Night fell.
Pei Liang sat in his small courtyard, grabbed a handful of fish food, and sprinkled it into the shallow fish pond.
Six or seven plump fish swarmed forward, vying for the food.
These few fish were all common fish from the human world; Pei Liang didn't know their species, only that they tasted delicious.
Keeping fish could both pass the time and satisfy his cravings, killing two birds with one stone!
It was the only hobby he had retained after sifting through numerous elegant pursuits over the past two hundred years.
Fish swim freely in the water, and people move freely in the world; each has its own place!
As night descended like a curtain, Pei Liang, who was cultivating his mind and nature, suddenly focused his gaze!
"Thump, thump, thump!"
Heavy, chaotic footsteps clearly echoed from the alley outside the door.
Immediately after, the door to the sleeping room on the left was forcefully pushed open.
"Creak~"
And then quickly closed again.
Pei Liang frowned slightly; cultivators always acted cautiously, especially when returning home in the middle of the night, always doing so quietly without making a sound.
What was going on with this neighbor?
His neighbor to the left was a burly man at Qi Refining Layer Four named Chen Long, who made a living by adventuring.
This was also the survival method for most rogue cultivators; without a special skill, they could only join adventure teams and earn spirit stones by hunting demonic beasts and searching for spiritual items.
He recalled that this neighbor was out fighting year-round, carried a strong killing aura, and was very capable.
Each time he returned from an adventure, he could enjoy a period of leisure.
Pei Liang had previously been quite wary of this neighbor and admired his bravery.
But now, he felt that he, along with his five Shadow Clones, could certainly contend with him!
"It's none of my business, so I'll just go back to my room and sleep!"
The next day, the sun rose high.
Pei Liang lazily opened his shop door and saw the haggard Old Man Fang standing outside.
"Why are you getting up so late? So young, yet you don't strive for progress!"
"Get to the point!"
Pei Liang gave him a cold shoulder; the old man wasn't very capable but loved to preach.
Old Man Fang didn't mind, leaning closer and asking mysteriously, "Did you hear the commotion last night?"
"That Chen..."
Before he finished speaking, the door next door suddenly opened from the inside, and a burly man with bulging muscles walked out.
Old Man Fang immediately put on a warm smile, "Fellow Daoist Chen, you look refreshed; it seems your trip was quite fruitful?"
"Good morning, both of you!" Chen Long smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Don't even mention it; I toiled for three to five months and almost bit the dust!"
Pei Liang smiled lightly and nodded in response, catching a faint scent of herbal medicine.
He glanced at Old Man Fang again, wondering how he could see a "refreshed" look on someone's withered face.
"How about we relax at Yi Hong Courtyard? Are you two coming?"
Pei Liang and Old Man Fang both shook their heads.
"Hehe, Old Man Fang is too old and useless, but Fellow Daoist Pei, why don't you enjoy yourself while you're young?" Chen Long left, disappointed.
Yi Hong Courtyard was a famous money pit in the Immortal Market; most of the female cultivators there had practiced charm and bedroom arts, each one a bone-sucking vamp.
For cultivators who spent years fighting outside, it was a place to vent, but Pei Liang wanted to live a few more years.
He would rather find a respectable female cultivator for friendly exchange than go to such a place!
Old Man Fang didn't bring up Chen Long's matter again; since the person was still alive, there shouldn't be any unknown risks involving them.
Cultivators who ventured out lived a life with their heads on the line; encountering any danger was normal.
Old Man Fang was worried that this neighbor might bring danger into the alley.
"Pei brat, you must never learn from him. Once you enter a place like Yi Hong Courtyard, you're ruined!"
Old Man Fang lectured him a bit more as he left.
Pei Liang nodded; how could he not understand the reasoning behind it?
Earn money from adventuring, then spend it all in a flash with a female cultivator, lose the money, and go out to risk his life again to earn more.
It was exhilarating, but it was also a waste of precious time.
Days passed simply, and the small shop's business remained dismal as usual.
Pei Liang didn't expect it to bring him wealth.
All his current hopes rested on his few clones.
Xi Wang, after several days of trekking through mountains and rivers, was getting closer and closer to Xuan Yu Sect.
As for how to join the sect, everything still depended on Xi Wang's own planning.
However, he believed that with his Earth Spirit Root aptitude, as long as he had a chance to display it, joining Xuan Yu Sect would be effortless.
As for Shen Fu and Shen Dan, they were still lingering in the Immortal Market.
Neither Fu Bao Pavilion nor Dan Bao Pavilion was so easy to enter.
Behind these two major industries were the Foundation Establishment families that established the Immortal Market.
To get in and learn, talent was useless; one also needed good fortune and to pass tests to achieve the goal.
Fortunately, these two clones had been working hard, already starting to smooth out relationships and slowly make contact with internal personnel.
Nothing was rushed; what Pei Liang lacked least was time.
In the long, boring years, having expectations was also a happy thing.
One evening, as Pei Liang watched the sky darken, he was about to close his small shop and buy some wine and meat to end the day's work.
A well-dressed cultivator walked into the small shop, followed by three armored guards.
"Greetings, Shopkeeper Pei. I am Song Pengju, an Executive of Yunluo Immortal Market!"
Pei Liang was immediately startled!
Yunluo Immortal Market was jointly established by the five major Foundation Establishment families under Xuan Yu Sect, with the Song family as the primary one, responsible for managing the Immortal Market's order and maintaining its stable operation.
For Song Pengju to serve as an Executive of the Immortal Market, he must be a core member of the Song family.
"Greetings, Executive Song. Your visit to my humble shop truly honors me, Pei!" Pei Liang quickly stood up to salute.
"Forgive my abrupt arrival, Shopkeeper Pei!" Song Pengju's tone was very amiable. "It's just that I heard the thief Wu Pan often frequented your esteemed shop, and I need the shopkeeper's cooperation on a few matters!"
'Thief?' Pei Liang's heart trembled, thinking that something must have happened to Wu Pan. "How does the Executive need my cooperation?"
Song Pengju didn't speak, but one of the guards behind him coldly shouted, "Anyone who has had contact with the thief Wu Pan will be thoroughly investigated!"
Pei Liang's brows furrowed. He glanced at Song Pengju, who stroked his beard without speaking, and understood that this search was unavoidable!
His mind raced, but he had nothing to fear.
All important items were in his storage ring; the small shop, including his living quarters, contained nothing illicit.
Thinking this, he simply stood aside openly, "Please, help yourselves!"
Song Pengju nodded slightly, and the three guards behind him immediately sprung into action.
They began meticulously searching the small shop and the backyard, and one patrol guard even held a compass-like object, constantly circling the small house.
Taking advantage of this lull, Pei Liang cupped his hands towards Song Pengju, "May I ask, Executive, has the thief Wu Pan been apprehended?"
"That scoundrel still owes my small shop three spirit stones that he hasn't returned..."
Song Pengju glanced at him indifferently, still smiling faintly, "Shopkeeper Pei, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. The thief is dead!"
"This..." Pei Liang's heart tightened, but he quickly showed a look of pain, "That villain is truly detestable!"
A moment later, the three patrol guards returned to the small shop, having found nothing.
One armored guard stepped up to Pei Liang, "Shopkeeper, hand over your storage bag for inspection!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Liang's expression changed. He stared at the guard opposite him, feeling utterly humiliated, "How can you be so overbearing!"
The guard was expressionless, "We are just following regulations. Please cooperate, Shopkeeper!"
Pei Liang was filled with righteous indignation, "My storage bag is as important as my life! If you search it, I would rather die!"
In the Cultivation World, a storage bag was a cultivator's most private possession; all cultivators regarded it as their forbidden territory. Unless it was to kill and seize treasures, no cultivator would tolerate someone coveting their storage bag and would choose to fight to the death.
During the standoff, Song Pengju smiled and stepped in to mediate, "Shopkeeper Pei, please don't get angry. The matter involving the bandit Wu Pan is of great importance, and we are left with no choice!"
"How about this, Shopkeeper Pei, you put this disc into your storage bag and then take it out. How does that sound?"
As he spoke, he gestured for the guard holding the disc to come over.
Pei Liang frowned deeply, surprised in his heart, 'Does this disc have some special function?'
Song Pengju's compromise method, though a middle ground, was even more unsettling.
The storage bag hanging from his waist only contained a few disguised items, so it wasn't a big deal.
His face struggled for a moment. Song Pengju stared intently. If he uttered a single 'no,' the three patrol guards would execute him on the spot, wouldn't they?
"Alright!"
Pei Liang's face was cold. With a wave of his hand, he put the disc into his storage bag. After a moment, he took it out and placed it back as it was.
The guard holding the disc stepped forward, carefully examined the disc, and shook his head at Song Pengju.
Song Pengju let out a long laugh, "I knew Shopkeeper Pei was innocent and had no involvement with that thief!"
"In that case, we won't disturb the shopkeeper any further!"
"Farewell!"
"Executive, take care!" Pei Liang forced a smile and escorted them a few steps.
When he turned back, he closed the small shop's door and returned to the backyard with a grim expression.
He no longer had any desire to drink wine or eat meat.
This sudden inspection had greatly heightened Pei Liang's vigilance.
Being targeted by the Immortal Market's law enforcement team was even more terrifying than loan sharks!
"It seems I need to take some protective measures now!"
Pei Liang muttered to himself, staring at the bedroom floor and falling into deep thought...