Chapter 436 - 410: Celestial Peak Sect’s Shop

Chapter 436: Chapter 410: Celestial Peak Sect’s Shop

The order arrived in the afternoon.

A Late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple from the Celestial Peak Sect personally came to the marketplace, handing Li Yuan a summons stamped with Xuan Pu Master’s private seal.

The contents were even more concise than last time: Li Yuan, supervisor of the Mist Forest Marketplace, is to proceed immediately to the outpost for questioning regarding recent security matters.

Li Yuan put away the summons and set off with the disciple.

The martial law at the outpost had been lifted, but the atmosphere remained tense.

There were fewer Celestial Peak Sect disciples than the last time he had visited, but every one who remained was more vigilant than before. The frequency of patrols had noticeably increased, and the monitoring arrays at the four corners of the camp were all active.

Li Yuan was led to the main tent.

The tent flap was lifted, revealing the same furnishings as last time. A stone table, a wooden chair, and a topographical map spread out on the table.

Xuan Pu Master sat in the same spot, dressed in a gray-white Daoist robe, with a three-stranded long beard and a gaunt face.

But his aura was different.

During the last questioning, Xuan Pu’s attitude had been one of routine indifference. This time, his gaze locked onto Li Yuan the moment he stepped into the tent and did not waver.

A scan from his Divine Sense followed.

The Divine Sense of a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator was like a basin of ice water poured over his head, far more penetrating and meticulous than the scan from the Primordial Yang Sect’s Mid-stage Golden Core elder during the last investigation. This Divine Sense didn’t just sweep over his meridians and storage pouch; it was analyzing every inch of his body, discerning the frequency of his Spiritual Power fluctuations and the micro-features of his aura.

His concealment skill held firm.

The Divine Sense swept over his body before retreating. Xuan Pu Master’s brow relaxed ever so slightly as he pointed to the wooden chair opposite him.

"Sit."

Li Yuan bowed and sat down.

"Last time, I asked you about the Ghost Mist Forest’s terrain and the Evil Slaying Sect’s movements. Today, we’ll take a different approach." Xuan Pu’s speech was unhurried, each word clear and crisp. "Summarize for me the Demon Cultivator activity around the marketplace over the last six months."

"Yes, sir." Li Yuan didn’t hesitate, immediately reciting the data.

"Since the marketplace’s establishment, there have been over forty recorded instances of Demon Cultivator activity within a fifty-li radius. Seventeen of these were clear harassment attempts, over twenty were probing approaches, and roughly ten were instances of them passing through and proactively retreating after being spotted by patrol teams. The frequency has decreased from seven or eight times per month initially to two or three times per month in the last two months."

Xuan Pu listened intently without interrupting.

"And the scale of the harassment?"

"Initially, it was mostly small squads of Early-stage and Mid Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, in groups of three to five. In the last three months, we’ve started seeing teams led by Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, but the total number of people has actually decreased, usually to groups of two or three."

"Direction?"

"Mostly from the north and east. Very few from the west, and none recorded from the south."

Xuan Pu’s fingers tapped the tabletop twice.

"What about underground tunnels? Your marketplace has been established in the heart of the Ghost Mist Forest for some time now. Have you discovered any anomalies underground?"

"The marketplace’s Defensive Array covers an area thirty zhang deep. During the initial construction, we discovered an abandoned mine shaft beneath the foundation, heading southeast. It had already collapsed and was blocked. Aside from that, no other underground passages have been found."

This answer was tailored.

Li Yuan knew of at least three secret tunnels under the Ghost Mist Forest dug by the Evil Slaying Sect. But this information came from intelligence he had gathered while infiltrating a way station in his capacity as a Demon Cultivator—not something the supervisor of a marketplace should know.

"The Evil Slaying Sect’s operational patterns—what are your thoughts?" Xuan Pu’s tone shifted slightly, moving from factual inquiry to a request for judgment.

This question carried a different weight. Facts could be stated objectively, but judgment revealed one’s level of thinking. If a Late-stage Foundation Establishment marketplace supervisor offered an overly precise strategic analysis, it would only arouse suspicion.

Li Yuan thought for a moment before giving a conventional, safe answer.

"It’s like they’re testing the borders. The frequent harassment in the first few months seemed more like an attempt to gauge the marketplace’s defensive perimeter and reaction time. The recent sharp drop in frequency either means they’ve decided the marketplace isn’t worth committing more personnel to, or their attention has shifted elsewhere."

’Elsewhere.’ Xuan Pu repeated the word, his gaze lingering on Li Yuan’s face for a moment.

Li Yuan’s expression remained calm; he didn’t elaborate.

The tent fell silent for a moment.

Xuan Pu’s fingers left the tabletop, and he leaned back in his chair. The questioning part seemed to be over.

"One more thing."

His tone shifted from interrogation to something more akin to negotiation.

"The Celestial Peak Sect intends to open a shop in the Mist Forest Marketplace."

Li Yuan didn’t respond immediately.

"You know the current layout of the marketplace’s shops better than I do," Xuan Pu continued. "The Celestial Peak Sect wants to open a materials shop, mainly dealing in exploration-type Magical Artifacts and array consumables. The Celestial Peak Sect will provide its own supply of goods, as well as the storefront and staff."

"What would you need from the marketplace?" Li Yuan asked.

"Just approve a plot of land and handle the legal registration procedures." Xuan Pu said it casually, as if it were a trivial matter.

But it wasn’t a trivial matter.

The Celestial Peak Sect opening a shop meant their people would be stationed inside the marketplace long-term. Ostensibly, they would be running a business, but in reality, it would be a permanent intelligence-gathering post. Who came and went, what goods were traded, the characteristics of the Defense Array—everything would be within the Celestial Peak Sect’s scope of observation.

But there was little room for refusal.

Xuan Pu was a Late-stage Golden Core cultivator. The request was made in a negotiable tone, but behind him stood a Nascent Soul Sect. A mere Late-stage Foundation Establishment marketplace supervisor had neither the authority nor the grounds to refuse.

Besides, there were benefits to agreeing.

With Celestial Peak Sect members stationed in the marketplace, it would also serve as a window for Li Yuan to observe their sect’s arrangements. What goods they sold, what materials they brought in, who they contacted, the frequency of their communications—all of it could be passively monitored through the marketplace’s Defensive Array and his Dark Evil Insight.

"Very well," Li Yuan nodded. "I’ll arrange for the shop’s location. The procedures will follow the standard process."

"Good."

Xuan Pu stood up, concluding the questioning.

Li Yuan rose, took his leave, and exited the main tent.

As he stepped past the tent flap, a Late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple from the Celestial Peak Sect was waiting outside, holding a case of instruments. Seeing Li Yuan emerge, the disciple gave him a slight nod.

Li Yuan returned the gesture and, without a second glance, turned and walked toward the outpost’s exit.

Once he was clear of the outpost, he used his Dark Evil Insight to scan in the direction of the main tent.

Xuan Pu’s aura had returned to a stable, contained state; he hadn’t continued to track Li Yuan’s direction with his Divine Sense.

Li Yuan quickened his pace, heading back to the marketplace.

On the way, he replayed the day’s conversation in his mind.

Xuan Pu’s questions had two layers. The first half concerned facts: the frequency, scale, direction, and underground passages related to Demon Cultivator activity around the marketplace. He had kept his answers to all these questions within the scope of what a marketplace supervisor would know, revealing no extra information.

The second half required him to make a judgment, asking about the Evil Slaying Sect’s operational patterns. This part was more like a test of his capabilities. The level of analysis an ordinary Late-stage Foundation Establishment marketplace supervisor could provide was completely different from what a person hiding a Golden Core Cultivation and a wealth of intelligence could offer.

He had chosen the former. A conventional answer—not brilliant, but not out of line.

As for the matter of opening a shop, it didn’t seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision. The Celestial Peak Sect had set up an independent Communication Array and a Tier Three monitoring array at the outpost, showing their strong desire for information control. Opening a shop in the marketplace was an extension of the same line of thinking, just with a gentler approach.

After returning to the marketplace, Li Yuan summoned Ji Wenchuan.

"Clear out a storefront in the eastern district, against the wall. It doesn’t need to be too big, just enough for three rows of shelves."

"Who’s it for?"

"The Celestial Peak Sect is opening a materials shop in the marketplace."

Ji Wenchuan’s expression froze for a second.

"The Celestial Peak Sect?"

"A Late-stage Golden Core cultivator proposed it himself," Li Yuan said evenly. "Choose a location in the eastern district, against the wall, next to the patrol team’s duty post."

Ji Wenchuan considered the choice of location and cracked a grin.

The eastern district, against the wall, right next to the patrol team’s duty post. If the Celestial Peak Sect opened a shop there, their every move would be within the patrol team’s peripheral vision. Who came, what goods were unloaded, when they opened and closed—someone would always be watching.

"Understood." Ji Wenchuan nodded and turned to handle it.

Li Yuan returned to his stone house and closed the door.

Sitting on a cattail hassock, he circulated the Profound Nether Killing Skill for one full cycle before turning his attention back to daily affairs.

The Celestial Peak Sect opening a shop wouldn’t have much of an impact in the short term. But in the long run, the power dynamic within the marketplace would shift from three parties to four: the Ji family, the Wang family, the Mingyuan Commerce Association, and the Celestial Peak Sect.

The other three were manageable, but the Celestial Peak Sect was a genuine behemoth.