Chapter 512: Mr. Peach

"Here, your spirit stones." After leaving the merchant guild, Lu Yang handed the storage ring given by the guild to Steward Song.

Steward Song was startled, nearly dropping the storage ring. Six million spirit stones—he was just giving them away?

"No, no, no, I can't accept so many spirit stones. Ten thousand, ten thousand is enough." Steward Song was merely a mortal; if people knew he possessed such a vast sum, he wouldn't dare bet on whether the stability of Great Xia could deter them.

Refusing entirely also felt wrong, so he decided to accept a small amount.

Seeing Steward Song's reaction, Lu Yang understood his concerns. He didn't insist and sent him back to Yuanhe County.

Afterward, he gave two million to each of his two junior sisters.

Lu Yang had never placed much importance on spirit stones. Firstly, he received patent fees and a share from the barbecue restaurant. Combined, these two income streams meant that, apart from extravagant heirs like Meng Jingzhou who relied on their ancestors' wealth, and Tao Yaoye who possessed ideas far ahead of her time, no one in the younger generation was as wealthy as Lu Yang.

Secondly, he didn't need spirit stones.

As for magical artifacts, he had the Azure Edge Sword given by his senior sister, and the Underworld Moon Sword once wielded by the Qilin Immortal.

He could exchange rare natural treasures, elixirs, and spiritual earth for cultivation at the Mission Hall anytime, or simply pluck a few roots from the Ginseng Doll.

Cultivation techniques were all available in the Scripture Pavilion.

This was the advantage of being in a major sect: cultivation resources were abundant, allowing disciples to focus solely on their practice.

The Mission Hall was not established to make disciples exhaust themselves completing tasks, but rather to encourage them to descend the mountains, travel, punish evil, and promote good, so they wouldn't lose their human emotions while cultivating.

The Dao Seeking Sect had always discouraged the concept of Supreme Emotionlessness.

Judging by the ancient Five Immortals, Lu Yang estimated that none of them were truly emotionless, especially the Qilin Immortal.

The most prominent faction advocating Supreme Emotionlessness was the Heartless Sect.

"This Immortal has encountered a few who claimed to be emotionless, talking about dedicating themselves to the Dao, but they were truly ruthless. Three of them had killed their wives to prove their Dao, and two had refined their entire clan into magical artifacts, sparing none of their family members. They were expressionless all day, as if everyone owed them spirit stones. However, they weren't tough; this Immortal blew them all up with a single self-detonation."

"In this Immortal's opinion, they weren't truly emotionless."

"That's not emotionless?" Lu Yang wondered, surprised by how ruthless their actions were.

"Of course not. Besides other things, did they dare to go naked?"

"Not wearing clothes means they still had a sense of shame. What kind of Supreme Emotionlessness is that if you still have shame?"

Lu Yang pondered it and realized she had a point.

Unexpectedly, the Immortal Fairy, who seemed simple and a bit dim-witted, had such clear insights when it came to reasoning.

After leaving Yuanhe County, on his way back to Qingshui Commandery, Lu Yang remembered he was a sword cultivator and could fly on his sword, making riding a horse unnecessary.

The Azure Edge Sword floated three feet off the ground. Lu Yang leaped onto it, stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering, looking magnificent.

"Now this looks like a true sword immortal."

Lu Yang had heard that sword cultivators had a unique way of dueling: two sword cultivators would face each other, then fly their swords towards one another, with the one knocked off counting as the loser.

Lu Yang felt that if he were to participate in such a duel, he would probably have to use a flying chariot.

"Lu Yang, a Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator is targeting you," the Immortal Fairy warned.

"A Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator?"

Lu Yang abruptly halted his flying sword, his hairs standing on end. With a bang, the space in front exploded, and a figure dispersed the smoke and dust, intercepting the three of them.

"What audacity! You dare to sell this Venerable One's magical artifact to the merchant guild! You must be tired of living!"

The fluctuations emanating from the figure made the three of them's hearts pound. The Invincible Pill was warning Lu Yang to flee immediately.

The opponent's aura was cold and sinister, sharing the same origin as the painting. Clearly, he was an old demon who had accumulated years of evil, having secretly killed countless people.

"Your magical artifact?"

Tao Yaoye was still confused. If the painting had an owner, how could it have been put into a storage ring?

Lu Yang put himself in the other's shoes and understood the key point: "You erased your imprint on the magical artifact because you feared Great Xia would trace it back to you. Then, after the artifact refined people, you would appear to collect the harvest?"

"Quite clever." The sinister figure hadn't expected Lu Yang to figure out the reason so quickly.

However, this still wouldn't change Lu Yang's fate.

"Looking at the jade tags on your waists, two from the Dao Seeking Sect, and one from the Moon Palace?"

"You know our identities, yet you still dare to attack us?"

The sinister figure chuckled twice, "What about immortal sects? If you few die here, even if they possess boundless abilities, they won't be able to detect me!"

Lu Yang narrowed his eyes, wondering if the opponent genuinely didn't know or was just pretending. If something happened to immortal sect disciples, the sect could deduce causality, and the culprit would certainly not escape.

Tao Yaoye and Lan Ting felt as if facing a great enemy, silently grasping their weapons, ready to unleash a sudden strike.

"Dare to harm our boss's guests? Die!"

Another cold voice rang out from the sky. A figure, holding a nine-section whip, from which eerie ghost flames burned, lashed out at the sinister figure. The greenish-blue spectral flames clung to the opponent like gangrene, relentlessly pursuing.

The two sides engaged in a fierce battle, each deploying magical artifacts. In less than a hundred exchanges, the sinister figure was apprehended by the master of the nine-section whip.

"A few of you, come with us. Our boss wants to see you."

The master of the nine-section whip looked coldly at Lu Yang and the two junior sisters, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The master of the nine-section whip was also a Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator. However, given his ability to easily defeat the sinister figure, his strength was clearly among the best within that stage.

Tao Yaoye's palms felt slightly cold. She recognized the master of the nine-section whip; she had seen him when she went to the barbecue restaurant with Senior Brother Lu Yang. At that time, he stood behind Vice-Cult Master Shi, likely serving as his right-hand man.

His name was something like... Huo Huashen?

Why would people from the Nine Nether Cult be looking for them?

What was their purpose?

Tao Yaoye didn't dare to think any further.

Although Lan Ting didn't recognize Huo Huashen, judging by the aura he emitted, he was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

Should they run? But the opponent's strength clearly surpassed theirs by a large margin. How could they escape?

"Who is your boss, and what do you want with us?" Tao Yaoye asked, looking warily at Huo Huashen.

Huo Huashen glanced coldly at Tao Yaoye: "You'll know when you get there."

Tao Yaoye and Lan Ting looked to Lu Yang for help. Lu Yang nodded: "Let's follow and see."

Along the way, none of the four spoke. The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive. Huo Huashen walked ahead, leading the three to a small pavilion.

The small pavilion was in a very secluded area, with no village or shop nearby, and not even a single pedestrian.

Inside the small pavilion sat a person clad in black, resembling an abyss. Just one glance felt like falling into an icy cavern; he was truly a monstrous demon who had slaughtered countless lives.

This person was Shi Huagu, one of the three Vice-Cult Masters of the Nine Nether Cult.

"Boss, they're here. I've confirmed that no one will come."

"Understood. Stand back."

Huo Huashen acknowledged with a "Yes" and then stood behind Shi Huagu, silent and still as a statue.

"This must be Mr. Tao, the creator of 'Fleeting Dream Illusion.' I've heard much about you; it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person today."

"'Fleeting Dream Illusion' is hugely popular. Mr. Tao must have earned quite a few spirit stones. Truly commendable."

Tao Yaoye's heart grew cold, and her back was drenched in sweat. She hadn't expected the Nine Nether Cult's target to be her.

Were they after 'Fleeting Dream Illusion'? Was it for wealth, or to claim the patent?

"It's mostly mortals watching; I haven't earned much," Tao Yaoye said, steeling herself.

"Not much? Mr. Tao, that's not very interesting."

"What exactly do you want?"

"Man dies for wealth, birds die for food. With Mr. Tao's intelligence, can you not guess what I want?"

Shi Huagu's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Mr. Tao, could you use 'Fleeting Dream Illusion' to help us promote our barbecue restaurant? We have ample budget, and the price is negotiable."