The Clearwater Kirin had already recovered; its boundless roars sounded from time to time in the air above Chuyun Peak. An Immortal Beast was an Immortal Beast after all. Despite recovering from a severe illness and its capability had yet to return to even 40% of its prime, it had already made all the beasts around Chuyun Peak submit to its Immortal might, not daring to appear around the vicinity casually. Even the Golden Head Jade Eye Eagle that often circled in the sky had vanished.
Luo Qian and Du Lengning landed on Water Peak together. Zhao Xihe and the Clearwater Kirin came forward together. With Clearwater Kirin’s heavy body, there was a thumping sound when its footsteps landed on the ground. Seeing its lifesaver, it let out a long drawl; the sound echoed between the clouds and did not disperse for a long time.
“Old Mr. Zhao.” Luo Qian and Du Lengning quickly greeted him.
A big moist tongue stretched over from the side, wrapped around Luo Qian, and gave him a lick.
Luo Qian was drenched from head to toe as if he’d just been pulled out of the water.
“Hahaha…” Zhao Xihe guffawed. “Bi’er[1] likes you a lot; it rarely treats anyone else like this.”
Luo Qian was very embarrassed; he used his Immortal power to dry his body, but this very cool Immortal Realm Armani suit was considered ruined.
“I heard that you’re going back?” Luo Qian asked.
Zhao Xihe nodded and said, “Little Brother Luo, we owe it to you for Bi’er’s illness this time. This old fellow here is really pleased to be able to meet a young prodigy like you. I still have some affairs back in the sect that I need to handle; I cannot stay here anymore.”
He looked at the several people around and said, “Little Brother Luo, I am older than you, so I shall be more prideful with some words I want to say. Although you have peace and happiness in your life now, in the Immortal Realm, cultivation should be your first priority. You don’t have a sect now, so why don’t you join my Zong Heng Sect? With me, Zhao Xihe, present, I can guarantee that you will live through 500 years safe and sound. You’ve helped Bi’er and me, so I must repay this great kindness. Five hundred years later, I will definitely help you through your tribulation; how is that?”
Luo Qian wore a faint smile. If he was willing to stay under somebody else’s roof, he wouldn’t need to break away from the Qian family at all. So long as he remained in the Qian family’s compound, who would dare touch him?
“Old Mr. Zhao, I appreciate your good intentions. You are right; in the Immortal Realm, cultivation should be the first priority. I wouldn’t dare forget that. However, I am able to support myself; I think this way of living is great. Nobody can tell how things would be 500 years later. Since the future is so vague, what should I look forward to? I feel very happy being this leisurely and carefree now; I really thank you!” With that, Luo Qian bowed down on the ground.
Zhao Xihe nodded. Though he was disappointed, a hint of admiration was revealed in his eyes. Despite truly wishing that Luo Qian would accept his kind gesture, Luo Qian’s rejection had precisely proved the strength of his character. “Alright, in that case, I shall not force you to go against your will. This is my Communication Jade Talisman; if you are in any danger, release this jade talisman. So long as you are in the Immortal Realm, I guarantee to arrive within half a day.”
Luo Qian did not stand on ceremony either. He knew it meant a great deal to himself. Receiving it with both hands, he said, “Thank you, Senior!”
Zhao Xihe waved to bid farewell to Du Boan and company. “The Du brothers’ righteousness, Zhao Xihe has it deeply engraved in my heart; I will certainly repay it one day. As the mountains remain tall and the rivers remain long, we shall, one day, meet again!”
The Clearwater Kirin, with a very large body, blew out two balls of rosy green clouds from its nostrils. Stepping on the clouds, it carried Zhao Xihe and drifted on its way.
…
Li Fei’er had already deposited 1,000 Superior Immortal Jade in each of the five respective big banks. Since it wasn’t a big sum, it probably wouldn’t catch the Imperial Guards’ attention. The Immortal Realm’s banks provided a very convenient way of withdrawing funds—jade seals. Just like the Human Realm’s debit cards, as long as a pin number was entered, one could withdraw money at one’s will. Only, what was infused into the Immortal Realm’s jade seal was Immortal air.
Every Immortal’s constitution was different; thus, the Immortal energy that they cultivated differed. That was why the Immortal air in every Immortal’s body was distinctive. Just like every person’s fingerprints—unique and impossible to be repeated.
By pointing the jade seal at the bank’s stamp and infusing Immortal air into it, one could withdraw the Immortal Jade that they had deposited inside the bank. Of course, there was no such thing as an ‘automatic counter machine’ in the Immortal Realm. All transactions had to be done at the counter.
The affairs at the five big banks were easy to handle, but for the three underground banks, they would require Luo Qian to deal with it personally. Li Fei’er handed five small, exquisite jade seals to Luo Qian. “Boss, you need to go to the underground banks personally.”
Luo Qian nodded and first infused his primitive Immortal air into the five jade seals. When he was done setting them up, he stuffed the five jade seals into the bag hanging on his waist, then said, “Alright, let’s go together.”
Li Fei’er’s Lunisolar Palm had a very big space, enough to fit 12,000 pieces of Superior Immortal Jade. The remaining 5,000 pieces were left in the Fushan cave abode for a rainy day.
The underground banks weren’t like how Luo Qian had imagined—located in the pitch-black cave abodes, or the heavily-guarded mountain villages. Instead, all of them were located in some very prosperous districts. It seemed like the people managing these underground banks also knew the way of business very well. Take the Dark Jade Bank that he was currently at for example. It was located at a prime location of the Immortal Realm, Trueness Spring—one of the Six Springs. It was bustling, with people coming and going. The signboard was big and tall, and it took up a spacious area. Only the business being done on the surface naturally wasn’t ‘Dark Jade Bank.’ Instead, it was called ‘Dark Jade Casino.’
Dark Jade Casino was in front, while Dark Jade Bank was behind.
Li Fei’er found a footman of the casino, and with her back to Luo Qian, flashed a token to the footman. The footman nodded slightly, handed the chores in his hands to another person, and made a ‘this way, please’ gesture to Luo Qian and Li Fei’er.
After passing through the noisy Dark Jade Casino that was in front, the side yard behind was much quieter. With Luo Qian’s cultivation level, he naturally couldn’t tell the hidden going-ons in this side yard.
Li Fei’er whispered by his ear, “Be careful. Follow the fellow in front; don’t take even one wrong step.”
Luo Qian was startled. “So exaggerated?”
Li Fei’er replied, “Otherwise, what do you think the underground banks rely on to guarantee safety?’
Luo Qian nodded inwardly. He only understood then that this side yard that appeared to be simple turned out to be full of extreme dangers.
The footman led them to a porch adorned with flowers, stopped, and stepped forward. “This way, please; I have to leave you here.”
Li Fei’er said a word of thanks to him and walked in with Luo Qian.
Past the porch, there was another person keeping guard further down. “Please follow me.” The manservant in green clothing and a black hat led the two to turn here and there in a complicated waterside pavilion. Even as Immortals, they felt a little dizzy. After walking for a whole 30 minutes, they then arrived outside an octagonal pavilion. The manservant stopped and said, “The First Manager has been waiting for you for a long time; distinguished guests, please enter.”
Luo Qian and Li Fei’er entered the pavilion. This pavilion was ingeniously decorated, columns carved with flowers and hook-like eaves—unique and elegant. They saw a brawny middle-aged man; his clothes wide open, exposing his chest and a head of messy hair.
“You are the Luo Qian who has turned the Immortal Realm upside-down recently?” The brawny middle-aged man examined Luo Qian with interest, yet Luo Qian did not understand what he was talking about. Seeing Luo Qian’s confused expression, the brawny man explained, “Why? Don’t get it? Those strange clothes that you got from the Human Realm. Though nobody mentioned them on the surface, they’ve turned the Immortal Realm upside-down in private.”
Luo Qian was taken aback. “You, how did you…”
“You want to ask how I know?” The man laughed and stood up.
Luo Qian glanced questioningly at Li Fei’er.
The man waved with his hand and said, “Nothing to do with this young lady. We’re all people who seek a living on the edge; why wouldn’t we be able to understand one another more? There aren’t many people who know this secret. Inside Dark Jade Bank, I am the only one.”
Luo Qian was slightly relieved. For the earlier mistrust, he sent an apologetic gaze towards Li Fei’er. However, the little lass Li Fei’er was angry; she turned away, refusing to look at him.
The tough man said, “A small business of tens of thousands of Superior Immortal Jade isn’t appealing to us. If it weren’t because it was you, I would not have personally received you.”
Tens of thousands of Superior Immortal Jade is still a small business? Luo Qian stuck out his tongue inwardly. It seems like the people who ran the banks are the true financial kingpins.
The big man took a glance at Li Fei’er, feeling slightly embarrassed. Fortunately, he had a forthright disposition and very quickly resumed his big-heartedness. “Luo Qian, I shall not be embarrassed to tell you. I have 13 concubines; these days, each of them keeps on nagging me about those small clothing of yours. Can I make a deal with you? Keep your money with me; I won’t charge you at all. You can deposit your money here for as long as you wish. You just have to provide each of my concubines with three sets of that small clothing, how is that?”
The Immortal Realm was unlike the Human Realm, where the financial market was developed. If the Immortal Realm’s banks did not charge deposit fees and only relied on the loan interests, they could only go bankrupt. Hence, Luo Qian did not use the Human Realm’s views to look at the Immortal Realm. Thirty-nine sets of sexy underwear were nothing to him, but they could help him save a huge sum of expenses.
However, due to his natural instincts of a businessman, Luo Qian still wanted to do some bargaining. “This… three sets for each person; you have 13 concubines, that’s 39 sets. It’s really a little too much…”
Luo Qian asked tentatively, “What about this? One set for each person. If you would like to buy more in the future, I will give you a favorable price, how’s this?”
The big man clapped his hands together. “Deal!”
Since that was the case, Luo Qian gave up the plan of depositing his money into separate banks and deposited all 12,000 pieces of Superior Immortal Jade into Dark Jade Bank. Then, he also gifted the brawny man five sets of sexy lingerie. As for how his 13 concubines were going to share them, Luo Qian let him deal with the headache.
This was Luo Qian’s business strategy—casting a long line to catch a big fish. I’ll give you a sweet taste first. Then, you’ll have to spend money to buy the sweets.
Five sets of underwear, 13 concubines, the division definitely wouldn’t be fair. It would definitely lead to a storm of jealousy, certainly leaving him no peace. So, what could be done? The brawny man could only buy another eight sets, paying out of his own pockets. It was only by giving each of his concubines one set could the waters be calmed. In the Immortal Realm, who else could he buy the lingerie from? This business still belonged to him in the end.
Luo Qian went through the procedures, left his Immortal Jades behind, and collected a small, exquisite black jade seal. At the end of the jade seal, a ‘Qi’ word was carved in seal character.
Li Fei’er said, “This is the mark of the First Manager. His surname is Qi. His name is Qi Ren.”
[1] The characters for ‘Clearwater’ in chinese are ‘Bi’ ‘Shui’