Jia Mountain City was three times the size of Mengshan City, roughly comparable to Daofu City in Luofeng County.
After re-entering the city, Han Yi stopped a passing Qi Refining cultivator to ask for directions and immediately headed for the Li Family Market.
His aura, however, was no longer at the Foundation Establishment Stage. He had suppressed it to around the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining using the Aura Concealment Technique.
The Li Family Market was located in the northern district of Jia Mountain City, occupying only about two city blocks. Li Family cultivators guarded the entrance. After paying the two taels of Spirit Sand entry fee, Han Yi received a Rogue Cultivator token and stepped inside.
Upon entering, he immediately made his way to the market's central hub—the Li Clan Merchant Guild, the largest merchant guild in the market operated by the Li Family.
The Li Clan Merchant Guild boasted an impressive facade. As Han Yi stepped inside, he sensed a Divine Sense sweep over him from the second floor. The presence likely belonged to an Early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator. This further piqued Han Yi's interest, confirming the Li Family's formidable power.
Han Yi made no deliberate move to glance at the second floor. Instead, he casually strolled through the Li Clan Merchant Guild, browsing the diverse array of wares: magic artifacts, medicinal pills, formation arts, spirit talismans, and more. The guild's offerings were extensive.
"Welcome, esteemed guest," said an elderly man in his seventies, approaching Han Yi after observing him for a moment. "The Li Clan Merchant Guild offers everything imaginable. We are confident we can fulfill any request."
Han Yi turned to face the shrewd shopkeeper, whose sharp, glinting eyes reminded him of He Fangwei. However, while He Fangwei had reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement, this shopkeeper's cultivation realm was only at the Seventh Layer.
"What should I call you, Shopkeeper?" Han Yi asked.
"This old one belongs to the Li Clan," the elder replied with a smile, stroking his beard. "You may call me Li Wenheng, Fellow Daoist."
Han Yi nodded and cut straight to the chase. "I've heard the Li Clan Merchant Guild's business extends throughout Jia Mountain City. Is there truly no trade the Li Family can't handle within these walls?"
Li Wenheng's eyes flickered imperceptibly at the question, but he demurred. "Fellow Daoist jests. In Jia Mountain City, Great Qian's authority reigns supreme. Our Li Clan merely strives to earn a living."
"However, in Jia Mountain City, aside from the Great Qian Dynasty, my Li Family still wields considerable influence. Fellow Daoist, might you share the nature of your business?"
Han Yi nodded, cutting straight to the chase. "I'm looking for someone."
"Looking for someone?" Li Wenheng asked with a smile. "Do you have a name, description of their clothing, any magic artifacts they carry, or their height?"
Han Yi nodded. "I'm uncertain about the clothing, and I'm not familiar with any artifacts they might possess. He's about 1.83 meters tall, and his name is Zheng Hai."
"A name and height? I can sketch a portrait later. Finding him in Jia Mountain City shouldn't be too difficult."
"By the way, is he a sect cultivator?"
Han Yi nodded. "My friend is a disciple of the Profound Pill Sect."
Li Wenheng's expression remained unchanged as he retrieved a sheet of paper from a cabinet and meticulously recorded the information Han Yi provided.
However...
Standing before him, Han Yi frowned slightly.
Li Wenheng's demeanor and actions had been perfectly normal. Yet Han Yi's Divine Sense, which had been focused intently on him, detected a subtle anomaly: when Han Yi mentioned the Profound Pill Sect, Li Wenheng's heartbeat had quickened imperceptibly.
Even a Legendary Qi Refining cultivator would have missed this subtle anomaly, but it didn't escape Han Yi's Divine Sense, honed to the Mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
"The Profound Pill Sect?" Han Yi inquired. "Is something amiss?"
Li Wenheng looked up. "Fellow Daoist, you may not be aware, but the Profound Pill Sect ascended to become a Nascent Soul Great Sect over two years ago. Their disciples must be extraordinary indeed."
Han Yi nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
As Li Wenheng explained, the little finger of his right hand involuntarily curled inward. Though his expression and tone conveyed reverence for the Nascent Soul Sect, Han Yi detected a subtle increase in Li Wenheng's heart rate—a sign of nervousness.
This tension, at this moment, seemed out of place.
Maintaining his composure, Han Yi pressed further, "Manager Li, approximately how long will this search take? And what are your fees?"
After a brief calculation, Li Wenheng quoted a substantial sum.
"Two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones—one hundred as a deposit, and another hundred upon successful completion. If the search fails, fifty will be refunded."
"Finding someone requires considerable effort, after all. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, this investment will be well worth it."
"Of course, this search is limited to Jia Mountain City. If your friend has left the city's jurisdiction, it falls outside the Li Clan Merchant Guild's purview."
"Fellow Daoist, do you find this price acceptable?"
Han Yi nodded. To him now, this sum was utterly insignificant, barely a drop in the bucket.
"Reasonable."
Han Yi retrieved a hundred Spirit Stones from his Cosmic Ring and handed them to Li Wenheng. Li Wenheng's eyes flashed with keen interest as he glimpsed Han Yi's Cosmic Ring before pocketing the Spirit Stones.
"Very well, Fellow Daoist. Please describe the person you're looking for, and I'll sketch their likeness."
The elder produced a blank portrait scroll. Han Yi vividly recalled Zheng Hai's appearance from their last encounter and described him in detail. By the time an incense stick had burned down, a lifelike portrait lay before Han Yi.
The painting depicted a young man who was far from handsome, with a rugged, almost brutish appearance. His most striking feature was his pitch-black complexion, unrelieved by any hint of color. Against this dark canvas shone a row of dazzlingly white teeth.
The stark contrast between his dark skin and bright teeth was unmistakable—Zheng Hai's defining characteristic.
"Very well, Fellow Daoist," the shopkeeper said. "Your friend's distinctive features should make him easy to find if he's truly in Jia Mountain City."
"Seven days."
"Return in seven days, Fellow Daoist, and we'll have news for you."
Han Yi nodded in agreement. Without hesitation, he left the Li Family Market and rented a small, eight-square-meter meditation chamber designed for Qi Refining cultivators, paying the required Spirit Stones.
These chambers were equipped with miniature Spirit Gathering Formations, and with a regular supply of Spirit Stones, the concentration of Spirit Qi rivaled that of a First-Tier or Second-Tier Spirit Vein—making them popular retreats for low-level Rogue Cultivators.
Meanwhile, after Han Yi's departure, Li Wenheng hurried upstairs to the second floor of the Li Clan Merchant Guild, clutching Zheng Hai's portrait.
On the second floor, a cultivator sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. Before him stood an incense burner, from which wisps of smoke spiraled upward, drifting into his body as he inhaled. Though his appearance suggested he was under forty, he looked far younger than the shopkeeper.
In the Cultivation World, appearances were deceptive; youthful looks did not guarantee age, nor did they reflect true strength.
"Third Elder," Li Wenheng murmured respectfully.
The meditating cultivator opened his eyes and glanced at Li Wenheng. "What is it?"
Li Wenheng handed him the newly drawn portrait. "Third Elder, a cultivator from the Profound Pill Sect has come looking for him. What should we do?" Anxiety etched across his face.
The Third Elder lightly rebuked, "Why the panic?"
He levitated the portrait closer, his gaze flicking to the name in the lower right corner. "Zheng Hai?"
"We can't be certain yet," Li Wenheng replied. "Did he suspect anything?"
Li Yuanqing, the youngest of the Li Family's three Foundation Establishment cultivators, lifted his eyes to Li Wenheng, who stood bowing before him, a slight frown creasing his brow.
Li Wenheng's expression paled. "Absolutely not. After years as a shopkeeper, my control over expressions, tone, and demeanor is so refined that even a Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivator wouldn't detect a thing. He's merely at the Sixth Layer; there's no way he could sense anything."
The Third Elder withdrew his gaze and nodded. "When he entered the Merchant Guild, I scanned him with my Divine Sense as standard procedure. He was indeed at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining."
"Just a mere Sixth Layer cultivator. Tell him in seven days that we couldn't find the person he's looking for. That should suffice."
"Go," the Third Elder said, tossing Zheng Hai's portrait to Li Wenheng and closing his eyes. "And remember to follow all the proper procedures on the surface, so we don't overlook anything."
Li Wenheng hesitated, then voiced his concern. "Third Elder, now that the Profound Pill Sect has become a Nascent Soul Great Sect, won't our actions invite disaster? If Zheng Hai is still alive, shouldn't we consider releasing him?"
Li Yuanqing's head snapped up, his gaze piercing Li Wenheng with a chilling intensity that made the younger man's hair stand on end and cold sweat drip down his back.
"Silence! This is beyond your station. Shut your mouth, or it will cost you your life."
Li Wenheng bowed even lower, trembling violently. "Yes, Third Elder. You're right. I would never dare to mention it again."
"Go," the Third Elder warned, closing his eyes once more and flicking his sleeve to dismiss the shopkeeper elder.
Li Wenheng retreated slowly, only daring to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead once he reached the ground floor, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.
Upstairs on the second floor, Li Yuanqing, the Third Elder of the Li Family, opened his eyes, a hint of resignation in his expression.
"Once you're aboard the Fragrant Teachings' ship, there's no turning back. The man is already near death. How can we release him now? Triggering an investigation by a Great Sect would be a far greater disaster."
"They actually came after us. I'll have to deal with them quickly."
Just then, another thought struck him, and the helplessness on his face instantly transformed into a ruthless glint.
"But the pursuer is only at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining. Even if they investigate and uncover something, I can simply kill them, destroy the evidence, and cover my tracks." Li Yuanqing closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation.
A kilometer away, Han Yi, meditating in his inn room, abruptly opened his eyes, a flicker of bloodlight flashing in their depths.
"Just as I suspected, something's not right here."
Han Yi took a deep breath.
Earlier, he had been continuously monitoring Shopkeeper Li Wenheng with his Divine Sense. After Han Yi left, Li Wenheng had hurried upstairs to the second floor, only to descend moments later with a hint of fear in his expression.
Since there was a Foundation Establishment cultivator on the second floor, Han Yi didn't want to alert them by probing too deeply with his Divine Sense. He hadn't overheard Li Wenheng's conversation with the cultivator, but Li Wenheng's expression had already told him enough.
Whether these people knew Zheng Hai or not, they were undoubtedly engaged in activities detrimental to the Profound Pill Sect.
That was why the bloodlight flickered in Han Yi's eyes.
Combined with the Yi Yao Secret Technique's tracing of Zheng Hai's whereabouts to Jia Mountain City, it seemed Zheng Hai's disappearance was likely connected to the Li Family.
!
With a clear target in mind, Han Yi let out a sigh of relief.
Judging by the shopkeeper's expression, Zheng Hai's situation was likely dire. But it didn't matter; as long as he was still alive, Han Yi could save him.
As dusk approached, Li Wenheng, the shopkeeper of the Li Clan Merchant Guild, closed the shop, activated its protective formation, and left the market.
He lived in the Li Clan Manor.
However, as he neared the manor, a figure suddenly appeared beside him. With a gentle tap, it knocked him unconscious.
The moment he fell, the figure swiftly snatched him up and carried him to a courtyard near the Li Clan Manor.
The figure was none other than Han Yi.
Initially, Han Yi had considered several more subtle methods, but he ultimately rejected them all in favor of a straightforward approach: simply knocking Li Wenheng unconscious.
At his current cultivation level, why waste time on elaborate schemes against a mere Seventh Layer Qi Refining cultivator? Simple brute force would suffice.
The courtyard where Han Yi took Li Wenheng was also occupied by a cultivator, a Rogue Cultivator at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining. Han Yi had already knocked him unconscious before bringing Li Wenheng into the courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, Han Yi deployed a Spirit-Locking Formation with a ten-meter radius to ensure no sounds from within could escape.
Next, Han Yi woke Li Wenheng and simultaneously deactivated his Aura Concealment Technique, unleashing the full oppressive aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator upon him.
Li Wenheng sprang to his feet the moment he awoke, his movements agile and betraying none of his advanced age.
However, the overwhelming and direct pressure of Han Yi's Foundation Establishment aura crushed down on him, causing his face to twist in shock.
Within the Li Clan, only the Grand Elder could surpass this aura, while the Second Elder could match it. The Third Elder fell slightly short.
"Mid-Foundation Establishment..." Li Wenheng gasped, his face draining of color. Daring not to meet Han Yi's gaze, he hastily knelt. "Senior, please spare my life!"
"I am a member of the Li Clan. Has Senior misunderstood something?" Li Wenheng pleaded, trembling with fear.
But the voice that answered him made his expression shift again.
"Lift your head and look at me," Han Yi commanded, his tone unchanged. "Then you'll see if there's been a misunderstanding."
"It's you!" Li Wenheng's face contorted in shock, then quickly smoothed into a fawning expression. "Senior, the task you assigned has already been arranged. Men will search for your friend tomorrow. What further service can this old one provide?"
Li Wenheng wore a servile smile, but inwardly he trembled uncontrollably. Beneath his sleeve, he clutched a spirit talisman—not a combat talisman, but the child talisman from a parent-child pair.
If the child talisman in his hand were damaged, the parent talisman would trigger an alert, notifying the Li Family of his predicament.
Whoosh.
A streak of dark cyan sword qi flashed past, severing Li Wenheng's arm at the shoulder. The talisman tumbled to the ground.
"Ah..."
Li Wenheng's agonized cry was abruptly cut short. A longsword pressed against his forehead, its tip piercing his skin. Blood trickled down his face, but he dared not move to wipe it away.
His eyes widened, his body convulsing—half from the searing pain, half from sheer terror.
"Move again, and I'll kill you," Han Yi said calmly. Years of relentless bloodshed had imbued his voice with a crushing aura of death. Li Wenheng felt himself drowning in a viscous sea of blood, his vision blurring momentarily.
The sensation vanished as quickly as it had come, the sea of blood receding, his vision clearing. But the cold steel pressed against his forehead remained very real.
"I'll ask, you'll answer."
"Do you know Zheng Hai?"
"No," Li Wenheng said truthfully, swallowing hard.
"In the shop, when I mentioned the Profound Pill Sect, why did you tense up?"
Li Wenheng hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Squelch.
A flash of bloodlight, and his other arm soared into the air, a crimson pillar of blood erupting from the severed stump.
He screamed in agony, but three breaths later, the Green Ripple Sword was pressed against his forehead again, pinning him to the ground. His entire body trembled, yet he dared not move.
Han Yi stepped closer, gazing down at him.
"Whether you speak or not, you'll die."
"Speak, and I'll grant you a swift death with this blade."
"Refuse, and I'll torture you with a thousand cuts, leaving you begging for death in vain."
"Besides, I doubt you're the only one in the Li Family who knows the full story. After killing you, I'll simply find another."
Han Yi's expression remained calm as he spoke of slaughtering the Li Family, as if casually crushing an ant. His cold indifference and utter contempt for life chilled Li Wenheng to the bone.
Fear gripped Li Wenheng, but he remained silent, gritting his teeth and glaring defiantly at Han Yi.
Han Yi studied him, discerning loyalty to his clan and stubborn defiance in his eyes.
"I understand now."
Han Yi understood. With a swift stroke of his sword, Li Wenheng's head rolled to the ground.
The next moment, Han Yi's consciousness plunged into his Sea of Consciousness Space. His Divine Soul abruptly rose to its feet and detached from his body. Viewing the scene through his Divine Soul's perspective, he saw a swirling, hazy gray shadow hovering above Li Wenheng's headless corpse.
This was Li Wenheng's spirit. Under normal circumstances, drawn by the forces of death, it would have entered the cycle of reincarnation.
However, Han Yi's Divine Soul simply coiled around the shadow and dragged it into his Sea of Consciousness Space.
Han Yi's Divine Soul felt a surge of exhaustion. Separating one's soul from the body was extremely risky; for cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, unless they had mastered a Divided Soul technique, returning their soul to the Sea of Consciousness Space would inflict severe damage.
Even though Han Yi's Divine Soul was comparable to that of a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he still felt drained.
Without pausing to recover, he shattered the shadow he had dragged into his Sea of Consciousness Space with a condensed Soul Sword. The fragments transformed into pure Soul Energy, which he devoured in a single gulp, absorbing and assimilating it.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Han Yi opened his eyes, his pupils blazing with bloodlight.
"Fragrant Teachings, Pill Cultivation Field, Li Family... you've all signed your death warrants."
While sifting through Li Wenheng's fragmented memories, Han Yi found no trace of Zheng Hai's whereabouts. However, one crucial piece of information stood out with stark clarity: the Li Family was colluding with the Fragrant Teachings to capture cultivators alive, imprisoning them in their Pill Cultivation Field to serve as living ingredients for the cult's pill-making practices.
Three years prior, a brutal conflict erupted between three Golden Core Sects in western and northern Shu Prefecture: the Profound Pill Sect, the Heavenly Soul Sect, and the Blood God Sect. Seizing the opportunity, the Fragrant Teachings secretly intervened, capturing a large number of cultivators from the three sects and transporting them to Jia Mountain City.
The Fragrant Teachings, officially known as the Fragrant Evil Cult, was a notorious evil sect and one of the three major dark forces in the entire Cultivation World.
Combining his calculations using the Yi Yao Secret Technique with this confirmed information, Han Yi had already surmised that Zheng Hai had been captured and taken to this Pill Cultivation Field.
He had studied the records of the Jade Balance Realm's three major evil sects. The Fragrant Teachings used the Scent Listening Evil Art to extract the very essence of a cultivator's being—mana, Divine Soul, Root Bone, Spirit Root, and innate talent—transforming it all into Scent Listening Evil Pills.
This was how the Fragrant Teachings' Pill Cultivation Fields earned their name.
These Scent Listening Evil Pills could be consumed to directly enhance one's cultivation and Root Bone. However, cultivators who ingested these demonic pills defied the Heavenly Dao and risked condemnation from the Immortal Realm.
As for the cultivators whose mana, Divine Soul, Root Bone, and Spirit Root had been extracted, they were left as crippled husks, doomed to an eventual death.
This was why the bloodlight in Han Yi's eyes surged with such fury.
Han Yi tossed down an Exploding Talisman, used the Change Hexagram Art to disrupt the Heavenly Secrets surrounding Li Wenheng's murder, dispelled the Formation Arts, and darted toward the Li Family Manor like a bolt of lightning.