Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze swiftly sweeping over the numerous Cyan Simurgh Sect disciples present.
These outer sect disciples of the Cyan Simurgh Sect all possessed Qi Cultivation, with most at the late stage, and three were even at the peak of Qi Cultivation, just a step away from breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
Such strength would be considered decent among loose cultivators, but within the sect, they were merely a tier above the disciple attendants—a lowly status.
According to Xie Yun, investigating traces of demonic cultivators was no simple task.
Demonic Cultivators had numerous methods, often using curse techniques that could harm the divine soul. Even when facing demonic cultivators with lower cultivation, one had to be extremely cautious.
There was not a hint of caution on the faces of these outer disciples of the Cyan Simurgh Sect, all of them looking down at the loose cultivators with a condescending attitude, with some even criticizing the female cultivators among the crowd, which further solidified the suspicions in Lu Yan’s mind.
The Cyan Simurgh Sect’s outer disciples knew very well that the search for demonic traces was just a facade, while tarnishing the reputation of the Cyan Valley Marketplace was the main objective, so naturally, there was no real danger in this situation.
The crowd of loose cultivators was in a commotion, and after a while, an elderly Qi Cultivation late-stage cultivator in yellow stepped out from the crowd.
The old cultivator cupped his hands toward Xie Yun and said:
"I am Bai Kang, a member of the Bai Family from Yulin.
Many years ago, the young clan leader of the Bai Family joined the Cyan Simurgh Sect and is now an inner sect disciple. I hope this senior can consider the face of my young master and allow me to leave."
Bai Kang’s words immediately caused a stir among the loose cultivators.
"Yulin’s Bai Family?"
"That is a cultivation family with two Foundation Establishment cultivators!"
"Old Bai is a member of the Bai Family? Why have I never heard of it before?"
"Heh! Old Bai has been at Cyan Valley Marketplace for years, yet no one ever knew he was from the Bai Family.
Now facing an examination, he suddenly reveals his identity trying to get through; he must be hiding something significant."
Bai Kang ignored the people behind him, looking respectfully at Xie Yun, already anticipating the outcome.
With the Bai Family being a five-hundred-year-old cultivation family and having an inner sect disciple in the Cyan Simurgh Sect, Xie Yun should grant them this bit of face.
He could see that Xie Yun was merely at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and it wasn’t worth offending a cultivation family over such a trivial matter.
But who could have imagined that after hearing Bai Kang reveal his family name, a look of surprise appeared on Xie Yun’s previously indifferent face.
At that moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivator’s formidable magical power burst forth, transforming into a massive hand that struck down heavily upon Bai Kang.
The bewildered Bai Kang didn’t even have time to react before he was crushed by this enormous magical hand, his body instantly reduced to a pool of blood and flesh, leaving a giant handprint several meters in size on the ground.
After killing Bai Kang, Xie Yun righteously reprimanded in a loud voice:
"A demonic cultivator daring to impersonate a member of Yulin’s Bai Family, trying to escape the examination using Brother Bai’s name.
If Brother Bai knew, he would certainly have drawn his sword and killed you right here!
As Brother Bai’s fellow sect brother, I cannot stand to see you, who falsely bears his name, continue to harm the world."
As he spoke, Xie Yun gestured, causing the storage bag amidst the blood and flesh to fly into his hand.
Using magical power, he dispersed the blood and flesh from the storage bag, and his divine sense probed inside to examine the contents.
After a while, Xie Yun’s smile disappeared, and he coldly snorted, saying in a low voice:
"Sure enough, a demonic cultivator!"
As he spoke, Xie Yun took out several talismans from the storage bag.
"These talismans are called Essence Talismans, drawn using a cultivator’s essence as an inducer. Once used, they can increase the efficiency of cultivation.
However, over-exhaustion of essence damages the cultivator’s foundation, and these talismans have long been banned from being circulated, a definite demonic talisman!"
With Xie Yun’s words, the faces of the numerous loose cultivators showed expressions of bewilderment.
The Essence Talisman had a nickname in the Independent Practitioner Marketplace, known as the Blood Sale Talisman.
Although Essence Talismans were explicitly prohibited for circulation, their high price meant that some loose cultivators who couldn’t make ends meet would sell a portion of their essence, akin to mortals selling their blood.
The loose cultivators all knew very well that those collecting Essence Talismans were generally backed by cultivation families or sect disciples.
Only disciples from such major forces, whose talents weren’t very high, would use Essence Talismans to aid in accelerating their cultivation in order to create a false image of a prodigious cultivator.
On the contrary, demonic cultivators never cared for such things as Essence Talismans; they sought much more than just essence, including flesh, souls, and even cadavers.
In the eyes of loose cultivators, linking Essence Talismans to demonic cultivators was sheer nonsense, but from the perspective of the sect, it could also be considered a reasonable explanation.
Lu Yan, having observed the entire process, now fully understood Xie Yun’s intentions.
Bai Kang’s possession of Essence Talismans, if exposed, could potentially implicate that young clan leader of the Bai Family, so he brought out his background to evade the examination.
Bai Kang’s actions made Xie Yun suspect that he indeed had something demonic-related that could be used to tarnish the reputation of Cyan Valley Marketplace, substantiating this examination.
Involved in the contest for true transmission, Xie Yun didn’t care about a mere Foundation Establishment family and an ordinary inner sect disciple.
But to avoid trouble, Xie Yun still claimed Bai Kang to be a demonic cultivator, clearly separating Bai Kang from Yulin’s Bai Family and the young clan leader.
After killing Bai Kang, Xie Yun only found Essence Talismans, whose value could barely account for a report to the higher-ups, unable to completely accuse Cyan Valley Marketplace of allowing demonic mischief.
The only advantage might have been that, after killing Bai Kang, Xie Yun intimidated many cultivators.
Even with other backgrounds, these cultivators wouldn’t dare speak out now, saving Xie Yun a lot of trouble.
The disturbed crowd gradually quieted, and some loose cultivators with clean backgrounds walked to the marketplace entrance, voluntarily handing over their storage bags for examination by the Cyan Simurgh Sect’s outer disciples.
Those still lingering in place were mostly like Bai Kang, with unclean backgrounds.
Among this group was, naturally, Lu Yan.
As the number of people dwindled, the outer disciples identified two more individuals from among the loose cultivators as demonic accomplices.
One had several heavily yin-infused magical artifacts in their storage bag, suspected to have been obtained by excavating a Yin Tomb.
The other had a tattered robe tainted with demonic aura, seemingly stripped from a corpse.
Any observant person could see that these two loose cultivators had no connection with demonic paths, yet they were still labeled as demonic members, giving many loose cultivators a sense of shared misfortune.
As for Lu Yan, he was observing all the cultivators at the marketplace entrance, secretly calculating.
"If I were to use the Hundred Soul Banner, could I kill everyone present?"