Before Jia Ren left, he still needed to prepare... Evil Warding Talismans.

His stock of over seventy Evil Warding Talismans was exhausted, and with no inventory left, he had to restock.

Who knew if he would encounter Bizarre Demons after leaving the Black Desert Marketplace? Only by making thorough preparations could he rest easy.

No sooner had Jia Ren left his Cave than he saw chaos outside.

Some people screamed, while others shouted that they had become immortals and founders of lineages, ascending to the Immortal Realm, creating utter pandemonium.

The influence of the Bizarre Demons affected not only him but other Cultivators as well.

Many people had gathered outside the Cave, attracted by the signs of Foundation Establishment. When they saw numerous Cultivators enveloped in the red glow of Evil Warding Talismans, they instantly knew Bizarre Demons were present.

Too anxious to linger and watch the spectacle, they all scattered in disarray.

Even his Foundation Establishment strength didn't bring much sense of security. Jia Ren's nerves were stretched taut, terrified of being affected again.

Activating his Wind Control Skill, he transformed into a faint shadow and departed from the area.

He headed straight for the Yun Mo Workshop. Although the Evil Warding Talismans they produced were of poor quality, it was one of the fastest ways to obtain them.

"The price of Evil Warding Talismans has gone up? Thirty Spirit Stones each! The price has risen way too fast!"

The arriving Cultivators were displeased but had no choice but to pay the Spirit Stones.

News spread quickly. More and more Cultivators hurried over, causing a surge in demand for Evil Warding Talismans.

"One hundred Evil Warding Talismans."

This was a big order. Previously, their attitude would have been incredibly enthusiastic.

"I'm really sorry, but the shop doesn't have that many Evil Warding Talismans in stock..."

When it was Jia Ren's turn, there weren't enough Evil Warding Talismans.

He spent his Spirit Stones but only managed to buy thirty Evil Warding Talismans.

He examined the Evil Warding Talismans he had acquired; their quality was abysmal and far from satisfactory.

Talismans of such quality offered no sense of security. The Heart Demon Bizarre was incredibly powerful; it had taken over seventy Extraordinary Saint Level Evil Warding Talismans and a thousand Mind-Guarding Talismans just to fend it off. What good would thirty ordinary ones be?

"Do you sell Rhinoceros Horn Powder?"

"I'm sorry... Yun Mo Workshop does not sell Rhinoceros Horn Powder."

It was the same answer, the same excuse. They were generally unwilling to part with Evil Warding Talismans or their key components either.

Just as Jia Ren was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "What about exchanging Evil Warding Talismans for Rhinoceros Horn Powder?"

"One Evil Warding Talisman in exchange for two equivalent portions of Rhinoceros Horn Powder."

Rhinoceros Horn Powder is the most important material for Evil-warding Spirit Ink. Crafting Evil Warding Talismans requires not only this powder but also other materials for the Spirit Ink. Furthermore, one had to consider the Talisman Maker's success rate.

Exchanging one Evil Warding Talisman for two portions of Rhinoceros Horn Powder was a surefire profit, and many Talisman Makers were happy to make such trades.

"Where did this Talisman Master come from? Doesn't he know the rules? Rhinoceros Horn is forbidden to be traded in any way!"

"Throw him out and teach him a lesson. Don't disrupt the business of Yun Mo Workshop."

Rhinoceros Horn was regarded as a strategic resource by many factions and was not easily allowed to flow out.

Exchanges could only be done discreetly, not openly.

Some rules could not be broken.

Two clerks strode over, their attitude hostile.

Are they planning to throw me out?

Suddenly, the Spiritual Pressure of a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator erupted, like a landslide and a tsunami. The onlookers who had drawn near were scared into cowering like quails and hastily retreated.

"Foundation... Elder..."

The two clerks' knees buckled, and they knelt directly on the ground.

The arrogant steward of Yun Mo Workshop was dumbstruck. When he thought of the consequences of provoking a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, his face turned ashen, and he too knelt.

"Tell me, are there any other rules I'm unaware of?"

The Great Wilderness Market was monopolized by the Talisman Cultivators' Association, which controlled the supply of Rhinoceros Horn. Loose Talisman Masters lacked direct purchasing channels. They could only gain the qualification to craft Evil Warding Talismans by joining the Association and obtaining its permission.

The Black Desert Marketplace is in a similar situation, Jia Ren mused. I wonder which faction is responsible for this monopoly.

"Elder, this matter has nothing to do with us. These are rules set by our superiors; we are just the enforcers..."

"It's not just Yun Mo Workshop; you won't be able to buy Rhinoceros Horn at any other shop either."

"There's no need for you to direct your anger at us..."

They cautiously observed Jia Ren, carefully choosing their words.

The rules within the Market were mostly designed for mortals and Qi Refining Cultivators; they held little sway over Foundation Establishment Cultivators. If a Foundation Establishment Cultivator wanted to kill someone, who in the Market could stop them?!

Decades ago, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator had slain dozens of Cultivators in the Black Desert Marketplace and departed arrogantly. The Utensil Sect, furious, had dispatched their own Foundation Establishment Cultivators in pursuit.

The final outcome was... that Foundation Establishment Cultivator joined the Utensil Sect, becoming a revered Elder. In the end, some compensation was paid, and the matter was quietly dropped.

Since something like this had happened before, how could they expect the Utensil Sect to uphold justice for them? If a Cultivator died in the Market, the Utensil Sect might intervene for the sake of its reputation, but the final outcome would likely be one that left the victim unable to rest in peace.

Only at the Foundation Establishment Stage could one truly be considered a Cultivator, worthy of attention from Sects and families.

This was also one of the greatest motivations for Loose Cultivators, who desperately strove to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage.

"Get your manager. I'll talk to him."

If this had happened before, Jia Ren would certainly have turned and left. Without Evil Warding Talismans in hand, he felt no security at all. For the sake of the talismans and his own safety, he had to obtain them, no matter what.

While waiting, Jia Ren used a Sound Transmission Talisman to notify Zhang Peng Peng, planning to leave with her.

He didn't wait long before a Cultivator at the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement hurried over.

"Elder, I apologize for the wait. I am Hong Yuan, a Cultivator from the Tian Fu Sect, responsible for overseeing the Black Desert Marketplace."

"Elder, you wish to purchase Rhinoceros Horn? Not a problem."

"This is a restriction our Sect imposes on ordinary Cultivators and Talisman Masters, but it doesn't apply to you."

He then ordered, "Immediately fetch one... no, two of the finest quality Rhinoceros Horns!"

Hong Yuan recognized Jia Ren as the newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator he had been preparing to invite. His attitude was respectful, devoid of the usual arrogance Sect Disciples showed toward Loose Cultivators.

Although the other party was a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he was not someone Hong Yuan could afford to provoke.

This was best reflected in his deferential manner of address.

"Elder, are you a Talisman Maker? And you haven't joined a Sect yet, have you? The Tian Fu Sect excels at Talisman Crafting, with a legacy spanning nearly a thousand years. Joining the Tian Fu Sect would be your best choice."

Hong Yuan extended a sincere invitation to Jia Ren.

"You can choose your preferred Cultivation Techniques in the Tian Fu Sect. The Sect's Talisman scriptures will also be available for you to borrow and peruse. Each month, you'll receive a stipend of one Medium-grade Spirit Stone and one Jade Marrow Pill. This pill helps Foundation Establishment Cultivators enhance their Cultivation Level."

"This is the basic stipend. If you complete Sect missions, there will be additional rewards. We will ensure you won't be disappointed..."

The recruitment rewards were generous; any Loose Cultivator who hadn't seen much of the world would undoubtedly be tempted.

Setting aside other benefits, just the Foundation Establishment Cultivation Techniques, along with Elixirs and Talisman scriptures suitable for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, were temptations that Loose Cultivators would find hard to refuse.

"If I were to join a Sect, the Tian Fu Sect would certainly be my first consideration."

Jia Ren had no desire to join any Sect and was expertly employing stalling tactics.

Regardless, I need to get the Rhinoceros Horns first, he thought.

A brilliant smile on his face, Hong Yuan quickly presented the two Rhinoceros Horns, brought by a Steward, to Jia Ren.

"Elder, there's no need for Spirit Stones for these two Rhinoceros Horns. Please consider them compensation for our earlier offense."

One must strike while the iron is hot, Hong Yuan thought. Offering two Rhinoceros Horns to recruit a Foundation Establishment Cultivator for the Sect is an opportunity no one in the Sect would refuse. Recently, with Bizarre Demons rampant, many Cultivators in the Tian Fu Sect's territory have died, causing a huge impact. Spending a few Spirit Stones to have a Foundation Establishment Cultivator pledge their service is more than worth it.

"There's no need for them to be free!" Jia Ren stated.

"Here are the Spirit Stones!"

The two Rhinoceros Horns were of good quality, top-grade material. Normally, one would sell for at least a thousand Spirit Stones, but the problem was that they were unobtainable even if one had the Spirit Stones.

Jia Ren left two Medium-grade Spirit Stones and turned to leave.

Outside the Yun Mo Workshop, a lovely figure in a green dress had been waiting for a long time.

"Junior Brother, congratulations on your successful Foundation Establishment!"

Zhang Peng Peng's face was alight with a splendid smile, the joyful arch of her eyebrows revealing her irrepressible delight.

"I've found a shop for you. The location isn't too remote, and the annual rent is eight hundred Spirit Stones."

Three months had passed since Jia Ren began preparing for Foundation Establishment.

Zhang Peng Peng hadn't been idle. Aided by Elixirs, her strength had advanced to the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, and she was not far from the Sixth Layer of Qi Refinement.

She had scouted three potential shops, each in a different location with varying prices.

"There's no need for a shop. We're leaving the Black Desert Marketplace."

Zhang Peng Peng didn't ask for a reason because, while waiting for Jia Ren to emerge from his seclusion, she too had witnessed the impact caused by the Bizarre Demons.

Is the situation far more serious than I anticipated? she wondered. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a hurry to leave.

"Just carry your valuables. No need to pack anything else."

The situation is urgent; it's best to leave immediately, Jia Ren thought.

He found the Tianbao Pavilion and decided to take their Flying Boat to Jade Cauldron Market. The Flying Boat was scheduled to depart early the next morning.

After paying sixty Spirit Stones, he obtained two tickets for the journey.

A memory from his encounter with the Heart Demon Bizarre surfaced, and he couldn't help but think of Wang Mingyan.

'Help me seek Revenge against the Five Elements Sect.'

This woman clearly has a story, Jia Ren mused. We supported each other on our journey here. If I can help her, I will. I don't want her to die senselessly in the Black Desert Marketplace.

He took out a Sound Transmission Talisman and sent the message.

Taking advantage of the free time, Jia Ren found a place to stay and immediately set to work, ceaselessly grinding the Rhinoceros Horn into powder to make Evil-warding Spirit Ink.

He had an ample supply of Magical Beast Talisman Skin, so there was no shortage of materials for crafting Evil Warding Talismans.

After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Talisman Crafting had become even more effortless for him.

Previously, even when using Ning Shen Xiang (Spirit Concentration Incense), two hundred Evil Warding Talismans per day was his limit. Now, that limit had risen to three hundred, and each Evil Warding Talisman was imbued with even more potent Spiritual Power.

After working through the night without rest, he now held three hundred Extraordinary Saint Level Evil Warding Talismans. A sense of security finally settled in his heart.

The Heart Demon Bizarre is indeed formidable, but I refuse to believe that three hundred of these Evil Warding Talismans can't stop it.

Before the Tianbao Pavilion's merchant convoy Flying Boat departed, Jia Ren went on a shopping spree in several shops, focusing on materials for crafting the Flowing Fire Flying Box and the Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat.

He had recently experienced the ordeal of being trapped in the Great Wilderness Market and the Black Demon Forest. If he had possessed the materials to craft a Cloud-Surpassing Flying Boat back then, he wouldn't have needed to risk traversing the Black Demon Forest. I'm not sure if the Tianbao Pavilion's Flying Boat will encounter problems en route. The best solution is to prepare in advance and prevent any potential disasters.

With all the necessary materials gathered, his mind was finally at ease.

"You're here!"

Wang Mingyan hadn't been faring well. Lacking any particular skill, and with resources scarce in the Black Desert Marketplace, it was difficult for a Loose Cultivator to earn Spirit Stones.

Jia Ren looked toward the approaching Wang Mingyan. She wore a puzzled expression as she looked at the unfamiliar faces of Jia Ren and Zhang Peng Peng. Then, as if waking from a dream, she said gratefully, "Thank you, Daoist Shi, for the warning."

As someone who had escaped the Great Wilderness with him, she trusted Jia Ren's judgment.

I can't imagine what my fate would have been if I'd been trapped in this Bizarre Demon-infested Black Desert Marketplace, she thought.

People gradually gathered; many Loose Cultivators who had heard rumors were also preparing to leave.

The Flying Boat departing from the Black Desert Marketplace was crammed with over three hundred people, making it incredibly crowded.

"Everyone's aboard! We're departing!"

The Flying Boat took off, the Black Desert Marketplace gradually receding into the distance.

Jia Ren gazed at the sky above the Black Desert Marketplace. He could faintly make out a dark, misty visage with a mocking expression, staring intently as their Flying Boat flew further away.

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