Word always gets out.
By afternoon, the truth of the Demon Cultivator invasion had already spread throughout Qingliu Ruins.
Apparently, the Demon Cultivators had learned that the Law Enforcement Team was away and launched a surprise attack overnight. Without a single casualty on their side, they managed to plunder most of the shops in Qingliu Ruins.
Word was that when news of this reached the Qingyang Sect, the Master of Qingyang Sect was enraged, setting a deadline to exterminate the band of Demon Cultivators.
But such matters had nothing to do with a Little Independent Cultivator like Lü Zhong, who was only at the Second Layer of Qi Refining.
Qingliu Ruins had suffered a great calamity, but life had to go on.
Back on the street, the bodies had been cleared away, with only bloodstains lingering in the corners.
In front of some of the dilapidated shops lining the main street, mortal laborers were unloading lumber and bricks from oxcarts. A Steward stood to the side, directing them, apparently preparing to repair the damaged storefronts.
Most shops, however, remained deathly still.
The Demon Cultivators had been utterly ruthless when they plundered Qingliu Ruins.
It was said that anyone who dared to stand in their way suffered crazed retaliation. Since the shops in Qingliu Ruins all faced the street with living quarters in the courtyards behind, entire households were slaughtered, leaving no one to inherit the properties.
What was strange was that when Lü Zhong reached the end of the street, he found it packed with street stalls.
Unlike the bleak and somber atmosphere of the main street, this area was bustling and clamorous. Everyone's face was lit with a smile, as if the Lantern Festival had arrived ahead of schedule.
The stalls overflowed with a dazzling array of goods.
From Talismans to Magic Technique Books, from Dharma Robes to precious Magical Artifacts—they had it all.
The stall owners, for their part, were hawking their wares with gusto, eagerly beckoning customers.
Lü Zhong's sharp eyes noticed that some of the Magic Technique Books on display were clearly from the Magic Technique Pavilion. He even recognized two books he had seen only yesterday—the creases on the pages were identical to what he remembered.
A chill shot up his spine. He dared not guess how many of the people who died last night were truly killed by Demon Cultivators.
Taking a deep breath, Lü Zhong forced himself not to dwell on it.
His gaze swept over the stalls as he searched for anything of interest.
An opportunity like this was rare—the perfect time to find a bargain.
...
"This Breath Concealing Skill isn't some rare Secret Skill, and look at the book! The pages are tattered and torn, riddled with insect bites... Seriously? How can you have the nerve to ask for one Spirit Stone for a Magic Technique Book in this condition?"
Lü Zhong crouched before a stall, sleeves rolled up, haggling with the owner.
"Ah, I guess you're right..."
The stall owner, a burly man with an honest-looking face, blushed when he saw the state of the Magic Technique Book. He stammered for a moment before saying, "How about this, friend? I'll throw in half a stack of Talisman Paper. How does that sound?"
"Not good enough. Ten more sheets!"
"Alright, you got it."
The burly man scratched his head and grabbed a messy handful of Talisman Paper from his stall—it was definitely more than what they'd agreed on, not less.
He handed the Talisman Paper to Lü Zhong, along with the Breath Concealing Skill manual.
As he took the Magic Technique Book, Lü Zhong was inwardly ecstatic but put on a look of disdain, muttering, "It's only because I'm poor. Otherwise, I'd never buy from your stall."
Hearing this, the burly man looked even more embarrassed and hastily shoved two more sheets of Talisman Paper at him.
Lü Zhong decided to quit while he was ahead, pressing a Spirit Stone into the man's hand.
Once he reached an empty street corner, the smile vanished from his face.
He took out the stack of Talisman Paper he had just acquired. After a careful inspection, he pulled out three blood-stained sheets and tossed them into a nearby gutter like trash.
Lü Zhong then continued to browse for a while.
Unlike before, everything at the stalls today was being sold at rock-bottom prices, so cheap it was unbelievable. Even expensive Magical Artifacts, which usually started in the triple digits, were now being hawked for as low as thirty to fifty Spirit Stones. The unfinished Artifact Embryos were cheaper still.
Seeing the Artifact Embryos laid out, Lü Zhong felt an irresistible urge to buy one.
'Calm down, stay calm,' he told himself, taking a deep breath to rein in his emotions.
He didn't have many Spirit Stones on him; buying these Artifact Embryos wasn't a good deal. 'After this chaos in Qingliu Ruins, so many shops have either gone under or closed for good. Who knows how long it'll take for things to return to normal? This could affect my ability to make and sell Talismans, which is my only source of income.'
'To be on the safe side, I have to keep five Spirit Stones for rent. That's essential.'
'After all, for now, Qingliu Ruins is still the safest place for me to live.'
Lü Zhong didn't dare to imagine what would become of him if he were driven out into the wilderness.
'Wouldn't I just get my throat slit by some Evil Cultivator the very same night?'
Clutching his coin pouch tighter, he decided to abandon his shopping plans and head back to his small house to lie low.
At this thought, Lü Zhong couldn't help but feel a wave of relief.
'It's a good thing I bought enough Spirit Rice yesterday. Otherwise, I might not even be able to eat right now.'
...
After returning from the street, Lü Zhong shut the door to his house.
The room was a bit dim, so he casually lit a candle.
By candlelight, he began to page through the Magic Technique Book he had just acquired.
"Breath Concealing Skill: Allows one to conceal their aura, making them difficult to detect..."
Like the Qi Observation Skill, the Breath Concealing Skill was a mandatory Magic Skill for any cultivator.
Its function was singular: to conceal one's aura using a special Technique. Whether one's goal was to hide their true strength or launch a sneak attack from the shadows, the Breath Concealing Skill was indispensable.
It was especially crucial when venturing into the wilderness, where it was needed to avoid powerful Demon Beasts.
The version of the Breath Concealing Skill that Lü Zhong had purchased was a rare "comprehensive" Magic Skill.
The term "comprehensive" was used in contrast to "abridged."
An abridged Magic Skill, like the Qi Observation Skill, was precisely divided into grades.
The Breath Concealing Skill was different. It was designated simply as a Tier One Spell, without being further subdivided into a specific grade.
After a careful read-through, Lü Zhong discovered that this Breath Concealing Skill would not be easy to learn.
Casting it required the flawless recitation of a twelve-syllable spell, and the mobilization of Spiritual Power throughout the entire body. There were several sets of auxiliary Hand Seals, which were a pain just to memorize, let alone form with any proficiency.
'This is so difficult, but I have to learn it.'
Lü Zhong had no desire to end up as a cold corpse. Until his strength was sufficient to deal with any threats, learning a Magic Skill to conceal his aura was an absolute necessity.
'If I can't beat them, I'll just have to lie low and grind.'
"Ke-wu... KRA!"
'Moe... no, that's not right. Should it be may? Or maybe maah?'
He began practicing the spell's pronunciation, the first step to mastering any Magic Skill.
An incorrect incantation meant a failed technique.
An error in channeling Spiritual Power wouldn't necessarily cause the casting to fail; it might only diminish the Magic Skill's effect.
But an incorrectly recited spell was a guaranteed failure.