Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Everything that was previously monopolized by Foundation Establishment forces—cultivation techniques, secret arts, elixirs, magical artifacts—spread overnight.

Someone used a fragmented recipe to refine their first batch of second-tier pills.

Some people relied on a secret technique to advance from the seventh to the ninth level of Qi Refining in just one year.

Some people didn't find anything, but just by watching the carnival, they broke through their limitations.

Seventeen magical artifacts were unearthed from the ruins of that market town in Beihe County, five of which were second-tier magical artifacts.

The person who was found ran away on the spot, leaving the Zixuan Dynasty overnight and starting his cultivation again under a different identity.

The most outrageous case was in Dongping County, where a market town was flattened and hundreds of feet of earth were dug up to find dozens of bottles of second-tier pills.

These pills were later divided into more than ten portions and ended up in the hands of various Qi Refining cultivators.

A year later, four of these people successfully established their foundations.

Even Luo Yu joined the feast with He An and obtained a lot of resources. His cultivation also successfully broke through to the eighth level of Qi Refining.

They also obtained two Foundation Establishment spiritual items, which, when combined with the essence blood of second-tier demonic beasts, will greatly increase the chances of Foundation Establishment.

In the same year, the Zixuan Dynasty gained eighteen new Foundation Establishment cultivators.

A new generation of Foundation Establishment cultivators is emerging.

The old monks are being forgotten.

This is the world of cultivation.

It keeps turning no matter who's missing.

-----

At this moment, Lin Zhao stood by the window in the Cangyun Mountain Garrison, looking at the market outside.

The market was bustling with people, even more so than usual.

"Out with the old, in with the new." Lin Zhao withdrew his gaze.

Old He smiled wryly: "That's true, but those eighteen newly promoted cultivators combined aren't even enough to defeat a single Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator."

"That's enough." Lin Zhao shook his head. "They don't need to be good at fighting. As long as the path for Foundation Establishment cultivators to advance is still there, and as long as these spiritual veins are not destroyed, the line of cultivators will not end."

He Lao was thoughtful.

Lin Zhao turned around and asked, "How's business at the market?"

Old He's face immediately broke into a sly smile: "Excellent!"

He took out an account book from his storage bag, opened it, and handed it to Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao flipped through the ledger, "How many second-tier fire-based magical artifacts were sold?"

"Fifteen items were sold." Old He smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits. "The price was 40% higher than usual, and those people didn't even haggle. They just took out their spirit stones and ran—as if they were afraid someone else would snatch them up first."

Lin Zhao nodded, unsurprised.

In this world, strength is everything.

Having more handy magical artifacts increases one's chances of survival.

"Where is the Hundred Beasts Foundation Building Pill?"

"We won three bids," Old He said in a low voice, "and the price was comparable to that of a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill."

Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow: "That tall?"

"Guardian, you may not know this," Elder He explained, "Genuine Foundation Establishment Pills are currently in the hands of the royal family; they are simply unavailable on the market."

There are too many Qi Refining Level 10 cultivators who want to take a gamble, since success means Foundation Establishment, which allows them to seize a second-tier spiritual vein, establish their own sect, and so on.

Currently, there are few Foundation Establishment cultivators within the dynasty's territory, but many with second-tier spiritual veins.

Lin Zhao remained silent for a moment, then closed the ledger.

Just as Old He was about to leave, footsteps sounded outside.

Yan Chiheng pushed open the door and entered, his expression somewhat strange: "Lin Zhao, someone from the sect has arrived."

"Who is it?"

"The Enforcement Hall, a team of twelve, the leader is called... what was his name again?" He scratched his head, "Anyway, he's quite young, at the peak of Foundation Establishment."

There was also a white-robed cultivator who claimed to be the ninth disciple of Master Fuyao, saying he was there to investigate the cause of death of Zhou Yuanqing and his group.

Lin Zhao's eyes flickered slightly.

Fuyao Zhenren.

Peak Core Formation stage, a master of both weapon crafting and alchemy in his sect.

"They've come with ill intentions." Old He frowned. "Should we send them to retreat?"

Lin Zhao shook his head: "No need to avoid them. Invite them to the garrison headquarters hall."

---

Inside the garrison headquarters, twelve cultivators from the Law Enforcement Hall stood on either side, all wearing identical robes with the Law Enforcement Hall's cloud-patterned sword emblem embroidered on their chests.

The leader was a young man in his early thirties with a stern face and sharp eyes; he looked like the kind of person who had been enforcing the law in the sect for many years.

"Junior Brother Lin." He cupped his hands, his tone businesslike, "Chen Xuan, the deacon of the Enforcement Hall, is here on orders from the Core Formation deacon."

The investigation into the deaths of Zhou Yuanqing, the fifteenth disciple of Master Fuyao, and thirty-seven others has been interrupted.

Lin Zhao returned the greeting: "Senior Brother Chen, you're too kind. Please have a seat."

Everyone took their seats and tea was served.

Chen Xuan cut to the chase: "After Zhou Yuanqing and the others left Cangyun Mountain last year, they went to the capital. How much does Junior Brother Lin know about what happened after that?"

"I know a little," Lin Zhao said calmly. "They stayed with me for a few months when they passed through Cangyun Mountain."

Later, I heard from my subordinates that they went to the capital, saying they were looking for a third-tier spiritual item. After that, I went into seclusion to cultivate and just emerged from my seclusion.

"that's all?"

"that's all."

Chen Xuan stared into Lin Zhao's eyes, and Lin Zhao calmly returned his gaze.

A moment later, Chen Xuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the white-robed cultivator beside him.

The man hadn't said a word since he entered, slowly sipping his tea as if nothing had happened to him.

Only when he felt Chen Xuan's gaze did he raise his head and smile at Lin Zhao.

"Junior Brother Lin, right? I've heard so much about you." He put down his teacup, his tone casual as if he were chatting with someone. "My name is Liu Chuan, the ninth disciple under Master Fuyao."

Zhou Yuanqing... is my fifteenth junior brother.

Lin Zhao nodded: "Please accept my condolences, Senior Brother Liu."

"What's there to mourn?" Meng Chuan waved his hand. "I came here to ask if Junior Brother Lin has any... um, inside information?"

For example, who was behind the scenes encouraging them to go to the capital? Who provided them with the information?

Lin Zhao shook her head: "I don't know."

"You really don't know?"

"I really don't know."

Liu Chuan stared at Lin Zhao for a few moments, then suddenly laughed: "Alright, if Junior Brother Lin says he doesn't know, then he doesn't know."

He stood up, patted his robes, and said, "Then I'll make a trip to the capital and meet with that patriarch of the Zheng family."

After saying that, he turned and left.

A burst of light shot into the sky and vanished into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Chen Xuan's expression was not good, but he didn't say anything.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Lin Zhao: "Junior Brother Lin, we've troubled you greatly. We also need to go to the capital to verify the situation, farewell."

"Take care, Senior Brother Chen."

Lin Zhao saw them off at the door, watching the twelve beams of light disappear into the distance.

Yan Chiheng leaned closer: "Lin Zhao, that Liu Chuan... seems pretty easy to talk to?"

"Easy to talk to?" Lin Zhao's lips curled up slightly. "He's here to freeload."

"Trying to freeload?"

"He doesn't care that Zhou Yuanqing is dead. What he cares about is whether he can gain something from this."

Lin Zhao turned and walked back. "Let's consider this matter over."

The Enforcement Hall did not make things difficult for Lin Zhao. The matter was actually quite clear: it was greed that led more than thirty of them to plunge headlong into the trap set by the Core Formation cultivators.

There is photographic evidence prepared by Lin Zhao, as well as evidence of Lin Zhao's previous deliberate indulgence of that group's actions in the market.

Everyone in the market can attest to their actions and departure.

In a sense, it has the same meaning as erecting a monument for the Zheng family patriarch; both are meant to silence the sect.

Furthermore, since Master Qianqiu belongs to the Enforcement Hall, Lin Zhao is naturally included as well, and the Enforcement Hall naturally sides with Lin Zhao.

In the end, the investigation found that Lin Zhao bore no responsibility whatsoever.