Hidden Secrets

The moment the chubby youth Du Fei finished speaking, Xu Yan's interest was piqued.

Seeing Xu Yan look his way, Du Fei smiled on his honest, guileless face and told him everything he had learned.

Before long, Xu Yan understood why so many cultivators had been heading toward Inkstone City lately.

As it turned out, the trading convention held every five years at Separation Valley Market would begin in the coming days. Many cultivators would come to trade their cultivation resources, exchange cultivation methods, share information, and more.

Understanding dawned on Xu Yan.

Separation Valley Market had been established nearly a century ago, originally to make it easier for the rogue cultivators of Fufeng Commandery to exchange cultivation resources.

After nearly a century of development, it had become a rather important cultivation market. Even disciples of nearby Immortal Sects and members of cultivation lineages came, drawn by its reputation.

Thus, the once-every-five-years trading convention at Separation Valley Market had come into being.

As for the second major event the chubby youth Du Fei had mentioned, the rogue cultivator Qi Yun would take five provisional disciples during the trading convention at Separation Valley Market. After three years, they would become his formal disciples.

Compared with the first piece of news, the second was clearly far more sensational. Many cultivators had come specifically for that.

But Xu Yan had no idea who Qi Yun was, so when he heard the news from the chubby youth Du Fei, his reaction was unremarkable, showing little interest.

Seeing this, Du Fei looked incredulous. His eyes widened as he stared at Xu Yan and said, "Senior Qi Yun is going to take provisional disciples, and you're actually unmoved?!"

When Xu Yan remained silent, the chubby youth seemed especially agitated, finding his reaction impossible to comprehend.

Xu Yan could hardly be blamed. He knew nothing about the cultivation powers of Fufeng Commandery. During his three years with Golden Light Daoist, he had spent his days hiding here and fleeing there, never interacting with the commandery's cultivators.

Still, judging by the chubby youth's reaction, Qi Yun was probably an extraordinary figure.

As Xu Yan pondered this, the chubby youth's excited voice rang in his ears. "Senior Qi Yun is the idol of us rogue cultivators in Fufeng Commandery! He reached Foundation Establishment Perfection in less than two sixty-year cycles of cultivation. You could say that, apart from the Six Immortal Sects of Fufeng Commandery, Senior Qi Yun can swagger sideways through all of Fufeng Commandery without anyone daring to stand in his way."

Through the chubby youth Du Fei's account, Xu Yan soon gained a clear understanding of Fufeng Commandery's cultivation powers.

The Six Great Sects in Fufeng Commandery were Medicine King Valley, Ascension Gate, Spirit Beast Mountain, Spirit Sword Sect, Moonwatch Cliff, and the Blood Saber Sect. There had originally been seven great sects, but the strongest among them, the Lihuo Sect, had been wiped out a century ago, leaving only six.

Medicine King Valley and Spirit Beast Mountain were the most powerful, while the other four sects were roughly equal.

Each of these Six Great Sects had a Golden Core ancestor presiding over it, giving them formidable reputations throughout Fufeng Commandery. Most of the commandery's cultivation lineages survived by attaching themselves to these Six Great Sects, their relationships as tangled as intertwining roots and branches.

Many heads of cultivation lineages had once been disciples of the Six Great Sects.

As for Qi Yun, the chubby youth described him as a legendary figure.

Qi Yun was a rogue cultivator who had originally been utterly ordinary, but he had encountered a tremendous opportunity during an expedition. From then on, his cultivation had risen like a boat lifted by the swelling tide, reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection in less than two sixty-year cycles.

According to the chubby youth's secretive account, Qi Yun would soon enter the Golden Core stage and become one of the pinnacle figures among Fufeng Commandery's many cultivation forces.

One of the chubby youth's reasons for going to Separation Valley Market this time was to try his luck and see whether he could become Qi Yun's provisional disciple.

After hearing Du Fei out, Xu Yan felt a stir of interest. If he had the chance to become Qi Yun's provisional disciple, it would surely benefit his cultivation greatly. But he soon suppressed the thought.

An extraordinary green pearl was still hidden between his brows. If he truly became Qi Yun's provisional disciple and spent his days around him, someone with Qi Yun's cultivation at Foundation Establishment Perfection might well notice something unusual.

At the thought of the risks involved, Xu Yan immediately abandoned the idea. His purpose on this trip was to trade for a low-grade tier-one fire formation and successfully cultivate the Redfire Burning Art.

Naturally, the chubby youth Du Fei knew nothing of Xu Yan's thoughts. Seeing his lack of interest, he could only inwardly curse him as a fool.

And so, as the two walked, Xu Yan continued drawing information out of the chubby youth.

An hour later, a city appeared before them.

It was an ancient-looking city, its walls pitch-black as ink, built from the ink-colored ore mined nearby. With a population of several hundred thousand mortals, it was one of the largest cities in Fufeng Commandery.

The city gate seethed with voices, merchants and travelers streaming through without end. Xu Yan also spotted many cultivators, all dressed as mortals, entering Inkstone City among the crowds.

A look of surprise crossed Xu Yan's face. He knew how arrogant cultivators were. For them to enter a mortal city with such restraint was unthinkable.

Seemingly noticing Xu Yan's confusion, the chubby youth Du Fei beside him said quietly, "These cultivators are behaving themselves because Inkstone City is a mortal city under Senior Qi Yun's control."

"If any of them dare cause trouble, cultivators serving Senior Qi Yun will immediately step in and kill them."

"Control a mortal city?" Hearing this, Xu Yan found himself puzzled once more.

"That's right. Inkstone City has a large mortal population, and a tiny handful of them are born with Spiritual Roots and can become cultivators. Those cultivators then become Senior Qi Yun's subordinates, while the rare few with outstanding Spiritual Roots become his disciples. This time, when Senior Qi Yun takes provisional disciples, people of the right age with Spiritual Roots from Inkstone City will participate too. You'll understand when the time comes."

"There's also a rumor that Senior Qi Yun is one of the founders of Separation Valley Market. According to word on the grapevine, he's running Inkstone City and Separation Valley Market because he intends to establish a seventh powerful sect, taking the place of the Lihuo Sect that fell a century ago."

Du Fei was undeniably well informed. As his explanations rattled out like beans being poured from a sack, Xu Yan learned secrets that ordinary people would have struggled to uncover.

The two then slipped into the crowd and headed into Inkstone City.

They soon entered Inkstone City. The entire city bustled with activity, its streets lined with peddlers and porters, but neither paid them any mind. They wanted to reach Separation Valley Market as soon as possible.

Many cultivators had already entered Inkstone City. By Xu Yan's rough estimate, there were no fewer than a hundred.

These cultivators all have higher cultivation than me. Xu Yan sensed their auras and was quite startled.

The two followed these cultivators, soon passing through Inkstone City and arriving at the entrance to Separation Valley Market.

The market's entrance lay in the deepest part of Inkstone City, where a vast stone forest stood shrouded in dense fog all year round. The fog had a disorienting effect. If mortals accidentally wandered inside, it would obscure their vision and leave them unable to find their bearings. Only cultivators who had developed magical power within their bodies could discern directions in the fog.

Separation Valley Market lay beyond that dense fog.