Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

The sound of chess pieces landing on the chessboard was especially crisp in the night.

Neither of them spoke much; they simply placed their pieces one by one.

Lin Zhao was actually a little puzzled. How could Senior Brother Zhou Xun and the others be so sure that the late Foundation Establishment stage leader of the Black Fiend Pavilion wouldn't dare to turn against the people of Tianyun Market?

Xue Ya knew perfectly well that it wasn't that he didn't want to move, but that he couldn't move, and even more so, that he dared not move.

It's no secret that the Black Fiend Pavilion's roots lie in the upper echelons of the Cloud and Mist Mountains.

A thousand years ago, the Tian Du Yu Ling Sect went mad and wanted to massacre all living beings. It was then completely wiped out by the Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Yun Hai Cang Ming Sect. The Black Fiend Pavilion was a branch that survived by sheer luck back then.

Whether out of a need for checks and balances or for other considerations, the Cangming Sect spared them a chance to survive, allowing them to establish themselves in the Yunxia Mountains, and they even later became one of the three major sects.

But behind this "gift" lies a sword that hangs forever over one's head.

The Black Fiend Pavilion fears no one, but it must bow down to the Sky Cloud Market, which represents the will of the Cangming Sect.

Their existence is the result of the tacit approval of the behemoth behind Tianyun Market.

Should we reject Lin Zhao now?

Xue Ya doesn't have that confidence, and the Black Fiend Pavilion certainly doesn't.

Black Fiend Pavilion didn't actually wade into these muddy waters very deeply this time.

Suppressing the market has been a tacit understanding among the three major sects for thousands of years. He was acting on orders, but he had heard about colluding with demons and catalyzing dragons, but he had never participated in it and strictly ordered his subordinates not to get involved.

Zhu Yi's side had obviously also figured this out, which is why they focused their main efforts on the Thousand Glory Sect, sending Lin Zhao only to "keep an eye on" it rather than to annihilate it.

If it were to start a war against two major Core Formation sects at the same time, there wouldn't be many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Jinsha City who would dare to risk their lives alongside Zhu Yi.

The night breeze grew cool, and dew dampened the edges of the stone table.

The two sat facing each other, the black and white pieces on the chessboard gradually becoming intertwined, seemingly engaged in fierce combat, but in reality, neither was paying attention.

As dawn broke, a communication talisman transformed into a streak of light, precisely piercing through the barrier set up by Lin Zhao and landing in his hand.

With his spiritual energy activated, Zhou Xun's slightly weary voice rang out: "Junior Brother Lin, the matter is settled. You've worked hard."

Lin Zhao smiled slightly, tossed the chess piece back into the jar, stood up, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Xue Ya, who was still seated: "Fellow Daoist Xue, your chess skills are superb, I have benefited greatly from your teachings. I will take my leave now."

Having said that, without waiting for Xue Ya's response, he vanished in a flash, his green robe billowing.

Xue Ya stared at the chaotic chessboard in front of him for a long time before suddenly stretching out his hands and shoving all the chess pieces onto the board!

"Oh shit!"

He cursed under his breath, scratching his head in frustration. "Whoever wants to know, let them know! It's none of my business anyway!"

He really didn't want to deal with it anymore.

Suppressing the market was a long-term strategy of the sect, and he followed it.

But he already disliked Cai Kuo's crazy plan, which was like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs and might even backfire.

Being kicked out now is just as good! As for whether the sect's Core Formation Ancestor will blame them afterwards... let them take the lead and go against Tianyun Market!

Xue Ya was just a junior Foundation Establishment cultivator who obeyed orders; if the sky fell, there would be a taller person to hold it up.

Due to historical reasons, the Black Fiend Pavilion is relatively united internally and its hierarchy is not so strict. The relationship between the several Core Formation elders is still acceptable, so they won't do anything to him just because he "didn't do his job well".

Go back to sleep! We'll talk about it after I've woken up!

---

The official battle report was posted the next day.

"Jinsha Market was attacked by a second large-scale beast tide. Fortunately, all of our cultivators fought bravely and fought to the death, and finally repelled the beast tide. The casualties among the Qi Refining cultivators were minor."

However, the battle was fierce, and nine Foundation Establishment cultivators tragically sacrificed their lives to protect the market…

The list of the dead and their "glorious deeds" were written in great detail:

Cai Kuo, the leader of the Qianhuang Sect, fought three late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic beasts alone to cover the retreat of his comrades. He was seriously injured and his Dao foundation was damaged, so he had to return to the Qianhuang Sect to recuperate in seclusion. His return date is uncertain.

The captain of the Shadow Hunting Demon Team perished together with a hidden, attacking peak Foundation Establishment stage demon beast. The flames engulfed the sky, and his body was completely destroyed. It was a tragic and moving story!

The remaining seven Foundation Establishment cultivators met tragic ends: some "went deep behind enemy lines to detonate the spirit stone vault," some "died from exhaustion while repairing the formation," and some "suffered from a strange demonic poison that they could not cure"... Each of them died a worthy death.

The local government will close the market for three days in mourning.

It also called on all monks to learn from the spirit of the martyrs.

"Congratulations, congratulations indeed!" In the teahouse and tavern, an old cultivator sipped his wine, squinted at the notice, and clicked his tongue in delight.

"Yeah, he died at the perfect time, in the perfect place," the person next to him said in a low voice. The two exchanged a glance, chuckled knowingly, and quickly changed the subject.

This battle report is so convincing that even a Qi Refining cultivator with a modicum of sense wouldn't be fooled, let alone a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But no one will expose it; everyone needs a way to save face.

When Xue Ya received the battle report, his eyelids twitched and he had a headache.

What bothered him the most was that the list of the dead actually included a Foundation Establishment elder from the Black Fiend Pavilion!

When did this guy get involved? He had absolutely no idea!

"It's over..." Xue Ya put his hand to his forehead. "Now that mud has fallen down my pants, the ancestors are definitely going to give me a good scolding."

Ultimately, he'll have to clean up this mess.

-----

The Golden Sands Palace was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was much more somber than outside. There were more than ten people sitting there, all of whom were Foundation Establishment cultivators that Zhu Yi could completely trust. Lin Zhao was among them, and none of them looked relaxed.

Internal cleanup is only the first step, not even a victory, but merely a stopgap measure.

External problems still loom over our necks—that dragon, hidden somewhere, being frantically forced to mature.

"With nine Foundation Establishment cultivators lost, the power of the market has been weakened."

Zhu Yi sat in the main seat, his voice steady, but his eyes were bloodshot. "Qianhuang Sect suffered a loss in silence and will never let it go."

"We don't have much time left. We must cause them even more trouble, find that dragon, and take it down!"

Everyone nodded in agreement. A second-generation dragon that could potentially become a third-tier demon beast, even if it were captured by the three major sects in the future, would have enough impact on the demon beast world to cripple Jinsha Market, or even cause it to be removed from the list.

Over the past few years, information collected from various parties regarding unusual monsters, spiritual energy fluctuations, and disappearances has been compiled.

After eliminating obviously unreliable leads, there are still over two hundred clues pointing to dozens of suspicious areas, spanning thousands of miles along the middle and upper reaches of the Jinsha River.

Soon, ten Foundation Establishment cultivators skilled in concealment, escape techniques, or possessing formidable combat abilities were selected, and Lin Zhao was among them.

They will each be responsible for a specific area and conduct screenings.

"Find the exact clues, but don't alert them."

Zhu Yi's gaze swept over the crowd. "After confirming the target, I will personally take action. Hopefully... that thing hasn't grown too outrageous yet."

Even if it is only a second-generation dragon, it is far beyond the reach of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators; it is an existence comparable to Foundation Establishment prodigies.