txolops Chapter 402 Establishing Authority at Qinghu
Chapter 402 Establishing Authority at Qinghu
Chapter 400 Establishing Authority at Qinghu
Duan Chen finished his meditation and slowly opened his eyes. He felt the water-attribute spiritual energy in the cave, which was obviously richer and purer than it had been a few months ago. A complex emotion rose in his heart once again.
This mysterious rogue cultivator, who recently established his own residence here, is famous for his body-refining techniques, and is respectfully addressed as "Senior Luo," seems to possess some profound means that can improve or even enhance the quality of spiritual veins.
What's even more remarkable is that the other party was willing to release and disperse such pure spiritual energy gathered at the core of Qinghu Island evenly throughout the entire island, benefiting all the cultivators on the island. Such a "generous" gesture is truly rare in the cultivation world, where the exclusive use of resources is highly valued.
He rose and left the cave. The Qinghu Marketplace was now vastly different from what it used to be. Duan Chen strolled along the now much wider market, paved with bluestone...
On the main street lined with shops and bustling with people, I glanced at the cultivators who were hurrying by and had different auras, and I felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi - mixed feelings/reflections).
Back then, Qinghu Market was just a small buffer zone sandwiched between the three major forces of Yuling Sect, Guiling Sect, and Moyan Sect, barely maintained by a rogue cultivator in the mid-stage of Core Formation named Lu Xuan.
Each of the three major sects has sent a Foundation Establishment disciple to symbolically guard this place. Rather than supervising it, it's more about maintaining a channel for communication and sharing profits. After all, no one wants to completely give up this useless piece of land.
However, everything changed several years ago when the mysterious "Senior Luo" established his residence here, declared Qinghu Island as his dojo, and tacitly approved and even supported Lu Xuan's expansion of the market.
The presence of a Nascent Soul level Body Refinement cultivator is a huge draw, attracting countless independent cultivators who crave a stable cultivation environment or seek guidance or trade from high-level cultivators.
What's even more amazing is that Qinghu Island itself has been slowly "growing" in recent years! The island's area has expanded several times, and its terrain has also risen slightly, as if there really is a huge creature supporting it from the ground.
Although Lu claimed it was due to "Senior Luo" cultivating some kind of earth-attribute supernatural power, such an anomaly still surprised and puzzled the three sects, making them pay even more attention to it.
Today, Qinghu Market has become the largest and most popular market within the sphere of influence of the three major sects. The three sects have also increased their attention to this place, replacing their garrison personnel with Core Formation elders, and issuing direct orders to "cultivate good relations with Lu Xuan..."
The clear instruction was to "closely monitor Senior Luo's movements and prevent the other two from getting ahead of us."
As he walked slowly, he silently spread his Core Formation stage divine sense, like invisible tentacles, quickly sweeping across the main area of the market, sensing the changes in the cultivation level and number of cultivators on the island.
"Hmm, the number of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators on the island has increased by at least seven since I counted them last month—this Qinghu Island is really becoming more and more attractive." Duan Chen thought to himself, his face remaining expressionless.
"BOOM—!!!"
"Clang! Clang!"
On the east side of the market, near the area where the "Senior Luo" open cave was located, a violent explosion and the ear-piercing sounds of magical treasures colliding and supernatural powers erupting came without warning! The violent fluctuations of spiritual energy spread out instantly, startling nearby cultivators who fled in all directions, and the protective light screens of some low-level shops flickered violently.
"What's going on? Who dares to make a move in the market? And near that senior's cave dwelling?" Duan Chen frowned sharply, a hint of displeasure and vigilance flashing in his eyes.
Fighting is strictly prohibited in Qinghu Market. Violators will be expelled for minor offenses and have their cultivation revoked for serious offenses. This is the rule of the market and one of the important reasons why it attracts many independent cultivators to settle here.
Who would dare to break the rules so blatantly? And right under the nose of that mysterious powerful figure, no less?
Without further hesitation, he moved swiftly, riding a streak of azure light, and shot towards the direction from which the battle was taking place, moving at an extremely fast speed.
In the blink of an eye, Duan Chen arrived above the scene of the incident. Below him, a once relatively orderly street was now a scene of utter devastation, with the roofs of several shops torn off and the ground cracked. In mid-air, two figures were locked in fierce combat, magical artifacts crisscrossing and flashes of spiritual light bursting forth.
One of them, exuding a chilling aura, controlled a white skull-shaped magical artifact with ghostly green flames flickering in its eye sockets, spewing out streams of corrosive, pitch-black ghostly energy. He was none other than You Quanzi, a mid-stage Core Formation elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect stationed here.
The other person, dressed in the dark red robes of the Demon Flame Sect, wielded a blazing crimson banner, unleashing large swaths of scorching dark blue demonic fire. He was Yan Lie, an early-stage Core Formation elder of the Demon Flame Sect.
The two got into a conflict for some unknown reason and ended up fighting fiercely in the sensitive area of the market center, near "Senior Luo's" cave. The aftershocks of their battle had already destroyed the surrounding area beyond recognition, attracting many cultivators in the distance to stop and watch, pointing and whispering, but no one dared to approach.
"Fellow Daoist Youquan! Fellow Daoist Yanlie! Stop immediately!" A clear shout filled with anger rang out. A figure dressed in a dark blue Daoist robe, with a refined yet dignified face, appeared at the edge of the battlefield. It was Lu Xuan, the apparent manager of Qinghu Market.
His face was grim, his gaze sweeping over the damaged street, a flicker of anger in his eyes. "Have you two forgotten the rules of Qinghu Market? To engage in a private duel here, disrupting the peace of the market, is tantamount to provoking Senior Luo! If you don't stop now, don't blame me for activating the market's grand formation and 'escorting' you both out!"
However, Youquanzi and Yanlie in the air ignored Lu Xuan's warning and instead fought even more fiercely. The ghostly energy spewed from the skull and the demonic fire swirling from the crimson banner collided wildly, producing a series of loud noises that also affected two distant pavilions, causing a burst of exclamations.
Seeing this, Lu Xuan's expression turned even uglier. He raised his hands, his fingertips swirling with magical power, about to activate the protective and expulsion formations set up beneath the market. Although dealing with two Core Formation cultivators at the same time was somewhat difficult, maintaining the market's rules and "Senior Luo's" dignity was more important than anything else at this moment.
"snort!"
A cold snort, not loud but seemingly resounding deep within everyone's soul, suddenly came from the direction of the mountain peak shrouded in light mist at the edge of Qinghu Island!
"Buzz—!"
With that cold snort, a massive, heavy, and terrifying divine pressure descended suddenly, like an invisible mountain, precisely enveloping Youquanzi and Yanlie, who were locked in fierce combat in the air!
"puff!"
"Ugh!"
Youquanzi and Yanlie, who were fully activating their magic weapons, felt as if they had been struck hard in the chest by a giant hammer. Their bodies trembled violently, they groaned, their faces turned deathly pale, their magic power suddenly stagnates, and the magic weapons they were controlling dimmed and tilted uncontrollably to one side.
Both of them showed shock and terror in their eyes, as if an invisible hand had grabbed their throats, rendering them unable to move.
Lu Xuan sensed the pressure of the divine sense and was overjoyed. He quickly withdrew his magic seal and bowed respectfully towards the mountain peak, saying, "Senior Luo."
Duan Chen's heart skipped a beat. He quickly suppressed his aura, stood respectfully with his hands at his sides. This was the divine sense pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator!
With just a cold snort and a trace of pressure, he could easily suppress two Core Formation cultivators!
"You two juniors," a voice filled with anger clearly echoed in the air above the area. It was the mysterious "Senior Luo" who spoke.
"How dare you engage in such a reckless fight within the Qinghu Market? Do you disregard my existence, or do you consider the rules I set to be mere child's play?"
The voice wasn't loud, but every word struck like a hammer blow to the hearts of Youquanzi and Yanlie. The two were completely suppressed by that immense divine sense, unable even to utter a word in protest; they could only barely move their eyes, their faces filled with fear and pleading.
However, just when everyone thought that this "Senior Luo" was about to use drastic measures to severely punish the two rule-breakers, another cold and sinister divine sense wave suddenly entered without warning, cleverly resisting some of the pressure that "Senior Luo" was exerting on Youquanzi and the other person, allowing the two to breathe a little less.
"Hehehe————" A gentle and refined laugh rang out, and a middle-aged cultivator, dressed in a black scholar's robe embroidered with ferocious ghost patterns, with a thin face and a gentle yet scholarly temperament, appeared out of thin air not far from Youquanzi.
It was none other than Wang Tiangu, a high-ranking and powerful Nascent Soul elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect!
"Fellow Daoist Luo, please calm down, please calm down." Wang Tiangu smiled and bowed towards the mountain peak, his voice gentle, as if he were advising an old friend. "It was my negligence in disciplining him, allowing this good-for-nothing of mine to offend you and disturb the peace of the market. I apologize on his behalf. I will certainly punish him severely to prevent him from doing it again. I happened to be passing by today and heard that you are cultivating here, so I came to pay my respects. I wonder—would you do me the honor of inviting me into your residence for a cup of tea, and also allow me to personally apologize to you?"
There was a moment of silence from the direction of the mountain cave. Then, the deep voice rang out again, the anger seemingly subsided somewhat, but still cold: "Hmph, considering that Fellow Daoist Wang personally came to plead for me, I will be spared the death penalty."
Before the words were even finished, from the direction of the mountain cave, two "blood blades," only a foot long but solid and dazzlingly blood-red, shot out without warning! They were as fast as lightning, leaving two faint blood streaks in the air, heading straight for Youquanzi and Yanlie, who had just breathed a sigh of relief in the air!
"Not good!" Youquanzi and Yanlie were terrified and tried to dodge, but found that the space around them seemed to be imprisoned by an invisible force, making it difficult to move!
"Pfft!" "Pfft!"
Two streaks of blood flashed by, followed by two short screams.
Youquanzi and Yanlie's left arms were severed at the shoulder! The severed arms were smooth as a mirror, but no blood gushed out; the wounds were instantly shrouded in a layer of blood-red malevolent energy. The two screamed, clutching their severed shoulders, their faces drained of color, their eyes filled with pain and lingering fear, daring not to make the slightest move.
"You will not escape punishment! I will sever one of your arms as an example to others!" Luo Ming's icy voice rang out.
"Get out! From this day forward, neither of you shall ever set foot on my Qinghu Island again! If I, Luo, see you again, I will execute you without mercy!"