In less than two hours, Qingying returned from the Yansheng Sect, carrying the Heaven-Refining Cauldron by one leg. The cauldron had shrunk to the size of a hotpot, and she strode into the main hall of the Envoy’s Manor with a radiant smile on her face.
At that moment, the hall was packed with over a thousand people. Every prominent figure in the Kan Gang had arrived. This was the first formal assembly after the gang’s massive personnel reshuffle.
When everyone saw Qingying enter, they, who had already been standing ramrod straight, became even more rigid. Not a single person dared to breathe too loudly. Eyes lowered, noses aligned with hearts, they pretended they had seen nothing.
Qingying walked straight to Bao Gu as though no one else existed. She leaned sideways against Bao Gu’s chair and drew out her voice in a sweet, trembling call.
“Master…”
That soft, coy tone was thick with shameless wheedling.
Bao Gu heard that Qingying had once again omitted the word “cheap” from “cheap master,” and had even called her in such a spine-tingling voice. She shuddered inwardly.
What now?
Keeping her face stern, she said in a deep voice, “Call me properly.”
Qingying obediently gave an “oh,” then called out properly, “Master.”
After that, she could not wait to thrust the cauldron in front of Bao Gu.
“Look!”
Bao Gu had been about to say, “I’m busy. Come back later,” and send Qingying away. But when she saw Qingying presenting the Heaven-Refining Cauldron as though offering up some precious treasure, she instinctively swept her divine sense inside.
There, the Old Tea Tree’s cauldron was suspended above a great mountain piled high with fire spirit stones. The Old Tea Tree was staring at the stones with a face full of resentment and conflict, looking as though it wanted to say, “Stay away from me. You’re too hot!”
Bao Gu had already become so speechless at the Old Tea Tree’s behavior that she simply ignored it. She paid it no mind. Only then did she suddenly realize that the amount of fire spirit stones seemed rather large. She examined them more carefully, and her red lips parted in shock. After checking again, she confirmed she had not seen wrong.
She asked, “Did you rob the Yansheng Sect’s spirit stone treasury?”
The Yansheng Sect was famous for producing fire spirit stones. Seventy percent of all fire spirit stones in the entire cultivation world came from the Yansheng Sect. Even Bao Gu, who had always been “not short on money,” was stunned by this quantity. Leaving the rest aside, there were over three million supreme-grade spirit stones alone. As for high-grade, mid-grade, and low-grade spirit stones, they were counted in the hundreds of millions.
The Duobao Spirit Monkey landed on Bao Gu’s shoulder. It gave Qingying an aggrieved look, then looked pitifully at Bao Gu and squeaked once, looking as if it were about to cry.
Bao Gu thought, What is wrong with everyone today?
When Qingying saw the little monkey come in, she smiled brightly at it and said, “The little monkey was so good to me. Today it gave me ten gourds of supreme monkey wine. Another day, I’ll treat it to some Earth Immortal meat.”
After saying that, she reached out and seized the Duobao Spirit Monkey in her hand, grabbed it by the tail, swung it once, and threw it out.
The Duobao Spirit Monkey hit the floor face-first, nearly smashing its face crooked against the ground. It sprang up, gave an angry squeak, stomped its monkey paw, then flipped onto Yu Mi’s shoulder. Pointing at Qingying, it squeaked nonstop, scolding her.
Qingying heard that the Duobao Spirit Monkey was actually using monkey language to accuse her of bullying it by holding it upside down by the tail, even after it had given her monkey wine. Her brows lifted, and she was just about to drag the Duobao Spirit Monkey back over when she saw Yu Mi raise her hand and cradle the little monkey in her palm, gently stroking its fur. Yu Mi looked at Qingying with a smile.
That look clearly said, Try bullying the little monkey again.
Qingying needed a favor from her master right now, so she was not about to offend Yu Mi at a time like this. She said haughtily to the Duobao Spirit Monkey, “I’m not treating you to Earth Immortal meat anymore!”
Then she turned back to Bao Gu with a flattering smile.
“Master, look, I have so many spirit stones now. Can I buy lots of Resurrection Pills?”
Bao Gu swept her gaze over everyone in the hall, then looked at Qingying and asked with a grave expression, “Did you go rob the Yansheng Sect?”
Qingying said, “No. Grandpa Tree emptied out all of the Yansheng Sect’s spiritual herbs and spiritual fruits. Then a cultivator at the early Tribulation stage, who looked like he had quite a high status and could open the treasury, compensated me with their treasury. Those talismans, pills, and magical treasures were all too shabby. I didn’t like them, so I only took their spirit stones. You told me before that I can’t take things for nothing, and I definitely can’t steal or rob, so I traded Earth Immortal meat with him. I gave him an entire Earth Immortal leg, an Earth Immortal head, and a full five bottles of Resurrection Pills.”
While Qingying was speaking, an attendant came in holding a jade token. It was a communication jade treasure used by the Kan Gang. Messages could be imprinted into it and transmitted through a small formation.
The attendant stopped at the hall entrance, bowed, and said, “Commandery Lord, urgent message. It concerns the Yansheng Sect.”
Qingying’s expression became a little uneasy. Her eyes darted around, and she felt too guilty to look at Bao Gu.
Bao Gu glanced at the guilty-looking Qingying, raised her hand, and drew the jade token into her palm. She released her divine sense and swept through it. In an instant, she learned clearly everything Qingying had done after arriving at the Yansheng Sect, including what the Duobao Spirit Monkey and the Old Tea Tree had done.
Qingying’s single strike had destroyed the Yansheng Sect’s city-protecting grand formation along with the five sacred artifacts used to set it up. She had also taken so many spirit stones that she had nearly hollowed out the Yansheng Sect’s foundation. In exchange, she had given them an Earth Immortal opportunity. That counted as both intimidation and punishment without seeming too overbearing. It was the Duobao Spirit Monkey and Old Tea Tree’s actions that were somewhat disgraceful.
Bao Gu looked at the Duobao Spirit Monkey and asked, “How did the little monkey end up at the Yansheng Sect?”
Yu Mi said, “I sent it.”
Bao Gu said nothing more.
Seeing that Bao Gu was ignoring her, Qingying said again, “Master, I want to buy pills and ninth-rank spiritual treasures. Exchange all these spirit stones for pills and ninth-rank spiritual treasures for me.”
Bao Gu said mildly, “You wish. Go ask around yourself whether treasured pills on the level of Resurrection Pills and spiritual medicines above the seventh rank can be bought with spirit stones alone.”
Qingying hugged Bao Gu’s arm and wheedled again.
“I know you have lots. Sell me some.”
Bao Gu rubbed her forehead with a headache.
“But I’m raising a little ancestor who eats Resurrection Pills like meals. How much do you think I have left to sell you?”
Qingying knew the little ancestor Bao Gu was talking about was herself. She immediately pursed her lips into a smile and drew out her voice again.
“Master…”
Bao Gu said coldly, “In front of all these people, do you have the nerve to act spoiled like this? Can you let me finish what I’m handling first?”
Qingying replied, “It’s fine. I’ll just treat them all as dead people…”
Then she glanced at Yu Mi.
“Not including Yu Mi.”
After saying that, she saw that her master’s gaze had gone cold. She could only withdraw her hand. Rather unwillingly, she frowned at her master, then walked out reluctantly, slowly, dragging her feet and looking back every three steps, clearly still unwilling to give up.
She had so many spirit stones. Why wouldn’t her master sell her spiritual treasures and treasured medicines?
Qingying shuffled out at a tortoise’s pace, looking back with every step. Bao Gu did not even glance at her and continued discussing matters. Qingying could still tell whether her master truly refused to sell to her, or whether she was merely saying no and would relent if Qingying acted spoiled a few more times. After leaving the main hall, she thought for a bit, then stepped out of the Envoy’s Manor, preparing to find a spiritual medicine shop herself to buy treasures.
Qingying stood at the manor gate and looked around for a medicine shop. Sweeping out with her divine sense, she quickly found a pill shop. She strode swiftly to its entrance and shook the Heaven-Refining Cauldron in her hand.
“Shopkeeper, I want to buy treasured pills and eighth- or ninth-rank spiritual treasures. I’ll take as many as you have!”
The shopkeeper, who was lowering his head to check a list of goods, heard a crisp young girl’s voice and said without looking up, “What kind of idiot came in here? Do you think eighth- and ninth-rank spiritual treasures and treasured medicines are something you can just buy whenever you want?”
Then he lifted his head and was so frightened that his whole body went limp. He collapsed back into his chair.
He trembled for a good while before finally coming back to his senses. Shaking all over, he pointed at a plaque hanging behind him and stammered, “D-drought fiend… This… this is… this is a Kan Gang business… I… th-this humble one… serves the Commandery Lord…”
Qingying glanced at the paralyzed shopkeeper. Seeing that he was almost scared senseless, she could not be bothered with him. She quickly rummaged through the medicine shop herself, even searching the rear courtyard. All she saw were low-rank pills she had no interest in. There was not a single pill on the level of a Resurrection Pill. She did, however, find a few seventh- and eighth-rank spiritual treasures in the storeroom at the back.
She placed them in front of the shopkeeper and asked, “These. How much?”
The shopkeeper kept wiping sweat away.
“They’re… they’re… they’re for display, to hold down the shop… n-not for sale…”
Afraid the drought fiend would get angry and eat him, he hurriedly said, “The auction house! All the good things are at the auction house… Go out, turn right, and walk straight down the main street. It’s about a hundred zhang away…”
Qingying stared at the few seventh- and eighth-rank spiritual treasures packed in jade boxes, her eyes full of conflict. Her cheap master had said that buying and selling had to be mutually willing. One could not force others to buy or sell. She really wanted to buy them, but forget it. She had even gnawed on ninth-rank spiritual treasures before. This was her cheap master’s shop, so there was no need to make her master unhappy over a few seventh- or eighth-rank spiritual herbs.
If Master became unhappy, she would deduct Qingying’s rations. Qingying would still be the one to suffer.
She turned and left the medicine shop. When she reached the doorway, she suddenly smelled urine. Turning her head, she saw that the shopkeeper had already wet himself from fright.
She frowned and snorted. “I don’t eat people anymore. And even if I did, I wouldn’t eat someone at your cultivation level!”
With a look of disdain, she stepped out and hurried to the auction house.
The auction house was far larger than the medicine shop. Whether in architectural layout or decorations, it was much better than the shop. One glance was enough to know the things sold here would definitely be better too.
Several Golden Core female cultivators stood at the entrance. When they saw Qingying, they immediately smiled and came forward, respectfully welcoming this richly dressed young girl whose strength seemed unfathomable inside.
Seeing that these female cultivators were actually not afraid of her, Qingying glanced at them in surprise, then walked in cheerfully.
She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly sensed movement behind her. Turning around, she saw a Soul Formation cultivator staring at her in horror, his calves trembling. Qingying quickly glanced him over. Seeing that he wore the clothing of a Kan Gang steward and had a waist token hanging from his belt, with a style similar to the cultivators on the flagship, she knew he was another of Bao Gu’s subordinates.
A servant-like cultivator beside him noticed something wrong with his chief steward and carefully called out, “Chief Steward, what’s wrong?”
The chief steward wiped the sweat from his forehead, then walked forward trembling. He bowed respectfully.
“Greetings, Young Mistress Qingying!”
The servants following behind the steward heard that title and were instantly so frightened their eyes nearly popped out.
A drought fiend!
One timid servant rolled his eyes back and fainted on the spot.
Another servant was frightened into wetting himself.
This commotion attracted the attention of passing cultivators. One turned his head, recognized Qingying at a glance, and roared at the top of his lungs, “Drought fiend!”
Then he summoned his flying sword and fled at top speed.
That roar immediately alarmed the surrounding cultivators. Everyone looked up and swept their gazes over. In an instant, the originally bustling and prosperous street descended into chaos. Cultivators fled without a trace in the blink of an eye, and many shops slammed their doors shut.
In the time it took to blink, the widest, longest, and busiest street in Youying City was empty, leaving only a few people standing before the auction house.
Qingying froze at the scene. After she came back to herself, she lowered her head in deep disappointment and said weakly, “I want to buy eighth- and ninth-rank spiritual treasures and treasured medicines. The medicine shopkeeper said you sell them here.”
Inwardly, she muttered, I’m not a monster.
But then she thought about it. They really did treat her like a man-eating monster. A drought fiend, after all.
But she did not eat people anymore. At most, she ate Earth Immortals.
Feeling unhappy, she pouted so hard her lips could almost hang a carrying pole.
The steward mustered his courage and welcomed Qingying into the auction house. He served her good tea, fifth-rank spiritual tea, then stood respectfully before her.
“Young Mistress Qingying, the auction house only holds auctions on the first and fifteenth of each month. Although the shop is open for business on ordinary days, we only accept items to be auctioned. If Young Mistress has items to sell, you may bring them over at any time. I will calculate your commission at a fifty percent discount according to the supreme VIP rate. If Young Mistress wishes to bid on items, please come on the first and tenth of each month. If there are good things, this humble one will keep an eye out and notify you promptly.”
After saying that, he took out a booklet and respectfully presented it to Qingying.
“These are the items for the next auction. As you know, eighth- and ninth-rank spiritual treasures are things one may encounter but cannot seek. Even if they exist, they are usually in the hands of major powers. The ones in the wild are becoming harder and harder to find. Sometimes, if we are lucky, we may see someone sell one or two stalks in a year. If unlucky, we may not see even a single stalk in three to five years, or even seven to eight years. Young Mistress Qingying, you are the Commandery Lord’s direct disciple. If you lack high-rank spiritual treasures, I’m afraid you still have to ask the Commandery Lord. If we are talking about who in the cultivation world has the most complete and best collection of spiritual treasures, it would still be the Commandery Lord…”
While the steward was speaking, Qingying had already flipped through the booklet of auction items. The disgust on her face was completely unconcealed.
These things were just as shabby as the ones in the Yansheng Sect’s treasury. At least the Yansheng Sect’s treasury had spirit stones. This place did not even have a single spirit stone.
She stuffed the booklet back into the steward’s arms, stood up, and returned to the Envoy’s Manor. Her master was discussing matters, and Qingying had already made her unhappy earlier, so naturally she could not run into the main hall again to provoke her. Thus, she sat unhappily on the steps outside the hall, hugging the Heaven-Refining Cauldron as she counted the spirit stones inside.
She had so many spirit stones, yet she could not buy even a single eighth- or ninth-rank spiritual treasure!
The more Qingying thought about it, the more wronged she felt. Her little mouth pouted higher and higher.
Inside the Heaven-Refining Cauldron, the Old Tea Tree felt uncomfortable facing the mountain of fire spirit stones. When it saw Qingying, it quickly shouted, “Let me out!”
Qingying stared at the Old Tea Tree inside the cauldron and said aggrievedly, “Grandpa Tree, they’re all afraid of me. They all think I’m a monster. I don’t have any bloody death aura on me anymore. I’m not a monster now!”
A pair of eyes opened on the Old Tea Tree’s trunk. It rolled its eyes at Qingying.
“You’re not marrying them or living your life with them. Why do you care whether they treat you like a monster? Hurry up and let me out. Otherwise, I’ll… I’ll burn this whole pile of spirit stones for you in one fire!”
Setting fires? Who couldn’t do that? This old man had ready-made firewood right here!
Qingying released the Old Tea Tree and said, “I miss Daddy.”
As soon as the Old Tea Tree gained its freedom, it completely ignored Qingying and started running on its “feet.”
How free the outside world was! There were so many spiritual treasures and spiritual fruits. Why should it stay forever in that treasured medicine garden where it could only look but could not openly steal?
The Old Tea Tree had just rushed to the gate of the Envoy’s Manor when the Xuantian Sword suddenly flew out from the main hall with a whoosh. Then, with a clang, it stabbed diagonally into the floor tiles in front of it. It missed the root hairs of the “foot” the Old Tea Tree had just stepped out with by only a hair’s breadth.
The Old Tea Tree instantly remembered the great banyan tree from back then, the one that had been chopped into firewood by a single sword strike, later beaten into furniture, built into a wooden house, and then had its remaining scraps used as kindling. Its bark tightened. Carefully, it retracted its “foot,” then slowly and step by step shuffled into the main hall.
Looking at Bao Gu, who sat in the hall coldly watching it, a mouth appeared on its trunk. It grinned and said, “Heh heh, I… I was locked up by that girl Qingying for too long. I just came out to stretch! Just stretch a little!”
Bao Gu said coldly, “Whichever part of you steps out of the Envoy’s Manor, I’ll chop off that part. If your roots stretch out, I’ll chop your roots. If your branches go out, I’ll cut your branches. If your trunk goes out, I’ll split your whole body apart. Go find a place in the flower garden to take root and behave yourself. Weren’t you determined to be a quiet tree? Then go be your quiet tree!”
If this Old Tea Tree were allowed to run outside, who knew how many medicine gardens and fruit orchards would be robbed?
The Old Tea Tree was placed under house arrest. It immediately wilted. All its leaves drooped downward, and with a dejected look, it slowly walked out of the main hall. By itself, it went to the lakeside inside the Envoy’s Manor and found a relatively spacious patch of open ground to take root in.
The space was quite wide. There was also a little girl practicing sword nearby. The Old Tea Tree was in a bad mood and could not be bothered with her.
Unexpectedly, that little girl looked as though she had been greatly frightened. She abruptly flipped backward several times in a row and landed three or four zhang away. Pointing at it with the sword in her hand, she shouted, “Tree demon!”
The Old Tea Tree was so angry that a pair of eyes opened on its trunk. It glared and snapped, “You’re the tree demon! Your whole family are tree demons!”
To prove that it was not a tree demon, it released its aura, preparing to blind this ignorant little girl with the precious radiance around its body.
Ever since Bao Nianhui had stepped into the cultivation world, she had always stayed either in the Xuantian Sect or the Envoy’s Manor. All this time, she had been cared for by her Martial Uncle and Little Martial Aunt Ancestor. How could she have ever seen something like this? The moment she saw that the other party looked fierce and full of power, she knew it was not something she could deal with. It had eyes and a mouth, so it was definitely a tree demon close to the Soul Formation stage.
She was so frightened that she nearly pissed herself. Mounting her flying sword, she rushed straight to the main hall. As soon as she charged inside, she shouted, “Master, this is bad! A huge tree demon came to the garden! It’s several zhang tall, and it has a pair of eyes as big as lanterns. They’re huge and glaring! It also has a mouth, pitch-black like a bottomless cave…”
Her face had turned pale from fear, and she was speaking incoherently.
The Kan Gang members in the hall were speechless.
Everyone silently looked at Bao Nianhui, who had rushed in shouting “Master” at Bao Gu.
This little girl often followed the Command Envoy in and out, so they all knew her. If the occasion had not been inappropriate, they would have wanted to ask her: Don’t you know your master has a Horned Dragon Enlightenment Sacred Tea Tree? Have you never seen it? Don’t you know your master just sent that tree to the rear garden?
Bao Nianhui truly had never seen the Horned Dragon Enlightenment Sacred Tea Tree. She had not even seen Horned Dragon Enlightenment Sacred Tea, much less known that her master had just sent the Old Tea Tree to the garden.
Bao Gu thought, What exactly is wrong with all of you? One after another, you keep coming in. Are you going to let me hold this meeting or not?
She sighed inwardly and said, “That is only a tea tree. In the future, if you have free time, practice sword beneath it. If you have the chance, let it give you a few pointers. It will greatly benefit you.”
Bao Nianhui blinked.
“Oh, a tea tree demon. Then it’s a good demon like Demon Saint Ancestor, right? But Demon Saint Ancestor is so kind, while this tea tree demon is so fierce!”
She thought for a moment, then muttered, “That makes sense too. Demon Saint Ancestor is a demon saint. How could some lousy little tea tree demon compare?”
Muttering to herself, she carried her sword, stepped onto her flying sword, and returned to the lakeside. Using her sword, she drew a circle around the Old Tea Tree.
“Tea tree demon, from now on, stand inside this circle. Don’t casually step out of it.”
Then she gestured toward the open ground beside her.
“This is where I practice sword. If you step out of this circle and I accidentally hurt you while practicing, I won’t be responsible for bandaging your wounds!”
The Old Tea Tree glared sideways at Bao Nianhui.
It was a quiet tree. It did not want to speak to her.
Accidentally hurt Grandpa Tree? Grandpa Tree could stand here and let you chop at me. If you can leave even one mark on Grandpa Tree, you can pluck any leaves you want!
The Old Tea Tree had not expected this shameless little girl to call it a tea tree demon, forbid it from stepping out of the circle she had drawn, and then, when it ignored her, go even further. After practicing sword until she was tired, when the sun above was blazing, she actually came under its branches to enjoy the shade.
The Old Tea Tree was not kind enough to let her enjoy shade. Wherever she sat, it moved the branches away from that spot, letting the sun bake her to death. Even if she did not die, she would at least be tanned black.
Bao Nianhui moved several times in a row. She discovered that wherever she moved, the branches above her moved away too.
This tea tree demon had taken up her sword-practice space, yet it would not even let her enjoy some shade!
She pulled out a demon-suppressing talisman given to her by Grandmaster Sect Master and slapped it onto the Old Tea Tree.
“Hmph. Let’s see you move now!”
Then she saw a branch beside it bend and hook downward, picking the demon-suppressing talisman off. A mouth appeared on the trunk and blew at the talisman. With a whoosh, the talisman shot away like an arrow leaving the string and instantly disappeared from her sight.
Bao Nianhui sucked in a breath.
“What an amazing tea tree demon!”
She blinked and remembered that Master had told her to let it guide her. That meant it really was powerful.
She silently glanced at the Old Tea Tree, then looked up to find her demon-suppressing talisman, only to discover she had no idea where it had flown. Her heart immediately ached.
That was a talisman from Grandmaster Sect Master. It was so expensive!
Seeing that she could not get the demon-suppressing talisman back, Bao Nianhui simply stopped looking and ran back to practice sword again.
After practicing for a while, she casually looked up and discovered that the tea tree demon’s leaves were drooping downward, as though they had wilted under the sun. Thinking again, tree roots needed to be planted in soil to absorb water. This tea tree demon had just taken root here, and no one had watered it. It was rather pitiful.
She had already practiced sword for two hours and could rest a while. So during her break, she ran to her Martial Uncle’s kitchen, found a bucket, drew water from the lake, and poured it around the Old Tea Tree’s roots.
“Lake water is useful to you, right?”
She continued, “Although you’re a very fierce tea tree demon, since Master has taken you in, that means you’re not bad. I can’t just watch you get sunburned to death. Tea tree demon, why don’t you go to the demon territory? The demon territory is full of demons. That’s where you belong.”
The Old Tea Tree shouted inwardly, I don’t want to talk to you!
But this little girl was pouring bucket after bucket of water over its roots. Very unwillingly, it said, “Stop pouring lake water on my roots. It’s all wet and sloppy!”
Then its thoughts turned, and it said, “When your master waters me, she uses wood spirit stones melted into water!”
Bao Nianhui set the bucket down and wrinkled her nose.
“You liar tree! Spirit stones melted into water? Who do you think you are, the Horned Dragon Enlightenment Sacred Tea?”
She had kindly watered it, and it actually wanted to trick her. Bao Nianhui became angry and decided to ignore it, letting it fend for itself. She put down the bucket and ran back to continue practicing sword.
The Old Tea Tree could not stand this little girl. It pulled up its roots and shifted to the side. Just as it was about to plant its roots again, it suddenly heard the girl shout, “My spiritual herbs!”
Then it saw the little girl staring at the ground beneath its “feet” in horror. It lowered its head and looked.
Oh? There was actually such a good thing here!
It had merely shifted and dug up a pit, yet it had found a patch of high-rank spiritual herb seedlings. Even a louse was still meat when it was small!
It swiftly swept up the high-rank spiritual herb seedlings, then fiercely plunged its roots into the soil and said at an unhurried pace, “Sorry. You shouted too late.”
Bao Nianhui was speechless.
Your movement clearly paused in midair when you heard me shout.
She could tell. This tea tree demon had done it on purpose.
