The Master of Beasts-Chapter 552 - 133_2
.....
In just a few months, the entire Star Moon Oasis restored its original order, or rather, established an even more stringent order than before.
"Clop clop clop"
A Star Spirit Horse, standing one zhang at the shoulders, with a silver coat without a trace of imperfection, strutted proudly on the street, drawing the attention of many cultivators.
"What a good horse, truly a fine horse!"
"Hey kid, is that horse for sale?" A fierce-looking, defiant man with a bare upper body arrogantly asked.
"Heh heh heh, there’s going to be a good show." An old man with a sinister appearance chuckled secretly.
Surprised by the bustling scene on the street, Chen Jiuge looked at the defiant man blocking his way and said, "You want to buy my horse?"
"That’s right, it’s me." Li Kui said arrogantly.
If it were in the past, Li Kui would have undoubtedly crushed this pretty boy with a swing of his hammer. But now things were different, as the Star Moon Oasis had the law, a very strict law.
"Sure, the Star Spirit Horse, cultivation level True Immortal Thirty Layer Heaven, what do you offer in exchange?" Chen Jiuge teased.
Li Kui’s face stiffened at the mention of True Immortal Thirty Layer Heaven. What a joke! Is this pretty boy trying to scare me?
"True Immortal Thirty Layer Heaven? You say it is, then it is?" Li Kui was a bit embarrassed but tried to keep up appearances.
"Snap"
With a snap of his fingers, the Star Spirit Horse obediently lifted its front half, and with lightning speed, stomped Li Kui under its massive hoof.
"How about it?" Chen Jiuge asked with a faint smile.
Li Kui, looking up at Chen Jiuge from below, was filled with fear and said, "I submit, I submit."
"Li Kui, you coward, this is Star Moon City, making a move in the city will get you sanctioned by the Star Moon Guard. What are you afraid of?" A faint voice came from the crowd.
Chen Jiuge glanced around the crowd in surprise, noticing that the onlooking cultivators were at most around the True Immortal Ten Layer Heaven, yet someone dared to provoke?
"The shadow, find that person."
A shadow silently emerged from Chen Jiuge’s own shadow, and in less than a breath’s time, the provoking cultivator was brought before Chen Jiuge.
"True Immortal Twelfth Layer Heaven, practicing a demonic cultivation technique, full of resentment. It seems you are quite dissatisfied with the rules of Star Moon City!" Chen Jiuge saw through the person’s background at a glance.
"Clop clop clop"
A ten-person team quickly made their way through the crowd to the scene, with Bing Yue kneeling on one knee and saying, "I arrived late, please forgive me, City Lord."
"It’s fine, dig up this person’s background. As for the other fool, take him to the military camp to serve for a few years." Chen Jiuge said nonchalantly.
"Yes, take them away." After dealing with the two, Bing Yue stepped forward and said, "City Lord, the Valley Master of Beauty Valley has arrived and is waiting at the City Lord Mansion."
"Hmm, take me there."
The appearance of Chen Jiuge shocked all the cultivators present. The City Lord, the most mysterious City Lord of Star Moon City, had appeared, and he looked so young and enigmatic.
....
Beauty Valley Master Xiao Hong lazily propped her chin, her heavy bosom resting on the table, her delicate face full of worry.
Since the beast tide a century ago, the survival points outside suffered heavy damage, and so did Xiao Hong’s Beauty Valley. However, she was rather fortunate, as she was still alive, though she did lose quite a few subordinates.
Fewer people meant less power, which also meant fewer resources were harvested. As the resources brought back to her family grew scarce over the years, the pressure on Xiao Hong increased.
"I don’t want to marry that old ghost from the Black Sea as a concubine." Xiao Hong said full of worry.
"Valley Master, the City Lord of this Star Moon City is really putting on airs, we have been waiting for so long, and still, no one has come?" Xiao Hong’s maid, Little Green, grumbled with dissatisfaction.
Twirling her teacup idly, Xiao Hong took a sip and said, "Putting on airs? He’s an Inner Sect Disciple of the Five Elements Sect, and a Golden Immortal Disciple at that, with the Daluo Ancestor above him. This much is nothing."
"But, but we are also members of the Xiao family after all." Little Green said with some dissatisfaction.
Xiao Hong rolled her eyes at this foolish maid, who was sent by those old folks from the Xiao family to supervise her, to prevent her from hoarding the resources of Beauty Valley, and to ensure that she doesn’t engage in any scandalous relations, maintaining her innocence.
"The Xiao family, sigh." Xiao Hong didn’t even want to explain. A Daluo Ancestor poisoned by some strange toxin, half alive and half dead, was already doing well just to protect the foundations of the Xiao family; what more could be expected otherwise?
"Are you the Valley Master Xiao Hong?" As soon as Chen Jiuge entered the main hall, he saw this stunningly beautiful woman in front of him. The faint trace of worry between her brows made her even more sympathetic.
"Indeed I am. You must be City Lord Chen Jiuge?" Xiao Hong said with a gentle smile.
"Hmm, I heard you want to form an alliance with our Star Moon City?" Chen Jiuge nodded.
"That’s right, this is the alliance agreement I drafted." Xiao Hong said with a smile as she took out an agreement.
After briefly flipping through it, Chen Jiuge asked with some curiosity, "You are willing to trade your Beauty Valley’s unique Beauty Shells for our Star Moon Spirit Fish?"
The Star Moon Spirit Fish is merely a type of auxiliary cultivation meat, though somewhat rare in its attributes. Still, it is just a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure of not very high grade.
On the other hand, the Beauty Shell is different. It can nourish yin and replenish yang, enhance a Female Cultivator’s beauty, improve her figure, increase her allure, and even dispel the decay accumulated over long years, making it much more popular than the Star Moon Spirit Fish.
"That’s correct." Speaking seriously, Xiao Hong became stern as well.
"The price is very fair, and I even stand to gain, but what does this last line about mutual aid mean?" Chen Jiuge said, tapping the table.
Xiao Hong chuckled bitterly a couple of times, then said, "Ever since the beast tide, my Beauty Valley has suffered greatly, losing over half of its subordinates. Due to certain reasons, the family did not provide timely support, and quite a few Evil Cultivators have set their sights on Beauty Valley."
Chen Jiuge frowned slightly. Any Evil Cultivator that could make a name for themselves in the Golden Desert was not to be trifled with, they were either a Heavenly Immortal or a Little Heavenly Immortal with special abilities.
Xiao Hong spoke of her plight, but Chen Jiuge knew nothing about Beauty Valley. Even based on its apparent strength, Beauty Valley had three Heavenly Immortals, indicating just how powerful the Evil Cultivators eyeing Beauty Valley were.
"Why seek an alliance with me? My strength is likely the weakest among the nearby settlements. If it weren’t for the Five Elements Sect banner, I would have been overrun by Evil Cultivators long ago." Chen Jiuge was not keen on getting involved.
Xiao Hong covered her mouth and laughed lightly, "City Lord is too modest. You are a Golden Immortal Disciple; a few Evil Cultivators are nothing to you. Just your two Heavenly Immortal Spiritual Beasts are enough to scare them off."
"If those were the only terms, I wouldn’t form an alliance with you."
Though he felt a bit regretful about the Beauty Shell, Chen Jiuge decisively refused.
Xiao Hong was momentarily stunned, then quickly regained her composure, "City Lord Chen, why is that? My Beauty Valley’s sincerity is evident; the annual trade of Beauty Shells occupies nearly thirty percent of our total production. This isn’t a low price!"
Chen Jiuge shook his head slightly, "Since you were able to find out I’m a Golden Immortal Disciple, you should also know about my Spirit Beast Breeding abilities. If I had my eye on Beauty Shells, I could cultivate them myself.
"After all, there are always Beauty Shells wandering outside."
Xiao Hong was taken aback; she truly didn’t know this. She had spent quite a bit of effort to get Old Zuo in the city to divulge Chen Jiuge’s status as a Golden Immortal Disciple.
Quietly observing Chen Jiuge’s nonchalant demeanor, Xiao Hong took a deep breath, causing her chest to rise and fall.
"Slam"
"A Secret Storage of the Golden Labyrinth!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
"Oh?" A look of amazement appeared on Chen Jiuge’s face.
The so-called Golden Labyrinth is a naturally formed Secret Storage of Heaven and Earth after the Golden Desert emerged. Inside, there tend to be some naturally formed Treasures of Heaven and Earth, though most are incomplete, belonging to the Immortal Treasure level, suitable for a Heavenly Immortal’s Immortal Artifact.
Occasionally, however, there are genuine Heaven and Earth Holy Weapons, at the Daoist Soldier level, which are treasures only usable by a Golden Immortal.
"What do you say?" Xiao Hong felt a pang of heartache; this Secret Storage was something she had intended to secretly develop to enhance her strength, but that was no longer possible.
"All of it for me?"
"How could that be possible, half for each, we develop it together." Xiao Hong narrowed her eyes at Chen Jiuge. This person looks quite handsome, but has high ambitions!
"Cough, cough, fine, half for each it is. First, tell me how many Evil Cultivators attacked your Beauty Valley this time? What are their strength levels?" Chen Jiuge said, reluctantly glancing at the Secret Storage map.
"Seven Heavenly Immortals, eighteen Little Heavenly Immortals, and at least five hundred True Immortals of various other levels!"
