There were so many people searching for the immortal arts for the "Five Blades Gate." If all of them demanded millions, the gate would go bankrupt on the spot!
Unable to get the money, Qiu Shicai and his companions had no choice but to leave. After all, they couldn't force them to pay up.
But after that day, the more they thought about it, the angrier they got, losing sleep over it.
So, the clever Qiu Shicai came up with a plan.
Since you want to learn immortality, I'll become an immortal to teach you. Once I successfully kidnap this kid, there's no need to waste time looking for the immortal arts.
I'll just ask his father, Zhao Kuo, directly!
"Oh? You want to learn my immortal Adeptus techniques?" Qiu Shicai looked at the young boy with a serious expression.
"Yes!" the boy, Zhao Bing, responded.
He had grown up listening to stories about the Lord Emperor and wanted to become someone like him. Hence, he was very interested in Adeptus arts.
Today, unexpectedly encountering someone who claimed to be a true disciple of the Lord Emperor, he felt an odd mixture of surprise and skepticism, but also a flicker of hope that made him stay and watch to see if this person was genuine or not.
Seeing the man's stories, which seemed like firsthand experiences, and witnessing the use of talismans, which only adeptis could wield, convinced Zhao Bing that this was indeed a true disciple of the Lord Emperor, there was no mistake.
He didn't want to miss this chance, so he asked the Great Half Adeptus to teach him the immortal arts of adeptis.
"Haha, I see the determination in your eyes
"I can teach you the way of immortality, and I won't even charge you, but you must pass my test," Qiu Shicai said with a slight smirk, telling himself to stay focused and not mess up now.
"Any test will do, just tell me. I can pass it!" Zhao Bing said, clenching his fists.
This Great Half Adeptus, seeing my determination, isn't charging me. As expected of a true disciple of the Lord Emperor, he must be looking for a successor.
He doesn't want the Adeptus arts he learned from the Lord Emperor to be lost.
I, Zhao Bing, am fourteen years old and have been unwaveringly seeking these immortal arts for four years. Have I finally gained the favor of an immortal today?
"Hmph, the test is simple. Although I see your determination, to practice the Adeptus arts, you must live in seclusion and not be disturbed by worldly affairs.
"So, you must show me that you have the perseverance to endure a solitary life in the deep mountains. Only then can I teach you the immortal arts of adeptis," Qiu Shicai said, stroking his long black beard.
"Alright, Great Half Adepti, what do I need to do?" Zhao Bing agreed without hesitation.
"It's simple. You must go with me to the wilds of Dihua Marsh and live on the morning dew and evening clouds for a few days. Then I will see if you have the talent for immortality," Qiu Shicai said with a smile.
Once you follow me, you'll be at my mercy!
Hehe, kid, what's the point of a young master trying to become an immortal?
Zhao Bing's eyes lit up, thinking that this was exactly how immortal training should be.
Just as he was about to agree, his attendant, who had been standing beside him, spoke up anxiously:
"No, young master! The wilderness is full of wild beasts and many monsters. How can you live in such a place?!"
"If immortals can do it, why can't I? How else will I become an immortal?"
Zhao Bing, though mild-mannered, could be as stubborn as an ox when he set his mind on something, much like his pursuit of the path to become an immortal.
"Exactly. I'm willing to give you this opportunity because it's your destiny. And as it happens, I'm free now. We can start the test right away for two days, or you'll miss the chance," Qiu Shicai said, feeling he had firmly grasped the young boy's emotions, barely containing his excitement.
Next, nothing unexpected happened.
The young master of the "Five Blades Gate" was set on doing what he wanted, something no attendant could dissuade.
Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd, mostly composed of elderly people and children, seemed to be convinced by Qiu Shicai's trick of using the "void burning talisman" in mid-air to point two people towards treasure.
Watching the so-called half-adepti lead the boy away, the attendant was scolded and told not to follow. Paimon started to feel something was off:
"It seems that something's not quite right. Should we secretly follow and see what they're up to?"
"Weren't you just admiring how impressive that guy was?"
Lumine asked, placing her hands on her hips, fingers slightly pressing against the white dress covering her midsection, her face showing a skeptical expression.
"Well, Paimon don't know much about these immortal talismans or anything. But thinking about it later, doing something like that doesn't seem too hard. It feels more like a 'trick' performed by street entertainers," Paimon said, shrugging.
"Hmm, we shouldn't stand by and do nothing in such an obviously suspicious situation. Let's follow them and see what they're up to," Nolan said after a moment of thought.
Earlier, he had briefly activated his golden Eye of Judgment to inspect the so-called half-adepts in the crowd. The man was only level seventeen, about the same as an average Knight of Favonius.
There was no real danger to worry about.
"Alright," Lumine and Paimon, being kind-hearted, had already had this idea. They couldn't allow the bad guys' schemes to succeed.
Before long, the onlookers gradually dispersed.
The young man who seemed to be the boy's attendant must have gone to inform his family.
If they can afford an attendant, it means they must be a wealthy family in Liyue.
If it really turns out to be a kidnapping, then rescuing that naive, deceived boy should definitely be worth a hundred thousand Mora as a thank you.
Ahem, this kind of thinking is what any normal person would have. It's not like he was being greedy for the reward of saving someone.
After all, he considered himself a friendly, helpful young man of the new era, who would assist others within his capability. Even if he didn't get a reward, he wouldn't mind.
Nolan smiled as he thought about it.
On the road from Stone Gate to the outskirts of Dihua Marsh, Nolan and Lumine were stealthily following the middle-aged man to see what he intended to do with the boy.
Even though they were suspicious of his intentions, logically, he hadn't done anything wrong yet.
But since he hadn't done anything yet and there was no evidence, it wasn't appropriate to act.
If he cried wolf and turned the tables, it would be troublesome.
Both Nolan and Lumine were cautious in this regard, while Paimon, after flying for a long time, began to slump her shoulders and complain about hunger.
But there was no choice but to endure it for now.
Around noon, the middle-aged man and the boy finally reached a desolate area rarely visited by people.
"Stop here," Qiu Shicai, wearing a gray robe, halted and said with a playful smile.
"Huh, are we there, Great Half Adeptus?" The boy, Zhao Bing, looked around in confusion.
"Heh, Young Sect Master, it seems your father spoiled you too much. With such intelligence, how do you expect to inherit the 'Five Blades Gate' in the future?" Qiu Shicai shook his head.
At the same time, two figures appeared ahead on the road. They were the two who had supposedly gone to find treasure earlier—the young man with the headscarf and the round-faced chubby man.
(End of Chapter)
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