Chapter 28: Since We’re Already Here
Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Since We’re Already Here
After the Wang family’s Qi Refining cultivator finished speaking, everyone instantly understood what had happened.
They had all been scammed by the Wang family.
Though they all wore masks and couldn’t see one another’s expressions, they could feel each other’s rage.
"Hmph! How dare you try to fool us with these Low-Tier Cultivation Techniques from the Qi Refining Stage!"
A cold snort from one of the cultivators instantly set off a clamor among the others.
"Exactly! We were told we were going to the Immortal City’s Secret Skill Pavilion. How did it become your Wang family’s Secret Skill Pavilion?"
"One hundred Spirit Stones to pick a single Low-Tier Cultivation Technique? What a brilliant scheme!"
"This is simply outrageous!"
"Motherfucker, refund our Spirit Stones!"
...
Low-Tier Cultivation Techniques like the Golden Sword Skill and the Longevity Skill were a dime a dozen in the Cultivation Realm. You could buy a pile of them for a single Spirit Stone.
If you were a smooth talker and knew how to say a few pleasantries, many cultivators wouldn’t mind just giving you one for free.
Li Ping’s own Golden Sword Skill, for instance, had been a free gift from Daoist Ji.
In the eyes of these cultivators, the fact that the Wang family would try to trade such garbage for their 100 Spirit Stones made them the worst kind of scum.
The cultivators clamored relentlessly, demanding an explanation from the Wang family’s Qi Refining member. Li Ping’s expression was grim. He had considered the risks of this venture; he’d even imagined the Immortal City’s higher-ups might discover their scheme and launch a large-scale arrest.
But he had never imagined... that the entire affair was just a scam set up by the Wang family. They’d never had any intention of taking them to the Immortal City’s Secret Skill Pavilion to choose a Secret Technique!
They had been greedy for a deal, hoping to save a few Spirit Stones. In the end, the Wang family was after their entire principal!
’That Wang family Foundation Establishment Cultivator... A respectable Cyan Dragon Mountain cultivator, at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment no less, and he’s this shameless, all for some Spirit Stones!’ Li Ping fumed internally.
If any other cultivator, even one at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, had claimed they could get him into the Immortal City’s Secret Skill Pavilion, he wouldn’t have believed them for a second.
But this was the Wang family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivator, the very person in charge of guarding the Immortal City’s Secret Skill Pavilion! He had the city’s credibility backing him, and he had exploited Li Ping’s greed for a good deal. And now, he’d been scammed!
His current mood was about as miserable as a man who, after discovering he’d been cuckolded, runs to smash the window of the other man, Ximen Qing, only to have the rock bounce off the wall and hit him square on the head.
The thrill of his sneaky little venture was gone, replaced by nothing but suffocating frustration.
’So infuriating! These damn Cyan Dragon Mountain cultivators, not a single one of them is any good!’
...
"Where’s the Wang family patriarch? Won’t the person in charge come out? You’re just going to let this junior take the fall?"
"Get your patriarch out here!"
...
Just as the scene was about to descend into chaos, there was a sudden interruption.
"COUGH, COUGH..."
A few authoritative coughs echoed from the second story of the pavilion. Immediately after, the spiritual pressure of a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator billowed down from the second floor. It instantly blanketed the first floor, enveloping all twelve figures present, including Li Ping.
An aged voice, accompanied by footsteps, drifted down from the floor above. "Heh heh... From the sounds of it, you all intend to steal the Secret Techniques from my Cyan Dragon Mountain lineage’s Secret Skill Pavilion?"
In a blur of motion, a figure appeared before them.
He was an imposing-looking cultivator dressed in a golden Magic Robe. His hair was combed with perfect precision, and his two eyebrows were as sharp as swords.
As he descended the stairs, his gaze swept over each person present, like a falcon surveying its prey. Without another word, relying solely on the pressure of his Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and his powerful aura, he seized control of the situation.
However, while a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could suppress Low-tier Cultivators with spiritual pressure alone, it was impossible to do the same to a cultivator of the same rank.
A wave of spiritual pressure, only slightly weaker than the Wang family patriarch’s, rolled out from a black-robed cultivator standing in the middle of the crowd. He snorted and sneered, "Hmph! Trying to use the Cyan Dragon Mountain lineage to crush people? Do you think I’m easily frightened? If you’ve got the guts, let’s go confront Fenglan Master right now and see how he handles this matter."
A strange glint flashed in the Wang family patriarch’s eyes. He smiled and said, "So there is a fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator here. Please, my friend, calm yourself."
In truth, the current situation was like trying to fight a wolf with a dried-up stalk of hemp—both sides were terrified.
The Wang family patriarch, of course, didn’t dare to go before Fenglan Master. If Fenglan Master found out he was doing something like this and tarnishing the reputation of the Cyan Dragon Mountain lineage, he would absolutely not be spared.
And as for Li Ping and the others?
Were they supposed to go and tell Fenglan Master: ’I came here to steal your stuff, but I couldn’t because your servant played dirty. You have to get justice for me!’
Hearing the Wang family patriarch’s conciliatory tone, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had spoken out also didn’t want to escalate things. "Hmph! Enough nonsense. Refund my Spirit Stones, and we’ll let this matter drop."
"Does my friend no longer want a Cultivation Technique?" The Wang family patriarch shook his head, feigning surprise. "My Wang family’s Secret Skill Pavilion, while not on par with the Immortal City’s, is still a collection painstakingly gathered by generations of my family’s cultivators. For only one hundred Spirit Stones, I’m allowing all of you to choose any one Cultivation Technique. For you, my friends, this is an incredible bargain."
The outspoken Foundation Establishment Cultivator made no attempt to hide his derision. "Tch... this garbage?"
The Wang family patriarch feigned a look of sudden understanding. "Of course not. My friend, you must have misunderstood. The first floor is just for Low-Tier Cultivation Techniques we prepare for the younger generation. The true gems of the Wang family’s Secret Skill Pavilion are all on the second floor. If you are willing, you may all go to the second floor and choose a High-tier Cultivation Technique to take with you!"
"If any of my friends are unwilling to go to the second floor to choose a Cultivation Technique, I will personally refund your Spirit Stones right now, and we can pretend tonight never happened." He finished, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "However, let me give you a fair warning. If you go up and see the Cultivation Techniques on the second floor, you will no longer be able to get a refund."
One cultivator asked suspiciously, "There are High-tier Cultivation Techniques on the second floor?"
The Wang family patriarch smiled and nodded. "Of course! The second floor houses more than ten High-tier Cultivation Techniques collected by my Wang family cultivators over many generations. If you go up and don’t find them, I will refund your Spirit Stones immediately, no questions asked."
Hearing the patriarch’s words, the cultivators immediately grew hesitant.
If it was true, as the patriarch claimed, that the second floor held more than ten High-tier Cultivation Techniques...
...then getting to choose one for a mere one hundred Spirit Stones would be an unbelievable steal.
But having already been burned once, they couldn’t bring themselves to trust the Wang family.
Finally, after a moment’s hesitation, one cultivator took the lead and started towards the second floor. "Hmph! If there aren’t at least ten High-tier Cultivation Techniques up there, you’d better refund my Spirit Stones."
The Wang family patriarch smiled and nodded. "Of course. No problem at all."
With one person taking the lead, several other cultivators followed suit and headed upstairs. Soon, only Li Ping and the outspoken Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had mocked the patriarch remained on the first floor.
"Heh... I’d like to see just what kind of game you’re playing." The Foundation Establishment Cultivator snorted and then also headed upstairs.
And so, only Li Ping was left downstairs. The Wang family patriarch’s gaze fell upon him. "My friend, aren’t you going up to have a look?"
’Well, I’m already here. Might as well go see for myself,’ Li Ping thought, his curiosity piqued. He then strode towards the stairs.