Under Light Rain's lead, the custodian in charge of all kinds of customs in the Convict Arena returned to Tang Xiu and Gu Yan'er. After her beautiful eyes landed on Tang Xiu, she smiled and said, "Fellow Immortal really has good eyes. It's your first bet and you won, worthy of congratulations."
"It's just a casual play." Tang Xiu smiled lightly.
The attendant Light Rain respectfully handed the interspatial ring to Tang Xiu and said, "This is the Immortal Crystal you asked me to redeem for you. There are 2 million Immortal Crystals as your principal and 2 million more as your win, a total of 4 million Immortal Crystals."
Tang Xiu took out 10 Immortal Crystal and threw them to her, saying, "The reward is yours. You can go tend to your other business!
Light Rain hurriedly looked at the beautiful woman.
The belle smiled and said, "It's a reward from a distinguished guest for you. Just take it. Fellow Immortal Great Tang, Nine Nether Swordmeister just paid us 150 million Immortal Crystals for 20 Golden Immortal gladiators. Would you like to choose them now?"
"What's the price of an early-stage Golden Immortal gladiator?" asked Tang Xiu.
"4 million Immortal Crystals," answered the belle smilingly.
Tang Xiu directly took out 4 million Immortal Crystals and indifferently said, "Battle Peng gave me a win worth 2 million Immortal Crystals, so I'll buy him while in passing!"
After a long while, Tang Xiu held 21 Golden Immortal Soul Plates and took them away from the Convict Arena. The identity and background of these 21 Golden Immortals were found on the documents given by the Convict Arena. Unless they were concealing their identities, they were not part of any hostile forces to him.
At the moment, all 21 Golden Immortals including Battle Peng looked at Tang Xiu with grateful eyes. Although they found that the person who spent such enormous sum to buy them was just an ordinary immortal, who even had yet to reach the Earth Immortal Stage, it was undeniable that he saved them from such a perverted and abnormal place that was the Convict Arena and gave them a second chance in life.
At the Stargazing Pavilion.
The elderly Golden Immortal was sitting in the accountant room while silently thinking about some issues. After a long while, he sent out orders, and, soon after, the entire protected Stargazing Pavilion was ready to open for business. On the surface, the guards of the establishment were still the same as before, but a large number of the Pavilion's experts were hiding in the dark. Once any crisis occurred, these experts would appear immediately.
"Damn that brat!"
The elderly Golden Immortal cursed while smiling after issuing that order, feeling vexed inwardly when he recalled those tens of millions of Immortal Crystals.
"Sir!"
A figure appeared out of thin air in front of the elderly Golden Immortal.
"What's the matter?" The old man picked up the colored glass and sipped his tea.
"The free meal our Stargazing Pavilion just served before has caused us quite the losses, Sir. But that Great Tang fellow has come back again. The attendant is now taking him to the middle tower."
Puff….
The elderly Golden Immortal choked and his complexion turned purple. After coughing severely for some time, his eyes gleamed with anger. Slamming the table, he furiously yelled, "Go and get rid of that freeloader brat! What the hell does he think our Stargazing Pavilion is?"
"Understood!"
The man complied and turned to leave.
The elderly Golden Immortal took a deep breath and called again before the man left, "Bah, forget it. Stay out of this matter. I'll deal with him myself."
The visitor wore an odd expression, but he still respectfully complied and left quickly.
The elderly Golden Immortal rubbed his brows and a bitter smile painted his old face. He could have freely driven someone away, but he recalled that this kid was someone appreciated by his Lady, Madame Empyrean Pole. He could only bite the bullet and swallow the bitterness since he couldn't drive this guy away no matter how unwilling he was.
Quickly after, the elderly Golden Immortal came to the middle tower. As he ascended to the 88th floor, he walked straight towards the portal and opened the door. After seeing more than 20 men and women in ragged clothes sitting on the long table on both sides, he immediately frowned.
Damn… this really vexes me!
He really wished he could rush to Tang Xiu and slap this brat after seeing the attires of these 21 men and women. What did he think the Stargazing Pavilion was for? So special that he even brought these beggars?
However, just as he cursed twice inwardly, his expression suddenly went stiff because, at the moment, the 21 ragged men and women turned their attention to him at the same time. The burst of their auras made him tremble.
21… Golden Immortals? Even most of them were all Golden Immortal Late-stage experts?
The elderly Golden Immortal dared to swear to Heaven that there was absolutely no Golden Immortals among more than 200,000 people Tang Xiu called out from that Heavenly Abode artifact last time. These 21 people were absolutely not one of them.
The moment Tang Xiu saw the arrival of the elderly Golden Immortal, he immediately let out a smile. He got up and greeted him. "Well, we're are to harass you again, Manager. I invited my 21 new subordinates to dine here, so please take out your best wines and dishes! Relax, I won't be freeloading in your Stargazing Pavilion today. I'll pay for the meal from my own pocket."
The elderly Golden Immortal bitterly smiled and replied, "Great Tang Immortal Friend, you really are… Haih, forget it. There are only 20 more of you, so the meal is still free! But you also know that we're just a small business here, so I can only provide you with 23 servings."
"If you wish it so, then so be it, Elderly." Tang Xiu grinned.
The elderly Golden Immortal helplessly shook his head and turned to leave.
Tang Xiu sat back on his chair again, looking at the silent and smiling Gu Yan'er. Then, he glanced at the 21 Golden Immortal subordinates and said in a deep voice, "I've purchased you from the Convict Arena and you can say that I gave you all a second life. I don't care about your past identity or what you've been through. But from today on, it'll be the same as you've already died.
"My name is Great Tang Heavenly Emperor. You just call me Master. From today on, your only task is to protect my safety and obey my orders. Of course, I won't be harsh on you. As long as you're loyal to me and devoted to your work, I'll provide you with a lot of cultivation resources and will treat you as my confidants.
"I don't have many rules, but you are not to kill people easily without my orders."
After saying that, Tang Xiu took out a cigarette from his interspatial ring, lit it up, and took a few puffs. Under the gaze of these 21 people, he continued, "Certainly, I'm also giving you a chance. Keep loyal to me and you'll earn your freedom 5,000 years later. By then, whether you choose to stay with me or leave, I'll respect your decision."
"What?!"
The 21 Golden Immortals exchanged disbelieving glances. They never dreamed that the Master who bought them would actually give them such a promise.
5,000 years. If they could obtain cultivation resources constantly, and with their aptitudes, it was hopeful for them to have a breakthrough in their cultivation. At the time they broke through to the Perfected Golden Immortal Stage, they would be able to live and regain their freedom.
"Thank you, Master."
The 21 men and women got up one after another, got down on one knee, and saluted Tang Xiu respectfully.
Tang Xiu happily nodded and motioned them to sit back again, saying, "To welcome you joining me, I invite you for a big feast today. In addition, I'll also give you something else."
With that said, Tang Xiu gently spread his hand and suddenly, 21 interspatial rings appeared in front of each one of them. Tang Xiu then said, "You can find 1 million Immortal Crystals, 2 sets of combat robes, and immortal weapons in each interspatial ring. Additionally, there are some medicinal pills and elixirs with various effects. Those are my gifts for you."
"Thank you, Master."
The 21 people stood up and knelt again. Most of them were excited before, but they felt grateful now. They found that their Master turned out to be not some vicious and wicked person, but someone who would never easily ruin their lives.
Tang Xiu nodded again and added, "Starting from today, you all will be unified under Battle Peng's command. His cultivation may not be as high as the rest of you, but I'm most familiar with him."
Battle Peng hurriedly said, "This subordinate will definitely obey Master's orders and serve to the best of my abilities."
Tang Xiu raised his hand and used a stream of energy to lift him up. He then nodded and said, "There's also another thing I need to tell you in advance. I'm the Emperor of the Great Tang Empire. You may have never heard about the Great Tang Empire before…. But in the future, you'll be a part of this great empire."
"Understood!" 21 people replied respectfully.
Everyone devoured all the dishes during the feast and enjoyed it to their hearts' content. They hardly ever ate anything after they became deathmatch fighters in the Convict Arena. Even if they ate something and received some spirit fruits after winning their match each time. During the feast, the four female Golden Immortals' eyes even welled up with tears.
Going through such happy events after the tribulations was truly blissful.
After the feast, Tang Xiu booked 12 guest rooms at the Stargazing Pavilion, one room for every two Golden Immortal, whereas Battle Peng took one for himself as their leader.
"Would you like to have a separate room, Yan'er?"
Tang Xiu felt a headache as he looked at Gu Yan'er, who grinned at him. He couldn't help feeling desperate even though the door was right in front of him.
Gu Yan'er didn't speak, but reached out and grabbed Tang Xiu's wrist, pulled him into the room, and then closed the door directly from the inside. Afterward, she made him sit on the chair inside and pressed his shoulders. She then took a deep breath and said with all seriousness, "Master, I'll always use this address to call you, but I'm already the princess of the Great Tang Empire, which means that I'm your woman. I know that it's difficult for you to accept this in a short time, but I can wait as long as you don't shut me out."
"How can I ever shut you out? It's just…"
"Master, let's give everything some time. I'll always be your woman unless I die."