Chapter 49: You’re Risking Your Life for a Few Hundred Spirit Stones?

From the very beginning, Lu Yan had never considered obediently handing over his storage pouch for inspection by the Green Wu Sect disciples.

Other cultivators might have a few demonic artifacts or practice a minor demonic secret art. At most, they’d be hiding a corpse puppet in their pouch.

Strictly speaking, these things weren’t enough to pass inspection, but they didn’t necessarily mark someone as a demonic cultivator either.

But the contents of Lu Yan’s storage pouch? If exposed, it wouldn’t just be a matter of him being labeled demonic—it would brand him as a rising star of the demonic path, a born demon seed!

Lu Yan understood this very clearly. If his storage pouch were revealed, Xie Yun would undoubtedly attack him on the spot.

Rather than wait to be struck passively, it would be better to wipe out everyone present right before inspection began to seal the news entirely.

With eight hundred fierce ghosts at his command, any cultivator below the Foundation Establishment realm would have zero chance of resistance. The only real concern was Xie Yun.

Like Cheng Yu, Xie Yun was also at the early stage of Foundation Establishment and hailed from a prestigious sect. But unlike Cheng Yu, Xie Yun’s methods might not be so easily countered. He was bound to be more troublesome.

Worse still, Xie Yun was currently hovering in mid-air. If Lu Yan couldn’t trap him with the Hundred Souls Banner the moment it unfurled, Xie Yun could escape by flying sword with speed Lu Yan couldn’t match.

If he failed to kill Xie Yun, sealing the witnesses would be impossible. And when that happened, he’d face endless pursuit from the righteous sects.

And let’s not forget—the different world versions are interconnected through information mapping!

If Lu Yan were hunted by righteous sects in the Xianxia version, that would translate to:

—being chased by city councils and federal authorities in the Urban version,
—targeted by survivor enclaves in the Apocalypse version,
—and hunted by divine churches in the Mystic version.

Just imagining such a scenario made Lu Yan shudder inwardly.

No matter how powerful he believed himself to be, or how many cross-version techniques he had, he couldn’t possibly fight against all righteous forces across every world.

Unless he could survive the next three months and draw the Urban version in the next update—then kill every righteous powerhouse there—openly striking first was the worst possible plan.

As more loose cultivators passed inspection, fewer and fewer remained on-site.

Most of them left Green Valley Market the moment they passed, not daring to linger in case more trouble cropped up.

Watching them flee, the smile on Xie Yun’s lips grew even wider.

In the battle for the true disciple position, the sect elders weren’t fools.

Simply accusing someone of sheltering demonic cultivators was useful—but not decisive. Unless he managed to catch a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator or a genius Qi Refining demonic disciple inside the market, the accusations would never hold weight.

But by instilling a sense of danger into the loose cultivators and ruining the market’s reputation, the entire place would inevitably decline.

If a true disciple couldn’t even protect two markets under their command, the sect would be in uproar. At that point, his backer, the personal disciple, could formally petition the elder council to strip the Jade-Carving Fairy of her true disciple title.

Three years ago, no one would have dared suggest such a thing—even if she lost all her markets.

But now? Her talent and potential were nearly exhausted, her chances of forming a Core extremely slim. There were certainly people willing to push her out to free up the seat.

And if this plan succeeded, Xie Yun might even become a personal disciple!

The very thought set his heart ablaze.

It was then that someone moved among the remaining cultivators.

A young man stepped forward—he looked quite young, with cultivation at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. Among loose cultivators, this was already above average.

This youth was none other than Lu Yan, who had already made up his mind.

He walked beneath Xie Yun and cupped his fists, speaking clearly:

“I’d like to hand my storage pouch over to Senior Brother Xie personally.”

“Senior Brother?” Xie Yun narrowed his eyes, gaze turning hostile.

A mere loose cultivator—what right did he have to call him that?

He was just about to rebuke Lu Yan when he heard him say:

“The contents of my storage pouch… concern Senior Sister Ji.”

Xie Yun’s expression immediately changed.

At this critical juncture, there was only one person worthy of being called Senior Sister Ji—and that was none other than the Jade-Carving Fairy, Ji Xingyao.

But Ji Xingyao’s name was rarely spoken even within the sect. How could some no-name loose cultivator possibly know it?

A sense of caution rose in Xie Yun’s heart. He descended slowly, releasing his Foundation Establishment pressure as he looked down at Lu Yan.

But Lu Yan merely smiled faintly, dispersing the pressure with ease using the Xuanhuang Merit Fire dormant within him.

His calmness and effortless composure immediately made Xie Yun take him more seriously.

“What exactly is it?” he asked.

Lu Yan didn’t answer. He simply pulled out a blue storage pouch and tossed it to Xie Yun.

It was obvious to Xie Yun that Lu Yan had other pouches on him, but he didn’t care about that now. His full attention turned to the one in his hand.

He extended his divine sense into the pouch—and his pupils instantly contracted, his hand trembling slightly.

Inside the storage pouch was… a half-man-high piece of spirit marrow ore!

With his background, Xie Yun immediately recognized its quality—a true strategic resource of immense value.

Still reeling from the shock, he didn’t notice the subtle shift in Lu Yan’s gaze.

Originally, Lu Yan had intended to use Ji Xingyao’s name to bluff his way out. If they could part ways peacefully, all the better.

But if Xie Yun insisted on pushing things… well, at this distance, it would be the perfect time to deploy the Hundred Souls Banner and ensure he couldn’t escape.

Xie Yun finally came to his senses and erected a soundproofing barrier, his voice dry and cautious as he asked:

“Where did this come from?”

Lu Yan shook his head calmly. “That’s not something Senior Brother Xie needs to know.”

Xie Yun’s gaze turned sinister. “Do you not know the one backing me is opposed to Senior Sister Ji?

Aren’t you afraid I’ll just kill you, take this treasure, and call you a demonic cultivator?”

Lu Yan chuckled, his eyes carrying a trace of pity.

“Senior Brother Xie… there’s an old saying where I’m from: ‘Why would you risk your life for a job that pays a few hundred spirit stones?’”

“Your backer sent you here to undermine Senior Sister Ji and destroy the market’s reputation. Sure, it’s not something respectable, but it’s still within the sect’s rules. Ji Xingyao can’t do much about it.

But that thing in the pouch? You should know how valuable it is.

Let me be honest with you—that treasure is critical to Senior Sister Ji’s cultivation path.

Even if she loses her true disciple seat, she can still continue cultivating. But if her path is severed… what do you think she’ll do?”

Even with her talent mostly exhausted, Ji Xingyao was still a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator—among the strongest in the Green Wu Sect at that level.

The only reason they could play these little political games was because she abided by the rules.

But if her Dao path were ruined, she would no longer hold back. She’d unsheathe her sword and slaughter everyone who stood in her way.

Xie Yun was only in the early Foundation Establishment realm. If Ji Xingyao wanted him dead, it’d take just one strike.

The horrifying image made Xie Yun shiver involuntarily. He instinctively reached out to return the storage pouch to Lu Yan.

But then he paused, narrowing his eyes at Lu Yan.

“You say this treasure belongs to Senior Sister Ji. Got any proof you’re associated with her?”

Lu Yan raised an eyebrow, reaching into his shirt.

For some reason, Xie Yun felt a sudden wave of unease.

When Lu Yan withdrew his hand, he was holding… a photo.

Xie Yun didn’t know what a photo was, but he could clearly see the image: a woman in strange attire.

Her outfit was unlike anything in the cultivation world. Her skirt barely reached her thighs, and her top clung tightly to her curves. Her level of exposure rivaled even the seductresses from the Pleasure Sect.

And most shockingly—her face looked identical to Ji Xingyao’s.

“This…”

Xie Yun was dumbfounded. Who would’ve thought the noble Jade-Carving Fairy would wear such a revealing outfit in private?

With judgment in his heart, he was about to take another closer look—but Lu Yan had already tucked the photo away.

“Senior Brother Xie,” he asked casually, “so… what do you think?”

Xie Yun’s eyes returned to Lu Yan, now filled with five parts awe, four parts respect, and one part barely concealed envy.

“I can’t believe she likes someone like you…”

Sighing with a shake of his head, Xie Yun tossed the storage pouch back and dispelled the soundproofing formation.

“You may go.”

Lu Yan caught the pouch and turned, walking confidently through the gates into Green Valley Market.

(End of Chapter)