Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Oh No! I’ve Been Plotted Against
"My apologies! My apologies!"
The person hurried away.
At first, Jiang Xu didn’t react, thinking the other person had simply been careless.
But his expression changed drastically just a few seconds later!
’Damn it! Someone set me up!’
He used his Spiritual Eye Technique on himself and was shocked to find a tiny mark had appeared on the front of his body!
The mark was faintly emitting hidden threads of Spiritual Qi that stretched in the direction of the person who had just bumped into him.
Jiang Xu instinctively wanted to give chase, but he forced himself to stop and quickly exited Wanxiang Tower instead.
After leaving Wanxiang Tower, Jiang Xu tried taking off his clothes, but it had no effect. The mark remained on the front of his body.
’This is going to be trouble!’
He had checked the person who bumped him with his Spiritual Eye Technique; they were only a Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.
A Cultivator who had just entered the Qi Cultivation Middle Stage couldn’t possibly be a Tribulation Cultivator on their own.
They must have a team behind them.
Though Jiang Xu found the situation troublesome, he wasn’t afraid.
Because even a Qi Cultivation Late Stage Cultivator wouldn’t be able to gain an advantage against Yan Chunyu.
What Jiang Xu felt now was less fear of the enemy and more a lingering dread over his own carelessness.
’That person must have been targeting people who entered the reception rooms. An appraiser was coming and going from mine, and I stayed inside for a very long time. They must have realized I was someone out of the ordinary.’
’Next time I do something like this, I have to learn my lesson and take precautions beforehand!’
To prevent them from discovering his whereabouts,
Jiang Xu cast the Concealing Breath Spell. He planned to wait outside until it was nearly time for Yan Chunyu’s return, then head back to the inn to rendezvous with them.
He hadn’t expected it, but as soon as he used the Concealing Breath Spell, the mark on his chest dimmed in his sight, and the threads of Spiritual Qi ceased to emanate from it.
’Huh? It’s not reacting anymore? Does this... mean the problem is solved?’
Jiang Xu was stunned.
He had thought he was in for a vicious fight, or at the very least, that he would have to lie low for a few days.
’But I never thought... it would be over just like that?’
Once again, Jiang Xu was starkly reminded of just how ridiculously powerful Magic became at a high Skill Level.
He thought for a moment and tried to release the Concealing Breath Spell on himself.
The moment he did, the mark on his chest, as seen by his Spiritual Eye Technique, reverted to its original state.
’It seems I can’t release the Concealing Breath Spell, or the mark will just reappear.’
Jiang Xu reapplied the Concealing Breath Spell to himself.
’I wonder how long this mark will last. But my Cangmu Skill restores Magical Power so quickly during meditation that I should be able to keep the Concealing Breath Spell active all day. That’s not a major concern.’
’I can control the mark’s appearance and disappearance with the Concealing Breath Spell. If I can use this to turn the tables on the ones who set me up, nothing could be better!’
But figuring out how to pull it off, and how to ensure he wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire, was another matter entirely.
’They marked me so they could find me. They probably won’t dare to act inside the Marketplace. After all, the threat of the Golden Core Ancestor is still very powerful.’
’But I can’t stay in the Marketplace forever. They must be planning to wait for me to leave and then ambush me.’
Jiang Xu’s destination was the Endless Forest.
Given the unique dangers of that place, it should be easy to lure his enemies into a perilous situation.
However...
’Then again, they aren’t idiots. They won’t just walk into a trap.’
’If they sense something is wrong, they’ll run.’
’I can’t force it. I’ll let things play out naturally. I can’t put myself in danger just for the sake of revenge. If the opportunity arises, I’ll screw them over. If not, I absolutely can’t linger on it!’
...
Afterward, Jiang Xu first released his Concealing Breath Spell.
After walking all the way to the South District, he reapplied the Concealing Breath Spell to himself, then returned to the North District.
He put on this small disguise to mislead them into thinking he was in the South District.
This was a precaution, just in case they were audacious enough to try something inside the Marketplace.
Back inside the inn,
Jiang Xu took the Spirit Gourd out from his Storage Bag.
This gourd was exquisite. It was only palm-sized and glowed with a deep green luster, as if carved from the finest jade.
The surface of the Spirit Gourd was smooth and fine, its shape round and full, its lines flowing and graceful.
To the touch, its texture was warm and smooth. It was impossible to tell that this was a forged Magical Artifact; it felt completely natural, as if it had grown that way.
The moment Jiang Xu touched it, he couldn’t bear to put it down.
After stroking it for a long time, Jiang Xu infused his Magical Power into the Spirit Gourd, beginning to refine the Magical Artifact and inscribe his own mark within it.
A moment later, the refining process was complete. Jiang Xu channeled a wisp of Magical Power into the Spirit Gourd, and its mouth instantly began to glow like starlight.
However, Jiang Xu hadn’t cast any Magic into the Spirit Gourd yet, so besides the light at its mouth, nothing else happened.
’Time to test this Spirit Gourd’s ability!’
Jiang Xu activated the Small Cotton Needle Technique, and a Spirit Needle appeared in the palm of his hand.
Next, Jiang Xu activated the Spirit Gourd, aiming its mouth at the Spirit Needle in his palm.
The shimmering starlight from the gourd’s mouth enveloped the Spirit Needle. Jiang Xu’s Spiritual Sense flickered, and he relinquished his control over the Spirit Needle in his palm.
SWOOSH—!
The Spirit Needle was sucked directly into the gourd’s mouth.
When Jiang Xu infused more Magical Power into the Spirit Gourd, he immediately sensed the Small Cotton Needle Technique stored within.
With but a thought from Jiang Xu, the Small Cotton Needle Technique could instantly shoot from the gourd’s mouth and strike a target.
Unfortunately, since he was in an inn, Jiang Xu couldn’t test the Spirit Gourd’s abilities freely.
If he destroyed the inn, he’d have to pay for the damages in Spirit Stones. Even though it was his clan’s property, Jiang Xu’s status wasn’t high enough for the Shopkeeper to go easy on him.
But even this simple test was enough for Jiang Xu to understand why this Spiritual Gourd Spiritual Artifact had failed to become a Tier One Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact as its Artifact Refiner had envisioned.
’This Spirit Gourd can absorb and store Magic, but its pull is too weak.’
’If it’s an enemy’s Magic, it can’t seize control of the spell from them.’
’In theory, if the opponent relinquishes control of their Magic, this Spirit Gourd could absorb it.’
’It’s just that no one would ever do that.’
The reason a wielder could store their own Magic in the Spirit Gourd was, of course, because they could relinquish control over their own spells at will.
Suddenly, Jiang Xu had a flash of inspiration.
’If I ask someone else to put their Magic into my Spirit Gourd, I should be able to use it just the same, right? Doesn’t that mean I could borrow someone else’s Magic?’
’Someone else’s Magic...’
’Still,’ Jiang Xu thought, ’my own Magic is better.’
’Wait, no!’
’There is one person whose Magic I covet greatly!’
Jiang Xu shot to his feet.
’I need to find Ding Shiping!’
