After Sheng Jun Chapter 42 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 42 A Fortuitous Encounter (part 2)
Following the directions, the two arrived at a shop.
The shop's entrance looked bizarre up close, and from a distance resembled the gaping bloody maw of a three-headed dog. Jiang Xingzhi praised, "This aesthetic is definitely at the forefront of fashion."
After saying this, he walked into the shop with Zhong Ming.
Upon entering, they were hit with the smell of pills. The scent was different from pills in the human realm, more pungent and cloying.
Beside a huge pill furnace sat a demon cultivator leisurely, holding a water pipe in his mouth, puffing away vigorously. Seeing the two enter, Fan Xiu lifted his eyelids, "Oh? Human cultivators."
Jiang Xingzhi walked over, "Do you do business with human cultivators?"
Clatter, the rocking chair swayed.
Fan Xiu stood up, "As long as the money's right, I'll do anyone's business. Tell me, what do you want done?"
Jiang Xingzhi appreciated this kind of pure, unpretentious businessman—it saved a lot of trouble.
He briefly explained the situation in a few words, and the other party was obviously interested, "Refining a red spider lily to supplement the soul? Wanyao Valley even provided a prescription? Let me see."
The prescription was handed over. Fan Xiu glanced through it and clicked his tongue in admiration, "Wonderful, wonderful... I can refine it, but there's one thing missing—I must warn you."
"What thing?" Jiang Xingzhi asked.
"Red spider lilies are originally flowers of rebirth. After being refined by demon spirits, they inevitably carry some demonic energy. If you, a pure human cultivator, don't want to fall into demonhood, you'd best seek a magic instrument called the Thousand Goblet Bell. When dissolved in water, this item can thoroughly cleanse demonic energy and convert the refined soul pill for human cultivator use."
"Where should I look for it?"
"Among the Demon Lord's many treasures, there is this Thousand Goblet Bell."
Jiang Xingzhi frowned. Did he really have to go find some Demon Lord? So troublesome—might as well just keep it as an ornamental plant...
"However," Fan Xiu changed his tone, "there are rumors that the Demon Lord's treasure hall was robbed recently, and the Thousand Goblet Bell was stolen. If the rumors are true, it will most likely be sold at the 'Midnight Gathering.'"
Jiang Xingzhi understood and thanked him, "We'll go look for it."
Fan Xiu tapped his water pipe and gestured with his chin, indicating they could leave.
Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming turned to leave. At the doorway, Jiang Xingzhi turned back to look at Fan Xiu, somewhat curious, "Why did you specifically warn me to avoid accidentally falling into demonhood?"
Through the swirling smoke, Fan Xiu looked sage-like, "Professional ethics."
He said this while glancing at the black-robed man's extremely threatening gaze, thinking to himself: Besides, if I harmed someone, the sword cultivator beside him would probably be the first to slaughter me.
Jiang Xingzhi nodded in realization, "A conscience of the industry...!"
After praising him, he left with Zhong Ming.
…..
The "Midnight Gathering" was the Demon Realm's annual anonymous auction and trading market.
Countless rare treasures difficult to dispose of would be sold at the market.
There seemed to be a time difference between the human and Demon Realms. When Jiang Xingzhi and his companion first entered the Demon Realm, it was dusk, but now the sky had completely darkened. Only a red moon remained in the pitch-black sky, and the market entrance was illuminated by hundreds of soul lamps.
Zhong Ming saw Jiang Xingzhi's gaze fall on them and timely moved closer to make conversation, "These are soul lamps, the same as those on the Night Crossing River."
"I see." Jiang Xingzhi clapped his hands in amazement, "Ah Zuo knew I didn't see them and specifically shared this with me—how thoughtful."
"..."
Zhong Ming nearly bit off his own tongue! How could he forget that he had covered Jiang Xingzhi's eyes on the Night Crossing River?
He quickly pushed the person toward the market entrance, "Let's go find the Thousand Goblet Bell."
Jiang Xingzhi was pushed so hard he nearly tripped on his hem, but Zhong Ming caught him just in time. He steadied himself and glanced at the person, as those words from before entering the Demon Realm seemed to still echo in his ears:
"After all, I can't cause trouble for Deng Deng."
Hmm... what a truly comforting Bai Mu.
****
When the two reached the market entrance, they learned that the "Midnight Gathering" had special rules.
To prevent traders' information from being leaked and causing fatal disasters, all who entered the market had to wear special pure white "faceless" masks. Once worn, no one could identify their appearance, and even their clothing would change to the same dark red color.
Jiang Xingzhi took a mask from the demonic cultivator distributing them at the entrance, sighing, "These rules are quite thorough."
The demonic cultivator said, "These are rules set by the Demon Lord, since our demon race is naturally unrestrained by morality."
After saying this, he looked at the person before him—clear and handsome features, pure as a blank sheet of paper—and suddenly smiled teasingly, showing some evil and intimidating nature, "This is the plundering and greed inherited in demon race bloodline. In your human cultivators' view, how is it?"
Jiang Xingzhi fiddled with the mask without looking up, "Respect and blessings."
The demonic cultivator, "..."
Leaving the entrance, Zhong Ming moved close to Jiang Xingzhi, taking the opportunity to badmouth the demonic cultivators, "See? These demonic cultivators only know childish pranks."
Jiang Xingzhi turned to see the disdain in his eyes, and the phrase "the pot calling the kettle black" immediately popped into his mind.
He looked at the person for several moments before saying softly, "Put on your mask, Bai Mu."
Such a handsome face—don't ruin it anymore.
Zhong Ming, "..."
The two put on their masks together, and their bodies instantly transformed into the same dark red clothing. Everyone around wore identical attire, automatically concealing their auras and identity characteristics. Mixed into the vast sea of demons like this, it was indeed difficult to recognize identities.
Jiang Xingzhi took two steps forward but was pulled back by his sleeve by Zhong Ming, "Let's hold hands so we don't get separated."
A penetrating gaze fell on the hand holding his sleeve. Jiang Xingzhi pulled back his clothing, "The last time I heard these words was when I was babbling as a child—my mother said them to me."
Zhong Ming, "..."
Despite saying this, Jiang Xingzhi still took out a yellow wheat-decorated ribbon from his storage bag, handing one end to Zhong Ming, "Hold this."
"Alright." Zhong Ming held the ribbon and followed Jiang Xingzhi forward.
Under the "faceless" illusion, both wore dark red robes, with two hands extending from wide sleeves, together holding a wheat-decorated ribbon. Zhong Ming looked down, thinking that if it were replaced with big red flower clusters, it would be even more suitable.
When he and Xingzhi formed their bond in the future, they should also dress so festively in red.
Jiang Xingzhi led the wheat ribbon in front, calling "Bai Mu" twice with no response. He turned to catch the person behind him with a drifting gait, as if lost in thought.
He suddenly stopped, "Bai Mu, what are you thinking about?"
Zhong Ming came back to his senses and immediately praised, "I was thinking this red clothing suits you very well."
Jiang Xingzhi asked sincerely, "Does it make my mask look whiter?"
"..." Zhong Ming tugged the wheat ribbon, "Let's hurry and find the Thousand Goblet Bell."
The Midnight Gathering was enormous, with various stall markets having different auction and trading rules. Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming inquired all along the way, following vague and unclear information toward the depths of the market.
After searching for who knows how long, they suddenly heard "clang clang bang bang" commotion from another area. Magical power fluctuations came from that direction, seemingly in complete chaos, mixed with exclamations.
"Let's go see."
Jiang Xingzhi called to Zhong Ming, and the two flew toward the center of chaos.
When they arrived, they saw stalls around had toppled over, with onlookers staying far away. Two figures were fighting, with one person holding a box, and the two combatants evenly matched, struggling over it.
Jiang Xingzhi randomly grabbed a demon spectator, "What are they fighting over?"
The spectating demon said, "The Thousand Goblet Bell."
Jiang Xingzhi: !!!
Truly "after wearing out iron shoes searching everywhere, it came without effort!"
With his soul completion at stake, Jiang Xingzhi couldn't restrain himself either. He looked at the intense fighting in the field, eager to try, "What stage is this now? Whoever grabs it keeps it?"
As his words fell, there was another "rumble" of violent collision in the field.
The spectating demon hesitated, "Uh, it might also be whoever survives keeps it."
Jiang Xingzhi waved his hand grandly, his sleeves fluttering, "Then this Lamp wants it!"
They were standing not far from the battle, and one of the people engaged in fierce combat glanced their way. Jiang Xingzhi didn't notice and flew into the field—
Along with Zhong Ming at the other end of the wheat ribbon, who was also forcibly dragged into the field, "..."
The chaotic scene suddenly had two more people planted conspicuously in the middle.
The two combatants temporarily stopped and looked their way.
Jiang Xingzhi greeted them, "I also want the Thousand Goblet Bell—count me in." After saying this, he waved his hand, sending out a burst of spiritual power directly toward the figure holding the box, bang!
"Where did this one come from..." A deep voice cursed lowly as he dodged, but in the next moment, the box was snatched away by his long-time opponent.
That person grabbed the box and quickly distanced himself.
Seeing this, Jiang Xingzhi was about to shift targets when the opponent suddenly looked his way. Through the mask, he seemed to feel an appraising gaze.
During this scrutiny, the person who had lost the box suddenly moved.
At the same time, whoosh—!
The box containing the Thousand Goblet Bell flew through the air, landing with a "thud" precisely in Jiang Xingzhi's embrace. Jiang Xingzhi was caught off guard receiving the Thousand Goblet Bell, completely bewildered: What's going on?
Zhong Ming's brow furrowed as he stared at the person opposite.
A vague voice came from behind the opposite person's mask, "Go."
Jiang Xingzhi saw that he didn't seem persistent about seizing the Thousand Goblet Bell, but rather wanted to prevent it from being taken by the other person.
"No one's leaving!" The deep voice rang out sternly.
Two armor-piercing needles suddenly shot from his sleeves—one aimed at the man who threw the box, one at Jiang Xingzhi.
Their speed was so fast that hardly even afterimages could be seen in the air.
Jiang Xingzhi assessed this person's cultivation level: a Soul Split stage master.
With a flutter of wide sleeves, before the armor-piercing needle could pierce Jiang Xingzhi's mask, Zhong Ming easily knocked it down with a wave of his hand.
Hiss. A subtle sound came from the opposite side.
Jiang Xingzhi looked up to see the man who had thrown him the box had his mask pierced by the armor-piercing silver needle—
The pure white "faceless" mask split from the middle, its concealing effect disappearing along with it. The dark red outer robe faded away, replaced by fluttering blood-red clothing.
A strand of crimson hair fluttered from behind the half-mask.
Above was a round red moon.
The man's wickedly arrogant face was revealed from behind the half-mask. Seemingly displeased that Jiang Xingzhi and his companion were still staying in place instead of leaving, he made a sound through his teeth, "Tsk."