were quite a few high-level cultivators as well. Even the low-level cultivators walking among them wore luxurious Dharma robes, their every movement unlike those of ordinary Rogue Cultivators.

This was East Street of the market.

Everything here was tied to Spirit Stones.

Yet Zhou Changwang did not feel much pressure from it.

He had visited plenty of commercial districts in his previous life. While working in sales, he had even followed certain superiors to enjoy commercial services a few times, so he was not intimidated.

Only when he saw Heavenly Fragrance House did he linger over it for a few extra looks.

Though it was only early morning, the occasional wealthy guest emerging from within, along with the female cultivators who came out to welcome and see them off—slender and graceful, every gesture brimming with seductive charm—were enough to make people unable to look away.

Especially when one of the female cultivators suddenly smiled radiantly at Zhou Changwang.

Zhou Changwang froze at first, then shuddered and hurried away in quick little steps.

"A demoness, a true demoness.

No wonder those fond of this pastime can never quit. With that seduction art, no man could withstand it..."

Zhou Changwang muttered inwardly, shaking his head.

He knew that among the spirit farmers was one man who had once been famed as an expert at tending fields, with an average yield of seven hundred jin per mu. Yet after becoming addicted to this pastime, he had nearly abandoned more than ten mu of spirit fields, only checking on them every three to five days. By harvest time, it was already considered good if each mu yielded two or three hundred jin.

As Zhou Changwang was thinking this and preparing to leave, his gaze suddenly froze on another wealthy guest walking out of Heavenly Fragrance House.

Wang Chang? It was actually the very spirit farmer he had just recalled, the one who had ruined his fields by constantly frequenting Heavenly Fragrance House.

Though the two knew each other, they were not close. Xu Zhong, on the other hand, had quite some friendship with him; after all, they were comrades-in-arms who often visited Heavenly Fragrance House.

Just a few days ago, Zhou Changwang had heard Xu Zhong complain that Wang Chang had borrowed Spirit Stones from him. He had not expected to run into the man now.

"Zhou Changwang?

What, do you want to go in and have a look too?"

Unexpectedly, Wang Chang had sharp eyes and recognized Zhou Changwang immediately. Grinning, he walked over, slung an arm around Zhou Changwang's shoulders, and acted as though they were old friends.

"No, I'm just passing by."

Zhou Changwang shook his head at once and unobtrusively pushed his arm away.

"If you're interested, I'll bring you here next time. I guarantee you'll be satisfied, with pleasures beyond measure."

Wang Chang did not mind in the least and hurriedly spoke up, an inexplicably delighted smile appearing on his face.

"No need. I'm not interested in that.

Brother Wang, I still have matters to attend to. Farewell."

Zhou Changwang had no desire to get involved with him. He merely cupped his hands, then hurried away.

After shaking off Wang Chang, Zhou Changwang was in no pleasant mood. The man reminded him of a cousin from his previous life, who first got hooked on women, then gambling. In the prime of his life, he had piled up crushing debts. Then one day, he had suddenly come knocking, thrown an arm around Zhou Changwang's shoulders just like this, and borrowed a sum of money from him. Years had passed without a word in return.