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Published at 16th of September 2022 06:46:08 AM


Chapter 32

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Hearing these words however, the expression on Feng Ci’s face sank.

He raised his head and attempted to find any hint of jest on Pei QianYue’s face, but there was none. CmuPN

Pei QianYue said these words extremely seriously. The content was also extremely heavy.

Feng Ci stared at him for quite a while before withdrawing his gaze dully: “Absurd.”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

“Is it?”

The cold wind ruffled and messed up Feng Ci’s bangs. Pei QianYue raised a hand and helped him tidy up, sliding his fingertips from Feng Ci’s forehead to the back of his ears: “How is it absurd, Master?” TYdMyX

“Absurd everywhere.” The ice-cold fingers lingered behind Feng Ci’s ear without leaving. Feng Ci knew he was doing it on purpose and refused to look at him: “So in your heart, Xiao Hu’s decision to consume hundreds of years of cultivation to trap himself inside the illusion isn’t worth it; instead he should have cultivated, sought revenge, and then died together with his master and that would be counted as being worth it?”

Pei QianYue actually smiled briefly: “What’s wrong with it?”

Feng Ci: “Your choice here, how is it any different than his decision?”

The reason Feng Ci believed the little fox’s decision wasn’t worth it was because the demon(妖) clan can live a long time. He shouldn’t trap himself inside the illusion and lose himself in the past affairs. Not to mention, the illusion will break one day, sooner or later. When that time comes, he still won’t be able to fulfill his wish.

YOSTJr

Yet just look at Pei QianYue here— directly giving him an even more ridiculous answer.

Can’t ‘living for yourself’ be an option here?

“Not to mention your—” Feng Ci still wanted to say something but the other gave his earlobe a gentle squeeze.

Feng Ci: “…….” w9qDQF

Has this person become more and more impudent lately?

That hand was still fiddling with his ear. Feng Ci couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed Pei QianYue’s wrist: “Keep playing around, you really think I wouldn’t throw you off?”

Pei QianYue said without any shame: “I was wrong.”

…….He certainly acknowledged his mistake very straightforwardly. LfY2 j

Feng Ci let go of his hand.

“However……” Pei QianYue paused: “We’ve reached our destination anyways.”

As soon as Pei QianYue finished speaking, Feng Ci felt nothingness beneath his feet; his body dropped straight down abruptly. When encountering danger, people always instinctively grabbed the thing closest to them. Even though Feng Ci knew magic that allowed him to traverse through air, it was difficult to fend off the body’s most primitive instincts.

He subconsciously reached out to grab Pei QianYue, but before even touching the other, Feng Ci looked straight into a smiling face. Bl910M

The next second, his outreached hands were caught gently and he was pulled into a familiar embrace.

A low chuckle sounded next to his ear.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Feng Ci: “……”

Were you bored or something? KJXTAR

So freaking childish?

Was scaring him very funny???

Hanshan Temple was not far from Gusu City. Pei QianYue’s flying sword can reach there in a flash. Pei QianYue didn’t fly directly into the city however, but landed in a forest outside of Gusu City with Feng Ci.

Hugging Feng Ci, Pei QianYue slowly descended to the ground and whispered with a smile: “Master, don’t be afraid. We’re here.” eTzw3f

Feng Ci sneered.

He unceremoniously raised his hands and gave a push, sending Pei QianYue staggering and slamming into a tree trunk by the roadside.

The leaves rustled and fell. Not even bothering to check on him, Feng Ci turned and started walking.

“Master.” Pei QianYue hastily chased after him and reached out to tug on him: “I was wrong.” s61Z2T

Feng Ci gave a cold huff and ignored him.

Pei QianYue said: “But I think Master spoke erroneously just now.”

Feng Ci turned his head and shot him a glance.

“That fox didn’t dare to face the passing of friends and would rather trap himself in a fake illusion. In the end, this is only cowardice and weakness.” Pei QianYue said: “But it is only temporary.” EfcdY2

Feng Ci: “What do you mean?”

“Dfmjerf alwf mjc vlwlclrt fnfgsatlcu.” Ufl HljcTef rjlv mbbiis: “Ycf vjs, atja ilaaif obz lr ybecv ab gfmbnfg tlr wfwbglfr. Tfa ys atja alwf… tjagfv, qjlc, fnfc atf wfwbglfr bo yflcu abufatfg klat atbrf wbcxr, jii bo atlr klii tjnf ibcu yffc ktlaaifv jkjs ys atf qjrrjuf bo alwf. Gbfr Zjrafg ageis yfilfnf atja ys atja alwf, tf ralii kbc’a yf jyif ab kjix bea bo atja liierlbc?”

Feng Ci opened his mouth and then closed it, not knowing how to answer.

But he knew that Pei QianYue was right. Eo5VZp

Just like how back then, he once grew extremely disgusted of battling with the demonic(魔) clan, tired of being ordered around by the Heavenly Principles, and weary of death and hatred— to such an extent that he had escaped this world without hesitation. Yet looking back on it now, those things have long since become irrelevant.

Time can indeed diminish everything.

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“In other words, the little fox actually made a pretty good decision.” Feng Ci said.

The little fox was still young and couldn’t accept the pain of death and parting. Thus, he would rather not experience this. ylNq6O

Perhaps Great Master Hui Kong had also known about it. That’s why he was willing to help the little fox create that illusion.

So the souls of the Hanshan Temple monks can accompany the maturation of the little fox in another manner for a little while longer.

Until time gradually whittles away the pain. Until he can finally accept all of this one day.

“That’s why I’m different.” Pei QianYue said: “I wouldn’t give myself the opportunity to forget.” sGAmY0

Feng Ci halted in his steps.

The early morning forest was especially quiet. A faint breeze caressed the golden fallen leaves scattered by the two people’s feet.

Pei QianYue stood not very far behind Feng Ci. Feng Ci didn’t look back as he asked quietly: “You passed the last 3000 years…… like this??”

Pei QianYue: “Yes.” 4CsR6e

Feng Ci: “If I didn’t return, you’d have continued waiting and if waiting didn’t work, you’d go die?”

Pei QianYue didn’t reply.

But the answer was already self-evident.

Feng Ci lowered his head and chuckled softly: “I finally understand where your inner demon came from.” qjtYTk

3000 years. Even Feng Ci has already forgotten the scars left behind from the war between the mortals and demons back then, yet Pei QianYue didn’t forget anything.

Anticipation and hope for the future. Yearning. These can become a person’s motivation for survival. However, when this kind of anticipation lasts too long in the heart, even surpassing the wear and tear of time, unfulfilled desires can become an obstinate fixation.

Falling too deep into a fixation… gives birth to the inner demon.

Not to mention, Pei QianYue’s obsession persisted for 3000 years. L4jl3Y

Feng Ci silently exhaled and felt a bit stuffy in his chest.

What did he do to deserve this?

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However Feng Ci didn’t say anything more. He started walking again. Noticing that Pei QianYue was standing in place and not moving, he looked back: “What are you still doing there? Hurry up and follow me already?”

Pei QianYue reaped the reward and still wanted to push his luck: “Master is not angry anymore?” 4iAEXJ

Feng Ci: “Are you coming or not?”

“Coming.” Pei QianYue said leisurely: “I’ve just been wanting to remind Master that you’re going the wrong direction. It should be this way.”

He turned sideways and pointed behind him.

Feng Ci looked past his finger. Through the heavy shadows of the trees, he saw the city gates in the distance. W1PnDo

Feng Ci: “…….”

Was it very strange for Grandmaster QianQiu to have a terrible sense of direction?

It’s not like he’s been here before!

In the early morning outside of Gusu City, there were already plenty of people arriving to visit the markets. They were all currently lined up and waiting to enter the city. Someone was talking loudly with the person next to them in the local Wu dialect. A few kids were running swiftly in between the crowd of people. A baby, who had just woken up, was startled to tears inside their basket. LE3Q87

The tea shop by the roadside didn’t have a lot of customers yet, however the chimney smoke in the rear kitchen has already risen. A faint aroma of tea could be smelled in the air.

A vision of activity and excitement of life.

Feng Ci took a deep breath, finally feeling released from Hanshan Temple’s heavy circumstances. Pei QianYue wasn’t in a hurry to enter the city. First he sent a message to Xue Wei. As they waited for Xue Wei’s arrival, Pei QianYue led Feng Ci to the tea shop by the road.

As soon as they sat down, a waiter immediately came over to serve them tea. Cot4R1

Feng Ci didn’t understand: “Since he lives in the city, why not search for him by flying sword? And also landing specifically outside of Gusu City to enter on foot… this is a mortal city. It’s not like this place also has an Aerial Prohibition Array, right?”

“That it doesn’t.” Pei QianYue said: “However flying a sword into the city is rather inconvenient.

Feng Ci: “Why is it inconvenient?”

“Is this the first time this Immortal Master has left the mountains?” Without waiting for Pei QianYue to answer, that waiter interrupted first: “You may not be aware, little Immortal Master. There are too many cultivators nowadays. Throwing a rock randomly inside the city, and you can hit several people who have studied in cultivation sects.” O8eBfg

“You cultivators can fly through the skies and traverse the grounds, coming and going as you please. Once the numbers add up, the government has no way of managing anything. That’s why a few years ago, a law was established stating that cultivators need to follow the guidelines like ordinary citizens. To pass the city gates, they must go through inspections using official documents or the jade sigils of cultivation sects.”

“So it’s like that.” Feng Ci nodded and then became curious: “What would happen if they didn’t go through inspections?”

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The waiter pointed at the city gates. Feng Ci looked over. There was a square apparatus about half a person’s height placed above the center of the gates.

The waiter explained: “That thing is called a spirit energy tracking device or something. There’s one placed at each of four different city gates, creating a magic array. If a cultivator tries to enter the city without inspection, they will be detected by the authorities. Although the consequence is not very severe, at least the cultivator will get taken in for inspections and inquiries. This is at least somewhat inconvenient and time consuming, isn’t it?” 6lpj3R

Feng Ci asked: “Did WanFa Pavilion make that as well?”

“Yes, that’s what they’re called, WanFa Pavilion.” The waiter said: “What they make is really amazing. I hear that they’ve even created wooden people who can carry tea, pour water, and sweep the floors. Also there are farm cows that can automatically plow the fields and harvest grains. Ai, it’s a pity that these things are way too expensive. Commoners like us probably won’t even get a chance to see them in our lives.”

“……The tea is poured for you. If there’s anything you need, just call me.”

Feng Ci thanked him. The waiter of the tea shop turned and went back to work. 2ERkAm

This was a roadside tea shop. Naturally, the quality of the tea couldn’t be that good here. It’s only used to quench thirst. Taking a sip of the tea, Feng Ci continued to examine that spirit energy tracker on the city gates.

Feng Ci said: “Here I thought the things made by WanFa Pavilion only circulated inside the cultivation world. Who would have thought they existed in the mortal realm as well, and it seems like there are quite a bit.”

Pei QianYue filled his tea again for him and said: “The government is willing to pay. YuChi Chu naturally wouldn’t refuse.”

Feng Ci broke into a laugh: “Is he that lacking in money?” GkzSu9

Unexpectedly, Pei QianYue answered seriously: “Yes.”

Feng Ci felt curious: “I expected WanFa Pavilion to be the richest sect in the Immortal Alliance.”

QingJing Sect was also very wealthy. That’s because they made friends with the powerful aristocrats, who burned their incense. However, this path of acquiring wealth can’t compare to WanFa Pavilion. The things created by WanFa Pavilion can be sold to different influential sects. Whatever they produce, they can sell. People even wanted second-hand goods that were outdated for several generations. Their financial resources should be a steady and endless flow.

Pei QianYue said: “That is indeed true for them.” X3CL80

Feng Ci: “Then why……”

“Because they consume a lot.” Pei QianYue explained: “The power source of the enchanted machinery is spirit stones. Without spirit stones, YuChi Chu can’t make anything no matter how capable he is. His products also cannot function without them. He’s constantly researching these things. Even a tiny little mechanical bird requires the consumption of thousands of spirit stones before the creation of the final product.”

“No wonder……” Feng Ci understood: “So he does business not only with the cultivation world, but also the government officials and merchants of the mortal realm, just to obtain enough spirit stones to fund his research.”

Pei QianYue nodded his head. JVGcDe

Feng Ci was speechless: “Just how much wealth is required here……”

Spirit stones weren’t only the source of power for enchanted machinery. They’re also essential for cultivation. Refining spiritual powers, refining pills, refining medicine, refining weapons and items— There’s no part of the cultivation process that does not require spirit stones.

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Naturally produced spirit stones came from places with abundant spirit deposits. but how could there be such an inexhaustible amount of spirit deposits in this world?

This was the reason why different prestigious sects fought for spirit deposits all year round. 3w8QLW

Feng Ci took another sip of tea and said half-jokingly: “You have to persuade Pavilion Master YuChi. If he keeps fiddling like this, everyone can forget about cultivating.”

Actually, spiritual deposits weren’t nonrenewable, but their regeneration speed was very slow. In addition, they had high requirements for their environment. The place must be filled with an abundant amount of pure and natural spiritual energy, which must slowly accumulate over many years to form spiritual deposits.

With YuChi Chu’s consumption rate, the formation of spiritual deposits definitely can’t keep up.

A long term continuation of this state may even exhaust or deplete the natural spiritual energy of the area. ryWdhU

Feng Ci once visited a world depleted of spiritual energy. Not only were cultivators unable to continue cultivating, even immortals, monsters, demons, and deities found it hard to exist and vanished one by one— until at the very end, magic ceased to exist in that world.

Cultivation, magic, immortals, monsters, demons, and deities all became fantasies in stories.

However, after thinking this, Feng Ci then felt a bit like he was worrying needlessly.

He shook his head and didn’t keep talking. 48M6On

Xue Wei finally arrived as Feng Ci and Pei QianYue finished the pot of tea.

The youth looked like he had just woken up not long ago. His hair was unkempt and tied loosely behind him in a ponytail. The clothes that he wore were actually made of pretty high quality materials. The light blue cheongsam had dark embroidered patterns. However, his collar was skewed to one side and his waist belt was tied in a dead knot.

Looking very questionable.

“City Master, I’ve kept you waiting.” Xue Wei jogged over, still panting as he spoke: “I just…… just woke up. Sorry.” b10iq8

Feng Ci fell silent: “…… Don’t you know a bit of magic?”

Even if you can’t fly on a sword, can’t you use a bit of Qing Gong?

Xue Wei: “Fuck, I forgot!”

Feng Ci: “…….” pSsJFU

Is this person really reliable?

However, Feng Ci soon experienced Xue Wei’s usefulness.

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Pei QianYue and Feng Ci’s trip this time was to secretly investigate Hanshan Temple. They didn’t tell anyone else about it. Now that they’ve arrived in Gusu, Pei QianYue had no plans of revealing his identity and showing LangFeng City’s command sigil to the government officials.

The three people arrived in front of the city gates. Before they entered, a government worker greeted them: “Young master Xue, are these two your friends?” Ydj8rd

Displaying a pompous expression, Xue Wei cleared his throat: “En. Can we enter?”

“Of course of course, please.” All smiles, the government official respectfully moved aside and made way.

And they were welcomed into the city without any difficulties, just like this.

After walking a distance from the city gates, Feng Ci finally asked: “Who are you exactly?” wr2Qeb

“Xue Wei’s old dad is the wealthiest merchant in the city.” Xue Wei paused for a moment: “No wait, now he’s my old dad.”

Feng Ci: “……”

Xue Wei touched his nose awkwardly and then continued to talk like nothing had happened: “In any case, in Gusu right now, old Master Xue is most influential person next to the prefectural magistrate. Did you see that device above the city gates? My old dad spent the money to buy that.”

Perhaps because in Xue Wei’s eyes, Feng Ci was Pei QianYue’s disciple and a youth around his own age; as such, Xue Wei didn’t have too much misgivings when speaking to him and on the contrary, acted a lot more natural than when facing Pei QianYue. 1eUEV6

This youth was a very friendly and approachable person. Feng Ci only needed to speak a few words with him to open up the chatterbox.

During the journey from the city gates to the Xue estate, Xue Wei occupied Feng Ci’s attention entirely, conversing about Gusu’s local customs and conditions. He introduced everything to Feng Ci one by one, including what kind of good food and good drinks were available in the city, and not limited to the arrival of a new beauty to the Artisan Parlors, who unfortunately only made a living selling talent and skills and not their body.

The more he talked, the more unsightly Pei QianYue’s expression became.

The Xue estate was located in the most prosperous district of Gusu City. Xue Wei led them to the entrance of the Xue estate and was still introducing to Feng Ci: “Follow this road and make a right. There’s an entire street of Artisan Parlors. On the opposite side of the street is a gamble hall. However, if you’re going to play, it’s best to bring me. They love to screw new people over. Also—” Q2pe U

“Xue Wei.” Pei QianYue finally couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted.

Looking like he had his tail stepped on, Xue Wei almost jumped in fright. He hastily curbed his inappropriateness and said seriously: “My dad went out to purchase goods and won’t be returning until noon. City Master, why don’t you come rest inside the estate first. Later when my dad returns, I’ll refer you to him then?”

Pei QianYue said coldly: “Lead the way.”

Xue Wei withered completely and obediently brought them inside the estate to an elegant and private little courtyard. K72TRS

“This courtyard is quiet, with a good soundproof system. You don’t like to be served by others so I instructed the servants to avoid coming here.” As he examined Pei QianYue’s expression carefully, Xue Wei explained: “What do you think?”

Pei QianYue acknowledged him coolly.

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Xue Wei immediately turned around and tried to slip away. However he was grabbed by Feng Ci: “Then where am I staying?”

This courtyard only had one bedroom. GjC6zd

“Ah?” Xue Wei said in bewilderment: “You guys don’t live toge……”

His gaze landed on Pei QianYue’s face and with a stroke of brilliance, he decisively feigned an awkward expression: “This is the only inhabitable courtyard left in my house. There’s really nothing that can be done. Lu-xiong, you’ll just have to make do!”

Feng Ci: “……”




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