Second Senior Sister Has A Highly Dangerous Profession - Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Cheng Luocen had also snuck out by climbing over the wall. If Yu Xizhi and Tan Mingtang had been a moment later, they might have run into him on the inn’s wall, exchanging awkward glances.
As for the black market, he was actually more familiar with it than Yu Xizhi.
After all, before joining the Kunwu Mountain Sect, he had been a casual cultivator, and frequenting such places was only natural for him.
Others entering the black market might get scammed with counterfeit goods or fall victim to some smooth-talking casual cultivator.
But not him—thanks to the old man’s fragmented soul, which had an extremely keen sense for spiritual treasures.
It could smell them from 800 meters away.
With him around, Cheng Luocen would never suffer a loss in the black market.
This time, he came not only because he had saved up some spirit stones during his six months at Qianya Peak, a far cry from his days as a casual cultivator, but also because Yu Xizhi had sorted all the demon cores and distributed them equally among everyone present.
With over thirty people, each still ended up with ten demon cores.
Demon cores, no matter the time, were always valuable.
Cheng Luocen didn’t feel uncomfortable holding them.
After all, he had slain demons with his sword—whether on the way to the Hunyuan Secret Realm or during the final sweep inside, he had contributed greatly.
In fact, when others hesitated to extract the cores, at least a quarter of the hundreds of cores collected were ones he had personally pulled out.
Since they were rightfully his, he could distribute them as he saw fit.
Kunwu Mountain Sect was soon to hold its Sword Selection Conference. He couldn’t possibly step onto the stage with his battered sword, which was worth only three low-grade spirit stones.
If he lost due to inferior skill, he could accept it, but if his sword broke and caused him to lose, he might cough up three liters of blood in frustration.
He had seen his senior brother’s sword and his senior sister’s as well.
Naturally, he knew his sword couldn’t compare, and winning first place was a distant dream.
But he had to at least compete for a spot to enter the secret realm afterward.
Buying a sword in the black market required a keen eye.
The old man’s fragmented soul didn’t support his decision to come.
It grumbled, “I told you about a sword of unparalleled quality hidden in a secret realm, one that could even rank among the top ten in the Kunwu Sword Tomb. Yet you insist on buying a used sword here? Tsk.”
“Wasn’t that sword in the secret realm also used by someone before?” Cheng Luocen remained unmoved.
“I just need a sword that suits me. Look at our little junior uncle—he can fight with just a branch. The only reason I need a sword is because I’m not strong enough yet.”
“That’s not the same thing!” the old man retorted indignantly.
“Even I can’t discern his cultivation level! And you?!”
“I’ll reach that level someday,” Cheng Luocen replied as he stood in front of a stall, eyeing the swords laid out.
Though better than his cheap sword, they were far from extraordinary.
The old man didn’t even bother to comment.
Cheng Luocen wandered around, but nothing caught his eye.
He wasn’t in a rush, just about to pick one at random to try out when his gaze landed on a spot near the edge of the stall.
“Well, look at that—a cultivator selling herself to bury her father?”
A sharp male voice chuckled.
“Little cultivator, why not take on some commissions, kill a few mortals, and you’d have enough money. Why go to such lengths?”
A young girl sat cross-legged on the ground, a sign reading “Selling myself to bury my father” hanging around her neck.
At the remark, she looked up, revealing a delicate but expressionless face.
“I’m selling myself. Do you have someone you want killed?”
The thin-faced cultivator paused, then sneered as he sized her up with disdain.
“If I wanted someone dead, I could do it myself. And with your little cultivation, you think you can kill for me?”
“Pay me, and I’ll try.” The girl tilted her head up.
“I don’t have much, but I have this life.”
The thin-faced cultivator’s companion also laughed.
“Girl, from the way you talk, it sounds like you’ve never killed anyone before. Killing among mortals is just a matter of desperation, but between cultivators… I could crush you with just a finger, understand?”
The girl neither flinched nor avoided his gaze.
She pulled out a short dagger from her robes and repeated stubbornly, “Pay me, and I’ll try.”
The thin-faced cultivator laughed aloud.
“I was trying to be kind, but you won’t listen. Fine, I have a way for you to make some money. You’re pretty enough—spend a night with me, and I’ll make sure your parents get a grand burial, with everything arranged properly.”
As he spoke, he leaned down, attempting to pinch the girl’s cheek.
“How about it?”
The girl suddenly unsheathed her dagger, the blade sharp and swift, almost slicing the thin-faced cultivator’s hand before he could pull it back.
What had started as mere amusement now turned into genuine anger for the thin-faced cultivator.
He smirked coldly.
If he took action now, it would be serious.
Fighting was forbidden in the black market, but having been provoked, the thin-faced cultivator—a rogue with friends nearby—couldn’t let it slide.
Even if it meant being kicked out of the black market for three months, he had to teach this ungrateful girl a lesson.
The cultivator had reached the Qi refining stage.
Though he couldn’t yet control a sword, he had obtained half of a sword manual by chance.
Without even drawing his blade, his attack already carried sword intent—something the girl had no chance of defending against!
Cheng Luocen frowned slightly.
Before the blow could land, he raised his sword and used its sheath to block the thin-faced cultivator’s hand.
“That’s enough.”
Many cultivators passed through the black market, but none intervened.
After all, cultivators feared entangling themselves in troublesome karma.
Most pretended not to see or hear anything, even moving farther away.
The thin-faced cultivator hadn’t expected anyone to step in.
He glared at Cheng Luocen with displeasure.
“Who’s this young cultivator, and are you sure you want to meddle?”
“I said, that’s enough,” Cheng Luocen replied, standing in front of the girl.
“A Qi Refining cultivator bullying someone who’s only at the Enlightenment stage—isn’t that shameful?”
…
“Eh?” Yu Xizhi suddenly stopped in her tracks, suspiciously looking in a certain direction.
“Did I just hear Cheng Luocen’s voice?”
The little talisman figure on her shoulder, Xiao Zhizhi, boredly played with her hair.
“You think you’re the only one who sneaks out to the black market on a dark night? Keep wandering around—you might run into more familiar faces.”
“Do even the disciples of the Five Sects and Three Paths like hanging out at casual cultivator markets?” Yu Xizhi sheepishly rubbed her nose.
After all, she was almost dazzled by all the goods on display.
“Just shows how dull and in need of entertainment the life of a cultivator is.”
She took a few more steps and indeed spotted Cheng Luocen’s figure.
Yu Xizhi wasn’t too worried about being recognized.
After all, she had disguised herself and wore a hood.
Even if she looked in the mirror, she might not recognize herself at first glance.
Cheng Luocen was standing in front of a young girl, facing off against two other cultivators with a tense atmosphere.
Yu Xizhi blinks.
So the plot still unfolded in the end.
It seemed she could change some things, but others would continue to follow the original storyline.
Since Cheng Luocen had already intervened, it wasn’t her place to step in.
Perhaps, when she returned to the Kunwu Mountain Sect, there would be an additional person with him.
She was about to turn away when Xiao Zhizhi remarked, “What an innate sword bone.”
“You, a paper talisman figure, can see that?” Yu Xizhi asked in surprise.
“Who has an innate sword bone?”
― Of course, she knew it was Yun Zhuo but couldn’t let that show.
Xiao Zhizhi, more concerned with Yu Xizhi’s tone, didn’t answer.
Instead, he grumbled, “What’s wrong with being a paper talisman figure? You think I’m not capable? You might not even be able to beat me!”
The two of them didn’t seem to care much about the so-called “innate sword-bone.”
Even though Xiao Zhizhi was a paper talisman created by Xie Junzhi, it was clear that Xie Junzhi had no interest in playing the role of a teacher or in seeking out promising talents for the Kunwu Mountain Sect.
If any elder from any sect had been present at that moment, they would have been ecstatic and immediately taken the innate sword bone as a personal disciple.
However, Yu Xizhi knew that the girl was meant to be connected to Cheng Luocen, and Xiao Zhizhi had no particular interest in the matter either.
So, Yu Xizhi turned around and headed toward the entrance of the black market, leaving Cheng Luocen and the girl behind.
In the original story, Cheng Luocen had handled this matter well enough on his own, so there was no need for her to intervene.
At that moment, she focused on bantering with Xiao Zhizhi: “Wow, is our Xiao Zhizhi really that powerful? If I can’t beat you, could the little Zhizhi I left back at Qianya Peak take you on?”
Xiao Zhizhi shot her an annoyed glare, too irritated by her sarcastic tone to respond.
Yu Xizhi chuckled lightly, flicking Xiao Zhizhi’s face, and then found Tan Mingtang, who was bargaining with a casual cultivator at a stall.
Together, they returned to the inn.
The next day, when she saw Cheng Luocen again, there was indeed a familiar-looking girl standing beside him.
Yi Zui rested his chin in his hand and looked around with interest.
“Hey, Xiao Cheng, after the big fight, we were all exhausted, but you seem full of energy. How is it you even had time to…”
Naturally, Yi Zui refrained from saying anything too crude in front of the girl, but the teasing glint in his eyes was unmistakable.
Fortunately, the girl, named Yun Zhuo, seemed naturally indifferent.
Hearing Yi Zui’s words, her ears didn’t even redden.
Instead, she stepped forward and, rather aggressively, pulled out her small dagger again to stand protectively in front of Cheng Luocen.
“Did you bring back a bodyguard?”
Yi Zui raised his hands in mock surrender and stepped back, jokingly, before becoming serious.
“The sect has sent a communication talisman. Peak Master Han is on his way with the sword boat. Have you thought about how you’re going to handle her?”
Cheng Luocen was troubled by this.
He had merely stepped in to help when he saw something unjust, and afterward, he helped the girl bury her father.
It hadn’t cost him much.
But the girl had insisted that since he had no one for her to kill, she would stay by his side until he needed her services.
The girl, though young, was incredibly stubborn.
It was clear she wouldn’t give up until she achieved her goal.
Cheng Luocen had no choice but to let her follow.
Yet he hadn’t even formally become a disciple of the Kunwu Mountain Sect.
He hadn’t drawn the Life Soul Bell with his soul and his entry into the sect had only been possible because of Yu Xizhi’s approval.
He found it difficult to ask her again if the sect could accept another person.
Yi Zui relished seeing Cheng Luocen’s dilemma.
He chuckled mischievously before speaking, his tone still light but carrying a deeper meaning: “Our Qianya Peak could use another pair of chopsticks. There’s only Second Senior Sister on the entire peak, and it’s inconvenient for her to be the only girl. Bringing this one along would give her some company. But since she’s your responsibility, any trouble she causes will be yours to handle.”
Cheng Luocen thought to himself that they were mere acquaintances; what business did he have bringing her to Qianya Peak? If she could join as an outer disciple, that would be fortunate enough. Besides, if she annoyed the Little Junior Uncle, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.
However, before he could dwell on his worries for long, a thunderous sound came from the sky.
The residents of Tianjiu Town were left in awe, and some couldn’t help but kneel.
A massive sword boat tore through the heavens, hovering in the sky in a way that defied mortal comprehension. Though the day was absent of sunlight, the sword boat seemed to block out what light there was, casting its shadow long and wide, enveloping the kneeling townspeople below.
The sword boat remained suspended, and Peak Master Han stepped out, standing at the prow, his robes billowing like a celestial being descended from the heavens, towering above all.
When he looked down at the kneeling townsfolk, he gazed upon them like mere ants, yet his expression remained gentle.
Finally, his eyes fell upon the group of Kunwu disciples standing neatly on the ground, and his expression softened slightly.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
