Library of Heaven's Path 2: Eternal Fate of the Heavens

Chapter 385: Chapter 20 The So-Called Prosperity
 

Qiu Yufei was shocked into speechlessness on one side, while Master Lai continued to look over from not far away.

“Didn’t you hear what Zhang gongzi said? If I remember correctly, just a few days ago, you obtained some decent herbal medicine, didn’t you?”

“Yes… a Ningxin Flower. I was planning to use it to Charge towards the Galaxy 9-dan intermediate stage… I will now give it to Zhang gongzi as an apology!”

Su Mingchen dared not hesitate and handed over a piece of herbal medicine.

“How can I accept this?”

Zhang Xuan bashfully accepted the herbal medicine and stored it into the New World.

Although he had never seen this kind of herbal medicine, the surging aura that leaked out was of great help to the soul, and without guessing, he knew it must be valuable.

“Apologizing and also giving gifts?”

Cui Yunxiang swallowed and looked at her partner: “Could it be… he’ll also return those 2000 Destiny Plates he got from this Zhang Xuanqing!”

“Most likely!”

Qiu Yufei nodded and then said, “But what if he returns them? That amount of money still isn’t enough to buy a house. No matter how high your status or how much respect you receive, what’s the point? Without a house, you’re the same as us, unable to obtain citizenship…”

Before he could finish speaking, Master Lai’s voice came again from ahead.

“Elder Wu, please take Zhang gongzi and handle the house transfer while you’re at it…”

“Yes!” Elder Wu nodded.

“???”

Qiu Yufei was bewildered once more and looked at the young man who had just spoken, curiously asking, “What did the master mean by that just now?”

“Oh, Master Lai just gifted this Zhang gongzi a residence worth 800,000 Destiny Plates and told Elder Wu to handle the transfer,” the young man explained.

“…”

Qiu Yufei and Cui Yunxiang stood petrified, unable to speak anymore.

Here they were, two people who couldn’t gather 5000 Destiny Plates, dreaming about robbing someone casually gifted with an 800,000 Destiny Plate house… This was not shrewdness, but outright lunacy!

…

On the streets, the flow of people surged.

Stepping out of the room, Zhang Xuan realized that this Wanxiang Sect was just one of Tianli City’s nine branches, and it ranked towards the bottom, situated at the foot of the city, not even within the outer city.

Elder Wu, named Wu Yunyi, was a Life Sea Realm expert. By now, he also realized that the identity of the person in front of him might not be simple. Not only did he not put on any airs, but he was also forthcoming and exhaustive in his explanations.

“The management of the outer city is pretty strict. The guards patrol and inspect daily. As soon as they find someone without citizenship, they’ll immediately arrest them… Although public safety here is quite good, most of the people are from other places, making it quite complex. Safety can’t be guaranteed, so basically, after dark, there is hardly anyone about…”

Wu Yunyi explained in detail.

Zhang Xuan looked around curiously. The city streets were extremely wide, and both sides were lined with all kinds of vendors. After just a glance, he couldn’t help but stay alert.

Not to mention others, just these vendors alone had cultivation realms that were at least Galaxy Realm; the spirit and Dharma Form Realm experts who lorded over Baiyan City were mostly just undersized kids here.

“Galaxy 8-dan experts…”

After walking a while, he saw that more than a dozen shop owners had reached Galaxy 7-dan or higher, and even some of the servers had a cultivation of around Galaxy 6-dan.

Truly, this was the central city of the Source World, with experts as common as clouds.

“Damn kid, daring to steal? You’re asking for death!”

Just then, a scolding voice rang out, and Zhang Xuan saw a stall owner taking out a whip and continually lashing it against a young man.

The young man looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, rather thin. After a few lashes, blood was already seeping from his shoulder.

“What are you doing? How can you beat someone in public?”

Just at that moment, a green-clothed swordsman who couldn’t stand by came forward.

“Yo, here comes another busybody.”

The stall owner put away his whip, looked up with a sneer: “This is my disciple. He ate something without my permission. I’m disciplining him a little, so he learns a lesson. There shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Then I overstepped… My apologies…” the green-clothed swordsman said, cupping his hands and bowing, then turned to leave.

Seeing no one else interfered, the young man quickly knelt down in front of the stall owner: “Master, I was wrong. From now on, even if I’m starving, I won’t steal again… Please give me another chance!”

“That’s more like it, get back to work!”

The stall owner kicked him over and strode back to his stall, swaggering.

Zhang Xuan frowned.

“This so-called disciple, to be taught skills and fed is already not bad, yet he still dares to be picky and to steal… It’s already merciful not to beat him to death on the spot!”

Seeing his puzzled face, Wu Yunyi smiled.

“Fed is already not bad?”

Zhang Xuan had trouble believing his ears.

In the Master Teacher Continent, disciples respect their master, and masters respect their disciples. Both are independent individuals who respect each other in order to advance together. How come by his account, it’s completely different?

“In order to become stronger, heavenly beings need talent and more heritage, both indispensable. This heritage is taking in disciples!”

Wu Yunyi explained: “Some powerful heavenly beings have disciples and grand-disciples totaling hundreds of millions. Being fed is already not bad. What more do they want?”

Zhang Xuan fell silent.

Though he didn’t understand, he knew.

Living in Tianli City is extremely costly. If one can barely survive on their own, how could they possibly support a disciple? Yet without disciples, their cultivation would stagnate or even regress… resulting in reduced income!

Going back and forth like this, a vicious cycle… Indeed, Tianli City is not so easy to live in.

“Actually, most of these stall owners’ subordinates are basically disciples!”

Wu Yunyi continued: “Don’t underestimate these people; if they hadn’t come to Tianli City, in their previous places, perhaps they were masters of a sect or had illustrious names. But here, they’re just ordinary folks selling steamed buns and fried dough sticks!”

Zhang Xuan nodded.

That was undeniable.

Just now, he had seen two steamed bun vendors, both with cultivation at Galaxy 7-dan!

Such strength could sweep through the Zhou Yi Dynasty back home, yet here, they were only ordinary bun shop owners.

“If it’s so hard to survive here… why not leave?”

Empyrean Kong couldn’t help but wonder.

Rather than selling steamed buns here and enduring humiliation, it would be better to go back and be a king or emperor.

“There is the dense spiritual energy here, an abundance of Heavenly Mandate Vitality, a vast array of pills, and high-level experts… Cultivating here progresses faster than outside and advances are more noticeable. Once you come here, how can you bear to leave? Moreover, once you have come, can you return? Local resources have been divided up; even if you go back, you can’t get them anymore.”

Wu Yunyi said: “Besides, those who can come here are either geniuses with dreams who want to hit higher realms or experts who have enjoyed worldly riches and are ready for a fresh start… For either type, staying here is clearly better.”

Empyrean Kong was at a loss for words.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but sigh.

What’s called prosperity, is but a pyramid propped up by countless pitiable people.