Under Another's Thumb and Striking Back

Realization dawned on Qin Fei.

It seemed those people had ultimately been unable to hold back and had made a move against the merchant association.

He gave Tang Zhan a slight nod, then went to the rear courtyard.

In the pavilion, Fairy Caiyi was resting with her eyes closed. When she saw him, she beckoned him over.

"Do you know why I sent for you?"

She poured Qin Fei a cup of tea and gestured for him to make himself comfortable.

Qin Fei did not dare be careless, however, and answered honestly:

"This junior guesses it has something to do with my puppets."

When Fairy Caiyi had summoned him to the merchant association that day, she had mentioned that he had earned her many Spirit Stones. That was why he made the guess.

Fairy Caiyi nodded in satisfaction and said:

"That's right. You're fairly clever. I sent for you mainly because of your puppet production."

When Qin Fei had first begun working with the merchant association, his daily output had been considerably higher than it was now.

Later, however, his output had gradually fallen because of his cultivation. This had directly affected the merchant association's profits, which was why Fairy Caiyi had summoned him.

Caiyi rose, looked toward the pond nearby, and continued:

"To tell you the truth, I formed the merchant association to gather cultivation resources. But after Foundation Establishment, breaking through again is easier said than done. The number of Spirit Stones required is far beyond your imagination.

"Since you have a knack for making money, I hope you can lend me a hand and restore your output to its peak. In return, you will gain the goodwill of a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"For example, I can take care of the Lu Household for you and keep them from bothering you again."

When she had searched that person's soul that day, she had learned that the Lu Household was investigating the Heavenly Mystery Key and had eventually traced it to the puppet scrapyard where Qin Fei lived. That was why she made the offer.

Qin Fei sighed inwardly. Just as I thought.

He had already guessed that Fairy Caiyi had summoned him because of his puppet production.

After all, who would give up a "tool" for earning Spirit Stones for no reason?

Once he agreed, he would become Fairy Caiyi's ox and horse for good, with no time left to cultivate.

Moreover, he understood that when a Foundation Establishment cultivator discussed terms with him, it might look as though she was asking for his opinion, but in reality, there was no possibility of refusing.

Fortunately, Qin Fei had foreseen that this day would come sooner or later when he first began supplying the merchant association.

To guard against it, he had deliberately kept a trick up his sleeve, and now he really did need it.

From the very start of his cooperation with the merchant association, he had never revealed his full production capacity.

What Fairy Caiyi believed to be his peak output was merely the portion he had shown while filling the merchant association's orders and making the puppets Wang Hu needed at the same time.

What Fairy Caiyi also did not know was that his output depended mainly on automation.

After his breakthrough some time ago, Qin Fei could control more puppets, and his output had increased dramatically. Even if he spared only a little time each day, he could meet Fairy Caiyi's demands.

At that thought, Qin Fei could not help feeling grateful that he had prepared in advance and escaped a calamity.

After considering it for a while, he put on a troubled expression and said:

"If I restore my output to its peak, I'm afraid this junior won't have much time left to cultivate. This..."

Fairy Caiyi raised an eyebrow, somewhat displeased.

"I've always been fair, and I don't like using my strength to bully the weak. I secured that golden silk soft armor for you earlier as compensation for this. If you have any conditions, you may state them, but if you're insatiably greedy..."

She did not continue, but her meaning was already clear.

Qin Fei hurriedly lowered his head and said respectfully:

"This junior wouldn't dare ask for too much. Senior said you would take care of the Lu Household for me. I venture to ask that you replace that with another condition, and hope you will agree."

Fairy Caiyi remained unmoved and merely said coolly:

"Go on. I'll decide for myself whether to agree."

Qin Fei hurriedly said:

"This junior's aptitude is ordinary, but I still harbor a faint hope of reaching Foundation Establishment. If I am lucky enough to touch its threshold in my lifetime, I hope Senior will lend me a hand then."

Foundation Establishment was a towering mountain Rogue Cultivators struggled to cross, a heavenly chasm blocking countless cultivators, and also the beginning of cultivation.

Only by crossing that mountain could one see the scenery beyond.

Especially after what had just happened, Qin Fei had come to understand deeply that the dangers of the cultivation world would not leave you alone simply because you did not provoke them.

In the end, it all came down to one's own strength.

Thus, he longed for Foundation Establishment all the more.

Fairy Caiyi was a little surprised.

In her view, Qin Fei's aptitude made it difficult for him to reach Foundation Establishment. Rather than cling to such an unrealistic hope, it would be more practical to deal with the immediate trouble posed by the Lu Household.

Even so, his resolve to pursue the Dao made her think more highly of him.

"I wondered what it was. Very well. If you have a chance at Foundation Establishment, we will be fellow travelers on the same path. When the time comes, I will naturally give you some help."

Hearing this, Qin Fei finally let out a long breath.

Having reached an agreement, the two found the atmosphere between them somewhat more relaxed.

Qin Fei also took the opportunity to ask about a few things.

First, he asked how the little girl Zhang Youqing was doing.

As Old Zhang's granddaughter and a girl he had watched grow up, Qin Fei cared a great deal about her.

Ever since Fairy Caiyi had taken the girl as her disciple, she had gone to the Azure Wood Palace to cultivate. In the blink of an eye, it had been a long time since he had seen her.

A trace of fondness appeared on Fairy Caiyi's face, but she soon shook her head.

"Qing'er's aptitude is excellent, and she's advancing by leaps and bounds on the path of cultivation. Unfortunately, her temperament leaves something to be desired. If she had half of yours, I wouldn't have to worry."

Qin Fei responded to Fairy Caiyi's praise with exceptional modesty. Still, learning that the girl was doing well put his mind at ease.

Next, he asked about the killers who had targeted the merchant association.

Since it concerned his own safety, he naturally needed to learn more.

But when the matter came up, Fairy Caiyi seemed somewhat helpless.

According to her, those people came from an organization called Yama Hall. They took money to do jobs, and there was no way to trace their employer.

In the cultivation world, many cultivators belonged to this organization, accepting or commissioning tasks.

Moreover, no one had ever dared to break an agreement, or a thunderous retaliation would await them.

Even she herself was one of its members.

As she spoke, she took out her Yama Pendant. Its design was not much different from Qin Fei's.

The difference was that the back of Qin Fei's bore the words "Underworld Bureau," while Fairy Caiyi's bore "Impermanence."

Her mask was very different, however. It was not the white worn by those of the Underworld Bureau, but cyan, and the number on it was "thirty-six."

Seeing this, Qin Fei showed a flicker of realization.

The voice in the jade pendant had previously said that if he refused a mandatory task, an Impermanence would come to his door and personally reclaim the Yama Pendant.

Now it seemed that Impermanence probably referred to the Foundation Establishment cultivators in Yama Hall.

Although he had not learned much, he had at least ascertained that the Yama Pendant itself posed no danger, and Qin Fei breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, without waiting for Fairy Caiyi to speak, he took the initiative to bid her farewell.

When Qin Fei left the merchant association, he had a large pile of orders in his hands.

Since he had promised Fairy Caiyi he would increase production, he had to meet the target.

Afterward, he went to see Wang Hu and collected the accumulated orders for Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses as well.

These orders were his own capital. Next, he planned to craft them like mad and earn Spirit Stones.

When he returned to the scrapyard, however, the image-recording spider sent an alert.

Two Qi Refining Third Layer cultivators were lurking suspiciously at the entrance, their purpose unknown.

He did not need to think to know they were from the Lu Household.

Qin Fei was in a foul mood, and he wanted nothing more than to slap the two of them dead.

In the end, though, he held back. Pretending he had not noticed them, he returned to his residence.

It was not that he was willing to be a turtle hiding in its shell, but that he understood the more trying the situation, the more he needed to remain calm.

Back home, Qin Fei closed his eyes and reviewed what had happened over the past two days.

Why had trouble kept coming to his door when he had done nothing at all?

No, this is too passive. I have to find a way to deal with it.

All Senior Caiyi wants is puppet production. With my current abilities, I can meet her demands with ease.

The Lu Household is the real problem. How can I make them believe the key is no longer in my hands?

Qin Fei pondered for a long time before inspiration finally flashed through his mind.

That's right. Since I can make that key, why not make more and spread them around the market? Once the waters are muddied, everyone's attention will naturally shift away from me.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and Qin Fei immediately settled on the plan.

Before that, however, there was one more thing to do.

He took out the Yama Pendant, sent his Divine Sense into it, and slowly posted a task.

[Target: kill the young master of the Lu Household in Shangyu Market]

[Reward: five hundred Spirit Stones]

Even a clay bodhisattva had three parts temper. Qin Fei had never been the sort to take a beating without striking back.

The advantage of the Yama Pendant was that one could pay to have a job done without the other party being able to trace it, avoiding a mess clinging to oneself.

If this young master of the Lu Household stopped provoking him from now on, then so be it.

If there was a next time, they would play to their hearts' content.

If five hundred was not enough, then a thousand. If a thousand was not enough, then two thousand.

Qin Fei had never doubted his ability to make money.