Song Changsheng took a bit of effort to finish off the two severely injured peak Qi Refining cultivators. With their deaths, the entire area finally fell into complete silence.
It was clear that these attackers had come well-prepared. Aside from some battle-used magical tools and talismans, their storage pouches contained practically nothing else.
After wrapping things up, Song Changsheng sat cross-legged where he was, took a few large gulps of spirit wine, and began to meditate and regulate his breathing.
Although the process of breaking the formation hadn't taken long, it had been extremely perilous for him. The pressure he felt while deciphering the formation patterns was unlike anything he had experienced before.
Had it not been for his extraordinary talent and comprehension managing to break through his bottleneck in a desperate moment and successfully dismantling the Tier 2 formation he would already be on his way to reincarnation.
"Ever since I began cultivating, everything has gone too smoothly… It made me arrogant. I thought I was being careful, but I was already walking into someone else's trap. If a Foundation Establishment cultivator had ambushed me here today, I'd be dead without a doubt."
Song Changsheng was filled with both relief and lingering fear. He had narrowly escaped death once again.
This event would serve as a harsh lesson. He had known that his recent rise had drawn attention and that the Earthfire Sect was eager to eliminate him. Yet he still dared to leave the marketplace alone. He really must've forgotten how to spell the word "death."
"Shhh shhh shhh."
While Song Changsheng was meditating, the horizon began to brighten. Threads of dawn light pierced through the dark sky and bathed the unnamed forest in pale gold.
Three streaks of light streaked across the sky and descended rapidly. Sensing Song Changsheng's presence, the newcomers finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Song Changsheng opened his eyes to see Wang Wanzhou's expression of relief, Song Luhuai's concerned gaze, and Song Luyao's cold, indifferent face.
"Thank you, elders, for going to such lengths on my behalf."
The moment Song Changsheng saw them, he understood what had happened. He stood up and cupped his fists respectfully.
"As long as you're safe, that's all that matters. Just don't be so careless next time. You must always prioritize your safety."
Song Luhuai stroked his beard and offered warm words of comfort.
"Hmph. If there's a next time, we may not even find your body intact."
Song Luyao's brows were furrowed in anger, her tone sharp and icy.
"I humbly accept your guidance, Aunt. I will reflect deeply on this and ensure it never happens again."
Song Changsheng bowed, his tone earnest and respectful.
Song Changsheng had come to recognize his mistake.
If he had informed the family elders in advance about his actions, he wouldn't have found himself in such peril time and time again.
If Niu Dazhuang hadn't arrived just in time, if Wang Wanzhou hadn't been so faithful to his word, and if he hadn't had that spirit artifact for protection… he would've died a hundred deaths.
"Hmph, utterly foolish," Song Luyao threw out coldly before stepping aside to start identifying the deceased cultivators from the Earthfire Sect.
"Changsheng," Song Luhuai said gently, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't take your Ninth Aunt's words to heart. She just has a sharp tongue but a soft heart she cares more for you than anyone."
"Half a year ago, when we learned Cheng Yufei had entered the market, she and I secretly left the mountain. We didn't contact you so as not to alert the enemy.
But who knew you'd pull a fast one not just on the Earthfire Sect, but even on us? If Du Huatian hadn't quietly left the market, we wouldn't have known where you went.
And then we ran into that old ghost from the Qiu clan on the way here we almost didn't make it. Don't do this again."
Only then did Song Changsheng realize that his family had always been watching over him from the shadows. The current mess was largely the result of his miscalculations.
For a moment, his eyes felt slightly hot.
"Hey, isn't it enough that he's safe? No need to say so much," Wang Wanzhou chuckled, still in good spirits despite the battle he had just endured.
"If we don't say it, he'll just keep doing foolish things."
"I've confirmed the identity of this one Chu Suiyang, one of the three Tier-2 formation masters of the Earthfire Sect. With Du Huatian and Cheng Yufei wounded and in retreat, they've taken quite a blow this time."
"Senior Wang, I think it's about time we struck back. Since the Earthfire Sect has no interest in peace, let's give them what they want!"
A frosty killing intent shimmered in Song Luyao's eyes.
After all the provocations from the Earthfire Sect, if the Song Clan didn't act, they'd become a laughingstock.
"You're right. The Earthfire Sect is getting more and more shameless. We need to shake them up," Wang Wanzhou said, eager for a fight.
His remaining lifespan was limited. Once he passed on, his family would be even more hard-pressed to resist the Earthfire Sect. Better to strike hard while he could still move, and buy some peace for the younger generations.
Song Changsheng felt a jolt deep within.
A storm is coming…
Back at the marketplace, since Song Changsheng's mission wasn't yet complete, he remained there. After he solemnly promised not to leave the city again, Song Luyao and Song Luhuai finally returned to the clan with peace of mind.
Before leaving, Song Luyao gave him a message sending a flying sword, while Song Luhuai left behind a personally crafted lower-grade Tier-2 talisman for self-defense.
Shortly after their return, the Grand Elder issued a mobilization order to the eleven subordinate families and two monster-hunting squads. Allied families like the Wangs and the Lis also sprang into action, launching coordinated strikes.
Their counterattack shook Lingzhou. They seized multiple resource points from the Earthfire Sect, forcing them to retreat and lay low for the time being.
All this had little impact on the Liuyun marketplace. The conflict among major powers brought more traffic and business to the area.
As for Song Changsheng, he had no spare attention to track the war's progress. He was fully focused on stabilizing his cultivation.
After advancing to a lower-grade Tier-2 formation master, many previous puzzles in his studies suddenly became clear. He took the opportunity to complete a previously incomplete formation pattern, gaining insight into a formation called "Heavenly Sun Demon Refining Array" originating from the same school as the Xuan Yang Heavenly Steel Array, but even more intricate.
By the time he had sorted all that out, a week had gone by.
Only then did Song Changsheng finally have time to check what he had gained from the ancient cave dwelling.
Aside from two jade slips containing inheritance knowledge and a mysterious jade token, he had also found three jade boxes and two jade bottles what lay inside would depend on his luck.
"Let's start with the two jade bottles."
He picked up a white jade bottle first. The moment he uncorked it, a sweet, fragrant aroma hit him. He tilted the bottle and out rolled a thumb-sized pink pill.
Holding it to his nose, Song Changsheng's expression turned odd.
"This... is the legendary Beautifying Pill?"
The Beautifying Pill was a rare medicinal pill said to preserve one's youthful appearance forever. It was highly sought after by female cultivators, but rarely seen due to the scarcity of its ingredients.
Not exactly something he could make use of.
"Hmm... I'll give it to my mother. Let's see what's in the next one."
He then opened the purple jade bottle, revealing a lower-grade Tier-2 "Blazing Sun Pill" a pill that could enhance cultivation for fire-root cultivators.
It was perfect for him.
The items in the two bottles were decent, if not extraordinary. Now, everything depended on whether the three jade boxes held any real surprises.
He reached for the blue jade box that gave him the best feeling.
The moment he opened it, a dazzling light flooded the entire room…
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