Chapter 141: True Person, Look, I, Wang Yulou, Am Just a Fool |
They didn't change locations. They stayed right there in Flavorful Bistro to talk. Wang Yulou even considerately ordered a table of fresh dishes for Fellow Daoist Yingxi, though no more spirit wine was served.
After all, he had already drank during two different sessions today. If he went for a third, even his tenth layer of Qi Refining cultivation base wouldn't be able to handle it.
Spirit wine could essentially be seen as a special kind of spiritual medicine or elixir, just in the form of alcohol. Drinking too much meant the medicinal power would overwhelm the body, ultimately resulting in a drunk cultivator.
The Moon Splendor Sect established its foothold in Wunan by relying on its series of Moon Splendor spirit wines and the Bright Moon Night Inns opened all over the region.
Among these was the seventh-grade spirit wine, Flowing Splendor Nectar, which contained the sixth-grade spiritual material Moon Splendor Condensed Light—hence the name "Flowing Splendor." With such a precious vintage, how could a Qi Refining cultivator like Wang Yulou not get drunk after downing seven or eight cups?
Zhou Yingxi didn't know where to begin, so Wang Yulou took the initiative.
"Come, Fellow Daoist Yingxi, taste this."
Staring at the plate of donkey intestines Wang Yulou pushed toward her, Zhou Yingxi remained silent, merely tilting her face slightly away. The two of them used to be very familiar with each other; they could even be considered good friends.
They had spent a lot of time together in Clear Stream Market. Back then, Wang Yulou would often bring her to Flavorful Bistro to eat and drink on the house.
"I know you have complaints in your heart, Wang Yulou. But there are many things that even I do not have the power to decide, and you know that."
Fellow Daoist Yingxi's voice was cold, carrying an alienation that pushed people thousands of miles away. The two of them were about to get married, yet they felt like familiar strangers, unable to find even a single cheerful topic.
The smile on Yulou's face froze slightly, and he leaned back a little. Zhou Yingxi held a grudge in her heart and showed it so obviously. How could he not harbor one as well?
Being forced by a grand cultivator to breed with Zhou Yingxi... Ancestor Jingyi hated this matter so much she wanted to kill Zhou Liangzhuo.
Did Wang Yulou have no thoughts about it? He did.
'Fellow Daoist Yingxi is an immortal maiden among women, a beauty capable of toppling a nation with ice-like skin and jade-like bones. Your clan is a prominent family within Hongdengzhao, and Perfected Man Fujiao has even bestowed the reward of taking me in as a disciple.'
'In the mortal world, marrying a princess of the royal family is a grand event capable of changing one's destiny. Fellow Daoist Yingxi is the princess of the Zhou Clan, the princess of Hongdengzhao.'
'Being able to marry you is a fortune that I, Yulou, would be hard-pressed to find in several lifetimes. If I can take Perfected Man Fujiao as my master, then my fortune will be even greater.'
'Cultivators in the cultivation world are as numerous as hairs on a cow. With a Dao Companion like Fellow Daoist Yingxi, I, Wang Yulou, can even be considered top-tier.'
'No, top-tier in Wunan.'
"So... how could I have complaints?"
Zhou Bojiao had his soul residing in a dragon corpse. He looked half-dead every day and seemed quite unreliable. But this True Person was still a genuine grand cultivator and, moreover, a disciple of Mangxiang.
By entering under the tutelage of Zhou Bojiao, Wang Yulou had, in a sense, been promoted from a temporary worker behind Mangxiang to an official beast of burden.
Although an official beast of burden was still a beast of burden, and his minor grotto-heaven could be snatched away on a whim, there was a difference in the end. The Purple Mansion-tier Divine Ability Treasure Talisman, Sky River Escape, was proof of that. Such a precious talisman was impossible to buy.
With the Sky River Escape precious talisman as a trump card, a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator like Wang Jingyi could roam freely within the Immortal Alliance's territory without risking her life, as long as a grand cultivator didn't personally take action against her.
If a grand cultivator did make a move and chased down a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator who had activated the Sky River Escape, they would definitely leave traces. At that point, it wouldn't just be a matter of a single life; it would mean forging a deadly grudge with the Behemoth Lineage.
It might not result in a fight to the death, but a massive amount of compensation would have to be paid regardless. In other words, by becoming Zhou Bojiao's disciple, Wang Yulou's life had immediately become more valuable.
This point alone truly made him top-tier in Wunan.
"You have no complaints?" Zhou Yingxi softly repeated Wang Yulou's earlier words, then added, "How could you have no complaints? If I were you, I would have infinite hatred in my heart."
Truthfully, with Zhou Yingxi acting like this, Wang Yulou was at a bit of a loss. He couldn't resist even if he tried, and the price of running away was far too high.
If he didn't endure it, what else could he do? Shout, "My destiny is my own," and then get slaughtered by Zhou Bojiao, Mu Changze, Guo Baichi, or even Danri and Xuanzhuan?
"My destiny is my own" was easy to say, but if he actually said it and acted on it, whether he would live long enough to see the tides turn thirty years later was hard to say. Having followed the Behemoth Lineage to this day, the Wang Clan had already gained a lot.
Even Wang Yulou being forced to breed with Zhou Yingxi could be seen as a kind of blessing—that was half a Purple Palace. "Fellow Daoist Yingxi, you are of the direct lineage of Perfected Man Fujiao and have lived a life of privilege since childhood.
"How does the saying go? Your heart is higher than the heavens.
"No, you have lofty ambitions. I, Wang Yulou, cannot compare with you.
"You know, our clan just raises donkeys. In the past, the Patriarch—oh, that's Wang Xianmao, Patriarch Xianmao—told me a story.
"When Old Ancestor Xianzhou first joined the Immortal Alliance as an Immortal Alliance Emissary, he attended the Immortal Ascension Banquet held by the veteran Emissaries for their batch of newcomers in Lotus Immortal City.
"At the banquet, Old Ancestor Xianzhou humbly said that our Wang Clan just raised spirit donkeys and sold donkey meat. He said he was incredibly lucky to become an Emissary and hoped everyone would look after him.
"Old Ancestor Xianzhou was clearly just being modest, but a senior from Immortal Venerable Lianpeng's family smiled and mocked, 'I was wondering why there was a stench of donkeys.' Immediately, everyone at the Immortal Ascension Banquet burst into laughter.
"Immortal Alliance Emissaries report directly to the Immortal Alliance. Those people who laughed at Old Ancestor Xianzhou—every single one of them—were backed by either this True Person or that Immortal Venerable.
"And Old Ancestor Xianzhou could only laugh along. When the Patriarch recounted this event to me, he spoke with a sense of normalcy, but after hearing it, I could never forget it.
"Later, I asked Old Ancestor Xianzhou how he viewed the matter now. Old Ancestor Xianzhou said it has always been this way.
"Whether right or wrong, it has always been this way. Benefits are limited, so conflicts will always exist.
"No matter where you go, there is no escaping the struggle. Only by accepting it can one continue to walk within the system of the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Sects, and survive in this cultivation world.
"If you don't accept it, you will only be rejected by the rules and the group, reduced to a marginalized family and a marginalized cultivator. Fellow Daoist Yingxi, look at me. I get to marry a great beauty like you, and I've become the disciple of Perfected Man Fujiao.
"How is that not a good thing?
"In the future, if I meet an Immortal Alliance Emissary who raises spirit pigs, I might even be able to laugh and tell him, 'I was wondering why there was a stench of pig manure,' hahaha." It was clearly an improvised little story, but Wang Yulou spoke with such emotion that Zhou Yingxi was somewhat moved hearing it.
This had nothing to do with lying. Morality itself was merely a dimension of evaluation; actions only served a purpose.
Wang Yulou merely wanted to express his acceptance of the current situation, as well as... his submission.
His submission to Patriarch Mangxiang. His submission to Perfected Man Fujiao.
His submission to the rules of this cultivation world. Minor cultivators had no freedom.
The grand cultivators who had attained the Dao completely blocked the path, limiting the possibilities for latecomers to advance. The rules of the entire Immortal Alliance were like this.
It was impossible for Wang Yulou to use his own strength, his own life, and the lives of his family to test whether the methods of a grand cultivator were tougher, or if the Wang Clan's fate was tougher. His heart simply wasn't ruthless enough.
He could not make the decision to drag Bai Xiaoyu, Lin Ying, Qin Churan, Wang Yu'an, Wang Rongyuan, Wang Xianmao, Wang Jingyi, Wang Xianzhou, and Wang Rongshi into gambling their lives alongside him.
The changes of dragons and snakes, seizing the right timing, the immense burden of the clan—such arrogant and imposing words like "my destiny is my own" could not come out of Wang Yulou's mouth. He had to endure.
This could perhaps be seen as a kind of unostentatious grand spirit. It was silent and traceless, existing only in the hearts of a few.
The fact that Wang Yulou could endure it was already incredibly impressive.
"You have changed, Wang Yulou. You've changed." Finally, Zhou Yingxi spoke.
That was true. People grow, and growth itself meant change.
"If the twenty-year-old Wang Yulou and the present Wang Yulou were still the exact same person, then wouldn't I have lived these past years far too wastefully?"
Would a cultivator change? Ancestor Jingyi had once given Wang Yulou an answer to this question.
Ancestor Jingyi's answer wasn't necessarily correct, but it was quite interesting. The so-called unchanging original intention was itself a false proposition.
When a cultivator's original intention was first formed, was it truly their own thought? Hard to say.
As a cultivator accumulated years, elevated their cultivation base, and saw changes in their circumstances and status, their heart and actions would definitely change accordingly. For a special long-lived species like cultivators, it was very difficult to determine whether those so-called unchanged original intentions were real or fake.
Cui Dingyi, who had submitted to a Great Demon to become a demon slave, had muttered for years, "I am just a poor child who grew up in River Bend Fishing Port." Did that stop him from offering tributes to the Stone Ancestor year after year?
Outside of the Great Dao, the human heart was the second hardest thing to see through.
"No, that's not what I'm talking about. Wang Yulou, how you looked before is different from how you look now."
Zhou Yingxi's body didn't move, but her next words struck a deep chord in Wang Yulou's heart. "Before, you had a kind of light in your eyes.
"Do you still remember? Back then, the racetrack lost a sum of spirit stones every time it held a race.
"You stood on the viewing platform of the racetrack, turned your head, and told me that the place would eventually make its money back one day. Now, you've lost that spirit.
"You look mature, reliable, and steady.
"To have a face as calm as a flat tide while the chest holds rolling waves is true grand spirit. But your heart seems to have lost those waves."
Wang Yulou was stunned for a moment. Just as his true emotions were about to become impossible to hide, he snapped out of his brief daze.
"Bang!"
Wang Yulou overturned the fully laden table between them. Teacups and plates shattered across the floor.
The little stone turtle, which had been busily eating, was flipped onto its back, paddling its four legs in the air. Under Zhou Yingxi's bewildered gaze, a slightly tipsy Wang Yulou swayed as he stood, his face flushed with mild anger.
As if his acting skills had suddenly erupted, Wang Yulou pressed his hands down on Zhou Yingxi's shoulders and questioned her in a suppressed voice, a faint, drunken flush on his cheeks.
"What else do you want from me? Zhou Yingxi, what more do you want? Do you expect me to kneel and thank you, to thank True Person Fujiao?"
Prompted by Zhou Yingxi's reminder, Yulou had finally realized the problem. He had suppressed himself far too ruthlessly; his posture had been entirely too obedient.
As an outstandingly gifted figure of the Behemoth Lineage's younger generation—someone properly rooted and red-blooded—having his destiny toyed with by True Persons merely to become Zhou Yingxi's furnace... how could he not harbor grievances?
He should have complaints. Wang Jingyi's minor grotto-heaven had been snatched away, and his own destiny had been forcefully arranged.
It was only natural for him to be resentful. Pretending to be completely obedient would only expose the true strategy and grand ambitions hidden in his heart.
As for Zhou Yingxi claiming he "had no waves" in his heart, Wang Yulou considered it a joke. Why did he need to bare his inner thoughts to her? Why did he need to let her define him?
No matter how Zhou Yingxi or anyone else viewed him, Wang Yulou was still Wang Yulou. His explosive outburst of anger in this moment was a performance purely meant for Zhou Bojiao, who stood behind Zhou Yingxi.
True Person, watch closely. I am just a fool who cannot suppress his anger and cannot hide his ambitions.
True Person, there is no need to be wary of me. I will submit, I will be obedient, and I do not have that many profound schemes.
Wang Yulou held no real complaints. Complaining was useless, and hating was useless too.
Even if he cursed ten thousand times, he could not curse Mangxiang to death, he could not curse Zhou Bojiao to death, and he could not curse those grand cultivators standing upon the Gathering Immortals Platform who had firmly welded shut the path of ascension with their rules.
However, being unable to curse grand cultivators didn't mean he couldn't curse Zhou Yingxi. Zhou Yingxi, you're formidable, you're extraordinary.
You are surnamed Zhou. You can stand safely on the shore, lift that noble visage hidden behind your veil, and mock me from the corner of your eye.
Mocking that I, Wang Yulou, have "changed." Mocking that I, Wang Yulou, have "no waves in my chest."
Mocking that I, Wang Yulou, am cowardly, mocking that I am a turtle grandson. But our family merely raises donkeys!
We are just grandsons following behind the ancestor!
"The True Person's Sacred Decree forced me to marry you, so what else can I, Wang Yulou, do?"
Wang Yulou had drunk twice today and was in a state of seemingly slight intoxication. By speaking like this, he showed both "indignation" and "impulsiveness," striking the perfect balance. No matter how ruthless grand cultivators were, they weren't brainless idiots.
When forcing their subordinates to act, the subordinates would naturally harbor complaints. But as long as the task was completed, they wouldn't assign blame, considering the resentment entirely reasonable and logical.
What Wang Yulou wanted was precisely to appear reasonable, because he had just acted far too obedient. He had overdone it, and going too far was as bad as falling short—now, he was making amends.
Perhaps Wang Yulou's words were too cutting, or perhaps Zhou Yingxi simply hadn't seen enough of the world's affairs. Under Yulou's questioning, her eyes, which had been locked with his, darted away once again.
Once, twice, three times. How many times had she evaded his gaze today?
Wang Yulou lowered his hands, his tone softening slightly. He had an uncertain guess in his heart: maybe Zhou Yingxi didn't actually have a choice either.
Exactly how much affection a grand cultivator like Zhou Bojiao still held for his clan and his juniors was something no one could say for certain. Removing his hands from Zhou Yingxi's shoulders, Wang Yulou appeared somewhat embarrassed.
He took two steps back and said, "If there is nothing else, Fellow Daoist Yingxi, Yulou will take his leave first."
"Right, I am currently staying at the Gu Family Tea House in the immortal city. When you and your Zhou Family are ready, notify me. I will be sure to obediently attend our wedding ceremony."
That was about right. The intensity was just perfect.
They were all pitiful people. Wang Yulou was the most pitiful, while Zhou Yingxi was slightly less so.
Pitiful people shouldn't make things difficult for other pitiful people. Of course, if the scale of comparison was broadened, the most pitiful ones weren't them, but the wandering cultivators who had absolutely no one to rely on.
Whether it was Wang Yulou, who hailed from the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom and whose starting point was as an Inner Gate Disciple of Dripdrop Cave, or Zhou Yingxi, who came from the Zhou Family of Hongdengzhao and would become a true disciple upon reaching Foundation Establishment, both already stood ahead of too many people. This "too many people" might be ninety-nine percent of all cultivators. Unfortunately, the cultivation world didn't care about relative rankings, only absolute strength.
Seeing Wang Yulou lift his foot to leave, Zhou Yingxi suddenly called out to make him stay. "Wait, Wang Yulou."
"Before you and your Senior Martial Sister Lin got married, you specifically chose matching male and female magical robes."
"Now that you and I are getting married, it should be the same."
Fellow Daoist Yingxi's face was turned away from him. He couldn't see the girl's expression clearly, but many thoughts raced through his mind.
How she knew what magical robes he and Lin Ying had bought was a question that gripped Wang Yulou's heart, but when he finally spoke, his words took a different shape.
"I don't have any spirit stones right now, so I can't afford magical robes. Sorry." Despite saying sorry, Wang Yulou's face didn't hold much apologetic intent. He appeared entirely calm and devoid of any waves—after all, she was the one who said he had no waves.
Since he was already being forced to breed with Zhou Yingxi, Wang Yulou had long made up his mind. Aside from renting a residence to use as their marital home, all resources for Foundation Establishment and cultivation had to be paid for by the Zhou Family.
As long as Zhou Bojiao didn't rush him, he absolutely wouldn't touch his own spirit stones. Failing to take advantage of this situation was equivalent to suffering a loss.
Zhou Bojiao being half-dead didn't mean the Zhou Family was finished. Because True Person Fujiao remained in the Great Heaven every day, his influence was naturally immense.
Correspondingly, the Zhou Family's properties were staggeringly wealthy. The tiny bit of resources Wang Yulou demanded couldn't quite be considered a single hair from nine oxen to them, but it was still nothing more than a drop leaking from the cracks between their fingers.
If the Zhou Family wasn't even willing to provide this meager amount of resources, then Wang Yulou would learn from the spirit beasts and simply lie flat, refusing to cooperate. No matter how formidable Zhou Bojiao was, he couldn't possibly physically force Zhou Yingxi and Wang Yulou to dual cultivate, right?
"I'll provide the spirit stones. Let's go. They'll be needed in two days."
"We must be quick regarding the matter of the magical robes. Even if I hadn't bumped into you here today, I would have contacted you through other means."
Zhou Yingxi ignored the messy floor, just as she ignored the absurd affection between them that had shattered before it could even be born. She merely signaled for Wang Yulou to follow her with decisive words and hurried footsteps. Since Zhou Yingxi was paying the spirit stones, Wang Yulou naturally had no reason to refuse.
He just harbored some worries in his heart. This marriage could be considered his third time getting married.
Among his four Dao Companions, Zhou Yingxi possessed the highest status, the best talent, the highest cultivation, and the greatest prospects. It could be said that, disregarding the lack of feelings, the coercion, and the fact that he was arranged to be a furnace, marrying Zhou Yingxi was truly Wang Yulou's blessing.
However, right now... He couldn't forget that his marriage to Lin Ying wasn't some simple union of interests.
Senior Martial Sister Lin had once nearly traded her life for his. The two had broken through a life-and-death trial together, forging true feelings.
Troublesome, troublesome. How was he supposed to explain this to Senior Martial Sister Lin?
"What are you spacing out for? Let's go."
Zhou Yingxi walked to the doorway of the private room. Seeing Wang Yulou still standing in place, she urged him on with slight confusion. "You have submitted, you have endured, and you just had a satisfying round of cursing. Now you're hesitating instead?"
"The West Sea doesn't have a magical robe shop directly managed by the Moon Splendor Sect like Mountains and Seas Pavilion. Where are we going to buy matching male and female magical robes?" Wang Yulou asked, catching up to Zhou Yingxi's footsteps.
"The Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda. Have you not been to this treasure pagoda opened by Immortal Venerable Shenguang yet?"
"Right. I've only been in the West Sea for two days. Matters have been complicated, and it was only today that I officially took up my post in the Information Gathering Court. I haven't had time to properly stroll around the West Sea yet."
"Then let's stroll around together. We haven't seen each other in years and are getting married in two days, so let's get familiar with each other first."
Zhou Yingxi's words were truly absurd. They were getting married in two days, yet the bride and groom were barely familiar with each other and had just argued to the brink of a complete fallout.
One could only say that a cultivator's life was indeed bizarre, and the toying of destiny sometimes brought an inevitable theatricality. However, what Yulou cared about more was Zhou Yingxi's strange attitude toward him. She couldn't actually have feelings for him, could she?
This could be seen in two details. First, Zhou Yingxi's dissatisfaction toward Wang Yulou having "no waves" in his heart; possessing expectations was a signal in itself.
Second, Zhou Yingxi actually knew that he and Lin Ying had bought matching male and female magical robes. This showed that after unexpectedly encountering them that day, she had gone out of her way to investigate their spending at the Mountains and Seas Pavilion.
Mangxiang treated Wang Yulou as a gift to offer Zhou Bojiao, and Zhou Bojiao treated Wang Yulou as a furnace to serve as Zhou Yingxi's stepping stone. Both were doing it for their own benefit.
Wang Yulou endured it for the sake of his own benefit and the benefit of his clan. But now, beneath these profit-driven motives, Zhou Yingxi actually seemed to hold a special affection for him.
The relationship between them was intensely complicated. Yulou wasn't sure if he could understand it.
Even though he had three Dao Companions, Qin Churan was a path he had chosen himself, Bai Xiaoyu felt indebted to him for saving her life, and Lin Ying had spent several years by his side, developing true feelings only after they survived a life-and-death trial together.
Compared to those three, this entanglement with Zhou Yingxi was far too complicated.
"It hasn't been years since we last met."
"Didn't we see each other last time in Lotus Immortal City? Oh, right, back in Hongdengzhao, you even gifted me two green-furred rabbits."
"Speaking of which, not that much time has passed."
Far too much had happened in less than two months. Yuan Daoshen had forced Wang Yulou into the West Sea, but by a stroke of luck at Zhou Bojiao's apprenticeship ceremony, Danri had forcibly elevated his cultivation base to the tenth layer of Qi Refining. Later, the ancestor had actually gifted him to Zhou Bojiao.
Looking back, it felt as though years had passed, packed with an overwhelming sequence of events. Hearing Yulou's words, Zhou Yingxi didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached out, took his arm, and leaned against him.
"That person is named Lian Chengxian, a member of Immortal Venerable Lianpeng's family. I've only met him twice."
Fellow Daoist Yingxi carried a faint, lingering fragrance. It wasn't the scent of cosmetics, but rather the floral aroma of a forest wet with morning dew, possessing a delicate, almost trembling quality.
She pressed tightly against Wang Yulou, so close that he could feel her slightly nervous heartbeat. "That person is my senior martial sister, Lin Ying.
"She is also my true Dao Companion, and we share a mutual affection. Fellow Daoist Yingxi, after we are married, I will not abandon her.
"We must make this clear first.
"Even if Perfected Man Fujiao tries to tear us apart, it will be useless."
Wang Yulou didn't know whether Zhou Bojiao would actually try to tear him and Lin Ying apart, but he had to take a stand.
"You might not know this yet, but I cultivate a secret art that allows me to erase the memories I wish to forget. Wang Yulou, do not mention her again."
Wang Yulou naturally couldn't have known about this, but it wasn't important. He understood Zhou Yingxi's underlying meaning and hurriedly nodded in agreement.
This was for the best. Although he still felt somewhat guilty toward Lin Ying, what could he do when facing the wills of two True Persons, Mang Xiang and Fujiao?
Die for the sake of some grand, lofty love? Forget it, Wang Yulou was no brainless fool.
Love was important, but on a cultivator's path to pursuing the Dao, many things held equal weight. If he foolishly placed romance above all else, he was destined to fall short.
Although that massive romantic Wang Yu'an was utterly captivated by Ningyao, if forced to choose between jumping into the water to save Wang Yulou or saving Ningyao, he would definitely choose to save his brother. Of course, Wang Yulou didn't actually need saving.
"Wait, I'll pack up these leftovers for the little turtle."
Before leaving Taste-Knowing Bistro, Wang Yulou packed up the fallen food for the little stone turtle. Ultimately, it was just a beast; it wouldn't be picky.
Unlike Wang Yulou, who only had a sluggish little tortoise, Fellow Daoist Yingxi hailed from a major clan and possessed a proper mount. Within the Western Sea Immortal City, flying was strictly prohibited.
At the same time, the Western Sea Demon Hunt required ground-traveling mounts for assistance. Therefore, competing over spirit beast mounts had replaced competing over spirit cranes, becoming the mainstream trend in the West Sea.
Zhou Yingxi's mount was a beautiful green-bristle fox with a cultivation base at the pinnacle Minor Demon Realm. As it walked through the Western Sea Immortal City, it made the surrounding cultivators feel a deep sense of inferiority.
However, their sighs of admiration weren't because their own mounts paled in comparison to the green-bristle fox. Instead, they were burning with jealousy because the beautiful immortal maiden resting in Wang Yulou's embrace was simply far too dazzling.
Even though Zhou Yingxi wore a veil every day—never taking it off, as if it were a companion artifact bound to her—which prevented anyone from seeing her true visage, one could easily tell she was an absolute beauty just from her picturesque peach-blossom eyes and peerless figure.
As for Wang Yulou's private speculation that she might be hiding a pig's snout or a deer's nose, it was baseless guesswork that even he didn't really believe.
For male cultivators traversing the cultivation world, the lowest standard was making do by flying on magical artifacts. The mid-tier standard meant owning a spirit crane or a spirit beast mount. The highest tier was exactly what Wang Yulou was experiencing right now.
A nation-toppling beauty in his arms, an exceptionally powerful spirit beast mount beneath him, and a mid-grade magical robe that was already considered extraordinary by ordinary cultivators. This was the absolute peak of the Qi Refining realm in Wunan.
An existence like Sword Immortal Feng, riding a golden chariot pulled by a Great Demon Black Dragon Steed, belonged strictly to the level of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. They were completely incomparable to Qi Refining cultivators, so there was no need to consider them.
As an enterprise personally founded by that legendary Immortal Venerable, the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda had previously been located in the very center of the Western Sea Immortal City. Later, for the sake of development and expansion, it was moved from the immortal city to the Subsidiary City.
Now, the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda occupied over a dozen acres. Inside was a bustling marketplace that exclusively sold items required for the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages.
Qi Induction cultivators even had to pay an entrance fee of extra spirit stones just to get inside. Perhaps it was due to having a different temperament than Sword Immortal Feng, or perhaps it was because the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda wasn't the Bright Moon Night Inn.
Of course, it could also be because the green-bristle fox itself was hermaphroditic and capable of siring its own offspring, meaning it had no desires in that regard. In short, Zhou Yingxi didn't arrange for any companion foxes for her mount; she simply stored it away directly.
Smoothed over by the intimacy of traveling the whole way in each other's embrace, the two intelligent youths had completely shed their previous awkwardness by the time they entered the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda.
Walking through the bustling inner streets of the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, Yulou sized up the shops on either side and sighed in admiration.
"Before, whenever I heard of the West Sea, it was always mentioned alongside how perilous it was. I thought it was a barbaric land. Only after arriving did I realize it has absolutely nothing to do with barbarism. Instead, it possesses a fresh atmosphere entirely distinct from the Wunan hinterlands." The Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda was called a pagoda, but it was actually a specialized market. It was somewhat akin to the cultivation world's version of a high-end commercial district, its interior bustling beyond description.
"That over there is the demon-splitting ground. Let's go, I'll take you to participate in a demon-splitting auction. It's very interesting."
Zhou Yingxi had already been in the West Sea for some time and was quite familiar with the layout. She had claimed she was bringing Wang Yulou here to purchase magical robes, but now that they had arrived, she seemed to be in no rush at all.
"Demon-splitting ground? Why does that sound so similar to the Demon-Splitting Court?"
"It's different. The Demon-Splitting Court is the only place in the West Sea that formally settles military merit.
"A single cultivator delivering a complete demonic beast corpse, or multiple people delivering a mangled one, can have their military merit tallied in full there.
"Because they need to prevent wandering cultivators from slaughtering each other over spoils, while also advocating for long-term cooperation, the established rules are exceedingly complex. But the demon-splitting ground here in the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda is different.
"When demon-hunting cultivators hand their prey over here, it doesn't count toward military merit—only for spirit stones.
"They butcher the demons on the spot and immediately auction off the spiritual materials. They hold a small-scale auction roughly every two hours."
After Fellow Daoist Yingxi finished explaining, she received no reply. She turned her head slightly and saw that Wang Yulou's eyes were dark and distant, as if he were lost in deep thought. She waved a hand in front of his face.
"They have honey-glazed demon meatballs over there. Do you want to try some?" the girl with the peach-blossom eyes asked with a smile.
Following the direction of her finger, Yulou realized that Immortal Venerable Shen Guang was truly not simple; there was actually a row of street stalls tucked into the corner of the inner street.
The spiritual food sold at these stalls contained rich spiritual energy and occasionally even special effects, but the prices and portions were far more modest than those at proper restaurants. This created a healthy price gap, perfectly satisfying the demands of cultivators across all financial brackets.
For cultivators, seeking the Dao and pursuing great freedom were naturally the highest priorities. However, the sea of suffering was far too difficult to cross.
None of them had become true immortals yet, and struggling in that bitter sea was incredibly taxing. Yet, asking them to give up cultivation and return to the mortal world to live as wealthy patriarchs was a compromise none were willing to accept.
Consequently, many cultivators would inevitably make the same choice at different moments—to reward themselves. They might not be able to afford high-end spiritual food, but surely they could afford a skewer of honey-glazed demon meatballs from a street stall?
Seeing that Wang Yulou didn't object, Zhou Yingxi pulled him along to buy an assortment of street snacks.
From the chewy, juicy honey-glazed demon meatballs, to the soft, fragrant spirit rice and black date cakes, and even a secret-recipe condensed-fragrance iced spirit drink—they bought nearly one of everything in sight, spending a total of less than thirty spirit stones.
When Wang Yulou, arms full of snacks, finally arrived at the demon-splitting ground with Zhou Yingxi, they happened to catch the start of a small auction. Held once every two hours, these auctions ran eight times a day.
With the exception of the late evening when foot traffic was slightly lower, they ran continuously. Pulling Wang Yulou effortlessly through the bustling crowd to the front row, Zhou Yingxi pointed at the dense arrangement of seats and explained the rules.
"On the small counter in front of every seat rests an hourglass," she said. "Inside each hourglass are one hundred grains of spirit sand.
"After the auctioneer announces the starting price, the spirit sand begins to fall. If you are the first to turn your hourglass upside down and raise it, it means you've successfully bid on that lot of demonic beast material.
"As for the exact price, it will be the announced price minus the number of spirit sand grains that have already trickled down. Sometimes, a single grain of spirit sand corresponds to dozens of spirit stones; other times, a single grain is only worth three or four.
"People in the West Sea call this the Demon-Suppressing Auction. It tests both your hand speed and your understanding of demonic beast materials.
"How about it? Are you interested in going up and giving it a try?"
Wang Yulou hadn't expected a place like the West Sea to spontaneously develop a Dutch auction model. He could only marvel that trade truly shaped civilization; the creativity of cultivators was impressive indeed.
"Let's just watch for now," he replied.
The auction seats at the demon-splitting ground were a little less than half full. The auction had clearly been underway for a while.
The auctioneer looked incredibly sharp and efficient, and his cultivation was at the Peak Qi Condensation realm. He continuously accepted segmented demonic beast materials from the other staff members, announced the starting prices, and auctioned them off.
In less than a quarter of an incense stick's time, he had rapidly auctioned off over twenty lots of materials, with prices ranging from several dozen to several hundred spirit stones.
Among the successful bidders, some felt they had picked up a bargain and were overjoyed, while others felt they had bid too early and harbored frustration in their hearts. It was a perfect picture of the diverse states of the masses.
"Next up, we will be auctioning Great Demon materials. So far this period, only four Great Demons have been brought in. This is the fourth. Its species is the Venom-Spitting Toad. Are there any other Fellow Daoists who wish to join in?"
The auctioneer's loud introduction riled up the crowd. At once, several people stepped forward and took their auction seats, evidently having come specifically for Great Demon materials.
"Let's go in and give it a try."
Wang Yulou felt eager to participate. This place in the West Sea was truly remarkable.
Great Demon materials! In the hinterlands of Wunan, such things could only be encountered by luck, never actively sought out.
Yet in the West Sea, they were sold right by the side of the street. The demon-splitting ground was built directly beside the street within the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, and this small auction was held entirely in the open air.
"Oh? Wang Yulou, didn't you say you didn't have any spirit stones left?"
Faced with Zhou Yingxi's question, Wang Yulou immediately gave an awkward smile.
"Haha, go on. How does the saying go again? A male cultivator without a private stash of spirit stones isn't a normal male cultivator. Go ahead."
Seeing that her goal of mocking him had been achieved, Zhou Yingxi let the matter drop, smiling as she pushed Wang Yulou into the venue. Noting the arrival of a new face with an extraordinary bearing, the auctioneer smiled and nodded at him before commencing the auction for the Great Demon materials.
Venom-Spitting Toad meat. Though inedible, it could be used for concocting pills, refining medicine, or feeding spirit beasts.
Ten catties per lot, a total of seven lots, at five hundred spirit stones per lot.
"One grain of spirit sand equals five spirit stones. First lot, begin!"
Wang Yulou watched the spirit sand in front of him with a hint of nerves, while also keeping an eye on the actions of the others. He found that auctioning Great Demon materials was indeed a different atmosphere entirely; the numerous cultivators participating in the bidding had all perked up.
Considering what the auctioneer had just said, it seemed that even in the West Sea, Great Demon materials weren't particularly abundant.
Perhaps the Military Merit Court took the lion's share, the frontline demon-splitting outpost collected some, the demon-splitting ground took some more, and factoring in the ones kept privately, there might be a few dozen per month? A few dozen was already a lot.
Good, twenty-three grains of spirit sand, three hundred and eighty-five spirit stones.
"Ten catties of Venom-Spitting Toad meat, second lot. Starting price five hundred spirit stones, one grain of spirit sand equals five. Begin!"
A moment later, all seven lots totaling seventy catties of Venom-Spitting Toad meat had been auctioned off. The auction finally reached its focal point.
Half a Venom-Spitting Toad skin, a top-tier base material for talisman crafting.
"The first half-skin, starting price two thousand four hundred spirit stones, one grain of spirit sand equals ten. Begin!"
Of the two halves of the Venom-Spitting Toad skin, the first was auctioned off for one thousand nine hundred and eighty, and the second went for two thousand and sixty. Great Demons were simply this valuable.
Between the Venom-Spitting Toad meat and skin, six thousand spirit stones had already been paid out in bids. Wang Yulou didn't practice talisman crafting, so he naturally had no intention of fighting over it.
He was waiting for the venom sacs that came next. Venom-Spitting Toad venom was a superb pill material, and an equally superb poison material.
"There are unfamiliar faces among you Fellow Daoists, so I will speak clearly—among the people seated today, there are several pill shop managers from within the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda. They only came to bid because they knew this venom was available.
"Everyone will abide by the Immortal Venerable's rules, but those who want it must act fast."
While speaking, the auctioneer cast a glance at Wang Yulou, his meaning self-evident: Fellow Daoist, we don't have shady dealings here, but there is genuine demand.
If you want it, don't hesitate, otherwise you'll truly end up as just a spectator. Venom-Spitting Toad venom, a superb pill material.
One tael per lot, a total of three lots. A starting price of five thousand spirit stones per lot, and one grain of spirit sand equals twenty!
"Begin!"
The three lots of Venom-Spitting Toad venom sold for over thirteen thousand spirit stones. Up to this point, the value of the Great Demon Venom-Spitting Toad had already reached twenty thousand spirit stones.
Wang Yulou still hadn't made a move. He was waiting for the venom sacs; the Venom-Spitting Toad's venom sacs could be used to refine Foundation Establishment auxiliary spiritual pills!
The venom sacs of Great Demon-level poison demons were a crucial base material for a special kind of Foundation Establishment auxiliary spiritual pill. Wang Yulou had entered the venue precisely for this.
Once this Foundation Establishment auxiliary spiritual pill was refined, he might not necessarily use it himself, but the Wang Clan had others who might need it in the future. Venom-Spitting Toad venom sacs: a superb pill material, a superb poison material.
A total of four venom sacs, two per lot. A starting price of six thousand spirit stones per lot, and one grain of spirit sand equals twenty!
"Begin!"
The spirit sand inside the hourglasses began to slowly fall. The psychological limit Wang Yulou set in his heart was five thousand; any more, and it would be too expensive.
Poison demons belonged to a major category among demonic beasts, and many demonic beasts had venom sacs. The Venom-Spitting Toad belonged to the relatively weaker kind among Great Demons.
Even including these venom sacs, its total worth would only be around thirty thousand spirit stones, showing that its strength was only average. Therefore, even if he missed out on it, Wang Yulou wouldn't feel too much regret.
Just as he counted the spirit sand falling to thirty-seven grains, someone turned their hourglass over.
"Five thousand three hundred and sixty, sold!" It was slightly expensive, and everyone present muttered a bit in their hearts.
Wang Yulou similarly didn't win the second lot; it was bought away by someone else for five thousand four hundred and twenty.
"Clang!"
The auctioneer struck a bronze gong and clasped his fists, saying, "Thank you all, Fellow Daoists, for your support.
"The Demon-Suppressing Auction will resume in two hours. Also, Fellow Daoists who have a total annual bidding amount exceeding two thousand spirit stones at the Demon-Suppressing Auction can unlock the 'Great Demon Alert' service.
"Whenever we receive Great Demon spiritual materials, we will notify you immediately via a sound transmission talisman. If you happen to be in the immortal city or the Subsidiary City, you won't miss out on the auction for Great Demon materials.
"Are there any Fellow Daoists who have met the standard but haven't signed up for the 'Great Demon Alert' service yet?"
The auctioneer appeared to be asking the crowd, but his eyes were looking in Wang Yulou's direction, his meaning self-evident. The magical robe on Wang Yulou wasn't ordinary, the belt on his waist wasn't ordinary, and the female cultivator he brought along was even more uncommonly beautiful.
Naturally, the demon-splitting ground wanted to vigorously cultivate this kind of client. Smiling faintly, Wang Yulou didn't move, but instead sent a sound transmission to ask.
'I've only recently arrived at the immortal city and taken up a post as an Information Gathering Envoy in the Information Gathering Court.
'Today is my first time visiting the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda. Can I set up the Great Demon Alert first, and make up the two thousand spirit stone bidding requirement later?'
The auctioneer's eyes immediately lit up, and he hurriedly replied.
'Fellow Daoist, you are too polite.
'You are perhaps under the tutelage of Hongdengzhao?' After Zhou Bojiao and Li Haikuo took office, they had arranged for a bunch of new Hongdengzhao elites (Wondrous Peak Mountain was also under the tutelage of Hongdengzhao) to enter the various courts and platforms of the immortal city.
As an auctioneer within the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, he was naturally aware of this matter.
'Yes, Wang Yulou of Hongdengzhao.'
After confirming he was indeed a new Hongdengzhao elite who took office following the two True Persons, the auctioneer's attitude became even more accommodating.
'Where does Fellow Daoist live?
'You just need to report your address. Let's not mention anything about making up the requirement.
'You will always be an honored guest of the demon-splitting ground.' That annual bidding requirement of two thousand spirit stones was meant to block ordinary wandering cultivators, not these kinds of new elites.
Yulou thought for a moment, then reported the address of the courtyard residence that Mo Yunshu had rented for him. The Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda naturally didn't lack magical robe shops.
Fellow Daoist Yingxi brought Wang Yulou along, forcing him to accompany her in playing a round of a xianxia dress-up mini-game. In the end, she even directly gifted him three magical robes.
One high-grade, two mid-grade. Even though the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda didn't have the matching male and female magical robes she so deeply yearned for, by giving out three magical robes, she felt she hadn't lost to Lin Ying.
Perhaps the benefit of a rich woman lay precisely in this. Facing the generous Zhou Yingxi, Wang Yulou only had one question in his mind—did the water Mu Chunze added to the spirit spring all get exchanged into spirit stones to give to his daughter?
Old Mu was such a meticulous person, so how was Zhou Yingxi so generous? However, right in front of the man's daughter, Wang Yulou naturally didn't dare mention Senior Mu Chunze watering down the spring back then.
He only silently and happily accepted the three magical robes. After all, he had already been forced by a grand cultivator to sacrifice his chastity.
If he didn't even get a little material compensation, wouldn't he, Wang Yulou, suffer too great a loss?
"Hmm, the Gu Family Tea House... So it's here, it really is secluded. But I've heard this is a place for buying and selling intelligence. Are you sure there are no problems with you staying here?" After escorting Wang Yulou back to the Gu Family Tea House, Zhou Yingxi asked out of concern.
"Haha, Yingxi, there's something you don't know. The manager of the Gu Family in the Western Sea Immortal City is a close friend of Ancestor Jingyi," Wang Yulou replied with a smile.
Nodding, Zhou Yingxi once again avoided Wang Yulou's gaze before saying goodbye.
"Then, see you the day after tomorrow?"
Yulou understood that the girl's mood at this moment must be very complicated, but he truly still had a question he needed to ask.
"See you the day after tomorrow, but are we getting married at noon or in the evening?"
Zhou Yingxi was stunned for a moment, and replied with uncertainty. "Ah, it should be the evening. I'll send you a sound transmission later."
"Alright."
Wang Yulou nodded somewhat helplessly. What kind of matter was this...
Lifting herself onto the green-bristle fox, Zhou Yingxi was about to leave. Yulou hesitated, but ultimately called out to stop her.
"Fellow Daoist Yingxi!"
The immortal maiden riding on the fox's back turned her head, looking at Wang Yulou in confusion.
"Today, some of the things I said were not quite appropriate. I'm sorry, it was I who misunderstood you."
Wang Yulou could see Zhou Yingxi's eyes smile a little, but her reply was intensely calm instead.
"No matter, see you the day after tomorrow."
"Mm, see you the day after tomorrow."
(End of chapter)