Green Banyan City's daylight was clamorous and direct, like muddy waves rolling under sunlight. But when the sun's shadow slanted west and lights came on, this city under the giant banyan's protection revealed its even deeper and more dangerous side. Various spiritual lights and rune stones illuminated the twisted branches and aerial roots in bizarre, grotesque patterns. Shadows writhed and wriggled at the junction of light and darkness, as if hiding countless peering eyes.
Tang Xiaoqi and Liu Yun didn't stay in the inn but chose to walk the streets again at night. Daytime observation was merely superficial—true undercurrents often only surged under night's cover.
They changed into more ordinary gray cloth clothes, restraining their auras to late Qi Refining level, blending into the bustling crowd like two unremarkable water droplets.
Nighttime Green Banyan City, trading didn't cease but became even more active. Many things that couldn't see the light of day began quietly circulating in shadows. Some narrow alley depths flickered with ambiguous lights,传来 extravagant sounds—those were dens of vice and pleasure houses; other places conducted wordless transactions, both sides vigilant, one hand paying, one hand delivering, then vanishing into darkness.
Xiaoqi's powerful spiritual sense spread cautiously like invisible tendrils, catching countless fragments of information flowing in the air. Chaotic conversations, bargaining, even some imperceptible spiritual energy fluctuations and divine intent transmissions were all filtered and analyzed by him.
"Did you hear? A few days ago the 'Black Python Gang' and 'Poison Scorpion Society' fought again over a newly discovered small spirit vein in the west—several Foundation Establishment experts died..."
"Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House's auction list for next month leaked—apparently the finale item is a strange dragon bone from Dragon Fall Abyss!"
"Lots of unfamiliar faces in the city lately, all quite sharp—don't know what big thing is going to happen..."
"Shh... keep it down. Shadow Snake Pavilion people have been very active lately—seems they're looking for someone..."
The last whispered words, like an ice pick, instantly pierced Xiaoqi's ears. He showed no reaction, his spiritual sense locking onto the source—two rogue cultivators conversing in low tones at a stall selling inferior artifacts.
Liu Yun clearly heard too, her body instantly tensing, her hand already on the short sword at her waist. Xiaoqi gently nudged her arm, signaling her to stay calm.
Only heard the other rogue cultivator scoff: "Shadow Snake Pavilion? Those head-hiding, tail-tucking guys—what conspiracy are they up to now? Heard their lair was raided a while back—now like stray dogs, and still this arrogant?"
"A starved camel is bigger than a horse! Their influence runs deep—who knows how many nails they've planted in our Green Banyan City? Heard they've posted a sky-high reward, looking for some young cultivator 'bearing purification power'... tsk tsk, don't know which poor soul got targeted."
"Purification power? What's that? Never mind, not our business—best ask less to avoid inviting disaster..."
Their conversation grew fainter, quickly separating into the crowd.
Xiaoqi and Liu Yun's hearts sank. Shadow Snake Pavilion had indeed extended its tendrils here, and was even offering rewards to search for someone "bearing purification power"! This target was far too specific!
"They move fast!" Liu Yun transmitted, her tone carrying coldness and a trace of lingering fear. "Good thing we restrained our auras and didn't use the Purification Source."
Xiaoqi's gaze grew heavy as he nodded. The situation was more severe than expected. Shadow Snake Pavilion was openly offering rewards, and secretly certainly had even more eyes searching. This Green Banyan City was nothing less than a dragon's pool and tiger's den for them.
They continued forward, even more cautious. While crossing a relatively quiet alley with high stone walls on both sides, Xiaoqi's spiritual sense keenly caught several obscure auras lurking ahead at the corner, carrying obvious malice.
He immediately stopped Liu Yun, halting their steps.
Almost simultaneously, four black figures flashed from the corner, blocking their path. All were dressed in night clothes, faces masked, revealing only cold, greedy eyes. The leader had the strongest aura, reaching mid-Foundation Establishment, while the other three were all early Foundation Establishment.
"Two friends, very unfamiliar faces." The leader's voice was hoarse, carrying mockery. "Newcomers, don't know Green Banyan City's rules? This 'dark alley' isn't for just any cat or dog to walk."
Liu Yun's eyes sharpened, about to act, but Xiaoqi pressed her down again.
Xiaoqi stepped forward, his expression calm, cupping his hands: "Fellow daoists, we've just arrived at your precious ground—if there's any offense, please forgive us. What rules are needed to walk this road?"
That mid-Foundation Establishment black-clad man chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Xiaoqi and Liu Yun, lingering on Liu Yun's lovely face and graceful figure, not hiding the lewd intent within: "The rules are simple! Leave your toll money, and... this little lady, accompany us brothers for a drink, chat about life, and naturally we'll let you pass."
The three behind him let out a series of vulgar low laughs.
Liu Yun was so angry her face turned pale. Her Autumn Water sword hummed in its sheath, killing intent almost impossible to suppress.
Xiaoqi's eyes cooled as well. He hadn't wanted to cause trouble as newcomers, but these were clearly no ordinary highwaymen—more like local snakes entrenched here, acting so brazenly.
"What if I refuse?" Xiaoqi's voice remained calm, but the surrounding air seemed to instantly stagnate.
That mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator paused, apparently not expecting the other to be so tough, then grinned viciously: "Won't pay? Then leave your life!"
Before his words fell, an early Foundation Establishment black-clad man beside him had already struck—a black claw shadow with foul wind directly clawing at Xiaoqi's face, fast as lightning!
However, his speed was fast, but Xiaoqi's was faster!
No one even saw how Xiaoqi moved—only a crimson afterimage flashed, accompanied by a crisp bone-cracking sound and a miserable scream. That attacking black-clad man flew back like a torn sack, fiercely smashing into the stone wall behind, sliding down softly, his chest caved in, already silent.
In his hand, at some unknown point, appeared a simple-looking long sword emanating a heart-trembling scorching aura—the Crimson Flame Sword! To end the battle quickly and avoid attracting more trouble, Xiaoqi directly used his true strength and magical treasure.
Silence! Deathly silence!
The remaining three black-clad men, including that mid-Foundation Establishment leader, all froze in place, eyes filled with disbelief and terror. They hadn't even seen how their companion died! The other clearly only had late Qi Refining aura—how could he...
"You... you concealed your cultivation!" The leader's voice trembled, all his previous arrogance gone.
Xiaoqi didn't answer, only sweeping them with an icy gaze, the Crimson Flame sword slightly raised, tip pointing at the ground, but that invisible sword pressure made the three black-clad men feel as if they'd fallen into an ice cave, their spiritual energy circulation becoming sluggish.
"Scram." Xiaoqi only spat out one word.
The three black-clad men acted as if granted amnesty, not even caring about their companion's corpse, scrambling to disappear into the alley's darkness, their speed several times faster than when they came.
Xiaoqi put away the Crimson Flame sword, as if he'd done something trivial. He walked before the dead black-clad man, his spiritual sense sweeping over, fishing out from his bosom a black token carved with a coiled poisonous snake, its eyes set with two tiny rubies.
"Shadow Snake Pavilion outer member." Xiaoqi handed the token to Liu Yun, his tone certain. This token's aura was of the same source as the Shadow Snake Pavilion cultivators he'd encountered in the secret realm and sect defense battle.
Liu Yun accepted the token, her face ugly: "Indeed their claws! It seems Green Banyan City has long been under their surveillance. Our earlier attack probably already attracted attention."
Xiaoqi nodded, his gaze deep as he looked into the boundless darkness of the alley's depths: "No matter. Since we can't avoid it, let them know we're here. It's just that every step from now on needs to be even more careful."
He waved a hand, shooting out a stream of true fire that turned the corpse on the ground to ashes, erasing all traces of battle.
"Let's go, back to the inn first. The undercurrents in this city are even more turbulent than we imagined. We need to quickly obtain enough information, find a breakthrough."
The two didn't linger, quickly leaving this blood-scented dark alley, their figures merging into Green Banyan City's blurred and dangerous night. After this conflict, they even more clearly recognized that in this City of Rogue Cultivators, mercy and yielding were meaningless—only strength and vigilance were the foundation of survival. And their silent war with the Shadow Snake Pavilion in this city had quietly begun.