The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

In the days that followed, more and more cultivators set sail and flocked to that remote sea area.

The cultivators flocked to the scene and indeed found a cave underwater that was sealed by an array.

Then the news seemed to grow wings and flew from Xikou Market in all directions.

The surrounding cultivators heard the news and rushed to Xikou Market day and night.

The wharf in the market was densely packed with boats of all sizes, and from a distance, the masts stood tall and the sails blocked out the sky.

The ferries docked one after another, discharging batches of weary cultivators.

Some of these people carried sword cases on their backs, some had spirit stone bags hanging from their waists, some were in groups of three or five shouting loudly, and some were alone, silently venturing into the market.

The streets were packed with people.

After leaving Wenxianglou, Li Ping had walked less than half a street when he was blocked in a crowd.

With no other option, he turned into the teahouse next door.

The teahouse was packed with people, every table was occupied by monks, and the waiters moved between the tables and chairs with their feet barely touching the ground.

Li Ping finally found an empty seat in a corner and ordered a pot of coarse tea.

Just as I poured a glass, before I even brought it to my lips, a loud, boisterous voice came from the next table.

"Have you heard? Old Feng next door managed to snatch a spiritual plant, which was then bought by the Hundred Herbs Pavilion for eight hundred spirit stones."

Li Ping glanced up and saw that the speaker was a middle-aged man with a face full of scars. Judging from his appearance, he was a rogue cultivator who spent many years traveling by sea.

A thin-faced male cultivator opposite him chimed in, "I know, it's a pity we were too late, all the spiritual plants outside the cave were snatched up."

Upon hearing this, the others at the table nodded in agreement, their faces filled with regret.

A younger cultivator slapped his thigh and sighed, "If only I had gone out to sea on the first day, whoever got the first thing would have it. Now look what's happened, there's not a single spiritual herb left outside the cave, they've all been looted."

The burly man with a face full of scars took a sip of tea and waved his hand, saying, "What's the use of talking about this now? The important thing right now is the cave. If spiritual plants that can break through to higher grades can grow outside, how many good things must be inside the cave?"

Just thinking about it keeps me up at night.

As they were talking, a male cultivator in a short robe squeezed through the door and went straight to their table.

As soon as he sat down, everyone at the table turned to look at him: "How's the situation?"

The short-robed male cultivator picked up the teacup on the table and took a big gulp before lowering his voice and saying, "There is indeed a strong aura of spiritual plants near the entrance of the cave. Master Huang has already gone to check it out himself."

"Master Huang stated clearly that there are definitely many superior-grade spiritual plants inside the cave, and... there are probably more than just spiritual plants."

"Not just spiritual plants?" The thin-faced male cultivator's eyes lit up. "What do you mean?"

The male cultivator smiled mysteriously: "Think about it, could someone who can set up such an array be an ordinary cultivator? The owner of that cave is at least a Golden Core stage expert, and maybe... even a Nascent Soul stage expert."

Upon hearing this, the breathing of the people at the table became heavier.

What should be inside the cave dwellings of those at the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages?

Cultivation techniques, secret arts, top-grade magic weapons, and miraculous elixirs—any one of these would be enough to ensure a rogue cultivator's livelihood for the rest of their life.

Not to mention those spirit plants that break through to higher ranks; if you can snatch one, you can make hundreds of spirit stones in the process.

The people at the table fell silent for a moment, their eyes shining.

After a moment, the thin-faced man came to his senses and asked, "What about the formation on the door? Did Master Huang say when it could be broken?"

"Don't worry, someone is already leading the crack. Several masters have joined forces, working day and night to deduce the solution, and they've reportedly made some progress. We'll just wait and see."

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man, who had been silent all along, suddenly asked, "When the cave opens, will they not let us in?"

"They wouldn't dare!" The burly man slammed his hand on the table, his eyes wide. "This cave doesn't belong to them, why can't they come in?"

The young cultivator replied, "Our legs are our own; we can go in whenever we want. At worst, we'll have to go through a fight."

These words were spoken with conviction, and several people at the table nodded in agreement.

Which of these rogue cultivators who make a living on the open sea hasn't lived a life on the edge of a knife?

They've long been adept at seizing opportunities.

The old man shook his head and said, "That's not what I meant. I'm afraid that while we're away, they'll secretly open the cave and take all the good stuff, leaving us with nothing to eat."

Everyone was stunned by these words.

After a moment of silence, the lean male cultivator said, "How about we send two people to keep watch? They can take turns on duty, day and night, and come back to report as soon as there is any movement."

The group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

"Alright, third brother, fifth brother, you two go first."

The two cultivators whose names were called didn't hesitate; they grabbed the magical artifacts on the table and got up to leave.

Li Ping withdrew his gaze, picked up the teacup, and slowly took a sip.

He had heard this kind of conversation countless times in the past two weeks.

He left the teahouse and walked along the street toward the center of the neighborhood.

Along the way, I heard a constant stream of chatter, all about the immortal's cave.

"My martial uncle said that as long as we can get one thing from that cave, it will be enough for us brothers to establish our foundation."

"That's nothing. I heard there's a whole spiritual herb garden in the cave, full of top-grade spiritual plants. Any one of them is ten times better than the ones sold outside."

"Do you think the owner of that cave might have left behind a complete cultivation legacy?"

"If only I could get my hands on a Xuan-level cultivation technique..."

"Stop talking nonsense, you should think about how to squeeze in first. Look at the scene at the dock, the ferry is carrying people all day long. When the cave opens, there probably won't even be a place to put your feet."

Li Ping walked without stopping, through the bustling streets, and turned into the gate of Wenxianglou.

The Fragrance Pavilion was equally bustling. The seats in the main hall were already full, and the cultivators were engaged in lively discussions, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Li Ping did not linger in the lobby and went straight up to the third floor.

Pushing open a wooden door, Mu Fangxu was sitting by the window, holding a cup of spiritual tea, leisurely looking downstairs.

Li Ping walked to the window, glanced down, and said, "The market is almost overflowing with people. Aren't you going to open your cave dwelling?"

Mu Fangxu took a sip of tea, smiled, and said, "Wait a little longer."

"That's enough," Li Ping said, sitting down opposite him. "There are already enough people. Don't let them lose patience and let them escape."

Mu Fangxu put down his teacup and said softly, "I understand. Let's wait a few more days and raise their expectations a bit higher."

Upon hearing this, Li Ping said no more.

Mu Fangxu is a man of discretion; his saying to wait a few more days suggests he is confident.

However, the extent to which the news has spread has indeed exceeded Li Ping's expectations.

Ferries docked at the pier day and night, and the inns in the market were already full. Some cultivators who arrived late simply made do on the street.

Even more outrageous, temporary houses were also set up on several nearby small islands.

For 20,000 spirit stones to make such a grand display, Mu Fangxu's spirit stones were well spent.

a few days later.

The matter of breaking the formation at the cave dwelling has finally made progress.

The Return to Origin Forbidden Zone, the Five Elements generate each other, forming a self-sustaining cycle... These array formation details flowed from the mouths of the array masters and quickly spread throughout the entire market.

Although nine and a half out of ten people didn't understand formations, the cultivators were still excited when they heard about it.

However, the structure of the Guiyuan Forbidden Formation is more complex than expected.

The array masters worked day and night to devise a solution, and several times they thought they had found a way to break it, but each time they tried, they returned empty-handed.

The atmosphere in the market gradually shifted from frenzy to a bit of anxiety. Some cultivators who arrived early had been there for more than half a month, spending a lot of spirit stones, but they hadn't even gotten close to their cave dwellings yet, and they couldn't help but feel like giving up.

As Li Ping walked down the street, he could already hear some impatient voices.

"It's been seven days, is it going to work or not?"

"Is it a scam? What if we end up with nothing and have wasted our time?"

"I've spent all my spirit stones. If the gate doesn't open soon, I'll have to go to the docks and carry heavy loads."

After waiting for three more days, several renowned array masters from the outer seas jointly announced that a method to break the array had been found.

The moment the news spread, the entire market was in an uproar.

The monks on the street flocked to the dock, scrambling to board the ferry and head towards their cave.

Some independent cultivators didn't even bother to find a boat; they jumped directly into the sea and used their spiritual power to ride the water.

The dock was in complete chaos, as if a major battle was about to break out.

In less than half a day, the once packed market was mostly empty.

Li Ping walked down the street, looking around.

The streets, which were packed with people just two weeks ago, are now wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass through.

The shelves in the shops on both sides were empty, and the shop assistants were busy restocking.

Several shopkeepers stood at their doorways, gazing at the empty street, their expressions a mixture of weariness and satisfaction.

Li Ping withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly.

Mu Fangxu's 20,000 spirit stones were truly well spent.

This scheme was executed so skillfully that not only did they recoup their initial investment, but the entire market also prospered.

What's even more remarkable is that, from beginning to end, no one suspected that there was anything wrong with the cave.

He suppressed his thoughts, turned two streets, and arrived at the shop where he had previously ordered the ritual implements.

Li Ping pushed open the half-closed door and called out inside.

Where are they?

A moment later, a waiter ran out from the back room.

"Fellow Daoist, you've arrived." The waiter rubbed his hands together, his smile somewhat forced.

"Where is my sword case?" Li Ping asked directly, without wasting any words.

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "I'm really... sorry. As you know, the market has been incredibly crowded these past few days. We've been overwhelmed with daily necessities, and your sword case... isn't finished yet."

Li Ping frowned, his face darkening.

He opened his mouth, about to speak, but his gaze fell on the waiter's eyes.

His eyes were bruised and bloodshot, and he was swaying slightly even when he was standing.

Looking towards the back room, several waiters were fast asleep, snoring loudly.

Li Ping stared at the shop assistant for a moment, then said, "I'll come back to pick it up in five days. If it's not finished by then, you'll have to bear the consequences."

After saying that, he turned and walked out without waiting for the waiter's response.