Chapter 28 – Alchemist and Healer

  Xiaoya of the Virtuous Wind Sect stopped in her tracks. She gripped her umbrella as she pivoted, looking back the way they came.

  [Sister Xiaoya, why do I suddenly feel…] But Sister Min didn’t finish her thought. She didn’t need to. Xiaoya had felt the same.

  It was as if the hand of fear gripped their being and threatened to squeeze.

  The two of them were inside the Fortune Forest at the moment. They were looking to pick off stray Alpha demonic beasts before the beast wave started in earnest. At least that was their public statement. In reality, they were looking to get some spiritual plants deeper in the forest. Oddly, they didn’t find as many demonic beasts wandering about like they had expected. Even without the claims of a potential demonic beast wave, there should have been at least some about.

  As they had been exploring the forest, something strange had happened. They had just felt a sense of unnatural fear, which came from Fengpo city.

  Xiaoya jumped to a tree and kicked off of it. She held up her umbrella, letting her Spiritweave energy power it, lifting her up as if she was weightless. She kicked off another tree, going from branch to branch. In a moment’s time, she was standing atop a tree, which didn’t bend in the slightest against her foot.

  Over the city of Fengpo were clouds, which would look normal to mortals, but immortals could sense the power within.

  [Tribulation clouds!] Xiaoya said. The very bane of an immortal’s existence. Once it released, the immortal who challenged the heavens would need to battle against it. Not many could survive such a test.

  [Huh?] Sister Min said down below, unwilling to jump through the trees to reach above. [But I thought tribulation thunder only came because of Dharma immortals?]

  [It’s disappearing,] Xiaoya said. The clouds that had formed were vanishing. Why had they come? If someone was breaking through to the Dharma great realm, the tribulation clouds would cover the entire region, not just the small mortal city. [We’re going back.]

  [What!? But we didn’t get anything yet! And once everyone else comes, you know they’ll make us give up most of the goodies. ‘You shouldn’t get too greedy, Junior Sister. Junior Sister, what a nice, shiny rock you have in your hand.’ Bah!]

  Xiaoya floated down with her umbrella to the ground, resting it on her shoulder when she touched down. “I’ve never heard of tribulation clouds appearing for anything except breakthroughs involving the Dharma realm. Could this be related to a real demonic cultivator?” She was asking that more to herself than Sister Min. She decided this was something that went beyond her rank. Xiaoya turned to her Junior Sister. “We’re going back to the city and we’ll send a message to Senior Sister. If we don’t handle this correctly, you can forget about contribution points.”

  “Fine, fine.” Sister Min started walking lazily back the way they came. “But with other seniors already coming, this whole trip is starting to feel like a waste. Do you know how many points it costs to buy a pass to leave the sect!?”

  “It didn’t cost you anything. Senior Sister gifted you the pass.”

  “I never said it wasn’t free for me. Anyway, if Senior Sister comes and finds out we’ve been…uh, less than virtuous, she’ll have us kneel all day.”

  As much as Sister Min was focused on her contribution points, Xiaoya just hoped those clouds weren’t a sign of trouble for her Sect.

  ***

  The appearance of the Great Divide didn’t cause as much fear to the world as it should have. Perhaps that was because it didn’t kill anyone when it formed, unlike the more recent Eternal Ice that overtook the northern parts of the world. Everyone had assumed the lightning that divided the world was just another phenomenon.

  Only Diyuan saw it as a sign to the start of the end.

  Which begged the question: could it be undone? Would the heavens remove the lightning if it judged the world be better? Ironically, the best person to answer such a question might very well be who Diyuan was told to find: Deng Fuchen. It was in Deng Fuchen’s research booklet that stated how a permanent lightning storm took residence in Diyuan’s original world. No one had seen it as a sign that the heavens were about the judge the world, similar to now.

  What could Diyuan do now? Nothing, it seemed. What world power would believe him if he just walked up and declared the end was nigh? Part of him wondered if this was his business at all, since this lower world didn’t seem to be the same as his. Yet, despite that, his mind whirled if he could do something. Once he completed his objective, wouldn’t he depart and leave everyone to their fate?

  But if this lower world had access to the upper world…

  What if he could bring his Tribulation Shroud people here? This lower world would need to exist for that to happen. In the end, regardless of what the final answer may be, one requirement was needed.

  Diyuan needed to increase his cultivation.

  For now, he would have to focus and proceed with his city healing plan.

  The former stutterer Yibei had spread word of his cure, starting with his escort guards and then to the Sunset Garden establishment. He had been so excited about it that he had forgotten to mention he broken through to level 2 Foundation. The reason for his excitement was that he could potentially go back to being a scholar, who tutored children, rather than working as an escort guard.

  As a result, a few people decided to try out this “free healing” that the Black Brigade was offering. They had heard that the new leader was rumored to be a demonic cultivator, but they also wanted to give it a try and see if their chronic problems could be resolved.

  At the front courtyard of the Black Brigade land, which had been cleared of overgrown weeds, tables and shelves were set up outside with various different pills and medicine. The majority of those things didn’t do much of anything. Diyuan was simply going to use his limitless Benediction Balm on people, hiding his action by having the people take minor pills that boosted energy or something similar. He didn’t need to waste resources and burn through his real perfect healing pills while his internal arte could do mostly the same.

  Several guards were stationed to keep things orderly. The rest were training in the grounds behind the main hall. Diyuan had seen their martial arts style and corrected things that were wrong, or simply had them drop their styles entirely if it didn’t suit them. There hadn’t been much time yet, so he only showed them the very basic of basics. As the days passed on, he would show them more.

  For some people, they were getting accustomed to their new energy circulation. Evidence of that had been shown when Feng Xueying mumbled something to herself.

  “Strange…why can I sometimes sense people’s cultivation levels even when they aren’t immortal?”

  A line of people arrived to receive some healing. All of their issues were things like scratches, aches, and limps. All of that was taken care of quite easily. One grandma was bold enough to come with poor eyesight due to old age. Diyuan’s limitless Benediction Balm didn’t help with that, so he tried the perfect healing pill. After taking the pill, the old grandma had tears in her eyes as she continued to look around continuously, saying things like “the world is so colorful.”

  It was evidence that pills did something his own healing arte didn’t. It probably had to do with the spiritual energy that resided in the pills that were released, whereas Benediction Balm was more of a “restore to pre-harmed state” type of action.

  When word spread that such miraculous works were happening, the second day turned out with even more people, including those who weren’t part of the Black Brigade territory. They brought plenty of coins to pay for healing.

  The eyesight grandma from the previous day came again, but this time she showed up with her family and they brought food, feeding those that labored, while also helping stock up their own storehouses. She was from a butcher’s family, so the kitchen staff was quite excited about that. She was also the grandmother of one of the Black Brigade’s female guards. That family group had gone off to the side as some tension stirred amongst themselves. Diyuan stopped listening when the topic was about a broken engagement due to the guard scarring her own face. The grandmother seemed to be trying to mend things.

  With the Black Brigade being capable of healing, it seemed their rising reputation might help solve that family’s internal problems.

  Overall, each elderly person that came for healing walked away feeling decades younger, no longer stiff or hunched, and the younger children came with rather suspicious wounds. Diyuan was quite certain they were cutting themselves and coming back just to see the healing in action. Fortunately, the Benediction Balm healing could take care of it without wasting resources.

  When a woman approached with a burn scar on her upper arm, the female guards—who each had their own scar somewhere on their face—watched with the greatest attention. It looked like they had been curious if the healing would also work on scars. Diyuan already knew that his Benediction Balm wouldn’t work—his long-forgotten neck scar from Gu Mugong’s fan being evidence of that—so he gave her the healing pill and watched.

  Unfortunately, to everyone’s disappointment, the scar did not heal. It seemed like both the pill and his healing arte did not see scars as a detriment.

  But that didn’t slow down everyone else’s excitement, who continued to flow in throughout the city. There were talks about how maybe other cities might hear about it and come too.

  However, the excitement on the third day would come to an early end.

  While people were lining up again, as word continued to spread across the city that healing on par with the Divine All-Healer’s disciple was happening, two immortals showed up.

  Both men wore dark brown multi-layered robes. They were known among the commoners, seeing as how each person made a path to let the two of them pass without issue.

  Manager Fanjian approached Diyuan and gave him the necessary information he needed to know. Both of these men were known to be associated with the Infinite Wealth Auction House. They were the enforcers who put people in their place if they decided to get rowdy at the auction house.

  Apparently, even the disciples of the Virtuous Wind Sect would show them respect.

  They looked to be near the end of their cultivation lifespan, despite the low level. One was a level 2 Spiritweave cultivator and the other was a level 3 Spiritweave cultivator. If this was respect worthy, then the Virtuous Wind Sect must not have many high-level cultivators.

  Diyuan didn’t miss how the level 2 Spiritweave cultivator purposely changed his path to push past someone who had already stepped aside to make room. The people saluted low, as to not offend them. The two men strutted like no one could stop them.

  Feng Xueying placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and side-eyed Diyuan to see what he would do. He simply shook his head. Since it was Spiritweave cultivators, this was his to handle.

  “I am Deacon Hu of the Infinite Wealth Auction House,” said the level 3 Spiritweave cultivator. “We have two grievances against you, Yuhan Diyuan, leader of the Black Brigade.”

  [Oh, Brother Hu, you sound very intimidating. Don’t scare him so badly that he can’t speak,] said the level 2 Spiritweave cultivator via sound transmission. [We need to suck his wealth dry for everything he has.]

  “And what are these grievances?” Diyuan asked, though he already had a guess. “I’ve been working tirelessly to aid the people of Fengpo city. I’m not sure how I’ve offended the Infinite Wealth Auction House.”

  “We have come to investigate the claims of a demonic cultivator who lives in our midst, causing the stirs of a beast wave. It is known that demonic cultivators must murder to thrive in cultivation and we have learned you have slaughtered nearly a dozen people in your takeover of the Black Brigade. Do you deny this?” Deacon Hu tilted his head up, to look down on Diyuan if only slightly.

  Diyuan saluted. “Deacon Hu, they came to kill and rob me. What do you suggest I should have done differently?”

  Deacon Hu’s eyes flickered to the storage ring on Diyuan’s hand. “That depends on the reason for their assault. Did they claim you were a demonic cultivator when they attacked?” He shook his head like it was ridiculous to get Diyuan’s opinion on the matter. “To confirm your identity, we will need to confiscate your storage ring, an item so rare that many immortals can’t own it even if they desired to. And for the second grievance, since we’ve previously exchanged your spirit stones for silver coins, we will need you to compensate us for tying our reputation to a demonic cultivator.”

  Feng Xueying’s eyes narrowed as she gripped her sword tightly. She looked like she was about to attack.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  But it was the other guards who spoke up in his defense first.

  “He’s helping the poor with his healing, how dare you!” one female guard said.

  “He’s not a demonic cultivator. We would know!”

  “Is the Infinite Wealth Auction House trying to rob us?”

  The level 2 Spiritweave cultivator had enough. He stretched forth his hand and applied a wide gravity well, pressuring everyone in the courtyard, including those that had come for healing. It was weak enough that Diyuan and Feng Xueying didn’t bend in the slightest, but the level 2 and level 3 Foundation guards struggled to remain standing.

  “Ugly women shouldn’t speak,” said the level 2 Spiritweave cultivator. “You’re all just like demonic cultivators yourself: pretending to be Jade Beauties with your cosmetics, but you can’t hide the scars. This false healing is just an act to cover who he really is.”

  Deacon Hu chuckled.

  Feng Xueying bit her lip so that blood started to seep. She was barely holding back.

  [Calm down,] Diyuan said to her through sound transmission.

  Her eyes went wide as her head snapped to look at him. Her aggression faded almost instantly. Her mouth parted, like she wanted to ask the question. He knew what. She would now think he was an immortal himself.

  [We needed to get our hands on some artes anyway, so this works out in our favor,] Diyuan continued. [Don’t act and let me handle everything.]

  The level 2 Spiritweave cultivator was satisfied to see the people kneeling, but his temper flared when he saw Diyuan unaffected.

  He approached Diyuan and tried to backhand his face. “You dare show disrespect to my Infinite Wealth Auction House!?”

  Diyuan accidentally caught the hand by reflex. That wasn’t what he wanted to do. He let go and saluted. “I apologize for any disrespect.”

  But that didn’t satisfy him. The level 2 Spiritweave cultivator kicked Diyuan in the chest, who needed to jump backwards to make it look like it was effective. He hit the ground and rolled, and groaned while gripping his chest.

  Deacon Hu sighed. “Every mortal knows not to show disrespect to an immortal. You’ve brought it upon yourself. Now then, give me the storage ring or I will have to cut off your hand.”

  Diyuan coughed (his acting was good). He used one hand to cover the storage ring for a second as he fiddled with it, before removing it and tossing it to the level 3 Spiritweave cultivator.

  The man caught it. His lips curved into a smile as he sensed the contents within.

  [Brother Hu, what did we gain?]

  [This storage ring has one hundred thousand spirit stones, and plenty of high-grade pills,] he said as he placed the ring on his finger. “I will continue my investigation. Do not think to leave the city. We will be watching.”

  [One hundred thousand!?]

  The two turned to leave, acting calm, though having that extra hop in their movements. They made sure to take the healing pills on the shelves, commenting about how they needed to check if the pills were made through some demonic means. But then the level 2 Spiritweave cultivator kicked the shelves, breaking them and spilling the unwanted things that were still resting on it.

  Even after they left, Diyuan continued to act injured. [Feng Xueying, get the common people to leave and issue an order to close our doors for the time being.]

  To her credit, Feng Xueying began barking out orders like the idea was her own. The people who had come for healing had left, murmuring about the rumors of a demonic cultivator. One person had said that it sounded like nonsense, but someone else hushed him, warning him that they could die if they insulted immortals.

  Manager Fanjian and another guard helped Diyuan to his feet as the courtyard gates closed.

  “Leader Diyuan, are you okay?” Manager Fanjian asked, brushing some of the dirt on him.

  Diyuan faked a cough. “Manager…Feng Xueying…help me to my room.”

  She came over and took his other arm, while issuing orders to have the courtyard cleaned up. The guards who were training in the grounds behind the main hall came into view to see the commotion. They joined in on the cleaning and getting up to speed as to what had happened.

  The three of them walked slowly, helping him along, all while Manager Fanjian grumbled something incoherent. When they finally reached his room, he stood straight and brushed them away.

  [Excellent, this is a good learning opportunity,] Diyuan said to both of them through sound transmission. That caught Manager Fanjian off guard, looking at Feng Xueying like she had answers; she simply nodded as if she was in on the secret all along. [Remember what I taught about etiquette? What did I say to do when someone tries to rob you?]

  As he was talking, he slipped on another storage ring and made a cloak appear, putting it on.

  “You have another one?” Feng Xueying asked. She clasped her hands over her mouth and looked around the room, confirming that no one was nearby.

  Diyuan grinned.

  [I’m teaching here. What does etiquette say?] Diyuan asked again.

  Feng Xueying tilted her head slowly as she watched Diyuan made a mask appear, covering his face. It was one of those full-face masks that some would wear during the New Years festival back home.

  “Etiquette says you should rob them back…” Manager Fanjian answered.

  [Correct.] Diyuan began walking towards the side window. [I was wondering how we would get some jade tablets for everyone. Breaking through to Core Creation just isn’t fun when the arte slot is empty, right? And you two need artes as well. Remember, our doors were closed after those two immortals left. And I rested to recover from my very severe injuries that came from the immortal. Whatever happens outside now has nothing to do with us. No one is allowed to step out until the auction house apologizes with gifts.]

  “Huh? Apologizes?” Manager Fanjian asked, but Diyuan had already leapt out the window.

  ***

  Deacon Hu walked down the streets of Fengpo city. By his side was his excitable Junior Brother, who joined the Infinite Wealth Auction House at his recommendation. And he was excited for good reason. The storage ring that was on Deacon Hu’s hand was something many coveted, not to mention the hundred thousand spirit stones and the high-grade tier one pills. Those were things he could sell during the Golden Auction.

  [Brother Hu, since we’ve put on a show, no one will be surprised if that mortal dies in a few days for being a demonic cultivator. We should do it before the other disciples of the Virtuous Wind Sect come. They might think they’ll have a claim to his loot if a random mortal petitions to them about demonic activity.]

  Yes, the mortal would need to die. An innocent man receives trouble when they hold treasure they shouldn’t have grasped.

  The both of them walked in the middle of the street, forcing the mortals to stick to the side. Whenever one of them seemed to be resentful for any reason, his Junior Brother would cast pressure on them, forcing their face into the ground. Even carriages would need to move aside for them. The Infinite Wealth Auction House may be neutral in this city, but that did not mean anyone could look down on them.

  A sharp, reverberating beat sliced through the air, followed by a humming noise.

  At one moment, no one had dared to stand before the two of them. In the next instant, a cloaked hooded man appeared, wearing a mask and blocking their path. His cloak bellowed about as air pulsed off of him with his sudden appearance. His eyes were visible, glowing white.

  Deacon Hu froze in place. He had not seen how that man suddenly appeared before him. Was it a foot technique? Some speed arte? But the man had appeared as if he had teleported.

  The mortals on the street slowed their walk or lifted their heads up from their bow they had been giving to the two of them. The mortals looked to see what the noise was and noticed the man who dared to impede on the path of two immortals.

  [I was almost scared for a second,] Junior Brother said. [But this buffoon isn’t even an immortal.]

  It was only after Junior Brother had said that did he realize it was true. He did not sense any immortal energy from the man before him. The hooded figure was neither a Spiritweave immortal nor a Dharma immortal.

  Junior Brother stepped forward and raised his hand as he was about to say something.

  Both of them got hit by something intangible. They were locked in place. Something prickled at their skin, causing them to be unable to move. Only their eyes had freedom.

  The hooded figure walked forward to them. He held out his own hand and made a black sword appear.

  Another storage ring in the city!?

  But before Deacon Hu could collect his thoughts properly, the hooded figure sliced horizontally through the air. He saw how a line appeared on the neck of his Junior Brother. Blood began to pool at the line.

  Junior Brother’s head detached and fell to the ground.

  The stun wore off. Deacon Hu jumped back to create some distance.

  “You dare attack the—”

  The hooded man vanished.

  A sharp, reverberating sound echoed behind him.

  Before Deacon Hu could comprehend the speed that this man had moved, a hand grabbed the back of his head and shoved it to the ground with an unnaturally powerful force.

  His face slammed into the ground. A second stun locked him in place, where he was unable to move his facedown head.

  “Murder! Someone murdered an immortal!”

  “Run! Immortals are fighting!”

  The crowd in the street began to run away, clearing the area. They wouldn’t even dare to peek when it was straight murder, he knew. Mortals would know how easy it was for an immortal to hunt them down for seeing something they shouldn’t have seen. No one wanted to risk their lives for an immortal dispute.

  The hooded man released his head. But then a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. He had just been stabbed by something. He groaned in pain, focusing to keep the blood from spilling all about. It was like his immortal body had no defense at all.

  [Now let’s talk about your mistakes,] the hooded man said.

  Sound transmission!?

  Deacon Hu could not sense any immortal energy from this man but he was capable of sound transmission. It meant he was somehow hiding his true power. And feeling the strength himself, seeing the speed his eyes could not follow in the slightest, there was no doubt this man was stronger than him. It wasn’t even close. If he had decided to stab his head instead of his shoulder, his life would have already ended.

  [Immortal Master, if I have offended you, please forgive me,] Deacon Hu said. The stun wore off, and he immediately shifted to his hands and feet and slammed his head into the ground. The difference between life and death depended on how much he appeased this immortal.

  He heard the footsteps of the hooded man walk around his head. Deacon Hu tilted his head to see the black sword; he still felt a blade wedged into his shoulder, something like a dagger. The black sword disappeared, returning back to the owner’s storage ring. The hooded man crouched down.

  The storage ring. That must be why he’s here. But he must not know what faction I’m with yet.

  [Immortal Master, I am with the Infinite Wealth Auction House. As you know, we host many immortals that come to this region who—”

  The hooded man grabbed the dagger from his shoulder, causing a fresh wave of pain, and pierced him again in the other shoulder.

  [Every time you say something stupid, I will stab you,] the hooded man said.

  Deacon Hu groaned, but suppressed the urge to push his body up and counterattack. His eyes flicked to the headless body of his Junior Brother, which rested just a few feet away. Would this man be willing to go against his Infinite Wealth Auction House? Such a man would be marked as an enemy from various immortals throughout the region.

  However, Deacon Hu would still be dead even if the hooded man was made an enemy. It would be best if he acted in his best interest, where survival was the goal.

  [As I was saying, let’s talk about your mistakes. What did you do wrong?] the hooded man asked.

  Deacon Hu lifted his head up. [I took the storage ring for myself, when I should have offered it to you.]

  The hooded man took the dagger in his back and removed it, then stabbed down again. Deacon Hu stifled a whimper.

  [Why would I want another storage ring?] The hooded man asked. He moved his hand in a position for Deacon Hu to see. It then began to rain down multiple rings. Multiple storage rings. The rings vanished back into the hooded man’s ring. [No, your mistake was attacking…hmm, how should I word this… Your mistake was attacking someone of noble birth. Did you not think a noble and handsome cultivator wouldn’t have secret protection?]

  Handsome? Deacon Hu’s mind started to turn. All this talk about a demonic cultivator and a mortal who single handedly took out the leaders of the Black Brigade made him ignore the other facts of life. There were cultivators who weren’t from this region and might have traveled to visit the Golden Auction coming up. Or perhaps they simply went out to experience the world after being isolated in their own family’s region. He didn’t stop to consider how some Young Masters might bring their own powerhouses.

  [That reminds me, you threatened to cut off his hand to take his storage ring, didn’t you?]

  Before Deacon Hu could react, he felt the same prickling stun hit him, rending him unable to move. The dagger in his shoulder was removed with another squelch. In the next moment, he witnessed the dagger cut through his flesh like it was paper. He wanted to shout out, to scream, but he was locked in his own body while the stun was active. His hand remained in place, though only for a moment. The line of the cut started to form blood and bleed down. The hooded man had just cut his hand at the wrist.

  When the stun wore off, Deacon Hu crumbled to his elbow as support from his hand vanished. A soft thud landed before his face. It was his detached hand, which bled into a puddle. It no longer had the storage ring that used to be on one of his fingers.

  He closed his eyes and felt his heart thump in his ears. He tried to level his breathing, but his body wouldn’t obey him, as it was still reacting to losing a hand.

  [I see the Young Master had left one hundred thousand spirit stones in here. For your insult against someone of noble birth, you will need to provide worth equal to one hundred thousand spirit stones as compensation. Preferably jade tablets that contain Foundation realm artes.]

  [I-Immortal Master, sir, I do not own that much…]

  Deacon Hu flinched when he thought he would get stabbed again; when he didn’t, he let out a sigh of relief.

  [Since you robbed the Young Master with the authority of the Infinite Wealth Auction House, then your auction house can pay for the compensation. Have them deliver the jade tablets and whatever else within a week, or I will be upset. If I don’t receive it, I will visit the auction house myself. I think the phrase you cultivators use around here is courting death, yes? I do like that term. We don’t say that where I’m from.]

  Deacon Hu gulped. He would have a hard time explaining the situation to the owner. The owner might even invoke authority of the sects. Just to cover his bases, he should warn the hooded man.

  [Immortal Master, I will definitely get something arranged that will satisfy you. I want to inform you, so you don’t think I withheld any information, but the Virtuous Wind Sect has a Dharma immortal that might come down to keep the balance.]

  [And how strong is this Dharma cultivator?]

  [Early Dharma Stage, Immortal Master.]

  There was a momentary pause. [What are all the different stages?]

  Deacon Hu didn’t understand why the hooded man was asking but complied and answered anyway. [Early Stage, Middle Stage, and Late Stage.]

  [And what are you?]

  [I am Early Spiritweave Stage, Immortal Master. I have reached the peak and have hit the bottleneck for the next breakthrough, where I’ll be a Mid Stage Spiritweave immoral.]

  The hooded man let out a sigh of annoyance through the sound transmission. [Do you know why I think you’re all arrogant? It’s because everyone is an ‘immortal’ this or an ‘immortal’ that. Where I’m from, most Dharma cultivators don’t even call themselves immortal.]

  Deacon Hu blinked a few times. His eyes widened when he realized the truth. It was like he had been stunned again, but not by an arte this time; he was stunned by the revelation of who this hooded man was.

  The hooded man was from the upper world.

  Where else did someone talk down to Dharma immortals? Where else might someone be from where they didn’t understand the different stages of the immortal realms? It could only be the place where the advanced immortal levels might have their own differentiation of realms. Deacon Hu didn’t know what the upper world levels were so it could be the same for the upper world immortals, who might breeze through the lower world realms. He didn’t know for certain if that was the reason, but it didn’t matter.

  This man was from the upper world. That could be the only explanation.

  And that’s when he realized the second truth. Several days ago, tribulation thunder clouds appeared over Fengpo city. To mortals, those clouds would mean nothing. To immortals, they would all know that it was the heavens. Even the Immortal Maidens from the Virtuous Wind Sect returned to the city and sent a message to their sect, expressing their concerns. But he now knew the source of it. Tribulation thunder clouds could also appear when an upper world immortal accidentally released too much of their power, which was forbidden by the heavens in the lower worlds.

  That was all the evidence he needed. The owner would obey and provide whatever jade tablets this upper world immortal wanted. If they didn’t, he feared there would be no more Infinite Wealth Auction House. And if the Virtuous Wind Sect or the Supreme Sun Sect had a problem, they would also be wiped out by this entity.

  The hooded man dropped a high-grade healing pill on the ground. The casual use of high-grade pills requiring rare alchemy skills was another piece of evidence that his thoughts were true.

  [I’m in a good mood,] he said. [Maybe you can reattach your hand with this.] He stood up and began to leave, but not before giving one last instruction. [Ah, and also bring compensation to the women that were insulted at the Black Brigade. Can’t let rude remarks go unattended.]

  Deacon Hu remained there for a moment longer even after the Immortal Master teleported away. He hoped the owner would be reasonable and simply gave what they needed to give.