The Wandering Immortal

Chapter 31 Bullying Men and Women
Although Jiang Yuan was a slacker in business, his Dan medicines, which had been in Luofu Immortal City for more than half a year, quickly became a well-known small shop.

Every time a pill is produced, it sells out the next day as soon as it's put on the shelves. Some people even buy his pills and resell them at a higher price.

Qinghe really wanted to refine more pills, but Jiang Yuan firmly disagreed, saying that it was not worth the small amount of money and that improving her cultivation level was the top priority.

Jiang Yuan would rather find a bargain at another shop and resell it at a higher price, or simply close down his shop and go home to cultivate.

Thus, six months later, under Jiang Yuan's guidance, Qinghe broke through the Bing Fire Meridian and was preparing to advance to the fifth level of Qi Refining to comprehend the innate essence, but she encountered a big problem.

The Luofu Xian City Management Office wants to take back the jade plaque, saying that the eligibility for entry needs to be reviewed every year, and it will be reissued once the review is passed.

Jiang Yuan inquired and found that there was no such practice. Apart from illegally revoking the jade token, or allowing new merchants to randomly draw lots to challenge another merchant and win the jade token if they wanted to join, that was only for opening doors for those with connections.

Jiang Yuan was pondering what went wrong when Jing Xuan suddenly came to find Qing He, her face extremely grim, and she wanted to speak to her alone.

Jiang Yuan understood a little; he had finally become a burden to Qinghe.

Qinghe, filled with suspicion, followed Jingxuan to the restaurant in the Immortal Market.

After a long silence, Jingxuan finally spoke, "Do you know Zhao Jian?"

It took Qinghe a long time to remember that in the past few months, a lewd male cultivator in his twenties or thirties had been loitering around the shop, never buying any pills and ignoring Jiang Yuan's presence, while always teasing Qinghe.

The man called himself Zhao Jian, but Qinghe simply ignored him and addressed Jiang Yuan as "husband" in front of him, which clearly indicated that she was a married woman. However, that guy didn't restrain himself at all.

"Senior, are you saying that the jade pendant is related to Zhao Jian?"

Jingxuan lowered his head for a long time, "There are some things I can't say, but we really can't afford to offend Zhao Jian. He is the grandson of Zhao Cangwu, the chief elder of the outer sect."

"What do you mean, senior?"

“I think... you two would be better off leaving Luofu Immortal City.”

Qinghe hadn't expected it to be this serious. Even if Zhao Jian was abusing his power, he should have at least made some demands. Jingxuan didn't say anything, probably because he found it difficult to bring up those demands.

Very well, she couldn't keep dragging Jingxuan down, so Qinghe took out the jade slip infused with the "Yi Mu Jing".

"My wife and I will find a way to resolve the matter of the jade tablet, so there is no need for you to trouble yourself further. I have long wanted to give you some advice on this jade slip, but I have not been able to meet you until now."

Jingxuan was very surprised. He took the jade slip, placed it on his forehead, and infused it with his divine sense. He was greatly shocked.

"Where did you obtain this cultivation technique?"

“Senior, there’s no need to worry about our origins. It is indeed a genuine Xuanmen cultivation method, which Qinghe herself practiced. You also have a wood-type spiritual root, so perhaps you can gain some insight from it. Whether my wife and I can stay in Luofu Immortal City or not, it will be a way of repaying your repeated assistance!”

Qinghe got up to take her leave, but Jingxuan sat in the restaurant for a long time.

Zhao Jian was a rogue with many wives and concubines, but he took a fancy to Qinghe's beauty and wanted to take her as a concubine.

He knew that Qinghe was able to enter Luofu Immortal City because Jingxuan guaranteed her entry, so he asked Jingxuan about the background of Jiang Yuan and his wife.

Jingxuan naturally said that Qinghe was already married, but Zhao Jian said, "Her husband is a good-for-nothing. He just lives off Qinghe. Give him some spirit stones to get rid of him, otherwise, hehe!"

Jingxuan simply ignored Zhao Jian, but to her surprise, Elder Zhao approached her and said that if she succeeded in this matter, he would reward her with a wood-type cultivation technique.

Jingxuan dared not offend Elder Zhao, but she absolutely did not want to get involved in such despicable acts of bullying men and women. She simply said that she and the Jiang couple were just casual acquaintances and that she was probably powerless to help.

Jingxuan knew that offending Elder Zhao would have dire consequences, and he had even refused a cultivation technique opportunity, only seeking to stay true to his conscience. He never expected to receive a genuine Xuanmen cultivation technique from Qinghe.

Qinghe returned to the courtyard with a livid face. Jiang Yuan immediately asked, "Was it Zhao Jian who interfered?"

Qinghe was already used to Jiang Yuan's keen insight. "It was Zhao Jian. Senior Jingxuan didn't say what conditions he proposed, and even advised us to leave Luofu Immortal City to avoid trouble."

"Jingxuan is just too ashamed to say it. It's just that Zhao Jian has taken a liking to you and forced you to divorce your husband and submit to him. Perhaps you can only become his concubine."

Qinghe laughed in anger, "To give up being the mistress of the house and instead want to be someone else's concubine, how could such an absurd thing happen in the world!"

"If you don't agree, my life will be in danger, and the whole family will suffer!"

Qinghe was truly furious. "How could my husband help outsiders ridicule his wife?"

Half an hour later, Qinghe went to the Luofu Immortal City Management Office alone to see Elder Lu, and of course, she received instructions from Jiang Yuan.

It had only been a year since they last met, and Qinghe had already reached the fourth level of Qi Refining, which made Elder Lu quite regretful that he hadn't taken her in back then.

Upon arriving at the alchemy room, Qinghe immediately bowed and pleaded, "I beg the elder to accept me as a disciple. This disciple will certainly serve my master with all my might!"

Elder Lu was overjoyed, but then suddenly realized, "Have you encountered some trouble?"

Qinghe remained kneeling and recounted Zhao Jian's coercion. Old Lu flew into a rage, "Shameless brat, how dare you do this!"

Old Lu got up and walked around the alchemy room a few times, while Qinghe remained kneeling on the ground, motionless.

"Are you really willing to become my disciple?"

"How dare I deceive my master? My cultivation has reached a bottleneck. Without the guidance of a master, I fear I will never make any progress in my life!"

Thinking of Jiangyuan, Old Lu still felt lingering fear. "Did your husband have some kind of extraordinary encounter?"

Qinghe pretended to be embarrassed to ask, but in her heart she couldn't help but admire her husband for guessing that Elder Lu would ask such a question.

“My husband never allows me to mention this matter, but when my master asked, I dared not not answer. My husband originally had the tenth level of Qi Refining cultivation. In order to find an opportunity to advance to Foundation Establishment, he was seriously injured in a secret realm. His spiritual platform was sealed by an unknown spiritual energy, and since then he has been unable to condense a trace of magic power.”

Old Lu's doubts were largely dispelled, and he pondered to himself, "Could it be the legendary Xuanhuang Qi? If it really is Xuanhuang Qi, only Nascent Soul cultivators can refine it. It's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse."

"In that case, I will accept you as my disciple!"

Qinghe was overjoyed and kowtowed again, "Thank you for your mercy, Master!"

"Please rise. I have spent my life refining elixirs and have no particular rules. There is no need for such formalities."

Qinghe stood up and stood with her hands at her sides.

"Regarding Zhao Jian's matter, even if you weren't my disciple, you would still have to do something about it. Now, I'm going to have a go at Zhao Cangwu, but he is, after all, the chief elder of the outer sect. I can only appeal to the inner sect elders, and I'm afraid it will take a few days."

Old Lu gave Qinghe a few more instructions and gave her a jade pendant as a token of their sect. He said that the inheritance of her cultivation techniques would be discussed later when she formally became an apprentice.

After Lao Lu and Qinghe left the alchemy room, they saw Jingxuan standing in the hall waiting for them.

Elder Lu immediately understood what was going on. "You've come to see me about Qinghe as well?"

Jingxuan immediately bowed deeply, "I beg the elder's mercy!"

"I have already accepted Qinghe as my direct disciple, and I will certainly take care of her affairs. You should go back; this is not something you can interfere in."

Jingxuan was overjoyed, "Thank you, Elder, and congratulations, Junior Sister Qinghe."

Qinghe bowed in return, feeling deeply moved; Senior Sister Jingxuan was truly admirable.

Just as Jingxuan left, Old Lu looked up and saw Zhao Cangwu enter the hall.

Old Zhao naturally saw Old Lu as well. Noticing the disrespectful look in the other man's eyes and seeing Qinghe behind him, he inexplicably lost his edge and tried to avoid Elder Lu by walking to the other side.

Old Lu shouted, "Oh dear, Elder Zhao, what an honor to have you here! I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner!"

Old Zhao had no choice but to return the courtesy, "Elder Lu, what are you saying? We've been fellow disciples for a hundred years, why are you being so distant?"

"Not at all, not at all. I just recently took on a new disciple with excellent aptitude. He may have a chance to enter the inner sect next year. I'm just being overly happy."

"Oh, then congratulations Elder Lu!"

"Congratulations! I heard that your grandson Zhao Jian wants to force my disciple to become his concubine. In that case, our two families can be considered to be related by marriage. Oh, no, he's your grandson. From now on, I, Old Lu, will have to call you Uncle Zhao."

Zhao Cangwu's face flushed red and then turned pale. He had never seen Elder Lu so rascal, and he was actually intimidated by him.

"Elder Lu, what are you saying? I have never heard of such a thing."

"No? If it's a misrepresentation, then this old man has managed to save some face."

At this moment, there were no fewer than a hundred people coming and going in the hall. Watching these two important figures clash, they couldn't help but want to laugh, but dared not, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The most unexpected thing was Qinghe. Old Lu usually looked harmless, but at this moment he was full of murderous intent.

Zhao Cangwu's momentum weakened a bit, but he suddenly became angry and embarrassed. "My grandson is indeed useless. In the past two years, he has repented and wants to do some business in the Immortal Market. According to the rules of the sect, he is also qualified to challenge merchants to win the jade token."

Old Lu never expected that Zhao Cangwu would be so shameless. Even though Zhao Jian was a rogue, he still had the cultivation of the sixth level of Qi Refining, which was two realms higher than Qinghe. In particular, he was separated from Qinghe by the barrier of Innate Essence. If he wanted to challenge Qinghe, he would definitely do so without breaking a sweat.

"Elder Zhao, is this truly the proper course of action?"

"Elder Lu, we are both elders of the sect, but the rules cannot be disregarded!"

"I will certainly plead my case with the inner sect elders. You'd better take care of yourself!"

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(End of this chapter)