Van looked through the gla.s.s to see a delicate purple flower with a soothing scent.

[The Blue Mist Ivy.]

The writing on the gla.s.s confirmed it. A smile spread across his face. This solved all his current problems.

Why was Van so keen on getting his hands on one of these flowers?

The Blue Mist Ivy had one very famous property – it could cleanse and purify any demonic or evil taint in someone's cultivation.

After Van had consumed all the demon beast cores and the Smoke Devil's core, he had felt that there was a taint of demonic energy in him. When he cultivated, his progress seemed wobbly and unstable. Jet told him if the demonic taint in him continued to grow unchecked, he would be highly susceptible to an irreversible injury to his cultivation or could go mad and become a demon himself.

The Blue Mist Ivy grew in rare pockets of pure spiritual power and required careful nurturing to grow. In fact, the process of seeding, germinating and farming the Blue Mist Ivy was a Cedar Sect trademark and a highly kept secret! It was one of the herbs that competing sects salivated over.

For an outer disciple with sect contribution points, fifty points was enough to trade for a single flower. Outside the sect? A single flower could sell for seven thousand taels! The sect was generous to their disciples to protect them from demonic deviation. However, this also meant that there were students who exploited this and used the flower to farm silver taels.

Van looked at the price. According to Jet, Van needed at least three of the Blue Mist Ivy's to cleanse himself of demonic influence. That would cost him one hundred and fifty sect contribution points – bringing him down to one hundred and forty points.

He continued to look around the Exchange Centre but nothing apart from the Ebony Ring caught his interest. He thought there might be pricier items hidden in the draws, but he probably wasn't qualified to see them.

Van's new goal was to obtain an item like the ring; that could store large objects inside a small s.p.a.ce.

Satisfied with his decision, Van walked away from the gla.s.s and towards the centre of the room where the spectre stood. A list of items within the store unfurled across the table.

"Three Blue Mist Ivy flowers, please."

Van handed over his token for the points to be deducted.

Two ghostly hands extended out from the sleeves and made a cupping motion. Slowly, three faint objects began to appear.

A fragrant smell spread through the centre. In the ghostly palms lay three light purple flowers.

_____

[In a room nearby.]

"Boss. The kid inside just exchanged for three Blue Mist Ivy flowers. Do we act?" A young man with a pockmarked face asked nervously.

His boss, a young man with curly black hair and an unhinged aura picked up the table and threw it at his subordinate.

CRAs.h.!.+

"Do we act?" The vicious man with curly hair asked in a mocking tone, "YES YOU DUMB f.u.c.kS! DO YOU HAVE DOG s.h.i.+T FOR BRAINS? GET THEM TO ME, NOW!"

The young man who had just been called 'Boss' pulled up his sleeve and watched as the black web-like pattern on his arm spread further. His fist clenched.

The subordinate slammed his head on the floor in agreement and left in a hurry. He gathered the rest of the Blood Crow Gang.

"Surround him as soon as he leaves the hall. The boss wants those Blue Mist Ivy flowers!"

"Yes!"

______

[Inside the Point Exchange Centre.]

Van looked admiringly at the three purple flowers before lifting them out of the phantom's hands. He gently placed the three flowers in a small bamboo box. Next, he placed his jade token onto the stone table. It pulsed with a soft light as points were deducted from his for the exchange.

Van bowed to the spectre and left the Point Exchange Room.

As he stepped out of the doorway, he felt six malevolent intents pierce him.

Fwump!

Figures wearing crow masks descended from the air.

Van's eyes sharpened but his smile was cold.

[The black crow masks. Ambus.h.i.+ng me outside the Exchange Centre…]

The dotted lines were joined.

[These people must be the notorious gang known as the 'Blood Crows.']

The Blood Crows were a gang of outer disciples who used their advantage in numbers to s.n.a.t.c.h goods from new outer disciples barely in the 3rd level. They took advantage of the fact that the Cedar Sect rules did not forbid stealing between disciples and made a fortune from selling sect specialities at the Black Market. Only killing was not allowed!

Though they could not be considered strong in the sect, the Blood Crows had a stable position as they knew their limits and did not target anyone who could fight back.

Van's expression loosened. Hmph. Just a bunch of 3rd and 4th level Qi Distillation cultivators.

"Hand over the bamboo box!"

From their auras, Van knew that two of them were in the 4th level of Qi Distillation while the other four were in the 3rd level. Those four were basically a joke. Even the two 4th level Qi Distillation disciples might not be a challenge, after all, Van had been able to hold up against the Queen of Brown King ants when he was only in the 3rd level!

Van would only be concerned if a 5th level Qi Distillation cultivator turned up. Considering the small-time money the Blood Crow Gang received, he doubted that they had any significant backer.

Anyway, Van had been biding his time for long enough. He was in the 4th level of Qi Distillation now, a pretty stable position. It was time to strike fear into those who wanted to act against him in the future.

Van looked mockingly at the gaggle of disciples.

"You want this box?" He lifted his hands and dangled the box in front of them. Their eyes followed the box like chickens staring at a tasty worm.

He drew a circle in the air and watched their eyes spin in their sockets.

He laughed.

The group of peoples' faces turned red with humiliation. How dare this kid laugh…!

They were only so intensely focused on that box because their Boss was being extremely unreasonable today!

One of the figures spoke up, "Don't let him faze you. He is only a weak 3rd level Qi Distillation cultivator. We can get him easily without even trying!"

The masked figures looked at each other and nodded.

The 3rd level disciples ran forwards with quick steps. The 4th level Qi Distillation disciples disdained to move. This was going to be an easy job,

A queer smile crossed Van's lips, [You guys will regret underestimating me.]

His body flickered out of sight.

The gang member's eyes went wide. They skidded to a halt and looked around themselves in confusion. Eventually, one of them called out. He thought he saw a brief flash of a foot.

"Over here!"

"No, over there!" Someone else called out. They had seen a smoky image of a figure vaguely to their left.

One of them charged forwards and punched the smoky figure. Their felt their fist touch something. But in the next moment, they fell forward as they struck air.

Sou!

Suddenly, two bright silver objects shot out of the air. They pierced into a disciple's wrists.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Van reappeared in the open. He yanked his harpoons back.