One After Another

Just as Qin Yang left the Banyan Forest, the battle in the Ghost City outside grew increasingly fierce.

Baleful Intent filled Imperial Concubine De's eyes. Gritting her teeth, she vented all the fury from failing to catch Qin Yang upon the disciples of Boundless Dao Academy.

The pitch-black giant python spewed clouds and mist. The originally colorless poisonous fog had now turned into a thin black haze, shrouding the latter half of Ghost City. Buildings and rocky hills alike were corroded by the poison fog until they were riddled with holes.

Meanwhile, that Boundless Dao Academy disciple unleashed surging sword light, spiritual radiance shooting into the sky. He continually spread and slashed through the fog, battling the black serpent.

Just as their fierce battle reached its height, a streak of black light fell from midair. Once its radiance dispersed, Dole Ghost King appeared beside Imperial Concubine De with a dark expression.

Behind him, a blaze of fire turned into a Divine Rainbow and arrived close on its heels. A faint smile rested on Xu Shen's aged face as he landed opposite them. Clearly, he had gained the advantage in his fight against the Ghost King just now.

In no more than one or two breaths, another white Divine Rainbow appeared from behind, spanning heaven and earth as it arrived, brimming with vast and majestic qi. The Divine Rainbow descended beside Xu Shen and transformed into a fair-faced, beardless man in white robes. His bearing was refined and gentle, exceedingly calm—the complete opposite of Xu Shen's fiery temper.

"Senior Brother Xu." The man nodded slightly to Xu Shen in greeting, his expression tranquil. Then he turned and nodded toward Dole Ghost King. "Dole Ghost King, I am Bai Yunfei of Boundless Dao Academy. A pleasure."

Dole Ghost King gave a slight nod, then continued looking toward the entrance to the Nether Acacia Ghost Tomb.

Before long, brilliant spiritual light appeared in the distant sky. Surging fluctuations of spiritual power rippled outward, stirring the spiritual energy in the air into wave after wave. A White Jade Boat a hundred zhang long crossed the void overhead.

Dao Patterns densely covered the White Jade Boat, while key nodes were reinforced with talismans. If one's eyesight was sharp enough, one could even see the layered, densely packed talismans and interwoven Dao Patterns within the White Jade Boat, forming an incomparably complex structure.

A great azure banner fluttered from the White Jade Boat's mast, bearing the four words Ten Thousand Eternity Commerce. A unique charm surged from those words, making them impossible to look upon directly. Streams of divine light drifted down from the banner, shielding the entire White Jade Boat...

Bai Yunfei looked up, divine light flickering in his eyes. After a long while, he sighed softly. "Ten Thousand Eternity Commerce truly is rolling in wealth. It is merely a Soaring White Jade Boat, yet the Dao Patterns upon it were inscribed by an artifact-refining grandmaster with Cloud Pattern. They even brought Ten Thousand Eternity Commerce's banner. No wonder they arrived so quickly..."

Only when the White Jade Boat flew above Ghost City did they see a middle-aged man at its prow. He wore a smile, a dark-gold long robe, and a jade-crowned cap. He stepped out and cupped his hands toward the people below.

"Qian Youwei, Third Shopkeeper of Ten Thousand Eternity Commerce in Tongqu Prefecture, greets you all. Harmony brings wealth—why must everyone be so drawn swords and taut bows? I have some fine Three Purities Tea here. I invite you all to honor me by tasting it."

"I had long heard that Treasurer Qian was generous in his dealings. I did not expect you to be willing to bring out even Three Purities Tea, which cannot be bought at any price. It seems I am in for a treat this time..." Bai Yunfei chuckled. Without standing on ceremony, he stepped into the air and landed upon the White Jade Boat's deck.

At his side, Xu Shen shot Dole Ghost King a glare and followed him onto the boat.

Dole Ghost King remained silent. After a brief hesitation, he boarded as well.

His strength was not lacking, but the other side had clearly made up their minds this time. Xu Shen was a Divine Sea Grand Cultivator, while the newly arrived Bai Yunfei, though better tempered, had used his Nourishing Self Sword to slay three Demon Kings of the same realm over the past decade.

Not to mention this newly arrived Treasurer Qian. His spiritual power fluctuations were as vast as sea and sky, spiritual radiance overflowing from his body to the point where it could barely be restrained. He too was a Divine Sea Grand Cultivator. Coupled with Ten Thousand Eternity Commerce's immense wealth, if they truly fought, Treasurer Qian's strength might well be the greatest of them all.

After everyone had boarded, Treasurer Qian still wore a smile as he sat cross-legged before the tea tray, meticulously preparing tea for them. Steam churned within the transparent, thin-walled teapot, where only three verdant tea leaves of ethereal shape slowly turned.

Before long, Treasurer Qian swept his sleeve and poured the tea. Four cups of tea broth tinged with green descended. Tea fragrance filled the air, and a single gentle breath of it left one refreshed and clear-minded.

Once the tea fragrance spread, the barren black earth below immediately burst with vitality. Threads of emerald grass broke through the black soil. In merely two or three breaths, the surrounding area for several li was covered in grass as green as raindrops, brimming with life force.

"Please." Treasurer Qian made an inviting gesture, then picked up a cup himself and savored it slowly.

After a cup of tea entered their stomachs, the spiritual power fluctuations around Xu Shen and Bai Yunfei became much steadier. Even the churning Ghost Qi around Dole Ghost King lost a trace of its violence, and his eyes became clearer.

"Treasurer Qian, speak plainly." Dole Ghost King set down his teacup. The wariness and malice in his eyes had diminished greatly, and his tone was more than half as mild as before.

"Ghost King, you are too polite. This time, I merely wished to discuss a business deal with you."

"What business deal? Killing this fellow would be much simpler!" Xu Shen's face darkened as he glared at Dole Ghost King. Dazzling light flashed in his eyes, and he made no attempt to conceal his malice.

"Come, then! Do you think I am afraid of you?" Dole Ghost King abruptly rose to his feet. Ghost Qi churned around him, accompanied faintly by the howls of ten thousand ghosts.

"Easy, easy, you two!" Treasurer Qian hurriedly stood and tried to calm them both.

"Dole Ghost King, you should have known long ago that the abyss behind Ghost City leads to a wondrous place, should you not?"

"I know. But that place conceals profound mysteries, and the divine might within is unfathomable. Any ghost that falls inside turns to dust in an instant. I tried it once, but after falling barely a zhang into it, I returned gravely wounded. You are here to enter it, aren't you?" Dole Ghost King did not conceal anything and admitted it readily.

"If our estimate is correct, that place leads to a secret realm—the Seated Transcendence Land of a Titled Dao Lord. We have indeed come for it. In truth, there is no conflict between us and you. You are unable to explore it, but we can enter. My deal with you is this: we enter, and neither side interferes with the other. Regardless of what we obtain within, once we come out, we will give you three High-Grade Spiritual Items as compensation. What do you say?" Treasurer Qian's offer was exceedingly generous...

For a moment, Dole Ghost King could not refuse. He could not enter that place; the abyss had always been used to execute ghosts. Any ghost within the Nether Acacia Ghost Tomb that made a mistake would be thrown directly inside to be ground to death.

He knew there had to be tremendous benefits inside, yet he could not obtain even the slightest portion of them. After so long, he had long since given up hope. Now he could receive three High-Grade Spiritual Items for nothing—how could he possibly refuse?

"Fine!"

"Straightforward!" Treasurer Qian laughed heartily and immediately took out a Blue Fish Mirror, handing it to the Ghost King. "This is the first High-Grade Spiritual Item. Consider it the deposit."

The Ghost King accepted the spiritual item, cupped his hands, and turned to leave.

Xu Shen's face darkened as he watched the Ghost King's retreating back, his gaze flickering.

"Elder Xu, do not be like this. Though the Nether Acacia Ghost Tomb cannot be considered a secret realm, it is still seven parts blessed land and three parts secret realm. The Nether Acacia supporting this place is under his control. If we push him too far and he stakes everything on one throw, destroying the Nether Acacia and causing this place to collapse, then we will gain nothing." Seeing Xu Shen's reluctance, Treasurer Qian spoke slowly.

After a slight pause, Treasurer Qian added another sentence.

"The news may already have leaked. If I could arrive, others certainly can as well. Within a week at the latest, powerful experts will surely come in person."

At those words, Xu Shen immediately withdrew his gaze and stopped paying attention to the departing Ghost King...