Self-Inflicted Misfortune

"It seems I should go out less often. Every time I step outside, I end up being followed. From now on, I'll just let my doppelganger handle things; staying home is perfectly fine."

Chen Ze felt that whenever he left the house, trouble was bound to find him.

"Master, where are we heading?"

"To check on the place I used to live, and to deal with our tails while we're at it."

Walking slowly into the familiar alleyway, Chen Ze and his doppelganger, Zhao Ling'er, completely suppressed their auras.

"Master, they are speeding up."

"Hm, then let's wait for them."

Chen Ze simply stopped in his tracks, waiting for the people behind him.

The three men who had been tailing them ever since they left Tongfu Restaurant had originally only intended to follow Zhao Ling'er because of her beauty, curious to see which family she belonged to.

Most importantly, they hadn't sensed any cultivation base from either Chen Ze or Zhao Ling'er, which was why they dared to follow them this far.

However, the further they followed, the more delighted they became; they hadn't expected Chen Ze and his companion to lead them all the way to the Commoner District.

Heaven was truly helping them; their impulsive decision had led them to such a beautiful woman.

They already considered Zhao Ling'er to be within their grasp.

In their eyes, mortals were nothing more than ants.

But when they saw Chen Ze and Zhao Ling'er suddenly stop, they hesitated.

Could they have been discovered? That shouldn't be possible; how could two mortals detect their tracking?

Yet, the Chen Ze and Zhao Ling'er ahead had indeed stopped.

For a moment, they didn't dare to act rashly.

Seeing that the stalkers still didn't dare to approach even after he had stopped, Chen Ze remarked, "It seems I underestimated them. There really aren't many fools among those who can cultivate."

"Master, shall I go?"

Chen Ze glanced at Zhao Ling'er, suddenly realizing he had almost forgotten that she was also a doppelganger.

The doppelganger Zhao Ling'er possessed the same cultivation strength as he did, and she knew everything he knew.

Chen Ze smiled helplessly and nodded. "Go ahead."

"Master, should I take them alive, or finish them off?"

"Finish them off. I'll go to the house I used to rent and wait for you there."

"As you command, Master."

Chen Ze continued walking forward, but Zhao Ling'er's figure had already vanished.

"Big brother, that kid started walking again. It seems we were just being paranoid."

"No, wait—doesn't it seem like there's one person missing?"

"?"

"That woman is gone. Only that kid is walking ahead."

The three looked toward Chen Ze in astonishment, unable to see Zhao Ling'er anywhere; they could only see Chen Ze's solitary back.

Just then, a clear, beautiful voice reached their ears: "Are you looking for me?"

The three were startled; the voice seemed to have come from behind them.

"Could it be?"

They turned around in shock, and the beautiful face that had lured them all the way here appeared right before their eyes.

"When did you get behind us?" the leader of the three asked in terror.

"Just now." Zhao Ling'er asked with a puzzled expression, "Is there something you need, following us like this?"

"We..." The three stammered, not knowing how to respond. By now, they realized they had made a grave misjudgment.

They never imagined that the two people they had been tracking for so long had been hiding their cultivation.

"Let me say it for you: you were driven by lust, weren't you?"

Realizing the gravity of their situation, the three waved their hands frantically. "No, no! We were just passing by."

"Heh, since you harbored thoughts you shouldn't have, you must pay the price for your actions."

The doppelganger Zhao Ling'er had no intention of wasting more words; a Azure Cloud Sword had already appeared in her hand.

"A Profound-grade Magic Artifact?"

Upon seeing the Azure Cloud Sword, the three knew they were finished. Anyone who could casually produce a Profound-grade Magic Artifact was certainly someone they could not afford to offend.

"Fellow Daoist, spare us!"

"Too much chatter."

Zhao Ling'er swung her Azure Cloud Sword, and the Thirteen Swords of Star Movement were unleashed.

Zhao Ling'er's figure vanished, and by the time she reappeared, she was already behind the three men.

While the trio was still bewildered as to where she had gone, they felt a chill across their necks.

A sharp pain followed, and all three men clutched their throats simultaneously.

The blood, impossible to stem, sprayed out from between their fingers.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

The three men collapsed to the ground in unison.

In an instant, Zhao Ling'er had dispatched them with a single move of the Thirteen Swords of Star Movement: Move Stars.

Glancing at the fallen men, Zhao Ling'er collected their personal belongings.

She tossed three fireballs onto their bodies, and soon, they were reduced to ash.

After tidying up the traces of the battle and confirming nothing had been missed, Zhao Ling'er began to walk toward Chen Ze.

This entire process was all too familiar; wasn't this exactly how Chen Ze treated his enemies every time?

Chen Ze had not expected that his own methods would be perfectly inherited by every single one of his doppelgangers.

Standing in the courtyard of his former residence, Chen Ze asked, "Is it settled?"

Zhao Ling'er, having reached his side, replied, "It is settled."

"Good, then let's go. Time to head back."

"Master, aren't you going inside to take a look?" The doppelganger Zhao Ling'er noticed that Chen Ze was merely standing in the courtyard without any intention of entering the house.

"There's nothing worth seeing."

With that, Chen Ze turned and walked out of the courtyard without looking back.

The doppelganger Zhao Ling'er did not understand what was on Chen Ze's mind, so she simply followed silently behind him.

She was merely a doppelganger; there was no need to guess his thoughts, only to remain loyal to him.

On the way back to the mansion, Chen Ze remained silent, but as they neared the entrance, he suddenly spoke up: "Ling'er, what do you think about us opening a shop here in Wannan City?"

"Ling'er will listen to whatever Master decides."

"I still want to hear your opinion; help me analyze it. Staying in the mansion all the time seems rather dull; it's better to find something to do. Besides, opening a shop could earn us Spirit Stones. While wandering outside today, I noticed a price discrepancy between the items in the Myriad Things Shop and those sold in the shops outside. The items in the Myriad Things Shop are valued based on their cost, whereas the prices in outside shops are determined by scarcity. Take the thirty-year-old spirit herbs in the Spirit Field, for example—there is a thirty percent price difference compared to what's sold outside, not to mention everything else. Furthermore, the Myriad Things Shop has everything; as long as one has Spirit Stones, anything can be exchanged. Don't you think it's necessary for us to open a shop? Especially now, when we are short on Spirit Stones."

Chen Ze laid out his thoughts, having already conducted a series of analyses himself.

"Master's idea is excellent, but if we open a shop that sells everything, wouldn't that infringe upon the interests of those powerful families? Moreover, since we don't need to source goods, it will inevitably arouse suspicion."

Although she felt Chen Ze's idea was sound, Zhao Ling'er still voiced her concerns.

"The source of goods is easy to solve. Our shop won't just sell items; we will also buy them back, so we won't need to worry about inventory. As for those families, it doesn't matter. As long as we show them our strength, they won't dare to do anything. This world is like that—the weak are prey to the strong. Besides, we are only opening one shop; we won't be stealing too much of their profit. Furthermore, opening a shop in Wannan City requires the consent of the City Lord's Mansion. Once all the paperwork is in order, we will also be under the protection of the City Lord's Mansion."

Seeing that the doppelganger Zhao Ling'er had no further objections, Chen Ze smiled again: "It's still too early to open a shop; we are currently lacking quite a few Spirit Stones."

"Let's go, let's head in. You can go prepare some food; the meals outside still aren't as delicious as the ones you make."

Zhao Ling'er giggled, "Very well, Master. Ling'er will go prepare it right away."