Qing Xianzi stepped onto the Teleportation Formation with a pounding heart.

  It had been a long time since he felt such anticipation.

  Pavilion Master Meng was already waiting before the Qingliu City Teleportation Formation.

  “This subordinate greets the Supreme Palace Lord.”

  “That will do. You have heard the matter. Lead me to where that person is staying.”

  Unconcealed expectation colored Qing Xianzi’s voice.

  As he followed Pavilion Master Meng toward Okheon Pavilion, he paused for a moment.

  Can I truly conclude it is that fellow based on the clues I have now?

  At the Qingluo Exchange Gathering, there were occasionally those who wore identical masks.

  Coincidences did exist in this world.

  If it were not him, how would he endure that disappointment?

  After pondering, he first entered Hall No. 25.

  It was where the suspected individual was lodging.

  Soon, a clever idea occurred to him.

  Since he attended the exchange gathering, he must have spoken with someone. There should also be an attendant.

  That man possessed a temperament without equal.

  No matter where he went, he would inevitably stand out.

  “Pavilion Master Meng, summon all those who have encountered the one wearing the tiger mask.”

  Pavilion Master Meng bowed deeply and answered at once.

  “Yes, Supreme Palace Lord. Aside from myself, the appraiser and the Formation Master spoke with him. There is also a Foundation Establishment cultivator named Lianhua who attends him.”

  “Mm. Good. Bring them all. I will question them personally.”

  “Forgive me, but Lianhua is currently attending the Zhenren at the auction.”

  “Haha, then let us see the others first. Bring that girl later.”

  Who would dare delay such an order?

  Soon, the appraiser and the Formation Master arrived and prostrated before Qing Xianzi.

  “We greet the Supreme Palace Lord.”

  “Mm. I have questions for you. You must answer honestly and without concealment.”

  The moment he finished speaking, an overwhelming spiritual pressure surged forth.

  The three nearly smashed their foreheads against the floor at the same time as they shouted,

  “We shall obey!”

  “What was that person’s temperament like? Pavilion Master Meng, you answer first.”

  Pavilion Master Meng desperately turned his mind.

  Could he truly speak frankly?

  Another terrifying wave of spiritual pressure descended upon him.

  “I clearly told you to speak the truth. Simply report what you felt.”

  Startled, Pavilion Master Meng began pouring out his words.

  “Th-that is… he was quite peculiar. He sought even the slightest profit and yielded nothing. To the point of seeming selfish.”

  Next was the appraiser.

  He trembled even more violently.

  “I share the same view. His speech and conduct were rough and willful. His desire for profit was unmistakable. One might even call him petty.”

  Finally, the Formation Master tilted his head slightly.

  “I view it somewhat differently. He readily allowed me to examine the Formation Plate and seemed pleased by my curiosity.”

  Qing Xianzi stroked his long beard.

  Willful. Greedy for gain. Petty. Unwilling to concede even a step.

  Yet subtly considerate toward a fellow Formation Master?

  Who else could it be but Haoranzi!

  His heart began pounding violently once more.

  “Mm. If he summoned an appraiser, he must have had items for appraisal. What were they?”

  The appraiser answered respectfully.

  “He brought fifteen stalks of three-thousand-year-old Seven-Leaf Immortal Spirit Grass and Purple Gold Essence.”

  Excitement surged again, and Qing Xianzi briefly closed his eyes.

  Seven-Leaf Immortal Spirit Grass… Had he not boasted that with formations he could cultivate even rare spirit herbs? Could he have succeeded?

  The memory of their last quarrel surfaced.

  —You are a talent. Why insist on the barren path of a wandering cultivator? Enter the Heavenly Palace. Even if you train a disciple who masters 128 formations as you wish, do you think that disciple could surpass the Heavenly Palace’s successors? There is a clear difference between wandering cultivators and sect disciples. It would be better to find a suitable child within our sect.

  Haoranzi had raged furiously at him.

  —You arrogant, narrow-minded fool! Support from the Heavenly Palace? Hah! That is not support but shackles! My formations will flourish amid the qi of heaven and earth, and the successors I nurture will easily surpass the greenhouse flowers you cultivate!

  —That is impossible. How could a lone wanderer overcome thirty thousand years of structured teaching and foundation? Did you not also build your foundation within the Heavenly Palace?

  —In your eyes, is your method the only truth? Do not force me. Beginning in that suffocating place is my lifelong regret. You may see my chosen path as a miserable road, but to me it is the most precious and free pursuit of the Dao!

  —Do not be stubborn. Return to the Heavenly Palace. No one will restrain you. Accept the resources I provide and ascend to Nascent Soul. It is all for your sake.

  —I need none of your pity! I will ascend to Nascent Soul by my own strength and watch my successor trample the Heavenly Palace’s heir! Just you wait, you damned bastard!

  Thinking of it now, Qing Xianzi could only sigh.

  After causing such an uproar, Haoranzi had set an absurd formation over Qingliu City and fled.

  He had even struck him once.

  Though, in truth, Qing Xianzi had half allowed it.

  He still did not understand.

  Why had Haoranzi been so enraged?

  He had only meant to help him.

  Was becoming an elder of the Heavenly Palace not the dream of all cultivators?

  Ending his recollection, Qing Xianzi smiled brightly.

  This time, there would be no refusal.

  As long as that man remained in Okheon Pavilion, there was no escape from the Heavenly Palace.

  To walk into the snare of his own accord.

  He would not let him slip away again.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  He would even show him the Water Severing Formation he had maintained all this time for his sake.

  If he had brought such a Formation Plate, it must mean he regretted his decision.

  Perhaps he should take a look at the hall where he stayed.

  Examining the residence might yield further proof that it was truly Haoranzi.

  ***

  I was immersed in the allure of the auction when a chill suddenly ran down my spine.

  What was this? The temperature was perfectly fine.

  I glanced sideways.

  Lianhua, who had been waiting, promptly refilled my tea.

  I drank and suppressed the chill.

  The auction had reached Item No. 22.

  The Seven-Leaf Immortal Spirit Grass, after fierce competition, sold for an astonishing total of seventy-five thousand mid-grade spirit stones.

  The average price was fifteen thousand mid-grade spirit stones.

  Before the auction hall became crowded at the end, I slipped out.

  I wanted to watch more, but I restrained myself.

  What if I were swept up among high-ranking cultivators and trouble arose?

  I sought out the auction steward.

  Lianhua explained the situation.

  The steward bowed respectfully and handed me a storage pouch containing one hundred fifty thousand spirit stones.

  The attribute spirit stones were included as well.

  Whew. I had been slightly worried, but it seemed all was in order.

  As they said, only when the money reached one’s account was it truly one’s own.

  I calculated my earnings.

  Two hundred forty-three thousand mid-grade spirit stones in total.

  Plus one thousand attribute spirit stones of each element.

  To become this wealthy from a single auction.

  [One million points are required to expand the subspace to the desired level.]

  The system pounced immediately.

  As if to say that even so, I had only 240,000 points.

  Ah, enough already!

  I know that perfectly well!

  Sigh…To complete the Nine Transformations Spirit Root Scripture, I would need two thousand years.

  Two thousand years as a Qi Refinement cultivator.

  Still, it would be worth it.

  Once all five spirit roots were perfected, my constitution itself would transform.

  The gains later would be immense.

  Yet cultivation required pills.

  Pills required spirit herbs.

  Spirit herbs required land.

  But one million points?

  Was that not outright exploitation?

  Damned capitalist trash game.

  [The goal is Great Luo Immortal. Adequate space is required to reach it.]

  True enough.

  With more space came longer dwelling time.

  The same applied to realm advancement.

  For now, expansion was the only option.

  Suddenly, today’s earnings felt trivial.

  I could not expand using Dharma artifacts—I needed those myself.

  Would capturing wandering souls and purifying them be cheaper?

  [Using points is safer.]

  That was true.

  And that was precisely the problem.

  To find wandering souls, I would have to scour execution grounds or battlefields.

  Those places were dangerous.

  I sighed.

  Were my spirit stones destined only to brush past my hands?

  Lost in thought, I soon arrived before my hall.

  Lianhua had already withdrawn near the auction hall.

  As usual, I checked the paper I had wedged into the door crack.

  And froze.

  Someone had entered my hall.

  A chill crept up my spine.

  What was this?

  Was someone targeting me?

  Suppressing any outward reaction, I surveyed the interior.

  Nothing had changed.

  Except the position of the paper in the door.

  Had only one shifted, I might have doubted.

  But the papers in the bedroom, reception room, and study had also moved.

  Even the system confirmed it.

  [The positions are indeed different.]

  Worse still, the activated formations showed no response.

  This was Haoranzi’s linked formation array.

  Had it triggered, the entire hall would have been engulfed in flames.

  Who had entered?

  Then again.

  What did it matter who?

  The mere act of entering against my will said enough.

  I had clearly placed a Do Not Disturb sign.

  An inner alarm began ringing.

  My business was concluded.

  It was time to retreat.

  I had no desire to mingle among high-ranking cultivators at their exchange gathering.

  My mind felt strangely calm.

  Perhaps repetitive spellcasting had tempered my spirit.

  My basic Concealment Technique was Level 9.

  My Divine Sense Technique was also Level 9.

  I had worked hard to raise them.

  But they were still basic techniques.

  Level 9 was the limit.

  To advance further required the appropriate jade slips or points.

  Ordinarily, I had no way to obtain advanced techniques.

  Such things were reserved for direct sect disciples at Foundation Establishment and above.

  But now was different.

  Was spirit stone expenditure more precious than my life?

  I made my decision.

  At my current level, I could not evade the gaze of high-ranking cultivators.

  ‘System! Upgrade Basic Concealment Technique to Advanced Concealment Technique, and Divine Sense Technique to Advanced Divine Sense Technique. Convert the spirit stones into points as needed.’

  […22,000 points deducted. Basic Concealment Lv. 9 → Advanced Concealment Lv. 1 (Proficiency 1), Divine Sense Lv. 9 → Advanced Divine Sense Lv. 1 (Proficiency 1)]

  Twenty-two thousand mid-grade spirit stones.

  An astronomical expenditure.

  But I could not stop there.

  When spending, one must spend without hesitation.

  ‘Raise both to Level 9.’

  [5,400 points used.]

  Advanced techniques required more points.

  It did not matter.

  Now, in terms of concealment and divine sense, I was not inferior to Core Formation cultivators.

  Qi Refinement Stage 9 in realm, yet Core Formation in hiding and spying.

  What kind of monstrous hybrid was I?

  Letting out a hollow laugh, I activated my divine sense.

  Spiritual power drained like madness.

  Fortunately, I held several mid-grade spirit stones in my hand.

  Otherwise, it would have been disastrous.

  Thankfully, no one was observing this place.

  After applying concealment, I left the hall.

  The transparent Baizi guided me ahead.

  This was my second escape within the Qingxiu True Realm.

  ***

  At that same moment.

  Qing Xianzi solidified his conviction through Lianhua’s testimony.

  “No interest in women, speaks strangely, constantly mocks, and even stingy?”

  It was nearly an insult.

  There was no doubt.

  It was Haoranzi.

  He let out a sigh of relief.

  It was wise not to assign surveillance.

  With Haoranzi’s ability, he would have noticed at once.

  And fled immediately.

  He paid little mind to having entered the man’s hall.

  He was a Spirit Severing cultivator.

  The undisputed strongest of the Qingxiu True Realm.

  Now, how should he capture him?

  Qing Xianzi contemplated various schemes, smiling faintly.

  It had truly been a long time since he felt such enjoyment.

  ***

  I slipped out of Okheon Pavilion.

  Thanks to Baizi, I encountered no one.

  I had feared hidden surveillance, but there was none.

  Then why had someone entered my hall?

  For a moment, I wondered if I had acted rashly.

  Still, safety came first.

  I passed Qingliu Inn and entered an empty alley.

  After instructing Baizi to stand guard, I entered the subspace.

  Baixuan approached in surprise.

  “Benefactor, what is happening…?”

  I waved him off and quickly removed the mask.

  “I will explain later.”

  The removed mask was absorbed into the pattern and vanished.

  I activated concealment once more.

  “Well? Can you sense anything?”

  Baixuan shook his head in confusion.

  “N-no. Even though you stand before me, I cannot sense your presence.”

  “Good. See you later.”

  I exited once more.

  Within the subspace, everything was purified.

  That was one of its secrets Baixuan had told me.

  If any technique had been placed upon me, all traces would now be gone.

  I wandered the marketplace.

  I purchased a talisman at Ryusim Pavilion.

  I bought Bigu Pills from a stall.

  Then I headed to an inn I had rented in advance for situations like this.

  Not Huami Inn, but one farther away.

  It was now ten at night.

  If I entered the subspace, I could remain for up to four hours.

  Just in case, I decided to observe the situation from my room.

  Nothing would likely happen.

  Feeling somewhat at ease, I chewed and swallowed a Bigu Pill.

  Better to fill my stomach beforehand.

  I drank spiritual spring water from my gourd.

  Only then did I calm down.

  Though the final stretch had been troublesome, everything had concluded safely.

  Well done, me!

  I was in the midst of congratulating myself when—a thunderous roar split the heavens in two, echoing across Qingliu City.

  Thunder crashed in every direction.

  Startled, I looked toward the window.

  Amid golden lightning striking between clouds, an enormous eye beyond description emerged.

  A dragon.

  “Ha ha! You dare hold an exchange gathering behind our backs? Are you breaking the agreement from ten thousand years ago?”

  The demon beasts had invaded.