Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Elder?" Noticing that Zhang Xuan had stopped his footsteps, Hu Yunsheng asked in surprise.

"You can head on to the compartment first. Do as I have said earlier, make sure to take note of everyone who has bidded for the Sepulture Flower and record their names down. I have some matters to attend to at the moment. Don't worry, I will return quickly." Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Yes!" Not daring to say anymore, Hu Yunsheng quickly nodded before proceeding ahead.

Zhang Xuan's frown didn't alleviate with Hu Yunsheng's departure. On the contrary, it deepened. Turning around, he flitted away.

Shortly after, he arrived at the entrance of the vast auction hall.

The surroundings were filled with huge crowds, presumably here to participate in the auction. Scanning the area, Zhang Xuan's eyes soon stopped on an average-looking middle-aged man.

On the surface, that fellow seemed to be a Saint 1-dan primary stage cultivator who harnessed water attribute zhenqi, an unspectacular character in the greater scheme of things. However, for some reason, his presence left Zhang Xuan feeling a little uneasy.

The same uneasy sensation that he had felt back at the Subterranean Gallery...

"He is... an Otherworldly Demon!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.

Having killed more than two hundred Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery, he could vaguely tell how fearsome the person before him was. Despite the other party not exuding any killing intent at the moment, he felt an incredible pressure weighing down on him.

Furthermore, his Principal's Seal was trembling in agitation, seemingly about to leap out at any moment.

Eye of Insight!

Faint green lines appeared in Zhang Xuan's black iris. Taking a look once more, his intuition was spot-on. The other party was indeed an Otherworldly Demons.

It was unknown what technique the other party used, but he was able to seal his immense killing intent entirely beneath a layer of water ripple, making it impossible for even the Saint realm cultivators around him from seeing through his true identity.

Were it not for Zhang Xuan having clashed with a huge number of Otherworldly Demons in the Subterranean Gallery, which granted him a deeper insight into the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, and his possession of the Eye of Insight, there was no way he would have known that the person before him was an Otherworldly Demon.

"I can't see through that fellow's strength" Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together.

Due to the other party's unique disguising method, most perception methods were unable to work on him. The powerful Eye of Insight was able to see through the other party's true form, but it was unable to determine the other party's cultivation.

But of course, it might also be because the other party's strength was far beyond him.

However, the pressing question at hand was not how powerful that fellow was, but why would an Otherworldly Demon disguise himself as a human in the remote Jingyuan City and appear at the entrance of this auction hall? Did he intend to participate in the auction as well?

Was the Sepulture Flower of value to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe too?

"I can't allow him to enter the auction hall" Stroking his lower jaw, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thoughts.

A Saint realm Otherworldly Demon suddenly appearing in a human city, there was bound to be some kind of ploy involved here.

No matter what the other party was up to, he had to foil his plans. For one, he should hinder the other party from participating in the auction and obtaining what he wanted.

"Just that... how should I do it without alarming others?" Zhang Xuan frowned in frustration.

They were right at the entrance of the auction hall at the moment. Regardless of whether he did it himself or dispatched his puppets to do it for him, it would cause a huge uproar. If things were to go badly, the auction hall might even be torn apart.

Furthermore, if he were to corner the other party too far, the other party might be forced to utilize his means as an Otherworldly Demon to retaliate. If so, the realization that the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe could be lurking within Jingyuan City would cause a huge pandemonium... An army of master teacher could very well be brought into Jingyuan City to investigate the matter, forcing the poison masters to lie low. By then, it would be nigh impossible for him to find any poison master to lead him to the Poison Hall.

While deep in thought, he saw the disguised Otherworldly Demon following the bustling crowd into the auction hall. If he wanted to act, he would have to do it now. Once the other party was settled in the auction hall, it would be impossible to drag the other party out without causing a pandemonium,

"There is no time to plan anymore. I will just have to deal with whatever that comes my way" Knowing that he didn't have the luxury of time, Zhang Xuan dashed forward and blocked the disguised Otherworldly Demon's path.

"What are you doing?!"

Seeing that someone had suddenly blocked his path, the disguised Otherworldly Demon frowned in displeasure.

Huala!

Following which, the two guards beside the disguised Otherworldly Demon stepped forward and drew their swords, seemingly ready to make a move should Zhang Xuan try anything funny.

These two guards were Chrysalis realm pinnacle experts, but they weren't Otherworldly Demons, just ordinary cultivators.

"May I know why this friend over here is blocking my way?" Seeing that everyone's gaze was drawn towards him, the disguised Otherworldly Demon waved his hands casually, indicating for the guards to step down before turning to Zhang Xuan.

The disguised Otherworldly Demon knew that it was not to his advantage to draw attention towards himself. After all, it was more likely for his true identity to be exposed should he be placed under the spotlight.

Moreover, disguised as a human in Jingyuan City, he had a mission to accomplish as well. It wouldn't do to draw too many eyes upon himself at this moment.

"The heaven isn't blind after all! After so many years, it has finally brought me to you!" Paying no heed the disguised Otherworldly Demon's words, a look of extreme agitation suddenly surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face as he rushed forward to hug the other party.

Frowning, the Otherworldly Demon raised his palm and pushed Zhang Xuan away.

"I am Sun Qiang! Don't you recognize me?"

Being pushed away, Zhang Xuan looked at the disguised Otherworldly Demon anxiously and quickly introduced himself, as if worried that his old friend didn't recognize him.

"Sun Qiang?" The disguised Otherworldly Demon frowned. "I'm sorry. You must have gotten the wrong person!"

As an Otherworldly Demon infiltrating the Master Teacher Continent, how could he possibly have any acquaintances here? Just where in this world did this fool pop out from?

"There is no way I could have gotten the wrong person!" Ignoring the other party's cold attitude, Zhang Xuan grabbed the other party arm in agitation and said, "We have grown up together, and I can still remember how arrogant you were when you were younger. Back then, after you managed to achieve a huge breakthrough in your cultivation, you viciously pummeled our teacher because you thought he was too nosey. In order to avenge your pet, you specially concocted a poison and killed a Saint realm expert. On top of that, you also studied the arts of the soul oracle and used your soul to conduct quite a few misdeeds. These memories are still very fresh in my mind, as if they had only happened yesterday. There is no way I can ever mistake you for another person!"

"He pummeled his own teacher because he thought his teacher was too nosey? How can a person treat his teacher like that?"

"Concocting poison to kill a Saint realm expert... He is a poison master?"

"He learned the arts of the soul oracle? Didn't the soul oracles betray humanity for the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe back then?"

Hearing those words, the gazes from the crowd started to turn hostile.

Those of the Master Teacher Continent were taught to respect their teacher and lineage from young. A person who betrayed his own teacher and lineage would be scorned by others for his entire life.

More important, poison masters and soul oracles were occupations that were scorned in the continent. It could already be said that it was very patient of them to not rush forward and pummel that person before them.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Seeing how a person he didn't recognize suddenly uttering such nonsense here, the eyebrows of the Otherworldly Demon shot up, and he nearly erupted on the spot, "I don't even know you!"

If the crowd were to turn against him over this matter and his true identity was revealed in the process, how was he going to accomplish his mission?

Thus, he jerked his arm forcefully, knocking away the hand that was grasping him.

'You don't know me? Very well!" As if displeased by the other party's action of feigning ignorance, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up, "Three years ago, when you were being pursued by your enemies and was on the verge of death, I was the one who saved you. If I remember correctly, your enemies managed to impale your left shoulder back then, and the wound should have left a scar. Since you said that you don't know me, do you dare to show your left shoulder to all of us right here to prove that I was lying?"

"You" The disguised Otherworldly Demon was stunned for a moment before clenching his fists tightly in frustration.

His left shoulder had indeed been impaled by a special weapon three years ago. To this day, he still had yet to recover from it fully, and the wound had also left a permanent scar on his left shoulder. Due to the unique nature of the injury, he wasn't able to conceal it even when disguising as a human...

As his wound had been concealed within his clothes all along, and he had never shown it to anyone before, not even his closest friend was aware of this matter. Where in the world did that fellow learn of this matter?

"Why? You dare not show your shoulder right here? Well, of course you don't! Your injury was caused by a spear imbued with the fire attribute whereas the cultivation technique you practice is of the water attribute. As such, that wound has resulted in a permanent scar which you can't erase! On top of that, the encounter has also left a hidden trauma in your body. A surge of flame zhenqi will relentlessly strike your Hunyin acupoint every full moon, leaving you in great agony... How is it? Is there any mistake in what I have said?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"Y-you" The disguised Otherworldly Demon was only astonished when the other party spoke about the scar on his left shoulder, but at this moment, he felt so crazed that his eyes were on the verge of popping from their sockets.

The other party's description was spot-on.

The scar on his left shoulder was indeed caused by a spear imbued with the fire attribute, and it was also true that he cultivated a water attribute cultivation technique. The matter about there being a surge of flame zhenqi in his body torturing him every month was also correct... There was no mistake in the other party's account at all!

But he was certain that he didn't know the other party, and even if he did, he had never told anyone of the problems he was facing either...

So how did this fellow find out?

"You still don't remember me? Are you hiding something that makes it inconvenient for you to reveal your identity? Is that the reason why you are hiding from me?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"Cough cough! Brother Sun Qiang, I finally recognize you now!"

As that person spoke on, the gazes directed towards him was becoming more and more peculiar. Fearing that his identity might just be dredged up should the other party continue speaking, the disguised Otherworldly Demon could only concede with a look of awkwardness.

"That's more like it! I knew that I couldn't have possibly mistaken you for anyone else! Here, this is the fine wine that you savor the most. If you still regard me as your brother, drink it!" Seeing the other party bending under the pressure from the surroundings, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a smiling face, he flicked his wrist, took out a gourd, and passed it over.

"You want me to drink? Right here?" The disguised Otherworldly Demon was flabbergasted.

What is with the sudden jump in logic? Even if we are good friends, surely there is a time and place to drink!

We are right outside the auction hall, and there are so many people looking... You want me to drink right here?

He wasn't the only one perplexed by Zhang Xuan's abrupt words. The crowd was also baffled as well.

"Why? You don't trust me? You think that there is a problem with the wine I am giving you? Sigh, you really should work on that skeptical personality of yours. Fine, I will drink first!" Shaking his head with a smile, Zhang Xuan uncorked the wine gourd, and an intoxicating fragrance drifted into the surroundings. Tilting his head upwards, he took a hearty gulp of the wine.

After he was done, he passed it over to the disguised Otherworldly Demon, "Here you go!"

"I think it will be better for us to drink another day. The auction is about to start, and I still have matters to attend to"

A stranger he didn't know was abruptly offering him wine out of nowhere. He would be lying if he said he wasn't doubtful.

"That skeptical personality like yours sure is like the Otherworldly Demons, especially like that Qingtian something Waterleaf King" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Geji!

As soon as the disguised Otherworldly Demon heard those words, his entire body stiffened. A hint of killing intent flashed across his eyes.

It might seem as if the other party was uttering nonsense, but the other party had managed to identify him accurately!

In other words, all of those that were spoken before was not a coincidence at all. The other party... knew who he was!

Just that... he pondered for a while, but there was no one named Sun Qiang that he knew of.

"You're right! Good friends should indeed have a drink together. However, this isn't the place to do so. Why don't we go to a tavern together and drink our hearts out?" Suppressing his killing intent, the disguised Otherworldly Demon chuckled amiably.

In any case, if his identity was already compromised, there was only one thing that he could do... Find an opportunity to kill the other party!

Otherwise, if he were to be exposed right here, he would be unable to accomplish his mission.

"You want to drink together at a tavern? Sure. However, you have to drink my wine first before I will go with you. If you aren't even willing to reciprocate this kind gesture of mine, who knows whether you will be bringing me to drink or to the netherworld later on? A person who has beat up his teacher surely has no qualms about killing his close friends too, right?" Zhang Xuan said with a wry smile.

"You"

The disguised Otherworldly Demon's face reddened.