Chapter 472 445: Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon, and the Young Celestial Prides

Song Ciwan stood silently in place, the Heaven and Earth Scale materializing beside her.

All around her, Cultivators scattered like startled birds and beasts. At the same time, countless motes of human desires, in all shapes and colors, rushed toward her like a blizzard.

The Heaven and Earth Scale swayed slightly, as if tipsy.

[Human Desires: The fear, apprehension, and caution of a Late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator. Weight: three jin and nine taels. Tradeable.]

[Human Desires: The fear, resentment, and unwillingness of an Innate Second Transformation Martial Artist. Weight: five jin and one tael. Tradeable.]

[Human Desires: The fear, panic, and resentment of an Innate First Transformation Martial Artist. Weight: five jin and six taels. Tradeable.]

[Human Desires: The fear, resentment, and unwillingness of a Qi Cultivation Great Perfection Cultivator. Weight: five jin and nine taels. Tradeable.]

...

There were at least eighty clumps of human desires in total. Most weighed one or two jin, but three of them were classified as Qi Over Five Jin.

There were too many people, making it difficult to discern who had provided which clump of human desires. However, the one from the Qi Cultivation Great Perfection Cultivator was exceptionally clear.

After all, there weren't many at the Qi Cultivation Great Perfection stage present, making it easy to connect the desire to its source.

Song Ciwan clearly saw a gray-robed Cultivator in the crowd. Just as everyone else was fleeing in the opposite direction of Thunder Strike Ridge, this person suddenly whipped a cloak out from behind his back and threw it over his head.

The moment the cloak was on, the man's aura weakened instantly. He seemed to transform into a wisp of smoke, drifting silently into the perpetually lightning-stricken Thunder Strike Ridge with a gust of wind.

Besides this person, about a dozen others in the chaotic crowd did the same. Instead of fleeing away from Thunder Strike Ridge, they took advantage of the commotion, using all sorts of techniques to rush into it as well.

Song Ciwan didn't rush to follow, instead waiting where she stood for several dozen breaths.

She waited until everyone had completely cleared out. At the last moment, the Cultivator with the Curios Pavilion banner took down her cloth sign and stall. She suddenly turned, hunched over with a bowed back, and gave Song Ciwan an ingratiating smile full of worldly, mercenary charm.

This person was not tall. Her clothes were pieced together from scraps of various sizes, forming a motley patchwork of warm colors.

She wore a small skullcap, beneath which was a fair and delicate face. Messy strands of hair framed her forehead, which at first glance seemed a bit dirty, but that wasn't actually the case.

She was clearly a lovely young girl. Her eyes were especially lively, and as she flashed that ingratiating smile at Song Ciwan, a crafty glint flickered in their dark depths.

At the same time, Song Ciwan's Heaven and Earth Scale received another, particularly special wisp of qi.

[Human Desires: The surprise, curiosity, and probing of a Mid-Stage Divinity Transformation Cultivator. Weight: eight taels and seven maces. Tradeable.]

Amidst a field of Qi Cultivation, Innate First Transformation, and Second Transformation practitioners, for a Mid-Stage Divinity Transformation to suddenly appear—wasn't that something special?

Although a Spirit Realm Secret Realm was extremely tempting, under normal circumstances, those who came here seeking opportunities usually had a Cultivation no higher than Divinity Transformation or Innate Third Transformation.

Upon reaching the Divinity Transformation realm, most Cultivators would have already found their own path and direction, and they would not be easily swayed.

It wasn't as if just any temptation could easily convince them to switch to Refining Golden Core.

Of course, nothing was absolute, but there was no need to dwell on that.

In response to the smile from the colorful-robed Curios Pavilion Cultivator, Song Ciwan gave a slight nod.

The colorful-robed Cultivator quickly hugged her Curios Pavilion banner, blinked her big, lively eyes, and giggled. "Lu Celestial Pride, this humble girl is Lian Jia, a disciple of the Curios Pavilion. We at the Curios Pavilion have every treasure under the heavens. Do you see anything you desire? I can be of service."

This wasn't the first time Song Ciwan had encountered a disciple of the Curios Pavilion. Back on City God Temple Street in Su Yang City, she had acquired "one tael of mercenary spirit" from a Curios Pavilion disciple. After trading it to the Heaven and Earth Scale, she had received a Qimen Taoist Skill called Measurement System.

It was a strange Daoist Technique for measuring a living being's Cultivation and origins. However, while Cultivation was easy to see through, origins were difficult to trace. Like the Great Derivation Birth Skill, this technique was easy to learn but difficult to master.

To this day, Song Ciwan's usage rate for this skill wasn't high. Her Spiritual Sense was so sharp that under normal circumstances, she didn't need to use the Measurement System to easily see through the Cultivation of anyone she wished.

As for a person's origins, that required calculating the Celestial Secret. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Song Ciwan wouldn't resort to such calculations.

'The more one calculates fate, the thinner it wears; the more one calculates the Celestial Secret, the more chaotic it becomes. Why would I calculate such things frivolously?'

When Song Ciwan had specifically chosen to learn the Great Derivation Birth Skill, it wasn't to calculate others, but mainly to study its methods in order to conceal her own presence and prevent herself from being calculated.

She had a deep impression of Curios Pavilion disciples. She watched Lian Jia hugging her banner, and though the girl put on a humble, mercenary appearance to attract business, one of her feet was slightly drawn back—a defensive posture, ready to escape at a moment's notice.

Song Ciwan paused for a moment. "I'm not buying anything. But what do you charge to deliver a message?"

Lian Jia's eyes lit up. "That depends on what message you want to send, and who you're sending it to."

Song Ciwan said, "Deliver it to Ye Sheng's ears. All he needs to know is this: Lu Bell the Celestial Pride is Lu Bell of the Black Heart Demon Saber."

'That's right. The description of Lu Bell on the Ten Thousand Spirits Celestial Pride List did not include the epithet "Black Heart Demon Saber." Although I dislike the title, on second thought, the one being called the Black Heart Demon Saber isn't me, Song Ciwan—it's Lu Bell! Since that's the case, the title isn't so hard to accept after all.'

Lian Jia immediately rubbed her hands together, bowed, and held out her palm. She chuckled and said, "Lu Celestial Pride, Ye Sheng is also a Celestial Pride. To deliver a message to a Celestial Pride, the fee is one hundred Primordial Pearls. Since this is our first deal, this humble girl will give you a ten percent discount. Ninety Primordial Pearls will be just fine."

Lu Bell was a cold and aloof young man, so Song Ciwan, playing the part, didn't waste words. With a flick of her hand, a stream of ninety Primordial Pearls flew like raindrops into Lian Jia's palm.

After this action, Song Ciwan gave a slight nod and turned to leave.

Beaming with joy, Lian Jia scooped all the Primordial Pearls into her Storage Pouch. Seeing the black-robed youth's figure already disappearing into the countless bolts of lightning of Thunder Strike Ridge, she waved happily. "Lu Celestial Pride, we Curios Pavilion disciples do honest business with everyone! Just you wait!"

With a cheerful laugh, Lian Jia hugged her cloth banner, glanced left and right, then with a flick of her finger, ignited a Yellow Talisman that had appeared from nowhere.

The Yellow Talisman burned, and smoke billowed up.

Lian Jia's figure instantly vanished. The next moment, she reappeared in a small alley in Qingshi City, by the Luoshui River, trailing wisps of smoke.

Qingshi City, Yongmei Street, Fenghua Building.

Ye Sheng had been here for three days, debating the Dao with the talented scions of the city's various families. Whether in literary or martial contests, Ye Sheng had remained undefeated for three days, his fame spreading throughout all of Yu State.

Talented individuals from all over Yu State were even beginning to flock here to meet him.

Below Fenghua Building, crowds of commoners and Cultivators came and went, wave after wave of onlookers, making the whole of Yongmei Street seem exceptionally prosperous.

Suddenly, at a certain moment, a string of clear children's voices rang out on Yongmei Street: "Lu Bell the Celestial Pride is Lu Bell of the Black Heart Demon Saber! Lu Bell is the Black Heart Demon Saber, the Black Heart Demon Saber... Yo yo yo!"

The clear voices drifted through the streets, and amidst the countless chaotic noises, they were carried precisely by the wind, sneaking into Ye Sheng's ears.