"It's precisely because things are about to get chaotic that there are more people around. When the two sides fight, business booms!"
From the perspective of a marketplace rchant, Wang Rongsheng's response was quite intriguing.
"Besides, Gu Shen Sect is also a mber of the Immortal Alliance. They won't plunder the shops or rogue cultivators of Hidden Dragon Market. What they want is control over Golden Wall Cliff and Hidden Dragon Market itself."
Yulou remained silent. It made sense, but it felt a bit too much like walking on the edge of a blade.
"Then isn't it dangerous for us to stay here?" Yu'an asked, feeling a bit anxious.
Pacing anxiously for a few steps, Wang Rongsheng looked at the two young n and cursed.
"That's why I said that fat bastard Hongi is a scoundrel!"
He pulled several talismans from his robes and handed them to Yulou and his brother.
"You are Hongi's disciples, so I won't curse him too much in front of you. Here, this is my welco gift to you as your clan uncle—two Golden Light Torrent Talismans for each of you."
Accepting the talismans from their clan uncle, Yulou listened as the older man gave his instructions.
"Go hide in the Golden Light Pavilion in the center of the marketplace. Behind the Golden Light Pavilion is a Foundation Establishnt senior from the Immortal Alliance. Even if Gu Shen Sect actually attacks, they wouldn't dare violate that place!"
Wang Rongsheng's arrangents could not be considered anything less than cautious.
"Master told us to wait for him here. Clan Uncle, what about that?" Yulou asked.
"It's just hiding for half a day. They might not even start fighting today. What if you get lucky?"
"What if?"
Yulou noticed that his clan uncle's choice of words was rather ominous.
Wang Rongsheng grated his teeth. Rembering that Yulou and Yu'an belonged to the direct lineage of the Wang Clan, he transmitted his voice to them.
"You don't know this, but last night I just sold a batch of talismans to the people from Gu Shen Sect. When I crossed the river to deliver the goods, their camp had significantly more people than usual. Purchasing talismans in such an ergency from our Wang Clan is highly likely to fill the holes left by their previous embezzlent. It's very probable that the fighting will start within the next day or two!"
Yulou was exasperated. The Wang Clan truly lived up to its reputation; they actually had connections like this. Miaofeng Mountain was about to clash with Gu Shen Sect, yet the Wang Clan was making a fortune from the war. This was wild, absolutely wild!
"Clan Uncle, we will head to the Golden Light Pavilion right now. If nothing goes wrong, we'll return this afternoon."
Hearing Yulou's words, Wang Rongsheng, as a local figure, gave a knowing smile and said, "Mm, Hongi might also be at the Golden Light Pavilion right now. Just go with peace of mind. I'm not close to him, but every ti he cos, the Golden Light Pavilion always gets a new batch of spiritual artifacts."
The Wang Clan was selling talismans to Gu Shen Sect, while Hongi was fencing spiritual artifacts in the marketplace. Yulou was now certain that the Wunan stage was only for those with true tricks up their sleeves. To secure resources for their cultivation base, everyone was dancing right on the edge of the Immortal Alliance's rules.
The Golden Light Pavilion was nad after the golden light of Hidden Dragon Market, and with a backing within the Immortal Alliance, it was naturally exceptionally grand. In the cramped Hidden Dragon Market, it occupied the pri location right at the center, specializing primarily in spiritual artifacts and various cultivation thods.
Worried about being caught up in the chaos of war, Yulou did not delay after entering the Golden Light Pavilion. He went straight to the head clerk to inquire if his master was indeed here.
"You are Fellow Daoist Hongi's disciples? How co I haven't heard of him taking any disciples?"
The head clerk scrutinized Yulou with deep skepticism, but in the end, he still went to report. He did not think two minor cultivators at the Qi Induction realm would dare to casually claim a false relationship. Hongi only ca to the Golden Light Pavilion once every few months, a fact known only to those who paid close attention. Regardless of whether these two boys were truly Hongi's disciples, they had to treat the matter with so importance.
"Why did you two co here?"
Seeing his two disciples, Hongi was sowhat surprised. Yulou relayed Wang Rongsheng's assessnt to his master.
Hongi knitted his trademark eyebrows and said, "I'll take you away right now!"
However, the manager of the Golden Light Pavilion stopped them.
"Fellow Daoist Hongi, don't be in such a hurry. Gu Shen Sect cannot possibly send a Foundation Establishnt cultivator here. It will be very difficult for them to break through the grand array of Hidden Dragon Market. Miaofeng Mountain has held Hidden Dragon Market for over a century, and this grand array has already withstood four sieges. Moreover, you know the Foundation Establishnt senior behind our Golden Light Pavilion. Even if Gu Shen Sect breaks in, they wouldn't have the courage to cause trouble for us. Just focus on artifact refining for us; there are still two upper-grade spiritual artifacts that haven't been crafted yet."
The manager was all smiles, and the reasons he provided were perfectly logical, but his words made it clear that he had no intention of letting Hongi leave. Even though the situation was perilous, he gave Hongi no face, even using the pending paynts as a veiled threat.
Hongi negotiated with him for a long ti, but in the end, with a dark expression, he could only lead his two disciples back to the artifact refining furnace of the Golden Light Pavilion.
"How dare that wretched scoundrel insult like this!"
He cursed aggressively, thoroughly insulting the ancestors of the Golden Light Pavilion's manager, before saying with guilt, "Senior Xianmao instructed not to expose you to danger, but I didn't expect Gu Shen Sect to attack Hidden Dragon Market again, dragging you into this."
Yulou swiftly stoked the peach-wood spiritual charcoal, replying without raising his head, "Master, although your cultivation base is profound and few Qi Refining cultivators can best you, you are about to attempt Foundation Establishnt soon. For now, stability should be your main priority. Our only option is to quickly refine the remaining two spiritual artifacts and leave this place of trouble as soon as possible."
Blaming Hongi now was useless. Hongi couldn't have known when Gu Shen Sect would attack Hidden Dragon Market. He had brought the Yulou brothers out to teach them the artificing path out of goodwill. Completing the work early and leaving smoothly after settling the account without offending the Golden Light Pavilion was the best course of action.
Yulou was incredibly sensible, prompting Hongi to smile through his frustration. "Good. The spiritual artifact to be refined this ti has thirty-two layers of restrictions. It's custom-made for a cultivator with a single fire spirit root. You two can take a good look to see what makes it special."
Thirty-two layers of restrictions? Yulou and Yu'an understood exactly what that implied. The Mirror Silver Golden Thread Shield didn't even have thirty layers of restrictions, yet it required four base materials, including an eighth-grade base material. Thirty-two layers would require at least five base materials. The more base materials involved, the higher the probability of the refinent failing spectacularly.
"Who commissioned it? Not many people can afford this kind of upper-grade spiritual artifact, right?"
Tossing the base materials into the refining furnace, Hongi explained to his disciples, "Probably so rogue cultivator. Only they would co to Hidden Dragon Market to seek out the Golden Light Pavilion for a custom order, fearing they'd be fleeced if they entered a regular market town like Clear Stream Market."
The force behind the Golden Light Pavilion was a prominent figure in the Immortal Alliance, whom even the Ten Sects could not control!
"Doesn't Clear Stream Market also welco rogue cultivators to spend their wealth?" Yulou knew exactly what that wretched dog Lao Gui did. Lao Gui's Beast dicine Shop was practically the premier guesthouse for rogue cultivators within a radius of several hundred kiloters around Clear Stream Market.
"Hmph, Clear Stream Market welcos them, and Gao Jian and that man nad Mu welco them even more. What rogue cultivators fear are the people from the major sects and prominent clans in those regular market towns."
Right, right. Thinking of Gao Jian and his new master Mu Changze, Yulou understood instantly. Mu Changze was a legendary character capable of diluting water with more water! Even rogue cultivators were disgusted by such a person.
"Boom!"
A massive sonic boom echoed from outside, startling Hongi to the point that he almost caused the base materials in the furnace to explode. Imdiately following was a furious roar.
"Jiuqu! Co out and et your death!"
Yulou and Yu'an already realized what was happening, but their portly master rely smiled with composed disdain.
"What a wretched world. Whatever you fear most is exactly what cos! Once I reach Foundation Establishnt, I will definitely settle this account with the Golden Light Pavilion thoroughly!"
Many years later, Yu'an would always rember Hongi's mocking smile inside the Golden Light Pavilion on this consecutive afternoon. The cruelest aspect of fate is that it never allows those involved to escape just because they wish to.
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