Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Ambush on the Way

Wu Family Marketplace.

Inside the cave mansion, it was decorated with an ancient charm. In the center of the cave mansion, there was an alchemy furnace suppressing the earth fire; below the furnace, there was a plum blossom-shaped notch, and at the notch’s position, the red earth fire emitting sizzling sounds, burning the bottom of the furnace.

At the top of the alchemy furnace, two golden dragon mouths stood on either side, huffing and puffing steam.

The floor of the cave mansion was paved with warm jade, which was gentle and smooth; stepping on it didn’t feel cold, instead it felt slightly warm.

In the northern part of the cave mansion, there was a spirit acupoint, and above the spirit acupoint, a Dao platform was set up.

The Dao platform was inscribed with talismans, resembling a yin-yang fish pattern.

Above the Dao platform, there was a bed made of spirit wood, with gray flat hair spread on it, mixing black and white together.

On the bed, an old man sat upright, his aura surging like waves, fluctuating unpredictably, sometimes becoming strong, while at other times becoming weak.

The expression on the old man’s face was somewhat ferocious and twisted, beads of sweat on his forehead, his body slightly trembling.

After a long while, his eyes opened, revealing a trace of disappointment.

Attempting to break through to the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment, it was another failure.

This was the fourth time.

Cultivation is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

After becoming a Foundation Establishment Cultivator at forty, it took twenty years to reach the peak of the first layer, then two consecutive breakthroughs to enter the second layer.

After entering the second layer, it took another fifteen years to reach the peak of the second layer, and three consecutive breakthroughs to reach the third layer.

Then, it took another ten years to reach the peak of the third layer, and three failed breakthroughs, this was the fourth attempt, but still failure.

By now, he was already one hundred and thirty years old, just at the peak of the third layer.

The progress was somewhat slow.

Back then, in order to increase speed, he consumed too many elixirs to hasten cultivation improvement.

The speed did increase significantly.

But correspondingly, he had to pay a price, which was elixir poison infiltrating the bones and meridians, causing the bottleneck to be exceptionally firm, making cultivation progress slow.

“It’s said that the Pure Lotus has the effect of purifying the body’s impurities. Consuming it can wash marrow and shave hair, and can remove half of the elixir poison in a cultivator’s body. It will be auctioned in Purple Sun Marketplace in a month, with a starting price of five thousand spirit stones.”

Checking his storage bag, Wu Quanwen slightly frowned.

The Pure Lotus must be obtained.

Without the Pure Lotus, he might remain in the third layer of Foundation Establishment for life.

As for borrowing money.

Borrowing money the first time is a favor.

Borrowing money a second time is a duty.

The third time, he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

By now, he still owed five thousand spirit stones in debt.

“Now, lacking funds, I can only take action… that loose cultivator happens to have money.” Wu Quanwen suddenly thought of that loose cultivator, Ye Fan, who spent over a thousand spirit stones in the Wu Family Marketplace, seemingly with more spirit stones in his pocket, like a fat sheep.

Thinking of killing to seize treasures, a tinge of guilt rose in his heart.

The Wu Family does things openly and honestly, adhering strictly to principles.

Such an act of ambushing guests was explicitly forbidden within the clan, and if discovered, one would be expelled or even executed.

But for the Pure Lotus, he couldn’t care about that anymore.

Moreover, he was always cautious when taking action.

He wouldn’t provoke those family cultivators.

He wouldn’t provoke those Foundation Establishment Cultivators either.

He specifically targeted loose cultivators, especially those without background, focusing on those in the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation.

Those in the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation mostly accumulated some spirit stones, the wealthy would buy Foundation Establishment Pills, while the poor would buy other supporting elixirs.

On the other hand, those newly entering the Foundation Establishment were often heavily in debt, terribly poor.

Moreover, he was very measured, taking action every two or three years, and always alone to avoid the clan’s detection.

“Fellow Cultivator Ye Fan, my apologies.”

Wu Quanwen sighed.

Determined, he set his eyes on Ye Fan.

Ye Fan seemed to be refining a lifebound treasure, only leaving the cave mansion after a month, then disappearing after visiting some nearby shops.

Swish, swish.

After leaving the marketplace, Ye Fan used escape techniques to leave quickly.

The speed was so fast that even he was secretly amazed.

Wu Quanwen silently followed.

He didn’t make a move when leaving the marketplace but followed quietly instead.

After walking for three days, he rested in a roadside mountain cave, and Wu Quanwen finally acted.

The distance from the Wu Family Marketplace was considerable.

If something happened, it would have nothing to do with the Wu Family Marketplace.

Swish, swish.

Thinking of this, Wu Quanwen began to set up array flags, sealing off a kilometer around to prevent the enemy from escaping.

Within moments, the array flags were set up.

The array was operating, sealing off the surrounding void.

Swish.

At this moment, Wu Quanwen finally breathed a sigh of relief and moved near the mountain cave.

“Who is it?”

At this moment, Ye Fan seemed to be alerted, vigilantly looking at the enemy, and said, “So it’s Wu Family’s fellow cultivator. But fellow cultivator seems a bit unruly, ambushing a guest from your own family, this doesn’t follow the Wu Family’s principles.”

Lu Xuanji felt bitterly smiling in his heart; the first time disguising himself, he got into trouble.

“Indeed, it doesn’t quite follow the Wu Family’s principles. But this poor Taoist is short of money, so I have to borrow some from a fellow cultivator.” Wu Quanwen said.

“Is that so?”

Lu Xuanji laughed. At that moment, his aura erupted, rising from the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation to the Foundation Establishment Realm, his aura at only the first layer of Foundation Establishment, but the depth of his true essence was no less than that of the third layer.

As the true qi surged, a pair of blue wings appeared behind him. The wings flickered with blue light, with talismans rising and falling, brilliant and dignified, surrounded by a wind aura, seemingly reaching the ultimate speed.

At the same moment, a crimson treasure sword appeared in his hand, with red patterns flickering like flames burning.

Not only that, but there was also a continuous sound of wind on the treasure sword.

As the sword emerged, flames gathered, transforming into a phoenix striking down from the sky.

Swish, swish, swish.

It was as if the flames were boiling, as if the wind was rushing, reaching the ultimate speed.

Lu Xuanji made a great killing move from the start, utilizing both his winged magical treasure and flying sword, striking relentlessly and strongly from the outset.

He surpassed the probing phase, directly entering a decisive battle, a life-and-death confrontation.

“Not good.”

Wu Quanwen was horrified.

Instinctively, he took out a shield to guard his neck.

The shield gleamed with an earthy color, positioned in front.

Clang, clang.

The phoenix crashed into it, the destructive flames assaulting in waves.

After three consecutive impacts, the energy in the phoenix was exhausted and dissipated.

But Wu Quanwen felt his magical power depleting. In just brief exchanges, two layers of magical power were consumed. If this continued, what would happen then?

Swish!

At this moment, Lu Xuanji closed in, holding the Li Fire Sword with both hands, his true essence converging onto the sword, not forming a phoenix but attaching to the blade, increasing its sharpness.

Unity of man and sword, slashing down continuously in midair.

In a single breath, eighteen slashes were made consecutively.

Clang, clang, clang!

Initially, the shield could withstand, but by the eighteenth slash, cracks appeared on the shield.