Assassinate Fang Wu and Qi Yulong?
Unlike Si Mingkong, Fang Wu and Qi Yulong were both at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement, their strength surpassing his. Their Magic Artifacts, treasures, and mastered Spells were unknown, and a single Exotic Black Mosquito could not guarantee a successful assassination. The price of a failed assassination was the exposure of the tunnels, being hunted by Fang Wu and Qi Yulong, and threats from the Five Elements Sect.
The risk was too great!
Let them live a little longer for now.
It wouldn’t be too late to kill them when my strength far surpasses theirs.
Battling those of a higher Cultivation Level was extremely dangerous. The victor became king, while the loser ended up in the netherworld.
Jia Ren preferred to use absolute strength to crush his enemies, giving them no chance to counterattack.
Break through Tunnel Number Six to Qi Yulong’s residence.
A new tunnel was added, connecting to Qi Yulong’s residence.
Only by knowing oneself and the enemy can one emerge victorious in every battle.
Understanding more about their habits was key to targeting their weaknesses.
Jia Ren kept a close watch on them; if an opportunity arose, he would not miss it.
After watching the entertaining spectacle, he continued to increase his Proficiency Level in the Turtle Breath Technique.
Turtle Breath Technique Proficiency Level +1.
Turtle Breath Technique, Grandmaster Level!
With this final increase in proficiency, the Turtle Breath Technique successfully broke through to the Grandmaster Level.
The Turtle Breath Technique’s ability to conceal one’s aura became even stronger, making Jia Ren’s hiding place underground even more secure. Unlike the immediately apparent improvements from the Metal Finger Technique and Wind Control Skill, the effects of the Turtle Breath Technique at the Grandmaster Level would require time to ascertain.
「Two days later, Tunnel Number Six was completed, opening a new channel for information.」
The female cultivator surnamed Wang has completely vanished?
Jia Ren peered through the wormhole. The secret chamber where the female cultivator surnamed Wang had been was empty; her whereabouts were unknown.
The intelligence value of this location was dwindling; since learning about the Spirit Turtle, he had acquired no further useful information.
As usual, he went to Elder Wu’s dwelling.
Elder Wu had bought nine jin of Spirit Rice at a high price through the trade fair. He was one of the Loose Cultivators at the underground trade fair who had bought the most Spirit Rice. Despite spending a large amount of Spirit Stones, he still couldn’t ensure his daily sustenance.
Elder Wu no longer possessed the Essence, Energy, and Spirit he once had, nor did he have the vigor or inclination to create Talismans. He feigned sleep to reduce his consumption of energy and food, thereby maintaining a peak state.
For the past two days, I haven’t felt hungry when cultivating the Turtle Breath Technique.
Could this be an additional effect now that the Turtle Breath Technique has reached the Grandmaster Level?
It’s not bad. At least I don’t have to worry about running out of Spirit Rice and starving to death...
Jia Ren had long been aware of the crisis. With the Spirit Fields on Grand Wilderness Mountain gone, obtaining more Spirit Rice was difficult. Every bit consumed was a bit less in his reserves. For the past two days, he had consciously reduced his daily Spirit Rice consumption.
Thanks to Si Mingkong’s selfless contribution, the Corner Worms’ demand for food was temporarily met. The next time he fed Spirit Rice to the Corner Worms, he could reduce their numbers.
The master can’t starve while the worms have an unending supply of Spirit Rice.
Elder Wu had no intelligence to offer, so the third place Jia Ren visited was Fang Wu’s residence.
Compared to the desolation of the other locations, Fang Wu’s underground trade fair was quite bustling. Since the Spirit Rice auction, dozens of Loose Cultivators had come, either to buy Spirit Rice or to attempt robbery and murder. Everyone had witnessed the five hundred jin of Spirit Rice selling for two thousand Fragmented Spirit Stones; quite a few were tempted.
Loose Cultivators without Spirit Stones or Spirit Rice had nothing to lose. Driven by desperation, they were bold enough to rob for Spirit Stones and food.
"Fellow Daoists, please leave!"
"Don’t force our hand!"
Two Loose Cultivators at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement emerged, their expressions unfriendly as they faced the newcomers.
"Daoist Liu, Daoist Ma, why must you aid a tyrant in his wicked deeds?"
"If you get your hands on the plundered Spirit Rice and Spirit Stones, would you still be afraid of starving?"
Fang Wu was merely an agent; the Spirit Stones had long been handed over to the Five Elements Sect Cultivator.
Even if they killed Fang Wu, how much Spirit Rice and Spirit Stones could they actually seize? Robbery is a one-time deal. How would the plundered Spirit Rice and Spirit Stones be divided? And where would they buy more Spirit Rice afterward? Being employed by Fang Wu at least guaranteed them a daily supply of Spirit Rice.
The two Loose Cultivators remained unmoved. They drew their Magic Artifacts and coldly declared, "Approach and die!"
The Loose Cultivators who were still considering action weighed their strength against the guards and departed, disgruntled.
Fang Wu then said, "Thank you for your trouble, fellow Daoists. Here is your share of Spirit Rice for today."
Each received two jin of Spirit Rice and thanked him profusely.
Ever since the Spirit Rice auction, Fang Wu, concerned for his safety, had begun hiring Loose Cultivators using Spirit Rice as payment.
Two jin of Spirit Rice?
Previously, that amount would have been an insult to a cultivator at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement.
But now, with Spirit Rice prices so high, even a single jin was hard to obtain, and some would willingly kill for two.
Employed by Fang Wu, they received a guaranteed two jin of Spirit Rice daily, a fact that made countless other Loose Cultivators green with envy.
Hiring a Sixth-Layer Qi Refinement Loose Cultivator for two jin of Spirit Rice is truly a bargain...
The auction price for Spirit Rice was terrifying, yet its cost price was merely Three Fragmented Spirits per jin, making this hiring fee exceptionally cheap.
Those remaining Loose Cultivators won’t be able to cause trouble for much longer. The trade fair will reopen in five days, and that will be their doom.
It’s time to consider an escape route.
When no one was watching, Fang Wu’s smile vanished, his face clouding over with worry. To outsiders, he appeared to be in charge of the underground trade fair, always cheerful and beaming. He lacked neither Spirit Stones nor Spirit Rice, held a high position, and maintained good relations with many Loose Cultivators. But this was merely superficial splendor; in reality, he was walking on thin ice.
Fang Wu was well aware of his position: he was just a dog kept by Qi Yulong. To secure entry into the Inner City, he had abandoned his dignity and curried favor in every conceivable way. The more he understood Qi Yulong, the clearer Qi Yulong’s true nature became to him. He couldn’t be certain that the fate of the Shen Xing Sanxiu wouldn’t befall him. The reopening of the trade fair in five days would be his most perilous moment.
I must devise a foolproof plan to save my life.
Fang Wu pondered. If Qi Yulong decided to move against him, it would surely be because he coveted the Spirit Stones Fang Wu had earned recently.
Voluntarily handing over my wealth might not guarantee my safety.
Simply because I know too much.
Over a hundred Loose Cultivators were sent to the battlefield as cannon fodder. Any survivors would become a security risk.
And they would seek revenge only against me, Fang Wu!
Only dead men tell no tales.
My chance of safely entering the Inner City and ensuring my survival depends on how I use the Spirit Stones in my possession.
If Qi Yulong intends to ’kill the donkey after it’s done grinding the grain,’ he’ll end up with nothing.
Where should I hide it?
The underground trade fair?
No matter how well I hide it there, Qi Yulong could find it with a little effort.
The most dangerous place is the safest place.
Fang Wu’s eyes lit up, and he decisively left the underground trade fair.
Jia Ren had remained hidden in the tunnel, secretly observing through a wormhole. Unfortunately, he hadn’t gathered much valuable information.
I hope there will be something to gain at Qi Yulong’s residence.
Jia Ren returned through the tunnel, heading towards Tunnel Number Six. Tunnel Number Six had just been completed, and he had never been there before. The six intertwined tunnels formed an increasingly complex network, but Jia Ren had already memorized their layout and found the correct one with ease.
He opened a wormhole and peered into the secret chamber below.
Qi Yulong was nowhere to be seen.
He waited for a moment, but no one appeared. Just as Jia Ren was about to leave, he heard approaching footsteps.
Jia Ren focused his gaze, only to be startled: the person approaching was not Qi Yulong, but... Fang Wu.
Fang Wu moved cautiously, approaching the stone bed where Qi Yulong usually meditated, and began to dig beneath it. In a short while, he had dug a pit half a zhang deep.
The most dangerous place is indeed the safest place!
Qi Yulong, clever as he is, would never imagine I’d hide my things under the very stone bed where he cultivates!
Fang Wu took out a bulging Storage Bag, carefully wrapped it in a piece of tattered cloth, and placed it into the pit. He then filled the pit with earth, restoring it to its previous appearance. He carefully erased all traces of his activity.
Having done all this, he didn’t dare to linger and hastily departed.