The Pill Hall of the Five Elements Sect buzzed with activity as more than a dozen alchemists, their faces graced with white hair, gathered by the pond, feeding the Spirit Fish with bait and watching with hopeful eyes.

A white-bearded alchemist tossed a piece of bait into the water, which a Spirit Fish approached only to disdainfully flick away with its tail.

After being fed with the Bait Tempting Technique for so long, the fish had become picky eaters, turning their noses up at ordinary bait.

Failed again. The white-bearded alchemist wasn't discouraged, as such events had become commonplace for him.

"Elder Ming, have you optimized the bait?"

Elder Ming was the Vice Hall Master of the Pill Hall, a master alchemist second only to the Hall Master himself. Many of the Five Elements Sect's Foundation Establishment Pills and high-grade medicinal pills were crafted by his hand.

"I'd like to try the improved bait as well."

Elder Ming walked to the pool's edge, took out his personally refined bait, and dispersed it into the water.

Swarms of Spirit Fish converged and swiftly devoured the tempting bait.

"As expected of the Hall Master!"

"The Alchemy Master truly is exceptional. When can I reach such heights?"

Envy was poorly concealed on the faces of the other alchemists, who had all tried their hand at improving the bait, yet fell short when compared to the Pill Hall's Vice Hall Master.

Elder Ming used his Pupil Skill to observe the changes in the fish, his smile quickly fading.

"The effect of enticing and promoting evolution has somewhat declined compared to the original Bait Tempting Technique."

"The Bait Tempting Technique has already maximized its medicinal synergy; any change is for the worse, and even the Hall Master would struggle to improve it."

"Although the bait was unranked and only effective on Spirit Fish, its potential value was immense. Should it cause the fish to evolve, the Five Elements Sect could gain a lucrative new source of income and even establish a dedicated Spirit Fish Bureau."

Who would have thought that such a miraculous discovery could come from Miscellaneous Pills? It's simply inconceivable!

This matter originated five days ago when the higher-ups dispatched a task to create fish bait.

The Pill Hall's alchemists, usually proud, showed no interest in a substandard, unranked bait recipe and casually delegated the task to the Alchemy Apprentices.

Assuming it was a minor matter, they didn't take it to heart.

That is until an apprentice claimed to have discovered that the bait could induce evolution in the Spirit Fish – the Pill Hall was suddenly thrown into chaos.

In five days, they stopped making pills and focused solely on studying the bait; challenging themselves to improve the bait recipe became their primary task.

Based on the original formula for the Bait Tempting Technique, they experimented on the Spirit Fish using more precious Spiritual Medicines as substitutes.

In just a few days, the Pill Hall nearly turned into a fishpond.

What they considered improvements to the bait formula were in truth steps backward.

The modified bait ended up less effective at luring fish and, furthermore, lost the unique power to make Spirit Fish evolve.

From initial confidence to the current state, even the Alchemy Masters of the Pill Hall were at a loss.

"The effect of the Bait Tempting Technique is still lacking; we must use it in large quantities for it to take effect, and the cost far exceeds the value of a Spirit Fish."

"Without the ability to improve it further, its efficacy is somewhat unimpressive."

"I've just received word that not only the Five Elements Sect but also the Yuding Sect have acquired this method."

"If the Five Elements Sect fails and the Yuding Sect succeeds in improving it, this will pin the Pill Hall to the pillar of shame!"

"Do we know if the Grandmaster who created the Bait Tempting Technique is still alive? Could we possibly invite him here?"

No longer underestimating Miscellaneous Pills, they had to accept that the creator of the bait was a Grandmaster-level individual.

If they could enlist his help, the success rate of improving the formula would greatly increase.

The news escalated quickly and soon reached the ears of Xue Feng'e.

Can it truly induce evolution in Spirit Fish? Is this the source of the tempting effect? No wonder Luo Yuzhu traveled great distances to the Great Wilderness Market to exchange for the Alchemy Recipe.

Xue Feng'e instantly recognized the value of the bait, its potential boundless.

Unfortunately, the discovery came too late.

With Luo Yuzhu having left the Great Wilderness Market, any attempt to intercept her was futile.

"Who sold the bait formula? I want to know his identity at once."

Jia Ren's face shifted from blurred to clear, finally becoming more than just a nameless figure in Xue Feng'e's mind.

The Five Elements Sect was swift to act, and soon, the Wind Patrol Chief handed Xue Feng'e a Jade Slip containing information about Jia Ren.

"Jia Ren, 31 years old, entered the Great Wilderness Market eight years ago via the Heavenly Horse Commerce Group. His father perished five years ago while hunting Magical Beasts. He hunts with Yang Shengwu, is proficient in the Yang Secret Technique, a frequenter of pleasure quarters, and once spent a night with three women..."

Xue Feng'e frowned. Truly a vulgar man.

"The first cultivator in ten years daring to fish in the Lake of Smoky Waves, the instigator of the Mist Bizarre incident there, skilled in bait making, and sold his products in the West District Market..."

"Yang Bingzhi from the Five Elements Sect?! He's suspected of discovering the Corner Worm calamity alongside Yang Bingzhi..."

"The Qi Family Brothers reported Jia Ren as a Remnant of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, but the Law Enforcement Office's search came up empty."

The intelligence on Jia Ren was quite detailed, with most superficial information recorded.

The information on Jia Ren had a gap, starting from the time of the great war between the Five Elements Sect and Thousand Beasts Mountain. The last record before this gap was the Qi Family Brothers reporting Jia Ren as a Remnant of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain.

The Five Elements Sect had always maintained a high level of surveillance over the Great Wilderness Market, and most cultivators had similar records.

However, after the Sect emerged victorious from the war and expanded its sphere of influence, many Wind Patrol cultivators were dispatched to the territories of Thousand Beasts Mountain, which led to a loosening of surveillance over the Great Wilderness Market.

Xue Feng'e had arrived just slightly later than Luo Yuzhu and had overheard their conversation. He's not without merit. He is the very creator of this bait. A talent capable of devising the Bait Tempting Technique formula—if he could be taught Alchemy, perhaps he might well perfect the bait and make it a signature of the Five Elements Sect.

"Locate Jia Ren and invite him to join the alchemists of the Five Elements Sect's Pill Hall."

The Wind Patrol Chief said hesitantly, "This person is suspected of being a Thousand Beasts Mountain spy..."

Xue Feng'e scoffed and replied, "That's merely the dirty tactics of the Law Enforcement Office! If he truly were a Thousand Beasts Mountain spy, why would he collude with Yang Bingzhi to report it?"

"Besides, even if Jia Ren were a disciple of Thousand Beasts Mountain, we must find a way to turn him into one of the Five Elements Sect's people."

"I want to meet him, and the sooner, the better."

"I'll see to it at once!"

Xue Feng'e's commands had to be heeded even by the Foundation Establishment Stage Elders of the Five Elements Sect. This was not only because her father was the Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect but also due to her extraordinary talent—the rare Phoenix Departure Physique, a rarity in the Cultivation World. The Five Elements Ancestor praised her incessantly, proclaiming her to be a future Golden Core Seed.

Her talent indicated an imminent Foundation Establishment and a Golden Core in the foreseeable future. Coupled with her background as the only daughter of the Five Elements Sect Master and the favorite of the Five Elements Ancestor, who would be so blind as to offend her?

Jia Ren was not easy to find... The Law Enforcement Office had already proven this. While the Wind Patrol was more efficient than the Law Enforcement Office, they were currently short-staffed.

Yang Bingzhi is the quickest way to find Jia Ren. Where is Yang Bingzhi?

Streaks of light flew rapidly across the Five Elements Sect's branches searching for him, but Yang Bingzhi was nowhere to be seen.

Disciples of a Sect are different from Loose Cultivators; when they join a Sect, they all leave behind a Soul Record.

A Soul Record not only informed the Sect when a disciple died but also served an even more important function. The Wind Patrol could use it at critical moments to track a disciple's location.

Want to defect from the Sect? Let's see if you can escape the pursuit of the Five Elements Sect.

The Great Wilderness? Quickly find him... no, I'll go myself.

...

"You can't escape!" Patriarch Wang shouted. "Let's see how you block this!"

Patriarch Wang showed no mercy, initiating with a powerful offensive secret technique, aiming to kill his target in one strike.

To his surprise, the person had many protective measures—a Superior Defensive Artifact, Talismans, and also practiced Body Refining Techniques—so the strike didn't kill him.

He decisively struck again, a dark, sharp claw rapidly enlarging as it reached out to grab Yang Bingzhi.

Yang Bingzhi activated a Mid-grade Divine Wind Talisman. The power of the Divine Wind combined with his Wind Control Skill quickened his pace as he sped into the distance to escape.

Patriarch Wang dared not let Yang Bingzhi escape. The man was wearing a Five Elements Sect Robe, and once he reported back to the Five Elements Sect about the newly discovered Spirit Stone Vein, it would be lost.

Not only that, but to keep the secret, the Five Elements Sect would certainly annihilate the Wang Family.

The survival of the Wang Family was at stake; there was no room for negligence.

Activating a secret technique, he rode a small, dark black boat in quick pursuit, his speed only slightly slower than Yang Bingzhi, who was using the Divine Wind Talisman.

It was not easy to widen the gap.

Once the Divine Wind Talisman's effect wore off, he would undoubtedly die at the hands of Patriarch Wang.

What to do?

The more dangerous it became, the quicker Yang Bingzhi's mind worked; a bolt of lightning flashed through his thoughts.

My pursuer, Senior Brother Meng. Better him dead than me.

Without hesitation, he changed direction and swiftly flew towards the Cold Pool.

Above the Cold Pool, Meng Yuan conjured a phantom image, deceiving the Ice Giant Frog's attack, and his sword pierced its head.

Beasts are just beasts, stupid.

A First Order, Superior Grade Magical Beast, plus the local Spiritual Medicines, means the haul could be six to seven hundred Spirit Stones.

Although failing to catch Yang Bingzhi was regrettable, this haul was still considerable.

Even Five Elements Sect Cultivators needed Spirit Stones; seven to eight hundred Spirit Stones was no small sum.

"Senior Brother Meng, our Spirit Stone Vein has been discovered! We need to report back to the Five Elements Sect quickly!"

Engrossed in counting his gains, Meng Yuan was suddenly passed by a blur he couldn't make out clearly—Yang Bingzhi's voice resonated in his ears.

Is he using the Divine Wind Talisman he got at the auction? A Spirit Stone Vein? He discovered a Spirit Stone Vein?! No wonder he has so many Spirit Stones!

Before Meng Yuan's excitement could take over, he sensed a terrifying aura and a bone-chilling murderous intent rushing towards him from behind.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator! It's that disaster diversion trick again! Yang Bingzhi, you're trying to get me killed!!!

He never thought the same thing would happen to him twice in a row...

Meng Yuan had no time to think about the Spirit Stone Vein. He activated the treasured Talismans he possessed and quickly fled in another direction.

Don't chase me!

The Foundation Establishment Cultivator, contrary to his hopes, rode a Flying Artifact towards him. A dark dragon claw expanded to several yards in size and crashed down from above.

Meng Yuan's defensive Magic Artifact didn't even last half a breath before he was slammed into the dirt, its fragments and his flesh mixing into the deep pit left by the dragon claw.

Top-grade Magical Instrument!

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator wielding a Top-grade Magical Instrument in a furious strike was not something a Qi Refining Cultivator could withstand. Even a Ninth Level Qi Refinement Cultivator couldn't survive such a blow.

After killing Meng Yuan, Patriarch Wang didn't check the result and immediately chased after Yang Bingzhi.

Meng Yuan had not been useless. Yang Bingzhi used the opportunity to increase the distance, greatly boosting his chances of escape.

"You can't escape!"

He spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the Flying Boat Magical Artifact beneath him. The Flying Boat Magical Artifact instantly accelerated by thirty percent, dashing in pursuit.

"Today, not even the King of Heaven can save you!"

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