After leaving the market district, Li An moved as fast as he could, covering dozens of li in one go.
Only when night fell—and it beca too risky to continue—did he stop in a mountain forest, find a cave to hide in, and suppress his presence.
The next morning, he changed into a fresh set of clothes, altered his appearance once more, and resud his journey toward the Liuyang River Market District.
By the third day, Li An finally arrived at Masha Ferry Crossing, just outside the Liuyang River Market District.
Blending into the flow of people coming and going, he repeatedly used his Divine Sense to scout the area, and eventually detected two demonic cultivators at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.
“So they’ve co after all...” Li An murmured under his breath, careful not to let the two sense his presence.
That night, under the cover of darkness, he silently buried himself in the silt of the riverside beach near the ferry crossing.
He sank about two ters into the muddy silt. The surface initially showed a crumpled imprint, but the constant lapping of the river waves soon smoothed it over.
Only a single reed straw poked out of the silt, but such river debris was common along the banks, and would raise no suspicion.
This mudflat was one of the key points where he had previously planted his Second-Grade Formation.
Hidden here, his Divine Sense could detect changes in the air, and he could hear outside movent through the reed straw.
Li An retracted his aura, becoming like a statue embedded in the silt.
…
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.
For most people, it would have been unbearable by now. Being subrged in silt like this would drive anyone insane.
But Li An remained completely motionless.
Finally, on the thirteenth evening—
“Hurry, I need three boats!”
“Take us to the Liuyang River Market District! We’ll pay double the spirit stones!”
From within the silt, Li An finally heard sothing unusual through the reed.
Soone was frantically chartering boats and urging the ferryn to depart. The docked boats were quickly all taken, and newcors brought their own vessels in a rush toward the market district.
“What’s going on... why are so many people suddenly heading for the Liuyang River?”
“They’re all from Foundation Establishnt clans and cultivation forces. What happened?”
Many voices rose in anxious confusion.
“You haven’t heard? Disaster! The Clear Sun Sect’s main sect has been completely destroyed in a great blaze—word is even the sect leader is dead. The Yin-Yang Demon Sect has returned in force. The Bright Sun Market District and the Xuan Yang Market District have both fallen. The Clear Sun Sect... is finished!”
Just then, soone added, “All the major factions have heard the news, so they’re rushing to the Liuyang River Market District to withdraw their resources before it’s too late. If they’re slow, they’ll be robbed by the demon cultivators!”
In an instant, chaos erupted at Masha Ferry Crossing.
“What?!”
“Is this for real? Wasn’t the Yin-Yang Demon Sect wiped out ages ago?”
“There’s no way the Clear Sun Sect could fall!”
Everyone was in utter disbelief—the news was too shocking!
Underground in the silt, Li An kept his eyes closed, but his heart sank slightly.
Everything... had finally arrived.
He didn’t know whether Tan Qingxue and Wang Dazhu had left the main sect as he had suggested.
But he wasn’t too concerned either.
Whether it was Tan Qingxue or Wang Dazhu… neither was worth risking his life for.
He had already done what he could for them, within the bounds of ensuring his own absolute safety. If they were dead, he might sigh… but he wouldn’t mourn too deeply.
“From the fall of the Clear Sun Sect to the arrival of survivors here… the ti window is about one day…”
Li An murmured internally.
Late that night, he suddenly sensed movent in the silt not far from him. A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed the truth.
One of the demonic cultivators was digging into the mud to set up a formation.
Just as he had predicted, these demon cultivators were laying a slaughter array, waiting for the exhausted survivors of the Clear Sun Sect to arrive, only to be ambushed and massacred.
“The Yin-Yang Demon Sect really does have experts...”
Li An grew a bit wary. The spot he had chosen was intentionally offset from the optimal ambush zone.
The place the demonic cultivator was now using was the best position to cover the entire ferry crossing with a killing array.
Clearly, soone skilled in formations had arrived.
Li An even suspected a Foundation Establishnt cultivator might be present.
Still, he wasn’t anxious. For him, this entire operation was left to fate.
If the opportunity presented itself, he would act—perhaps gaining sothing for his future life as a wandering cultivator.
But if the Demon Sect’s strength proved overwhelming, he would do nothing. He would wait until the Yin-Yang Demon Sect finished slaughtering the survivors and left, only then would he safely escape.
…
At that mont—
In the Bright Sun Market District—
The entire place had beco a pile of ruins. A Foundation Establishnt demonic cultivator led dozens of others, gathered before the talisman shop.
“What happened? You didn’t find him?!”
The Foundation Establishnt cultivator’s face was clouded with fury.
“No, Commander! We wiped out the entire market, but that black-hearted talisman master is nowhere to be found!”
A middle-aged man answered nervously.
“Who was assigned to tail him?”
The cultivator asked coldly.
The young man nearby turned pale, instantly dropping to his knees. “Commander! I really was watching him the whole ti! That black-hearted talisman master never left the market—I don’t know how he’s not here…”
The Foundation Establishnt cultivator raised his hand and snapped the youth’s throat in an instant.
Crack!
The throat burst open, blood spraying.
The surrounding demon cultivators remained utterly indifferent, showing no reaction.
“Commander, it’s just a minor talisman master. Does he really matter that much?” the middle-aged man ventured to ask.
The cultivator replied, “The overall situation is already decided. Of course, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m just… curious.”
“If that black-hearted talisman master was out of town by coincidence, then fine—he got lucky.”
“But this man is known to be cautious, rarely leaving the market district. On top of that, we had him under surveillance. Yet he still managed to escape...”
“Do you know what that implies?”
The middle-aged man’s expression changed slightly.
“It ans our entire plan... may have never escaped this talisman master’s notice from the very beginning—”
The Foundation Establishnt cultivator’s eyes grew deeply solemn. “This man must not be underestimated. Issue a kill-on-sight order. Anyone who kills the black-hearted talisman master shall be rewarded with: one High-Grade Furnace Cauldron, one Foundation Establishnt Pill, and half a volu of a Mysterious-Rank cultivation technique—”
At those words, everyone was utterly shocked!
A kill-on-sight order!
Since the Yin-Yang Demon Sect resurfaced in the Great Dawn Dynasty decades ago, such an order had only been issued once.
And that ti, the target had been a true expert—at the peak of Foundation Establishnt, on the verge of Core Formation.
This black-hearted talisman master was only at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining at most, and yet he had beco the second person to receive this order.
And the reward was incredibly generous.
“Is that... really necessary…” the middle-aged man asked in disbelief.
“Of course it is. In this world, power is dangerous, but intelligence is even more dangerous—”
The Foundation Establishnt cultivator said coldly, “This talisman master has now been completely pushed to our enemy’s side. We must not give him a chance to grow. No matter how weak or useless he may seem now, underestimating him could be your downfall in the future.”
“In fact, I suspect that Senior Brother Zhang... was killed by him.”
He recalled sothing.
Back then, Senior Brother Zhang had co to the Bright Sun Market District on Master Horse-Face of Death’s orders, but never returned.
If Li An had killed him…
If Li An had obtained Zhang’s inheritance…
If Li An had released Gu Hong, who Zhang had imprisoned…
Then everything—
Would make perfect sense.
“What a crafty Li An... We must not let him grow stronger!”
The Foundation Establishnt demonic cultivator’s eyes turned ice cold as he recalled another of Li An’s nicknas: Nesis of the Demon Path!
That nickna... must never beco reality.
…
anwhile, in the Liuyang River Market District—
Though the place hadn’t yet been attacked by the Demon Sect, the entire city was in chaos.
The boats of various sects and families completely blocked the city’s entrance by water.
Every shop was hurriedly packing up and fleeing. Even the Clear Sun Sect cultivators stationed at the market were at a loss—panic filled the air.
And on the crowded main street—
A veiled woman froze upon hearing the news about the Bright Sun Market District.
“It’s fallen...”
“Li An.”
She whispered the na softly, as if calling out to soone.
For a mont, she felt a sudden urge—to head toward the Bright Sun Market District and search for any trace of Li An...
But after a long silence—
She turned and walked out of the Liuyang River Market District. A boat was already waiting for her.
“To Xu Family Town,” she said calmly.
Xu Family Town, the place where Xu Qiuhui had taken her when the Clear Sun Sect ambushed Horse-Face of Death.
If Xu Qiuhui was still alive, she would definitely return there.
In the midst of this great turmoil, Tan Qingxue remained calm and rational, unmoved by emotion, and made the best decision for herself.
…
(End of Chapter)
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