Aspiring to the Immortal Path

Chapter 348: Beyond the Saving of Gods and Immortals

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The matter of taking a concubine passed.

Whether it was Zheng Shufeng or Wei Tianchong, they had both had a profound experience.

Zheng Shufeng started to understand what it meant to be a true Immortal.

To put it frankly, while she had been somewhat proud to see her son riding the clouds and commanding shadow soldiers, she was more frightened by his transcendent power. None of the masters hired by the clan had ever shown such power.

This made her understand that there were some powers that mortals would never be able to control. As a cultivator got stronger, they would grow more and more distant from mortals. While bloodline could serve as a connection between Immortals and mortals, it ultimately could not endure that endless distance…

This understanding would make her more clear-minded when it came to handling Immortal-mortal relations in the future.

As for Wei Tianchong, he also came to understand something: acting aloof wasn’t just a pursuit, but a necessity.

Officials had their officious way of speaking, and Immortals had their Immortal aura!

A person in a certain position needed to speak and act according to the standards of that position. After all, if you didn’t take yourself seriously, how could you hope that others would take you seriously?

Why did Zheng Shufeng believe that she could make decisions for her son? Because he was as carefree and cheeky as usual, completely lacking the demeanor of an Immortal.

If you yourself did not cultivate an Immortal demeanor, you could not blame others for not respecting you.

After understanding this, Wei Tianchong would act much more restrained and mature in the future.

The next morning, Wei Tianchong went to the Gu Clan to end the engagement while Tang Jie decided to take a walk on the streets.

Early morning was when Canglong Prefecture’s day started, and the streets were thronged with people and carts.

On this side, a clay doll seller was waving around various dolls to try and attract children, and on that side, several male and female martial artists were flaunting their skills. Several strongmen loaded down with heavy bags were seemingly energized by this sight, occasionally flashing their muscles and gesturing at the martial artists. Here, a middle-aged man wearing a long, wide-sleeved robe was standing behind a desk. Clearing his throat, he declared, “My honored listeners!” And here, an old lady was using a trembling hand to ladle jellied tofu out for a customer…

It was a joyous and bustling scene.

Tang Jie had grown accustomed to bitter cultivation, and his occasional trips out were usually for missions, so he hadn’t paid attention to other things. Now that he was on a rare vacation, he could finally relax and take a look around.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at an alley.

Tang Jie recalled that this was where Yanzhi lived since being married off. After asking around, he went up to a gate and knocked. After a while, someone said, “Who is it?” and began to walk over.

The gate opened with a creak, revealing the familiar face of Yanzhi.

However, she now had her hair tied up over her head in a bun with a phoenix hairpin, and wore a flowery red dress and shoes with mandarin ducks embroidered on them. She was not at all like that quiet and exquisite little girl from back then and was clearly a married woman who ran the house.

Yanzhi stared in shock at the person standing at her door, and then she blurted out, “Tang Jie! You’re back?”

Her face showed both surprise and delight.

Tang Jie smiled. “Big Sister Yanzhi, long time no see. Have you been doing well?”

Yanzhi stared at Tang Jie for a while before finally laughing. “You really haven’t changed at all, still knowing how to talk. But the current you no longer has to be so polite. As for me, I have to respectfully address you as ‘Immortal Master Tang’.”

Tang Jie chuckled. “Big Sister Yanzhi, if you call me that, I’ll turn around and leave right now.”

Yanzhi was moved by these words, and she pulled Tang Jie inside. “Come on in. We can’t just stand outside and talk! Husband! Husband! Come out! A guest has come…”

A few moments later, Tang Jie sat together with the master of the house.

Yanzhi’s husband was called ‘Kong Lao’er’. He was a docile man with a plump head and big ears, appearing a little stupid. But just like Zheng Shufeng had said, he doted on Yanzhi, doing whatever she said.

With this Immortal Master in Tang Jie around, he didn’t know whether he should sit or stand. He was so cautious that Yanzhi glared at him and said, “Look at how useless you are! Go out and buy some vegetables or something! I want to accompany my brother and share a drink.”

She turned to Tang Jie and smiled. “My husband is just a little too docile, and his behavior is rather silly. Please do not take it to heart.”

Tang Jie replied, “If he weren’t this docile, how could he allow you to just bully him around like this?”

Yanzhi covered her mouth and laughed, a smug look on her face.

Tang Jie added, “It seems like you’ve had a good time these last few years.”

Yanzhi tilted her head and replied, “‘A good time’? That depends on how you think about it. If we’re talking about looks and background, then this husband is extremely lacking. But if it’s about his treatment of me, then there’s nothing to complain about. I’m different from Shi Yue. Shi Yue had high ambitions, always looking for a man with both money and power, but all I wanted was to find someone that treated me well. When it comes to money, while my man doesn’t have money, his family has a few acres of land, and he’s also strong enough to keep a handle on the house. And I’ve saved up some money from my time at the Wei Estate…”

Yanzhi’s face turned red as she giggled at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie knew what she was laughing about.

Yanzhi had made quite a lot of money over the years. Everyone knew that the lady’s maid had been the greediest of all.

But surprisingly, when it came to choosing a husband, she didn’t use wealth as a standard at all.

It was truly quite shocking.

“But is it true that Shi Yue hasn’t been doing very well?” Tang Jie asked.

The mention of Shi Yue had Yanzhi shaking her head and sighing. “You can only say that she had bad luck. Who could have guessed that she would pick a gambling addict for a husband, who’d gamble away all of the family’s property?”

“I am going to see her in a little while.”

Yanzhi silently nodded.

After chatting for a little longer, Yanzhi led Tang Jie out.

Passing through various streets, they arrived at a home. This had once been a proper courtyard, but it was now in a very shabby condition. As they approached, they could hear the sounds of cursing.

The door opened, and a young man stormed out, a bundle in his hand. Meanwhile, sobbing came from within.

It was easy to tell what had happened. Yanzhi was so angry that her body was trembling, and she wanted to rush out and give the man a few slaps. After all, she had Tang Jie with her, so she didn’t need to fear anything.

But Tang Jie stopped her, shook his head, and walked into the courtyard.

Entering, they saw a woman crouching on the ground and wailing. It was Shi Yue, wearing a blue gown of coarse cloth, her appearance no longer refined. Her stomach was also bulging out—a clear sign that she was pregnant.

Her eyes clouded with tears saw two pairs of feet appearing in front of her.

Shi Yue raised her head in shock, and when she saw the face of someone she had not seen for so long, she froze as if she had been struck by a lightning bolt.

Tang Jie smiled at her. “Hey, long time no see.”

She stared at Tang Jie in a daze, and then she lunged at him. Not caring what onlookers might say, she hugged Tang Jie’s neck and wept. She was so agitated that she actually fainted after a while.

When she woke, she found herself on her bed.

Tang Jie was standing in the room and looking around.

This house was rather large, but there was nothing in it. All that was left was the building itself, and it seemed like even that wouldn’t be around for much longer.

They were so poor that the only thing in the house was four walls!

Yanzhi came in with a bowl of medicine. Looking at Shi Yue, she smiled and said, “Awake? That’s perfect. I just brewed up some medicine. If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t be crying like that. It might hurt the baby.”

Hearing this and then looking at Tang Jie again, Shi Yue once more began to weep.

She was a very ambitious person, and when Yanzhi had been married off to Kong Lao’er, she had privately laughed, believing that Yanzhi had married the wrong person, and been determined to find a good man for herself. Her husband had been a talented man at the time, a scholar with decent property. After comparing him to multiple other candidates, she decided on him, not expecting him to be a gambling addict. His parents had been able to restrain him while they still lived, but a few years ago, they had passed, causing him to become utterly uncontrollable.

In these years, he had already gambled off more than half of their property, forcing Shi Yue to get a few jobs to maintain their lifestyle.

When she looked at Yanzhi now, she found herself extremely envious.

Yanzhi soothed, “Alright, alright, don’t cry. Tang Jie is back now, and he knows all about this matter. He can definitely help you.”

Shi Yue excitedly looked at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie replied, “My apologies. On this matter, I might not be able to help much.”

Yanzhi shouted, “But you’re an Immortal! How can an Immortal not be able to help her?”

Shi Yue cried out, tears pouring from her eyes, “Tang Jie, I’m begging you! On account of our past friendship, please help me! I don’t need you to give me money, only to make my husband reform so that he stops gambling!”

Tang Jie shook his head. “Reforming sounds simple, but it involves the mind, and the mind is the most mysterious part of the human. Even those at Celestial Heart or Violet Palace do not dare to say they can control it, let alone someone like me. While I cultivate Immortality, I cultivate that which has form. If you were to have me heal wounds and injuries, I could do it.”

Tang Jie slowly raised a hand. A white ball of light appeared in his palm, which he pressed at Shi Yue’s belly. Shi Yue immediately felt the slight pain from her belly disappear.

“Turning old into new and reviving all things is also within my capabilities.”

Yiyi appeared on Tang Jie’s shoulder, releasing flashing motes of light, and the shabby furniture in the room became glossy and new. And outside the house, in the courtyard, the withered flowers were also revived, sprouting out of the ground and lifting the deathly aura that had hung heavy over the place.

“I could even try my hand at turning stone into gold.”

Tang Jie waved his sleeve, and a large amount of spirit coins rained down in front of Shi Yue’s bed, leaving the two women stunned.

“But reforming someone’s heart and making them a new person… I can’t do it,” Tang Jie earnestly said. “Let alone me, even a great Immortal of the Violet Palace or Immortal Platform Realm, a divine emperor or sage, would not be able to save the life of an addicted gambler.”

These words left Yanzhi and Shi Yue stunned.

Tang Jie waved his hand, and the money was sent to Shi Yue’s side. “Out of consideration for our past friendship, I am gifting this money to you. Perhap it can let him lose money for a few more days.”

He turned to leave.

“Tang Jie!” Yanzhi shouted.

Tang Jie stopped.

Yanzhi asked in a trembling voice, “Is there really no other way?”

After thinking it over, Tang Jie replied, “A person’s conduct ultimately depends on themselves. I can help her once, but I can’t help her for the rest of her life. My apologies.”

Yanzhi paled at these words.

“But while I can’t save anyone, that doesn’t mean I can’t harm anyone. I can’t pull that gambling addict out of the swamp, but I can clean up the swamp itself.” Tang Jie strode away.

Yanzhi didn’t understand what Tang Jie was getting at at first, but after chewing over the words for a bit, she finally realized, shouting, “Tang Jie’s going to the casino!”

Yanzhi hugged Shi Yue in delight. “Shi Yue, did you hear it? Tang Jie’s going to help you by cleaning up that accursed casino!”

Shi Yue grew energized, grabbing Yanzhi’s hand and saying, “Take me there! I want to see him finish off those bastards with my own eyes!”

——————————————

Fate’s Casino.

Casinos were always bustling and noisy places.

Tang Jie walked through the crowd and finally found Shi Yue’s husband. He was playing Big and Small, which was the simplest and most exciting game.

Holding a silver piece, he stared at the board. The dealer impatiently said, “Hurry up! Stop dawdling!”

The man hesitated before finally placing the silver on “Small”.

As he made the bet, Tang Jie waved his hand, a silver ingot flying from his sleeve and landing on the opposite end.

Everyone turned their heads in shock. Tang Jie casually walked over and said, “If you don’t want to lose, then you should bet with me.”

Everyone curled their lips in disdain.

The dealer sneered and removed the dice cup, shouting, “Big!”

Those who had bet on Small moaned while those who had bet on Big smiled.

Several people saw that Tang Jie had won, turning one silver tael into two, upon which they grunted and mentally complained that this kid had gotten lucky.

The dealer once more began to shake the dice cup, and Tang Jie continued to bet on Big.

With little suspense, he won again, turning two taels into four.

For the third round, Tang Jie bet on Small, and he won again, turning four taels into eight.

People finally began to pay attention to Tang Jie.

Tang Jie bet on Big for the fourth round, and people started to follow him.

Another win.

Just like that, Tang Jie won seven wagers in a row, turning a single tael of silver into more than a hundred.

The dealer responsible for shaking the dice started sweating.

If this kept up, in another ten-some wagers, Fate’s Casino would be bankrupt.

In fact, that was an overestimate, for some gamblers were already looking over and betting with Tang Jie.

The dealer felt his hands become extremely heavy, and he was reluctant to stop shaking the cup.

“Show the dice!”

“Hurry up!”

“What are you waiting around for?”

The dealer stared at Tang Jie, and Tang Jie coldly looked back.

Fortunately, at this moment, a blue-robed individual appeared, which caused the dealer to sigh in relief.

The blue-robed man saluted Tang Jie and said, “Brother is truly skilled. Would you be willing to come inside? The Gu Clan has always wholeheartedly welcomed experts of your caliber.”

Tang Jie ignored him, pointing at the dice cup.

“Show the dice!”

“He’s got no time for you.”

The gamblers started to grow restless, but for fear that Tang Jie had been cowed by the Gu Clan’s power, they stopped betting. But at least they wanted to make some money while they still could.

The blue-robed man saw that Tang Jie was ignoring him, and after grimacing a little, he took the cup, shook it a few times, and placed it on the table.

Tang Jie waved his hand, and a large amount of silver was placed on “Big”.

The blue-robed man slowly placed his hands on the cup, furtively sending in spiritual energy to manipulate the dice within.

Just when he was about to take off the cup, Tang Jie said, “Hold on.”

He moved his silver to “Small”.

The blue-robed man’s face fell. “Brother, you can’t just change your bet like that.”

Tang Jie slowly said, “If you hadn’t touched the cup, I wouldn’t have changed my bet.”

The moment he said this, everyone understood what had happened and began to curse at the blue-robed man.

The man went pale. Pointing at Tang Jie, he said, “You dare to play dumb! As a cultivator, you’ve already broken the rules by daring to enter the casino, and you still act so insolently!?”

Everyone instantly understood what was happening.

It was no wonder he was able to win every wager! He was a cultivator.

But casinos had existed in the Rosecloud Domain for several thousand years, and they had long ago developed a system to ensure that no one had the chance to strike it rich. Cultivators could enter casinos to gamble, but they were not allowed to use any spell arts, as that would be considered cheating. Every casino had a way of sensing spiritual energy, and if any sort of strange spiritual activity was detected, someone would notice. Even Celestial Heart True Persons might not be able to escape this surveillance. As for those casinos without this kind of surveillance, they could only hope that they were lucky enough to not encounter a cultivator that would ruin their day.

And if a cultivator broke the rules, according to the rules of the six major sects, the casinos could seize the rule breaker. If they couldn’t beat the cultivator, they could seek help from nearby sects, including branches of the six major sects. In short, it was not allowed for just anyone to break the rules.

Of course, in normal circumstances, if a cultivator came to make some money, so long as they didn’t go too far, the casino wouldn’t take these measures. Normally, they would treat them like some expert and give them the VIP treatment before sending them off.

As for someone like Tang Jie, they were considered bandit cultivators in the eyes of people like the blue-robed man.

The only difference was that this cultivator didn’t trigger any sort of spiritual energy detector and also lacked tact.

Tang Jie heard the man’s rebuke and calmly replied, “I am a cultivator, but I did not use any spell arts, so I have not broken the rules.”

“Nonsense!” the blue-robed man roared, pointing at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie coldly replied, “You know that I’m not saying nonsense. Doesn’t the casino have a spiritual energy detection formation? If I remember right, anyone who uses spiritual energy in this formation would appear red, correct?”

The blue-robed man trembled in shock, but Tang Jie had already grabbed the cup and thrown it into the air in a beautiful arc.

As it flew through the air, countless rays of light appeared in the casino.

These rays of light didn’t show anything when they landed on other people, but when they landed on the blue-robed man, they made him an eerie red.

How could everyone not know what this meant?

Everyone howled, “So you were the cheater!”

They charged at the blue-robed man.

“Bastard!” This man was also a cultivator, so he didn’t fear these gamblers. Just when he was about to strike, he saw Tang Jie coldly staring at him. His heart trembled in the realization that if he tried to move, he would die.

He didn’t know where this sensation came from, but when he met Tang Jie’s gaze, he felt inexplicably threatened, shocking him so much that he didn’t dare to move a muscle.

Running a casino in the cultivator is rough business. You never know when some hidden expert will rough up the place and ruin your day.