Lord Shenxiu

'A sucker, or is it a double act?'

Zhong Shenxiu remained calm, merely uncorking the small black bottle and pouring out a little powder.

The peddler beside him was speaking passionately: "To be honest, this Merfolk Powder, as long as you take a pinch as small as a fingernail and mix it with wine, it can make you feel invincible for several hours..."

"Truly a marvelous thing, marvelous indeed!"

Qi Yuan nodded repeatedly: "Recently, a new girl arrived at Yixiang House, her waist, her figure... simply stunning! With this miraculous item, I will surely have her begging for mercy..."

"If it were Merfolk Scale Powder, then it would indeed be worth it..."

Zhong Shenxiu glanced at the Attendant Student who was about to cry, and still said, "But yours seems to be Sea Monkey bone powder."

"Sea Monkey?"

The expressions of several onlookers around changed.

This is a legendary demon, living in the sea, fond of dragging people into the water to drown them, then devouring their brains raw.

"Sea Monkey, also called 'River Child,' its bone powder also has strong aphrodisiac effects, but it cuts the source, lacking the miraculous effect of Merfolk Powder to invigorate yang while also consolidating genuine yang... moreover, if overused, it can cause the calamity of losing yang... its value is greatly discounted, this bottle at most is worth fifty copper coins."

Zhong Shenxiu shook his head and said.

This bit of knowledge was gleaned from a hand-copied version of the [Four Seas Strange Scripture].

Although the author copied it in a disordered manner, with only two proper spells, various miscellaneous anecdotes were recorded quite abundantly.

Especially some strange sea creatures, which really opened Zhong Shenxiu's eyes.

"Fifty copper coins?"

A trace of panic flashed across the peddler's face, and he shouted, "This is genuine Merfolk Scale Powder, not Sea Monkey..."

"Really? Merfolk Scales, when burned, emit a fragrance, while Sea Monkey bone powder, when ignited, has a fishy stench. Do you want to test it?"

Zhong Shenxiu asked with a smile that was not a smile on his face.

"Fifty copper coins are too little, at least worth a silver coin." The peddler made a last struggle.

Qi Yuan's face changed, realizing he almost fell for a trap and became a big fool.

"Just fifty copper coins, take it or leave it."

Zhong Shenxiu tossed out a string of small coins, looking at the peddler.

"Sigh... Today I met an expert."

The peddler sighed, handed the small bottle to Zhong Shenxiu, packed up his goods, and cupped his hands in farewell.

'This person... might have some connections with the sea, it's also a lead. I'll set the bait and wait...'

Zhong Shenxiu watched his departing figure, smiling silently.

"This brother has broad knowledge, truly admirable."

Qi Yuan sat directly opposite Zhong Shenxiu: "Thank you for the reminder earlier, may I ask for your honorable name?"

"Fang Lang!"

Zhong Shenxiu took the bottle, calmly replied, "Are you a Western student?"

"Indeed, I was fascinated by novelties since childhood, later begged my father to send me to study in the Western World. Unfortunately, the mysterious societies there have strict members-only policies... even national citizens find it hard to join, let alone a foreigner like me!"

Qi Yuan smiled bitterly, "After graduating, I returned to Great Zhou, preparing to continue seeking the path of the dao..."

"I too have the heart to seek the dao, but... true cultivation is elusive and hard to find."

Zhong Shenxiu chatted a bit more with Qi Yuan, whose demeanor, temperament, and conversation impressed him. Then, Zhong Shenxiu mentioned something.

"True cultivation? I happen to have some news, three days later, twenty miles east, there is Liu Xian Town, where a Daoist will open the doors to accept disciples!"

Qi Yuan said: "I personally witnessed that Daoist perform spells. He truly possesses real skills. If you are interested, shall we go together in three days?"

'What an easy mark!'

'No wonder I sensed some aura around him, but it's not deep!'

Zhong Shenxiu concluded internally, showing a smile on his face, "Naturally, let's go together, together!"

...

Three days later.

Outside Liu Xian Ancient Town, Zhong Shenxiu and Qi Yuan got off the carriage, looking at the mottled buildings, both exhaled deeply.

The bumpy ride on the carriage was quite unpleasant.

"The Daoist 'Ju Liuzi' is truly skilled; he once demonstrated Daoist Skill by cutting paper into a moon, from which a fairy jumped down from the Moon Palace..."

Qi Yuan's eyes shone brightly, this time he snuck out, even without taking the Attendant Student, "If I could become a disciple of the Immortal Sect, just learning that would satisfy me."

Zhong Shenxiu was speechless hearing that.

At that moment, several horses galloped by the roadside with unmatched momentum, not slowing or dodging even when seeing someone ahead.

"Get out of my way!"

A woman on horseback swung her whip, lashing out.

Zhong Shenxiu pulled Qi Yuan back, narrowly avoiding the whip, and Qi Yuan cursed angrily after the knights passed: "I spit... these Jianghu people, each with a few martial skills, behave so tyrannically, they really deserve to be punished!"

"So they are Jianghu people."

Zhong Shenxiu nodded, thinking of their martial attire, bulging waists, they indeed looked like Martial Arts practitioners, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Perhaps they too are here for Ju Liuzi?"

Slap!

Qi Yuan clapped his hands and exclaimed, "We can't let them get ahead!"

Immediately pulling Zhong Shenxiu, he hurried into the ancient town.

In the ancient town stood a giant mansion, with many people already gathered at its gate.

The flashy Jianghu people were there, three men and one woman, brimming with heroic spirit, also exuding a sense of seeing everyone else as ants.

If they were immortals, it would be understandable.

But Zhong Shenxiu saw only a few martial artists whose Qi-Blood was slightly stronger than ordinary people...

Besides them, there were many Jianghu folks, wealthy merchants, and gentry, indicating Ju Liuzi's disciple recruitment was quite a spectacle this time.

"Good boy, you will definitely become a disciple of the old immortal, seeing these people, all so old, yet they still have the face to seek immortality?"

A fat man like a landlord tycoon, adorned in silk and satin, coaxed his chubby son.

At this moment, the big door suddenly opened with a bang, an elder with the demeanor of the immortals stood at the entrance, smiling: "I, Ju Liuzi, open my doors today to accept disciples, those with fate can enter the main hall, listen to the old Daoist preach, and the best will be selected..."

"The old immortal is generous!"

A green-clothed swordsman among the Jianghu crowd saluted and said: "I am Sun Chu of the Crane Feather Sword, these are my sworn siblings, even if we cannot become your disciples, we are willing to serve loyally..."

These flattering words were utterly shameless, causing many to roll their eyes, yet they also secretly hated being outpaced.

Zhong Shenxiu and Qi Yuan exchanged smiles, entered the large mansion, passed through a somewhat neglected garden, and reached the grand hall.

This hall was vast, accommodating hundreds, with desks around, a group sitting cross-legged, Ju Liuzi the Daoist seated at the forefront, began proclaiming: "The dao is inherently void, those who gain the void of the dao, can transform the formless into form, change into birds and beasts, ride phoenixes and cranes, sit on flood dragons and whales..."

"Comprehending the transformations of the universe, I am everything, and everything can be me, my body interiorly transforms into pinworms, roundworms, externally fever lice, fleas, gouts thus turtles, fishes, boils thus rats, ants..."

His voice was ethereal, carrying an extraordinary power.

The crowd in the hall listened as though they were hearing a wonderful scripture, absorbed, with eyes gradually becoming dreamy.

Zhong Shenxiu outwardly feigned being enraptured as well, with a dark glimmer passing through his eyes.

In his view, Ju Liuzi Daoist's emaciated face suddenly turned twisted, hideous... massive lumps emerged on his shoulders, as if countless small bugs were drilling in and out...

Strange root-like tendrils pierced through Ju Liuzi's body, making him appear like a marionette.