Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

There's always a story waiting for you to uncover.

The message arrived in the afternoon.

A late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple of the Tianyue Sect personally came to the market and handed Li Yuan a transfer order stamped with the private seal of True Man Xuanpu.

The content was shorter than last time: Li Yuan, the supervisor of Wulinfang Market, immediately went to the outpost to inquire about recent security matters.

Li Yuan carefully put away the transfer order and set off with the disciple.

The curfew at the outpost has been lifted, but the atmosphere remains tense.

The number of Tianyue Sect disciples was a few fewer than last time, but those who remained were all more vigilant than before. The frequency of patrols had increased significantly, and all the monitoring arrays at the four corners of the camp were activated.

Li Yuan was led to the main tent.

The curtain was lifted, revealing the same furnishings as before: a stone table, wooden chairs, and a topographical map spread out on the table.

Master Xuanpu sat in the same spot, wearing a gray-white Taoist robe, with three long strands of beard, and a thin face.

But the aura is different now.

During the last inquiry, Xuanpu's attitude was bland and perfunctory. This time, his gaze locked onto Li Yuan the moment he entered the tent and did not look away.

The divine sense scan also came.

The divine sense of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator was like a bucket of ice water poured over one's head, far more thorough and detailed than the scan performed by the mid-stage Golden Core elder of the Yuan Yang Sect during the last investigation. This divine sense not only scanned the meridians and storage bags, but also meticulously analyzed the frequency of spiritual energy fluctuations on the body's surface and the microscopic characteristics of the aura.

It operates steadily and stealthily, remaining undetected.

His divine sense swept over his entire body before retreating. Xuanpu's brow relaxed slightly, and he pointed to the wooden chair opposite him.

"sit."

Li Yuan bowed and sat down.

"I asked you about the terrain of Ghost Mist Forest and the movements of the Demonic Sect last time. Today, let's change the subject." Xuanpu spoke slowly, each word clear and concise. "Give me a summary of the activities of demonic cultivators around the market area over the past six months."

"Yes." Li Yuan answered without hesitation, immediately providing the data.

"Since the establishment of the market, more than 40 instances of demonic cultivation activities have been recorded within a 50-mile radius around the market. Among them, 17 had clear intentions to harass, more than 20 were tentative approaches, and about 10 were voluntary withdrawals after being discovered by the patrol team while passing by. The frequency has decreased from seven or eight times a month initially to two or three times a month in the last two months."

Xuanpu listened attentively without interrupting.

"What is the scale of the harassment?"

"In the early stages, the teams were mainly small groups of three to five people, mostly in the early and middle stages of Foundation Establishment. In the last three months, there have been teams led by people in the later stages of Foundation Establishment, but the total number of people has decreased, usually to two or three."

"direction?"

"Mostly the northern and eastern routes. Very few western routes, and no records of the southern route."

Xuanpu tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

"What about the underground passages? Your market town has been nestled deep in the Ghost Mist Forest for so long, have you discovered anything unusual underground?"

"The defensive formation of the market covers an area thirty feet underground. In the early days of the market's construction, an abandoned mine tunnel was discovered beneath the foundation, pointing southeast, but it has collapsed and is now blocked. Apart from that, no other underground passages have been found."

This answer has been edited.

Li Yuan knew that there were at least three secret passages dug by the Demonic Sect beneath the Ghost Mist Forest. However, this information came from intelligence he obtained while infiltrating the transit station as a demonic cultivator, and it wasn't information that the market manager should have known.

"What do you think of the Demon Sect's modus operandi?" Xuanpu's tone changed slightly, shifting from asking for facts to seeking judgment.

This issue carries different weight. Facts can be stated objectively, but judgments reveal one's level of thinking. If a market manager in the late stage of the Foundation Establishment realm provides overly precise strategic analysis, it will only arouse suspicion.

Li Yuan thought for a moment and gave a standard answer.

"It's like they're testing the boundaries. The frequent raids in the past few months were more like they were figuring out the city's defensive range and reaction speed. The recent sharp drop in frequency means either they think the city isn't worth investing more manpower in, or their attention has shifted elsewhere."

"Elsewhere." Hyun Pu repeated the word, his gaze lingering on Lee Won's face for a moment.

Li Yuan remained calm and did not elaborate further.

The tent was quiet for a moment.

Xuanpu's fingers left the table, and he leaned back in his chair. The questioning seemed to have ended.

"There's one more thing."

His tone shifted from scrutiny to a more consultative stance.

"Tianyue Sect plans to open a shop in Wulin Market."

Li Yuan did not respond immediately.

"You know the current shop layout of the market better than I do," Xuanpu continued. "The Tianyue Sect wants to open a materials shop in the market, mainly selling exploration-type magical artifacts and array consumables. The Tianyue Sect will supply the goods itself, and the shop space and manpower will also be arranged by the Tianyue Sect."

"What do the market departments need to do?" Li Yuan asked.

"Just approve a piece of land and give me a legal permit to register it," Xuanpu said casually, as if it were a trivial matter.

But this is no small matter.

The opening of shops by the Tianyue Sect in the market means that its members will be stationed there long-term. Ostensibly, they are running shops, but in reality, it serves as a fixed intelligence gathering point. Who enters and leaves the market, what goods circulate, and what characteristics the defensive formations have will all be within the Tianyue Sect's observation range.

But there's not much room for refusal.

Xuanpu was in the late Golden Core stage. The request was made in a consultative tone, but behind it stood a Nascent Soul sect. A market manager in the late Foundation Establishment stage had neither the right nor the reason to refuse.

Moreover, there are benefits to agreeing.

The Tianyue Sect's personnel were stationed in the market, which in turn served as a window for Li Yuan to observe the Tianyue Sect's operations. What goods they sold, what materials they purchased, who they contacted, and the frequency of their communications could all be passively monitored through the market's defensive formations and Dark Fiend Insight.

"Okay." Li Yuan nodded. "I'll arrange the location of the shop, and the procedures will be handled normally."

"it is good."

Xuanpu stood up, concluding the inquiry.

Li Yuan rose to take his leave and withdrew from the main tent.

As Li Yuan stepped out of the tent, a late-stage Foundation Establishment disciple of the Tianyue Sect was waiting outside, carrying a toolbox. He nodded slightly to Li Yuan upon seeing him emerge.

Li Yuan returned the greeting, didn't look at it for long, and turned to walk towards the exit of the outpost.

After leaving the outpost's perimeter, he used Dark Insight to scan the direction of the main camp.

Xuanpu's aura had returned to a stable, internally guarded state, and he no longer released his divine sense to track his direction.

Li Yuan quickened his pace and returned to the market.

On the way, he went over the conversation from earlier in his mind.

Xuanpu's questions were twofold. The first part asked about facts: the frequency, scale, direction, and underground passages of demonic cultivation activities around the market. He kept the answers to these questions within the market manager's knowledge, without revealing any additional information.

The latter half required him to make judgments and inquire about the Demon Sect's modus operandi. This part was more like testing the limits of his abilities. The level of analysis that an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment market manager could provide was vastly different from the analysis that someone who had concealed their Golden Core cultivation and possessed a wealth of information could offer.

He chose the former. It was conventional, neither outstanding nor outrageous.

As for the eventual opening of the shops, it didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision. The Tianyue Sect had deployed independent communication arrays and third-tier monitoring arrays at its outposts, demonstrating an extremely strong desire for control over information. Opening shops in the market was an extension of the same strategy, only with a more subtle approach.

After returning to the market, Li Yuan summoned Ji Wenchuan.

"Clear out a shop space against the wall in the east section. It doesn't need to be too big, just enough to fit three rows of shelves."

"Who was it reserved for?"

"Tianyue Sect is going to open a materials shop in the market."

Ji Wenchuan's expression froze for a moment.

"Tianyue Sect?"

"It was personally suggested by a late-stage Golden Core cultivator," Li Yuan said calmly. "The location was chosen in the east area against the wall, next to the patrol team's duty station."

Ji Wenchuan considered the position choice and grinned.

The eastern section is against the wall, right next to the patrol team's duty station. The Tianyue Sect members run a shop there, and their every move is within the patrol team's peripheral vision. Who comes, what goods are unloaded, when the shop opens and closes—everything is being watched.

"Understood." Ji Wenchuan nodded and turned to do it.

Li Yuan returned to the stone house and closed the door.

After sitting on the futon and circulating the Xuanming Sha Gong for one cycle, he turned his attention back to his daily affairs.

The opening of shops by Tianyue Sect in the market will not have any impact in the short term. However, in the long run, the power structure within the market will change from the original three parties to four parties: the Ji family, the Wang family, the Mingyuan Chamber of Commerce, and Tianyue Sect.

The other three are all alright, but Tianyue Sect is a real behemoth.