Newcomer
In the magnificent side hall of the God of Wealth's Mansion, where horses could gallop, the air seemed to be coated with a layer of gold dust, filled with the cool fragrance of spirit jade and rare metals.
Two exquisitely carved children, Jin Dou'er and Yin Bao'er, were carrying a jade treasure basin that was even taller than themselves.
The thick, cold walls of the basin, with its shimmering star-shaped sand inlaid along the rim, now became a heavy burden for the little fairies.
Jin Dou'er, originally the one in charge of the keys to the God of Wealth's treasury, had his face flushed red, his round eyes burning with gossip. Sweat trickled down his temples, dripping onto the cold rim of the basin, instantly evaporating into a wisp of spiritual energy. He laboriously adjusted the basin's angle on tiptoe, his voice barely audible, tinged with panting:
"Hey, have you heard? That new assistant that Lord Spreading Wealth has hired, tsk tsk, he's quite a character!" As he spoke, his eyes darted around warily, afraid that some passing celestial official might overhear them slacking off and gossiping.
The other boy, Yin Bao'er, upon hearing this, immediately leaned all his weight onto the treasure basin, his body almost curled up like a shrimp. He even forgot to put down the top-grade luminous pearl, the size of an egg, that he held in his hand, radiating a soft moonlight and brimming with spiritual energy. A pearl of this quality would be a prized possession revered by a small sect in the mortal realm, but in the God of Wealth's mansion, it was merely a decoration that was changed monthly. He panted heavily as he approached, his voice filled with disbelief:
"I've heard! I've heard! Our God of Wealth's Mansion is such a lucrative position in the Three Realms, so rich it could drown a dragon. Countless descendants of immortals and scions of noble families would kill to get in as a sweeping fairy boy! But this year, things have changed. The higher-ups are cracking down on nepotism and, for the first time ever, they're openly recruiting. The application line stretched from the South Heavenly Gate to the Nether River. Countless people with connections were eliminated, and in the end, only this one was hired! He's a complete nobody! He has absolutely no background or connections!" He shook his head as he spoke, the luminous pearl in his hand swaying slightly with his movements, moonlight flowing like ripples on his surprised little face.
Jin Dou'er finally placed one corner of the treasure basin steadily, then leaned against the cool basin wall, panting heavily. He patted his chest to catch his breath: "What's even more amazing is that this master is quite a talent! The tests our manor set this time were: deducing the causal flow of wealth in the Three Realms, quickly valuing rare and precious materials, rapidly calculating exchange rates and arbitrage simulations across the Three Realms, and even the most difficult one, analyzing cases of the Thirty-Six Stratagems for Extortion in the Three Realms, and even counting a mountain of gold within a hundred breaths! They were all hellish! And guess what happened?" He deliberately kept her in suspense, his little eyes sparkling as he looked at Yin Bao'er.
Yinbao'er stamped her feet in frustration, the luminous pearl in her hand almost poking Jindou'er's nose: "Tell me, tell me!"
"This Qian Jin, the Fairy Qian! She's number one in every subject! It's said that when our God of Wealth saw her answer sheet, he stroked his beard and, unusually, laughed heartily, saying 'Good!' three times!" Jin Dou'er imitated the God of Wealth's dignified and satisfied tone, then switched back to her gossipy face. "During the interview, the Wealth-Distributing Boy saw that her resume was impressive and her aptitude was excellent, so he asked her: 'With your talent, you could easily become a disciple of Kunlun, achieving great things and having a bright future. Why did you choose to come to my God of Wealth's mansion as a mere assistant?'" He paused, looking at Yin Bao'er's wide, expectant eyes.
"How do you say it? Learn it quickly!" Yin Bao'er urged, her body leaning forward unconsciously.
Jin Dou'er cleared his throat, straightened his small frame, and tried his best to imitate a tone that was both earnest and almost pious, yet also imbued with a worldly longing: "'My lord, this disciple believes that comprehending the Great Dao and pursuing immortality is certainly good.' He paused, his eyes becoming incredibly focused, as if there were truly a pile of glittering spirit stones before him, "'But this disciple's greatest interest in life is... counting money!'"
"Pfft, hahaha!" Yin Bao'er couldn't help but laugh so hard he almost fell over. The luminous pearl slipped from his hand and rolled onto the gold-brick-covered ground. Startled, he cried out and, forgetting his laughter, hurriedly chased after it.
"His hobby is counting money?! This...this reason is really...so realistic! No wonder he was selected from the human world!" He finally managed to retrieve the bead and patted his chest with lingering fear.
"It's not over yet!" Jin Dou'er laughed, wiping the corner of her eye, and continued to reveal more, "I heard that this new Fairy Qian Jin is... well... a femme fatale!"
He gestured exaggeratedly, "During the exam and interview days, so many of my fellow students, who are usually so arrogant and walk with such an air of superiority, were frozen in place when they saw her. They stood there, staring blankly, walking with their arms and legs moving in unison, and quite a few even bumped into pillars! The little disciple whom the God of Wealth favored the most, who was usually so haughty, with his nostrils practically pointing to the sky, sat next to the Money-Giving Boy as an assistant during the interview. And what happened? As soon as the Money Fairy walked in, his face turned as red as a boiled shrimp! Red from his ears to his neck! After the interview, he still awkwardly approached her, asking in a voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum: 'Fairy...I wonder...I wonder if I could do you the honor of...treating you to a simple meal?'"
Yin Bao'er listened with great interest, having completely forgotten about the treasure basin. She simply plopped down on the cool floor tiles, resting her chin on her hands: "And then? And then? How did the Money Fairy respond?"
Jin Dou'er, now emboldened, cleared her throat again, this time mimicking Qian Jin's polite and courteous tone, clear and melodious yet revealing an unusually straightforward and unromantic air: "She didn't even raise an eyebrow, but very politely nodded slightly: 'I appreciate this fellow immortal's kindness. There's no need for a meal.'" Jin Dou'er paused deliberately here, watching Yin Bao'er hold her breath, then, mimicking Qian Jin's serious expression with a hint of "Isn't this the most reasonable solution?", continued: "'If fellow immortal is truly willing, perhaps... you could simply convert the money you're planning to use for the meal into silver and give it to me.'"
"Pfft, hahaha! My goodness!" Yin Bao'er laughed so hard she rolled on the ground, pounding her little fists on the gold-brick floor. "This...this is simply a once-in-a-millennium genius since the founding of the God of Wealth's Mansion! Cash out! She actually asked for her meal money in cash! Hahaha!"
The worldly, carefree laughter, devoid of any celestial restraint, echoed incongruously in this hall, adorned with gold and jade, sparkling with jewels, which should have been solemn and dignified. Even the mountain of spiritual stones piled up in the corner seemed to tremble slightly in response.
---
At this moment, Qian Jin, the prodigy at the center of the conversation, is experiencing his first day working at the God of Wealth's Mansion.
Strictly speaking, she was still in her internship. Although she had passed the hellish test that had caused countless immortal disciples to fail with overwhelming force and received a warm and translucent jade token symbolizing her status, the specific department she was assigned to and the specific tasks she would be responsible for were still being slowly studied and discussed by the senior immortal officials.
The God of Wealth's Palace has numerous departments, with a complex structure resembling a giant spider web of wealth: the Faith Offering Department, which manages incense offerings in the human world and is the most lucrative; the Treasure Source Bureau, which is responsible for the circulation of currency in the three realms and wields immense power; the Treasure Pavilion, which specializes in purchasing, valuing, and appraising rare and precious materials; and even the Collection Department, which deals with the debts and bad debts of various gods and demons... Each department is incredibly lucrative and also so complex that it gives people a headache.
Qian Jin had nothing to do today. He was wearing a brand-new, high-quality, yet understated and simple moon-white uniform—his work uniform for the God of Wealth's Mansion—and was strolling around the mansion alone.
She moved with light, seemingly casual steps, but her eyes were admiring the rare treasures in the God of Wealth's Palace. She secretly praised in her heart: This God of Wealth's Palace was truly the right choice!
Occasionally, celestial officials or maidens dressed in more ornate robes would pass by, casting glances of curiosity, amazement, or even a hint of scrutiny. She would merely nod slightly, her expression calm. Her fingertips brushed against the cool, smooth pillars of the corridor, her mind rapidly calculating the market price of their materials in the mortal realm.
Just as she reached the corner of a corridor connecting different palaces, a middle-aged celestial official dressed in a deep purple brocade robe, with a heavy jade pendant hanging from his waist, who looked like a steward, hurriedly came towards her and almost bumped into her.
The celestial official's brows were furrowed, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, clearly indicating that something urgent had happened. He caught a glimpse of Qian Jin's brand-new identity jade pendant at her waist and her striking face. He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over her from head to toe, his tone commanding and unquestionable:
"New here? Perfect! I have a last-minute job!" He spoke incredibly fast, as if golden beans were popping out of his mouth. "The quarterly commission for matchmaking from the Matchmaking Palace needs to be settled! It's a considerable sum, and according to the rules, four people are required to escort it! We can't spare any more people right now, so you'll fill in! Immediately!"
Qian Jin's eyes suddenly lit up, like two small lanterns lit in the darkness. Escorting someone? A large sum of money? Cash! The opportunity to handle cash had finally arrived!
She suppressed her excitement, maintaining the respectful demeanor of a newcomer, and immediately bowed in response, her voice clear and crisp: "Yes, disciple obeys!" A barely perceptible smile rippled deep within her clear eyes.
---
A moment later, Qian Jin was standing on the vast Tingyunping of the God of Wealth's Mansion.
A strong wind, carrying a dense spiritual energy, whipped at her robes and hair. A colossal cloud boat, so magnificent it bordered on ostentatious, was moored there, resembling a small, mobile palace. Crafted from ancient sandalwood, its hull exuded a deep, reassuring fragrance, and its entire surface was inlaid with shimmering gold foil with star-like patterns, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
A giant, lifelike golden toad, adorning the bow of the boat, holds not an ordinary copper coin in its mouth, but a fist-sized, luminous pearl radiating a rich, almost tangible spiritual energy. Its light is soft yet highly penetrating. Pulling the boat are four magnificent, snow-white winged celestial horses, each with muscular build and backs covered in shimmering, iridescent cloud-like wings. They are currently snorting impatiently, their hooves treading on flowing clouds. Their saddles are extravagantly luxurious, woven from thousand-year-old silk and adorned with dozens of deep-sea jade beads, each emanating a chilling aura that creates a striking contrast with the horses' hot breath.
Three celestial officials were already waiting in the party. One was older, with a fair complexion and no beard, and eyes as shrewd as an accountant's. He wore a dark red brocade robe embroidered with exquisite copper coin patterns, and tightly clutched a heavy black iron box engraved with complex sealing runes. His knuckles were white from the force, as if he were holding his lifeblood. This was clearly the leader of today's party, Registrar Wang.
A slightly plump man with a round face, a smile that precedes his words, dressed in a royal blue robe, a jade abacus hanging from his waist, and a large jade thumb ring on his finger, was busy taking out spiritually vibrant Cloud Grass from his storage bag and carefully feeding it to the restless celestial horse, muttering soothing words, "Good boy, eat up, eat up, you'll be well paid for your hard work..." His face wore a standard amicable, money-making smile, but deep in his eyes lay a merchant's shrewdness and a barely perceptible anxiety. This was Accountant Li, in charge of the accounts.
The last one was taciturn, his figure as upright as a pine tree, his face as cold and stern as iron. He wore a black, close-fitting outfit, covered by light armor, and stood with his arms crossed. At his waist hung a longsword, ornately decorated yet with its sharp edge concealed. His eyes were sharp as a hawk's, constantly scanning the swirling clouds around Tingyunping and the undulating immortal mountains in the distance. He exuded a cold and unapproachable aura. Guard, Commander Zhao.
They saw Qian Jin stride towards them, and their gazes all turned to her. They paused for a moment on her breathtaking face, and after the initial amazement, a knowing look flashed across their faces. Clearly, the story of the "cash payment for the meal" was already spreading within the household, just like her beauty.
Wang, the registrar, withdrew his gaze, cleared his throat, and spoke in a businesslike tone, his voice carrying the seriousness of someone accustomed to issuing orders: "Newcomer? Hmm. Just follow along, observe more, speak less, and be quick on your feet." He patted the black iron box in his arms forcefully, producing a dull metallic sound. "Inside the box are 30,000 high-grade spirit stones and 1,000 catties of top-quality 'Love Threads' for the Matchmaker Palace. This is no small matter! We can't afford to suffer any consequences if anything goes wrong!" The warning in his tone was heavy.
Qian Jin respectfully replied again, "Disciple understands." She quietly stood in the reserved spot at the stern of the cloud boat, her gaze lowered, but a small storm was already raging in her heart as she rapidly calculated: 30,000 high-grade spirit stones! How many low-grade spirit stones is that equivalent to? How many acres of spirit fields could that buy? 1,000 catties of Love Threads! This is the top-tier core material used by the Old Man of the Moon to make red threads and bind marriages; its market price is calculated by the tael!
This escort mission was truly an eye-opener! She felt her fingertips getting slightly hot, a primal excitement from being exposed to a massive flow of information about wealth.
---
With a shout from Li Siji, four cloud-winged celestial horses simultaneously unfurled their broad, luminous wings, emitting clear, melodious neighs. The massive cloud boat rose smoothly into the air, gracefully gliding into the magnificent and fantastical sea of clouds.
Below, the undulating fairy mountains resembled giant emeralds, their magnificent palaces appearing and disappearing in the clouds, their golden peaks reflecting the sunlight. In the distance, a towering, floating island stood majestically, its waterfalls cascading like an inverted Milky Way, their roar ripped into a fine white noise by the wind. Occasionally, a brightly colored, enormous celestial bird, its magnificent tail feathers trailing behind it, gracefully flew past the cloud boat, leaving behind a string of clear calls. The rich celestial energy almost materialized into a seven-colored mist, which, as the cloud boat sped along, drifted like tassels on both sides of the vessel.
The interior of the cloud boat was spacious and comfortable, with a fixed magic array to isolate it from high-altitude air currents and noise. The three celestial officials clearly knew each other and chatted casually, the atmosphere slightly more relaxed than when they were at Tingyunping.
The team leader, Registrar Wang, carefully adjusted the position of the black iron box in his arms, making it more comfortable against his lap. He then stroked his non-existent beard and remarked with a tone laced with envy and superiority, "The offerings from the Matchmaker Palace are always a major part of our escort list. Tsk tsk, with so many resources, I hear their performance is getting worse and worse. It's nothing compared to the flourishing incense offerings of our God of Wealth's Mansion!" As he spoke, his fingers unconsciously traced the cold sealing runes on the box.
The slightly plump Accountant Li chimed in, his voice melodious and shrewd with a touch of worldly wisdom: "That's right! Registrar Wang, you're absolutely right! What do people seek these days? Wealth! Fame! Who still seeks marriage all day long? It's said that the Old Man Under the Moon is always at the bottom of the rankings, and he's so worried that his precious beard is almost falling out! Alas, these days, matchmaking isn't popular!" As he spoke, he habitually fiddled with the beads of the jade abacus at his waist, making a soft clicking sound.
Commander Zhao, who had been silent and on guard, only let out a short, cold snort upon hearing this. His gaze, like a searchlight, swept across the churning clouds outside the porthole. His voice was deep and metallic: "Be careful what you say. Keep an eye on the box. The Cloud Road isn't safe either." His hand, resting on the hilt of his sword, had slightly protruding knuckles, showing that he hadn't let his guard down because of the casual conversation.
Qian Jin stood quietly by the porthole at the stern, her gaze seemingly captivated by the magnificent, fantastical, and ever-changing fairyland outside. The flowing, seven-colored clouds resembled enormous, slowly burning flames, casting flickering light and shadow on her profile. Her slender fingers unconsciously rested lightly on the cool window frame, feeling the subtle vibrations caused by the high-speed flight of the cloud boat.
However, her slightly tilted ears were perked up, taking in every single word of the seemingly casual remarks exchanged by the three celestial officials in front of her. It seemed that the life of an immortal wasn't as carefree as one might imagine…
Assessment? Performance? Bottom of the class? These down-to-earth words echoed even in the heavens. A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips, a hint of understanding in them.
The cloud boat glided smoothly through a vast, dazzling band of clouds composed of seven-colored rosy clouds. The rosy light, like living silk, gently enveloped the boat, casting dreamlike shadows on the polished deck and the faces of the passengers. Qian Jin's gaze seemed drawn to the beautiful scenery, slightly distracted, wondering what the Moon God's Palace, which governs the marriages of lovers across the three realms, was like. Was it also filled with tangled threads of love? And what was its value?
Sudden!
"Hiss!"
The thick, calm, multicolored clouds ahead suddenly exploded without warning! A savage, ferocious, and blood-stained black demonic aura, like a giant deep-sea wave appearing out of nowhere, swept in with overwhelming force, carrying a nauseating stench! The violent airflow instantly caused the cloud boat to rock violently!
The four winged celestial horses pulling the chariot were the first to be hit, letting out terrified neighs! Their proud, luminous wings trembled violently under the impact of the raging demonic energy, almost collapsing! The two leading celestial horses, overwhelmed by fright, suddenly reared up on their forelegs, pulling backward with tremendous force! The entire magnificent and heavy cloud ship was struck as if by a giant hammer, emitting a teeth-grinding groan. The hull tilted more than forty-five degrees in an instant, and fixed items on the deck clattered and slid to the ground! It looked like it was about to capsize!
"Enemy attack!!!" Commander Zhao, the guard, reacted the fastest. His pupils contracted sharply to pinpoints, and his fierce shout was like a thunderclap! His muscles tensed instantly, like rocks, and with a piercing clang of metal scraping against metal, the ornate longsword at his waist was drawn. Its cold blade flashed with a blinding light amidst the chaotic glow of the sunset, pointing directly at the churning, inky black clouds ahead! A chilling killing intent filled the air!
Wang, the registrar, who was holding the black iron box, turned deathly pale in an instant. He was thrown violently against the tilting side of the ship by the enormous inertia, his back slamming heavily against the wall! But his arms were like iron hoops, tightly gripping the box to his chest. His knuckles cracked from the excessive force, veins bulged, and his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a sound. Only utter horror filled his eyes!
Li Siji, who was organizing the storage bags, was even more disheveled. His obese body was tossed around like a ball and crashed heavily onto the deck with a dull groan. Ignoring the pain, he frantically tried to get up, his voice sharp and distorted with extreme fear and anger: "What kind of monster is this! Has it eaten the heart of a dragon and the gall of a phoenix?! Daring to rob the God of Wealth's cloud boat?! This is outrageous!"
The churning, inky black clouds resembled boiling poison, within which five or six strangely shaped, eerie figures gradually revealed their ferocious outlines. Some had bone spurs on their backs, some had horns on their heads, and some dragged tails covered in scales, holding rusty yet menacing weapons in their hands.
The leader, a gigantic man with protruding fangs and a face covered in bizarre tattoos, brandished a massive, door-like, ghost-headed broadsword. His hoarse voice emitted an extremely arrogant roar that shook even the clouds:
"This mountain is mine! This tree is mine! I don't care who you are! We only recognize this! Leave your toll!" The blade, whistling through the air, pointed directly at the black iron box covered in runes that Wang, the registrar, was clutching tightly in his arms! His greedy gaze almost pierced through the box!
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