Chapter Index
    Chapter 70

    A thousand years ago, the Immortal Dao’s style of naming spiritual herbs wasn’t as extravagant as it is today. If something was named “Eight-Part Wheel,” it truly had eight parts.

    This flower only had changes in fortune and misfortune, at most counting as two parts.

    The Pill Cauldron Sect disciples carefully put away the flower and continued toward the center of the formation. When they encountered other fortune beasts on the way, they captured them all the same, with firewood leading them along at the back.

    The missing Pill Cauldron Sect disciples were also in the forest. Capturing the wandering monsters could reduce the danger to them.

    Before long, they had already captured four fortune beasts of varying sizes. The fortune beasts were enormous, while the humans were very small, making the whole procession look somewhat absurd.

    “It seems we’ve already left the area where fortune beasts are active,” said Lin Zhu. “Now there are the fewest golden fruits on the surrounding trees.”

    The monsters were related to the fruits on the trees. The area with the fewest red fruits was inhabited by red fortune beasts, indicating that the fortune beasts might be transformed from the fruits, or that they fed on the red fruits.

    Then, the area with very few golden fruits should be inhabited by golden monsters that combined “wealth” and “nobility.”

    If they were to simply call it “Wealth-Nobility,” it didn’t seem to quite match the two-character naming convention of the fortune beasts.

    The disciples whispered among themselves and finally reached a consensus: In the mortal world, the wealthy have riches, and the noble have official positions. Then, such a monster that combined wealth and nobility could be temporarily named “Rank Beast.”

    Sure enough, not long after entering this area, they saw the glittering golden body of the monster.

    –This was a monster that seemed to be made of dazzling gold and various gemstones. Countless strings of coins hung densely from its branches, while the center was composed of golden branches forming a full, unsmiling face that looked wealthy and dignified.

    Unlike the fortune beasts, which hid in the darkness, this Rank Beast brazenly occupied their path. From its empty eye sockets, it seemed to be looking down, scrutinizing them.

    Its entire body was so glittering that the entire forest was illuminated a little more.

    Ye Zhuo motioned for Firewood to go forward.

    Firewood wasn’t afraid of fortune beasts anymore. But facing the Rank Beast, he still felt a little uneasy.

    –Before being brought back to the sect by the Palace Master, Firewood had lived in a poor family in a mortal dynasty.

    His family had no land and could only make a living as tenant farmers for the local gentry. He had also worked in the gentry’s mansion since he was a child.

    The gentry always wore silk and satin, with a wealthy appearance, and were strict and harsh in nature, often beating and scolding them. Firewood couldn’t resist.

    After growing up, Firewood became a disciple of a great Immortal sect, and people treated him with courtesy when he traveled in the mortal world, but he still couldn’t forget those stormy days of his childhood.

    Whenever he saw mortals with the wealthy airs of the gentry, the fear and apprehension of his childhood would resurface in his mind.

    It was a very strange feeling.

    Mansions, money, fame, and official positions seemed to belong to the gentry by birth, so the gentry could also oppress others at will.

    Because they didn’t have what the gentry were born with, they had to silently endure the gentry’s insults and beatings. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t even have a grain of rice to eat.

    Now, looking at the wealthy and glorious Rank Beast, Firewood felt that it was very similar to the gentry.

    “Second Palace Master Ye… I…” Firewood said, “I’m afraid…”

    Ye Zhuo himself stood in front of the Rank Beast.

    The Rank Beast’s branches drooped, as if sniffing the scent on him.

    A branch rose, holding a piece of gold and presenting it to Ye Zhuo, as if to give him the gold.

    A windfall from the heavens, Firewood blurted out: “Palace Master Ye! Don’t take it.”

    Wealthy things were dazzling, and the glittering luster of the gold ingot reflected on Ye Zhuo’s face.

    Ye Zhuo said, “I don’t want this.”

    The Rank Beast retracted the gold. Another branch stretched out, holding a piece of flawless emerald green jade.

    Such a quality could be worth ten thousand taels of gold in the mortal world.

    Ye Zhuo: “I don’t like it.”

    The Rank Beast then presented him with a top-grade spirit stone.

    Spiritual light circulated, and the aura was full. Top-grade spirit stones could only be produced by super-grade spiritual veins. Now that the Immortal Dao’s spiritual energy was scarce, top-grade spirit stones were naturally even more valuable. One top-grade spirit stone was enough to ask the First Elder of the Artifact Sect to forge a high-grade magic weapon.

    Ye Zhuo’s tone didn’t change at all: “Too little.”

    The Rank Beast frowned, and there was anger in its face. It directly presented ten top-grade spirit stones.

    Ye Zhuo: “Is there more?”

    The Rank Beast roared angrily and directly brought a treasure bowl to Ye Zhuo.

    Ye Zhuo lowered his eyes and casually fiddled with the things in the treasure bowl.

    Half a bowl of top-grade spirit stones, interspersed with the legendary exquisite fairy jade from the Immortal Realm.

    More than a dozen ancient holy pills, some of which could enhance the power of the divine soul, some could help people break through great realms, and some could increase the chances of successfully transcending tribulation by 30%.

    There was even the national jade seal of a cultivating dynasty, as well as the tokens of super-grade sects representing the current Immortal Dao, from who knows where.

    The disciples gathered around, their eyes already wide. With such temptation, how strong a will would it take to resist?

    Ye Zhuo looked at the things once and pushed them back.

    “The things are too poor, not as good as my palace’s spirit pet storage,” Ye Zhuo said. “Is there anything else?”

    Whose spirit pets could have a storage?

    Whose spirit pets could have such a storage!

    The Rank Beast was furious, its branches rustling, and even the money strings on the branches made a huge collision sound.

    No longer taking out anything else, it seemed that this was all its wealth.

    Ye Zhuo: “Give me a low-grade spirit stone.”

    “…” Everyone quietly watched Ye Zhuo, and then looked at the furious Rank Beast.

    If it could change color, it would probably be furious and turn as red as the fortune beast.

    Finally, the Rank Beast handed a low-quality, low-grade spirit stone to Ye Zhuo with a fierce expression.

    Ye Zhuo reached out to take it.

    “Brother Ye, let me do it.” Lin Zhu stopped him and took the spirit stone, holding it in his hand.

    The Rank Beast finally showed a smile on its face.

    The next moment, the disciples exclaimed: “Sect Master!”

    Only to see that Lin Zhu’s right hand suddenly bled profusely, and a section of his finger was broken off and rolled to the ground.

    The Rank Beast’s roots then rolled up the fallen finger, carefully absorbed the flesh and blood on it, and threw the finger with only skin and bones aside after eating.

    “It’s okay.” Lin Zhu said after eating a green pill, and the broken finger gradually grew out, the same as before.

    “It seems that if you take its things, you have to exchange them for what it wants, you can’t deny it.” Lin Zhu said.

    Firewood nodded repeatedly.

    The gentry wouldn’t give people money for no reason. If he gave money, there must be difficult and heavy work for people to do. He gave you money because you had something he wanted.

    If you take the money, you owe a debt.

    If you owe a debt, you have to pay it back in the end.

    A low-grade spirit stone with the lowest value could be exchanged for a finger of a Tribulation Transcending Stage cultivator. What would happen if you took a top-grade spirit stone? It was unimaginable.

    Lin Zhu’s finger had already grown back. He asked Ye Zhuo: “Brother Ye, what’s next?”

    Like the fortune beast, capture another Rank Beast to let them fight each other?

    Ye Zhuo scrutinized the Rank Beast.

    The Rank Beast could communicate, and seemed a little smarter than the fortune beast.

    Also, people with too much good fortune tend to have simpler minds.

    Looking at the Rank Beast, Ye Zhuo thought for a while and took out a high-grade spirit stone: “Do you want it?”

    The Rank Beast stared at him quietly.

    Ye Zhuo: “I only want one of your branches.”

    The Rank Beast quickly stretched out a branch to take the spirit stone and put it into its mouth, swallowing it.

    A branch broke off and fell in front of Ye Zhuo. Ye Zhuo didn’t take it, but gave it two spirit stones: “Two branches.”

    The Rank Beast gladly accepted.

    Seeing that Ye Zhuo seemed to be about to take out something else, Lin Zhu stopped him: “Brother Ye, the purpose of this trip is to save my Pill Cauldron Sect disciples. If there are any expenses, let me take care of it.”

    “No need,” Ye Zhuo said. “It’s not mine.”

    Whose is it? Your palace’s spirit pet?

    –Lin Zhu saw the Second Palace Master Ye Zhuo calmly take out a storage ring.

    The style of this storage ring…

    Lin Zhu and the Elder looked at each other, both with shock in their eyes.

    –Why does it seem like I’ve seen it on the finger of a certain Elder of the Upper Purity Martial Sect…?

    That Elder, it seemed that he hadn’t shown his face since last year. What was his name? Xun something? Xun Hua?

    Seeing the storage ring, the Rank Beast’s face suddenly became greedy. Before Ye Zhuo could say the price, it quickly rolled it up and swallowed it.

    There seemed to be mockery in Ye Zhuo’s eyes, and he took out two more rings.

    This time, Lin Zhu’s eyes were full of shock.

    The rings were black and white, made into the shape of cranes–weren’t these the things of the two Supreme Elders of the Upper Purity Dao Sect, Tai Zi and Tai Hao?

    How could they be in Ye Zhuo’s hands?

    Thinking again, these two Supreme Elders hadn’t shown their faces for a long time either. With such a major event as the opening of the Ghost Realm, they hadn’t been seen coming out to preside over matters.

    A cold wind blew through his back, and feeling an inexplicable chill, Lin Zhu realized that he was already covered in fine cold sweat.

    Ye Zhuo didn’t care about what Sect Master Lin was feeling, anyway, he was in a good mood now.

    Last time, the Martial Sect and the Dao Sect ambushed them, and they were all killed. Wei Sheng Xian erased the marks on the things they left behind and returned them to him, saying that there were many spirit stones inside, and many good things, and let him take them as he pleased.

    But Ye Zhuo didn’t want them.

    He felt unlucky to keep the things of that kind of people on him, let alone use them.

    He wanted to throw them away simply, but Wei Sheng Xian and Dragon Li Yuan would gossip about him in private.

    Now, feeding them to the Rank Beast, he could finally throw them away.

    After feeding four or five rings in a row, Ye Zhuo didn’t take out any new ones.

    The Rank Beast eagerly stared at Ye Zhuo, as if expecting him to feed it again. When Ye Zhuo didn’t give it any, it rustled its branches to urge him.

    Ye Zhuo looked at it.

    “Still want more?” Ye Zhuo said. “I want you to die, is that okay?”

    As soon as the words fell, the Rank Beast’s body stopped moving uncontrollably.

    The money strings and gems on the branches fell first, and then the branches and roots withered and fell like rain.

    The wealthy and dignified face gradually showed a panicked expression, and the torso rolled, its lips mumbling, as if wanting to spit out what it had eaten.

    But before it could spit it out, its body exploded from the inside out. Blood splattered everywhere, and scattered gold and silver jewels floated in the blood.

    In an instant, the Rank Beast was no more. In the place where it had been, a treasure bowl-shaped black object appeared, in which another unknown creature, the opposite of “Rank,” was gestating.

    The earth trembled again, and that indescribable change happened again.

    The transformation of the monster to the opposite side seemed to stimulate a certain structure in the formation.

    “Fortune is both misfortune, and what is Rank?” Lin Zhu said softly.

    Ye Zhuo: “Is debt.”

    Like wealth and fame in the world, nothing can be obtained out of thin air. To get it, you have to exchange it for something else.

    If you get Rank, you owe a debt. The thicker the Rank, the deeper the debt. One day, it will all be repaid. In the end, it is still a flower in the mirror and the moon in the water, a dream.

    Firewood watched the entire process of the Rank monster’s collapse and demise, and seemed to understand something in his heart. The fear that had been rooted in his heart since he was a child slowly dissipated.

    What happened to the gentry in the end? Firewood thought.

    It seemed that the incident was exposed, or someone accused him. In short, he was involved in some matters, or he offended someone with more power than him. In the end, he was thrown into prison, and his family was destroyed. The former mansion had long been changed to a new owner, and the gentry had also become a pile of loess, scattered with the wind.

    His realm slightly improved, and Firewood quietly helped his senior brothers and sisters clean up the things that fell out of the Rank Beast’s body.

    The rings that had been sent in were gone, but some of the things inside were scattered. Most of them were corroded and decayed by an unknown golden liquid, and only some top-grade and high-grade spirit stones were still intact.

    “You can take them if you need them,” Ye Zhuo said.

    Sect Master Lin carefully handled the stolen goods and then took them. Ye Zhuo looked at the edge of the blood, and sure enough, two-colored Epiphyllum opened again.

    Walking forward, they encountered several golden Rank Beasts one after another. The Rank Beasts were of different sizes. The large ones were all killed by Ye Zhuo, and the things that fell out were collected by the disciples. The small ones were worthless, so they were still tied up and led behind.

    Ye Zhuo felt that it was much easier to catch monsters now than before. They had walked for a long time before encountering the first fortune beast. Now it seemed that the monsters were all gathering here. They were only a few people, but they had already led a long procession of gold and red intertwined.

    When the golden fruits on the trees gradually increased, Lin Zhu suddenly said: “The soul lamp has a response.”

    A response meant that the disciples were not far away. The soul lamp was weak, but the weak flame vaguely pointed the direction. Following the guidance of the soul lamp, they soon found a Pill Cauldron Sect disciple curled up under a tree.

    As soon as the disciple felt Lin Zhu’s aura, he cried.

    …Their Pill Cauldron Sect people were the same in this regard.

    The disciple couldn’t stand up anymore. He had many wounds on his body, his legs were broken, and his right arm was gone. Lin Zhu couldn’t bear it and quickly treated his wounds and fed him pills.

    “Where are the others?”

    The disciple raised his hand with difficulty and pointed in a direction.

    The effect of the formation confusing directions still existed, and the group walked in the correct direction.

    Under the dark night, a snow-white wall appeared in front of them.

    Looking again, it wasn’t a wall, it was just that this snow-white monster was too tall and too big.

    Its snow-white branches hung down smoothly and neatly like the eyebrows and beards of an old immortal, and in the center was an old and immortal face, half-closed eyes as if resting and soothing the mind, with a peaceful smile on the corner of its mouth.

    White is for “Longevity”.

    Several silkworm cocoon-like objects hung in the snow-white long branches, but they were not silkworm cocoons. They were human figures wrapped in layers of branches and hanging upside down on them.

    Ye Zhuo’s sword energy broke open the silkworm cocoons, and the people inside fell down one after another and were caught by Lin Zhu. Although their clothes were tattered, they were all in vibrant green, the disciples of the Pill Cauldron Sect.

    The disciples’ breaths were weak, but they were all still alive.

    –It’s just that they all had white hair and old faces.

    The last one fell, and was held in Lin Zhu’s arms, was a woman with snow-white hair and an old face.

    “Senior Sister Chan Yi!” Some disciples eagerly called out her name.

    She grabbed Lin Zhu’s clothes, her eyes were sad, and tears rolled from the corners of her eyes.

    “Don’t be afraid, it’s good to be alive.” Lin Zhu said, “After going out, I will refine Longevity Pills and Beauty Pills for you.”

    Chan Yi was already dying, and pointed to the snow-white Longevity Beast: “Master, it’s almost… full.”

    “Started… eating very fast, then… slowed down… slowly eating our… lifespan.”

    Lin Zhu and Ye Zhuo looked at each other, and they both knew what was going on.

    They had already found the law of survival of the monsters in this place. Whether it was fortune, rank, or longevity, or anything else, when it was full, it was the end of its lifespan.

    When the lifespan was up, it should die.

    Lin Zhu put down Chan Yi and stood with Ye Zhuo in front of the Longevity Beast very close.

    This Longevity Beast was already huge, and today it had gained the lifespan of several young disciples. Perhaps it instinctively knew that it could no longer eat more “longevity”, so it just slowly ate it bit by bit, waiting to exhaust their lives before eating their flesh and blood.

    That was why several disciples were able to survive until now.

    However, knowing that it was close to the limit, it was still eating, which showed its greed.

    And Ye Zhuo and Lin Zhu were both in the Tribulation Transcending Stage, with a longer and more attractive lifespan than the disciples.

    The Longevity Beast slightly lifted its eyelids, seemed to hesitate for a while, and finally, snow-like branches slowly drooped down and rested on their shoulders.

    An ominous black color spread outward from the roots of the Longevity Beast in an instant. The Longevity Beast was shocked and withdrew its branches, but its huge body was swallowed by the lifeless black in an instant, and all the branches turned into fly ash.

    When longevity is exhausted, it is death.

    Finally, “Longevity” decayed and melted into a black tomb. Under the tomb, the monster representing “Death” began its growth.

    Note