"The whereabouts of the Scarlet Fire Spirit Bird?"

"How many Elixirs does Fellow Daoist want in exchange?"

Jia Ren scanned his surroundings, searching for the person who had transmitted the message.

A man with a red mark on his left face, not wanting to expose his identity, retreated into the crowd.

"The Scarlet Fire Spirit Bird is rare, almost extinct. I know of a ruin where a few Scarlet Fire Spirit Birds still exist, and I can take Fellow Daoist there. We can split the finds fifty-fifty."

"I will consider it."

Upon hearing that he would need to go on a hunt, Jia Ren immediately lost interest.

Treasure hunting and monster hunting are fraught with danger. Accompanying strangers compounds the risk, as one needs to beware not only of Magical Beasts and Bizarre Demons but also of any companions.

Aren't you afraid of being attacked from both front and back?

There's no shortage of cultivators with sinister minds; many of whom would take advantage of the pretext of treasure hunting to rob and murder. One can never be too careful.

The cultivation level Jia Ren displayed was Foundation Establishment Late Stage, making him a formidable figure in the area, but that didn't mean no one would risk attacking him.

By setting traps and Formations in advance and preparing thoroughly, the possibility of the weak overcoming the strong was not entirely out of the question.

He didn't want to fail due to some unforeseen pitfall, so he avoided risky ventures altogether.

"If Fellow Daoist is willing, after capturing the Scarlet Fire Spirit Bird alive, I am willing to buy it at a high price."

Unable to confirm with absolute certainty that this person harbored ill intentions, he didn't mind having an additional source.

He handed the other party a one-time use transmission Magic Artifact and stopped paying attention.

Having it would be good; not having it wouldn't matter.

"I apologize, I've run out of this pill, but I have River Mountain Bags to exchange for treasures."

The number of Solidifying Yuan Pills he carried wasn't insignificant, but they didn't last long against the wealth of treasures he received in exchange.

Most Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn't want to trade for Spirit Stones, preferring to exchange treasures directly.

River Mountain Bags?

Everyone's gaze shifted to Celestial Twilight Elder, odd looks in their eyes.

Both men had entered together. Celestial Twilight Elder was constantly showing off his River Mountain Bag, while the other was now selling River Mountain Bags. It was hard for people not to suspect they were in cahoots.

"You have River Mountain Bags? Surely they aren't fake, are they?"

Celestial Twilight Elder looked at Jia Ren with suspicion until Jia Ren took out seven or eight River Mountain Bags, causing his expression to change drastically.

So many?

He hurried over to check the quality, and his face stiffened at once.

A Thousand Directions?

The Five Hundred Directions River Mountain Bag he had been showing off paled in comparison.

"What's the price for a Thousand Directions Mountain River Bag?"

Indeed, a River Mountain Bag was a rare item. There were Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators present still using Hundred Directions Storage Bags; a Thousand Directions Mountain River Bag was incredibly tempting.

"It's worth ten thousand Spirit Stones and corresponding cultivation materials."

Thousand Illusion Tower and Cold Moon Palace both priced it at this rate. He hadn't raised the price.

This time, he was only looking to exchange for treasures, not Spirit Stones.

"Ten thousand Spirit Stones? Damn that Thousand Illusion Tower! My Thousand Directions Mountain River Bag! No, I must go and settle accounts with them!"

Celestial Twilight Elder's face turned an ashen hue as he left in a fury, leaving everyone puzzled.

Could it be that a Five Hundred Directions River Mountain Bag was being sold for ten thousand Spirit Stones at Thousand Illusion Tower? Such a huge price difference!

"I'll trade with Spiritual Medicine."

Several Cultivators who hadn't been very interested initially began taking out Spiritual Medicines they had been reluctant to trade, exchanging them for River Mountain Bags.

A fine addition to the act.

This allowed him to acquire over twenty strains of Spiritual Medicine that were more than three hundred years old.

With Jia Ren's exchanges complete, it was other Cultivators' turns to trade.

The combined total of the next dozen or so Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn't even match what he alone had obtained.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators brought out mostly Top-grade Magical Instruments, Artifact Refining materials, and Demonic Beast Materials. Jia Ren acquired nearly half of all the items offered, stealing the show.

The exchange lasted for four hours. All of his Solidifying Yuan Pills were traded, and he exchanged fourteen River Mountain Bags, amassing a surplus of resources.

With the exchange over, it was time to leave.

"Please hold on, Fellow Daoists. I have a favor to ask."

The trade assembly was nearly at its end, and many Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had obtained their desired items were ready to leave.

A female cultivator from Cold Moon Palace, who had rarely participated, spoke up, causing the crowd to pause.

"What does Fellow Daoist need from us? If it's within our means, we will certainly do our best to help."

This person was a Cultivator from Cold Moon Palace who managed the Qingfu Fang Market, holding a significant status.

"Do my Fellow Daoists know of the Bizarre Alliance?"

The Bizarre Alliance?

Some faces changed dramatically upon hearing the name, avoiding the topic as if it were taboo. Others looked completely oblivious, never having heard of it. A few carried a peculiar expression on their faces.

"I will explain it for the Fellow Daoists who are unaware."

"Fellow Daoists, you all know of Bizarre Demons, recognized as the greatest hidden danger within the Cultivation World. If Bizarre Demons rise, humanity will have nowhere to stand."

"The Bizarre Alliance worships Bizarre Demons as their masters. They infiltrate the Great Sects, steal Magic Artifacts that seal Bizarre Demons, and release them. This is why Bizarre Demons are like an incurable disease, impossible to eradicate completely."

"The rampaging Black Blood Bizarre, Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre, and Dream Bizarre that plague the Cultivation World were all released by the Bizarre Alliance, claiming countless lives."

Jia Ren and a few others who were privy to the details wore strange expressions.

He was unaware of the Dream Bizarre and thus had no comment on that.

The Black Blood Bizarre was a Bizarre Demon sealed within a Spirit Stone Vein, dug out by cultivators from the Great Sects themselves, supposedly unrelated to the Bizarre Alliance.

Was this to unite the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in common hatred? To throw all the blame onto the Bizarre Alliance?

"I can bear witness to this. A spy within the Yuding Sect stole the artifact that sealed the Mirror Bizarre."

Luo Yuzhu stepped forward, seemingly providing corroboration.

The Mirror Bizarre?

Jia Ren recalled the sealed Magic Artifact he had obtained from the Liu-surnamed Foundation Establishment Cultivator's residence.

He only knew it sealed a Bizarre Demon, but he was unaware which type it was.

Over the past three years, he had attempted to replicate the Magic Artifact, but his efforts had been futile due to a lack of the necessary Warding Off Evil materials.

To prevent the sealed Bizarre Demon from escaping, he had specifically found a location to bury the artifact.

"That's outrageous! Don't they realize the consequences of releasing Bizarre Demons? Are they wishing for more cultivators to die?"

A dark-faced cultivator was full of anger, his voice barely containing the rage within.

The majority of cultivators had grim expressions. Bizarre Demons were already intractable, their only recourse being to seal them.

While others paid a huge price to seal Bizarre Demons, the Bizarre Alliance released them—utterly revolting.

"Does Ji Xianzi have any information on the whereabouts of the Bizarre Alliance? I am willing to contribute my strength to deal with the Bizarre Alliance Cultivators," said a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, with a look of abhorring evil as if it were his personal foe.

A shill? Or his genuine thoughts?

The answer didn't matter anymore, as many cultivators' emotions were stirred, filled with righteous indignation.

Bizarre Demons were difficult to deal with, but that didn't mean they couldn't defeat Cultivators.

"They should be completely eradicated to prevent such incidents!"

"A good friend of mine died at the hands of the Heart-devouring Illusion Bizarre. Killing them would be claiming justice for the deceased!"

"The Bizarre Alliance's claws should all be cut off! If they don't learn what pain is, they'll continue to act so recklessly!"

Seeing the effects far exceed her expectations, the female cultivator surnamed Ji quickly added, "Slaying the Bizarre Alliance Cultivators is our undeniable duty as Cultivators."

"I've just received news of the Bizarre Alliance Cultivators' whereabouts. They are wandering outside Qingfu Fang Market, around fifteen people, with just three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, unsure of what they are looking for. I implore my fellow Daoists to join me in taking action."

No few responded; they didn't believe they couldn't handle them.

They might fear confronting Bizarre Demons, but three Bizarre Alliance Foundation Establishment Cultivators were considered no serious threat.

"I still have matters to attend to, so I won't go this time."

Better to avoid trouble than seek it. What if, after killing Bizarre Alliance Cultivators, they suffered retaliation?

Many people had clans behind them and lacked the strength to confront the Bizarre Alliance.

"You're not a cohort of the Bizarre Alliance, are you?"

Some cast malicious glances; not joining the fight against the Bizarre Alliance Cultivators would make one a target for the more extreme individuals, branded as an accomplice.

No one dared to accept such an accusation and thus had no choice but to grudgingly agree.

With the precedent set, anyone else who tried to refuse would likely fare no better, forced to swallow this bitter pill in silence.

This is big trouble!

Jia Ren's complexion wasn't looking good.

In principle, dealing with the Bizarre Alliance was a good thing.

He was at odds with the Bizarre Alliance, and the more enemies it had, the better for him.

If the Bizarre Alliance began a war with the Great Sects, they wouldn't have the attention to spare for him.

Joining in the chaos to profit from the situation wasn't a bad idea.

But the problem was...

The Bizarre Alliance was not acting alone. Foundation Establishment Cultivators were visible, but three Golden Core Cultivators were hidden in the shadows.

One Golden Core Cultivator was trouble enough for them to handle, let alone three.

Confronting the Bizarre Alliance was very likely to bring trouble down upon themselves.

The issue was, he couldn't outright decline.

The female cultivator from Cold Moon Palace, surnamed Ji, was intent on roping them into the fight against the Bizarre Alliance.

Refuse? The label of Bizarre Alliance accomplice would be pinned on him.

Many cultivators present coveted the wealth he had displayed; someone would undoubtedly try to kick him while he was down.

The Market's Formation had been activated, trapping them like turtles in a jar.

With the Third-Order Fathead Fish Demon at his side, escaping was not a problem, but that would mean revealing his whereabouts.

If even one Foundation Establishment Cultivator died or was injured, it would weaken their overall power against the Bizarre Alliance—clearly not a wise choice.

Jia Ren decided to bide his time, outwardly agreeing while looking for an opportunity to slip away after leaving the Market.

"United as Cultivators, how could we fail to eliminate the Bizarre menace?"

"First, we eliminate the running dogs of the Bizarre Demons!"

Ji Xianzi of Cold Moon Palace was very satisfied with the outcome; her efforts in organizing this exchange meeting had not been in vain.

She planned to use the power of the Loose Cultivators against the Bizarre Alliance Cultivators. Once their hands were stained with the blood of Bizarre Alliance members, their identities would be secretly leaked. Given the fanaticism of the Bizarre Alliance, retaliation was certain.

By then, how could they refuse to join the Town Demon Alliance?!

The Town Demon Alliance had been promoted for nearly a year, yet very few had joined.

Cultivators are mostly selfish; very few are willing to make sacrifices. Many don't see the danger until it's too late, like not shedding a tear until they see the coffin.

With Cold Moon Palace and Thousand Illusion Sect fighting Bizarre Demons at the forefront, should the cultivators of the Barren Extreme Land reap the benefits without contributing?

How could such a thing be allowed?

They wanted to wash their hands of it, but pressure from higher-ups demanded that the Bizarre Demon threat be resolved. The problem then became how to motivate these unaffiliated Foundation Establishment Cultivators to take action.

It just so happened that Bizarre Alliance Cultivators were active nearby—wasn't this the perfect opportunity?

Should Foundation Establishment Cultivators suffer retaliation from the Bizarre Alliance, they would have no choice but to seek refuge with Thousand Illusion Sect and Cold Moon Palace.

Some were swayed by the prevailing mood, while others saw the situation with crystal clarity. They were being forced onto a path of righteousness, with no easy way out.

"Let's set off."

The group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators left Yunxiang Wine House and headed toward the river area in the southwest.

Jia Ren followed the crowd, searching for a chance to escape.

But it seemed for every measure, there was a countermeasure. The female cultivator from Cold Moon Palace, surnamed Ji, had come prepared; several of her Foundation Establishment Cultivator accomplices guarded the four corners, leaving no opportunity for escape.

What a bother!

An exchange meeting that should have been straightforward had taken an unexpected turn, leaving no peace of mind.

They traveled far, already more than two hundred li from the Market. In the distance, near the river, dozens of Cultivators were scattered about, apparently searching for something.

Most faces were unfamiliar, but a few were vaguely recognizable as Blood Demon Sect cultivators.

BOOM!

A huge fireball exploded in the sky like daytime fireworks, the sound startling.

The crowd erupted in chaos as the cultivator with the red birthmark hastily mounted a Flying Artifact and fled into the distance.

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