Chapter 1146 - 575: Three Tasks (2)
Right now her outfit was just the everyday attire of a noble lady in the court: black hair with a single gilded golden step shake stuck in at an angle, casually done up in a "Gazing-at-the-Immortals" bun, a pomegranate-red pleated skirt trailing to the floor, a gilded belt at her waist barely covering those round, perky, perfectly contoured curves. A moon-white gauze night-robe draped over her shoulders, hazy and half‑see‑through, made that full figure and natural seductiveness stand out even more.
Of course, this kind of heavenly beauty would be a goddess descended to the mortal world among common folk, but compared to the eight devastatingly gorgeous Divinity Transformation Outer Pill immortal maids guarding her side in palace dress, she was at best just "decent enough."
Yeah, Divinity Transformation cultivators as maids, can you believe it? Divinity Transformation on the Outer Pill path is still Divinity Transformation! Even a decrepit Divinity Transformation eunuch could probably go a few rounds with Tie Dan!
And to be waited on by eight Divinity Transformations, while still looking so dignified and composed, noble and at ease, she was clearly well used to playing the master.
Judging by that lineup—going out with eight combat secretaries for bodyguards—she was eight or nine times out of ten some middle manager of the company as well, so Chen Xuantian put on a show and bowed in thanks.
"This humble monk Wu Lian thanks Lady Yu for your life‑saving grace. I do not know your honorable title and rank in the Do; if my manners are lacking, I beg your pardon."
Seeing Chen Xuantian still hamming it up, Yu Zao couldn’t be bothered to question him more. She took the Spiritual Tea from an immortal maid, sipped, and went straight to the point,
"What is Lingxu to you."
Chen Xuantian’s face filled with longing.
"The Mystic Sect Leader is my idol."
Yu Zao rolled her eyes, rinsed her mouth and spat out the tea.
"Have you heard of Sichuan’s unmatched Chen Dachong."
Chen Xuantian’s face was expressionless.
"Some hick from the sticks? Never heard of him."
Yu Zao hooked a finger; an immortal maid took a peeled, deseeded grape from a Jade Plate and fed it into her mouth.
"You at least know Mr. Xi Yi, right."
Chen Xuantian nodded again and again, his smile simple and honest to the point of cuteness.
"I know, I know, this humble monk has met Mr. Xi Yi."
Mr. Xi Yi was the Taoist name Peng Ju used when working in the Yun Meng Dragon Palace. Chen Dachong was obviously not referring to Peng Dachong but a tiger; that was probably the nickname he’d picked up back when the bastard was running wild in the Jianghu and mixing in society. Lingxu was a complete son of a bitch.
This woman had dug into his ancestors three generations deep; there was nothing he could hide from her. If he guessed right, she was the corporate superior Lingxu was supposed to meet, the one who’d secretly colluded with Peng Ju before, and later got split in half by Tie Dan—that Eldest Princess.
"Heh, as long as you admit it."
Yu Zao crooked a finger, and an immortal maid at her side came forward carrying three swords.
One pair was naturally the Dragon Abyss Tiger Blade Dual Swords; the Immortal Palace was really extravagant, actually taking the trouble to reforge this Dual Swords for him as a casual favor. Who knew what black technology they’d used—they’d even been upgraded to Nascent Soul Treasures. Pity the swords had no spirit, so they couldn’t reach Entry Rank; presumably they couldn’t be bothered to waste that much effort on him.
The third one was of course still the Key of the Gate, but the weird part was that the blade, previously glittering with silver light, now looked as if its radiance had been burned out, turning a dull gray, like a stone leaf.
Yu Zao raised a hand to point at the Key of the Gate.
"That sword was commissioned from me by Lingxu. He said he once gained Enlightenment in a dream and glimpsed a peerless sword, but even after pondering it over with the Five Elders of Cloud Platform for many years, they still couldn’t forge it.
So he begged me to cast the sword, and promised to ask a friend to act, to do three things for me. Only, I didn’t expect the friend he sent to fail to complete even one of the three before getting killed.
Now that you can take delivery of the sword he custom‑ordered, those three things will be done by you."
Chen Xuantian’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
"Didn’t think this humble monk would be qualified to be friends with the Leader. I’m truly overwhelmed.
Three things aren’t nearly enough—why don’t I do thirty."
Yu Zao ignored him.
"A sword is about to appear in Suiyang. Go get it, and that counts as the first."
Chen Xuantian frowned.
"Another sword? I’ve already got three—still not enough for me to use?"
But Yu Zao continued to answer at cross purposes.
"Whether you use it or not isn’t my business. I just need that sword not to be in Suiyang."
Chen Xuantian was a bit puzzled and was about to press her when he suddenly saw an immortal maid produce a leather bag and stow all three swords away at once, and he shut his mouth.
The leather bag had black and white lines, like a Taiji pattern; it looked very soft, as if made from the belly scales of a dragon python, smooth and fine to the touch, about three feet three inches long. The mouth of the bag was very small and could be tightened or loosened. Opening it up, you could clearly see Yin Yang Qi swirling inside, misty and flowing, perfectly suited to suppress the sword’s edge and refine its divine blade.
The Door Key Tiger Blade could both be tucked in and stored; Dragon Abyss would then be wrapped exactly around the sword blade, leaving a foot of hilt exposed—just right for gripping. There was even a leather strap along the side of the bag so you could sling the sword on your back.
W‑wait a second, this thing seems kind of unlucky...
Before he could react, another immortal maid was already holding a Jade Plate to present an item.
It was a brocade bag woven of Heavenly Silkworm Immortal Silk, only palm‑sized, shaped like a just‑bloomed lotus bud, fragrant like dewdrops among flowers. It was clearly a woman’s wallet used in the inner palace, with White Phoenixes and wild swans embroidered on it in silver thread. When the glow of sunset hit, the feathers flickered between bright and dark, as if about to spread their wings and fly.
Yu Zao casually explained,
"This is for you."
Chen Xuantian’s scalp went numb at a glance, and he hurriedly said,
"This humble monk is a man of the cloth; how would I dare accept such a great Ritual. I can only accept Lady’s kind intentions in my heart..."
Yu Zao shot him a look.
"It’s just a storage bag. Are you really going to buy the box and return the pearl."
Storage bag?
So the maid opened the brocade bag, and suddenly brilliant light exploded forth, illuminating the whole room. Three streaks of radiance shot straight to the ceiling, flying out of the bag like falling meteors.
Chen Xuantian squinted and saw that the "box" did indeed contain three pearls... Hm? Huh? Holy—holy shit!? Th‑that’s—!!
"The Pearl of the Abyss, the Yin Thunder Dragon Pearl, the Taiyi Flame Pearl."
Yu Zao sucked on a grape, pointing them out one by one.