Li Changâanâs Skin Painting Technique was masterful, having already reached Tier Two Top Grade. It was so realistic that, when combined with various treasures and magic to alter his aura, it was virtually impossible for any Foundation Establishment Cultivator to see through his disguise.
He immediately bought all available information on Ye Mengxian from Luo Baitong.
âSo Ye Mengxian has a special constitution, too.â
Li Changâan was privately astonished.
The information revealed that before giving birth, Ye Mengxianâs mother dreamed that a Sword Immortal descended from the heavens, flew into her womb, and became her child.
That was why she was named "Mengxian."
Not long after her birth, she was discovered to have a special constitution.
Innate Sword Bone!
With this constitution, her aptitude for the Sword Dao was nothing short of astonishing. She was quickly singled out and groomed as a Golden Core Seed.
âHer disposition wonât be easy to imitate. If only I could see her in person just once.â
Li Changâan mused.
He wasnât a Sword Cultivator, nor did he possess an Innate Sword Bone. Impersonating her would be extremely difficult.
Just as he was considering this, Luo Baitong suddenly provided a new piece of intel.
"Daoist Li, I just heard that Ye Mengxian has appeared in Yellow Crane Immortal City. She plans on training in the area, using Tribulation Cultivators to temper her sword."
"Temper her sword?"
"Exactly!"
This wasnât the first time something like this had happened.
Many geniuses from the Righteous Sects would leave to gain real-world experience after accumulating sufficient strength within their sects.
And the best opponents for such training were, naturally, the numerous Tribulation Cultivators who lived in the shadows.
Luo Baitong reminded him, "Daoist Li, you have quite a reputation. Be careful she doesnât decide to use you to temper her sword."
"Alright, I understand."
Li Changâan gave a slight nod and put the information away.
âImpersonating Ye Mengxian doesnât seem very feasible.â
âItâs more practical to focus on increasing the Evil Soulâs power.â
Just then, a cultivator cloaked in a black robe and radiating a sinister, gloomy aura suddenly walked up to him.
"Youâre Li Fan?"
"I am."
Li Changâanâs expression turned cautious as he sized the man up.
This manâs aura was different from that of a normal cultivator; he was most likely a Demon Cultivator.
Sure enough.
The man said in a raspy voice, "I serve the Yin Soul Sectâs Fourth Saint Child. The Fourth Saint Child sent me to ask if Protector Wu Sheng died at your hands."
"Protector Wu Sheng?"
Li Changâan shook his head slightly.
"I only met him once. I didnât know him well."
"If you didnât kill him, you must have a clear conscience. Do you dare come with me to see the Fourth Saint Child?"
"And why should I?"
"Itâs not up to you!"
The manâs tone turned cold. Magical Power surged through his body, erupting with the aura of the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment.
At the sight of this, the surrounding onlookers looked shocked and quickly backed away, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.
Li Changâanâs expression remained unchanged. He reminded the man, "This is the Black Market. According to the rules, fighting is forbidden here."
"The Black Market? So what? Before my Demon Sect, even the Black Market has to bow down!"
The man sneered, showing no respect for the Black Marketâs rules.
With a flash of Spiritual Light in his hand, a skull-shaped Treasure appeared.
The skull opened its maw and spat out a crimson flame, searingly hot, like a fire from Purgatory meant to burn Li Changâan to ashes.
Feeling this terrifying power, the faces of the onlookers paled, and they all retreated even further.
Even a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator would die to that blood-red fire if caught unprepared.
They all wanted to know: how would Li Fan respond?
To their astonishment, Li Changâan didnât dodge or evade. He just stood there quietly.
He didnât seem to make a single move, yet the blood-red fire simply went out.
The next moment.
An immense, invisible force shot out from the depths of the Black Market, striking the Demonic Cultivator hard.
"ARGHâ"
The man screamed wretchedly as he was sent flying backward, spitting blood. The skull Treasure in his hand shattered in midair.
A single blow left him critically injured and on the verge of death, with no strength left to resist.
Then, an indifferent voice echoed from the depths of the Black Market.
"He who breaks my Black Marketâs rules deserves death!"
"Li Fan, according to the rules, he attacked first. If you kill him now, you will not be in violation."
"If you choose not to act, then I will kill him, but all the Treasures on his person will be mine."
The voice from the depths of the Black Market had given Li Changâan a choice.
He could make a moveâkill the man and take his treasures.
Or, he could do nothing at all.
Li Changâan cupped his hands in the direction of the voice from deep within the Black Market.
"Many thanks for your assistance, Senior!"
With that, he walked forward, a biting killing intent emanating from him.
The Demonic Cultivatorâs face was pale as he hissed, "Li Fan, I serve the Fourth Saint Child! If you dareâ"
BAM!
Before the man could finish his sentence, Li Changâan shattered his skull with a single palm strike, like a watermelon.
"Soul Comes!"
Li Changâan barked, and the Soul Banner in his hand unfurled.
The manâs Soul instantly appeared, its face filled with terror as it tried to flee.
But would Li Changâan give it the chance?
With a casual flick of his wrist, he drew the Soul into his Venerable Soul Banner.
Afterwards, he opened the manâs Storage Pouch to take a look.
Inside was another soul-holding vessel, a Small Bronze Cauldron, which to his surprise contained a full twenty thousand high-quality Souls.
âTwenty thousand Souls. Not bad!â
A smile touched Li Changâanâs lips. It had been an effortless exchange, practically a free gift of twenty thousand Souls.
Luo Baitong came over and sighed.
"Daoist Li, by doing this, youâve thoroughly offended that Fourth Saint Child."
"It doesnât matter. Iâve made plenty of enemies in my life. I donât mind adding a few more to the list."
Li Changâan was unconcerned.
âBesides, this identity is fake. If I provoke someone too powerful, Iâll just change faces and run for it.â
âWith my current strength, even angering a Fake Pill realm expert would be manageable, let alone the Fourth Saint Child, who is only at the Foundation Establishment stage.â
ăA short while later.ă
Li Changâan left the Black Market, his haul more than satisfactory.
Before leaving, he gave a large sum of Spirit Stones to Luo Baitong, asking him to help connect him with more Demonic Cultivators to make it easier to purchase Souls in the future.
âThe Yin Soul Sect has officially established itself, and plenty of Demon Cultivators have shown up. Buying Souls should be much simpler from now on.â
Li Changâan estimated that it wouldnât be long before he could gather 300,000 Souls.
That would allow his Evil Soul to match the power of an Early Stage of True Core cultivator!
Just as he was lost in thought, an icy Sword Qi suddenly materialized in his path.
Li Changâan froze, his gaze fixed ahead.
Not far ahead of him stood a woman in a white dress.
Her brows were like wisps of smoke, her skin fairer than snow. She had a slender, graceful figure and a beauty like that of a lone orchid in a secluded valley. She carried herself with a refined, ethereal elegance, as if she were a celestial being who had descended to the mortal realm.
The moment he saw her, a single name surfaced in Li Changâanâs mind.
Ye Mengxian!
Her gaze was cold as she looked impassively at Li Changâan. Beside her, a Treasure Sword, shimmering with a frosty light, slowly materialized.
"You are Li Fan? I hear youâre quite capable. Your blood will serve to temper my sword."