Chapter 372: Bedevilment
Master Xi Lian's plan had indeed bought him some time. However, there were still cultivators in the Mountain and Sea Realm who had reached the Combined aperture tempering realm stage and were beginning to persuade others to join forces in eliminating Shang Wu City.
Initially, only a few responded to their call, but as time passed, they managed to assemble a team of five Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators. With this team of five, it was more than enough to deal with Master Xi Lian and his kind.
However, before the team of five Combined aperture tempering realm cultivators could take action, shocking news struck everyone like a thunderbolt.
The North Mist Sect, an influential sect that had Combined aperture tempering realm powerhouses, suddenly vanished overnight. Not only did the North Mist Sect disappear, but the entire North Mist City near the sect also turned into a deserted ghost town.
Tens of thousands of residents who lived in North Mist City just the day before had vanished without a trace.
What had been a lively North Mist City one day became an empty and desolate place the next.
The North Mist Sect had a long and storied history, with its peak occurring a hundred years ago when its elder, You Shounan, broke through to become a Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator. He was the first Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator in the North Mist Sect, and his breakthrough catapulted the sect to a dominant position, exerting influence far and wide. Thanks to You Shounan, the North Mist Sect had expanded rapidly.
Over a century had passed since then, and You Shounan's life was nearing its end, especially in recent years when he rarely appeared in public. In fact, for over a decade, You Shounan had been searching for treasures and methods to extend his lifespan, but his efforts had yielded little. Only in recent years did his search slow down, seemingly accepting his fate.
Within North Mist City, there were no clues to be found, and it was as if everyone had vanished into thin air.
Some brave individuals ventured into the territory of the North Mist Sect. Before they even got close, they sensed a bone-chilling coldness emanating from the sect's mountain gate. It was a deep-seated grudge, a resentment that penetrated to the core. The entire North Mist Sect seemed to be saturated with grievances, almost to the point of being visible to the naked eye.
As they delved deeper into the sect, many people faintly heard chilling curses. They couldn't discern the specifics of the curses, but the intense hatred behind them was palpable.
Before everyone could fully process this eerie atmosphere, urgent reports arrived from Shang Wu City. The entire city was suddenly expanding, and the power contained within was rapidly increasing. It was as if another Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator had merged with Shang Wu City.
This speculation was soon confirmed when the shadow of Master Xi Lian appeared in the sky above Shang Wu City. Beside him was another shadow, the vanished You Shounan.
You Shounan had directly joined Shang Wu City and, judging by his aura, he was now on par with Master Xi Lian. This development sent shockwaves throughout the land.
What sent shivers down everyone's spines was You Shounan's act of devouring the entire North Mist Sect. To transform oneself into a person of eerie nature, You Shounan ruthlessly treated the entire North Mist Sect as his sustenance.
At this point, everyone understood that to achieve eerie nature, one had to use their entire clan, along with those who practiced the same technique, as a source of sustenance and personally slay them.
By harnessing the power of kindred souls, converting it into boundless resentment, and thoroughly transforming the energy within the Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator's body into eerie power, they would then consume the blood of tens of thousands of commoners to stabilize their eerie nature.
You Shounan cared little for the North Mist Sect he had painstakingly cultivated or for the bonds of family and discipleship. His sole desire was to prolong his own lifespan.
For the sake of longevity, You Shounan was willing to abandon everything.
However, You Shounan's current eerie nature was far from stable, or rather, he couldn't be considered a true eerie being just yet. Becoming a genuine eerie being was not an easy feat.
At this moment, You Shounan was more in the process of transforming into an eerie being, and this process would take many years. Therefore, he directly arrived at Shang Wu City and joined Master Xi Lian.
Not only could he rely on Shang Wu City, the eerie city, to gradually transform into an eerie being, but he could also enhance the overall power of Shang Wu City. Otherwise, if Shang Wu City were eradicated, You Shounan would have no chance of survival.
"You Shounan, you actually dared to lay your hands on the thousand-year foundation of the North Mist Sect. Is it just to eke out a few more years for yourself?" Zhang Tu, outside of Shang Wu City, glared at You Shounan and rebuked him angrily.
"I represent the North Mist Sect. As long as I'm here, the North Mist Sect will continue to exist," You Shounan looked at Zhang Tu, a hint of madness in his smile. He continued, "If I'm no longer around, even if the Northern Mist Sect can survive for eternity, what relevance does it have to me?"
"You…" Zhang Tu's eyes widened slightly. He had seen You Shounan in his early days, and back then, You Shounan had been devoted to the North Mist Sect, willing to do anything for the sect's sake.
It was with this determination that You Shounan ultimately broke through to the Combined aperture tempering realm, successfully leading the North Mist Sect to grow and become a dominant force.
However, now, in order to save his own life, You Shounan had shockingly and without hesitation, devoured the North Mist Sect, to which he had dedicated his entire life. Among those devoured were countless individuals close to You Shounan, but they were unable to prevent him from committing such an act.
"Insane!" Zhang Tu shouted in anger.
"You still have many years left in your lifespan, so you wouldn't understand. When you reach my position, you will naturally comprehend the temptation of extending one's life!" You Shounan's eyes emitted a faint and eerie light. He had become obsessed, willingly descending into darkness.
Here, we welcome any fellow cultivators. If you have any doubts about the cultivation methods, feel free to ask. I shall answer all your questions!" Master Xi Lian laughed loudly, his laughter filled with satisfaction.
With You Shounan joining him, his strength had doubled. Trying to eliminate him now would require a tremendous amount of power, vastly different from the previous situation.
"My comrades, this person is skilled at manipulating the hearts of others. Today, we shall eliminate him to prevent others from falling into his influence!" Zhang Tu turned to the other four Combined aperture tempering realm experts and said in a deep voice.
"Indeed!"
"Agreed!"
With those words, the elemental forces from all directions surged, their terrifying momentum soaring into the sky.
Many Combined aperture tempering realm experts, separated by tens of miles, watched from afar as the sky in the distance changed. For how many years had this dynasty gone without so many Combined aperture tempering realm experts engaging in a fierce battle? Today, they would become witnesses to this historic event.
The sky's clouds were directly pierced, and the intense fluctuations could be clearly felt even from dozens of miles away.
The vital energy surged, and the ground trembled slightly. The power of the combined aperture tempering realm experts was fully displayed, sending chills down people's spines.
Only with such power can one suppress the sect's destiny and command respect from all directions.
In a more distant place, countless people were watching the battle here.
Although the sudden addition of You Shounan had greatly strengthened the power of Shang Wu City, the true eerie being was still just Master Xi Lian. Moreover, on Zhang Tu's side, there were still five experts at the Combined aperture tempering realm. In terms of strength, they still held some advantage.
At the peak of Immortal Cloud Sword Sect's main peak, in front of a thatched cottage, Tong Zhongqiu quietly watched in the direction of Shang Wu City.
Immortal Cloud Sword Sect was extremely far from Shang Wu City, and the commotion from the battle between combined aperture tempering realm experts couldn't possibly reach this far. However, Tong Zhongqiu continued to watch as if he could see the scene over there.
"Grand Elder…"
The sect leader of Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Gong Guanzhi, looked at Tong Zhongqiu and hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.
" Your heart appears somewhat agitated."
Tong Zhongqiu turned to look at Gong Guanzhi and said in a deep voice, "As the sect leader, others may have wandering thoughts, but you cannot. If you have agitated thoughts, what will become of our Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?
"Your admonition is well received, Grand Elder," Gong Guanzhi said in a low voice.
"You are afraid that I will follow in the footsteps of You Shounan, aren't you?"
Tong Zhongqiu looked at Gong Guanzhi, a faint smile on his face, and said, "The temptation of prolonging one's lifespan is indeed great, I admit. But if it means becoming like that, I'd rather die!"
Tong Zhongqiu's voice was not loud, but his tone was resolute and unwavering.
Everyone desires longevity, and Tong Zhongqiu is no exception. However, he realized early on that with his aptitude, it was simply impossible.
He had achieved the Combined aperture tempering realm through his unwavering dedication to the cultivation path. Going any further was beyond his reach.
Therefore, when Immortal Cloud Sword Sect produced its second Combined aperture tempering realm expert, Xin Zhiqing, Tong Zhongqiu was willing to sacrifice his own treasure to help Xin Zhiqing achieve the same level. Unfortunately, Xin Zhiqing's life was cut short by an ambush from Jian Jinsheng of the Divine Flame Sect, who took advantage of Xin Zhiqing's lack of a treasured weapon. Tong Zhongqiu's plan was thwarted.
Tong Zhongqiu also wanted to continue living, protect Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, and pursue a higher path in cultivation. But if staying alive meant the destruction of Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Tong Zhongqiu would rather not.
"Grand Elder, I deserved to die," Gong Guanzhi said with a hint of shame, lowering his head.
Originally, no one in Immortal Cloud Sword Sect would have suspected Tong Zhongqiu of walking down this path, considering the lifelong dedication he had shown to the sect. However, You Shounan's actions were too shocking, causing doubts to arise in people's hearts.
"Go and cultivate diligently. If any of you can break through to the Combined aperture tempering realm, I can rest assured and go seek Jian Jinsheng to meet our end together!"
"Grand Elder…"
Go!" Tong Zhongqiu waved his hand, and Gong Guanzhi couldn't help but swallow his words. He bowed and left the main peak.
"Sigh…"
Tong Zhongqiu let out a light sigh and turned to look in the direction of Shang Wu City, his eyes filled with desolation.
A day later, the outcome of the battle in Shang Wu City spread far and wide.
Both sides were heavily wounded, with Zhang Tu even losing an arm. The other four combined aperture tempering realm experts were also injured. However, neither Master Xi Lian nor You Shounan were killed.
At a critical moment, Master Xi Lian brought out a damaged superior-grade artifact. Although this damaged superior-grade artifact had already been shattered, it still possessed the power of a medium-grade artifact and was completely connected to Master Xi Lian's aura. It was possible that Master Xi Lian had obtained this artifact in the first place, which allowed him to later cultivate the technique of transforming into an eerie being.
This damaged superior-grade artifact was Master Xi Lian's true trump card. Offering the technique was a diversion. If no one had been tempted, Master Xi Lian also had a certain confidence in protecting himself.
Amidst the chaos outside, within the Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei stood in the courtyard, pointing forward with his finger.
As if thunder roared, a sword light flashed, leaving behind a pitch-black sword mark on the ground.
The Great Thunder Sword had reached the level of proficiency.
Looking at the sword mark, Chen Fei pondered for a moment. He then made a gesture with his right hand, and a long-unused meteorite bow fell into his hand.
As he nocked an arrow and drew the bow, the power of thunder and lightning surrounded the arrow. Slowly, a strong propulsive force began to attach itself to the arrow.
Electromagnetic acceleration!
Chapter 373: Awakening
As time passed, the power on the arrow grew stronger and stronger. The entire meteorite bow began to tremble slightly, evidently feeling the pressure from the arrow's force.
"Snap!"
A crisp sound echoed from the arrow as it suddenly snapped in the middle. The immense force had nowhere to go, causing the arrow to break into several pieces.
"Whoosh!
n
The power of thunder and lightning dispersed from Chen Fei, creating a whirlwind that instantly flattened the surrounding grasslands. Countless small twigs and leaves danced in the wind.
"The strength of the arrow is insufficient, but more importantly, my control over the power is not precise enough."
Chen Fei looked at the broken arrow in his hand. Electromagnetic acceleration was a concept he had acquired in his previous life, and he had just attempted it a bit now. It did indeed generate a powerful propulsive force.
The only problem was that Chen Fei's understanding of electromagnetic acceleration was still rather vague. If you asked him to explain it thoroughly, it would be quite challenging.
So, Chen Fei's actions just now, calling it electromagnetic acceleration, were more of a simple experiment relying on the power of the Great Thunder Sword. Whether it was truly electromagnetic acceleration, Chen Fei himself couldn't fully comprehend.
But it was definitely a direction worth exploring. It just needed continuous refinement, and Chen Fei's proficiency with the Great Thunder Sword had to keep improving.
Only when Chen Fei completely mastered the power of the Great Thunder Sword could he sense subtle changes in the thunder and lightning from the smallest details. Incidents like the arrow breaking due to excessive force would no longer occur.
Chen Fei was deeply engrossed in his cultivation, while outside, the situation in Shang Wu City had left everyone feeling lost and uncertain.
At the beginning, everyone thought that although eerie beings were terrifying, there were still many Combined aperture tempering realm experts in the world. With their combined strength, they should be able to suppress the eerie beings in Shang Wu City.
After all, the most frightening aspect of eerie beings was their ability to hide and secretly grow in power. It was only when they were discovered and had become too powerful to stop that they became truly formidable.
Now that the strange situation in Shang Wu City had been detected almost immediately and the information had been disseminated, it seemed like they had gained the upper hand in seizing the initiative.
However, who could have predicted that the situation would develop into what it was now? Even with the power of five Combined aperture tempering realm experts combined, they couldn't seem to do anything to Shang Wu City.
The five Combined aperture tempering realm experts had all suffered varying degrees of injuries. If they wanted to destroy Shang Wu City, would they need all the combined aperture tempering realm experts to come together?
However, many of the Combined aperture tempering realm experts had grudges against each other, and many of them were even at the point where they would fight to the death. Situations like that between Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and Divine Flame Sect were not isolated incidents in this realm.
Where there were people, there were grievances, and while Combined aperture tempering realm experts might appear as godlike beings to ordinary people, they were still human at the core. They had emotions and desires, which naturally led to conflicts of interest.
If you expected Tong Zhongqiu and Jian Jinsheng to work together sincerely, it was likely that during the process of besieging Shang Wu City, they would start calculating against each other, looking for opportunities to harm each other.
Even if one of them had noble intentions and only wanted to suppress Shang Wu City, should he not be concerned that others might not have the same intentions?
With suspicions constantly in the air, true cooperation would be impossible. In the first step, the possibility of gathering all the Combined aperture tempering realm experts together had been effectively thwarted.
As of now, not only the city closest to Shang Wu City, Qinhai City, has turned into an almost empty city, but other cities slightly farther away have also begun to witness a mass exodus.
However, after Shang Wu City repelled the five Combined aperture tempering realm experts, it didn't move but continued to stay in place, as if waiting for something.
At the Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei's cultivation continued to progress rapidly.
A month after reaching mastery with the Great Thunder Sword, both the Blade-Slaying Sword and Water-Jade Sword achieved mastery as well.
For Combined aperture tempering realm cultivation techniques, achieving mastery was already quite powerful, and the progress of most Combined aperture tempering realm early-stage cultivators in their cultivation techniques generally stopped at this level.
However, for Chen Fei in his current state, cultivation techniques at the mastery level could no longer provide him with significant assistance.
In addition to cultivation techniques, Chen Fei had cultivated fifty-eight acupoints. At this point, all the resources obtained from Yashan Sect had finally been exhausted, and they had all been converted into his own strength.
Yashan Sect had obtained a lot of things, which naturally included a considerable amount of resources. After all, there were hundreds of elemental stones alone.
But when it came to actual consumption, it only took a short time for Chen Fei to deplete them all.
For every Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator looking to grow, the resources required were extremely extravagant. If it weren't for many members of Yashan Sect falling behind in their realms, these resources might not even have been saved, and they wouldn't have ended up benefiting Chen Fei.
However, the spiritual tools that came with those resources, while they had all been consumed, were still stored in Chen Fei's spatial grid.
Most of these spiritual tools were of low quality, but the weapons used by the three Combined aperture tempering realm mid-stage cultivators from Yashan Sect had reached the level of middle-grade spiritual tools.
Of course, there was also Hong Yuanfeng's sword, which was also a middle-grade spiritual sword.
In total, there were four middle-grade spiritual tools. If sold, they would fetch a substantial amount of elemental stones, certainly no less than the resources acquired by Yashan Sect.
After all, spiritual tools were treasures that every Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator needed. They could directly bring about a noticeable change in a Combined aperture tempering realm cultivator's strength.
Especially for Combined aperture tempering realm early-stage cultivators, using a middle-grade spiritual tool would lead to a significant increase in combat power.
It was similar to the effect of a low-grade spiritual tool for Body Tempering Realm cultivation cultivators.
Originally, Chen Fei's initial plan was to use all these spiritual tools as spiritual essence since there were some hidden dangers in using them. However, with the emergence of the situation in Shang Wu City, everyone's attention shifted there.
The small Yashan Sect was utterly insignificant, and no one cared about it. Even Flong Yuanfeng's death had raised suspicions in the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, suggesting that it might have been the work of Shang Wu City.
In this situation, after some hesitation, Chen Fei decided to keep all these spiritual tools, find an opportunity to sell them, and exchange them for resources to support his own cultivation.
Although extracting all the spiritual essence from these spiritual tools and injecting it into the Qianyuan Sword had the potential to elevate the Qianyuan Sword to the level of a top-grade spiritual tool, a powerful tool alone wouldn't suffice without corresponding cultivation.
Just like the Soul-Locking Tower of the Primordial Sword Sect, which was originally a top-grade spiritual tool, it had fallen to the level of a superior-grade spiritual tool because no Combined aperture tempering realm peak expert had controlled it.
Of course, there were other reasons, but ultimately, the cultivation realm was the most important factor.
After elevating his cultivation, if there was a chance, further enhancing the Qianyuan Sword to the level of a top-grade spiritual tool would be a complementary improvement.
However, Hong Yuanfeng's spiritual sword still drew too much attention. After careful consideration, Chen Fei decided to extract its spiritual essence and integrate it into the Shuttle of Flying Clouds.
Currently, the Shuttle of Flying Clouds was only a low-grade spiritual tool, and for Chen Fei, who possessed the great completion level of Heaven Soaring Technique, its assistance was minimal. Therefore, it made more sense to upgrade the Shuttle of Flying Clouds to the level of a middle-grade spiritual tool, which would be of greater help to him.
Now the only thing troubling Chen Fei was how to find an opportunity to sell off the spiritual tools in his possession one by one and then exchange them for a large amount of cultivation resources.
In Chen Fei's courtyard, spiritual energy surged, rising and falling rhythmically.
Inside the house, as Chi Shuqing softly hummed, she leaned gently beside Chen Fei, her eyes filled with tenderness and affection.
In recent times, Chi Shuqing had been visiting the Primordial Sword Sect to see Chen Fei frequently. Initially, it was every seven to eight days, but recently, it had become every two to three days, and this frequency was continuously decreasing.
They both enjoyed it immensely. Who wouldn't like a way to cultivate while experiencing happiness?
Chi Shuqing definitely loved it!
When she returned to the Sunken Water Pavilion after the events in the Bizarre City and broke through to her current cultivation level, Chi Shuqing had been in a rapid period of growth. Now, with Chen Fei's help, she realized that she could potentially reach the mid-stage of the Combined aperture tempering realm within a few years.
Considering her original pace, Chi Shuqing would have needed at least twenty years to break through to the mid-stage of the Combined aperture tempering realm, if not more.
The disparity in this regard was so evident.
"I have a batch of spiritual tools that I want to sell discreetly. Do you have any suggestions?" Chen Fei leaned against the head of the bed and looked at Chi Shuqing.
The Primordial Sword Sect didn't need these spiritual tools because everyone had spiritual swords forged using the Sword Essence Technique. Moreover, handing them over to the sect posed a certain risk, so it would be safer to sell them.
"How many do you have?"
Chi Shuqing raised her head to look at Chen Fei. Her green robe slipped off, drawing his gaze. Chi Shuqing didn't mind; instead, her eyes became even more alluring.
"Three middle-grade spiritual swords and several low-grade spiritual tools," Chen Fei replied softly.
ii
So many!"
Chi Shuqing's eyes widened slightly. Initially, she thought there would only be one or two spiritual tools. She didn't expect there to be several low-grade ones, with three reaching the level of middle-grade.
This was an astonishing wealth, and if they could exchange it all for elemental stones, the quantity would be considerable.
Thinking that Chen Fei was willing to share this matter with her, Chi Shuqing's eyes softened even further, and a mischievous smile played at the corner of her lips.
"Wait a moment, let's talk about the business first!"
Chen Fei sensed Chi Shuqing's actions and was slightly startled. Weren't they discussing the matter of the spiritual tools? Why did she suddenly change the topic?
However, Chi Shuqing didn't stop when she heard Chen Fei's words.
After a moment, the previously calm aura in the courtyard started to fluctuate again, and it churned for a full hour before gradually settling down.
Chi Shuqing, feeling lazy and not wanting to move, still managed to prop herself up and looked at Chen Fei. She whispered, "In Immortal Cloud City, there is a shop with the capability to purchase such a quantity of spiritual tools. It's affiliated with the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, and 1 assume you wouldn't want them to find out."
Chen Fei nodded in agreement.
"Besides Immortal Cloud City, you can also go to the Black City District. It's a place where all sorts of things are traded, and nobody cares where they come from; they only care about the quality of the goods."
"Black City District?" Chen Fei's interest was piqued as he realized he had forgotten about that place.
The next morning, Chi Shuqing reluctantly departed, and Chen Fei continued his cultivation as usual. He also watered Baka with the Summoning Elixir.
As the Summoning Elixir was poured this time, a trace of spiritual insight finally emanated from the tree.
"Chen Fei?"
A faint and almost imperceptible voice came from the tree..
Chapter 374: Sacred Ground
Upon hearing the sound from the tree, a smile of joy appeared on Chen Fei's face. After months of watering the Summoning Elixir, to be honest, Chen Fei's hopes had dwindled as time went on.
He hadn't truly given up in the end, only because he didn't want Baka's spiritual wisdom to simply dissipate.
And today, within the tree fragment, Baka's spiritual wisdom finally reawakened.
A quarter of an hour later, the original tree fragment had transformed into the appearance of a small tree spirit. However, compared to Baka's original form, it was undoubtedly much smaller and its aura much weaker.
The first time Chen Fei encountered Baka, it was already a peak-level first-stage creature, just a step away from entering the ranks of second-stage creatures.
But now, Baka's strength had already fallen to the early first stage, making it one of the weakest creatures. It was estimated that any random cultivator in the Body Refining Realm could easily defeat Baka.
Fortunately, although Baka's origin had been damaged, its foundation was still there. It was estimated that with some time, it could recover to the peak of the first stage. As for the early second stage, that would be more challenging.
When the mystic realm ascended to the second stage, all the creatures inside gained tremendous benefits, and Baka took the opportunity to break through to the level of a second-stage creature. However, due to greed, it climbed halfway up a half bottle mountain and ended up being pursued by other creatures from the half bottle mountain. In a panic, it fell into the Bizarre City.
The Bizarre City was a place where there was no way to cope, and a single day there could lead to your death. Many of the more than twenty cultivators who entered the Bizarre City initially didn't even make it past the first day.
Baka, relying on its inherent characteristics as a creature, resisted for several days. However, merely withstanding the pressure was not a solution to the fundamental problem. Eventually, its spiritual wisdom had to hide within its core, taking on the appearance Chen Fei had seen when they first met.
If Chen Fei had arrived even a little later, even this trace of spiritual wisdom would have been eroded away through sheer force. At that point, Baka would have truly become a tree in the Bizarre City, a withered one at that.
"Good friend, I never expected to meet you again," Baka said, with the look of someone who had been through a life-changing experience.
When Baka initially revived from the core of the tree, it was actually bewildered upon seeing Chen Fei. Baka didn't even know where it was at the moment and subconsciously believed it was still within the Bizarre City.
If it were in the Bizarre City, Baka would have thought it was a lost cause, and Chen Fei wouldn't have fared much better.
However, it later discovered that it had already been taken away from the Bizarre City by Chen Fei and was now within Chen Fei's sect.
Just thinking about the experiences in the Bizarre City sent shivers down Baka's spine. There was simply no chance for retaliation there; everything was meticulously planned, and there was no outsmarting the bizarre elements within the city.
"What can help you recover?" Chen Fei asked Baka with a smile.
"This place is fine, but it's a bit lacking in spiritual energy," Baka replied.
Baka glanced around the surroundings and walked up to a potted plant. After checking with Chen Fei and receiving no objections, Baka pulled the plant out of the pot and jumped in, planting itself in the empty pot.
In the mystic realm, Baka had originally transformed from a medicinal herb through a fortunate encounter. Now, with severe injuries, it could use this method to recover.
"Spiritual energy?"
Chen Fei pondered for a moment. The courtyard had a formation, which could both conceal movements and gather some spiritual energy, but its effectiveness was limited.
Compared to the concentration of spiritual energy inside the second-tier mystic realm, both Chen Fei's courtyard and the sect's main peak were certainly incomparable.
Now, the second-tier mystic realm was occupied by the Yu family, and outsiders had no way to enter.
With a dominant force like the Yu family occupying a second-tier mystic realm, no one dared to object. Although the mystic realm was originally co-owned by several members of the Primordial Sword Sect, no one dared to oppose the Yu family's claim.
Therefore, in the short term, neither Baka nor Chen Fei would be able to enter that second-tier mystic realm.
"You can absorb some elemental stones; it should help you recover faster."
Chen Fei produced a piece of elemental stone in his hand and crushed it into powder, sprinkling it around the soil where Baka was planted.
The elemental energy in the powdered elemental stone nourished Baka, and Baka's two small eyes squinted in satisfaction.
"Thank you, Chen Fei. Once I've recovered, I'll help you cultivate medicinal herbs."
Baka looked up at Chen Fei with a serious expression and said, "Those medicinal herbs can be sold for money. When I grow a lot of them, you can also sell a lot."
Upon hearing Baka's words, Chen Fei was slightly surprised. He immediately remembered the appearance of the cave in the mystic realm where Baka lived, which clearly showed signs of cultivating medicinal herbs, although Chen Fei wasn't sure at the time.
The key was that those medicinal herbs were extremely old.
"Did you grow the medicinal herbs you gave me back then?" Chen Fei whispered.
When Chen Fei first met Baka, he was surprised to see Baka casually take out medicinal herbs that were decades old and consume them. However, at that time, Chen Fei was more interested in whether Baka had collected these medicinal herbs himself.
After all, in a first-tier mystic realm, rare spiritual plants were not common, but there were indeed many high-age medicinal herbs.
"Yeah, 1 grew them all. Can they sell for a lot of money?" Seeing that Chen Fei was interested, Baka quickly nodded.
"They can indeed sell for quite a bit of money. However, if you want to cultivate medicinal herbs of that age, there must be certain requirements for the elemental energy in the soil, right?"
Chen Fei wasn't too surprised by the possibility of high-age medicinal herbs. Increasing the age of medicinal herbs was indeed impressive, but there were likely some conditions involved.
As the saying goes, you can't make bricks without straw. If some basic conditions were not met, many things could not be accomplished.
Just like in Chen Fei's previous life, it was a world without elemental energy. No matter how perfect your body or skills were developed, in the end, you were just a slightly more capable ordinary person.
Without the ability to manipulate elements and without longevity.
Because the basic conditions didn't allow for it, anything developed on that basis naturally couldn't become more powerful.
"That's right." Baka thought about the surrounding elemental energy and realized that medicinal herbs cultivated under these conditions couldn't reach the same level as those in the mystic realm.
ii
It's not your fault," Chen Fei said softly when he saw Baka looking a bit disheartened.
If Baka were in the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, where there was not only a first-tier mystic realm but even a second-tier mystic realm, it might still be impossible for him to cultivate spirit plants, but there would certainly be plenty of high-age regular medicinal herbs available.
Within the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, the value of possessing such high-age medicinal herbs skyrocketed.
For cultivators in the Body Refining Realm, using pills crafted from high-age medicinal herbs could help establish a solid foundation, increasing the likelihood of breaking through to the Aperture tempering realm.
Therefore, for powerful sects like the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Baka's value suddenly became apparent.
It was just a pity that the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect didn't have a first-tier mystic realm; otherwise, Baka would have found his place there.
Shang Wu City.
Due to the influence of Master Xi Lian, Shang Wu City had recently gained widespread fame. People from afar were aware of the presence of a formidable threat in the city.
Many factions had stationed people here to monitor the city's movements. If anything unusual occurred, they needed to report it immediately. However, Shang Wu City had been unusually quiet lately, with no signs of movement or any peculiarities.
Because the area was sealed off, there was naturally no chance for outsiders to wander in and fall prey to Shang Wu City.
In addition to representatives from various factions, there were also many independent cultivators who had come to Shang Wu City. They weren't here to cause trouble or destruction, as such actions would only lead to collective retaliation. Independent cultivators typically acted with a clear purpose, often driven by the pursuit of profit, which was the primary motive for most people.
Zeng Zixin manipulated a jade bottle in his hand, allowing strands of chilly energy to flow into it. After an hour, he sensed that the bottle was full, and a smile appeared on his face.
Zeng Zixin had cultivated to the Visceral Tempering realm. In larger sects, this level of cultivation might be considered ordinary, but among independent cultivators, it was quite remarkable.
In some smaller cities, it was even possible to establish one's own family and live a life of luxury.
However, Zeng Zixin didn't choose that path. He had his own aspirations within the realm of cultivation.
When he heard about the formidable threat that had appeared in Shang Wu City, he hurriedly made his way there from afar.
Zeng Zixin practiced a unique cultivation technique. While other Body Refinement Realm cultivators focused on tempering their internal organs and purifying their vitality, Zeng Zixin's technique allowed him to harness Yin energy to assist in his cultivation.
The higher the quality of Yin energy, the faster Zeng Zixin could progress in his cultivation.
Generally, collecting Yin energy required either refining eerie objects or venturing into places like the Eerie City or Eerie Realms, where Yin energy abounded.
However, given Zeng Zixin's Visceral Tempering realm cultivation, he could easily extinguish common eerie entities but found their Yin energy insufficient to provide significant assistance in his cultivation.
Eerie Realms or Eerie Cities typically housed second-tier eerie entities, equivalent to cultivators in the Aperture tempering realm. For someone like Zeng Zixin, entering such places was like being offered a feast.
As a result, Zeng Zixin's cultivation had always been constrained by these less-than-ideal conditions, making it difficult for him to progress.
Until this moment, when he heard about the situation in Shang Wu City, he came running, hoping to give it a try. As he had expected, the formidable eerie being in combined aperture tempering realm was indeed incredibly powerful.
Even though they were separated by several dozen miles, the Yin energy pervading the outskirts had an exceptionally high quality. Compared to the Yin energy that had to be acquired by venturing deep into eerie realms, this place was like a sacred ground for Zeng Zixin's cultivation.
At this moment, there were many individuals like Zeng Zixin scattered around Shang Wu City. This pervasive Yin energy was an invaluable treasure for many cultivators.
Zeng Zixin returned to a camp where many other independent cultivators like him had gathered, all with the same purpose: to gain benefits from this extraordinary place.
"Old Zeng, did you happen to see Senior Fang today?" a person suddenly appeared in front of Zeng Zixin, looking fatigued with bloodshot eyes.
"I saw him a couple of days ago," Zeng Zixin replied, shaking his head. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Are you injured?"
"No, it's just that I haven't been resting well lately."
After the person left, Zeng Zixin stood in place, watching his retreating figure. In a moment of absent-mindedness, he felt as if there was something behind that person..
Chapter 375: Two Feet Eight Inches Long
However, before Zeng Zixin could take a closer look, the person had already disappeared around the corner. Zeng Zixin furrowed his brow, and various thoughts crossed his mind.
Recently, the number of people in the camp had been increasing steadily.
Where there are people, there are conflicts, interests, and inevitably, the need for trade. The appearance of a small market in the camp had even further fueled the development of the entire area, making it increasingly bustling.
If it weren't for the eerie sensation of the chilling atmosphere just a few dozen miles away, many might have forgotten that there was a person in the vicinity, a person at the Aperture tempering realm. Wherever he went, no grass grew, and corpses littered the land.
Many people had probably forgotten that there was an eerie being dozens of miles away. Moreover, it was a combined aperture tempering realm eerie being. Wherever he passed, not a single blade of grass grew, and corpses littered the ground.
As more and more people gathered, Zeng Zixin noticed that the people he was familiar with were becoming fewer and fewer.
Most of the people Zeng Zixin knew were independent cultivators. Independent cultivators had high mobility, but in places with opportunities and benefits, they would tend to settle down. There was no reason why the number of people he knew should be decreasing.
A few days ago, Zeng Zixin had heard someone calling out for another person. He recognized the voice as one of the twins, a pair of brothers who were both cultivators. One of them was at the initial stage of the Visceral Tempering Realm. Due to their shared cultivation method and a strong bond since childhood, they could even hold their own against a cultivator at the peak of the Visceral Tempering realm when they joined forces.
The two brothers were almost inseparable in their daily lives, but for some unknown reason, one of them had disappeared recently.
The calls for the missing person had continued for a considerable amount of time before gradually fading away. It was unclear whether they had found the person or if they had gone further away.
At the time, Zeng Zixin had been busy with his cultivation and hadn't paid much attention to it. Now, thinking about the recent unusual occurrences in the area, he suddenly had a bad feeling.
Could it be that there were experts from the dark path who had been specifically targeting the independent cultivators here recently?
Or was there something wrong with Shang Wu City itself?
Zeng Zixin turned his head to look in the direction of Shang Wu City. However, he had heard from the strong cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm that Shang Wu City had not moved recently, and even their auras were very stable.
In such a situation, Shang Wu City shouldn't be in any danger.
Zeng Zixin lowered his head to look at the jade bottle in his hand, filled with the high-quality Yin energy. It was something that Zeng Zixin had rarely been able to obtain over the years.
In just a short period of time, Zeng Zixin could clearly feel his cultivation rapidly increasing. If this situation continued for some time, he could break through to the later stage of the Aperture tempering realm in a short period of time, or even reach the peak of the Aperture tempering realm.
Once he left this place, it would be much riskier to obtain this kind of Yin energy in the future.
Alternatively, he could buy this type of Yin energy from others, but Yin energy of this quality was in high demand everywhere. With the silver coins he had in hand, he could only afford it a few times, and he might end up running out of money.
What's more, the fact that he could obtain it for free now, but would have to spend a high price to purchase it later for no apparent reason, made it hard for Zeng Zixin to accept.
Zeng Zixin looked up at the people around the camp, there were still so many people here, so what was there to be afraid of? Not to mention this camp, even farther away, there were strong cultivators from various major powers at the Aperture tempering realm.
Even if there was really something wrong, they would have discovered it earlier. Now that there was no early warning from anyone, it must be that he was overthinking things.
Zeng Zixin found a relatively quiet spot, opened the jade bottle, and drew out the Yin energy from it, integrating it into his body to refine the strength within his body.
"I'll stay here for another month, and then leave in a month!"
Feeling his cultivation gradually improving, a smile appeared on Zeng Zixin's face, and he made a decision.
The icy Yin energy surrounded Zeng Zixin, and under the scorching sun, the shadow behind him suddenly moved slightly but quickly returned to normal.
Zeng Zixin was completely unaware, fully immersed in his cultivation.
At the Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei placed the pot containing Baka's cultivation in a secret room and crushed two pieces of elemental stones, scattering them into the soil.
After two days of recovery, Baka's aura had increased significantly. At this rate, it wouldn't take too long for him to fully recover to the peak of the first stage.
Chen Fei informed Qu Qingsheng before leaving the sect and heading to Black City District.
Black City District was about a thousand miles away from the Primordial Sword Sect. Setting out in the early morning, it took several hours of travel, and Chen Fei finally saw a city ahead.
The city's black walls surrounded it on all sides, and from a distance, the entire city looked like a piece of black fabric. The name Black City District was largely derived from this characteristic.
As the Slaughter Spirit Technique circulated, like a sharp blade cutting, Chen Fei's aura descended to the level of the early Aperture tempering realm.
One's appearance could change, the intensity of one's aura could be concealed, but the nature of the aura could not be altered. In Black City District, Chen Fei might encounter people from the sects around Immortal Cloud City, so he naturally needed to conceal his aura to some extent.
As for lowering his aura to below the Aperture tempering realm, that was completely unnecessary. While Black City District had its own order, it was ultimately a place driven by self-interest.
Having a cultivation level of the Body Refining Realm was too weak and would only bring unnecessary trouble here. The early Aperture tempering realm was just right, allowing him to attract less attention from prying eyes.
Chen Fei lowered his straw hat a bit, his figure flickered, and he arrived at the city gate of Black City District.
There were no guards outside the city gate of Black City District, and there was no curfew here either. Chen Fei entered the city along with the crowd, and as soon as he stepped inside, he heard the bustling cries of vendors.
Stalls and shops were almost everywhere along the entire street, not only on the main street but also in the side alleys and lanes. High-quality medicinal herbs were readily available, various types of elixirs to enhance cultivation could be found, and there were also semi-spiritual weapons that could be used by Body Refining Realm cultivators, though they were in the minority.
As for cultivation techniques, there were even more options here. However, how many of them were damaged or incomplete would depend on one's discerning eye.
Once sold, there would be no responsibility for any post-sale matters. If you dared to cause trouble, it would come down to a showdown with weapons.
Even medicinal herbs and elixirs had their fair share of counterfeit products here. Having a discerning eye was crucial in this place. Of course, if your cultivation level was high enough, most people wouldn't dare to sell you fakes.
Chen Fei strolled along the street, and the hawking voices lowered significantly as he passed by. His Aperture tempering realm cultivation level was evident, and even in Black City District, a place teeming with all sorts of people, those in the Aperture tempering realm were still considered high-ranking individuals.
Cultivators of the Body Refining Realm could be offended, and even peak Visceral tempering realm cultivators wouldn't pose much of a problem.
But when it came to the Aperture tempering realm, it was best not to offend them if you could avoid it. The Aperture tempering realm and the Body Refining Realm were simply not in the same league.
This was a universal principle that applied anywhere.
Black City District itself wasn't very large, with an estimated area comparable to the original Pingyin County, if not slightly smaller. However, Chen Fei sensed the presence of at least thirty Aperture tempering realm cultivators here.
Most of them were in the early Aperture tempering realm, but there were also a few in the late Aperture tempering realm.
It was only in the late Aperture tempering realm that one could maintain control over Black City District. Only when reaching the late Aperture tempering realm would other factions show some tolerance for this place, albeit limited.
Of course, this tolerance had its limits as well.
Black City District claimed not to care about the origin of goods, but if something truly came from a dominant force, Black City District would absolutely not dare to accept it. This was something they knew very well, and that's why Chen Fei had immediately extracted the spiritual essence from Hong Yuanfeng's sword. Because no matter where you were, it was a hot potato.
Chen Fei didn't need to risk bringing this trouble upon himself just to make a few more elemental stones.
Chen Fei was in the middle section of the main street when he turned into an alley. This was a storefront recommended by Chi Shuqing. Compared to the shops outside on the main street, the transactions here would be more discreet.
Compared to the outside, this shop might be slightly quieter, but there were still occasional customers coming in and out.
When Chen Fei sensed that there were no other outsiders inside the shop, he entered.
The shopkeeper glanced at Chen Fei and proactively closed the shop door. He had already sensed Chen Fei's presence outside, and he also understood Chen Fei's intentions.
"May I know what the guest needs?" the shopkeeper greeted with a smile.
"I want to sell a few spiritual weapons," Chen Fei said and took out a wooden box from behind him, placing it in front of the shopkeeper.
For convenience, Chen Fei had specially asked the Treasure Depository to make several wooden boxes that could conceal the fluctuations of spiritual weapons. Otherwise, taking out several spiritual weapons from the spatial grid would have been somewhat conspicuous.
The shopkeeper opened the wooden box, revealing a low-grade spiritual sword inside, which came from the Yashan Sect and belonged to Xu Yanxin.
The shopkeeper picked up the spiritual sword, examined it carefully, and after a moment, he placed the sword down and looked up at Chen Fei, saying, "This spiritual sword has extraordinary quality, but it seems to have suffered some damage during a previous battle. Therefore, the price may be slightly lower."
"How much?" Chen Fei nodded in agreement. This spiritual sword did indeed have some damage, and the damage was inflicted by Chen Fei himself. His strike had severely wounded Xu Yanxin, and it was thanks to the good quality of this spiritual sword that it hadn't degraded into a semi-spiritual weapon on the spot.
"Thirty-eight elemental stones," the shopkeeper thought for a moment and offered a price. If this spiritual weapon hadn't been damaged, it could have been priced around fifty elemental stones.
"Agreed!" Chen Fei smiled and nodded in approval. The price was reasonable.
"Please wait, sir. Let me fetch the elemental stones," the shopkeeper said with an even wider smile and was about to turn to go to the backyard.
"Wait a moment, 1 have more items to sell," Chen Fei stopped the shopkeeper and then placed another wooden box in front of him.
According to Chen Fei's plan, in these small alleyway shops, selling just two or three spiritual weapons per store should easily allow him to sell all the spiritual weapons.
Not conspicuous, but also fast; after purchasing some spiritual pills here, he can return to the Primordial Sword Sect.
The shopkeeper turned back, carefully opened the wooden box, and a much more agile aura was emitted from it. It was indeed a medium-grade spiritual sword.
This sword was 2 feet 8 inches long and 3..5 inches wide, and it came from the head of the Yashan Sect, Qi Yuanlu!
Chapter 376: Friendship Born in Humble Beginnings
The shopkeeper looked at Chen Fei in amazement. It wasn't uncommon for cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm to come to Black City District to sell spiritual weapons. Although they weren't very common, they were encountered from time to time.
However, it was quite rare for someone to come and sell a medium-grade spiritual weapon. This shop had been operating in Black City District for over ten years, and they had handled fewer than a couple of medium-grade spiritual weapons during that time.
Most of those who possessed medium-grade spiritual weapons were experts at the mid Aperture tempering realm. Among the independent cultivators, those who could cultivate to the Aperture tempering realm were mostly at the early Aperture tempering realm.
Even in sects, the number of cultivators at the mid Aperture tempering realm was not very high. Only dominant forces had a substantial number of mid Aperture tempering realm cultivators.
People who were willing to come to Black City District to sell things often had some problems or complications. In other words, possessing a medium-grade spiritual weapon might indicate the presence of a mid Aperture tempering realm expert.
"This sword has a pure texture, a strong spiritual essence, and minimal wear and tear. 1 would price it at two hundred and eighty-seven elemental stones. Is that acceptable?" The shopkeeper's smile grew wider, not only because the deal was profitable, but also because of Chen Fei's strength. Whether it was Chen Fei himself or the forces behind him, being able to kill a mid Aperture tempering realm expert was worthy of respect.
"That's acceptable."
Chen Fei's smile also grew, satisfied with the elemental stones he received.
Fifteen minutes later, Chen Fei left the shop. He had sold two low-grade spiritual weapons and one medium-grade spiritual sword in total, earning three hundred and sixty-seven elemental stones. In the shop, Chen Fei used a portion of the elemental stones to purchase some spiritual elixirs.
Compared to the bulkiness of elemental stones, pills were undoubtedly much smaller in size, which made it easier for Chen Fei to store them in his spatial grid-
As for Chen Fei's purchase of pills, the shopkeeper naturally didn't refuse and brought out the best spirit pills available in the shop. Engaging in deceitful practices was not something the shopkeeper dared to do when dealing with someone like Chen Fei.
In usual dealings with other customers, the shopkeeper had certainly engaged in various deceptive practices, and much of the shop's profits came from such activities. However, when it came to deception, the target mattered.
For someone like Chen Fei, who was clearly not to be trifled with, the shopkeeper wouldn't dare to deceive him, and the quality of all the pills provided was top-notch. While they might not compare to the ones Chen Fei personally refined, they were considered normal spirit pills. These were also the highest-quality spirit pills that most shops could offer.
Chen Fei inquired about the sale of spirit plants but found that, just like in Immortal Cloud City, the prices of spirit plants were not low. The profit margin was very thin when purchasing them for refining.
All the shops had the same attitude when it came to selling spirit plants. Those who had access to spirit plants kept them for their own alchemists to refine.
Standing in the alley, Chen Fei glanced around and entered another alley. After walking just a few steps, he spotted another shop and sensed that there were no other people inside. Chen Fei casually walked in.
Meanwhile, in a mansion in the southeast of Black City District, Dai Fangxuan's gaze was fixed firmly on the formation in front of him.
Black City District had been in operation for so many years, and while it couldn't be said to be impregnable, various precautionary measures that could be thought of and implemented were applied in the district.
For instance, the formation before him could directly collect the auras of various Aperture tempering realm cultivators within the entire Black City District.
There were too many body refining realm cultivators, so this formation directly ignored them. For Black City District, no matter how many body refining realm cultivators there were, they couldn't stir up any waves.
Only Aperture tempering realm cultivators had the potential to cause an impact on Black City District, especially those in the late Aperture tempering realm, who could pose a direct threat to the district.
If it were peak Aperture tempering realm experts, the masters of Black City District might even consider whether to evacuate. After all, peak Aperture tempering realm cultivators were significantly stronger than those in the late Aperture tempering realm.
Therefore, this formation that could collect auras could, to some extent, anticipate potential dangers. Moreover, because the function of this formation was only to collect the auras emitted by Aperture tempering realm cultivators, it did not provide direct surveillance.
Hence, Aperture tempering realm cultivators who were active within Black City District were not sensitive to the presence of this array formation. If an Aperture tempering realm cultivator entered a shop with its own individual array formation, Black City District's formation could only track them within that particular shop.
Its functionality wasn't incredibly powerful, but it provided enough information. Therefore, there had to be an Aperture tempering realm cultivator stationed here every day to check the situation on the array formation.
For the past few months, Dai Fangxuan had held this position. And today, after Dai Fangxuan sensed the aura on the array formation, his entire being became exhilarated.
It was because Dai Fangxuan had a deep impression of this aura, an impression so deep that even now, he couldn't forget it.
Anyone whose left arm had been severed by a sword strike, who had to burn their blood essence to escape, and who, during their escape, had been pierced through the chest by a sword strike – all these injuries, individually, were severe. When combined, they amounted to a near-death outcome.
Dai Fangxuan had come perilously close to death. How could he forget Chen Fei and the injuries he had inflicted?
"It's been almost three years!"
Dai Fangxuan squinted at the aura on the array formation that belonged to Chen Fei. His right hand instinctively touched his empty left shoulder, and his eyes were filled with malice.
In his mind, Dai Fangxuan couldn't help but recall the events from three years ago when Rain Pavilion had issued a routine mission to eliminate the direct descendant of the Ruan family. At the time, he had thought it was just a routine mission, even with the addition of Chen Fei, Dai Fangxuan hadn't taken it seriously.
Back then, Chen Fei had been gaining notoriety around Immortal Cloud City, but no matter how much fame he had, he was still just in the Visceral Tempering realm.
Dai Fangxuan had taken on that assignment initially because someone within Rain Pavilion had specifically hung a mission to kill Chen Fei.
Two birds with one stone—a single action could complete two missions. Even though he had suspected that Chen Fei might break through to the aperture tempering realm, he would at most be a martial artist who had just entered the aperture tempering realm. How could he be compared to him?
Back then, Dai Fangxuan had appeared before Chen Fei with such thoughts and had ended up severely wounded and fleeing for his life.
Even though he had ultimately escaped, Dai Fangxuan had been seriously injured, and he had come close to death. Thankfully, he had managed to survive, but his path of martial cultivation had been severed.
His natural talent had been mediocre to begin with, and burning his blood essence had essentially extinguished his future prospects. Joining Rain Pavilion had been a choice to enhance his cultivation, but it had ended in disaster. How could Dai Fangxuan be content with this outcome?
However, no matter how discontented he was, there was nothing he could do. Chen Fei's strength was clearly far superior to his own, and Dai Fangxuan had no possibility of seeking revenge. As for directly issuing a mission within Rain Pavilion to have someone else kill Chen Fei, the cost for such a task was prohibitively high.
According to Rain Pavilion's assessment, the likelihood of an ordinary Aperture tempering realm early-stage independent cultivator successfully killing Chen Fei was extremely slim. It was estimated that it would take two or three individuals ganging up to have any chance.
Although Dai Fangxuan had some wealth, entrusting such a task would have emptied his pockets. Besides, Chen Fei had been in a state of intensive cultivation since returning to the Primordial Sword Sect.
He rarely left the vicinity of Immortal Cloud City, providing no suitable opportunity to intercept Chen Fei.
Filled with hatred, Dai Fangxuan had to bury this grudge deep in his heart. However, from time to time, he intentionally or unintentionally gathered information about Chen Fei's recent activities from Rain Pavilion's reports.
Defeating Shen Tucang, the rising star of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, had showcased his extraordinary talent.
During the joint expedition of the four sects into the mystic realm, other sects had suffered heavy losses, while Chen Fei had returned safely. Despite being injured, he hadn't perished within the mystic realm.
Whenever he came across news about Chen Fei, Dai Fangxuan's heart felt as if it were being gnawed by insects. He wanted Chen Fei to die, and the more gruesome the death, the better. Unfortunately, Dai Fangxuan was powerless, forced to watch as Chen Fei continued to grow stronger.
With the shadow of Rain Pavilion looming over Black City District, Dai Fangxuan, who had no chance of advancing any further, had chosen to engage in the leisurely work of monitoring the array formations.
Today, when Chen Fei appeared in Black City District, he was immediately spotted by Dai Fangxuan. There was no other reason than the fact that Dai Fangxuan's memory of Chen Fei's aura was etched too deeply.
Over the past three years, he had gritted his teeth countless times while facing this aura. How could he not be familiar with it?
"Since you're here, don't think about leaving!" Dai Fangxuan looked at Chen Fei's aura on the array formation, his low voice echoing in the room.
He slapped the table, and immediately, a subordinate entered the room with respect. Dai Fangxuan ordered him to temporarily oversee the array formation, while he himself disappeared within the room.
After a moment, Dai Fangxuan arrived at another building in the courtyard.
"I would like to request an audience with Elder Miao," Dai Fangxuan said respectfully.
"Elder Dai, considering our relationship, there's no need for such formality," Elder Miao said as he opened the door and invited Dai Fangxuan inside.
"Dai has a favor to ask, and 1 hope Brother Miao can assist me," Dai Fangxuan said with a solemn tone.
"What is it?" Elder Miao asked, surprised by Dai Fangxuan's expression.
"Help me kill someone!" Dai Fangxuan gritted his teeth, and his eyes couldn't hide the deep-seated hatred.
"Who?" Elder Miao inquired.
"The Primordial Sword Sect, Chen Fei!" Dai Fangxuan said each word slowly, his tone filled with resentment as he mentioned Chen Fei's name.
Elder Miao's brows furrowed, and his gaze involuntarily shifted to Dai Fangxuan's left arm. Three years ago, Dai Fangxuan had been severely injured and nearly killed by Chen Fei.
Elder Miao was aware of this incident and had even provided some healing medicine to help Dai Fangxuan gradually recover.
Most people would find it difficult to let go of such an experience, but what puzzled Elder Miao was that Dai Fangxuan hadn't mentioned it for three years. Why was he suddenly bringing it up today?
Suddenly, a realization dawned on Elder Miao.
"Has he come to Black City District?" Elder Miao asked.
"Yes, he's here, just a moment ago," Dai Fangxuan said, and a slight smile appeared on his face when he saw that Elder Miao didn't outright refuse.
If anyone here could help him, it would be Elder Miao. The two of them had formed a bond when they were relatively insignificant. At that time, Elder Miao's cultivation level was much higher than Dai Fangxuan's.
Later, Elder Miao advanced rapidly and had now reached the mid-stage of the Aperture tempering realm. Among independent cultivators, he was definitely considered a master. In most sects, he could be a pivotal figure.
"But are there any other cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm with him?" Elder Miao asked.
Elder Miao looked at Dai Fangxuan and understood that if this grudge wasn't settled now, Dai Fangxuan would carry it for a lifetime. This opportunity, with Chen Fei's presence in Black City District, was indeed a golden one..
Chapter 377: Ambush and Kill
Normally, Chen Fei stayed at the Primordial Sword Sect or around Immortal Cloud City. Even if Rain Pavilion was arrogant, they wouldn't go so far as to kill Chen Fei, as that could easily drag them into trouble.
Rain Pavilion was not like the Divine Flame Sect, so they didn't have a top-notch expert from the combined aperture tempering realm. When they encountered someone with a slightly stronger backing, they didn't dare to act recklessly.
"No, he came alone," replied Dai Fangxuan to Miao Qisheng's detailed inquiry, a smile playing on his face. He continued, "I'll keep monitoring his movements until we're sure he's truly alone."
"Observing for a few more hours should be enough."
Miao Qisheng contemplated for a moment and said with a solemn tone, "Even if he's alone, we can't kill him within Black City District. We have to wait until he leaves Black City District, then we can strike outside the city."
If Chen Fei were from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Miao Qisheng wouldn't even ask an extra question because it was out of the question to touch them; that would be asking for trouble. Although the Primordial Sword Sect was also formidable and had high-level experts, it was fundamentally different from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.
Moreover, this was Black City District, a place of chaos where almost daily vendettas played out. Anyone coming to Black City District had to be psychologically prepared for this.
Furthermore, if someone met their end outside Black City District, there was no way to pin it on Black City District; there was no concept of shelter in Black City District.
According to the information Rain Pavilion received, the Primordial Sword Sect didn't possess the ability to track down killers like the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect with their blood mark. In other words, as long as the follow-up handling was done well, trying to find the murderer on the part of the Primordial Sword Sect would be a baseless accusation.
"I understand!"
Dai Fangxuan's eyes were filled with the joy of impending vengeance. He believed there was absolutely no chance of failure in a middle-stage Aperture Tempering realm cultivator killing someone who had only recently broken through to the Aperture Tempering realm
Thinking that Chen Fei would soon meet his end, Dai Fangxuan felt that the darkness in his heart had dissipated considerably.
Even though his own path of cultivation had come to an end with no chance of advancement, at least he was still alive. As for Chen Fei, despite his outstanding talent, a dead genius was just a dead person.
One living, one dead – the difference was clear!
ii
By the way, Chen Fei should have a profound body tempering technique, exceptionally extraordinary, and there's no such technique in the Primordial Sword Sect!" Dai Fangxuan suddenly said.
That night, although Chen Fei had displayed a certain level of proficiency in his technique, stronger than a typical newcomer to the aperture tempering realm, it was still limited.
What had truly forced Dai Fangxuan to retreat was Chen Fei's unreasonable raw physical power.
Miao Qisheng's expression showed a hint of interest. Helping Dai Fangxuan with the killing was based on their past connection. If they could obtain another technique in addition to that, it would make the deal even more delightful.
Being able to almost slaughter an experienced aperture tempering realm cultivator like Dai Fangxuan, who hadn't even had much opportunity to retaliate, despite just having recently broken through to the same realm, indicated that this technique was undoubtedly extraordinary.
"Keep an eye on things for now, and if there's any new information, inform me," Miao Qisheng said with a smile.
"Alright!"
Dai Fangxuan nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. He gestured with his hand towards Miao Qisheng, then disappeared back into the room where the array was located.
"Elder Dai!" Seeing Dai Fangxuan's return, his subordinate, who had been diligently monitoring the array, quickly greeted him.
"Any unusual activity?" Dai Fangxuan asked with a cheerful mood.
"Not for now," the subordinate replied with some confusion, glancing at Dai Fangxuan. Ever since Dai Fangxuan was injured, it had been rare to see a smile on his face.
"Very well, you may go," Dai Fangxuan waved his hand and walked up to the array, taking a seat.
As he looked at the array where the light point representing Chen Fei's aura was faintly flickering, a hint of killing intent appeared in Dai Fangxuan's eyes.
"I'll let you live a little longer!" Dai Fangxuan thought coldly.
In Black City District, Chen Fei walked out of the store, and the wooden box on his back contained three fewer spiritual weapons. The selling price was similar to before. Chen Fei, as usual, used elemental stones to purchase some spiritual elixirs.
Without a break, Chen Fei walked through a few alleys and changed to another store, selling off all the remaining unused spiritual weapons directly.
With this, Chen Fei had achieved his initial goal in coming to Black City District.
However, Chen Fei was in no hurry to leave. Since he had come to Black City District, he wanted to see if there were any peculiar items or rare finds worth purchasing.
However, before proceeding, Chen Fei needed to store the elemental stones and pills from his bundle into the spatial grid.
On the main street, Chen Fei found an inn to stay in.
In essence, Black City District wasn't much different from typical cities. It offered all the expected services, and even some that weren't found in many other cities could be found here.
The cost of accommodation in the inn was not cheap, but the facilities provided were satisfactory. Each room had a small array formation, which, when activated, ensured privacy and prevented prying eyes.
Since entering Black City District, Chen Fei had sensed an elusive sense of surveillance. Clearly, the entire Black City District was under the influence of a massive array formation.
This array wasn't specifically targeting Chen Fei, but it was evident that Chen Fei's cultivation level in the Aperture tempering realm was being monitored.
Only when entering certain shops and the current inn did that surveillance feeling disappear.
Chen Fei opened his bundle, revealing several hundred elemental stones and dozens of bottles of spiritual elixirs. If it weren't for the purchase of elixirs, Chen Fei's current number of elemental stones would probably exceed a thousand.
The value of spiritual weapons was substantial. Low-grade spiritual weapons were affordable, mostly worth a few dozen elemental stones. When it came to mid-grade spiritual weapons, their value multiplied several times, with prices typically hovering around three hundred elemental stones, depending on their spiritual potency.
However, if the spiritual potency was significantly stronger, like the Qianyuan Sword in Chen Fei's hand, it could probably be sold for seven to eight hundred elemental stones.
As for high-grade spiritual weapons, their value was even more enormous.
But considering the size of Black City District, over the years, there had been no reports of anyone coming here to sell high-grade spiritual weapons.
Those who can possess high-quality spirit weapons are almost always strong individuals in the late-stage aperture tempering realm. Even a wealthy and influential sect like the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect originally only managed to bring a high-quality spirit sword into a mystic realm during their entry.
Under normal circumstances, even sects like the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect would only have high-quality spirit weapons in the hands of cultivators in the later stages of the aperture tempering realm.
Therefore, in order to sell a high-quality spirit weapon, you would need to at least kill a strong cultivator in the later stages of the aperture tempering realm. This is an extremely difficult task, and even if you manage to succeed, they are likely to keep the high-quality spirit weapon rather than selling it.
Chen Fei placed the majority of his elemental stones and elixirs into his spatial grid, leaving only a small portion in his bag. Elixirs were for cultivation, while elemental stones could be conveniently used when he encountered something he wanted to purchase.
He swallowed a spirit pill and began cultivating in a cross-legged position. In less than an hour, he completely absorbed the medicinal power within the pill.
Chen Fei didn't take a break; he didn't even open his eyes as he began to snore loudly.
The deafening sound reverberated within the room, but there was a protective formation in place that contained the noise. Otherwise, Chen Fei's loud snores could probably be heard throughout half of the Black City District.
Snoring, the Starry Night Sword, the Primordial Sword, and the Primordial Sword Scripture—four sets of techniques were practiced in rotation.
The room wasn't very spacious and had many furnishings, but it didn't hinder Chen Fei's practice of sword techniques. When he was cultivating in the aperture tempering realm, he could already control his sword techniques effortlessly.
Now that he had reached the mid-stage of the aperture tempering realm and had a powerful spiritual mind, it was impossible for the sword blade to harm anything in this small space. Even in such a confined area, Chen Fei could practice his sword techniques without any hindrance.
Chen Fei focused on his cultivation, while on the other side, Dai Fangxuan once again went to find Miao Qisheng.
"Chen Fei checked into the inn, and several hours passed without the appearance of a second aperture tempering realm aura near the inn," Dai Fangxuan said to Miao Qisheng in a hushed tone, his eyes filled with excitement.
After several hours without the approach of any aperture tempering realm cultivators, it became even more certain that Chen Fei had come alone.
If there were other aperture tempering realm cultivators accompanying Chen Fei, the risk of killing him would multiply. Even if it were just an early-stage aperture tempering realm cultivator, the risk remained the same.
This was because it would introduce many uncontrollable variables, while a solitary individual minimized such uncertainties.
"You keep watch, and when he's about to leave the city, inform me," Miao Qisheng nodded.
It was precisely because Chen Fei was a disciple of a sect with the Primordial Sword Sect as its backing that they had to be cautious. If it were any other independent aperture tempering realm cultivator in the early stages, there would be no need for such caution; killing them would be straightforward.
"Very well!"
Dai Fangxuan nodded and took out a piece of jade from his sleeve, handing it to Miao Qisheng, saying, "I came across this spiritual material some time ago. It's of little use to me now."
"There's no need for this between us!" Miao Qisheng seemed somewhat displeased, furrowing his brow.
"It's just a piece of spiritual material. Consider it my goodwill gesture. Killing Chen Fei will require some effort, and I can't let you make the trip for nothing," Dai Fangxuan left the stone on the table and walked out of the room.
Miao Qisheng watched Dai Fangxuan's retreating figure, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Inside the inn, Chen Fei spent the night in cultivation, while the Black City District remained bustling throughout the night.
In the early morning, Chen Fei began wandering through the entire Black City District. Whether it was the stalls along the road or the shops on the side, Chen Fei went by each one.
The things within the Black City District were quite diverse, and indeed, some of them expanded Chen Fei's horizons. However, in terms of how much help they could provide to Chen Fei, it was very limited.
At Chen Fei's current level, there were only a few things that could truly be of assistance.
As for scavenging, the people here were sharper than monkeys, making it impossible to scavenge anything worthwhile. Regarding cultivation techniques, after looking at some, Chen Fei had no interest at all.
Having witnessed the techniques of the Primordial Sword Sect and the demonic Blood Origin Technique, ordinary techniques no longer caught Chen Fei's attention. Moreover, most of the techniques here were difficult to fathom and appeared to be haphazardly put together.
Those that weren't haphazardly constructed lacked sophistication and were priced exorbitantly.
After strolling around for a while, Chen Fei's initial interest gradually waned, and eventually, he lost all enthusiasm.
After some thought, Chen Fei decided to leave the Black City District.
Wandering aimlessly here was less interesting than going back and chatting with Chi Shuqing, which promised to be more entertaining.
Just past noon, Chen Fei walked out of the city gates of the Black City District.
In the distance, Dai Fangxuan and Miao Qisheng had been waiting for quite some time..