Secret Buyer

"Both of us are going."

Ruan Yutu spoke softly:

"How many souls? When can we set off?"

"Counting the two of you, we have just the right five people, we can set off!" Yellow Teeth Old Man said with a smile:

"But let me tell you in advance, it’s five thousand souls per person, no discounts for kids..."

Ruan Yutu nodded decisively:

"No problem."

Yellow Teeth Old Man was taken aback, so straightforward?

After a moment of hesitation, he still reminded:

"The Lost Land is not safe, no laws, no regulations, it’s chaotic, are you sure you want to bring this kid along?"

"I’m well aware," Ruan Yutu replied.

Seeing this fairy-like girl speak, Yellow Teeth Old Man didn’t ask further, as he wasn’t the one at a loss anyway.

"Thank you, ten thousand pseudo souls."

After collecting the souls with a smile, Yellow Teeth Old Man waved into the distance, and a young couple browsing the stalls approached.

"Is everyone here?"

The young man spoke gently, glancing at the ’siblings’ and was amazed, then wondered:

"Why is there a kid?"

The other beautiful woman walked up with sparkling eyes, squatted, and tried to pinch the porcelain doll-like face, saying:

"Oh, what a cute little friend, what’s your name? How old are you?"

Zhang Fusheng twitched at the corner of his eye, stepped back subtly to avoid the woman’s hand, and Ruan Yutu knowingly shielded him behind her:

"Sorry, my brother is a bit shy."

The beautiful woman pouted a little.

At this, the young man smiled:

"Though we’re only together briefly, fate has brought us together. I’m Li Xiuyuan, and this is my wife, Cui Linglong. We’re both from Qinghe Province."

Ruan Yutu’s expression shifted:

"Qinghe Province, surnamed Cui, could it be..."

The woman named Cui Linglong nodded, her gaze still fixed on the porcelain doll, seemingly regretting not pinching hard,

She said:

"Yes, Qinghe Cui Family, but I’m an offspring from a lesser branch, so it doesn’t really count."

Zhang Fusheng was slightly surprised, Qinghe Cui Family?

Quite a coincidence.

A dense line of stars appeared in his eyes as he discreetly glanced at the cause and effect around Cui Linglong.

Among them was a large one directly connected to the Book of Life and Death!

A... candidate Book Holder?

Zhang Fusheng was puzzled, a candidate Book Holder in the Qinghe Cui Family must hold a significant position. Didn’t the Cui Family have a Divine Spirit? Why do they still need to join this trip?

Ruan Yutu, though unaware of the candidate Book Holder matter, curiously asked:

"Isn’t there a Divine Spirit stationed in the Qinghe Cui Family?"

Cui Linglong smiled:

"Our ancestor? The Elder is in seclusion and hasn’t descended, not guarding outside the Lost Land, so..."

She shrugged:

"So, as a junior of the Cui Family, I am not directly allowed inside and can only join the group."

Beside, the young man named Li Xiuyuan nodded:

"Even the Cui Family juniors are subject to a strict entry ban by some descended deities, as none of them want others from Divine Spirit forces to enter, afraid that great fortunes will fall elsewhere."

He paused, pointing around:

"Among so many selling slots here, only Old Wang was willing to take our money and lead us in."

Ruan Yutu curiously looked at Yellow Teeth Old Man, who shrugged:

"These two are paying ten times the price; not making money would be foolish, right?"

After a pause, he continued joyfully:

"I forgot to introduce myself—I’m Wang Changsheng, from the Capital, Source Point Research Institute—Headquarters."

Ruan Yutu’s pupils constricted:

"No wonder you dare defy the Divine Spirit’s ban."

Yellow Teeth Old Man maintained a cheerful look:

"Same thing, money, if not earned, is a waste... just waiting for my apprentice now."

He turned back and waved with a smile:

"Good apprentice, aren’t you coming?"

Zhang Fusheng, who was pondering the research headquarters and the familiar name ’Li Xiuyuan’, looked up,

seeing a girl, a candied hawthorn in her mouth, hurrying over:

"Teacher!"

"Look, this is my treasured apprentice." Yellow Teeth Old Man said with a smile, "Her name is Jiang Feiniao."

"And as for these two..."

The old man looked at the ’siblings’, Ruan Yutu said:

"My name is Zhang Yutu."

Zhang Fusheng snapped back to reality and didn’t bother to use another alias—after all, in this guise, no one could recognize him.

Not even his parents.

With a pure and innocent look, he smiled and said:

"My name is Zhang Fusheng."

Yellow Teeth Old Man and Jiang Feiniao were both taken aback.

Zhang Fusheng keenly sensed this; they... had heard the name ’Zhang Fusheng.’

They were even very interested.

He nonchalantly tried to observe the cause and effect, but found that the karma surrounding these two was blurry, even he couldn’t see through it!

Strange.

At this moment, Yellow Teeth Old Man regained his composure, clearly not thinking the two ’Zhang Fushengs’ were the same person,

and boldly waved his hand:

"Let’s move, to the Lost World!"

He pulled out a flag from somewhere, with the words ’Source Point Research Institute’ written on it,

and held it high, leading the way forward with vigor,

while Zhang Fusheng and the other four followed behind him, heading into the great fog.

There were many other teams nearby, all heading in the same direction.

The journey wasn’t too long, about an hour had passed and they were almost there,

along the way, Cui Linglong and Jiang Feiniao chatted occasionally, both girls clearly interested in a certain Porcelain Doll, constantly circling around him,

if not for Ruan Yutu’s protection several times, Zhang Fusheng felt he might not be able to preserve his ’innocence.’

"Being an old man was better," he thought, suddenly realizing turning into a child was a big mistake—

although it wasn’t his choice to begin with.

The Merit Purple Qi had shaped half of an [Innate Spiritual Body] for him, in some sense, the appearance of the Porcelain Doll was now Zhang Fusheng’s ’true form.’

"A Yellow Teeth Old Man whose karma is unclear, and a girl named Jiang Feiniao, and Li Xiuyuan... could this name be a coincidence?"

It wasn’t surprising that Zhang Fusheng was feeling suspicious, his ’luck’ was just too good,

over the past half year, from Miss Mingyue, to Emperor Tang, Liu Bang, Xiang Yu, and even Yellow Eyebrow, he had encountered them all,

and Li Xiuyuan...

if memory serves, in the mythological stories, the secular name of [Jigong] was exactly Li Xiuyuan.

Jigong, the Dragon Subduing Arhat, was not just a Dragon Subduing Arhat, he was also known as [Kasyapa Arhat] or [Mahakasyapa].

Kasyapa Arhat was quite terrifying, as Shakyamuni Tathagata’s chief disciple, and the great merit holder responsible for guiding and leading [Maitreya Buddha] to become a Buddha.

Called an Arhat, but of a status akin to a true Buddha.

"I hope this truly is just a coincidence..." Zhang Fusheng started to have a headache.

As thoughts spun through his head,

the group of six had walked out of the dense fog again, their view abruptly cleared.

The first thing they saw, sparkling upon the Celestial Vault, were ’radiant great suns.’

Or rather, deities one by one, sitting solemnly in the Celestial Vault.

"Lost World," Ruan Yutu whispered.

Zhang Fusheng nodded silently, also seeing ahead a Lost World surrounded by the Yellow Springs River.

Upon it sat a massive Celestial Stele, inscribed with words.

Immortal Gods must have no decree to enter.

Beside the Celestial Stele lay a signature—[Great Tang Saint Celestial Khan Li Shimin].

"It’s truly the Yellow Springs River." Zhang Fusheng gazed intently at the river, circularly enveloping the vast world,

this was the true Yellow Springs, exuding a tragic aura and utmost corruption,

also steaming thick Nine Nether Death Qi, enveloping the whole Chongyang Heaven and Earth.

"There lies a bridge."

Ruan Yutu pointed, and they could see a massive bridge spanning across the Yellow Springs River, connecting the outside and inside.

"Move faster!" Yellow Teeth Old Man whispered: "Get inside quickly, before the gods above notice and maybe trap this pair!"

He strode forward, Ruan Yutu held Zhang Fusheng’s hand, quickly following,

crossing the bridge, Zhang Fusheng looked up.

Sitting up in the Celestial Vault was an old acquaintance—Kong Shentong.

He had come as well.

On the horizon, a red mist rolled in, the silhouette of a deity faint within, unclear.

It was clearly Old Bull.

"Cross the bridge, cross the bridge!" Yellow Teeth Old Man called back, as the six of them stepped onto the bridge, traversing the Yellow Springs, passing through the thick Yin Fog.

Zhang Fusheng looked at the increasingly clear Chongyang Heaven and Earth, feelings rose in his heart.

At last.

At last, they had returned to the Beginner’s Village!

They continued onward, reaching a colossal gateway.

"Beyond this Ghost Gate lies the Lost World!" Yellow Teeth Old Man shouted.

Zhang Fusheng raised his head, staring at the grand portal with the words ’Ghost Gate,’ his eyelid twitched.

Huh??