The chaotic night in the market.
"Brother Lin, if I die, I ask you to please take care of my wife and children."
Under the summons from the Zhou Family, Li Erniu pleaded with a sorrowful face.
Lin Chang'an, as an external Talisman Master, naturally didn't have to respond to this summons. Even if he went, the Zhou Family would probably suspect his loyalty.
"Erniu, don't worry, the market array is not that easy to break through, you will be fine."
Towards Li Erniu, Lin Chang'an, with a solemn expression, took out two Tier One Middle Grade Golden Light Talismans and two Tier One Lower Grade Divine Movement Talismans from his storage bag.
"Erniu, be careful, don't act on impulse!"
Li Erniu took one last look at his family with reluctance and then left without looking back after taking the talismans.
"Hide in the underground hole."
Lin Chang'an's long-standing habit was to dig an underground hole in his house. Unexpectedly, this newly dug one would actually come in handy.
After arranging for Erniu's family to hide in the hole, Lin Chang'an created hurried escape marks with a solemn expression.
Under the reddish night sky, Lin Chang'an knew that this was the scene illuminated by fire.
He climbed quietly onto the roof and, upon seeing the distant scene of the market, felt a chill run down his spine.
Numerous cultivators, with eyes red, were rampaging and looting with abandon.
"There are too many cultivators this time, all thinking of profiting from the chaos."
Lin Chang'an quickly hid on the eaves, simultaneously using Master Level Invisibility Technique and Breath Concealment Technique to lower his presence to the minimum.
The night sky of the market was filled with spells of various colors exploding around, and cries filled the air.
...
The Zhou Family.
"Ancestor, many cultivators in the market are looting our assets, including sightings of Tribulation Cultivators from the Divine Sword Sect."
"Ancestor, we don't have many Middle Grade Spirit Stones left in the family. If we want to maintain the eight array nodes, I fear we can't hold out!"
At this time, the Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment Ancestor listened with an imposing aura to the reports below.
"Renmao, did you say Tribulation Cultivators from the Divine Sword Sect!?"
In this critical moment, the Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment Ancestor seemed to realize something and secretly communicated with his son.
Hearing this, the family patriarch, Zhou Renmao, also responded secretly:
"No mistake, it was Tieshan who escaped back and said so."
"Good!"
At this moment, the aging Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment Ancestor seemed to have grasped a chance to turn the tide.
"Renmao, abandon these three array nodes, you personally handle it!"
"Father, you!"
Zhou Renmao was initially stunned, but seeing his father's sharp-eyed expression, he immediately understood.
"I understand."
The Zhou Family's patriarch, Zhou Renmao, without any hesitation, erupted with a terrifying Foundation Establishment aura, taking the inner disciples of the family openly to support the array nodes.
The Zhou Family's ancestor, watching this scene, cast a sharp gaze in the direction of the Wang Family.
"This time, even if the Zhou Family has a tough time, the Wang Family won't have it easy either."
Demon beasts attacked, and Tribulation Cultivators from the Divine Sword Sect appeared.
Yet the array node defended by the Zhou Family was attacked, leading to problems.
Meanwhile, the Wang Family remained unscathed, raising suspicion of collusion with the enemy.
...
The chaotic turmoil of the night gradually calmed down with the dawn of the second day.
Simultaneously signifying the end of the disorder.
Some laughed, some cried.
A few families rejoiced, a few families mourned.
Some took advantage of the chaos to loot and get rich.
Others were looted during the chaos.
"Erniu, are you alright?"
Li Erniu returned with one leg crippled, still showing signs of surviving a disaster.
"Thanks to Brother Lin's two middle-grade Golden Light Talismans, I almost couldn't make it back."
Seeing Lin Chang'an again, Li Erniu was full of tears from fright, with a look of having narrowly escaped death. At this moment, Lin Chang'an suddenly realized.
The biggest difference between Li Erniu and himself was that Erniu was burdened by family, no longer the loose cultivator who could disregard his life.
Li Erniu, wiping his own sorry state, recounted the events of last night.
"What, the Wang Family colluded with the Tribulation Cultivators from the Divine Sword Sect?"
Lin Chang'an was shocked, not expecting so many changes in just one night.
"Yes, even the patriarch was injured last night. It's said that the tribulation cultivators were fierce, destroying three array nodes, leading to many demon beasts breaking into the market. According to the patriarch, these tribulation cultivators were from the Divine Sword Sect..."
Good heavens.
First, the demon beasts attacked the market, followed by the market array being destroyed by tribulation cultivators, with news about the Wang Family's collusion with them.
While Lin Chang'an pondered, Li Erniu, holding his wife and children emerging from the underground hole, was full of excitement.
Lin Chang'an, however, fell into silence.
Having thought he found a reliable backing in the Foundation Establishment Great Clan, it seemed less reliable.
The Zhou Family didn't exactly abandon him last night since there wasn't that level of relationship between them.
He was obligated by a contract to provide a certain number of Tier One Middle Grade Golden Light Talismans every month for ten years, more like a loan.
"The only reliance is on one's own strength."
Lin Chang'an thought to himself, he needed to quickly enhance his strength.
While the market was turbulent, danger also presented opportunities, this was his best chance.
...
At noon, Lin Chang'an walked through the market streets.
"Brother Shen? Little Junior Sister?"
Seeing the looted shops, Lin Chang'an's expression changed.
Last night's turmoil, who knows how many businesses were unlucky.
Just as Lin Chang'an was inquiring about the whereabouts of the shop cultivators, other voices discussing and arguing reached him from the street.
"Damn it, it's all because the Zhou Family captured the Tier Two Demon Beast cubs, otherwise these Black Wind Wolves wouldn't have gone mad, driving the demon beasts to attack the market."
"I heard the Tian Cultivator and his wife, who bought the Black Wind Wolf cubs, were both devoured by wolves."
"Nonsense, clearly it was the Wang Family colluding with the tribulation cultivators."
"Last night, after the array was breached, I saw the Wolf King from far away."
Everyone had their own take and was throwing accusations.
"Brother Lin!"
Just then, a familiar voice sounded. Lin Chang'an turned around, seeing Lu Qingqing looking rather disheveled in the alley.
"Little Junior Sister, are you alright? Where is Shen Lie?"
"Brother Lin, Shen Lie is fine. He got injured while protecting me to escape last night and is recovering in the house now. I came over to check on the shop."
However, upon seeing the messy shop, Lu Qingqing's smile turned somewhat bleak.
Lin Chang'an, seeing this, also breathed a sigh of relief and comforted, "As long as you're okay."
Following Lu Qingqing, he arrived at the residence. At this time, Shen Lie was lying on the bed pale and weak.
"Shen Lie, it's good you're alright."
But the weak Shen Lie was still looking mournful.
"Brother Lin, what the hell is going on, all these goods were prepared for Mr. Yun's Foundation Establishment attempt, and now so much is lost."
So much has been lost, and if it were his own, it would be better, but these were someone else's.
Lin Chang'an, hearing this, could only sigh in his heart, this Yun Yao, the little Commandery Princess, truly was unlucky.
The carefully cultivated business, just getting started, was all gone.
If not over a thousand Spirit Stones lost, there were at least seven or eight hundred.