"Young Master!" the servant A Meng called out from outside the room with a worried expression.
"Get out, get out, get out!" Lei Hui's roar came from inside, it was very crazy.
"Bang!"
Something hit the closed door frame, startling the servant, A-Meng, who took a few steps back.
"Young Master, the Master has something to say!" Ah Meng said with a wry smile.
"He won't listen to anyone! What? He's my father!" The door creaked open, and Lei Hun rushed out, looking around in a panic. He was relieved to see that he didn't see his father, Lei Tai.
"What message?" Lei Hun asked with a snort, his face dark. His father usually had A Meng deliver messages. It was always something important. He often didn't take messages directly to him seriously, but A Meng's delivery of messages had become a routine that he couldn't disobey.
On this day, he was still feeling uneasy and agitated.
That despicable bastard Zhang Guodong took almost all of my property.
But how did Zhang Guodong manage to take away 300,000 low-grade crystals and 650 mid-grade crystals in an instant? How big must his storage bag be?
Or rather, how many intermediate or advanced storage bags would that require? Advanced? He absolutely refused to believe Zhang Guodong would possess one; even his father didn't have many. He usually only displayed one golden storage bag. As for himself, his father had never bestowed upon him a golden storage bag; it was always an intermediate purple one.
This made him very resentful of Mao.
However, he was unaware that Zhang Guodong actually possessed six high-grade golden storage bags in Huangji Sanren's treasure room on the shores of the East China Sea. Furthermore, even without these high-grade storage bags, Taoyuan could collect even more crystals. A mere 300,000 crystals—the space they occupied was negligible for Taoyuan.
In the end, Zhang Guodong still stored the crystals and other items in Peach Blossom Spring. The six golden storage bags were also inside Peach Blossom Spring. Outside, Zhang Guodong was still using mid-level storage bags, containing only items of relatively low value.
This is also why Emperor Mu searched the storage bag using a secret method but found nothing of value and didn't take it. If Emperor Mu and the others had found the jade slip containing the "Hundred Blades Seal" in the storage bag, it's hard to say whether Zhang Guodong could have kept it.
A supernatural ability is extremely attractive to a master.
"Young Master, the Master wants you to return to the manor immediately to cultivate and gain greater strength, in preparation for the 'Demon Battle Battlefield' three years from now!" said the servant, A'Meng.
Battleground against demons?
Lei Hun was startled; he naturally knew about this.
A rogue cultivator accidentally discovered a subspace. He reported this to the "Cultivator's Guild," and after investigation by the market, it was confirmed that this space was an extremely valuable place of opportunity and adventure. The rogue cultivator also received a huge reward from the "Cultivator's Guild," including a large number of low-grade crystals, a high-grade magic weapon, and five mid-grade top-tier magic weapons.
This matter caused a great stir among the cultivators.
The Cultivator Guild then sold this information to various powerful forces and experts, including the Lei Family. They paid the equivalent of 500,000 low-grade crystals to obtain eight spots.
Other forces, such as the Wanyang Sect, the Jidao Sect, the Bamboo Emperor, the Fat Maitreya, the Starwood Old Monster, and the Sword Emperor, also obtained varying numbers of slots and paid large sums of crystals. The Southwest Imitation Market earned millions of crystals from this, and it also secured the most slots—thirty in total!
However, not everyone can enter the "Demon Battle Arena." There are restrictions.
Only cultivators below level 50 are allowed to enter. This is undoubtedly a rule-based restriction set up for fairness, and it also demonstrates the immense power of the person who created this space!
Furthermore, it is held once every twenty years, and only one hundred people can enter at a time!
The next opening will be three years from now.
The Demon-Fighting Battlefield is fraught with danger. Everything is largely unknown; life and death are not in your own hands, and each player relies on their own skill and luck. Naturally, risk and opportunity coexist; in some areas, you might obtain intermediate or advanced magical artifacts, or even powerful magical treasures!
Perhaps you might even obtain high-grade elixirs, or even the legendary elixir of immortality! Besides these, there's another reward that many envy: by chance, you might receive a reward that allows you to level up!
Adventures are everywhere. Risks are naturally cast aside.
Once the major powers obtained the quotas, their first action was to use them to recruit promising cultivators for their own use, making them their subordinates and part of their forces.
"Understood, I'll be out soon!" Lei Hun calmed down upon hearing the news and said. In his heart, however, he thought, "I wonder if Zhang Guodong will enter the 'Demon-Fighting Battlefield.' Hmph, if he does, once he leaves this Southwest City, that will be the end of him!"
In the Southwest Market, Lei Hui couldn't kill Zhang Guodong. But once they left, Mu Di and the others would be powerless to stop him.
At that time, your life or death will be in your own hands!
Zhang Guodong had no idea that Lei Hui had already set his sights on the Demon Battle Arena. He had no idea what the Demon Battle Arena was, let alone any available spots.
Wanxian Restaurant, first floor counter.
"Li Jing, what brings you here?" Wei Yan was surprised to see Li Jing skipping in.
Here, Wei Yan truly didn't treat her as the third manager. She only regarded her as a little sister. So she called her by her name. It seemed that she hadn't seen this little girl for a while.
"Sister Yanzi, Zhang Kou, uh, where's that boss? I need to talk to him!" Li Jing said with a grin. "What does this little girl need the boss for?" Wei Yan asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I'll go up myself!"
Before she finished speaking, Li Jing barged in.
"Hey!" Wei Yan called out, but couldn't stop her.
Unfortunately, this little girl never showed any respect to her master.
However, the employer didn't seem displeased. Wei Yan shook her head and continued working.
This time, the employer rewarded me with a mid-level storage bag, which is much more practical than those crystal rewards. Wei
They want to work with Zhang Guodong and are now full of confidence.
On the fifth floor, Zhang Guodong sat cross-legged in the "Thousand Truths" illusionary array, refining the high-grade material-attribute defensive inner armor "Black Fiend." Under the influence of his magic power, the refining speed of the inner armor was much faster than before.
Previously, even with Zhang Guodong's strength, he couldn't refine it at all.
This time, he switched to cultivating magical power, and his magical power increased significantly, leaping three levels to reach level thirty-eight! Most importantly, there was no longer any life force or demonic energy in his body; it was all magical power now.
Therefore, the refining level is fundamentally different from before.
It's estimated that three such inner armor pieces could be refined and freely stored within the body in a short time. At that point, Zhang Guodong's defenses would no longer be vulnerable to any near-Grandmaster level expert.
While he was refining the illusion array, someone broke into it! Zhang Guodong opened his eyes.
"Huh, Yunbu girl actually showed up." Zhang Guodong was surprised. Li Jing had rushed into the "Thousand Truth Illusion Array" but couldn't find her way out. She was shouting and yelling angrily inside the array.
Although Qianzhen is also an illusion array, its current power is enough to trap those below the level of a near-great master. Zhang Guodong has made great progress in his mastery of array formations.
Of course, the "Azure Heaven and Yellow Springs Formation" of this main formation is absolutely unparalleled in power; otherwise, even a casually created illusionary formation would possess such power.
Frowning slightly, Zhang Guodong immediately put away his inner armor, "Black Fiend," and waved his hand to break the illusion array. Otherwise, this little girl might not be able to find a way out.
"Little girl, what brings you to work? You're quite incompetent as the third manager!" Zhang Guodong stood up and said jokingly.
Li Jing was very unhappy to see that the formation was trapping her. The formation flashed and she saw Zhang Guodong. Her lips were so pouty that they could hang a soy sauce bottle on them.
“You’re the little girl! I’m fourteen!” Li Jing shouted.
Isn't fourteen years old a little girl?
"Speak quickly, or I'll have to continue my cultivation!" Zhang Guodong said with a smile to himself.
"I'm angry. Someone had something important for me to pass on, but I forgot," Li Jing said, then turned away to show her anger.
Chuan Jing
Zhang Guodong was genuinely taken aback.
Could it be Lord Youlan? If Li Jing, that girl, were to pass on the message, whose could it be? Zhang Guodong harbored deep apprehension towards Youlan Fu and her group of five, and was unwilling to have much contact with them.
However, it is clear that Lei Fu, Wan Yang Zong, and Ji Dao Men attacked him in the textile market, and the market has yet to give him an explanation.
Simply healing yourself cannot completely offset the damage.
"Oh? I was originally planning to reward those who have performed exceptionally well during this period with two thousand crystals, but it seems no one wants them!" Zhang Guodong said with a smile.
"Two thousand? You can't back out now! Give it to me, you've withheld so many crystals from me!" Upon hearing about the large number of crystals, Li Jing's resolve immediately wavered, and her eyes lit up.
"Senior Brother Huang Song wants you to go there; he needs to talk to you about something."
After saying that, the girl immediately stopped talking, clearly revealing some of her identity.
Zhang Guodong pretended not to hear, patted his storage bag, and piled two thousand crystals in front of Li Jing. It wasn't that he was generous, but rather that he'd heard from Xiao Hu that this little girl had indeed helped the restaurant a lot, and besides, she was Lord Youlan's granddaughter. If anything happened to the restaurant while he was away, it would provide an extra layer of protection. Of course, he couldn't give too many crystals, otherwise it would have the opposite effect.
Li Jing chuckled and quickly put the crystal away, feeling quite pleased with herself. In her view, this was something she had earned herself, and it had nothing to do with anyone else. She felt a strong sense of accomplishment.
"Let's go downstairs!"
As Zhang Guodong walked, he wondered how Huang Song had come to him with something. He had never actually met Huang Song in person.
Huang Song was Lord Chixiao's personal disciple, and they had never crossed paths before.
Without delay, Zhang Guodong arrived at the Five Willows Palace where the five adults were. He needed to give it a name; otherwise, it would be hard to remember. Upon seeing Zhang Guodong, the garrisoned disciple said, "Senior Brother Huang is waiting for Manager Zhang in the side hall. Please follow me."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Guodong was flattered. Huang Song had actually been waiting for him all along? Beware!
Zhang Guodong had never been to the main hall. It was said that the five high-ranking officials would personally visit the main hall, while ordinary disciples would only communicate in the side halls.
Zhang Guodong lived in Mudi's small garden for three months, but he only went in and out directly and never visited these places.
After wandering around for a while, a building of considerable size came into view: the Star Palace. This was what was called a "side hall." There were several other side halls like this.
Huang Song was indeed there, sitting quietly in a chair, cultivating. He was truly diligent! He didn't waste a single moment, a fact Zhang Guodong greatly admired. He himself seemed to have never cultivated so assiduously before.
As soon as Zhang Guodong arrived, he immediately stood up.
"Senior Brother Huang, Manager Zhang has arrived!" The disciple handed over the book, announced the news, and turned to leave.
"Manager Zhang, please have a seat!" Huang Song glanced at Zhang Guodong indifferently.
I didn't see anything particularly special about him. However, everyone knew about Zhang Guodong's recent moment of fame.
"Thank you," Zhang Guodong said, sitting down in the armchair and looking at Huang Song. "I wonder what brings Senior Brother Huang here?"
"Haha, I've always admired Manager Zhang! Meeting you today, I can see your profound cultivation and extraordinary talent!" Huang Song said. "It's not that I have business with you today, but my master needs to see you soon! Come with me!"
"oh?"
Zhang Guodong was surprised. Huang Song's master was naturally Lord Chixiao. What did he want with him? Could it be about compensating him? If it wasn't brought up soon, he might leave Fang City immediately.
Speaking of which, in these three months, dozens of messages have been left via telegram. There are words of concern from Liu Meigui and others, messages from Xuan Qingxuan, and greetings from Li Yun.
Among them, Xuan Qingban mentioned opening a counterfeit market. Zhang Guodong felt slightly apologetic; this injury meant he couldn't even discuss the matter with the restaurant! However, he still agreed to climb down...
Since opening a restaurant in the southwest is profitable, then opening a counterfeit market in the northwest is also feasible. Why go against the crystal? However, Zhang Guodong needs to carefully consider who to send. He won't trust anyone but a trusted confidant.
In short, Zhang Guodong is very busy right now. He's been particularly concerned about the Ningyun Desert matter, which has been on his mind. But unexpectedly, it's caused him so much trouble. Too many surprises!
Zhang Guodong followed Huang Song to the main hall, which was empty; no one served tea or water. Clearly, Zhang Guodong wasn't qualified.
They had just sat down.
The space rippled slightly, and a tall figure appeared before the two. The speed was so fast it gave the illusion of teleportation. Fortunately, Zhang Guodong was able to detect the figure; it was merely an illusion caused by the incredible speed.
Qi Xiao has arrived! He's dressed in a crimson robe. Tall and imposing.
"master".
"Lord Chixiao!"
Zhang Guodong also hurriedly stood up and bowed.
"Well, I called you here today for something! The three sects in the market have sent people in a three-way battle agreement. The market agreed to this partly to test you, so they left it to your own devices and wait and see. Now that you've survived, you're qualified to know a little something!" Nong Xiao said calmly. Let's get straight to the point!
Zhang Guodong, however, was inwardly turbulent. Was this truly an explanation he was to be given? Hmph, let's see what kind of explanation this is!
"The Cultivator Guild has acquired a location in a subspace, a space opened up by a powerful expert, called the Demon-Fighting Battlefield! It contains countless magical treasures and other opportunities, opening only once every twenty years. This time, a total of one hundred cultivators can enter. Those below level fifty, our city has thirty slots. Besides ten direct disciples and eight reward slots, twelve slots will be released for all independent cultivators. Anyone with the ability can obtain one, and you are one of them! Consider it compensation. However, anyone who accepts a slot from our city must hand over one-third of what they gain! Accept or not, it's up to you," Chi Xiao said.
Zhang Guodong was stunned. A subspace actually existed? A space created by a powerful being? This was simply unimaginable! Wait, he actually said there were magical treasures inside? Not magical artifacts?
"Lord Chixiao, you said there are magical treasures inside? Not just magical artifacts? Is it only for cultivators of level 50 and above? When will it open?" Zhang Guodong asked, suppressing his excitement.
"According to the information obtained there, magical artifacts and treasures are available, but obtaining a treasure depends on great fortune. The Demon-Fighting Battlefield is fraught with danger. Whether you can come out alive depends on your own ability and luck! Cultivators above level 50 are not allowed to enter. Otherwise, they will be killed by the laws of space, that much is certain! The specific time is three years from now, at the time of the winter solstice, we will gather at the market!"
"Any more questions? Do you accept it or not?"
"I accept! Thank you, sir!"
It would be foolish not to accept it!
Zhang Guodong agreed without hesitation. He couldn't let such an opportunity slip by.
A golden talisman floated into his hand, bearing the three characters "Zhang Guodong," a mark of his identity. Chi Xiao instantly vanished: "This golden talisman will be the sole identifier; losing it means you've lost this opportunity! Also, a word of advice: Spending these three years contemplating the 'Laws' of life might greatly benefit you!"
After Chi Xiao left, Huang Song forced a smile and said, "Congratulations, Manager Zhang! See you in three years on the Demon Battlefield!"
"I wouldn't dare! Thank you, Senior Brother Huang. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave!" Zhang Guodong put away the "Golden Body Talisman" and hurriedly took his leave. In his heart, however, he thought, "It seems that most of what Chixiao said was true. Even Huang Song went in?"
Yes, Chi Xiao was right; all ten of his direct disciples will be going in. If they're all in, then I have nothing to worry about. Opportunity and danger go hand in hand!
Zhang Guodong was thrilled to have secured a spot. But he soon realized how difficult it was to obtain one. In the city, most cultivators were talking about this "Demon-Fighting Battlefield."
The city released twelve spots, and those vying for them were strategically ranked as "seed players." Even cultivators ranked outside the top forty were several levels higher than him, reaching level forty-six!
The competition for this spot is fierce and the odds are really against us!
Fortunately, he had already secured one of the twelve spots, and apart from a very few people, no one knew about it. But the competition for the remaining eleven spots was incredibly fierce. Moreover, after competing, one had to join a faction within the counterfeit market—this was the crucial point. And yet, he hadn't been required to join the counterfeit market.
If that's the case, I might miss out on this opportunity.
Groups like the Lei family released three or four slots, then declared that the strongest would receive one, thus greatly expanding their influence.
For them, this was also an opportunity to recruit potential experts. Paying so many crystals to the Southwest Imitation Market would be a waste if they didn't try to bring in some top talents.
However, despite the stringent requirements, there is a constant stream of people wanting to join, making the competition fierce.
Zhang Guodong sighed with relief, feeling incredibly lucky.
This time, the city's compensation to him wasn't stingy. This matter can be quickly settled. Because Zhang Guodong knew that, from the perspective of those in power, his life and death weren't really in their hands. To have done this much was already quite good.
However, if he had the opportunity to become a master in the future, then he could truly control his own destiny. After spending several days in the counterfeit currency area, Zhang Guodong calmed himself down.
That day, Zhang Guodong summoned Xiaohu and Wei Yan. After giving them some instructions, he went up to the fifth floor and embedded thirty low-grade crystals into the teleportation array. He then took a deep breath, stepped inside, and after a flash of white light, Zhang Guodong vanished without a trace.
This teleportation array is being used for the first time!
By the way: I kept writing, and it ended up being five thousand words. That's all for today, I'll continue tomorrow.
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