I need to heal. Fast.

Wang Hao sat amidst the ruin of the battlefield, his breath shallow. The captured True Sun Flame was dormant for now, trapped within his Spirit Weapon, but it was a ticking time bomb. If he didn’t absorb it completely soon, it might backlash, and he would repeat Si Zhiheng’s fatal mistake.

Half an hour later, a familiar flutter of wings broke his concentration.

Yaya swooped down from the sky, Xiaobai trailing close behind. The spirit beast held several bloody Storage Bags in its beak. Upon seeing Wang Hao, it dropped the loot and strutted forward, squawking loudly with its chest puffed out, clearly demanding praise.

“I know, I know. Yaya did the best,” Wang Hao chuckled, smoothing its feathers. He tossed two Beast Rearing Pills into the air, which the beasts caught with eager snaps.

Moments later, Li Derong and her group arrived. They had successfully finished off Si Zhijie.

seeing Wang Hao sitting there unharmed, the anxiety on Li Derong’s face melted away. She bowed slightly, her voice laced with guilt. “I apologize, Wang Hao. I intended to assist you sooner, but Si Zhijie fought like a madman. I couldn’t break away.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Wang Hao dismissed with a wave of his hand. “A single Early Foundation Establishment cultivator isn’t enough to take me down.”

Li Yaozu and Wang Longyou descended from the sky shortly after.

Li Yaozu let out a booming laugh, his mood high. “That Si Zhijie was truly a generous man! He knew our harvest was thin, so he personally delivered his life’s savings to our doorstep!”

Wang Longyou stroked his beard, a shrewd glint in his eyes. “Indeed. Let’s tally the spoils and divide them quickly. This place isn’t safe.”

The group ordered their Qi Refining clansmen to set up a perimeter while the Foundation Establishment seniors gathered in a circle to inventory the loot.

Si Zhijie had sent some wealth away with fleeing juniors, but he had kept the lion’s share on his person. The Spirit Stones alone totaled over sixty thousand. Alongside the currency was a pile of more than ten Second-Grade Magical Artifacts.

“This must be the entirety of the Si family’s armory,” Li Yaozu said, his eyes locking onto a glowing orange vessel. He glanced between Wang Hao and Wang Longyou. “Fellow Daoists, the Wang family already possesses several airships. Would you object if the Li family claimed this flying boat?”

Wang Hao glanced at the artifact. It was a Mid-Rank Second Grade Spirit Weapon. Its speed and capacity were decent, but inferior to his Flying Cloud Boat, and leagues behind his Sun and Moon Shuttle.

“Since Senior Li has a use for it, please, take it,” Wang Hao said generously. “In exchange, I’ll claim this set of Spirit Weapons.”

He picked up a collection of silver needles.

There were nine in total, each only the length of a palm, shimmering with a cold, metallic light—the Silver Shadow Needles.

Individually, each needle was a Low-Rank Second Grade Magical Artifact. However, as a complete set, they could form a battle formation, elevating their combined power to the level of a Top-Grade Spirit Weapon.

Wang Hao’s eyes gleamed. Compared to his White Tip Divine Needle, these were less subtle but far more destructive. A set like this was a nightmare to defend against; the needles could attack from multiple angles, their power compounding through formation arrays.

Refining a single flying needle was difficult. Refining a matching set of nine was a masterwork. Si Zhijie must have had incredible luck to acquire them.

The Si family, founded by the rogue cultivator Si Ji, lacked the deep heritage of established clans. They didn’t farm or run businesses; they raided ruins and hunted beasts. It was a high-risk path that filled their graveyard as quickly as their treasury, but the survivors were often armed to the teeth with exotic gear found in ancient caves.

By value, the Silver Shadow Needles were worth more than the flying boat. However, the boat was a strategic asset the Li family desperately needed. Wang Hao, having contributed the most to the battle, was entitled to the better prize, and the Li family was happy to concede.

Wang Hao tried to activate the needles.

Hum.

Only three of the nine needles wobbled into the air, their light dim.

Wang Hao grimaced. His injuries were severe, and the backlash from the Spirit-Splitting Cone had damaged his Divine Consciousness. He couldn’t control the full set. He suspected Si Zhijie and Si Zhiheng had suffered the same problem—their mental strength wasn’t enough to wield this weapon effectively, which was why it had remained in the bag during the fight.

The distribution continued.

Li Derong selected a heavy yellow shield. Wang Longyou chose a flexible inner armor. The remaining artifacts were either damaged or of low value, so they were quickly split between the clans.

Consumables were scarce; the Si family had burned through most of their talismans during the desperate defense. However, they found a few bottles of Spirit Pills and, most shockingly, a Foundation Establishment Pill.

It looked freshly refined. It was likely a bribe from the Burning Heaven Sect to secure the Si family’s loyalty.

“Senior Li,” Wang Hao said firmly, pushing the pill toward the older man. “You should take this.”

At Wang Hao’s insistence, Li Yaozu accepted the precious pill. In exchange, Wang Hao swept up the massive stockpile of refining materials found in the bags.

These materials were exactly what Wang Hao needed. They were high-quality resources scavenged from ruins—perfect for repairing his puppets and advancing his artifact refining skills. To him, they were worth far more than a pill he could brew himself.

Additionally, the Wang family received several Second-Grade beast cores, a set of formation flags, and two mysterious beast eggs. According to Li Derong, these were likely Purple Cloud Eagle eggs, as Si Zhijie had used such a beast in battle.

Wang Hao took one egg for the family but felt no personal interest. The Purple Cloud Eagle was a mediocre species, capping out at Top-Rank Second Grade with average speed and strength. It wasn’t worth a slot in his roster. However, the clan’s juniors were increasingly interested in beast taming, so it would make a good reward for someone back home.

Finally, they sorted through a stack of jade slips. Most were common inheritances, but Wang Hao found a Second-Grade refining manual that offered some unique insights. He tucked it away for later study.

As the adrenaline faded, the reality of the battle set in.

“We lost two more,” Wang Longyou murmured, looking at the bodies of the Wang clan cultivators who had been caught in the crossfire.

The objective was to weaken Maple Leaf Market. They had succeeded, wiping out the Gu and Si families and killing four Foundation Establishment experts. But the cost was high. Wang Hao and Wang Yanzhi were heavily injured, and the war was far from over.

“Six, The dead cannot be brought back to life,” Wang Hao said softly. “Don’t let grief weigh you down. We will ensure their descendants are well cared for. As for our injuries… my foundation is solid. A few weeks of rest, and I’ll be back to full strength.”

Li Yaozu nodded solemnly. “The Li family stands with you. We will watch out for and assist each other. If the Wang family faces danger, we will be there.”

With the spoils divided and pacts reaffirmed, the coalition packed up and began the journey home.

Giant Wood Peak – Si Family Stronghold

A middle-aged cultivator knelt before Ji Shuguang, his voice trembling.

“Elder Ji… we’ve searched the entire mountain. There are no survivors. The spiritual herbs, the timber, even the buildings… everything has been razed by the forces of Green Bull Market.”

Ji Shuguang’s expression darkened. He stared at the ruined peak, his jaw tightening.

“Forget it,” he sighed, waving his hand dismissively. “We were too late. Return to Double Dragon Mountain. We must prepare for the main offensive.”

The vassal cultivators behind him exchanged uneasy glances.

The Burning Heaven Sect clearly viewed them as disposable pawns. Maple Leaf Market’s forces had been decimated. How were they supposed to fight against the victors of Green Bull Market now?

But no one dared to speak. Their survival depended on the Sect. They could only hope the war would end quickly.

Ji Shuguang sensed their wavering morale. He softened his tone, though his eyes remained cold.

“I know I am forcing a heavy burden upon you,” he said. “But the Sect’s orders are absolute. Even if you cannot conquer Green Bull Market, you must contain them. Pin them down so they cannot send reinforcements to the Qingyuan Sect. Do you understand?”