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Lu Yang couldn't help but feel that although he wasn't the most dashing figure, he at least didn't warrant being mistaken for the opposite gender.
He wanted to clarify that he was male, but the thought of the other party's admiration for his senior brother made him hesitate.
He considered claiming to be female, but the steep price for the Star Chart made that option seem unnecessary.
After all, guessing the senior sister's Golden Elixir after the purchase was just for fun.
Retreating seemed like the best strategy.
After speaking, the man wanted to slap himself for uttering such nonsense!
His two followers were mortified; it was a common problem for their senior brother to misspeak when nervous.
The bad news was that their senior brother was often nervous.
He heard that the sect leader suggested his senior brother might consider taking up the practice of Silent Zen.
"No, I mean, senior brother, the Star Chart is something I covet for my cultivation, could you part with it for me?"
After some thought, he decided to start with a self-introduction to organize his thoughts.
"My name is Gu Qisheng, a disciple of Changhong Palace, at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, here to participate in the grand ceremony competition. Seeing that you're about my age, you must also be here for the competition."
Gu Qisheng, not yet eighteen, had already reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment, a feat that would rank him in the top five in Changhong Palace's history.
Although advanced cultivation allowed one to freely alter their appearance, Gu Qisheng surmised that if the other party were an old monster at the Golden Elixir or Elemental Infant stage, they wouldn't be shopping here. Such old monsters, with their long lives and vast experiences, had their own procurement channels.
Lu Yang had heard of Changhong Palace, a first-rate sect in Ji Province, but knew little else about it.
"I am indeed here for the grand competition, and perhaps we'll meet in the arena. As for the Star Chart, please feel free to take it," Lu Yang said, stepping back.
Seeing Lu Yang retreat, Gu Qisheng hurriedly explained, "I misspoke earlier and got the titles mixed up. Actually, it's my senior sister who needs the Star Chart for her cultivation."
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou both breathed a sigh of relief; Meng Jingzhou had almost resorted to using the Bachelor's Curse Fist out of fear.
Lu Yang chuckled, "I'm only interested in the Star Chart for fun, not as important as your destined relationship."
Overjoyed, Gu Qisheng pulled out 1,500 spirit stones and purchased the chart.
1,500 spirit stones was no small sum for him, but for the sake of pleasing his true transmission senior sister, it was worth it!
He eagerly opened the Star Chart, only to find it smeared with blood, nearly illegible.
"What is the meaning of this!" Gu Qisheng raged, having bought what seemed to be nothing more than a bloodied rag.
The vendor calmly explained, "Didn't I say? The Star Chart was drawn with my blood, sweat, and tears. It's normal to cough up some blood while drawing."
Lu Yang: "…"
Why were there scams everywhere in this market?
Meng Jingzhou transmitted to Lu Yang, "The market is full of fakes. One of the tests in the Meng family's coming-of-age ceremony is to find something genuine in the market."
"So that's how it is. Wait, isn't one considered an adult at sixteen? How come I never heard you went back to the Meng family for the ceremony?"
The age limit for joining the Seek Tao Sect was before sixteen, and Lu Yang had never seen Meng Jingzhou return home.
Meng Jingzhou declared proudly, "I ran away from home. Why would I celebrate a coming-of-age ceremony after that!"
Gu Qisheng was still arguing with the vendor, "If that's the case, couldn't you have redrawn a new Star Chart?"
"The customer doesn't understand the trade. The stars conceal great secrets. Ask around; in the past few hundred years, who has managed to draw a complete Star Chart? Even if completed, they all end up destroyed for various reasons."
"Moreover, the artist cannot remember the star configurations. That my Star Chart has a small portion unblemished by blood is already extremely rare. Selling it to you for 1,500 spirit stones is a bargain."
Gu Qisheng didn't believe the vendor's tall tales, but then he thought of his true transmission senior sister, who had never possessed a Star Chart. Given her status, it shouldn't be so.
Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had never heard of such things—who would observe the stars and remember their positions? Thinking of the senior sister's Golden Elixir, Lu Yang felt there might be some truth to the vendor's words, so he called upon the Immortal Fairy in his spiritual space.
"Huh? You called me?" The Immortal Fairy yawned, still groggy.
Lu Yang repeated the vendor's words, catching the Immortal Fairy's attention.
She temporarily borrowed Lu Yang's body, looking up at the sky. Even though it was daytime, she could still see the stars obscured by sunlight.
She returned control of the body to Lu Yang.
"So, did the senior sister's Golden Elixir set up a barrier to prevent people from observing which star is her Golden Elixir?"
"Whether it was set up by Yun'er, I'm not sure, but there is indeed a barrier that shields cognition, preventing people from remembering the positions of the stars unless they go up to the heavens to check."
Lu Yang pondered; it was very likely the senior sister's barrier, though he wondered about her motives.
Was it to prevent enemies from locating her Golden Elixir?
Or was the senior sister preventing people from practicing the Star Cultivation Technique?
As the stars were refined into the land beneath their feet, the power of the Star Cultivation Technique was no longer what it was in ancient times, since its power came from the stars above.
Yet, some still stubbornly believed that ancient methods were superior and sought to practice the Star Cultivation Technique.
"You're attending the grand ceremony in Qing Province? Come on, let this immortal show you the power of an immortal's vision!"
Lu Yang regretted waking the Immortal Fairy, who, once awake, was bursting with energy and couldn't sit still.
Lu Yang passed by a stall where the owner displayed various historical books, detailing many hidden secrets of history.
"Lu Yang, look at that book, 'Ancient Secrets.' Buy it for me to see what's written!" the Immortal Fairy said excitedly.
"How much for this book?" Lu Yang asked the stall owner.
"Three thousand spirit stones."
Lu Yang frowned, finding it too expensive, but the owner quickly added, "Don't think it's too pricey, customer. The 'Ancient Secrets' contains countless unknown opportunities, as you must know. If luck is on your side and you discover an opportunity in the book that others have missed, you could soar to the heavens and roam the world freely!"
"This 'Ancient Secrets' is the latest edition, documenting the academic world's newest research on the ancient era!"
"Here are three thousand spirit stones."
Lu Yang paid and received the book. Three thousand spirit stones weren't much for him, not to mention the mysteriously vanished patent fees, and just considering the future dividends from the Jiuyou Sect, three thousand spirit stones were a drop in the ocean.
Meng Jingzhou was also curious about the ancient secrets and leaned in to look.
The first chapter of the book read: In ancient times, the Heavenly Immortal had a penchant for beautiful women, especially those who were married, and left countless with child.
Lu Yang was baffled and entered his spiritual space to inquire, "Is the Heavenly Immortal really like that?"
The Immortal Fairy looked innocent, "Who's spreading rumors? The Heavenly Immortal isn't that kind of person."