Rushing to the Clear River Market
From their loud arguments to speaking in low voices, Qi Xiu and Qin Ye finally reached a point where Qi Xiu just stood there, watching Qin Ye, this ninety-year-old man, cry like a child in front of him.
"When I inherited the family property, my second ancestor was still around. Although our clan wasn't as glorious as during our legendary founding ancestor's time, we were still referred to as barons. Those barons and even viscounts were polite to me, showing respect. In Qi Yun City, we had some face. But now, the older I get, the less respect I receive. Even the lowest-ranking Honorific Officers, those good-for-nothings, dare to give me a hard time. What a disgrace!"
Qin Ye wept bitterly and rambled on. From the glory days to the current decline, that was how he saw it. But most of all, the future was what worried him the most. What if Sect Leader Qi failed to reach Foundation Establishment? What if someone other than his Qin clan became the sect leader?
Looking at him, Qi Xiu couldn't help but grumble to himself: As long as your clan has a Qi Condensation cultivator, your Qin clan cannot escape having one Honorific Officer. What's an Honorific Officer? It's still a noble title!
He had no interest in saying this out loud, as he knew Qin Ye would not like to hear it.
Qin Ye wasn't expecting an answer from him either. He just needed someone to listen.
Qi Xiu gently comforted him and eventually saw him out of the room. Only then did he realize that the soundproof barrier he had set up had already exhausted the talisman's spiritual force and vanished without a trace.
Watching the old man walking away, Qi Xiu noticed that his spirit had weakened significantly compared to when he arrived. His steps faltering, much like the state of Chu Qin Sect, swaying in the midst of these turbulent times...
Qi Xiu shifted his attention back to the wooden box, countless thoughts in his mind.
In reality, he hadn't told the whole truth to Qin Ye. The Chu Qin Sect was truly on the verge of collapse.
The Sect Leader Qi was his mentor and treated him like his own son, no doubt about it — even after learning that he couldn't advance further on the path of cultivation, he had still protected him in many ways, shielding him from the scorn and bullying of those self-serving fellow disciples.
Not to mention, the Qi family had saved his life and raised him.
But… despite all this, Qi Xiu couldn't deny that his mentor wasn't suited to be the sect leader.
When he had been young, he had been seen as the genius who most likely would reach the Foundation Establishment; he had defeated many competitors at that time, and had managed to take the helm of the Chu Qin Sect despite being an outsider.
However, after multiple failed attempts to break into the Foundation Establishment, his personality became more and more eccentric and selfish, causing internal divisions within the sect and losing the trust of the people.
Sect Leader Qi was 74 years old, and in theory, he still had 30 to 40 years to live. And so long as he was alive, the Chu Qin Sect would remain under the protection of the three-generation rule, and no one would dare make a move against them.
The neighboring sects' attempts to annex them would not happen so soon.
But as the sect leader, he had been obsessed with cultivation for decades, neglecting all sect affairs. This led to factions fighting for power and interests. Some late-stage Qi Condensation elders even went so far as to bring outsiders for support, exposing the sect's secrets.
Some time ago, it was rumored that the Nascent Soul cultivator Elder Chu from the Qi Yun Sect had said that his connection with the Chu Qin Sect had ended after the death of his disciple – Qin Lie'er. The implication of these words was clear: the Chu Qin Sect had lost its greatest support.
Not only that, but Leader Qi had repeatedly used elixirs to forcefully break through the Foundation Establishment level, which led to his lifespan being greatly reduced. His days were numbered, and this once-secret matter somehow became known to everyone.
Now, the Chu Qin Sect was surrounded by enemies, and everyone wanted a piece of the pie.
Qi Xiu had heard that outside the mountain gate, cultivators from various sects were openly patrolling and blocking the roads, just waiting for Leader Qi to die so that they could take a big bite of the delicious Chu Qin Sect.
The Chu Qin Sect was founded by a Golden Core cultivator, the spiritual energy at the mountain gate was as high as the third rank. Now, there were only Qi Condensation cultivators in the sect. It was like a child holding gold in a bustling market—everyone knows what will happen.
Though there were various reasons for this situation, his master, the sect leader, was definitely to blame.
The reason Qi Xiu had been sent here by the Sect Leader was because he was one of his trusted confidants, someone he completely trusts. His task was to be a hidden agent, avoiding opposition the forces within the sect to secretly sell off the resources Chu Qin Sect has accumulated over the years to exchange for the elixirs Sect Leader needs to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and the various resources for his his trusted disciples' cultivation.
How could I possibly tell Qin Ye about this? After all, Chu Qin Sect was the Qin family's ancestral home. Moreover, they deliberately handed these resources over to Qin Ye's hands for him to transport, in order to dispel any suspicion.
If Qin Ye were to know the truth, he would probably die of anger... In any case, to me, the kindness of the sect leader and the Qi family is the most important. As for the Qin clan, I can only say I'm sorry. Qi Xiu thought to himself before he went to instruct a servant to guard the outside and not let anyone in.
Then, he closed the door and walked to the wooden box. He recited the unsealing incantation that he had agreed upon with the sect leader, and the two talismans that sealed the box fell off with no noise.
He opened the box, and the room was instantly bathed in a glow. The box was packed with magical tools, talismans, spirit stones, and spirit herbs. The chest was filled to the brim. He and the sect leader had already agreed that once this box arrived, the items in it should be taken to the market as soon as possible to exchange for a [Foundation Establishment Pill], the most important main pill among the elixirs that the sect leader used in his attempt to break through the Foundation Establishment level.
Qi Xiu sorted and went through the treasures, categorizing and appraising each item. Years of this kind of secret selling had given him a sharp eye for their values. After some quick calculations, he concluded, Even though these can be exchanged for a [Foundation-Establishment Pill], some items might be easy to sell and could take a while. I'd better hurry and do everything I can to help Master!
With this thought, Qi Xiu wasted no more time. He took out a small pouch from his pocket, neither leather nor silk—and the patterns on it were extremely mysterious.
It was a [Storage Pouch] that was worth a lot. One side of the bag was engraved with the words "Qi Yun", indicating that it was made by the Qi Yun Sect, while the other side was engraved with the words "Two Cubic Meter," indicating its capacity.
Two Cubic Meters were probably enough to hold a large wooden box like this. It was also something that Leader Qi had given him to facilitate his smuggling.
He brought the opening of the pouch close to his mouth and recited a spell. The wooden box vanished into thin air and was moved into the [Storage Pouch]. Qi Xiu then packed some things that he would need on the road.
The sun had just set outside, so he quickly called the doorman over, handed the [Finger Monkey] to him to take care of, and instructed him to guard the room. If any outsiders asked, he was to say that he had gone out to visit a friend and did not know when he would be back.
Seeing that the doorman had remembered everything, he hurriedly set off.
Once outside, Qi Xiu didn't rush. He strolled leisurely, occasionally stopping to watch the scenery. After walking for a few miles without sensing any signs of being followed, and as night began falling, he slipped into a roadside forest.
He took out a set of simple clothing he had prepared and changed into it. Then, he used some face-changing materials and smeared his body and face to change the color of his skin. Finally, he tied his hair into a bun.
He transformed from a clean-cut, red-robed Taoist into a dark-skinned old farmer. His disguise wasn't perfect, but he wasn't worried about being recognized. He had spent his early years within the Chu Qin sect and then lived in seclusion for over ten years. There weren't many people who knew him.
After organizing everything, he took out a [Light-Body Talisman] from the pouch and activated it with a spell. He changed direction and started running wildly through the forest.
Qi Xiu's destination was the nearby cultivation market — the Clear River Market.
This market was the main reason he had chosen to live in the area. The Chu Qin Sect's territory and its surrounding regions were indirectly controlled by the powerful Qi Yun Sect. Even the Chu Qin Sect and its rival sects were really just branches of the Qi Yun Sect.
Because of this, the cultivators from these sects mostly went to Qi Yun City, directly controlled by the Qi Yun Sect, to trade and exchange what they had.
The Clear River Market, on the other hand, was outside the influence of Qi Yun Sect. It was mostly visited by independent cultivators. The market had naturally formed over time and was now controlled by independent cultivators and families, making it a perfect spot for trading without attracting the attention of those sects eyeing the Chu Qin Sect.
Qi Xiu hurried through remote and uninhabited areas, passing trees and hills along the way quickly. When the talisman's power ran out, he immediately used another one, and ran all the way. It was not until dawn that he arrived at the outskirts of the Clear River Market.
Though it was not far, he had been running all night and had used up several [Light-Body Talismans].
Outside the deserted place, Qi Xiu changed into another set of clothes, then took some time meditating to calm his breath after the long run. Some time later, noticing the market had begun to get busier, he casually merged into the crowd and walked in.
The disguise he had put on his body and face was already gone. He had used a [Cleansing Talisman] to wash it away before entering the market. In the world of cultivation markets, where many factions had stakes and interests, security was very tight. Using this kind of disguise would only draw unnecessary attention.
Qi Xiu's current look was that of a disciple of a medium-tier sect from far away. His robe was not fake; it was left behind in the Chu Qin Sect by a visiting cultivator from that sect. He had used this identity many times and had never encountered any problems.
This time, the items sent by the sect leader for trading for a [Foundation Establishment Pill] were a mixed bag, ranging from 2nd-grade lower-tier Magical Item to first-tier spirit stones. This reflected the sect's dwindling resources. Otherwise, he could have taken out a single 2nd-grade mid-tier Magical Item or a third-tier spirit stone and exchanged them directly.
Why would they have gone through so much trouble?
Without looking around, he headed straight to the most luxurious building in the center of the market. It was still early, so there were only a few customers inside.
A greeter saw Qi Xiu enter and quickly approached.
Before he could say anything, Qi Xiu asked directly, "Who's on duty today?"
"It's Elder Zhang," the greeter replied, releasing that Qi Xiu was a regular customer.
"Take me to him," Qi Xiu said, taking out a small jade token and shaking for the greeter to see.
Seeing their store's token, the greeter immediately led Qi Xiu to the second floor, stopping at a door. He knocked a few times and respectfully said to Qi Xiu, "Sir, please enter. Elder Zhang is inside."
Qi Xiu pushed the door open and went in.