Chapter 22: Strategy for Passing the Challenge
“Don’t miss out as you pass by! Top-secret intelligence on the Great Thousand Sect’s trials, only one copy available!”
“Shocking! This person actually discovered a way to identify the true disciples of the Great Thousand Sect!”
Several banners fluttered in front of Qin Xi’s stall. He sat cross-legged, smiling cheerfully at the dejected people emerging from the Pleasure Tower.
“The time is about right. These folks know how tough this trial is. They’ve been here for three days and still can’t figure out who the Great Thousand Sect disciples are. They must be desperate. Information like this is easiest to sell to those in a hurry.”
“This intelligence was tricked out by us personally. You want to just give it away?” Bu Weiwei asked.
“Holding the answer in our hands doesn’t hatch any plans. Better to sell it and make some money,” Qin Xi fanned himself leisurely. “Besides, do you really think that once we sell the information, those guys will be able to get past the courtesan trial?”
Thinking about the trial’s final boss—a Foundation Establishment powerhouse—Bu Weiwei agreed with Qin Xi’s assessment. “True enough. But tell me, what’s your price?”
“Of course... it’s adaptive pricing!”
Squinting, Qin Xi noticed someone approaching in the distance.
“Look, here comes the sucker.”
“Whew...” A man, supported by two others, looked pale as death, as if a single kick might knock his soul out.
“You have intelligence on this?”
“Of course.”
“How much?”
The man shook off his aides and leaned toward Qin Xi.
“Fifty spirit stones.”
“Fifty? That’s robbery!” He slammed his fist on the table, only to hear a crack; his wrist twisted painfully.
He cried out, clutching his wrist. Over the past few days, his vital energy had been drained by the monstrous cultivators of the Hehuan Sect to the point where a mere breeze could fell him, and he needed at least a month’s rest to recover.
“Buy it or not, your call. Don’t bother if you won’t. Almost got killed by the table just now,” Qin Xi said fearlessly, waving his hand dismissively.
“Master...” The two aides hurriedly steadied the man.
“Fifty it is!” He ground his teeth. “That Great Thousand Sect woman toyed with me on purpose. After extinguishing the lights and stripping off clothes, they all look the same! How am I supposed to tell?”
...And he’s quite confident about it too.
“I swear, once I find that Great Thousand Sect woman, I’ll use my protective treasure to teach her a harsh lesson!”
With that, he slapped the spirit stones on the table. Qin Xi chuckled and handed him a slip of paper.
“Here—this is what the Great Thousand Sect’s planted disciple looks like.”
The young man took the note, which contained a detailed description of the courtesan’s appearance.
“...Are there any distinguishing marks besides her face?”
“Huh? What do you want?”
“They all have pretty faces, and I can’t tell them apart, so...” The man waved his hands vaguely in the air. “Is this how I should differentiate?”
Qin Xi frowned.
Is it the one he imagined?
Sighing, Qin Xi mimicked the gesture in the air. “Alright, it’s the biggest one.”
“Good!”
The man smiled cruelly and, with his followers, went back into the Pleasure Tower.
“Ah!!!”
The courtesan’s methods were indeed ruthless.
Looking at the person tossed out, Qin Xi reckoned it’d be half a year before he could get out of bed.
No matter—he didn’t offer after-sales service anyway.
...
Herbal Medicine Shop
“Boss, do you have any knockout powder?”
The apothecary shook his head immediately upon hearing Qin Xi’s request. “We’re a legitimate shop...”
Qin Xi slapped a spirit stone on the counter.
“...But if you want something less legitimate, what effect do you need? Fast or slow acting?”
“Is there anything that works on cultivators?”
“People on the Immortal Path are upright and kind, living in harmony. Why would we sell such things...”
“Let me put it another way: do you have anything effective on demons?”
“What cultivation level of demon?”
“Foundation Establishment.”
“Foundation Establishment demons? That’s tough. They can force toxins out through their meridians, so ordinary poisons hardly affect them.”
“Oh... so as long as the poison quantity is enough, making the Foundation Establishment cultivator—or rather demon—absorbing toxins faster than they can detoxify, they could be knocked out?”
Qin Xi pondered briefly.
“That’s the principle. But poisons capable of knocking out Foundation Establishment cultivators are either too high grade, which we don’t have, or must be administered in large quantities,” the apothecary shrugged. “Unless the demon you want to knock out can swallow dozens of pounds of knockout powder at once, it’s unlikely.”
“Of course, that’s impossible. No one can consume dozens of pounds of knockout powder in one go...”
“Dozens of pounds enough? Then buy hundreds, just in case.”
“Ah? Even so, we don’t have that much knockout powder here... We’re not a shady shop.”
“I said, it’s for demons... Surely you have some anesthetic powder for beasts?” Qin Xi gave a meaningful smile.
“Sir, you are violating Great Qi law!” The apothecary’s face instantly turned serious.
“Ten spirit stones.”
“Is it okay to use on a cow demon?”
...
Carpenter’s Workshop
“Need something for transporting water?” The carpenter put down his saw and wiped his brow. “Shaking or pressing?”
“Either. Which is more efficient?”
“As long as you can shake fast enough, shaking is more efficient.”
“Let me see.”
Qin Xi examined the roughly three-meter-long dragon bone waterwheel, gave it a few shakes, assessed its water transport capacity, and shook his head.
“Not powerful enough.”
The carpenter was displeased. Their workshop’s dragon bone waterwheels were the best quality—how could the capacity be insufficient?
He sneered sarcastically.
“Oh? This isn’t enough? Then try this one.”
He led Qin Xi to the warehouse, revealing a massive dragon bone waterwheel.
Its structure was exquisite—huge wooden gears interlocked to support the frame, dragon bone blades acted as chains lying in a rectangular trough. It looked both grand and delicate.
Its height alone was taller than three Qin Xis stacked atop one another, and its length barely fit inside the entire warehouse—completely on a different scale.
Moreover, it wasn’t powered by human strength but by an array formation capable of controlling its high-speed rotation.
“This is used in mine tunnels to drain water from spirit stone veins. Enough, right? Of course, we mortals can’t turn it ourselves. You’d need an array master to set up a grade nine formation and use a spirit stone as an energy source.”
The carpenter clicked his tongue, thinking Qin Xi was overdoing it just to pump well water.
Qin Xi’s eyes lit up.
He had found his chance!
...
“This one!”
“Ah?”
...
“Wait... why are you buying all this?” Bu Weiwei stared in disbelief at the dragon bone waterwheel towering outside the room and the mountain of knockout powder piled inside.
“To fight the boss, of course. It takes some ingenuity,” Qin Xi grinned confidently. “Foundation Establishment level, no problem.”
“What use are these things... If it weren’t for the inn’s spaciousness, maybe not even one room could hold all that powder.” Bu Weiwei scratched her head. “And how are we supposed to handle that waterwheel outside? The three of us can’t even lift this stuff!”
“Sure, the three of us can’t manage... That’s why we need external help. After all, this trial tests teamwork. Isn’t seeking help a form of cooperation?”
With that, Qin Xi left the inn room.
This inn was the closest to the Pleasure Tower, naturally becoming the base for those stuck in this trial.
Qin Xi’s exit attracted the attention of nearby onlookers.
“Hey? Isn’t that the guy who flew within the formation?”
“He’s also the first to identify the Great Thousand Sect disciples...”
“So what if he identified them? He’s stuck here too.”
“True... The Great Thousand Sect trial is tough—how can mortals handle Foundation Establishment cultivators?”
Qin Xi ignored the idle chatter and walked straight to the room at the end of the road marked with a heavenly symbol.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
He rapped three times and, straining his ear, heard heavy footsteps inside.
“Squeak.”
A woman peeked through the door crack.
“What is it?”
“Need your help.”
“Wait... you’re the one who tricked me out of spirit stones that day, aren’t you?” Her brows furrowed as she stepped back.
“Don’t rush. This time I’m sincere.”
“You admit you tricked me last time?”
“Yes. If you’re unhappy, I’ll return the spirit stones.”
Qin Xi pulled out a large sack and handed it to her.
She stared dumbfounded at the spirit stones in her arms.
“Return them? But you’re a fraud! Why return my money?”
“Now I’m not a fraud. I’m asking you for a favor.”
“...”
After a moment’s silence, she shoved the spirit stones back to Qin Xi.
“Learn from your mistakes. I don’t need your pity. Just consider these spirit stones payment for my lesson.”
“Oh, thanks, then I’ll accept them.”
Without hesitation, Qin Xi tucked the spirit stones back into his bosom.
“According to Great Qi law, this isn’t fraud—it’s a gift.”
“???”
She felt as if she’d been tricked once again.