The Fairy: From the Traveling Merchant

Chapter 1038 Investment
Outside Xiongshan Castle, on a small hill where the hot spring inn is located.

A graceful and lifelike crane descends from the sky and hovers halfway up the mountain.

A handsome man sat atop a crane, gazing at the flowing hot spring water within the inn. After a long while, he sighed and said:

"Danfei's injuries don't seem to have fully healed yet..."

This man was Zhao Chen. This time, he did not ride the "Wanxiang Xianyun" he bought from "Wanbaolou" but instead used his exclusive vehicle, "He Xianzi," which was a true inheritance from the ancient Kunlun Tianyong City lineage and was obtained from Mingguang Biefu.

This "Crane Fairy" truly lives up to its reputation as a magical artifact. Putting aside its combat capabilities, its speed is several times faster than cloud-based magical spells.

He bid farewell to Hongyue and Wan'er just before dawn, and was already drinking with Wang Daoyi in Changbin City before noon... Now he has returned to Xiongshan Port before the sun completely sets.

Since he couldn't contact Empress Danfei and crossing the sea at night was dangerous, Zhao Chen simply landed on the ground, put away "Crane Fairy," and walked into the city, intending to find an inn to rest for the night.

The night in Xiongshan Port was still lively. Workers who had finished work, students who had finished school, and a large number of martial artists and cultivators who had trained hard all day all went out to the streets. Some lingered in taverns, some were fond of brothels, some shopped for bargains in the market, and some, like Zhao Chen, enjoyed a feast in the food street.

It is said that the mortal world is like a prison, and cultivators should never get involved. But in Zhao Chen's eyes, all the trivial matters of the mortal world are also the evolution of the Great Dao, one of the laws governing the operation of heaven and earth, and no different from all things in nature.

Experiencing the realms of immortals, demons, gods, and saints is no more profound than experiencing the mortal world!

Perhaps this is because the essence of my spiritual practice is that of a "merchant"? A merchant, after all, must be mercenary and "worldly."

Even if someone is a "trade official" and has an official position, they can still "negotiate cooperation" and "negotiate prices" with the heavens and earth themselves, but in essence, they still prioritize "profit".

While eating skewers, Zhao Chen pondered how to play the role of "Star River Transporter".

In fact, once you reach the level of supernatural powers, the role of "rank" is no longer simply to improve your cultivation and break through bottlenecks, as it was before.

In other words, its role in improving cultivation is negligible and can be ignored. Its real function at this stage is to resolve tribulations and assist in comprehending the principles and laws of fundamental supernatural powers.

In other words, if a cultivator with supernatural powers acts in accordance with the rules of fulfilling their rank, then the benefits they gain in the process and the karmic consequences they bear will be greatly reduced, and the resulting tribulations can be resolved or postponed.

Zhao Chen was in the same situation in the "between life and death". Because he and the little boy always maintained a "transaction" attitude, even if he got some benefits from there, there were no hidden dangers.

In addition, role-playing can also increase resistance to the source of fundamental supernatural powers, making it easier for cultivators to sense the laws related to supernatural powers and thus comprehend their own principles.

Of course, the latter point is of little use to Zhao Chen, since the source of the "Great Sun Star Raft" supernatural power, that old star raft, is closely related to him, and there is no danger in not observing it in depth.

As Zhao Chen was lost in thought, two familiar figures suddenly appeared in his consciousness.

They were two girls, around fourteen or fifteen years old, one lively and the other composed. They were Hong Xiaoxi, whom Zhao Chen and Su Xuanbing had met in the Taixiao Secret Realm, and her friend You Fei.

At that moment, the two of them were drinking at an outdoor table on the next street, seemingly happy, but actually hiding their sorrow at parting.

"Xiaoxi, congratulations on being chosen by the Su family and getting the opportunity to enter the outer academy of the Su family in Jizhou. From now on, your future will be bright... I toast you." Yufei, who was usually a well-behaved girl, was flushed and raised her glass in a rare indulgence.

Although these students of the "Qingyun Martial Arts Academy" are all potential cultivators, and nearly a third of them have already cultivated true qi, their future remains uncertain.

If they are selected by the outer sect of the Dao Immortal Sect, their future will be at least that of a ninth-level expert in magic power and a top-tier expert in the Gang Sha realm, and many of them will even be able to achieve supernatural powers.

The next tier consists of those selected by official organizations, prominent families, or major sects, who have a chance to develop magical powers and even aspire to supernatural abilities. The worst are those who become retainers of local powerful families or protectors of small sects, who have a chance to achieve magical power, but most of these people spend their lives lingering at the nine orifices.

As for those at the next lowest level, they are basically no different from rogue cultivators... or they become gang thugs at the very bottom of the cultivation world.

Hong Xiaoxi was chosen by a prestigious family, which was undoubtedly a good place equivalent to the outer sect of the Dao Immortal Sect, and naturally aroused envy.

But Yuffie's loss of composure wasn't due to that, but rather...

"Xiaoxi, I really can't bear to part with you!" The little girl didn't have a high alcohol tolerance; after just one drink, she hugged her friend and burst into tears.

They were really close. After Hong Xiaoxi disappeared, You Fei risked her life to wait for her at the place where she last disappeared every day, and even neglected her cultivation for it.

Hong Xiaoxi also felt a pang of sadness; she too was reluctant to part with her friend. But her naturally cheerful nature allowed her to quickly compose herself, and she patted You Fei on the shoulder, saying:
"Why are you crying? This is only a temporary separation. Once we both achieve supernatural powers, we'll meet again at the summit..."

Hearing her slurred words, Yufei, who was initially saddened, burst out laughing, but then said wistfully, "Xiaoxi, you've had a great opportunity, so naturally you have a chance to become powerful... but for me, it's difficult."

"Don't be so discouraged, be more confident! You're the number one in our year," Hong Xiaoxi encouraged, clenching her fist.

Yuffie shook her head slightly and said nothing more.

She knows her own situation best. Her parents are ordinary people and cannot provide her with any resources. The reason she can maintain her first place is simply because she has some talent in condensing true qi and is hardworking enough.

Once you enter the "Refining Acupoints" stage, you will inevitably be left behind...

No, even at the "True Qi Realm," those classmates who are capable of taking pills are almost catching up to her.

In the future, she and Xiaoxi will most likely be from two different worlds. I just don't know if she will still consider me a friend when we meet again...

The more Yuffie thought about it, the more upset she became. She drank one glass of wine after another until she passed out.

Hong Xiaoxi sighed upon seeing this, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't have the influence to ask Su Xuanbing to bring one more person to the Su family.

After paying the bill and dragging her friend back to the dormitory, Hong Xiaoxi was exhausted. She quickly washed up and fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Yuffie saw in her dream a future version of Hong Xiaoxi preaching high in the clouds, still full of charm, while her aged self bowed her head and turned to enter the crowd.

Just as she was wallowing in self-pity, a voice came to her ear: "Are you willing to see such a future?"

"If you promise to serve me for thirty years, I will grant you a chance to change your destiny."

……

The next morning, Yuffie, still with tear stains on her eyes, stared blankly at the "Master Thief's Handbook - Part 2" and the crystal in her hands, muttering to herself:
"Was what I dreamt about last night... real?!"

Meanwhile, Zhao Chen, who was already riding the "Crane Fairy" across the sea, pondered: "'Investment' should also be one of the ways to play the role of 'trade official,' but the cycle is a bit too long..."

"That's not right either. Even if Song Wurui stayed at the supernatural power stage for several decades, if you calculate it that way, he'll be waiting for the day he gets his reward."

(End of this chapter)