Upon encountering the term, Yu Ci's first instinct was caution. The Mysterious Cave True Incense was of boundless utility and closely linked to matters of Revering Gods and Worshipping Ghosts. Given his identity as an Elder Spirit Witch and his purpose in contacting Yin Cave City, was there any need to state the significance of acquiring such an item?
Had the object been in his possession, he would have undoubtedly found a way to politely decline. But for now, it remained in the hands of another.
Observing Jin Changhua, who had been quite assertive before the elder's appearance, he now seemed somewhat deflated. As soon as the elder spoke, Jin Changhua bowed with hands clasped: “If Master Zhang is in need, how could there be any reason to refuse?”
The elder nodded at him: “I remember, you are from Thousand Banner City. To call me 'teacher' is an honor I dare not accept. Do not be fooled by appearances; although you look older, in reality, you have more years on me…”
It appeared absurd, but such was the disparity between the Golden Elixir and the Nature-Connecting Realm. Jin Changhua, having roamed Thousand Banner City for over a century, was well over two hundred years old, while the elder, with a lower realm, had lived to a venerable one hundred and fifty. Of course, in the Cultivation World, who truly ranked by the principle of respecting the old and cherishing the young?
Jin Changhua repeated, “The accomplished one is the teacher,” his apprehension unmistakable.
The elder gave a wry smile, no longer standing on ceremony. He shuffled forward, his trembling, withered fingers drawing out a stick of incense, which he then concealed in his sleeve. He nodded to those within the room: “To undertake a task for someone is to be loyal to them. I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave.”
With that, he slowly turned to depart, with Steward Wen cautiously attending at his side.
Just as he was about to step out, the elder turned back, his gaze murky, unclear whom he was addressing: “To take advantage, I'll add one more thing. Misfortune has no gate; it is drawn by one's own actions. Countless Karmic Wraiths lie in wait between heaven and earth, ready to strike. An agreement made willingly should not be twisted into enmity, needlessly disturbing the hearts of others.”
Yu Ci and the Two Jin did not exchange glances, both bowing their heads in acknowledgment.
Once the elder had left, the previously tense atmosphere turned somewhat awkward. Jin Changhua was preoccupied with his thoughts, and Yu Ci was no different. When Steward Wen returned, he found both of them somewhat distracted. Inwardly admiring Master Zhang's divine power, he began to play the peacemaker, finally assuming a bit of the mediator's role.
A quarter of an hour later, after each side had made concessions, a significant discount was agreed upon, and the transaction was settled for 12,000 Dragon Palace Shells. This price was much higher than its true value, but when compared to the initial ludicrous asking price, it seemed reasonable—a compromise that could be considered a win-win situation.
Having concluded their business, neither party lingered, politely declining Steward Wen's invitation to stay for a meal, and they hurriedly took their leave.
Yu Ci frowned throughout the journey, with Wan Quan closely following behind. Seeing his dispirited mood, Wan Quan assumed it was due to the financial loss and tried to lighten the atmosphere with some small talk. "Senior, your skill in discerning the Mysterious Cave True Incense... well, how to put it, who knew one could differentiate so many subtleties within a single type of incense?"
"Striving for perfection," Yu Ci replied tersely, though he felt somewhat guilty as he said it. His haggling skills today were improvised on the spot, drawn from a tome he had acquired from the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit.
The Nameless Tome seemed intentionally cryptic, with a vast amount of information sealed within an exquisite Mirage Jade Scroll. Starting from the veneration of deities, it gradually expanded to exhaustively detail the properties, origins, processing, and even the application methods of over a hundred thousand types of incense in the Cultivation World. The specifics were comprehensive, covering every aspect; it was essentially an extensive monograph on incense. In comparison, the information Yu Ci had gleaned from the "Shangqing Star Secret Talisman Book" was embarrassingly rudimentary. This was perhaps the difference between "Selected Works" and a specialized treatise.
Yu Ci also discovered that the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit's expertise in the art of Bewitching Fragrance must have been derived from this very tome. Under an entry titled "True Essence Corroding Incense," he found a cultivation method that described how to refine one's Primordial Qi into a smoke-like essence, culminating in the creation of the 'Nine Orifices Enigma God Pill'—a complete process that was clearly a Heterodox Alchemy Formula, and one that corresponded to reality.
This Elixir Formula was of no use to Yu Ci, but some of the highly practical tips within were worth exploring. Perusing them in his free time as a form of leisure was also beneficial.
Regrettably, Yu Ci was destined not to have such leisure in the short term.
While speaking, Wan Quan was suddenly reminded of a few matters: "The 'Lunar Banner' that Senior had Sister Lu refine is ready. Senior can collect it at any time..."
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Yu Ci gave a noncommittal grunt, his thoughts turning to the increasingly tight purse strings, and he inquired, "What's the cost?"
Wan Quan was taken aback. As a middleman, he was acutely aware of his clients' financial situations and almost couldn't help but laugh. Clearing his throat, he said, "Sister Lu would know the exact price. However, since Senior provided his own materials and design, the cost should be minimal."
He dared not offer to waive the fee outright, as that might backfire and wound Yu Ci's pride. Yet, there was something unavoidable: "Also, a spot has opened up in the Hundred-Turn Wind Tunnel. I have registered for it on Senior’s behalf, as instructed. The verification will take place in the next few days."
After a moment's hesitation, thinking it better to face the pain sooner rather than later, Wan Quan braced himself and said, "As for the cost..."
Yu Ci slapped his forehead with a curse.
Wan Quan shrank back, witnessing for the first time since their meeting this inscrutable Senior's lapse in composure.
Regretting that he had not chosen a better moment to speak, Wan Quan was suddenly struck by a sense of incongruity. He turned his head in astonishment to find his patron laughing heartily in the street, his bearded face, usually concealed, now radiating a youthful vigor.
Yu Ci was indeed in high spirits, certainly better than before. His outburst might have shattered the image of inscrutability he had cultivated in Wan Quan's mind, but he felt an unusual sense of relief.
Ever since arriving in Yin Cave City, he had been putting on airs, adopting an attitude of superiority unconsciously. Perhaps it was the sense of privilege from being from the Lichen Sect, looking down on a group of Lone Cultivators?
Reality had given him a jolt. Now, setting aside other troubles, just the sight of his dwindling resources was enough to know that, although this was the North Wilderness, a paradise for the fallen, it was not a place where one could easily get by. There were still headaches, still numerous dangers. The difficulties he faced here were no different in essence from those he had encountered in Sky Rift Valley, Cliff City, the Sword Garden, or at the Lichen Sect's Mountain Gate.
In life, the greatest fear is misplacement. When positioned above, one often harbors a desire to control, to cover all bases, which in turn demands formidable strength to withstand backlash from all quarters, lest one makes a fool of oneself. Yet, simply by changing one's perspective, by looking up from below, one can suddenly shed many burdens. No matter how difficult the stewardship, one only needs to focus on the immediate, to counter each move as it comes. And if all else fails, a bit of sabotage isn't out of the question...
"Not striving for betterment!" Shadow Ghost seized the opportunity for sarcasm.
Yu Ci , however, paid him no mind. Whether the mindset was right or wrong, he felt a newfound solidity underfoot. For a time, he had been too distant from the North Wilderness. Now, attempting to integrate might just be a wise choice.
He patted Wan Quan's shoulder. "You've seen my situation. My pockets are empty, and future expenses are likely to flow like water. If you come across any lucrative deals, don't forget to give me a heads-up!"
Wan Quan nodded like a bewildered bird, utterly confused.
※※※
Adopting a positive attitude is certainly beneficial, but the challenges Yu Ci currently faced weren't going to be resolved by attitude alone. If mishandled, he might just integrate into the North Wilderness in the most awkward way possible—rotting in the soil, becoming fertilizer!
Yu Ci didn't return to the Hundred-Turns Pavilion. Instead, he parted ways with Wan Quan under the pretense of a leisurely stroll, weaving through the bustling city crowds before seizing an opportunity to use the Materializing and Dematerializing Flying Talisman to slip underground.
He had already opened the Divine Chart. In fact, he had been using the Treasure Mirror to lock onto his target—the aged, decrepit Spiritual Witch. According to Shadow Ghost , spying on the Spiritual Witch's practices was risky, but in a critical moment, Yu Ci was willing to take the chance.
In a specially constructed Meditation Room, the old man's Magic Arts had concluded. Perhaps the spellcasting had drained much of his vitality, for his already frail and hunched figure seemed almost buried beneath his sweeping black robe. Yet his instructions were crystal clear:
"Try the northwest direction."
On the desk, an incense stick had been fully catalyzed, turning into a wisp of deep cyan smoke that spiraled in the void, revealing messages only the old man could decipher: "The Karmic Wraiths are highly active between heaven and earth. The affair of the Mastermind of Slaughterous Conspiracy is closely linked to the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit. The specifics will only become clear at the scene..."
Beside him, Boss Fifth He nodded slowly, "We mustn't delay, let's set off now."
"It's you who should go, Fifth Master. I'll stay behind."
The old man, with a mouth missing several teeth, cracked a smile and said, "The place is rife with the scorching energy of fire, and the environment is harsh. In my current state, if I were to go, I'm afraid I might not return."
"Is that so?"
A glint of deep emerald light flickered in Boss Fifth He's eyes as he mused, "This place you speak of, it does ring a bell..."
In the distance, Yu Ci ground his teeth: The old codger was indeed formidable, having pinpointed the exact location.
Yu Ci knew that the region the Spiritual Witch Elder spoke of was an abandoned mine, a relic of the past where Magnetite Ore had been extracted. Due to overmining and mismanagement, they had breached an Earth's Core Fire Eye, causing chaos in the Earth Veins. Magma surged upward, transforming the area into a desolate land, seldom visited by humans.
What was more crucial was that this was the very place where he had disposed of the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit's corpse!
Yu Ci had chosen that fiery pit to throw the body of the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit into, and by now, there should be nothing left but ashes.
This ruthless yet effective method ensured that as long as the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit vanished from the world, people would only assume he remained hidden, never suspecting that the pivotal "Mysterious Nimbus Guide" had changed hands. Even the Zhao surname figure behind the third and the seventh would only think that it was the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit who killed his comrade, without suspecting anyone else.
Yu Ci prided himself on tying up loose ends neatly, but the Spiritual Witch, who seemed on the brink of death at any moment, didn't play by the rules. He had somehow used something called "Karmic Wraith" to sense and pinpoint the location.
This was a bit troublesome.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e