Sect Ironclad Rule, Article 48

"This disciple has been instructed."

Seeing that Xiao Ling'er had taken it all in, Liang Danxia could not help but smile faintly.

"Fifth Elder, may I ask what tribulation Loose Immortal Senior Hongwu is?"

"I do not know either." Duan Qingyao shook her head. "He is far too distant from people like us."

"Teacher?" Xiao Ling'er turned to Liang Danxia.

Liang Danxia also said she did not know. "Before the incident, I had come here once, but the City Lord was not yet him at the time. As for after the incident, my information has not been very well-connected."

"Oh~~~"

Xiao Ling'er was still somewhat curious, but she would not court death.

Soon, they queued to enter the city.

Those at the sixth layer of the Cave Heaven Realm and above were undoubtedly great experts on the outskirts of the Million Mountains, where the Moon Embracing Sect was located—considered the local "top-tier powerhouses."

But here, they were nothing out of the ordinary.

Thus, Duan Qingyao was also very cautious.

Unwilling to have too much contact with anyone, she paid the entrance fee and led Xiao Ling'er straight to an inn.

Xiao Ling'er was equally cautious, concealing her face with a veil to prevent others from seeing her exceptional beauty.

After all, the sect's ironclad rules stated it clearly.

Article 48: Any female disciple of exceptional beauty who lacks absolute power to protect herself must avoid showing her face in public when venturing outside, lest she invite unearned disaster.

Lin Fan's reasoning for establishing this rule was very clear.

A beautiful woman was a source of calamity.

Beauty played alongside any card was a royal bomb; only when played alone was it a dead end!

If he had been a Protagonist Template, then even if the beauties by his side showed their faces in public, there would be little cause for concern. After all, a protagonist's most common move was Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger.

Whenever they entered a new map, the enemies most likely to be provoked were invariably spoiled young masters or second-generation immortals with their brains between their legs~

They would often set their sights on the Protagonist Template's stunning female companion. Then they would either fail at showing off and get crushed instead, or kidnap the beauty—only to be taken out by the Protagonist Template who rushed over before they could even take a bite.

Plots like this basically existed to deliver experience to the protagonist.

But he was not a protagonist!

Nor did the sect's female disciples necessarily have a Protagonist Template.

Besides, there was the sect behind them. Even if they did have a Protagonist Template, when something like this happened, the Protagonist Template herself would most likely be fine—that was practically a law of nature—but there was no such law saying the sect behind her could also be invincible!

Therefore, before they possessed absolute strength, it was never wrong to be more cautious.

A careful boat sailed for ten thousand years.

Covering one's face or changing one's appearance was simple enough.

And under the constraints of the sect rules, Duan Qingyao and Xiao Ling'er both kept a low profile, so nothing happened along the way.

Duan Qingyao was not weak outside the city, and there were rules within the city as well. Ordinary people did not dare act recklessly.

So long as they kept a low profile, there would not be much of a problem.

And so, they temporarily settled down in Hongwu Immortal City.

They usually cultivated at the inn or wandered casually around the nearby area, living in peace.

Yet they could clearly sense that Hongwu Immortal City was becoming increasingly lively, with more and more people gathering nearby.

"A mix of fish and dragons."

"There is no shortage of desperadoes."

Three days before the gathering began, Duan Qingyao solemnly warned them, "Over the next few days, we need to keep an even lower profile and be more careful. Ordinary people may not dare cause trouble within the Immortal City, but there are always extraordinary people."

"And some desperadoes simply do not care about any of that."

"Yes, Fifth Elder. This disciple understands."

Seeing Xiao Ling'er's little face tense up, Duan Qingyao smiled instead.

"But do not worry too much. So long as we remain discreet, there should not be any serious trouble. I heard there will be a night market nearby tonight, and quite a few people will attend."

"If you wish, we can go and join the excitement."

"Keeping a low profile does not mean locking yourself indoors. Something good might turn up at such a night market. Whether you can pick up a bargain, though, depends on your personal fortune."

"That was precisely my intention." Xiao Ling'er smiled as well.

Liang Danxia thought the same.

Picking up bargains.

It was common enough, in the sense that news of such things often circulated. But it was also truly uncommon, because most people never picked up a bargain in their entire lives, and few even saw it happen with their own eyes.

But she was different.

With her teacher's help, she ought to gain something.

Keeping a low profile was certainly necessary, but that did not mean she should give up opportunities entirely—not even daring to take a look.

Night fell.

The party of two... two and a half people headed over discreetly.

The night market was quite lively. People had come from all corners of the world, laying out the items they had collected.

There was a dazzling assortment of goods: pills, equipment, talismans, cultivation techniques, secret arts, strange and curious objects... everything imaginable. There were even fragments Xiao Ling'er could not understand, leaving her eyes dazzled.

"A night market is also called a black market."

As they browsed, Duan Qingyao quietly explained, "Many things in a night market cannot bear the light of day."

"So discernment is very important."

She held nothing back, teaching her everything she knew.

Although Xiao Ling'er had Liang Danxia with her, and Liang Danxia would teach her even if Duan Qingyao did not, this behavior still made Xiao Ling'er feel deeply appreciated. It further let her sense the sect's sincerity.

"Some things can be bought. But some things, though good and very cheap, may not necessarily be worth buying."

"Why is that?"

Xiao Ling'er was puzzled.

"Because their origins are improper."

"Look at that flying sword over there. It is a high-grade spirit artifact, quite valuable. Its market price is at least around ten thousand Origin Stones, yet that stall owner is asking only five thousand—already half the price."

"But even so, there are not many onlookers who are interested. Most of them are young cultivators who want it but cannot afford it. Why do you think that is?"

Xiao Ling'er suddenly understood. "Stolen goods?"

"Correct. It most likely came from murder and robbery, and the original sword owner's backing is not weak. The sword is a good thing, but once you buy it, it becomes a hot potato. The force behind its original owner will most likely find you. As for what happens then..."

Duan Qingyao gently shook her head without saying it outright.

Anyone could figure it out with their ass—it would surely not end well.

"This disciple has been instructed."

"Ling'er, you are still young. Your talent and temperament are both excellent. So long as you can grow, your future will surely be limitless. But the prerequisite is that you live long enough to grow. Therefore, you must be cautious at all times and never capsize in a gutter."

Duan Qingyao warned her sternly.

"I have seen far too many geniuses die young."

Liang Danxia said, "I have seen even more. That is why I said your Moon Embracing Sect's rules are excellent."

Xiao Ling'er's little face tightened as she listened.

They browsed for a long while.

Liang Danxia suddenly gave a soft cry. "That verdigris-covered fragment over there. Go buy it."

"Use the method I taught you before."

"Is it something good?" Xiao Ling'er approached without showing any change in expression.

"It should be a fragment from some inheritance site."

"If you can gather them all, you may obtain an inheritance."

Xiao Ling'er's eyes flickered. At the stall, she picked through the items and took an interest in something of ordinary value. After haggling for a while, she deliberately hesitated. Finally, as if trying to take advantage of a small bargain, she casually picked up the target fragment from that pile of fragments.

"Then eighty Origin Stones. But you have to throw in this fragment."

The stall owner snatched up the fragment and examined it, but could not make heads or tails of it. "Fine!"

With the item in hand, Xiao Ling'er remained expressionless. Once the transaction was complete, she turned and left.

After they had gone some distance, Duan Qingyao smiled. "Not a bad method. It was not quite polished enough, but for someone your age, it is already quite remarkable."

"Fifth Elder, you saw through it?"

"That fragment should be extraordinary, right?"

"We will only know if we can gather all of them."

"No rush. It did not cost anything, so we can collect them slowly. Even if we cannot gather them all, we lose nothing."

Seeing that Duan Qingyao had no desire to claim it for herself, Xiao Ling'er's smile beneath her veil grew wider.

Three days later.

The gathering officially began.