Chapter 59: The Crime of Possessing a Treasure

The shopkeeper wore a sinister black-faced demon mask, his figure diminutive, barely reaching one meter sixty in height. Before him, the stall displayed several talismans with dull hues and a piece of jade of poor quality. Aside from these, a string of fruits skewered and planted in an earthen jar stood out most strikingly.

“Candied hawthorn? Is that what this immortal fruit is called? What a lovely name.”

A girl, her face hidden behind a seductive fox mask, had her wrist seized, yet she showed neither annoyance nor anger. Her gaze remained fixed on the string of red wild fruits, excitement making her bounce on her toes. Seeing her like this, Lu Xin’s brow furrowed with dark lines; he silently withdrew his hand.

Candied hawthorn was ubiquitous, found everywhere on the streets. In the Tang Dynasty, townsfolk would skewer assorted wild fruits picked from the mountains, coat them in syrup, rendering them crystal bright, fragrant, and crisp. Especially the finest hawthorn berries, dyed red by the syrup, round and lustrous, were pleasing to the eye. The young lady before him was obviously a secluded heiress, never having ventured outside, easily swayed by a string of candied fruit.

“Fellow cultivator, on what basis do you say this immortal fruit is worth but a single coin? Hmph, a mere novice in the first stage of the Void-Observing Realm dares such insolence?”

The shopkeeper’s tone chilled as he produced a palm-sized compass from his pocket. It was inscribed with numerous characters, ranging from the first stage of the Void-Observing Realm to the ninth stage of the Micro-Returning Realm, arranged in a circle. The pointer rested precisely on the first stage of the Void-Observing Realm.

Lu Xin’s expression shifted; the shopkeeper could discern his cultivation at a glance—a feat only possible across realms.

Ordinarily, unless an onmyoji deliberately concealed their spiritual power, those of the same realm could sense the fluctuations of spiritual energy and thus identify them. But if concealed—the vortex of energy within the dantian ceasing its rotation—others of the same realm rarely detected the disguise, let alone saw through the cultivation.

“Spirit Soul Compass—such an expensive thing. Shopkeeper, where did you acquire it? I’ve always wanted one, but my father wouldn’t allow it.”

“Heh, the young lady knows her treasures. This Spirit Soul Compass is worth ten thousand soul silver, not only revealing the cultivation of the Void-Observing Realm but even exposing top experts in the Micro-Returning Realm at a glance.”

The shopkeeper shook the compass with pride, then quickly tucked it back into his cloth bag. He expected Lu Xin to be frightened off, but the youth remained unmoved before the stall.

“Damn brat, what are you up to? Girl, ignore him. This candied haw… no, this Immortal Fruit of the Eastern Sea—I’ll sell it to you for two hundred taels.”

“Really? Thank you, uncle! Here are two hundred taels of pill silver, please take them. Mm… so sweet, such delicious immortal fruit.”

After paying, the girl instantly popped the candied fruit into her mouth. The look of utter delight and satisfaction on her face made the shopkeeper chuckle wickedly; one could imagine the grin beneath his mask. After a moment of laughter, he seemed to recall something, suddenly turning to the youth.

Lu Xin was now bowing his head, intently staring at the piece of jade on the stall.

“Shopkeeper, how much for this jade?”

“Oh, you’re getting clever, boy? This jade—I risked my life to dig it out from the depths of the northwestern desert. Back then, I nearly died at the hands of disciples of the Wild God Sect. Were it not absolutely necessary, I’d never part with it.”

He cradled the jade in both hands, feigning reluctance and nostalgia. Lu Xin, seasoned in business, saw through the ruse and snorted coldly, lowering his voice.

“This foolish girl doesn’t even recognize candied hawthorn, yet she carries so much pill silver. Clearly, her background is extraordinary. An heiress who’s never left her home—imagine how dearly her family cherishes her. If I were to shout now, what do you think would happen?”

---

“Boy, are you threatening me? What, a first-stage Void-Observing cultivator wants to learn to rob people? Who do you think I am—a wild hunter from the mountains, or a fool selling fish by the river?”

“Candied hawthorn, candied hawthorn for a single coin, don’t miss your chance as you pass by…”

“May your ancestors suffer for eighteen generations! Fine, fine, you win. Shut up… shut up. Two hundred taels—take it!”

Seeing Lu Xin ready to shout, the shopkeeper trembled, hurriedly stuffing the jade into Lu Xin’s arms. Only then did Lu Xin relent.

“Two hundred pill silver? Judging by its quality, it’s not even worth a hundred taels.”

“Brother, master, please—have mercy, just take it and go. This jade, one hundred taels, I’ll gift it to you, all right? Business is tough nowadays. Take pity on me and check other shops instead.”

...

When Lu Xin left the stall, the girl skipped away in the opposite direction. He had meant to stop her from being swindled, but finding her endearingly naïve, he gave up.

After passing several bustling streets, Lu Xin entered a tavern, sat in a corner, and immediately took off the jade pendant hanging from his neck. It shimmered with a sky-blue glow, its color remarkably similar to the jade he had just acquired. It was this sudden phenomenon from the pendant that had prompted him to purchase the jade.

As the two pieces of jade drew near, the newly acquired jade began to emit a blue light as well. The outer stone shell shed itself at a visible pace. In moments, what had been a fist-sized rough jade became an egg-sized gemstone, clear and flawless.

Lu Xin was astounded; the pendant had been a gift from Grandpa Tu, who, before his passing, had urged him to keep it safe, claiming it would protect him. Lu Xin had not thought much of it, cherishing it as a keepsake, but now he realized the pendant was far more than it seemed.

Examining the two pieces in his palm, their color, size, and feel were nearly identical. Though unskilled in jade appraisal, Lu Xin understood they likely came from the same source—perhaps the same mother stone, perhaps the same mountain or vein. Clearly, this was no ordinary jade.

“Grandpa Tu treasured it as a family heirloom, and emphasized its importance before passing. This jade is no common object!”

Lu Xin scrutinized the jade for a long time, but found nothing unusual. He was about to hang the pendant back around his neck, intending to consult his master later. Suddenly, both pieces began to vibrate violently, emitting a powerful repulsion that forced Lu Xin’s hands apart. Instantly, the pendant and jade floated into the air, attracted to each other, showing signs of merging.

“Not good! The phenomenon is too strong—I can’t suppress it!”

Lu Xin’s face drained of color. He glanced around; though the tavern was sparsely populated, seven or eight people sat here and there. At that moment, every demon-faced mask turned his way.

Buzz, buzz, buzz...

The two pieces of jade emitted a soft hum, then their light abruptly faded. The pendant returned to his hand, now merged into one. Lu Xin had no time to ponder—he stuffed the pendant into his sleeve and leapt out the window.

He couldn’t see the expressions beneath their masks, but he felt the hostile stares bore into him. Sure enough, soon after he escaped, the tavern’s patrons all followed in pursuit.

---

“If I’m not mistaken, that was a piece of Heavenly Jade. Just a sliver mixed into ordinary jade is enough to forge a gold talisman.”

“Indeed! Such a divine treasure—everyone present has a share. Fellow cultivators, there are seven of us; let’s join forces and divide it equally.”

“Agreed! It’s settled.”

The seven were obviously onmyoji, and their pursuit was swift. Two pasted talismans onto their foreheads, their bodies blurring like hurricanes. The others employed their own techniques; the one leading was a man in black, who stood atop a bamboo flute, hands clasped behind his back, soaring directly into the air.

“Micro-Returning Realm?”

Lu Xin glanced back, seeing the black-clad man hovering above and following closely behind. His heart pounded. He had heard from Li Chunfeng that onmyoji could use magic tools to fly only upon reaching the Micro-Returning Realm, using the Celestial Fire of Ziwei to propel their bodies. As a mere first-stage Void-Observing cultivator, pursued by a top-tier Micro-Returning expert, how could he hope to escape?

“Master, oh master, why haven’t you appeared yet?”

Lu Xin raced toward the agreed meeting place with Li Chunfeng, but found no one there. He changed direction, continuing his flight. The Ghost Market was lively, its streets wide. Despite seven people chasing him, the commotion was minimal.

“Young man, stop running. With your cultivation, escape is impossible. The saying goes: 'A man is doomed for the treasure he carries.' You’ve committed a grave offense. Give me the Heavenly Jade, and I’ll exchange it for ten thousand taels of pill silver, safeguarding your life.”

A cold voice sounded at his ear; Lu Xin knew without thinking who spoke. Yet the pendant in his sleeve was Grandpa Tu’s heirloom—he would sooner die than surrender it.

Receiving no reply, the black-clad man in midair grew angry. He pointed, and four talismans appeared before Lu Xin, exploding simultaneously.

Boom!

A deafening blast shook the entire street. The shockwave hurled Lu Xin into a shop, pain wracking his body as if he would fall apart. The black-clad man landed; the shopkeeper, about to protest, shrank back in terror upon seeing him fly in.

“This is Yunmeng Ghost Market, where strength reigns. Even if I kill you now, none will interfere. Now you understand why everyone wears masks, don’t you?”

The black-clad man approached step by step, the other six gathering at the door. Lu Xin struggled to his feet, about to speak, when thick, pitch-black smoke suddenly rose, engulfing the shop.

“Come with me!”

In the darkness, a smooth, warm hand appeared, seized Lu Xin, and whisked him away.