"Let's drink this wine and then go capture the remnant soul!" Jiang Qingjiao said with a look of joy and a hint of arrogance.
This trip to Tianyue City had been quite fruitful.
Not only had he obtained the rare treasure, Heavenly Fang Demon Blood, but he was also on the verge of seizing a significant opportunity.
"Cheers!"
The three men, all in high spirits, downed their drinks in one gulp.
But at that moment, a calm voice suddenly echoed in the private room.
"Oh dear, it seems someone dares to plot my murder."
The unexpected voice caused all three men to change their expressions.
Their spiritual senses immediately extended, trying to locate the source of the voice, their spiritual energy surging to its peak in alertness.
As the voice fell silent, two figures materialized in the private room.
One was a handsome man, holding a coldly beautiful woman in a black dress. The man’s face clearly showed anger, while the woman's expression was icy, carrying an air of coldness that made it clear she wasn’t someone to be trifled with. However, when her gaze fell upon the man beside her, it was filled with affection and adoration.
Upon seeing the two, Xiaoyao Sanren's eyes narrowed.
He couldn’t detect the strength of either person.
The demon man also became extremely wary.
For some reason, he felt an odd sense of familiarity with the two newcomers.
Jiang Qingjiao quickly bowed and said, "Senior, is there some misunderstanding? I am Jiang Qingjiao of the Dou Shen Sect."
He mentioned his sect to make the mysterious cultivator hesitate.
"There’s no misunderstanding. My wife was at home eating watermelon when she suddenly overheard someone planning to kill me, so she brought me here," Qi Yuan said lazily.
Ning Tao’s eyes glinted with amusement as she added, "Husband is right. I heard someone talking about killing ‘Qi Yuan’."
At this, a trace of killing intent flickered in Ning Tao's eyes.
Hearing this, the demon man from the Myriad Demon Realm suddenly realized something, and his face changed dramatically. "Divine Hearing? You must be a Yin God!"
Anyone who reaches the Yin God realm possesses the ability known as Divine Hearing.
Within a certain range, if someone mentions the name of a god or talks about them, the god can sense it.
So, in the presence of a Yin God, ordinary cultivators wouldn’t dare to speak their name or badmouth them behind their back.
Previously, they had casually mentioned Qi Yuan's name, even setting up a soundproofing formation in the room, yet they were still overheard.
If this wasn’t Divine Hearing, what was it?
However, something about this situation was strange.
Divine Hearing usually involved hearing one's own name.
So why did this woman hear the name "Qi Yuan"?
Typically, the one being heard should be the person foremost in the god's mind. Shouldn’t that be themselves?
"A deity?"
Xiaoyao Sanren and Jiang Qingjiao were utterly stunned when they heard this.
The woman beside Qi Yuan… was a Yin God?
"Deity, please forgive us! This is all a misunderstanding!" Jiang Qingjiao immediately fell to his knees.
If the other party had been a Nascent Soul cultivator, he might have only been wary, not deeply afraid.
But a Yin God? That was on par with the founding patriarch of Dou Shen Sect.
Before such a powerful being, he could only kneel.
Xiaoyao Sanren also didn’t hesitate and quickly knelt down. "It’s all a misunderstanding!"
"A misunderstanding? Are you saying my wife misheard?" Qi Yuan’s anger flared.
He fully trusted Ning Tao’s words.
"No…" Jiang Qingjiao was panicking, unsure of how to explain.
After all, they truly had harbored murderous intent towards Qi Yuan.
But who would have thought that Qi Yuan’s wife was a Yin God?
Why hadn’t she ascended to the higher realms? Why stay in the lower world?
"Master, we…"
"He’s already introduced himself. Now it’s your turn," Qi Yuan said, looking at the double-pupiled man and Xiaoyao Sanren.
He had taken note of the Dou Shen Sect's name.
The sect's name was a bit arrogant, so he figured it needed to be put in its place.
He wanted to see what kind of backing these other two had.
They were bold enough to plot against him, so he didn’t believe they had no one supporting them.
"I’m just a rogue cultivator," Xiaoyao Sanren said.
"And I… am also a rogue cultivator."
"One truth and one lie. No matter," Qi Yuan said, shaking his head. "Either way… you all must die."
"Please, spare us, Senior!"
Jiang Qingjiao pleaded desperately, but as Qi Yuan spoke, his expression changed drastically.
"He’s bluffing! He can’t possibly be a Yin God!"
In that moment, Jiang Qingjiao burned all his energy, unleashing his most powerful technique.
Xiaoyao Sanren understood that their only chance was to strike with everything they had.
The two of them radiated intense spiritual energy, shining brightly.
Jiang Qingjiao was already at the Golden Core stage.
Xiaoyao Sanren, on the other hand, was a legendary False Nascent Soul expert.
When the two attacked, their power was astonishing, enough to obliterate an entire street.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan yawned. "They’re so adorable when they’re angry, just like my cat when it puffs up."
When someone is too weak, their anger seems cute in the eyes of the strong.
"They're just too cute."
As Qi Yuan observed their attack, he extended his fist.
As the saying goes, "Strength breaks all techniques."
At this moment, he didn’t use any magical techniques but relied solely on his physical strength.
The combination of martial arts and the cultivation path had enhanced Qi Yuan’s physical body to a terrifying degree.
There was no need for any magical arts or even vital energy—just pure physical strength.
Jiang Qingjiao and Xiaoyao Sanren seemed to be drawn to his fist like metal to a magnet.
Boom.
It was like a watermelon smashing into a hammer; their heads hadn’t even touched Qi Yuan's fist before they shattered like watermelons.
Their bodies were like ragdolls, blood-red stuffing bursting everywhere.
But that wasn’t just stuffing, and it wasn’t merely blood—on a larger scale, it was clear that this punch directly knocked the souls out of Jiang Qingjiao and Xiaoyao Sanren.
"They’re just too cute."
Qi Yuan retracted his hand, and two bodies lay on the ground.
The double-pupiled man was trembling all over, his entire body shaking.
"Do you have a brother with a supreme bone?" Qi Yuan asked.
"N-no," the double-pupiled man replied, still confused but answering truthfully.
"No?" Qi Yuan sighed in relief. "Then why aren’t you cute?"
With a wave of his hand, the double-pupiled man fell dead on the spot.
Qi Yuan was now holding a pair of eyes.
He sighed, recalling a famous saying, and couldn’t help but murmur, "Double pupils are an invincible path; why seek another's bones?"
At Dou Shen Tower, located amidst the mountains of Fenghai City.
This mountain had been renamed Dou Shen Mountain.
The tower stood forty stories high, completely out of place with the surrounding mountains and trees.
It stood out prominently.
Dou Shen Tower was originally the most prosperous building in Fenghai City, located in the city center.
The patriarch of Dou Shen Sect had taken a liking to this tower and had, with great power, uprooted it and moved it to Dou Shen Mountain, making it the sect's base on Gongxing.
This feat had been live-streamed at the time, watched by countless netizens who marveled at it, calling it "666."
As a result, Dou Shen Sect’s fame in Qin Yuan Country far surpassed that of other sects.
After all, other sects hadn’t been as flashy as Dou Shen Sect.
This feat also brought a continuous stream of disciples seeking to enter Dou Shen Sect.
The mountain was teeming with people, all there to apprentice themselves and learn the ways of cultivation.
At that moment, Shen Yang stood inside Dou Shen Tower, looking like a lowly figure, dressed in clothes washed so much they had faded. Whenever someone passed by, he couldn’t help but hunch over slightly.
This was a habit he had developed after years in society.
"Your talent is ordinary at best, just barely low-grade," said a young man who had arrived, his expression arrogant, carrying the haughty demeanor of a cultivator. "You didn’t pass the entrance test."
"Thank you for informing me, Senior," Shen Yang said, his face filled with bitterness and his eyes showing disappointment.
He had spent several hundred yuan to come to Fenghai City, waiting in line on Dou Shen Mountain since midnight, only to receive such results, leaving him deeply disheartened.
It seemed he truly was worthless.
He couldn’t earn money, and now he didn’t even have the talent for cultivation. His life seemed hopeless.
"But…" The young man’s tone suddenly changed. "A senior brother has taken a liking to you. He thinks you’re hardworking and is willing to give you a chance to follow him as a sword slave."
"A sword slave?" Shen Yang gritted his teeth, his expression conflicted.
The word "slave" carried obvious connotations.
In the sect, such a role was akin to a servant disciple, easily killed by their master with no one to intervene.
"Opportunities like this don’t come often. With your low-grade talent, you wouldn’t even qualify as a servant disciple in other sects." The young man continued, "It’s only because that senior brother sees potential in you that you’re getting this opportunity."
In reality, most of what this young man said was a lie.
Shen Yang's talent was actually good enough to meet Dou Shen Sect’s entry requirements.
However, that senior brother had taken a liking to him and had arranged for an elder to handle the situation, leading to this moment.
The young man had deliberately misrepresented Shen Yang's talent to force him into becoming the senior brother's servant disciple.
Shen Yang thought about his elderly parents and his long life of disappointment. "I…"
But before he could finish, the young man interrupted, "Don’t be so quick to agree. Becoming a sword slave isn’t easy.
"After all, your talent is very low.
"Hmm… You’ll just need to donate one million Qin Yuan Coins, and you can become the senior brother’s sword slave.
"Don’t think a million is too much. Once you become a cultivator, you’ll earn it back in a year.
"By the look of you, you probably don’t have much money, but you must have a house in the city, right? Sell the house and invest in cultivation. It’s a surefire win."
The young man seemed certain that Shen Yang would agree, so he directly mentioned money.
After all, he had used this tactic several times before, and it had never failed.
The wealthy didn’t mind a million. The middle class might hesitate but would still go for it. As for the poor, they would go to any lengths to ensure their children’s progress.
But to his surprise, Shen Yang’s expression became resolute after hearing this. "Sorry, I don’t have money. I guess this isn’t meant to be. It seems I have no fate with cultivation."
He could tolerate other things, but asking for money was out of the question.
It wasn’t just about whether he had a million; the money he had saved was meant for his parents' retirement.
The path of cultivation was fraught with danger. If he spent the million on himself only to die, what would happen to his parents? They wouldn’t even have money for their old age.
So, he refused outright.
The young man was taken aback by this unexpected response. "Shen Yang, you should think carefully about this. There won’t be another opportunity like this.
"After this, you’ll be cut off from the path of cultivation."
"I’ve thought it through."
No money!
Shen Yang’s response was straightforward.
The young man’s eyes flickered with malice.
If that was the case, Shen Yang wouldn’t be leaving Dou Shen Sect alive.
After all, if Shen Yang went to another sect for a talent test and exposed what had happened here, it would be troublesome.
"Looks like you have no fate with our Dou Shen Sect," the young man said, feigning regret as he patted Shen Yang on the shoulder.
A special scent was transferred from his hand to Shen Yang’s body.
The young man had marked him, planning to deal with Shen Yang personally once he was a safe distance away.
After all, in such a large mountain as Dou Shen Mountain, what’s the harm in a few deaths?
Even if something did happen, the sect would cover it up.
After parting ways with the young man, Shen Yang walked out of Dou Shen Tower, feeling dejected.
The sun outside was glaringly bright. He pulled out his phone, intending to book a ticket home. If he was quick enough, he could still make it back to deliver takeout in the afternoon and evening.
He might as well earn some money if he could.
But just as he unlocked his phone, a message suddenly caught his eye.
He clicked on the video message, and his expression froze.
"Do you lack love?"
"Do you lack care?"
"Have you gone a long time without seeing your grandfather or grandmother?"
The voice in the video had an oddly compelling quality.
Shen Yang immediately thought of his grandparents.
However, they had both passed away when he was very young.
"Today, you won’t be alone."
"‘Grandpa Delivery Network’ is offering a grand opening promotion. Anyone who participates in our ‘Grandpa Delivery’ activity and meets the requirements will receive one or more grandfathers or grandmothers.
"If you don’t meet the requirements, ‘Grandpa Delivery Network’ will generously call you ‘grandson’ or ‘granddaughter’..."
When he heard this, Shen Yang found it utterly baffling and even suspected it was some kind of prank. But when he heard the words "grandson" and "granddaughter," his expression suddenly changed.
Because the voice was all too familiar.
"Isn’t that him!"
About a year ago, Shen Yang had stumbled upon an account that seemed to belong to a cultivator.
The cultivator had posted a video featuring three marriage certificates.
At that time, the video had included the man’s voice, simply stating:
"We got married."
Shen Yang had followed that account, even splurging on a hefty tip, mustering the courage to leave a comment.
Unfortunately, he never got a reply.
Back then, he had watched that video over a hundred times, and the young man’s voice was unmistakable.
Now, this warm, caring voice offering to call people "grandson" or "granddaughter" was the same one.
His heart started pounding.
He quickly opened other apps to search for "Grandpa Delivery Network," only to find that all major apps and platforms, even the splash screens of games, were advertising the launch of "Grandpa Delivery Network."
"This is…"
He took a deep breath.
He saw that the top trending topics were also about the launch of "Grandpa Delivery Network."
Meanwhile, those young people who had come to join Dou Shen Sect clearly saw the news about the "Grandpa Delivery Network" and were abuzz with chatter.
"Hey, what’s with this Grandpa Delivery Network? Is it a hacker’s prank?"
"Delivering grandfathers? That’s too weird!" S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"Doesn’t make any sense. It’s a bit absurd."
"Even Qin Yuan TV is broadcasting it. Has the world finally gone mad like I imagined?"
"Are they making fun of us?"
"What’s the deal with delivering grandfathers and grandmothers?"
"Feels like a scam. They want us to send in our blood samples? Could it be some aliens collecting our DNA?"
"I think some old bigwig from the Seven Martial Stars is having health issues and needs a match, so they’re collecting blood types globally!
"Otherwise, why would such a stingy country suddenly offer us a 500-yuan subsidy?"
"They’ve finally stopped pretending."
As soon as "Grandpa Delivery Network" went live, it sparked widespread discussion, with all sorts of speculations and doubts.
No one knew what it was all about.
At that moment, Shen Yang, holding his phone, felt a sense of excitement.
He faintly sensed that this might be an opportunity.
After all, the person he had followed back then was clearly no ordinary man but a cultivator.
He had existed even before the three realms had descended.
And most importantly, based on his few words, Shen Yang didn’t think he was a villain.
Otherwise, why would he have kindly informed people that the cultivation methods had been sold out?
"Should I give it a try?" Shen Yang wondered.
After all, this didn’t require a million yuan.
At worst, it might cost him his life.
But it could also give him a chance… to embark on the path of cultivation.
That was certainly better than spending a million yuan to become a sword slave in Dou Shen Sect.