17: Chapter 17: Crisis Returns

On the other side, Chen Yin was also in his residence, his expression so dark it looked like ink could drip from it.

He likewise did not wait for any news.

Of course, he also knew that the two experts at Qi Refining Stage 7 he had sent out had definitely failed!

"Trash! You are all trash!" He was so angry that he slammed a palm onto the table, causing the teacup to rattle loudly.

Just like Zhao Mingfang, he immediately ruled out the option of "Xiao Yuan counterkilling" — it was too ridiculous and completely violated the fundamental laws of the Immortal Realm!

"Either some other accident occurred, or... it is Zhao Mingfang!" Chen Yin's eyes flickered, his heart filled with both anxiety and anger.

After all, he knew that Zhao Mingfang also wanted the jade talisman treasure, and it was not impossible for that fellow to send out even stronger people to make a move.

Combined with Xiao Yuan's puny cultivation, he could basically determine that Zhao Mingfang was snatching Opportunity from him.

A wave of anxiety involuntarily arose in his heart. One must know that was a treasure capable of making even Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage green with envy!

If someone else were to gain the advantage before him, he would regret it to death.

Of course, his heart was also filled to the extreme with anger.

Xiao Yuan, this "rival in love" and "trash" whom he originally looked down upon entirely,

actually proved so difficult to kill, escaping unscathed several times. Right now, he was like a fishbone stuck in the throat—unable to swallow it down, unable to spit it out, and faintly bringing a sense of a threatening loss of control.

Immediately afterward, a chill and ruthlessness arose in his heart.

Since it was determined that Zhao Mingfang might have made a move, he would send out even more formidable people. If that failed, he would act himself. He absolutely could not let Zhao Mingfang take advantage of this!

As for personally making a move?! He was somewhat more rational and cunning than Zhao Mingfang.

After all, Zhao Mingfang had also meddled in this. In case the other party seized a handle against him and testified against him, he would be in deep trouble.

Zhao Mingfang's backing was much tougher than his; his biological Elder brother was an Outer Sect Elder at the Early Foundation Establishment stage, and he had even taken an Inner Sect Elder at the Golden Core level as his master. He... could not afford to provoke him on the surface!

...

Xiao Yuan arrived at the market beneath the mountain, found a deserted corner, circulated the Great Turtle Breathing Technique, and changed into an inconspicuous gray robe.

In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a green Utility Disciple into the appearance of a middle-aged Loose Cultivator with a plain face, sharp gaze, and cultivation at the Peak of the 5th layer of Qi Refining.

"Mn, this image is not bad; thrown into a crowd, he wouldn't be found, and his cultivation is just enough to bluff ordinary scoundrels." Xiao Yuan looked at his reflection in a puddle and nodded in satisfaction.

This was a Spell bundled after cultivating the Great Turtle Breathing Technique to Minor Achievement.

Even Cultivators at the Peak Foundation Establishment Stage were unable to see through it, unless their cultivation reached the Golden Core Stage.

With this Spell, as Xiao Yuan's cultivation improved, the level of Cultivators it shielded would also need to be higher. This Spell was sufficient for Xiao Yuan to use all the way to the Golden Core Stage.

Donning his new disguise, he swaggered into the largest and most reputable "Hundred Treasures Pavilion" in the market.

"Shopkeeper, I'm exchanging for some things." He lowered his voice and dumped the "goods" he brought all at once onto the counter.

Perfect-grade marrow cleansing pills, Qi Recovery Pills, and Blood-Burst Pills, totaling several dozen pieces, emitted a pungent medicinal fragrance with alluring pill patterns.

Ten first-tier supreme-grade Talismans, their spiritual light latent within, showed at a glance that they were no ordinary items.

A Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, its Spiritual Qi pure and dense.

The fat shopkeeper's eyes instantly went straight. Especially after verifying the perfect Medicinal Pills and supreme-grade Talismans, his attitude became so enthusiastic it could melt iron.

After some bargaining, the transaction was finally concluded:

All the Medicinal Pills and Talismans were exchanged for 867 Low Grade marrow cleansing pills, while the Mid-Grade Spirit Stone was exchanged for 100 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

He had practically emptied out all the Low Grade marrow cleansing pills in stock at the other party's shop!

Xiao Yuan looked at the pile of Medicinal Pills shaped like a small mountain inside his Storage Pouch, a wave of wild joy welling up in his heart.

With 867 Low Grade marrow cleansing pills, no matter how trashy his Spiritual Root was, after relying on the small tripod to purify them into perfect quality and forcefully smashing through, it would definitely be enough to pile his cultivation up to the Peak of Qi Refining Level 9!

He calculated inwardly.

Although he had enough Medicinal Pills, the problem was time.

There were still twenty days until the Sect assessment. Wanting to reach the 9th layer Peak through normal cultivation, even with taking drugs, would take at least two months unless he soaked inside a Cultivation Room and never came out.

Truly, his Spiritual Root was too trashy. If he reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, the speed of improving his cultivation, even with pills to take, would probably take even longer.

He calculated the Spirit Stones on his person.

The over one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones obtained from looting corpses earlier, plus the one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones just exchanged, left him with over two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones on him.

A Cultivation Room cost 10 stones a day, which was enough for him to go into seclusion for twenty days, just barely lasting until the day of the assessment!

Let's do it this way! Before the assessment, go into seclusion to break through ranks!

Xiao Yuan made up his mind. Only upon reaching the Peak of Qi Refining Level 9, coupled with his hidden trump cards, would he truly have the capital to establish himself and survive.

He delayed no further, quickly leaving the market, preparing to return to the Sect to open a long-term package for a Cultivation Room.

Not long after walking out of the market's perimeter, his acute perception within a hundred-meter radius captured an abnormality.

In the shadows of the woods on both sides of the market entrance, two groups of people were skulking about, placing their attention on the crowds entering and leaving the market, obviously waiting for someone.

Xiao Yuan's heart gave a jolt, and his perceptive power quietly swept across.

Two people on the left: one at Qi Condensation 9th Layer, one at Qi Refining Stage 8.

The other two people separated by seventy or eighty meters on the right: likewise one at Qi Condensation 9th Layer, and one at Qi Refining Stage 8.

They hid themselves very covertly, and neither noticed the other!

Xiao Yuan's heart was slightly startled!

Four experts at the Late Stage of Qi Refining lying in wait! This lineup was enough to give an ordinary Early Foundation Establishment a hard time!

What made his gaze turn even colder was that among that group on the left, that person at the Qi Condensation 9th Layer was unexpectedly Zhao Mingfang himself!

This is to ambush me.

Xiao Yuan's gaze was slightly cold; he certainly didn't think the other party had made such a huge fanfare just to ambush someone else.

For the jade talisman treasure, were these two fellows Chen Yin and Zhao Mingfang completely shameless, preparing to personally enter the field and rob him?

A wave of speechlessness arose in his heart.

This woman Su Ruotong, upon finding a treasure, couldn't she 'flaunt' it just a little bit, or leak some wind?

Her keeping completely silent resulted in those two fellows still thinking the treasure was with him!

However, he also knew that this thought was purely an extravagant hope.

To let a Foundation Establishment Cultivator take the initiative to expose her precious treasure being lost and regained just for his trivial matter?

How could that be possible!

Wouldn't other people find it troublesome?

Moreover, her not flaunting it was actually beneficial to her; others wouldn't covet her heavy treasure. Presumably, whoever was in her shoes would do the same.

Besides, even if Chen Yin and Zhao Mingfang knew that the jade talisman treasure was with Su Ruotong, given their unreasonable virtues, they would probably vent their anger on him even more.

On what grounds did you pick up a treasure and not give it to us, but gave it to her?!

With this kind of person, there was no reason to speak of.

Xiao Yuan suppressed the tension in his heart, maintained the calm expression of a "middle-aged Loose Cultivator at the 5th layer of Qi Refining", and walked past the side of the four people's ambush circle without looking sideways.

He could sense that those four gazes lingered on him briefly. After perceiving that his cultivation was "only" at the 5th layer of Qi Refining, they quickly looked away, their eyes even carrying undisguised contempt and mockery.

Xiao Yuan walked past without any mishaps, yet broke out in a cold sweat behind his back.