Chapter 31: Illusion and Reality
Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Illusion and Reality
"More Spirit Stones?"
Faced with the Wang family’s Old Ancestor’s demand for more money, a slight smile touched Li Ping’s lips.
Then, his lips moved, and his voice resounded directly in the Wang family’s Old Ancestor’s ear, "Heh heh... Fellow Daoist Wang, that little act you put on downstairs was quite brilliant. If I’m not mistaken, the one performing with you was a junior from your clan, wasn’t he?"
Upon hearing this, the Wang family’s Old Ancestor looked utterly shocked. His gaze, fixed on Li Ping, was filled with disbelief.
The others, seeing the drastic change in his expression, were completely bewildered.
But the Wang family’s Old Ancestor had lived for over one hundred and fifty years, and his control over his expressions was superb. He quickly regained his former calm demeanor.
At the same time, he also replied via voice transmission, "Heh heh... I must have made a fool of myself, Fellow Daoist. I didn’t expect that a Mid-stage Cultivator such as yourself would be interested in these little trinkets from my Wang family. Please, take that miscellaneous treatise as a gift from me, a token of our new friendship."
After he finished, he scrutinized Li Ping, as if trying to discern his true identity.
However, Li Ping had been using this disguise to navigate the black market for years. It was thoroughly tested, so the Old Ancestor’s attempt was, of course, futile.
Then, the Wang family’s Old Ancestor said no more and began copying the *Wetland Water Nourishing Skill* Cultivation Technique and the miscellaneous treatise onto Jade Scrolls for Li Ping.
Only then did the other cultivators realize that Li Ping must have exchanged some words with the Wang family’s Old Ancestor via voice transmission.
Though they realized what had happened, no one spoke up to ask. After all, the two had used voice transmission because they didn’t want anyone else to know. But as if by unspoken agreement, they all shifted on their feet, creating some distance from Li Ping.
Li Ping paid them no mind. He was too busy replaying the scene his Divine Sense had witnessed earlier.
The Wang family’s Secret Skill Pavilion had an Array between its two floors designed to block prying Divine Senses. However, this Array could only block the Divine Sense of Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators and those weaker.
Li Ping’s soul was powerful, making his Divine Sense about 1.5 times stronger than that of cultivators at the same level. It was only a notch weaker than a Mid-stage Cultivator’s. This Array was not enough to stop him from prying.
Earlier, when the Wang family’s Old Ancestor was downstairs dealing with the cultivator who had taken the Demon Dao Cultivation Technique, everyone upstairs had only heard a bloodcurdling scream.
But Li Ping had seen it all clearly. The Wang family’s Old Ancestor hadn’t attacked that cultivator at all. The two of them had worked together, staging an act for the cultivators upstairs to hear and intimidate them!
This allowed Li Ping to see through the Old Ancestor’s bluff; the man wasn’t as powerful as he let on. That was why he had pushed his luck and taken the extra miscellaneous Jade Scroll.
And now, just as he’d expected, the man had backed down.
...
A moment later, Li Ping waved his hand, taking the two Jade Scrolls that floated before him. After a quick inspection to confirm their contents, he placed them in his Storage Bag and stepped aside, making way for the other cultivators.
Once every cultivator had finished copying their Jade Scrolls, the Late-stage Qi Refining expert from the Wang family who had guided them in stepped forward once more.
He led them toward the city gate, ready to see them out.
Twelve of them had arrived, but only eleven were now returning.
The other cultivators all assumed the missing person had met a grim fate at the hands of the Wang family’s Old Ancestor.
Only Li Ping knew the truth. ’Right now, he’s probably gleefully counting Spirit Stones with the Wang family’s Old Ancestor.’
When they reached the gate, the Wang family’s Late-stage Qi Refining expert sent a signal, as was custom. In response, someone immediately opened the gate, allowing them to leave the Inner City.
The eleven figures exchanged wary glances after exiting the city, then quickly went their separate ways.
...
Outside the Wang family’s Secret Skill Pavilion, the Old Ancestor watched the cultivators’ retreating figures, his brow furrowed and his expression clouded with uncertainty. ’A Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator... There are only so many of them in the Immortal City. Who could it be...? Or perhaps he’s not a Mid-stage Cultivator at all, just someone whose Divine Sense is stronger than others at his level?’
This time, he had only planned on swindling some Peak of Qi Refining Loose Cultivators and a few Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had no backing.
But now a suspected Mid-stage Cultivator had shown up. Offending a cultivator of that caliber was simply not worth the risk for him.
The Wang family’s Old Ancestor shook his head. ’Sigh... forget it. I can’t worry about that now.’
Just as the Wang family’s Old Ancestor was speculating about Li Ping’s identity, a gray-robed figure trotted up to him and called out respectfully, "Old Ancestor."
If the other cultivators had still been present, they would have immediately recognized him. The silhouette of this gray-robed figure was a near-perfect match for the cultivator who had taken the Demon Dao Cultivation Technique and been ’righteously vanquished’ by the Wang family’s Old Ancestor.
"Mm," the Wang family’s Old Ancestor nodded. "How many more Spirit Stones are we short?"
The gray-robed figure stood there, looking somewhat constrained, his shoulders slightly hunched. Only when the Old Ancestor spoke did he look up. "We’re still short by about two thousand."
The Old Ancestor heard this and did a quick calculation in his head. ’Two thousand? In that case, two or three more runs like this should be enough!’
Hearing this, the gray-robed figure looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but held back.
The Wang family’s Old Ancestor naturally noticed his hesitation and an impatient look crossed his face. "Qu Yan, what is it you want to say?"
At the Old Ancestor’s question, the gray-robed figure—Wang Quyan—finally summoned his courage to speak, his face etched with worry. "Old Ancestor, I’m just wondering... if we keep doing this, won’t we make too many enemies? It could bring disaster upon the Wang family later on."
He glanced at the Old Ancestor before continuing, "Besides, a seven-hundred-year-old Golden Marrow Jade Ginseng normally costs around three thousand Spirit Stones. We’re about to pay seven thousand—more than double the price. Isn’t that too steep?"
As soon as Wang Quyan finished speaking, the impatience on the Old Ancestor’s face deepened. He was on the verge of berating him.
However, his gaze fell upon the junior’s cowering form. He remembered that this man was, after all, the Clan Leader, second in status only to himself. After he passed away, the burden of the entire family would fall upon his shoulders.
He suppressed his anger and explained in the gentlest tone he could manage, "Rest assured, as long as I am here, no one will dare to make a move against the Wang family. As for the price of the Golden Marrow Jade Ginseng, they are the only seller, and we are in a hurry. We have no choice."
The Old Ancestor’s gentle voice seemed to give Wang Quyan more courage, and he continued, "But what happens when you’re gone one day, Old Ancestor? Besides, the Immortal City’s next round of competition for the Foundation Establishment Pills is only about thirty years away. Is it really worth emptying the family’s entire treasury just to get one thirty years sooner? I don’t think it is."
This time, the Old Ancestor couldn’t hold back. He roared in anger, "Fool! If I’m gone, and there’s no Foundation Establishment Cultivator to protect us, do you think the Wang family can hold on to what we have?"
The Old Ancestor’s furious roar immediately frightened Wang Quyan into silence.
But inwardly, he was sighing. ’Old Ancestor, I know you’re doing this for the family’s future, but this is far too risky. We’re emptying the family’s entire savings to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill. What if the refinement fails? And even if we get the Pill, is there any guarantee that the family will produce a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator? If a single step in this process goes wrong, the family will be completely finished!’
In his mind, the Wang family’s ancestor had followed Fenglan Master in establishing the Immortal City and made great contributions in the process. The Wang family was known to Fenglan Master; they had credit with him. Even if they lacked a Foundation Establishment Cultivator for a short time, the worst that could happen is that they would have to scale back their operations and lie low to recuperate.
They didn’t need to take such a desperate gamble.
Although Wang Quyan believed his cautious approach was what was best for the family, the Old Ancestor’s authority was long-established. He was used to ruling with an iron fist.
Even though he was the Clan Leader, he only dared to raise a few questions about the Old Ancestor’s decisions. He lacked the courage to oppose them outright.
Of course, it would have been useless to oppose them anyway.