Enemies on a Narrow Path, the Supreme Saint of Tai Xuan

The third month after the closing of the Azure Wood Secret Realm.

Blood Fiend Sect.

A new directive appeared in the hidden compartment of the sect leader's secret chamber.

Allocate thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Under the guise of "going out to gain experience," arrange for Chen Mo to travel with the team to the core market of the region.

Liu Tianxing looked at the slip of paper, the Life and Death Talisman on the back of his neck aching faintly.

Thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones.

This was more than half a year's net profit for the Blood Fiend Sect.

But he did not dare to raise any objections.

Early the next morning, a team led by an inner sect elder and consisting of over a dozen elite disciples marched grandly out of the Black Rock Wasteland.

At the very back of the procession followed a handyman wearing a gray cloth robe, possessing an ordinary face.

Chen Mo.

Who was actually Shen Fei.

He did not ride a flying sword; instead, he sat quietly in the low-grade spirit beast carriage rented by the sect, resting with his eyes closed.

Half a month later.

The team arrived at the absolute core of this state region, Tianji City.

The level of prosperity here was a hundred times greater than that of the Dust Market.

Defensive array patterns were carved all over the hundred-foot-tall city walls, and brilliantly glowing flying ships and high-grade spirit beasts occasionally streaked across the sky. The streets were wide, and the shops on both sides were filled with heavenly materials and earthly treasures rarely seen in the borderlands.

The grandest event in Tianji City was the Great Tianji Auction, held once every five years.

Large and small factions within the region, and even some reclusive mighty rogue cultivators, would gather here at this time.

As a third-rate sect, the Blood Fiend Sect was only qualified to rent a few secluded adjacent seats in the first-floor hall of the auction house.

The inner sect elder led the disciples in an excited discussion about the upcoming auction items.

Shen Fei sat among them.

He did not look at the Golden Core realm auctioneer on the stage who was working hard to warm up the crowd.

Nor did he look at the low-grade cultivators around him whose faces were flushed with excitement.

From the moment he stepped into this massive circular auction house capable of holding a hundred thousand people.

Shen Fei's entire attention had been immersed in the deep scanning of his Eye of Providence.

In his line of sight.

The entire auction house turned into a forest composed of countless pillars of light.

Pillars of providence from Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and even occasionally Golden Core realms intertwined in a multitude of colors.

Shen Fei's gaze acted like a radar, coldly and efficiently filtering out these small fries.

There was no prey that interested him.

Until.

His gaze swept across the top-tier VIP box on the west side of the auction house, which hovered in mid-air and was protected by heavy arrays.

Shen Fei's gaze stopped.

It was a light.

A golden pillar of light so thick that it almost pierced the dome of the auction house.

In front of this pillar of light, all the providence in the first-floor hall combined seemed like fireflies under the scorching sun, utterly dim.

More importantly.

The texture of this pillar of light.

Shen Fei was far too familiar with it.

That immortal providence, hiding a peerless sharpness within its lightness, as if it wanted to trample the Heavenly Dao itself underfoot.

Over a year ago.

In the western suburbs of Earth, on the ruins of the Taiyi Daoist Sect.

He had personally crushed the rudimentary form of this very providence.

The system's cold notification sound exploded in Shen Fei's mind:

Warning!

Ultra-high-risk target detected!

Child of Fortune: Li Miaoyuan.

Current Level: SSSSS.

Current Cultivation: Early Nascent Soul realm.

Current Identity: Outer Region Holy Son of the top-tier upper realm sect, Taixuan Sacred Land.

Shen Fei looked at this string of data.

He did not erupt with uncontrollable killing intent just because his enemy was right in front of him, like an ordinary avenger would.

He did not even change the rhythm of his breathing in the slightest.

He merely leaned back slowly against the hard wooden backrest of his chair.

Picked up the cup of spirit tea that had already gone completely cold on the table in front of him.

And took a sip.

Early Nascent Soul realm.

Taixuan Holy Son.

Shen Fei chewed over these two terms in his mind.

One year's time.

That fish that slipped through the net, whose sternum he had caved in down in the mortal realm, who had been forcibly taken away by the Heavenly Dao like a stray dog.

Not only had his injuries fully healed, but he had also crossed the heavenly chasm between the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms.

He had even transformed into the Holy Son of a top-tier upper realm faction.

Such was the treatment of the Heavenly Dao's favored son.

As long as he wasn't completely dead, he could fall into any random cave and find a peerless cultivation technique; he could join any random faction and become a prodigy that caught everyone's attention.

While he, Shen Fei.

Was currently at the early Golden Core realm.

An absolute gap of two major realms.

If he rushed up to fight head-on right now, Li Miaoyuan wouldn't even need to lift a finger; any random Dao Protector beside him could crush him into meat paste using Nascent Soul realm laws.

Shen Fei put down the teacup.

His eyes were as calm as a dry well.

Early Nascent Soul realm.

Shen Fei muttered in his heart.

Grown quite well.

The meat should be much more succulent than when he was in the mortal realm.

The auction lasted for three whole days.

Shen Fei acted like a true bottom-tier handyman who had come to see the world.

He blended into the Blood Fiend Sect's team, didn't participate in a single bid, and didn't attract anyone's attention.

On the evening of the third day.

The auction ended.

A crowd of a hundred thousand people surged out the main doors like a tide.

Shen Fei followed behind the Blood Fiend Sect elder, walking down the crowded street.

Suddenly.

A commotion arose from the front of the crowd.

Make way! It's the people from the Taixuan Sacred Land!

Heavens, that's the Outer Region Holy Son of the Taixuan Sacred Land! I heard he only ascended to the upper realm a year ago, and in such a short time, he broke through to the Nascent Soul realm. He's a true peerless monster!

The surrounding rogue cultivators and low-grade sect disciples fearfully retreated to both sides of the street, clearing a wide path.

Shen Fei also followed the crowd, retreating to the side of the road next to a stall selling low-grade talismans.

He slightly lowered his head.

In the corner of his eye.

A group of people walked out from the auction house's exclusive passage.

Walking at the very front.

Was a young man wearing a luxurious purple-gold Daoist robe.

His face was like flawless jade, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes.

His temperament had completely lost the arrogance and wretchedness he had in the mortal realm.

Replaced instead by a profound, utterly restrained sharpness.

Like a peerless divine weapon hidden within an antique sword box. Just getting slightly close was enough to feel that soul-rending sharpness.

Li Miaoyuan.

By his side followed two old men in gray robes.

Although the old men did not emit any spiritual energy fluctuations, Shen Fei saw through their depths at a single glance.

Peak Golden Core realm.

The personal Dao Protectors assigned to the Holy Son by the Taixuan Sacred Land.

Li Miaoyuan walked right down the middle of the street.

He did not look at the awed gazes on either side.

He was merely conversing in low tones with the Dao Protectors beside him, his expression aloof.

Shen Fei stood in the crowd.

He and Li Miaoyuan were separated by a distance of less than twenty paces.

This was the first time they had appeared in the same space since their battle on the volcanic island in the mortal realm.

Li Miaoyuan walked right past Shen Fei.

A gentle breeze lifted the corner of his purple-gold Daoist robe.

He did not turn his head.

Nor did his massive Early Nascent Soul realm divine sense linger for even a moment on this gray-robed handyman by the roadside, who merely exhibited an Early Foundation Establishment cultivation base.

In Li Miaoyuan's eyes, the low-grade cultivators filling the street were nothing but background scenery.

It was absolutely impossible for him to imagine.

That the mortal realm demon who made him suffer the torment of inner demons day and night, the one he swore a Heavenly Dao blood oath to grind into dust.

At this very moment.

Was standing merely twenty paces away from him.

Quietly, he watched him.

Shen Fei did not release a single trace of his Heavenly Demon aura.

He was like a lifeless stone.

He watched Li Miaoyuan's back gradually disappear at the end of the street.

It was not until the people of the Taixuan Sacred Land had completely walked away that the surrounding crowd resumed its bustling noise.

"So this is the demeanor of a Holy Son from a great sect..." The inner sect elder of the Blood Fiend Sect looked in the direction Li Miaoyuan had left, his eyes full of envy and awe.

Shen Fei lowered his head.

He continued walking forward with the group.

There was no expression on his face.

Enemies seeing red the moment they meet?

That was a trope reserved for brainless wish-fulfillment protagonists.

For a mature villain, before possessing the strength to absolutely crush the enemy, any display of emotion was purely foolish.

Li Miaoyuan was still alive.

And he had grown stronger.

This was good.

Shen Fei smiled coldly in his heart.

He had not killed Li Miaoyuan back in the Mortal Realm partly because the Heavenly Dao had forcibly guided him away, and partly because the time was not right.

Now.

The time was still not right.

But.

Shen Fei raised his head and glanced at the bustling night sky of Tianji City.

The time for it to be ripe.

Was not far away.

"Elder."

Shen Fei suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse, carrying a trace of the timidity expected of a lowly handyman.

"I would like to buy some low-grade herbs for cultivation in the city, I wonder if I might..."

The inner sect elder was still immersed in his reverence for the great sect's Holy Son. Hearing a handyman's request, he waved his hand somewhat impatiently.

"Go, go, just do not cause any trouble. We will gather at the city gate early tomorrow morning to return to the sect."

"Thank you, Elder."

Shen Fei bowed slightly.

He turned around and walked into a dim alley nearby.

Breaking away from the Blood Fiend Sect's group.

Shen Fei's figure instantly melted into the darkness.

He did not need to buy any herbs.

What he wanted to buy.

Was information.

Information could tell a person many things.