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The cultivators planning to watch Su Yi make a fool of himself quickly sensed that something was amiss about the old blind man’s expression.
They couldn’t help but feel alarmed and bewildered. Just what kind of secret was this? Why did it make the most mysterious old monster of the ghost market lose his composure?
The old blind man didn’t even notice their reaction.
Wakes shook his heart, and he couldn’t calm himself down.
There was only one sentence written on the jade slip:
“When will the Ghost Lamp Coffin-Bearers return the Coffin of the Six Paths of Reincarnation?”
It was just one sentence, but to the old blind man, it went off like a thunderclap, throwing his mind into turmoil.
He recalled an order that their founding patriarch had once given a long, long time ago—
The Ghost Lamp Coffin-Bearers would rather die than offend the "debt collector" in charge with the Coffin of the Six Paths of Reincarnation!
Don’t tell me that this young man is a descendant of the debt collector that the founding patriarch spoke of?
My heavens!
How many years has it been? Our debt collector still exists?
But if the boy is really his descendant, what’s he doing here on the Azure Continent?
I practically threw half my life away just to escape the Netherworld, dammit! And here I thought that I could avoid disaster by seeking refuge in a mundane realm. Why, why did one of the debt collector’s descendants just have to come looking for me?
Also, he’s only in the Grain Avoidance Realm? That’s all!?
Countless doubts surged through the old blind man’s head.
“Uncle, what’s wrong?” When she saw him sink into a lengthy silence, Qing Ya couldn’t help but remind him gently.
The old blind man suddenly jumped, as if awakening from a dream. He then shot to his feet, and his hollow eye sockets “stared” directly at Su Yi.
Then, beneath the crowd’s flabbergasted gazes, he slapped himself across the face, looking utterly ashamed. “This old man had eyes, but he did not see! I spoke recklessly and offended you. Consider this slap an apology, Young Lord.”
The entire area fell deathly silent, and the crowd stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Just what kind of secret could make the most mysterious old monster in Little Fengdu go so far as to slap himself across the face?
Su Yi’s companions gasped. Although they’d long since anticipated that Su Yi was confident that his secret would be enough to convince the old blind man to agree to this transaction, they could never have anticipated that the man wouldn’t just apologize… He’d even slapped himself!
“Is this secret enough to purchase four ghost lamps?” asked Su Yi.
The old man squeezed out a tight-lipped, wrinkled smile, lowered his head, and clasped his fist toadyishly. “It’s enough! It’s more than enough!”
He was behaving with extreme humility, with no sign of his earlier wanton arrogance, contempt, or calm composure.
The other cultivators present were finally starting to come to their senses. Now, when they looked at Su Yi, they had strange expressions on their faces.
With just one secret, he made the old man change his tone completely. This young man’s origins are surely extraordinary!
Su Yi ignored the other cultivators, then grabbed the second ghost lantern from the left and gave it to Qing Ya. “Here, this is for you.”
Qing Ya looked jubilant. “Thank you, Big Brother Su Yi!”
As she spoke, she eagerly tapped the top of the ghost lantern. The black vellum bloomed like a flower and burnt to ash, revealing a sealed sarcophagus.
When he saw that Qing Ya was just about to open it, Ling Yunhe hurriedly stopped her. “Lass, let’s go back first.”
There were too many eyes here. If the sarcophagus really contained some incredible treasure, it might not lead to trouble right away, but it would be hard to avoid others setting their sights on them.
“Oh!” said Qing Ya before obediently putting the sarcophagus away.
The nearby cultivators couldn’t help but feel disappointed. One, a gray-robed middle-aged man, couldn’t help but say, “Fellow Daoist, earlier, Young Lord Tao Jianting opened his sarcophagus for all to see. Why stop that girl now? What, are you afraid we have ill intentions?”
When he heard the gray-robed man say his name, the corners of Tao Jianting’s lips twitched. He was so angry, his face went practically green, and he wanted nothing more than to slap the old-timer across the face. Is he trying to rub salt in my wounds? Is he trying to kick me when I’m down?
Whap!
As Tao Jianting stewed in anger, someone else slapped the gray-robed middle-aged man instead, sending him flying and rolling several dozen feet away.
Everyone was stunned. Why? Because it was the old blind man who’d hit him!
“Nothing irritates this old blind man more than attempted coercion. Scram!” The old blind man surged with murderous intent, and the energy emanating from his gaunt, bony frame was so overpowering that those present couldn’t help but tremble.
However, a moment later, he restrained his aura and smiled obsequiously at Su Yi. “I’m afraid I let my anger get the best of me. I couldn’t help but chastise them on your behalf. Young Lord, please don’t take offense.”
The sheer speed at which he changed his tone, and that toadyish flattery made even Yuan Heng—Su Yi’s servant—break out in cold sweats. He couldn’t help but acknowledge his own inferiority.
Su Yi smiled faintly. “Are you afraid I’m here to demand what you owe me?”
The old man’s knees instantly turned to jelly, and his lips quivered, as if he were simply overcome with terror.
There was nothing for it; the Ghost Lamp Sarcophagus Bearers feared and dreaded nothing more than encountering the debt collector.
“Enough,” said Su Yi. “I don’t need the remaining three lamps, but I need you to come with me for a bit. Rest assured; I’m not here to collect. I just have some questions for you.”
When he learned that Su Yi wasn’t here to collect on their debt, the old blind man instantly sighed in relief, and a broad grin spread across his face. “Young Lord, everything shall be as you say.”
“Let’s go.” Su Yi put his hands behind his back, turned, and sauntered off.
If he hadn’t encountered the old blind man, he wouldn’t have bothered wasting any more time in the ghost market; too few of the vendors’ goods were worthy of his attention.
The old blind man put away the other ghost lanterns, then meekly followed Su Yi. Yuan Heng, Ling Yunhe, and the others hurried after them.
The gathered cultivators watched them leave, their expressions varied. Despite their immense curiosity about Su Yi’s origins, not one of them dared give chase.
There was nothing for it. The old blind man was there, and none of them were sick of living!
“Su Yi? Who’s that? Why haven’t I heard of someone like that living in the Southern Skies Province?” someone whispered.
“He might not be from the Southern Skies Province,” said another.
“The old blind man of Little Fengdu is famous throughout the Southern Skies Province. Everyone knows how powerful and mysterious he is! In the past, even leaders of cultivation factions treated him with awe, reverence, and respect. Who could have guessed he’d seem so afraid of a mere youth? It’s simply unbelievable…!” someone sighed.
“Unbelievable? No, this is just proof that Su Yi is far greater than we imagined!” said another, looking conflicted.
“Sigh, lately, the world’s been getting tougher and tougher for us ordinary cultivators,” someone sighed in dejection. “Aside from the Possessed, there have also been geniuses carrying ancient legacies and monsters of mysterious origins cropping up… How can we compare ourselves to them? Wouldn’t that make us no different from fireflies trying to outshine the moon?”
“Don’t lose heart. When the Radiant Epoch descends, all the world’s cultivators will have an opportunity to overturn their fates!” Some of them tried to encourage themselves.
Su Yi? Later, if I get the chance, I’ll be sure to learn his origins, thought Tao Jianting.
These cultivators from all over the Great Xia’s Southern Skies Province had all committed Su Yi’s name to memory!
……
After leaving the ghost market, Ling Yunhe led the group to a courtyard in the middle of the city.
He told his companions that he’d visited Yin Mountain City years ago, while out exploring, and he purchased a courtyard here. It had been unoccupied ever since.
Today, it would serve as the perfect place to rest their feet.
The courtyard had three entrances and exits, with gazebos, pavilions, flower beds, and ponds. It had been unoccupied for years, but it was obvious that someone visited regularly to keep everything in order; it was clean and elegant.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Su Yi said, “I want to have a private chat with the old blind man.”
He then led the old blind man into another room.
When they saw this, the others rested in the residence’s main hall instead.
Yuan Heng couldn’t hold back any longer. “Miss Qing Ya, hurry! Open up the sarcophagus and see what’s inside!”
Bai Wenqing looked over too.
Qing Ya giggled, flipped her hand, and took out a palm-sized sarcophagus. When she undid the seal and lifted the lid, misty blue light surged out of the box, filling the room with its radiance.
The whole group was visibly moved. Upon closer inspection, the sarcophagus contained a jade bracelet. It looked like it was carved out of sky blue spirit jade, and it was clear and it was glittering and translucent. Its surface was smooth and flawless.
“That’s a magic treasure made out of Coldblue Divine Jade!” gasped Yuan Heng, his eyes wide.
Coldblue Divine Jade!
This was a first-class spiritual material, the kind that could be found by chance but not sought. It was precious even to Spirit Dao cultivators; it was far beyond Origin Dao spiritual materials.
Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.
The bracelet in front of them was carved from top-quality Coldblue Divine Jade. Furthermore, the distinctive, powerful aura of a magical treasure permeated the room. One look, and it was obvious that this was a rare and precious treasure!
“Wow, Miss Qing Ya, your luck is quite something!” Yuan Heng and Bai Wenqing couldn’t help but envy her. The old blind man was offering five ghost lanterns, but that didn’t mean they all hid treasures.
Take Tao Jianting; despite paying such a high price, all he got in exchange was a tuft of hair. Worse, he’d become a laughingstock.
But Qing Ya? She’d received a rare and precious treasure. This was no different from a grand stroke of fortune!
Qing Ya smiled exultantly, picked up the bracelet, and put it on. “When I first saw that lantern, I sensed an indescribably spiritual aura emanating from it. That’s why I asked Big Brother Su Yi to help me get it. Oh… Now that I mention it, I have to thank him. If not for him, I’m afraid I could never have gotten my hands on this treasure.”
Ling Yunhe nodded. “Of course. This is an enormous act of benevolence, and you must carve it into your heart.”
“Mm!” Qing Ya nodded firmly, then looked at her jade bracelet happily. “When I next see Big Brother Su Yi, I’ll give him a treasure too.”
As they spoke, Ling Yunhe suddenly sensed something, then took a jade talisman wrapped in gold thread from his sleeves.
The talisman was quivering faintly.
Kcch! Ling Yunhe pinched it gently, and a streak of golden light shot into the firmament.
Before long, a snow-white bird descended from the clouds, carrying a sealed letter in its fiery red beak.
When Ling Yunhe accepted the letter, the bird soared back into the sky.
“Master, how did the Snowfeather Sparrow find us?” Qing Ya asked curiously.
“When we left the sect, I had already made contact with your little martial aunt. We agreed to meet here, in Yin Mountain City. This letter is from her.”
He’d already started opening the letter. By the time he finished reading it, there was a newfound hint of delight on his face. “Qing Ya, in less than two hours, your little martial aunt will come looking for us.”