25: Chapter 25 The Killing Intent of a Perfected Qi Refining Stage

Upon seeing this information,

Xu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat.

He didn't expect that Liu Erniu's other words weren't a lie either; it really was ordered by Lu Yuanze, the Gang Leader of the Black Wolf Gang.

"This isn't good."

Xu Changsheng had just heard from Wang Ye that Xie Wantang had left Liuyun Market this morning.

Now, there was no one in the market who could mobilize the market's second-Rank grand Formation.

This meant Lu Yuanze could act with impunity in Liuyun Market tonight, and Xu Changsheng had no confidence in mobilizing the market guards.

On one hand, the guards might not be able to stop Lu Yuanze; on the other hand, Huang Laifu also had a say in the Guard Office and might interfere.

"Fortunately, I bought a quasi-second tier formation in the black market."

Xu Changsheng felt secretly lucky.

On another note,

During these days, while attempting to refine quasi-second tier talismans, he had also refined a quantity of Lightning Strike Talismans no less than when Liu Erniu attacked last time.

"A pity I couldn't refine a quasi-second tier talisman."

A quasi-second tier talisman was actually a second-rank talisman; the refining techniques were similar, but the spiritual power level was one Rank weaker than a true second-rank talisman.

With this thought,

He walked quickly back to the courtyard; he needed to properly settle Yun Xin.

...

At the same time,

Black Wolf Mountain, the stronghold of the Black Wolf Gang was established here.

In a luxurious hall at the mountain peak, Lu Yuanze was being dressed and groomed by two beautiful female Cultivators.

One of them was Lin Wan.

She gently smoothed the folds of Lu Yuanze's clothes.

Just now, she and the other maidservant had cooperated exquisitely to defeat Lu Yuanze in bed, regaining his trust; he promised that her previous stipend would remain the same.

"This way, Fan'er's cultivation resources should be secured."

Soon, he was fully dressed.

Lu Yuanze roughly pushed the two women aside and strode out of the palace.

Outside the hall,

A shifty-looking Cultivator was looking around; it was the Second Leader of the Black Wolf Gang—Xie Wenyang.

Seeing Lu Yuanze,

He hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Where is the Gang Leader going? Didn't we agree to discuss that matter regarding the Xie Family tonight?"

Lu Yuanze waved his hand: "A small matter. I'm going out for a bit and will be back by noon tomorrow at the latest."

Without waiting for Xie Wenyang's further questions, he directly summoned a silver-white flying carriage and flew inside.

The wheels spun like a top, and after a few breaths, the flying carriage vanished without a trace.

"Sigh."

Xie Wenyang felt a bit disappointed, thinking to himself what could be more important than dismantling a Foundation Establishment Family.

Plundering the thousand-year wealth of a Family would be enough for several of their high-level members to advance to Foundation Establishment.

But he soon got over it.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with the flames of revenge.

"Xie Chengming, let the destruction of your Family be the price to repay our past grudges!"

...

Walking and jogging all the way,

In less than half an incense stick's time, Xu Changsheng returned to the courtyard.

As soon as he entered the door,

He immediately noticed something was wrong.

Yun Xin and Wu Qingqing were standing at opposite ends of the courtyard, facing off against each other, motionless.

A cold wind blew past.

The weeds in the corner of the yard swayed, and the leaves of the old locust tree rustled, adding a touch of solemn Killing Intent.

"What's going on?"

Xu Changsheng was a bit dazed.

Wu Qingqing saw him before he even stepped into the yard and hurriedly approached: "Big Brother Xu, your maidservant is really unkind; she actually arranged for Qingqing to sleep in the stable."

"The stable?"

Xu Changsheng recalled that he hadn't instructed Yun Xin that way before he left; he had specifically arranged the downstairs master bedroom for Wu Qingqing.

Hearing this,

Yun Xin got anxious and hurriedly stepped forward to refute: "Young Master Xu, it's not like that. She's making a false accusation. Xiner already took her to the room, but she refused and insisted on sleeping where Xiner stays."

"That's not true."

"Stop it."

Xu Changsheng's sharp shout ended the quarrel between the two. He didn't know when Lu Yuanze would arrive, so he had to start preparing now.

He took out Spirit Stones and gave them to the two women, just enough for them to spend a night cooling off at Nangui Inn.

Soon, he was left alone.

Xu Changsheng looked around and began to set things up with Vision Obscuring Talismans, Silencing Talismans, and Lightning Strike Talismans.

In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, everything was ready.

Changing into night-traveling clothes, he placed a tea table in the courtyard, brewed a cup of tea for himself, and sipped it silently.

...

Tonight, the moon was dark and the wind was high.

A hidden figure moved quickly through the shadows of the market, without attracting any attention from the market guards.

After a short while,

The dark figure arrived in front of Xu Changsheng's courtyard, without a trace of Spiritual Pressure on his body.

His silhouette appeared: tall, wearing a luxurious brocade robe like a pampered Young Master, but with a face marked by a scar running across it.

A beast in human clothing—this fit Xu Changsheng's evaluation of the man.

The visitor was none other than the First Leader of the Black Wolf Gang from the intelligence—Lu Yuanze.

"Is this the courtyard Huang Laifu mentioned?"

His Divine Sense scanned the courtyard unscrupulously, and discovering a Qi Refining Third Layer aura, he was immediately overjoyed.

There were no Foundation Establishment Cultivators guarding the market, so he didn't care about the market guards at all, but he was afraid Xu Changsheng wouldn't be here, making it a wasted trip.

"How unlucky. Such a large courtyard and a living person, yet that fellow Liu Erniu couldn't take it down despite so much effort, and now he's playing missing with me."

Not caring at all about the Qi Refining Third Layer Cultivator Huang Laifu mentioned, Lu Yuanze stepped over the threshold and entered the courtyard carelessly.

Hearing the movement,

Xu Changsheng put down his teacup, his eyes widening with a hint of panic: "Who are you? Do you have business with me?"

Seeing this,

A signature cruel smile appeared on Lu Yuanze's face, his gaze like that of a hunter looking at prey already caught.

"Jiejiejie, Fellow Daoist, do not panic. I have come to borrow something from you."

"Borrow what?"

Xu Changsheng stood up, his face still showing a dazed expression.

"A small matter, a small matter. It's just to borrow your head for a use. You wouldn't disagree, would you, Fellow Daoist?"

As soon as he finished speaking,

Lu Yuanze immediately took action. A silver-white long spear appeared in his hand. With a forceful thrust, it carried a rolling gale and struck toward the person before him with lightning speed.

"Xu Changsheng, have a safe journey on the road to the Yellow Springs!"

But in the next instant,

The scene before his eyes suddenly changed.

Dense water vapor filled the air, and a cold wind rose from all sides.

Countless deep blue water lights seeped out silently, instantly forming a water curtain covering a radius of ten zhang.

The spear was blocked by the water vapor, and Xu Changsheng's figure vanished from sight.

At the same time,

Behind the water curtain, there were also faint flashes of countless lightning bolts.

"Not good! This is a Formation."

Lu Yuanze's face changed slightly. He was a First-rank Mid-grade Formation Master himself and knew the danger of being trapped in a Formation!

Sensing the ominous aura hidden in the water vapor, his expression grew even uglier, the scar twitching into deep furrows.

"According to what Huang Laifu said, this kid is only a First-rank Mid-grade Talisman Master who got lucky and became a Guest Elder of the Xie Family to get this courtyard. He shouldn't have such a powerful Formation."

Thinking this,

His hawk-like eyes swept over the surroundings.

He flew straight up.

*Thud!*

As if hitting a marshmallow, he was bounced back.

"This is tricky."

Then he tried to break through from various directions, but without exception, all ended in failure.

"What kind of Formation is this exactly!"

With his level as a First-rank Mid-grade Formation Master, he actually couldn't tell its origin for a moment.