Chapter 411.2: Getting Rich Together

Returning from afar, Ji Buping glanced toward the distant tent out of habit. He spotted Qi Yuan a moment later. After a moment's thought, he flew over and asked casually, "I noticed you weren't around yesterday. Did you make some new discovery, perhaps?"

Gathering Miluo Light depended on luck and skill. Ji Buping had been dreading the possibility that Qi Yuan's luck was good and he'd actually gathered some. He would be so jealous then. In the Black Demon Abyss, bloodline was what mattered most. What right did Qi Yuan, who had no bloodline to speak of, have to stand above him? If Qi Yuan was also blessed with good luck on top of that, Ji Buping would choke from envy!

He frowned inwardly. As if a country bumpkin from some measly Second Heaven deserves such a fortune!

Said country bumpkin answered quietly, "A discovery... There is one, actually."

Ji Buping's heart lurched, a sour note creeping into his voice. "Your luck really is something to envy, Fellow Daoist. To think you actually found some Miluo Lights..."

"It's not Miluo Light." Qi Yuan shook his head. "Fellow Daoist, you'd even lower yourself to bed some old woman. You must be quite ambitious, mustn't you?"

"You... you!" Ji Buping's expression twisted violently and a thick bloody aura rose off him. "How dare you insult me like this?! I don’t care if you’re some core figure’s favorite boy toy! I’ll kill you!"

Though he was genuinely furious, of course he never intended to attack.

Qi Yuan stayed calm. "Now, don’t be so angry, Fellow Daoist. I truly meant what I said."

Not even he could bring himself to do it with an old woman. Sure, his White Moonlights were also an old man and an old grandmother who rarely bathed, but fantasizing about them was as far as he would go.

Ji Buping's gaze turned murderous, but he made no move to strike. "Hmph!"

He said casually, "It's precisely because I recognize your ambition that I have a golden opportunity I'd like to share with you."

He had decided to play the talent scout.

Ji Buping paused, suspicion in his voice. "What kind of opportunity?"

Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. "When I left yesterday, I was tailing a fat sheep. He was loaded, with money to burn."

The arrogant cultivator’s expression didn't shift. "Are you robbing cultivators?"

Nothing was more familiar to him, as he’d done his fair share of that sort of thing before.

"Robbery is too harsh a word. I strongly suggest we rename it. How about calling it ‘wandering cultivation’ instead?"

Even homeless people could be reclassified under different labels to help bring down the city's official homeless count. Surely using a softer term for the action wasn’t too much to ask?

Ji Buping narrowed his eyes. "Very rich?"

Though he couldn't stand Qi Yuan, getting rich together was never a problem. Besides, this sort of thing was almost a daily occurrence in the cultivation world.

"Absolutely loaded. Just a little bit strong. Which is exactly why I called you along to get rich together."

Ji Buping scoffed. Qi Yuan had probably just crossed into the Great Venerable realm. By “a little bit strong,” he probably meant a Step Four of Heaven-Treading opponent at most. Ji Buping himself was at Step Six. Talk about swatting a fly.

Still, he asked, "You're sure we can handle him?"

Qi Yuan activated the Great Forgetfulness Sutra. "Don't worry about it. He's old and decrepit, while we’re young and strong. Beating up some old man is nothing. Oh, and he's a high-ranking member of the Moluo Clan. We're from the Black Demon Abyss, practically the Moluo Clan's daddy! As long as we clean up properly, nothing will come out of it. Come on, are you in or not? We can split this fairly."

He had social anxiety and wasn't much of a talker, so he leaned on that technique often.

Qi Yuan coaxed, "If we manage to pull this off, you might just gather enough contribution points to rise to the Sixth Heaven."

Ji Buping seemed surprised. "The Sixth Heaven?"

"That's right. Are you in or not?"

The man nodded fiercely. "I'm in!"

It’s just some high-ranking member of the Moluo Clan, anyway. Blood Robe has the nerve to kill one, so why should I be afraid? I have a fourth-grade bloodline! And uneven spoils? Scheming and treachery? I am at Step Six! Why would I fear someone at Step Four? Only the faint-hearted worry about things like that. Cultivators can't be cowards!ⅇ

Qi Yuan appeared genuinely pleased. "Excellent! Come on, let's go set up an ambush for him. If this collaboration goes smoothly, we can keep working together. I've got my eye on quite a few high-ranking members of the Moluo Clan. Every single one of them is a top-tier fat sheep! Far richer than that old woman of yours."

Ji Buping gasped sharply. "Really?"

"Would I lie to you? I'm the most honest, trustworthy man around."

Ji Buping looked at him the way one would size up a fat sheep. "You're actually pretty interesting. I guess I misjudged you before. Where's your dao companion?"

He was thinking of the girl he'd seen beside Qi Yuan earlier. That girl clearly hadn't even reached the Yin Spirit realm, which meant Qi Yuan's strength was probably nothing special either.

A forlorn look crossed Qi Yuan's face. "My dao companion's up in the Sixth Heaven. Got another one in the sun, too."

Ji Buping blinked. "Didn't you just say a moment ago you never tell lies, Fellow Daoist? So why lie now?"

"I am not lying." Qi Yuan couldn't be bothered to explain, as something else occurred to him. "What about your family, Fellow Daoist?"

When it came to enemies, he always made a point of finding out everything he could. What he cared about most was whether they had family.

"I'm all alone. No family."

"Ah! Then let's hurry, Fellow Daoist. The fish has taken the bait. All that's left is to reel in the net."

Ji Buping's spirits soared. "Let's do it!"

So what if the target was a high-ranking member of the Moluo Clan? I am from the Black Demon Abyss, a full rank above them!

Qi Yuan led Ji Buping off, the two of them dissolving into a streak of light and vanishing from sight. "Let's go."

When they reappeared, they had emerged from the Miluo World.

Ji Buping's eyes carried a note of astonishment. "How did you get us past the Moluo Clan cultivators?"

Though both the entrance and exit of the Miluo World were guarded, Qi Yuan openly strode past them. Even more baffling was how those cultivators had acted as if they hadn't seen a thing.

To avoid revealing his abilities, Qi Yuan chose to tell a convenient lie, "Because we're from the Black Demon Abyss. They can't see us!"

Ji Buping eyed him, somewhat skeptical. "Is that so?"

Now that they were outside the Miluo World, he grew doubtful. Had the fight taken place in the Miluo World, the Moluo Clan wouldn’t have noticed a thing, unlike out here. Any commotion would likely draw the attention of Moluo Clan powerhouses.

Still, thinking of how even Qi Yuan dared to do this, backing out now would be disgraceful. If things went sideways, he could always just flee and leave Qi Yuan behind to deal with the mess. He was confident enough in his strength that he wasn't worried about any surprises.

Qi Yuan said happily, "Come on, we're almost there. That old man's sitting right in the trap!"

Life was dull, and he was seeking some entertainment. Besides, it never hurt to spread the karmic consequences around a little.