Jian Chou put on an interested expression, looked at Qian Que, then stepped forward and asked: “I’ve heard Black Wind Cave has been quite lively recently. I was thinking of joining the excitement. I wonder…”
“Oh my, that’s wonderful!”
Just casually soliciting business and having a fat sheep deliver itself to his door – Qian Que was so excited his face glowed red. It seemed his streak of bad luck since leaving the Killing Red Small Realm had finally been washed clean, and profitable days had arrived at last!
So she was originally a fool planning to visit Black Wind Cave for the excitement – this couldn’t be better.
Qian Que hurriedly clutched his golden abacus and moved closer: “In recent years, cultivators have claimed to find things in Black Wind Cave, but mostly at the cave entrance. Few can charge into the cave interior single-handedly. That black wind, when it blows, truly cuts like knives. The deeper you go, the more terrifying it becomes. I heard someone went in and came out with no flesh left – just a bare skeleton standing there. Terrifying.”
“That severe?”
Jian Chou wore a surprised expression.
Little Marten crouched on Jian Chou’s shoulder. Hearing this, it nearly tumbled down.
It quickly cupped the jade bowl with its paws, covering its face, sensing its master was up to no good and must hold back – mustn’t ruin things!
Thus, Qian Que only saw this “fat sheep second-generation disciple’s” shoulder, where the little marten seemed unsteady and nearly fell.
For a moment, he couldn’t help sighing – truly a second-generation disciple, even keeping a pet without choosing a capable one.
Of course, he couldn’t say this aloud.
Qian Que only calculated in his heart when to catch some small beasts, guaranteed to swindle spirit stones from this second-generation disciple in no time.
He simply shook his abacus, glanced at the distance with an air of complete familiarity with the area, and sighed: “Black Wind Cave is a place that devours people without spitting out bones, which is why we need to form a five-person group. If we can establish a Hundred Defense Array, we can at least enter Black Wind Cave a hundred feet – who knows what fortunes we might encounter?”
“A hundred feet?” Jian Chou knew little about Black Wind Cave and was just learning information from Qian Que, so she asked: “How many feet deep is Black Wind Cave altogether?”
“…”
Qian Que slowly shifted his gaze back to Jian Chou’s face.
For some reason, hearing this question, Qian Que felt very tired.
“No one knows how deep Black Wind Cave truly is, how many feet deep. Fellow Daoist, it’s only rumored that someone once entered five hundred feet into Black Wind Cave. There must be more beyond, but we don’t know. Qian advises fellow daoist – Black Wind Cave is truly dangerous, best not to explore too deeply.”
Oh.
That made sense.
Jian Chou nodded, though the contemplative look in her eyes didn’t diminish.
At a hundred feet, one could collect Wind-Swallowing Stones – who was the person who entered five hundred feet?
Seeing Jian Chou had stopped questioning, Qian Que quickly revealed a kindly smile: “If the fairy maiden wishes to experience Black Wind Cave, joining Qian’s group would be ideal. Once we gather three more people, we can set off together. What does the fairy maiden think?”
Second-generation disciples generally weren’t short of money, so Qian Que avoided mentioning spirit stones, only emphasizing safety with him.
After speaking, he looked at Jian Chou expectantly.
Jian Chou pretended to consider, then suddenly looked up and asked: “Ten spirit stones?”
“…”
Hah?
Qian Que’s eyes widened – he could hardly believe his ears.
Jian Chou was laughing inside but maintained a serious expression without revealing anything, even putting on a confused look as she gazed at Qian Que: “Fellow daoist?”
“Ah.”
Qian Que finally snapped back to reality, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Forcibly suppressing the feeling of heartache, he managed a smile: “Ten spirit stones, yes, yes, absolutely honest with young and old!”
“Good, I’ll join.”
Hearing this, Jian Chou smiled with narrowed eyes and stood beside Qian Que.
In that instant, Qian Que, clutching his golden abacus, sporting those two small mustaches, suddenly had a dreamy, illusory light flicker in his eyes.
It felt like dreaming…
This “fairy maiden” standing beside him, just her outfit alone would cost at least a hundred spirit stones, not to mention how exquisite the craftsmanship was, and it was even a good-looking but useless garment without special protective functions.
Absolutely a second-generation disciple among second-generation disciples, yet unexpectedly…
She cared so much about the ten spirit stones!
Qian Que immediately felt an urge to gouge out his own eyes: These days, even second-generation disciples are so stingy – how is one supposed to do business?
Little Marten held the jade bowl covering its face, but its tiny body kept trembling as if forcibly suppressing laughter.
Jian Chou stood beside Qian Que like this, seeing that indescribable expression on his face. Amusement couldn’t help flickering through her eyes. She coughed once, reminding him: “Fellow daoist, shouldn’t we still find other people?”
“Right, right, right.”
Qian Que snapped back to reality, thinking ten spirit stones was nothing – he’d earn it back shortly. If he could find several people to go together, there’d be plenty of money to make.
Light flashed in his eyes again as he raised his voice, shaking his golden abacus and shouting: “Going to Black Wind Cave, going to Black Wind Cave! Five people and we depart! Three more fellow daoists needed, working together to explore Black Wind Cave, offering a ten spirit stone reward…”
Whether due to already having one person in the group or not, this time, Qian Que’s hawking was extremely effective.
Soon, a man and woman approached – both cultivators who seemed quite intimate. The male cultivator was gentle and refined, the female cultivator delicate and pretty, though she seemed to have an old knife scar on her neck.
Both directly expressed their desire to join without any hesitation.
With Jian Chou and these two standing beside Qian Que, they were only short of one person.
Qian Que couldn’t help getting excited, thinking they’d soon reach Black Wind Cave. Full of energy, he hawked even more vigorously: “Black Wind Cave, just one person short! Hey, this fellow Daoist, going to Black Wind Cave?”
At this moment, passing before the old willow tree was a white-robed male cultivator who appeared distinguished and walked with steady steps.
At a glance, Jian Chou immediately judged this person’s cultivation to exceed her own – Golden Core stage.
Hearing the voice, the male cultivator stopped and turned back. Under the old willow tree stood four people, the highest cultivation among them being merely late Foundation Establishment.
“Black Wind Cave?”
A low, rich voice emerged, the ending slightly raised as if quite interested.
Seeing this male cultivator, Qian Que immediately sighed: Good heavens, when did Flying Heaven Town start having such important figures?
This male cultivator had starry eyes and bright features, naturally possessing a masculine, steady aura. His voice was deep with plenty of vigor, clearly indicating high cultivation.
Most importantly, his right eyebrow showed some gray-white, with the left and right eyebrows being different colors.
Looking again at his collar, a tooth-shaped emblem bore a pure black ink mark at the top!
If this wasn’t a Northern Domain Yang Sect cultivator, who else could it be?
What Qian Que could see, Jian Chou naturally could too.
This emblem declared this person’s identity.
Shijiu Zhou’s lands were divided by direction into South, North, Central, and Extreme domains. The Central Domain had the most sects, generally smaller in scale, but constantly producing famous people and geniuses, always a place where stars gathered. Even if small in scale, none dared underestimate it.
But the Northern Domain was different. The entire Northern Domain had only four great sects, each immensely large: Western Sea Chan Sect, Yin-Yang Twin Sects, and Snowy Region Esoteric Sect.
Among them, the Northern Domain’s Yin-Yang Twin Sects had completely different cultivation methods. Having long-standing grievances, they constantly fought, while the Western Sea Chan Sect and Snowy Region Esoteric Sect, separated by the Yin-Yang Twin Sects, remained at peace due to their great distance.
The Central Domain’s Left Three Thousand formed their system, with the renowned Kunwu and Yashan, whom all of Shijiu Zhou looked up to.
Northern Domain cultivators rarely set foot in the Central Domain.
Now, a Northern Domain Yang Sect cultivator had openly arrived…
At this moment, Jian Chou thought of the Ghost Axe’s origins and couldn’t help examining the other party more carefully.
Powerful yet restrained aura carried a kind of bright righteousness, neither burning nor scorching, making people feel transparent and bright.
But the more she observed, the more she noticed those differently colored eyebrows were truly conspicuous – left black, right white, presumably representing the left yin, right yang saying, being the most obvious feature of Yang Sect cultivators.
Having determined the other party’s identity, Qian Que’s eyes rolled as he immediately displayed his merchant nature, smiling: “You seem to be a Northern Domain Yang Sect cultivator? Long admired, long admired.”
“I heard that in two years, the Central Domain will hold the Three Thousand Small Assembly grand event. I came here in admiration, planning to first tour the Central Domain’s sects before going to Kunwu to observe the grand occasion.”
Since Northern Domain cultivators might face certain hostility in the Central Domain, this Yang Sect cultivator quite simply introduced his situation.
Everyone understood upon hearing – he came for the Central Domain’s Left Three Thousand Small Assembly.
“This Small Assembly truly can’t be missed. Our Central Domain’s Upper Five Dragon Gate’s Zhou Chengjiang, Kunwu’s Early Wisdom Fairy Gu Qingmei, and the recently much-discussed Xie Buchen, who’s almost suspected of being Heaven’s chosen son, even Yashan’s senior sister Jian Chou who bears the Heavenly Disc… who will solo ascend the One Person Platform? Just thinking about it makes one’s heart surge!”
Qian Que’s voice was full of longing.
Then, without warning, he turned: “So, fellow daoist, going to Black Wind Cave together or not?”
In that instant, everyone who had been drawn into reverie by his words couldn’t help their mouths twitching.
Even the Yang Sect cultivator who had just approached was stunned momentarily.
Then he laughed, cupping his hands: “I’m willing to travel with fellow daoists.”
Finally successful!
This one was at least a Golden Core cultivator!
Qian Que almost wanted to jump up and dance – truly, his luck had changed, his luck had changed!
He quickly cupped his hands in return: “Welcome, fellow daoist, welcome fellow daoist! We’ve gathered five people now. Oh, right, we still don’t know how fellow daoists are addressed.”
Slapping his forehead, Qian Que remembered something important and quickly looked back.
First was Jian Chou.
She hesitated briefly, then spoke directly: “No surname – just call me Wu Chou.”
“So it’s Fairy Wu Chou, long admired, long admired.”
“Long admired” was merely polite talk. Qian Que casually flattered once, his eyes rolling as he looked at the man and woman who came afterward.
The male cultivator cupped his hands: “I’m Qin Lang, and this is my dao companion Zhou Qingyun.”
“Greetings to all fellow daoists.”
Zhou Qingyun smiled slightly, also cupping her hands in greeting.
Qian Que nodded, also exchanging courtesies, finally looking at the Northern Domain Yang Sect male cultivator.
“May I ask your name…”
This Northern Domain cultivator raised his hand, lifting his wide sleeves, smiling slightly: “Northern Domain Yang Sect, surname Pei, name Qian.”
“…”
Qian Que slowly raised his gaze, fingers gripping his golden abacus, saying stiffly: “Sorry, the wind was too strong and I didn’t hear clearly. What is your esteemed name?”