It was springtime now. Dang, the days really flew by when you were an immortal. Who knew?

I started collecting red lotuses that I found hidden in one of the maze-like paths of my glittering cave. I put them in a little immortal pond I conjured right outside of my cave, making a nice little scenic landscape. Plus, I filled it with sparkling spiritual water, so I could take a cleansing bath whenever I wanted!

I was transferring some more sparkling red lotuses to the pond when a heavily breathing, scrawny old man — why was it always some old man, seriously?—ran up to me and fell at my feet.

"O Powerful and Awesome Beautiful Immortal Xia! My master has heard many great things about you. He is the richest merchant in Guāng cè, and he sent me with these offerings in the hopes that you would come and help him!"

The old man turned the heavy sack he was carrying upside-down and dumped a bunch of shiny gold, jewels, and jade figures at my feet.

I wasn't really sure how to feel about that.

On the one hand, I didn't super have any use for gold, jade, or jewels. It's not like I was gonna melt them down into earrings and wear them or something. That was just impractical.

But on the other hand...didn't people bring this kind of stuff to temples as offerings to the gods?

Heh. Dang. So I was on that level now, huh? I should change my title to Goddess Xia Yue, heheh.

"All right, mortal. How far is this city of Guāng cè?"

The old man gasped, still recovering from his hike. "It is — a three-day journey away, your Immortal Greatness. I have run—the whole—way — "

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"All right, screw it. Hop on. I'm not walking that far."

Before the old man could say anything, I pulled Destiny Blade out of the air, yanked him onto it behind me, and took off.

My style was definitely not walking.

This immortal was too refined for that stuff, humph.

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When we reached the city, I was nearly blinded by the light.

I guess it really fit its namesake — Guāng cè does mean The Glittering Metropolis, after all. This metropolis was so freaking glittery that it rivaled the Glittering Mountains. Geez. Who needed this much gold?

The roofs of houses as we sped over them were literally inlaid with all kinds of jewels. That was kind of stupid, wasn't it? Were there no thieves here or something? If I were a thief, I could SO make a fortune by roof-hopping and just pulling jewels off the tiles.

The streets were literally paved with — I did a double-take and slowed Destiny Blade down, making that old man fall off. Don't worry, I caught him.

"Are the streets here paved with freaking gold?"

"Y-yes, Powerful Immortal Xia — every street in Guāng cè is paved with golden stones. It is the wealthiest city in this region...Immortal Xia, would you please pull this lowly mortal back o-onto your unparalleled s-sword?"

"Oh. Yeah, sorry." I yanked him back onto the end of my sword. "So where's the house of this great master of yours?"

"O-Over there, High Immortal Xia. It is the tallest building i-in Guāng cè..."

My beautiful, immortal eyebrows raised, actually impressed.

Dang. This merchant guy had to be not just the richest guy in Guāng cè, but the richest guy ever.

The tallest building in Guāng cè was impossible to miss. It was straight ahead, built with more stories than any other. And...

It was built entirely of blinding gold.

"Geez...where do you even get that much gold? And what's the use of that? Just to show off? What if a thief comes and takes a chunk out of your house? That guy's practically asking for it!"

"Th-there is extremely high security in Guāng cè, Unparalleled Immortal Xia...no one dares to steal, or they will be thrown into the river with a sack of stones and drowned..."

"That's stupid. This city is a crime waiting to happen. Anyone who steals here is basically just a tourist taking a souvenir! Would you drown a tourist? Seriously! I don't understand people at all!"