Chapter 71: Half a Month Later
In the cultivation world, strength reigns supreme.
The arrival of the Immortal City Enforcement Squad here might very well be an opportunity for them to make some extra gains.
If chaos truly breaks out in the Immortal Market, and innocent cultivators are slain by the hands of the squad, it would mean the darker side of the cultivation world would finally reveal its cruel reality to He Song.
Since He Song transmigrated into this world, everything he had experienced had been relatively peaceful.
Though he had faced a few minor crises, the cannibalistic nature of the cultivation world had not yet manifested before his eyes.
Cultivators vie with heaven for their fate.
Struggle! Fight! Snatch! Seize!
These are the main themes of the cultivation world.
For over ten years, He Song had stayed within the Immortal Market, with minimal interaction with external cultivators.
Despite being sufficiently cautious, he had little understanding of how dark the hearts of outside cultivators could be.
This time, leaving the Immortal Market was a decision born of caution.
As for whether the Immortal City Enforcement Squad would truly act that way, He Song could only harbor some suspicions.
However, if news of innocent cultivators being slaughtered by the squad were to spread, He Song knew he would need to be even more cautious in the future.
The human heart is unpredictable.
Only through caution can one survive to the end.
"Regardless, only Wei Fan remains in the market now. My other friends, Zhao Lin has fled, Meng Guan is in the Immortal City, and Lin Cong, who left the market six years ago, has also gone to Azure Cliff Immortal City. With Wei Fan's strength and status, he should be fine."
After pondering for a long while, He Song finally shook his head and resumed practicing the Earth Burrowing Technique.
The arrival of the Immortal City Enforcement Squad did not have much of an impact on He Song.
Aside from the lower concentration of spiritual energy outside the Immortal Market, it even brought some benefits.
Because he was within the Maze Formation and without buildings or structures nearby, He Song could practice the Stone-Splitting Finger freely.
In the Immortal Market, surrounded by buildings, He Song's practice of the Stone-Splitting Finger was always constrained.
One careless move could damage a building or injure a passerby.
But outside the Immortal Market, it was entirely different.
Without concerns about damaging buildings or hurting anyone, He Song could strike wherever he wanted within the Maze Formation.
Aside from avoiding the array's core, he could do as he pleased in the covered area without fear of detection.
Thus, after half a month, when He Song finally saw the members of the Immortal City Enforcement Squad leaving the market and received a messenger paper crane from Wei Fan, the area within the Maze Formation was already riddled with countless craters.
These were all the result of He Song practicing his Stone-Splitting Finger on the ground.
Inside the Maze Formation, He Song unfolded the thin paper crane.
Instantly, lines of text appeared before his eyes:
"The Immortal City Enforcement Squad has left. Fellow Daoist, you may return to the Immortal Market."
"However, if possible, it would be best for you to visit the Spirit Builder Pavilion after your return. There's an important matter to discuss."
—Wei Fan
The paper crane was succinct. Wei Fan simply asked He Song to visit him at the Spirit Builder Pavilion as soon as he returned.
Putting away the paper, He Song glanced toward the direction of the Immortal Market, lost in thought.
Then he shook his head again.
Over the past half-month, He Song had been monitoring the movements in the Immortal Market.
However, being several miles away, the market's activities were out of his perception range.
As a result, He Song had no idea what had occurred within the market during this time.
He only knew that many things must have happened over the past half-month, but what exactly, he could only find out after speaking with Wei Fan.
Looking around, He Song felt a bit helpless.
Perhaps because it was his first time leaving the Immortal Market, he had unintentionally left the area around him riddled with craters while practicing the Stone-Splitting Finger.
This wouldn't do.
Now that he was about to leave, he needed to clean up the area.
Otherwise, once he dismantled the Maze Formation before leaving, the damage caused by his spells would immediately become visible to others.
He Song didn't want anyone discovering he had lived here for half a month.
Fortunately, there was a quick way to erase all traces of his presence.
Using the Manipulate Object Technique, He Song channeled his spiritual energy and quickly filled in each crater.
After retrieving the array bases for the Maze Formation and Spirit Gathering Formation and storing them in his bag, He Song even used the technique to seal up the cave.
After completing everything, He Song activated the Light Body Technique and swiftly headed toward the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market.
Before long, He Song stepped into the Immortal Market.
The moment he did, however, he noticed something was amiss.
Within the market, there were very few cultivators walking on the streets.
Even those who were present appeared hurried, unwilling to linger on the streets.
The once bustling streets were now sparse, devoid of their previous vibrancy.
Looking further ahead, the rental houses on the outskirts of the market bore signs of destruction.
Some had lost their roofs, while others had collapsed walls, exposing their interiors, yet no one seemed to be repairing them.
In some corners, He Song even spotted faint traces of blood.
Surveying the changed landscape, He Song felt his heart sink.
If he hadn't personally seen the members of the Immortal City Enforcement Squad leave and received Wei Fan's message confirming their departure, He Song might have turned and left immediately.
The current state of the market was starkly different from when he had left.
Back then, the streets had been bustling with activity, with many wandering cultivators entering the market.
Even the outer rental houses, refurbished six years ago by the Spirit Builder Pavilion, had been in pristine condition.
But now?
Looking at the drastically altered scene, He Song hesitated briefly but ultimately walked toward the Spirit Builder Pavilion.
Since he had returned, he might as well meet Wei Fan first.
If the market still proved unsafe, he might have to leave again for a while after seeing Wei Fan.
Without any obstructions, He Song quickly arrived at the Spirit Builder Pavilion.
On the second floor, he saw Wei Fan seated at a small table, waving him over.
"Brother Wei, what happened in the market over the past half-month to cause such a drastic change?" He Song asked with a frown after sitting down beside Wei Fan.
The market had been fine when he left, yet in just over half a month, it had completely transformed.
Could all these changes have been caused by the Immortal City Enforcement Squad?
If so, their greed was truly boundless.
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