Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Liu Yifeng clearly did not recognize Lin Zhao.

How could that insignificant little cultivator at the auction back then be connected with the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of me who rides a magnificent sword and exudes a powerful aura?

Seeing Lin Zhao catch up, he was horrified. He quickly forced a few awkward smiles, cupped his hands in apology, and said, "Senior, please calm down! I meant no harm! If I have offended you, I am willing to..."

Lin Zhao interrupted him, her voice calm and even: "Liu Yifeng, it seems you really don't remember me."

Liu Yifeng was taken aback, and carefully examined Lin Zhao, his eyes filled with confusion.

After leaving Qingfeng Market and joining Guiku Market, he was controlled and suffered endless humiliation. He even went so far as to cultivate demonic arts to seize the Foundation Establishment stage.

My memories and spirit have long been eroded, and I can no longer recall an insignificant passerby from more than ten years ago.

In recent years, there have been constant conflicts in Qingfeng Market. Guiku Market discovered that there was money to be made, and because he came from Qingfeng Market, he was sent to monitor him.

He heard today that a new Foundation Establishment cultivator had appeared in the market, so he rushed over to check it out.

Now that he has been caught up, he belongs to the weakest group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, so naturally he doesn't dare to fight Lin Zhao.

"Back then at the Qingfeng Market auction, you were quite the star."

Lin Zhao said calmly, raising the Azure Lotus Sword slightly in his hand, "Today, let's settle the score for the cause and effect of that year."

Liu Yifeng's expression changed drastically. Knowing that there was no way to resolve this peacefully, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

Although he was the weakest Foundation Establishment cultivator with a flawed Dao foundation, he had managed to struggle and survive until now, proving he was not someone to be slaughtered at will!

"Want to kill me? Not so easy!" he roared, suddenly summoning two black banners billowing with dark energy and wailing like ghosts.

With a wave of the banner, dozens of jet-black arrows, exuding a corrosive aura, shot out.

The other banner shook violently, and hundreds of twisted, painful, and ferocious cultivator demon souls surged from its surface, emitting shrieks and transforming into a black cloud that blotted out the sky, rushing madly towards Lin Zhao!

A cold wind howled, the surrounding light dimmed instantly, the temperature plummeted, and the vegetation withered at a visible speed.

This is a second-tier magic weapon that he secretly plotted to kill another cultivator who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage and then seized.

Faced with the overwhelming demonic souls and demonic light, Lin Zhao's expression remained unchanged.

He didn't even swing the Azure Lotus Sword; he simply extended his finger and lightly flicked it twice.

"Ding...ding..."

Two clear and ethereal sword cries rang out. The sound was not loud, but it seemed to contain a strange rhythm and penetrating power. Ignoring the howl of the demon soul, it directly affected Liu Yifeng's already fragile Dao foundation!

"Pfft!" Liu Yifeng was struck as if by a heavy blow, and suddenly spat out a mouthful of foul blood, his face turning ashen instantly.

He felt his Dao foundation tremble violently, emitting a mournful cry of unbearable strain, on the verge of collapse! His magical power was also in complete disarray!

"What...what kind of evil magic is this?!" he exclaimed in terror.

This wasn't some profound magic; it was just a simple technique Lin Zhao had learned in a sect course, specifically designed to counter this type of demonic cultivation.

It has little effect on cultivators who have truly established their own Foundation Establishment, but it is a fatal blow to cultivators like Liu Yifeng who obtained their Foundation Establishment through usurpation.

This is the foundation of a great sect: seemingly insignificant knowledge can play a huge role.

His unstable spiritual power greatly reduced his control over the Demon Banner.

Sensing their master's weakness, the hundreds of demonic souls suddenly turned against him, slowing their advance and even changing direction, their scarlet eyes fixed on Liu Yifeng!

He was terrified and desperately tried to calm his demonic soul by urging his divine sense to do so.

Lin Zhao, however, gave him no more chances.

With his right hand held together like a sword, he pointed it at Liu Yifeng from afar.

A thin, almost completely transparent black needle shot out silently—the Magic-Breaking Needle! The needle was imbued with pure power of the Void, specifically designed to break through protective spiritual light and erode magical power and vitality.

Liu Yifeng didn't even see where the attack came from. He only felt a chill in his chest, and a cold, deathly power that seemed to devour everything suddenly erupted within him.

He stared wide-eyed, looked down in disbelief at his chest, and felt his life force draining away like the tide.

"Uh..." He made a hoarse sound in his throat, swayed, and fell backward.

Lin Zhao put away his storage bag, but he didn't relax. Instead, he raised his eyebrows slightly, and his Sword Eyes flashed with silver light as he suddenly turned his gaze to the distance.

"Interesting, they have a backup plan."

Almost at the same moment Liu Yifeng's main body collapsed, inside an ancient tree ten miles away, a humanoid wooden puppet covered with complex runes suddenly lit up with two faint red lights in its eye sockets.

Liu Yifeng's remaining soul was being transferred with great difficulty into this puppet.

This is the life-saving secret technique he obtained during his Qi Refining stage—the Soul Transfer Technique—from the second-tier puppet inheritance.

"Fortunately, I prepared this escape route in advance... Those black needles were too domineering, and my soul was severely damaged. I must leave first... I'll use Ghost Cry Market to kill someone..." The remnant soul's consciousness flickered with resentment and scheming.

However, he only "woke up" for a few breaths.

Beside the ancient tree, the air seemed to distort slightly.

The next instant, Lin Zhao's figure emerged from the shadows on the ground, a flash of light disappearing beneath his feet.

It was the innate magic of the Five Sacred Mountains Spirits, the Five Sacred Mountains Teleportation Technique.

"How is this possible?! Ten miles away..." The soul inside the wooden puppet let out a silent scream of horror.

Lin Zhao sensed the puppet inside the tree with his divine sense. "A second-tier puppet. Interesting."

Without further ado, his eyes blazed with silver light—a divine sense attack imbued with sword intent—the Sword Eye of Illusion!

Sword Eye's soul attack pierced straight into the center of the ancient tree!

"Ah—!" Liu Yifeng let out a mournful wail. His soul, already severely injured by the Magic-Breaking Needle, was being torn apart by a thousand knives under the sword eyes that were specifically designed to cut through the soul's weaknesses. He was forced to retreat step by step and quickly dissipated.

Liu Yifeng wasn't particularly strong, but his remnant soul possessed an exceptionally tenacious will to survive.

Despite the sword's attacks, it was still struggling to hold on, delaying its death.

It can only be said that he is indeed a figure who once stirred up a storm, and even in this state, he is still struggling.

Lin Zhao frowned slightly.

He had previously confronted Master Qingming, which greatly depleted his spiritual energy, and he did not want to waste any more time now.

Lin You was still waiting on the flying boat.

With a thought, the Azure Lotus Dao Foundation within his dantian trembled slightly, releasing a stream of Azure Lotus power that flowed from his dantian directly to his eyes.

In an instant, the silver light in Lin Zhao's eyes was tinged with a faint blue, and the power of the Insightful Sword Eye increased exponentially!

"Destroy".

A soft shout.

"No," Liu Yifeng uttered only a sound filled with resentment and despair.

The puppet's crimson light flickered violently for a moment, then dimmed and vanished completely.

Liu Yifeng, who once stirred up the Qingfeng Market, was completely destroyed, leaving behind only a meticulously crafted, jade-like wooden puppet that exuded Foundation Establishment energy.

Enemies who were once looked up to and even inspired the first thought of killing can now be wiped out with a flick of the wrist.

Lin Zhao waved his hand to put away the puppet, and the Azure Lotus Sword Wings unfolded again, transforming into a stream of light as he returned to the flying boat.

The people on the boat saw him return safely a moment after he left, his breathing steady. Lin Zhao didn't say much and steered the flying boat to set off again.

The flying boat soared through the air and arrived directly at the Lin family's Qingxi Mountain.