The wilderness was even more dangerous at night than during the day.
Even with the aid of the Concealing Breath and Concealing Trace Technique, Lü Zhong remained on high alert. He kept his Qi Observation Skill active at all tis, wary of any potential dangers.
While crossing the barren plains, he discovered will-o’-wisps drifting about.
They were densely packed—hundreds, if not thousands, of them visible at a single glance.
’What happened here to create so many will-o’-wisps?’
Lü Zhong was secretly alard. The barren plains, so unremarkable by day, had transford into a veritable Ghost Realm by night. It clearly held so significant secrets.
He committed this to mory and continued on his way.
Before long, the abandoned settlent was in sight.
He didn’t rush in recklessly. If Lin Zhongze had indeed co here, he had likely already discovered the two dead bodies and might have set up defenses.
The best option was to wait outside.
Pushing more Spiritual Power into the technique, Lü Zhong did his best to enhance the effects of his Qi Observation Skill.
Unexpectedly, there was no sign of life in the settlent.
’Could it be that he didn’t co here?’
Just then, a figure ca sprinting from the direction of the Workshop Market. It was none other than Lin Zhongze.
For so reason, despite having left the city earlier, he was only just now arriving.
’Good, he’s here!’ Lü Zhong thought, hiding by the side of the road.
He had already taken out his Green Frost Sword, its blade wrapped in a grey cloth to prevent the moonlight from glinting off the tal.
His aura was now nearly nonexistent, his presence reduced to that of a clod of dirt by the roadside.
He lay in wait, anticipating an opportunity.
...
Lin Zhongze was not in a calm state of mind.
Setting aside the fact that he had just run into a Ghost Wall...
To this day, he still couldn’t figure out how Lü Zhong had dealt with the Red Lake Assassin without getting a scratch on him. To make matters worse, Lü Zhong had seen right through his plot to hire the assassin. None of it made any sense.
’The only option now is to hire an Iron Token Assassin...’ Lin Zhongze felt a pang of regret at the thought.
Still, if it ant he could finally get rid of Lü Zhong and vent his frustration, it would be worth it.
Looking ahead, the sprawling ruins of the settlent were now in plain view.
Lin Zhongze subconsciously touched the Evil Exorcism Talisman in his robe. Seeing no reaction, he felt safe enough to continue forward.
Suddenly, alarm bells went off in his head. ’This is bad,’ he thought.
In the next instant, an azure Sword Slash erupted violently.
Just then, a Jade Token on Lin Zhongze’s person activated automatically.
It was a Life-saving Jade Token, a gift from his clan’s ancestor upon his departure. It could activate on its own when he was in danger, forming a Spiritual Shield capable of blocking a single Magical Artifact attack.
However,
Following behind the Sword Slash was a massive Fireball.
The Lower-grade Magical Artifact, Green Frost Sword, and the Fireball Talisman struck one after the other. They slamd heavily into the surface of the Spiritual Shield, and at the very mont of impact, the shield shattered into countless fragnts.
A look of utter shock covered Lin Zhongze’s face as he saw a figure lunging toward him.
Lü Zhong’s plan was simple: rely on the close-combat power of the Late Sun Sword Skill to kill Lin Zhongze with a lightning-fast assault before he could react.
Otherwise, as a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator fighting soone at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, a prolonged battle would surely lead to his defeat.
Syllables of a spell poured from his lips as faint blue sword phantoms materialized in both his left and right hands.
SWISH! SWISH! Both strikes hit nothing but air.
Lin Zhongze was truly a Loose Cultivator seasoned by years of adventuring in the wilderness. Even though he had been caught completely off guard, his body reacted without a mont’s hesitation. In a flash, he made the correct move, narrowly dodging the attacks aid at his heart and abdon.
Tumbling across the ground for several rotations, he was about to take out his Magical Artifact to retaliate.
But to his surprise, another two slashes ca right at him!
The Spiritual Light of the Magic Skill bathed the surroundings in an azure glow, so bright it was almost blinding.
Lin Zhongze was horrified. ’How can there be a Magic Skill in this world with such a fast casting speed?’
Helpless, he could only continue to roll away.
But just as he did, his hip slamd into sothing hard.
’A rock? The heavens want dead!’
THUD!
Two Sword Slashes fell, and a head tumbled to the ground.
Lü Zhong felt a surge of adrenaline. That last exchange had been far too intense; a slightly slower reaction could have led to a completely different outco. Thankfully, he had managed to behead Lin Zhongze.
His objective was accomplished. He could finally sleep soundly tonight.
Looting the corpse and then using the Fireball Skill to destroy the evidence—he completed the tasks in one smooth motion.
Without lingering for another mont, he turned and headed back toward the Workshop Market.
...
The late autumn sun was still fiercely hot.
Lü Zhong slept until the afternoon, only then slowly waking from his slumber.
Having dealt with the weight on his mind, his ntal state was better than ever.
In high spirits, he made himself a al of Cured Pork Spirit Rice. After enjoying it, he began his daily routine of Qi Refining and ditation. Cultivation required perseverance; there was no room for even the slightest bit of slacking off.
After cultivating for so long, Lü Zhong could already touch the threshold of the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, but he still couldn’t break through that final barrier and advance.
The difference between the Qi Refining Third Layer and the Qi Refining Fourth Layer was a watershed for Loose Cultivators.
The forr were considered the lowest rung of the Cultivation Realm, rarely given a second glance no matter where they went.
The latter, however, were different. A Loose Cultivator who reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer proved they weren’t completely useless. They had either mastered a trade to support themselves or possessed talent and a disposition beyond the ordinary.
Either way, they were considered a cultivator with potential.
At this stage, Loose Cultivators would usually choose to beco a Tributor for a shop, join a Sect as an Outer Disciple, or marry into a clan’s branch family to escape the rootless, wandering life.
Very few chose to remain Loose Cultivators.
He hadn’t made up his mind yet and decided to think about it after he broke through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
As for how to break through, Lü Zhong wasn’t completely without ideas.
’I can either grind it out slowly, or rely on external forces to break through, like Spiritual Food or Pills...’
Thinking of this, Lü Zhong got out of bed, preparing to head out.
But first, he had to take stock of the loot he had gotten from Lin Zhongze.
Lin Zhongze had a Storage Bag. Its internal space was only about a foot wide, but it was packed with items. It was clearly his entire fortune, which was typical for most Loose Cultivators who carried all their possessions with them.
Fourteen Spirit Stones;
Sixteen Cleaning Talismans;
One Lower-grade Magical Artifact with minimal wear;
Besides those were so miscellaneous items, such as an empty Pill Bottle, a small jar filled with a foul-slling, unknown liquid, a pale animal bone of unknown use, and so on.
’The Storage Bag could probably sell for one hundred Spirit Stones, and the Fla Spear too. Adding the Spirit Stones I found, that’s an inco of over two hundred Spirit Stones at least.’ Lü Zhong couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath as he calculated.
It just went to show: the greatest windfalls ca from one’s fellow cultivators.
The haul was so large that it would have taken him half a year of Talisman Making to earn this many Spirit Stones.
Forcibly suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, Lü Zhong placed the fourteen Spirit Stones into his own Storage Bag, then walked out of his bedroom and toward the courtyard gate.
Because it happened to be a market day, the streets were quite crowded.
Compared to before, the flow of people in Qingliu Square was increasing, showing signs of prosperity.
From this, it was clear that the Five Spirits Sect was indeed doing a better job of managing the Workshop Market than the Qingyang Sect.
And not just a little better, but leagues better.
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