Because the mica sand ore that Duan Gujin was looking for wasn't a rare mineral, and Duan Gujin was willing to pay a high price without considering the cost, Li Shisan couldn't fathom the mystery within. He truly believed that the situation was exactly as Duan Gujin described. The mica sand ore sought by the other party was only of high purity and quality, and he didn't think much more about it.

Li Shisan wanted Duan Gujin to check his physical condition now.

Duan Gujin checked Li Shisan's body and then told him that once he endures through the Gathering Spirit Array thrice, most of the impurities in his body would be expelled. By then, he would see if he could help him unblock the fifth martial meridian.

"If you want to clear the fifth martial meridian, you must find a place with plenty of wood attribute power. When the time comes, I will set up a simple Gathering Spirit Heavenly Array for you. With this array, all the wood attribute power nearby will be absorbed into it. Then, I'll channel that power into your body, and like a tide, it will rush into your martial meridian, helping you unblock the fifth one."

Duan Gujin said.

"Is this method safe? Are there any side effects?"

Li Shisan thought for a moment and quickly asked.

A few days ago, he had personally experienced the power of the Gathering Spirit Array and knew how beneficial it was to him.

Now, with Duan Gujin arranging for him an array that can devour all nearby wood attribute power, he began to worry.

Previously, when he absorbed the Gathering Spirit Array, he felt his entire meridians were filled with a lot of wood attribute power.

And now, Duan Gujin was about to inject a tidal-like Gathering Spirit Heavenly Array into him, which caused him some fear.

"The Gathering Spirit Heavenly Array that I set up generally won't have issues. If there are any, it's due to your lack of willpower or physical deficiency. Therefore, I will wait until you've fully cultivated the Wood Saint Heavenly Scripture for a month before helping you unblock your fifth martial meridian. Currently, your fifth meridian hasn't fully formed. By then, I can use the powerful wood attribute force from the array to ensure your success! If you delay unblocking the fifth meridian, it will form a strong resistance within. Consider that when your cultivation advances to the Martial Emperor Realm, all your gold attribute power will concentrate in the fifth meridian, and the wood attribute power you release to unblock it will be countered by this gold power, making it even harder for you to break through the fifth meridian!"

Upon hearing Duan Gujin's words, Li Shisan immediately thought of the other martial meridians in his body that hadn't been unblocked.

"What about my other martial meridians? Will they be like the fifth one in the future?" Li Shisan became nervous.

Duan Gujin explained: "A martial artist's meridians form according to their cultivation technique. Generally, if a technique overly emphasizes a specific attribute, that attribute power will form in the meridians yet to be unblocked. For instance, if your technique is related to gold attribute power, the next unblocked meridian will have a lot of gold attribute power!"

"Oh, now I understand!"

Duan Gujin said: "If you have time, send someone to find places with abundant wood attribute energy, which are usually areas where trees thrive!"

"Okay!"

Li Shisan's eyes flashed, and he immediately thought of letting his mercenary subordinates find such places.

After bidding farewell to Duan Gujin, Li Shisan immediately sent his subordinates to look for places where trees grew exceptionally well.

The next day, the manager came to him with news.

Only then did Duan Gujin learn that that morning, the Taihuang Immortal Sect had recruited the Lightning Corps to find the two Martial Saints they had wanted.

Upon hearing this news, Duan Gujin wore a strange expression. He was well aware that he was the one the Taihuang Immortal Sect was after. Yet now, the sect was threatening the Lightning Mercenaries to hunt for him and Qing Lian.

This was typical of a thief crying "Stop thief!"

"I've informed Li Shisan of what the Taihuang Immortal Sect expects from us. He told me that because the sect is pressuring us, we have no choice but to send out a team to search. I've heard the sect offers a bounty of one million Yuanzhen coins for those two Martial Saints! Many mercenaries are going out hoping to find them!"

Hearing this, Duan Gujin smiled faintly and asked, "Don't you realize how dangerous this task is?"

"I do! I heard those two Martial Saints caused quite a bit of trouble for the sect's experts in the Ziwei Divine Palace. That's why I figured these people wouldn't be easy finds! Although the one million Yuanzhen coins is a lot, it doesn't compare to one's life!"

"Oh, and if you encounter those two martial artists, what would you do?"

Duan Gujin curiously asked.

"What could I do? Naturally, I'd quickly report their whereabouts to the Taihuang Immortal Sect and let them handle it! I won't confront them personally; those two must be at least at the Martial Saint Realm! I'm no match for them!"

Duan Gujin, curious and probing, asked the manager what Zhan Pingta had said.

After the exchange, Duan Gujin realized that Zhan Pingta had told the manager they were martial artists from another continent and instructed him not to leak any information from here.

"So he doesn't know I'm the one the Taihuang Immortal Sect is after! He didn't connect me with those two the sect wants!"

Duan Gujin suddenly realized.

"It seems you mercenaries do play a significant role!"

Duan Gujin remarked suddenly.

"We mercenaries are pressured by major sects like the Taihuang Immortal Sect. If such a sect dislikes us, they can completely suppress us! Although we have our own Artifact Refiners and Alchemists, you must know the Taihuang Immortal Sect controls all auctions on the Yuanzhen Continent. Once they announce sanctions on a mercenary group, they can be severe! For instance, they can ban any Alchemist or Artifact Refiner from selling spiritual medicine or dark weapons to that group, threatening to disqualify them if they do! Typically, that mercenary group will weaken over time. You see, all Alchemists and Artifact Refiners here are under the sect's control; once they get the order, they forbid selling any elixirs or dark weapons to others!"

The manager seriously explained the dominance of the Taihuang Immortal Sect to Duan Gujin.

Only then did Duan Gujin realize that the Taihuang Immortal Sect could command all mercenary groups on the Yuanzhen Continent to work for them.

"I never imagined that the Taihuang Immortal Sect was so powerful. Toppling the entire sect for Zhan Huantai would indeed be quite the challenge!" Duan Gujin pondered in his heart.