Chapter 123: Preparation

Yang Xiao retraced his steps and soon encountered Chen Tong, who had come to meet him. Seeing that Yang Xiao was unharmed, Chen Tong finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Junior Brother Yang, I am truly relieved to see you safe. I was worried you might have encountered some trouble," Chen Tong said with concern.

"I am fine. I was just chasing a spy from the Demonic Path, but I have already taken care of him," Yang Xiao replied, offering a casual excuse.

"I see. To think a spy from the Demonic Path managed to infiltrate our marketplace! It seems we must tighten our security and management; we cannot afford any more lapses that could cause such significant losses," Chen Tong remarked thoughtfully.

Yang Xiao nodded in agreement.

It appeared that Chen Tong believed his story completely, which saved Yang Xiao from having to provide further explanations. Moreover, Yang Xiao had promised Lin Tian that he would not disclose anything about the Linlang Blessed Land to outsiders. If Chen Tong were to press him with questions, it would have put him in a difficult position.

Afterward, the two returned to the marketplace. Once back, Chen Tong dismantled the Nine Rituals Sword Formation. Since the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect frequently practiced such formations, most assumed this had been a training exercise. However, it was the first time they had conducted a drill that felt so remarkably realistic. Many disciples had initially believed an enemy had truly invaded. When they followed Chen Tong’s orders to dismantle the formation and were told it was merely a drill, their expressions shifted, and their attitude toward Chen Tong changed slightly.

Neither Chen Tong nor Yang Xiao paid any heed to the other disciples' reactions. They continued to drink and chat until dusk, when they finally parted ways. Yang Xiao, thoroughly satisfied, returned to his quarters.

Over the next two days, Yang Xiao patrolled the marketplace. Most of the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples responsible for managing the area recognized him; whenever they saw him, they were respectful. Many of them were aware of his past exploits.

"Is that Senior Brother Yang Xiao, the one sent by the Master to oversee the marketplace?" a disciple whispered after Yang Xiao had passed by.

"Indeed. Although Senior Brother Yang hasn't been with the Heavenly Sword Sect for long, his abilities are extraordinary. I heard he was the one who killed Wang Hai, one of the three young kings of the Demonic Path," another disciple replied.

"That’s nothing! I heard he even defeated Tang Bi, another one of the three young kings," a third disciple interjected.

"Is that really true? Then Senior Brother Yang’s power must be truly terrifying," the others exclaimed in surprise, having not heard these rumors before.

"Of course it’s true. I heard it directly from Senior Brother Chen Tong. Didn't Senior Brother Chen throw a celebratory banquet for him just the day before yesterday? How could such a thing be false?" the first disciple said, acting as if he were privy to all the inside information.

"Senior Brother Yang is truly incredible!" Everyone was awestruck, and as they watched his retreating figure, their gazes became even more reverent.

Yang Xiao spent those two days wandering the market, partly to inspect the situation and ensure no further threats emerged—a way to fulfill his commitment to Master Duan Jian. However, he had another objective: to search for materials for alchemy and artifact refining.

Yet, after visiting every shop, he found few items of value. His standards had become so high that ordinary materials no longer caught his interest.

When he returned to his quarters, he had only acquired a thousand-year-old black ginseng. It had been the shop’s prized treasure, but upon learning Yang Xiao's identity, the shopkeeper sold it to him at a discount, hoping to curry favor.

While the ginseng was valuable for nourishing the body and improving one’s constitution, it was of little significance to Yang Xiao. He had only bought it out of curiosity regarding its age. He thought it might be useful for refining longevity pills later, so he decided to keep it.

Back at his residence, Yang Xiao resumed his meditation. A day later, Lin Tian arrived at his door, inviting him to depart for the Linlang Blessed Land.

After parting with Yang Xiao that day, Lin Tian had taken a detour back to the market. As a guard at Chen Tong’s estate, he attracted no attention. By acting with caution and posing as a commoner, he remained beyond suspicion.

"Brother Lin Tian, you are very punctual," Yang Xiao said via telepathic transmission, having sensed his arrival from afar.

"Senior Brother Yang, I have been fretting over the family competition, so I naturally hoped we could leave as soon as possible," Lin Tian replied.

"Very well. Let me notify Senior Brother Chen Tong first, and then we shall depart." Yang Xiao took out a talisman, infused it with his spiritual energy, and watched it glow. "Senior Brother Chen, I need to cultivate a powerful secret technique over the next few days and will be in seclusion. During this time, I leave the affairs of the marketplace in your capable hands."

Soon, Chen Tong’s voice emanated from the talisman: "Feel free to seclude yourself, Junior Brother Yang. Leave the marketplace to me. You can rest assured that no one will disturb you."

"I am in your debt, Senior Brother," Yang Xiao replied politely.

"Why be so formal between us? Once you emerge from seclusion, I shall invite you for a proper drink," Chen Tong’s voice replied.

Yang Xiao ceased the flow of energy to the talisman and tucked it away. "Everything is prepared. Let us depart."

Secretly, the two slipped out of the marketplace without incident. Guided by Lin Tian, they flew off in the direction of the Linlang Blessed Land.