Bright Wisdom Water Ape

Kou Xiang'er felt as though she had slept for an entire year. She slowly opened her eyes to a faint glimmer of light. Her mind was still somewhat muddled, but then she heard a voice by her ear:

"Awake?"

She turned her head and saw an unfamiliar middle-aged man seated to one side.

The man looked to be in his thirties or forties. His features were resolute, his temples touched with frost, and he exuded an imposing air of authority without anger.

In his arms was a miniature monkey no bigger than a child's forearm. The monkey was gray and dingy, with a foolish, vacant look about it. Sitting in the crook of the man's arm, it stared blankly into the distance, lost in thought.

Kou Xiang'er's mind swiftly began working again, and the memories from before she had fallen asleep came surging back.

The Lower River Branch, Wu Feng's disguise, the frenzied looting...

Her nose twitched slightly, catching the crisp, cold scent of a clear spring on him.

This scent was exactly the same as the body odor of the person who had disguised himself as Wu Feng. She recognized him in an instant—the audacious "senior" before her.

"Senior..."

Kou Xiang'er called out weakly.

He Sheng looked at her and explained in an even tone, "We are already only a few hundred li from Primordial Mist Immortal City. To avoid stirring up trouble earlier, I had you fall into a deep sleep."

He Sheng was, in a sense, giving an explanation for his sudden move earlier.

As he spoke, he gently stroked the little monkey in his arms.

This monkey was the one he had seen atop Heaven-Sweeping Peak. Though it looked foolish and dull-witted, it was in fact known as a Bright Wisdom Water Ape!

The reason He Sheng had captured it was naturally because the Bright Wisdom Water Ape was the corresponding demon beast for the [Origin Communion] divine ability cultivation method, one of the seven embryonic divine ability refinement methods mentioned in the <Myriad Demons Co-Cultivation Spirit Transformation Art>.

"We're almost at Primordial Mist Immortal City?"

Kou Xiang'er's heart eased. For one thing, He Sheng had not broken his promise, leaving her with the feeling of having survived a great calamity; for another, once she passed through Primordial Mist Immortal City into the territory ruled by the True Dao of Netherworld Communion, she would be temporarily safe.

"Thank you, Senior."

Kou Xiang'er hurriedly rose and gave He Sheng a respectful curtsy.

He Sheng was quite satisfied with Kou Xiang'er's attitude, but unfortunately...

"If I recall correctly, the Celestial Sea Commerce Association has a major branch in Primordial Mist Immortal City. More than ten days have already passed since the matter at the Lower River Branch. The news may well have spread by now. To be safe, you should alter your appearance, lest the Celestial Sea Commerce Association members in the city recognize you."

He Sheng shifted the subject to this matter.

His current appearance was also vastly different from before. Combining Wu Feng's bone structure, some of He Yiyang's fleshly features, and a measure of his own bearing, he had created an entirely new image of a "middle-aged Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivator."

He had deliberately raised his cultivation aura to Foundation Establishment Late Stage, just barely entering it.

This was the result of careful consideration.

Foundation Establishment cultivators were local tyrants along the Silver Sand River, but in a great city like Primordial Mist Immortal City, they were little more than small fry.

If he displayed a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation, coupled with being an unfamiliar face, he might draw one or two troubles.

Thus, he simply raised it to the initial Foundation Establishment Late Stage. At the very least, among ordinary Foundation Establishment figures, his cultivation would earn him a measure of respect and spare him some unnecessary trouble.

"Senior has considered everything thoroughly."

As Kou Xiang'er spoke, she actually took a small box from her storage pouch and began applying makeup.

Though she was a maidservant, she had grown up by Lin Wanrou's side and had been steeped in the arts of disguise, cosmetics, and fragrances from an early age.

Moreover, she herself cultivated the Fragrance-Concealing Art, which could conceal her aura and body scent. It did not take much effort before her appearance underwent a drastic change.

A moment later, a handsome young man with delicate brows, red lips, and white teeth stood before He Sheng.

She tied up her long hair and changed into a blue cloth pageboy's robe. Her entire bearing shifted from seductive to fresh and clever. Unless one knew her well, it would be nearly impossible to connect this youth with the alluring maidservant of the Celestial Sea Commerce Association.

"Not bad."

He Sheng nodded slightly. He was rather interested in Kou Xiang'er's secret art for concealing body scent.

Naturally, Kou Xiang'er did not dare keep it to herself and hurriedly presented it to him.

Afterward, the two headed for Primordial Mist Immortal City.

Primordial Mist Immortal City truly deserved its reputation as the foremost immortal cultivation city within a radius of ten thousand li.

When He Sheng led Kou Xiang'er through the azure stone city gate, ten zhang tall and carved with defensive formation patterns, a prosperous atmosphere mingling spiritual energy, worldly bustle, and the scent of cosmetics rushed over them.

The streets within the city were broad enough for four spirit beast carriages to travel abreast.

Towering pavilions and shops stood in orderly rows on both sides, their upturned eaves and bracketed roofs adorned with signboards glittering in every color of spiritual light.

The moment the two passed through the city gate, an ordinary man came running up with a smile plastered across his face. Bowing deeply, he said, "This lowly one is Lu Tong. Greetings, two Immortal Masters.

"You two Immortal Masters look unfamiliar. Is this your first time in our Primordial Mist Immortal City?"

"Do you need this lowly one to help, perhaps show the two Immortal Masters to a place to stay, or purchase a thing or two?"

He Sheng's divine sense swiftly picked up on another ten or twenty mortals by the roadside similar to Lu Tong. According to Brother Piao's memories, they were all brokers waiting here for work.

He Sheng had already been considering how to keep a low profile. Seeing this, he simply went with the flow, casually tossed out a low-grade spirit stone, and said flatly:

"We are headed for the air harbor in the west of the city. Lead the way.

"If you can get us tickets for the nearest major commerce association's treasure vessel, there will be an additional reward."

Lu Tong hurriedly tucked the spirit stone into his robes, bent at the waist, and said with a grin:

"Immortal Master, you've truly come to the right person!

"My uncle-in-law happens to work for the Four Directions Commerce Association. In three days, one of the Four Directions Commerce Association's treasure vessels will arrive at the harbor."

Mortals like Lu Tong, who came out to seek work, were mostly born to local ward households. There were cultivators in their families, perhaps even more than one.

They simply had no spirit roots. Born into the world of cultivators and accustomed since childhood to the wonders and splendor of the cultivation world, they were unwilling to return to the mundane mortal world.

As he spoke, Lu Tong led He Sheng and the other toward the western part of the city, chattering nonstop all along the way about the city's rules, places to avoid, and where the best goods could be bought, pouring it all out like beans from a bamboo tube.

Though he was a mortal, he was a native-born local and spent every day mingling through the streets and neighborhoods. He knew more than ordinary cultivators.

Before long, Lu Tong led the pair through an alley and arrived at the Four Directions Commerce Association in the west of the city, where they successfully purchased their tickets.

The Four Directions Commerce Association was a colossal commerce association that traveled between the Northern Yuan Cold Domain and the Western Mystic Spirit Domain. Its backing reached the heavens, and its strength far surpassed that of the Celestial Sea Commerce Association.

Its merchant vessel routes were extremely broad, passing through a total of thirteen provinces and over fifty immortal cities.

Starting from Primordial Mist Immortal City, this voyage would pass through Nine Origins, Crimson Firmament, Spirit Palace, and Heavenly Office Immortal Cities before finally entering Nether Mystery Immortal City under the jurisdiction of the True Dao of Netherworld Communion.

He Sheng was still unfamiliar with the geography. After all, Brother Piao had never ventured farther than Primordial Mist Immortal City.

Kou Xiang'er, however, was greatly pleased. Privately, she sent He Sheng a voice transmission:

"Senior, this vessel's route is excellent. It happens to avoid the sphere of influence of the Supreme Mystery Orthodox Unity.

"Starting from Nine Origins Immortal City, it enters the territory of the Four Bright Mystical True Dao. After that, it cuts across Jing Province and Xiang Province under the Four Bright Mystical True Dao before heading straight into the territory of the True Dao of Netherworld Communion.

"Moreover, the Four Directions Commerce Association has an outstanding reputation. Accidents rarely occur aboard its vessels."

He Sheng nodded, quite satisfied as well.

He also wanted to send Kou Xiang'er away as soon as possible. Afterward, he could find a place to properly sort through his own condition and determine his future cultivation strategy.

As for the broker Lu Tong, when he saw He Sheng purchase two tickets costing as much as two hundred spirit stones each without even blinking, how could he fail to realize he had encountered a major client? Naturally, he became even more attentive.

He Sheng did not find his chatter bothersome. Instead, he used it to gather information.

For instance, how could one rent a second-rank cave dwelling for Foundation Establishment cultivators in Primordial Mist Immortal City, and what did they cost?

How did the Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivators who came from elsewhere generally make a living in the city?

He Sheng had not expected Lu Tong, a mere mortal, to know the answers. He had only asked because Lu Tong had cultivator relatives and was a local snake.

Yet unexpectedly, Lu Tong truly knew quite a bit.

"Reporting to Immortal Master, the city's second-rank cave dwellings are all concentrated in the central ring, but they aren't cheap to rent.

"Even the lowest-grade cave dwelling costs around eight hundred spirit stones a year.

"As for how Foundation Establishment cultivators earn their living, this lowly one naturally does not know. Still, I did hear my uncle-in-law mention it a few times before.

"Their Four Directions Commerce Association has cooperative ties with quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city, but my uncle-in-law said their incomes differ like heaven and earth.

"Some can bring in ten or twenty thousand spirit stones a year, earning enough to fill their bowls to the brim;

"Others toil bitterly for an entire year only to receive one or two thousand spirit stones. After paying for their cave dwelling and cultivation expenses, they have barely a few spirit stones left in the end."

One or two thousand to ten or twenty thousand?

He Sheng frowned slightly. The figures felt lower than he had expected.

"Why is the difference so great?"

"My uncle-in-law said it is because of the difference in immortal arts, as well as the level of one's craft.

"Among the hundred immortal arts, alchemy is the most sought-after. If an Immortal Master is highly skilled at refining pills and has mastered one or two exclusive pill formulas, earning over ten thousand spirit stones a year comes easily.

"But if one only has ordinary skills, such as tanning talisman paper or preparing spirit materials, then after a year of work, one merely earns hard-earned money."

He Sheng nodded.

Put plainly, it was still a matter of how much added value an immortal art could bring. Immortal arts capable of producing finished products carried even greater added value.

They chatted pleasantly all the way. Once Lu Tong had led He Sheng and Kou Xiang'er to stay at the largest inn near the air harbor, Immortal Friends Inn, he happily left with several low-grade spirit stones.

Yet who would have thought that Lu Tong had barely left when a voice sounded outside their room:

"Fellow Daoist, Wind Spirit of Origin Communion Ward has come to pay a visit."