Chapter 53: Great Chaos in the Marketplace

The battle between the Foundation Establishment experts.

Just as Li Chang’an had guessed, it wasn’t taking place within the Marketplace.

Qinghe Marketplace belonged to the Zheng Family, after all. There was no way Zheng Yuandao would fight here.

And Cao Zhengxiong also seemed to have his reservations.

’Both Foundation Establishment Ancestors have gone outside the Marketplace, so the fight won’t spill over into it. In that case, when will the chaos that the divination foretold finally break out?’

Li Chang’an mused.

He kept his eyes fixed on Zheng Jinbao, just waiting for the chaos to erupt.

Just then.

A sharp voice suddenly rang out within the Marketplace.

"Fellow Daoists, the Zheng Family’s Ancestor has already left! What are you still afraid of?"

"If you’re not going to pillage now, then when?"

The voice seemed to carry some kind of bewitching power.

It stirred the hearts of many cultivators.

And then.

Just as that voice faded, another one rose to take its place.

"Well said!"

"Tonight, Qinghe Marketplace is our great opportunity!"

Then, from all corners of the Marketplace.

More than ten voices responded one after another.

"Fellow Daoists, without a great opportunity, we Loose Cultivators will never have a hope of reaching Foundation Establishment!"

"If we join forces, the Zheng Family is nothing to be afraid of!"

"Kill! Pillage!"

...

In an instant.

The entire Marketplace descended into chaos.

The sound of explosions echoed continuously from the shops all over the Marketplace.

"What are you doing? Stop! Stop it!"

A shopkeeper with a panicked expression was trying to stuff all the treasures in his shop into his Storage Pouch.

But the next moment.

A flash of a blade streaked past, severing his head.

The large, blade-wielding man laughed wildly and rushed into the shop to plunder it.

"Hahaha, to think I’d stumble upon such a great opportunity!"

But he hadn’t even finished looting.

The sound of something tearing through the air came from behind him.

BOOM!

A club-like Magical Artifact came crashing down, smashing his skull.

Behind him.

A ferocious-looking cultivator holding the Magical Artifact sneered, "This is my opportunity. Are you even worthy of it?"

With that, he too began to loot the treasures inside the shop.

Situations like this.

Were happening all over the Marketplace.

The Marketplace had always been home to many Tribulation Cultivators.

Lately, they had been suppressed by the Zheng Family, unable to even show their faces, and each one of them was simmering with frustration.

Tonight, they finally had a chance to run wild!

Furthermore.

Many ordinary Loose Cultivators.

Unable to resist the temptation, had also temporarily joined the ranks of the Tribulation Cultivators.

’How did it get so chaotic so quickly?’

Li Chang’an, observing from the shadows, was inwardly surprised.

Behind this chaotic scene.

Someone was most likely fanning the flames.

Amidst the great turmoil, both the shops in the Marketplace and the residences in the core area became targets for the numerous Tribulation Cultivators.

Everyone knew.

The closer a residence was to the core area, the wealthier its owner.

’To think someone would actually target me.’

Li Chang’an’s gaze turned cold as he stared at several Tribulation Cultivators rushing toward his residence.

He immediately used his Puppet Body to control the Array, showing no mercy.

He killed them as they came, one by one!

In just a few moments.

He had already killed six Tribulation Cultivators.

’How are these guys so poor? They don’t even have Storage Pouches, and the valuables on them are pathetic...’

Li Chang’an frowned to himself as he looted their bodies.

’Oh well, even a mosquito leg is still meat.’

They walked right into my hands, after all.

It would be a waste not to take it!

Just then.

The puppet that had been watching Zheng Jinbao finally had something to report.

’Is Zheng Jinbao planning to make a run for it?’

Li Chang’an watched intently from his hiding place.

At that moment.

Zheng Jinbao had already changed his clothes and now looked like an ordinary Loose Cultivator.

With a nervous expression, he quietly left his residence and headed for the outskirts of the Marketplace.

Many cultivators were busy looting.

Few people noticed him.

Before long.

A group of Tribulation Cultivators stormed into his residence and searched all over for a long time.

"Where’s that dog Zheng Jinbao?"

"He probably ran off long ago!"

"Damn it! We finally had a chance, I really wanted to slaughter him!"

This scene.

Was witnessed by Li Chang’an.

He had anticipated it, so he wasn’t surprised.

’Over the years, Zheng Jinbao has offended many people by throwing his weight around as a Steward.’

In the past, the Loose Cultivators he oppressed could only swallow their anger and didn’t dare to resist.

But now.

The tables had turned.

In this great chaos, many members of the Zheng Family couldn’t even protect themselves.

No one had the time to worry about Zheng Jinbao.

’That guy sure is a fast runner.’

Under Li Chang’an’s watchful gaze.

Zheng Jinbao had already reached the edge of the Marketplace.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and glanced back at the Marketplace, now filled with blood and slaughter.

’As long as I can hide through the night, everything will go back to normal.’

He turned back around, walked out of the Marketplace, and planned to head to a safe house he had prepared long ago to lie low for a while.

However.

He had barely gone any distance.

When he suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet give way.

’Not good!’

Zheng Jinbao screamed inwardly as his entire body plunged into the darkness underground.

Before he could even react.

A large net enveloped his body.

Dahuang’s figure flashed past, scooping him into a Spirit Beast Bag.

The next instant.

The earth where he had stood became smooth again, as if nothing had ever happened.

...

Not long after.

Deep underground, a good distance from the Marketplace.

Dahuang appeared and handed the Spirit Beast Bag to Li Chang’an.

"Good job!"

Li Chang’an praised with a smile.

Then, with a thought.

Zheng Jinbao was tossed out of the Spirit Beast Bag.

His face was a mask of panic. The moment he was out, he cried, "Senior, spare me! This junior is willing to..."

He hadn’t finished his sentence.

When he suddenly saw Li Chang’an’s face and froze.

"Li... Li Chang’an..."

Zheng Jinbao’s face went pale, and he felt as if he had plunged into an abyss.

He would rather have fallen into the hands of Tribulation Cultivators than be captured by Li Chang’an!

"Steward Zheng, long time no see."

Li Chang’an said with a casual, smiling greeting.

A muscle in Zheng Jinbao’s cheek twitched.

He forced an ugly smile.

"Yes, Chang’an, it has been a long time. How have you been?"

"Very well."

Li Chang’an replied with a smile, his voice betraying no killing intent.

But the more he acted this way.

The more uneasy Zheng Jinbao became.

He swallowed hard, his heart pounding with apprehension.

"Chang’an, I never thought you’d grow so quickly. To become so formidable in just a few short years."

"Steward Zheng, I have you to thank for that."

Li Chang’an said with a laugh.

"The Tribulation Cultivators you hired came one after another to deliver treasures to my doorstep, so I never had to worry about cultivation resources. All I had to do was focus on my training."

Hearing this.

Zheng Jinbao’s body trembled.

He lowered his head, terrified, not daring to meet Li Chang’an’s eyes.

"Chang’an, what do you mean... by Tribulation Cultivators?"

He was still trying to play dumb.

But Li Chang’an had no intention of wasting words on him.

He took Zheng Jinbao’s Storage Pouch, ground away the restriction on it, and opened it.

He looked through it carefully.

"Zheng Jinbao, you’ve been a Steward in Qinghe Marketplace for so many years. Your fortune should be considerable, so why are there only a few hundred Spirit Stones in this Storage Pouch?"

"I..."

Zheng Jinbao opened his mouth.

He had indeed hidden a batch of treasures.

But if he revealed them, he would lose all his value.

Therefore, he planned to use those treasures to make a deal with Li Chang’an in exchange for his life.

But Li Chang’an wasn’t in the mood to bargain with him.

"Fine. If you won’t talk, then I’ll just have to find a way to make you."

All traces of a smile vanished from Li Chang’an’s face, his expression turning sharp and cold.

He immediately turned his head and gave an order.

"Dahuang, time for some torture!"

"WOOF!"

Dahuang looked at Zheng Jinbao, a vicious light glinting in its eyes.

A terrifying gust of Demonic Wind instantly slammed into Zheng Jinbao’s face, making him tremble from head to toe.

"Wait! I’ll talk! I’ll talk right now!"