Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Yes!” A nervous expression replaced the smile on Lonemoon’s face as he explained, “The holy place is in a very remote location and is extremely dangerous. Thus it’s not advisable to physically enter it. If Brother Shu trusts me, you can activate your divine perception. I will send you in with this talisman.”
For a short moment, Shu Jiang was undecided; the emotion that flickered across his face spoke of his inner struggle. But after a while, he clenched his teeth and nodded his head. “I believe in Brother Lonemoon, let’s start!” So saying, he got up and moved his chair aside. Then he sat cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed.
Within moments, an image floated above his body. This was the manifestation of his divine perception.
Smiling, Lonemoon stepped forwards and said, “Take heed, Brother Shu. Although this is a miraculous place, it is also a place filled with mirages. Frightening scenes will appear before you. So don’t linger too long there. If you cannot endure it any longer, just come back.”
Seeing Shu Jiang’s nod, Lonemoon activated the talisman in his and tapped it on the image. Immediately, Shu Jiang’s image vanished from the compartment.
“Where have you sent him?” asked Shen Ying in between chewing her food.
Wearing an innocent look on his face, Lonemoon sat up and poured himself a cup of water. “I’ve sent him to the Invincible Sect.”
“Huh?”
“More accurately, to the foot of the mountain.”
“The foot of the mountain?” repeated Shen Ying. Then looking askance at him, she asked, “What scam did you concoct this time?”
Lonemoon took a sip of water. Then narrowing his eyes into a slit like the eyes of a fox, he rebutted, “What do you mean by scam? I only told him that I had discovered a holy place that could quickly boost a person’s cultivation level. Whether it be his techniques, comprehension, even his mood and divine perception, all these can be boosted.”
“What holy place?” Why hadn’t she heard of this place in Invincible Sect?
“It’s the demonic Qi!” The demonic Qi in the Invincible Sect could indeed stimulate a person’s potential. It would be a waste not to make money out of such a natural place for upgrading one’s cultivation. “I’ve already made inquiries. He’s the most wealthy man in Chong Lan country. More than half the shops in the city belong to him. If we want to develop Invincible Sect into a holy place noted for its high end, classy, fashionable and luxurious cultivation training, we definitely need his help.
“So… after all that hullabaloo, what you sold him was some demonic Qi?” It seemed that there was nothing Father Niu was incapable of selling. No wonder that before the trip, he had led Yu Hong and the other girls to the foot of the mountain where they spent half a day setting up the array formation. It must have been for this purpose?
“I’m marketing a packaging, don’t you understand? Anyway, it’s his divine perception that is entering the place, not his body. There’s no danger of demonic Qi entering his body.”
“Er…” But the demonic Qi was so obvious, wasn’t Lonemoon worried that once this person came out and realized the truth, he would settle scores with him?
“That’s not going to happen!” answered Lonemoon, a cunning smile on his face. It was as if he knew what was on her mind.
As Shen Ying pondered over the matter, the man sitting on the ground suddenly trembled violently and regained consciousness. Going immediately over to him, Lonemoon saw that his face was pale, bloodless and covered in cold sweat.
“Brother Lonemoon, that place…” He grabbed at Lonemoon in a panic, seemingly anxious to say something.
“Brother Shu, don’t panic!” Cutting him off, Lonemoon once again donned the face of a canny businessman. With a merry laugh he said, “The things seen in this holy place varies from person to person, but they are not real. Don’t worry about it. Look inside your divine perception and regulate your breathing first.”
Shu Jiang calmed down at his words. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. Then he began an internal perception scan. The very next moment, his eyes suddenly burst open and with a stunned expression on his face, exclaimed, “Huh? My… divine perception…”
He discovered that his divine perception had actually grown stronger. Although this change was minute, it was a miracle for someone like him who has not seen an increase in his cultivation for thousands of years. The significant point being that he had been inside for less than a quarter of an hour.
Shu Jiang’s face lit up with joy. Seemingly unable to suppress his happiness, he said excitedly, “What Brother Lonemoon told me is indeed true. There is really such an amazing place in this world.”
“I also happened to chance upon this place, the only bad thing about it is that this holy place can create hallucinations in the mind. By the way, what did Brother Shu brother see inside?” asked Lonemoon intentionally.
Seemingly taken aback by his question, Shu Jiang remained silent for a while. Then something flickered across his eyes and he immediately changed the subject, saying, “Nothing much. By the way, does Brother Lonemoon really intend to share this place with other immortals?”
“Of course!” Lonemoon did not question Shu Jiang any further. Having hallucinations was another way of saying that the person was trapped by mental demons. However, no immortal with a cultivation level like Shu Jiang would easily admit that he was affected by his mental demons. So he had deliberately planned this set up at the beginning, letting everyone who entered it think that the demonic Qi he saw was just a hallucination, thus quelling their suspicions.
Once he saw that he had convinced Shu Jiang, Lonemoon immediately switched into his business mode and began a vigorous discussion about “The Holy Place Development Project.”
Shen Ying viewed what was going on with an incredulous expression on her face. In the meantime, the two men had already set a sky-high price for a perfectly ordinary spirit transmission talisman. Silently praising the business acumen of a certain someone, Shen Ying carried on with her chewing.
It’s no wonder I call him Father!
It’s so hard to understand the rich man’s world!
The two men chatted until sun had set in the west. During that time, Shen Ying finished her lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Finally, the two reached an initial agreement on a partnership. Lonemoon handed ten spirit transmission talismans to Shu Jiang and also got a booking for a new batch of suckers… no, rather cultivators, to enter the Holy Land for training after a three-month auction. In order to express his sincerity, Shu Jiang also left a bag of top grade immortal stones as a deposit.
Shen Ying didn’t know how much it was, but when Lonemoon immediately agreed to her request for three more dishes, she guessed that it must have been an astronomical figure.
Just as Shen Ying was thinking of taking advantage of Lonemoon’s good mood to put in a supper request, Chef, who had been gone for a good part of the day, finally returned.
“Master!”
“Yo, Chef,” greeted Shen Ying with a wave of her hand.
After scanning the room, Yi Qing’s gaze alighted on Shu Jiang. Frowning, he asked, “You are?” Why was there another asshole here?
“Nice to meet you, Fellow Immortal.” Smiling, Shu Jiang got up to greet him. “I’m Shu Jiang!”
“Exalted Immortal,” answered Yi Qing with a nod.
“Why were you away for so long?” asked Lonemoon as he glanced at the sky outside. He discovered that a whole day had passed. “What happened at the Immortal Palace?”
“Nothing much.” As if recalling something, Yi Qing frowned and added, “The Immortal Emperor wanted to bestow Qing Han City upon me. I declined it.”
“What!” exclaimed Lonemoon, his mouth twitching. He had not expected that the so-called reward was a direct gift of an immortal city. And the main thing was, Yi Qing had rejected it!
This prodigal son! For whose sake was he working so hard to make money?
“Why did he suddenly bestow an immortal palace upon you?”
Shen Ying’s question got Lonemoon’s mind thinking. Shen Ying was right! Exalted immortals were a dime a dozen in Chong Lan, not every one of them could become a city lord. Moreover, Yi Qing was only a Stygian Immortal. Why single him out for special treatment? It couldn’t be that the emperor had taken a liking to Yi Qing at first sight, could it? He had some understanding of Yi Qing’s character, and he was definitely not the charming type.
“I don’t know.” Shaking his head, Yi Qing walked to Shen Ying’s side. Out of habit, he poured her a cup of tea before continuing, “But… he asked me to go to… Yu Feng Immortal City a month later to take part in some kind of test.”
“The Yu Feng Sword Quest!” Shu Jiang suddenly exclaimed. Eyes widened in surprise, he locked his gaze on Yi Qing and asked, “You… You are a sword immortal?”
What do you mean?
Shen Ying and Lonemoon both turned their heads to look at Shu Jiang.
Greatly exhilarated, Shu Jiang looked at Yi Qing with even more enthusiasm than when he had emerged from the demonic Qi. “To think that Fellow Immortal was actually selected by His Majesty as a candidate for the sword quest. You are… really lucky!”
“What’s a sword quest?” asked Shen Ying.
Shu Jiang was still unable to suppress his excitement. Taking a deep breath, he explained solemnly, “Do the three of you know what kind of place this Yu Feng Immortal City is?”
