For five consecutive days, Jia Ren focused primarily on improving his proficiency in the Ban-Breaking Finger, occasionally venturing out to the Great Wilderness Market to practice the Fireball Technique and the Thunderous Charge Curse.

With more Spiritual Power in the Late Stage Qi Refinement, he could cast spells more often, causing his proficiency levels to skyrocket.

The Fireball Technique was the first to reach the Grandmaster limit, and with the consumption of Skill Breaking Points, it advanced to Grandmaster level. A Grandmaster-level Fireball Technique was even more ferocious. It created fireballs nearly the size of a washbasin, and their explosive and fiery power was terrifying.

The most rapid progress was seen in the Ban-Breaking Finger.

The Ban-Breaking Finger reached the Grandmaster limit a step later and decisively used Breakthrough Points to advance to Grandmaster level.

The speed is far beyond imagination. It took only ten days to raise a spell to Grandmaster level.

With the Ban-Breaking Finger mastered, he could find Yang Shengwu to remove the Five Elements Sect's restriction.

Jia Ren entered the Outer City and reverted to his original appearance.

In just ten days, Chang Le Gang's momentum had grown exponentially. A Qi Refinement Seventh Level expert had taken charge, swiftly sweeping away other gangs with thunderous force and unifying the Outer City. From then on, the Outer City became the dictatorial domain of Chang Le Gang.

All loose cultivators living in the Outer City inevitably had to pay a protection fee of one Spirit Stone per month.

The most detestable aspect was the proliferation of Forbidden Pills like the Ascension Pill and Bliss Pill, to which more and more loose cultivators fell victim. The Outer City became increasingly murky and corrupt.

This incited loose cultivators to report them to the Law Enforcement Office. However, they were oblivious to the fact that Chang Le Gang's rise was orchestrated by the Law Enforcement Office itself, so all their reports vanished into thin air. Inevitably, Chang Le Gang would later come knocking on the doors of those who reported them.

At Chang Le Gang's headquarters, Yang Shengwu sat in the chair that signified power, his brows furrowed with inseparable worry. He did his best to prevent the Forbidden Pills from circulating, but alas, to little effect.

A Sound Transmission Talisman flew in. Yang Shengwu raised his hand to catch it, and a voice entered his ears, "Brother Yang, I have a solution. Meet at the usual place."

Yang Shengwu's worried expression vanished, his eyes brightening. He suddenly stood up and quickly left.

"Where does the Gang Leader intend to go?"

A short, plump, middle-aged cultivator followed closely behind him with a smile, never straying more than an inch away. This was Chu Yunlou, the deputy leader of Chang Le Gang. All gang matters, big or small, had to pass through his hands. Chu Yunlou had parachuted in, secretly controlling Chang Le Gang and monitoring Yang Shengwu's every move.

Yang Shengwu was the nominal leader of Chang Le Gang, but in reality, he was just a puppet.

"What business is it of yours!" Yang Shengwu snapped. "Does Yang Mou have to report to you where I go?!"

Yang Shengwu couldn't be bothered with Chu Yunlou and turned to leave.

"Heh heh, I'm just worried the Gang Leader might abscond with the treasures. The batch of Spirit Stones you've received hasn't been accounted for yet," Chu Yunlou said. "And there are problems with the magic artifacts and elixirs you brought out..."

For other matters, Yang Shengwu would certainly have chosen to keep the peace. But these Spirit Stones were meant for Jia Ren.

"Scram!"

Chu Yunlou paid no heed and followed closely. He didn't believe Yang Shengwu would dare lay a hand on him. Since the Five Elements Sect's restriction was still active, Yang Shengwu could only endure and avoid causing further trouble.

One Sound Transmission Talisman warned Jia Ren; another alerted Yun Niang to hide.

Ignoring Chu Yunlou following him, Yang Shengwu strode towards the stone house where he had initially traded for the Demon-Spotting Talisman.

Someone sent by the Law Enforcement Office? Jia Ren thought, hidden in the shadows, watching Yang Shengwu and the short, plump figure behind him. Let me take care of your little tail first.

A common mosquito flew over Chu Yunlou, and barely visible fine particles drifted down.

Chu Yunlou's body stiffened, and he immediately began to frantically scratch his back and face. His exposed skin visibly reddened and swelled at an alarming rate.

"What the hell is this! I'm itching to death!" he shrieked. "Who dares to poison me!"

He immediately looked for his poisoner and took out a Detoxification Pill to consume. Most Detoxification Pills targeted internal poisons. The poison from the stinging hairs was a very rare external type, so the medicine was incorrect and naturally had no effect.

"You pulled this trick? Just wait! I'll remember this grudge!" Chu Yunlou glared at Yang Shengwu, his eyes filled with shock and rage. Fearing Yang Shengwu might attack him, he quickly fled in disgrace.

Brother Jia's poisoning method is truly undetectable, Yang Shengwu thought. Despite being so close, he hadn't noticed how Chu Yunlou was poisoned. His gaze towards Jia Ren was filled with a strange curiosity.

"These are all the Spirit Stones I've recently acquired," Yang Shengwu said. "It won't be long before the Law Enforcement Office acts against me, killing me to appease the public."

The Outer City had been unified too quickly, diminishing Yang Shengwu's usefulness. Chu Yunlou's monopolization of power was the best proof. Too many loose cultivators in the Outer City were suffering from the effects of the Bliss Pill and Ascension Pill. The Law Enforcement Office couldn't turn a blind eye; they had to at least make a show of taking action. Killing Yang Shengwu and a few scapegoats would demonstrate the decisiveness of their actions and pacify the public.

The Storage Bag was handed over. Jia Ren glanced inside, seeing over 1,600 Spirit Stones. The amount far exceeded the value of the magic artifacts and elixirs Jia Ren had provided.

"That's too much!" Jia Ren exclaimed. He knew the value of the elixirs and magic artifacts he had offered. Their quality wasn't high, and their price would drop upon resale; getting 600 to 700 Spirit Stones for them would be considered good.

"Take good care of Yun Niang for me and leave the Great Wilderness Market," Yang Shengwu said.

Is he entrusting his last wishes to me? Jia Ren wondered. Does he not believe I can solve the problem?

For low-level loose cultivators, the Five Elements Sect was an insurmountable mountain. The Law Enforcement Office allowing Yang Shengwu to move freely demonstrated their absolute confidence. They aren't afraid of you running away. Jia Ren might have connections with the Thousand Beasts Mountain, but Thousand Beasts Mountain wasn't proficient in formations and restrictions.

"You'd better take care of your sister-in-law yourself!" Jia Ren declared. "I'll take care of the restriction for you."

Jia Ren took the Storage Bag, set it aside, and activated his Spirit Eye Technique, his gaze becoming focused.

Under the Spirit Eye Technique, he could see a special spiritual light within Yang Shengwu's Dantian forming the restriction. It had 108 spiritual power nodes, making it by far the most complex restriction Jia Ren had ever encountered. The spiritual power nodes were interlinked; any slight disturbance could trigger a chain reaction.

Jia Ren wasn't in a hurry to act. The first principle of the Ban-Breaking Finger was observation: to identify the main meridians and nodes of the restriction and strike its vital points for effective removal. Attacking minor spiritual power nodes would prematurely trigger the restriction, putting Yang Shengwu's life at risk. The higher the Proficiency Level of the Ban-Breaking Finger, the more Extinguishing Spirit Ghostly Light could be created at once, the more spiritual power nodes could be severed, and the less likely accidents would occur during the removal of the restriction.

A Grandmaster-level Ban-Breaking Finger could effortlessly destroy ordinary restrictions; one touch, and the restriction would be annihilated. Only breaking complex restrictions was troublesome, requiring concentrated power to destroy the core spiritual power nodes. This was similar to dealing with Magical Beasts; the best way to eliminate one was to strike vital points like the head for a one-hit kill.

Found it!

His Grandmaster-level Spirit Eye Technique allowed for meticulous observation, noting the peculiarities of each spiritual power node. A ghostly light flashed at his fingertip as his index finger touched down an inch below the left side of Yang Shengwu's Dantian. The ghostly light seeped in with his finger, then burst forth, splitting into 32 streams of Extinguishing Spirit Ghostly Light, each severing different spiritual power nodes.

The main spiritual power nodes and meridians of the restriction turned grey. Its function failed, and it completely dissipated.

"My Dantian is no longer bound... the restriction is lifted?" Yang Shengwu stammered. Afflicted by the Five Elements Sect's restriction, he had believed himself doomed and had even considered entrusting his last wishes. He never expected Jia Ren to solve the problem so easily, with just a single touch of his finger.

Yang Shengwu's mind was reeling. The Five Elements Sect's restriction that had made his life a living hell... was it really this simple?

"Brother Jia, you're truly amazing!" Yang Shengwu exclaimed, looking astonished; Jia Ren's method of breaking the restriction was beyond anything he could have imagined. "You didn't learn the Ban-breaking Method from the Five Elements Sect, did you?"

"Even with the restriction broken, it doesn't mean you're safe," Jia Ren advised. "Take your sister-in-law and hide for a few days."

It was unclear if the Law Enforcement Office would receive news of this, but Yang Shengwu absconding with the Spirit Stones would surely infuriate them.

Jia Ren took 700 Spirit Stones from the Storage Bag and handed it back to Yang Shengwu.

Yang Shengwu nodded, not daring to stay long, and quickly left the Great Wilderness Market. Though dangerous, the lands outside the Great Wilderness Market were far preferable to falling into the hands of the Enforcement Division Cultivators.

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