Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Three days later, the news arrived.

Liu Chuan stayed in the capital for two days. When he left, he had more than three thousand mid-grade spirit stones in his storage bag.

According to reports from spies in the capital, Liu Chuan entered the palace that day and spoke alone with the Zheng family patriarch for an hour.

When he came out, he had a smile on his face.

One hundred mid-grade spirit stones for each Foundation Establishment cultivator, and over thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators were exchanged for three thousand mid-grade spirit stones.

Chen Xuan led his men to investigate the capital for five days, retrieved the recording stone, and questioned countless witnesses.

In the end, it must be admitted that Zhou Yuanqing and his men did indeed launch the attack on the capital, resulting in the deaths of 300,000 mortals, which was "their own fault."

Before leaving, Chen Xuan said something to the Zheng family patriarch:

"The senior has been setting up this scheme for decades, and I'm afraid he wasn't waiting for these Foundation Establishment cultivators, was he?"

With a well-intentioned but unprepared attack, even if they weren't in the capital, but somewhere without formations or people, they could still be wiped out.

The lives of those 300,000 ordinary people, are they meant for us to see today?

The Zheng family patriarch remained silent.

Chen Xuan didn't expect him to answer and left with his men.

When the news reached Cangyun Mountain, Lin Zhao, after hearing Yan Chiheng's report, asked, "Where is that Senior Brother Liu?"

"They went to the Southern Li Dynasty, saying they were going to visit a few friends on the way."

Yan Chiheng curled his lip, "More than three thousand mid-grade spirit stones, enough for him to live a carefree life for several years."

Lin Zhao shook his head. "What's the reaction from Master Fuyao's side?"

"No response." Yan Chiheng shook his head. "I heard that after Zhou Yuanqing died..."

Master Fuyao drew lots from among hundreds of registered disciples to fill the position of the fifteenth disciple, and that was the end of it, without even asking a single question.

Fuyao Zhenren truly had no intention of seeking revenge.

Are you kidding me?

How many spirit stones does a peak Core Formation cultivator like him earn in a day, a master of both weapon crafting and pill refining?

Why would someone risk their life against a dying Core Formation cultivator just for the sake of a mere Foundation Establishment disciple?

As a peak Core Formation cultivator from a sect, he was able to live for nearly eight hundred years.

Every ten years, a sect will produce thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators. In eight hundred years, a sect will produce hundreds of thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Nascent Soul cultivators of sects are high above and rarely accept disciples. As a peak Core Formation cultivator, countless people want to become his disciples.

These hundreds of nominal disciples had only recently become his students.

He might not even remember Zhou Yuanqing's name.

Even if we kill that old devil Zheng, is it worth it to get splattered with blood by his dying counterattack?

Not to mention the current situation in Tongming Domain, where the two True Monarchs of Taixu Pavilion and Tongming Immortal City are secretly vying for power.

Someone of his caliber is a weather vane; once you get involved, it's hard to get out.

It's not worth it for a Foundation Establishment disciple.

As for those 300,000 mortals?

Fuyao Zhenren had never even considered this matter.

Which is more valuable, a mortal's life or a spirit stone?

-----

Lin Zhao remained silent for a moment, then looked outside the garrison headquarters.

"Lin Zhao?" Yan Chiheng asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Zhao's voice was very soft:

"I'm thinking, those 300,000 mortals died, Zhou Yuanqing and the others died, nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment families were wiped out, and hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators were scattered to the winds—and then what?"

Yan Chiheng opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Master Fuyao doesn't care, because the one who died was just a Foundation Establishment disciple, and he can just replace him."

The Zheng family patriarch didn't care, because the dead weren't his people. He preserved the royal family and gained countless resources.

Those newly established Foundation Establishment cultivators didn't care, because they were simply taking advantage of the situation to rise to power.

Lin Zhao turned her head and looked at Yan Chiheng.

"Do you know what this means?"

Yan Chiheng shook his head blankly.

"This shows that so-called fairness, order, and justice are all based on interests and power."

Lin Zhao's tone was not sarcastic, but simply stating, "What truly determines the course of this matter is never justice."

"It's either that True Immortal Fuyao is too lazy to move, or that the Zheng family patriarch is ruthless enough, or that these dead cultivators are no longer of any value, so why bother provoking another Core Formation True Immortal?"

Yan Chiheng seemed to be deep in thought.

Lin Zhao withdrew her gaze, her voice very soft:

"In the cultivation world, it all boils down to four words: strength and profit."

"Those with power talk about interests, those without power talk about reason. Those who talk about reason die the fastest."

The market was still bustling with activity. Those who had emerged from the ruins were busy becoming stronger, carrying elixirs and magical artifacts.

Nobody cares what the names of the dead people are anymore.

Yan Chiheng remained silent for a long time.

"So... what are we going to do from now on?"

Lin Zhao withdrew his gaze and looked towards the distant mountains.

The setting sun burned the clouds into a dark red, like dried blood.

"Live, become stronger," he said. "The Zheng family patriarch has already made his move; now it's our turn."

Yan Chiheng was taken aback: "Lin Zhao, you mean...?"

Lin Zhao didn't speak, but simply raised his hand and made a few strokes on the stone table.

Five names.

King of Qin.

Blood Phoenix Princess.

The Wang family patriarch.

A lone cultivator.

The leader of the bandits who were recruited into the government.

"What was the purpose of the Zheng family patriarch's fuss about all this?" Lin Zhao asked.

Yan Chiheng thought for a moment: "Resources... to gather enough resources for the dynasty to reach the Core Formation stage?"

"That's right." Lin Zhao nodded. "Then what do these five people do?"

Yan Chiheng looked at the five names and suddenly understood something.

"Are they... the group most likely to reach the Core Formation stage?"

Lin Zhao didn't answer, but her eyes said it all.

The Zheng family patriarch killed hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators and collected a massive amount of resources, all in order to ensure that the dynasty could produce another Core Formation cultivator.

These five people are the ones with the best chance of obtaining those resources and breaking through to the Core Formation stage.

in other words--

They are the most likely to possess third-tier spiritual items.

Lin Zhao withdrew her gaze, her voice very soft:

"Start collecting their information. All the information."

Yan Chiheng's eyelids twitched: "Isn't this too risky? Making a move now..."

"This is the perfect time," Lin Zhao interrupted him. "They're riding high right now. Even Core Formation cultivators don't dare to mess with them easily, and they certainly don't expect anyone to dare provoke them at this crucial moment."

He paused, then tapped his fingertips lightly on the table: "Within a year, the Nine Luminaries Thunder Pool will be completely restored to its magical treasure form."

"Outside, I fear no one who isn't a Core Formation cultivator. But in Cangyun Mountain, there's a formation that means even a Core Formation cultivator could fight me."

Looking at his friend who had been silent for several years, Yan Chiheng suddenly felt his fighting spirit ignited.

---

Over the next year, the intelligence network of Cangyun Mountain was fully operational.

On the surface, it was a normal business expansion—Old He led his people around, inquiring about which ruins had yielded valuable items, and then going door-to-door to purchase them.

Behind the scenes, every piece of information gathered is collected, organized, and summarized in the underground chamber of the naval base.