Chapter 179: Chapter 9: Guide, Shopkeeper, Vajra Pestle

Li Chan accepted the Spirit Stones, rose to his feet, and asked, "Senior, should I inform Shopkeeper Tang?"

Fang Cheng said coolly, "If it’s on your way, then go ahead and let her know."

Li Chan understood at once. "It’s on the way, it’s on the way!" he said hastily.

With that, he turned and left the private room.

Fang Cheng, meanwhile, continued to sip his drink slowly.

In less than an hour, Li Chan had everything taken care of and returned to report.

He held a Jade Pendant, offering it with both hands. "Senior, this is the access Jade Pendant for Room A of the Celestial Room at Tianya Sea Pavilion. It’s the only one, and holding it will grant you entry."

Then, he took out an invitation card. "This is an invitation to become a Guest of the Third Young Master. In ten days, he’ll be holding his monthly Wine Immortal Pill Banquet. Many of the Third Young Master’s friends and current Guests will be in attendance. It’s also when he recruits new Guests. You can attend with this invitation, Senior."

After speaking, he told Fang Cheng the location of the Third Young Master’s Mansion.

"Senior, you gave me a total of three hundred Spirit Stones. I have sixty-nine left, which I’m returning to you now."

Li Chan said, taking out a pouch.

Fang Cheng accepted the Jade Pendant and the invitation. "Keep the rest of the Spirit Stones for yourself," he said. "I can’t have you run my errands for free."

Li Chan was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. "Thank you so much, Senior!" he exclaimed.

On a normal day, he’d earn three to five Spirit Stones at most from a single job, and even those were few and far between.

But now, he had earned sixty-nine Spirit Stones in less than half a day. How could he not be ecstatic?

Watching him, Fang Cheng was reminded of his own days as a Servant Disciple in the Yinluo Sect Marketplace.

He took out a jade slip and handed it over. "It seems we were fated to meet. This jade slip contains a Qi Refining Technique and three methods for crafting Talismans. Consider it a small gift."

He had obtained this jade slip from the Ten Thousand Poison Gang in Netherworld Valley. The technique recorded within was clearly derived from a High-level Technique and was of considerable quality. Unfortunately, it could only be cultivated up to the Ninth Layer of Sensing and lacked a method for condensing a Life Talisman.

The Talisman-crafting methods included with it complemented the user’s Magical Power, each possessing unique and wondrous effects.

With this opportunity, if Li Chan cultivated diligently, he might just be able to make a name for himself among the Loose Cultivators.

Just then, after Li Chan examined the contents of the jade slip, his expression turned solemn. He knelt before Fang Cheng, bowing his head to the floor. "Senior, I, Li Chan, will never forget this immense kindness for as long as I live," he said in a deep, earnest voice. "From this day forward, if you have any need of me, you have only to ask."

...

Fang Cheng sent Li Chan on his way, left the restaurant, and headed to the Tianya Sea Pavilion alone.

The inn was located in the southwestern part of the Immortal City. It was a grand estate spanning dozens of acres, filled with towering ancient trees and winding paths leading to secluded corners. Rockeries and lakes dotted the landscape, creating a scene of serene beauty.

In the center of the estate stood a magnificent, octagonal, multi-storied tower. It was hundreds of feet tall, an imposing and majestic structure that dominated its section of the city.

’In my past life,’ Fang Cheng thought, ’this would be like a fifty-story skyscraper!’

The faction behind the Tianya Sea Pavilion clearly possessed astonishing wealth and power. The Spiritual Qi within the estate was dense, several times richer than in the rest of the city.

The scenery throughout the grounds was exquisite, exuding an air of nobility from every corner.

Fang Cheng walked into the magnificent tower. The first-floor lobby was opulently decorated, its furnishings and adornments exquisite beyond compare. Two young, beautiful Maids approached to welcome him, politely inquiring about his needs.

Fang Cheng presented the Jade Pendant for the Celestial Room. A sweet smile instantly blossomed on the Maid’s face, and she warmly guided him to the center of the lobby.

There, on the polished white jade floor that shone like a mirror, a circular Teleportation Array was inscribed. Its intricate and beautiful patterns served a dual purpose: they were both decorative and part of an ingenious design that could teleport guests directly to their rooms.

Fang Cheng activated the Jade Pendant. A wash of brilliant white light surged forth, instantly enveloping his form before he vanished from the center of the lobby.

The next moment, he appeared inside a room that was luxurious, spacious, elegant, and immaculately clean.

The suite occupied an entire floor and was divided into numerous rooms, including a main hall, a Cultivation Chamber, a bedroom, a bathing pool, a tea room, and a study.

A wrap-around terrace encircled the suite, offering the occupant a place to gaze into the distance and look out over the Immortal City.

Fang Cheng leaned against the railing, his gaze sweeping across the scene. The entire panorama of a vast and bustling ancient city of cultivators unfolded before his eyes.

In the study, shelves covering an entire wall were filled with all manner of ancient scrolls and assorted books. There were biographies of Cultivators, travelogues, genealogies of famous clans, the annals of Divine Pillar Mountain, legends of ancient sects, storybooks, and various essays.

Fang Cheng selected a travelogue and settled down comfortably at the tea table. He took out the fine Spirit Tea provided in the room and brewed a pot for himself. Surrounded by the delicate, swirling aroma, he began to read about the fascinating adventures of a traveler from a bygone era.

He had always enjoyed perusing the travelogues of other Cultivators.

These chronicles recorded their authors’ experiences as they roamed the world, touching upon geography, historical lore, encyclopedic facts, and even the fine details of combat. They were an unparalleled way to expand one’s knowledge and broaden one’s horizons.

「Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.」

Outside the city, the sun began to set, bathing the billowing sea of clouds in a brilliant golden light, like a magnificent painted scroll come to life.

Just then, the Jade Pendant in the room suddenly emitted a crisp, pleasant chime. Its light began to flicker, pulsing gently.

Intrigued, Fang Cheng channeled a bit of his Magical Power to release the Jade Pendant’s restriction. The light slowly rose and coalesced into a water mirror about three feet wide, hanging silently in the air.

In the mirror, a young and beautiful Maid spoke politely, "Apologies for the disturbance, honored guest. A visitor has arrived for you. Do you wish to see them?"

Fang Cheng nodded. The view in the water mirror shifted, focusing on a tall woman in a purple dress who carried herself with a gentle and dignified grace.

It was none other than Shopkeeper Tang.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist," Shopkeeper Tang said with a smile. "I’ve come to pay you a visit. Please forgive the intrusion."

"Please, come up, fellow Daoist," Fang Cheng said warmly.

As he spoke, he activated a specific rune on the Jade Pendant. A flash of white light appeared in the water mirror, enveloping Shopkeeper Tang’s tall, graceful figure before she vanished.

「A moment later.」

A graceful figure in purple, exuding a subtle fragrance, appeared inside the study.

...