Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Demon Country’s Movements

Yang Jing’s eyes were fixed on Si Yuan. He had now confirmed the man’s identity.

A moment ago, Si Yuan had been too agitated to conceal his magical power, and this time it was even more distinct. It allowed Yang Jing to see the truth and definitively confirm that he was the patriarch of the Foundation Establishment Huang Clan.

The two of them had just seen each other recently at the merit awards ceremony in San Yuanli.

Perhaps he had never taken Wang Tong seriously at all, leading him to be so careless.

Yang Jing gripped his Profound Carp Mirror.

“I only joined the Profound Carp Association for the Spirit Stones. The agreement was that I just had to find an alchemist in the Marketplace to supply the association with elixirs. There was never any mention of missions!”

Si Yuan was furious. He had truly treated Wang Tong as a pushover he could bully at will, which was why he had set their meeting spot for dividing the profits just outside Huangyuan Marketplace.

In his mind, all it would take was flexing his authority as a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a few minor threats, and Wang Tong would obediently give up the alchemist’s identity. He never expected him to be so defiant.

’It seems Wang Tong was already prepared. Sending his wife and concubines back to the Cai Kingdom was a premeditated move.’

’With his weakness gone, Si Yuan felt he had lost all leverage over Wang Tong. After all, without using the Profound Carp Association’s power, Wang Tong’s wife and concubines in the Cai Kingdom were beyond his reach.’

’Wang Tong turned in so many Spirit Pills this month. If he were to suddenly die, the Association President would surely hold me accountable, and even with my status, I’d have a hard time weathering that storm.’

At this thought, Si Yuan was ready to compromise. After all, he still got a cut from the elixirs Wang Tong submitted. But Wang Tong’s behavior was a thorn in his side, and he wanted to teach him a lesson.

“Hmph. Do you think the Profound Carp Association is just some common merchant guild? A few days ago, word came from the Demon Country. They have a matter in Huangyuan Marketplace and require our association’s assistance. The President mulled it over and agreed to their request. You’re our man on the ground in Huangyuan Marketplace, so this is your mission. In five days, you will accompany me to the Huangyuan Mountain Range to meet with the demons.”

’As the patriarch of the Huang Family, he had originally planned to complete this mission himself. After all, in this line of work, building connections in the Demon Country was a great opportunity. But since Wang Tong was being so difficult, he’d let him be the one to deal with the demons. What could a minor character in the Qi Refining Stage possibly accomplish? Once he inevitably screwed things up, I would step in to save the day.’

’At that point, Wang Tong would be putty in my hands,’ Si Yuan thought smugly.

“Is it really an order from the Association President? I don’t believe you. If I go into the mountains with you, I’ll probably be dead by nightfall!”

Though Yang Jing said as much, he already believed it. He also deduced that these demons were here for Yinjiao.

’The Six Great Sects and the Demon Country have planted numerous Dark Rooms within each other’s territories; no major event can be kept secret. Wu Chunqiu’s case turned the entire Wu Clan into prisoners. The Demon Country must already know, and they’ve likely spent the last few days confirming Wu Chunqiu’s identity.’

’Previously, the Demon Country only knew Yinjiao was hiding somewhere in the Chen Kingdom, but not the specific location, so they had to cast a wide net by sending Dark Rooms all over. The Wu Clan’s case, however, has allowed them to narrow their search to Huangyuan Marketplace.’

’But with the death of the Dark Room, Li Jixun, the Demon Country is temporarily short on spies familiar with Huangyuan Marketplace. Out of desperation, they have no choice but to seek help from the Profound Carp Association, with whom they’ve always had a good working relationship.’

Various thoughts flashed through Yang Jing’s mind as he roughly pieced together the sequence of events.

’With the resources of the Demon Country and the Profound Carp Association, it’s not like the Wu Clan, who struggled just to train a single Array Master. If they keep investigating, they might actually trace this back to me.’

This sense of impending danger made Yang Jing steel his resolve.

Hearing Yang Jing’s words, Si Yuan seethed with rage. Only today did he realize just how infuriating Wang Tong could be.

He took out his Profound Carp Mirror and showed the Association President’s order to Yang Jing.

Upon seeing the President’s order on the Profound Carp Mirror, Yang Jing’s face immediately fell into a woeful expression.

“Hmph. Did you think I was just toying with you? If you dare to be late in five days, you’ll be branded a traitor to the association, and I’ll personally light your Soul Lamp.”

Believing he now had Yang Jing firmly in his grasp, Si Yuan spoke smugly. Then, without giving Yang Jing a chance to refuse, he activated an escape technique and soared into the sky.

When Hai Huo and Hai Shui saw Yang Jing stand up to Si Yuan, they had grown a little hopeful. But after seeing how Si Yuan made Yang Jing suffer with just a slight exertion of his power, their burgeoning hopes were immediately crushed.

“Those demons are savages, hairy and horned, who eat raw flesh and drink blood. Legend says that even a Foundation Establishment Great Demon will go on a rampage and attack friend and foe alike if its mind is clouded by Evil Qi. Hai Tu, you’d better watch your back.”

Hai Huo’s eyes darted slyly.

“How about you give me the alchemist’s identity? I’ll be sure to send the Spirit Stones to your wife every month!”

Yang Jing shot him a glare.

“In your fucking dreams!”

Hai Huo wasn’t offended. He was just taking a shot in the dark, figuring there was a chance the desperate Wang Tong might actually agree.

“I’m off!”

He mounted a gourd-shaped flying spiritual artifact and took off.

“Hai Tu, take care of yourself. We’re Si Yuan’s subordinates, after all. Nothing good can come from defying him directly.”

With that, Hai Shui also mounted a flying spiritual artifact and departed.

Yang Jing watched them leave. Instead of returning to Huangyuan Marketplace, he headed for Shangyang Marketplace, where Hai Huo was stationed. He figured that once Si Yuan returned to Huangyuan Marketplace, he would start secretly investigating the movement of spirit medicines there.

’After all, the Muscle Strengthening Pill and Bone Marrow Transformation Pill are of little use to ordinary cultivators. An accomplished alchemist would also need to refine elixirs to increase their magical power.’

’By tracking the flow of spirit medicines, it would be easy to identify any new alchemists.’

So, Yang Jing went straight to the neighboring Shangyang Marketplace to purchase the spirit medicines required for the Five Elements Pill. The ingredients for the Five Elements Pill could also be used to refine other spirit pills that increased magical power, and they were much more expensive than the ingredients for the Bone Marrow Transformation Pill.

A single set of the ingredients cost more than eighty Spirit Stones.

The Five Elements Pill was a Tier One Upper Grade spirit pill. Even an alchemist who had mastered its pill formula would struggle to successfully form a pill in every batch. A success rate of seven out of ten batches was considered praiseworthy.

Yang Jing guessed that even within the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, the Five Elements Pill was likely not cheap.

He used the Inconstant Illusionary Form Technique to alter his appearance, posing as a wealthy patron, and bought twenty sets of the spirit medicines outright. Spending Spirit Stones so lavishly naturally attracted the attention of Tribulation Cultivators.

Unfortunately, these Tribulation Cultivators were all minor figures at the sixth and seventh layers of Qi Cultivation. They posed no threat to Yang Jing and were instead slaughtered by him to the last man.

After he mastered the art of Transforming Sword into Gang, most of these Qi Refining Stage Tribulation Cultivators couldn’t even withstand a single strike. Their Protective Spirit Light would be shattered, and their heads taken.

Given Yang Jing’s current wealth, however, he could hardly be bothered with the paltry scraps they carried.

Back at his residence, Yang Jing handed the spirit medicines to Iron Head to begin refining the Five Elements Pill. Then, he sought out Yinjiao.

“From now on, I need you to constantly use the Inconstant Illusionary Form Technique to alter your aura. And… collect all your urine. I have a very important use for it.”

“Huh?”

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