Massive beams of Spiritual Light descended from the sky, ignoring Cuihu Island’s Guardian Array and slamming into the buildings below.
BOOM!
A deafening roar echoed in all directions.
One building after another collapsed.
The hard-paved streets were torn open, and countless people scattered in a panic.
No one had expected the Yunjing Commerce Association to launch such a sudden attack on Cuihu Island’s Xiangg Family.
In an instant, the entirety of Cuihu Island descended into chaos.
Situations like this always attracted looters and opportunists, throwing the entire Marketplace into even greater turmoil.
The Xiangg Family was already running its Guardian Array at full power, but since the array had been set up by the Yunjing Commerce Association in the first place, it only held for a moment before shattering. Dozens of Dao Foundation Cultivators then descended from the sky to storm Cuihu Island.
"Hand over Tang Yuanshan!"
"Or we’ll exterminate your entire clan!"
The roars were like thunder.
"He’s not here!" Xiangg Jiang roared.
"Yunjing Commerce Association, you’ve gone too far! Do you really want a fight to the death with our Xiangg Family?"
"A fight to the death?" A Yann Family Dao Foundation Cultivator snorted with contempt.
"Are you even worthy?"
"Kill them!"
He waved his hand and shouted,
"Leave no one alive!"
The Xiangg Family may have been a local power, but the Yunjing Commerce Association’s fame stretched across the East Sea. The Yann Family alone, just one faction within the Commerce Association, was enough to crush them. The two sides were simply not in the same league.
In just a few short moments, amid flashes of Sword Light and surges of Spiritual Light, members of the Xiangg Family who couldn’t escape in time were struck down and killed.
"AHH!"
Xiangg Jiang roared in fury.
"I’ll take you all down with me!"
SWISH!
A streak of light shot out from behind his head, transforming into a gigantic, monstrous claw that lunged forward.
As the monstrous claw soared, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi roiled around it. A radiant glow, covering a vast area, instantly enveloped a Dao Foundation Cultivator.
SQUELCH!
With a single pounce and a single tear,
the Dao Foundation Cultivator was ripped to shreds. His Protective Spiritual Light and Magical Artifact were forcefully shattered, and he was utterly, irrevocably dead.
A Magical Treasure!
The Azure Dragon Claw!
This claw was refined from the foreleg of a Tier Two Perfection Flood Dragon and had been nurtured for centuries by generations of Xiangg Family Dao Foundation Cultivators.
When the claw struck,
the misty Qi permeating Cuihu Island rapidly coalesced upon it, transforming into several lifelike Flood Dragons.
The Flood Dragons pounced on the Dao Foundation Cultivators, and none could stand against them.
"A Magical Treasure?"
Yann Weiran grunted.
"As if my Yann Family would lack one."
Before his voice faded, a long halberd materialized in mid-air, unleashing a sky-filling radiant glow as it flew to meet the Azure Dragon Claw.
The Water God Halberd!
BOOM!
The clash between the two Magical Treasures instantly stirred up a torrential Qi Force. The lake water erupted, creating heaven-shaking waves.
The power was terrifying!
Zhu Ju, watching this from afar, wore a grave expression. He flashed away, retreating toward the outer edge of the conflict.
The quality of the Yann and Xiangg Families’ Magical Treasures could only be described as average, but in the hands of Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivators, their power was utterly terrifying.
At the very least...
’I’m afraid my Five-Colored Divine Light couldn’t suppress that.’
’It seems the power of a Magical Treasure is tied to the strength of its wielder. A Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator can unleash far more of its might.’
’And judging from the aftermath of that collision, the Yann Family’s Patriarch is clearly stronger and has a higher Cultivation than the Xiangg Family’s Patriarch.’
"Brother Zhu!"
Just then, a familiar voice called out from nearby. Dong Ping flashed over and landed before him, a smile on her face.
"What a coincidence. I can’t believe I ran into Brother Zhu here."
"It is a coincidence," Zhu Ju sighed lightly.
"What’s all this about?"
"Master Tang, the Yann Family’s Guest Minister and the Commerce Association’s only Tier Two High Grade Array Master, has escaped," Dong Ping said, her expression complicated.
"The last place Master Tang was seen was right here on Cuihu Island."
"Master Tang personally arranged the array on Cuihu Island. He likely left a backdoor, which is how he managed to slip past the Commerce Association."
"Master Tang..." Zhu Ju frowned.
"Such a coincidence?"
Tang Yuanshan was the Yunjing Commerce Association’s only Tier Two High Grade Array Master, and he possessed the Array Maps for the Commerce Association’s own arrays.
His importance to the Commerce Association was self-evident.
If the Array Maps were to leak after his escape, the consequences would be unimaginable. It was perfectly normal for the Commerce Association to react so furiously.
But...
it was all too coincidental.
’Master Tang escaping, the auction happening to sell a Core Formation Spiritual Object, the Profound Ice Flame, and the Yann Family suddenly making their move...’
’And the Void Bone that Yann Nanshuang had him ’deliver’ to Master Tang not long ago... It all felt like it was part of a plan.’
"Brother Zhu,"
Dong Ping said, her pretty eyes twinkling,
"if you’re not planning to go to the Marketplace to look for opportunities, why don’t you join me in guarding this opening? The Commerce Association will provide a reward after this is all over."
"Hee hee..."
"Don’t even think about ignoring this. As a Guest Minister of the Yann Family, you’re not an outsider, you know."
"You jest," Zhu Ju replied, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Where are we guarding?"
"Over there!" Dong Ping pointed.
"We check the identities of everyone passing through and make sure Master Tang isn’t hiding among them. It’s an easy job."
*
*
*
Cuihu Island’s array had been completely shattered, replaced by beams of radiant light descending from the sky.
The radiant beams linked together, gradually enveloping the entirety of Cuihu Island.
Once the array closed and sealed completely, everyone inside would be like turtles in a jar for the Yunjing Commerce Association.
However, Cuihu Island was a vast area, and completely sealing it off couldn’t be accomplished in a short time.
Those who sensed that things were going badly had already begun to flee.
Of course,
the chaos in the Marketplace was the perfect opportunity for looting. Many Cultivators went against the flow, rushing into the Marketplace in search of profit.
If their luck was good,
the risks taken today could allow them to live comfortably for several years without having to lift a finger.
"I heard the Fang Family found a buyer for that Core Formation Spiritual Object, the Profound Ice Flame. To avoid giving anyone grounds for complaint, the Fang Family intended to complete the deal at the auction," Dong Ping said, her arms crossed, a wry smile on her face.
"But then..."
"this whole mess happened. The auction descended into chaos, and now who knows who ended up with the item."
"Hm?" Zhu Ju said.
"Are you saying the Yann Family deliberately stirred up this chaos so they could get their hands on that Core Formation Spiritual Object?"
’The Fang Family has no use for the Profound Ice Flame, but they were unwilling to sell it to the Yann Family. After all, the Yann Family was already the dominant force in the Commerce Association.’
’If the Yann Family were to produce another Golden Core Cultivator, the Fang Family would be forced to live under their shadow within the Commerce Association for the next several hundred years.’
’But not selling it,’
’wasn’t an option either; they couldn’t just hold on to the hot potato forever.’
’Thus, they decided to auction off the Profound Ice Flame. They just never expected the Yann Family to be even more ruthless and find a direct pretext to attack Cuihu Island.’
"I never said that."
Dong Ping shook her head.
"It’s true that Master Tang escaped. The Commerce Association has mobilized everyone. They won’t rest until he’s found."
"Halt!"
Her voice rose as she descended in a streak of light, blocking a merchant ship that was about to leave Cuihu Island. She shouted,
"I am a Circulation Envoy of the Yunjing Commerce Association! I am searching all passing ships. Lower your vessel’s array and let me search."
"Elder..." The ship’s captain looked panicked, but he didn’t dare to disobey. He could only stop the vessel and open up its array.
"Elder, we’re from the Nan Family of Shuiling Island. We’re honest merchants and never cause any trouble."
"Did I say you did?" Dong Ping rolled her eyes as her vast Divine Thought swept over the merchant ship.
"I don’t see any problems. However, just to be safe, pull over to the side and wait. You can leave after this business is over."
"Elder..." The captain’s face paled. Then, gritting his teeth, he took out a storage pouch and offered it up.
"The Nan Family has always been honest, and we have urgent family business to attend to. Could you possibly be lenient and let us pass?"
"We would be eternally grateful!"
Dong Ping raised an eyebrow. She beckoned the storage pouch into her hand and swept her Divine Thought across it. A smile instantly blossomed on her face.
"At least you know how things work."
"Go on, then!"
With a wave of her hand, she let them pass.
"Thank you, Elder! Thank you, Elder!" The captain was endlessly grateful, thanking her again and again as he ordered his crew to depart.
As she watched the merchant ship depart, Dong Ping took out a few Middle Grade Spirit Stones from the storage pouch and tossed them to Zhu Ju.
"We split it."
"Middle Grade Spirit Stones..." Zhu Ju sighed.
"This is certainly a fast way to make money."
No wonder so many Cultivators were willing to become Tribulation Cultivators. The rewards from a simple toll were so generous.
"Don’t think I’m taking advantage of you," Dong Ping said, narrowing her eyes.
"That ship’s cargo hold was piled high with goods. I refuse to believe it was all theirs. And they were in such a hurry to leave... it’d be a miracle if there wasn’t something shady going on."
"Taking a little on the side is nothing."
"True," Zhu Ju nodded.
"’If the water is too clear, there will be no fish.’ Still, aren’t you afraid you might have let Master Tang get away?"
"Heh..." Dong Ping shook her head.
"The Yann Family placed a special mark on Tang Yuanshan. There’s no way he could hide on a merchant ship like that to escape."
"Besides!"
"If even the Yann Family can’t find him, what chance do we have of discovering him?"
’That’s true!’
’The Yann Family must have used numerous measures to prevent Tang Yuanshan from escaping, yet none of them worked. A common detection Secret Technique would certainly struggle to see through his disguise.’
BOOM!
As they spoke, a nearby merchant ship suddenly exploded. A streak of light shot out from the wreckage, its occupant holding a bulging storage pouch and laughing maniacally.
"Fellow Daoist Guu?"
"Guu Xinglan!"
They both exclaimed at the same time.
"That guy is getting more and more unhinged," Dong Ping said, her brow deeply furrowed.
"Sooner or later, he’s going to get himself killed by someone."
"Fellow Daoist Guu has already advanced to the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation. I must admit, it’s enviable," Zhu Ju said, rubbing his chin.
"But demanding Spirit Stones is one thing; killing the ordinary crew members on board is going too far."
"Hmph!" Dong Ping scoffed.
"His advancement to the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation came at a price. That elixir might have granted him sixty years’ worth of Cultivation, but it also shaved decades off his lifespan. Even if you handed me one of those Spiritual Elixirs and Medicines, I wouldn’t use it."
Hm?
Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.
’So that was it!’
’Guu Xinglan had only told him that it increased his Cultivation by sixty years; he never mentioned the side effect of a shortened lifespan.’
’It made sense, though.’
’If a single elixir could increase a Dao Foundation Cultivator’s Cultivation by sixty years, what grade would such a pill have to be?’
’It was only natural for it to have a flaw.’
"Elder, have mercy!"
"We are Cultivators from the Tao Family of Xiaoye Island! We have no connection to the Xiangg Family of Cuihu Island! We beg you to show mercy, Elder!"
?
Zhu Ju’s eyebrows shot up. With a flash, he rushed forward.
"The Tao Family?"
Guu Xinglan’s eyes were bloodshot and his heart was filled with greed. He swept his Divine Thought downward, sensing more than ten storage pouches.
"I don’t care what Tao Family you’re from! Today is my lucky day, and everything here is mine!"
"Die!"
SWOOSH!
A streak of Sword Light shot out, slashing straight toward the ship below.
HUMMM...
The ship’s inherent array rippled, but under the assault of a Dao Foundation Cultivator, it was instantly on the verge of collapse.
The Tao Family didn’t even have a Dao Foundation Cultivator, and their array was merely Tier One Early Stage; it was impossible for it to withstand an attack from a Dao Foundation Cultivator.
Seeing that the array was about to be shattered, Tao Caiwei and the others had faces full of despair.
Just then,
TING...
a flash of a blade appeared, blocking the Sword Light.
"Fellow Daoist Guu,"
Zhu Ju appeared nearby, cupping one fist in his other hand.
"We meet again."
"Zhu Ju!" Guu Xinglan spun around, his eyes crimson and his face savage, all traces of his former affable nature gone.
"Are you trying to stop me?"
"Brother Guu," Zhu Ju frowned.
"I have a bit of a connection with the merchant ship below. Could you do me a favor and let them leave?"
"Hmph!" Guu Xinglan snorted contemptuously.
"You want me to give you face?"
"Are you even worthy?"
As he spoke, the light from the Flying Sword in his hand flared intensely.
"That’s enough!" Dong Ping had also flown over, and she shouted coldly,
"Guu, you’re slaughtering the innocent. Do you really think the Commerce Association will just look the other way?"
"Or do you want us to report everything you’re doing? I’m sure the Commerce Association will bring you to justice then!"
"You?" Guu Xinglan’s eyebrows shot up. His gaze darted between the two of them, and his expression grew even more savage.
"No wonder my advances toward you all these years have gone unanswered. It turns out you already had someone you love."
"Fine!"
"Just fine!"
He gave the two of them a long, hard look, then formed a seal for his Sword Formulas and shot up into the sky.
"Zhu, just you wait!"
"Dong Ping!"
"And after all these years I’ve spent pining for you! Whatever connection we had is over now!"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter