The Terrifying Sharp Gold Talisman

The old man's sword was crimson, like a blazing flame.

The old woman's sword was mottled blue and white, like frost.

"Watch out, those are Pseudo-Magic Artifacts! Be careful, Junior Brother Xu!"

Ye Shanhua cried out in alarm. Using some unknown means, she suddenly enveloped herself in a transparent shield of spiritual energy.

"Kill!"

The husband and wife each held a sword in one hand and formed a strange seal with the other.

Their seals joined, their hands clasping together as their auras abruptly surged.

Both swords pointed at Xu Changshou at once, sending a pillar of ice wreathed in flames hurtling toward the spot between his eyebrows.

Clang!

The flaming ice pillar suddenly stopped three inches from Xu Changshou's brow, as though something had blocked it.

An earthen-yellow ripple shimmered around Xu Changshou. It was this ripple that had blocked the couple's attack.

Indeed, Xu Changshou had used an Earth Gang Talisman.

Then-

Crash!

The ice pillar shattered and the flames dispersed, but the earthen-yellow ripple remained utterly unmoved, ethereal and uncanny, yet solid as a rock.

The couple's expressions changed drastically. "Impossible!"

Even the Qi Refining Twelfth Layer could never have blocked their combined strike.

Xu Changshou was only at the ninth level of Qi Refining. How could he have stopped it? And what exactly was that earthen-yellow ripple?

Could it be a Magic Artifact?

No, no! Someone at the ninth level of Qi Refining couldn't use a Magic Artifact.

All sorts of thoughts flashed through the couple's minds.

Sharp Gold Talisman, forth!

With a thought from Xu Changshou, dazzling golden light suddenly shone from his right palm.

Before anyone could make out what it was, a streak of golden Sword Qi shot from his palm.

"What is that?!"

Ye Shanhua and the watching cultivators were stunned. They simply could not understand how Xu Changshou had released Sword Qi with his bare hand.

Only powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators could release Sword Qi bare-handed. Qi Refining cultivators' bodies were not sturdy enough to withstand it.

Cultivators in the Qi Refining realm needed Pseudo-Magic Artifacts to release Sword Qi.

They had no idea that Xu Changshou had used a Sharp Gold Talisman rather than producing Sword Qi from his hand.

The Sharp Gold Talisman had burst the instant it left the jade talisman space, transforming into a streak of Sword Qi and creating the illusion that he had released it bare-handed.

Pfft-

The old man's defenses were forcibly torn apart. Then his skull was pierced and exploded on the spot, destroying both his body and soul.

So powerful!

Xu Changshou was secretly astonished. The Sharp Gold Talisman was even more terrifying than he had imagined.

"Old man!"

The old woman blanched in horror and turned to flee.

Sharp Gold Talisman! Go!

Xu Changshou thrust a palm toward the back of the old woman's head, and a streak of golden Sword Qi shot from it.

Bang!!!

The old woman's protective shield shattered. The sword light continued forward, piercing through her head from behind.

Her body jolted to a halt, the life fading from her eyes as she died in a spray of blood.

Under normal circumstances, Xu Changshou was certainly no match for the Qi Refining Twelfth Layer.

But the Sharp Gold Talisman's power was terrifying. An ordinary one already equaled the strongest attack of the Qi Refining Twelfth Layer, let alone one drawn on the Savage Bull King's hide.

"So powerful!"

The surrounding Qi Refining cultivators were thoroughly cowed. No one dared make another move.

Xu Changshou had dispatched two Qi Refining Twelfth Layer cultivators cleanly and decisively. No one had expected that, not even Ye Shanhua.

Those two streaks of Sword Qi released from his hands struck terror into everyone present.

"Senior Sister Ye, let's go!"

Knowing they could not linger, Xu Changshou collected the couple's Storage Bags and Pseudo-Magic Artifacts, then pulled Ye Shanhua away at once.

His Windwalking Talismans were still attached to his legs, making his departure swift. Before the crowd could react, the two of them had vanished.

"After them!"

Gritting their teeth, the crowd set off in the direction Xu Changshou had gone.

In mere moments-

Xu Changshou had brought Ye Shanhua back to the inn.

"Junior Brother Xu, what was that Sword Qi you released just now?"

The moment they returned to the inn, Ye Shanhua could not help asking.

Xu Changshou fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "Before I came here, Uncle-Master Li gave me a trump card."

"I see! So that's why it was so powerful."

Ye Shanhua nodded.

Since Xu Changshou was unwilling to elaborate, she could hardly pry.

Asking about someone else's trump cards was taboo. She had her own, and she would not want to reveal them either.

"Senior Sister Ye, could you take a look at these two Pseudo-Magic Artifacts for me? Are they valuable?"

As he spoke, Xu Changshou handed her the elderly couple's swords.

Ye Shanhua belonged to the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and was an expert at appraising treasures. Whatever the item, her price estimates were generally accurate.

Ye Shanhua glanced at them and nodded slightly. "Not bad. Junior Brother Xu, you've struck it rich.

"These two swords are called Crimson Refining and Azure Edge.

"One has a fire attribute, the other a water attribute. They're two fairly common types of Pseudo-Magic Artifacts on the market. As for their price, they usually go for around sixty spirit stones."

"So cheap!"

Xu Changshou was somewhat dissatisfied. His Five-Cloud Sword had cost him a hundred and eight spirit stones.

Ye Shanhua explained, "Junior Brother Xu, Pseudo-Magic Artifacts don't all cost the same. Ordinary attributes are cheaper, while unusual attributes cost a little more. A Lightning Attribute Pseudo-Magic Artifact would be even more expensive."

"I understand!"

Xu Changshou nodded. His Five-Cloud Sword was probably expensive because it possessed five attributes at once.

Looking at the two swords, Xu Changshou asked, "Senior Sister Ye, I have no use for these swords. Would your Many Treasures Pavilion buy them?"

Ye Shanhua smiled wryly. "You obtained these swords by killing their owners and taking their possessions. They're illicit goods, and our Many Treasures Pavilion wouldn't dare take them.

"The Many Treasures Pavilion has principles when it comes to business. We refuse anything of dubious origin."

"I understand!"

Xu Changshou smiled faintly and put the two swords away.

The swords had come from the Union of Joy Sect. The Many Treasures Pavilion dared not buy such things for fear of offending that sect.

Ye Shanhua said, "Don't worry, Junior Brother. Just because we won't buy them doesn't mean no one will.

"When you have time, visit the Ten Thousand Immortals Market. The people at the Ten Thousand Immortals Tower dare to buy illicit goods."

Xu Changshou nodded.

The Ten Thousand Immortals Tower was a gathering place for rogue cultivators and the territory of Old Devil Wu Zou. Its people dared to take goods others would not touch.

Then-

In front of Ye Shanhua, Xu Changshou emptied both Storage Bags.

The couple had merely been servant disciples from the Union of Joy Valley, and most likely had already laid down their arms and returned to secular life. Surely they would have nothing worthwhile, so there seemed to be no need to hide anything from her.

But once he had emptied the bags, Xu Changshou regretted it.

The couple's Storage Bags contained all manner of special implements in bizarre shapes and designs, leaving Ye Shanhua flushed to the tips of her ears.

Moreover, the old man apparently had a penchant for collecting undergarments. He had amassed hundreds of women's undergarments of every kind.

"As expected of the Union of Joy Sect. They really know how to play."

Xu Changshou exclaimed that his eyes had truly been opened.

Ye Shanhua's pretty face was scarlet. "Junior Brother Xu, y-you... why did you dump those out? They're disgusting! Put them away!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

Xu Changshou hastily gathered the things up.

Aside from that assorted junk, the couple's Storage Bags held a dozen or so spirit stones and nothing else Xu Changshou considered worthwhile.

Night fell.

The inn became unusually lively as a large number of people suddenly poured in.

Every one of them wore an arrogant expression and carried an imposing air.

"They're here. These people really are like mangy dogs. Junior Brother Ye, what should we do?"

Inside Xu Changshou's room, Ye Shanhua looked grim.

Many cultivators had arrived at the inn that evening, most of whom had visited the Thunder Pool. Clearly, they still had not abandoned their thieving intentions.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister Ye. Wait here. I'll go deal with them!"

Xu Changshou opened the door and headed down to the hall.

The moment he entered the hall, countless pairs of eyes turned toward him.