69novels Chapter 54 Bribery
Chapter 54 Bribery
Chapter 54 Bribery (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
Chen Yi ladled out another bowl of soup, saying:
"Young Master Xu must have investigated you and me privately this time, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to accurately select a second-tier demonic beast. I'm using you to teach him a lesson."
Moreover, this Illusionary Feather Sparrow Soup is also beneficial to the fairy's divine consciousness, isn't it?
The soup and meat of this spirit bird not only contain pure blood and qi, but also retain a trace of illusionary power, which can slightly improve the quality of the two people's spiritual senses.
Furthermore, Chen Yi could transform the flesh and blood he consumed into golden radiance, which aided in body tempering.
In the hands of a second-tier spirit chef, this bird can indeed be transformed into a highly nourishing food, worth a thousand spirit stones, which is not expensive at all.
When it came to serious matters, Chen Yi's tone became more formal:
"Fairy, when we were researching before, we found that the biggest problem in removing the restrictions on your soul was that dealing with the deepest layer of restrictions might damage your sea of consciousness. With these things as a supplement, it can enhance the strength of your soul and provide a layer of protection."
Upon hearing this, Qin Chengcheng's expression softened.
She actually has a method to temporarily enhance her spiritual strength, which is the direct lineage of the Wonderful Sound Pavilion, a piece for cultivating both spirit and soul that can only be used once in each major realm—【Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens】.
However, the conditions for using that piece of music are very strict, and it is usually only used by the most trusted Daoist partners.
Because during dual cultivation using music to connect souls, as the lead composer, she would expose all her secrets, inside and out, to the other person.
Given Chen Yi's current cultivation level, talent, and age, he is far from meeting her standards for choosing a Daoist partner.
She didn't want to use this secret technique to lift the soul restriction unless absolutely necessary.
"Sigh—we'll see when the time comes."
Qin Chengcheng hesitated, then said, "I understand. If Xu Shixian can find a special second-tier demon beast, I will buy it in the name of Miaoyin Pavilion. You and I will first accumulate divine sense to prepare for dismantling the restriction."
In addition, your formation has also reached the second tier.
The remaining time was dedicated to figuring out how to dismantle this soul-binding restriction, and to find a way to do so without damaging my sea of consciousness, or at least to minimize the damage.
"it is good."
Chen Yi nodded in agreement.
Chen Yi felt a little guilty for taking her food, taking her things, and even using her as a shield.
Well, I'll help her this once in my power.
The advantage of being a female cultivator is that she eats less.
In just a few days, most of the large pot of Phantom Feather Sparrow meat ended up in Chen Yi's stomach.
In the quiet room, Chen Yi sat cross-legged on a futon, the remaining soup of the Illusionary Feather Sparrow in the copper pot in front of him shimmering with a silvery-blue light.
Golden radiance intertwined with silver-blue illusory mist within his body, and the golden radiance, which carried both fire and cold attributes, was now tinged with illusory mist.
"Crack—" A faint cracking sound came from deep within the bone, and dark golden patterns spread across the surface of the arm bone.
Chen Yi opened his eyes, a golden light flashing in his pupils. The muscles in his right arm rippled like waves, and illusory feather-like patterns appeared beneath his skin.
The illusionary spirituality not only enhanced Chen Yi's divine sense, but also imbued his golden radiance with a trace of hallucinogenic power.
He tried to throw a punch, but before the fist even landed, tiny ice crystals condensed in the air.
Even more bizarrely, these ice crystals create visual illusions when refracting light, making the trajectory of the punches unpredictable.
"Jin Hui's cold fire properties have been combined with a layer of hallucinogenic ability, making the fist technique even more bizarre and its destructive power even stronger."
Chen Yi muttered to himself.
After Chen Yi consumed the entire basin of Illusionary Feather Sparrow meat, his golden radiance accumulated at a rapid pace, advancing his progress towards the third level of Body Refinement by more than 10%. He was now only a little over halfway to reach the third level of Body Refinement.
Furthermore, he absorbed the demon core of the Illusionary Feathered Spirit Sparrow, and the divine soul power within it elevated his divine sense to a level exceeding the peak of the first tier, propelling him towards the second tier of divine sense.
The original perception range of thirty-eight zhang has been improved, now exceeding the threshold of forty zhang.
It should be noted that even the weakest early Foundation Establishment cultivator's divine sense can only perceive about fifty or sixty feet.
His divine sense needles' attack power has also been enhanced; when activated occasionally, they already possess the power of a high-grade first-tier spell.
Furthermore, because it is a mental attack, it is almost impossible to counter within the range of a first-tier Qi Refining cultivator.
Even a cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Establishment will feel a headache and be stunned for a while if they are accidentally stabbed, unless they have a precious treasure that protects their soul.
Many people are still interested in the affairs of fairies.
Since Chen Yiling made that bird soup for Lin Xiaoyu, news of his culinary skills reaching the peak of the first level has spread like wildfire.
In the following period, the number of people coming to Miaoyin Pavilion specifically looking for Chen Yi suddenly increased.
Hao Youren stepped into the backyard of Miaoyin Pavilion, his storage bag bulging at his waist, his brocade robe gleaming in the morning light. Seeing Chen Yi processing spiritual materials, he cupped his hands and smiled from afar:
"Brother Chen, your skills have improved even more since I last saw you!"
The way he called him "brother" came naturally. When they met in the market before, it was always Chen Yi who took the initiative to greet him. At most, Chen Yi would nod and call him "Old Chen".
Chen Yi looked up and saw Hao Youren, the newly appointed manager of the Dong family. After gaining benefits from mining at the bottom of the lake and advancing to the late stage of Qi Refining, his status in the market had improved. Previously, Chen Yi had always asked him for favors, but now he was being so affectionate towards him.
"Manager Hao is joking. My skills are insignificant."
"Hey!" Hao Youren interrupted, feigning anger. "What's with all this talk about being in charge or not? We're all old brothers from the Li family!"
He leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Brother, I recently acquired two attic rooms in the western district of the market, the kind with a backyard. Brother Chen, you can come and sit for a while when you have time. The people who frequent the rooms are mostly late-stage Qi Refining friends. They play cards and have fun. There are also dancers and singers to serve you. Although their skill level isn't as high as your Miaoyin Pavilion, they're all people you can take with you, you know?"
Chen Yi understood; it was a high-end club, the kind with a membership system and all-inclusive services.
He hadn't expected Hao Youren to become so shrewd and capable, even starting a place like this.
If it were my predecessor, I would have happily agreed. Which cultivator who has no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage wouldn't take advantage of their cultivation level to enjoy life to the fullest?
But now he shook his head. With his path to the Great Dao now seemingly within reach, he disdained going to such a place.
The cultivation world is teeming with beauties. When he truly achieves mastery of his cultivation, reaching the Core Formation stage, or even the Nascent Soul stage...
What kind of fairy can't you get?
This is a crucial period for laying a solid foundation; we must not let external things cloud our judgment.
Chen Yi smiled and shook his head, "Let's talk about it another day."
Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, Old Hu arrived. The old pharmacist now had a ruddy complexion, and even his goatee was neatly combed and shiny, with a hint of black showing through the roots of his gray hair.
This is also a sign of progress in cultivation, a return to youthful appearance.
Old Hu asked Chen Yi, "Young friend Chen, why didn't you tell me you had this skill sooner? I could have gone and gotten some spiritual plants and monster materials so we could have some private food with our friends."
Although this spiritual feast isn't as effective or pure in its spiritual energy as elixirs, it can still accelerate the pace of meditation and cultivation, making it far superior to normal cultivation methods.
How about we make a deal?
Let's go to Steward Hao's attic courtyard. He'll provide the space, I'll provide the materials, and you can demonstrate your skills.
"By then, these friends will have plenty of opportunities to eat, drink, have fun, and make money. Won't that be a shortage of opportunities?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Yi's heart stirred; this idea seemed quite promising.
However, now is not the right time.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Yi shook his head: "It's not convenient right now. I'm currently the dedicated spirit chef of Miaoyin Pavilion, so it's not appropriate for me to run a small business circle in private."
"After I leave my employer, I might consider opening a restaurant. If you two would be so kind as to accept, we can discuss collaboration then."
Chen Yi neither agreed nor directly rejected Hao Youren and Old Hu's plan, which actually had a promising future.
Chen Yi opened a private club where he would only be in charge of high-level spiritual banquets, allowing him to absorb spiritual energy and power from high-level demonic beasts and spiritual materials.
These should be enough to meet his daily cultivation needs, while also allowing him to accumulate connections and cultivation resources.
And as a technical talent, he doesn't need to go out and take risks.
This can be considered a win-win situation.
However, opening a clubhouse,
It requires bribing the business owners, having people who can handle various disputes, and ideally, some connections with higher-ups. These things are very complicated.
With Hao Youren and Lao Hu's current connections, they can only do business with Qi Refining cultivators, which is a bit too low for Chen Yi. What Chen Yi needs now is first-grade high-quality, preferably second-grade demon beasts and spiritual materials.
If I could later establish connections with cultivators within a sect and do business with Foundation Establishment cultivators, then I could consider it.
We'll discuss this further later.
After Chen Yi politely declined, the two didn't try to persuade him further. Although Chen Yi's cultivation was still only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, with the help of the Spirit Chef, he was now on equal footing with them.
Chen Yi's abilities will be recognized anywhere; all he lacks now is a platform.
The two said they would discuss the details another time, and then left.
In the kitchen of Miaoyin Pavilion, Fatty Liu held a large ladle, his fat face trembling with bulging flesh.
"So that's why Chef Chen isn't cooking these big meals anymore. Turns out he has some special skills and is making private banquets for the Pavilion Master. I think some people should be careful and keep their distance from Pavilion Master Qin. Young Master Xu doesn't tolerate any nonsense."
He spat in a sarcastic tone.
"Fatty Liu, watch your mouth!" Huo Sanniang said as she passed by, her eyebrows raised in anger.
"Hey, you dare to lecture someone with ripped pants?" Fatty Liu squinted his triangular eyes. "You're so protective of that old bastard, are you two having an affair?"
"You!" Huo San Niang was so angry that she trembled all over, but when she heard a noise outside the kitchen, she quickly shut up, but her face was extremely ugly.
Huo San Niang has had a very difficult few years, and now she's being bullied by a cook.
Chen Yi had saved her twice before, and she had already repaid his kindness. She didn't dare to ask Chen Yi for help again.
On the other side,
Young Master Xu sought out the Foundation Establishment elder, Dong Chang'an.
"Old Dong, Chen Yi, the chef at Miaoyin Pavilion, used to be your subordinate?"
His culinary skills have reached the peak of the first tier; he's now Qin Chengcheng's private chef. How did you let such a talent slip away?
Dong Chang'an, his back hunched, said in a hoarse voice:
"This boy was just a servant in the Li family before. I never expected him to have such abilities."
This boy was hiding his true intentions before; it's clear he didn't want to be loyal to the Dong family.
Now that he's gone to the area where the female cultivators of the Myriad Sounds Pavilion gather, he's starting to show off his strength—he's a complete lecher.
He's so oblivious to the fact that he's getting so close to Fairy Qin; it's clear he doesn't respect the young master.
"Young master, shall I go and kill that brat?"
Dong Chang'an made a throat-slitting gesture.
"Not for now. This person knows when to advance and retreat, and is even willing to help me come up with ideas to pursue Fairy Qin. He's a promising talent."
However, he was never truly one of us, which is a problem.
Go and make contact with him privately—whether you try to bribe him, threaten him, or find something to use against him—no matter what, this kind of talent should be put to my use.
Upon hearing this, Dong Chang'an replied, "Young Master, as a true disciple of the Jade Dragon Sect, you only need to beckon with your finger, and that kid will come running over eagerly. Why would I need to recruit people?"
Xu Shixian: "In Fairy Qin's eyes, I am a virtuous and upright gentleman. How could I do such a despicable thing as secretly seducing someone else's subordinate?"
If I fail, I'll lose my image.
Besides, wasn't that head chef, Fatty Liu, also someone you planted in Miaoyin Pavilion? It's just another chef undercover; you're good at that kind of thing."
Dong Chang'an felt bitter. "Fine, fine, you do all the good things, but I'll do all the dirty work, huh?"
Seeing Dong Chang'an's displeased expression,
Xu Shixian continued, "If you do this well, in three to five years, after Miaoyin Pavilion leaves, I will leave that second-tier cave dwelling to you."
Dong Chang'an's old face immediately wrinkled a bit more: "Young master, what are you saying? It is my duty to serve you. What do you mean by cave dwelling? I will take care of it right away."
"Hmph, I never expected that an inconspicuous middle-aged leather craftsman could actually produce second-tier spiritual food. He was hiding it well enough that I misjudged him."
"But rest assured, young master, since this man grew up in my Dong family, it's easy to control him."
Within a few days,
Dong Chang'an asked Hao Youren to invite Chen Yi to prepare a banquet for the Dong family.
Out of respect for Hao Youren, Chen Yi went, but Ling Yan's level remained at the first tier.
Dong Chang'an was fairly satisfied.
After dinner, in the backyard of the Dong family, under the ancient locust tree.
Dong Chang'an stood with his hands behind his back, his long gray beard trembling slightly in the night wind, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Chen Yi:
"Little Chen, you ultimately grew up under the wing of the Dong family; remember this kindness." He tapped the stone table lightly with his withered fingers.
"Miaoyin Pavilion is just a temporary residence. When they move, why would they take a cook like you with them? The true foundation of this market is still with my Dong family. You should understand the principle that a good bird chooses a good tree to perch on."
As he spoke, Dong Chang'an flicked his sleeve, and a bag of spirit stones landed with a "thud" on the stone table, gleaming with a faint blue luster under the moonlight.
"Here are five hundred spirit stones. Take them. From now on, you must remember Qin Chengcheng's dietary preferences, whereabouts, and cultivation habits, and secretly communicate with me about them."
Chen Yi glanced down at the spirit stone bag, his lips twitching almost imperceptibly. Five hundred spirit stones could buy two mid-grade magic weapons; that was a fortune for any Qi Refining cultivator.
However, Chen Yi's cultivation needs far exceed what these spirit stones can provide. Moreover, being located in a spiritual vein training ground, he has access to a constant stream of resources such as demonic beasts and spiritual plants, so these spirit stones are of no use to him.
"Thank you for your kindness, senior, but..."
He slowly raised his head, his gaze as calm as an ancient well: "Miaoyinfang has treated me well, and Fairy Qin has treated me with even greater courtesy. Although I am of mediocre talent, I would never betray my master for personal gain."
"Please take back the spirit stones, senior."
Dong Chang'an's old face suddenly darkened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup!" He leaned forward abruptly, and the pressure of his Foundation Establishment cultivation surged forth like a tidal wave.
"You'd better think this through. As a mere cook at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, will you still have a place in this Lake and Sea Market after the Myriad Sounds Pavilion leaves?"
Seeing that Chen Yi's expression remained unchanged, Dong Chang'an suddenly smiled sinisterly: "I've investigated. Back then, Huo San Niang of the Li family had a close relationship with you, didn't she?"
The author's health is not good, they are getting old, and they are very busy with work, so they cannot update frequently, but they will continue to update steadily over the long term. If you can, please subscribe to the full book and vote with a monthly ticket. Thank you in advance.
(End of this chapter)