The Boundless Saint! . . .
Amidst the bustling discourse that permeated the surroundings, a sudden and fearful cry pierced the air, causing the individual who had uttered it to hastily distance themselves, trembling with a palpable terror.
Perplexed by the abrupt outburst, a nearby individual inquired, "What is the matter?" Their voice carried a note of alarm.
With a pallid countenance that seemed on the verge of nausea, the terrified man stammered, "Th-the... the... the bodies are in motion... they are... disintegrating... decaying..." His description was delivered with an undeniable sense of horror.
Upon hearing this unsettling revelation, a collective wave of dread washed over the onlookers, prompting them to pivot their attention in unison. True to the man's proclamation, the two lifeless forms were indeed exhibiting movement, accompanied by a visibly accelerated deterioration. As the process of decay unfolded, the bodies quivered, emitting an intensely foul odor.
Gradually, the cadavers diminished in size before the eyes of the astonished spectators. Their shared, disconcerted glances communicated a mutual sense of foreboding, as if an icy current had surged from the base of their spines to their very heads.
In the wake of this disconcerting development, another cry resounded, followed by the rapid retreat of a startled individual. A contingent of less formidable cultivators followed suit, spurred by their instinctive aversion to the unfolding events. Even those possessing great power displayed pallid faces and the unmistakable visage of fear.
[Could it be that such a bizarre, malevolent toxin exists on Earth?
Who could be the perpetrator of this grotesque scene?
This is profoundly unsettling!]
As they grappled with their astonishment, yet another enigmatic occurrence transpired.
The man with the mouse-like mustache, amidst his panicked flight, suddenly crumpled to the ground, a gleaming silver needle protruding from his throat.
Then, a somber voice resonated through the air, "Ignorant fool. How dare you tarnish my reputation! Now, allow me to acquaint you with the taste of my needles. If there is a next life for you, remember this: my needles are all composed of silver, bereft of poison!"
However, the man with the mouse-like mustache would never have the opportunity to hear these words again.
The silver needle had materialized from an unseen source, and in the blink of an eye, it had snuffed out the life of an Earth Origin Stage cultivator.
The assembly was seized by an unshakable terror.
An elderly man, his facial hair pristine white, stepped forward and addressed the enigmatic figure known as the Boundless Saint. "Boundless Saint, since you grace us with your presence, why not reveal yourself to us?" his voice resonated with an air of formality and anticipation.
Amidst an eerie fog that materialized seemingly out of thin air, a somber voice responded, shrouded in melancholy. "I have no desire to embroil myself in the disputes among your respective sects. Since none of you have besmirched my name, I fail to see the necessity for this meeting. It tends to yield more trouble than benefit. It is often wiser to remain elusive."
With those words, the mournful voice gradually receded into the wind, fading away until it was entirely indiscernible.
A tense silence enveloped the crowd.
Among the gathered individuals, the man with a mustache resembling a mouse was among the least formidable, hailing from the Long Clan, one of the eight noble lineages. While resentment simmered within members of the Long Clan, they dared not voice their grievances. They stood there, their expressions vacant, immobilized by a palpable apprehension.
The Boundless Saint and the two prominent sects were entities that no one dared to provoke. Even if he were to slay not one, but several or a dozen of them, they would be compelled to accept their fate in silence. No one dared to utter a single imprudent word, aware that a misstep could spell doom for their entire clan.
As the crowd exchanged wary glances, a collective realization dawned upon them.
In that moment, their thoughts converged along a singular thread.
[The Boundless Saint has graced Chen-Xing City with his presence!]
[His absence from the martial world has endured for an extended period, and now, it appears that his purpose is connected to this auction. The intrigue surrounding this event continues to mount...]
[Yet, we must exercise utmost caution during the auction. Antagonizing the Boundless Saint could entail confronting the full might of the Boundless Lake sect—an outcome too dire to contemplate...]
With hearts heavy with trepidation, all, including those affiliated with the Starlight Sect and Sunlight Sect, departed from the scene.
...
Meanwhile, Cha Eun Xiao remained concealed in the shadows, observing the departing figures with a sense of relief washing over him. His grievous injuries prevented him from making a hasty escape, and at this moment, he found refuge approximately a thousand meters away, within an unassuming residence belonging to an ordinary citizen.
Given the unique circumstances at hand, Cha Eun Xiao found it necessary to exert control over the occupants of the house through coercive means. However, with a few carefully chosen words and the tender of a couple of banknotes, he managed to orchestrate a remarkably smooth resolution.
Once he lifted the enchantment he had cast over them, a sudden transformation overcame the residents. They expressed a profound gratitude as if Cha Eun Xiao were their benevolent patriarch.
Notably, not everyone had the privilege of beholding such a substantial sum of money, and the fact that they merely had to remain passive to lay claim to this fortune was a source of astonishment. What Cha Eun Xiao had bestowed upon them represented a mere fraction of the wealth he carried with him—just two notes amounting to a total of twenty thousand taels of silver.
In the present circumstances, twenty thousand taels of silver held little significance for Cha Eun Xiao. However, for ordinary individuals, it constituted a vast fortune. For many among the common populace, acquiring such a sum over the course of their entire lives remained an unattainable dream, even if they were to forgo sustenance or libations for an extended duration. A monthly allowance of five taels of silver could comfortably support a family's needs.
Following his interaction with this family, Cha Eun Xiao ingested five Supreme Dan beads and ten Space Water Drops to commence his recovery. These elixirs facilitated a degree of restoration to his wounded physique.
Subsequently, he took the prudent measure of changing his attire, wary that his recent adversaries might embark on a relentless search of his whereabouts.
In the aftermath of the conflict, Cha Eun Xiao harbored a profound skepticism regarding the predictability of the world. He had come to realize that anything could transpire, and nothing was beyond the realm of possibility.
To obscure his identity entirely, Cha Eun Xiao underwent another alteration of his disguised visage, despite the substantial spiritual energy expenditure it entailed. He recognized that this would extend the duration required for his convalescence.
With unwavering assurance that he was now veiled to the point of unrecognizability, even if someone were to stumble upon him, Cha Eun Xiao finally dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the intricate process of self-healing.
His focus became all-encompassing as he delved into his own consciousness. His spiritual awareness traversed the entirety of his corporeal form, revealing a disconcerting state of disarray. His organs had shifted from their natural positions, his bones were fractured, and his flesh bore an array of injuries, leaving no part of his physique untouched by affliction.
The solitary exception to this state of disrepair was his dantian, which had previously been desiccated but was now suffused with threads of purple qi. This newly acquired energy would significantly facilitate the commencement of his recuperation process. He commenced by manipulating the purple qi, allowing the energy emanating from the Supreme Dan beads to surge forth, while the life-sustaining essence of the Space Water Drops initiated the painstaking mending of his meridians and channels.