Chapter 18: "Where to Go After Leaving the Market – The First Contingency Plan"

After stepping outside, Shen Lian activated a divine sense talisman hidden in his sleeve.

This was a first-grade superior talisman, particularly useful for those in the middle stage of Qi Refining. It could block the prying senses of cultivators in the late Qi Refining stage, and also magnify perception at close range, allowing him to overhear conversations among passing cultivators on the street.

Ever since Shen Lian became a superior talisman master, he had taken a liking to this talisman, using one every time he ventured out. For the past two years, he had been focused on cultivation, rarely leaving his residence. Most of his news was gleaned from clandestine eavesdropping on the streets.

Since answering the call to pioneer for the Azurewater Sect, nearly four years had passed since his arrival at Yunmeng Market. There was only about a year left before he could depart. The cost of a ship ticket was no longer a concern.

During this time, he had asked Weng Xia whether spending a few spirit stones could allow for an early departure. But Weng Xia was merely a minor steward at Treasure Pavilion and didn't have the connections to reach the late Foundation Establishment cultivators who commanded the spirit ships. With no way to offer spirit stones, Shen Lian could only shake his head. It was just a year—hardly worth fretting over.

Descending the stairs, he noted the neighbor's door below was tightly shut, the formation within still operating. It was curious—after two years, Shen Lian still didn't know if his downstairs neighbor was male or female. They had never once crossed paths. If it weren't for the signs of trimmed spirit herbs in the courtyard, Shen Lian might have thought the neighbor had died elsewhere, leaving him to inherit a whole garden of spirit herbs.

Thunder rumbled.

A short distance from the courtyard, Shen Lian looked up into the distant sky. A spirit ship bearing the Azurewater Sect insignia sailed straight toward Yunmeng Mountain, not descending into the marketplace. This meant the arrivals aboard were sect members. Azurewater Sect disciples visited increasingly often, but the market's cultivators were used to it—after all, the sect ruled here, and their disciples came to the market mostly for amusement.

Rumor had it the Azurewater Sect planned to build another marketplace three hundred miles away.

Shen Lian made his way to Treasure Pavilion.

"Brother, over here!" Weng Xia called as Shen Lian demonstrated his superior first-grade talisman mastery. Weng Xia's address grew even more sincere.

"This time your seclusion lasted quite a while," Weng Xia greeted him after not seeing Shen Lian for some time. "Congratulations, brother, you’ve made progress—Foundation Establishment is within reach."

Shen Lian caught the note of genuine sentiment in Weng Xia’s words. Previously, congratulations were vague—“immortality is possible, the Great Dao awaits”—empty platitudes. But “Foundation Establishment is within reach” was a real blessing. For those at the bottom, a lifetime’s struggle was just to reach Foundation Establishment.

"You’re out at the perfect time," Weng Xia continued. "If you hadn’t come, I would have sent you a message. There’s a large auction coming up."

Weng Xia drew Shen Lian to his small counter, lowering his voice. Shen Lian had already asked Weng Xia to keep an ear out for transaction meetings or auctions. After so much interaction, they had exchanged messaging talismans.

"Half a month from now, Yunmeng, Nanjiang, and Changhe—the three major markets—are hosting a joint auction. There might be cultivation techniques that fellow cultivators need."

Shen Lian knew Nanjiang was a market established by Umbral Valley, and Changhe by the Sun Sect. When the three sects set up their markets, they formed a triangle, each marketplace at a point.

"This time, the organizers are likely Foundation Establishment cultivators—you might want to take a look."

"Where will it be held?" Shen Lian asked softly.

Yunmeng Market had developed its own black market and barter exchanges, but they were small in scale. He’d attended one organized by Yunmeng’s rogue cultivators and only managed to buy some poisons listed in the Hundred Poisons Manual.

"Half a month from now, at the foot of Miasma Cloud Mountain."

"Why there?" Shen Lian was a bit exasperated.

Miasma Cloud Mountain lay in the center of the three sects’ markets, right in the middle of the triangle. The distance wasn’t far, but the miasma was thick.

"It’s simply the closest place to all three," Weng Xia chuckled. "If I didn’t have duties, I’d want to see if I could acquire any useful spirit items myself."

Shen Lian then took out his own crafted Miasma Dispelling Talismans: one hundred mid-grade, ten high-grade.

Weng Xia didn’t bother to inspect them, simply counting the number and sighing, "If you were a disciple of my sect, your prospects would be very different."

The purchase price for mid-grade Miasma Dispelling Talismans was ten spirit stones each, totaling thirteen hundred.

"By the way, you asked me to look out for poisons—this month, I’ve gathered six kinds."

"Thank you, elder brother," Shen Lian replied with a cupped fist.

After buying materials for talisman crafting, Shen Lian casually asked, "Has Treasure Pavilion acquired anything new recently?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Weng Xia replied after thinking for a moment. "A first-grade superior magical weapon—the Crimson Sun Crossbow, lethal and explosive."

He produced one for Shen Lian to inspect.

"If you’re attending the auction, this Crimson Sun Crossbow is indispensable."

Shen Lian examined the crossbow. Its body was etched with crimson forging patterns, and inlaid grooves for spirit stones on the main shaft. It was powered by spirit stones, requiring no additional spiritual energy, which pleased Shen Lian.

"How much?"

"Two hundred and ten spirit stones, including five Crimson Sun Arrows."

Weng Xia handed over the arrows as well.

"I’ll take three. Do you have that many?"

"Why so many?" Weng Xia was surprised. He wouldn’t have asked if it were someone else.

"Spare sets, in case any break," Shen Lian replied with a smile and nod.

"Well, Brother Shen, with your spirit stones, you certainly live lavishly."

...

After a round of purchases at Treasure Pavilion, Shen Lian returned home, pondering the news Weng Xia had brought. The joint auction of the three major markets, backed by Foundation Establishment cultivators, was on a much higher level than the rogue cultivators’ black market in Yunmeng. Naturally, heading to Miasma Cloud Mountain would be fraught with danger.

After considering it, Shen Lian decided...

Not to go!

Absolutely not.

The rogue cultivators’ black market outside Yunmeng was only a few dozen miles away. He’d been twice and each time was targeted. Too many cultivators sought profit without investment. This time, with such a large scale and so many rogue cultivators from the three markets, the distance was greater, with mountains and endless miasma. Who knew how many were sharpening their blades, waiting for a fellow cultivator to walk into a trap?

Shen Lian was anxious to upgrade his cultivation technique, but the odds of finding a suitable method at such an auction were low. It would be better to wait until he returned to Chu, where he could seek one at the All-Heaven Tower.

As an influential merchant guild across the wilderness, cultivation methods for Foundation Establishment were hardly rare. When the time came, he could choose freely—with spirit stones, anything was possible.

Most importantly, there was only about a year left before departure. Even if he maintained his previous pace of advancing one stage per year, by the time he returned to Chu’s cultivation world, he would be at the threshold of a breakthrough.

Then, it would not be too late to acquire a new cultivation method.

If there were still three or five years, Shen Lian would certainly go. But with so little time left, it was better to focus on crafting talismans and accumulating spirit stones for purchasing techniques.

Shen Lian walked to his talisman desk, where, besides the materials, lay a beast-hide map clearly marking each immortal city in Chu’s cultivation world.

Aside from the five great immortal cities, Chu was dotted with numerous markets and cities. The spirit ship that Azurewater Sect sent for rogue cultivators didn’t return directly to Azurewater Immortal City, but traveled among various cities, recruiting rogue cultivators.

Shen Lian had already planned his route after leaving the market: board the Azurewater Sect’s spirit ship from Yunmeng Market, and upon returning to Chu, immediately transfer to another spirit ship bound straight for Azurewater Immortal City, where All-Heaven Tower was stationed.

—To purchase a cultivation method!