Zheng Yunshu was delighted after recovering and expressed a desire to visit her brother.
Shen Wang shook his head: "I’ll go check the situation first. You shouldn’t rush to contact him. I suspect people from the Xie Family might be monitoring him."
Zheng Yunshu replied blankly: "Then will he be in danger?"
"It shouldn’t be that serious. Your brother was already not long for this world, and they have no reason to bring trouble upon themselves by killing him without concrete evidence."
Shen Wang confirmed, then took out a turtle shell: "I’ll entrust this array control hub to you. Your array skills are better than mine, and I’m confident the Dao Array will unleash its full potential under your maintenance and control."
"Husband, you are the head of the family. This should be managed by you."
Zheng Yunshu shook her head.
"Our family isn’t bound by such conventions. Whoever is more suitable should manage it, and you’re more suitable than me."
Shen Wang, smiling, placed the turtle shell in Zheng Yunshu’s hand: "Moreover, I often need to go out, and having the array managed by you allows for constant vigilance against enemies. That’s also why I waited for your recovery before considering going out."
Zheng Yunshu felt it made sense and gently smiled: "Okay, I’ll follow your lead. You can go out assured, and I will guard the family well."
"In our family, apart from me, there are two Foundation Establishment cultivators. With the protection of the Dao Array, I plan to acquire some advanced arrays, so we can have sect-level defense capabilities."
"Husband, our Zheng Family has a top-grade array map. You go buy the materials, and we can refine it ourselves, which will save a lot of money."
Zheng Yunshu remembered something. Now that her cultivation is restored, she can handle these tasks again.
"Yes, that’s what I thought."
Shen Wang smiled: "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have joined the Array Refining Pavilion of the Hundred Refining Sect, nor would I have met you."
Zheng Yunshu’s smile blossomed like a flower: "Indeed, our meeting was quite unexpected."
"Let’s not dwell on it. You’re familiar with the Dao Array, so I’ll go out to look around since I haven’t been out in a long time."
Shen Wang said, then remembered something: "Let Xue’Er take a look at the Dao Array Jade Scroll, so she can learn as well."
"Yes, she has great talent and should learn."
In reality, Shen Wang wanted Xue’Er to improve her array skills, which would, in turn, elevate his skills faster than relying on system rewards.
He arranged a few tasks, informed the women, and officially left through the secret passage.
With the Yin Yang Realm scouting ahead, Shen Wang left Kunyu Mountain safely.
He didn’t head straight to Jin Province but went to Xi Province first to deal with the spoils from slaying an enemy, and then buy some items.
Sect-level defense requires a considerable amount of resources, and spirit stones, arrays, and other materials are indispensable. Even if the Dao Array conserves spirit stones, the regular arrays he sets up still need spirit stones as the energy source.
He disguised himself, even using the Yin Yang Mirror to alter his aura, transforming into a man in black, and arrived at the Lingxi Sect Market.
This market wasn’t as grand as Hundred Refinements City, yet it was the most prosperous cultivator trading site within a thousand miles, attracting cultivators from all over the state.
On his way, he sensed multiple surveillances, and many cultivators he encountered were rushing, creating an unspoken tension.
"It seems something really has happened."
Shen Wang moved nonchalantly, pondering how to learn more about the situation.
Entering the market, Shen Wang went to Lingxi Pavilion.
This was a business directly under the Lingxi Sect, the most powerful entity in this market. Shen Wang had previously purchased arrays here.
Upon entering the door, his presence was still being watched. Shen Wang told the welcoming maid: "I want to sell some things and transact with your shopkeeper."
He did not hide his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Stage, granting him the right to meet the shopkeeper here.
"Honored guest, please wait a moment."
The maid responded respectfully, and soon Shopkeeper Zhao, whom Shen Wang had dealt with before, came to greet him and led him to a quiet room.
Zhao Xiaoxu scrutinized Shen Wang: "You’re a new face, not a cultivator from Xi Province?"
"Does conducting a transaction now require a legitimate origin?"
Shen Wang replied playfully.
"The current situation is tense; asking if possible is ideal, but we won’t force you."
Zhao Xiaoxu shook his head.
"I am indeed from elsewhere, mostly in secluded cultivation. I found it odd why it felt so tense on the journey here; can you tell me what’s happening?"
Zhao Xiaoxu gave Shen Wang a questioning look: "The Sun and Moon Dynasty is currently eradicating demons, and the Celestial Travel Sect has been labeled as a Demon and Monster Sect. It’s under attack by the Demon Suppression Department, putting everyone on edge."
Shen Wang was surprised: "How did the Celestial Travel Sect become a Demon and Monster Sect?"
"Hehe, such matters are for them to decide. However, I did hear that the Celestial Travel Sect indeed had some demonic individuals, but the sect itself doesn’t admit it."
Zhao Xiaoxu shook his head.
"Demonic individuals?" Shen Wang grew interested, as he hadn’t heard of such individuals in the Celestial Travel Sect.
"Not sure, perhaps they cultivated some evil technique or obtained some evil object."
Zhao Xiaoxu stopped the topic: "Let’s not discuss this anymore; what do you wish to sell?"
"Don’t rush, Shopkeeper. Tell me about the situation; has the Demon Suppression Department already moved against the Celestial Travel Sect?"
Shen Wang was slightly worried about the Shen Family. Although most family members were unrelated to him, he still had some concerns for a few relatives.
"They probably haven’t fully engaged yet, but the situation has reached a boiling point. Since it has been acknowledged, it shouldn’t be long before action is taken."
Zhao Xiaoxu shook his head: "So, recently everyone is quite cautious, fearing being mistakenly killed by the Demon Suppression Department as demonic or evil. Since you’ve been out of circulation for so long, you should be extra careful."
Shen Wang nodded: "Thanks for the warning. I understand; I didn’t expect the normally unnoticed Demon Suppression Department to make such a massive move."
"Yes, so what do you want to sell?"
Zhao Xiaoxu sighed and returned to the main issue.
Shen Wang tapped his storage pouch, taking out a pile of items that reached half a person’s height, an assorted mix, including many talismans.
Previously calm, Zhao Xiaoxu couldn’t help but widen his eyes. After a few scrutinizing glances, he asked uncertainly: "You want to sell all these items?"
Shen Wang inquired; this was only a part of his stock.
"We can definitely handle it. Recently, we need various supplies, though organizing them will take some time."
Zhao Xiaoxu withdrew his gaze, starting to suspect this person’s identity.
"Then please tally them up quickly; I plan to sell them all and then purchase a few things."
Shen Wang smiled. These were items he didn’t have much use for; the useful ones had been sorted and kept.
"It will likely take half an hour. Please have a seat."
Zhao Xiaoxu ordered some fruits and snacks to be brought in and called three people over to inventory the items.
He also examined some items himself, noticing some were of decent quality and sensing something unusual, he gave Shen Wang a deep look.
Shen Wang sipped tea, continuing to inquire about the situation. After learning that the cultivation realm was growing increasingly unstable, he adjusted his list of items to buy and gave it to Zhao Xiaoxu for preparation, to minimize time waste.
An hour later, Shen Wang received the items he wanted and an extra six thousand spirit stones. Without lingering, he chose to leave immediately.
Leaving the Lingxi Sect Market, he formally headed to Jin Province. Official source is novel⦿fire.net
Inside Lingxi Pavilion, Zhao Xiaoxu held a magical artifact, lost in thought.
"Shopkeeper Zhao, are you sure about letting this person leave?"
A steward beside him asked.
"I’ve informed the elders. Since they didn’t instruct us to act, there’s no need to invite trouble."
Zhao Xiaoxu shook his head: "The world is very unstable right now; it’s best to keep a low profile. This person managed to acquire so many items, so he must not be simple. There’s no need to stir up trouble for ourselves."
"Indeed, we usually handle some black-market items, but we’ve never received such a large haul from a Foundation Establishment cultivator before. He must have people backing him, probably having eliminated no fewer than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators."
The steward voiced his concern.
"It doesn’t concern us as long as he didn’t kill any of our people."
Zhao Xiaoxu dismissed it: "We’re in business to make money; safety is the priority, and everything else is secondary."
Shen Wang was somewhat surprised that nobody followed him after he left.
This transaction, valued at over twenty thousand spirit stones, was more than what most Golden Core cultivators could afford.
"This Lingxi Pavilion is quite steady; I might return here to offload more goods next time."