Chapter 48 "Glimpses of the Beast Tide"

Days passed one after another.

Jiang Cheng and Liu Ying led a steady, disciplined life.

Each morning, they dedicated themselves to cultivation. Afterward, they delved into the study of formation inscriptions, immersing themselves in the mysteries of the Dao of Formation.

Whenever they needed supplies, Liu Ying would make a trip to town to purchase them.

And so, their days flowed by in quiet diligence, consumed entirely by cultivation and study.

Time flew by like an arrow.

In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

For two years, Jiang Cheng and Liu Ying lived a stable and uneventful life.

There were no evil cultivators to fight.

No natural or man-made disasters.

No sect wars.

Everything remained peaceful.

However, Jiang Cheng occasionally learned about the outside world through Ruan Xue.

For instance, a casual cultivator had purchased something at the Immortal Square, only to be ambushed and killed by evil cultivators as soon as he left.

Or someone who, unwilling to live an ordinary life, resigned from the Immortal Square and set off for Pingyuan Immortal City—only to vanish without a trace along the way.

Or the discovery of a precious mineral vein, which sparked fierce competition among various families. In the end, the Qinglin Sect stepped in and took control of it.

These scattered pieces of information deepened Jiang Cheng's understanding of the current cultivation world.

Meanwhile, his own cultivation had advanced from the sixth level of Qi Training to the seventh.

Liu Ying, not far behind, had broken through to the sixth level of Qi Training, closing the gap between them—a fact that left Jiang Cheng slightly uneasy.

Jiang Cheng, seated on a futon, let out a long breath as a flicker of spiritual light flashed in his eyes.

Having just broken through to the late stage of Qi Training, he momentarily struggled to control the surging spiritual power within him.

Feeling the newfound strength coursing through his body, a satisfied smile appeared in his eyes.

He rose from the futon and, in a good mood, brewed himself a pot of fine tea.

These past two years had not been without gains. Now, from the outside, their cave residence seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Liu Ying had been the first to master the art of setting up formations, and it was she who had arranged the concealment array.

With the mountains as their secluded retreat, everything was perfect.

But now, it was time to return to town, check on the situation, and speak with Ruan Xue about the latest happenings.

He waited for a few hours until an old woman appeared at the entrance of the cave.

Jiang Cheng smiled and asked, "Everything good?"

The old woman nodded silently. Then, her disguise faded away, revealing her true face—Liu Ying.

"Yes, everything is good," she replied. "But the town feels a little uneasy. I don't know what's happening."

She took out a few hundred spirit stones, earned from selling talismans in town, and handed them to Jiang Cheng.

He nodded. "Good. I'll go there right now and see what's going on. You stay here. I'll be back in a few days."

His gaze flickered with determination. "Once I return, we can start consuming the fruits from the Yin-Yang Tree to further strengthen ourselves."

Jiang Cheng rose a few meters into the air and flew off.

Yes, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators could fly for a few minutes on their own, but it consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy. That's why most cultivators purchased flying swords and flight techniques—to reduce the burden and, of course, to look cooler at the same time.

After flying for dozens of miles, he arrived at the town.

The makeshift houses outside were packed with people. Jiang Cheng glanced at the crowded area and shook his head. "Looks like Taoist Yan is even richer now."

Without stopping,

He continued on his way until he arrived at the gate of the inner town. After paying a spirit stone, he was allowed entry.

His first stop was an inn, where he rented a room for a few days. With that settled, he stepped back onto the bustling streets, his gaze scanning the surroundings as he made his way toward the Qinglin Treasure Pavilion—where Ruan Xue was.

He entered the pavilion as usual. The girl at the counter greeted him with a smile, and he returned the gesture politely.

"Where is Ruan Xue?" he asked.

The girl nodded and said that she will call her then headed upstairs to the second floor, where Ruan Xue was practicing.

After a few minutes, a beautiful girl in a purple dress appeared before him.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, long time no see," she greeted with a slight smile.

Jiang Cheng smiled and returned her greeting. "Fellow Taoist Ruan, you're still as elegant as ever."

Ruan Xue chuckled lightly. "Of course I am. How else would you expect me to be?"

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Well, I might have expected you to be even more radiant, but I see I was right all along."

Ruan Xue smiled playfully. "Flattery won't get you far, Fellow Daoist. But tell me, what brings you here today? It's been a while."

Jiang Cheng's smile softened. "I had to check in on the town. Things feel a bit off lately. I thought I'd catch up with you while I'm here."

Ruan Xue gestured for Jiang Cheng to follow her. After leading him to a secluded spot, she turned to him with a serious expression. "We're leaving."

Jiang Cheng was taken aback. "Leaving? Why?"

Ruan Xue sighed. "News just came in. A beast tide will happen here, and I believe the market will be destroyed again."

Jiang Cheng's eyes widened. "A beast tide? Has something like this happened before?"

Ruan Xue nodded grimly. "Of course it has. Don't you see how backward this place is? There's a huge difference between here and other regions. The Qinglin Sect doesn't really care about this town. It's more like a gathering place for casual cultivators. There aren't any real rules here, and it's always on the brink of chaos."

Jiang Cheng furrowed his brows. "But why are people outside acting as usual? Shouldn't they be preparing for the beast tide?"

Ruan Xue sighed again. "Most people here are either unaware or simply don't take things seriously. Many of the cultivators here are too focused on their own gains to worry about what's coming. They might have heard rumors, but it's easy to dismiss them when you've lived through things like this before without any real consequences."

She looked at him, her expression sharp. "The true threat only becomes clear when it's too late, and by then, it's often chaos."

Jiang Cheng nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation now. "I see. We need to be ready, then."

Ruan Xue looked at him thoughtfully. "In a few days, we'll be leaving for Pingyuan Immortal City. Do you want to come with us? My master is a Foundation Building stage cultivator. She can help make things easier for you."

Jiang Cheng was taken aback. "You even have a master?" He looked at her enviously, his curiosity piqued.

Ruan Xue nodded proudly. "Of course I do. How else do you think I've secured my place here? If I didn't, someone with more power or a strong background would have taken my position by now."

Jiang Cheng's eyes widened with understanding. "I see... so that's why you're so confident."

Ruan Xue smiled slightly. "It's not just confidence, Jiang Cheng. It's knowing where you stand. In this world, power and connections are everything."

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "By the way, who is your master?"

Ruan Xue looked at him mischievously, her lips curling into a playful smile. "My master is known as the Flowing Tide Fairy, Lian Shui. She's a middle-stage Foundation Building cultivator and very powerful. She's a Guest Elder of the Qinglin Sect and also one of the Guardians of Pingyuan Immortal City. So, what do you think? Do you want to come with me?"

Jiang Cheng looked at her with newfound respect. "You're lucky," he said with a smirk. "You don't have to fight hard; you're winning just by lying down."

Ruan Xue met his gaze, unruffled. "There's no such thing as a free ride in this world. Everything has its price, its advantages, and its drawbacks." Her eyes softened slightly, a hint of seriousness in her voice. "Anyway, what do you think? Are you coming with me?"

Jiang Cheng scratched his head and said, "Thank you, Fellow Taoist, for your kindness. But I still have things to do here. I think I'll follow you in a few months, though."

Ruan Xue studied him, realizing he wasn't joking. She sighed and replied, "Since you've already made up your mind, I can only wish you luck."

Jiang Cheng paused before adding, "By the way, I want to purchase a flying sword and the flying technique."

Ruan Xue blinked in surprise. "But you're still in the middle stage of Qi Training..."

Before she could continue, Jiang Cheng released a burst of powerful spiritual energy, causing her to falter in her speech. He looked at her smugly and said, "What was that, Fellow Taoist? I didn't quite catch it."

Ruan Xue stared at his shameless expression, which made her want to smack him. But she forced herself to calm down and suppressed the urge to reprimand him. Instead, she gave a tight smile and said, "Congratulations on your breakthrough, brother Jiang.

Jiang Cheng smiled at Ruan Xue's congratulations. "Thank you, Fellow Taoist," he said, his voice calm and appreciative.

....

Ruan Xue nodded, then led him further into the Treasure Pavilion. She took him to a private room where the walls were lined with shelves filled with weapons of every kind, from gleaming swords to ornate staves and mystical artifacts. The room smelled faintly of metal and refinement, the air thick with spiritual energy.

Ruan Xue walked down the aisle, her fingers grazing the hilts of swords as she passed. One by one, she presented high-level spirit swords to Jiang Cheng, each more impressive than the last.

Some were adorned with sparkling gemstones, others radiated an aura of sharpness that seemed to cut the air itself. But none of them seemed to catch Jiang Cheng's eye.

She continued, showing him one sword after another, until she stopped at a familiar black blade—the Shadow Sword. Its low-profile design, with its matte surface and simple hilt, was unchanged. It was subtle, understated, and somehow it felt more fitting for Jiang Cheng than all the other flashy blades. He felt an almost instinctual pull toward it.

"This one," Jiang Cheng said, pointing to the Shadow Sword.

Ruan Xue paused for a moment, a slight frown on her face, but then nodded. "As expected, you prefer something less noticeable. It suits you."

She took the sword down carefully, then led him toward the counter, where the price of the sword would be negotiated.

"The price for this sword will be a bit higher than before," Ruan Xue said, her tone serious. "It's a high-grade weapon now. The cost is much steeper."

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "How much are we talking?"

Ruan Xue glanced at the sword, then looked at him. "For this level of refinement, the price is 1250 spirit stones."

Jiang Cheng considered for a moment before nodding. "I'll take it."

Ruan Xue smiled slightly, though it was tempered by the seriousness of the transaction. "Very well. I'll arrange everything."

Jiang Cheng looked at Ruan Xue and nodded. "And along with the sword, I'll need a sword-controlling technique."

Ruan Xue's eyes flickered, then she gave a slight smile. "Of course. We have a suitable technique for that, but it will cost you an additional 500 spirit stones."

Jiang Cheng didn't hesitate. "Fine, I'll take it."

Ruan Xue gestured to a nearby shelf, pulling down a scroll sealed with a simple yet elegant formation. She unrolled it slightly, revealing intricate runes that pulsed with a faint spiritual aura.

"This technique is called the 'Silent Blade Manipulation'. It's simple to learn, but it will take time to master. With it, you'll be able to control the sword as if it were an extension of yourself."

Jiang Cheng nodded, accepting the scroll from her. "Thank you."

With the price set and the transactions concluded, Jiang Cheng handed over the spirit stones, feeling a sense of satisfaction as his new sword and technique were secured.