In the inner city, the blazing sun hung high overhead.
While everyone was going about their daily lives in blissful ignorance, three sinister and terrifying auras surged outward without warning.
At the exact same time, a vast, overpowering wave of spiritual energy abruptly erupted.
Beams of pitch-black light shot straight into the heavens.
Every single beam was well over a hundred feet wide.
Around the light pillars, countless specters swarmed forth, letting out joyous shrieks at seeing the sky once more.
In an instant, the weeping of ghosts and wailing of spirits became the sole tune playing across the city.
Even the death throes of countless cultivators were drowned out by the din.
No!
There was also a furious roar that split gold and cracked jade, detonating across the air.
"Bastards!"
The immense, surging magical power of a Golden Core cultivator burst forth from Fallen Phoenix Mountain with a thunderous roar.
In the outer city, Luo Chen grabbed Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang, retreating frantically.
Hearing that enraged shout of "Bastards!", his body froze, and he subconsciously turned to look back.
Atop Fallen Phoenix Mountain, a golden sword light tried to soar into the sky.
Yet just as the sword light flared, a colossal hand slammed down violently.
*Bang!*
The golden sword light was slapped right back onto Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Hindered by this blow, the three black pillars of light expanded once more, tearing massive fissures through the earth.
"What manner of cowards dare secretly unleash the ghost kings!"
A wrathful shout rose into the air, accompanied by an intensely dazzling golden sword qi that surged upward once more.
The giant magical palm struck again, but this time, it held on for only a split second before being torn to shreds.
The golden sword qi transformed into a rainbow light, coiling like a colossal dragon above Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Abruptly, Pang Renxiong vaulted into the sky. Golden light flickered in his eyes, but instead of looking toward where the three light pillars stood, his gaze snapped toward the western district of the Dahe Market's inner city.
"Hiding your head while showing your tail—get out here!"
He pressed his fingers together like a sword. Overhead, the golden dragon of sword qi immediately let out a deafening sword hum.
It howled through the air!
This was an attack unleashed at his full strength. As long as it struck, he was exceedingly confident it would take the enemy's life.
A lion used its full might even when hunting a rabbit. Faced with ghost kings, he could not afford to hold back.
However!
A beam of sword light no weaker than his own erupted from within his body.
From the inside out, it cleaved away a third of the golden dragon's tail.
Though the remaining sword qi dragon continued hurtling in its original direction, its power had drastically dwindled.
In the northern district of the inner city, a pitch-black palm rose, meeting the sword qi dragon head-on.
*Boom!*
A tremendous explosion rang out.
A turbulent shockwave radiated outward with the western district as its epicenter, reducing nearly half the inner city to rubble.
A figure draped in a gray robe slowly rose from the ruins.
He looked at Pang Renxiong and offered a slight nod.
"Fellow Daoist Pang, greetings."
Pang Renxiong paid no heed to the greeting.
Blood trickled from the corner of his lips. With a sullen expression, he looked down. A sword pellet that was no longer dim was trembling madly in his grasp, attempting to break free.
Yet under his powerful magical seal, it remained trapped firmly within his palm.
Just moments ago, this very sword pellet—which he had retrieved yesterday by chance—had unleashed a sword qi in the most bizarre fashion, slashing away thirty percent of his peak strike's power.
As a result, he had failed to achieve full success and slay his formidable foe.
Pang Renxiong clamped his hand tightly around the sword pellet.
He raised his head, glaring fixedly at the man.
"You tampered with that demonic cultivator's sword pellet!"
"As expected of a Jade Cauldron sword cultivator!" the gray-robed cultivator praised with a faint chuckle. "Alas, you noticed too late."
It was indeed too late!
His peak strike had failed to yield immediate results, and the enemy would certainly never give him another opportunity to unleash that technique unhindered.
Pang Renxiong felt a pang of regret.
After obtaining this sword pellet yesterday, he had been grieving over the loss of his fellow sect member and had not inspected it thoroughly.
In truth, an ordinary person would not overly scrutinize a sword pellet that had lost its master.
The sword lived while its master lived, and the sword perished when its master died.
That black-robed demonic cultivator was already dead; who would have imagined that someone else could still command his leftover sword pellet?
Pang Renxiong had previously taken pride in using a hidden seal on the Demon Locking Pagoda to slay a foe of the same realm.
Never did he expect that just a day later, it would be his turn to fall victim to the enemy's covert ploy.
The fury burning in Pang Renxiong's heart reached its zenith.
Yet he still suppressed that rage, saying through gritted teeth, "I knew something was off yesterday when that demonic cultivator used the sword pellet; it had form but no substance. At the time, I assumed he simply lacked the proper method. Who knew the true master of this sword pellet was you!"
The gray-robed cultivator nodded. "Indeed. I deliberately funneled it into Lu Jiushi's hands through the black market. He was nothing more than an itinerant Golden Core cultivator who had only recently joined the Lianyun Merchant Alliance. Lacking a lifebound magical treasure of his own, he naturally treated a treasure-grade sword pellet as an invaluable prize."
"Which means the one who murdered Fei Baiwen was also you?"
Confronted by Pang Renxiong's probing, the gray-robed cultivator said helplessly, "At a time like this, don't you think it's a bit late to care about such details?"
"Late?"
"No, it is not too late!"
"You don't truly believe you are this old man's match, do you?"
Faced with the terrifying pressure abruptly unleashed by Pang Renxiong, the gray-robed cultivator smiled softly and drifted backward.
"No!"
"Your opponent isn't me, you know!"
Hearing those words, Pang Renxiong's expression twisted drastically. His peerless divine sense swept across the surroundings.
To the east, south, and north of the Dahe Market's inner city, three bone-chilling, sinister auras had already locked onto him.
Three black figures, each dozens of zhang tall, silently crawled out from the fissures in the earth. They stood upright, bathing under the warmth of the blazing sun.
"You bastard!"
"You truly deserve to die!"
"To treat the lives of tens of thousands of itinerant cultivators in Dahe Market as mere ants, going so far as to unleash the three ghost kings that have been suppressed for centuries!"
Pang Renxiong ground out every word between clenched teeth.
Around him, crisscrossing black threads were materializing, attempting to bind him.
Wisps of sword qi surged outward from within his body, shredding the black threads to pieces.
These black threads were by no means simple.
They were formed from the intrinsic ghost qi of the three ghost kings. Even after being suppressed and eroded by the Dahe Market's formations for hundreds of years, some of it still remained.
Not only that, but they even shared a faint connection with this very land.
At this moment, while it appeared as though the three ghost kings were trapping Pang Renxiong with their intrinsic ghost qi, it was in truth the entire Dahe Market keeping him bound.
Watching this unfold, the continuously retreating gray-robed cultivator merely smiled without uttering a word.
"You have broken the Jade Cauldron precepts! You will be hunted by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect for the rest of your days! Where could you possibly run!"
Seeing that the man still refused to reply, Pang Renxiong reached out. His intrinsic sword pellet, hidden within the void, dropped into his palm and solidified into an enormous golden greatsword.
"Do you truly think three ghost kings that have been suppressed for centuries and are on the brink of being worn away can kill me?"
Even as he spoke, the three ghost kings moved!
Each took massive strides, thundering toward Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Wherever they passed, ghost qi whirled. Any living creature caught in the wake was instantly annihilated by the swirling ghost qi.
Swaths of cultivator souls were drawn into their bodies, gradually filling out their previously insubstantial forms.
Six ghostly eyes glowed with brilliant green light, shining like lanterns.
At this moment, the Dahe Market had degraded into a living hell on earth.
"Luo Tianhong, Miao Wen!"
"Here!"
"Present!"
Two figures flew out from the Sword Pavilion.
"Activate the Tier 3 grand formation!"
"Understood!" "Yes!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators poured vast waves of spiritual power into the main pavilion beneath their feet.
A boundless curtain of light materialized in an instant from south to north, firmly locking down the entire inner city of Dahe Market.
Seeing this, the gray-robed cultivator finally halted his retreat.
He looked up at the light curtain blanketing the sky.
"A Tier 3 grand formation—impressive indeed."
"Alas, supported only by a single large Tier 1 spirit vein, it cannot bear the strain!"
The path of formations contained profound cosmic truths.
It was never as simple as planting a few formation flags and placing a formation plate.
Especially for a Tier 3 formation, the number of large and small restrictions involved numbered over ten thousand.
Relying solely on formation implements was far from enough to unleash its full might; one had to draw upon a spirit vein of the corresponding tier to wield it comfortably.
Yet the Dahe Market possessed only a single large Tier 1 spirit vein, which was utterly mismatched with a Tier 3 formation.
Almost the instant the grand formation appeared, a rumbling sound echoed from Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Countless streams of spiritual energy were siphoned by the grand formation like a dragon drinking from the sea.
Massive boulders tumbled down the mountain slopes.
The recently constructed Dao Discussion Platform let out a violent shriek and collapsed with a thunderous crash!
Its former glory was completely undone.
Faced with this scene, the Jade Cauldron sword cultivators did not seem surprised at all.
Luo Tianhong, one of the two Foundation Establishment True Cultivators in charge of controlling the formation, sneered.
"Short-sighted fool. What do you know of our Jade Cauldron formation's wonders? Shrink!"
"Shrink!" echoed Miao Wen's voice beside him.
In the next instant, the light curtain blanketing the Dahe Market shrank at an unimaginable speed, wrapping tightly around Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Only now did its power finally reach its zenith.
Meanwhile, Pang Renxiong had already clashed with the three ghost kings.
Surging sword light moved with absolute dominance amidst the boundless ghost qi, showing not the slightest hint of faltering.
Seeing this, the gray-robed cultivator remained unhurried. He sat cross-legged in midair, closing his eyes, seemingly indifferent to the world around him.
Yet only Pang Renxiong, a fellow Golden Core cultivator, could sense that the man's divine sense was trembling violently.
"What technique is this? How can you control three beings at the ghost king level?"
"Silent?"
"Don't tell me you think these three ghost kings alone can grind me to death!"
"Come, then! Let me see just how many tricks you have left!"
***
"President, what on earth is happening to Dahe Market?"
The usually steady Zhou Yuanli wore a horrified expression, devoid of his usual poise that remained unshakeable even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him.
Beside him, Liu Qiang's body trembled continuously.
Luo Chen swallowed hard, terror written across his face.
From those three heaven-spanning black figures, he had detected a wisp of a familiar aura.
He blurted out, "Ghost kings!"
"Those are the three ghost kings suppressed beneath Dahe Market for centuries!"
Suddenly, he remembered where that familiar feeling came from.
If nothing was amiss, the ghost king in the north was the very entity sealed beneath the reverse-facing room where he had lived for years.
On the first day he moved into the courtyard house, Caiyi had mentioned this entity to him.
The rent in the northern part of the city was relatively cheap precisely because that ghost king was suppressed beneath it, causing heavy yin qi that made it unsuitable for many cultivators to practice.
"Who on earth is this gray-robed cultivator? To think he would be mad enough to release such terrifying monsters!"
Ghost kings were hardly common.
Among ghostly entities, cultivation realms were clearly divided: ghost soldier, ghost general, ghost king, and ghost emperor.
It was a clean and straightforward classification.
Among them, a ghost king corresponded to a human Golden Core cultivator or a demon beast king.
In other words, Pang Renxiong was currently engaged in fierce battle against three entities of his own realm.
*No, more than three. That gray-robed cultivator is certainly a Golden Core expert as well.*
*Pang Renxiong is fighting one against four!*
*Can he win?*
Luo Chen did not dare let his thoughts wander further.
If Pang Renxiong lost, what awaited the Dahe Market was too grim to imagine.
No, perhaps a corner of that nightmare had already unveiled itself.
With great effort, Luo Chen dragged his gaze away from the center of the battle to the devastated, ghost-ridden streets of Dahe Market.
Who knew how many inner-city cultivators had already perished.
Hearing that these were ghost kings, Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang's faces turned deathly pale, despite having mentally prepared themselves.
Creatures that had once existed only in legends were now right before their eyes.
As mere Qi Refining cultivators, a profound sense of helplessness welled up within them.
Seeing them spacing out, Luo Chen cursed under his breath.
Under no circumstances could they get dragged into this battle.
"We can't stay here! Back to Crescent Moon Valley, quickly!"
Crescent Moon Valley was hundreds of li away from the inner city of Dahe Market, far enough to remain untouched by the Golden Core battle for the time being.
Furthermore, they had operated there for quite some time and had laid down a Five Elements formation.
Only by returning there and hunkering down behind defenses could they find any safety.
Most importantly, they needed to inform everyone in the Luotian Association about what had transpired in the inner city.
Without hesitation, the three burst into motion at top speed, flying across the outer city.
As Luo Chen flew, countless thoughts churned through his mind, eventually resolving into an intensely wry, bitter chuckle.
He had already prepared to leave the Dahe Market behind, yet right on the eve of departure, an upheaval had to occur.
As expected, plans could never keep up with changes!
He wondered what kind of expressions his friends—who had bid him farewell just earlier—would wear upon seeing him return.
Suddenly, Luo Chen's flight faltered slightly.
His gaze dropped toward the ground.
"President, what is it?"
Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang hurriedly halted.
Following his gaze, they also looked down.
A group of ten black-robed cultivators was advancing toward the inner city of Dahe Market instead of fleeing, pushing forward against the swarm of escaping escape lights.
Moreover, they were not the only ones; similar squads were visible in other areas as well.
As if sensing his gaze, the leader of one squad looked up, locking eyes with Luo Chen.
*It's him!*
Catching sight of that familiar golden flood dragon mask, Luo Chen took a sharp breath in shock.
Forcing himself not to avert his gaze, he cupped his hands toward the cultivator in greeting.
Then, without a moment's hesitation, he flew away with his two subordinates.
Down on the ground!
"Milord, what happened?"
Tianxingzi withdrew his gaze and smiled faintly.
"Nothing, just spotted an interesting little fellow."
"Don't delay our great task. Hurry and reinforce Elder Linghu. If we're late, there won't be any merit left for us."
***
Tianxingzi!
The master of the Zhenlong Black Market in Dahe Market, a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator!
That golden flood dragon mask was his most unmistakable hallmark.
*Advancing instead of retreating means they are going to reinforce someone.*
*Yet they belong to the Zhenlong Black Market and have nothing to do with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.*
*Which means... the one they are reinforcing is that sudden gray-robed Golden Core cultivator!*
Luo Chen felt as though an invisible, colossal web had been spun for a very long time, only to be hauled in all at once today.
He had nearly been caught inside it.
Still, for the Zhenlong Black Market to be the mastermind behind the scenes was a possibility he had never imagined.
Luo Chen recalled the casual remarks made by the black market cultivator when they gave him that embroidered ball back then.
With that embroidered ball artifact, one could learn the dates of each month's black market gathering.
Even in other markets, it still worked.
Back then, he had deduced that the organization behind the Zhenlong Black Market had to be no weaker than the Lianyun Merchant Alliance.
Now, it seemed he had still underestimated them.
A force bold enough to unseal suppressed ghost kings and besiege a Jade Cauldron Golden Core was definitely not something the Lianyun Merchant Alliance could compare to.
Judging by their organizational power and execution, it was far beyond what an ordinary loose cultivator syndicate could achieve.
*I fear the Zhenlong Black Market and the gray-robed Golden Core are backed by a great sect that dares challenge the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect!*
*Which sect could it be?*
As Luo Chen flew, he racked his brain.
The Jade Cauldron Sword Sect was a superior sect with a Nascent Soul Perfected Person!
Within the modest boundaries of the Jade Cauldron Domain, there were no superior sects capable of challenging them.
The more famous factions—Mount Ailao, the Luoyun Sect, the Ice Fort, the Hundred Blossoms Palace—were merely Golden Core sects.
They might haggle over minor benefits with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, but when it came to starting a war privately, they would never dare.
After a late Foundation Establishment cultivator died in Mount Ailao, their supreme elder had gone in person to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect to demand an explanation.
The emphasis lay on the words "in person."
Though it looked aggressive on the surface, was it not essentially an act of playing the aggrieved party?
For a supreme elder of a sect to travel to someone else's doorstep to lodge a grievance, putting himself in harm's way, was inherently a gesture of weakness.
*Could it be a force from outside the domain?*
While Luo Chen was lost in thought, a group of people flew toward them.
From far off, someone shouted in their direction.
Seeing who it was, Luo Chen let out a sigh of relief.
It was a group of cultivators from the Luotian Association, led by his good brother Wang Yuan.
"Back to Crescent Moon Valley first!"
"We'll talk on the way."
By the time they reached Crescent Moon Valley, Luo Chen had laid out everything that had occurred in Dahe Market with absolute clarity.
Everyone was dumbfounded!
For a mere Dahe Market, what qualified it to attract so many Golden Core cultivators?
After the shock came panic.
Many of the cultivators lived in the inner city. Leaving aside their left-behind property, the mere fact that their relatives were still in the inner city filled them with frantic dread.
Yuan Xiaoyue, for instance, had tears streaming down her face and wanted nothing more than to rush back to the inner city, all because her grandfather was still there.
Feng Xia held her in a tight embrace, pleading with her not to be reckless.
Yet even in Feng Xia's eyes, there was unconcealable anxiety.
Her close friend Bai Meiling was also still in the inner city!
Many others were in the exact same state.
Qu Lingjun was wailing loudly, desperate to go back and save his parents.
Thanks to Luo Chen's high regard for Qu Hancheng, his stipend had been raised several times.
With his purse full, he naturally wished to improve his family's living conditions, especially by providing Qu Lingjun with an environment rich in spiritual energy.
Thus, their family had moved into the inner city a month ago.
Now, aside from the old and the young, several mortals from their household were still trapped inside.
Faced with the somber, grief-stricken atmosphere within the Luotian Association, Luo Chen felt utterly helpless.
After several futile attempts at comfort, he walked out of Bright Moon Hall accompanied by Wang Yuan.
"From what you've described, Elder Pang Renxiong of Jade Cauldron is being besieged by four opponents of the same realm. I'm afraid things look grim for him."
"Yeah."
"Then can you still go to the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect?"
Luo Chen scratched his head, exposing a rare, boyish bashfulness.
As expected, he had known returning like this would lead to such an awkward moment.
All those expressions and fond farewells from last night and this morning had been completely wasted!
"Though this is terribly ill-timed, Brother Wang... could you give me back that bottle of Spirit Purifying Pills I gifted you?"
Chapter 158