Two Realms: I Will Become the Immortal Emperor

Chapter 361: Chapter 332: Celestial Paradise, Don’t Flaunt Your Wealth

After he left the Slaughter Tower, snow had begun to fall over the city. Zhou Lian stood there barefoot, shivering as he rubbed his hands together and blew on them for warmth. The moment he saw Chen Che, he immediately rushed over with a wide smile.

"Senior, you’re out! Where might you be headed next...?"

"I need to find a place to stay."

Chen Che glanced at the sky. In the short time they had been talking, the flurries had turned into a heavy, goose-feather snow.

’Since I’m already here, I can’t just post the bounty and leave.’ Although the Shopkeeper of Slaughter Tower didn’t know Wanjia’s identity, he had revealed a very useful piece of information:

The target was somewhat well-known in Faqian City.

’If I look around the city, I might be able to dig up more intel.’

"If you’re looking for a temporary stay, you should go to the Celestial Garden Inn."

"If you’re looking for pleasure, then it’s the Celestial Paradise. If you want to acquire property, you’ll have to visit the City Affairs Bureau—that’s the Great City Lord’s territory. There are plenty of dilapidated houses in the city, but most of the high-end villas are already owned. If you wish to buy one, Senior, you might have to wait for quite some time."

After saying this, Zhou Lian went on to explain the pros and cons of each location.

Chen Che had no intention of acquiring property here in the first place; he didn’t want to leave any traces that could be used to track him later. After hearing Zhou Lian’s explanation, he was even less inclined. After a moment of consideration, he decided to go to the Celestial Garden Inn.

On the way, they passed by the Celestial Paradise, where he unexpectedly ran into Lu Kai again.

Lu Kai was standing outside the entrance, gazing up at the brothel that soared into the clouds. He couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

"So this truly is the Celestial Paradise."

He had expected a gaudy scene of garish colors and chirping courtesans, with drunken patrons shouting and lewd whispers filling the air.

But to his surprise, the entire tower was elegant and refined, as if untouched by the mortal world. Faint, tranquil melodies drifted out from within. It didn’t feel like a brothel at all; it was more like a place of quiet cultivation for the Buddhist Sect or Daoist School.

Even the serving maids were impeccably and modestly dressed, their words and actions dignified, resembling the Female Cultivators from Major Sects or prominent families.

The young man leading him was in the middle of an introduction:

"Senior, in recent years, the most famous person here has been Wanwan. Not only is she a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator, but I hear she was also the head of a clan. She reached Foundation Establishment at twenty-one and is not yet forty-six..."

For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a three-hundred-year lifespan, being not yet forty-six was no different from being sixteen.

"And she’s willing to be here?"

Lu Kai had voiced the very question on Chen Che’s mind.

"Of course not. When she was captured and brought here seven years ago, she tried to kill herself several times. Later, she was ’trained’ by the madam for half a year, who promised to let her go after she served clients for three years. But then, she got a taste for it and didn’t want to leave anymore..."

The young man gave a knowing smile, the kind all men understood, and continued, "After that, she became the top courtesan. Many clients, after just one visit, would only ask for her. Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment Realm aren’t even qualified to sit and have a cup of tea with her. Look, she’s coming out!"

Following the young man’s pointing finger, Lu Kai looked up, and Chen Che quickly glanced over as well.

A Female Cultivator in a white palace-style gown passed by a window upstairs, her expression as cold as ice. A white silk ribbon danced around her shoulders, and the unmistakable aura of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection radiated from her.

As she passed the window and sensed she was being watched, she shot a sidelong glance before turning away, as if she regarded men as nothing more than ants.

"Truly extraordinary..."

Lu Kai was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but applaud.

The stark contrast was indeed enough to inspire a desire to conquer, not to mention she was a Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator. He turned his head and, catching sight of the passing Chen Che, gave an awkward laugh before cupping his hands in salute.

"Fellow Daoist, are you interested in going in for a look? I see that Wanwan..."

’A Female Cultivator of such high Cultivation, with an extraordinary background and a twisted history... it truly makes one want to get to know her up close.’

"No..."

Chen Che turned and walked away. He had no desire to be his fellow traveler in this endeavor.

He didn’t praise or condemn Lu Kai’s actions.

’It’s all part of the human experience.’

’Cultivators were once mortals. Unless they walk the Path of Forgetting Emotions, how could they possibly avoid joy, anger, sorrow, and the seven passions and six desires? If one truly wishes to purify the heart, quell desires, and let go of everything, then the first thing they should let go of is the Great Dao before them.’

Lu Kai stood before the brothel, watching Chen Che leave. He clenched his jaw and ducked inside.

...

Before long, they arrived at the Celestial Garden Inn.

It was called an inn.

But it was more like a vast, luxurious manor, enclosed by a high wall of white rock that stretched out of sight in both directions. Every few dozen feet along the wall, runes churned, transforming into a mist that shrouded the surroundings.

In the very center of the high wall, a full-moon-shaped gate stood wide open.

As before, Zhou Lian did not step inside.

Evidently, although mortals and Cultivators lived together in Faqian City, there were clearly many places that mortals were not permitted to enter.

Inside the inn, however, was a fantastical sight.

The first thing one saw was a vast mountain range, with a silvery ribbon of a waterfall cascading down into a large lake. Giant lotus leaves, each several dozen feet in diameter, floated on the lake’s surface, and many rare and exotic beasts darted across the water.

A man in a gray robe, appearing to be in his thirties, sat cross-legged on one of the lotus leaves.

He had a wide mouth, a square face, sharp brows, and bright eyes, giving him the appearance of an upstanding individual. But the narrow corners of his eyes lent him a gloomy air.

Hearing someone enter, he looked up and spoke, his words as precious as gold:

"Fellow Daoist, what is your business?"

"Lodging."

The gray-robed man nodded slightly and said in an even tone:

"This inn has a total of one hundred and eight Cave Mansions, divided into three tiers: Celestial, Earth, and Human. The Celestial-level Cave Mansions have the most abundant Spiritual Qi—even a Golden Core could stay there! The Earth-level Cave Mansions are on the edge of the Spirit Gathering Array, but they are also cheaper."

SWOOSH—

Before he had even finished speaking, Chen Che flicked his finger, sending a Storage Ring flying toward him.

"The best room. I’ll be staying for a month for now..."

"Hmm?"

The gray-robed man’s expression changed. The Storage Ring alone was worth nearly ten thousand, to say nothing of the tens of thousands of Spirit Stones packed inside.

’I thought he was just another visiting Cultivator, but I never expected him to be so extravagant.’

"Of course. Take this Token, Fellow Daoist, and proceed to Celestial-tier room number twenty-seven..."

"Li’er!"

The gray-robed man’s face broke into a smile. He clapped his hands, and immediately a graceful, innocently dressed Female Cultivator walked out from the lakeshore. She poled a small boat over to Chen Che, gave a gentle curtsy, and then said:

"Guest, please follow Li’er inside."

The lake’s surface was as smooth as a mirror and clear to the bottom.

Occasionally, a few crimson Demon Fish could be seen darting beneath the lotus leaves or playfully chasing the small boat. An old turtle also paddled leisurely by on all fours.

Li’er, dressed in light gauze with her hair in lively, pretty double buns, stood at the prow, poling the boat with a bamboo pole. With a single push, they glided several dozen feet. She hummed a sweet little tune, making one feel as if they were in a Jiangnan Water Village.

After the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, they reached the other side of the lake. Under Li’er’s guidance, Chen Che arrived at a villa located in the southwest corner.

Outside the villa, a plaque was inscribed with four ancient words: "Celestial Garden Villa 27."

"Guest, this is the place."

Li’er smiled sweetly and took out a Jade Key. "There is a Spirit Lock Array set up in the villa," she said. "The Spiritual Qi is much richer than outside..."

As she spoke, a thin layer of mist outside the villa silently parted.

"It’s average."

Chen Che gave it a quick glance and made his silent assessment.

’The environment here is excellent, but it’s still not as good as Jinyun Valley. But things are always more difficult when you’re away from home; you can’t be too demanding.’ Just as he was about to step inside, he suddenly paused. Seeing this, Li’er, who had been maintaining an elegant and detached demeanor, revealed a hint of joy in her eyes.

All along the way, she had deliberately put on an innocent and charming act, all for the sake of catching his attention.

One of her sisters at the Celestial Garden had once caught the eye of a guest and was taken away from Faqian City. She went from being a mere Qi Refining Maid to the matriarch of a clan, and eventually even became a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. It was a true rags-to-riches story...

’Has such great fortune now fallen upon me?’

But to her surprise, the man only paused for a moment before stepping into the villa. The gate closed behind him, and his figure vanished completely.

"..."

Li’er was stunned for a moment, but she showed no sign of resentment as she poled her small boat away.

’There were plenty of guests at the Celestial Garden Inn. Sooner or later, she would catch the eye of some Cultivator.’

Only when she returned to the center of the lake did she notice another guest had arrived. But before she could approach, the gray-robed man’s voice called out, "Li’er, go back. I’ll call you when I need you..."

"...Yes."

"That’s right. A Cultivator carrying a Sword Box and wearing Face Armor just checked in. He’s also staying in a Celestial Villa, and he’s far more generous than the average person."

Seeing Li’er leave, the gray-robed man raised a hand to set up a Silent Barrier. Only then did he turn back to the three or four people before him, frowning slightly as he spoke:

"Guests like him are usually not to be trifled with. How dare you target him?"

"He just paid four hundred thousand Spirit Stones at the Slaughter Tower to put a hit on Wanjia. And after spending that much, he can still afford to stay at the Celestial Garden Inn. I estimate he has at least several hundred thousand more Spirit Stones on him."

One of them said with a cupped-hand salute, noticing how Jin Wu’s pupils contracted. The few Major Cultivators present all wore expressions of understanding; they had reacted the same way when they first heard the news.

"Brother Jin, this is a big score. You just need to provide us with information on his movements, and you’ll get ten percent of the profits for free. How could you refuse?"

"Fine. But if anything goes wrong, it has nothing to do with me."

Jin Wu didn’t hesitate.

"We understand the rules..."

The group exchanged salutes, made a bit more small talk, and then departed.

Just as that group left, another batch of people came in to see Jin Wu.

Though the visitors were different, their intentions were more or less the same.

After seeing them off, Jin Wu finally retracted his gaze. He glanced toward one of the villas on the opposite shore and slowly shook his head. "Don’t flash your wealth. You’re the one who gave yourself away; you can’t blame anyone else..."

...

"It seems quite a few people have their eyes on me..."

Inside the villa, Chen Che toyed with the teacup in his hand, chuckling and shaking his head.

Not long after leaving the Slaughter Tower, he had noticed several Foundation Establishment Cultivators following him. They were all Cultivators who had been drinking in the tower. Clearly, the wealth he had revealed when posting the bounty had finally made him a target.

However, this was to be expected. After all, in the Slaughter Tower, a price of three hundred thousand Spirit Stones could buy the life of a Golden Core.

Faced with such a huge temptation, some people were bound to take desperate measures.

However, if these people dared to make a move on him, then they couldn’t blame him for being ruthless.

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