Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The Zhong Family’s Plea for Help, Journey to the Immortal City

Donglong Island.

Su Ye emerged from his cave abode.

Qi Shuhui, dressed in a goose-yellow ruqun and boasting an exquisite figure, came forward to greet him. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"What is it? Why did you call me out of seclusion?" Su Ye asked faintly.

This particular session of secluded cultivation hadn’t been for anything urgent.

He was just performing his daily routine: meditating and absorbing spiritual energy.

However, if the matter wasn’t urgent, then he’d have no choice but to...

...punish her thoroughly.

Su Ye’s gaze darkened slightly. A faint, unreadable smile played on his lips as he calmly eyed Qi Shuhui’s curvaceous figure.

"My lord..." Qi Shuhui’s pretty face flushed slightly as she spoke in a delicate voice.

"There’s a Loose Cultivator at the harbor. He claims to have come from Weiyuan Immortal City and wishes to see you, my lord."

’A Loose Cultivator?’ Su Ye thought to himself.

He didn’t interrupt Qi Shuhui. The young woman was very clever; she would never disturb his seclusion for an ordinary Loose Cultivator.

"The reason I’ve come to report this is because..."

"This Loose Cultivator is holding a Whalebone Brooch, and it contains the aura of your Magical Power!"

Qi Shuhui explained carefully.

"Oh?" A flicker of interest showed in Su Ye’s eyes.

’Whalebone Brooch... I’ve only ever given one away, and that was to Mr. Zhong...’

A Foundation Establishment cultivator’s memory was eidetic. Even after more than ten years, the memory was as clear as day...

Now, someone had arrived with the Whalebone Brooch. It had to be the Zhong Family asking for help...

Su Ye recalled for a moment before asking.

"Where is this Loose Cultivator?"

"At the harbor."

...

The marketplace.

Inside a grand residence.

The young Loose Cultivator, dressed in a worn-out Daoist robe, hunched his neck, looking rather constrained.

"Our guest, please have some tea."

A serving girl approached with delicate steps, offering tea.

The fluctuations of Magical Power from her body revealed she was at the third layer of Qi Refining.

HISS... The young Loose Cultivator’s expression sobered, and he quickly sat up straight.

"Thank you."

He cupped the teacup in his hands as he sat in the main hall.

His eyes, glinting with a furtive light, couldn’t help but scan the surrounding furnishings as he muttered to himself in shock.

"This... This is... Tianbai Silver-Thread Wood! A piece as long as your arm can sell for nearly a thousand Spirit Stones."

"The Luo Family is so extravagant they use this spirit wood for tables and chairs?"

"And this amethyst..."

He stared longingly at the amethyst decoration on the wooden table, reaching out a hand as if to touch it.

But he didn’t dare, afraid his hand would soil the Spiritual Object and earn him a rebuke from his hosts...

It was no wonder he lost his composure.

The value of the Spiritual Objects displayed in this hall was no less than several thousand Spirit Stones!

Faced with such extravagance, how could he possibly remain calm?

However, the Luo Family’s current level of luxury was actually quite normal.

After all, this was the Cultivation World.

If in Su Ye’s past life, wealth naturally flowed to the powerful...

...then in this life, wealth naturally flowed to high-level cultivators!

As Su Ye’s Divine Techniques grew stronger and he revealed the formidable combat power of the late-stage Foundation Establishment realm...

...the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivator families, such as the Qi Family of Liuli Island and the Chen Family of Ice Lake Island, all regarded the Luo Clan with fear and awe.

The borders were stable.

They also had the benefit of the Donglong Island Marketplace.

Under the rules established by Su Ye, the Luo Family operated like a highly efficient and precise machine, running at high speed and growing more prosperous by the day.

An endless stream of Spirit Stones flowed into the clan’s treasury, becoming bargaining chips in Su Ye’s hands!

The Loose Cultivator stared blankly at the decor in the main hall, completely lost in a daze.

Just then, a calm voice sounded.

"You’re the one who wanted to see me?"

HISS... The young Loose Cultivator abruptly snapped back to his senses!

He didn’t know when, but a handsome, black-robed youth with sharp eyes had appeared in the master’s seat and was calmly scrutinizing him.

He couldn’t sense the slightest fluctuation of Magical Power from this handsome, otherworldly youth, yet in his heart, he felt as if he were staring into an abyss.

"Greetings, Mr. Su!"

His heart leaped in fear, and he immediately performed a solemn bow.

"Rise," Su Ye said faintly.

"Thank you, Mr. Su..."

"Are you here on behalf of the Zhong Family?" Su Ye asked.

"I am... My name is Zhou Liangcai. I am acquainted with the Zhong Family’s young patriarch, Zhong Qi. He asked me to bring this token to Donglong Island and ask for your help, Mr. Su."

Su Ye had already inspected the Whalebone Brooch that Zhou Liangcai presented, and there was nothing wrong with it.

"Help? What sort of trouble is he in?" Su Ye got straight to the point.

"This whole thing started with the recent string of murders in the outer city..." Zhou Liangcai began.

"People have been dying frequently in the outer city recently. The victims all died tragically, their faces mangled beyond recognition, and a search of the scenes revealed no trace of the killer..."

No trace?

Hearing those two words, Su Ye’s heart stirred. He had a theory.

’Could it be the work of a Formless Demon?’

"Then, somehow, this killer targeted the Zhong Family!"

"Not long ago, Mr. Zhong died a violent death at home. Again, there was no trace of the killer."

"But the Zhong Family has been rooted in Weiyuan Immortal City for a long time, after all. They have some connections."

"Besides... the grand auction had already been postponed for over a year. It was about to be held, and then this happened."

"The Immortal City’s administration is also quite furious with this killer."

"So, two great Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Immortal City came to investigate."

"One of them was none other than the famous Yuqing."

"She’s as beautiful as a celestial maiden, born with a sword heart, and is cold as ice to everyone..."

A glimmer appeared in Zhou Liangcai’s eyes, and he couldn’t resist singing her praises for a moment.

It was clear he had a favorable impression of Bai Xiuying.

Almost every Loose Cultivator trying to make a living in Weiyuan Immortal City dreamed of marrying Yuqing and reaching the pinnacle of their life.

"Get to the point."

Su Ye wasn’t interested in this and cut Zhou Liangcai off directly.

"Ahem..." Knowing he had misspoken, Zhou Liangcai composed himself and continued.

"But even after they called in the two great Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even after using a rather precious... Nine... Nine-something Talisman..."

"A Nine Rites Spirit Testing Talisman?" Su Ye said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, that’s it! The Nine Rites Spirit Testing Talisman! You are truly knowledgeable, Mr. Su..."

Zhou Liangcai slapped his forehead, bowing and scraping.

"But even with the Nine Rites Spirit Testing Talisman, the investigation of the scene still turned up nothing."

"What’s more... my friend, Mr. Zhong—I don’t know if it was the grief from his father’s death that made him hysterical—but he started spouting nonsense to the two great Foundation Establishment cultivators. He was saying things like a dozen monsters were right there at the scene, right behind them..."

"Thankfully, Yuqing was lenient and forgave Zhong Qi for his offense... Yuqing truly has the heart of a Bodhisattva..."

"Did Zhong Qi describe what these monsters looked like in detail?" Su Ye suddenly asked.

"Ah... Yes, yes, he did! He said the monsters were pale all over, withered and slender..."

Zhou Liangcai faltered for a second before hastily replying.

Formless Demon!

Hearing this, Su Ye was almost certain the culprits were Formless Demons!

’This Zhong Qi can actually see Formless Demons, and... he wasn’t killed by them?’

’What’s so extraordinary about him?’

Su Ye wondered, his curiosity piqued.

’And... Formless Demons are gathering in Weiyuan Immortal City... ’

Su Ye thought of the similarities between the Formless Demons and the pale monsters that Songhezi and Navasen had become.

’The natives’ methods?’

’Interesting...’

’It seems a trip to Weiyuan Immortal City is in order!’