The system had been silent for weeks. Perhaps whatever changes it was making to the shop had kept it busy. It was a fine day over in Temple Gorge and the docks were busier than ever.
The Combine had bankrolled the construction of several new docks and there was still a queue of ships waiting for space to unload.
Xiulan was walking amongst the crowd occasionally stopping to greet grateful Combine members. She had just stopped to take a plum from an old woman who wanted to thank her when the system was roused from its lethargy and trilled out, “Congratulations to the host for earning 10 million gold coins your reward has been awarded.”
A huge lump payment must have been made. Either the first profits from the Silver Waters sect or the monthly payment from the Zhao Clan. Xiulan felt the weight of all the gold on her person shed. The system had swallowed everything. Several vaults in the palace must be cleared of coins as well.
The system trilled again, “Congratulations to the host you have unlocked the Goddess of Wealth aura. This aura ties into your cultivation method. For every unit of currency you earn, be it gold or spirit stone, not only will your own cultivation increase but so too will the density of qi you release into the world. Your prosperity will affect the very air around you.”
Xiulan felt the subtle shift the aura produced in the world around her. It was weak now as the only money she was currently earning was the small trades the Combine made every minute. Still qi started to noticeable exude from her and disperse in the atmosphere.
Before Xiulan could process the implications of that the system sounded out again, “the shop is now open! For special daily offers check out the shop interface daily. Prices are now given in spirit stones. The currency of the discerning customer. “
The shop window opened automatically and along with the normal custom and listed items, a box with three windows showed:
Earth Grade Cultivation Method: Waking Nightmare – 3 spirit stones.
Mountain stream painting to improve dao comprehension – 10 spirit stones.
White Wolf Whistle – 1 spirit stone.
Xiulan was amused at the last option. It seemed to be a whistle that drove wolves into a frantic panic. The only problem was that Xiulan had no idea what a spirit stone was. It was not something that was used as currency in the Blue Crane Kingdom. Evidently the system had decided that it had had its fill of mundane gold coins.
Yen Wen had been walking with Xiulan and had noticed her sudden change. “What is going on? You seem… more vibrant or something.” She said struggling to put Xiulan’s change into words.
Xiulan snapped out of speculation and started to walk back towards the palace plucking the almost forgotten plum out of the confused old woman’s hand.
She moved her mouth close to Yen Wen’s ear and whispered, “there has been a change in my… special advantage. Any idea what a spirit stone is?”
Yen Wen shook her head and replied, “I have never heard of one then again Rock Creek and the mountain village I grew up in are not exactly worldly places.”
Xiulan said, “we will have to ask Lijuan. Maybe a princess has heard of them before. Also, if this change works the way I think it does then we might be heading back to the mountains soon.”
___
In the Capital a scene of debauchery was taking place. In the inner sanctum of the Grateful Pleasure Sect, an orgy was playing out between hundreds of men and woman.
Qi Shen was kneeling before a handsome man who seemed to be content just watching the proceedings without partaking himself. The man’s eyes were cold and emotionless. There was not even a glimmer of lust in his dark irises.
Qi Shen said humbly, “my prince I know you have no reason to trust me, but I swear it is the truth. The Princess has taken up with a successful merchant from the interior. They might even be planning a marriage without the king’s permission.”
The Crown Prince laughed a cold mirthless laugh and replied, “I believe you Qi Shen. My sister is too simple a person to manipulate you into feeling the kind of hurt and betrayal I can read in your eyes. Who is this man? He must have some capability if he turned my sister’s proud head.”
Qi Shen gritted his teeth and growled, “it is not a man but a woman. She is named Long Xiulan and she has a harem of whores whose names I did not catch. One is called Zheng Ling she is the doctor responsible for that new QI gathering pill. That is the only real renown that the group has to their name.”
A surprised gasped sounded out from the press of naked bodies and a man nearby pulled out of a woman and came to stand next to the Prince. “Zheng Ling?” he asked.
The Prince turned to face the new comer and said, “you know her?”
The man nodded. “She is an ungrateful bitch whose cultivation I sealed years ago. I thought she might have killed herself from the shame she brought her family.”
The Prince waved his hand in dismissal, “regardless this is good news. All I need to do now to cement my position in the Capital and with the other coastal cultivation sects. Spread the news that the Princess has removed herself from contention. She will lose all her support on the coast and by the time she returns from the barren interior all of her influence to challenge my succession will be gone.”
The naked man opened his mouth to ask a question but the Prince pre-empted him, “yes you can go and destroy, marry or fuck this doctor Zheng woman from your past. Do whatever you want to do to her. Just do not force the princess to come back early from her sabbatical.”
He held hand up to forestall Qi Shen as well, “and yes after my ascension to the throne I will give my sister to you as a reward for the information. As long as from now on you become my creature.
Qi Shen pressed his head to the floor in supplication.
SmithJuly Thank you for reading. If you are enjoying the story please rate and review. It helps the book attract notice.
The system had been silent for weeks. Perhaps whatever changes it was making to the shop had kept it busy. It was a fine day over in Temple Gorge and the docks were busier than ever.
The Combine had bankrolled the construction of several new docks and there was still a queue of ships waiting for space to unload.
Xiulan was walking amongst the crowd occasionally stopping to greet grateful Combine members. She had just stopped to take a plum from an old woman who wanted to thank her when the system was roused from its lethargy and trilled out, “Congratulations to the host for earning 10 million gold coins your reward has been awarded.”
A huge lump payment must have been made. Either the first profits from the Silver Waters sect or the monthly payment from the Zhao Clan. Xiulan felt the weight of all the gold on her person shed. The system had swallowed everything. Several vaults in the palace must be cleared of coins as well.
The system trilled again, “Congratulations to the host you have unlocked the Goddess of Wealth aura. This aura ties into your cultivation method. For every unit of currency you earn, be it gold or spirit stone, not only will your own cultivation increase but so too will the density of qi you release into the world. Your prosperity will affect the very air around you.”
Xiulan felt the subtle shift the aura produced in the world around her. It was weak now as the only money she was currently earning was the small trades the Combine made every minute. Still qi started to noticeable exude from her and disperse in the atmosphere.
Before Xiulan could process the implications of that the system sounded out again, “the shop is now open! For special daily offers check out the shop interface daily. Prices are now given in spirit stones. The currency of the discerning customer. “
The shop window opened automatically and along with the normal custom and listed items, a box with three windows showed:
Earth Grade Cultivation Method: Waking Nightmare – 3 spirit stones.
Mountain stream painting to improve dao comprehension – 10 spirit stones.
White Wolf Whistle – 1 spirit stone.
Xiulan was amused at the last option. It seemed to be a whistle that drove wolves into a frantic panic. The only problem was that Xiulan had no idea what a spirit stone was. It was not something that was used as currency in the Blue Crane Kingdom. Evidently the system had decided that it had had its fill of mundane gold coins.
Yen Wen had been walking with Xiulan and had noticed her sudden change. “What is going on? You seem… more vibrant or something.” She said struggling to put Xiulan’s change into words.
Xiulan snapped out of speculation and started to walk back towards the palace plucking the almost forgotten plum out of the confused old woman’s hand.
She moved her mouth close to Yen Wen’s ear and whispered, “there has been a change in my… special advantage. Any idea what a spirit stone is?”
Yen Wen shook her head and replied, “I have never heard of one then again Rock Creek and the mountain village I grew up in are not exactly worldly places.”
Xiulan said, “we will have to ask Lijuan. Maybe a princess has heard of them before. Also, if this change works the way I think it does then we might be heading back to the mountains soon.”
___
In the Capital a scene of debauchery was taking place. In the inner sanctum of the Grateful Pleasure Sect, an orgy was playing out between hundreds of men and woman.
Qi Shen was kneeling before a handsome man who seemed to be content just watching the proceedings without partaking himself. The man’s eyes were cold and emotionless. There was not even a glimmer of lust in his dark irises.
Qi Shen said humbly, “my prince I know you have no reason to trust me, but I swear it is the truth. The Princess has taken up with a successful merchant from the interior. They might even be planning a marriage without the king’s permission.”
The Crown Prince laughed a cold mirthless laugh and replied, “I believe you Qi Shen. My sister is too simple a person to manipulate you into feeling the kind of hurt and betrayal I can read in your eyes. Who is this man? He must have some capability if he turned my sister’s proud head.”
Qi Shen gritted his teeth and growled, “it is not a man but a woman. She is named Long Xiulan and she has a harem of whores whose names I did not catch. One is called Zheng Ling she is the doctor responsible for that new QI gathering pill. That is the only real renown that the group has to their name.”
A surprised gasped sounded out from the press of naked bodies and a man nearby pulled out of a woman and came to stand next to the Prince. “Zheng Ling?” he asked.
The Prince turned to face the new comer and said, “you know her?”
The man nodded. “She is an ungrateful bitch whose cultivation I sealed years ago. I thought she might have killed herself from the shame she brought her family.”
The Prince waved his hand in dismissal, “regardless this is good news. All I need to do now to cement my position in the Capital and with the other coastal cultivation sects. Spread the news that the Princess has removed herself from contention. She will lose all her support on the coast and by the time she returns from the barren interior all of her influence to challenge my succession will be gone.”
The naked man opened his mouth to ask a question but the Prince pre-empted him, “yes you can go and destroy, marry or fuck this doctor Zheng woman from your past. Do whatever you want to do to her. Just do not force the princess to come back early from her sabbatical.”
He held hand up to forestall Qi Shen as well, “and yes after my ascension to the throne I will give my sister to you as a reward for the information. As long as from now on you become my creature.
Qi Shen pressed his head to the floor in supplication.
SmithJuly Thank you for reading. If you are enjoying the story please rate and review. It helps the book attract notice.
