Upon hearing Shu Han's willingness to join the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, Xiao Zian was ecstatic. He promptly guided Shu Han toward the sect's direction, sharing pleasantries and insights about the sect during their journey.
The Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, situated to the north of the Great Cloud, was the wealthiest sect second only to the Green Thunder Sect. It was renowned for its numerous alchemists and artifact crafters. Due to the sect's innate heavenly fire vein, the quality of their elixirs and magic tools was exceptional. This led to a plethora of cultivation marketplaces sprouting in the vicinity of the sect.
The combat prowess of Fiery Cloud Instant Sect's disciples was also notable. Their unique techniques endowed them with tremendous burst capabilities, allowing them to conclude battles in a brief span. However, this advantage could become a liability if battles dragged on.
As they traveled southward, Shu Han noticed the southern skies gradually painted in a deep shade of red.
Xiao Zian, grinning, remarked that it signified their nearing proximity to the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. Moreover, he could introduce Shu Han directly to his master, a mid-stage Core Formation elder, potentially abbreviating the inspection duration.
Grateful, Shu Han was about to convey his thanks when Xiao Zian suddenly diverted their path. He elucidated, "Brother Shu, I've been away from the sect for over a year, and my vitality feels a bit waned. I need to visit the marketplace first to procure some vitality-restoring elixirs. Otherwise, facing my wife with this pallor, I'd surely be in for a rough time..."
Shu Han, taken aback, inquired, "You're wedded? And you still flirt around with other women?"
Xiao Zian sheepishly responded, "Not everyone can remain as composed as you, Brother Shu. Those seductresses were irresistibly alluring upon first encounter... I merely succumbed to a typical man's weakness. But this must remain a secret from my wife; the female cultivators from Fiery Cloud Instant Sect are known for their fiery tempers..."
Somewhat speechless, Shu Han followed Xiao Zian to a vast assembly known as the 'Free-Wind Marketplace'. Similar to the Green Stone Gathering, one had to first navigate through an identity-disrupting maze. Once inside, Shu Han noticed that, contrary to other places, people here rarely concealed their true appearances.
Observing Shu Han's masked face, Xiao Zian chuckled and advised, "Brother Shu, fear not. Our Fiery Cloud Instant Sect ensures the safety of its affiliated marketplaces. Unscrupulous behaviors are rare here. There's no need to mask oneself."
Inwardly, Shu Han thought, "What's the harm in wearing a mask? It's not like I've changed my appearance."
Seeing that Shu Han had no intention of removing his mask, Xiao Zian refrained from persuading further. "Brother Shu, I'll buy some elixirs and a gift for my wife. Feel free to explore. Shall we meet at this exit later?"
"Whatever you see fit, Brother Xiao."
After parting ways with Xiao Zian, Shu Han strolled alone through the bustling marketplace.
As Xiao Zian had mentioned, wearing a mask here made one an oddity, leading to several sidelong glances from the crowd.
Disliking the feeling of being stared at, Shu Han used the Heaven-Earth Transformation technique to alter his appearance to that of Fei Zhengyang and then removed his mask.
Subtly, he employed the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye to scan the nearby stalls. This special eye technique could discern truth from falsehood and recognize valuable items.
The marketplace surrounding the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect indeed housed a wealth of treasures. However, ordinary treasures no longer appealed to Shu Han, except for rare materials. But such scarce materials wouldn't be displayed so openly in street stalls. Most were traded secretly between cultivators.
As he ventured forward, hoping to stumble upon hidden gems among the stalls, he noticed several people with swollen, bruised faces approaching. They were cursing under their breath, looking rather disgruntled as they hurriedly walked past.
Intrigued, Shu Han, being an accomplished martial artist, could easily deduce that their injuries resulted from a physical brawl. He found this odd as brawls were forbidden in the marketplace. Why were they beaten up like this?
Moving on, he encountered another group of battered individuals.
"Damn it, why did we run into that mad old man? Such bad luck! Ah, my handsome nose..."
"And you're lamenting about your nose? He knocked out my front tooth..."
...
His curiosity piqued, Shu Han found it unusual to see individuals in the cultivation world resorting to bare-handed brawling. Soon, he reached the center of the marketplace, which was a vast, open arena.
In the middle, seated on stone steps, was an old man in ragged clothes, dirty from head to toe. He clutched a gourd of wine, drinking leisurely with a vacant expression and murky eyes.
Upon his first glance at this man, Shu Han felt that he was extraordinary. He couldn't sense any spiritual power emanating from him, yet the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye detected an energy as formidable as a dragon's.
"Hey, look at that naive young fellow heading towards the mad old man!"
"He must be new here, or he wouldn't dare."
"I bet he'll get a beating that'll leave his face as red as peach blossoms!"
At that moment, the last drop of wine was emptied from the gourd.
The old man swayed the empty gourd, murmuring, "It's gone... all gone..." Then, his cloudy eyes began to scan around, naturally landing on Shu Han, who was closest to him.
"Young man, give me a dozen spirit stones from you, so I can buy more wine."
Stunned, Shu Han thought, 'Who just walks up and asks for spirit stones like that?' Seeing Shu Han's silence, the old man suddenly stepped forward with lightning speed, throwing a punch straight toward Shu Han's face.
Caught off guard and unable to use his magic in such close proximity, Shu Han instinctively counterattacked. His palms swirled out like gliding dragons, employing the Cloud-walking Step, his body slightly swaying to dodge the old man's punch. He aimed to redirect the old man's force, interrupting its flow.
The old man's murky eyes sparkled. Shu Han grabbed his left arm, but with a tremor, the old man released an immense force, dispelling Shu Han's surging spiritual power and sending him flying.
Shu Han was alarmed, having not expected the old man's physical strength to be so formidable, powerful enough to break free from his enveloping spiritual power. The old man then transformed his fist into a claw, lunging towards Shu Han's chest. His speed was astonishingly fast. Without the time to draw his Eight-Direction Evil-Breaking Sword, Shu Han had to use his palms as if they were blades, executing the Sky-aspiring Sword Technique.
Years of refinement had perfected Shu Han's Sky-aspiring Sword Technique, mastering the art of a hand without a sword is better than a hand with one.
Using his palm blade, Shu Han deftly deflected the old man's claw and aimed for his throat. The old man's reaction was swift, matching Shu Han's moves, their hands and fists clashing in an incredible dance.
Neither employed any spells; they exchanged blows in the arena, their movements so fast that they left afterimages. Impressively, neither gained the upper hand.
The old man roared with laughter, his grubby skin revealing pulsating patterns, his speed increasing. His straightforward and aggressive style was overwhelming. Even when Shu Han infused his body with spiritual power to heighten his strength, he struggled to keep up, resorting to the intricate moves of his Skyward Sword Technique.
Their duel drew many spectators. It had been a long time since they'd seen a physical brawl, especially with this mad old man.
Ultimately, Shu Han couldn't withstand the old man's increasingly powerful punches. He then summoned the cold aura of the ten-thousand-year profound ice in his left hand and released chilling black flames from his right. Both hands aimed straight for the old man, intending to force him back.
'No matter how strong your physical body is,' Shu Han thought, 'you can't withstand the combined assault of the ancient cold and heavenly fire.'
Upon hearing Shu Han's willingness to join the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, Xiao Zian was ecstatic. He promptly guided Shu Han toward the sect's direction, sharing pleasantries and insights about the sect during their journey.
The Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, situated to the north of the Great Cloud, was the wealthiest sect second only to the Green Thunder Sect. It was renowned for its numerous alchemists and artifact crafters. Due to the sect's innate heavenly fire vein, the quality of their elixirs and magic tools was exceptional. This led to a plethora of cultivation marketplaces sprouting in the vicinity of the sect.
The combat prowess of Fiery Cloud Instant Sect's disciples was also notable. Their unique techniques endowed them with tremendous burst capabilities, allowing them to conclude battles in a brief span. However, this advantage could become a liability if battles dragged on.
As they traveled southward, Shu Han noticed the southern skies gradually painted in a deep shade of red.
Xiao Zian, grinning, remarked that it signified their nearing proximity to the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect. Moreover, he could introduce Shu Han directly to his master, a mid-stage Core Formation elder, potentially abbreviating the inspection duration.
Grateful, Shu Han was about to convey his thanks when Xiao Zian suddenly diverted their path. He elucidated, "Brother Shu, I've been away from the sect for over a year, and my vitality feels a bit waned. I need to visit the marketplace first to procure some vitality-restoring elixirs. Otherwise, facing my wife with this pallor, I'd surely be in for a rough time..."
Shu Han, taken aback, inquired, "You're wedded? And you still flirt around with other women?"
Xiao Zian sheepishly responded, "Not everyone can remain as composed as you, Brother Shu. Those seductresses were irresistibly alluring upon first encounter... I merely succumbed to a typical man's weakness. But this must remain a secret from my wife; the female cultivators from Fiery Cloud Instant Sect are known for their fiery tempers..."
Somewhat speechless, Shu Han followed Xiao Zian to a vast assembly known as the 'Free-Wind Marketplace'. Similar to the Green Stone Gathering, one had to first navigate through an identity-disrupting maze. Once inside, Shu Han noticed that, contrary to other places, people here rarely concealed their true appearances.
Observing Shu Han's masked face, Xiao Zian chuckled and advised, "Brother Shu, fear not. Our Fiery Cloud Instant Sect ensures the safety of its affiliated marketplaces. Unscrupulous behaviors are rare here. There's no need to mask oneself."
Inwardly, Shu Han thought, "What's the harm in wearing a mask? It's not like I've changed my appearance."
Seeing that Shu Han had no intention of removing his mask, Xiao Zian refrained from persuading further. "Brother Shu, I'll buy some elixirs and a gift for my wife. Feel free to explore. Shall we meet at this exit later?"
"Whatever you see fit, Brother Xiao."
After parting ways with Xiao Zian, Shu Han strolled alone through the bustling marketplace.
As Xiao Zian had mentioned, wearing a mask here made one an oddity, leading to several sidelong glances from the crowd.
Disliking the feeling of being stared at, Shu Han used the Heaven-Earth Transformation technique to alter his appearance to that of Fei Zhengyang and then removed his mask.
Subtly, he employed the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye to scan the nearby stalls. This special eye technique could discern truth from falsehood and recognize valuable items.
The marketplace surrounding the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect indeed housed a wealth of treasures. However, ordinary treasures no longer appealed to Shu Han, except for rare materials. But such scarce materials wouldn't be displayed so openly in street stalls. Most were traded secretly between cultivators.
As he ventured forward, hoping to stumble upon hidden gems among the stalls, he noticed several people with swollen, bruised faces approaching. They were cursing under their breath, looking rather disgruntled as they hurriedly walked past.
Intrigued, Shu Han, being an accomplished martial artist, could easily deduce that their injuries resulted from a physical brawl. He found this odd as brawls were forbidden in the marketplace. Why were they beaten up like this?
Moving on, he encountered another group of battered individuals.
"Damn it, why did we run into that mad old man? Such bad luck! Ah, my handsome nose..."
"And you're lamenting about your nose? He knocked out my front tooth..."
...
His curiosity piqued, Shu Han found it unusual to see individuals in the cultivation world resorting to bare-handed brawling. Soon, he reached the center of the marketplace, which was a vast, open arena.
In the middle, seated on stone steps, was an old man in ragged clothes, dirty from head to toe. He clutched a gourd of wine, drinking leisurely with a vacant expression and murky eyes.
Upon his first glance at this man, Shu Han felt that he was extraordinary. He couldn't sense any spiritual power emanating from him, yet the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye detected an energy as formidable as a dragon's.
"Hey, look at that naive young fellow heading towards the mad old man!"
"He must be new here, or he wouldn't dare."
"I bet he'll get a beating that'll leave his face as red as peach blossoms!"
At that moment, the last drop of wine was emptied from the gourd.
The old man swayed the empty gourd, murmuring, "It's gone... all gone..." Then, his cloudy eyes began to scan around, naturally landing on Shu Han, who was closest to him.
"Young man, give me a dozen spirit stones from you, so I can buy more wine."
Stunned, Shu Han thought, 'Who just walks up and asks for spirit stones like that?' Seeing Shu Han's silence, the old man suddenly stepped forward with lightning speed, throwing a punch straight toward Shu Han's face.
Caught off guard and unable to use his magic in such close proximity, Shu Han instinctively counterattacked. His palms swirled out like gliding dragons, employing the Cloud-walking Step, his body slightly swaying to dodge the old man's punch. He aimed to redirect the old man's force, interrupting its flow.
The old man's murky eyes sparkled. Shu Han grabbed his left arm, but with a tremor, the old man released an immense force, dispelling Shu Han's surging spiritual power and sending him flying.
Shu Han was alarmed, having not expected the old man's physical strength to be so formidable, powerful enough to break free from his enveloping spiritual power. The old man then transformed his fist into a claw, lunging towards Shu Han's chest. His speed was astonishingly fast. Without the time to draw his Eight-Direction Evil-Breaking Sword, Shu Han had to use his palms as if they were blades, executing the Sky-aspiring Sword Technique.
Years of refinement had perfected Shu Han's Sky-aspiring Sword Technique, mastering the art of a hand without a sword is better than a hand with one.
Using his palm blade, Shu Han deftly deflected the old man's claw and aimed for his throat. The old man's reaction was swift, matching Shu Han's moves, their hands and fists clashing in an incredible dance.
Neither employed any spells; they exchanged blows in the arena, their movements so fast that they left afterimages. Impressively, neither gained the upper hand.
The old man roared with laughter, his grubby skin revealing pulsating patterns, his speed increasing. His straightforward and aggressive style was overwhelming. Even when Shu Han infused his body with spiritual power to heighten his strength, he struggled to keep up, resorting to the intricate moves of his Skyward Sword Technique.
Their duel drew many spectators. It had been a long time since they'd seen a physical brawl, especially with this mad old man.
Ultimately, Shu Han couldn't withstand the old man's increasingly powerful punches. He then summoned the cold aura of the ten-thousand-year profound ice in his left hand and released chilling black flames from his right. Both hands aimed straight for the old man, intending to force him back.
'No matter how strong your physical body is,' Shu Han thought, 'you can't withstand the combined assault of the ancient cold and heavenly fire.'
