A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248

by Translator: Johnchen

  "Guan Yang pays his respects to his senior. Are you traveling to Blue Waterfall City, Senior? My boat isn't very large, but it's definitely the fastest one on all of these nearby islands," the low-grade devilish being said with a smile.

  "Oh? I can see that you're only at the Foundation Establishment Stage; can I trust what you have to say?" Han Li asked in an indifferent manner as he glanced at the wooden boats moored beside the island.

  Guan Yang was unable to ascertain Han Li's exact cultivation base, but judging from Han Li's demeanor, he could tell that this definitely wasn't some ordinary Core Formation or Nascent Soul Stage being. As such, he immediately replied in a respectful manner, "Rest assured, Senior; if you find that I'm not telling the truth, I'll return double the devil stones you issue to me." Han Li could see that this Guan Yang didn't seem to be lying, so he nodded in response. "In that case, I'll go with your boat. The number of devil stones isn't an issue as long as you can get me to Blue Waterfall City as quickly as possible."

  Guan Yang was ecstatic to hear this, and he hurriedly bowed before pointing toward a boat that was several tens of feet in length. "Rest assured, Senior; I won't disappoint you! Right this way, Senior."

  Han Li strode directly toward the boat, and Guan Yang naturally followed along behind him in an elated manner.

  After a while, the black wooden boat left the small island and began traveling over the lake like a speeding arrow.

  Han Li sat at the front of the boat while the devilish man stood at the rear end of the boat while quickly rowing a pair of black metal oars.

  The surfaces of the oars were flashing with faint blue light, and they propelled the boat rapidly over the lake with each and every stroke.

  "I see you have a pair of low-grade devilish treasures; it's no wonder that you're so confident," Han Li remarked with an intrigued smile.

  "These two low-grade devilish tools have been passed down in my family for generations, and they've put food on the table for all of my forefathers as well. It's not that there aren't any better devilish tools out there; it's just that no one else with devilish tools of this caliber would stoop to doing a job like this. I don't have any other talents, so this is the only job I can do to feed my family," Guan Yang replied as he continued to row vigorously.

  "You sound like you're from the local area; you must be quite familiar with Blue Waterfall City, right?" Han Li asked.

  "I know all of the common knowledge there is to be known about the city, but I can't make any guarantees beyond that. After all, my cultivation base is very limited, so there are many things that are beyond my reach," Guan Yang replied.

  "Hehe, don't worry, I wouldn't ask you anything that's overly complicated," Han Li assured.

  "Then go right ahead, Senior; I'll be sure to tell you everything I know," Guan Yang hurriedly replied.

  "I want to know where Bloodtooth Rice can be purchased from Blue Waterfall City. I'm sure it wouldn't be available in ordinary shops, right?" Han Li asked.

  "Hehe, so you're also here for Bloodtooth Rice; you've asked the right person, Senior. Are you only looking to buy one or two pieces or would you like to purchase Bloodtooth Rice in bulk?" Guan Yang asked as a hint of excitement appeared on his face.

  "Do the circumstances change depending on the quantity I wish to purchase?" Han Li asked as his brows furrowed slightly.

  "If you're only looking for a small quantity, then you can purchase Bloodtooth Rice from the few designated shops in the city. However, these shops only sell to seniors at or above the Deity Transformation Stage, and each person can only purchase two pieces at a time. If the same person wishes to purchase more than that, then they'll have to stay in Blue Waterfall City for a year before they'll be allowed to purchase more. Alternatively, there are some underground avenues through which more pieces of Bloodtooth Rice can be purchased, but the quality standards may be rather lacking in comparison," Guan Yang explained.

  "What if I want to purchase a large quantity and am only looking for Bloodtooth Rice of the highest quality?" Han Li asked.

  "I'm afraid it won't be possible to satisfy both of those conditions at once. The city has very strict regulations surrounding premium Bloodtooth Rice, so very little of it will be sold to outsiders," Guan Yang replied in a slightly awkward manner.

  "I'm well aware of that. If I could purchase premium Bloodtooth Rice elsewhere, then I wouldn't have come to the Blue Waterfall Lake. However, I believe nothing is impossible in this world as long as the right price is offered," Han Li said.

  "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you here, Senior. Perhaps you can ask around in the city to see if anyone else can arrange this," Guan Yang replied with a wry smile.

  Han Li merely nodded in response before slowly closing his eyes, while Guan Yang continued to row vigorously as the small boat sped toward the center of the Blue Waterfall Lake.

  Four hours later, a black dot appeared in the distance, and as the boat approached it, the dot expanded further and further before revealing itself to be a massive island.

  Blue light flashed through Han Li's eyes, and he was able to immediately ascertain that a large city had been constructed on the border of the island.

  The city walls were constructed from giant blue stones and were several hundred feet tall. There were armed devilish guards standing atop the walls, and everything appeared to be no different compared to the average devilish city. Directly up ahead was a huge city gate, in front of which stood a group of halberd-wielding devilish guards.

  Chapter 2121: The Woman in Black

  Guan Yang moored his boat on the shore near the city gate, then accompanied Han Li to the gate.

  He was clearly very familiar with the halberd-wielding guards in front of the gate, and after a brief conversation, they granted Han Li entry into the city without conducting any examination.

  Han Li stood at the city gate and appraised the rows of orderly buildings nearby before tossing Guan Yang some mid-grade devil stones.

  "Thank you for your generosity, Senior!" Guan Yang immediately said in a grateful manner.

  Generally speaking, he would only receive one or two mid-grade devil stones for taking a high-grade devilish being to Blue Waterfall City, but Han Li had issued several times that amount, so he was naturally ecstatic.

  Han Li merely waved a dismissive hand, indicating that Guan Yang could leave.

  However, Guan Yang hesitated momentarily, and after looking around to ensure that no one was paying any attention to them, he quickly whispered, "Senior, perhaps you can go to the Vast Origin House to see if the people there can satisfy your conditions."

  After that, Guan Yang hurriedly extended a respectful bow and departed before Han Li could ask any questions.

  "Vast Origin House, eh?" Han Li murmured to himself as a faint smile appeared on his face.

  The flight restriction naturally still applied in Blue Waterfall City, so Han Li hailed a beast-drawn carriage before asking to be taken to the largest shop in the city.

  The coach driver immediately did as he was instructed, and Han Li sat in the carriage with his legs crossed, looking out of the window absentmindedly while considering what he was going to do next.

  Blue Waterfall City was clearly far more lively and bustling than the average large devilish city, and there was a great number of devilish beings roaming the streets.

  Most of these devilish beings were only at the Qi Condensation Stage or Foundation Establishment Stage, but there was a significant proportion of Deity Transformation and Spatial Tempering Stage high-grade devilish beings among them as well, and he had even spotted two devilish lords.

  At this point, the beast-drawn carriage had only passed through several streets and hadn't even made it out of one corner of the city.

  All of a sudden, Han Li caught sight of a familiar figure, and his expression changed drastically.

  He stared intently at the elegant figure, who had her back facing him and was walking into a shop, then shook his head wit
h a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "It's not her; that woman's aura is completely different. Besides, even if she has ascended from the human world, she'd be in the Spirit Realm right now; there's no way she'd appear in the Elder Devil Realm. Why did she look so much like her? Could it be that my mental state has become rather unstable due to my rapid progression in my cultivation base?"

  With that in mind, Han Li hurriedly activated his Spirit Refinement Technique and closed his eyes to meditate.

  The elegant figure was a devilish woman wearing a black veil over her face, and she was accompanied into a shop by several high-grade devilish beings. On top of that, there was a faint layer of black Qi over her body that made it impossible for anyone to glean her appearance.

  Of course, Han Li would've been capable of forcibly assessing her appearance with his powerful spiritual sense, but he was concerned that doing so would draw the attention of the top-tier powerful beings in the city.

  At this point, the devilish woman had already been accompanied into the shop by her entourage of high-grade devilish beings, and an elderly man who appeared to be the shopkeeper immediately rushed over with a few employees before they all extended respectful bows.

  The shopkeeper then invited the woman into a secretive room before greeting her in a respectful manner. "I pay my respects to the esteemed envoy. I've already prepared everything, and it's all ready to be taken away at any time."

  "Well done, Shopkeeper Liao. I only mentioned this to you the day before yesterday, yet you've already gotten everything prepared; it seems that your talents are being wasted here."

  The woman's voice was extremely delightful, resembling that of a singing oriole.

  "You're far too kind, esteemed envoy; I'm only doing as I'm told," Shopkeeper Liao hurriedly replied with a fawning smile.

  "Shi Huo, go and fetch all of the items," the woman said to a horned devilish man beside her.

  "Yes, Young Mistress Seven!" The devilish man gave an affirmative response before following one of the employees out of the room.

  After that, the woman merely sat in her chair in silence.

  The elderly man and the high-grade devilish beings all stood respectfully in the room in silence as well.

  After around 15 minutes had passed, the devilish man and employee returned to the room before informing that woman that everything had been gathered.

  The woman nodded in response before suddenly asking, "How long have you been working at this shop for, Shopkeeper Liao?"

  Shopkeeper Liao's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this, and he hurriedly replied, "I've been working at this shop ever since I was transferred here around 200 years ago."

  "200 years, eh? That's quite a long time; I'm sure you've lined your pockets quite significantly during this time."

  Shopkeeper Liao was horrified to hear this. "Is there some kind of misunderstanding, esteemed envoy? I've always managed this shop diligently and haven't made any transgressions; you can't just make such claims with no evidence!"

  "I'll be the one to decide whether you've made any transgressions or not. Mu Xi, show him the evidence," the woman said with a cold smile before suddenly pointing at one of the employees accompanying the shopkeeper.

  "Yes, Young Mistress Seven! The quantity and sale prices of stock, as well as all of the shop's trade partners for the last close to 20 years, have all been recorded here for your examination!"

  The employee was a young man who appeared to be around 16 to 17 years of age, and he immediately pulled out a black accounts book as he stepped forward in a respectful manner. Shopkeeper Liao's face instantly turned deathly pale upon seeing this.

  The woman drew the accounts book into her grasp before carefully assessing it. "As expected, this is different from the accounts book that you gave me the other day. You've already embezzled so much, and this is only in a span of less than 20 years; what do you have to say for yourself?"

  "Mu Xi, how dare you compile all of this false evidence to incriminate me! Young Mistress Seven, he has a personal vendetta against me, so that accounts book is definitely fake!"

  "I'll know whether it's fake or not once I use a soul search technique on you. If it's real, then you can die without anyone to blame, and if it's fake, I'll kill him to avenge you," the woman said with a faint smile, but her words made Shopkeeper Liao feel as if he had been plunged into a glacial pit.

  All of a sudden, the elderly man let loose a desperate cry as he swept a sleeve through the air, instantly producing a yellow talisman amid a burst of black Qi that filled the room.

  He frantically waved the talisman, upon which his body suddenly began to sink into the ground.

  "To think that a mere Core Formation Stage being dares to play these little tricks in my presence!" the devilish man by the name of Shi Huo chuckled coldly before suddenly making a grabbing motion.

  Howling winds were instantly swept up throughout the entire room to disperse the black Qi, and at the same time, Shopkeeper Liao's body was completely immobilized. Thus, he was stuck with half of his body in the ground.

  "Please spare me, Young Mistress Seven! I'll give back everything I've embezzled!" Shopkeeper Liao yelled in a display of horror and desperation.

  The woman heaved a faint sigh before flicking a finger through the air, and a streak of black light shot forth before piercing through his glabella.

  At the same time, Shi Huo withdrew his hand, and the shopkeeper's body thumped down onto the ground.

  "It's a pity that you've embezzled far too much and already sold everything. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been opposed to sparing your life. Mu Xi, you're the shopkeeper here from this day forth. Shi Huo, take care of the body; we still have a few more shops to visit," the woman said before rising to her feet and exiting the room in a calm manner.

  Mu Xi immediately fell to his knees to express his gratitude in an elated manner, while Shi Huo opened his mouth to expel a burst of black devilish flames that instantly incinerated the elderly man's body into ashes before also departing.

  ......

  "This is the largest shop in the entire city?" Han Li asked with furrowed brows as he appraised the slightly dilapidated pavilion before him.

  There was a large plaque above the door that read "Rainbow Pavilion".

  "This Rainbow Pavilion may not appear to be all that noteworthy, but it's definitely the largest and oldest shop in the city, Senior," the coach driver replied in a confident manner.

  "Alright, I'll take a look inside." Han Li was still rather skeptical, but he issued the coach driver some devil stones before making his way toward the pavilion.

  As soon as he entered the pavilion, he detected a hint of feeble spatial fluctuations, following which a massive hall with an area of several acres appeared before him.

  "Oh? So this is a small Xumi space created using a spatial devilish treasure; it looks like that coach driver wasn't lying," Han Li mused as he inspected his surroundings in an intrigued manner.

  Chapter 2122: Purchases

  The massive hall was split up into two clear sections, one of which was the same as an ordinary shop with rows of stone shelves and counters, upon which were placed all types of treasures and materials.

  Behind each section of a counter that was around 100 feet in length stood a young and beautiful female attendant, and there were around a dozen devilish beings purchasing different items near the counter while the female attendants offered assistance where required.

  As for the other half of the hall, it was concealed behind an azure light barrier, and there were two azure-robed employees standing at the entrance of the light barrier.

  There were also some shelves beyond the barrier, atop which were placed some treasures that were clearly far more valuable than the ones outside.

  Han Li's brows furrowed slightly as he released some of his repressed spiritual pressure.

  Even though he was only releasing a late-Spatial Tempering Stage aura, everyone in the hall still immediately detected his pres
ence and turned toward him with awe and veneration in their eyes.

  Right at this moment, a devilish woman with far superior looks and cultivation base compared to the female attendants outside emerged from within the light barrier.

  She appeared to be around 23 to 24 years of age, and her brocade robes only served to further accentuate her beauty.

  She made her way over to Han Li in a graceful manner, then lowered her head slightly as she said, "Welcome to our Rainbow Pavilion, Senior; my name is Xiao Yan, and I am the stand-in shopkeeper here. Is there anything I can help you with?"

  The woman was a Deity Transformation stage high-grade devilish being.

  "I've heard that this is the largest shop in all of Blue Waterfall City; is that true?" Han Li asked.

  "I wouldn't dare to proclaim that, but we definitely have the widest range of stock among all shops in the city," Xiao Yan replied with a smile.

  "I see, then it looks like I've come to the right place. I wish to purchase large quantities of certain items from your shop," Han Li replied with a nod.

  Xiao Yan was quite elated to hear this, and she hurriedly replied, "It's our honor that you've decided to choose our pavilion, Senior; please follow me to the VIP booths on the second floor."

  Considering the cultivation base that Han Li had displayed, the "large quantities" that he had mentioned definitely entailed a massive business opportunity for the pavilion.

  Han Li had no objections to this, and thus, he was led toward the staircase by the woman.

  A short while later, Han Li was seated in a room with elegant decor, sipping on a cup of fragrant silver tea.

  Xiao Yan was standing beside him with a smile as she said, "This Devilish Taro Tea is a specialty local product from our Blue Waterfall Lake that can calm the mind and improve focus, and our pavilion only receives several tens of kilograms of it per year, so it's quite a rare delicacy."

  "It is indeed quite an exceptional tea, but its efficacy is virtually negligible for those of my cultivation base," Han Li said in a nonchalant manner.