Chapter 32 A Belated Gift: A Gift for My Junior Brother—You Might Like...
It started raining again in Yongcheng.
Raindrops drifted and fell on the green moss, creating a pool of dampness that gently enveloped people like a fishing net.
The city was in turmoil, and everyone stayed indoors. Only Fu Ming paced back and forth in the street, his mind elsewhere. It wasn't because of Yang Pei's words—he had been scorned for a long time—but because of himself.
He has recently become somewhat arrogant. Ultimately, he and Xiao Huaiyuan and the others are on different paths and cannot work together.
However, despite the commotion they caused, it only took two or three days from when Fu Ming offended Young Master Gu to when he was arrested.
The wanted poster, its edges moldy and ugly, was still pasted on the wall. Fu Ming couldn't resist tearing it down, crumpling it into a ball, and throwing it into the ditch, letting the flowing water wash away the exaggeratedly large eyes and pointed chin on the paper.
"Wow, host, it's been a long time—have you missed me, the clever, smart, and cute system?"
"Speak your mind." Fu Ming clapped his hands and brushed away the scraps of paper.
The system played a loud cannon salute sound effect: "Good news, good news! Due to the host's perfect completion of the novice mission, this system has automatically upgraded and will soon unlock the next stage of missions with generous rewards."
Fu Ming's gamble paid off. The task issued by the system was in a vague range. Destroying the Ghost Market meant dismantling the black industrial chain that colluded between officials and businessmen, rather than simply destroying the Ghost Market itself.
After nearly a month of hard work, he finally managed to advance to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, but what will be the next stage of his mission?
He tapped the system's excited book cover in his mind, and the system excitedly set off a firework effect: "Ta-da! The reward for this mission is an opportunity that will allow the host to break through to the Mahayana stage in one fell swoop. Are you tempted?"
Fu Ming was very tempted.
Fu Ming was slightly conflicted.
His experience dealing with systems told him that an opportunity that came so easily must be a trap.
Sure enough, the system cackled and introduced the target of the next mission: to repair a long-closed ancient secret realm.
At first glance, it seemed reasonable, but when pressed further, the system's cryptic answer infuriated Fu Ming.
The entrance to the secret realm is unknown.
Opening time is confidential.
"Since you say that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed, then what is there that can be said?" Fu Ming, unable to bear it any longer, casually threw the system into the sea he had conjured.
The tattered book fluttered and blew bubbles: "Gurgle... You'll find out when the host arrives... Gurgle, but you need to keep your soul intact when entering that secret realm, otherwise you'll easily be thrown into the spacetime turbulence, dear."
His soul is intact.
This means he needs to reclaim his clone as soon as possible.
"When will that be?"
"Definitely within half a month, gulp."
Fu Ming waved his hand to retrieve the Hunyuan Devouring Heaven Record, only to see the system roll up its pages and gaze back at the shimmering sea.
...Actually, this guy quite likes swimming, doesn't he?
While he was arguing with the system, rain was pouring down outside, hanging from the eaves like a silver curtain. Fu Ming leaned lazily against the corner of the wall, sword in hand, waiting for the rain to stop.
As luck would have it, this was the very place where he and his siblings had hidden, and just a few more steps away was the Yingfu Inn.
Shopkeeper Wu and Sister Song may be spared the death penalty, but they cannot escape punishment. Although they will still be sent to jail after three years of voluntary labor, they are now rebuilding the Ghost Market while wearing the Binding Immortal Rope, which can be considered as atonement for their sins.
Fang Xiaohui and Fang Xiaoquan were temporarily staying at the inn, and some girls who had escaped from Tianxiang Tower were also taken in. For a time, the inn was filled with the sounds of singing and laughter, and it was very lively.
Fu Ming led his large group to Zhichun Restaurant. Perhaps because of the recent turmoil, the hall was empty, so they booked the whole place.
"After the Ghost Market reopens, you won't have to do prostitution anymore. You can go back to your hometown or make a living in the city if you want. In any case, we will give you some travel expenses." Fu Ming said, stuffing a crystal dumpling into his mouth. The hot shrimp was jumping in his mouth. It was still delicious, but he felt like something was missing.
Fang Xiaohui and Fang Xiaoquan became familiar with him, stuffing food into their stomachs and occasionally exclaiming in simple praise, "This is so delicious!" They all let out a big burp.
Faced with a table full of exquisite pastries, the girls at Tianxianglou looked at each other, twisting their hands, too afraid to pick up their chopsticks.
After realizing they had mistaken Fu Ming's identity, they became reserved and distant in their words and actions.
"My benefactor, how should we address you?"
The man in front of me had changed back into men's clothing. His physique was somewhere between that of a boy and a young man. He had striking eyebrows, red lips, and white teeth, and his appearance was both handsome and sharp.
Although this person put on a smiling face, the smile did not reach his eyes, and he would occasionally glance out the window, revealing that he had many worries on his mind.
"Ming Chen of Tianyan Sect, I'll go pay the bill. You guys eat first." Fu Ming casually tossed out these words before his figure vanished in an instant.
Six silver notes, each worth one hundred spirit stones, were slapped on the counter, interrupting the shopkeeper's typing.
The shopkeeper, his voice trembling, counted the stack of silver notes while spitting out his own words.
"Young master, you... have given too much."
He squinted and carefully examined Fu Ming's appearance, then took out a brocade pouch from the drawer, opened it, and added a sentence.
"The other young master who came with you a few days ago also gave you an extra two hundred spirit stones."
"If they give too much, just keep it. Isn't it good to make money?"
Fu Ming showed no intention of taking back the silver notes, and even pushed the brocade pouch inside as well.
He stroked the sword hilt with his fingertips, slowly recalling some old memories.
It was about twenty or thirty years ago, he couldn't quite remember the exact date. After he betrayed the immortal sect and offended the old demon lord, he wandered around the border between the immortal and demonic realms for quite some time. Yongcheng was the most lax in its control, and there were quite a few demonic cultivators mixed in with the city, so he took the opportunity to settle there.
He had enemies everywhere, was penniless, and when disguised, he was no different from a beggar carrying a knife. Everyone avoided him, except for a waiter from the Zhichun Tavern who took pity on him and gave him some unsold, cold pastries.
The waiter who used to run errands is now a weathered middle-aged man and has become a shopkeeper. But he probably doesn't remember that such a disheveled, stray-dog-like man is still alive, Fu Ming said with a self-deprecating smile.
Seeing that the shopkeeper was about to refuse again, Fu Ming suddenly had a brilliant idea: "There's no need to return the spirit stones. Just pack some more dishes for me."
"I'd like a basket of crystal dumplings, a basket of crispy spring rolls, two red bean buns, and a basket of mutton dumplings."
Fu Ming was still thinking about the gift he had given to Xiao Huaiyuan.
I also got a lot of good stuff from Xiao Huaiyuan, so it's time to use the money Xu Yan generously sponsored to buy him a return gift.
He mentally searched the search engine: "System, what do you think is a good gift to give my junior brother?"
As expected, the system malfunctioned: "Received! Searching for you, gift for junior brother... You might like, Valentine's Day recommendations, your girlfriend cried with joy after receiving it, suitable for sensitive skin, adults and children alike love it."
Fu Ming: "..."
What is all this?
Then he carried a stack of food boxes upstairs to ask the girls for their opinions, and the answers he received were nothing more than flowers, grass, gold and silver treasures.
Fu Ming described Xiao Huaiyuan's personality to them in detail: serious, solemn, unsmiling, and even somewhat cold and ruthless.
After hearing this, they laughed and said, "Young Master Ming, it's not your birthday, why would you specially send a gift to your master? Could it be that you have someone you admire but dare not say it openly, so you have to pretend to be your master and disciple to provide a gift?"
"Go away, go away! We are a legitimate sect, we should focus on cultivating the Dao, okay?" Fu Ming scolded them with a stern face, and the girls immediately scattered.
Moreover, as the Demon Lord, wouldn't it be a waste of time for him to come to the Immortal Realm to find innocent women?
We can't let his future Daoist partner fall into demonic possession along with him!
Over the next few hours, Fu Ming settled the women of Tianxiang Tower, explained the safe route to the Demon Realm to the brother and sister, and then made a special trip to the closed pawnshops, casinos, and brothels.
Looking at the clean streets after the crackdown on pornography and illegal publications, Fu Minglong was overjoyed and felt several bubbles of "+1+1+1" appear above his head, indicating that his character value had increased by 1.
The rain in Yongcheng was sometimes heavy and sometimes light, and Fu Ming walked and stopped frequently. He changed into a light yellow dress, looking like a little sparrow hopping among the branches.
Or, how about sending a few peach trees?
Since he left, the greenery on the sect leader's peak has grown sparsely, withered and dead. It can only be said that Xiao Huaiyuan was a strange person with no interest in life.
Fu Ming lingered in front of the flower and tree shop for a long time before finally knocking on the tightly closed door.
After an incense stick had burned, they brought out about ten small saplings.
It's hard to imagine that a cultivator's storage pouch would be filled with takeout boxes and flowerpots. If a pickpocket were to steal Fu Ming's storage pouch and, by sheer luck, manage to erase the mark of recognition, they would discover—
It was a complete waste of money; the stuff inside wasn't worth anything.
Fu Ming hummed an off-key tune as he wandered the streets, ignoring the fact that his clothes were soaked through. At most, he used his spiritual power to expel the moisture and prevent himself from catching a cold.
He easily navigated five streets and three alleys using the map provided by the system, then suddenly turned around.
A paper umbrella was tilted towards him, shielding him from the slanting wind and rain.
Fu Ming couldn't help but chuckle: Xiao Huaiyuan, are you following me again?
"Not hiding anymore?" Fu Ming raised his eyes and questioned the visitor, his eyelashes glistening with water droplets, his face pale, like a lotus emerging from the water.
"Hmm." Xiao Huaiyuan nodded slowly.
This person actually dared to admit it.
However, given his status as the sect leader's chief disciple, he naturally couldn't address him by his given name.
"Master, what are you doing here? Don't you need to discuss the reconstruction with Senior Yang of Qingyue Palace?" Fu Ming's tone was laced with sarcasm, and he was clearly very impatient.
Xiao Huaiyuan had changed into black clothes for the first time, and his whole person looked as heavy as a mountain with dark clouds gathering.
Having held power for a long time, his prestige had greatly increased. Taking advantage of the opportunity to hold up the umbrella, he put Fu Ming in a subservient position: "Just now I saw you chatting and laughing happily with the woman from Tianxiang Pavilion. What were you talking about?"
"Oh, this is about giving you a gift, Master."
Fu Ming, as if in a fit of pique, secretly tiptoed so that he could look Xiao Huaiyuan in the eye.
"If you don't want it, I'll give it to someone else."
"I didn't say no." Xiao Huaiyuan seemed to have gotten addicted to playing the role of a benevolent master, and took off his outer robe and draped it over Fu Ming's shoulders. "Be careful not to catch a cold."
When approached by a powerful man, Fu Ming would still be alert and tremble, but at this moment he simply closed his eyes and let Xiao Huaiyuan do as he pleased.
Let him be; he'll be leaving in another two weeks anyway.
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Author's Note: If there's a ranking list this week, I can update five chapters a week (how to do it).
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