Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 147 The Overbearing Heavenly Sword Manor

"This is a rather insidious spell from unorthodox schools of magic, and it has many limitations when used. I never expected that someone would use it on you."

At this point, Su Yuan pinched her chin and analyzed carefully, "First of all, the other party must know your real name. Nicknames and nicknames won't work. Secondly, they must have something personal to you as a medium. Hair, nails, or something stained with your blood would be best."

"Finally, the person who performed the spell must be quite skilled; at the very least, they must be an old ghost who is proficient in this art."

Su Yuan's analysis was exactly the same as Chen Ye's guess, so Chen Ye began to mentally search for his enemies.

Many people know his real name, but the scope is much smaller outside of Yuhuo County.

As for personal items...

Chen Ye frowned.

He was always cautious in his actions, and he would never easily let things like hair or blood fall into the hands of others.

Since arriving in this world, he has had two true enemies: the White Bone Mountain and the Puppet Sect.

The Puppet Sect's lineage has declined, and although there may be other remnants, things should calm down for a long time after the battle at Black Buddha Temple.

Only this mountain of white bones...

At this moment, Su Yuan seemed to have guessed this as well, and said, "Those guys from White Bone Mountain are narrow-minded and vindictive. If they were the ones who made the move, it would make sense."

Then she looked at Chen Ye with a strange look in her eyes: "But what I'm more curious about is how you managed to get through it? You know, once the call to the soul technique is answered, even a god can't save you! Even if it's not answered, the demonic sound penetrating the brain is not something an ordinary person can withstand. If an ordinary cultivator is tormented like this all night, even if he doesn't die, his soul will be severely damaged and he'll become an idiot."

Chen Ye, of course, would not reveal the matter of visualizing the sun and moon, but vaguely said, "I was born with stronger mental strength than ordinary people, and with a fairly firm will, I just managed to get through it."

"You just barely made it through?" Su Yuan looked incredulous, her bright eyes seeming to see right through people.

She knew very well that this kind of attack, which directly affects the soul, couldn't be overcome by willpower alone.

So this kid must have other secrets.

However, she did not ask any further questions.

Everyone has their own secrets, and she had even more. So since Chen Ye was unwilling to talk about it, she was too lazy to pry.

"Alright, since you're so amazing, then I'll say you're amazing." Su Yuan pouted, then pulled out a few tiny black insects, smaller than sesame seeds, from her sleeve.

“These are my Sentinel Gu. I put them around the room so that they will immediately notify me if any malicious energy or living creature gets close.” She said, flicking the little bugs away casually.

The tiny insects seemed to come alive, silently flying to every corner of the corridor, disappearing into cracks in the walls and along doorways.

"Thank you very much," Chen Ye said.

"Don't mention it, we're friends, aren't we?" Su Yuan waved her hand with a grin, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Chen Ye's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't continue the conversation.

"Now that we've guessed they're from White Bone Mountain, what are you planning to do? Find them out?" Su Yuan rubbed her hands together, her little face full of eager excitement.

"No need." Chen Ye shook his head. "It's just speculation now, there's no evidence. Besides, Qingzhou City is so big, finding someone is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So let's just wait and see."

Chen Ye paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "If they really are from White Bone Mountain, they will definitely try again if they fail once. So as long as we are vigilant and wait for the enemy to come to us, they will definitely come to us."

"We'll settle all our old and new scores then."

"Okay, whatever you say." Su Yuan shrugged, then yawned, saying she was going to take a nap, and then left.

Chen Ye sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm his agitated mind.

He didn't start cultivating immediately, but instead closed his eyes and recalled the dangerous battle of the soul over and over again in his mind.

Visualize the great sun; its blazing light dispels evil.

Visualize the bright moon; its radiance purifies you.

The sun and moon shine together, yin and yang complement each other.

That feeling was deeply imprinted on his soul. He could feel that his soul had become several times more resilient and refined than before after this life-or-death ordeal.

"Perhaps I should thank the guy who plotted against me," Chen Ye thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile.

If he hadn't been forced by the other party, he wouldn't have been able to comprehend this method of cultivating the soul by visualizing the sun and moon by chance.

……

In a secluded courtyard in Qingzhou Prefecture, in the deepest secret room, a dim green oil lamp was lit.

The dim lighting gave the entire secret room an eerie and sinister feel.

The walls of the secret chamber were covered with various dried human and beast bones, while a complex array was drawn on the floor in blood.

In the center of the formation, an old man dressed in a black robe and with a gaunt figure sat cross-legged.

His hair and beard were all white, his face was covered with wrinkles like cracked tree bark, and his eyes were sunken in their sockets, gleaming with a ghostly green light. He didn't look like a living person, but rather like a zombie that had crawled out of a grave.

In front of him was a small figure made of straw.

On the little man's chest, the words "Chen Ye" were written in cinnabar, and a black hair was firmly nailed to the little man's head with a steel needle.

This old man was none other than Li Gu, one of the elders of White Bone Mountain.

He was also the mastermind behind the use of the "calling the soul" technique on Chen Ye.

He was sent by his sect to Qingzhou Prefecture to participate in the trade fair and, incidentally, to get rid of Chen Ye, who was opposing White Bone Mountain.

It turned out that although Lü Song was dead, his two senior brothers were still alive, so they reported the matter to the sect.

Although to the higher-ups of White Bone Mountain, a mere disciple at the Unobstructed Realm was nothing more than a minor disciple who had died, and his death was of no consequence.

But they still needed to save face, so they assigned the task to Li Gu.

In Li Gu's view, this was just a small matter that required no effort.

Even if an unknown nobody from a poor, remote place like Yuhuo County has some skills, how much better can he be?

In addition, this kind of sorcery is one of his proudest skills.

It is invisible and intangible, making it extremely difficult to defend against.

Over the years, at least eighty to one hundred experts have died from this move, including some well-known experts at the Sea Condensation Realm.

Therefore, Li Gu was full of confidence, but he did not expect that the spell would last for a long time. Not only did he not sense the other party's death, but he also felt that the connection between himself and the spell was getting weaker and weaker.

"What's going on?" A hint of doubt appeared on Li Gu's gaunt face. He then stretched out his dry, claw-like fingers and made a few hand seals, trying to enhance the power of the spell.

But at this moment.

"puff!"

A mouthful of dark blood gushed uncontrollably from his mouth, splattering onto the straw man in front of him.

The straw figure seemed unable to withstand the force and spontaneously combusted with a bang, instantly turning into a cloud of ashes.

The last thread of connection between Li Gu and the curse was also completely severed.

"Uh……."

He let out a painful groan, his body swayed, and his face turned even paler than before.

When a spell is broken, the caster will naturally suffer a backlash.

Although it wasn't fatal, it caused his blood and qi to churn, resulting in significant internal injuries.

"The spell has been broken?" Li Gu's eyes were filled with disbelief.

How can this be?

There are only two ways to break this technique.

Alternatively, the caster can be found and killed before the spell is cast.

Either they possess spiritual power far exceeding that of the caster, or they have powerful soul-protecting artifacts that forcefully resist the corrosive influence of the spell.

The boy named Chen Ye is only about twenty years old. Even if he started cultivating from the womb, how strong could his soul power be?

Thinking of this, Li Gu's gaze turned deep and unfathomable, and he snorted coldly, "Interesting, but you won't be so lucky next time."

After saying this, the oil lamp in the secret room suddenly went out without warning, and when people looked at the center of the array again, it was already empty.

The sky outside the window gradually changed from deep black to a pale white.

As the first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the room through the window, Chen Ye took a deep breath, swallowing the purple glow of the dawn.

He discovered that the morning glow and moonlight absorbed in Qingzhou City had a hint of worldly dust, far less pure than in the wild. But the advantage was that it was less violent and less likely to get out of control.

Then Chen Ye got up, walked to the window, opened it, and looked at the street in the distance that was beginning to become lively.

The city of Qingzhou was even more bustling than yesterday, with countless cultivators pouring in from all directions to participate in this grand event.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Chen Ye opened the door and saw Su Yuan standing there prettily. Today she was wearing a light yellow dress, which made her look even more lively and cute. She was holding two candied hawthorns she had just bought. When she saw Chen Ye come out, she reached out and handed him one.

"There happened to be some for sale downstairs, so I bought one for you too." As usual, Chen Ye used his Asura Eye to check it, and only after confirming that there was no problem did he take it and start eating.

"What are your plans for today?" Chen Ye asked while eating.

"Of course we're going to watch the excitement!" Su Yuan said matter-of-factly, her eyes sparkling.

"Didn't we say yesterday that Tianjian Manor is auctioning off that Breakthrough Pill today? So many experts at the Sea Condensation Realm are vying for a single pill; they might even start fighting on the spot!"

As she said this, her round face was full of excitement, as if she wanted to stir up trouble.

Chen Ye shook his head inwardly. This girl's thinking was indeed beyond the realm of common sense. However, he didn't say anything more and started walking downstairs.

"Let's go!"

The two left the Yuelai Inn and followed the flow of people to the square in the city center.

The square was even more crowded than a few days ago; there was almost no room to stand.

The three-story giant pavilion, which was the venue for the inner auction, was completely surrounded by people.

At the entrance to the pavilion stood two rows of Qingzhou Prefecture soldiers dressed in silver armor, each with a solemn aura and a cold expression.

Behind them were a dozen or so disciples dressed in the attire of Tianjian Manor, holding long swords and scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes.

To enter the auction hall on the third floor, one must present an invitation issued by Tianjian Manor.

Chen Ye and Su Yuan naturally didn't have any; they were just there to watch the fun.

"Wow, this is quite a grand affair." Su Yuan stood on tiptoe, trying to peek inside. "I wonder what it's like inside."

Chen Ye wasn't as enthusiastic as she was. He simply found a relatively quiet spot on the outskirts of the crowd, observing coldly while listening to the discussions around him and gathering useful information.

"Have you heard? To ensure the smooth running of this auction, Elder Cold-Faced Sword of Heavenly Sword Manor will be personally overseeing it!"

"The Cold-Faced Sword? Could it be Elder Jian, who has been in the Core Formation Realm for many years?"

"Who else could it be but him? With this guy around, let's see who dares to cause trouble here!"

"Core Formation Realm... those are truly important figures. I didn't expect Heavenly Sword Manor to attach so much importance to this auction."

Hearing these comments, Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat.

He was actually a Core Formation Realm expert!
No wonder Tianjian Manor is so powerful in Qingzhou Prefecture. With such a master in charge, no one dares to act recklessly.

Just then, the crowd suddenly stirred and parted to the sides, making way for a wide passage.

"They've arrived! It's the people from Heavenly Sword Manor!"

Someone shouted, and everyone's eyes turned to look in one direction.

Chen Ye also looked up.

Several small white dots appeared in the distant sky and rapidly grew larger.

A moment later, several clear and melodious sword cries resounded through the sky.

Then, a dozen sword lights flew across the sky and stopped in front of the building, revealing the appearance of the cultivators on them.

These people were dressed in uniform white robes and carried long swords, clearly disciples of the Heavenly Sword Manor.

At the head of the group stood an old man and a young man.

The old man had white hair and beard, a stern face, and no expression. But when Chen Ye looked at him with his Asura Eyes, it felt like he was staring directly into a bottomless energy vortex. The sharp and pure sword intent made his eyes sting.

This person must be the cold-faced Elder Jian they were talking about.

Beside the old man stood a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

This man had striking features, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He was handsome and dressed in spotless white robes. He held a long sword that was as clear as jade in his hand. Just by standing there casually, he naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

Although the energy fluctuations emanating from him were not as profound as those of the old man, they were still quite terrifying, far exceeding the Sea Condensation Realm, making him a powerful expert in the Inner Realm!
"It's Jian Wuchen, the young master of Tianjian Manor!" Someone in the crowd recognized him and exclaimed in surprise.

"What a powerful aura! He looks younger than me, yet he's already at the Inner Realm. He's truly amazing."

"Is this the strength of Qingzhou's number one genius? It's infuriating to compare oneself to others!"

The surrounding chatter was filled with envy and jealousy, and Chen Ye's gaze fell on the man named Jian Wuchen, silently assessing him.

This guy is indeed very strong, stronger than any of his peers he has ever met.

Neither Cong Bo nor Tao Yong could withstand more than a few moves from this young man.

Is this the kind of genius that major sects cultivate with massive resources?

Chen Ye felt no jealousy, but he gained a deeper understanding of the cruelty of this world.

Background and resources are often more important than talent.

Just then, the group from Tianjian Manor landed on the open ground in front of the pavilion. Elder Jian and Jian Wuchen took the lead, leading their disciples straight towards the pavilion entrance.

The surrounding cultivators quickly made way for them, not daring to block their path.

Just as they were about to enter the pavilion, the young master Jian Wuchen suddenly stopped, turned around, and scanned the entire room with his sharp gaze before slowly speaking.

"Today, my Heavenly Sword Manor is holding an auction here, and all fellow cultivators are welcome to attend. But let me make this clear: anyone who dares to cause trouble in Qingzhou Prefecture City, don't blame the Heavenly Sword Manor for its swords not recognizing people."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp sword intent surged from his body, making all the cultivators present feel a bone-chilling cold.

This is a warning and a deterrent.

After saying that, he snorted coldly, turned around, and walked into the attic.

The oppressive atmosphere in the square only gradually dissipated after everyone from Tianjian Manor had disappeared from the pavilion.

"What a domineering kid!"

"Sigh, the key is that they have the right to be domineering."

"Let's go in and take a look. Even if we can't afford to buy anything, we can still get a good spot to watch the excitement."

The crowd stirred again, rushing towards the first and second floors of the attic, eager to secure a good spot to watch the auction.

"Shall we go in too?" Su Yuan tugged at Chen Ye's sleeve, eager to try.

Chen Ye shook his head.

"I won't go in."

"Why?" Su Yuan looked at him, puzzled.

Chen Ye did not answer, but looked at the magnificent pavilion with a deep gaze, then turned and walked towards the chaotic stalls on the outskirts of the square.

"Hey, where are you going?" Su Yuan quickly followed.

"To make money." Chen Ye's answer was simple and direct.

After witnessing the grandeur of Tianjian Manor and seeing the prowess of those truly powerful individuals, his desire to become stronger became stronger than ever before.

To become stronger, you need resources.

If you want resources, you need money.

He's too poor right now.

"Make money? How do I make money?"

Su Yuan followed behind Chen Ye, asking questions like a curious child.

In her view, making money was something very distant.

She had everything she needed in the sect, from food and clothing to daily necessities, and she never lacked cultivation resources. She never had to worry about money.

“Don’t you have a lot of money?” She remembered the bag of gold that Chen Ye had received from Cong Bo in Yu Huo County.

"Not enough," Chen Ye said without turning his head.

That amount of money might be a huge sum for ordinary people, but it's nothing to cultivators.

Buying some better quality medicinal herbs has already used up most of them.

With the little silver he had left, he couldn't even afford a ticket to enter the inner pavilion, let alone participate in the auction.

Su Yuan said "Oh," as if she understood somewhat. Then, she looked at Chen Ye's back, her bright eyes darting around, seemingly lost in thought.

She then followed.

Chen Ye was somewhat surprised, "Aren't you going to watch the excitement?"

Su Yuan chuckled, "I've thought about it and I think you're right. No matter how much excitement we watch, it's still someone else's business. We might as well take this opportunity to make more money."

Chen Ye was taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled and said nothing, before walking towards the stall area.

(End of this chapter)