Chapter 67: The End

The battle above the bustling market reached its climax. The Zhao Clan Patriarch stood alone against the Lin Clan Patriarch and another half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator. Initially, the Lin Clan Patriarch’s strength was on par with the Zhao Clan Patriarch’s. However, with the addition of another equally powerful opponent, the Zhao Clan Patriarch found himself at a significant disadvantage.

The Lin Clan Patriarch fought with particular fervor, setting him apart from the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang. His clan’s very presence in the market meant that defeat would not only jeopardize the lives of countless clan members but also result in immeasurable losses to their vast holdings.

He employed a second-order talisman, an object rarely encountered by even half-step Foundation Establishment cultivators.

As the talisman activated, a surge of second-order spiritual flame rushed towards the Zhao Clan Patriarch.

The sight of the second-order flame caused a profound shift in the Zhao Clan Patriarch’s face. His first-class protective barrier immediately confronted the oncoming fire.

Upon impact, the barrier’s spiritual glow swiftly dimmed. Within a breath, the once-impenetrable shield plummeted from the sky.

The residual might of the second-order flame continued its assault on the Zhao Clan Patriarch, shattering the defensive spells encasing his body in an instant.

A blood-curdling scream tore from his throat as his left arm ignited in a blaze of second-order flame.

“Retreat from the market!” he bellowed.

These were not mere words of encouragement; they were a command to every member of the Zhao Clan – their patriarch had relinquished any notion of continuing this futile struggle.

With a flick of his right hand, the Zhao Clan Patriarch’s flying sword severed his burning left arm. He then produced a special talisman, which he activated. In an instant, his body transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the distance.

The Lin Clan Patriarch hadn’t anticipated such decisiveness from his opponent. By the time he thought to give chase, the Zhao Clan Patriarch had already vanished from the marketplace.

“He got away!” the Lin Clan Patriarch muttered reluctantly.

Defeating the Zhao Clan Patriarch and allowing him to escape wouldn’t have been a significant issue. However, the attack had cost the Zhao Clan Patriarch an arm, effectively thwarting any further progress in his cultivation journey.

The grudge born from familial loss was severe, but the enmity stemming from blocking one’s path to advancement was even greater. The combination of these two grievances would ensure that the Lin Clan Patriarch henceforth remained ever vigilant against potential retaliation from his former adversary.

However, there was no time to dwell on such matters. He and another Nascent Foundation cultivator moved swiftly to engage the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang.

The aerial combat had lost its suspense, and the focus returned to the fray within the market.

This time, it was no longer an evenly matched battle, but rather a one-sided pursuit of vanquished foes. After witnessing the departure of the Zhao Clan Patriarch, both the Zhao Clan members and the Iron Sword Gang disciples abandoned all resistance, choosing instead to flee for their lives.

Once the three Nascent Foundation cultivators aloft dispatched the final remnants of the Iron Sword Gang, any one of them would be free to single-handedly overwhelm the combined forces of the Zhao Clan and the Iron Sword Gang.

Witnessing the Zhao Clan Patriarch’s defeat and escape, the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang knew it was futile to continue. With a flurry of five successive thunderous sword glares, he forced back the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang.

Before the Lin Clan Patriarch and his ally could encircle him, the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang leaped onto his sword, aiming for the city gates.

“You’ll pay for trying to flee!” The Lin Clan Patriarch launched a talisman. Without even turning, the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang produced his own talisman, and the two symbols clashed in mid-air.

As the dust settled from their collision, the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang’s figure faded into the distance.

The Lin Clan Patriarch gritted his teeth, glancing at the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang. Had he attacked with full force, it’s likely he could have wounded, if not killed, the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang.

But the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang refrained, as did the other Transcendent Apprentice cultivator beside him.

“Let them go! The market is ours once they’re gone,” the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang said with a chuckle.

His reluctance to draw the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang had stemmed from a desire to avoid injury, especially in front of the Lin Clan Patriarch, who might seize the opportunity to challenge him. The Lord of the Iron Sword Gang’s blade mastery was extraordinarily potent, and any attempt to detain him would undoubtedly come at a cost. If truly injured, the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang trusted that the Lin Clan Patriarch wouldn’t be there to offer support.

Besides, granting the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang safe passage would only cement the Lin Clan Patriarch’s reliance on him.

What the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang and the Zhao Clan Patriarch hated most wasn’t the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang, but the traitorous Lin Clan Patriarch. As long as the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang and the Zhao Clan Patriarch were alive, the Lin Clan Patriarch had to strive to maintain a good relationship with the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang.

The Lord of the Golden Blade Gang, the Lin Clan Patriarch, and another cultivator at the threshold of Foundation Establishment concluded their battle in the sky. They then activated their magical artifacts to attack the remaining cultivators resisting below.

Within minutes, the market returned to order, even the rogue cultivators who had taken advantage of the chaos ceased their activities.

“The Lin family is more familiar with the market, so arrange for them to appease the rogue cultivators,” the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang directed. “Recoln and I will oversee the reception of the Zhao Clan and Iron Sword Gang’s assets!”

The Lin Clan Patriarch sought to protest, but he lacked the courage to do so. Having already deeply alienated the Lord of the Iron Sword Gang and the Zhao Clan Patriarch, falling out with the Lord of the Golden Blade Gang would likely leave no room for the Lin family’s survival.

At this moment, a hint of regret tinged his thoughts. During the conflict with the Iron Sword Gang, the Lin family had suffered catastrophic losses. When the Zhao Clan Patriarch later mediated the dispute, he refused to compel the Iron Sword Gang to compensate the Lin family, thus sowing seeds of resentment.

When the Golden Blade Gang, in alliance with several small factions, began plotting to take over the market, the Lin Clan Patriarch seized the opportunity. He reached out to the Golden Blade Gang, ultimately orchestrating an inside-outside assault against his rivals.

Now that the patriarch of the Lin Clan had successfully driven away the Zhao Clan and the Iron Sword Gang, he found little cause for celebration. The Golden Blade Gang had been dispatched to seize control of the Zhao Clan’s former territories and businesses, but the Lin Clan’s own holdings had not expanded as a result.

The patriarch had risked all in this daring campaign, yet the gains were not yet clear. He would have to steel himself for further consolidation and negotiation.

As the dust of war settled, scattered cultivators began to make their way back to the market.

Regardless of the market’s ownership, these rogue cultivators relied on it for survival. Those who had fled during the conflict now returned as order was restored.

Li Zhen watched as the cultivators streamed toward the market, but he resisted the urge to follow immediately. Instead, he resolved to observe from a distance, ensuring his safety before committing to return.

In truth, the market proved remarkably accommodating to the scattered cultivators. These independent practitioners formed the very foundation of the market, and as they trickled back, they were swiftly registered and welcomed anew.

Having been the previous overseer of the market, the Lin Clan ensured that the cultivators’ wood cabins and leased spirit fields remained unchanged. Even if some dwellings and fields had fallen into disrepair or been destroyed, the significant number of fallen cultivators left a surplus of available resources. There was no need to worry about a shortage of wood cabins or spirit fields.

As Li Zhen observed the scattered cultivators returning to their cabins, he finally felt confident enough to blend back into the crowd and re-enter the bustling market.

“Hand over your identity card!” The Li clan’s steward, who was receiving him, said with an expressionless face.

Li Zhen took out the wooden identity card and handed it to the steward. The steward, after taking it, extracted a new one.

“Plot 17 in District C is still intact. Your residence remains the same. Do you wish to rent additional spirit fields?” The steward asked Li Zhen as he handed over the new identity card.

Spirit Farmer was the most common profession in the market, forming the very foundation that attracted a large number of cultivators to it.

Due to the excessive deaths of rogue cultivators this time, there was now a relative shortage of spirit farmers, which was why the steward was asking such a question.

“I’ve just started learning how to become a spirit farmer myself,” Li Zhen replied with a shake of his head. “Two acres of spirit fields are already my limit!”

The steward was just asking and didn’t insist further. He waved his hand, signaling Li Zhen to leave.

Li Zhen sighed internally. If he really relied on spirit fields for his livelihood, the recent change in market power dynamics would have been enough to bankrupt him.

The spirit rice cultivated in the fields had been destroyed, combined with the dissipation of spiritual energy. This meant that the spirit fields now needed to be replanted anew.

In other words, all his previous efforts had been wasted, and he’d even lost the spirit seeds. Replanting would require buying new ones.

For rogue cultivators with insufficient resources, it would take quite some time to recover from this setback.

The market’s defense array swiftly resumed operation. The first-class high-grade spirit vein’s spiritual energy was once again confined within the array’s boundaries.

Li Zhen returned to his log cabin and activated the ‘Small Inverted Five Elements Array’. He then began cultivating the ‘Seventeenth Edition Foundation Qi Refining Technique’.

During this session, he made a new discovery.

Previously, when practicing the ‘Seventeenth Edition Foundation Qi Refining Technique’, he would only draw wood-type spiritual energy into his body from the surrounding spiritual energy.

However, this time, as he cultivated, he introduced an additional type of spiritual energy—metal-type. Both wood and metal-type spiritual energies entered his body simultaneously. As he circulated them according to the technique, they converged in his dantian.

Initially, his dantian contained only wood-type spiritual energy. The influx of metal-type spiritual energy did not cause any adverse changes within it.

This was the unique feature of the ‘Seventeenth Edition Foundation Qi Refining Technique’—its remarkable inclusivity, allowing the technique to adapt to any spiritual root aptitude.

Typically, when cultivating the ‘Seventeenth Edition Foundation Qi Refining Technique’, it would align with the strongest spiritual root. In Li Zhen’s case, his most potent root had been the wood-type, hence he had cultivated wood-type spiritual energy.

Now, with the addition of a mid-grade metal-type spiritual root, the ‘Seventeenth Edition Foundation Qi Refining Technique’ did not forsake the wood-type root; instead, it incorporated the metal-type root into the cultivation process.