"Trade a Mirror God Fruit for a fish?"
Lu Boqin's tone carried doubt.
"Yes," Kong Jincheng replied. "He signed the Blood Contract, agreed to risk his life in the Eastern Divine Continent, but instead of using the heavenly treasure he earned, he traded it for a Xi Bi Fish. It seems… he's using it to detoxify his old companion."
"So that old man Wei still has a lover's heart at his age, huh?"
"Lover's heart? He's already ninety-six years old. And he's been injured since his youth. Even if he awakened his Divine Aspect, do you really think he could break through the True Force Realm in a decade or so? He's probably just planning to enjoy his last peaceful years with his wife."
"Heh, you have a point."
"But now that you mention it… maybe we should look for that Xi Bi Fish ourselves?"
"I've already tried."
Kong Jincheng sighed. "I squatted by that river for over half a month and didn't see a shadow of it. I have no idea how that kid managed to find one so quickly. Must be a fishing prodigy."
"Hehe."
Lu Boqin cut him off. "Let's just take care of the wolf-bat carcass and get off the mountain. If the scent of blood draws in higher-tier beasts, we'll be in trouble."
After leaving Red Ridge Mountain, Chen Sanshi and Zhao Zhao went separate ways.
He told her to fetch the horses and wait at the teahouse while he handled some personal matters before departing.
Fish-Dragon Market.
The name fit perfectly—it was a chaotic mix of fish and dragons, crooks and geniuses.
Shops in the bustling heart of Daze Market were either owned by cultivation clans or by sects both large and small. But Fish-Dragon Market was different. Most of its stalls belonged to rogue cultivators. It looked more like a mundane street bazaar than a proper market.
The entry fee was steep—five spirit crystals.
After paying, Chen Sanshi was allowed inside.
"Come look, come see!"
"Fine-quality secondhand artifacts, ninety-nine percent new!"
"Top-grade pills on clearance—buy five, get one Fasting Pill free!"
"Want a spirit beast?"
"Want a woman?"
"I've got one with a spiritual root!"
Compared to the organized shop district, the market was pure chaos—loud, crowded, and full of shouting cultivators hawking their wares. Stalls lined both sides of the street, and every now and then, a few Enforcer Hall cultivators passed through on patrol.
Chen Sanshi wandered the rows, searching carefully.
He was looking for cultivation techniques.
Any one of the Five Elemental Formula techniques would do.
Aside from gathering heavenly treasures, this was his second reason for coming to Heavenly Water Isle.
His aptitude was too poor. He needed a specialized method to improve his spiritual root.
But after walking the entire market twice, he found almost nothing. Those selling techniques only had basic-level ones comparable to the Five Elemental Formula · Qi Refining, or worse, incomplete scraps—priced absurdly high.
"Forget it. I'll sell some things first."
He found an empty corner in the market and settled there.
Empty wooden tables lined both sides of the street—anyone who paid the entry fee could set up a stall. Chen Sanshi was no exception. He laid out his pills, though he didn't dare display any weapons. If someone recognized them, it could bring unnecessary trouble.
Still, keeping everything hidden on him was pointless.
He'd sell off the pills first, then figure out the rest later.
There were bound to be some black-market connections somewhere nearby.
"Fellow Daoist, do you have any Fasting Pills?"
"Yes."
Having browsed the market earlier, Chen Sanshi already had a general sense of prices. They were cheaper than in shops, but he saw no reason to sell below value.
He said, "My Fasting Pills are all premium quality. Two spirit crystals each."
"So expensive? That's the same price as the Treasure Gathering Pavilion!"
"They're superior grade. You can check for yourself if you don't believe me."
"No need to check! What's there to see?"
"How much for a Fasting Pill?"
"Two spirit crystals…"
"Buy two, get one free—deal?"
"No, thank you."
And so it went.
Four or five potential buyers passed by, all complaining the price was too high.
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist."
A familiar voice came from beside him.
The stall next to his belonged to an old talisman master selling charms—Mo Zhu, whom Chen Sanshi had met once before.
"Fellow Daoist," Mo Zhu said teasingly, "it's no use. No one's going to buy your Fasting Pills. People only use them in seclusion to fill their stomachs and keep their energy steady. Whether the quality's good or bad doesn't matter much."
Chen Sanshi had to admit he was right.
Eventually, when he agreed to a buy-three-get-one deal, sales started picking up a bit.
Still, his Body-Nourishing Pills and True Martial Pills sat untouched for a long time.
Martial cultivators were rare.
And those pills weren't cheap.
"Fellow Daoist, you're quite the odd one," Mo Zhu said after selling over a dozen talismans that morning. In high spirits, he took a swig from his wine gourd and began chatting. "A first-tier upper-grade alchemist like you could easily sell Yellow Dragon Pills or Clarity Spirit Pill that boost cultivation. Those would fly off the shelves. Yet you insist on refining body-tempering pills. I'd wager you're a martial cultivator yourself, eh? Haha, don't mind me, don't mind me—I talk too much."
"Fellow Daoist," Chen Sanshi asked, "do you know where I could sell body-tempering pills like these?"
"You've asked the right person."
Mo Zhu's tone changed subtly. Instead of answering directly, he picked up two talismans and muttered as if to himself, "Martial cultivators can't use spells or fly. But my mid-grade Soaring Swallow Talismans can give them temporary flight. Quite handy for martial types. I also have Illusion Body Talismans—very useful for staying alive."
"How much?"
Chen Sanshi understood his meaning immediately.
"If you want both," Mo Zhu said with a grin, "I'll sell them together for five spirit stones. Fair price—both are mid-grade charms. Ask around, you'll see. If I weren't feeling tired today and eager to go home, I'd charge six."
"Fellow Daoist," Chen Sanshi asked, "what about your talisman techniques? How much for the inheritance?"
"Not for sale!"
Mo Zhu rejected him flatly. "These few charms are my livelihood. If I sold you the method, you'd steal my business, and I'd starve!"
"Fine. Then I'll take both talismans."
Chen Sanshi handed over the spirit stones.
Once the deal was done, he stored them carefully.
He couldn't fly, so keeping a few talismans on hand for emergencies made perfect sense.
"Fellow Daoist," Mo Zhu continued, "there really aren't many people who need body-tempering pills…"
Mo Zhu pointed the way. "You can head to the western end of the Fish-Dragon Market and look for a stall that sells mystic weapons. It's run by the Bai family—a martial clan. They'll definitely have a use for martial cultivation pills."
"Martial clan?"
Chen Sanshi asked curiously, "There are still martial cultivation families around?"
"Of course," Mo Zhu replied. "There aren't many martial cultivators left, but they're not extinct. The Bai family isn't just a martial clan—their clan head himself is at the late stage of the True Force Realm. However…"
He lowered his voice. "The Bai family's been refusing to take contracts or fight for others these years. Because of that, neighboring families have suppressed them hard. They couldn't even secure a proper shop space. That's why they're reduced to setting up stalls here with the rest of us."
"I'll remember that."
Chen Sanshi then asked, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist, do you know where I might buy cultivation methods or inheritances?"
"Cultivation methods?"
Mo Zhu's tone grew serious. "You won't find genuine ones here. Even if you do, they'll be shoddy and incomplete. The real, high-grade ones—those are either sect secrets or family inheritances. No one sells them publicly."
He paused for a moment, then added, "But… if you really want one, you can try the island in the middle of the lake at the very end of the Fish-Dragon Market. That's the black market. You should understand what that means. Things there are… well, not exactly lawful. Safer to trade here than over there. Whether it's worth the risk—that's up to you."
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
Chen Sanshi clasped his hands in salute.
The two talismans had been a good purchase, all things considered.
Thinking back to before, when Mo Zhu had charged him three spirit stones just for directions, the old man was definitely a professional swindler.
Seeing that the pills weren't selling, Chen Sanshi decided not to waste more time. He packed up his things and left.
Following Mo Zhu's directions, he walked along the street until he spotted a peculiar stall tucked into a corner. On the table lay an assortment of swords and blades—but none were magical artifacts. They stood out as oddly plain amid the surrounding stalls.
The stall keeper was a middle-aged man with a scholarly air. From a brief Qi Observation Technique, Chen Sanshi could tell he was at least in the True Force Realm—perhaps even beyond, at the Martial Saint level.
"This brother, are you here to buy weapons?"
The man smiled warmly. "We sell all kinds of fine-grade mystic weapons, forged by our own craftsmen. I even have weapons suitable for True Force cultivators, if you'd like to take a look."
"Ah, apologies, brother," Chen Sanshi said, scratching his head. "I'm not here to buy. I'm here to sell."
"Sell?"
The man's expression turned faintly disappointed. "Everyone else who sells just sets up a stall. You're the first one I've seen come straight to another vendor."
"Still, why not take a look first?"
Chen Sanshi took out a porcelain vial and held up a pill. "I've got Body-Nourishing Pills and True Martial Pills. You probably don't need them yourself, but they might be useful for younger members of your family. They're all premium quality."
"These two, hmm?"
The man's interest stirred. He picked up a Body-Nourishing Pill and examined it closely. "And the True Martial Pill—can I see that too?"
Chen Sanshi opened another porcelain bottle but didn't hand it over, letting the man observe it from a short distance instead.
A single True Martial Pill was worth 200 spirit stones—far too valuable to hand over casually.
"Sir!"
The man suddenly stood up, eyes widening. "Are you an alchemist who specializes in martial cultivation pills?"
"Not exactly," Chen Sanshi said honestly. "But yes, I am an alchemist."
"I'll take all of them," the man said decisively. "I'll pay at the highest market price. Also, can you refine Tier-2 body-tempering pills? If you can, I'll buy every batch you make!"
"I'm only a Tier-1 alchemist," Chen Sanshi replied with a shake of his head.
Alchemy was directly linked to the strength of one's divine sense.
And divine sense, in turn, depended on one's cultivation realm.
To refine Tier-2 pills, one needed a significantly stronger spiritual sense.
From this perspective, advancing his immortal cultivation was clearly a necessity.
Pure martial cultivators couldn't refine pills, craft talismans, or arrange formations by themselves.
"I see," the man said thoughtfully, then smiled. "My name is Bai Linxun. May I ask for yours, Fellow Daoist?"
"Chen Sanshi."
After exchanging introductions, Bai Linxun said, "Brother Chen, you're an alchemist who makes martial cultivation pills. That means you cultivate both paths—martial and immortal. A rare talent! I take it you're a free cultivator? If so, would you consider joining our Bai family? As a consecrated guest, you'd receive plenty of spirit stones every month and share access to our martial cultivation resources."
"I'm used to roaming freely," Chen Sanshi said politely. "I'm afraid I'm not suited to staying in one place."
"Are you sure?" Bai Linxun urged. "Brother Chen, the martial path is treacherous. Without the backing of a clan, it's hard to break through the True Force Realm before 120 years of age."
He leaned forward slightly. "And I'll wager you don't have a Tier-2 pill formula for True Force cultivators, do you?"
"I can make you an offer.
As long as you serve as our Bai family's consecrated alchemist, the moment you're capable of refining Tier-2 pills, I'll personally share with you the corresponding pill formula. How about it?"
Tier-2 pill formula…
The proposal was tempting.
But Chen Sanshi could hear the real intent behind it.
They valued him not for himself, but for his identity as an alchemist.
After all, martial cultivators had no spiritual power—they couldn't refine pills.
And among immortal cultivators, few alchemists would ever waste their precious years on martial body-tempering pills. Those who could do both were exceedingly rare and therefore immensely valuable to martial families.
If he could obtain a Tier-2 pill formula, it would certainly help him advance beyond the True Force Realm.
But still—he wasn't of this world. Staying here long-term was impossible.
"My apologies, Brother Bai," Chen Sanshi said finally. "I must decline."
"Very well."
Though clearly disappointed, Bai Linxun didn't press further. "Still, I intend to continue doing business with you—no, not just that. I want to expand it. I'd like to place an order for a batch of True Martial Pills. Would that be possible?"
"True Martial Pills?"
"How many, Brother Bai?"
"Ten," Bai Linxun replied promptly. "I'll pay the Treasure Gathering Pavilion rate—200 spirit stones per pill. I'll give you one-fifth as a deposit upfront—400 spirit stones. What do you think?"
"That's not a small amount," Chen Sanshi replied evenly, though his eyes flickered with calculation.
Chen Sanshi didn't agree right away. "Brother Bai, aren't you worried I might take the deposit and disappear? After all, I don't stay long in Daze Market."
"True Martial Pills aren't easy to find," Bai Linxun replied confidently. "I trust Brother Chen wouldn't miss such a fine chance to earn a pile of spirit stones. Besides, we martial cultivators aren't like those scheming Dao cultivators—always plotting and backstabbing each other."
"Brother Bai, you're refreshingly straightforward. Just one question—do you have any specific time limit in mind?"
Chen Sanshi said honestly, "Before long, I'll be traveling far away. I might not return soon."
"Within five years," Bai Linxun replied. "That should be fine, right?"
"Alright. Deal."
Chen Sanshi nodded in agreement.
Five years—a short span for a cultivator, but quite a long one for a martial cultivator. Giving such generous time was practically a gesture of full trust.
The deal was sealed.
Between the Body-Nourishing Pills and True Martial Pills, Chen Sanshi earned 220 spirit stones, plus the 400-spirit-stone deposit.
Bai Linxun even bought the snake he had caught.
Counting that, and what his master had left behind, Chen Sanshi now had a total of 730 spirit stones to his name.
He carefully stowed them away. "Brother Bai, until next time."
"Good."
Bai Linxun clasped his hands. "Then I'll await Brother Chen's visit at Meishan. Farewell for now!"
After parting ways, Chen Sanshi headed straight for the black market on the island at the center of the lake.
The black market's entry fee was steeper—eight spirit crystals. After payment, a boatman ferried him across the dark waters to the island's shore.
Dense, shadowy trees covered the isle, their trunks pitch-black and twisted. The place exuded the same eerie air as Red Ridge Mountain. The cultivators moving through the paths all wore black robes or masks, and those who showed their faces had clearly altered them through disguise.
Unlike the open stalls of the outer market, the black market was made up of small wooden huts—private trading spaces. Each door had a hanging sign showing what was sold: "Artifacts," "Pills," "Materials," and so on.
"Do you buy artifacts?"
Chen Sanshi stepped into one of the huts and took out a horsetail whisk and a flying sword from his storage bag.
The masked cultivator behind the table glanced over them and replied flatly, "Both together—60 spirit stones."
"They're mid-grade artifacts," Chen Sanshi reminded him.
"Fellow Daoist," the man rasped, voice hoarse and edged with warning, "no need to haggle over items taken from the dead. If you think it's cheap, go sell elsewhere."
"Fine, they're yours."
Chen Sanshi didn't argue.
The more often a dead man's weapon changed hands, the likelier someone would recognize it. Especially that flying sword—it had belonged to a disciple of Qingxuan Mountain.
He accepted the 60 spirit stones and then asked, "I saw the sign outside your door says you sell cultivation techniques. What kind of techniques are they?"
Pa!
The masked man slapped a jade slip onto the table.
Inside the slip was the technique's description—fragmentary, but enough to read.
Chen Sanshi injected a thread of spiritual power into it.
Swallowing Fire Art.
A fire-element Qi Refining technique.
Originated from the Heavenly Flame Sect of the Endless Fire Domain—classified as an upper-grade technique.
After checking several other stalls, Chen Sanshi found none better. "How much?"
"1,000 spirit stones."
The masked man didn't leave room for bargaining. "This is a top-tier technique. If you ever find the rest of it, you can cultivate a flame said to rival a true fire meridian's sacred flame. Not just in the black market—in all of Daze Market, this is the only copy. It's bound by a restrictive seal—you can't duplicate it. Once I sell it, it's gone for good. So no, I won't lower the price by a single coin."
1,000 spirit stones!
An astronomical price.
Even if Chen Sanshi threw in every stone he had, it wouldn't be enough. And he still needed to buy materials later.
Fortunately, he'd come prepared. A faint glimmer of light flashed in his hand as he produced a rolled piece of parchment. "Fellow Daoist, how about this for trade?"
"This is…"
The masked cultivator's eyes flickered in surprise. "A Divine Path of Incense technique—and a Spirit Communion Scroll?"
Before coming here, Chen Sanshi had studied the topic at the Scripture Pavilion.
The Divine Path of Incense was an extremely rare branch of cultivation in the immortal world.
Unlike standard cultivation, which relied on Heaven and Earth's spiritual energy, practitioners of this path drew power from mortal incense offerings. Their teachings existed only within certain theocratic nations—most famously, the Buddhist Kingdoms of the Western Niuhe Continent and the Evil God Domains of the Thunder-Frost Continent.
Moreover, this path was unique: its aptitude wasn't determined by physical talent like in martial or immortal cultivation, but by comprehension—what the Buddhists called spiritual root of wisdom.
Some with poor aptitude in both martial and immortal arts but strong spiritual insight could switch to the Incense Path and rise above their fate. Thus, these teachings were precious beyond measure.
The most valuable among them were the Spirit Communion Scrolls—parchments that guaranteed the holder acceptance as a disciple into any temple of the path, granting immense incense resources.
A righteous-path scroll could sell in the black market for 3,000 spirit stones—triple the price of Swallowing Fire Art.
An evil-path version went for far less—about 500 spirit stones.
Chen Sanshi had both.
But he only brought out the righteous one.
Letting an evil-path technique loose would only create another future menace.
"Take a good look."
He lifted the parchment briefly, letting the man see.
"I see it clearly," the masked cultivator said after a pause. "We can trade. But since I'll need to resell it later, I can only offer 1,000 spirit stones in return. To make it fair, I'll also throw in a pill formula for Clear Spirit Pill."
Clear Spirit Pill—a Tier-1 mid-grade pill that increased cultivation efficiency during mid-stage Qi Refining. Valuable, but not rare. Still, a decent addition to the deal.
"Deal."
Chen Sanshi nodded.
They completed the trade after confirming the goods on both sides.
Leaving the black market, Chen Sanshi went straight to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion to make bulk purchases.
List of Purchases:
1. Materials for True Martial Pill × 15 — Price: 1,500 spirit stones
2. Materials for Body-Nourishing Pill × 20 — Price: 20 spirit stones
3. Spirit Beast Storage Bag — Price: 50 spirit stones
4. Yellow Dragon Pill × 20 — Price: 160 spirit stones
5. Materials for Clear Spirit Pill × 5 — Price: 25 spirit stones
The total cost came to 1,755 spirit stones.
It was a bit awkward—Chen Sanshi was short by 25 spirit stones, so he turned to Zhao Zhao, planning to borrow some of the spirit stones from the sale of the flying sword that technically belonged to her. "Lend me a bit. I'll pay you back once I refine the pills and sell them."
Zhao Zhao clutched the bag tightly, reluctant. Her newly earned spirit stones hadn't even warmed in her hands. "You… you'll really pay it back?"
"I promise."
Chen Sanshi snatched the pouch before she could react, pouring all the stones onto the counter, finally making up the full amount.
After stowing everything into his storage bag, they went straight toward the shantytown district.
Once they obtained the Mirror God Fruit, this journey would be complete. Then they could return to the Eastern Divine Continent, where Chen Sanshi would begin preparations to break through to the True Force Realm.
He had intentionally left the matter of retrieving the fruit for last.
After all, Wei Xuan's bounty had been posted publicly. The moment he collected it, he'd become a man holding treasure—a target for greed. Going to places like the black market after that would be far too dangerous.
Taking the item and leaving immediately was the safest move.
"Let's go."
Chen Sanshi stored Qianxun in the bag and led Zhao Zhao through the shantytown. They followed the numbered plaques until they reached the one marked Jia Ding, then knocked softly on the battered wooden door.
"Excuse me, is Senior Wei home?"
"Who is it?"
A woman's voice came from inside.
"We're friends of Senior Wei," Zhao Zhao answered.
"In that case… please come in."
The shantytown was poor, but at least had basic security. In broad daylight, no one dared cause trouble—otherwise, the entire market's business would collapse.
Creak—
Chen Sanshi pushed the door open.
Inside the dim, shabby room sat a woman who looked to be in her thirties. She had a delicate, graceful face, but her complexion was ghostly pale. Through his Qi Observation Technique, Chen Sanshi could see she was a Martial Saint, though her breath was weak, her lips purple-black—poisoned and near death.
Chen Sanshi cupped his fists. "And you are?"
He could tell at a glance that the poison ran deep.
Most likely, this was the woman for whom Wei Xuan had traded the Mirror God Fruit.
"I… I am Wei Xuan's Dao companion," she said weakly. "My surname is Song—given name Guizhi."
Seeing their surprised looks, Song Guizhi gave a faint, bitter smile. "Don't let my face fool you. I'm already over ninety years old. The only reason I still look young is because my Old Wei once spent a fortune to buy me a Face-Fixing Pill."
"Face-Fixing Pill…"
Chen Sanshi silently noted it down in his mind.
"Speaking of which," Song Guizhi said, forcing herself to pour tea, "you two look unfamiliar. I don't recall Old Wei ever mentioning you."
"We're here to deliver a fish," Zhao Zhao said, holding up the limp Xi Bi Fish by its back legs.
"A fish?"
Song Guizhi froze. "Someone came earlier today. He said he'd found a Xi Bi Fish and had already asked my Old Wei to go fetch it. You two… might be a bit late."
"Someone else?"
From Red Ridge Mountain until now, only half a day had passed.
And Chen Sanshi had already confirmed—there was only one place nearby where the fish could be found, the Tuo River near Red Ridge Mountain.
He hadn't seen anyone else fishing there. "Could you tell me who it was?"
"Lu Boqin," Song Guizhi replied. "Steward Lu from Daze Market. He's well known around here. This morning, he sent word for my Old Wei to meet him near Red Ridge Mountain to pick up the fish he caught."
"Him?"
"Damn it."
Chen Sanshi's heart sank.
Meanwhile, far from the market, in the wilderness leading to Red Ridge Mountain—
The area was beyond the protection of the market, an ungoverned stretch of land. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, and most hunters were descending the mountain. Some carried full bags of spoils, others came back bloodied or maimed. A few bore the corpses of their comrades, while others, empty-handed, wore strange smiles of hidden success.
As twilight deepened, the wilderness fell into silence.
Wei Xuan, carrying a massive blade across his shoulder, walked quickly through the dark forest.
After some time, he spotted a familiar figure waiting ahead.
"Brother Lu!"
A flash of relief crossed the old man's weathered face.
"Old Wei," Lu Boqin greeted him with a smile. "Didn't I tell you I'd bring it to you tomorrow myself? There was no need to rush here so late. Bandits and rogue cultivators wander these parts after dark—it's dangerous."
"My Dao companion's poison worsens by the day," Wei Xuan said, his voice trembling. "At any moment, it could reach her heart. If that happens, it'll be too late."
He extended a hand. "Steward Lu, please—just give me the Xi Bi Fish."
"I figured you'd be anxious," Lu Boqin said, still smiling. "But Old Wei, shouldn't you show me the Mirror God Fruit first?"
"Of course."
Wei Xuan pulled the fruit from his storage bag. "The Mirror God Fruit was issued to me by the Steward Hall itself. Surely you don't doubt its authenticity?"
Lu Boqin took it, studying it under the moonlight. Then he tucked it away casually. "No problem."
"The fish?" Wei Xuan urged. "Steward Lu, please, quickly—hand me the Xi Bi Fish."
"The fish?"
Lu Boqin's smile stayed on his lips, but the warmth was gone. "Old Wei… I'll bring it to you tomorrow."
"You… you—"
Wei Xuan's brows twitched, anger flickering in his eyes. Then he sighed heavily and slapped his thigh. "Fine! Brother Lu has a great reputation, and as a Steward of the Enforcement Hall, you wouldn't deceive an old man like me. I'll trust you then."
He coughed twice, turned shakily, and started walking away.
As his frail figure receded into the shadows, Lu Boqin's eyes grew cold.
A long knife appeared silently in his hand.
But just as he was about to strike, the "frail old man" before him suddenly erupted with a vast and terrifying surge of true qi.
No one knew when he had drawn his massive blade, but under the moonlight, its black edge gleamed like a flood of ink splashing across the earth.
The ground split open. Dust filled the air.
And yet—he could feel it clearly—he hadn't hit his target.
Atop a tree more than ten zhang high, Lu Boqin stood poised with his blade, looking down coldly at the old man below. "Old Wei," he sneered, "why such temper? I told you I'd give you the fish tomorrow. Was there really a need to try and kill me?"
"Lu Boqin!" Wei Xuan roared, his eyes blazing. "If there's no fish, then hand back the Mirror God Fruit!"
"Ah, Wei Xuan…" Lu Boqin's tone turned mocking. "You and that Dao companion of yours came from the mortal world, didn't you? Weren't you two called the 'Number One Chivalrous Couple Under Heaven' back then? How can someone like you lack even this bit of vigilance? Tsk tsk, blinded by love, that's what you are."
He smirked. "No, I don't have the Xi Bi Fish. But since you're so devoted, I can at least help you two reunite down below. Who knows—maybe in your next life, you'll still be husband and wife!"
Clang—
He twisted the mechanism on his blade's hilt.
A long chain shot out between the hilt and the blade, extending the weapon's reach from three feet to over ten zhang. As it whirled through the air, the weapon's aura surged, forming the phantom of a three-headed flood dragon that howled toward the earth.
Wei Xuan showed no fear. The massive black blade in his hands swept through the wilderness like a torrent of ink, clashing violently with the dragon's heads.
At first, he managed to hold his ground despite being pressed back.
But by the tenth exchange, his true qi began to waver, and his strikes weakened.
By the fifteenth exchange, he was completely overwhelmed.
His great blade spun from his grasp, embedding itself in a nearby boulder. His frail body was hurled dozens of zhang away, crashing to the ground. He coughed up several mouthfuls of blood and could no longer stand, lying there gasping like a dying old dog.
"How pitiful," Lu Boqin said with a shake of his head, though his tone held no sympathy. "This is what it means to be a martial cultivator. Our bodies decay with time. Even if you were once the greatest in your world, in the end, you can't even lift your weapon."
He kept talking, but his hands didn't pause. The chain blade whistled through the air once more, aiming directly for Wei Xuan's neck.
He had to end it quickly.
This place was remote, but the noise could still draw other cultivators. If anyone saw what happened, his reputation in Daze Market would crumble.
Not to mention, he still needed to stage the scene afterward—to pin the blame on someone else.
Just as the blade was about to slice through Wei Xuan's throat, a surge of terrifying true qi burst from the darkness. A flaming vermilion bird, formed from a mix of killing intent and true qi, slammed into the chain blade.
The impact was deafening.
The chain blade was knocked aside and sent flying uncontrollably into the trees.
Lu Boqin gritted his teeth, pulling the mechanism to retract the chain and reattach the blade, but even so, the backlash forced him back several steps before he steadied himself.
Then he looked up—
The figure in the moonlight was unmistakable.
That white-robed man he'd seen not long ago at Red Ridge Mountain.
"You?!" Lu Boqin's face twisted in rage. "You dare ruin my business? Then you can die with him!"
His words had barely left his mouth before the sound of bowstrings filled the air—sharp, crisp, relentless.
Twang! Twang! Twang!
Azure Dragon. White Tiger. Black Tortoise.
The Four Symbols of true qi manifested one after another!
Lu Boqin slashed the Azure Dragon—his arms went numb. He blocked the White Tiger—his blade cracked. When the Black Tortoise descended, it was like a mountain collapsing from the heavens. He couldn't resist.
His weapon was torn from his grasp, and his body shot backward like a broken kite, smashing into the ground before rolling another hundred paces. Only when his back struck and snapped a towering tree did he finally stop. Blood poured from his mouth as his meridians shattered.
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
Wei Xuan might have been the greatest of his world.
But he, Lu Boqin—he was the Number One Sword Saint of the proud Aolai Kingdom!
Number One!
How could a white-robed man at the same Mortal Shedding stage defeat him so easily?
Even his arrows—he couldn't block a single one!
There was no time to think.
Lu Boqin hastily pulled a talisman from his robes. The paper flared with light, and a pair of radiant wings spread from his back. With a flash, he shot into the sky, soaring several hundred paces away in the blink of an eye.
Chen Sanshi reached for his own Swift Flight Talisman, but then paused. He sensed something—an instant connection.
He took out his spirit beast storage bag.
A burst of light fell to the ground, transforming into a white horse.
With a high-pitched neigh, the horse burst forward. Waves of spiritual energy gathered around its hooves, and though it galloped at incredible speed, there was no sound—no hoofbeats. The landscape blurred on both sides as they tore across the wilderness.
Qianxun's speed was astonishing.
It was no slower than Lu Boqin's talisman flight!
It had broken through!
Back in Liangzhou, Qianxun had trained alongside him often. Somewhere along the way, it had become a Tier-1 demonic beast.
"Damn it…"
Lu Boqin's face went pale as he looked back—the white horse and its rider were closing in fast.
Meanwhile, the clash had drawn attention.
Two cultivators approached from the distance—both members of the Steward Hall. One was a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, the other a Martial Saint.
"Brother Zhao!"
Seeing them, Lu Boqin seized the chance. He grabbed the Mirror God Fruit and tossed it to the Martial Saint. "Brother Zhao, that man's a bandit cultivator! Kill him, and the Mirror God Fruit is yours!"
"Oh?"
The Martial Saint surnamed Zhao looked at the fruit, his eyes lighting up with greed.
He didn't need an explanation—he knew very well what the Mirror God Fruit represented.
"Lu Boqin is the bandit!" Chen Sanshi shouted, his tone sharp. "Fellow Daoist, don't let him fool you!"
"What?"
Zhao's eyes flicked between them, his mind racing. If the white-robed man was telling the truth, that would mean he had to return the fruit. His expression twisted with greed.
"Ridiculous!" Zhao barked. "How could Brother Lu be a bandit? It's clearly you!"
He waved to the others who had gathered nearby. "Everyone, that's a rogue cultivator! Kill him, and we'll split the bounty!"
Two more cultivators arrived, joining the fray.
Chen Sanshi's bowstring thrummed again.
The Black Dragon soared into the sky.
One arrow—shot forth like a streak of darkness splitting the heavens.
The Martial Saint surnamed Zhao instantly realized he couldn't block the attack. No matter how he dodged or shifted, the black dragon's trajectory seemed locked onto him. In the end, he could only grit his teeth, raise his longsword, and meet it head-on.
The black dragon pierced straight through his chest.
He died on the spot.
The Mirror God Fruit rolled a few feet away before stopping at another cultivator's boots.
That cultivator calmly bent down, picked it up, and sneered. "You've got guts, killing a Law Enforcement Hall steward right before my eyes. I saw everything!"
Greed knew no reason, no justice, no restraint.
A nameless fire surged in Chen Sanshi's heart. He had no patience left to explain himself anymore. These people clearly wanted to seize the treasure for themselves.
In an instant, with Qianxun's support, Chen Sanshi blurred forward. His weapon shifted from the great bow to the Red Lotus Saber.
Clang!
A single flash of the blade.
The cultivator's protective spell shattered like glass. His chest split open, blood bursting out in a crimson spray that bloomed under the moonlight like a red lotus in full blossom.
Chen Sanshi reached out and snatched the Mirror God Fruit from the air.
By now, seven or eight Law Enforcement cultivators had surrounded the area.
Lu Boqin had slipped in behind them, letting out a long sigh of relief.
'It's over,' he thought. 'The commotion's drawn too much attention. More people will arrive soon. That brat will have to flee. I'll survive this after all.'
But as soon as he looked up, his expression froze.
The white-robed man hadn't fled.
He was charging straight at him!
Is he insane?!
Did he really not fear being trapped here, unable to escape?
"Bold bandit cultivator!" one of the Law Enforcement cultivators shouted. "What do you think you're doing?!"
"Whoever blocks me—"
Chen Sanshi's eyes burned crimson in the moonlight, his voice rumbling like thunder. "—dies!"
That single word—"dies"—shook the hearts of everyone present. Several even stiffened where they stood.
Such murderous intent!
They had all fought and killed before, yet never had they felt killing intent this heavy. It rolled over them like a tidal wave—vast, suffocating, born from endless slaughter, as though he had climbed out of a sea of corpses and blood.
No ordinary bandit could possess such killing intent.
Two cultivators at the front forced themselves to step forward.
The Red Lotus Saber flashed.
Both fell before they could even react.
The rest—six in total—recoiled instantly, scattering like a receding tide. Behind them stood Lu Boqin, his face already ashen.
The blade swung.
Blood burst forth like a fountain.
A head flew up into the night sky, spinning before falling.
Then, under the pale moonlight, the white-robed man mounted his white horse and vanished into the dark, leaving behind nothing but a suffocating silence.
None of the cultivators dared to chase him. Not a single step.
"Bandit cultivator! Murder!"
"He killed them! Murder!"
Only after a long time did word reach the Daze Market Law Enforcement Hall.
An elder of the hall flew in on his sword, landing amidst the corpses. His face darkened with fury. "Who dares? A rogue cultivator slaughtering our Law Enforcement stewards?!"
"No idea, Elder Xu," one man said nervously. "He's a stranger. We've never seen him in the market before—he must be an outsider."
"I know!" another blurted out. It was one of the cultivators who had hunted alongside Lu Boqin earlier. "He wore white robes and used a spirit bow as his weapon! A martial cultivator named Chen Sanshi!"
"Chen Sanshi?!"
Elder Xu's jaw tightened. "Search the entire market! Find him—and cut him into a thousand pieces!"
Never before—since the founding of the Li Family's Daze Market—had such a disaster occurred within a hundred miles. Even when rogue cultivators appeared, none had ever dared to provoke the Law Enforcement Hall.
This was humiliation. A slap in the Li Family's face.
"A misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"
Wei Xuan, wounded and leaning on his blade, staggered into view. He tried to explain what had happened.
"What?!" Elder Xu narrowed his eyes. "Then why didn't he report to the Law Enforcement Hall instead of killing people?! Does he think we wouldn't give him justice?!"
"Elder Xu—" Wei Xuan began weakly. "The situation—"
"Silence!"
The elder's voice was cold as iron. "Do you even know? Among those he killed… one bore the surname Li!"
The Li Family.
The rulers of Daze Market.
Here, under their domain—
Only the Li Family could kill.
No one could kill the Li Family.
No explanation could change that.
Snap!
Throughout the market and its outskirts, posters appeared one after another.
Wanted.
Bandit cultivator: Chen Sanshi.