Unorthodox methods, cultivating immortality relies on rich women

Chapter 182 Taking advantage of a crisis

"So, besides us, there are quite a few other people who want to join us?"

Shen Qingzhou looked at Professor Gu, who was on the phone.

Bai Yukui shrugged and said, "There's nothing we can do. Although our Bai family is quite powerful, we probably can't monopolize this immortal opportunity. Even if we gain nothing from this trip, they probably won't believe that this puts our Bai family in such a dangerous situation. So it's better to have some people come along with us."

Shen Qingzhou understood upon hearing this. Although the Bai family is a large multinational corporation, when it comes to things like immortality and the extraordinary, it can drive many people crazy. The Bai family alone cannot stand alone and will definitely be swallowed up without a trace. It would be better to be more generous and let some forces participate together.

In this way, they can also gain personal favors, so even before the trip to Wawu Mountain has taken place, the Bai Group has probably already received a lot of benefits.

This is also the survival wisdom of the Bai family; otherwise, they would probably have been wiped out long ago over the past thousand years.

"We've been to Wawu Mountain before, but we didn't find anything. Besides, the idea that Wawu Mountain is Kunlunxu is just speculation by some scholars, so we didn't investigate it further."

"But this time is different. Through the [Ant Cave Star Map], we have confirmed that Wawu Mountain is Kunlun Xu, so we will search every layer of land—"

"However, the main thing for this trip is to rely on you, because you are the only person I have ever met with extraordinary power. I think only the extraordinary can deal with the extraordinary, and only the extraordinary can discover the extraordinary."

Shen Qingzhou nodded slightly upon hearing this. Since he had taken the money, these matters were naturally his responsibility.

Bai Yukui continued, "If we find anything on this trip, not only will our Bai family reward you handsomely, but other forces will also be generous with their monetary rewards."

Shen Qingzhou was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled.

Is he worried that if he actually makes a discovery, he'll keep everything for himself?

Before even setting off, Bai Yukui was already filled with concerns. But it must be said that Bai Yukui's concerns were justified. If she really discovered some kind of immortal destiny, who wouldn't be tempted, and who wouldn't want to keep it all to themselves?

Moreover, Shen Qingzhou believed that Bai Yukui must have other means to control him, such as the grandmother in the welfare home, the children in the orphanage, or even those women related to Shen Qingzhou.

However, Shen Qingzhou believed that unless absolutely necessary, anyone with a brain wouldn't touch them.

Otherwise, hehe————

Shen Qingzhou had plenty of ways to make these people wish they were dead, and even in death, he would refine their souls into puppets to be used by him day and night.

So Shen Qingzhou didn't continue the topic, but said directly, "I need some things."

"Go on," Bai Yukui nodded, pretending to listen attentively.

Shen Qingzhou tapped the edge of the huanghuali long table with his fingertips and said slowly, "First, I need a three-legged bronze incense burner. It has to be an old one from before the Republic of China era, preferably one that was used for offerings in a proper temple. Don't try to fool me with some new stuff from the market."

"Secondly, the heartwood of the seven-layered locust tree must be a whole piece of wood, at least as thick as a bowl, without cracks or insect damage —"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Chen, who was packing up his things, immediately chimed in: "Seven-layered locust tree? I have that. I acquired it a couple of years ago in the old forests of the Qinling Mountains. It's an old locust tree that died seven times and came back to life seven times. I've kept the core material sealed in wax all this time. It's absolutely qualified—"

Shen Qingzhou raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a half-smile: "Oh? From the old forests of the Qinling Mountains? I thought you buried seven corpses under the old locust tree—"

"Stop talking nonsense, you brat!" Old Chen blew his beard and glared. "That's a mountain villager's gift to me to thank me for helping him move his grave. It's genuine wild wood, old material. Do you want it?"

"Yes, of course I want it." Shen Qingzhou smiled and turned to Bai Yukui to continue listing the items. "The rest: top-grade cinnabar from Chenzhou, from mines over a hundred years old; a talisman brush made of jujube wood struck by lightning, with at least three natural lightning marks; and a hundred-year-old black donkey hoof, whole with the hoof shell, don't try to fool me with slices—"

He paused, then casually added, "Oh, and another half pound of natural South China Sea pearls, untreated old pearls, ground into an extremely fine powder, and three hundred-year-old wild ginseng roots, with intact, unbroken whiskers—"

Actually, apart from the incense burner and the seven-layered locust tree, which were the proper things he needed to go into the mountains, the pearl powder and old ginseng were just things he conveniently took advantage of.

Apart from the ginseng, which was used to nourish his grandmother, the rest were consumables he would need for his future spellcasting.

The more Old Man Chen listened, the stranger's expression grew. Most of the things Shen Qingzhou wanted were available in his shop; it was as if he was reading from his supplier's list.

However, he didn't expose it, since he also benefited from it.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yukui didn't even frown. She simply raised her hand and whispered a few instructions into the Bluetooth headset.

He said to Shen Qingzhou, "The incense burner, cinnabar, and talisman brush will be delivered to you within four hours. Old Master Chen of the Seven-Layered Locust Tree will provide them, and I'll pay you double the cost. The pearl powder and old ginseng are also easy to arrange. As for the rest—"

"I have the others too, hehehehe————" Old Chen laughed obsequiously.

Bai Yukui was taken aback by his words, glanced between the two of them, and then suddenly smiled and asked Shen Qingzhou, "Which ones do you need me to send to the agency for you?"

"Send everything except the incense burner and the seven-layered locust tree to the office. Oh, and have someone send over a carving knife as well."

Shen Qingzhou was not embarrassed at all when he was exposed, and still spoke with confidence.

"Okay." Bai Yukui nodded in agreement without any hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingzhou added, "Also, I need to use the 33rd floor rooftop for a while. From this afternoon to tonight, no one but me is allowed to come up. I need to make some preparations and can't be disturbed."

"Okay." Bai Yukui nodded readily and immediately instructed Ma Chenggang to do it.

The entire building belongs to Yongcheng Group. The 33rd floor has a reserved rooftop helipad with spacious space, which is almost never used. Clearing it out is just a matter of a word.

Four hours later, all the materials were ready.

Old Chen personally took out the seven-layered locust heartwood sealed in wax. It was an old material as thick as a bowl, dark brown to almost black, with a dense and oily texture. As soon as the wax seal was broken, it exuded a deep and restrained yin energy, making it an excellent material for nourishing yin and gathering the soul.

It wasn't what he thought at all; it was a cheap, inferior thing created by burying seven corpses under the roots of an old locust tree.

Shen Qingzhou carried the things into the 33rd floor rooftop and locked the access control behind her back.

The rooftop was empty, and the setting sun was slowly sinking, dyeing half the sky a deep orange-red.

Shen Qingzhou sat down cross-legged in the center of the tarmac, took out a set of carving knives, pinched the seven-layered locust heartwood between his fingertips, and with a flick of his wrist, the carving knives moved like flowing water, and wood chips fell down in a flurry.

His knife skills were extremely fast and precise. In just over half an hour, a palm-sized Buddha amulet was formed.

The amulet was not an authentic Buddha image, but rather an evil Buddha that resembled neither Buddha nor demon.

The Buddha sat in a half-lotus position, his robes were simple and sharp, his eyebrows and eyes were long and narrow, and the corners of his lips were curved in a smile that was not quite a smile. His facial features were exactly the same as Shen Qingzhou's own, except that his eyebrows and eyes had more of a sinister evil and an aura of looking down on all living beings.

The back of the amulet is covered with densely packed incised symbols, spiraling and converging in circles, with an "∞" symbol at the center.

Shen Qingzhou weighed the Buddhist amulet in his hand, his fingertips brushing against the sharp edges of the evil Buddha, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

By this time, it was completely dark, the city's neon lights were on, and a cool evening breeze was blowing on the rooftop.

Shen Qingzhou flicked his wrist, and three incense sticks appeared in his palm. He waved them twice in the air, and the incense lit up out of thin air. Instead of rising, the smoke settled on the ground like flowing water and slowly spread along the ground.