**Chapter 68: Leaving the Immortal Market**

The Lightfoot Technique wasn't particularly fast—at least, not compared to other cultivators. 

But for mortals, a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator using the Lightfoot Technique to sprint away was far faster than the swiftest mortal steed. 

Traveling a thousand miles in a day was nothing extraordinary.

After leaving the Immortal Market, He Song kept his arms tucked into his sleeves, his fingers tightly gripping several Earth Talismans. With a solemn expression, he swiftly headed northwest.

The Verdant Wall Immortal City was located directly north of the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. 

If He Song had headed straight north, he might have run straight into the law enforcement team coming from the Immortal City. 

That would have been like a lamb walking into a tiger's den. 

Therefore, He Song chose the northwest direction. This path had no Immortal Markets or Immortal Cities, making it the best route to avoid other cultivators.

He Song had studied the surrounding maps in the market's Technique Pavilion. 

The nearest Immortal Market to Bamboo Mountain was hundreds of miles away. 

In all directions, the northwest was the only one without any Immortal Markets or Immortal Cities. 

This meant He Song didn't have to worry about running into other cultivators head-on.

The northwest was also the direction He Song had long ago chosen as a potential area to open up spirit fields. 

The world of cultivation was rooted in the mortal realm. 

The mortal world and the cultivation world were intricately connected, and most rogue cultivators originated from the mortal realm. 

However, mortals and cultivators generally kept to themselves, with little interaction. 

Cultivators rarely entered the mortal world because the spiritual energy there was thin.

Unless one was skilled in formation techniques and set up a Spirit Gathering Formation in the mortal realm, a cultivator's progress would be painfully slow, and obtaining spirit stones would become far more difficult.

Under these circumstances, most cultivators who chose to live in the mortal world were those who had lost hope of breaking through, were nearing the end of their lifespans, lacked ambition, or were drawn to the luxuries of mortal life. 

Such cultivators weren't numerous, but they weren't rare either. In the mortal world, one could often encounter them. 

However, for mortals, meeting a cultivator was quite difficult. 

Cultivators who wandered the mortal realm usually stayed hidden, living carefree lives and avoiding contact with ordinary mortals. 

They typically associated with the nobility of mortal dynasties, enjoying wealth and luxury.

While Immortal Markets didn't prohibit mortals from entering, they were usually located deep in the mountains, making them hard to find. Moreover, the mountains were home to fierce beasts and venomous insects, making it difficult for mortals to reach them. 

As a result, very few mortals ever entered an Immortal Market. 

Only near Immortal Cities could one find large numbers of mortals.

Outside the Immortal Market, He Song continued to move northwest, glancing back from time to time. 

The Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market grew smaller and smaller behind him, indicating that he was getting farther and farther away. 

After traveling several miles, He Song reached a small, densely forested hill. Using his Object Control Technique, he quickly carved out a small cave in the hillside and slipped inside.

This was his first time leaving the Immortal Market, so he didn't dare go too far. 

Staying close to the market meant that if he encountered evil cultivators, he might still have a chance to escape back to the market under the protection of his Earth Talismans. 

Once inside the market, the market's law enforcement team could rescue him. 

If he went too far, he might be killed by evil cultivators before he could even make it back. 

In that case, everything would be over.

This time, He Song was only leaving to avoid the law enforcement team from the Immortal City, ensuring he wouldn't die inexplicably due to the greed of other cultivators. 

He wasn't fleeing some calamity that could span thousands of miles, so there was no need to go too far. 

He just needed to leave the market, find a hidden spot nearby, set up his Misty Traversal Formation to ensure his safety, and wait quietly for the law enforcement team to leave. 

Once they were gone, He Song could return to the market and resume his peaceful life.

Inside the cave, after using his Object Control Technique to carve out the space, He Song didn't dare rest. He immediately took out the nine formation bases for the Misty Traversal Formation from his storage bag. 

Forming hand seals, streams of light shot from his hands and quickly settled into their designated positions. 

A faint glow flashed in the cave. 

The Misty Traversal Formation was complete!

Only then did He Song let out a slight sigh of relief.

He began forming seals again, activating the formation to cover an area of several dozen meters around him. 

Once the formation was fully activated, concealing his figure, aura, and surroundings, He Song finally felt at ease.

Under the Misty Traversal Formation, there was no need to worry about being discovered.

Even if someone were to look at the area from the outside, they wouldn't notice anything amiss. 

The hillside looked the same as before. 

The forest appeared unchanged. 

The cave He Song had carved out was now invisible, and the hillside looked exactly as it had before.

To ensure absolute safety, He Song had activated the Misty Traversal Formation to its full potential, enabling all three of its functions: obscuring vision, concealing aura, and confusing the mind. 

With this level of protection, his safety was assured.

Leaving the cave, He Song walked around the area covered by the formation, confident that he wouldn't be detected. 

After stepping out, he quickly scanned the surroundings. 

This was his first time leaving the Immortal Market. 

He couldn't be sure if someone was following him. 

If there was, and he had suddenly carved out a cave and hidden inside, that person might already be preparing to trap him.

With this thought in mind, He Song activated his Spirit Eye Technique, carefully observing his surroundings. 

However, no matter how hard he looked, he found no trace of any other cultivators. 

The only sounds were the occasional chirping of birds, reminding him that he was no longer in the Immortal Market but outside it.

After a while, when he was certain no one was following him, He Song finally relaxed and returned to the cave. 

Under the protection of the Misty Traversal Formation, he could move freely within the several dozen meters it covered without fear of being discovered. 

Even if he expanded the small cave into a larger space suitable for living, no one would notice.

After enlarging the cave to a size of several meters, He Song took out a meditation mat and placed it in the center. 

Just as he was about to set up the Spirit Gathering Formation, he felt a slight disturbance in the Misty Traversal Formation.

In an instant, He Song's heart skipped a beat, and several Earth Talismans appeared in his hand.

Had someone arrived? 

But he had just spent so much time observing the surroundings and found no trace of anyone. 

This... 

He Song's expression shifted uncertainly. 

In the end, he decided to leave the cave and investigate. 

After all, the area within several dozen meters of the cave was completely covered by the Misty Traversal Formation.

As long as the formation remained intact, he wouldn't be discovered.

(End of Chapter)