“The snow came really early this year.” The shopkeeper of Yuxiao Sect’s store in Yong City walked into the shop with his hands tucked in his sleeves. Seeing that the shop assistants had already started cleaning, he nodded and said, “The weather has been cold these past few days. You’ve all worked hard.”
Most of the shop assistants were locals from Yong City. Although this steward was merely an outer disciple of Yuxiao Sect, in the eyes of these assistants, any cultivator who could enter a major sect was extremely remarkable. With just a few polite words from the steward, these assistants became full of energy, hoping to earn more bonus money by year’s end.
The shopkeeper took the hot tea brewed by an assistant and was just about to take a few sips when he saw a man and woman approaching from outside. The man wore a white robe inlaid with red and silver brocade edges, while the woman looked quite young, wearing a fur-trimmed jacket and skirt with her hair styled in a simple hanging bun. Before even entering the store, a smile had already appeared on her face.
“Please come in, honored guests.” The shopkeeper saw the man’s clothing and knew this was a direct disciple of Yunhua Sect bringing a junior sister or younger relative to buy things. His cultivation level was low, so he couldn’t discern this direct disciple’s cultivation, but this little girl who appeared to be only about ten years old had shallow cultivation.
“Shopkeeper, can the spirit stone exchange vouchers from last New Year’s Eve still be exchanged now?” the little girl asked.
“Of course they can.” The shopkeeper smiled warmly. “As long as you come before this year’s New Year’s Eve, they’re all valid. Please hand the exchange vouchers to me, and I’ll exchange them for you right away.”
The shopkeeper didn’t show any displeasure just because they were only here to exchange spirit stones. First, because Yong City was under the jurisdiction of Yunhua Sect, and although Yunhua Sect conducted itself harmoniously, the sect was very united from top to bottom. Even a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone Yunhua Sect, one of the ten great sects of Lingyou Realm. Second, harmony brings wealth. He was assigned by the sect to be shopkeeper in Yong City—he didn’t need to be perfect in everything, but at least he couldn’t cause any trouble. Besides, the spirit stones exchanged by customers were provided by the sect anyway. Give what should be given, and everyone’s happy.
Even though the shopkeeper believed in conducting business harmoniously, after receiving a pile of exchange vouchers, his smile still became somewhat stiff. Could it be that all the disciples of Yunhua Sect went out on the streets to catch lucky pouches last New Year’s Eve? How could there be an exchange amount of over five hundred spirit stones?
“Please wait a moment, honored guest.” The shopkeeper took out a box of spirit stones containing five hundred stones, then retrieved several dozen more from another box before presenting them to the little girl.
“There’s also this.” After storing all the spirit stones in her storage pouch, the little girl pulled out another exchange voucher—this one for exchanging one set of dharma robes.
The shopkeeper’s hands trembled slightly holding the exchange voucher, but he was one of the sect’s top ten shopkeepers, the pride of Qingfu Hall—he absolutely couldn’t show the slightest emotion at this moment. “Please follow me upstairs to select, honored guest.”
He thought the little girl would pick a set of dharma robes most popular among female cultivators nowadays, but unexpectedly she chose a set of men’s clothing and happily went downstairs. Before she left, he vaguely saw that under her fur-trimmed clothes, she seemed to also be wearing the white base with silver-edged sect uniform.
Rumor had it that Yunhua Sect had accepted a very young direct disciple at the beginning of this year. Could it be this little girl?
“Second Senior Brother, I’ve noticed that the common people here seem especially respectful toward you.” Walking down the street, Kong Hou occasionally saw common people smiling and greeting Tan Feng, and some even wanted to give them melons and fruits, though Senior Brother politely declined.
“These common people aren’t respecting me, but rather these clothes I’m wearing—or more precisely, our sect.” Tan Feng said, “The common people of this city are all under the protection of Yunhua Sect, and much of the land in the city’s outskirts belongs to our sect. The sect has always treated common people kindly, only collecting a very small portion of land rent. When there are disaster years, the sect even helps with relief efforts, so everyone lives quite well. Although our Yunhua Sect can only rank second to last among the ten great sects, many common people want to settle in Yong City. It’s not easy for common people from other places to obtain our Yong City household registration. Every year, verifying the people’s identities costs the sect considerable effort.”
Only then did Kong Hou understand—so their Yunhua Sect was actually the largest landowner in Yong City.
“Some of the buildings on the street were also constructed by our sect. Outsiders who come here to do business can either buy shops or rent them.” Tan Feng introduced Kong Hou to the territory under Yunhua Sect’s jurisdiction. “So our Yong City can be considered the most popular place in all of Lingyou Realm among ordinary common people.”
Although Lingyou Realm had many cultivators, ordinary people still made up the majority of the total population. When managing Yong City, Yunhua Sect paid great attention to the welfare of ordinary common people, so it had a very good reputation among them. The people of Yong City especially revered Yunhua Sect.
After Second Senior Brother finished explaining Yunhua Sect’s sphere of influence, Kong Hou shook her head and sighed. “If my Imperial Father had been even half as generous as our Yunhua Sect when he was emperor, he wouldn’t have destroyed the old Ji family’s foundation built over several hundred years in one fell swoop. Destroyed is destroyed—it can be considered karmic retribution. I only pity the countless thousands of common people who suffered.”
Tan Feng already knew about Kong Hou’s identity as a princess of a fallen kingdom. Hearing her tone, she seemed quite open-minded about the matter of national destruction. This mental fortitude was truly most suitable for cultivation.
He patted Kong Hou’s shoulder without saying any more comforting words.
Kong Hou smiled at Tan Feng, then turned and saw a bookstore, so she walked over there. Tan Feng hesitated for a moment, then could only follow with a bitter smile.
The bookstore owner saw the two of them and hurriedly greeted them warmly. “Please come inside and browse at your leisure, Immortals.”
Kong Hou flipped through the bookshelf. There were all kinds of ghost and supernatural books, as well as miraculous biographies of various great powers. The plots were thrilling and exciting—once she started reading, she couldn’t bear to put them down.
Zhenren Mingfeng of Chenghai Sect could face ten opponents alone with none able to stop him, commanding awe and respect.
Lingbo, a new disciple accepted by Zhaohan Sect, possessed five spiritual roots. Just ten years after entering the sect, she was already a Foundation Establishment expert. In one night, she exterminated over a hundred members of a demonic sect that used women and young children to refine pills.
Zhenren Zhong Xi of Liuguang Sect began Qi Refining at age ten and achieved Foundation Establishment at eighteen. With one sword strike, he could destroy half a mountain. He had once killed enemies above his level. He stood nine chi tall with eyes like lightning. Those who met his gaze would all feel chills throughout their body. Now not yet three hundred years old, he was already a Divine Transformation stage great power.
Nine chi…
Kong Hou looked at the bookstore entrance. This person would have to bend down to enter the door, right? And eyes like lightning—so he looked… quite distinctive. Such high cultivation still couldn’t compensate for being ugly. What a pity.
Putting down these books, Kong Hou saw a sign in the corner that read “Fifty jade coins per jin.” Inside were yellowed story books all by the same author called Miaobi Ke. Who knew how long they’d been sitting there—they were covered in thick dust.
“Shopkeeper, why are these books so cheap?” Kong Hou flipped through a book. The writing style was actually quite good.
“Those? ” The shopkeeper wouldn’t reveal the truth in front of others, but with people from Yunhua Sect, he spoke plainly and honestly. “These books have clichéd and unreasonable plots—nobody likes reading them. I heard from another bookstore owner that this Miaobi Ke is very likely a wealthy young master who always thinks his stories are first-rate and often has his servants deliver books to bookstores for free while also giving the bookstores spirit stones. We’re in business—how can we refuse spirit stones? Every year-end, we sell all these books at the lowest price. Once they’re sold out, we send a message to this Miaobi Ke’s servants saying the books sold well and are all gone, and we still receive reward money. This kind of win-win situation, what’s the harm in doing it more? Besides, the paper quality of these books is especially good. Taking them home to wrap pastries or tea leaves, they won’t spoil easily. If no one buys them by year’s end, I’ll just take them home and give them to neighbors to wrap tea leaves.”
Kong Hou brushed off the thick dust on the book cover, feeling somewhat sorry for this Miaobi Ke. He surely didn’t know that the stories he thought were so good weren’t appreciated by anyone at all. The only praiseworthy thing wasn’t the book’s content, but that the paper quality was quite good and could be used to wrap tea leaves.
“I’ll buy all of these.” Kong Hou felt compassion and pulled out a spirit stone to hand to the shopkeeper.
“How could I take your money? If you like them, just take them.” The shopkeeper waved his hands repeatedly. Usually, everyone received much care from Yunhua Sect—to charge money for a few unsellable story books, his conscience would hurt.
“Such a big pile—how could I not pay?” Kong Hou shook her head. “You all have it difficult too.”
Perhaps because her father had committed too many sins, Kong Hou couldn’t bring herself to take advantage of ordinary common people in the slightest. Late at night, she often sighed that the conscience of the old Ji family’s last two generations was probably all concentrated in her.
The shopkeeper couldn’t refuse any longer and had no choice but to accept the spirit stone, seeing the senior and junior disciples out the door.
“Junior Sister, Senior Brother told you to read fewer story books.” Tan Feng watched his junior sister stuff a big pile of story books into her storage pouch and said quietly, “If Senior Brother finds out, we’ll both get criticized.”
“Shh.” Kong Hou patted her storage pouch, acting as if nothing had happened. “If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, Big Senior Brother definitely won’t know.”
Tan Feng: …
Watching with his own eyes as his steadfast and diligent junior sister learned to secretly read story books—this wasn’t little junior sister’s fault, it was Yunhua Sect’s bad feng shui.
A few days later, Wang Tong emerged from seclusion and put on his newly made dharma robe, walking around to every peak. To everyone he met, he said it was clothing his little disciple had given him, that little girls just liked flashy and impractical clothes, and that as her master, he pitied her filial heart and could only change into them to make her happy, and so on.
The peak masters were so disgusted by his showing-off that they couldn’t cultivate, wishing they could erect a sign on their mountain peaks saying “Wang Tong and Evil Demons Not Allowed.” Yet Wang Tong acted as if he didn’t know the peak masters were disgusted by him, wishing he could swagger across every peak ten times a day. This so angered the peak masters that they turned around and scolded their own direct disciples.
That eleven-year-old little girl knows to give things to her master, yet you disciples who’ve lived for hundreds of years aren’t as thoughtful as a child—what use are you?
The direct disciples often heard their masters use other people’s disciples as examples, so they were well adapted to it. After their masters finished scolding, they even joined in praising other people’s disciples, nearly causing these peak masters to smash their teacups.
Just as the peak masters were feeling envy, jealousy, and hatred toward Wang Tong, Kong Hou’s cultivation broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining. With New Year’s Eve approaching, disciples who weren’t in seclusion all began to relax. Infected by this lazy atmosphere, Kong Hou hid in her cave dwelling and secretly pulled out Miaobi Ke’s story books.
The story began with the revenge of exterminating one’s sect. All of the protagonist’s friends betrayed him. The protagonist was forced to jump off a cliff, then picked up a miraculous immortal realm secret manual. He cultivated to become an expert, never approached any woman, defeated all opponents under heaven from then on, and ascended to become an immortal.
Kong Hou read with rapt fascination, feeling this story book was truly brilliantly written.
The people of the cultivation world really had no appreciation—such a good story book, yet no one bought it.
Author’s Note: People of the cultivation world: The most important thing about being human is to read more books, otherwise any clichéd story book will be treated as treasure.
Kong Hou: Huh?
Thanks to the following readers for their torpedo support:
[Author’s acknowledgments section listing various readers’ usernames and their contributions – this appears to be metadata related to the original online publication platform]