When dawn broke the next morning, chaos erupted in Blackstone City. The mercenaries of the Tiger Mercenary Group discovered a horrifying truth—their two leaders, along with the group's elites, had all been slain within their own headquarters.
Panic spread like wildfire. For all their bravado, the Tiger Mercenary Group had never been the upright defenders their Second Commander, Ge Hu, claimed them to be. They had committed plenty of atrocities in Blackstone City, throwing their weight around in what was little more than a glorified town. If this had been a true city, far larger forces would never have allowed them to act so wantonly.
Now, with their leaders gone and rumors swirling, fear consumed the rank-and-file mercenaries. Whispers spread that the rival Blood Blade Mercenary Group might have been behind the massacre. Many fled the group outright, while others defected to Blood Blade's ranks. Still more, braver or greedier, stayed behind only to ransack the Tiger headquarters for valuables. The looting sparked wave after wave of chaos that spilled into the streets, until the entire town sank into disorder.
When Liu Xi emerged from his inn and saw the turmoil outside, he could only sigh. The 'Black-Corner Region truly is steeped in chaos. There's no point trying to bargain-hunt here anymore.' Without lingering, he left Blackstone City behind and began wandering deeper into the region.
---
The following months were an education in brutality.
Liu Xi was ambushed by highway robbers who coveted his wealth, poisoned by fraudulent merchants running black shops, nearly ensnared by a trap in Yunfeng Town designed to fleece unsuspecting travelers, and hounded by pickpockets at every turn. It was a parade of deception and violence that showed him just how ugly humanity could become when unchecked by law.
---
Three months later.
Under the scorching sun, Liu Xi trudged along the road, looking weary from travel. When the silhouette of Blackstone City once more came into view, he rubbed his forehead and muttered, 'Finally back… these three months were no joke. Robberies, poisonings, theft—I couldn't even sleep without staying on guard. My spirit feels worn thin.'
Blackstone itself had changed. After the fall of the Tiger Mercenary Group, its former rival Blood Blade Mercenaries had swiftly risen to fill the void. At first, their leader Zhao Hai had panicked, suspecting some mysterious powerhouse had destroyed Tiger and fearing his own group might be next. But when nothing happened, and Tiger's territory fell into disarray, Zhao Hai saw his opportunity. He seized Tiger's markets, inns, and shops, consolidating his control over the city.
Now, the streets bustled once more. Mercenaries came and went through inns and taverns, laughing boisterously as they swapped exaggerated tales over drinks. In the marketplaces, vendors hawked their goods—monster cores of low rank, dirt-stained herbs, battered weapons.
Liu Xi took in the lively scene with narrowed eyes. 'Looks like order has been restored. I should find lodging first, then visit the market.'
---
He checked into a modest inn, ate a simple lunch of meat and wine, then slung his sword over his back and set off toward the market square.
Most of the stalls were pitiful, filled with trinkets of little value. A smiling youth tried to sell him a heap of so-called "treasures," but Liu Xi only smiled faintly and moved on. Even in the larger cities he had visited, truly valuable items had been scarce. Compared to the worth of a single 4th Tier Pill he could casually refine, the junk here was worthless.
Sweeping the stalls with his spiritual power, he confirmed what his eyes already told him—no herbs pulsed with true vitality, no weapons carried genuine resonance.
Just as he was about to turn away, something jolted his senses. His spiritual perception, spread out across the market, flickered and wavered. His brows furrowed. 'What's this? My perception… destabilized?'
He turned toward the source and spotted it at once: an iron scroll lying on the ground before a burly stall keeper.
Approaching, Liu Xi pointed at the object. "Big brother, what's with this scroll? Forged from iron, sealed shut, and yet impossible to open—what use is it supposed to have?"
The burly man blinked, then his eyes lit up when he realized Liu Xi was asking about the dusty item he'd nearly forgotten. Putting on an eager smile, he launched into a pitch. "Young master, this here is an heirloom—a divine cultivation scroll left by my ancestors. Sadly, we've fallen on hard times, and I can't unlock its secrets. With no choice but to part with it, I've been waiting for fate to send the right person. And look! Only you noticed it—surely you are that destined one. If you can unlock it, greatness awaits you."
Liu Xi's lips twitched. Do I look that gullible? Even a child wouldn't fall for this drivel. Out loud, he asked dryly, "And how much is your so-called divine scroll?"
"Ah… priceless, of course!" the man said quickly, before clutching his chest with a pained expression. "But I am desperate for money. Since fate has led you here, I'll part with it for… 500 gold coins."
Liu Xi raised a brow. "Only 500? Very well."
He flicked a pouch of coins onto the stall without bargaining. The man gawked, stunned that someone had actually paid. By the time Liu Xi pocketed the scroll and turned away, the stall keeper's shock had melted into greedy excitement. He scooped up the coins, eyes glinting with malice as he watched Liu Xi's back disappear into the crowd.
---
Back in his rented room, Liu Xi barred the door and windows before releasing his spiritual perception to ensure no one had followed. Satisfied, he laid the scroll out before him.
Up close, it seemed mundane: forged of black iron, no engravings or markings, nothing to hint at power. But the way it disrupted his spiritual sense earlier could not be ignored.
'This has to be soul-related,' Liu Xi thought, seating himself cross-legged. He gathered his spiritual power at his brow and pressed it into the scroll.
With a boom, darkness filled his vision. A faint light flickered ahead, and Liu Xi shot toward it. Soon, he beheld a glowing sphere the size of a human head.
Reaching out, he touched it—and immediately his spiritual power spun out of control. Pain and dizziness stabbed through his mind. Teeth clenched, he hastily condensed his scattered power into the shape of a sword and hacked at the orb. Resistance flared, but Liu Xi pressed harder.
Crack!
Like an eggshell shattering, the orb broke apart, dissolving into a cascade of golden characters that floated before his eyes. Instantly, control returned to him.
Exhaling a long breath, Liu Xi steadied himself and read the words aloud. "Illusionary Heart Technique."
His lips curled upward. 'A soul technique… a true treasure.'
The Illusionary Heart Technique was a high-level soul skill that wove spiritual power into the five senses, crafting illusions so real they could trap an enemy's very soul. Unless the victim's spiritual strength far exceeded the caster's, they would be unable to escape without the caster's mercy.
Such a technique sealed in an iron scroll, overlooked for years in this remote corner of the Black-Corner Region—it was as if fate had reserved it for him alone. Only a cultivator with powerful spiritual perception could have uncovered it, and such people were rare outside high-level alchemists. No wonder it had remained hidden until now.
All night he studied, diving into the intricacies of the soul art, testing its flow and feeling its potential. By the time the morning sun rose, his eyes still gleamed with excitement, his lips dry, his body restless with exhilaration.
Stretching, he muttered, "Time to return."
(End of Chapter)
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