The Enemy at the Gates

"Young friend Qin has broken through to the Late Qi Refining! Congratulations!"

The Fairy Caiyi slightly raised her eyes and said calmly.

Qin Fei's heart skipped a beat, and he stepped forward respectfully to pay his respects.

"Greetings, senior."

He was wearing a demon mask, and his aura was suppressed to the Sixth Level of Qi Refining.

However, it still has nowhere to hide from Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.

Having his identity revealed directly, Qin Fei decided to stop hiding it and removed the demon mask.

He acted as if he had been randomly teleported there, and his expression remained normal.

"I broke through by sheer luck, entirely thanks to the resources I gained from the merchant guild of my senior, which enabled me to achieve my current cultivation level."

The Fairy Caiyi showed no emotion, and said calmly:

"The secret realm is dangerous; it's truly not a place for you."

Qin Fei refute, and could only bow his head and agree.

He knew perfectly well that the Fairy Caiyi wasn't concerned about his safety, but rather about her money tree.

"Well, I've been waiting here for a long time, and it's been quite boring. Now that I have someone to talk to, time will probably pass more quickly."

The Fairy Caiyi sighed softly, seemingly not intending to pursue the matter any further.

Qin Fei's heart sank. Judging from the other party's words, they didn't plan to leave anytime soon.

How can we continue like this?

The bronze gate was right in front of him, yet now it seemed like an insurmountable chasm, keeping him outside.

If we force our way in, we'll likely be subdued immediately.

What if we bring the Fairy Caiyi in with us?

It was obvious that the fortuitous opportunity behind the bronze door had nothing to do with him.

They might even be pressed on how they found out the solution.

Qin Fei was at a loss for what to do, but his face showed a look of unexpected joy.

"I would be most grateful for the opportunity to learn from you, senior. By the way, what brings you here?"

"Climbing the tower, no matter who reaches the top, they all have to pass through this last level. I'll stay here and guard it, naturally reaping the benefits."

The Fairy Caiyi gave a casual answer, but it made Qin Fei's heart sink to the bottom.

However, he didn't show it; instead, he suddenly realized.

"I see. Your foresight is truly remarkable; I'm sure you'll gain something from this!"

His praise was so genuine that even Qin Fei himself felt his acting was phenomenal, reaching the pinnacle of his career.

Unfortunately, you can't get an Oscar here.

"Thank you for your kind words. How's the puppet making going at the merchant guild?"

How could the Fairy Caiyi not know that he was flattering her? But who wouldn't want to hear nice words?

The two did not continue the topic and instead began discussing the Chamber of Commerce.

As for the Chamber of Commerce, Qin Fei resumed production after the Fairy Caiyi personally took charge.

He also appropriately increased the output, which was a drop in the ocean for him at the moment, but it earned him repeated praise from the Fairy Caiyi.

Taking advantage of the Fairy Caiyi's good mood, Qin Fei also asked her about cultivation.

Although the Fairy Caiyi often only gave a few words of explanation, each one hit the nail on the head, giving him a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Many of my problems in spiritual practice were easily solved.

And just like that, a month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this month, Qin Fei experienced what it felt like to have a sect for the first time.

Regardless of whether the Fairy Caiyi was willing or not, he shamelessly went to ask for her advice.

He knew perfectly well that he was just a money-making tool for the other party, and they wouldn't kill him over such a trivial matter.

At first, the Fairy Caiyi would patiently answer some questions, but later she simply closed her eyes and began to cultivate on her own.

Without her permission, Qin Fei dared not leave.

However, this gave him a reason to stay and wait for the right opportunity.

He found a corner and began his cultivation.

People came and went, and many teleported in, but upon seeing the Foundation Establishment cultivator, Fairy in Fairy Caiyi, they wisely left on their own.

Some Foundation Establishment cultivators also came over, exchanged a few polite words with the Fairy Caiyi Clothes, and completely ignored Qin Fei, a mere Qi Refinement cultivator.

With no way to break the deadlock, these people stopped fighting and became peaceful and harmonious.

However, this state did not last long.

On this day, the Fairy Caiyi suddenly opened her eyes, a strange anger flashing in them.

Seeing that he was not in a good mood, Qin Fei quickly got up and asked:

"Senior, what's wrong?"

The Fairy Caiyi looked extremely solemn and said in a low voice:

"The Barbarian Tribe army has already reached the gates of Shangyu Market City!"

It turns out that while the Lin and Lu families were fighting amongst themselves, the Barbarian Tribe had been secretly mobilizing their troops.

Then, the core area of the secret realm appeared, which tied down a large number of troops from both sides.

Even Foundation Establishment cultivators came to the secret realm to search for treasures.

This gave the Barbarian Tribe an opportunity.

They somehow managed to teleport their army directly to the outskirts of Shangyu Market.

By the time the guards noticed, the army had already launched an assault on the city walls.

"I have to go back to reinforce them. If Shangyu Market falls, we'll be in big trouble."

As one of the top border towns, if Shangyu Market were to be breached by the barbarian army, it would be a major blow to the entire human race.

More importantly, as the northeastern gateway to Repel the North City, if it falls, the Barbarian Tribe will be able to advance unimpeded and Repel the North City.

The Fairy Caiyi felt a pang of regret; the secret realm was divided in two, with one half belonging to the Barbarian Tribe.

She assumed that the Barbarian Tribe would also be preoccupied with the secret realm and have no time to attend to Shangyu Market.

After all, human nature is inherently greedy.

But now it seems that the other side is far more united than the human race. From the very beginning, they have been mobilizing troops and generals, with their target being Shangyu Market. They have not taken the secret realm seriously at all.

This wave of the Barbarian Tribe is in the atmosphere, while Shangyu Market is at the very bottom.

The Fairy Caiyi hurried towards the door, but just before reaching it, she suddenly turned back and said:

"Qin Fei, the barbarian army's attack on the city is no small matter. You stay here, lest you lose your life."

Qin Fei readily agreed.

"Senior, can you guard this place?"

The Fairy Caiyi pondered for a moment, then stepped out of the door without saying a word.

It wasn't that she didn't want to answer, but that she didn't know the answer either.

The only saving grace was that her old nemesis, Daoist Fuchen, was also there.

Although the two did not get along, they could join forces to fight against a common enemy when faced with matters of principle.

Having an additional powerful Foundation Establishment Middle Stage will greatly increase our chances of winning.

Watching her departing figure, Qin Fei felt a pang of worry.

Several of his friends are still in the city.

However, he clearly had no control over the outcome of such a major battle, and could only silently pray that the others would be alright.

"Enough of this, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. Let's see what this last mural depicts."

Because of the presence of the Fairy Caiyi, he had not dared to examine the mural closely, lest she discover something amiss.

Only after the other party left did I get my chance.

The murals still depict four scenes, each corresponding to a unique character.

Knowing the final order, Qin Fei arranged all the previous texts one by one.

"Boom!"

Once the text was correctly arranged, a bright light suddenly shone in his mind.

A book exuding an antique charm slowly emerged.

Turning to the first page, five large characters were prominently displayed:

"The Creation Spirit-Bestowing Scripture"