Chapter 42

“In the know of five hundred years past, and five hundred years to come. For divine answers, only I, Bai Banxian, can provide them!”

Amidst the bustling crowd, a shabby flag bearing the words “Bai Banxian” fluttered in the wind at a fortune-telling stall on a street corner. A person with a mustache stuck on his face, wearing a tattered hat, and fanning himself vigorously was loudly advertising his services.

Beside the fortune teller stood a young boy dressed in worn-out clothes, holding a battered iron bowl, obediently and meekly. These two were none other than Bai Shuo and Fan Yue.

The two had come out of Piaomiao, indulging in a carefree life of eating, drinking, and having fun. But this carefree life lasted only a few days. Bai Shuo had never been a proper immortal, nor had she ever left the Piaomiao. She didn’t know that in the immortal world, aside from the blessed lands and sacred mountains, one needed spiritual beads to live day-to-day in the immortal cities.

As a half immortal, Bai Shuo had not formally entered the path of immortality and was still just a long-lived mortal. It wouldn’t do to sleep in the wild every night and live off the land. Even if she could endure such a simple life, she couldn’t let her precious young disciple suffer.

After wandering around for half a month with her wood-head disciple, Bai Shuo finally figured out a way to make a living. Before leaving the Piaomiao, she had ransacked the medicine hut, taking with her two worn-out tortoise shells that an old tortoise had hidden under a small bed. Originally, she intended to boil them for medicinal use but unexpectedly discovered that they could be used for divination.

Since the Southern Sea City was the largest city in the immortal realm and Bai Shuo loved lively places, she brought Fan Yue here and rented a small courtyard to start a fortune-telling business. Interestingly enough, very few in the immortal clan knew the art of divination. Except for celestial turtles and gods, ordinary mortals who practiced fortune-telling would shorten their lifespans. Since everyone in the immortal world wanted to live for a few more centuries, no one would risk their lifespan for a loss-making business. Thus, those who set up stalls to tell fortunes and predict the future were almost always frauds.

Bai Shuo was unaware of how tricky this business was, and for the first few days, her stall was deserted, without even a breath of business. Then one day, Fan Yue brought her some food, and a female half immortal, fanning herself, sat down and stared intently at Fan Yue. After that, Bai Shuo decided to have her young disciple hold the tattered bowl as a live advertisement.

From then on, Bai Banxian’s stall became the most popular attraction in Southern Sea City. However, the visitors were all women, all gazing at the handsome young disciple, asking only about romantic fates. The old turtle shells really couldn’t predict romantic outcomes, but those women weren’t truly there for that. They were more interested in taking the strikingly handsome and well-behaved young man home.

Fortunately, Bai Shuo was always mindful of her young disciple’s reputation. No matter who came or how much they offered, they were only allowed to look, not touch—she was quite principled. Under this principle, they didn’t earn much, but it was enough to make three to five spiritual beads a day, sufficient to keep her and her disciple fed.

After calling out for business for a while, Bai Shuo noticed the sun setting behind the mountains and knew there would be no more customers today. She quickly grabbed the three spiritual beads from the tattered bowl and put them in her storage bag, nodding towards the young boy.

“Good disciple, it’s time to close up.”

Fan Yue immediately tied the tattered bowl to his waist, skillfully packed up the stall, and slung it over his shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

Bai Shuo snapped her fingers, leading her disciple away as they closed up shop.

“Hey, Taoist Bai, you’re closing up early today?” The small shopkeepers nearby greeted Bai Shuo.

“Yes, it’s cold today, so the ladies are all staying home. No business today; I’ll be here early tomorrow.”

Bai Shuo replied with a cheerful smile, showing a friendly face to everyone she met. The other half-immortals making a living on the street liked this master-disciple pair quite a bit.

Southern Sea City was only populated by half-immortals. Like the demon city in the demon realm, it was one of the lowest places in the three realms. Many who were born as half-immortals but had no fate with immortality lived their lives in the immortal city. Aside from knowing a few small spells and living longer than ordinary people, half-immortals were not much different from mortals. If there was any difference, it was that they revered immortals more than mortals did, each one striving to become a disciple of an immortal sect on a sacred mountain.

Bai Shuo leisurely wandered through the city with Fan Yue, enjoying a slow, relaxed pace.

“Hey, did you hear? There’s something new at this year’s ‘Wutong Martial Banquet.'”

Bai Shuo paused mid-step as she heard someone gossiping at a nearby teahouse.

By now, Ah Zhao should have reached Phoenix Island. How was he doing?

“What’s new? Isn’t it just a competition between the disciples of the immortal sects and the demon realm? Whoever is stronger wins, right?”

“Oh, come on, that’s old news. I’ve heard that this time, the rising stars from the three realms are as numerous as carp crossing the river. There are nearly a hundred disciples from the immortal and demon clans entering Phoenix Island.”

“So many?! My goodness, how long will that take?”

“Exactly. If all hundred of them compete one by one, who knows how long it will take? We can’t just have those big shots from the three realms sitting around watching all that time.”

“True enough, but… how are they going to handle the Wutong Martial Banquet this time?”

The person with the inside scoop cleared their throat.

“Palace Lord Zhen Yu said that in past years, victory at the Wutong Martial Banquet was determined solely by martial prowess, which is too one-dimensional. Since this is a competition between the elites of the two realms, it would be better to also include assessments of character, wisdom, and adaptability to make it fairer.”

“Character? Wisdom? How do you evaluate something like that? Are they going to have these hundred or so immortal and demon nobles debate the path of immortals and demons on Phoenix Island? Whoever wins the argument wins?”

“Ridiculous! The big shots of the three realms aren’t like us lowly half-immortals; they wouldn’t arrange such trivial debates.”

“Then how exactly will they compete? Stop teasing us and just tell us already!”

“Yeah, hurry up and tell us!” The people listening were itching with curiosity, urging him to speak faster.

“Do you know what the prize has been for the winner of the Wutong Martial Banquet in previous years?”

“I know! In the past, both the Heavenly Palace and the Chongzi Hall would forge a top-tier spiritual weapon for the winner. If our Immortal clan won, the weapon would be bestowed upon the first-place Immortal lord, and the same for the Demon clan. I remember a hundred years ago, the winner of the Wutong Martial Banquet was the Supreme Lord Qing Yi of Da Ze Mountain from our immortal clan…”

“Exactly. Supreme Lord Qing Yi is only three hundred years old now and has already reached the rank of mid-level Supreme Immortal Lord. He’s a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in our immortal clan. In previous years, the spiritual weapons were provided by the Heavenly Palace and Chongzi Hall, but this year, the spiritual weapon has been specially forged by the Phoenix clan from the heartwood of a Wutong tree.”

“What? The heartwood of a Wutong tree?! Are you serious?” The mention of this caused a stir among the immortals in the teahouse.

The Phoenix clan hails from the ancient god realm, and the Wutong tree is the only surviving divine tree in the lower three realms. A spiritual weapon forged from its heartwood can be used by both immortals and demons. But what makes it truly unique is that a spiritual weapon forged from a divine tree not only merges with its owner’s soul, protecting their spiritual platform, but it also evolves as its owner’s cultivation advances.

It is said that with a firm Dao heart, when the weapon recognizes its master, it might even upgrade itself to a demigod weapon.

Cultivating in the immortal and demon paths is extremely difficult, so having such a weapon not only provides half a lifeline but also offers a rare opportunity to glimpse the path of the gods!

“Of course, it’s true! The Phoenix clan wouldn’t make false promises!” The person declared confidently.

“But this Wutong spiritual weapon won’t be easy to obtain. Lord Jinyao has divided the Wutong spiritual weapon into three parts, concealed its aura, and hidden it in Yi city. The challenge is to find all three parts within three days, merge them into one, and make the weapon recognize its master. Whoever accomplishes this will be this year’s Martial Banquet champion.”

No wonder they said they would test character and wisdom—now it all makes sense.

The Yi city is located in the extreme northern wilderness of the three realms. It belongs neither to the Demon clan nor to the Immortal clan because it is inhabited by the Yi people.

These Yi people are individuals who possess both immortal and demon bloodlines and are rejected by all three realms.

Over the millennia since the beginning of the three realms, there have always been cases of romance between immortals and demons. Their offspring are born with both immortal and demon powers, but having both powers in one body leads to chaotic spiritual veins, making it impossible to cultivate either immortal or demon arts. As a result, these Yi people are shunned by both the immortal and demon clans.”

The Demon Emperor Senjian was known for his domineering and fierce temperament. In the past, he had intended to massacre these hybrid bloodlines of immortals and demons to deter any further romantic relationships between demons and immortals. However, it was the Heavenly Emperor Muguang who intervened and saved these Yi people, even creating a separate city for them to live in. To prevent future rulers of the Immortal and Demon clans from persecuting these Yi people, Muguang placed a spiritual lock on the city. This lock suppresses the spiritual energy of any immortal or demon who enters the city, reducing their power to that of a lower-rank immortal or demon . Although the Yi people cannot master high-level spiritual arts due to their chaotic bloodlines, their bodies have become extremely tough as they have trained by using their bodies as vessels for their cultivation.

For a thousand years, these Yi people have rarely left their city, and over time, they have been forgotten by the three realms. Because they were abandoned by both the Immortal and Demon clans, the Yi people harbor a deep hatred for both and have very little contact with the outside world.

Searching for the Wutong spiritual weapon in the Yi city is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. This year’s Wutong Martial Banquet is certainly a novel approach, so it’s no wonder that these half-immortals found it so fascinating.

“I’ve heard that the Immortal and Demon disciples are already on their way to the Yi city. Once they enter, the city will be sealed for three days. Who knows which clan’s disciples will be the first to obtain those three segments of the Wutong heartwood?”

“This time, Da Ze Mountain’s disciples aren’t participating in the Wutong Martial Banquet. I’d say the champion will either be Beichen from Kunlun or Nanwan from Yunxiao. As long as the weapon doesn’t end up in the hands of the Demon clan, it doesn’t matter who wins.”

The Three Mountains and Six Palaces are the major sects of the Immortal clan, and apart from Supreme Lord Qing Yi of Da Ze Mountain, Beichen and Nanwan are the most powerful of the younger generation. Both have already cultivated to the peak of the Immortal Lord level.

“That’s not so certain. I’ve heard that the little king of the Fox clan, Mu Jiu, is also participating in the martial banquet. The Fox clan is known for their cunning, and finding the spiritual weapon isn’t just about spiritual energy. We immortals are straightforward, but if the Fox clan plays dirty tricks or attacks from the shadows, who can say what will happen?”

“Crow’s mouth, bad luck!”

The half-immortals in the teahouse spat in disgust at the speaker. Not content with just talking, they even started placing bets with spiritual beads.

Bai Shuo listened to the gossip for a while, then glanced into the teahouse. Sure enough, the names of Beichen, Nanwan, and Mu Jiu had the highest piles of spiritual beads in the betting pool. She looked around but didn’t see Chong Zhao’s name.

Only after leaving the Eastern Sea did she realize how far the Piaomiao sect had fallen. It was now just a third-rate immortal sect, and since Ah Zhao had only been an immortal for three years, these half-immortals probably hadn’t even heard of him.

Bai Shuo sighed, shrugged, and snapped her fingers at her little apprentice, signaling that it was time to go.

She was just a half-immortal, trying to make a living in Nanhai City with her young disciple. Matters of the three realms had nothing to do with her.

As the noise of the crowd faded, Bai Shuo didn’t head straight home. Instead, she wound her way through several alleys until she reached a rundown, signless shop at the end of a street. Familiar with the place, she slipped inside and tiptoed up to a counter that was taller than she was, calling out.

“Shopkeeper Zhi, I’m back!”

The shop was empty except for the counter. After a moment, a pair of eyes squinted into slits peeked out from behind it. The figure had a bushy mustache, a jade smoking pipe, and wore long Confucian robes, all very elegant—but it was just a paper figure.

Shopkeeper Zhi exhaled a puff of smoke.

“Oh, Taoist Bai, another day of booming business, I see.”

“Something like that,” Bai Shuo replied, pulling out her storage bag. Reluctantly, she counted out ten spiritual beads and pushed them across the counter.

“The usual deal.”

But Shopkeeper Zhi didn’t move. He glanced at Bai Shuo.

“Unfortunately, Taoist Bai…” Shopkeeper Zhi rubbed its fingers together.

“Our prices have gone up.”

Bai Shuo’s face fell. She huffed in disbelief, “Prices increased? Ten spiritual beads for a portrait! And you’re raising the price?!”

“Taoist Bai, you know the Wutong Martial Banquet has begun. Right now, Immortal and Demon disciples from all over the three realms are asking about the Yi city and the nature of the Wutong tree. My Shunfeng Pavilion is busy beyond belief. I’ll need to send someone specifically to handle your request, and we’re short on staff.”

Bai Shuo was speechless. “How much more?”

Shopkeeper Zhi held up three fingers.

“Three more?”

“No, three times the price.”

Bai Shuo exploded, “Three times! Thirty spiritual beads for one portrait—why don’t you just go rob someone?!”

“Ah, as the saying goes, you can’t force a bet, and you can’t force a sale. If you prefer, you could make a trip yourself to the Nine Heavens Palace, Da Ze, Kunlun, Yunxiao, Jingyou, and Cold Spring Palace?”

With each location Shopkeeper Zhi listed, Bai Shuo’s frustration grew. By the time he finished, she grabbed hold of the jade pipe.

“What, are you going to fight me?”

“What are you talking about? How could I dare? Shopkeeper Zhi, look at me. This small, struggling business only lets me save up about ten spiritual beads a month. Thirty spiritual beads for one portrait is just too expensive. Please, be kind and lower the price a bit.”

Shopkeeper Zhi glanced at Bai Shuo, flicking his jade pipe, sending a few sparks flying. Bai Shuo quickly let go of the pipe.

“Times are tough, and business is hard. At Shunfeng Pavilion, we’ve always been fair.”

What a stingy miser!

Bai Shuo cursed inwardly but kept a smiling, apologetic expression.

“Come on, give and take—business lasts longer that way. If I starve, you’ll lose a regular customer. Just look at my little disciple here, standing out on the street every day until he’s as skinny as a bamboo pole. I have to leave him some money for food, right?”

Bai Shuo pulled Fan Yue over, trying to evoke sympathy.

Shopkeeper Zhi had barely bothered to look at Bai Shuo before, but now, when its narrow eyes met the cold, clear gaze of the young boy, something seemed to stir within him, and he straightened up.

He took a few more reluctant puffs on his pipe before finally relenting, “Fine, I can see you’ve got a family to feed. Twenty-five spiritual beads…”

Bai Shuo was about to haggle further when Shopkeeper Zhi shot her a sharp look.

“The true essence portraits of the realm’s lords from the various palaces, mountains, and sects aren’t easy to come by, Taoist Bai. We’re in a risky business too. Twenty-five is final—not a single coin less.”

“Deal! Hand it over.”

Seeing that the deal was made, Shopkeeper Zhi conjured a scroll infused with spiritual energy and tossed it to Bai Shuo.

“Here you go, this one’s the head of Kunlun.”

Bai Shuo swiftly secured the portrait, pushed the ten spiritual beads on the counter toward Shopkeeper Zhi, grabbed Fan Yue, and dashed out.

“Shopkeeper Zhi, I’m giving you ten now. I’ll owe you the remaining fifteen and pay you back next month.”

Her voice echoed in the shop as she ran off, already eight miles away, leaving Shopkeeper Zhi fuming, his bushy mustache almost standing on end.

Where did this little girl come from, stingier than me?

Shopkeeper Zhi had been in business for hundreds of years, selling information across the three realms. But this was the first time someone had bought a true essence portrait of one of the great lords.

What could she possibly do with it? Was she picking a bride?

Shopkeeper Zhi puffed out some smoke, and just as he was about to sweep the ten spiritual beads into his robe, a large, night pearl was tossed onto the counter.

He scrambled to hold onto it, nearly buckling under its weight.

“Shunfeng Pavilion?” a cold voice asked.

“Yes, yes, what information would you like to purchase, my lord?” Shopkeeper Zhi, clutching the night pearl, beamed with a wrinkled smile.

“I’m looking for someone.”

“And who might that be?”

“A fortune teller.”

Shopkeeper Zhi paused, his narrow eyes glancing in the direction where Bai Shuo had run off.

He let out a satisfied puff of smoke.

“Consider it done, my lord. I happen to know of one.”