"It's actually a Scarlet Flame Fish!"

"That fish is worth ten spirit stones!"

"Which family's disciple is this little girl from?!"

The anglers around the lake all began breathing rapidly. Most of them were independent Qi Refinement cultivators who couldn’t even earn ten spirit stones in an entire year. Moreover, the little girl’s bucket was already piled high with spirit fish. Altogether, they were worth several hundred spirit stones! Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would be tempted! 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Meanwhile, Qi Jianjun seemed not to hear the surrounding discussions at all. She flicked her fishing rod again and continued fishing calmly.

Finally, a Qi Refinement elder beside her could no longer sit still. He solemnly advised, "Little girl, there's a saying, wealth should not be flaunted. You’re putting yourself in danger by sitting here like this. You’ve attracted quite a lot of eyes. Who are your elders? Hurry and call them to take you home."

Qi Jianjun’s gaze remained fixed on the tranquil surface of the lake. She said as if aggrieved, "My mother has gone to the heavens. My father spends all day gaming, his days and nights are reversed. I don't even know where he's died off to."

Hearing this, the old man concluded the girl’s mother had likely passed away, and her father drowned his sorrows in games.

"Haa... What a bitter fate," lamented the old man, before casually asking, "To give birth to such a delicate and adorable child, your parents must be from a prestigious background! Which cultivation sect are they from?"

She replied casually, "They are from out of town. We only arrived in Great Shang not long ago."

Just then, the fishing rod jerked. Another fish was hooked.

Qi Jianjun beamed. "I caught another one!"

The nearby anglers couldn't help cheering.

Not far away, a young man wearing a straw hat appeared helpless. "This little girl is finished. She's been targeted."

He recognized the old man beside Qi Jianjun. Despite his harmless, benevolent appearance, he was a scout for bandit cultivators. They would act as soon as they determined she was safe to rob.

The cultivation world never knew a peaceful day. While disciples of great sects were well protected, filth and darkness lurked constantly among low-level independents and even within the sects themselves.

The straw-hatted man stared regretfully at the girl, but that was it. He didn’t dare intervene himself.

Just then, one Foundation Establishment cultivator and two Qi Refinement cultivators walked toward the lake.

"From out of town, huh? They’re probably a fleeing fat sheep," the Foundation Establishment bandit said greedily.

Spirit fish worth several hundred spirit stones, and seemingly no risk. It was a worthwhile deal.

"I already investigated. She’s not from the nearby sects. Even her background is ordinary," said a low-grade Qi Refinement bandit.

As long as she wasn’t from the mighty Three Great Sects, they had nothing to fear.

"To be able to catch so many fish, she must be quite lucky. How about we burn her face and ruin her throat so she goes mute? We'll make her fish here forever," suggested one Qi Refinement bandit.

Such things were common among bandit cultivators. Even in mortal kingdoms, beggar gangs would cripple people and send them out to beg for money.

The Foundation Establishment elder said greedily, "Let's go."

The three bandits appeared, all wearing masks. The anglers trembled at their arrival, some quietly grabbing their buckets and fled. The straw-hatted man sighed again, not daring to even look. Many secretly glanced at the girl with pained expressions. Such a cute little girl was about to meet a miserable end! Her father truly was irresponsible!

Meanwhile, beneath a tree not far away, two figures stood watching the conflict by the lake.

"Not even a little girl was spared. How utterly despicable! Those men are also useless. Spineless cowards!" Killing intent lit her eyes, then softened into reverence as she looked at the man in coarse linen beside her. "Young Master, shall I go?"

She was called Shen Zhifeng. Not only was she the Shen Clan’s guide, she was also the sole Nascent Soul of her lineage within the Demonic Desire Sect. Yet even a True Lord like her was nothing more than a servant before the coarse-clothed man.

The Shen Clan owed its rise to power and total control of the Demonic Desire Sect entirely to him, Shen Wushen. He slaughtered all the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Demonic Desire Sect singlehandedly, as if they were mere chickens. Not even Shen Zhifeng could withstand a single blow from him.

Shen Wushen gazed meaningfully at the girl by the lakeside. "She is not ordinary."

Shen Zhifeng was startled. "Hm?"

Did the girl hide her cultivation?

No matter how carefully Shen Zhifeng observed, she couldn't discern the girl's strength. There could be many reasons for this: either the girl’s cultivation far surpassed hers, or it was a concealment technique, or an aura-masking treasure.

"You don't need to look. You won't see her cultivation," Shen Wushen’s eyes held a glimmer of reverence. "I never expected to encounter such a senior in a remote place like Great Shang."

Shen Zhifeng gasped. If even Shen Wushen called her "senior," how strong could the girl be? A Violet Palace, perhaps? Now, she could only stare at the bandit cultivators with pity.

Meanwhile, Shen Wushen's gaze burst with sharp battle intent. "The Canglan World is far more interesting than I imagined. I hope I can meet an opponent worthy of my move."

In truth, he was from the upper world, born of a great sect. His master was a Mythic powerhouse, one whose radiance illuminated countless heavens. With his sect’s supreme treasure, Shen Wushen had traveled across realms to temper himself.