Chapter 80

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Chapter 80: The Underlying Currents of Mo City

With Zhang Yang’s departure, the people of the Vast Forest became busy once more.

Everyone followed their previously assigned tasks, searching for various opportunities and striving to strengthen their powers as quickly as possible.

In addition, Li Kunhai and Shang Zhu were responsible for receiving those who might seek refuge. At first, this proved quite difficult, but later, more people began arriving voluntarily, mainly because the Demon Slayer Team had become too ruthless.

Even after suffering heavy losses with their hundred-thousand-strong army, in order to maintain their so-called dignity, the other two leaders of the three major groups, along with the eight Grand Respected just below them, each led their teams to hunt down and suppress all suspected world-destroying demons. In reality, they acted with extreme brutality. The moment they heard anyone speaking ill of the Demon Slayer Team, they seized the opportunity to act, using violence to reestablish the team’s dominance and restore its reputation.

This led to countless families being torn apart, homes destroyed, and loved ones scattered. Many sects were also annihilated. Those who managed to escape and sought revenge naturally fled to the Vast Forest, forming a silent consensus regarding the consequences of that battle.

Of course, the Demon Slayer Team also secretly sent spies to infiltrate, and it was now up to Li Kunhai and Shang Zhu’s abilities to identify and eliminate them.

In short, the Vast Forest was extremely busy, and everyone had their hands full.

Zhang Yang, too, was busy.

On the way to Mo City, Xue Feishuang and Yuluan entered what could only be described as bombardment mode, relentlessly pouring martial arts knowledge and life experience into him.

Yuluan, in particular, seemed somewhat scatterbrained, blurting out whatever came to mind. She claimed that, in her opinion, Zhang Yang possessed perfect memory and extraordinary comprehension abilities, so it would all stick.

For fifteen full days, aside from a few hours of daily meditation, Zhang Yang was fully occupied absorbing everything they taught him.

By the end, even the purple-eyed thunder bird couldn’t take it anymore and began grumbling about all the learning.

Thanks to the Small Tree King’s influence, it had finally started speaking like a human.

Thus, the knowledge transfer became two plus one.

Even if Zhang Yang’s growth wasn’t exactly miraculous, he had at least added another layer of knowledge to his once "innocent" self.

Mo City, located in the southeast of the Great Xia Empire, was the most prosperous city within a thousand miles, with a population of thirty million. The Mo family held unmatched status—so much so that imperial orders were often not executed without first consulting them, a clear display of their immense power.

Over a hundred miles from Mo City, Zhang Yang and the others dismounted from the purple-eyed thunder bird, allowing it to soar freely through the skies above. It would not land unless summoned.

Among the three, Xue Feishuang acted as Zhang Yang’s shadow. She was close to stepping into the Opening the Sky realm. Even if she remained at the immeasurable stage, spotting her without her intention was nearly impossible.

Zhang Yang and Yuluan wore masks provided by Shang Zhu. These masks were infused with forbidden laws and acted as a second layer of skin, altering their appearances.

Zhang Yang now looked like a charming young gentleman.

Yuluan appeared as a maid.

The three of them entered the city.

From the moment they set foot in Mo City, they all sensed something unusual.

The city bustled with activity, packed with people, yet the streets seemed overwhelmingly filled with individuals openly carrying daggers and swords.

As they strolled down the long street, Zhang Yang perked up his ears to listen.

Soon enough, he picked up some intriguing news from a passerby.

This news had already stirred Mo City and was spreading quickly within a radius of several thousand miles.

“The Five Elements Commerce Association is going to hold an auction here.”

“The centerpiece of the auction has already been announced: the Golden Dragon Shield, a family treasure lost by the ancestors of the Mo family.”

“This feels like preparation for war between the two sides.”

Zhang Yang shared the news with the two women.

After half a month of relentless knowledge bombardment, he had become far more aware of the massive secrets lurking beneath the surface of the world.

The Five Elements Commerce Association, the largest trade organization in the vast world, had been established by five families. It spanned the Southern Region, Eastern Domain, Western Desert, Northern Plains, and Central State. The Liu family controlled the Southern Region, holding the prestigious title of the "Five Elements Liu." Quietly, they were regarded as the most influential family in the Southern Region, even surpassing the royal Mu family of the Great Xia Empire.

The Mu family had ruled their kingdom for over a thousand years. Although they had once been a martial arts family, the Liu family possessed a history spanning more than ten thousand years as a great clan.

While the Liu family primarily focused on business, they had no holy sites or forbidden lands they feared.

No one truly knew the extent of their resources, but it was clear they profited immensely from every major event in the Southern Region.

Despite their vast wealth and influence, the Liu family lacked one crucial resource: the Nightstone Mine.

There was only one vein of this mine in the entire Southern Region, and it was solely controlled by the Mo family. The Liu family had attempted to purchase it multiple times, offering staggering sums of money, but had been rejected each time.

Thus, when the Demon Slayer Team—supported by the Mo family—suffered catastrophic losses, the Liu family resurfaced. This time, the young master Liu Feijue personally stepped forward, once again offering an exorbitant price for the Nightstone Mine. When the Mo family refused yet again, the ever-prideful Liu Feijue became furious and decided to publicly auction the Golden Dragon Shield, openly challenging the Mo family.

"I’ve heard of the Golden Dragon Shield," Xue Feishuang said. "Not only is it the Mo family’s treasured artifact, but it’s also considered a boundless artifact with the greatest potential to become a holy weapon. It’s top-tier. Legend has it that the ancestors of the Mo family gained great fame wielding this shield before it was lost during an assassination attempt."

Zhang Yang smiled and said, "It would be great if the Liu family and the Mo family ended up fighting."

Xue Feishuang pondered for a moment. "That’s unlikely. Although the Mo family and Liu family aren’t on the same level at all, the Mo family has the backing of the Great Xia Empire. The Liu family would definitely have to restrain themselves."

As they spoke, they arrived at the Liu family’s grand marketplace.

The auction of the Golden Dragon Shield had caused quite a stir. Countless people were interested in the shield, as holy weapons were rare not only in the Southern Region but across the entire vast world. The Golden Dragon Shield, with its high potential to become a holy weapon, naturally attracted many bidders.

A large crowd meant endless opportunities.

The Liu family had directly expanded their shop in Mo City into an enormous open space, displaying newly excavated relics that drew in waves of eager buyers.

Zhang Yang and his companions joined the crowd.

The vast area was packed with people, buzzing with excitement.

The stalls overflowed with ancient artifacts, many of which radiated a deep sense of history.

It felt like a treasure hunt.

Of course, the truly valuable items from the relic had undoubtedly been taken by the Liu family long before. Still, plenty of overlooked treasures remained, waiting for someone lucky enough to discover them.

This was Zhang Yang’s first time visiting such a place, and he felt a fresh sense of excitement.

Xue Feishuang and Yuluan communicated with him telepathically, sharing relevant knowledge as they walked.

Before long, Zhang Yang began shopping.

He picked out one seed from a pile of over a hundred and bought it.

Then he spotted a gourd and purchased that as well.

Next, he found a piece of tattered animal skin and bought it too.

Then he picked up a stone and added it to his collection.

At first, his purchases didn’t seem out of the ordinary. But soon, his buying spree became obvious. After just a glance at an item, if it caught his interest, he bought it—without hesitation, without bargaining, and without the slightest concern for its value or flaws.

His extravagant behavior drew countless curious glances.

It was important to note that this was a treasure hunt, and the odds of finding something truly valuable were extremely low. The Liu family had already carefully sorted through everything. How could they have left many treasures behind? They were professionals.

While most people browsed carefully, hesitating over each item, Zhang Yang’s reckless shopping spree was entirely unique—especially considering the prices were far from cheap.

His actions quickly caught the attention of the Liu family members. Some began to wonder if their appraisers had overlooked too many valuable items, but this seemed unlikely, leaving them utterly baffled. Word of Zhang Yang’s behavior even reached Liu Feijue himself.

Liu Feijue was striking in appearance, his bright eyes full of curiosity. Smiling at Zhang Yang, he asked, "Brother, are you gambling on luck or just throwing money around?"

Zhang Yang blinked and replied, "I’m buying things."

"You do realize it’s not easy to find treasures here, right?" Liu Feijue asked.

"Yeah, I know," Zhang Yang answered. "That’s why I only bought this much."

Liu Feijue and the nearby Liu family members were left speechless. Only this much? There were over sixty items! Was that considered little?

"Aren’t you worried you’ll end up with a pile of worthless junk?" Liu Feijue pressed.

Zhang Yang chuckled. "Of course not. I’ve already seen them all."

At that single word, "seen," both Xue Feishuang and Yuluan, who had been slightly puzzled by his behavior, immediately became curious again.