Chapter 28: He Sees Heaven!
When Luxianbei arrived at Fat Second Grandpa’s shop, the Ghost Market was nearing closing time. Fat Second Grandpa was no longer at the counter, and the shop assistants were busy packing things up to close.
Upon seeing Luxianbei, one assistant smiled and nodded at her, then turned around and called softly towards the depths of the shop.
“Second Grandpa, Second Grandpa! The Calamity Lord is here!”
As soon as the words fell, heavy footsteps came from the back of the shop.
Following the sound, Fat Second Grandpa appeared with a beaming smile, maneuvering his bulging body like a meatball along the makeshift “track” created by the shelves.
“Hehe, why is Your Excellency here personally?” Fat Second Grandpa rubbed his hands together and said, “I assume it’s regarding that batch of alchemical materials from last time?”
“The flame light fish scales and fiery blooms you requested have been found. Just say the word, and we can deliver them to you anytime. The longan coral will take a bit longer, but there’s also some progress on the spirit of ignition… To be honest, I still haven’t heard any news on that.”
Hearing this, Luxianbei frowned slightly.
I almost forgot, I’m still ordering those alchemical materials from Fat Second Grandpa.
In fact, if it hadn’t been for the Big Boss “exploding,” those materials, back at the Dream Come True Entertainment City, would have already been in hand…
But not having used the materials exchanged at the Dream Come True Entertainment City, which contained the world’s malice, is also a good thing, Luxianbei thought.
According to the characteristics of the world’s malice, if she were to really use those materials to complete the core of the urban legend, her current situation might be a hundred times worse than the Eye.
Luxianbei shook her head and said, “I didn’t come for that today.”
Unlike before, when she was worried about her insufficient strength and anxious about completing the flaws of the urban legend’s core.
Now, she had just inherited Mrs. Wang Meili’s legacy, and it was not fully utilized yet; even the authority had undergone some degree of change. The previous formula to complete the urban legend’s core may not be entirely applicable.
It would be more reliable to wait until she digested what her mother left her before making any plans.
Luxianbei thought, turning to Fat Second Grandpa, “Since you mentioned the previous batch of alchemical materials, I’ll say this: you can take your time with those materials. I might need some other materials later, and I’ll let you know when I’ve decided.”
Upon hearing this, Fat Second Grandpa, who was as round as a ball but as shrewd as a monkey, immediately perceived some valuable information from Luxianbei’s words.
Through his discreet investigation of Luxianbei’s previous substantial purchases of alchemical materials from the Ghost Market, he had already surmised that Luxianbei was in the process of completing the core of the urban legend.
Now that Luxianbei herself told him that the previous materials weren’t urgent and that she would add more materials, it indicated that her authority had likely changed, and higher-level urban legends would not easily change their authority unless they became stronger.
So, the Calamity Lord had likely grown stronger since the last time they met!
Tsk, tsk, Calamity Lord, you probably don’t know that many powers are currently interested in you; the value of this information is probably quite high…
But don’t worry, with our relationship, others who want to buy your information from me will need to pay at least five times the price. Fat Second Grandpa thought.
As a standard businessman, the thought of selling Luxianbei’s information at a market price five times what it was worth was already quite generous of him.
Just as Fat Second Grandpa was mulling this over, Luxianbei continued, “Additionally, I came to trouble you, Old Man, for some yin soil, Five Animal Stones, a jar of old wine, and either a cypress or willow incense stand. The older the incense stand, the better. Besides that…”
Pausing mid-sentence, she raised an eyebrow at Fat Second Grandpa, waving her hand casually, “Like before, how much alchemical residue you have, I’ll take all of it.”
Upon hearing this, Fat Second Grandpa was both surprised and delighted, “This, this, seventeen tons?! You want all of it?!”
Surprised because every time Luxianbei bought alchemical residue from him, it was followed by significant actions.
Delighted because no one else would purchase such a large quantity of alchemical residue, and he had acquired too much from that foolish girl. If Luxianbei didn’t come, it would soon spoil in his hands.
“…”
How could there be as much as seventeen tons?
What in the world has Gu Qiqi been up to lately?
I need to find a chance to ask her what she’s doing, or else if this cheap bride accidentally goes astray and becomes a fake medicine dealer, leader of an illegal spirit energy item selling gang, a factor in world destruction, and then gets hunted down by the Siye Society, that would be trouble!
Luxianbei grumbled to herself and raised the cooking oil bucket in her hand, her expression impassive, “Too much. It’s not convenient today; I only brought this. You can handle it.”
As long as others can’t see me embarrassed, I won’t be embarrassed!
Fat Second Grandpa looked at the cooking oil bucket in Luxianbei’s hand, his brain quickly calculating; within a few seconds, he had figured out his offer and smiled, “If it’s Your Excellency, I can give you the best price; how about three tons?”
As long as he made that three tons of profit, he would be nearly halfway back to breaking even.
Now, everyone knows that the calamity in Fat Second Grandpa’s hands is a product of the Calamity, often selling for more than double the normal price.
As for the buyers who purchased the calamity, whether they did so for alchemical materials, analysis experiments targeting the calamity, or for something strange, he couldn’t care less; he only cared about making money!
If Luxianbei were willing to cooperate with him and take some provocative photos to stick on the containers of the calamity, he was actually confident he could raise the price to ten times the normal price.
However, he didn’t dare to suggest this to Luxianbei.
“A bit low, isn’t it?” Luxianbei frowned.
Although Fat Second Grandpa’s response exceeded her expectations, her father had always taught her to haggle when buying things.
“Uh… How much do you think is appropriate then?” Fat Second Grandpa asked, his face a mix of difficulty.
“That depends on your sincerity!” Luxianbei replied, stone-faced.
Fat Second Grandpa looked at her expression, feeling a rush of unease; the girl in front of him was like an emotional black hole—he couldn’t see what she was thinking at all.
“How about… adding two hundred kilograms?”
“Add a bit more.”
“Three hundred kilograms?”
Could she know about the little tricks I’ve been pulling and is intentionally playing me? Fat Second Grandpa thought, becoming increasingly anxious.
“Add a bit more?”
“That can’t be added more…” The fat on Fat Second Grandpa’s face twitched.
“Really?” Luxianbei tilted her head. Just as Fat Second Grandpa was about to firmly add another four hundred kilograms, she pouted and said, “Forget it! Since we are so familiar, I won’t scam you. Just give me three tons of alchemical residue, okay?”
Fat Second Grandpa felt a surge of happiness, only to hear Luxianbei continue, “Also, could you cash out the other four hundred kilograms for me? I’ll pick out some other things, alright?”
Fat Second Grandpa, “???”
How could you end up with even more after your discount?
And you still want to pick out more things?
You’re truly a commercial genius! Fat Second Grandpa thought.
“…”
Am I that predictable?
I expected you to extend four fingers just now! Luxianbei inwardly rejoiced.
—
Having obtained the materials and items needed for the directional summoning spell from Fat Second Grandpa, and instructing him to send the alchemical residue to the Happy Neighborhood later, Luxianbei rode her little electric scooter towards the nearby half-finished building in the university city.
After spending about an hour at the Ghost Market, with still some time before dawn, she wanted to take this opportunity to preliminarily try out the directional summoning spell.
Moments later, at the edge of Huacheng University City, inside a certain half-finished building.
Under the night sky, the empty half-finished building was filled with a sinister and eerie atmosphere, and in a corner obscured by reinforced concrete, there was a dilapidated cypress incense stand.
On the incense stand, pale ghost candles were inserted in the yin soil, their dim yellow flames flickering. Under the firelight, the Five Animal Stones used to replace livestock offerings emitted a faint crimson gleam.
Suddenly, a mournful sound of a suona started to play, flowing into a tune of “Weeping at the Grave.”
As the tune ended, Luxianbei shrugged, took out the prepared ritual incense, lit it with a ghost candle, and inserted it into the yin soil, then offered a bowl of fragrant old wine.
I’m quite the multitasker; once I finish with all these troublesome matters, it seems that opening a funeral service company wouldn’t be a bad idea.
From offering incense to blowing the suona, reciting incantations, cremation, and finally cooking for the banquet; I could do it all myself without any middleman profiting. How great!
Luxianbei thought, waving her hand, and a gateway connecting to the God Realm Prototype opened beside her. With a thought, the portal “clinked” and spat out a pile of miscellaneous items, such as hairpins, rings, and charms.
These items, all picked up in the Peach Source, lack any trace of Jumeng, which basically confirms they originated from spirit ability users and urban legends that attacked the Peach Source.
Though Luxianbei wasn’t sure if those spirit ability users and urban legends were dead, and she had no deep-seated hatred against them, it’s just unfortunate they crossed paths with this incident.
But after this, they might end up with some deep-seated grudges.
“Now, let’s pick a lucky audience member to participate in this free experience event of directional summoning!”
Luxianbei muttered to herself, her gaze sweeping over the pile of junk before suddenly landing on a curved dagger embedded with agate, narrowing her eyes.
Sorry, to correct myself, most spirit ability users and urban legends have no deep seated hatred against me, but Solang Pema is an exception.
“It’s you! Given our past relationship, I must give you some behind-the-scenes treatment!”
Luxianbei said, stepping forward, grabbing Solang Pema’s dagger, and moving to the incense stand, lifting it with both hands before closing her eyes and extending her spirit energy fluctuations to envelop the entire incense stand, beginning to chant.
“Youth, be thanked; the white day declares, spring energy surges, all things arise. Ghostly beings come near, souls can’t escape. Souls return! No distant wanderings. O souls, return! No east or west, no south or north…”
As the incantation was recited, a silver-gray mist gradually enveloped the dagger, and that mist, carrying Luxianbei’s voice and intention, spread out like thousands of tentacles in all directions, then twisted into strands, slipping into the void.
Finally, the mist, as thin as hair, trembled and stirred the spirit energy diffusing in the air, causing everything to ripple like waves.
Soon after, whispering sounds rang in her ears, and in a daze, it seemed like countless eyes emerged around, some cunning, some cold, some indifferent… watching everything.
As if a crowd of spectators appeared out of thin air.
Qing Ji had told Luxianbei that those “onlookers” were attracted by the aura of the directional summoning incantation, meaningless attention.
He was certain that the source of that attention was not real spirit ability users or urban legends; he once thought it came from the legendary yellow springs of the underworld, but it turned out the underworld did not exist.
He believed it was merely wisps of weak remnants left in the world by beings after d*ath, not strong enough to coalesce into urban legends.
As long as one didn’t touch them or make promises to them, it was all safe.
Then, while continuing to chant the incantation, Luxianbei tightened her grip on the dagger, silently calling Solang Pema’s name in her heart.
And then…
Silence came suddenly and without warning, the surrounding noisy whispers faded away.
In the pitch-black surroundings, Luxianbei, like an illusion, heard a buzzing sound in the silence, as if a rope was being tightened.
The next moment, she vaguely felt her spirit energy being touched by some distant existence, gently trembling.
Just like a large fish testing the bait before biting.
The fish is about to bite? Then it’s time to add some bait! Luxianbei thought.
Having used charm and dream-invoking abilities on Solang Pema before, Luxianbei knew very well what he desired.
So, she began her “promise.”
—
Pain struck.
The despairing silence and darkness quickly dissipated, and Solang Pema, long in slumber, suddenly awoke, feeling like his head was about to explode from intense pain.
What happened to me? Solang Pema thought.
He clearly knew that he was dead, just like a candle extinguished by the wind, sinking into eternal silence.
Yet now he felt distinctly awake.
He concentrated his mind, trying to understand the situation, but his consciousness remained elusive, like someone waking up after a long sleep, uncontrollable.
Just like sand slipping through his fingers.
At that moment, he suddenly heard a voice.
“Solang Pema, shall your soul return…”
That voice arose from the depths of his consciousness, and a faint wave of spirit energy touched his spiritual awareness.
In an instant, he gained some enlightenment, a fierce and disdainful look appearing between his brows.
Hehe, is this some kind of soul summoning ritual spell?
In his previous life, as a high-level spirit energy user, although he didn’t specialize in soul summoning, he still recognized such incantations.
He wondered who was casting it… but he was sure they had likely got the wrong person!
Very well, I want to see what you can offer me; if I’m not satisfied, taking over your body wouldn’t be a bad idea either!
Solang Pema thought fiercely, tentatively responding to that faint wave of spirit energy.
And then…
When he established a subtle connection with that thread of spirit energy.
He Saw Heaven!
There, he found everything he had once dreamed of!
