Chapter 23 (I don't want to be seen)
Sheng Zhiyi sighed and explained, "Qiyun City is near the Tianyan Sect. The demons are not a large army, so they dare not invade. There are no major sects around the North Sea, so without anyone to protect them, the demons naturally have no scruples."
The woman said with emotion, "From now on, I will pray for the immortals of the Tianyan Sect every day to thank them for protecting this region and bringing peace."
As she spoke, she tried to shove the hairpin into Sheng Zhiyi's hand, but Sheng Zhiyi quickly refused.
Sheng Zhiyi declined the woman's kind offer, bid farewell to the roadside stall, and turned to leave, his heart heavy with sorrow.
During the initial trials, the demonic energy had not affected so many people; it had only corrupted many mindless animals.
But I just heard what the wealthy merchant said, that at least a dozen demonic cultivators have already gathered.
In this world of cultivation, as long as demonic energy exists, it is not surprising that some people choose to fall into demonic ways.
After all, the path to immortality is long and arduous, and many people never make any progress in their entire lives.
In particular, after spending decades, even nearly a century, without making significant progress, seeing up-and-coming talents who have only recently entered the field quickly surpass one's own inevitably leads to a sense of imbalance.
There's really no logic to talent.
Without natural talent, no matter how hard you try, you can't compare to others.
The laws of the cultivation world are so cruel and so cold.
Like that wealthy businessman's friend, if he couldn't break through in the sect, and someone told him that as long as he fell into demonic possession, he could instantly increase his cultivation level, trample those who disliked him underfoot, and even become the person with the highest cultivation level in the sect.
Can he resist temptation?
Even if the price is burning one's own lifespan, even if falling into demonic possession makes one prone to mental confusion and death by explosion, there are still many desperate people who choose this path.
Sheng Zhiyi understood all these principles.
but……
She looked around at the people around her.
The blacksmith, drenched in sweat, vigorously forged iron tools beside the furnace; the farmer, his face wrinkled, carried fresh fruits and vegetables to the city to sell; the vendor, holding a child, coaxed, "After we sell these, Mom will take you to buy some cakes"; the embroiderer, her eyes strained from sleep, displayed her embroidery on her stall, hoping to fetch a good price...
What exactly is the difference between a cultivator and a mortal?
However, some people are born with the ability to cultivate and become cultivators, while others are not and remain mortals.
Aren't all lives the same? Why can you disregard other people's lives just for a little bit of cultivation?
Sheng Zhiyi gripped the sword tightly. If words couldn't convince her, she wouldn't hesitate to use her sword to show the demonic cultivators what true equality meant!
So, in the final analysis, it still comes down to improving our strength.
The way to improve one's strength is to curry favor with Ji Fuguang.
The plan to curry favor with Ji Fuguang was to buy ghee-soaked snails.
Butter-fried snails are not just a snack; they also carry the important responsibility of upholding humanitarian ideals!
Before even reaching "Qingxiangju", Sheng Zhiyi could smell a sweet and fragrant aroma from afar, which made her feel light and cheerful.
This restaurant truly lives up to its reputation!
Sheng Zhiyi inhaled the sweet aroma deeply and walked quickly toward "Qinxiangju".
The storefront of Qinxiangju is as big as two shops, with the doors wide open, revealing neatly arranged counters inside, on which are placed vases filled with seasonal flowers.
The stage was adorned with colorful decorations, while the counter below displayed a variety of pastries, each with its own unique shape, creating a dazzling display that was truly eye-catching.
Even the shop assistants were all dressed in the same cloth clothes, looking energetic and standing upright.
It's worlds apart from other greasy and cramped pastry shops.
Surprisingly, the large and tidy shop was sparsely populated.
Sheng Zhiyi stepped across the threshold and went inside, still somewhat surprised.
Once you see the price tag below the pastries, you'll immediately understand why.
Too expensive!
The ordinary pastries displayed in the counter cost one spirit stone per pound, and ordinary families would only be willing to spend such money during festivals.
No wonder this place is so clean and bright; this "Qingxiangju" restaurant is clearly taking a boutique, niche approach.
Only a prosperous place like Qiyun City could afford to open such shops.
Sheng Zhiyi felt relieved that she hadn't bought any hairpins indiscriminately, while squeezing her storage bag.
Fortunately, she hasn't spent any of her monthly salary these days, and she should have five or six spirit stones left, which should be enough.
Upon her entry, a shop assistant approached and asked with warmth and respect, "Welcome, Immortal! What would you like to order?"
This is how mortals treat cultivators. Sheng Zhiyi wasn't used to it at first, but she's gotten more and more used to it now.
She asked, "I heard your specialty is ghee-fried snails?"
The shop assistant, a woman in her twenties, smiled and nodded upon hearing this, "Please follow me, Immortal Master."
She led Sheng Zhiyi deeper into the courtyard, where flowers and trees surrounded the area. Through the window, one could see koi swimming in the pond. Inside, a stream flowed, its waters gurgling softly. Several tables and chairs were placed nearby, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere.
It doesn't look like a shop; it looks more like a private reception area.
Having just figured out the business strategy of "Qingxiangju", Sheng Zhiyi didn't relax much when she saw the picturesque scenery. Instead, she secretly squeezed her storage bag again.
The shop assistant asked Sheng Zhiyi to sit down.
A little later, an older woman in elaborate attire appeared, carrying a tray herself.
On a tray made of golden nanmu wood, several pieces of ice were placed, shrouded in white mist. In a celadon dish, several small and exquisite milky-white pastries were arranged.
Sheng Zhiyi observed that its shape resembled buttercream frosting, with a soft texture. As the woman walked, the pastry trembled slightly, emitting a rich milky aroma.
The woman placed the tray on the table in front of Sheng Zhiyi and said with a smile, "Immortal Master, our 'Qingxiangju' makes and sells pastries fresh every day. We never sell pastries that have been sitting overnight. This is the ghee-fried snails we just made today. We only have this much, so we brought it all over."
Sheng Zhiyi was already prepared and asked, "Um...may I ask what the price is?"
The woman smiled slightly and said, "It's not much, just one spirit stone."
? ? ?
This is robbery!
There were four pieces of buttered snails in front of her, which cost four spirit stones, enough for her to buy a bottle of Qi-replenishing pills!
Qi-replenishing pills are essential medicines for laborers, as they can replenish true qi during cultivation.
What is buttered snail? It's just for satisfying your cravings, who would buy it!
Sheng Zhiyi stood up and spoke to the female shop owner with a serious expression:
"Make sure you install it properly, there can be no mistakes."
As Sheng Zhiyi walked down the street carrying a wooden food box, her heart was bleeding.
He glanced at the ice talisman on the food box, and his heart ached even more.
She squandered all five spirit stones in her storage bag, buying four butter snails. To prevent the delicate butter snails from melting from the heat, she also bought an exquisite food box and an ice talisman.
This is quite a grand gesture to curry favor with Ji Fuguang.
If Ji Fuguang is unhappy with his meal again, she will...
So, naturally, I ate it myself!
Sheng Zhiyi smelled the rich, sweet aroma and was really curious about what such an expensive pastry tasted like, but she couldn't bear to open the food box.
She could only tell herself not to rush, that when Ji Fuguang ate, he would definitely save one for her.
With half her mind on the buttered snails in her hand, she left the city and deliberately chose a secluded spot, intending to slowly fly back on her sword.
Just as he drew his sword, he saw several people walking towards him.
Sheng Zhiyi didn't take it seriously at first, and just waited for these people to leave. She was carrying a food box, and her sword-riding posture wouldn't look good, so she didn't want anyone to see her.
As the group drew closer, they realized they were all disciples of the Tianyan Sect.
Six people, men and women, stood in a row.
Among these people, two looked familiar; they were disciples participating in the initiation trial. The three were older and were likely more senior outer disciples. There was also one she recognized—Zhao Qi, who was also a menial laborer.
Among the outer disciples, a young man holding a long sword and wearing a blue robe turned his head to look at Zhao Qi and asked, "Is it her?"
Zhao Qi nodded: "Young Master Qin, that's right, it's her."
Sheng Zhiyi frowned, feeling uneasy. Even though she was worried that the food box would crumble into crumbs like the last time when she put it in the storage bag, she couldn't care less.
But Qin Shaoyang, who was holding a long sword, made the first move.
He looked at Sheng Zhiyi, then suddenly raised his hand and sheathed his longsword.
?
Not a fight?
Qin Shaoyang was tall and lean, with bright, piercing eyes. He looked directly at Sheng Zhiyi with interest in his gaze.
"You're Sheng Zhiyi?"
Sheng Zhiyi nodded and asked in return, "What brings you here?"
These people clearly came specifically to find her.
But she had no desire to get entangled with these people. The buttered snail in her hand was quite delicate; it wouldn't look good if it collapsed or deformed.
It cost her a full four spirit stones!
Qin Shaoyang didn't answer, but instead asked, "You came to Qiyun City just to buy some snacks?"
The food box from "Qingxiangju" had large characters engraved on it, and even though they couldn't see what was inside, they could guess that Sheng Zhiyi had just come out of there.
Is this guy here to check household registration?
Sheng Zhiyi felt slightly agitated, but still nodded and said, "I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry to return to the sect. If you have nothing else, I'll be leaving now."
With her other hand, she took out the "Surprising Feather," slowly mounted her sword, and prepared to fly back.
The men were initially taken aback by her slightly clumsy movements, then burst out laughing.
Sheng Zhiyi frowned but said nothing, stepping on the sword and slowly rising.
Suddenly, she was struck by a burst of spiritual energy, causing her to sway unsteadily in mid-air, and the food box in her hand almost fell.
Sheng Zhiyi glared down, only to see Qin Shaoyang draw his longsword again, leap up, and with a flash of sword light, thrust it down at her from above, blocking her upward momentum.
She hurriedly dodged, dropped the food box back to the ground, and stumbled.
"What exactly do you want?!"
Everyone else was laughing. Qin Shaoyang landed, raised an eyebrow, and looked arrogant with a hint of contempt.
"You think you can get a spot in the inner sect selection?"
Several outer disciples pointed at Sheng Zhiyi and mocked her:
“The ‘Junlan Pavilion’ in Qiyun City is currently selling mid-grade weapons. Disciples preparing for the inner sect selection are all choosing their weapons. She came to Qiyun City just to buy some snacks.”
"He dared to speak so arrogantly, I thought he must have some ability, but it turns out he's just an ignorant fool."
"Her sword-wielding movements are so clumsy, I'm afraid she'll fall from the sky."
They mimicked Sheng Zhiyi's words from that night, speaking in a affected tone:
"I'm determined to get a spot in this inner sect selection."
Qin Shaoyang suddenly raised his hand, and the sword light pierced towards Sheng Zhiyi.
Sheng Zhiyi dodged to the side.
This action seemed to surprise him slightly, but he still sheathed his sword, raised his chin, and said:
"Outer disciples are not as simple as you think. With your strength, it would be best if you didn't participate in this selection."
Qin Shaoyang turned around, about to leave with the others, when a cold voice suddenly came from behind him:
"You ruined my dessert."
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