The flight of the Chang Le Gang’s Leader caused the greatest shock and fury within the Law Enforcement Office. They dispatched a large number of Cultivators to search for Yang Shengwu in both the Inner City and Outer City, with search efforts only slightly less intense than the pursuit of the Mosquito Daoist. In less than half a day, the search ended abruptly.
Jia Ren left the Market and found Yang Shengwu and Yun Niang near Grand Wilderness Mountain. The two did not dare to stray far from Great Wilderness Market, for fear of encountering Bizarre Demons.
"There are ten more Evil Warding Talismans inside; it’s always good to be prepared," Jia Ren said, taking out three Storage Bags and handing them over. Inside were the supplies they had stored. They contained three hundred catties of Spirit Rice, five hundred catties of ordinary rice, Spirit Bud Elixirs, Spirit Revitalizing Pills, and Spirit Enhancement Pills. The Spirit Bud Elixirs were suitable for Yun Niang. Spirit Revitalizing Pills restored Spiritual Power, and Spirit Enhancement Pills were for Late Stage Qi Cultivators.
"Your Spirit Stones," Yang Shengwu said, handing over a Storage Bag full of Spirit Stones.
There’s more than expected! Jia Ren thought. He took the corresponding portion and then returned the Storage Bag.
"Be extra careful outside the Market," Jia Ren instructed. "Lay low for a month or two to avoid trouble." After giving several instructions, Jia Ren hurried off.
He did not rush back to the Market. Instead, he found a secluded area to improve the Proficiency Level of his offensive spells. The Proficiency Level of the Thunderous Charge Curse increased more slowly and required more Spiritual Power. However, at the Master Level, it already displayed tremendous lethality. When the Spiritual Power in his body dropped to one-third, he quickly took a Qi Recovery Pill to replenish it. It was unsafe outside the Great Wilderness Market. Ensuring he had ample Spiritual Power was necessary in case he encountered danger.
If I enter the Great Wilderness, I might encounter low-order Magical Beasts, Jia Ren mused. Fighting was inevitable in the future, and he still had the Talisman Cultivators’ Association to deal with. He couldn’t just wait for enemies to come to him; he needed to proactively increase his combat experience. Jia Ren’s spells were far superior to those of cultivators at the same level, and he only operated on the periphery, never venturing more than three miles in. If danger arose, his Wind Control Skill would ensure his escape without worry.
The most dangerous things in the Great Wilderness were not Magical Beasts, but Bizarre Demons and other evil entities. Their methods were strange and unpredictable, making them incredibly difficult to guard against. The Bizarre Mist Maiden he had once witnessed left a deep impression on him.
After the Bizarre Demon incident, the price of Evil Warding Talismans fell back to ten Spirit Stones each. Jia Ren had bought a total of twenty Evil Warding Talismans in the Market. Besides the ten he gave to Yang Shengwu, he still had a stock. Before setting off, he checked the thirteen Evil Warding Talismans placed over his chest to ensure there were no issues. The Spirit Shield activated, enveloping him like an eggshell to guard against sneak attacks.
As he moved forward, the undergrowth became denser, reaching waist height. Trees grew more abundant, and occasionally, he could see a small, trodden path. Unknown insects, startled by his footsteps, suddenly leaped out of the undergrowth. Jia Ren’s nerves were taut. He kept his Spirit Eye Technique constantly active, and his Metal Finger Technique shot out instinctively, easily piercing through them. A green snake, camouflaged almost perfectly against the tree leaves, sprang from a branch. Before it could collide with his Spirit Shield, a golden light had already pierced its head.
Compared to his other spells, the Metal Finger Technique was the one he handled best. The Grandmaster Level Metal Finger Technique was fast, almost instinctive, and possessed impressive lethality.
Jia Ren summoned a hundred Exotic Black Mosquitoes, allowing them to scatter and act as his scouts. At this moment, he was no longer fighting alone. After issuing the command to attack at will, he didn’t wait for snakes and vermin to approach. Instead, the Exotic Black Mosquitoes would suck them dry preemptively.
To quickly locate Magical Beasts, the best method was to use a Demon-Spotting Talisman. As a Talisman Maker specializing in Demon-Spotting Talismans, he was not short on them. A Demon-Spotting Talisman was activated, tracking residual demonic essence nearby and leaving a clear, visible trail before him. The Master Level Demon-Spotting Talisman had a ten-mile sensing range, but it located a Magical Beast only three miles away.
Using the Exotic Black Mosquitoes as scouts, they moved ahead, and Jia Ren followed closely.
Jia Ren saw a fat, sturdy wild boar with black bristles—unmistakably a First Order, low-grade Magical Beast: a Black-Brisket Boar. The Black-Brisket Boar ignored the Exotic Black Mosquitoes, recognizing Jia Ren as the true threat, and charged at him. With his Wind Control Skill deployed, his body lightened. Aided by the Spirit Eye Technique, the black wild boar’s movements became clearly visible. As the Black-Brisket Boar charged, Jia Ren sidestepped to the left, calmly dodging the impact. A white thunderous light bloomed in his right palm, piercing the boar’s brain like a hot knife through butter. The thunderous light exploded, and the boar’s head disintegrated into scattered pieces of flesh. The headless pig’s body, carried by inertia, toppled forward, sliding more than ten feet before stopping against a tree.
Jia Ren stowed the black boar’s corpse into his Storage Bag, and the Exotic Black Mosquitoes feasted on the Demonic Blood, sating their hunger.
Looking up, his gaze pierced through the lush tree canopy to glance at the waning sun in the west. Satisfied, he began his return.
An eerie, sobbing sound traveled from afar, tugging at one’s heartstrings. The sound seemed to be that of a woman crying.
What female cultivator would be crying in the Great Wilderness?
The Gazetteer of the Green Creek noted that Bizarre Demons employed inconceivable methods, advising people to avoid eye contact as much as possible to prevent soul-snatching Bizarre Demons.
In an instant, an Evil Warding Talisman on his chest ignited, forming a faint red halo that protected him.
Could it indeed be a Bizarre Demon?!
Since he began selling bait, Jia Ren had entered the Great Wilderness twice, and each time he had encountered a Bizarre Demon. What kind of luck is this?!
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jia Ren activated his Wind Control Skill. Like a gust of wind, he was tens of feet away in the blink of an eye. The sobbing grew more distant; it didn’t follow him. Perhaps Jia Ren’s escape was too swift for it to catch up...
I’m never entering the Great Wilderness again!!!
Encountering a Bizarre Demon on his first real foray into the wilderness cast a shadow over his young spirit. Even though this encounter had passed without any real peril, Jia Ren swore to himself never to set foot in the Great Wilderness again.
On the way back, the silhouette of Great Wilderness Market grew closer. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief and recall the Exotic Black Mosquitoes. Jia Ren certainly didn’t want the Exotic Black Mosquitoes to attract the attention of the Five Elements Sect.
As he neared the Market, he overheard voices. "HEH HEH, this person is quite lucky, having survived the war by fluke. He’s stumbled upon a good opportunity."
The same voice continued, "I planted the scent of the Lingering Fragrance Bug on him long ago. No matter where he flees, he can’t escape my Demon’s Palm."
"I’m curious to see what kind of opportunity he found, to be able to produce a Magic Artifact worth hundreds of Spirit Stones."
Jia Ren habitually used his Turtle Breath Technique to conceal his presence, hoping to avoid trouble on his way back. Approaching the Market, he heard people talking.
A Bizarre Cultivator?
The voice sounded familiar...
Following the sound, Jia Ren unexpectedly saw two very familiar figures. Qi Yulong and Qi Yuhu, dressed in the Robes of Inner Sect Disciples of the Five Elements Sect, were gazing into the distance. One was at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refinement, the other at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement. They were thriving. Having fed off the blood of many Loose Cultivators, they weren’t short of resources, so a breakthrough in Cultivation Level wasn’t surprising.
Which unfortunate soul had caught the attention of these two wolves?
Jia Ren followed their gaze and saw a disguised figure fading into the distance. Relying on a sense of familiarity, he recognized the person as Wang Qian.
Wang Qian has caught Qi Yulong’s attention?
Listening to their conversation, it seemed Qi Yulong was letting Wang Qian leave, employing a strategy of giving him more rope to catch a bigger fish.
"I’m very pleased that you’ve become less ruthless," Qi Yuhu remarked. He was about to say more when a Sound Transmission Talisman flew in from afar.
"HEH HEH, more Spirit Stones will be delivered soon," Qi Yulong chuckled.
Jia Ren didn’t dare linger any longer and hastened his departure. Even with the Exotic Black Mosquitoes, he wasn’t confident he could kill the Five Elements Sect Cultivators at the Seventh and Eighth Layers of Qi Refinement. If he won, it would be fine. But if he lost and the Exotic Black Mosquitoes were exposed, he would face the Five Elements Sect’s relentless pursuit. The lesson from the Mosquito Daoist’s past experience was clear. Jia Ren wouldn’t risk it for Wang Qian.
Once the Exotic Black Mosquitoes reach their mature stage, and with my Thunderous Charge Curse at the Grandmaster Level, killing those two would be as easy as flipping my hand, he thought. Better to let them live a while longer.
Jia Ren silently moved away, unnoticed by the two.
Let’s help him this once!
Changing his own aura, Jia Ren used a Sound Transmission Talisman to send a warning to Wang Qian. The Sound Transmission Talisman was intercepted, but his aura couldn’t be traced back to him.
He had done what he could; the rest was up to fate. Whether Wang Qian could survive would depend on his own luck.