Chapter 36: Are You Truly Trying to Harm Me?

The route had reopened!

Shen Lian immediately focused on this piece of information from Weng Xia’s message.

The sudden good news left him a bit dazed.

He had just stocked up on so many resources, ready to plunge into the wild mountains for a cultivator’s version of wilderness survival, when suddenly, the way was clear.

All his carefully devised contingency plans for leaving the bazaar were now rendered unnecessary, their anxiety and pressure internalized and wasted on himself.

This only strengthened Shen Lian’s resolve to reach the height of cultivation himself; otherwise, at the whim of a superior cultivator, he’d be running about like a dog.

Others cultivated by pillaging and slaughter.

He, on the other hand, cultivated by endless internal struggle, nearly exhausting himself with his own worries.

It was far too unstable.

Relying on hiding in remote corners was unrealistic; only by becoming truly powerful could he suppress all sources of chaos.

Shen Lian took Weng Xia’s proposal as little more than a casual suggestion. Now that the spirit ship was running again, he had no intention of lingering in the bazaar.

Of course, he wasn’t in a rush to leave either; he intended to observe the situation for a few more days.

That observation stretched into half a month.

The spiritual energy within the bazaar surged twice more, and soon the Bihui Sect announced plans to expand the bazaar into a full-fledged city.

Within a month, the small courtyards in the central area and the outer houses would be gradually reclaimed, forming the foundation for the new city.

The newly built city would have an upgraded spirit-gathering formation, and the cost of living within its walls would be notably higher.

In a private room at Yunmeng Pavilion, Shen Lian sat alone, sipping wine as he waited for Weng Xia’s arrival.

Over the past two weeks, the spirit ship had traveled back and forth three times, carrying away quite a few itinerant cultivators.

News also came repeatedly from the mines of the Miasma Cloud Mountains: a cultivator had discovered a broken second-rank magical artifact among the ruins, estimated to yield enough material for a new second-rank artifact – worth no less than a thousand spirit stones.

Such news had a familiar ring for Shen Lian.

Though some doubts lingered in his heart, he was still preparing to leave the bazaar.

It was time to move on.

Before departing, he shared a farewell drink with Weng Xia, his old friend of many years.

They would likely never meet again in this life.

During the past half month, Shen Lian had kept busy, drawing fifty high-quality miasma-dispelling talismans for his great-grandson.

Even though he was leaving, he intended to earn every last coin for his materials and labor.

He had also acquired a large batch of low-grade spirit beasts and wild herbs – rare products of the wilderness – from the bazaar.

As dusk approached, Weng Xia hurried in.

He glanced at Shen Lian, said nothing, and simply picked up the wine jug. The two of them drank three cups in silence.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Weng Xia finally asked.

Shen Lian nodded.

“All banquets must come to an end,” Weng Xia said with a nod, making no mention of the talismans again.

Nor did Shen Lian.

Although his talismans were better than those made by most of his peers, they were not irreplaceable.

Even without his miasma-dispelling talismans, the bazaar’s many itinerant cultivators would still brave the miasma as usual.

“Then let me wish you success in your foundation establishment and a carefree immortal life,” Weng Xia toasted.

Weng Xia raised his cup. “My family is in the Bayun Mountains of Chu River Prefecture, in the Chu Kingdom. If you ever travel that way, you are welcome to visit the Weng family as my guest.”

Though he doubted the chance would come, Weng Xia still left this gesture of goodwill.

“Certainly,” Shen Lian replied.

…

They drank long into the night. Shen Lian circulated his spiritual energy to dispel any lingering effects of the wine as he returned to his residence.

Even if he weren’t leaving, this place would soon be reclaimed by the Bihui Sect.

Entering his small two-story courtyard, he glanced at the spirit grass swaying in the yard.

He’d lived here for so long, yet had never once met his neighbors.

The house was always shrouded in the fog of a formation, shielding it from prying eyes.

He was leaving tomorrow, and his mood was much lighter.

Even the herbs in the garden seemed more beautiful than before.

“Ah, there are even two stalks of Blue Spirit Grass.”

Needing five-elemental spiritual objects to temper his five internal organs, Shen Lian had recently started paying more attention to such items. Scanning the plot, he recognized one as the Wood Spirit Grass he needed.

He took note and headed upstairs.

A few dozen spirit stones were nothing to him now; he was past the days of penny-pinching.

That night, Shen Lian found himself unable to sleep.

He pondered where he should settle upon returning to the Chu Kingdom.

“After finding a safe spot back in Chu, I’ll focus on alchemy for a while. I can set aside the study of puppetry for now; with the longevity granted by foundation establishment, there will be plenty of time to explore all these arts of cultivation.”

Since advancing to the sixth level of Qi Refinement, Shen Lian had not spent any of his accumulated insight points.

He was waiting for the right moment to make a breakthrough.

The thought of the low-quality Barrier-Breaking Pills he’d purchased filled him with anger.

These so-called grand pill clans had the audacity to sell inferior products, blatantly taking advantage of itinerant cultivators.

Take it or leave it.

At this rate, even if a rogue cultivator managed to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill, it would likely be of poor quality—perhaps even a useless one.

If he wanted quality pills, he’d have to rely on himself.

He would become an alchemist, driving down the price of pills for his friends and family.

Shen Lian unrolled a map of the Chu Kingdom’s cultivation world, studying the marked immortal cities and bazaars. In the end, he decided to stick to his previous plan.

He would go to Bihui Immortal City.

With a Golden Core cultivator overseeing it, at least the city itself would be stable.

“Talisman Master Shen Lian.”

“Alchemist Ding Xiu.”

Murmuring these names, a smile appeared on Shen Lian’s lips.

He would seek out a powerful disguise technique and forge himself a new identity.

In the world of cultivation, as in the world of mortals, having more identities meant more paths open before him.

…

The next day.

Shen Lian tidied his robes and dismantled the Five Elements Reversal Array in his room.

Though he was ready to leave, he would not depart unprepared.

Even at the auction, he had barely avoided a second ambush.

This journey would take him thousands of miles, through mountains and valleys, miasma and spirit beasts—and besides, he still felt uneasy, suspecting something was amiss with the Bihui Sect.

He fastened five storage pouches at his front and back, each containing a full set of talismans.

In his left sleeve, a storage bracelet held his primary backup.

Around his neck, a storage ring served as a backup to his backup.

Beneath his robes, talismans for swift movement and heightened awareness were already affixed.

…

Outside the Yunmeng Bazaar, a leveled hill hosted a spirit ship over a hundred yards long, its decks lined with pavilions and connected quarters.

Shen Lian produced the ticket he’d bought from the General Affairs Hall for two hundred spirit stones and boarded the ship without trouble.

What a grand vessel! Someday, he vowed, he’d own one himself.

The spirit ship would not depart for another hour.

Arriving early, Shen Lian found few others present and was assigned to Room B-17.

The room was small but had a window overlooking the outside.

Once inside, Shen Lian sat cross-legged.

The journey from Yunmeng Bazaar to the Chu Kingdom would take as little as three days; even detouring around the most miasma-heavy regions, he would arrive within five.

It was just a matter of days—he had no intention of cultivating for now.

He kept his talismans on, ready for any emergency.

His spiritual sense slowly spread outward, discreetly probing the neighboring rooms to ensure his own safety.

“Hmm…”

As his spiritual sense swept over the not-quite-three-yard-wide room, Shen Lian’s eyes snapped open.

Since mastering the Blood Refinement and Soul Augmentation technique, he’d developed a keen sensitivity—and desire—for the scent of blood.

The room, though outwardly clean, held faint traces of blood.

Though the scent was light, the demonic path and blood always went hand in hand; he could still sense it.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Lian drew a talisman brush and materials from his storage pouch.

With spirit ink prepared, he spread out a talisman slip and began to draw.

He was crafting a mid-grade first-rank Blood Shadow Talisman.

This talisman was designed to reveal blood traces, an essential tool for pursuing demonic cultivators—often used by so-called righteous sects in their hunts.

He did not rush to use it. First, he activated several of the awareness talismans stuck to his inner garments and covered them with his spiritual sense.

The spiritual sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was much more powerful and far-reaching than that of a Qi Refiner. While he couldn’t spy on a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s spirit, he could at least detect any fluctuations in the talisman’s energy.

After a quarter of an hour, there had been no fluctuation, and Shen Lian relaxed a little. This suggested the Foundation Establishment cultivator overseeing the ship had not cast his spiritual sense over it.

Quickly, he activated the Blood Shadow Talisman. Spots of spiritual light scattered across the room.

Where each spot glimmered, a string of splattered blood stains appeared on the floor.