"It is said that both Ling Hui and Lang Feng possess low-quality red Qi seas," someone in the crowd whispered, voice tinged with a hint of regret. "They've always been evenly matched—neither ever able to gain the upper hand. But now that Ling Hui wields a medium-grade Yellow Spirit Sword, it looks like a victor might finally emerge…"
A sigh followed.
"Alas! Ling Hui was injured in battle. There won't be any intense showdown today between the top two mercenary groups."
The mood among the spectators was mixed. Most had gathered here hoping to witness a long-awaited clash between the two rival mercenary factions. A fight between Ling Hui of the Ling Mercenary Group and Lang Feng of the Wolf Mercenaries was always a spectacle. But now…
"Lang Feng, you're truly a fool," Ling Hui sneered, leaning heavily on his brother for support, blood staining his robe. "Did you really think a mere demonic beast at the middle stage of the Innate Realm could stop me?"
"Oh?" Lang Feng raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Then please enlighten us, won't you?" he said lazily, his eyes narrowing as they drifted toward the sword in Ling Hui's hand. The glint of greed flickered in their depths.
Ling Hui caught the look and scoffed, his face twisting in disdain. "Lang Feng, you're nothing but a lowlife. You aren't even worthy to speak to me. If I hadn't been ambushed by another demonic beast, I'd have emerged victorious—with the herb in my possession. And then…" He paused, pride shining in his eyes. "Then it would have been your turn to die, along with your pitiful band of mercenaries."
Lang Feng's greedy expression quickly vanished, replaced by a thoughtful frown. He wasn't angry—on the contrary, his eyes grew cold and calculating.
That same uneasy look was shared by his brother and the others in the Wolf Mercenary Group. They'd been rivals with the Ling Mercenaries for years now, and Lang Feng knew them well. Their financial resources were meager at best. There was no way they could afford a medium-grade Yellow Spirit Weapon.
So where did they suddenly get this confidence from?
People often assumed, due to his towering build, that Lang Feng was all brawn and no brain. But those close to him knew better—he never underestimated anyone, and he never took chances.
I need to tread carefully until I uncover their backing…
Suddenly, a domineering voice rang out, slicing through the tense atmosphere like a blade:
"Ling Hui, you're a disgrace. You couldn't even handle a demonic beast at the Innate Realm. You should take a tofu brick and smash your own head instead of wasting the air you breathe."
A wave of shocked gasps spread through the crowd.
Who would dare speak so brazenly to the Ling Mercenary Group at such a moment?
Heads turned as a path slowly cleared through the crowd—wider than even the one made earlier for the Wolf Mercenaries. The air grew tense, thick with expectation. Some cultivators had excited expressions, eager to see what would unfold, while others had greedy glints in their eyes, waiting like vultures to seize on whatever chaos might follow.
When the path fully opened, a group of cultivators came into view—each one dressed in flowing purple robes.
"The Purple Cloud Sect!" someone shouted, pointing with trembling fingers.
The crowd erupted in hushed murmurs, their whispers forming a tidal wave of tension and awe.
"Lord!" Ling Hui suddenly dropped to his knees, grimacing from his wounds but not daring to stay standing.
"Lord!" the rest of the Ling Mercenary Group echoed in unison, also kneeling on one knee.
A silence fell over the entire area. It was as if time had paused. Moments ago, the square had been a noisy arena of speculation and tension. Now, it was deathly quiet.
Lang Feng's eyes narrowed as understanding dawned.
So this is the source of their confidence…
The group from the Purple Cloud Sect consisted of nine cultivators—four men and five women. At the center of their formation was a young man with a commanding presence, leading them forward with slow, deliberate steps. His aura was overwhelming yet refined.
Qichen stood silently in the crowd and recognized several of the faces. The man at the center was none other than Senior Brother Lin, the same one who had once sent someone to kill him back at the campsite. One of the women flanking him was Liu Xinyi, the same cultivator who had once spoken to Qichen about the signs of martial spirit awakening. He also recognized two other women and a man—fellow disciples he'd encountered during his early trials.
But there was one woman beside Senior Brother Lin whom Qichen didn't recognize. She bore a faint resemblance to Liu Xinyi, but she was more voluptuous and carried herself with a quiet, elegant grace. Her presence felt… noble.
Senior Brother Lin stopped and looked down at the kneeling Ling Hui. His tone was flat but commanding.
"What happened?"
Ling Hui bowed deeply, gritting his teeth in pain. "Lord, I was about to slay the Light Refracting Serpent when I was ambushed by a Nightshade Panther."
His words sent another ripple of commotion through the crowd.
Even Senior Brother Lin frowned for a brief moment—then his lips curved into a smile.
"The Light Refracting Serpent and the Nightshade Panther have always been mortal enemies," he said. "If they cooperated… then the herb they're protecting must be truly extraordinary."
Another wave of whispers and gasps rolled through the cultivators present.
The Light Refracting Serpent—a demonic beast that could manipulate light, typically found in sunlit regions.
The Nightshade Panther—a beast that could vanish into darkness and strike from the shadows.
These two were natural enemies. If they had set aside their instincts to defend a shared treasure, then whatever they were guarding had to be immensely valuable.
Even Qichen's expression shifted.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't tempted. The thought of growing such a herb inside the Boundless Storage Pagoda and cultivating an endless supply nearly made him salivate. But he wasn't impulsive—he would listen first… then act.
On the other side, Lang Feng's expression darkened and then lightened. He, too, was tempted, but he shook his head slowly. He knew the risks.
Just then, laughter echoed across the field, loud and carefree.
"Who dares laugh at a time like this?" many thought.
Another path began to open up. This time, even the cultivators from the Purple Cloud Sect, including Senior Brother Lin, turned to look.
"It's really lively here today," a calm voice said.
A young man walked forward with hands behind his back, his pace unhurried. Behind him followed a group of cultivators, mostly men. Among them were women whose beauty rivaled even the most stunning disciples of the Purple Cloud Sect.
Their robes were deep blue, and each of them had a storage pouch hanging at their waist.
"Look! It's the Dustless Sword Sect!" someone exclaimed.
"They must've also heard about the herb cave and arrived at just the right time," another whispered.
"Sects really are wealthy," one cultivator muttered with envy. "They get storage bags just for being accepted as disciples."
"Snort! What do you know?" another quickly countered. "It's not free. I heard that to earn one, disciples must slay a specific demonic beast and return with proof before being issued a storage pouch."
Someone nearby recognized the speaker and called out, "Isn't that Zhang Lei? I heard his brother became a menial disciple last year. After working hard, he got promoted to follower status—and now he's even an outer disciple!"
Gasps and envious murmurs spread like wildfire.
"No wonder he knows so much about sect procedures," someone muttered.
"Hmph! Ming Yu Han, what are you doing here?" Senior Brother Lin called out coldly. "This territory has already been secured by our Purple Cloud Sect. Leave now, or don't blame us for being impolite."
The blue-robed youth merely smiled.
"Oh… Lin Feng Qiang. Aren't all the cultivators of the Purple Cloud Sect already here and around you?" he asked, tone calm and mocking.
"Don't try to play word games with me. The herb cave belongs to no one. We can explore it together—or no one enters at all." Lin Feng Qiang's voice grew sharp.
"Though we're both in the middle stage of the Innate Realm and possess medium-quality red Qi seas, you're not my match," Ming Yu Han said, his tone condescending. "I broke through with an 11-layer foundation in the Qi Condensation stage. You only reached the 10th."
"Hmph! That was only because of the spiritual fruit you found!" Lin Feng Qiang retorted bitterly. "Don't act like it was all your talent."
—
> The level at which a cultivator breaks through to the Innate Realm often determines the breadth of their Qi sea. Two cultivators with the same innate potential could have vastly different strength depending on whether they broke through at the 8th, 10th, or 11th layer of Qi Condensation.
Take Zhang Tianwei, the man who had once sacrificed himself to kill Qichen—he had broken through at the 8th level. That was why Qichen had been able to defeat him.
Even his Falcon Claw Technique had been unstable—its materialized form faint and illusory due to his limited control over Qi.
And now… it seemed another confrontation was brewing.