Calamity at the Market

Riding the wind, Li Xuanfeng returned to the Li family estate and reported the situation at the mine to Li Tongya. Li Tongya nodded slightly and said in a heavy voice, "In a few days, I will personally go to the mine to hold the post. For now, get yourself ready. Go find Xuanxuan, collect this year's tribute, and make a trip to the commandery seat to deliver the tribute on behalf of our Li family." Seeing Li Xuanfeng nod, Li Tongya picked up a storage bag from the stone table before him, placed it in the young man's hands, and instructed, "Inside this bag, apart from the five years of tribute, there are a hundred and fifteen spirit stones saved by our clan, as well as a portion of river clear qi. It represents nearly ten years of savings for our Li family. Once you arrive at the Xiao family, seek out Xiao Yongling. The Xiao family has always been on good terms with us, and I share some acquaintance with him. Ask him to help find an array master to lay down a mountain-protecting grand array for our home." "If there are any spirit stones left over, visit the market to find yourself a suitable magical artifact." "As for the Qingwu ore mine, feel free to ask about it as well. It would be even better if you can gather news of your youngest uncle… The Xiao family is a vast clan with grand enterprises, and Xiao Yongling is an intelligent man; he will not embezzle our spirit stones." "Yes!" Seeing Li Xuanfeng nod obediently, Li Tongya hesitated for a breath, then cautioned, "Keep your posture low. By all means, do not clash with others. If anything happens on the road, do not covet the spirit stones—above all else, keep yourself safe!" Li Xuanfeng listened carefully to Li Tongya's words, nodded forcefully, and then took his leave. He went to the courtyard to say goodbye to Li Xuanxuan and Li Xuanling. Leaving Mount Lijing, Li Xuanfeng rode the wind and headed east along Guli Road. As he crossed the Lu family's territory, he faintly heard soft rumbles of thunder from the west. He tilted his head to listen for a while, but hearing nothing further, he had no choice but to continue eastward. *** No sooner had Li Xuanfeng left Mount Lijing than violent thunder erupted across the sky. A deafening buzzing filled Li Tongya's ears, followed by the roar of an immense sound wave. "Who is it?!" Li Tongya opened his eyes in shock and hurriedly stepped out of his cave abode. To the north, the sky above Lake Wangyue was crimson. Several sunset clouds gathered in the air, tinting the expanse above Lake Wangyue like an ocean of fire, while the faint glow of magical artifacts flickered high above. "The islet in the center of the lake… that is the direction of the Lake Wangyue market…" On the islet at the heart of Lake Wangyue, a massive transparent protective barrier surged upward. Circulating his true essence, Li Tongya looked into the distance and saw over a dozen figures scattered across the sky. "My Lake Wangyue market has operated here for more than two hundred years under the license of the Qingchi Sect. Have you friends made sure of the situation?" As Li Tongya stood suspended in the air, an aged voice echoed across the lake, laden with underlying fury—evidently belonging to the master of the Lake Wangyue market. "It is said that the master of the Lake Wangyue market is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It seems those besieging the market must at least be Foundation Establishment cultivators as well…" Li Tongya flew a hundred li closer and gazed at the market from afar. At the center of Lake Wangyue was an islet where the market stood. Having come under attack, the concealed islet had revealed itself, showing lush water reeds and gracefully arranged pavilions, resembling an immortal realm. "Chen Taoping, no need to keep pretending! You have hidden on Lake Wangyue for two hundred years. If not for a stroke of luck, we truly would have let you slip past!" Another calm voice drifted over. Li Tongya listened for a moment before his spiritual sense was stirred. Turning his head with a peculiar expression, he saw a figure flying in from the west, covered in tattoos and adorned with beast bones and jade. It was Mu Jiaoman. Attracted by the disturbance, Mu Jiaoman had flown up to see what was happening. Caught unprepared when his eyes met Li Tongya's, he was startled, caught in a dilemma of whether to advance or retreat. From afar, he sent an awkward voice transmission: "Brother Tongya…" Seeing that Mu Jiaoman looked ready to turn and flee at any moment, Li Tongya did not bother with him and focused on the commotion on the lake. The aged voice paused before replying, "Chen Taoping? Who is Chen Taoping? I am Zhang Cuotian. Daoist friend, do not be deceived by others and offend the immortal sect for nothing." The other voice gave a soft laugh and said coldly, "Stop stalling. The Qingchi Sect has already given us permission. Today is the day you remnant of the Lingyu Gate die! We have borrowed the Lightning-Smiting Formation-Breaking Wedge; even this grand array cannot protect you!" With those words, thunder roared through the heavens. Rain of fire and bolts of lightning poured down relentlessly, striking the grand array until it flickered between brightness and dimness, turning the entire lake surface snow-white one moment and crimson the next. Many rogue cultivators had already gathered nearby, looking up in astonishment. Li Tongya counted the time. In the span of an incense stick, the grand array collapsed with a deafening crash. Strands of brilliant, multicolored light filled the sky as several figures clashed repeatedly in midair, their sonic booms and shockwaves churning violent waves across the lake. "What immense power. These people are likely all at the Foundation Establishment peak, not far from the Purple Palace." While Li Tongya was still observing, he saw over a dozen figures disregard the aftershocks of the battle and plunge straight into the shattered market without looking back, clearly driven by crooked intentions. "Quite tempting…" Li Tongya narrowed his eyes. On the other side, Mu Jiaoman was already itching to act, his eyes brimming with greed. He quietly glanced toward Li Tongya, only to lose his color in shock, blurting out, "Fifth layer of Qi Refinement?! How is that possible!" Mu Jiaoman remembered clearly that when they clashed a few years ago, Li Tongya had only been at the third layer of Qi Refinement. How could only two years have passed, and he was already at the fifth layer?! Hearing this, Li Tongya glanced at Mu Jiaoman with a smile, frightening him so badly that his hair stood on end. With a strange cry, Mu Jiaoman turned and bolted without looking back, streaking several hundred meters away in an instant with a faint bloody light shimmering around him, evidently resorting to shamanic arts. Li Tongya withdrew his gaze, looked down at the glittering clash of magical artifacts on the lake's central islet, stroked his chin, and muttered to himself, "Entering the fray personally is far too dangerous. Better to wait here for them to deliver themselves to my door." With that, he flew for a bit, adjusted his position, and focused his attention on the colorful lights within the market, waiting for those who had looted treasures to flee outward. *** "Chen Taoping! Where is the *River Daling Classic*?!" The battle in the air grew increasingly fierce. An elder clad in white robes wielded a long spear, fighting one against three. Hemmed in by the cultivators flanking him, he was forced back repeatedly. Hearing the demand, he gritted his teeth and said, "This old man has no idea what you are talking about!" "Still stubborn at death's door." One of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators gave a cold sneer, his magical artifact blazing with light, causing Chen Taoping's movements to falter slightly and nearly costing him an arm. "The Lingyu Gate may have been destroyed, but its legacy cannot fall into outside hands. Once we capture you, we will properly trace where the *River Daling Classic* went!" "Bah!" Chen Taoping spat fiercely, parrying continuously with his spear. Consumed by rage, he cursed, "I don't give a damn about avenging the destroyed sect! I only wanted to spend the rest of my days on this lake, yet you still won't let me be—must you ruthlessly exterminate every last one of us?!" The Foundation Establishment cultivator holding the magical artifact frowned and said in a heavy voice, "When the Lingyu Gate fell, among the sixty-one jade slips, the *River Daling Classic* alone was missing. That is a matter of great consequence! We have pursued it for over a hundred years without finding a single clue. Were it not for that, we would not wish to press you so relentlessly…" "What a fine calculation you people have made…" Chen Taoping wore a look of sorrow, driven into a corner. His expression turned ferocious as he bellowed in fury, "If I had that *River Daling Classic* in my hands, would you ever have seen a Chen Taoping merely at the Foundation Establishment peak? Having attained the Purple Palace, the entire world would be mine to roam!" Hearing this, the Foundation Establishment cultivator holding the magical artifact paused briefly, yet continued to channel power into his weapon. The golden light it emitted grew swifter and more oppressive, tangling Chen Taoping and slowing his movements further. He replied, "We are merely acting on orders! Once we capture you and search you thoroughly, the truth will be known!"