Startled, Jian Xiaolou hurried over and looked up at Zhan Tianxiang, perched in a tree.
"Are you okay?!"
Coughing, Zhan Tianxiang struggled to reply. "I'm fine… just give me a moment." It took a long while for him to muster enough strength to climb down from the branches. When he finally landed, he stumbled and nearly fell again. "What about you? Are you hurt?"
Jian Xiaolou shook her head and lowered her voice. "I'm sorry. That was reckless of me."
Zhan Tianxiang wiped the blood from his nose with a handkerchief, managing a smile. "Don't lose heart. Let me catch my breath, and we'll continue practicing."
"You're in no shape to continue!" His nonchalant attitude only deepened her guilt.
"The more challenging the technique, the more rewarding it is once mastered. Someone as clever as you will surely succeed with a few more tries." He pulled a small blanket from his storage pouch, spreading it on the ground under the tree. Sitting cross-legged, he began to meditate. "If this technique works as you say, mastering it will significantly enhance your survival abilities. It's worth the effort."
Seeing his determination, Jian Xiaolou felt refusing him would only appear insincere. She quietly etched his dedication into her memory.
"Fine, we can continue, but you must wear that crystal armor of yours."
Zhan Tianxiang hesitated, knowing that wearing it would only transfer the pain to her. But seeing her resolute expression, he asked teasingly, "Last time, you mentioned my soul-crystal armor was a valuable treasure. If you break it, will you compensate me?"
Caught off guard, Jian Xiaolou muttered awkwardly, "Selling myself wouldn't cover it."
He chuckled. "Alright then, let's continue…"
"This time, I'll go easy," she said, embarrassed.
Three months later.
For 112 nights, the two trained in the secluded forest beneath Dragon Prison Mountain.
Though Jian Xiaolou improved her invisibility technique, her efforts with the Fusion Technique yielded no progress. Meanwhile, Zhan Tianxiang's resilience had grown remarkably. Where he once flew several meters upon impact, he now merely staggered a few steps backward.
He figured he could soon brawl bare-chested with a second-rank beast without fear.
It was hard to tell who was really helping whom in their training sessions.
Jian Xiaolou, however, grew disheartened. She'd mastered rudimentary gravitational spells by practicing The Earth Treasury Sutra, yet her relentless efforts on the Fusion Technique seemed wasted. With the Advancement Tournament approaching, she decided to focus entirely on its preparation and set the Fusion Technique aside.
The city of Fuguang was now bustling, far livelier than when the Fire Refining Sect had opened its gates for disciples.
Among the three major continents of Dongxian—Yunzhou, Changzhou, and Yingzhou—only the Heaven's Will Alliance could issue six-star and above appraisals. Appraisals below six-star were handled by specific sects: for Yunzhou, it was the Fire Refining Sect. Thus, artifact refiners across the continent had to pass the Fire Refining Sect's Advancement Tournament to earn a star crystal rank.
The influx included not only artifact refiners but also cultivators seeking artifacts. With refiners from all over Yunzhou showcasing their most prized creations, it was a rare opportunity for seekers to find treasures.
Unsurprisingly, impromptu black-market trade fairs emerged in secluded corners of the city, becoming a customary practice during such grand events.
Jian Xiaolou learned of this through Yue Ze and now accompanied him to the black market's Foundation Establishment area.
Contrary to her expectations, the cultivators here did not mask themselves or conduct shady dealings. Most openly revealed their faces, conducting trades in the light of day. After several rounds of browsing, she came across some tempting items.
One caught her eye at a young male cultivator's stall: a three-compartment beast pouch.
This type of pouch, crafted by artifact refiners and commonly used by beast tamers, was typically of mid-grade human quality with only one compartment for a single spirit beast. A three-compartment pouch was exceedingly rare, requiring a special formation to forge. It could house three beasts simultaneously, each in its own section.
Jian Xiaolou wanted to buy it as a gift for her eldest sister and was even prepared to borrow spirit stones from Yue Ze. However, the stall owner refused to sell, insisting on a trade for an item of equal value.
With nothing of worth except two cultivation manuals gifted by Zenlingzi, she had no choice but to leave.
As she turned away, someone behind her picked up the pouch. "I'll trade this shark pearl for it."
Jian Xiaolou froze mid-step.
Shark pearls, formed from the tears of second-rank North Sea merfolk when they fall in love, were uniquely precious. Each merperson only ever produced one pearl in their lifetime.
But it wasn't the pearl that surprised her—it was the voice. Turning around, she saw a familiar figure: her eldest sister's former fiancé, Liang Yan. Her expression darkened immediately. She had not forgotten or forgiven the Liang family's betrayal, the annulled engagement, and the injury inflicted on her father.
Liang Yan noticed her too and offered a faint smile. "Xiaolou, I heard you've joined the Fire Refining Sect. I was hoping to run into you here."
Jian Xiaolou cut straight to the point, her gaze sharp as a blade. "The value of a shark pearl far exceeds that of this pouch. Why would you trade it?"
"I saw you were interested in it earlier, so I thought I'd exchange it for you." His tone softened as he added, "I know you want it for Xiaochai."
Jian Xiaolou sneered. "If my sister knew it came from you, she'd throw it away."
Liang Yan sighed lightly. "Then don't tell her."
"Do you think we're so poor we need charity from you?" she snapped, her disdain palpable.
Liang Yan lowered his gaze. "It's not charity; I just want to make amends, Xiaolou..."
"Stop calling me 'Xiaolou.' I wouldn't dare acknowledge a 'brother' from a fifth-tier family like yours."
Her scornful words drew a flicker of helplessness in his eyes.
Liang Yan wasn't evil. Growing up, he had been kind, gentle, and doted on Jian Xiaolou more than his own siblings. Yet, when his family severed ties with hers, he neither resisted nor apologized. His spinelessness left a bitter taste in her mouth, and even her sister had come to despise him for his lack of resolve.
Their heated exchange was interrupted by the stall owner. "I'm not interested in trading my pouch for a shark pearl. If you're here to argue, take it elsewhere—I've got business to run."
Both Liang Yan and Jian Xiaolou were stunned by the remark.
Even the vendor at the adjacent stall couldn't help but mutter, "Is this guy an idiot? A shark pearl's worth at least five times that pouch!"
Liang Yan withdrew the pearl silently, his expression unreadable. "Then, what would you like in exchange?"
The stall owner, a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a dazed look, propped his chin on his palm and sighed. "I came to Fuguang City for the Advancement Tournament, so naturally, I'm interested in a spirit artifact."
Without hesitation, Liang Yan retrieved a dual-ring weapon from his storage pouch. "What about this submother ring?"
The stall owner barely glanced at the intricately crafted weapon, a low-tier Earth-grade artifact. With a bored tone, he replied, "Not interested."
Gasps rippled through the surrounding crowd.
Even the nearby alchemy stall owner couldn't contain himself. "Are you out of your mind? A measly human-grade beast pouch isn't worth half of that!"
Jian Xiaolou's curiosity piqued. The stall owner's dismissive attitude toward such a high-grade artifact intrigued her. For someone at the early Foundation Establishment stage, a weapon like that was beyond luxurious.
"What are you holding out for? It's just a three-compartment beast pouch. It's not like it's a treasure," she remarked, her skepticism evident.
Before the stall owner could respond, a sultry voice chimed in. "300 mid-grade spirit stones. That's my offer."
The group turned to see a stunning woman clad in a flowing emerald gown, her face partially veiled in lavender silk. Her every movement exuded a seductive charm.
Liang Yan blinked in surprise. "Biru? What are you doing here?"
Jian Xiaolou's eyes narrowed as she recognized the name. Zhao Biru—heiress of the Zhao family from White Cloud City and Liang Yan's current fiancée. Though they had only met once during childhood, the mention of her name brought back unpleasant memories.
Zhao Biru, ignoring the others, gave the stall owner a dismissive glance. "Three hundred mid-grade spirit stones for this pouch. Take it and buy yourself a decent spirit artifact."
The sum caused another stir among the onlookers.
"Three hundred mid-grade spirit stones for a human-grade pouch? That's daylight robbery!"
"Is she just trying to show off her wealth?"
Liang Yan frowned. "Biru, that's too much."
Zhao Biru's almond-shaped eyes flitted to Jian Xiaolou before a smug smile curved her lips. "Oh, it's a bit pricey, I admit. But considering how used goods were clinging to you for years, spending a little extra feels worth it. A small price to pay, really."
Her words made Jian Xiaolou's blood boil. She had already intended to walk away, unwilling to waste time on their antics. But Zhao Biru's comment struck a nerve, prompting her to spin back around.
"Who are you calling used goods?" she shot back, her voice sharp.
The crowd, unaware of the trio's tangled history, began whispering amongst themselves. Many assumed it was a love triangle—an entertaining spectacle in the otherwise somber black market.
When they noticed Jian Xiaolou was only at Qi Refinement Stage Five, the consensus quickly shifted to pity. A Qi Refinement cultivator daring to challenge a Foundation Establishment one? The odds were abysmal.
Zhao Biru glanced down at Jian Xiaolou, her eyes filled with condescension. "Am I wrong? You've clung to him for years, even after your family was discarded. Isn't that the definition of being used and discarded?"
Liang Yan immediately interjected. "Biru, that's enough!"
But Jian Xiaolou's temper was already aflame. "Better to be used than to live as a puppet with no will of her own. Tell me, how does it feel to marry into a family knowing you're nothing but a bargaining chip?"
Zhao Biru's face darkened, her seductive charm replaced with cold fury.
"Little girl, I'll let you off this time because you're pitifully weak. But watch your mouth, or I won't be so kind."
The surrounding cultivators, sensing a potential conflict, retreated slightly. Some prepared defensive techniques, wary of being caught in the crossfire.
Jian Xiaolou raised her chin defiantly. "Weak? Perhaps. But even if I'm not as strong as you, I refuse to crawl like a dog for scraps, unlike some people."
The tension in the air thickened. A storm was brewing, and neither woman seemed willing to back down.