"Why on earth is this happening?" Yun Xian mumbled as he stuffed a candy cake into his mouth. "Tell me, is this reasonable? I worked so hard for this mission!"
"..." Xue Lingxiu said coldly, "I'm very tolerant of you by allowing you to eat in the carriage. If you dare to leave the crumbs everywhere, I'll throw you off."
Yun Xian jumped in shock, the crumbs from his mouth landing on the cushion. Xue Lingxiu gasped, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"Oh, just pick it up. Why get angry?" Yun Xian said with a playful smile. "This kind of cake just falls apart easily. Brother Xue, you'll drop it too if you try it."
Xue Lingxiu: "I don't want to eat!"
Qiao Lingshan and Feng Ye didn't understand either.
Although the three were from the Eastern Realm, Yun Xian was still at least the leader of the four regions! After all, he had completed a Heavenly Rank mission! Although even Zhang Heyan, Master Zhang, could have obtained two Golden Bells, how could the difficulty of a Headless Corpse and a Spirit Severing Stage Demon Cultivator be the same for both Heavenly Rank missions? He was just one step away from failure!
Even if Yun Xian didn't have any merit, she'd certainly worked hard, right? With so many disciples from other sects inside, and so many elders from various factions rushing in from outside the barrier, wasn't there a single person who was overawed by her righteous radiance and spread her fame throughout the world?
I can’t figure it out, I really can’t figure it out, I can’t figure it out no matter what!
The group headed for Qiankun City, picking up willow catkins along the way. On the way, they suddenly noticed a large group of people also walking along the main road. Of course, Qiankun City was renowned, so it was natural for everyone to go there. But people are gossipy, and with the journey being so boring, they were bound to have something to talk about:
"Have you heard? There was a mistake in the Xuanbao Pavilion's intelligence. We thought everyone was going to die, but in the end, Yun Xian took care of it!"
"I know, I know! My senior brother was there too."
"Really? Did your brother tell you anything? Wasn't it very thrilling?"
"He said that the demon cultivator didn't wear his clothes properly, and it hurt my eyes... Also, it's best to stay away from Yun Xian from now on. He's a very scary person."
"Come to think of it, my master was there at the time. She was still scared after she came back and told me to stay away from Yun Xian in the future."
"What do you mean? Stop keeping me in suspense!"
"I don't know if it's because Jiange's preschool education isn't up to par, but this guy is actually willing to pull people to self-destruct anytime, anywhere!
"What? Self-destruction?! Is this really possible?!!!"
Several people flew over with their shields, and the sound was clearly transmitted into the carriage.
Everyone was silent for a while.
"Hey, those guys out there!" Yun Xian angrily slammed the table, sending the candy cake flying. Su Chi nimbly caught it and said, "What do you mean I can pull people off the hook anytime, anywhere?! Stop making me sound like a Middle Eastern gangster, okay?!"
She had no other choice! He was at the peak of intelligence and so brave, so why did he just pull someone to self-destruct?
The people outside didn't expect that the gossip would reach the real owner. They smiled apologetically and hurried away. Before leaving, someone quietly left a message:
"Did you hear that? She admitted it herself. The Eastern Border of the Central Plains is teeming with bandits! How terrifying! I wonder what kind of lives the people of Jiange led in the past. No wonder they look so poor. They only paid for tolls along the way."
Yun Xian: “…”
Everyone: “…”
After a moment of silence, Yun Xian slowly covered his face and said sadly: "I feel sorry for my fellow countrymen."
"Think positively, it's okay." Qiao Lingshan said palely, "From now on, they will all think that the people from Jiange will pull people to self-destruct at any time, so they won't dare to invade at will."
Feng Ye said weakly: "Is this reputation really good..."
Yun Xian was very dissatisfied with the successful destruction of Jiange's reputation and was determined to bring it back on track by his own efforts.
The gates of Qiankun City were wide open. This time, unlike at night, Xiao Yuan did not follow. The guards at the gate were checking the passes one by one.
It seems that to enter Qiankun City, at least a sect identity verification is required. Not everyone can enter. Yun Xian has been wandering the martial arts world for so long, and has never encountered such a thing before. "Can I show you the leader?"
As they were talking, a group of people arrived. The guard said in a gruff voice, "Those of you at the back, show us your pass! Don't waste everyone's time!"
Xue Lingxiu waved her folding fan, causing the carriage curtain to move slightly. The golden and silver grass emblem slowly glowed. The guard's tone suddenly changed dramatically: "Oh, isn't this Master Xue from the Miaoshou Sect? I've heard so much about you. Please come in, this way!"
Xue Lingxiu covered her face slightly with her folding fan and said softly, "There are other people in my car."
"What's the big deal? It doesn't matter how many people there are!" The guard flattered, "Master Xue's friends must also be very impressive and extraordinary."
Before he could finish his words, he saw Yun Xian's tattered clothes in the corner of the carriage and didn't take it seriously.
Rich young masters are like this, they like to do all kinds of things, and there was even one who pretended to be a beggar at the city gate. Really, these days, rich people really know how to have fun.
Thanks to Xue Lingxiu, everyone had a smooth journey.
Yun Xian was so envious that his eyes and face turned red. He said, "Brother Xue, why can you skip the line? Even though Miaoshoumen is rich, not everyone is."
"It has nothing to do with the Miaoshou Sect." Xue Lingxiu said modestly, "When I came to Qiankun City two years ago, I bought a little too much stuff. Maybe it was recorded in some roster."
The Jiange trio: "..."
Damn rich man! Give me the Spirit Stones!
Qiankun City wasn't as lively during the day as it was at night, perhaps because the restaurants and casinos were closed, but it was still much busier than most towns. The streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. Even on an ordinary day, it was surprisingly as lively as the cities during the Four Directions War.
The main road was unusually wide, and according to the signs on the ground, it actually split into two. The middle was reserved for carriages, while the side was for pedestrians. The street was densely packed with various small stalls. Yun Xian looked around and saw that the stall owners looked a little down, with dark circles under their eyes.
It's similar to the haggard look of Doctor Fang.
"This place has changed a lot too," Xue Lingxiu said. "There used to be more stalls. I remember there was an old lady on the corner who had been mending shoe soles for years. I don't know where she is now."
Yun Xian looked in the direction he pointed and saw that the sign on the corner had been changed to [Dao Zong Knife-Cut Noodles]. He immediately said in a cold sweat, "Do people in Qiankun City like eating noodles so much?"
I saw many knife-cut noodle shops along the way!
"Yes, this is really strange." Liu Xu interrupted, "Logically speaking, our sect leader should prefer beef noodles."
"I see." Qiao Lingshan flipped through the newspaper and pondered, "Eating it once in a while is fine, but at least once every three days? Is there opium in it? According to this report, he bought three bowls the night Liu Shi's Golden Core was destroyed! Is he using noodles to relieve his depression?"
Yun Xian speculated maliciously: "No wonder he has hemorrhoids."
Feng Ye: "Eating too much beef will cause constipation! Haha! Hahaha! Ha!"
Everyone burst into laughter, except for Su Chi and Xue Lingxiu. Su Chi didn't find it funny, while Xue Lingxiu wanted to laugh, but it was unbecoming of her to be amused by such vulgar and ridiculous jokes, so she forced herself to hold it back.
Liu Xu: “…” As a member of the Sword Sect, she had such a hard time here.
But when I think of the scene of the sect leader getting hemorrhoids, I really want to laugh. Will he be beaten to death by the elders?
Yun Xian was laughing at Liu Feiran with great joy when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. His face turned pale and he bent over to hold his stomach. "Hiss!"
Everyone's expression changed instantly: "What's wrong?" "Where does it hurt?"
"My stomach hurts so much..." Yun Xian's forehead was immediately covered in cold sweat. It must be really painful. He said with difficulty, "It's over. I don't think I have hemorrhoids..."
Xue Lingxiu: "Your butt is on your stomach? Give me your hand!"
Su Chi's cold voice rang in his ears: "Concentrate your mind and look inward!"
Yun Xian subconsciously probed the spiritual energy into the inner palace and found out who was causing the trouble.
She had previously leapt straight through the Nascent Soul stage and reached the Out-of-Body stage. Originally, after the Golden Core stage, there was an entire realm in which to fully familiarize herself with the Nascent Soul that emerged from within her inner palaces, but now that was completely lost. Her cultivation was also quite superficial. Although she appeared to be at the Out-of-Body stage, if she engaged in a real fight, even a mid-Nascent Soul would struggle, not to mention her injuries, which hadn't fully healed yet.
As a result, Yun Xian is now not familiar with the blue little man in his inner palace who is stabbing around with a sword.
There are actually people in this world who are not familiar with their Nascent Soul. Yun Xian was afraid of being laughed at if he said it out loud. He tried his best to amplify his spiritual consciousness and said in a voice as loud as a bell: "Stop playing around! Stay still!"
The blue man heard the sudden sound and looked up.
The little figure has no face, like a small matchstick, with slender and round limbs... But where did this sword come from? I've never heard of a sword cultivator's Nascent Soul being given a sword!
She was thinking when the sword in the little man's hand spoke: "Can you take care of it and stop it from tormenting me?"
The voice was so soft and gentle, it turned out to be Taiping's voice!
"Taiping, how did your sword spirit come to me?" Unlucky Yun Xian almost laughed out loud: "I thought you were resting these days."
"How dare you say that!" Taiping raged. "I already acknowledge you as my master. Your spirit called me in, how could I not come in?"
The blue figure, impatient to listen to the man and the sword, began climbing up and down again, poking and prodding like a mischievous monkey. Yun Xian had told him several times to stop playing and sit down to practice, but he wouldn't listen and insisted on playing. Not only did he want to play, but he played with great fanfare, almost jumping up and pulling Yun Xian's tonsils: "..."
Yun Xian was extremely annoyed: "Why are you so annoying?"
Taiping said sarcastically, "Oh. I thought you didn't know."
It was really annoying. Yun Xian was too lazy to communicate with it anymore. He simply extended a finger with his spiritual consciousness and heavily bounced the brave Nascent Soul figure that was climbing up.
The moment it hit her, her eyes went dark and she fainted instantly.
When he woke up, Yun Xian opened his eyes and saw Doctor Fang's haggard face again. His dark circles seemed to have deepened, and his cheeks looked almost sunken.
It seems that his facial features are actually quite good-looking. If his complexion returns to normal, he should be considered a handsome young man.
Doctor Fang said, "You're awake."
Yun Xian said, "What's wrong with me?"
Doctor Fang said with a pleasant expression, "Now you can tell me your name."
"My name is Yun Xian. What's wrong?" Yun Xianren was still confused: "Why am I here? Where are the others?"
"Last time, when you absorbed so much spiritual energy that you nearly exploded, I thought it was a fluke. After all, it's not uncommon for people to do that before," Divine Doctor Fang said. "But this is the first time I've seen someone beat their own Nascent Soul into a coma. Congratulations, you've enriched my medical career, Fellow Daoist Yun."
Yun Xian: "...I don't think anyone told me not to fight."
"..." No normal person would think of hitting her! Doctor Fang waved his hand and asked someone to ask her to leave. "Remember to be gentler next time, otherwise you will die easily."
Yun Xian rubbed his head and went out, and saw a group of people who were being warmly entertained in Xinglin Pavilion. The two sides looked at each other and felt a little embarrassed.
But Yun Xian never let the awkwardness last for more than a moment. She said calmly, "What time is it now?"
"Not long." Qiao Lingshan said coldly, "It's just evening."
"No way?!" Yun Xian asked in surprise, "I just flicked my finger lightly, that's all?!"
Xue Lingxiu couldn't even drink her tea: "Who told you you can play it? Just appease it!"
Yun Xian felt wronged: "I tried to comfort it but it didn't listen!"
She probed her consciousness into the inner palace again, wanting to see what Divine Doctor Fang had done to her. The little figure in the inner palace was still lying flat on the ground, a small sword pressed against it, unconscious. Its head seemed to have been dented by her, looking a little funny.
Forget it, I’ll control my strength next time.
Wait, there's something more important! Yun Xian's expression suddenly became serious, and he slowly said, "Who paid for these thousand spirit stones?"
Knowing she was going to ask this, Xue Lingxiu said coldly, "I."
"Brother Xue, you are truly my benefactor! You have helped me so much along the way. I cannot thank you enough." Yun Xian said with tears of gratitude, "I will do anything except pay you back!"
Everyone really couldn't stand her anymore.
In the end, it was Qiao Lingshan who explained to her, "Actually, Fellow Daoist Xue can also treat your injury. It's just that we discovered some clues about Qiankun City, so we decided to come to Xinglin Pavilion again."
Previously, Qiankun City had always been outside the control of the sects, primarily due to its unique geographical location. As the saying goes, "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, so it's impossible to control them." Qiankun City is relatively close to other cities, situated in the center of the four realms. The forces that come and go are mixed and the flow is extremely fast. Completely taking over is nearly impossible.
Secondly, there was the checks and balances of other forces. The fact that the two major factions of the Northern Realm had been able to coexist peacefully over the years, without endless internal strife, was naturally due to someone holding them back.
"It's that wealthy businessman Liu," Qiao Lingshan said solemnly. "I've heard that this man has a terrifying business acumen. Despite being an ordinary person, he's already taken control of Qiankun City's economic lifeline. He can make things happen with a flick of his hand! All it takes is a cold snap or a bad mood to bankrupt countless businesses!"
"Didn't we just run into his daughter when we came here yesterday?" Qiao Lingshan said, "Truth will sooner or later be revealed. Now the news has spread all over Qiankun City. It's not that Miss Liu is ill at all, but that the wealthy businessman Liu has been seriously ill and bedridden for a month. Countless doctors have been unable to diagnose and cure him."
"...Is he suffering from some kind of stomach problem? Or maybe insomnia or something?" Yun Xian said, "Rich and overbearing businessmen are sometimes like this. Maybe he also has facial paralysis or mania."
"That's not the point," Xue Lingxiu said. "Originally, it was a three-way standoff. With the wealthy businessman Liu ill, no one could replace him. Now, the Body Tempering Sect and the Sword Sect have begun fighting openly and covertly. Everyone wants to take this piece of fat meat."
Liu Xu raised her hand: "I'm still here..."
Xue Lingxiu: "Cover your ears."
Liu Xu covered his ears consciously.
"Yeah." Yun Xian glanced at her, making sure she couldn't hear him, then he said seriously, "Then how can we help the Body Strengthening Sect?"
Everyone: “?”
It’s better not to be so obvious when trying to cover up one’s mistake!
"Now, Mr. Liu didn't want his illness to be exposed, but the news still leaked out." Yun Xian said: "He finally came to see Doctor Fang. Doesn't he suspect that it was Doctor Fang who leaked the news?"
Xue Lingxiu said, "Divine Doctor Fang has already accepted it. And before him, no one had ever had the news leaked."
"It feels like there's a lot of conspiracy." Yun Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Why do I have to use my brain again? I'm so annoyed. My head is itchy. I need to rest for a while. By the way, where's the eldest brother? Why is he nowhere to be seen?"
Feng Ye glanced outside the door and said, "From what I see from Senior Brother's expression, he probably thinks this place has been infiltrated by the Sword Sect, so it's a little unsafe for us to parade around like this. So he plans to go to the street and buy some new clothes for everyone to change into."
Yun Xian was stunned: "You understand Senior Brother."
Su Chi's face was expressionless, so how could she tell so much? She could only tell whether he was smiling or not.
The group left Xinglin Pavilion, and the two familiar female cultivators from last night chased them out again, eagerly. This time, they didn't give much, just one medicine: "These are brain-tonifying pills given by Divine Doctor Fang. Just take them once a day, and don't take more. Come back next time, sir!"
Everyone: “…”
The group looked back at the magnificent Xinglin Pavilion. New tabloids were posted on the surrounding bulletin boards, with the same sensational headlines:
[Shocking! Mr. Liu, a wealthy businessman over fifty years old, yet still young at heart, actually did such a thing in public...]
What! There is a story!
Qiao Lingshan looked closely and was deceived again. "What it says is that to dispel rumors of a serious illness, wealthy businessman Liu has announced that he will personally host the Qiankun Auction tomorrow—with a guaranteed minimum price of thirty taels per ticket. It's the farthest seat."
Yun Xian asked curiously, "Is the auction also his business?"
After the group left Xinglin Pavilion, Xue Lingxiu parked his luxurious carriage next to the pavilion for their trip. Parking a carriage also required a fee, half a tael a day. Xue Lingxiu's carriage occupied two parking spaces, so he had to pay twice the fee.
The aroma of food gurgled in from the street. Yun Xian smelled the scent of knife-cut noodles, sniffed, and said, "I wonder if Miss Ji's pigeon was shot on the road. Why hasn't it come yet..."
"It is his property, but it is not."
Suddenly, a familiar cold voice came from above. Yun Xian looked up and almost lost her soul: "Miss! Why are you hanging on the eaves?!"
What a strange way to make an appearance!
Ji Rongxue landed effortlessly, landing silently. He extended his hand and said, "I heard that you've made a name for yourself in Tangling Country and have now successfully climbed to 233rd place on the Great Heroes List. Congratulations."
I don't know what there is to congratulate, but Miss Ji has obviously done her homework in advance. Yun Xian reached out, touched her soft paw pads, and stroked the familiar lion hair on them, then confirmed that the person in front of him was Ji Rongxue.
The eldest lady's nickname, "Crazy Lion," is truly beautiful. Yun Xian pondered it, and it seemed that anything with the word "sword" in it became a bit strange: "Crazy Sword," "Rebellious Sword," "Benevolent Sword"... Oh well! Forget it, that's all.
Qiao Lingshan also wanted to touch it, but when Ji Rongxue saw her secretly reaching out her hand, her eyebrows moved, as if she didn't see it. As soon as Feng Ye stretched out his hand, he withdrew his hand with a swish.
Feng Ye: “…” Woo woo woo.
It wasn't that Yun Xian was blind, but Ji Rongxue seemed to have used some kind of disguise, hiding the fiery red at the end of her hair. She was dressed in all black but luxuriously, and was very inconspicuous among the people in Qiankun City.
There was a heavy sound from behind, and Tiedan followed silently, nodding and greeting.
He was dressed the same way, but because of his body shape, he was still a little eye-catching.
"Speaking of which, Miss." Yun Xian said, "I also met Jimo Shu and Zhong Changyao in Tang Lingguo. Guess what."
Ji Rongxue frowned: "How is the witch?"
"Tang Lingguo was a huge help. However, in the end, she seemed to have eaten the soul of that Spirit Severing Stage demon cultivator." Yun Xian said disdainfully, "I wonder if she'll get diarrhea. Such a dirty thing, at least rinse it out beforehand."
Xue Lingxiu: "...Do you think it's edible after you rinse it?"
Ji Rongxue pondered and said, "I have a feeling that she will also come to Qiankun City."
"Forget it." Yun Xian's feelings towards Jimo Shu were a bit complicated and difficult to explain. Instead of dwelling on these unfounded things, it was better to focus on the current business: "You just said that this auction house is his property, but it's not. What does that mean?"
Ji Rongxue nodded and spoke slowly.
She had come to Qiankun City this time, dispatched by the elders of the Body Tempering Sect. The ambitious Sword Sect, through some unknown method, had infiltrated the city in just over a month. Now, knife-cut noodle shops were everywhere from the north to the east of the city, leaving even beef noodle shops unable to survive. It was truly outrageous.
Liu Fushang was seriously ill, and the auction house was undoubtedly Liu Fushang's property. However, according to the information from the informant of the Body Strengthening Sect, the guards in front of the auction house were replaced in the past few days. Judging from their weapons, they were obviously disciples of the Sword Sect.
"According to our objective, we need to sneak into the auction house and take a look at the situation," Ji Rongxue said. "But the problem now is that I have other important matters to attend to tomorrow and cannot go. But you, especially Yun Xian, the disciples of the Sword Sect have a deep blood feud with you. If we go like this, I'm worried that those bastards of the Sword Sect will stop us."
Liu Xu, one of the Sword Sect's grandchildren: "..." It's okay, she's not the one being scolded. She's a girl.
"That makes sense." Yun Xian said, "You mean, disguise yourself? But when you buy tickets, you will definitely be asked to reveal your identity. Our disguise technology..."
Apart from anything else, the eldest brother was definitely not allowed to go in. He was too obvious, and even if Liu Fushang was not injured, he would be hurt by his handsomeness.
"No need. I have a ticket to the Body Tempering Sect. No matter how domineering the Sword Sect is, Qiankun City is currently divided into two parts with my sect. They would never dare to stop me openly."
Yun Xian took the iron ticket she handed over and scratched his head: "But how can we prove that we didn't steal it from the Body Refining Sect... Uh."
Her gaze slowly fell on the burly young man behind Ji Rongxue: "Your iron egg?"
"No." Ji Rongxue smiled, icy yet charming. "It's your Tiedan."
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