Buying His Life

Kang Yilong's words were like a heavy hammer blow to the heart of Sect Leader Kang Da, leaving him speechless.

"I, Kang Yilong, Endless Creation Sect monk from the Sheng Sheng Zao Hua Sect, spent a thousand years to obtain this opportunity for a posting to a remote and impoverished place like your Crimson Heaven Realm, and I have no complaints whatsoever. Kang Dabao, you have truly disappointed me!"

Kang Yilong sighed softly. At this moment, he no longer had the warm and approachable aura he had before; instead, he exuded a powerful and terrifying aura.

It should be known that the disciples of the Endless Creation Sect, can seek opportunities to go out and do business, ostensibly to trade, but in reality to plunder the fortune of geniuses from all realms to fund their own cultivation.

The more fortune they seize, the smoother their cultivation will become.

Everyone's fortune is different in this world. Generally, a cultivator's fortune is between three ounces and one pound.

In the eyes of the disciples of the Endless Creation Sect, those who can be called "genius" must weigh at least ten jin (approximately 5 kg).

These kinds of geniuses often have great luck and experience some kind of extraordinary encounter, commonly known as a "golden finger."

If a disciple of the Endless Creation Sect manages to secure an opportunity to be sent out to another sect, they will ask the sect's elders to perform divination and search for all sorts of geniuses to come to their door and seize their extraordinary encounters.

They wouldn't go too far in doing these things; while taking away the fortuitous encounters, they would also give these geniuses some decent treasures as compensation.

This kind of transaction is certainly not fair, and the geniuses whose fortuitous encounters are robbed can naturally disagree, as long as you can defeat the disciples of the Endless Creation Sect.

Taking the black-robed disciples of the Endless Creation Sect as an example, whenever they are sent out to work, they start by looking for Qi Refining Qi Refinement. Once they have done a good job, they will look for Foundation Establishment True Cultivator and Golden Core cultivators of the First Tier.

You might not earn much from Qi Refinement Refining cultivators, nor from Mahayana cultivators. Once the business is over, they'll return to their sect with the accumulated luck and continue their cultivation.

Therefore, the Endless Creation Sect is infamous throughout the myriad realms and is universally reviled.

The name "Endless Creation Sect" gradually became something only his own family members would use.

Currently, they have only one name in the outside world: the Creation Demonic Sect.

Now, Kang Yilong weighed Kang Dabao's luck on a scale, and it was indeed less than two pounds.

This luck is far too little, far below the minimum acceptable level for a disciple of the Endless Creation Sect to conduct business.

In the Endless Creation Sect, any treasure that can be exchanged for a person is worth more than two catties of luck, which means that none of them are things that Kang Dabao can afford!

Logically, releasing Kang Dabao after the deal fell through wouldn't have caused any problems. But how many disciples of the Creation Demonic Sect have good tempers? Since they were angry, why didn't they just kill the person who made them angry?

If this deal falls through, Kang Yilong, who only gets to come out once in a thousand years of arduous cultivation, will have to immediately head back home!

To avoid this outcome, the only option was to have Kang Dabao bring out high-level spiritual items and Law Treasure to weigh and calculate their fortune.

However, the luck gained in this way is impure, which is disliked by the disciples of the Endless Creation Sect.

Moreover, how many of those who are already lacking in luck can actually produce any high-level items?

"Hmph, looking at your shabby appearance, what good stuff could you possibly have to offer? I can't even be bothered to ask." Kang Yilong sighed. What difference would it make if he slapped Kang Dabao? His assignment to be sent out would still fall through anyway.

"This junior has a Third Tier talisman; I wonder if it will catch your eye, senior?" Kang Dabao said nervously, looking up.

"Hmm? Third Tier talisman, huh? Let's take it out and weigh it." Kang Yilong thought for a moment, frowned, but still decided to give it a try.

"I placed it in the sect's secret chamber before I came out, so I didn't bring it with me. Senior, you may come with me to retrieve it," Kang Dabao replied respectfully.

"No need for such trouble, just visualize the location of the secret chamber." Kang Yilong waved his hand and said. Kang Dabao had no choice but to do so. The location of the secret chamber appeared in his mind, and when he opened his eyes again, the two of them were already inside the Chongming Sect.

"What kind of junk have you hidden here! It's a pile of worthless junk, there's not even a place to step." Kang Yilong was greatly disappointed after seeing the Chongming Sect chamber, which had appeared to be a glittering treasure in Kang Dabao's eyes, and his face turned ashen.

"It is truly my fault for neglecting you, senior!" Kang Dabao hurriedly bowed and apologized.

"Sigh, so this is the broken talisman you were talking about. Let's weigh it. Tsk, my Sixteen Golden Star Steelyard has never weighed such a worthless spiritual object since it was consecrated. It's really a disservice to it." Kang Yilong patted the scale beam with a mournful face, looking very reluctant.

"A mere mid-grade Third-Tier Middle-Grade Mountain-Moving Sea-Shifting Talisman, huh, it's actually worth one pound and two qian of luck?" Kang Yilong's expression turned to surprise, then he slapped his thigh. "That's it, I was really out of my mind, why didn't I think of that earlier? He was originally someone with no luck, he didn't obtain a single one of the three thousand six hundred immortal veins, nor did he grow a single one of the ten thousand eight hundred spirit bones. Therefore, obtaining these ordinary items that are beyond his level is an extraordinary amount of luck for him!"

With that thought in mind, Kang Yilong waved his hand and combined the items in Kang Dabao's Storage Bag with the treasures in the secret room, weighing them together.

"The price is two catties and six taels and five mace, plus the previous one catty and fifteen taels and eight mace, that makes four catties and six taels and three mace. Phew, that was close! This deal almost fell through!" Kang Yilong took out his abacus and did the calculations, immediately turning his worry into joy. This assignment could at least continue!

He chuckled, pulled out a long list, and showed it to Kang Dabao. Pointing to the bottom item, he said softly, "Fellow Daoist, please look. This is the only item for trading Qi Luck under six jin. We can proceed according to this. I'll take two jin, four liang, and one qian of Qi Luck from you, and that will complete the transaction. I don't need any of your other items; you can take them back."

"This junior is foolish and ignorant; I would be grateful if senior could instruct me on what items I might retrieve." Hearing Kang Yilong's words, Kang Dabao felt a pang of pain in his heart and resigned himself to his fate.

"Oh, you trust me quite a bit, huh? Fine, fine, I'll help you sort it out then." Kang Yilong had been in the Creation Demonic Sect for so long that no one had trusted him like this for many years, which piqued his interest.

"Well, since that's the case, after we complete the transaction, you'll have two jin, two liang, and two qian of luck left. Of that, you can't touch the one jin, fifteen liang, and eight qian that you have on you. Your luck isn't high to begin with, and exchanging it with me would be detrimental to your future cultivation."

There are two taels and four mace left. The items for the First Tier are too mixed up, so I don't want any of them. I'll return them all to you. Hmm, I'll give you a discount, half a mace. This jujube is quite interesting. It's a pity that a cultivator from your realm would use it for Foundation Establishment. Actually, it's much better than your two crudely refined Foundation Establishment Pills, so it's worth nine mace. Hmm, judging from your expression, you want both pills too, huh? Tch, they're really not good stuff. Take one back, I'll give you one mace.

Oh, by the way, I just weighed your bones too. They were originally a sign of great fortune for you, but you've become entangled in a major karmic conflict, so they're not worth much anymore. Keep them if you want; whether they'll bring good or bad is hard to say even for me."

"Then there's only one tael and three and a half mace left," Kang Dabao muttered as he took the Black Bone, Foundation Establishment Pill, and Six Harmonies True Yang Jujube with a blank look in his eyes.

"Hey, you really are a businessman; you're quick at calculating." Kang Yilong seemed to be in a good mood and even praised Kang Dabao.

He then continued, "Your family's pupil technique is quite good, and I see you've mastered it to a certain degree. You can keep it; I'll give it to you for four coins. This Zhou Grade Cultivation Method actually has many flaws and its upper limit isn't high, so I'll give it to you for three coins. As for these Hong Grade Cultivation Method and secret arts, I have even less interest in them; you can take them all back. I'll give them to you for two coins in total."

"Well, that leaves four and a half coins. You probably don't recognize this piece of Geng Metal, do you? It's a top-quality item among Second Tier spirit ores. Keep it; it's one coin for you. There's another three and a half coins. This Second Tier Kui Star Flying Shuttle —the craftsman's method of forging it is quite ingenious. Your family might find it useful later; it's one and a half coins for you. Then there's this piece of Star Frost Soil; it's two coins for you. Feed it to your spirit insect and see. You won't be disappointed in a hundred years. Take it back."

"Fellow Daoist, see clearly, money and goods are exchanged, fair trade!" Kang Yilong laughed and clapped his hands, then patted the still bewildered Kang Dabao on the shoulder. The latter felt as if a shackle had been placed deep within his soul, and an indescribable sense of discomfort washed over him.

"Alright, alright, fellow Daoist, take this." Kang Yilong took out another palm-sized contract and pulled Kang Dabao to press his handprint on it.

While pressing his handprint, he said, "Fellow Daoist, please keep this contract safe. If you are still alive eight hundred years from now, you can burn it with mortal fire. I will Xundao you then."

"Eight hundred years from now? Even those who cultivate to the Golden Core stage might not live past five hundred. You really think highly of me. Besides, why would I, a Daoist, seek you out? Are you going to rob me again?"

Looking at the contract before him, Kang Dabao could hardly believe that all the treasures in his room had been exchanged for such a thin piece of yellow paper. Feeling resentful, he mustered his courage and asked, "May I ask, senior, when you arrive, will you help this junior?"

"Haha, it depends on my mood. Maybe I'll preach to you, or maybe I'll help you eliminate your enemies, or maybe I'll just say hello and leave, or perhaps," Kang Yilong said, his smile instantly turning sinister.

"I can blow a breath and wipe out your entire family. Haha, let's see if you dare use it, fellow Daoist. Remember, it only works today, eight hundred years from now. Don't forget!"

"Our fate ends here. If you dare, we might meet again eight hundred years from now." Kang Yilong seemed to be in a good mood, waving his hand to leave.

"Please wait, senior!" Kang Dabao's voice rang out.

Because Kang Yilong's words just now exuded a faint killing intent, the gourd of the Sect Leader Kang Da seemed to move slightly, as if it were eager to try.

Since it has moved, does that mean that the gourd can even annihilate cultivators above the Golden Core?

You should know that Kang Dabao's life-saving treasure was something even Kang Yilong hadn't recognized before, treating it as just an ordinary object and not even interested in putting it on the scale. This is no ordinary treasure!

The quality of the Primordial Gourd is far beyond my imagination, terrifyingly high!

"Oh, fellow Daoist, is there something you need?" Kang Yilong stopped, raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

"Since you've already said that we're doing business, could you perhaps give me a break?" Now that he had a trump card, Sect Leader Kang Da relaxed a bit and revealed some of his inherent shrewdness.

"Give me a break?" Kang Yilong chuckled. In truth, everything that Kang Dabao had taken was junk to him, and he wouldn't even blink an eye if he returned it all.

What his disciples sought to seize was never the so-called treasures these geniuses possessed, but rather their destiny.

Now that the deal is done, the treasures obtained in return belong to the disciples of the Endless Creation Sect, and they can do with them as they see fit.

In this way, if Kang Dabao wanted to find a way to get away with something, Kang Yilong could naturally make the decision, which wouldn't break their family rules.

But in all his years of traveling the world, Kang Yilong had never seen a customer who dared to do business with the Endless Creation Sect and then want to return the favor.

"Just based on this courage alone, I might actually have to go through this myself eight hundred years from now," Kang Yilong thought to himself, secretly praising him.

"It's not that it's impossible, but Fellow Daoist Kang needs to come up with a reason to say it." Kang Yilong looked at Kang Dabao with great interest.

"Senior and I are, after all, from the same clan. Since this deal is done, could you at least give me, a junior from the same clan, a discount?" Kang Dabao put on a pitiful expression; he was used to playing the victim.

This amused Kang Yilong. The disciples of the Endless Creation Sect traveled the heavens as itinerant merchants, claiming that "business must be fair," but in reality, they still relied on the bandit principle of "whoever has the strongest fist gets to decide."

Those who did business with them, some with better tempers would suffer losses in silence, while others with more explosive tempers would directly curse and swear.

Kang Dabao had rarely seen Kang Yilong's humble and servile demeanor in recent years. This gave the latter some new insights into the profession of itinerant merchant, which was somewhat beneficial to his cultivation, and a sense of joy arose in his heart.

Thinking of his own Rogue Cultivator origins as a rogue cultivator, and how he had been living a solitary life ever since his mortal family was murdered by enemies, Kang Yilong found himself somewhat interested in Kang Dabao's attempt to establish a connection. "Ha, this is interesting. I'll acknowledge you as a junior member of this clan!"

But then he changed the subject. "I don't have anything of very low quality on me. So I'm giving you my worst possession. As I said before, your luck is too bad. What I give you is entangled in karma, and you can't handle this blessing. Instead, it will bring you trouble."

Kang Yilong frowned and suddenly remembered, "Oh, right, then I can only return some of your things to you. But it wouldn't be right to just return them directly, it would seem like I'm being stingy. How about this, I'm the worst at crafting artifacts in my life, so I'll help you refine this prototype Law Treasure. You might find it useful."

"However," before Kang Dabao could even bow and express his gratitude, Kang Yilong chuckled from the other side, "Don't think that just because I've given you some benefits this time, we're friends now. Eight hundred years from now, whether you find me brings you good or bad fortune is still hard to say."

"Thank you, senior." Kang Dabao didn't care about this at all. It was uncertain whether the Daoist would still be around in eight hundred years. He wanted to take the benefits first.

"Hmm," Kang Yilong nodded in satisfaction, then pointed at the prototype of the Law Treasure, which began to shimmer with spiritual light.

After a puff of white steam rose, a small, palm-sized, cold-colored sword landed in the hand of Sect Leader Kang Da.

"The sword is named Solemn Autumn, a weapon of attack." Kang Yilong looked disappointed. "It's only Third-Tier Middle-Grade. I really don't know how to forge weapons."

"I've wasted so much of my time and effort earning such a paltry sum from you. Think twice before you act; I hope you'll still have the option to see me."

Kang Yilong vanished silently before his eyes, leaving Kang Dabao staring blankly at the empty secret room.

"I never imagined that Master Dao's life was so valuable, that it would cost so much to buy it back!"

Thank you to reader 20220823100343614 for the 500 points reward.

Thank you all for the monthly tickets! (I'm going to be hospitalized today, so I'm sorry I can't thank everyone individually. I only have one chapter today, typed on my phone, so I don't think it's very well written. I hope you can be understanding.)