Chapter 449: First Glimpse of Assistance, Golden Sand Marketplace (2)

Chapter 449 -276: First Glimpse of Assistance, Golden Sand Marketplace (2)

The Cultivators coming and going within the Marketplace, while not exactly filthy, still gave off the unavoidable impression of desert travelers—rough, valiant, and travel-worn.

Their gazes were piercing as they crossed.

At this moment, inside a Spirit Wine Tower in the center of the district, a Green Robe Cultivator sat by the window.

His face was a weathered bronze, coarse from years of wind and sand, with several deep wrinkles etched at the corners of his eyes.

Yet, his hands were unusually steady, his knuckles distinct, as he unhurriedly lifted the only flask of liquor on the table to pour himself a full cup.

The liquor was golden, sparkling under the sun as if a handful of yellow sand had been poured into the cup.

His appearance and mannerisms immediately marked him as a Cultivator who had toiled and struggled in the desert for many years.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!…

Outside the window was the bustling street of the Jinsha District. The heavy footsteps of passersby were incessant, and further in the distance lay the boundless sea of sand and distorted waves of heat.

The Green Robe Cultivator drank by himself, his gaze not on the street scene but lowered slightly, as if listening for something.

It wasn’t until the sharp sound of something cutting through the air came from the distance—the sound of someone riding an Escape Light—that his movements paused.

His hand, in the middle of pouring, stopped for a moment. He slowly raised his eyes and glanced toward the entrance of the Spirit Wine Tower.

He was just in time to see a beautiful Female Cultivator in an Immortal Skirt step inside, led into the establishment by an obsequious and fawning waiter.

“Li’Er.”

The corners of the Green Robe Cultivator’s lips twitched into a smile, crinkling the wrinkles by his eyes, as he sent a voice transmission.

This person was none other than Lin Changheng, who had merely used the Illusionary Appearance Shifting Demon Technique to change his appearance. He had even deliberately adopted the characteristics of a local Cultivator to avoid drawing attention.

“Brother Lin.”

Mo Zhaoli looked over upon hearing the voice transmission, her beautiful eyes sizing up Lin Changheng for a moment as a strange look flashed across her face.

Clearly, if Lin Changheng hadn’t spoken, she wouldn’t have been able to see through his disguise, nor would she have likely noticed him sitting and drinking nearby.

‘Brother Lin’s Disguise Illusion Technique is truly exquisite,’ Mo Zhaoli praised inwardly.

“Have a drink with me.”

Lin Changheng gestured for Mo Zhaoli to sit and poured her a cup of the liquor.

Although the team of Cultivators from the Purple Extreme Sect was waiting, since Brother Lin had said so, she was in no hurry and watched him with a smile.

Her delicate hand lifted the cup, and she took a curious sip. Her fine brows immediately furrowed, and she stuck out the tip of her tongue. It was clearly extremely spicy and had a coarse texture, like swallowing gravel, which she was not at all used to.

“Haha!”

Lin Changheng laughed, then quietly asked Mo Zhaoli about the reason the Purple Extreme Sect was allowing outsiders to participate in this mission.

Until he understood the reason, his mind would not be at ease.

“I couldn’t say it plainly in the letter, Li’Er explained. After all, letters can have ‘eyes’ and might be spied upon. But I also knew Brother Lin’s personality and figured you would likely have your doubts…”

Mo Zhaoli covered her mouth and chuckled lightly.

Then, she began to explain.

After listening, Lin Changheng’s expression showed a flash of realization, all his doubts vanishing.

There were two main reasons.

First, the Purple Extreme Sect was indeed short-handed at the moment. A group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators had been dispatched, and their destination was unknown.

Since Mo Zhaoli was not on the list, she couldn’t learn the details and didn’t dare to ask too many questions.

It was obvious that this matter involved a sect secret. Trying to uncover the truth out of curiosity was not a wise move.

It would likely attract scrutiny.

Second, the sect’s missions were distributed among its members. Each Foundation Establishment Cultivator who accepted a mission owned the rights to harvest the Spiritual Materials and Spirit Grass in their designated area. If they sought outside help, they were simply sharing a piece of their own pie.

It had no impact on the Purple Extreme Sect itself.

Thus, there was no so-called conflict of interest.

“So that’s how it is…”

Lin Changheng looked thoughtful. His objective achieved, he stood up directly, tossed a Spirit Stone onto the table, and left with Mo Zhaoli.

Inwardly, however, he was quite interested in where that group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Purple Extreme Sect had gone.

He wondered if it was related to the friction between Profound Ice Valley and Yellow Maple Cliff, or if it involved the civil unrest in the Jin Country and cultivators crossing borders.

Or perhaps there were other places that needed to be developed in secret?

As his thoughts raced, Lin Changheng was already aboard Mo Zhaoli’s small, ten-foot-long cyan Dharma Ship. They silently crossed over ten li of the scorching sea of sand, arriving at the leeward side of a towering Sand Mountain.

The Dharma Ship hovered, and the two of them floated down gracefully.

The wind and sand at the top of the Sand Mountain were blocked by an invisible barrier, creating a relatively calm area. Here, seven figures were either sitting or standing. Their auras were profound, and without exception, all of them were Foundation Establishment Cultivators!

‘Something’s not right!’

Lin Changheng’s gaze swept quickly over the group before landing on an old man in a black robe.

This person was sitting cross-legged alone on an exposed black rock. His aura was not obvious, but a chilling cold emanated from him, clashing with the scorching surroundings. A Black Wood Banner lay across his lap, its surface fluttering without any wind, enveloped in the ebb and flow of Magical Power.

‘A Magical Treasure Embryo?!’

‘A Fake Core Cultivator?!’

Although Lin Changheng hadn’t used his Divine Sense, he perceived it instantly. The aura of a Magical Treasure Embryo could not be completely concealed, even if this black-robed elder was suppressing it.

At the same time, he also confirmed the man’s cultivation. If he wasn’t a Fake Core Cultivator, how would he dare to openly refine such a treasure in the Outer World?

With this confirmation, Lin Changheng dared not stare for long. He shifted his gaze to the side, letting it fall upon the other six Cultivators.

Among them, only two were at Middle Stage Foundation Establishment—a man and a woman. They stood shoulder to shoulder, much closer than the others, and seemed to have a good relationship, perhaps a cooperative one.

The other four, surprisingly, were all at Late Stage Foundation Establishment.

One of them, a bald, burly man built like an iron tower, had his arms crossed and his eyes closed in rest. A faint metallic luster flowed across his bronze skin, particularly catching Lin Changheng’s attention. He was clearly also a Body Cultivator.

And his Body Refining Cultivation seemed quite impressive.

“His name is Jin Daoyao. He’s the Tier Two Upper Grade Array Master sent by the sect for Array Formation this time.”

Mo Zhaoli’s voice arrived at the perfect moment, causing Lin Changheng’s brow to twitch. An Array Master who looked like this… The contrast was stark, vastly different from the ethereal, slender, and studious image he had in his mind.

But in the next instant, as if he had thought of something, Lin Changheng asked, “His surname is Jin?”

‘I wonder if this person is related to the Jin Family of Star Erosion Lake?’

Back when Lin Changheng was sent by the Xu Family to manage the Alchemy Shop in the Cyan Spirit District, there was an Array Shop across the street. He had a good relationship with its Shopkeeper, Jin Geng, who was also a genius Array Master from the Jin Family of Star Erosion Lake.

He even made a deal with the Jin Family and obtained a Middle Grade Array Inheritance.

…

At almost the same time, the people waiting on the Sand Mountain sensed the sound of something cutting through the air and looked up.

After their gazes lingered briefly on Mo Zhaoli, they all shifted to Lin Changheng.

But upon sensing his aura was only that of a Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, they lost interest in probing further and looked away.

They clearly didn’t care.

They even seemed to think that Mo Zhaoli and Lin Changheng were just two Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators huddling together for comfort.

And a similar situation had occurred not long ago.

Suddenly, one of them, a Cai Yi Female Cultivator leaning lazily against the back of a subdued giant sand scorpion, let out a soft laugh. “Oh, Junior Sister Mo’s helper has finally arrived. You certainly kept us waiting.”

Everyone looked over silently. The woman was toying with a strand of her hair between her fingertips, her bewitching eyes full of vague allure, but her tone was not friendly.

“However, this Fellow Daoist’s cultivation aura is quite obscure. It seems he’s not even a match for Junior Sister Mo. I hope he won’t end up being a burden instead of a help, will he?”

The moment the Cai Yi Female Cultivator finished speaking, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

The gazes of several Foundation Establishment Cultivators shifted between Lin Changheng and Mo Zhaoli, filled with scrutiny and the air of people watching a show.

Mo Zhaoli was usually calm by nature. She could laugh off insults directed at her, but she would not tolerate anyone criticizing her Brother Lin.

Her expression immediately turned cold as she spoke icily, “Senior Sister Ye, who I ask for help doesn’t seem to require your approval. My Senior Brother’s abilities are not for someone as blind as you to judge!”