Black Sea City

The Mystic Yang Sect.

A secluded, quiet courtyard on the mountaintop.

Xu Fan sat cross-legged as the spiritual essence of heaven and earth poured into him, to be refined and absorbed.

Only when his cultivation rose once more did he slowly open his eyes.

"Finally, I've reached Qi Refinement Second Layer."

"As expected of a seventh-grade Spirit Vein. Cultivating here is much faster."

"My martial cultivation has also reached Innate Minor Accomplishment without a hitch."

"With the Innate True Qi of the Great Sun True Yang Art and the Dark and Bright Moon-Hiding Technique, disguising myself as a cultivator of the Supreme Yang Dao Lineage is utterly seamless!"

He nodded in satisfaction, then rose and looked outside.

"Brother Yang, come in."

Shortly after his breakthrough, he had sensed someone outside the courtyard. It was Yang Haitian.

Since becoming an honorary elder of the Mystic Yang Sect, he and Yang Haitian had addressed each other as brothers, becoming friends despite their difference in age.

"Brother Xu, you truly improve every moment of every day."

Yang Haitian pushed open the door and entered, carrying a list and several jade bottles.

"The Three Lives Pavilion updated the Hidden Dragon Ranking today, so I brought you a copy."

"As expected, Brother Xu, you're on it-and in eleventh place, no less."

As he spoke, he sat down and pushed the Hidden Dragon Ranking list across the table.

"Eleventh?"

Xu Fan frowned, picked it up and glanced over it, then gave a cold laugh:

"The Three Lives Pavilion certainly thinks highly of me."

The top twenty on the Hidden Dragon Ranking were all Primal Core great cultivators, yet the cultivation he had shown was no higher than that of a Divine Intention Great Grandmaster with third-transformation True Essence.

Yet all those people had been ranked below him, just because he was suspected of being a Celestial Person's inheritor?

It seemed more like ill intent.

Martial artists valued their reputations, especially on a ranking of young geniuses like this.

"The Three Lives Pavilion's decision is indeed improper. Brother Xu, you've only just entered the Divine Intention realm. It could easily stir resentment among those ranked below you."

Yang Haitian nodded gently, his expression somewhat grave.

He had expected Xu Fan to rank somewhere between thirtieth and fiftieth. Who would have thought he would be placed eleventh, ahead of quite a few Primal Core great cultivators?

The geniuses on the list all considered themselves inferior to no one. How could they willingly accept being outranked by a peer whose cultivation was lower than theirs?

They were setting Xu Fan over a fire to roast.

Although Xu Fan was extremely powerful and feared no Great Grandmaster,

facing a Primal Core great cultivator who was also a genius on the Hidden Dragon Ranking was another matter altogether.

"Since I'm on the list, I'll meet soldiers with soldiers and hold back floods with earth."

Xu Fan closed his eyes slightly, his tone calm.

During his time with the Mystic Yang Sect, he had gained a general understanding of the major powers on the Divine Continent of the Vast Land.

The Three Lives Pavilion's influence spread across the nations and overseas. It was not known for its strength, but it was still one of the major Celestial Person sects and could not be underestimated.

It had inherited the Myriad Spirits Three Lives Diagram. Although its Celestial Person Divine Weapon was incomplete, all three pavilion masters were Land Immortals.

"What spirit!"

Yang Haitian spoke in admiration.

As expected of a genius, he could remain so calm.

He then took six different tokens from his robes and pushed them across the table:

"By the way, several Celestial Person sects sent people to ask me to give these to you. You can use them to join any one of them, and they've even promised you a True Disciple's position."

Apart from Saber-Nurturing Valley and the Three Lives Pavilion,

there were the five great Celestial Person sects: the Mountain and Sea Dao Sect, Mystic Yellow Sword Sect, Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, Five Dragons Cult, and Four Symbols Mountain Manor.

Even the Six Paths of the Demonic Sect had sent a token.

A situation like this had been exceedingly rare for the past ten thousand years.

"Many thanks."

Xu Fan nodded his thanks.

By now, he knew at least something about each of these Celestial Person sects with their long histories.

All seven super sects had inherited Celestial Person Divine Weapons, though the weapons were either dormant or missing.

The Five Dragons Cult's Five-Colored Great Dragon Flag, for example, was missing its earth and wood flags.

The Three Lives Pavilion likewise had only the Present Diagram, missing both the past and future diagrams.

The Four Symbols Mountain Manor's Celestial Person Divine Weapon had not even appeared for three thousand years, and rumor had it that it had been lost.

"The things you wanted are here, so I won't disturb you any longer."

Yang Haitian rose and took his leave.

"Minor Restoration Pills and Divine Intent Pills sell well in the Land of Wu. They're extremely useful to Qi Refinement cultivators."

Xu Fan looked over the three bottles of each pill before him and nodded in satisfaction.

Thanks to the Dark and Bright Moon-Hiding Technique and the cover provided by the True Qi of the Great Sun True Yang Art, no one had discovered that he cultivated the Plain Luminary Supreme Yin Wondrous Instruction.

As long as he did not use Law Power, even a True Person would have difficulty detecting it, allowing him to settle down safely in a market established by a Foundation Establishment Aristocratic Clan.

He had rented a shop to sell pills for Spirit Stones, while collecting Supreme Yin Cultivation Methods and Techniques of the Supreme Yin and Supreme Yang Dao Lineages.

He put the tokens and pills into his Storage Bag, then turned and returned to his room.

With a thought, his form changed, and then he vanished.

Black Sea City.

The city in Linhai Commandery with the most Rogue Cultivators, and the closest to the South Sea, was controlled by three great Foundation Establishment Aristocratic Clans: the Du, Fang, and Li clans.

Changxing Market was maintained by the Du Household outside the city and had enjoyed a good reputation for many years.

Inside the Rising Sun Shop.

Xu Fan's figure appeared. He swept the shop with his Divine Sense and nodded to himself.

"It seems no one forced their way in during the dozen or so days I was away."

This shop was where he entered seclusion and resold resources from the two worlds.

He removed several formations before opening the shop, then crushed the talisman on the table.

"Brother Wu Song, I'll be right there."

A pleasant female voice came from the talisman.

Before long, a pretty woman in a tasteful, pale-yellow dress hurried over.

It was Du Qingluo, the legitimate daughter of the Du Household.

"Brother Wu, congratulations on advancing your cultivation another step."

Du Qingluo approached with a lovely smile and familiar ease, looking him over carefully.

She had not expected Wu Song to make a breakthrough after only a dozen or so days in seclusion. It seemed he had good aptitude.

What he cultivated was also a Cultivation Method of the Supreme Yang Dao Lineage.

Although the Supreme Yang Dao Lineage's Immortal Lord had ascended beyond the heavens and it no longer enjoyed its former prestige as the foremost manifest Dao, it remained an exceptionally powerful Dao Lineage.

Even now, the Supreme Yang Dao Lineage's lingering radiance remained, and the spiritual essence of the great sun was active. Wu Song's strength was not nearly as simple as it appeared.

When they had last met, she had been shocked by Wu Song's formidable physique.

It was the first time she had seen a cultivator beat someone up in such a straightforward, domineering fashion.

"I was just lucky."

Xu Fan laughed heartily, maintaining his "Wu Song" persona.

After encountering those Sword Sect madmen and the two True Persons outside Yishan City last time, he had chosen not to go back.

Instead, he had come to Black Sea City, which had the most Rogue Cultivators and no True Persons. There, he had chanced upon the legitimate daughter of the Du Household and stayed at its market.

Through that connection, he traded the pills and Demon Beast inner cores he brought for Spirit Stones and other pills to cultivate with.

At the same time, he inquired about buying Supreme Yin Cultivation Methods, as well as the Techniques he needed.

"You're too modest, Brother Wu."

Du Qingluo gave an amused laugh, then looked at the two jade bottles on the table:

"Could it be that you've refined more, Brother Wu?"

The Wu Song before her was a rare Alchemist, and the Minor Restoration Pills and Divine Intent Pills he refined were highly effective for Qi Refinement cultivators!

Even if his cultivation was not particularly high, that alone was enough for the Du Household to take him seriously.

"That's right."

"Have a look at their quality."

Xu Fan nodded slightly and said with a smile:

"I wonder how many of the Techniques and Cultivation Methods I wanted you've found, Miss Du?"

When he had returned last time, he had used seclusion as an excuse and asked Du Qingluo to look for the Techniques and Cultivation Methods he needed.

He had promised to give the Du Household priority when selling Minor Restoration Pills and Divine Intent Pills.

With a Foundation Establishment Aristocratic Clan searching for them, it was far easier than collecting them by himself.