Chapter 26: Chapter 27_ "Market Secrets and Silent Schemes"
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Another table nearby was occupied by a group of casual cultivators, their voices filled with gossip.
"Have you heard? The price of Evil Suppressing Talismans is skyrocketing again! Those damned shopkeepers and talisman masters in the stall area are hoarding them and driving up the prices!" one of them grumbled, taking a sip of his drink.
"Yeah, I heard about that. But there's something else," another chimed in. "A casual cultivator at the Fourth level of Qi Refining was found dead in an alley just a few miles from here."
The conversation shifted as another cultivator, a slightly older man with a scar on his cheek, leaned in and whispered, "Word from the law enforcement team is that it was the work of a ghost cultivator—a woman who had disguised herself in human skin and snuck into the market. Her strength was about the sixth level of Qi Training."
The others exchanged wary glances.
"Ghost cultivators, huh" one muttered. "Evil spirits that have learned to practice cultivation... They're twisted, full of resentment and hatred, and they prey on souls. I heard they like to devour cultivators."
the scarred cultivator nodded grimly. "That's exactly what happened. That poor guy had his soul ripped out and devoured by her."
Jiang Cheng's mind flickered with a fleeting thought. A ghost cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Training... it's not a serious threat.
A subtle sense of relief washed over him. At least this time, the danger was manageable.
A ghost cultivator at the sixth level of Qi training can't shake the stability of the market, at least it doesn't pose much of a threat to the cultivators living in the third-class caves and above
Jiang Cheng nodded slightly, thinking to himself that the market's stability wouldn't be threatened by such an entity. Especially not for cultivators like himself.
He knew that a defensive formation around a third-class cave could easily hold off any attack from a ninth-level cultivator. And besides, he was confident in his ability to crush any sixth-level ghost cultivator without breaking a sweat.
But then he thought about the dead cultivator. The man had probably fallen victim to the ghost's allure, tricked by the beauty of the ghostly woman.
Another one who died chasing skirts."
"Sigh… He must have thought he was the chosen one of some romantic encounter. Turns out, he was just a walking meal."
"Heh, if she was really that beautiful, wouldn't you have fallen for it too?"
A skinny cultivator shivered. "Hell no! If a woman this gorgeous shows up out of nowhere and approaches me, that's when I know it's time to run, how can such a Good thing happen to me "
Laughter erupted at the table, but deep down, every man there made a silent vow—never trust a mysterious beauty appearing alone in an alley.
"Ah, poor guy. But let this be a lesson to all of us. Never let your lower body make decisions for you!"
" haha, your right in this"
Jiang Cheng sitting behind them chuckles and shake his head
Jiang Cheng's attention was drawn to a more intriguing conversation happening at another table, where a few mortals and martial artists were discussing the latest gossip in town.
"Have you heard?" one of them began, his voice low but urgent. "Lately, it seems that several girls in Yanzhou City have been defiled by a flower thief, causing all the women there to lock themselves indoors. They're too scared to even step out into the streets anymore."
Another grim-faced martial artist nodded, his expression hardening. "Yeah, I heard about that too. It seems it was an immortal cultivator behind it. And not only did he defile the girls, but he also tortured them to death—cutting off their breasts and everything. It's beyond cruel. The guy's a monster."
The third man, his voice filled with disgust, added, "The city lord's mansion was furious. They put out a huge reward and sent a whole group of warriors and detectives to find him, but they ended up with nothing. It's like he vanished into thin air."
One of the martial artists leaned in, lowering his voice as if revealing something forbidden. "I heard the immortal cultivators sent by the Qinglin Sect to capture him were always unsuccessful. The guy's slippery. He even fled to other cities, changed his face, and went right back to his sick business a few months later."
"Yeah," another man muttered, shaking his head, "It's said he has a super disguise technique—so good that even the sect disciples can't track him down. The guy's a ghost. A real nightmare."
At this point, one of the men waved his hand dismissively, as if trying to shake off the dark conversation. "Alright, let's stop discussing this. It's making me sick just thinking about it."
Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he mulled over the disturbing information. It was clear to him that the man in question wasn't some random rogue, but someone who had likely stumbled upon a cultivation cave or some other opportunity. The mention of the disguise technique raised a few red flags. Such a rare technique was not something that a simple cultivator could easily obtain.
It was possible that this person's potential had been limited in his cultivation or stuck, causing him to leave the cultivation world and instead go to the mortal world to sow chaos. The more Jiang Cheng thought about it, the more it made sense. The man had a special technique—something that could make him nearly untraceable—and perhaps other items or skills tucked away. If he had truly found such an inheritance, it was worth pursuing.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but feel excited as his thoughts swirled. If he could get his hands on that disguise technique, he would be like a fish in water, able to slip in and out of places unnoticed, setting him up for many lucrative opportunities.
Finishing his drink and meal, Jiang Cheng stood up, his mind already shifting to his next steps. The night had begun to cover the market, and he knew it was time to prepare.
Back in his cave, Jiang Cheng immediately made his way to the meditation room. He swallowed a Qi Gathering pill and sat down, focusing his mind as the medicinal effect took hold. Hours passed, and when he finally stood up, he felt the surge of energy going through him.
Satisfied, He made his way to his bedroom, ready to rest, but tonight, he had other plans.
As he settled into a deep sleep, he entered the dream world, where he would continue his practice of magical spells and techniques. This had become a routine since he'd first traveled through time and space.
Over the course of his training, he had improved rapidly, mastering his techniques at an astonishing rate. Tonight was special, however. He was on the verge of raising his Eye Technique to the Grandmaster level, and perfecting his Fireball Spell.
He was thrilled as he felt the magic take root. "I seem to be a natural genius at practicing magic and spells," he thought with pride.
After basking in his moment of self-admiration, he focused on his Grandmaster-level Spirit Eyes technique. With a mental snap, he shattered the dream world and rose from his
meditation. It was still the middle of the night, but that didn't concern him—cultivators could see just as well in the dark.
He quickly activated the spell and, to his astonishment, his vision expanded beyond anything he had ever imagined. He could now see through walls and even dozens of meters underground. And can see traces of energy in around.
He marveled at the clarity with which he could detect the faintest of movements.
And can Even catch the flow in the Formation although it's just a low level protection formation but it's Still a formation and he is not involved in this domain but now he can see something from it, if he wants to destroy it quickly he can do it easily even if he still in the middle stage of Qi refining stage.
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Name : Jiang Cheng
Realm : Middle stage Qi refining
Spirit roots : pseudo five element spirit roots. Earth, water, fire, Gold, metal.
( Hidden : five Element body)
Spells
cleaning techniques ( perfection)
Cooling Breeze Spell (Mastery)
Cooking Spells ( Grandmaster)
Illumination Orb ( perfection )
Spirit Sprout Spell ( mastery)
Spirit rain technique ( Grandmaster)
Earth Shaping Technique ( Proficient)
Wood Plank Refinement Spell (Proficient)
Wall Reinforcement Art( Proficient)
Roof Mending Spell ( Grandmaster) etc..
Martial arts
Shield technique ( mastery)
Breath-Holding Technique (Grandmaster)
Wind Step Technique (perfection )
Water Needle Technique ( mastery)
Fireball Technique ( perfection )
Eyes technique (Grandmaster)
Mist Veil ( Grandmaster)
Inferno Wave ( mastery )
Thunderclap Sword Art ( Grandmaster )
Thirteen way Sword pose ( mastery)
First grade middle talisman master
Talismans :
Soundproofing Talisman Water
Blade Talismans, Fireball
Talisman, Soundproofing
Talisman, Cleansing/Healing
Talisman, Protective Talisman or shield talisman. Etc..
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"Looks like the flower thief's luck has finally run out," Jiang Cheng mused, his grin growing sinister.
"With this Eye technique at Grandmaster level, plus the Breath Suppressing technique to cover my presence, he won't be able to escape my grasp. Jejejeje."
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but laugh aloud, his voice echoing eerily in the stillness of the night. His laughter was so loud and sudden that it would have startled anyone within earshot—except there was no one to hear it,
of course with the formation around No one will hearwill his sinister lough
Jiang Cheng looked up at the night sky, a devilish grin spreading across his face.
"Flower thief, your belongings are destined for this young master," he chuckled, his voice laced with satisfaction. He imagined the thief's inevitable downfall, all but certain in his mind.
Jiang Cheng, feeling the mental exhaustion from his earlier excitement and planning, decided to return to his bedroom.
He stretched his arms, letting out a sigh, and sank into his bed, the soft mattress offering a welcome relief from the tension in his muscles.
Despite his mind racing with thoughts of the flower thief, the weariness soon took over.
He closed his eyes, the rhythmic pulse of his breathing lulling him into a deep, peaceful sleep. The night was quiet, and Jiang Cheng allowed himself to drift off, his dreams filled with the images of powerful magic and impending victories.