07 Sep 2017
Cultivators tend to habitually use spiritual awareness to probe around themselves, so they were not very suspicious towards the types of gazes which seem to examine them accidently. Especially the few vendors and shop owners who might be probing their surroundings while looking for potential customers. This kind of probing wouldn’t be regarded as a major thing.
But what Yang Chen was weird was that, perhaps because his spiritual awareness was very powerful, he wondered if those people were intentionally or otherwise acting strange, which was also the reason they were caught by Yang Chen.
From the moment, Yang Chen stepped foot in the market lane where Thousand Autumn Pavilion was present, there were many gazes on him. There was no need to speak out about Yang Chen’s reputation within the Pure Yang Palace. As long as one was a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace, they would immediately recognize Yang Chen. With many disciples of the Pure Yang Palace moving around here, countless people had approached him to greet him.
After finishing being greeted by his fellow disciples, Yang Chen started to slowly stroll around the market. However, even though, he had met with many fellow disciples just now, Yang Chen still didn’t relax his attention on those people.
From the time Yang Chen entered Thousand Autumn Pavilion, a cheerful expression appeared in the eyes of these people. But no one did any inappropriate conduct and continued with their own work. Only sometimes, they would use meaningful glances to communicate with each other.
However, none of them used spiritual awareness. These people were extremely cautious. Moreover, despite concentrating their gazes on Yang Chen, none of them had any evil intentions, much less any killing intent. This point gave him slight relief. Perhaps they had only heard Yang Chen’s name and wanted to ask for some elixir? Likewise, perhaps they just wanted to meet him or maybe some other such irrelevant reason?
Previously, since the Second Fierce Yang Courtyard had opened that small shop, the disciples of the sect refrained from using things from Thousand Autumn Pavilion. But afterwards, when Shangguan Feng finally opened a shop here, the Thousand Autumn Pavilion was once again full of disciples of the Pure Yang Palace.
On his whole journey, Yang Chen hadn’t found anything which attracted him. The Thousand Autumn Pavilion was basically a shop opened by Pure Yang Palace and mainly relied on selling things used by qi layer cultivators and the foundation stage disciples appearing here was quite rare, so finding nothing good was absolutely normal. But after Shangguan Feng had opened his shop here, it had attracted the interest of many foundation stage cultivators.
Those people whom Yang Chen found queer, would occasionally raise their heads and take a quick look at Yang Chen and then would hurriedly shift away their gazes, busying themselves in their work. Yang Chen also didn’t pay them much attention and after strolling around for some time, he directly entered Shangguan Feng’s store.
The range of this shop wasn’t very large and was only extended to an area of 2 mu. Inside, it was divided into several halls with each receiving people of different grades. Shangguan Feng had specifically found experienced disciples of the sect to be assistants here. From dressing to knowledge, all these assistants were completely professional.
All the assistants knew Yang Chen and immediately, someone asked him to go to the rear hall to see the main shopkeeper Shangguan Feng. Shangguan Feng was in the middle of exchanging goods for spirit stones with a client, when he saw Yang Chen come in, he signaled for him to wait. Soon, after sending away the customer, he came back to talk with Yang Chen.
“Is it convenient to talk here?”
Yang Chen casually asked. Shangguan Feng understood his meaning and immediately placed his hand on some object, immediately more than ten layers of restrictions were set up.
“It’s good.”
Shangguan Feng nodded, indicating that Yang Chen could speak safely.
“In the market, I saw some strange people.”
Yang Chen didn’t hide his observations from Shangguan Feng. Initially, he had just come to relieve his boredom. Seeing those suspicious people, he naturally had to ask. This was Yang Chen’s property and those people were all foundation stage cultivators so he had to get protective.
After Yang Chen had pointed out the characteristics of those people one by one, Shangguan Feng immediately understood and began to tell him about the history of those people. Yang Chen was surprised to hear that those people weren’t new here, rather they were elders who had already stayed at Thousand Autumn Pavilion for several years, after Shangguan Feng had opened his shop, they had grown even more courteous.
“Perhaps I was just overthinking.”
Yang Chen shook his head, he was confused about those elders living here for several years. Moreover, seeing the amount of businesses here, there shouldn’t be any big problem with such things. Apparently, he was just being overly cautious.
These several years, the business was completely handled by Shangguan Feng, and Yang Chen only knew that the profits were astonishing, but he hadn’t cared about it much. Immersed within the business, Shangguan Feng’s cultivation had increased step by step and had become more formidable compared to last time, and his temperament completely matched that of a businessman.
Within the market, there were many rumors always spreading around, Yang Chen also heard about some news from Shangguan Feng. He was surprised to hear that the affair between him and Shi Shanshan had already been spread between many people. Many accomplished cultivators seemed to be greatly dissatisfied upon hearing that Shi Shanshan had become Yang Chen’s dao companion, so whether overtly or covertly, they just wanted to cause trouble for Yang Chen.
From the time this news was released from Green Jade Immortal Islands, Yang Chen had been mentally prepared that he would certainly become the target of multitudes of arrows. He also couldn’t do anything about it. Shi Shanshan was indeed too outstanding, so people couldn’t help but feel jealous. Even though now Yang Chen was a pill concocting master with boundless future, it was still the same. Among the young cultivators, no one would willingly accept that they were inferior to others.
Even though he knew about this, after hearing from Shangguan Feng about the number of people cursing him everywhere, Yang Chen could only force a bitter smile. Fortunately, Sun Qingxue still hadn’t revealed her affair, otherwise in the future, apart from Pure Yang Palace, anywhere he went, people would be plotting against him.
Everything regarding business was perfectly normal, there was also nothing which captured Yang Chen’s interest here. So after roaming around Thousand Autumn Pavilion for some time, he decided to return.
Yang Chen had decided the plan he would follow after returning. First, he would collect all kinds materials for flying swords and then think about collecting all kinds of most primal true qi, perfectly fitting with true secrets of all types of spirit power and complete his Great Yin and Yang five phases secrets.
Cultivation must also be increased, but he wasn’t so anxious as to use those legendary herbs he had recently obtained and just wanted to let nature run its course. In his heart, Yang Chen was strongly against relying on these external supports to increase his cultivation. This kind of increase was inferior to the sturdiness which came from his own effort.
While returning, Yang Chen intended to walk on foot again. Although the distance was a few hundred miles and would require a full ten days of time, it would also allow him to relax for sometime. Likewise, he wouldn’t have to prepare his mind for cultivation every day.
Whether it was the influence of Shi Shanshan or something else, recently, Yang Chen was always in the mood to drink tea, but he always felt it was not enough to satisfy his craving and was not equal to good wine which would let him become free. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any good wine on himself right now, seemingly in the future, he must add some brewed wine to his itinerary.
On the third night on the return journey, when Yang Chen took shelter from the wind and used his Profound Spirit Furnace to brew some tea, he felt that there was some abnormality in his surroundings. A week killing intent suffused in his surroundings and slowly focused on him.
“I wonder, which fellow daoist has come.”
Since Yang Chen didn’t sense strong killing intent, so he raised his teacup and said in that direction loudly.
“I just wanted to see what kind of character the future pill concocting master of Pure Yang Palace that also obtained the grace of Fairy Shi had!”
Following the voice, a figure slowly came out of the forest from that side.
Yang Chen had heard from Shangguan Feng that many young cultivators were resentful towards him just few days ago and now already one had appeared. The person was bright and handsome, manner like jade. At a first glance, he seemed like an elegant son of some noble, continuously fanning himself with a folding fan, but his cold gaze was fixed on Yang Chen. That trace of killing intent was could be seen clearly in his eyes. “Myself is not so great a character for fellow daoist to pay close attention to.”
Yang Chen faintly laughed, he had no interest in this character who was turning green with jealousy, but he still hadn’t forgotten his manners and distantly picked his cup and asked:
“Would you like to have some tea?”
“Hmph, stop worming your way into becoming friends!”
The other party closed his folding fan and coldly stated:
“Take out your flying sword, let’s compare pointers and see who wins and who loses, let’s see who is more worthy of becoming Fairy Shi’s dao companion!”
“Myself admits defeat!”
Yang Chen admitted his lost without any hesitation, he was a grand Great Principal Golden Immortal in his previous life, so fighting with this foundation stage youngster who was just jealous of him would lose him face. Moreover, he had always admitted defeat in this kind of nonsensical challenges. If you just want to compare notes then he would just admit defeat, the only kind of battles he would fight were life and death duels, this had always been Yang Chen’s philosophy.
This genius who had been prepared to fight was completely shocked by Yang Chen’s reply. Just now, he had collected his fan and taken out his flying sword but the enemy hadn’t even made a single movement and directly admitted defeat, how could a high and mighty genius like him accept that? However, since the other party had already admitted defeat, how could he continue to pester Yang Chen with his face?
“How can you admit defeat?”
After being distracted for a moment, the genius barked towards Yang Chen:
“As the person whom Fairy Shi has fallen for, how can you cower before a fight? How did you get in Fairy Shi’s good graces?”
“If you want to him to move, you have to issue a life or death duel!”
A lofty voice suddenly echoed.
“Who is this?” The young genius was stunned, where did this person appear from, surprisingly, he couldn’t even sense anything. He could clearly imagine this person’s cultivation.
An octagonal golden seal the size of a table suddenly and violently swept toward the ground with a deafening sound. Falling from the sky, it had directly rushed towards that genius’s skull.
That genius, having been prepared to compare pointers with Yang Chen with his already unsheathed flying sword, without any hesitation, directly raised it to counter the golden seal flying at him from the sky.
What surprised Yang Chen most was that when the flying sword connected with that golden seal, the sword wasn’t of any use and was directly turned away. The power of golden seal wasn’t affected in any way by that sword.
Bang, the genius, together with his flying sword, was smashed into the ground. He didn’t even have the time to scream.
From beginning to the end, Yang Chen sat at one side and calmly sipped tea without any kind of movement, as if the later appearance of this expert was completely within his expectations.
The golden seal, having fallen on the ground, became smaller and flew into the sky. However, Yang Chen still calmly drank tea without even raising his head.
“Nice guts!” From the sky, a silhouette slowly came down on his flying sword and dropped ten feet away from Yang Chen. He coldly said:
“No wonder, you dared to mess with the Devil Flame Valley’s auction.”
Yang Chen saw the other party’s appearance clearly. A cold expressionless middle aged man containing a trace of serene killing intent within his gaze, but his restraint was very good, not even a bit of it leaked out.
When the other party mentioned Devil Flame Valley, Yang Chen immediately knew that this matter was related to the young master he had killed. Although not many people in the Great Hundred Thousand Mountain knew of Yang Chen, they also probably didn’t know much of the matter with Gao Yue. After investigation for several decades, someone had finally come to find Yang Chen.
Even though this was sudden, it was still under Yang Chen’s expectations. When he was at the Great Hundred Thousand Mountain, he had already realized that the auction house had a powerful backer, but he hadn’t carefully investigated who it was. Under his fury, when his master was injured, how could he release the young master and manager of auction house? Even if he knew who it was, he would still have taken that person’s head.
Now, since the enemy had come to his door, he certainly wouldn’t have come to negotiate. The person who had come before Yang Chen was unexpectedly a YuanYing stage expert. It seemed like the enemy had spent great amount of effort to take care of Yang Chen.
Thinking about it now, those people he had found peculiar in the market would be this enemy’s manpower. This enemy also had great patience and knew that it wouldn’t be good to move around in the territory of Pure Yang Palace arrogantly, so he had only sent some foundation stage people here to keep a look out waiting for an opportunity to find Yang Chen alone.
“Seems like you people have spent great effort!”
Yang Chen finally collected his tea cup, but he remained seated without any intention of standing.
“Seven years ago, we had already investigated your role, however we didn’t have the opportunity to do anything.”
The man with cold appearance sneered:
“All these years, your reputation has increased more and more, our clan master wants to see you once. If you can satisfy our clan master, then the matter of killing those people can be written off in one stroke.”
The enemy had already known about Yang Chen, but not daring to be rash in Pure Yang Palace’s territory was absolutely normal. But now, this cold appearing man’s words had surprised Yang Chen.
The hatred of killing one’s son can surprisingly be forgotten? Yang Chen asked himself. If he had been in the enemy’s position, it would have basically been impossible. But the enemy clearly valued Yang Chen’s talent in the field of pill concocting. The person behind these words certainly deserved the evaluation of being a ruthless and ambitious person.
“Sorry, not interested!”
While remaining seated, Yang Chen calmly shook his head.
“Doesn’t matter!”
The cold person replied with same calmness:
“My clan master has said, if you are not willing to go then it would be the same thing to just take your head to him.”
“I am afraid my head is busy, so it won’t get the opportunity.”
Attentively watching the enemy, Yang Chen replied without being anxious.
“This is beyond your control!”
The other person coldly laughed:
“If you are hoping that someone from the Pure Yang Palace will save you then don’t. In the perimeter of three hundred miles, there are no living person. I will give you another opportunity. My clan master is fond of talented people. If you come, it will certainly be to your own benefit.”
“When did YuanYing stage experts became such naggy people?”
Yang Chen impatiently berated him.
“Courting death!”
The cold man didn’t say anything more after spitting out those words. With just one thought, that golden seal, which had already disappeared, appeared again in the sky and smashed down towards Yang Chen’s place with great power.
Yang Chen didn’t make any move, but when the golden seal was a few feet away from Yang Chen, it suddenly knocked against a shield of golden light and emitted a loud sound.