27: Chapter 27 The Gang Leader's Mystery and the Origins of Celestial Phenomena

Thinking of this...

Xu Changsheng put this first-tier painted skin into his Storage Pouch and looked at Lu Yuanze lying on the ground.

Lu Yuanze's appearance had now changed drastically.

He no longer had the ruggedly handsome look with a scar running across his face from the painted skin, but instead looked like a fair-faced, elegant scholar, and the muscles on his arms had shrunk a bit.

His brow furrowed.

He muttered an incantation.

A golden flame flew out from the crown of Xu Changsheng's head and struck Lu Yuanze's forehead.

A strange scene unfolded.

The very much dead Lu Yuanze opened his mouth, his features twisting as wisps of black smoke continuously drifted out from his seven orifices.

After half a cup of tea's time.

Xu Changsheng finally withdrew the golden flame.

This golden flame was naturally his True Solar Fire, and what he had just performed was the 'Soul Burning' technique from the Great Sun Fusang Scripture.

"So that's how it is."

From the remnant soul, Xu Changsheng learned about the main members of the Black Wolf Gang and how he became the Gang leader.

This current Lu Yuanze's original name was Shi Rong. Not only was he not originally a Robber Cultivator, but he was also a personal disciple of a Foundation Establishment Elder of the Chixiao Sect.

He was highly regarded by his Revered Master and even had an engagement with his Revered Master's daughter; his future had been boundless.

But a tall tree catches the wind; he drew the envy of his fellow disciples. After a series of schemes, he was deemed by the Sect to be in league with Robber Cultivators. Not only was his future gone, but he was also to be thrown into the Heavenly Prison.

Unwilling and resentful, he killed the original leader of the Black Wolf Gang to prove his innocence, only to encounter his fiancée leading the team to capture him. In his grief and rage, he turned around and became the leader of the Black Wolf Gang himself.

No one knew about his attempt to kill Xu Changsheng tonight except for himself.

"Since Shi Rong could be the leader of the Black Wolf Gang, there's no reason why I, Xu Changsheng, cannot."

After some analysis, Xu Changsheng decided to take the risk and seize the wealth of the Black Wolf Gang.

This was because...

...this gift was simply too generous.

In Shi Rong's memory, the Black Wolf Gang's warehouse contained over five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones alone, along with about a dozen Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

There were all kinds of Qi Refining Medicinal Pills: Qi Gathering Pills, Peiyuan Pills, and even yellow dragon pills for breaking through to the Late Stage Qi Refining.

But these were just the appetizers.

What Xu Changsheng valued most were the things hidden beneath 'Lu Yuanze's' bed.

Three secret realm keys for the Ancient Wood Secret Realm!

A Mysterious Heavy Bell talisman treasure!

The keys went without saying; although Xu Changsheng already had two, the more of these things, the better.

Once he got them, he would have a total of five secret realm keys! Compared to Chen Xuan and Su Xiaojing, he had already gained the upper hand, turning the tables.

As for the talisman treasure...

...it was even more critical!

A talisman treasure was different from the daily Five Elements Talismans he refined; it was a special Talisman created by a Golden Core True Person by stripping away the power of their own Magic Treasure.

Its power could rival or even surpass Top Grade Magical Artifacts and quasi-second tier talismans, making it a lethal weapon in the Qi Refinement Stage.

Judging by its name...

...the Mysterious Heavy Bell should be a talisman treasure focused on trapping enemies and defense. Fortunately, Shi Rong hadn't brought it today; otherwise, it would never have been this easy to kill him.

After clarifying his goals...

Xu Changsheng reined in his slightly restless mind and began using Water Flow Technique, Earth Turning Technique, and others to clean up all traces of battle in the courtyard.

He used a Fireball Technique to burn the corpse to ashes.

Only a storage belt and a pair of boots remained on the spot.

He broke the Restrictions on them.

Shi Rong's Medicinal Pills and Talismans were mostly exhausted in the previous battle, leaving only a few bottles of Peiyuan Pills. Even that long spear had been used to self-destruct and break the Formation.

Xu Changsheng wasn't disappointed in the least.

This was because...

...there was something else in the storage belt he wanted most.

"A first-tier Medium Grade Formation Legacy."

When Shi Rong used a Formation to break a Formation earlier, seeing his skillful Formation-setting techniques, Xu Changsheng had guessed that the man might be a Formation Master.

As expected.

Xu Changsheng impatiently pressed the Legacy to his forehead, absorbing all its contents.

After dozens of breaths...

...the Jade Slip turned into countless points of light.

Xu Changsheng's expression was somewhat melancholy. The moment he received the Legacy, he had wondered why Shi Rong would create such a thing.

It turned out it was to prove to his Revered Master that he was not only alive but had even surpassed his fellow disciples in the art of Formations; he wasn't a traitor, he had been framed.

Unfortunately, on his way back to the Chixiao Sect with the Legacy, he encountered a wedding procession stretching for miles.

It was actually the wedding day of his fiancée and the Senior Brother who had framed him.

From then on, he turned completely to the dark side, becoming the 'Lu Yuanze' that Xu Changsheng was familiar with.

After a long time.

Xu Changsheng gave a slight sigh.

He took the thousand or so Spirit Stones from the storage belt for himself.

There were two Magical Artifacts left, both of an auxiliary nature.

One was a Snow-Treading Flying Carriage, a High Grade Magical Artifact suitable for long-distance travel.

The other was a pair of Dust-Raising Boots, a Medium Grade wind-attribute Magical Artifact suitable for use during combat.

Satisfied, he put the two Magical Artifacts into his Storage Pouch and returned to his room.

He decided to wait a few days to ensure everything was safe before picking up Yun Xin and Wu Qingqing.

...

Three days quickly passed.

On this day...

Xu Changsheng sat cross-legged at the head of the bed, quietly comprehending the contents of the first-tier Medium Grade Formation Legacy.

Suddenly...

...an unexpected change occurred.

A powerful aura suddenly appeared outside the window.

Xu Changsheng's tightly closed eyes snapped open, his pupils dilating slightly.

"Foundation Establishment Stage?"

Could he have attracted such a powerful figure?

With an uneasy heart, he walked out of the house.

Only then did he realize the street was already bustling with people.

This was because...

...at some point, the blue sky and white clouds had been replaced by a sky full of golden clouds.

The once crystal-clear blue sky seemed to have been painted with golden light by an invisible giant brush.

The clouds across the sky burned like hot lava, roiling and flowing.

It was magnificent and splendid.

Above the City Lord's Mansion, a handsome and heroic middle-aged man was floating in mid-air, looking up quietly.

It was indeed Xie Chengye; only he could so blatantly ignore the market's flight Restriction.

"So they weren't looking for me."

Xu Changsheng felt relieved.

He walked onto the street and asked a few people at random but didn't get a definite answer; some said it was Twilight Reflected Clouds, while others said a rare treasure had appeared.

Seeing this...

...Xu Changsheng lost interest in investigating further, treating it as just an astronomical wonder of this world.

He returned inside to continue his meditation.

Until night fell.

The scene on the horizon remained unchanged. Under the reflection of the starlight, the entire sky still appeared an exaggerated orange-yellow, stretching for ten thousand miles.

[Today's Intel (White): Blazing Sun Celestial Phenomenon]

[Yun Xin was extremely angry at Wu Qingqing's false accusations, even suffering internal injuries from holding it in. This caused the True Solar Fire within her to overflow, triggering a celestial anomaly within a thirty-thousand-mile radius. This phenomenon has caught the attention of a secluded Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect, who will arrive at Liuyun Market in one year to find Yun Xin.]

"Wait, what?"

Xu Changsheng hadn't expected today's celestial phenomenon to be caused by Yun Xin, and that it had even attracted the attention of an unknown immortal Sect.

"Damn it."

Regretting his negligence, Xu Changsheng hurried to the Nangui Inn.

He soon arrived at the room where Yun Xin was staying.

He tapped lightly on the door.

"Miss Yun, are you there?"