The cicada sheds its shell

(A request in advance for Sanjiang votes)

"Sir! It's me!" The inn attendant's voice came from outside the door.

"What is it?" Wang Yan paused in surprise, then quickly asked.

"Sir! Are you hungry? Would you like to order a meal?" the attendant asked from outside.

"...!" Wang Yan's heart stirred. After running around all day, he really was a little hungry. He was just about to order when another thought struck him. Hmm? That fellow following me just left, and now this one shows up... this is Lü Household territory too... With that in mind, he hastily said, "No need! I've already eaten!"

"Oh! You've eaten?" The attendant sounded somewhat disappointed, but quickly continued, "Still, a night at our inn includes one meal. Just call whenever you want it, sir!"

"It does?" Wang Yan grew even more suspicious. If a meal really was included, they normally would have told him when he booked the room. Why make a special trip now? His doubts deepened, and he quickly said, "Oh! All right. I've already eaten, so bring it tomorrow! I'm staying another day!"

"Mm! All right!" the attendant could only reply.

"...!"

"Bastards! Every last one of them thinks I'm a soft persimmon they can squeeze!" Wang Yan cursed angrily as the attendant's footsteps faded away.

"Tsk! Who told you to have such a low cultivation?" Card Fairy said. After a pause, she laughed. "Besides, you really are a soft persimmon right now!"

"!" Wang Yan froze, then said helplessly, "Yes, who told me to have such a low cultivation?" Thinking of that, he recalled the Fair-Skinned Girl and the Black Youth. Weren't they in the same boat? If their cultivation weren't so low, how could anyone bully them? If his own cultivation were high enough, who in this tiny Lü Family Marketplace would dare defy him? And this was only a tiny Lü Family Marketplace, yet there were already so many injustices. What must the greater Cultivation World be like...? His need for cultivation and strength felt increasingly urgent. With that thought, he said firmly, "All right! I'm going to cultivate seriously!"

With that, Wang Yan took out the Spiritual Energy Pills he had bought, along with a bottle of beast blood. First, he would treat the Purple-Spotted Bamboo Brush...

"What? You're saying that brat checked into an inn?" Lü Zijun asked in surprise from inside the hall. After a pause, he hurriedly asked, "What about Fairy Purple Smoke?"

"Yes! That female cultivator was in the Core Condensation Realm. Once she went outside, she flew away on her artifact! So your subordinate could only follow the brat!" the Lü Household cultivator who had followed Wang Yan hurriedly explained.

"Tsk! Then why did you come back instead of using a Message Transmission Talisman?" Lü Zijun snapped. "What if that brat gets away?" He paused, then said coldly, "So that little bastard really has nothing to do with Fairy Purple Smoke. Just watch how I deal with him!" With that, he moved to push open the door and leave.

"Rest assured, young master!" the Lü Household cultivator hurriedly said. "I've already asked around. That brat booked a room for two days outright, so he'll probably stay for two days. I also had our brothers at the inn keep a close eye on him. They'll notify us if anything happens!"

"Oh! Is that so?" Lü Zijun stopped in his tracks and quickly asked, "Then have you prepared that stuff?"

"It's ready! I told the brothers at the inn to find a chance to slip it in!" The Lü Household cultivator nodded, a knowing, cold gleam appearing in his eyes.

"Good! Notify me once you've caught that brat!" Lü Zijun said gravely. "I'm going to cultivate!" He turned and headed the other way, muttering, "Tsk! That Fairy Purple Smoke... what a pity. If only I could cultivate with her for a while... tsk, tsk...!" Suddenly, as though remembering something else, he stopped and hurriedly asked, "Right, what was going on with that Golden Core Stage cultivator who suddenly appeared? Have you investigated?"

"Your subordinate actually saw that. Lü San ran into a little trouble collecting taxes. That cultivator has already left and probably won't come back!" The Lü Household cultivator paused in surprise, then hastily answered.

"Oh! Where are Lü San and the others?" Lü Zijun continued.

"They probably went out!" A trace of amusement flashed through the Lü Household cultivator's eyes as he answered casually.

"Oh! Have them come see me themselves once they return!" Lü Zijun said offhandedly, a look of understanding flashing through his eyes. He turned to leave, saying, "Just in case, go keep an eye on that brat!"

"Yes!" the Lü Household cultivator promptly replied, then hurried away...

"Heh heh! That fellow Lü San might end up working for nothing!" Walking down the street, the Lü Household cultivator chuckled to himself as he headed toward the inn...

Suddenly!

"Hmm?" The Lü Household cultivator suddenly noticed a figure quietly drop from the wall behind the inn, without a sound... then swiftly disappear into the night...

"Why does that fellow's back look a little familiar?" The Lü Household cultivator paused, wondering to himself. Suddenly, as though remembering something, he cried, "Oh no! It's that brat!" He hurried toward the inn, only to stop abruptly as another thought occurred to him. He muttered, "That brat was pretty generous with his money, and the young master personally ordered us to deal with someone at minor completion of the Cultivation Realm. His wealth must be... heh heh! He's only at minor completion of the Cultivation Realm..." With that thought, he abruptly turned and sprinted off, heading straight after the figure...

"Rustle, rustle...!" Leaves stirred as red light flickered beneath Wang Yan's feet and he raced along countless branches. He had originally planned to sneak away in the latter half of the night, but he had never felt at ease in that inn. Besides, the inn itself seemed full of problems. When choosing his room, Wang Yan had deliberately picked one near the Back Mountain. He had simply dug a hole through the wall and slipped out...

But!

"Brat!" He had run only a few dozen zhang when Card Fairy's voice sounded in Wang Yan's mind.

"What is it?" Wang Yan quickly asked.

"Someone's coming after you! It's the same fellow who was following you!" Card Fairy said hastily.

"! What?" Wang Yan was startled and bewildered. He hurriedly asked, "Didn't that fellow leave?"

"I don't know!"

Hmph! He would have been better off not coming! Wang Yan knew something must have gone wrong along the way, but an idea suddenly came to him. With that thought, red light flickered beneath his feet, and he accelerated, racing forward.

Meanwhile, several dozen zhang behind Wang Yan.

"Whoosh!" Blue light surged beneath the Lü Household cultivator's feet. His steps were far lighter than Wang Yan's, seemingly making no sound at all as he swept through countless leaves like a gentle breeze... In terms of cultivation, this Lü Household cultivator had reached major completion of the Cultivation Realm.

That brat is only at minor completion of the Cultivation Realm! Taking him down shouldn't be a problem. Still, I'll wait a little longer before making my move. We're too close, and it would be bad if someone heard the commotion. That way, I won't have to let the young master take a cut like Lü San does. As the Lü Household cultivator pursued him, he thought this over and followed at an unhurried pace, showing no impatience.

"Card Fairy! Is that fellow still following?" Wang Yan asked as he raced onward.

"Yes! He's at major completion of the Cultivation Realm. You can't outrun him!" Card Fairy quickly said. "If only you had a Wind-Riding Talisman. You could shake him off in no time!"

"Don't worry. I have a way to deal with him!" Wang Yan said confidently...

"Oh!"

Although it was nighttime, the moonlight was fairly bright. With Wang Yan's current cultivation, he could see much more clearly. If he reached the Core Condensation Realm, he would be able to see perfectly well at night, and with his spiritual sense, he could perceive even farther...

Within a quarter of an hour, Wang Yan had already left the mountain where the Lü Family Marketplace stood...

It's about time!

It's about time! Wang Yan and the Lü Household cultivator thought in unison.

Both suddenly accelerated, racing forward.

But!

The Lü Household cultivator was clearly much faster.

"Brat, aren't you going to make your move yet?" Card Fairy urged.

"Right now!" Wang Yan answered confidently. He could already hear the sound of the Lü Household cultivator hurtling through the air toward him...

Suddenly!

There it is! As though spotting something, Wang Yan's eyes widened. He suddenly shifted his footing and descended toward the ground. As it happened, there was a Mountain Cave below, only a few feet across, apparently dug out by some cultivator as a place to rest...

"Whoosh!" Wang Yan plunged into the Mountain Cave without hesitation. He had visited it once on his way here, and there was nothing inside. Some cultivators had dug it out to rest in because they did not want to spend Spirit Stones on an inn... Although the entrance was large, it grew much more spacious one or two zhang inside, with enough room for a person to lie down and sleep...

Tsk! That brat went inside!? The Lü Household cultivator happened to see Wang Yan slip into the Mountain Cave. Frowning, he immediately stopped several dozen zhang away...

Could that brat have discovered me? the Lü Household cultivator could not help wondering. He grew somewhat puzzled. That brat suddenly slipped away in the middle of the night. If I hadn't happened to run into him, he really would have escaped. Maybe he noticed me following him during the day, and booking two nights at the inn was just a way to throw me off? Tsk, a fine trick of the cicada shedding its shell. Too bad your luck was poor enough to run into me...

If that brat came here to rest, he definitely hasn't noticed me following him. Otherwise, he would have run far away already! the Lü Household cultivator continued to reason. At that thought, a cold gleam flashed through his eyes. He's only a fellow at minor completion of the Cultivation Realm!

With that thought, the Lü Household cultivator delayed no longer...

"Whoosh!" Spiritual light flickered as the Lü Household cultivator quietly crept toward the Mountain Cave. He crouched in a concealed spot beside its entrance, thinking, I'll wait until this fellow falls asleep!