Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Chapter 4 Fellow Daoist, You Aren't Clean Either
This was the first warning since the Wood Spirit servants were created, which made Su Qing dare not be careless.

Switch to the perspective of the Wood Spirit servant three miles away.

Su Qing looked closely and saw two figures, one in green and one in black, chasing and fleeing.

The Taoist priest in the green robe was stained with blood, his face pale. He rode a white longsword and shouted as he fled, "The demonic cultivators are attacking! Quickly activate the magic array and kill this fiend!"

As soon as the Taoist finished speaking, law enforcement officers from the Yunshan Sect rushed towards his location.

Unfortunately, the demonic cultivator seemed intent on spreading fear, and just as the enforcement team was about to arrive, he pierced through the chest of the green-robed Taoist.

He licked his bloody hand, grinned menacingly, and sternly addressed the encircling law enforcement team and the many wandering cultivators in the living area who were glancing at him: "The Yunshan Sect is in decline, and Baiyun Market is on the verge of collapse. If you all want to live, you'd better make plans soon!"

"You demonic sect fiends, how dare you spread your heretical rumors and mislead the masses!"

In the enforcement team, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator roared in anger, unleashing a spell from his hand, followed by more than ten enforcement team members who attacked in unison.

Under this barrage of spells, the demonic cultivator instantly turned into a wisp of dust and easily escaped from the formation.

The enforcement team was shocked and furious at the sight, but dared not go out to give chase.

The formation used in Baiyun Market is called the Tengyun Formation.

Those who leave their mark within the formation gain a 50% increase in combat power and can actively prevent Foundation Establishment cultivators from entering.

The green-robed cultivator from earlier, dressed in the outer disciple's robes of the Yunshan Sect, could fly on a sword and was at least a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. Even with the added combat power from the formation, he could only become a plaything for the demonic cultivator.

Even if this group went out to search for the enemy, they were not confident that they could capture this villain.

Of course, the demonic cultivator outside was also worried that the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the market would arrive. After letting out two cackling laughs and putting on a villainous act, he immediately withdrew and disappeared without a trace.

Although Su Qing coveted the white magic sword that had fallen beside the wood spirit servants, he also knew the risks of taking the magic sword in front of the enforcement team. He ordered the wood spirit servants to stand still and temporarily severed his spiritual connection with them before he pretended to be frightened and walked out of the house.

At this moment, the nearby rogue cultivators also realized what was happening and gathered around the few late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in the living area, all looking somewhat fearful and uneasy.

"The demonic cultivators entered the formation and killed people; things are about to get tough for them!"

"A cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining can die so easily. If we are targeted by demonic cultivators, we won't even have a chance to escape!"

"The demonic cultivators are only targeting the disciples of the Yunshan Sect, not us. Those of us who should be farming should farm, and those of us who should be selling meat should sell meat. Stop worrying unnecessarily!"

"I'm not afraid of demonic cultivators, it's just that if this causes a commotion, the higher-ups in the market will definitely send more people to the outer residential areas, and that expense will fall on our shoulders!"

You mean the rent is going up?

"It's not just rent, stall fees, goods costs, and everything else. They want to raise prices whenever they have an excuse, but now that they have one, do you think they'll let us off the hook?"

Su Qing, who was inconspicuous among the group of independent cultivators, was now complaining about the exorbitant taxes and levies of Baiyun Market along with them.

As independent cultivators, they were not afraid of demonic cultivators at all, unless a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator broke the formation to attack. If it was just a few Qi Refining demonic cultivators entering the formation to kill people, the independent cultivators were not afraid.

Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose. In battles between two sects, even the killings among disciples will earn sect merit points.

What's the point of killing those rogue cultivators? They're after the meager loot in their storage bags. Many rogue cultivators don't even have storage bags!
Compared to the demonic cultivators, the independent cultivators are more worried about the next move of Baiyun Market. These moves are aimed at the demonic cultivators, but every strike will also hit them, the independent cultivators!
"Fellow Daoist, you used to be an inner disciple of the Yunshan Sect. Be careful lately. If the intelligence from the Desire Demon Immortal Kingdom isn't updated in time, it would be such a waste if you were mistakenly killed," Tang Wanqing said gently as she approached. "Thank you for reminding me, Fellow Daoist Tang. I understand the danger. Will you come to collect the puppet I promised you the day after tomorrow?" Su Qing knew what Tang Wanqing was truly worried about and answered directly.

Tang Wanqing assumed that he had been focusing on making puppets for her these past few days, and couldn't help but smile, "I almost forgot to congratulate you on breaking through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, fellow Daoist! You have hope of achieving immortality!"

Compared to the previous reminder, this congratulation felt somewhat perfunctory, because even among the independent cultivators, breaking through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining was a matter of slow and steady progress. Tang Wanqing, who was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, couldn't even remember when she broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining. Fifteen years ago? Twenty years ago?

She only remembered that when she reached the fifth level of Qi Refining, she hadn't started menstruating yet.

Thinking about it, Tang Wanqing realized that what she had just said was somewhat abrupt.

Su Qing's expression was indeed rather unpleasant. If he didn't know that Tang Wanqing had no reason to be sarcastic towards him, he would have thought she was deliberately mocking him.

"I am of dull talent, only at the fourth level of Qi Refining at over twenty years old. How dare I aspire to immortality?" Su Qing replied indifferently, then lost interest in the conversation and cupped his hands to go home.

"Could it be that I really upset her and she went home crying?" Tang Wanqing looked at Su Qing's slightly desolate figure and felt a little guilty.

Imagining Su Qing's plight, I thought to myself that this puppeteer who fell from the inner sect of Yunshan Sect into the mire, even though he is currently living a more extravagant life than ordinary rogue cultivators because of his puppetry skills, the fatal flaw in his cultivation is probably still an unspeakable pain in his heart.

"If you're going to set up a stall in the market next time, you might invite me to come along," Tang Wanqing said solemnly as she caught up with Su Qing.

"Fellow Daoist is joking. The little spirit crystals I earn from my stall can't possibly cover the cost of your trip."

Su Qing assumed that the woman was just trying to get him to hire her as a bodyguard because he needed her, which made him think that Tang Wanqing's earlier reminder was not so innocent.

He didn't feel any dissatisfaction with Tang Wanqing; in fact, he admired her somewhat. As a rogue cultivator who had spent a lot of time in the residential area, he needed to have the ability to make money whenever he could. Compared to a seasoned rogue cultivator like Tang Wanqing, he still needed to hone his skills.

Tang Wanqing was slightly annoyed by Su Qing's wariness, rolled her eyes at her, and raised an eyebrow, saying:
"The market is about to be thrown into turmoil. I'll be going to the market to buy some supplies and help you out. If you don't want to, that's fine too."

"That won't do. It would be my greatest honor to travel with you, fellow Daoist!"

Su Qing felt that paid guards were unnecessary for the time being, but free guards were just too tempting.

"Then it's settled. I'll go to your place to pick up the goods early the day after tomorrow, and I'll also buy some sesame oil at the market while I'm at it..."

"Why buy sesame oil? I have specially formulated lubricant here. I'll just give you a few bottles later."

"Ugh, you actually prepared a special lubricant for the witch puppet, how disgusting."

"You haven't even gotten your hands on the puppet yet, and you're already thinking about sesame oil? You're not exactly clean yourself!"

"That's different, I'm in this line of work!"

"What a coincidence, I've been doing this kind of work lately too."

"A fellow traveler?"

"Mutual benefit and exchange in the future."

(End of this chapter)