Chapter 89: Ten Thousand Poison Forest, Power Demon Sect

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Ten Thousand Poison Forest, Power Demon Sect

The moment he spoke.

The surrounding crowd fell silent for an instant before erupting into a clamor, everyone talking over each other.

"Yeah, tell us about the Cyan Yang Sect."

"That’s right, so we can learn a little more about the major sects."

"Go on..."

Yu Shang fell silent. His gaze swept over the crowd as he stroked his beard and chuckled, "Do you fellow brothers truly wish to hear?"

"We do!"

"Please, enlighten us."

"...."

The hand Yu Shang was using to stroke his beard paused. He said slowly, "I suppose I could tell you."

Just as the crowd gazed on in anticipation, his tone shifted. "But as you know, one mustn’t speak too freely about the major sects. What if some important figure were to overhear and take offense? I’d be in for a world of trouble."

Hearing this, the crowd was taken aback.

’That’s right, how could a bunch of Loose Cultivators like them dare to speak carelessly about a major sect?’

Just as the crowd, thinking the old man was unwilling to continue, began to disperse.

"Hold on!"

Yu Shang raised a hand and called out. His eyes then swept over the talismans on his stall as he said, "Since you fellow brothers are so eager to listen, I’ll take the risk and tell you a bit. It’s just... this story of mine will take quite some time..."

"But my talismans..."

Just then.

Someone in the crowd suddenly spoke up. "Aren’t you just afraid the delay will keep you from selling your talismans?"

"How about this? I’ll buy a Fireball Talisman! Just get on with the story..."

As he spoke, a person in a bamboo hat emerged from the crowd, tossed a Spirit Stone onto the stall, grabbed a Fireball Talisman, and returned to his spot.

"My thanks, Junior Brother!"

Yu Shang’s face lit up. He cupped his hands in thanks toward the man, then turned his gaze to the rest of the crowd and said softly, "Everyone..."

The onlookers exchanged glances.

"I’ll take a Water Arrow Talisman."

"I want a Fireball Talisman."

"I’ll have a Calming Talisman."

"..."

It was impossible to tell who spoke up first.

In just a few moments, the dozens of talismans on the old man’s stall were completely sold out.

Li Changsheng, hiding at the very back of the crowd, felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

He was closer to the edge, so he had a clear view.

’The first cultivator who bought a talisman and the person who shouted out to buy one next were the exact same person!’

’Clearly, this was a scam arranged by the old man and the cultivator in the bamboo hat.’

Just when Li Changsheng thought the old man would make an excuse and flee.

Yu Shang cleared his throat and began, "The Cyan Yang Sect, founded by the Great Zhenren of the Golden Core, Cyan Yang Daoist, has a history stretching back a thousand years..."

The old man started from the sect’s founding, vividly and emotionally recounting one major event after another in the Cyan Yang Sect’s history.

He spoke of how it grew from governing the lands of a single kingdom to ruling over three.

He described the Cyan Yang Sect’s current power and influence...

The crowd listened, letting out repeated gasps of amazement.

Even Li Changsheng found himself listening with rapt attention, his expression shifting as he learned a great deal of new information.

An entire hour passed as he spoke.

Yu Shang finally stopped speaking. He stood and cupped his fists toward the crowd. "That is all for today. I will take my leave now."

With that, he departed in a hurry.

Seeing that the show was over, the crowd slowly dispersed, melting back into the throngs of the Marketplace.

Li Changsheng remained where he stood, a thoughtful expression on his face.

According to the old man, the Cyan Yang Sect was considered a first-rate power in the Southern Barren Region.

Bordering the Cyan Yang Sect were two other Golden Core-level powers: the Ten Thousand Poison Forest, located in the Mist Marsh, and the Power Demon Sect on Bitter Prison Mountain.

All three sects bordered the Wanzhong Mountains Range on one side, and friction between them was common.

The Ten Thousand Poison Forest was famous for controlling venomous insects, and their cultivated Lifebound Insects were a heritage no less profound than the Beast Soul and Blood Fusion lineages of the Cyan Yang Sect.

The Power Demon Sect, on the other hand, specialized in Body Refinement. Their Cultivation Techniques allowed them to manifest a physical dharma body, granting them the immense strength to move mountains and shatter peaks with a mere gesture.

A thought flickered in Li Changsheng’s mind. With a flip of his hand, he produced two items: a broken piece of jade carved with half of a Four-winged Centipede, and a fragmented stone statuette of a torso.

"Insect Seal." "Wolf Demon Body Refining Skill."

Looking at the two fragmented Dharma Transmission Jade Scrolls and recalling the descriptions of the Ten Thousand Poison Forest and the Power Demon Sect,

Li Changsheng finally understood that the insect-controlling Magic and the Body Refining Technique he possessed originated from these two sects.

’Now I don’t have to ask around anymore...’

Li Changsheng put away the two fragmented Dharma Transmission Jade Scrolls with a flip of his hand, rubbing the bridge of his nose as a headache began to form.

’The Ten Thousand Poison Forest and the Power Demon Sect were on par with the Cyan Yang Sect, both Golden Core-level powers. They weren’t someone a small fry like him could afford to provoke.’

’How did the person who sold me the jade scrolls get them? Murder? Or...’

As Li Changsheng was wrestling with his headache,

An old man with a wizened face and a large pack on his stooped back ambled down the main road from the north. Every so often, he would squat down at a stall that caught his eye to make inquiries.

When he reached the center of the crossroads and caught sight of Li Changsheng’s profile, he paused for a moment before quickening his pace and walking over.

"Junior Brother Li?"

Li Changsheng snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look. He was surprised when he saw the old man’s face. "Senior Brother Wang!"

A smile touched his lips, and he went forward to greet him.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they found a tea stall and sat down.

Li Changsheng asked, puzzled, "Senior Brother Wang, what brings you to this small Marketplace?"

Elder Wang shook his head and sighed. "Sigh, it’s just that the mountaintop Marketplace has become unbearable. I’m just resting here for a bit before heading back into the Wanzhong Mountains Range."

"The Wanzhong Mountains Range?"

A thought occurred to Li Changsheng. "Where are you stationed, Senior Brother? The conflict between the Demon Hunting Corps and the Patrol Guard... that’s affecting you too?"

"I’m with the exploration division, so it shouldn’t have involved me..."

Elder Wang gave a bitter smile. "But ever since Steward Luo took Bu Shi as his disciple, we’ve been caught between a rock and a hard place."

"Not only do the Patrol Guards want nothing to do with us, but the Demon Hunting Corps despises us as well..."

Elder Wang said with a self-deprecating laugh, "If it weren’t for the fact that no one else is willing to risk their lives in the mountains, our entire division would probably... sigh!"

"Bu Shi?" Li Changsheng asked, confused.

Elder Wang explained, "He’s that lucky fellow who found the Spiritual Land. Now his fortunes have completely turned—Steward Luo has taken him on as a personal disciple."

"Hm? But I thought there were no master-disciple lineages on the Miscellaneous Peaks?"

Elder Wang shook his head. "For people like us, naturally not."

"But it’s a different story for the bigwigs at the top. A master-disciple relationship is far more solid than a simple superior-subordinate one."

Li Changsheng nodded in understanding.

Elder Wang picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and said quietly, "Do you remember Wu Yong and Liu Yong?"

Li Changsheng nodded, giving him a questioning look.

"Thanks to all this turmoil, those two have really made a name for themselves."

Elder Wang sighed emotionally. "The first one, Wu Yong, joined the Demon Hunting Corps. Relying on his Late-Stage Qi Cultivation and six rank-one, mid-grade Thousand-legged Poison Centipedes, he’s made quite a name for himself. He’s gained a lot of benefits, and his cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds."

"The latter, Liu Yong, joined the Patrol Guard. I don’t know what kind of fortuitous encounter he had, but the rare Golden Thread Toad he controls actually advanced to rank-one, high-grade. He’s used it to ambush quite a few members of the Demon Hunting Corps and is getting along very well within the Patrol Guard."

"One in the Demon Hunting Corps, one in the Patrol Guard."

Li Changsheng’s expression turned a little strange. He wondered what it would be like if the two of them ever ran into each other.

’They’d probably act like strangers, I guess?’

’After all, not everyone was as sentimental as he was.’

They chatted for a while longer. Elder Wang seemed intent on befriending him, leaving him with a communication jade talisman and telling him that if he ever had any questions, he could ask him.

An idea sparked in Li Changsheng’s mind. With a flip of his hand, he placed six recently acquired items on the table and said with a smile, "As it happens, there are a few things I don’t understand. I was hoping Senior Brother Wang could take a look for me."