Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

The two guards at the fifth level of Qi Refining immediately stepped forward, their auras locking onto Fu Shaoping.

The onlookers sensed something was amiss and quickly retreated, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire. Although fighting was forbidden in the market, the escalation of the conflict meant it would take time for the patrol to arrive.

The old cultivator was terrified, his face drained of color. He tugged at Fu Shaoping's sleeve and whispered, "My benefactor, forget it, forget it, this old man will take the loss..."

Fu Shaoping gently patted the old cultivator's hand, signaling him to relax. Despite the pressure from the two guards, his expression remained unchanged; he even took a small step forward.

With this step, the aura of his peak seventh level Qi Refining cultivation was no longer concealed. Mixed with a trace of the pressure of his newly tempered soul fire, it spread out like invisible ripples!
The two guards felt a jolt in their hearts, as if they had been pricked by an invisible needle. Their breath caught in their throats, and they involuntarily took a half step back! They looked at Fu Shaoping in shock. This man's cultivation was only two levels higher than theirs, so why was his aura so strange and fierce?
The young cultivator also felt the oppressive force that penetrated straight to his soul, his face turned even paler, and he was filled with doubt and suspicion: "This person... is strange!"

Fu Shaoping didn't make a move, but simply looked at the young cultivator and said calmly, "Right and wrong will be judged fairly. If you insist that this talisman has a problem, why don't we go together to the 'Treasure Appraisal Pavilion' (a shop in the market that specializes in appraising items, backed by the Cloud Mist Pavilion, and is considered relatively impartial) and ask the steward there to examine it in public, to see when and by whom the 'problem' on this talisman was made? I'm willing to pay half of the appraisal fee, how about that?"

A public appraisal at the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion? The young cultivator panicked. He knew he had tampered with the items; he might be able to fool ordinary people, but the experienced stewards at the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion were likely to spot it! If exposed in public, he would not only lose face but could also be punished by the Cloud Mist Pavilion for "fraud and disrupting market order"!
"You...you!" The young cultivator pointed at Fu Shaoping, so angry he couldn't speak, but he didn't dare to actually agree to the appraisal.

Fu Shaoping ignored him and turned to the surrounding cultivators, saying loudly, "Fellow Daoists, you have all seen it. This old man has been setting up his stall here for many years, and his reputation is well-known. As for today's matter, I believe everyone knows who is right and who is wrong. In the marketplace, honesty should be the foundation. It is best to avoid bullying the weak, extortion, and fraud."

His words, combined with the imposing aura he had just displayed and his well-reasoned rebuttal, immediately won the tacit approval of many of the onlookers. Many pointed and whispered among themselves at the young cultivator.

The young cultivator's face flushed red and then paled, knowing he wouldn't get the better of him today, and that continuing the stalemate would only make him look more humiliated. He glared fiercely at Fu Shaoping, then glanced at the old cultivator, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Fine! Very well! I'm out of luck today! Let's go!" With that, he and two guards, covered in dust, pushed their way through the crowd and left.

"Thank you so much, benefactor! Thank you so much, benefactor, for speaking up for justice!" The old cultivator was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and he was about to kneel down and kowtow.

Fu Shaoping quickly helped him up, saying, "Old man, there's no need for that. It was just a small favor. You'll need to be more careful when you set up your stall in the future." He stuffed the talisman bag and money pouch he had picked up back into the old cultivator's hand, said no more, and turned to leave.

The surrounding cultivators looked at him with more respect and curiosity. Many people remembered this "Mo Chen," who dared to stand up for justice and seemed to have quite a few tricks up his sleeve.

Fu Shaoping felt little emotional. He acted because the aura of the "evil contract" triggered his vow to "uphold the contract," and also because he followed his heart and could not tolerate such acts of bullying the weak. Through this incident, he also verified the wonderful use of the "contract identification technique" in actual combat—it could reveal the essence of the contract and directly address the root of the problem.

However, he did not notice that in an inconspicuous corner on the outskirts of the crowd, a cultivator dressed in a gray robe, whose aura was extremely well concealed, was watching his departing figure thoughtfully. Especially when he had just revealed that trace of soul fire pressure, a faint glint of light flashed in the gray-robed cultivator's eyes.

"Soul power condensed like needles... and seems to carry a trace of an ancient contract... interesting." The gray-robed cultivator muttered to himself, his figure quietly blending into the crowd and disappearing from sight.

Fu Shaoping was completely unaware of this. After resolving this minor matter, he went straight to "Baiweiju". After settling the payment for the pills with Manager Hu and purchasing a batch of medicinal herbs, he returned to his meditation room.

He needed to continue digesting the "True Explanation of the Profound Contract" and refining his soul fire. At the same time, he began to think about how to better apply the "Contract Identification Technique" and "Contract Pattern Observation" to his future cultivation and exploration. The gains from that ancient cultivator's cave were like a brand new door opening before him. Although the road behind the door was full of unknowns, it also filled him with unprecedented anticipation and confidence for his future path.

He never expected that his seemingly accidental act of "keeping the contract" and the soul fire aura he inadvertently revealed today would have already caught the attention of some people with ulterior motives, and would bring him new and unexpected attention and turmoil.

After settling accounts with Manager Hu, Fu Shaoping purchased another batch of medicinal herbs needed to refine Qi-restoring pills and to attempt refining a new pill called "Qi-Nourishing Pill" (a high-grade first-tier pill, used to assist in the later stages of Qi Refining cultivation). As his alchemy skills improved and his understanding of the "True Explanation of the Mysterious Contract" deepened, he gained a more acute perception of the age, quality, and even the subtle "medicinal property contract" (the natural synergistic relationship between different medicinal herbs) contained within them. When purchasing, he could often pick out herbs with better appearance and more harmonious medicinal properties, which amazed Manager Hu.

Back in his rented quiet room, Fu Shaoping activated the array's protective barriers once more. He didn't immediately begin refining pills or cultivating; instead, he sat cross-legged, calming his mind and carefully recalling the conflicts that had occurred in the market that day.

The "Contract Identification Technique" was indeed wondrous, capable of revealing contractual connections and residual energy that were imperceptible to ordinary people. The dark gray interference contract that the young cultivator had placed on the talisman, though weak, could not escape his notice. This gave him a deeper understanding of the unpredictable and insidious nature of the Way of Contracts.

"I must be even more cautious in the future, not only guarding against open attacks, but also being wary of these invisible 'contract' attacks," Fu Shaoping silently warned himself. At the same time, he also realized that he must never let anyone know that he possessed the "True Explanation of the Profound Contract." Such an ancient inheritance involving the origin of the divine soul and the Great Dao of Contracts, once leaked, would inevitably bring endless calamities, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators would likely be tempted.

However, just as he was reviewing the details of the day, the pale golden rune in his mind, representing the oath of "keeping the covenant," suddenly fluctuated very slightly. This fluctuation wasn't a warning of danger, but rather more like a... resonance?
Fu Shaoping's heart stirred, and he immediately activated the "Contract Identification Technique," using himself as the center to carefully sense the contract patterns within the meditation room. The lease agreement for the meditation room itself, the faint connection between him and his commonly used alchemy furnace (a low-grade first-tier alchemy furnace that he purchased later), the tables and chairs, and other items were all clearly visible and showed no abnormalities.

But when he extended his senses beyond the quiet room, passing through layers of walls and array barriers (the soul-penetrating techniques of "Mysterious Contract True Explanation" have a certain bonus to the penetration of divine sense), and vaguely sensed the complex network of contracts flowing through the market, he caught a trace of an extremely obscure contract remnant that carried a probing meaning and seemed to have had a brief contact with him!
This residue wasn't from physical contact; it was more like a trace left by a spiritual probe! Moreover, this trace was very recent, left shortly after he returned to his meditation room today!
Someone had used their divine sense to investigate him! And this divine sense was quite advanced. If he hadn't cultivated the "True Explanation of the Profound Contract," which made his soul perception exceptionally sharp, and if he hadn't possessed the "Contract Identification Technique" to capture that almost invisible remnant of the "Peeping Contract," he would have had no way of noticing it!

Fu Shaoping felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. Who was it? When? What was their purpose?

He quickly calmed down and analyzed the situation carefully. He had always kept a low profile in the market, and the only thing that might have attracted attention was his meddling in that other matter today and the display of a trace of his soul fire pressure. Could it be... someone from the young cultivator's family? It didn't seem likely; such a small family was unlikely to have a cultivator with such high spiritual sense and such secretive actions.

More likely, the aura of his soul fire, or the unique quality brought by the "True Explanation of the Profound Contract" (which he himself may not have noticed, but high-level cultivators may have been able to sense a difference), attracted the attention of some beings with keen senses!

“Trouble is brewing…” Fu Shaoping’s eyes were grave. He wasn’t afraid of open conflict, but this kind of covert surveillance was the most troublesome. The other party was in the shadows, he was in the light, friend or foe was unknown, and their purpose was unclear.

He immediately checked the warning and defense barriers of the meditation room and confirmed they were intact. At the same time, he carefully stored all his important items—spirit stones, pills, medicinal herbs, the jade slip containing the "True Explanation of the Mysterious Contract" (which he had thoroughly memorized, but still carried with him), the Xuan Turtle Shield, and so on—closely to his body. He also took out several inconspicuous but potentially useful small items obtained from the Ghost Cry Forest and the Blood Python Swamp and scattered them in inconspicuous places throughout the meditation room.

Then, he made a decision—to temporarily stop alchemy and any deep cultivation that might cause violent fluctuations in spiritual energy. Since the other party was probing, they were likely also monitoring the flow of spiritual energy. He then focused on studying the "True Explanation of the Profound Contract" regarding "concealing soul energy," "confusing contract traces," and some basic techniques for protecting and countering the soul.

The "True Explanation of the Mysterious Contract" truly lives up to its ancient heritage, with its methods of concealment and protection being quite exquisite. Fu Shaoping focused on mastering the basics of the "Soul-Gathering Technique" and the "Illusion Contract Technique."

• Soul Concealing Technique: This technique allows one to completely conceal their soul fire and spiritual energy fluctuations, making them appear as stubborn as a rock or rotten wood, extremely difficult for cultivators of the same or even higher level to perceive. After practicing this technique, Fu Shaoping deliberately concealed his aura. When walking through the market, unless one paid special attention, he would almost certainly be mistaken for an ordinary mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator.

• Illusionary Contract Technique (Basic): This technique allows the user to simulate false or misleading contract patterns around themselves or on specific objects, interfering with others' "contract identification" detection. After mastering this technique, Fu Shaoping attempted to simulate several common contract remnants related to alchemy and talisman making on himself (such as the compatibility contract with the alchemy furnace and the material contract with the talisman paper) to conceal his true core contract (the oath of keeping the contract and the inheritance contract of "Mysterious Contract True Explanation").

While practicing these techniques, Fu Shaoping also consciously began to change his behavior. He reduced the frequency of his visits to "Baiweiju" and Yunwuge, and even when he did go, he tried to choose different times and leave quickly after the transaction without lingering. He no longer went to places like "Tingyuxuan" where he might encounter high-level cultivators. He also became more cautious in accepting missions, only accepting those with clear locations, short durations, and low risk of being ambushed.

Half a month passed, and the feeling of being spied on never reappeared, nor was anything unusual observed around the quiet room. But Fu Shaoping did not let his guard down; he knew that the true hunter was the most patient.

That day, he accepted a quest to harvest a plant called "Black Wind Grass" at Black Wind Ridge, a hundred miles northeast of the market town. This grass was a mid-grade first-tier plant, used to refine certain antidotes or wind-attribute pills. The quest was ordinary, the reward was average, and the location wasn't particularly dangerous.

As usual, Fu Shaoping made thorough preparations before setting off. He deliberately took a detour and left very faint "divine imprints" (a small technique from "The True Explanation of the Mysterious Contract") at several pre-planned hiding places along the way for early warning.

A chilling wind swept through Black Wind Ridge, amidst jagged, grotesque rocks. He quickly found several clumps of Black Wind Grass and carefully gathered them. Just as he was about to head to the next marker, the pale golden contract rune in his sea of ​​consciousness emitted a much clearer warning fluctuation than before! At the same time, the two divine sense imprints he had laid down beforehand were triggered and annihilated almost simultaneously!
There was an ambush! And not just one person! The other side was extremely cautious, only making their move when he entered the pre-set encirclement!
Fu Shaoping's heart was filled with alarm bells, but he remained calm on the surface, still pretending to be looking for the Black Wind Grass. In secret, he had already gripped the Xuan Turtle Shield in his hand, and his true energy quietly circulated to his legs and fingertips, his soul power highly concentrated.

"Boo! Hah! Hah!"

Three figures, like ghosts, swiftly approached from three different directions, instantly forming a triangle that surrounded him! All three were dressed in gray or black close-fitting clothing for easy concealment, their faces covered with black cloths, revealing only their cold eyes. Their auras were extremely well-hidden, but Fu Shaoping, relying on his keen senses and "Contract Identification Technique," instantly determined—one was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and the other two were at the peak of the seventh level! Moreover, there was an extremely close, flowing light connection between the three, similar to a "combat coordination contract," clearly indicating excellent teamwork and a mastery of combined attacks!

They've come with ill intentions and are incredibly powerful!
"Hand over what you obtained in the ancient cultivation cave, and I'll spare your life." The masked man at the eighth level of Qi Refining spoke in a hoarse, deep voice, getting straight to the point, his gaze fixed on Fu Shaoping like a venomous snake.

As expected! They're after the "True Explanation of the Mysterious Contract"! Fu Shaoping's mind raced. How did they know? Was there an informant outside Ghost Cry Forest that day? Or did he inadvertently reveal his presence in the market, which someone with ulterior motives connected to the recent rumors about the ancient cave?
This is not the time to think about it.

Fu Shaoping's face perfectly displayed panic and confusion: "What ancient cultivator's cave? Have you mistaken me for someone else? I'm just here to gather herbs..." (End of Chapter)