Free Web NovelChapter 553: Chapter 44: Leaving the Business Domain (2)
Immediately, the top echelons of the most powerful commerce associations within the business alliance, along with several tributors from various associations, hastened over.
"Congratulations to True Man Huang on achieving the Golden Core!" A deluge of congratulatory voices resounded both inside and outside the Dao Field.
Li Ji’an floated into the air, somewhat surprised by the scene in front of him. Although he knew he had caused quite a stir, this was, after all, at the Feihong Dao Field under the watch of the business alliance. Even if someone harbored malicious intentions or covetousness, they should restrain themselves.
However, as he swept his divine sense over the crowd, he quickly spotted no fewer than ten Core Formation Ascendants with greedy expressions, and countless others with covetous looks.
Their stance of stepping forward to offer congratulations just happened to block all his escape routes.
If he wanted to leave using an escape technique, it would be like talking in sleep, as he couldn’t even get past the Ascendants at the forefront.
"Little Friend Huang truly created a miracle this time, making others envious. As the host, I have already prepared a Spirit Banquet at my residence to celebrate for you. I hope you will do me the honor," Alliance Leader Tong was the first to extend an invitation.
"True Man Huang, our Fierce Tiger Commerce Association has also prepared a Spirit Banquet in the city, awaiting your esteemed presence."
"Little friend, I am an honored guest elder of the Endless Domain of the Central Ten Domains. My term of duty is ending, and I can take you to further your progress in the Endless Domain."
...
Before Li Ji’an could speak, a group of people was already vying to invite him.
"Hahaha, thank you all for your kindness, but my realm is yet to be stabilized, and it’s inconvenient for now. We shall meet another day," Li Ji’an said with a chuckle. Before he finished speaking, his figure was already beginning to blur.
"Not good, a Teleportation Talisman!"
"This boy has a guilty conscience; he must have done something shady. Don’t let him escape!"
"Our Taian Commerce Association lost several Core Formation Spirit Treasures earlier, it must have been stolen by this little thief, we cannot let him go."
The Ascendants who were benevolent-looking just a moment ago suddenly changed their expressions.
In an instant, several magical treasures of divine nature were activated.
Unfortunately, what Li Ji’an activated was not an ordinary Teleportation Talisman, but a Great Shifting Talisman, a true tier three advanced space spirit talisman. Only a Nascent Soul True Monarch or upper three grades’ space treasures could stop it.
The next moment, Li Ji’an disappeared without a trace in front of everyone’s eyes.
"Chase!" Several Core Formation Ascendants and even elders and honored guests beyond the mid-stage True Core scattered immediately.
However, because the direction of Li Ji’an’s shift was uncertain, they could only chase in one direction relying on luck.
The Dao Field, lively just a moment ago, suddenly turned cold and empty.
Yet those outside the Dao Field who witnessed the event were even more stirred, further solidifying their previous suspicions, believing there must be a divine opportunity involved.
Master Yuxiao watched the sky where Li Ji’an’s figure once was, silent for a long time, finally letting out a sigh and leading the commerce association members to leave quietly.
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Thousands of miles away, Li Ji’an’s figure reappeared.
This distance was well beyond the divine sense lock range of Core Formation Ascendants.
However, at this moment, there were still as many as twenty-one divine soul marks attached to him.
As soon as he steadied himself, the Little Fire Spirit circled around him, burning away all the marks.
Then, he once again activated a mid-tier three Divine Escape Talisman, bursting away at high speed.
The direction he chose was towards the Central Ten Domains, which was where every Golden Core True Man seeking advancement would go.
Along the way, he did not conceal his magical power aura.
A day later, he finally activated the essence blood and divine soul of the Fake Pill Sword Cultivator within the Faceless Mask, completely transforming his appearance, aura, and even divine soul.
He carried the Flowing Light Sword, thin as a cicada’s wing, on his back.
Subsequently, he changed directions and headed north.
Thus, the newly-risen Golden Core True Man "Huang Jie" vanished from everyone’s sights completely.
A year later, in the northeastern border of the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, Fuyun City.
This was the first provincial city where Li Ji’an landed when he arrived at the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain seven years ago aboard a Spiritual Ship, under the jurisdiction of the Five Blessings Commerce Association.
"Indeed, the records were accurate, the essence of Sword Cultivators and Dharma Cultivators are fundamentally the same; the only additional thing is the comprehension of Sword Intent, similar to Lifebound Magical Treasures."
In the Immortal Gathering Pavilion of Fuyun City, Li Ji’an reclined on a warm bed, eyes closed, studying fragments of the Sword Cultivator’s memory, while three Fairies lay limp beside him.
Withdrawing his divine sense from his sea of consciousness, he lightly tapped a nearby buttock, exhaling slowly as the influence on his heart nature nearly dissipated.
While waiting to form a core at the Si Shui Commerce Association, he played the role of "Huang Jie" continuously for nearly three years, feeling a strong sense of discomfort when he stopped a year ago.
The impact of "Huang Jie’s" heart nature left him unsettled.
So over the past half year, he resided in this Yaochi Commerce Association’s Immortal Gathering Pavilion, dissolving the heart nature impact daily.
Now he finally regained a clear state of mind.
At the same time, he developed some caution regarding the negative effects of the Faceless Mask.
Long-term impersonation bears the risk of being assimilated.
Therefore, over the past half year in Fuyun City, he appeared as his true self in this life, "Li Ping’an."
However, he dared not leak the slightest Golden Core aura, relying instead on the Sandalwood Box Dao Artifact obtained from slaying Tong Liang to store part of his magical power aura.
Nonetheless, due to the cautionary tale of the Faceless Mask’s heart assimilation, he was wary of Dao Artifacts and did not store much aura.
His current exhibited magical power was at the early True Core stage, typical of a middle-level True Pill.
But he remained concerned about storing aura in Dao Artifacts for extended periods; fortunately, when he activated the Fake Pill Sword Cultivator’s essence blood, he inadvertently discovered a wondrous Concealing Breath Secret Technique within its memory fragments.
Over the past six months, besides dissolving "Huang Jie’s" impact, he delved into the memory fragments of the Fake Pill Sword Cultivator, diligently studying the secret technique named "Deceiving Heaven."
This secret technique was that Fake Pill Sword Cultivator’s trump card, allowing him to rise to an Earth-level Assassin with Fake Pill cultivation and ambush True Pill Masters due to this secret technique.
He comprehended it from an ancient times’ fragment, with the first layer being Form Concealment.
Perfecting it allowed for flawless concealment, echoing Five Elements Escape Technique.
The second layer was Qi Concealment, which when perfected, allowed one’s aura to be freely controlled.
The third layer was Divine Concealment, which the Fake Pill Sword Cultivator did not master.
Beyond that was the mystical ability to hide traces of someone’s existence from the world.
Ultimately, it would even erase the marks of reincarnation.
"Coming again? Still not giving up?" Just as he was about to get up, a powerful divine sense swept over.
Since "Huang Jie" vanished without a trace a year ago, there had been an exhaustive search throughout the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.
The rumors about "True Man Huang" became rampant, with countless versions arising.
The most believable was of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator inadvertently entering an Ancient Immortal Sect’s treasure vault, finding Core Formation Spirit Treasures prepared for Immortal Seeds, thus benefiting True Man Huang.
This also gave rise to tales of a certain Divine Pill from ancient times that could enhance a cultivator’s dantian.
The most fanciful rumor was that True Man Huang’s master was an outsider from a world beyond the Great Marsh Cultivation Realm, imparting an incomprehensible Divine Level Technique of this realm along with countless Heaven and Earth Treasures.
Whichever rumor it was, they all pointed to "finding Huang Jie would yield a divine opportunity."
Thus, the aura of "Golden Core" within the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain became extremely sensitive and concerning.
Ignoring the divine sense sweeping over the area, Li Ji’an dressed neatly and finally stepped out of the Immortal Gathering Pavilion.
That day, he headed to the Five Blessings Commerce Association’s Spiritual Ship location in Fuyun City.
Since the Celestial Cyan Domain fell completely under the control of Golden Puppet Holy Monarch three years ago, the situation within the domain has drastically changed. No longer sealed as under the rule of the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, the domain gates were opened wide, allowing free passage.
After observing for three years, the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain finally decided to reopen the trade routes.
In his current early Golden Core stage, Li Ji’an needed to stabilize his realm, which required at least a tier three middle-grade Dao Field for long-term seclusion.
If he proceeded with his current identity within the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, it would inevitably involve spirit contract issues.
However, returning to the Biyun Sect of the Celestial Cyan Domain, given his current qualifications as a middle-level True Pill, and his original Chief True Inheritor status, there would be no pressure or concerns.
Another pressing matter was the Nascent Soul of True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws mentioned by Gugu, which only Ning Sujin’s primordial spirit, not weaker than his own, might hope to solve.
