95: "Precision Hunt" and the Scapegoat on the Eve of the Auction

Tianxing City, Central District, Qingshi Alley.

The closing notice for the "Wannian Talisman Array Shop" had been hanging for three days.

During these three days, Zhou Wannian had not been idle. He completed Young Master Ling's order and received the first wave of feedback from the Outer Sea through the "Sensing Runes" within those Formation Plates.

"The fluctuations are violent and accompanied by extremely chaotic Demonic Qi."

Zhou Wannian sat in the secret room, with a Master Plate connected to those Formation Plates placed before him. The light dots on the Master Plate were flashing frantically, and a few had even extinguished completely.

"Only three days out, and three Formation Plates have already been lost?"

Zhou Wannian's brow furrowed slightly.

This indicated that Young Master Ling's team had already encountered high-intensity combat. The situation in the Outer Sea had indeed reached a critical point.

"It seems the 'Main Ingredient for Golden Core Pellet' that the Star Palace is offering at this auction is not just bait, but also intended to 'force-ripen' a batch of experts for the coming war."

"This muddy water will not be easy to wade through."

But he had to go.

Whether it was for Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation resources or to find more survival cards in this chaotic world, this auction was an unavoidable milestone.

"However, just having money isn't enough."

Zhou Wannian touched his Storage Pouch.

Although he currently had fifty thousand Spirit Stones in liquid capital, at an auction of that level, this amount might not even cover the starting price of the finale items.

"I need to get some 'hard currency'."

He glanced at the clepsydra beside him.

Midnight had arrived.

The Heavenly Secret Dao Disk refreshed.

Zhou Wannian closed his eyes and focused. The bronze tortoise shell in his Sea of Consciousness slowly turned as countless Karma lines intertwined.

"I ask the Heavenly Secret."

"Within this Tianxing City, are there any villains who possess heavy treasures and are currently facing a 'Death Tribulation'?"

Since he didn't want to risk going to the Outer Sea to hunt demons himself, he could only hunt... hunters within the city.

And it would be "Acting for Heaven."

Buzz—

The image froze.

【Deduction Target: Black Fiend Sect Leader (Early Foundation Establishment Stage · Evil Cultivator)】

【Recent Opportunity: Lurking in the slums of Tianxing City's Lower District, using the 'Blood Spirit Formation' to secretly refine the essence blood of young boys and girls. He has already completed a second-tier peak magic tool, the 'Soul Devouring Banner'. He plans to sell this banner to a mysterious buyer in urgent need of magic tools before tomorrow's auction, then take the Spirit Stones and flee.】

【Death Tribulation: Due to the excessive commotion from his refinement method, he has been secretly locked onto by the Star Palace Law Enforcement Team. He will be surrounded and suppressed in three days.】

"Black Fiend Sect Leader? Soul Devouring Banner?"

Zhou Wannian opened his eyes, a cold light flashing within them.

This was a big fish.

And a "fish destined to die."

"The Law Enforcement Team won't act for three days? By then, it'll be far too late."

Zhou Wannian let out a cold laugh. "Since you're going to die anyway, I'll take that 'Soul Devouring Banner' and your life-saving money on behalf of the Law Enforcement Team."

"This is what you call... intercepting the Law Enforcement Team."

...The following night.

In the depths of the slums in Tianxing City's Lower District, there stood an abandoned Taoist temple.

The place was thick with Yin Qi, and the surrounding residents had long since moved out, leaving only a few stray dogs wandering nearby.

Zhou Wannian was like a cold-blooded gecko, silently pressed against the roof ridge of the temple.

He was in no hurry to enter.

"Since he's an Evil Cultivator who toys with souls, his senses must be sharp."

He pulled several small black flags from his Storage Pouch and flicked his fingers.

Swish, swish, swish!

The flags silently sank into the soil around the temple, forming an invisible "Small Mt. Sumeru Sound-Isolating Formation."

"Seal the mouth first, then slaughter the pig."

After completing this, he applied an "Invisibility Talisman" and floated into the temple.

The entrance to the basement.

A nauseating stench of blood and rotting corpses seeped through the cracks.

Zhou Wannian did not barge in directly; instead, he took out a handful of "Restriction-Breaking Powder" and lightly sprinkled it on the door gap.

Sizzle—

The layer of invisible warning Restrictions quietly dissolved under the powder's effect without triggering any alarm.

"Technical style is just this simple and unadorned."

He pushed the door open a crack and slid inside.

Inside the basement.

A haggard old man, reeking of decay, was spitting essence blood onto a small pitch-black banner. Resentful souls swirled around the banner, letting out shrill screams.

"Almost there... almost there..."

The Black Fiend Sect Leader's eyes were full of fanaticism. "As soon as I sell this treasure..."

Suddenly.

He whipped his head around, and the Soul Devouring Banner instantly unfurled, transforming into a mass of black clouds to protect his body.

"Who's there?!"

As an Evil Cultivator who lived life on the edge of a blade, he had an instinctive intuition for danger.

Although Zhou Wannian had made no sound, he sensed the minute change in the airflow.

However, it was too late.

The very moment he turned around.

"Suppress!"

A cold voice rang out from the darkness.

Buzz—!!!

Ten "Disposable Gravity Formation Plates" that Zhou Wannian had already tossed into the corners erupted simultaneously.

Ten times gravity!

The Black Fiend Sect Leader felt as if a mountain had been pressed onto him. The Soul Devouring Banner he intended to activate suddenly felt as heavy as a thousand tons, and his movements slowed by a beat.

And that single beat was the distance between life and death.

"Swish!"

A streak of ghostly blue cold light flashed through the darkness.

It was Zhou Wannian's long-refined Flying Sword, coated with "Soul-Snatching Poison" specifically designed to target the Divine Soul.

Puchi!

The Flying Sword accurately pierced through the protective demonic light on the Black Fiend Sect Leader's brow and plunged into his Sea of Consciousness.

"Agh—!!!"

The Black Fiend Sect Leader let out a shrill scream, but the moment the sound left his mouth, it was firmly blocked by the surrounding sound-isolating Formation.

He clutched his head and rolled on the ground in agony. His Divine Soul had suffered a heavy blow, and his Demonic Technique instantly dissipated by more than half.

"You... who are you..."

He struggled to lift his head and saw a figure in green robes wearing a ghost mask slowly approaching.

Zhou Wannian did not answer.

He simply raised his hand, and lightning surged in his palm.

Since he had already controlled the field, he would send him on his final journey.

"Extinguish."

Boom!

A bolt of purple thunder exploded within the completely sealed basement, accurately striking the Black Fiend Sect Leader's crown.

Thunder and fire counter the dark and evil.

The Black Fiend Sect Leader, along with the Primordial Spirit within him, was instantly reduced to ash, leaving only a charred corpse.

The battle was over.

From entering the door to finishing the job, it had taken less than ten breaths.

This was the combat style of a Foundation Establishment Stage "technical style" old schemer—sneak attack whenever possible, and use Formations to save effort.

Zhou Wannian walked over, picked up the Soul Devouring Banner that had fallen to the ground, and took the Black Fiend Sect Leader's Storage Pouch.

"A second-tier peak magic tool, good stuff."

His Divine Sense swept through the Storage Pouch.

"Twenty thousand Spirit Stones, plus quite a few rare Materials for refining magic tools."

"This windfall is enough to cover the gap for the auction."

Having finished processing the spoils.

Zhou Wannian looked at the corpse on the ground.

He didn't leave behind any Black Shark Gang tokens, nor did he write anything in blood.

That kind of low-level framing would only make the Star Palace Law Enforcement Team feel their intelligence was being insulted, leading them to follow the clues and find more information instead.

True safety was "nothingness."

He fully expanded his Divine Sense, using it like a precision scalpel to meticulously erase every trace of thunder and fire aura remaining in the basement.

Then, a flicker of crimson Pill Fire emerged from his fingertip and fell onto the Black Fiend Sect Leader's corpse.

Sizzle—

Under the high heat, the corpse rapidly turned to ash, and even the lingering resentment dissipated into the air.

"Crushing bones, scattering ashes, and clearing Karma."

Zhou Wannian expressionlessly completed this standard procedure, finally packing up the sound-isolating Formation Flags he had set up.

The basement returned to a deathly silence.

It was as if no one had ever been here; the once-mighty Black Fiend Sect Leader had simply evaporated into thin air.

Compared to a clumsy frame-up, leaving the Star Palace Law Enforcement Team with a cold case was the safest course of action.

With a flash of his figure, he disappeared into the night... Inside the bedroom in Qingshi Alley.

Zhou Wannian tossed the Soul Devouring Banner into the deepest part of his Storage Pouch, his gaze falling upon the Gold-stamped Invitation on the table.

He had enough Spirit Stones.

The hidden danger was removed.

He blew out the lamp, leaving only a pair of terrifyingly calm eyes in the darkness.

"Tomorrow, Tianxing Pavilion."