NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: Resolute
Thankfully.
Thankfully, three months ago, He Song had already discussed with Wei Fan the potential chaos that might ensue if True Master Chengshan left the Immortal Market.
Now that True Master Chengshan had indeed departed abruptly, Wei Fan felt no panic.
In those three months, he and He Song had made ample preparations.
Talismans.
Artifacts.
Robes.
These tools for combat were items Wei Fan hadn’t considered acquiring before.
Living in the Immortal Market, where there was never any danger, he had initially thought it unnecessary to spend resources on such things.
But when He Song laid out the risks and rewards in a compelling manner, Wei Fan gritted his teeth and equipped himself with these essentials.
Now, as a newly advanced late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, Wei Fan’s combat strength was quite formidable.
He had even prepared several talismans specifically designed for combat.
With these measures in place, even if True Master Chengshan suddenly left, at least the safety of both men was assured.
“Daoist He, please return to the courtyard. Leave the matters outside to me. If there’s any danger, use the Earth Escape Talisman to get away,” Wei Fan said, his face calm as he spoke of the artifacts and talismans he carried.
In three months, he had not only equipped himself with artifacts, talismans, and robes to enhance his combat capabilities but also purchased two life-saving talismans.
The Earth Escape Talisman.
This was a high-grade talisman that allowed the user to travel ten miles underground in an instant, making it sufficient to evade pursuit from any Qi Refinement cultivator.
Wei Fan had prepared one for himself.
And he had lent another to He Song.
Although Wei Fan was a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator and lived among other cultivators of the same level, he believed in being cautious.
After becoming close friends with He Song, his own character had tilted toward prudence.
If things went south, and neither he nor the surrounding late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators could handle the threat, the two Earth Escape Talismans would at least give them a chance to flee and survive—perhaps to fight another day.
These talismans were their trump cards.
“Understood. Be careful, Brother Wei,” He Song nodded, offering no argument. He immediately retreated into the courtyard and activated the Aura Concealment Technique, erasing his presence completely.
Outside, not only would he be of no help, but he might also become a target for evil cultivators.
A mere early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator staying in the home of a late-stage cultivator?
To a malicious cultivator, the two were obviously closely connected.
If captured, He Song might be used to threaten Wei Fan, creating more problems than solutions.
Rather than complicating matters, it was better to hide in the courtyard, activate the Aura Concealment Technique, and pretend he didn’t exist. This way, Wei Fan could face any crises with greater ease.
On the attic.
Wei Fan had just packed away the tea set when he felt He Song’s presence vanish entirely from the courtyard.
Not letting his expression change, Wei Fan nodded inwardly.
His friend might not have a high cultivation level, but in terms of caution, He Song was second to none. Among everyone Wei Fan knew, He Song was by far the most prudent.
And prudence had its advantages.
If not for He Song’s cautious nature, Wei Fan’s current Artifacts, talismans, and robes might still be the ones he used during his mid-stage Qi Refinement period.
But now?
Every item he carried—from talismans to robes—was suited for late-stage Qi Refinement.
This gave him the confidence to stand toe-to-toe with other late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.
In truth, without He Song’s advice, Wei Fan doubted he would feel this calm or assured as he waited at home.
And wait he did.
An entire night passed.
The Immortal Market remained as peaceful as ever.
It seemed as though True Master Chengshan’s departure had not caused any significant disruption.
However, by dawn, the sudden spike in prices for talismans, Artifacts, and robes in the Immortal Market had alerted the more perceptive cultivators to something unusual.
Some uninformed wandering cultivators cursed loudly, complaining that the price hikes were shameless.
Others, more informed, quietly dug into their spirit stone reserves and started purchasing every life-saving item they could find.
With this surge in demand, prices for talismans, artifacts, and robes continued to climb.
Many well-informed cultivators drained their entire savings overnight just to buy protective items.
As for the cultivators tasked with selling these goods within the market, most had no idea why prices had suddenly risen. Faced with the influx of customers scrambling for life-saving gear, they simply went about their business as usual.
Though they didn’t understand the reasoning behind the price increase, they were baffled by the unexpected surge in buyers despite the hikes.
Day One
He Song and Wei Fan stayed hidden in their courtyard, not stepping outside.
Most wandering cultivators continued their usual activities in the Immortal Market—residing, cultivating, meditating in seclusion, or striving for breakthroughs.
Meanwhile, the prices of Artifacts, talismans, and robes began their steady ascent.
Day Two
He Song and Wei Fan remained in seclusion.
Prices for artifacts, talismans, and robes continued to rise.
Some cultivators with keen senses began noticing something amiss and started purchasing protective gear.
The streets grew busier, with hurried figures appearing among the usual crowds.
Day Three
He Song and Wei Fan still did not leave the courtyard.
That day, several wandering cultivators’ corpses were found in a shadowy corner of the Immortal Market.
The market’s Enforcement Squad team arrived to investigate, but no conclusions could be reached, and the case was hastily closed.
At the same time:
The Artifact Pavilion was nearly emptied of its stock, leaving only exorbitantly expensive items behind. Even these were soon sold out.
The Talisman Hall had completely sold out of talismans. Desperate buyers began swarming the marketplace stalls.
Unfortunately, the market’s talisman stalls had also long been cleaned out.
As for the robe boutique, its offerings were far too expensive for most wandering cultivators. Only late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators or mid-stage cultivators with considerable wealth could afford them.
Day Four
He Song and Wei Fan continued to stay behind closed doors.
That night, some reported hearing intense combat, but no one dared to investigate.
It wasn’t until morning that people ventured out cautiously.
On one street, they discovered bodies strewn about—some dressed in black and masked, their identities unknown, while others were curious cultivators from nearby who had been caught up in the chaos.
The news spread quickly, sending shockwaves through the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. Anxiety gripped everyone.
Shortly after, the market’s Enforcement Squad issued an announcement to every household:
“Evil cultivators have infiltrated the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market and are slaughtering at will. The enforcement team is actively hunting them down.”
“Anyone found sheltering an evil cultivator will be executed!”
“Anyone harboring an evil cultivator will be executed!”
“Anyone withholding information will be executed!”
“Anyone taking advantage of the situation to loot will be executed!”
“Anyone refusing to cooperate will be executed!”
“Anyone conspiring with the enemy will be executed!”
A long string of “Executed!” in blood-red letters was displayed prominently.
Even He Song frowned slightly as he read it.
It was his first time seeing such a ruthless announcement, where the penalty for nearly everything was death.
“How tyrannical,” he muttered to himself.