Chapter 64: Confrontation

The chaos in the market was a disaster for the itinerant cultivators who relied on it for survival. None of them desired such turmoil.

However, these solo practitioners had little power to effect change; they could only focus on self-preservation.

Just like Old Cultivator Qian, their strategy was to delay and wait for the situation to stabilize. If things truly turned ugly, this approach would also facilitate a quick escape.

Li Zhen trailed behind the group. No matter how much they tried to stall, the squad still arrived at the central warehouse in the heart of the market.

“The market is recruiting combat cultivators! Minimum requirement: third layer of Qi Refining. Generous compensation offered, including monthly supply of spirit pills and access to various cultivation techniques and spells!” Before they could even collect their materials, they heard Steward Zhao’s announcement booming through the air.

Two cultivators in the group couldn’t help but turn towards Steward Zhao at these enticing words.

Their hearts raced with temptation. For solo practitioners, becoming a market combat cultivator was an un-scalable peak. Joining the ranks of combat cultivators would grant them access to more resources, offering a brighter future compared to the drudgery of farming.

Li Zhen saw Old Cultivator Qian open his mouth as if to persuade the two, but in the end, he said nothing.

In matters of choice, there is no right or wrong. Perhaps this was the moment that would alter the fate of these two cultivators.

The two cultivators were both at the third level of Qi Refining, considered quite strong even among spirit farmers. In their prime years, they had high hopes for the future. They left the group and headed to Steward Zhao’s location.

“Let’s hope it’s good news!” Old Cultivator Qian said with a bitter smile.

He wasn’t exactly a success story; wrong choices in his youth led to a life of inaccomplishment.

This left him unqualified to judge others’ decisions, ultimately able only to offer his well-wishes.

After delivering three rounds of materials, Li Zhen’s team returned to the center of the settlement. They spotted nearly a hundred Qi Refining third layer cultivators gathered around Steward Zhao.

It seemed likely that most of the Qi Refining third layer cultivators in the area had assembled there. The allure of joining the combat settlers was irresistible to those at the third level of Qi Refining.

Having recruited a large number of third layer cultivators, the settlement no longer valued the first and second layer rogue cultivators, leaving them with no missions.

Old Cultivator Qian and Li Zhen, having completed their tasks for the settlement, were now free to return home and rest.

“Little Li, did you manage to dig out a basement in your log cabin?” Old Cultivator Qian asked softly.

As they walked the same path home, he took special care of Li Zhen, considering his age.

“Can I even do that?” Li Zhen knew the log cabin’s space was very limited. Every corner was utilized, leaving him surprised by the suggestion to dig an underground cellar.

“Dig deeper than you think. Ideally, more than three meters below the surface,“_quantity ->manual Old Immortal Qian instructed. “That way, if the cabin is breached, you’d still have a chance to survive!”

He couldn’t offer much advice beyond his expertise, but when it came to survival, he was highly experienced.

Having lived to an ancient age in the cultivation world was a testament to his skills, surpassing most other cultivators.

“Thank you, Old Immortal Qian!” Li Zhen said with sincere gratitude.

They approached the street where their homes were located, and both Old Immortal Qian and Li Zhen quickened their pace.

While the log cabin offered little in terms of safety, being inside it still provided a sense of security—a common human trait.

“The Lin clan has turned traitor! They’re dismantling the defense array!” Just as Li Zhen was about to enter his log cabin, he heard a voice from afar.

This was a message conveyed through secret cultivation techniques, allowing the speaker’s voice to travel great distances in times of emergency.

All cultivators in the market district heard this voice, especially those from the Iron Sword Gang and the Zhao Family. Many hurried in the direction of the call.

Li Zhen abandoned his plan to return to the log cabin. If the Lin family were indeed collaborating with the enemy, the Gold Blade Gang would easily break through the market’s protective array.

Staying put would mean surrendering his fate to others’ hands.

Nor could he return directly to his home in the immortal nation. The fate of the market was too crucial; he didn’t want his next transmigration to find him under the scrutinizing eyes of a group of cultivators.

With a thunderous boom, the vast array enveloping the market vanished.

The market, once almost a world apart from the outside, now revealed the secular world beyond its borders.

The dispersal of the array also set free an abundance of spiritual energy, causing the concentration within the market to plummet rapidly.

Still, as long as the first-tier superior spirit vein remained, the array’s repair would swiftly restore the spiritual atmosphere.

However, the complications arising from the scattered spiritual energy were significant. The most immediate issue was the spirit fields; without sufficient spiritual energy support, the spirit plants would wither away in no time.

Even if the energy returned, this season’s spirit field yield would inevitably be reduced.

As he pondered, five figures emerged, piloting magical devices that soared over the marketplace.

An aura of terror enveloped the area, affecting cultivators with weaker cultivation bases. Their movements slowed, overwhelmed by this terrifying presence.

“Five Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivators! Once they finish their battle, this trouble will be over!” Old Cultivator Qian said, having appeared beside Li Zhen at some point.

“Half-Step Foundation Establishment? I thought they were full Foundation Establishment cultivators?” Li Zhen asked, surprised.

He had initially assumed these individuals were full Foundation Establishment cultivators because their energy signatures were only slightly weaker than that of County Magistrate Zhao.

“Foundation Establishment isn’t that easy to achieve. How could one break through to Foundation Establishment with just a First-Order High-Grade Spirit Vein? Moreover, resources like the Foundation Establishment Pill are controlled by the sects. For us rogue cultivators, reaching Half-Step Foundation Establishment through some spirit artifacts is already sheer luck!” Old Cultivator Qian spoke with a sense of despondency.

Old Cultivator Qian had never been able to advance past the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and the five terrifying cultivators in the sky were no different, albeit being trapped at various cultivation realms.

In the sky, the Iron Sword Gang Leader and patriarch of the Wang Clan faced off against the patriarch of the Octagonal Formation, Jin Dao_attachments, and another Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivator. The two sides confronted each other in mid-air.

Without the protective barrier of the spell formation, the outcome of the market’s control would be decided by this battle among the Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivators.

All fighting on the ground ceased, as it had become pointless.

Every cultivator watched the five Half-Step Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sky, waiting for the result of the conflict.

“Mr. Qian, this place is too close to the fighting. We should go hide somewhere!” Li Zhen said, his eyes flickering.

“How about coming with me? I have a quite spacious cellar I dug out; it’s perfect for us two to hide in!” Old Qian looked around and whispered softly.

If Li Zhen were an adult cultivator, Old Qian’s comment might seem overly familiar and could easily be misinterpreted.

But since Li Zhen was merely a twelve-year-old child, Old Qian’s offer was genuinely meant to protect him.

“No need, I’ll head elsewhere to hide!” Li Zhen had his own plan. He shook his head and refused.

He bowed to Old Qian before leaving the area.

His decision wasn’t driven by a desire to avoid danger. On the contrary, the battling in the sky had captivated all the cultivators’ attention, presenting Li Zhen with a prime opportunity to acquire a wealth of resources.

Though he hadn’t spent much time in the market, he was familiar with its most significant landmarks.

The market included several important areas: the territories occupied by the Iron Sword Gang, the Lin and Zhao Clans, as well as two warehouses, one large and one small.

The rest consisted of various shops scattered throughout the market. Currently, due to the battle still raging without a clear winner, the market hadn’t yet descended into total chaos. Consequently, these shops remained unlooted.

Once the battle in the sky reached a conclusion, chaos was sure to ensue. It was then that many rogue cultivators would take advantage of the situation, plundering resources.

Li Zhen’s plan was similar, but with a twist. Armed with his Dragon Heart Space, he could snatch spiritual objects from a distance of up to ten meters without anyone noticing.

Before the chaos struck, he could preemptively collect some spiritual objects.

Li Zhen’s stroll through the market wasn’t particularly conspicuous. After all, many cultivators in the area were subtly making their way towards strategic locations—their intentions were plain to see.

His first stop was the Lin Clan headquarters. Though it boasted the grandiose title of “headquarters,” it was little more than a three-story wooden building. In this market where real estate was as valuable as gold, a structure occupying two hundred square meters was undoubtedly a luxury.

He relied on the Dragon Heart Space’s ability to sense spiritual objects, quickly realizing that the Lin Clan headquarters wasn’t particularly rich in such items. What’s more, the few it possessed were all low-grade first-rank spirit artifacts.

Li Zhen had little interest in these inferior artifacts. He coveted at least mid-grade first-rank spirit artifacts—after all, the cultivation technique ‘Black Iron Body’ guzzled them down like a thirsty camel.

As he noted his dwindling supply of mid-grade first-rank magical devices, he realized that once they were depleted, his progress with the ‘Black Iron Body’ would grind to a halt.