Feng Qingxiu used a skillful maneuver, which seemed like he had thrown them harshly onto the ground, but it didn’t hurt the people at all. He just wanted to scare them. The outer sect had taught them to first intimidate so the following interrogation would be much easier.

So he didn’t even have to ask anything, and the girl who was being chased was already spilling everything.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Her speech was not very eloquent and appeared very disordered. She saw Feng Qingxiu as a lifesaver so she tried to tell how menacing and terrifying those people were, kidnapping children and then taking them away. After her senior brother disappeared, she searched all over only to be caught herself. If the sickly young man hadn’t saved her, they would have definitely died already.

And Feng Qingxiu didn’t manage to learn more from those strong men. They just collected money for errands, and used food and money to lure the children who caused a jade ball to change colors to a house and lock them up. They didn’t even remember what the person paying the money looked like, and there was also someone else who was in charge at the house. Moreover, they had only stayed outside and never entered the house during the entire exchanges.

He fed the sickly boy an Energy Invigorating Pill. The boy felt that his body improved a lot in an instant, and he no longer wanted to faint with weakness as he did just now. His expression couldn’t help but shift.

“No money will be charged from you.” With a casual reassuring remark, Feng Qingxiu asked them to lead the way.

Naturally, the other party did not dare to disobey.

Kun-Lai had been entrenched in the Western Continent for many years and had hosted the Dragons-Phoenix Selection numerous times. Everyone was no stranger to the existence of cultivators, and they dared not easily provoke them.

The girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and her gaze changed a bit when she looked at Feng Qingxiu.

Feng Qingxiu followed them to the house where the children were kept, but there was nothing left inside.

With his enhanced cultivator eyesight, he did not find any traces after searching up and down the house.

“This house uses normal mechanisms, not spiritual wards, so you have to be more attentive and thorough.” The paper man climbed out of his neckline to alert him.

Feng Qingxiu understood, and then swept the house with the divine consciousness that could be released outside as a Golden Core Formation cultivator. Sure enough, he found signs of cavities in the ground of the courtyard. He then lightly used a palm technique to punch a hole.

“Xiao Qing, you are quite violent.” The paper man originally thought they were going to be trying to find the mechanism slowly.

“Since they have retreated, the mechanisms would be hidden and hard to find, so naturally we have to find a faster way.” Feng Qingxiu knocked the three strong men unconscious and threw them into a corner of the courtyard. He then took the two children to jump into the hole.

The tunnel was claustrophobic and dark, but the ventilation and drainage system was good, and it looked like it had been used for a long time.

“Xiao Qing encountered a big case just after having arrived, are you excited?” The paper man patted him on the neck and asked.

“Master,” Feng Qingxiu said helplessly, “Why do I feel that you are more excited than me?”

The paper man shrugged and said: “This is just a trace of divine consciousness, not my personal self, of course it’s a bit uncontrollable.”

Feng Qingxiu was struck speechless, so he switched his attention to the two young ones and asked what the girl meant when she shouted “a group of evil monsters who rob other’s of their spiritual roots” back then.

“What’s the point of saying anything, you Kun-Lai cultivators don’t even care.” The girl snorted coldly. “Demonic cultivators have been in the Western Continent for many years. They have colluded with human traffickers to gather children everywhere, as well as with the government to suppress the orthodox cultivators, and yet I don’t see you guys doing anything about it.”

Feng Qingxiu waited for her to continue.

“My family’s ancestors came from the Central Continent.” The girl proudly declared, before saying, “We are from the Central Continent’s Tiannan Territory, and moved here after the Tianhai Meeting.”

“Tianhai Meeting?” The paper man asked curiously.

“Back when the Sect Leader of Kun-Lai caused the South Sea to change routes and enter the Western Continent, of course you people were happy, but have you ever thought about how the people of the southern part of the Central Continent felt?” The girl said, “The Western Continent is full of water now, transforming from one tiny inland river to three large rivers. The surplus river water all poured into the southern region bordering the Western Continent, seizing the river channel of the Duoming River in the southern territory into the sea which flooded the territory of countless fierce beast demons, and caused them to invade the human settlements. At that time, the southern region sent hundreds of envoys to the Western Continent to ask for justice.”

“So then the Sect Leader went to the southern territory and sorted out the waterways there. But you people claimed that the spiritual veins were broken there, and the Sect Leader should block the Western Continent water outlet, and return things to the natural way.” Feng Qingxiu said, his expression flat, “I heard that you people experienced a very difficult battle holding up against the cultivators of Kun-Lai, the two sides finally reaching a negotiated settlement.”

“That’s right.” The girl proudly said, “Then we moved to the Western Continent and settled down because of the scarcity of spiritual resources.”

Feng Qingxiu quietly said to the paper man: “Just look at how big their faces are, back then you clearly cut out the South River sea outlet with a single sword strike right in front of them, causing them all to fall silent as quails. The Kun-Lai historical accounts recorded that you did not say a single word to them. It just said that you only went over and made one cut with your sword, without any other description at all. Though the legend made up by the other side was added as a small anecdotal story underneath for amusement. When we read this part we were very annoyed.”

“En, I will let you see when there’s a chance.” The paper man felt a little light and fluttery, but he was a piece of paper now, it was normal for him to flutter a little.

“But you Kun-Lai cultivators have countless rules. Not allowing us to quarry spiritual stones or snatch spiritual resources. And also even registering these things in a register. Only by doing things for you can we get resources.” The girl angrily said, “You Kun-Lai are too overbearing!”

“The Western Continent originally lacked the full five elements and was very scarce in spiritual energy,” Feng Qingxiu said mildly. “After the Sect Leader repaired the five elements, the cycle of vitality began to circulate and the spiritual energy gradually grew. Only then did the spiritual resources begin to replenish slowly, and the spiritual veins became full. We just don’t want you people bringing over your habits of draining the pond to get at the fish.”

All of these minor sects who migrated from the Central Continent were like unsophisticated bumpkins. The spiritual plants and spiritual beasts were clearly yet to mature and were still seedlings and young, but these locusts were still so eager and in a hurry to gather and sell it for their own profit. The spiritual veins had just replenished and still these people wanted nothing more than to empty it all out or move it away. Kun-Lai had to suppress these people with force several times before managing to stop this unhealthy trend.

The effect of matured medicinal herbs was a hundred times that of seedlings. If spiritual veins were allowed to remain untouched they could bring more growth of spiritual resources. What was the point of taking it away and causing extinction in the area? The Western Continent’s spiritual veins had just grown out a bit, how could they let it be ruined by these people.

“If we don’t pick it, then should we just leave it to others?” The girl said bitterly, “So it’s just you people who can enjoy countless spiritual treasures and resources? Simply the Energy Invigorating Pill you just gave out…”

She pointed to the sickly young man and said angrily: “Do you know how long we have to save before we can buy one? It is clearly just a wound that can be healed by a little hemostatic herb, yet you just give it away like this, and to an ordinary person!”

“Our Kun-Lai spiritual resources come from expeditions to the Outlands. Don’t you people also join the expeditions to seek a profit?” Feng Qingxiu said casually.

“Kun-Lai never protects minor sects like us, and the protection talismans you sell are too expensive. Those of us who go there, if even half of us return then that’s already a remarkable feat.” The girl complained.

Every twelve years, Kun-Lai would send out flying peaks on expeditions, mixed into formations, and fly to the Outlands to carry out trading of spiritual pills, talismans, and spiritual artifacts. There were countless races in the Outlands and of course there would be various battles along the way, but the Outlands were vast and just one transaction would result in countless gains. After returning to Kun-Lai, they could use many materials that were not available in the human domains and they themselves couldn’t use up to trade with other continents. Kun-Lai had been rich for hundreds of years and this could be seen by the high numbers of students and disciples they could support every year.

Feng Qingxiu was silent for a while, then touched the paper man, and quietly said to him: “Master, it’s a good thing you have such foresight. Training us and imparting various experiences to us at the lower school, telling us that the lessons of the unaffiliated cultivators and outside sects are our lessons. I’ve heard that many unaffiliated cultivators think that the flying peaks’ taxes are too high, refusing to enter the flying peaks to trade, and then complain that we don’t protect them.”

The paper man laughed a few times: “It is experience I gained back then. How can an official army compare with a ragtag army? But it is understandable they feel that way, your incomes are much higher than theirs, so naturally you don’t care about the tax.”

“This is also true,” Feng Qingxiu also felt a sense of superiority and pride in his heart, “Kun-Lai has nurtured me to become a talent, and I should of course reciprocate back.”

The tax revenue was high, but Kun-Lai had been educating so many people for many years, and which part of these deeds did not burn money. The treatment of ordinary disciples in Kun-Lai was comparable to the treatment of elite disciples enjoyed in the Central Continent.

No one would be dissatisfied, even if there were one or two who squandered their resources and were dissatisfied, it did not matter. If you are dissatisfied, then just leave!

“Uh, what is a demonic cultivator?” The voice of the sickly young man brought them back to the main topic at hand.

The girl blushed before continuing: “Cultivators who use certain morally intolerable practices. They think that people are the most common spiritual resources in the world. They often use the human soul to create spiritual tools and artifacts and the human body to supplement spiritual energy. The Central Continent’s southern territory had a lot of powerful demonic cultivators back then who could even be compared with the high-level cultivators of the Central Continent’s major sects. In fact there was even one Human Immortal among them.”

“There is no powerful demonic cultivator in the Western Continent.” Feng Qingxiu said coldly, “Since the Sect Leader cut down Celestial Fox Su Wan back then, and injured her down to her foundation, no demonic cultivator big or small dared to step foot on the Western Continent.”

The ones that could come were basically weak and insignificant, not higher than the Qi Condensation Stage, but these people possess concealment abilities that were very strong, and they basically didn’t dare to make trouble either.

The Western Continent’s Dragon-Phoenix Selection over these hundreds of years was not for nothing. Any major event back in one’s hometown would disturb their ancestors who were in Kun-Lai, moreover Kun-Lai disciples especially liked to gather in large numbers to gang up on enemies. If one wave couldn’t overcome the enemy then how about a second wave? The other side could be powerful but could they be as powerful as the elders I call to come flying over on a flying peak?

“The matter of demonic cultivators collecting children’s spiritual roots was only recently reported, but the source of the information is certain…” The girl said resentfully, “There are already some children of the powerful and affluent families who have been implanted with new spiritual roots. Many of us unaffiliated cultivators have received news, so that’s why my senior brother was kidnapped!”

In a few words, the tunnel had already come to an end. The exit was located far outside the city and was very well hidden.

Feng Qingxiu threw a talisman paper which turned into countless butterflies that made a circle around them and then flew north.

“That’s the direction of the Great Xiao State.” The paper man tilted his head, feeling that it must be because he had not shown himself for too many years, as a result many little bugs and pests have begun to act arrogantly.

“You guys should stay out of what comes next.” Feng Qingxiu gave them a bottle of pills, “This is a reward for giving me useful news, you can go back and prepare to attend the Dragon-Phoenix Selection.”

“You’re just going to leave?” The girl asked unwillingly.

“Yes, I can’t treat you to a meal.” Feng Qingxiu nodded before turning into light and disappearing.

The girl stomped her foot, but saw that the sickly teenager next to her remained silent.

“Hey, airhead, is your injury okay? I’ll leave if it’s okay. I have to go find my senior brother!” The girl asked.

“Let’s go together.” The boy said suddenly.

“Why should I take you with me?” The girl frowned.

“I can see one’s fortune and predict bad luck,” The boy said suddenly, “that’s why I told you to run into the alley before.”

The Kun-Lai disciple who had just saved them possessed a purple cloud over his head that practically lit up the whole sky. (TN: purple cloud=auspicious portent in astrology)

“Then what would have happened if we stayed?” The girl was a little surprised for a while before asking curiously.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Death without a doubt.” The young man sighed, “The Lost Pearl Association is not something we can afford to provoke.”

“Just now, why didn’t you say—” The girl raised her voice.

“Just now when I saw that paper man, I was too dazed to react.” The young man smiled bitterly. It was not like he could say that he saw the fortune of a paper man and a human mutually uplifting each other, and as a result he had become stunned for a while.

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Jiuxi City was the closest city to the Great Xiao State’s capital, and it had also become very lively recently.

Even though it was night, there were still lanterns hanging on the roadside, and there were still countless children curled up in the street corners of the city to keep warm. Fortunately, although the autumn nights were chilly, it was not too cold, and a blanket could still manage to keep out the cold.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

The government soldiers patrolled up and down the streets, and whenever they saw a suspicious figure, they would go over and arrest them first and questions later.

The hawkers and peddlers walked along the streets selling their goods including food, attracting the longing eyes of the poor curled in the corners.

Every time it was the Dragon-Phoenix Selection, it was always a time for them to make a lot of money, and no one was willing to close their business just because of the arrival of night. Even merchandise usually sold during the Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival, and not usually at this time of the year, would be displayed for sale—those travelers from the rurals who had never seen the world would always buy some souvenirs back.

An old man with gray hair and a skinny physique carried a big gourd with him to a street vendor who sold food made from wheat flour. After many good words, he exchanged a coin for a full gourd of hot soup and a steamed bun, and then went back to the street corner where he doled out the hot soup one by one to the dozen children there, all of whom had maple leaves tucked into their hair. Clearly they had all come to participate in the Selection.

When the hot soup was divided, each child only had a few mouthfuls, but they were not picky. After thanking the old man, they took out their prepared rations, and ate it with the hot soup.

The old man sighed, reached out and touched the forehead of a teenager who was a little feverish next to him, and wrapped his own blanket around the other.

“Thank you,” although the teenager was a little feverish, he still possessed clarity, “Let’s use it together.”

“I’m already at this age and can stand a bit of cold wind.” The old man frowned, “It’s not that I don’t want you to come, but your body is too weak, so how can you stand the harshness of travel.”

On the way, the young man did not complain once and only gritted his teeth to keep up with the rest, but just as soon as they entered the city, he started to come down with a fever, causing the old village head to worry.

“You are also a clever child. I heard that clever children are the most likely to be selected,” the village head rambled. “I also want there to be someone in the village who can be selected. Even if in the end you fail the exams and have to come back, you can still be accepted by the government and become an official of no small status, as well as earn three years of tax exemption for the village. Just have a look at our downstream village the Zhang Family Village, only one child was selected. And although he came back the next year, he can still go and catch fierce beast demons! These years, life in his village has become so much better. And if the child selected can become a cultivator, it will be even more remarkable. Everyone in the village will be able to live in a large brick house, and afford an education for the village children…”

The village head rambled on with a look of hope and longing in his old eyes, and the teenagers and children who sat listening next to him also felt touched in their hearts, as if they could imagine themselves being selected.

An autumn breeze blew by, the children huddled into each other closer, and the old man also tightened his clothes, but he still mumbled about how wonderful the Selection was.

At this time, several tall figures approached them.

“This is the hundred families blessing amulet for our young master. Come, each of you touch it, say a word of good wishes, and we’ll give you a string of coins, hurry up!”

The darkly tanned man at the head took out a walnut-sized jade ball and arrogantly said to the poor people in the corners.

A string of coins was enough to buy a big steamed bun, and many young ones walked over automatically, gathering in crowds around that group of people.

After getting the money promised, a child sneaked in again and wanted to get another string of coins, but was found out by the darkly tanned man, who dragged him out and beat him up, and the pained screams could be heard echoing down the streets.

Many children and teenagers who had the same idea retracted their thoughts and obediently made a blessing then retreated.

This scene landed in the eyes of passers-by, but they all directly ignored it.

A passing youth in blue green robes glanced over and sighed.

“What, don’t you want to go over and help?” The paper man lay on his shoulders, raising his head and asking curiously.

“If I can’t take them away with me, then it’s better not to help.” Feng Qingxiu shook his head. He also went through similar experiences, and knew the ins and outs, “Otherwise, you not only won’t invoke gratitude, you will end up creating enmity.”

“Why is this?” The paper man sat up, and in order to avoid attracting attention, leaned close against his apprentice’s neck.

“Every affluent family in every place is interconnected with each other in some way. There are too many subtle ways to bully ordinary people. And it’s not like we can stay here forever.” Feng Qingxiu understood very well. “They won’t take it too far, they will only give a small lesson to the offender.”

“This kind of superstition seems to be very popular.” Seeing that the child had only a bruised nose and a swollen face without any internal injuries, the paper man turned his attention to other places, and saw several people asking for cloth pieces from the children one by one, also giving each a string of coins.

“That is the hundred families patchwork cloth. It is an undershirt that is made of hundreds of children’s clothes. Putting it on can increase one’s chances of being Selected.” Feng Qingxiu smiled, “When I attended the Dragon-Phoenix Selection, my mother personally sewed one for me. She sewed a thousand families patchwork cloth for me. Every eligible child in the town had a piece of their clothing cut out by her.”

Ji Yunlai imagined a short little Xiao Qing wearing a colorful patchwork of clothes, and couldn’t help laughing out loud.

“But this is also one of their incomes.” Feng Qingxiu said with a serious face, “Every time at this time, the affluent and aristocratic families will bring a lot of money to beg for a good sign, and these young people will also get this small amount of money to support them in queuing up to their turn. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the poor children to hold on to the end.”

“That’s also a good thing. Although superstitions can’t save or change one’s life, this kind of golden period is also beneficial for the poor.” Ji Yunlai nodded, “I really want to see Xiao Qing wearing patchwork clothes.”

“Maybe in the next life.” Feng Qingxiu coldly rejected his master’s unreasonable request.

The paper man smiled and continued to stick close to his apprentice’s neck, waiting for his apprentice to make their way to the Heart Asking Stone in this city.

There was quite heavy traffic, roadside vendors and poor people curled in the corners occupying most of the road. It was crowded with people, and there would be noisy quarrels from time to time, but they did not brush even a hem of the young man as he passed by.

Very soon they arrived at the Immortal Worship Temple in the city, which was also blocked by huge crowds of people.

Feng Qingxiu was about to go in, but suddenly he heard someone shout, “Fire!”

Then they saw thick smoke rising in the temple, followed by a burst of crackling noises. A group of soldiers in full armor quickly dragged out an 18 or 19-year-old boy, dragging him away like a dead dog.

“Actually daring to make trouble in the Immortal Worship Temple, beat him to death!” Many people rushed over angrily.

Feng Qingxiu was silent for a moment, sympathy in his eyes.

“What was that?” Ji Yunlai asked curiously.

“That’s a ‘lost pearl’.” He explained with a bit of melancholy, “Back when you set up the Heart Asking Stone, you said that anyone under fifteen had a chance, but over the years, the Heart Asking Stone has been tested countless times. We found that children under seven have a limited ability to analyze and can’t draw down the seals even if they could see it, and those around fifteen also have a chance, so the age limit was changed to ages seven to seventeen.”

Ji Yunlai waited for him to continue like he was listening to a story.

“Kun-Lai’s resources are limited, so the affluent and aristocratic families limited the age to seventeen. Every time Kun-Lai students attend the Mountain Ascension Ceremony and the Dragon-Phoenix Selection is held again, Kun-Lai always needs time to do so. Therefore, this gap in time will cause the previous seven-year-old children to lose out on the opportunity.” Feng Qingxiu smiled bitterly, “These children are ‘lost pearls”. I have a cousin who also happens to have his age stuck at this juncture and could not be selected.”

When that cousin looked at him, it was always with a look full of jealousy and hatred.

“Then why not just avoid giving birth to children in those two years?” Ji Yunlai asked casually.

“After all, there are only a few people who can be selected, and it’s not like the pregnancy can be aborted for such a reason.” Feng Qingxiu shook his head, “Parents don’t hold wild expectations for their children, but there are always some people who can’t get over it.”

Kun-Lai had no opinion on this. It was better if fewer people were selected and occasionally they would even delay the time. After all, the population of the Western Continent was increasing more and more year by year, and they were also at the point of having a bit of difficulty handling the numbers as well.

Every twelve years was the time the Dragon-Phoenix Selection was held. The formal learning and teaching took just about ten years. During the first two years these students would definitely not be eating spiritual rice but ordinary rice, and then all sorts of screenings must be passed before they could truly enter the outer sect and start enjoying life buried under hellish exams.

As he was speaking, Feng Qingxiu had already squeezed into the temple and saw the huge black stone that looked the same as the one in the capital of the Great Xiao State.

And his master, who had been on his neck, had already flown over to press against the stone.

“Can’t Master scan it using divine consciousness?” Feng Qingxiu looked at the paper man sticking to the stone, and suddenly felt his fingers becoming a little itchy.

He really wanted to touch—no, as Master’s apprentice, he couldn’t be so disrespectful.

Feng Qingxiu forcefully shook his disrespectful thoughts out of his mind.

“I am just a trace of divine consciousness attached to the talisman paper and without any spiritual energy now. So my radar is definitely not as good as before. After all this stone was created in my heyday.” The paper man slowly said, pressing hard against the stone, feeling the stone in a particularly focused and deep manner, seeming to want to drill his paper head inside.

Feng Qingxiu wanted to touch even more, so he pinched his hand hard.

After a while, when the sun was in the middle of the sky, the paper man raised his head and said with a little pride: “I am indeed a genius!”

Feng Qingxiu looked at him in puzzlement.

“The previous spiritual roots measuring devices were very inflexible and only measured the spiritual roots but not one’s comprehension. This invention of mine, let me tell you…” But Ji Yunlai suddenly paused, and the paper man raised his head and looked up into the air.

A yellow leaf fluttered downwards, and a fat caterpillar that was about to make a cocoon also fell along with it.

The paper man silently raised his hand, forcefully issued a very miniscule amount of sword energy, and cut the caterpillar away.

Obviously this action had consumed a lot of energy from the paper man, so he flew into the arms of his apprentice: “Master is tired, let’s take a break. There is no problem with this stone so let’s go to the next one!”

“Okay…” The paper man sticking to his chest seemed a little warm, and Feng Qingxiu of course left obediently.

He thought of the pine forest on Zhaoyue Peak that used spirit demons to eliminate insects to the extent that ordinary birds could not even survive in it.

Feng Qingxiu realized that he seemed to have discovered something incredible…

He can’t think that his master is cute, his master is aloof and almighty! Completely out of reach!

Recently, it’s just that his master was experiencing heart demons! ! !

Feng Qingxiu tried to convince himself.

Leaving the Immortal Worship Temple, Feng Qingxiu turned into a remote alley and was about to fly away.

“Help! Help!” But a sudden voice made him stop performing the incantation. There was a young girl on the right, dragging a sickly and barely breathing young man as they rushed towards him. Behind them followed three strong men in black, each holding a wooden club with nails as they chased the two fiercely.

The young man was the sickly young man who they had seen by the city gate before. At this moment, a wound on his back was bleeding heavily.

Seeing Feng Qingxiu, the girl suddenly gained strength and forcefully pushed the boy into Feng Qingxiu’s arms. She screamed: “A group of evil monsters who rob other’s of their spiritual roots, if you have the balls then chase after me! Sooner or later you will come to a sticky end!”

She then rushed in another direction.

Feng Qingxiu caught the almost comatose teenager, and then lightly sealed his pressure points. At the same time, with a cold expression, he raised his hand and grabbed into the air!

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

The strong men and the girl seemed to be grasped by big invisible hands, and they were pulled in front of him one after another, and then thrown to the ground.

The paper man excitedly crawled out of his neckline to join in the fun: “Is this a hero to save the beauty?”

Feng Qingxiu thought for a bit, and then decided to commit the act of offending his superior by reaching out and stuffing his master back inside his collar. 

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