Spied Upon

Spied Upon...

Following that, several more treasures appeared in the assembly, yet none of them piqued Qin Wentian's interest. He didn't bother to compete for any of them. When he seized treasures, his emotions never clouded his judgment. He only acted for treasures he genuinely needed.

"The Heavenly Mountain Treasure Seizing Assembly occurs every six months and lasts for seven days each time. I'm in no rush; I'll explore the area for now," Qin Wentian muttered to himself. He stood up and walked into the crowd, which promptly parted to make way for him. No one wanted to tangle with someone like him.

Yin Cheng's eyes glinted with a cold light as he watched Qin Wentian walk away. He signaled with his fingers, and two experts at the fifth level of Heavenly Dipper immediately followed Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian sensed that others were monitoring his movements as well. It was undoubtedly because of the spatial brush he had acquired, making him the focal target for many.

As he followed the mountain path deeper into the area, Qin Wentian's figure flickered, and he soared into the mountains. Moments later, others also took to the skies, following him closely.

However, Qin Wentian paid them no mind. After a while, he found a relatively comfortable mountain cavern and entered it, planning to use it for cultivation. This particular cavern must have been opened by Stellar Martial Cultivators who had been here in the past. Upon entering, Qin Wentian didn't immediately begin cultivating. Instead, he inscribed something on the ground.

As time passed, he glanced outside, his eyes gleaming with a cold light.

Qin Wentian's perception was exceptionally keen. He had already sensed that, in addition to Yin Cheng's two guards, there was a group of people monitoring his movements. Among them, the most powerful was Grandmaster Qiu. Earlier, Grandmaster Qiu had also desired the spatial brush but had ultimately given up due to Princess Shang Yue's words. However, he couldn't have anticipated that the brush would end up in someone else's hands, sparking a desire in him to snatch it.

The skies gradually darkened, and the majority of Stellar Martial Cultivators had entered the mountain range, seeking caves to rest in. Apparently, they had the same idea as Qin Wentian.

During the seven days, many people would set up their own stalls in the area for transactions. Many cultivators hoped to find the items they needed here, so they wouldn't leave early. Each day of these seven days was bustling with activity. Missing such a large-scale trading event meant waiting another six months for the next one.

At this moment, on a mountain peak near the cavern where Qin Wentian resided, Yin Cheng's silhouette appeared, accompanied by several guards.

"Is he still in the cavern?" Yin Cheng asked coldly.

"Yes, sir. After entering, he hasn't come out. Not only us, but Grandmaster Qiu is also monitoring him. It seems to be because of that spatial brush," one of the guards reported.

"I don't want to involve my clan in such a minor matter. However, this person has an unknown background. Don't be hasty; we'll let Grandmaster Qiu investigate for us," Yin Cheng declared, his eyes cold as he stared into the distance. His anger was palpable. Regardless of the man's identity, the white-robed individual had publicly humiliated him. In that case, he would have to die.

Aware that people like Yin Cheng were lurking in the shadows, Qin Wentian decided to remain in his cavern. He used astral energy to illuminate the space and created an astral screen to seal off his cavern entrance, blocking others' perception from entering. Only someone exceptionally strong or skilled could break his inscriptions.

In the soft glow of astral light, Qin Wentian retrieved a stack of ancient scrolls, specifically purchased by Song Jia for inscribing inscriptions.

With a determined will, he summoned the spatial brush into his grasp. He opened one of the ancient scrolls and began the intricate process of inscribing inscriptions.

However, after several attempts, success still eluded him. Frustrated with his failures, Qin Wentian tossed the failed scroll aside. Creating spatial transference scrolls was proving to be a formidable challenge. Despite his profound knowledge of Divine Inscriptions, mastering this craft was no easy feat.

Fortunately, Song Jia had meticulously followed his instructions and procured a substantial number of ancient scrolls for his experimentation. This was the only reason he could persevere through numerous failures.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts, a scroll finally resonated with powerful waves of spatial energy. Qin Wentian stood up, clutching the spatial transference scroll, an exhausted yet triumphant smile on his face.

"Even though the Great Solar Universe Art is invaluable, trading it doesn't cause me any loss. This spatial brush, on the other hand, allows me to create precious scrolls that could save my life. I may even be able to trade some of these scrolls for other invaluable, life-saving treasures to further my cultivation," Qin Wentian reflected.

"However, at this point, the spatial transference scrolls I create can only teleport someone a short distance. They are still useless in a battle against an overwhelmingly powerful opponent," he cautioned himself, not allowing success to inflate his ego. After storing the successful scroll, Qin Wentian continued to practice.

As time flowed by and dawn approached, several figures appeared in the mountain range. Many came here to browse and potentially acquire valuable treasures. The cavern where Qin Wentian resided remained under surveillance by others.

Suddenly, a sound like shattering glass echoed through the cavern.

Qin Wentian, seated cross-legged in meditation, snapped his eyes open. His gaze fixated on a certain direction, a glint of cold determination flickering in his eyes.

From a nearby cavern, an old man emerged, hovering in the skies. He cast his gaze towards Qin Wentian's hiding place, his face adorned with a light smile. "Young friend, care to come out and chat?"

"Do you lack basic manners? Do you not realize it's highly impolite to breach someone's protective screen while they're cultivating?" A voice emerged from the cavern, causing everyone's footsteps to pause. Their faces expressed intrigue as they sensed a confrontation brewing.

The old man in the sky was none other than a renowned figure in Xuan King City, a fourth-ranked Divine Inscriptions Grandmaster widely respected by many.

But what was he doing here?

For those in the know, it was clear that Grandmaster Qiu's patience had reached its limits. He was determined to acquire the spatial brush. He had relinquished his claim earlier due to Princess Shang Yue, but now that the brush was in Qin Wentian's possession, a fourth-ranked Grandmaster and fifth-level Heavenly Dipper cultivator like him couldn't ignore the urge to reclaim it.

Grandmaster Qiu chuckled, his voice masking the displeasure he felt. "I apologize for my earlier actions, but I have an extremely important matter to discuss with you, young friend."

A pause hung in the air before a curt response emerged from the cavern. "Scram."

Grandmaster Qiu's expression wavered, and those around him who had overheard the exchange froze in shock. Who could this cultivator be to dare to dismiss Grandmaster Qiu so brusquely?

Grandmaster Qiu's eyes gleamed with an icy light, and he took a step forward, heading straight for Qin Wentian's cavern. Originally, he had intended to negotiate the exchange of the spatial brush for one of his treasures. However, Qin Wentian's rudeness had extinguished any willingness for diplomacy.

In an instant, Grandmaster Qiu arrived at the cavern's entrance, sweeping his perception inside. When he spotted the inscriptions on the cavern floor, a cold smile crept onto his lips. Inscribing inscriptions before him? Was this young man truly so audacious?

Without hesitation, Grandmaster Qiu stepped inside the cave, obliterating various divine inscriptions as he advanced. He chuckled, sneering at Qin Wentian. "Young one, you're deluding yourself if you think you can stop me with your pathetic divine inscription skills."

Qin Wentian's lips curled into a chilling, devilish smile. The sight of it made Grandmaster Qiu's brows furrow, and before he could finish his sentence, Qin Wentian stomped the ground. A brilliant light flooded the cavern, and the divine inscriptions that Grandmaster Qiu had destroyed vanished. In their place, Qin Wentian's true divine inscriptions surged to life.

Grandmaster Qiu's eyes widened with disbelief as he observed the divine inscriptions surrounding him. "These are multistacking divine inscriptions?"

"You..." Grandmaster Qiu attempted to speak, but before he could, Qin Wentian took a step forward. Boundless sword energy condensed and sealed the cavern's exit. Qin Wentian knew that Grandmaster Qiu excelled in Divine Inscriptions and would likely underestimate him in combat. So, he had set a trap.

With Qin Wentian's current expertise in Divine Inscriptions, it wasn't a challenge to eliminate a fifth-level Heavenly Dipper Sovereign in a battle he prepared. Even without that advantage, he was confident in his combat skills to face Grandmaster Qiu directly.

In an instant, Grandmaster Qiu disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

Outside, onlookers couldn't discern what had transpired within. They only sensed an overwhelming surge of sword energy, followed by the sealing of their perceptions. There were no further sounds or movements. Grandmaster Qiu hadn't reappeared.

Had Grandmaster Qiu met his demise?

The guards of Yin Cheng, tasked with monitoring Qin Wentian, exchanged nervous glances. It was no wonder this white-robed young man hadn't hesitated to defy Princess Shang Yue. He was proficient in divine inscriptions and his comprehension rivaled that of Grandmaster Qiu. Otherwise, how could Grandmaster Qiu have failed to return?

"Report this," one guard said. Without delay, the other guard nodded and flew off to inform Yin Cheng of the situation.

In the heart of the mountain range, within the pavilion where representatives from various major powers gathered, Yin Cheng's face twisted into an expression of sheer displeasure upon receiving the news. The revelation that the young man in the white robe was also a Divine Inscriptions Grandmaster hit him like a blow to the gut.

Meanwhile, Shang Yue, overhearing the same information through her guards, shared Yin Cheng's sentiment. She couldn't help but see the connection now; the white-robed young man's intense interest in the spatial brush made perfect sense.

"Keep a close watch on him. Don't let him slip away from these mountains," both Shang Yue and Yin Cheng ordered their subordinates. Moments later, several agile silhouettes darted away from their positions, hurtling toward the cavern where Qin Wentian was quietly cultivating.

Remaining in his cavern, Qin Wentian maintained his focus on cultivation. However, his brows furrowed as an uneasy feeling crept over him. His senses tingled, alerting him to several presences that had suddenly converged on the mountains nearby. These unknown eyes, constantly prying into his activities, were a source of great discomfort.

"How audacious," Qin Wentian muttered under his breath, frustration mounting within him. Being subjected to continuous surveillance and the prying eyes of others was undeniably irksome.