Wen Qianqian smiled faintly and said, "The Spirit Stones are in the marketplace. After we've inspected the Profound Yin Ice Fiend, we'll go back and get them."
Cao Xuanyi nodded calmly and said, "Wen Dao You, I trust you."
As he spoke, he waved his large sleeve, and a pitch-black jar suddenly appeared on the wooden table in the center of the cabin. A wave of sinister, extreme cold instantly spread out.
The gazes of Wang Xingzhi and the others all fell upon the jar.
Cao Xuanyi said in a flat tone, "Everyone, let me state the unpleasantries upfront. I have placed a restriction on this jar. If I encounter any danger, with just a single thought, this jar will shatter. When the Profound Yin Ice Fiend inside leaks out, even a Peak of Sensing Cultivator would find it difficult to escape disaster."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said slowly, "So, it's best for all of us to conduct this transaction properly."
Wang Xingzhi chuckled and said, "We're conducting business openly and honestly, and we have no interest in any crooked ideas. It's better if we complete the transaction sooner. Daoist, please open the jar and let us see if it is indeed the Profound Yin Ice Fiend inside!"
Cao Xuanyi formed a spell, and with a flash of light at the jar's mouth, a talisman naturally fell off.
"Rise!"
He pointed at the jar and gave a low shout.
The lid of the jar slowly lifted, and an extremely icy aura immediately spilled out!
A deep blue light flowed slowly within the jar. A needle-like chill rushed to their faces, and the entire cabin was instantly coated in a layer of frost.
Everyone in the cabin, whether it was Wang Xingzhi's group of four or Cao Xuanyi and Xiao Mei Niang, circulated their Magical Power and raised a Protective Spiritual Light to resist the sinister cold.
"You are all connoisseurs. Can you see it clearly now?" Cao Xuanyi asked.
Wen Qianqian looked at Wang Xingzhi and Chen Yu Yan.
The two of them, their eyes flickering, used a Secret Technique to continue observing the blue light in the jar.
After a moment, Wang Xingzhi nodded and said, "It is indeed the Profound Yin Ice Fiend, identical to the descriptions in the ancient texts."
Chen Yu Yan's Dai Mei knitted slightly. She watched for a while longer before saying, "It is the Profound Yin Ice Fiend."
With a flick of his finger, Cao Xuanyi made the lid fall back into place, sealing the jar's mouth once again.
The chill gradually dissipated.
Xiao Mei Niang asked with a grin, "Everyone, since you've seen the Profound Yin Ice Fiend, shouldn't you let us see the Spirit Stones as well?"
"Don't be anxious, Daoist. The Spirit Stones will be here soon. Mr. Wang, I'll have to trouble you to make the trip," Wen Qianqian said.
Wang Xingzhi nodded and said, "Alright. Wait here for a moment."
This place was only about ten li from the south gate of the marketplace. With their Cultivation, it would only take a moment to get there.
With that, Wang Xingzhi left the cabin, leaped up, and rode his Escape Light towards the Yinluo Sect Marketplace.
Xiao Mei Niang brought over a few cups of Spirit Tea and said enthusiastically, "Everyone, please have some tea."
Wen Qianqian and Chen Yu Yan thanked her verbally but did not pick up their teacups.
Inside the cabin, the five people waited in silence, each with their own thoughts.
Cao Xuanyi looked at Xiao Mei Niang, who discreetly returned his gaze with a meaningful look.
A smile appeared on Cao Xuanyi's face behind his mask.
...
「At the south gate of the Yinluo Sect Marketplace.」
Streaks of colorful light flashed across the sky from time to time. Cultivators came and went, creating a bustling scene.
Fang Cheng sat alone on a rock not far away, meditating and regulating his breath. The passing Cultivators saw that he only had a Fourth-Layer Sensing Cultivation and mostly ignored him, not even sparing him a second glance.
No one would have guessed that this minor Cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Sensing actually possessed over ten thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones!
Just then, an Escape Light landed in front of him. The lavishly dressed Wang Xingzhi spoke using a voice transmission technique, "Brother Fang, I've seen the item. There's no problem. Let's go make the exchange now!"
Fang Cheng nodded, rose to his feet without a word, and took to the air with Wang Xingzhi, flying south.
Wang Xingzhi's Magical Power was deeper than his, and his Tunneling Speed was also much faster. At this moment, to accommodate him, Wang Xingzhi had deliberately slowed down.
The two flew for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn. The surrounding sky was now mostly empty of other Escape Lights.
The area before them opened up. Far away, where the water met the sky, a painted pleasure boat was faintly visible.
The scorching sun blazed like fire, shining down upon the Abyssal Marsh.
The lake's surface shimmered, reflecting the sunlight so brightly that one's vision turned into a sheet of white.
Suddenly, Fang Cheng's Sword Heart sensed a warning!
He instinctively activated his Flying Sword. The Red Feather Sword shot out from his sleeve, swift as lightning, circled around him, and slashed down behind his head.
TING!
A crisp sound rang out as Fang Cheng's Escape Light came to a sudden halt. He flipped over in mid-air, his expression grave as he looked down at the lake surface below.
A needle, as fine as an ox hair and almost invisible, had transformed into a faint streak of light. After being deflected by the Red Feather Sword, it once again shot swiftly toward the spot between his eyebrows.
In that instant, Fang Cheng's mind tensed to the absolute limit. A deathly threat enveloped his heart.
The killing intent from the first-rank top-grade magic tool, the Yin Wind Soul-breaking Needle, was so intense it seemed to freeze his very soul.
Wang Xingzhi, who was off to the side, had already flown several zhang away before he even noticed something was wrong...
The killing intent arrived.
Fang Cheng's heart was like Ping Lake, reflecting everything around him.
Under the control of his will, the Red Feather Sword turned slightly, agile as a fish. It abruptly appeared in the path of the Yin Wind Soul-breaking Needle. The sword's light flickered, and with a flick demonstrating the Peak of Profound Skill, it sent the flying needle tumbling away.
The next moment.
Through the perception of his Sword Heart Clarity, Fang Cheng located the source of the killing intent. He immediately changed his Sword Technique, and a brilliant Sword Aura, coiling like a dragon, slashed down onto the lake's surface.
BOOM!
The ambusher seemed not to have expected that Fang Cheng could detect his position, much less that Fang Cheng's sword strike could possess such power.
'The sword light's transformation is so fast!'
While he was still wondering how this minor Fourth Layer of Sensing Cultivator had managed to block his Yin Wind Soul-breaking Needle twice with a Flying Sword, the terrifying Sword Aura suddenly arrived before him.
Left with no choice, Duan Feng fully unleashed his Eighth-Layer Sensing Cultivation. A dense, scarlet-red bloody light burst forth, blocking the flame-like Sword Aura.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In an instant, the Red Feather Sword slashed dozens of times.
The force of each strike was different—sometimes light, sometimes heavy—and the angles were unpredictable, making Duan Feng extremely uncomfortable.
But he was a Late-stage Sensing Cultivator, after all. Seizing an opportunity, he flicked a finger and sent the Red Feather Sword flying.
Immediately after, the lake water exploded, and a bloody light shot into the sky, lunging straight for Fang Cheng!
Within the bloody light, Duan Feng's five fingers formed a claw, grabbing for Fang Cheng's head. He intended to kill this Cultivator, who had repeatedly surprised him, with a single strike!
Fang Cheng took a deep breath. Watching the bloody light arrive like a flash of lightning, he condensed all the strength in his body. An invisible flame seemed to burn around him, as if a great furnace had appeared out of thin air.
The surrounding temperature rose sharply!
He threw a punch, striking Duan Feng's claw attack head-on.
In the sky, the bloody light flickered violently, and the light of a fiery explosion could be faintly seen.
The two were actually sent flying backward at the same time.
Only then did Wang Xingzhi realize something was wrong. He turned back and flew toward Fang Cheng, catching him.
On the other side, Duan Feng's Escape Light flickered. His expression was cold, his gaze as sharp as a blade, fixed tightly on Fang Cheng.
'This person actually practices Body Refining Techniques!'
'Fortunately, his Cultivation is still shallow...'
"End this quickly. Kill him!"
His heart stirred. He reached out to grab the Yin Soul Soul-breaking Needle, preparing to attack again.
Just then, a layer of ashen-green color abruptly appeared on his face. A sharp pain struck his heart, causing him to instantly lose control of his Escape Light and tumble headfirst from the sky!
PLOP!
Duan Feng fell into the water. As he circulated the Magical Power in his body, he realized he had been poisoned.
He was a decisive person. He immediately used all his strength to suppress the poison, dove into the deep water, and fled to the south.