Immortality begins with meditation puppets

"Fellow Daoist Ye must be getting good treatment at Langya Workshop. You work so hard and are a peak third-tier sword cultivator. You must be getting several hundred spirit stones a year."
"I truly envy you, fellow Daoist! Unlike me, who toils like a madman and only earns a dozen or so spirit stones a year!"

Outside Su Ji Puppet Shop, Ye Suo, who had switched from a two-handed sword to a one-handed sword, hugged the Gale Sword and stared intently at Su Ji Puppet Shop.

He was staring at Su Ji Puppet Shop, while Li Hailang, acting on Qinghe's instructions, was actually staring at him.

The two have been staring at each other for more than half a month.

Although Li Hailang was annoyed that he had increased his workload, he had come to admire him over the past two weeks.

I wonder how many spirit stones Langya Workshop gives him every year, it's worth it for him to work so hard, it's driving people crazy. For half a month, he hasn't moved an inch, he hasn't even blinked, he's just stood there like a statue until today.

Has Su Qing come out yet?

Ye Suo did not respond to Li Hailang's question about treatment; he only wanted to ask when this Taoist Su would emerge from seclusion!

"How can that be certain? Boss Su's puppet-making process takes anywhere from three to five days to one or two years. If you ask me, fellow Daoist, just hand over this batch of essence stones to us. Do you think we'd be greedy for them?"

Li Hailang shook his head and said that with Ye Suo's inflexible attitude, if he hadn't been strong and ruthless enough, he would definitely have been among the first brothers to die in the Langtian Gang that he used to lead.

"Ying'er only instructed me to give this radiant stone to Su Qing. You are not Su Qing, so you are not allowed to receive this!"

Ye Suo's eyes narrowed, startling Li Hailang.

"Fine, you stubborn fool who won't listen to reason. Stand if you want!"

Li Hailang curled his lip, called over a henchman to bring over a recliner, and settled down comfortably, ready to wear this bastard down.

I'm really curious how many spirit stones this grandson earns in a year; it must be more than Li Hailang's.

However, Hailang was content. If he followed Boss Su for a few years, he might be able to use spirit stones to buy a few spirit houses and bring his 17th and 260th brothers over.

They only said that they couldn't go out to sea, and that staying in Wanghai City would be fine. Wanghai City has beautiful scenery, and how could Hailang enjoy it all by himself? He should bring his brothers over to enjoy the good life!
Li Hailang was lost in thought when he fell into a deep sleep.

"That bastard is sleeping during work hours! Ge Ling, make a note of this and deduct three hundred spirit crystals from his pay!"

A low shout from Su Bapi woke Li Hailang from his dream.

He stood up in a panic and saw Su Qing welcoming Ye Suo into the shop.

"It is my fault, Fellow Daoist Ye, for troubling you to wait here for so long!"

After learning from Qinghe and others that Ye Suo had been standing outside the shop for half a month, Su Qing, like Li Hailang, was curious about how many spirit stones Ling Ying could give Ye Suo in a year to make him work so hard.

Bah! With this sycophant's self-awareness, he probably wouldn't even want a single spirit stone. He'd work for Ling Ying for free, and might even bring his own food, giving all the spirit stones he earned at the Sword Hall to Ling Ying!
"Half a month will pass in the blink of an eye, it doesn't matter much. There are 7,642 catties of Radiant Stones in my storage bag, I will hand them all over to you, fellow Daoist. I hope you will not let Ying'er's hard work go to waste and disappoint her!"

Ye Su coldly tossed a mid-grade storage bag to Su Qing. After seeing that Su Qing had checked it and found nothing wrong, Ye Su didn't want to say anything more to Su Qing and turned to leave.

In that fleeting moment of turning back, as if still harboring some lingering thoughts, he asked:

"That cedarwood sword?"

"I chiseled it, chiseled it into pieces, and fused it into the puppet!" Su Qing didn't want to lie to this honest boy, and was also afraid that he would covet his ailanthus sword just like he coveted Ling Ying, so he said cruelly.

"How could you treat it like this? It has been in my hands for hundreds and thousands of years. I have cherished it and would never bear to let it suffer even the slightest damage. How could you just melt it down!"

Ye Suo, grieving the loss of his beloved sword, had been trying to console himself that the sword might have fallen into the hands of a swordsman like Su Qing, whose swordsmanship was superior to his own, and that Su Qing might have achieved even greater success than he had. However, he never expected that Su Qing, a swordsman of such high caliber, would treat the precious sword so carelessly.

Entrusting the wrong person is extremely painful.

Su Qing glanced sideways at Ye Suo, who was clutching his chest.

It hurts already?

I haven't even mentioned that I also chiseled the lintel!

He dared not provoke Ye Suo so much, fearing that Ye Suo would not be able to take it and would draw his sword on the spot. Although killing him would not be difficult, since Ye Suo was Ling Ying's lapdog, and given the current relationship between Su Qing and Ling Ying, he could also be used by him.
A peak third-tier sword cultivator who doesn't even need a monthly salary or bonus—isn't that better than Li Hailang?

After seeing Ye Suo off, Su Qing, carrying the Radiant Stones, prepared to step into the puppet-making room to use them to refine a dozen or twenty Star Sun Dolls.

Qinghe, who had just been entertaining guests, saw him about to start practicing his puppetry again and ignoring everyone, so she called out to him:
"Boss, the other day, Rao Tingshan, Ying Wushen and others came to visit the shop and said that Gao Xieshen is about to arrive in Wanghai City. Our top-rated shop should join forces with all the merchants in the city to prepare a welcoming ceremony for Gao Xieshen and present him with a generous gift."

When asked how many spirit stones Su's Puppet Shop intends to offer and what kind of puppets it has prepared, everyone should be treated with the same courtesy and avoid standing out or being impolite.

"You want me to present a gift to Erqiang? Is his face worth that much?!"

Upon hearing that she was to fawn over Erqiang and bleed for him, Su Qing's first reaction was to refuse.

He did prepare some big gifts for Erqiang, but they were all for Erqiang to use, not for Erqiang to play with.

But after refusing, he hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:

"Send over a hundred spirit stones and a few second-tier princess puppets. After all, Erqiang has a past with me, so let's give him this face!"

"Is that all? Other top-tier shops start at a thousand spirit stones, and even have third-tier battle armor and fourth-tier treasure materials!" Qinghe replied softly.

"Is this not enough? Are we going to starve? We're just a small family, and our shop has only been open for a short time. How can we compare to these big families in the city? This is all we have. Take it or leave it, Erqiang!"

Erqiang's reputation is only worth this much to Su Qing.

If he were to fawn over the likes of other wealthy families, then all the Void Four Lions and Jade Lotus he crafted would have been for nothing!
The owner was unwilling to spend money, and Qinghe had no choice but to shut up. Afraid that if she said another word, the owner would deduct her bonus from Erqiang's, she quickly shut her mouth. She felt that in a city where everyone was generous, the owner's stinginess seemed even more petty.

It's best not to anger Gao Erqiang!

Qinghe shuddered involuntarily as she recalled the terrifying scene of human head lanterns clamoring in the sky in the White Cloud Immortal City.

······
On this day, the entire city of Wanghai celebrated with great joy. Drums and gongs resounded, firecrackers crackled, shops were decorated with lanterns, and every household hung up lanterns.

The entire city was preparing to welcome the arrival of the God of Evil.

From this day forward, the thousand-year-old era of Yuanlai Tower in Wanghai City will transition into the era of the evil god, ruled by Gao Erqiang.

Why bother with the Red Sleeve Pavilion's actions and loves? The Yuanlai Pavilion, Rao Tingshan, and the Blood Emperor of the Twilight Society, along with Ying Wushen, Lü Wentian, Duan Tianai, and other prominent figures in the city, stood respectfully outside the city gates, awaiting the arrival of Gao Xieshen. They were giving face to the fourth-tier Great Evil Gao Erqiang, as well as to the Demon Tree Evil Kingdom behind him, and hoped that Gao Erqiang would also show them some respect after arriving in the city.

Hei Qingtian, whose strength and status prevented him from squeezing into the front row, glanced around the crowd, silently calculating something in his mind.

"What are you thinking about, sir?" the White Impermanence beside him asked in a low voice.

"Record the names, record who didn't come!" Hei Qingtian glared at him, telling him not to interfere with his headcount.

Bai Wuchang, who had been with Hei Qingtian for a long time, knew him very well and immediately understood what Hei Qingtian meant.

As everyone knows, the Enforcement Hall is the dog of those in power.

Now that the dog has a new owner, it will naturally have to follow the new owner's wishes in the future.

On the very first day that the evil god has arrived in Wanghai City, those scoundrels who dare not come to welcome the evil god will naturally become targets for the Enforcement Hall to strike in the future.

"Su Qing, Ji Yong'en, and even Master Liaode haven't come!"

After counting the heads, Hei Qingtian spoke in a deep voice.

Bai Wuchang looked ahead and indeed did not see the three people present. He asked in surprise:

"The madmen of the Sword Palace have long lived in the far west, suffering from evil spirits. They are sworn enemies with evil spirits. It is normal that Ji Yong'en did not come. Master Liaode came from Fulong Temple and has always taken it as his duty to exorcise evil spirits and solve problems. It is also reasonable that he does not give face to evil gods."

But this Taoist Su is always tactful in his dealings, and I've heard he has a past relationship with the Evil God Gao. Why hasn't he shown up for this occasion, only sending his shopkeeper instead!

"I'm afraid that the relationship between Gao Xieshen and this Su Daoren isn't as harmonious as we imagined. If that's the case, then that's good. I haven't settled the score with Su Qing for destroying my Xie Zhi Spirit Eagle in the last magic battle!"

Hei Qingtian said coldly that Su Qing was able to thrive in Wanghai City not only because of his own abilities, but also because of his ambiguous relationship with Gao Erqiang.

If this layer of skin were gone, the Twilight Society, the Law Enforcement Hall, and many other forces would not be as harmonious with him as they are now. Under the command of the evil god, they would bite him like madmen, and Su's Puppet Shop would have to close down within a few days.

Bai Wuchang was also looking forward to it. After all, in the past six months, Su Ji Puppet Shop had sold a lot of puppets and earned countless spirit stones. If he could have a bite, it would definitely make his mouth water.

"coming!"

Hei Qingtian gave a low shout, quickly glanced at the dark, ominous cloud coming from the east, and then lowered his head along with the other cultivators in front of him.

"Red Sleeve Pavilion and Yuanlai Pavilion, together with the shop owners of Wanghai and millions of cultivators, respectfully welcome the arrival of the Evil God!"

After the two He sisters and Rao Tingshan spoke in unison, they looked up and saw that the legendary evil god Gao Erqiang, with his sharp mouth and fangs, a hundred heads and a thousand arms, and a fondness for eating human heads, was already quietly standing in front of them.

Seeing is believing; the legendary image of the evil god shattered the moment the high evil god was seen.

What appeared before them was a simple and honest Taoist priest dressed in coarse cloth short clothes, with a sweat towel tied around his head, similar to the attire of a low-level physical cultivator.

If it weren't for the City Lord's Crown he wore, symbolizing the City Lord of Wanghai City, no one would dare say that this Taoist priest, who had no trace of evil aura, was Gao Erqiang, the headless evil god who could stop children from crying at night in the West Sea!
"Fellow practitioners, there is no need for such a grand ceremony. Wanghai City has been prosperous since ancient times. In the past thousand years, under the leadership of Master Zhao Chun and with the cooperation of all of you, it has become even more prosperous."

Having received the Holy Spirit's approval to shoulder this great responsibility, I tread with trepidation, fearing only that my abilities are insufficient and I might ruin this city's prosperity. I hope fellow Daoists will offer their support in the future, and if I do anything wrong, please forgive me!

Erqiang was a polite man. Despite being a fourth-order Great Evil and the lord of this city, he treated the group of high-level cultivators from Wanghai with great courtesy, showing them the respect due to fellow cultivators.

Why bother doing this? Why bother loving these two sisters? Rao Tingshan, backed by the He family of Penglai and the Thousand Island Immortal Kingdom, was not afraid of what Gao Erqiang would do to them, but seeing that he was easy to get along with, he breathed a sigh of relief.

In previous years, when the evil gods of the Dizang Evil Kingdom took turns guarding Wanghai City, the city was always under the oppressive rule of the evil gods. Although the evil gods were somewhat restrained by the constraints of other forces and because they were reluctant to part with the spirit stones that the city earned for the evil kingdom every year, the atmosphere was never as good as when the Yuanlai Tower was guarded by a Nascent Soul cultivator.

If Gao Erqiang can maintain his current performance, Wanghai City might truly have another chance to advance in the next thousand years.

"The evil god Gao is incredibly powerful. Once his entourage enters Wanghai City, no villains, whether inside or outside the city, dare to cause trouble or chaos. With the evil god suppressing it, Wanghai will surely rise to a higher level!"

"We all look forward to Wanghai City, under the leadership of the Evil God, becoming the number one city in the Western Sea, surpassing Baiyujing and Wanxian City!"

"Evil God, please enter the City Lord's Mansion. Inside the City Lord's Mansion, we, the citizens of Wanghai City, have long prepared a ceremony for the Evil God. Our fellow practitioners have also prepared some small gifts for the Evil God. We hope the Evil God will not find them offensive!"

Regardless of whether Gao Erqiang's gentle attitude was genuine or not, the enthusiasm of the important figures in Wanghai City for him was real.

How could they not be enthusiastic? This man was a fourth-order Great Evil; if he were unhappy, he could twist the head off anyone present and hang it like a lantern.

Gao Erqiang had obviously already enjoyed being the center of attention in the Demon Tree Evil Kingdom and was quite used to being admired.

Surrounded by a group of high-ranking cultivators, Hei Qingtian led the team of the Law Enforcement Hall to clear the way and welcomed Gao Xieshen into the City Lord's Mansion.

The city lord's mansion where Zhao Chun used to live has now been completely renovated and is ready to welcome the newcomer.

The pavilions and terraces remain, but the original exorcism array has been completely dismantled, and festive red lanterns have been hung in every corner of the mansion.

Gao Erqiang only glanced at it briefly, showing little interest in the city lord's mansion. He simply opened his Gao family's butcher shop in the inner courtyard and sat on the high platform, waiting for the various forces in the city to come forward and offer their gifts.

"Red Sleeve Pavilion presents a fourth-tier spiritual plant—Poria cocos—wishing the evil god eternal happiness!"

"Yuanlai Pavilion presents the third-tier treasure ship—the Storm—to wish the Evil God eternal progress on his path!"

"The Supreme Warrior presents the Tier 3 Battle Armor—the Divine Armor—to congratulate the evil god and wish him invincibility!"

·······
"The Duan Family Puppet Shop is offering a third-tier puppet—the Three Pure Ones Puppet. May the evil god's path surpass the Three Pure Ones!"

"Su's Puppet Shop is delivering a second-tier puppet—the Headless Leopard. May the Evil God be happy every day!"

The festive atmosphere came to an abrupt end.

With many top-rated shops offering level 3 and 4 items.

Qinghe indeed encountered the same situation she had anticipated.

The second-tier headless leopard is really no good!
"What's wrong with Fellow Daoist Su? You can't even bear to part with a third-tier puppet? If he can't bear to part with it, Yuanlai Tower will just pay for it for him. How can you let him down in a situation like this!"

Rao Tingshan looked at the headless leopard that Qinghe had taken out, which was even worse than a regular second-tier princess leopard, and scratched his teeth, wondering why Su Qing was so stingy!

"This is treating the evil god like a subordinate! Aren't you afraid the evil god will make things difficult for you?" (End of Chapter)