Chapter 11: The Blue Jay Behind

At the hour of Hai, outside the southern city walls.

This place had once been looted by robber cultivators; for miles around, only ruins and broken tiles remained, leaving behind a single dilapidated temple.

Chen Zhao, clad in black and masked, walked along the temple's sacred path.

Around him were many cultivator wanderers, most covering their heads and faces; few revealed their true identities, yet none could be certain they weren't disguised.

"Among these wanderers, most are Qi Refining Third Layer; only three have reached Qi Refining Fifth Layer or higher—likely the organizers."

Chen Zhao recited the password and walked straight into the temple.

The deity statue was half-collapsed, its golden robes faded and peeling; dozens of meditation mats lay scattered below, and many had already arrived.

In the center sat a withered old woman—presumably the host.

Chen Zhao sat down in a corner.

As he knew:

Sellers must take turns speaking, displaying their goods or stating their needs.

The organizers take no responsibility for authentication; truth or falsehood rests entirely on one's word.

"Three Fireball Talismans, six Low-grade Spirit Stones, or exchange for two First-grade Lower-tier Medicinal Pills."

"I have a Storage Bag for sale, but it bears a seal—I ask five Low-grade Spirit Stones."

"Returning Qi Pill Prescription, one Low-grade Spirit Stone."

All were cheap trinkets.

Chen Zhao's gaze sharpened as he observed for a moment.

The Fireball Talismans' spiritual energy was unstable; the Storage Bag bore bloodstains...

These goods were of mixed quality, some still bearing traces of Dharma Battles.

The legitimate ones were poor in quality; the high-quality ones had dubious origins.

"It seems these wanderers are mixed with robber cultivators... Yet after several transactions, though some showed resentment, none acted—suggesting the organizers have some clout."

Chen Zhao watched coldly, silently pondering.

After a while, the atmosphere grew tense.

"Old woman just acquired a Qi Refining late-stage cultivation technique yesterday, pity it's only a fragment. Any fellow cultivator with other fragments? Exchange them, or pay twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones."

The old woman covered her mouth with a light laugh and pulled out a tattered book.

On its cover, clearly written: "Ice Heart Scripture."

The crowd erupted in noise.

"May I ask, Elder, do you have any leads on other fragments?"

This was the very scripture Su Wanyao obtained from a former cultivator's Cave Abode, consigned for auction, and somehow ended up here as a fragment.

For wanderers, merely seeing a Qi Refining late-stage technique once in a lifetime is rare—let alone buying it.

Even if incomplete.

If there's even a sliver of a chance to break through, it's worth fighting to the death.

The withered old woman heard this.

She chuckled lowly, slyly saying:

"Yes, of course I do—and the holder is among you."

The atmosphere instantly ignited; wanderers exchanged glances, trying to identify the person.

Chen Zhao was startled.

This gathering's target was nine out of ten times this!

If they don't get what they want, they might shut the doors and turn on the dogs.

Chen Zhao shifted his seat, slowly inching toward the exit.

If things turn bad, he'd flee!

But half a moment later:

No one dared buy it; the item ultimately went unsold.

The transactions continued.

Chen Zhao exhaled in relief.

He stood up, bowed, and said:

"I have two Yellow-grade Intermediate Techniques for sale: Wind Blade Technique and Ice Spike Technique."

The crowd erupted again.

Even Registered Disciples of the Su Family know only one such Yellow-grade Intermediate Technique, let alone mountain-dwelling wanderers.

And from appearance alone, this was clearly sect-made...

Rare as hen's teeth!

"Fellow cultivator, please name your price."

A scar-faced man bowed urgently.

According to others:

His nickname is "Ba Mian Jin Gang," Qi Refining Third Layer peak, famous among wanderers.

Seeing this, Chen Zhao frowned.

He hadn't expected wanderers to be this desperate.

He had planned to sell these two techniques first, then offer a Spirit-Avoiding Pill.

But seeing this scene:

If he revealed the pill too soon, he'd draw the attention of the Qi Refining Fifth Layer organizers—and then, murder and theft would follow; survival would be unlikely.

Finally.

The two techniques were exchanged for ten Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Before the gathering ended.

Chen Zhao quietly slipped out of the ruined temple and dashed toward the Tiankui Sect's mountain gate.

Several Cultivators had been watching him for some time; their eyes flickered and they whispered among themselves.

"This man can produce a Yellow-grade Intermediate Technique—whether or not he's a Tiankui Sect disciple, he must know such techniques. Absolutely do not provoke him."

"Indeed… someone moved! It's that 'Ba Mian Jin Gang'—this old man has little time left; it seems he's no longer caring about consequences."

From the back row, the scarred man slammed his palm against the ground and shot forward as a black wind.

And after a short while.

In the center of the ruined temple.

The withered old woman whispered a few words to the person beside her, then also chased after him.

The crowd exchanged glances; the gathering continued.

In the dense forest.

"I have only one year left to live—what do I care if you're from this sect or that? Once I get the treasure, I'll extend my life!"

Ba Mian Jin Gang pulled out a Lightness Talisman and fully activated his cultivation method.

Long ago, he had a strange encounter and learned the Yellow-grade Intermediate Golden Light Shield; since then, he roamed the wilderness and earned a fearsome reputation.

With this as his backing, he dared to pursue.

"I'm just one step away from Qi Refining Fourth Layer—how could I lose to a brat who just entered Qi Refining Third Layer?"

He sneered and accelerated forward.

Chen Zhao's aura was just twenty zhang ahead!

But in the blink of an eye.

The aura vanished into thin air!

In his perception, it was as if a roaring crowd had suddenly fallen silent.

"Just now he was here! Could he really have vanished into thin air?"

Ba Mian Jin Gang's alarm bells rang loudly.

He raised his finger, about to form the Golden Light Shield.

In his peripheral vision, a massive fireball appeared just one chi from his ear.

Blazing flames seared his eyes, as if his entire body were engulfed.

Boom!

Ba Mian Jin Gang barely activated his spiritual energy defense—and was instantly blasted backward.

He blocked it!

Just as he sighed in relief, a chill struck his back.

An ice spear pierced straight through his chest!

The fireball was fierce, but merely a feint—the unassuming ice spear behind him was the real killing move.

Chen Zhao changed his hand seals again, launching several Wind Blades, cutting the man into pieces, then reducing him to ash.

"Five techniques—that's my current limit."

He breathed in and out, regaining his Qi, and assessed the spoils.

"Three Low-grade Spirit Stones, one Golden Light Shield—that's it?"

You weren't a fat sheep—yet you still chased me?

He swallowed a Spirit-Avoiding Pill; this little bit couldn't restore his vitality at all.

Wait?

Chen Zhao pulled out a fragmentary cultivation manual from his Storage Bag.

"Bing Xin Jue."

He glanced at it once, then immediately dropped it where it lay and retreated a hundred meters away.

Soon after, a terrifying pressure surged from behind him.

Within a hundred-meter radius, trees bowed, dust filled the air.

The newcomer was far stronger than Qi Refining Fifth Layer!

Chen Zhao gathered his courage and turned around—only then did he see the newcomer's face.

It was the withered old woman!

She bent down, picked up the fragmentary manual, and chuckled softly:

"This boy is clever—his aura concealment technique is even more impressive. He knows what to take and what to leave alone. Truly impressive."

She had come solely for this manual.

Chen Zhao's affairs meant nothing to her.

Meanwhile.

Chen Zhao pinched the Lightness Talisman—the city gate was right ahead.

"Good thing the Spirit-Avoiding Pill worked on her—I didn't draw her interest."

Aside from Sister Li, she was the most powerful cultivator he had ever encountered.

Though Chen Zhao desired the Bing Xin Jue, he would not risk provoking such a powerful enemy.

"For three Low-grade Spirit Stones and one technique, I used a Spirit-Avoiding Pill and a Lightness Talisman—the returns are too unstable. I should avoid Dharma Battles more in the future."

Chen Zhao shuddered with relief, only daring to pause once he had slipped inside the city gate.

At the same time.

Ink-wash imagery surfaced within his palm.

【Divination has refreshed】

【Today's Divination · Medium Auspicious】: It is favorable to open a scroll; interpreting the lot requires one Low-grade Spirit Stone.