Inside the room.

Gazing at the bounty spread across the table, Qin Lu’s heart raced.

These fellows’ wealth far exceeded that of the black-clad intruders from before.

Just counting offensive magical artifacts, there were six in total—four first-rank lower-grade and two first-rank middle-grade.

According to market prices, the secondhand value of these tools alone should surpass two hundred Spirit Stones. Add to that the Spirit Stones and talismans, and Qin Lu’s earnings this time easily topped four hundred.

“Fortune favors the bold, and a horse grows fat on night grass—the ancients truly spoke the truth…”

These Spirit Stones once again swelled Qin Lu’s previously shrunken purse.

After stowing everything into his Storage Bag, Qin Lu began calculating in his mind.

“These Spirit Stones will remain untouched for now—let them sit as my emergency savings. As for the artifacts, the current market is in chaos, so their prices might be quite low. I’ll wait until the market stabilizes before selling them.”

“In a few days, I’ll set up a stall to sell the medicinal liquids. I’ll sell them precisely when the fighting is at its fiercest—that’s how I’ll maximize my profits.”

“The grain at home can last another month, so no need to rush.”

“For the next few days, I won’t craft talismans. I’ll focus entirely on breaking through to Qi Refining Level 6!”

Having made up his mind, Qin Lu sat down on his meditation cushion and flipped his palm, retrieving the pills from his Storage Bag.

Staring at the three jade-green pills before him, Qin Lu hesitated no longer. He popped one into his mouth and began cultivating.

With the Mystic Sun Mantra upgraded to the Master level, Qin Lu’s cultivation speed soared. Twelve hours of meditation each day granted him an additional three points of cultivation progress.

Originally, closing a gap of twenty points would have taken seven days. But with three Spirit Gathering Pills, his progress doubled. By the third day of meditation, he naturally advanced to Qi Refining Level 6.

Hoo…

Qin Lu exhaled a breath of stale air, lowered his hands, and slowly opened his eyes.

The fatigue brought on by continuous meditation vanished completely, washed away by the warm surge following his advancement.

He clenched his fists, feeling an abundance of strength coursing through his body—his power had grown significantly compared to Level 5.

He glanced at his attribute panel. The lifespan bar had increased again by five years, now standing at 122 years.

“It seems every level advancement extends my lifespan by five years…”

“The advancement feels considerably stronger, but not nearly as pronounced as when I moved from Level 3 to Level 4. Could this be because the sensations differ between early, middle, and late stages?”

“I’ve heard that each realm’s advancement is incredibly difficult. I wonder what it will be like reaching the later stages of Qi Refining…”

Qin Lu sat cross-legged, lost in thought, his mind wandering far and wide.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knocking at the door pulled him back to reality.

“What is it?” Qin Lu asked.

“The fresh water is all gone. Should I go fetch some more?” came Zhang Meng’s soft voice from outside.

“No, no, let me handle it.” Qin Lu immediately stood up and opened the door.

Given the current chaos in the market, Qin Lu had strictly instructed Zhang Meng never to venture out alone. Even fetching water was something Qin Lu insisted on doing himself.

Taking the large water bucket from Zhang Meng, he exchanged a few casual words, grabbed his Shangqing Sword, and slowly stepped out of the courtyard.

The streets remained eerily quiet, most people staying indoors. The usual sight of cultivators gathered at the crossroads chatting idly had disappeared.

Sun Jing’s unexpected death had plunged the entire Wuji Market into turmoil, disrupting everyone’s daily lives. The major factions openly vied for dominance while the lower-level forces stirred restlessly—everyone sought to profit from this brief period of chaos.

Qin Lu looked left and right cautiously before setting off toward the riverbank. There were very few passersby, and most hurried along with wary expressions.

As Qin Lu walked, he noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere compared to before. People he encountered on the street would force a smile and greet him warmly. Beneath those smiles lay a hint of… flattery?

“Fellow Daoist Qin!”

“Fellow Daoist Qin, you’re here to fetch water today too?”

“The market’s in such chaos lately—hope you can lend us your support whenever possible!”

“Fellow Daoist Qin, you look especially spirited these days!”

Those greeting him were neighbors living nearby. Witnessing this strange scene, Qin Lu couldn’t help but feel puzzled. He realized that his usually aloof neighbors were treating him far more kindly than before.

Could it be… the aftermath of the battle a few days ago?

Though he didn’t fully understand the situation, he knew that one shouldn’t strike a smiling face. Qin Lu returned each greeting with a friendly smile of his own.

He quickly reached the riverbank, filled his bucket, and started heading home.

But before he’d gone far, a deafening explosion suddenly rang out in the sky!

Boom—!

The sound instantly drew Qin Lu’s gaze upward.

Just one glance left him utterly stunned.

High above, three figures were locked in combat, explosions erupting around them continuously.

They were fighting!

More importantly, none of these three figures were riding flying artifacts—they were levitating freely in mid-air!

Three Foundation Establishment cultivators!

Qin Lu stared fixedly at the sky, astonished.

Bang! Boom! Clang!

Various deafening sounds echoed incessantly as two of the cultivators ganged up on the third. Their magical artifacts and talismans unleashed colorful attacks that dazzled the eyes.

“It’s him!”

Qin Lu’s pupils suddenly contracted. He recognized the Foundation Establishment cultivator under attack.

This man was Yu Xiu—the one he’d met at the market! The head of the Yu family, one of the five major factions!

“How could Yu Xiu be fighting others? Who are these two?” Qin Lu’s expression shifted slightly.

Before he could ponder further, the three figures, locked in fierce combat, shot off rapidly toward the wilderness, continuing their fight as they fled.

Seeing this, Qin Lu no longer lingered—he hurried home.

This intense battle had naturally attracted the attention of many cultivators. Numerous people had opened their courtyard gates, discussing it animatedly with their neighbors.

When Qin Lu arrived near his home, he found Lu Xian had also opened his door and was standing at the entrance with Qian Li.

“Brother Qin! Did you see it? A battle between three Foundation Establishment cultivators!” Lu Xian greeted him.

“Brother Lu, what’s going on? I think I saw the head of the Yu family!” Qin Lu set down his water bucket and asked quickly.

Lu Xian lowered his voice. “That’s right! It’s Yu Xiu! The ones attacking him are two Foundation Establishment cultivators—one from the Wei family and one from Sunset Valley!”

Qin Lu’s face grew grim. “So the five major factions have really started fighting…”

“As expected. Yu Xiu probably won’t survive this encounter today,” Lu Xian remarked.

“That’s for the best!” Qian Li suddenly chimed in. “The bigger the commotion, the sooner the Wuji Sect will send someone!”

“Let’s hope so…”

Qin Lu and the Lu couple chatted for a moment at the doorway before parting ways.

Back home, Qin Lu explained the entire incident to Zhang Meng, who had been completely unaware of what had transpired.

After listening, Zhang Meng shook her head repeatedly, looking utterly helpless. “Alas, I hope new Foundation Establishment cultivators arrive soon.”

“Indeed…” Qin Lu nodded deeply in agreement.

Without any cultivators stationed by the Wuji Sect to maintain order, the market had truly descended into chaos.

As he pondered this, Qin Lu couldn’t help but think of the Yu family head, whose fate remained uncertain. He let out a long sigh.

“It’s all so chaotic…”