Market Battle

The Zhou family's departure did not stir much of a commotion in Pingyun Market.

As it stood, Pingyun Market had attracted forces from all across the six southern counties of Zhaoping Commandery. There were over a dozen cultivation clan contingents alone, to say nothing of the countless rogue cultivators.

Here, Qi Condensation cultivators were as common as weeds, reduced to the lowest stratum of the scene. Though not quite ubiquitous, there were still one or two hundred of them gathered.

Zhaoping Commandery comprised eleven counties in total, but due to a great war over a century ago, the six southern counties had become extremely barren. The terrestrial mechanisms were in disorder, and spiritual mechanisms were completely suppressed, with the southwest being the most severely affected.

For this very reason, the cultivation clans and rogue cultivators of the six southern counties lived in extreme hardship. Their strength as a whole was an entire tier or more weaker than that of the five northern counties.

Moreover, not every cultivation clan possessed as much spiritual farmland as the Zhou family. Most clans held only around six mu of spiritual fields. The reason the Zhou family could reclaim eight mu was due to the vast coverage of the Four Poles Origin-Stabilizing Formation, coupled with the fact that Baixi Mountain's root system was connected to Darong Mountain, leaving it more or less influenced by Darong Mountain's terrestrial mechanisms.

Back when the Zhou family could still stockpile spiritual rice each year, the spiritual rice harvested by most clans in the six southern counties was barely enough to pay their tributes. A clan's true revenue had to come from various crafts or selling medicinal herbs and spiritual plants.

This was precisely why the Li and Song families' aggressive acquisition of medicinal herbs and spiritual plants had excited these clans so much.

After all, with just a bit of reselling, dozens of Spirit Stones would change hands, which was enough to cover one or two rounds of tribute.

With such exorbitant profits, what did a little danger matter?

These cultivation clans were scrambling so eagerly because they feared that once the experts of the Li and Song families arrived, this unprecedented feast would come to an end.

For now, they sent whatever Qi Condensation cultivators they could. If a clan had any Qi Condensation cultivators to spare, they would inevitably dispatch them to watch over the situation.

This was both to guard their clan's convoys and to ensure that if a great battle broke out between the Li and Song families and the Huang family, they could take the opportunity to plunder and reap benefits.

As a result, the number of Qi Condensation cultivators gathering at Pingyun Market rose to as many as fifteen.

Inside the market, Huang Zhengming sat cross-legged, leisurely brewing tea. To his left was the Huang family's newly advanced Qi Condensation cultivator, Huang Zhengqing. Directly across from him sat three individuals.

One was the Zhao family's old Patriarch, Zhao Wuji, and another was the Fang family's former Patriarch, Fang Yunhai.

Because the Zhao and Fang families possessed deep heritages in the arts of talismans and formations, both families had two Qi Condensation cultivators within their ranks.

As for the last person, it was the Fan family's Patriarch, Fan Yu, though his face was heavy with worry.

Two days ago, the Fan family had received a Green Jade Pill from the Huang family, and his grandnephew had successfully broken through as a result.

Having received such great kindness from the Huang family, the Fan family naturally had to lend their full support now that the Huang family was in trouble. However, a newly advanced Qi Condensation cultivator had not even condensed their True Essence yet, leaving their combat power incredibly weak. Thus, Fan Yu had to come personally to assist.

But Fan Yu was worried that demonic cultivators might take the opportunity to attack the Fan family's ancestral land while his grandnephew was unable to defend it.

Zhao Wuji said in a booming voice, "Fellow Daoist, say no more. We all understand that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold."

"Brother Zhao speaks truly," Fang Yunhai echoed. "Only by uniting to resist the Li and Song families can we drive down the price of Green Jade Pills, which will ultimately benefit the development of our families."

"But is it just us? I've heard that the Li and Song families are sending their War Hall Elders. If it's only us, I'm afraid it will be difficult to..."

Huang Zhengming smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, do not panic. My Huang family has already invited reinforcements, and we do not fear them."

Hearing this, although Fang Yunhai still felt somewhat uncertain, he said nothing more.

As time passed, even though they had not finished selling their goods, the various cultivation clans led their contingents away one after another.

Only the rogue cultivators had yet to realize the danger was coming, still frantically pouring into the market. They came to sell spiritual plants and buy minor techniques, pills, or talismans from the clans.

This was the tragedy of rogue cultivators. Not only were their cultivation resources pitifully scarce, but their information was also completely blocked. They had no idea that a storm was brewing.

Of course, this was also deliberately orchestrated by the cultivation clans.

Regardless of the outcome, these rogue cultivators would be the ones harvested.

It was not until the next morning that a flying boat appeared on the horizon.

The Li and Song families had only learned the exact news late last night. The two locations were five hundred li apart, so even with a flying boat, it took them two hours to arrive.

Three figures flew out from the vessel. Two of them were the War Hall Elders of the Li and Song families respectively, while the third was the Li family's Second Clan Elder, Li Changsheng.

Li Changsheng halted in midair and called out loudly toward Pingyun Mountain, "I am Li Changsheng of the Li clan. I request Fellow Daoist Bai Lin to come out and speak."

The Qi Condensation cultivators hidden around the market all perked up, watching Li Changsheng eagerly.

As for the rogue cultivators, they were somewhat confused. Where did this Li family come from? How did three Qi Condensation cultivators appear all at once?

Atop Pingyun Mountain, Huang Bailin looked at the distant midair and could only sigh softly.

Although he was at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, Li Changsheng and the other two were by no means inferior, all being at the sixth or seventh level. Especially those two War Hall Elders—to serve as a clan's War Hall Elder meant their offensive power was likely formidable.

Seeing no movement from within Pingyun Mountain for a long time, the Li family Elder suddenly stepped forward. "Why waste words with him?"

He formed a hand seal, and a fire pillar several zhang long erupted from his mouth, crashing down toward Pingyun Mountain with a roar.

Boom!

The mountain-protecting formation manifested, and the fire pillar struck the transparent barrier, sending ripples across its surface.

The fire pillar suddenly exploded into countless sparks, turning into a brilliant display of light in the sky.

Huang Bailin then appeared in midair, his entire body radiating a dazzling green light.

Even the dullest rogue cultivators in the distant market knew that a cultivator battle was about to erupt here. If they lingered, they would be caught in the crossfire.

They surged frantically, rushing out of the market.

But the moment they emerged, these rogue cultivators were struck with terror.

Ten figures stood in the surrounding midair, encircling them like a pack of wolves hunting prey, looking down upon them.

Since the Huang family was still intact, these Qi Condensation cultivators who wanted to take advantage naturally would not barge into the market to slaughter. But outside the market was a different story.

"Not good, hurry back into the market!" someone among the rogue cultivators shouted.

These words instantly woke everyone up. The rogue cultivators frantically surged back inward, only to find that the market's formation had been sealed, and they could no longer enter!

Yet the rogue cultivators still inside the market did not know this, continuing to rush outward.

This was Huang Zhengming's way of secretly telling the predatory Qi Condensation cultivators that these rogue cultivator minions were theirs to take, so long as they did not touch the market in the slightest.

Only after all the rogue cultivators had rushed out of the market did five figures fly out from within-Huang Zhengming and his group.

Among the ten outside, three figures also flew out to join them, drawing surprised looks from the other Qi Condensation cultivators.

"Black Wind Old Ghost, didn't you have a grudge against the Huang family? Why are you helping them now?"

"Clear Moon Old Lady, you don't really have a thing with Huang Bailin, do you? Hahaha."

"Black Crow Old Man, you're wading into this muddy water too? Aren't you afraid of losing your life?"

The remaining seven Qi Condensation cultivators taunted as they spoke, but their hands were anything but idle. Like tigers descending into a flock of sheep, they launched a frenzied massacre against the hundreds of rogue cultivators below.

In the midair, nine people surrounded Li Changsheng and his two companions.

Li Changsheng looked around, finally fixing his gaze on Huang Bailin. "Fellow Daoist, why can't we just sit down and talk properly?"

"Cousin Changsheng, you're always too easygoing," the Li family Elder, who had just displayed his might, shouted. His gaze turned icy as he looked around. "Once Old Song and I kill them all, the Huang family will behave!"

With that, a terrifying fire pillar suddenly erupted, blasting in all directions!

The Song family Elder produced a long sword in his hand and directly charged into the crowd.

Li Changsheng sighed, then transformed into a streak of light and appeared behind Huang Zhengqing, slamming down with a palm.

Before Huang Zhengqing could even react, he was sent flying by a terrifying force. Fortunately, he managed to protect himself with Spiritual Qi in time, saving his life, but his internal organs still suffered considerable damage.

Although Huang Zhengqing was weak, the fact that he was defeated in an instant still greatly dampened the morale of Huang Bailin's side.

Huang Bailin let out a cold shout, then engaged Li Changsheng one-on-one. The two fought to a standstill!

This greatly boosted the confidence of Fang Yunhai and the others, who all used their techniques to engage the two War Hall Elders in a tangled battle.

The midair roared without cease. Sword Qi and firelight from the clashes splashed downward, causing casualties among many rogue cultivators and mortals.

Below, the massacre was completely one-sided.

Even if some rogue cultivators thought of attacking the Qi Condensation cultivators, their techniques landing on them could not even break through their protective Spiritual Qi. Even if they wanted to flee, how could they outrun cultivators who could fly through the air?

For a time, miserable wails echoed all around.

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