58: Chapter 58: Receiving the News

The female Cultivator's expression darkened: " No wonder he dared to walk alone… Turns out he's a tough nut to crack. "

But she immediately sneered: " However, do you think a Half-step Foundation Establishment can have us in the palm of your hand? "

As soon as her voice fell, all four of them released their auras simultaneously!

The disguise of Qi Refining Stage 8 faded away, and their true cultivation erupted—

All of them were Half-step Foundation Establishment!

The four auras echoed each other, faintly forming a joint momentum.

Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up.

" Somewhat interesting. " He nodded, " No wonder you dared to waylay and kill a Qi Condensation 9th Layer, turns out you're veterans who pretend to be a pig to eat the tiger. "

The female Cultivator sneered: " Now you know to be afraid? Too late! Hand over your Storage Pouch, and we'll leave your corpse intact! "

The bald brawny man stretched his muscles and bones, fierce light flashing in his eyes: " Boss, why waste words with him? With the four of us at Half-step Foundation Establishment, can't we take down just one of him? "

The short man had already fished out two short daggers, licking his lips: " Haven't killed anyone in a long time, my hands are itching. "

The thin man took a step back, but he was holding three Talismans in his hand, ready to launch a sneak attack at any time.

Xiao Yuan looked at them and suddenly sighed.

" You know, " he said leisurely, " I hate one kind of person the most. "

" What kind of person? " The thin man asked instinctively.

" People who talk too much before robbing. "

Before his voice faded, Xiao Yuan moved!

Gale Shadow-Chasing Movement Technique!

His figure instantly vanished from the spot, leaving a trail of afterimages behind!

" Careful—! " The female Cultivator cried out in alarm, but before she could finish speaking, Xiao Yuan had already appeared in front of the bald brawny man.

The bald brawny man's pupils shrank abruptly, instinctively throwing a punch—

" Golden Ray Slash! "

A pale golden sword qi flashed past!

Puff!

The bald brawny man's fist along with his arm was severed right at the shoulder! Fresh blood sprayed wildly!

" Ah—! " Screaming miserably, he flew backward, crashed into a large tree, and passed out on the spot.

" Third Brother! " The short man's eyes split open with fury, his twin daggers whistling like wind as they stabbed toward Xiao Yuan's back!

Without even turning his head, Xiao Yuan patted backward with his left hand.

" Mutu Shield! "

An earth-yellow light shield condensed out of thin air, steadily blocking the twin daggers.

" What?! " The short man exclaimed in shock.

His twin daggers were Medium Grade Spiritual Artifacts, yet they couldn't even break through the opponent's casual defense?

Xiao Yuan's Physical Body possessed a strength comparable to the Peak of the Early Stage Foundation Establishment. With the might unleashed from the Qi Condensation Stage, even if he didn't use a light shield, the opponent might not be able to break through.

Before he could react, Xiao Yuan brought his right hand's fingers together like a sword and swung backward.

" Gale Shadow-Chasing—Heart-Piercing! "

Hiss!

Cyan sword qi flashed like lightning, piercing straight through the short man's chest!

He looked down at the bloody hole in his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief as he slowly fell to the ground.

Two moves, one dead and one heavily injured.

The remaining female Cultivator and thin man turned completely pale.

" You… Just what kind of person are you?! " The female Cultivator's voice trembled.

Half-step Foundation Establishment? This strength was definitely Foundation Establishment Stage!

Xiao Yuan didn't answer, merely walking toward her.

Gritting her teeth, the female Cultivator fished out a pitch-black Talisman from her bosom. A look of heartache flashed across her eyes, and then she violently tore it apart!

Boom!

A burst of black smoke exploded, condensing into a ferocious poisonous python that lunged toward Xiao Yuan!

" Black Demonic Talisman? You've got some things. " Xiao Yuan raised an eyebrow, neither dodging nor evading.

He raised his right hand and clenched his five fingers into the void.

" Five Elements Rotation—Suppress! "

Hum!

Five-colored brilliance erupted, forming an invisible force field.

Halfway through its charge, the poisonous python was suddenly suppressed by the force field, unable to move at all. Then, with a snap, it shattered into black smoke and dissipated.

The female Cultivator widened her eyes, her lips trembling: " Th-This is impossi… "

Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Yuan swung his sword.

Puff!

A head rolled to the ground. The sword qi did not diminish in momentum, slicing the heavily injured one into two halves as well.

In the blink of an eye, three of the four died, leaving only the thin man standing in place with trembling legs, wetting his pants.

Out of the three Talismans in his hand, he hadn't even had time to throw a single one.

Xiao Yuan walked up to him and looked at him with a smile.

The thin man dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing like pounding garlic:

" Senior, spare my life! Senior, spare my life! This humble one was blind and offended Senior! I beg Senior to spare my dog's life! "

Xiao Yuan squatted down and patted his face: " Want to stay alive? "

He originally wanted to execute the opponent, but he didn't know the Soul Search Technique. If he wanted to obtain information, he could only leave a living captive.

He decided to find an opportunity to learn the Soul Search Technique.

Upon hearing this, the thin man nodded frantically: " Yes! Yes! "

" Then I'll ask you a few questions. Answer well, and I might consider it. "

" Please go ahead, Senior! This humble one will tell you everything I know! "

Xiao Yuan tapped a finger onto his Dantian, sealing his spiritual power, and then began questioning him:

" What are your names? Where are you from? "

" This humble one is Gou San, and those three… are Boss Gou, Gou Er, Gou Si… " The thin man answered tremblingly.

Xiao Yuan's mouth twitched: " You are biological brothers? "

" Y-Yes… The four Gou brothers… "

Xiao Yuan couldn't help laughing. These names were truly given quite casually.

" Alright, Gou San. You came to the Imperial Capital of Jing, just for the Tianyuan Secret Realm? "

" Yes, yes, yes! The Six Sects are jointly opening the Secret Realm and recruiting Loose Cultivators to go in. The reward is a foundation establishment pill! We wanted to take a gamble! "

" What are the Six Sects? What are the standards for recruiting Loose Cultivators? "

Gou San spilled everything like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube:

" Jade Maiden Palace, Tianjian Sect, Wanfa Sect, Xuanyin Hall, Spirit Beast Mountain, Medicine King Valley! Each of the Six Sects is recruiting fifty Loose Cultivators, making a total of three hundred people! The requirement is Qi Condensation 9th Layer or above, and one must sign a life-and-death pact. Life and death are not guaranteed inside; upon coming out, eighty percent of the harvest must be handed over, and the rest belongs to oneself! For those who come out alive, if the surrendered items meet the standard, they will be rewarded with a foundation establishment pill! "

Xiao Yuan looked thoughtful.

Eighty percent of the harvest in exchange for a foundation establishment pill… This deal was indeed cost-effective for Loose Cultivators.

After all, foundation establishment pills were priceless and marketless; for a Loose Cultivator to achieve Foundation Establishment was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

" What good things are there in the Secret Realm? "

" Spirit Medicine! Spiritual Mines! And Yao Beast Materials! It is said that there are also ancient ruins inside, containing Cultivation Techniques and Magical Artifacts left behind by Seniors! "

As Gou San spoke, his eyes lit up, but they immediately dimmed again, " But it's also dangerous inside, with a whole bunch of Foundation Establishment Cultivators. For us in the Qi Condensation Stage to go in, it's just easy prey… "

Xiao Yuan nodded and asked again: " Do you have a foothold in the Imperial Capital? Do you know any local tyrants? "

Gou San shook his head: " N-No… We are just Loose Cultivators, wandering around everywhere… This is our first time coming to the Imperial Capital… "

Xiao Yuan asked a few more details, confirming that this kid truly had no further utilization value.

After finishing, Gou San looked at him with eager eyes: " Senior, I've said it all… Can you let me go now? "

Xiao Yuan stood up and patted his shoulder.

" Rest assured, my words count. "

Just as joy appeared on Gou San's face—

Xiao Yuan brought his fingers together like a sword, and sword qi flashed.

Gou San's smile froze on his face as he slowly fell down.

" I said I would consider it, but I didn't guarantee I would definitely let you go. " Xiao Yuan muttered, " Besides, letting someone like you go would just bring harm to others. "

Judging from the fact that the opponent insisted on killing him, he knew they weren't good people. Who knew if such a person would cause him trouble in the future. Killing them saved trouble.

He casually flicked out four fireballs, burning the corpses into ashes.

He then fished out the Storage Pouches of the four, swept them with his Divine Sense, and nodded with satisfaction.

These four Gou brothers had quite a thick net worth. Combined, they had over twenty thousand Spirit Stones, along with some Medicinal Pills, Talismans, and Magical Artifacts.

As expected of fellows who frequently engaged in murder and looting.

" Not bad, the travel funds have increased. "

Xiao Yuan cleaned up the scene.

Then he identified the direction and walked toward the center of the Imperial Capital.

Jade Maiden Palace had a stronghold in the Imperial Capital of Jing.

Luo Ziyan and the others' mission was to investigate the disappearance case of the stronghold deacon.

" I must go to the stronghold to inquire first. " Xiao Yuan thought as he walked, " Hope that girl hasn't left yet… "

His figure gradually disappeared at the edge of the dense forest.

Behind him, the inner city moat still flowed quietly, and the dense forest remained deep and secluded.

As if nothing had ever happened.