Volume One: Days in the Shantytown - The Most Formidable Syringe in History (Part One)

"Is that the Sniper Rifle?" Standing in Xiao Xiangzi's secret chamber, Luo Qian stared in surprise at the gun-shaped object before him, its precious light flowing amid curling rosy mist. He had not expected Xiao Xiangzi to turn the Sniper Rifle completely into an Immortal Artifact.

"That's right. But its original materials weren't very good, so this is as far as I could take it: a Treasure Artifact." Xiao Xiangzi picked up the Sniper Rifle and took aim. "Unfortunately, it's all show." He removed the magazine and took out a round. "Look."

The cartridge case had been forged from Five-Metal Essence. Its charge contained powdered fire-attribute and water-attribute Immortal Jade. The fire-attribute powder surrounded a thin, rice-grain-sized shell containing the water-attribute powder. When the primer was struck, it shattered that shell and released the energy in both powders, causing an explosion.

The bullet was made from a mixture of Black Sun Gold and Black Steel; its hardness was beyond doubt. "Unfortunately..." Xiao Xiangzi loaded the magazine, aimed at a nearby Immortal Formation, and fired. The bullet screamed through two barriers, but its force rapidly faded, and it could not penetrate the third.

"This is only a Second-Tier Immortal Formation. Two of its barriers aren't much tougher than a true Immortal's body. I told you before: turning this rifle into an Immortal Artifact wouldn't be hard. I only had to take it apart, refine the components, and reassemble it. But getting it to match its power in the Lower Realm is almost impossible."

Luo Qian was still unwilling to give up. "Then what would it take to make it as powerful as it was in the Lower Realm?" Xiao Xiangzi said, "Grind Water Exquisite and Heaven-Burning Fire Jade into powder and use them for the charge." Water Exquisite was top-grade water-attribute Immortal Jade, and Heaven-Burning Fire Jade was top-grade fire-attribute Immortal Jade. A single piece of either cost a hundred High-Grade Immortal Jades. Luo Qian had no desire to assassinate dignitaries or sow chaos, and he could not afford ammunition that expensive.

Luo Qian stuck out his tongue and abandoned the idea. "So what we have right now is a Treasure Artifact that can only pierce skin?" Xiao Xiangzi nodded regretfully. Luo Qian could only sigh. "This must be the most formidable syringe in history..."

Who would have thought that, upon reaching the Immortal Realm, a Sniper Rifle would become a syringe—able to do no more than pierce skin?

He put the Sniper Rifle in his pack and picked up the thirty Power Generators Xiao Xiangzi had prepared. "Thirty boxes. I'll come find you once I've sold them."

When he returned to his cave dwelling on Toad Mountain, Li Feier was already back. Little Pepper was not playing games. Instead, she was pacing anxiously around the hall. Luo Qian chuckled. "Feier, why aren't you playing?" Li Feier looked at him and blushed. Luo Qian was puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"Boss, one of my older cousins borrowed the Game Console. They only played for a little while before they were hooked, so..." "Wait! When you say 'they,' how many people do you mean?" Luo Qian's ears could be sharp when they needed to be. "F-five." Luo Qian slapped his forehead. "Five? Are you trying to get me killed? How could you bring that thing out in front of so many people?"

Li Feier said guiltily, "I didn't want to! It was my eldest cousin. She insisted on rummaging through my things, and when I wasn't paying attention, she found it. But don't worry. All five of them asked me to order a Game Console from you."

Luo Qian's eyes lit up. In that case, they would hardly report him. Somewhat relieved, he ran his gaze over Li Feier twice while making a private calculation. She was Ling Xiaose's cousin, so her family ought to be well-off. Her cousins' families had to be at least comfortably off, too.

He was working out a price for the Game Consoles, but his "lecherous" gaze frightened Li Feier. She stepped back and clasped her arms over her chest. "What are you trying to do?" Her arms pressed together her already impressive breasts, revealing a deep cleavage. Luo Qian gave a grunt and reluctantly looked away. Li Feier blushed even harder and spat, "Pervert!"

Luo Qian laughed. "As a girl, you should be proud of that. Besides, do you really think I'd harass you?" He meant that she was his employee, and even a rabbit did not eat the grass beside its burrow—though the rabbits raised by those Lower Realm bosses who were always fooling around with their secretaries were exceptions.

Li Feier took it another way. She thrust out her proud chest. "Of course not! I'm a fifth-rank Immortal. If a little Tribulation Immortal like you doesn't want to die young, you'd better put those filthy ideas out of your head!" She waved an adorable little pink fist at him.

Luo Qian ground his teeth in anger. For a moment, he felt an urge to rape her. He glared fiercely at her breasts, venting his fury through his eyes. Then I'll rape you with my gaze!

"Pervert, you're still looking!" Li Feier's face grew redder. Luo Qian felt a tickle in his heart. Why is she blushing so easily today? Has she fallen for me after all this time together?

"Ahem..." Luo Qian coughed twice to hide his embarrassment. "You should know those Game Consoles aren't cheap." "I know." Li Feier held out a piece of purple jadeite. "How about this for five Game Consoles?" The moment she brought it out, Luo Qian felt a rich current of Immortal Spirit Energy fill his cave dwelling on Toad Mountain. He eagerly snatched it up, examined it, and swallowed. "Purple-Qi Jadeite... It's still a little short, but since you're my best employee, I suppose I can make do." He hurriedly put the Purple-Qi Jadeite away. It was a top-grade material on the same level as Water Exquisite! A jade pendant this large had to be worth at least two hundred High-Grade Immortal Jades. Five Game Consoles for two hundred High-Grade Immortal Jades—he had struck it rich! This was a business worth pursuing, and far less trouble than the Massage Chair.

"Really?" Li Feier's eyes lit up with a somewhat bashful delight. Luo Qian nodded. "If I said it, I meant it. The five Game Consoles are yours." "No, I meant... am I really your best employee?"

Luo Qian slipped into his office and promptly shut the stone door. "What are you thinking, little girl? Of course not. You're actually the worst. But since you're my only employee, the worst is also the best..."

Bang! The stone door suffered a blow from a fifth-rank Immortal, leaving a great hole in it. Luo Qian shouted, "If you dare come in, the deal's off!" Li Feier clenched her little fists until her knuckles cracked. Lightning leaped wildly across a ball of light thirty centimeters wide. In the end, she forced herself to calm down.

"Come out. I won't hit you," Li Feier said. Luo Qian cursed inwardly. He was a grown man, yet a little girl was threatening him. How pitiful. This damned Tribulation Immortal Constitution would be the death of him.

"Boss, come out. I really won't lay a hand on you again," Li Feier said awkwardly. Luo Qian poked his head out. Huh? The little girl's blushing again.

"What else is it?" Luo Qian asked as he came out. Li Feier hesitated for a long time before asking obliquely, "Boss, the main reason I went back this time was that my Third Aunt wanted me to ask you something. Is there a kind of clothing in the lower realm that makes people look especially beautiful when they put it on?"

Luo Qian gave her a suspicious look. "Your Third Aunt? How many people have you told my secret to?" Li Feier hurriedly waved her hands. "This time it definitely wasn't me! I don't know how Third Aunt found out. My guess—my guess is that Cousin Xiaose told her." Luo Qian silently cursed Ling Xiaose. If Ling Xiaose had not once been his biggest customer, and was not now the go-between for his biggest customer, Luo Qian would have stopped doing business with him.

"Well, is there?" Li Feier pressed. Luo Qian chuckled. "There are all sorts of clothes like that. Clothes in the lower realm are beautiful these days. Want me to bring some back for you next time?" Li Feier blushed again. "No, that's not what I mean. I mean the kind that men really like when women wear it..."

Luo Qian frowned. "What kind of clothes, exactly?" Li Feier's face was so red it looked ready to drip blood. Seeing that he still looked blank, she stamped her foot in frustration. "You blockhead! The kind women wear next to their skin, the kind men love to look at..."

"Oh!" Luo Qian slapped his forehead. "Bikinis?" Li Feier kept her head down and shook it so fast that her two braids swished across the back of his hand. "Sexy Lingerie?" This time, she nodded.

"Oh..." He had not meant to draw the word out, but to Li Feier, it sounded loaded with meaning. Little Pepper's face had now turned as fiery red as a chili pepper. No wonder she blushed as soon as she saw me today, Luo Qian thought. It was because of this. Once again, he had proved that he was imagining things.

Li Feier stole a glance up at him. When she saw the half-smile on his face, she grew embarrassed and alarmed and quickly lowered her head again. Her thoughts were in turmoil. I didn't want to ask. It's so embarrassing for a girl to ask about this. But Third Aunt sounded so pitiful, and she's always been so good to me. How could I live with myself if I didn't help her? Boss won't think I'm that kind of loose girl, will he...

Li Feier's thoughts were a tangled mess when Luo Qian suddenly slapped his thigh. "That's it!"

"Ah!" Li Feier cried. Luo Qian burst out laughing. "Why didn't I think of this before? What a huge market! An untouched market, a pristine virgin field. If I'm the first to enter it, I can become a giant of the Immortal Realm's Sexy Lingerie trade!"