Night fell, starless and moonless, with a gentle breeze and quiet surroundings!
After finishing his food and drink, Pei Liang lay down on his bed early.
Cultivating was a monotonous task; ever since he stopped making any progress regardless of how he Cultivated, he began to use his precious nights for sleeping.
As for the increase in his cultivation, he would let nature take its course.
In the dead of night, the small shop's wooden door was pried open, and three shadowy figures quietly entered the backyard.
They moved silently.
The small door to the bedroom slowly opened, and the shadowy figures slipped in lightly.
Gazing at the figure on the bed, whose breathing was steady, the three men's faces revealed a cold sneer.
“Zheng~~”
A short blade cut a cold gleam through the night, quickly and accurately slitting the throat of the sleeping figure.
“Puchi~”
Blood splattered!
“Search separately!”
With a muffled command, the three men split up.
One stepped forward to search the body, one gathered the items in the room, and one stood by the door as a lookout.
Their entire operation was silent and perfectly coordinated!
“Strange, why is there no Storage Pouch?”
The shadowy figure searching the body suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
The other two paused simultaneously, a bad premonition rising within them.
“Retreat!”
The three men acted decisively; if there was even a hint of something amiss, they would not risk staying.
“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave; I’m familiar with this place. What are you looking for? Can I help you find it?”
Just then, a lazy voice sounded in the ears of the three men!
“Who!”
The three figures were startled.
“You come into my room, yet you still ask who I am? How shameless!”
A cover on the flat ground lifted, and Pei Liang leisurely walked out.
“Pop!”
With a snap of his fingers, the room instantly lit up.
The three shadowy figures huddled together, staring at Pei Liang’s face, then looking at the headless corpse on the bed, their faces turning pale with shock!
“You… you weren’t dead?”
“Ha, he’s dead, but I’m still alive!”
Pei Liang pointed to the face on the bed, which was identical to his own, and smiled evilly, “What are you gentlemen looking for in my humble abode?”
The three figures exchanged glances, and a hint of ruthlessness flashed in their eyes.
Although the scene in the room was bizarre, it was not enough to make them hesitate.
In the next instant, the three figures erupted, each wielding a short blade, striking at Pei Liang from three directions!
“Oh, my!”
Pei Liang hastily retreated, “Wait a moment, we can talk this over!”
“Hmph, it’s not too late to talk after you’re dead!”
“No, I mean, don’t you smell something?”
“Damn it, it’s poison!” A shadowy figure stumbled, almost falling.
The other two quickly covered their mouths and noses, but it was already too late.
“Bang!”
All three, including Pei Liang, fell straight to the ground!
In the moment they lost consciousness, a lingering question remained in their minds: “He even poisoned himself, is he trying to die with us?”
Alas, they would never have the chance to know the answer!
A moment later, the flat ground opened again, and another Pei Liang emerged from it.
He was expressionless, holding a long sword, and he beheaded all four figures lying on the ground.
He used the wind to disperse the poisonous gas, then walked out to the courtyard, inspecting the small shop.
Only then did he return to the room and call out to the ground, “Master, it’s safe, you can come out!”
After a moment of stunned, another identical Pei Liang emerged from beneath the ground.
A smile played on his lips as he looked at the headless corpses on the ground, praising, “Well done!”
“But why did you kill your own kind as well?”
“Oh, I got carried away with the killing!” The Shadow Clone chuckled.
Pei Liang rolled his eyes and ordered him to remove the masks of the three men.
Indeed, it was the square-faced Cultivator who had come to buy talismans earlier that day!
He wasn't surprised in the slightest.
“Destroy the bodies, organize their Storage Pouches, and bring them to me!”
After instructing the Shadow Clone, he pushed open the door and walked into the small courtyard, sitting by the shallow pond.
The faint light from the room flickered on and off his face.
After the Patrol Team’s search of the Immortal Market, he had vaguely felt that something was amiss; that fellow Wu Pan might have inadvertently caused him great trouble.
So, that night, he dug a large hole under his room.
To be safe, his Master had stayed in the hole the entire time, letting a Shadow Clone take his place sleeping in the room.
He hadn't expected it to actually avert a dangerous situation.
As for why he used poison?
Because his magical power was low, and he lacked sufficient combat ability.
To live well, he had to prepare all sorts of despicable methods and employ dishonorable tactics, just as with the large number of Exploding Flame Talismans before, and now with the use of poison.
He didn't even dare to leave alive a Qi Refining fourth-level Cultivator and two Qi Refining third-level Cultivators for questioning.
After the Shadow Clone tidied up the room, he came out with three Storage Pouches.
Pei Liang took them and inspected them, sighing slightly.
A dozen Spirit Stones, a few talismans, a bottle of healing medicine, and the short blades used by the three men were Low Grade Magical Artifacts; there was nothing else.
“These guys are so cautious even when robbing houses!”
Cultivators who frequently engaged in dangerous ventures would never keep rare or identity-identifying items in their Storage Pouches, primarily to ensure that even if they failed and were killed, they wouldn't leave any benefits for their enemies!
After transferring all the items from the three Storage Pouches into his Storage Ring, Pei Liang activated his magical power to destroy the three Storage Pouches.
In extraordinary times, having too many Storage Pouches on him would make explanations impossible.
Sitting quietly in the courtyard, he pondered for a while, then released two more Shadow Clones, instructing the three of them to act separately.
They ransacked the room and the small shop, creating the appearance of a robbery.
Even the only counter in the small shop was smashed to smithereens.
Then he sent them to the Magical Artifact shop next door to do the same, making off with all of Old Man Fang’s already worthless tools.
After doing all this, he released the autonomous Clone with the Medium Grade Spiritual Root.
“From now on, you will be called Shen Xie, and you will leave the Immortal Market tonight!”
“As Master commands!”
Shen Xie didn't hesitate at all, leaving the small shop under the cover of night.
Dressed in similar black clothes and robes, Pei Liang always felt that the attackers tonight must be connected to the three who had been blown up outside the tomb that day.
He wasn't someone who sought trouble, but since he had been attacked late at night, he absolutely had to investigate!
As night faded, the morning sun brought its light, illuminating everything in vibrant hues.
“Ah~~”
A tragic cry erupted from next door.
Old Man Fang ran miserably to Pei Liang’s small shop, about to speak, but seeing the mess inside the shop, he swallowed his grievances!
He grabbed Pei Liang’s arm, weeping bitterly, “Boy, we’re already struggling, who was the scoundrel who did such a wicked thing!”
Pei Liang, feigning indignation, roared, “You bastard, let’s go report it!”
They arrived at the Affairs Hall of the Immortal Market.
Before Pei Liang could speak, Old Man Fang sat on the ground,
“I want to report a crime! Last night, both our shops were ransacked!”
He was a snotty, teary mess, which made the receptionist at the Affairs Hall feel pity!
Soon, three members of the Patrol Team followed them to the two shops in Yanhuo Alley!
They walked around each house, and both shops were in ruins, a sight that was unbearable to behold!
Before the Patrol Team could speak, a streak of light landed in front of the small shop.
It was Song Pengju, the deacon of the Immortal Market’s Affairs Hall.
“Deacon, you must do justice for us!” Old Man Fang immediately went up to him and began to complain.
Song Pengju ignored him, instead staring sharply at Pei Liang, making Pei Liang feel uneasy!