Hundreds of thousands of kilometers from the Cloud Market, at the very heart of the Cloud Province, stood a towering, majestic mountain, so grand it could be seen from far across the land.
Its peak pierced the heavens, rising above the clouds like a celestial sword. Around it clustered several smaller peaks, like loyal sentinels guarding their monarch.
This awe-inspiring place was the home to the most powerful force and also the official ruler of the Cloud Province. The Cloud Mountain Range, sacred domain of the Cloud Sword Sect.
Within a grand hall atop of the main peak, six seats were arranged in a semicircle, each one occupied by a figure of immense presence. The aura exuding from each person was enough to rival even that of the famed Azure Cloud True Person, one of the sect's Supreme Elders.
"What is the situation, Junior Brother Pei?"
The speaker was a wizened elder whose presence alone could crush lesser cultivators.
He ask the Azure Cloud True Person whose real name was Pei Jianhong, the youngest among the Supreme Elders of the Cloud Sword Sect.
"The beast tide was stronger than expected," Pei Jianhong began, his tone casual but precise.
"The lead beast was a newly ascended Third-Order Demonic Beast, but it has already been slain by me."
A small smile curved his lips, but it quickly faded as his expression turned solemn. Everyone in the hall leaned
His expression darkened as he shifted topics. "As for the other matter…"
"When the conflict broke out at the Black Market, I initially thought our people would suppress the situation swiftly."
Everyone's gaze sharpened.
"But we underestimated them. Their so-called Guardian was far more powerful than we anticipated. I was forced to intervene directly and save our own people. But just then..."
He paused briefly, his voice deepening.
"A deep and overwhelming aura spread across the entire market. A single figure emerged from within and confronted me. Though we did not exchange moves, I could sense his cultivation, easily beyond mine. Judging from his aura, he is likely at the Middle Stage of the Core Formation Realm."
The hall grew silent.
"So far, we've only confirmed two Core Formation expert associated with the Black Market. This one was a new that we don't recognised."
"Seems we truly cannot afford to act recklessly against them," one elder remarked gravely. "What about his spiritual energy? Did you notice anything unusual?"
Pei Jianhong shook his head. "No abnormalities. His energy was indeed chaotic, not of the orthodox path, but I'm certain he's not of the demonic path either."
"Hm…" The elder stroked his beard thoughtfully. "In that case, we may proceed with our original plan. I will personally visit their main branch at Immortal City to negotiate. If we can prevent their interference, the rest will unfold as expected."
.....
Inner Residential Area of the Cloud Market.
The sun rose slowly over the rooftops, bathing the city in soft golden light. As always, Lan Rui performed his morning routine, preparing to head to the market. Today was his turn to set up a stall and sell his talismans. After ensuring everything was in order, he stepped out of his modest home
Just as he began his walk, a man approached.
"Good morning, Fellow Daoist. Heading to the market?" the man asked warmly.
The speaker was a lean man with long, neatly tied black hair. He wore a light blue robe, reminiscent of a scholar from the mortal world, elegant and composed.
"Good morning," Lan Rui replied politely. "Yes, I am. May I know who you are?"
"Oh, I'm your new neighbor. Fan Zixuan. I moved in yesterday. I was planning to visit you later, but it seems fate has brought us together first. I must say, you are younger that I expected." His tone was cheerful, but his eyes carried a certain curiosity.
"I'm Lan Rui," he said with a smile. "I guess I am still pretty young compared to most around here."
As the conversation deepened, Lan Rui began to get a sense of the man's identity. Fan Zixuan was clearly a Loose Cultivator, yet what surprised him most was his profession. Fan Zixuan was an Array Master.
Unlike talisman crafting considered easy to begin but hard to master array arts were difficult from the outset and even harder to advance in. Array Masters were exceedingly rare, rarer even than alchemists or artifact refiners.
They operated differently from most of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation. Alchemists sold pills. Artifact refiners sold weapons. But Array Masters sold expertise, knowledge and skill, not physical goods.
They were walking libraries of formation theory, cultivators who could bend space, sense qi patterns, and weave protection or death into simple soil. Their services were so valuable that only major sects or Immortal clans could afford to nurture them.
For low-level cultivators like Lan Rui, hiring an Array Master was unthinkable. Their services came at a tremendous cost, and it was often too risky to trust an unknown one.
A hidden flaw in an array could go unnoticed until it was too late. There were even stories of Array Masters colluding with rogue cultivators to rob their customer. This is also why Array Master is one of the most unpopular profession among Loose Cultivators.
Lan Rui subtly probed him, trying to discern if he came from a known faction. But Fan Zixuan artfully dodged every inquiry, modestly deflecting each question as if it were irrelevant.
After a short conversation which no more than the time it took to enjoy a cup of tea, Lan Rui decided it was time to go.
"I should head to the market. If I don't hurry, I'll be late," Lan Rui said.
"Of course. I look forward to seeing more of you," Fan Zixuan replied with a gentle nod.
He watched Lan Rui walk away before continuing on his own route, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
Half an hour later, Lan Rui arrived at the bustling market. Crowds had already gathered, and most stalls were set up. His heart skipped a beat. Was he too late?
But to his relief, his usual spot remained untouched.
"Xiao Lan! Took you long enough," a rough, hoarse voice called out. "Another moment and I might've sold your spot!"
Lan Rui smiled. "Old Wang, thanks for holding it for me."
"Heh! When I said something who's around here dare to say otherwise." the older man chuckled, scratching his beard.
Lan Rui quickly set up his stall and laid out his talismans, then chatted casually with Old Wang while waiting for customers.
"Did you hear?" Old Wang said suddenly, squinting out toward the distant hills. "Feng Mountain belongs to the Crimson Blade Gang now. They've renamed it, Wu Sheng Mountain."
Lan Rui frowned. "What about the Feng Family?"
"What about them?" Old Wang shrugged. "Slaughtered. Most of them were old cultivators and veterans. They fought to the death. The younger ones, women and children, probably escaped the night before the attack."
Lan Rui fell silent, a wave of emotion stirring in his chest. The Feng Family, once a renowned Immortal Family in the Cloud Market, was gone, wiped away like dust in the wind.
And what of him? A mere bottom-tier cultivator, surviving on talisman sales. If those as powerful as the Feng Family could fall, then what of someone like him, whose fate was still in others' hands?
But instead of despair, resolve began to rise within him.
No more.
He would no longer drift with the current of fate. From this moment on, he vowed to strive for strength, true strength. Strong enough to shape his own destiny.
.....