Everlasting

 

Chen Feng gave it a glance and his brows immediately furrowed.

“This provision states that the cultivator must at least be at level 2 of the Concealed stage. Is it at the employer’s request?” Ye Ziming extended his finger to point at the paper.

“Yes, that is the minimum criteria. If enough people come to sign up for this task, this criteria will rise even further,” said the old man with a smile.

“In that case, all three of us are qualified,” said Ye Ziming with a smile.

“The two of you are qualified, but this fellow is probably not.” After saying that, the old man turned to look at Chen Feng.

However, the expression on the old man’s face immediately changed.

Eh? What happened? Earlier, this young fellow was just at level 1 of the Concealed stage. How did it suddenly become level 2 of the Concealed stage? Could it be my old eyes were playing tricks on me? Despite his shock, the old man said nothing.

In the end, the old man smiled. “It seems I made a mistake.”

“This paper only states the cultivation base requirement and not where we are going. It did not say anything about how dangerous it will be. There isn’t even anything regarding what rewards we can get after we complete it. Given these conditions, isn’t this unfair to us cultivators who choose to accept this task?” said Ye Ziming with a smile.

“These conditions were not set by our trade association. They were set by the employer who put up this task. I can only ask for your forgiveness on this. In three more days, the employer will come to our Scarlet Yang City to select the cultivators needed. When the time comes, you all will understand,” said the old man with a chuckle.

Chen Feng, Ye Ziming and Lu Ta exchanged glances before getting up and leave. After that, the three of them casually found an inn within the city and stayed there for three days as they waited for the arrival of the employer.

“It seems the cultivation world is not only a world where might reigns supreme, even money holds god-like value. With a vast number of medicinal pills, you can get numerous cultivators to risk their lives for you. Right now, I am tempted to employ a few bodyguards to follow me about,” said Chen Feng with a laugh.

“Right now, I am feeling very curious about the identity of the employer. A mysterious woman who is an alluring stunner. Tsk tsk! I want to have a look and see which sacred lady that woman is.” Ye Ziming smiled.

Three days passed quickly. On this very day, the number of cultivators within Scarlet Yang City grew even higher and all of them gathered at the Great Origin Trade Association.

Chen Feng’s group had only just stepped on the street when they heard an uproar rising from the crowd far ahead. Next, everything fell silent. Not a single person within the street said a word as they stretched their necks to peer into the distance. 

Several outstanding auras gradually approached as a row of people, tens of them, slowly walked over.

Could the mysterious woman have appeared? They have quite the number of cultivators with them. Some of them are very powerful too. There are probably those with Soulflames amongst them. After sensing the formidable auras radiating off the cultivators, Chen Feng’s heart thumped. He retracted his own aura and his Soulflame became compressed until it was only as small as a flickering seedling. It hid within his sea of wisdom, not moving at all.

Finally, the mysterious woman appeared before Chen Feng’s eyes.

She was tall and fully clothed in black. However, her clothes could not conceal the bulging curves of her voluptuous body. There was a black veil covering her face and the outline of her face was barely visible. Despite only getting a glance of her, Chen Feng was shocked. Even though he was unable to get a good look at her facial features, he could not deny that she was alluring. For some reason, a pre-conceived thought rose to his mind. There was no need to say anything more about her figure, but her face too must surely be beautiful to the extreme. That thought became branded in his sea of wisdom.

“This woman is very powerful. Her black attire and even her veil are high-grade Magic artefacts.” Ye Ziming sent a secret vocal transmission to him.

“I too, cannot determine her cultivation base. Who knows what background this woman has? However, the bodyguards around her are quite powerful. It is likely that some of them have already condensed out Soulflames,” Chen Feng quickly replied.

“To be able to condense out Soulflames, they must at least be at level 7 of the Concealed stage. For their party to possess such power and still recruit so many loose cultivators, this place they are heading to is no ordinary place,” Ye Ziming speculated.

Having determined that there were experts in the other party, Chen Feng stopped using his divine sense to inspect the other party’s state of cultivation so as to not be detected. It might end up bringing them unwanted troubles.

Four bodyguards with cold expressions followed behind the woman in black. Appearance wise, they looked to be around 30 to 40 years old. Their bodies were upright and there were no emotions on their faces while an impassive aura radiated off them. They gave off a stern atmosphere, walking in a uniformed pace as they guarded the woman in black.

In addition to the four bodyguards with cold expressions, there were also some young cultivators surrounding the woman in black. They formed an arc beside her. Several of them wore resplendent clothes and all of them had dashing and elegant appearances. They were looking at the woman in black with passionate gazes. Those with discerning eyes could immediately tell that those cultivators were the woman in black’s courtiers. Or perhaps, they should be called her escorts.

“Tsk tsk! Many of those young and handsome cultivators have backers behind them. They are all from reputable sects. Some might even be from the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects. Loose cultivators do not possess that kind of demeanour.” Ye Ziming suddenly laughed out.

In addition, there were also over 30 cultivators following them. There were males and females, of varying age and differing types of clothing. Judging by those factors, Chen Feng estimated that they must be loose cultivators that she had recruited from some other place. As this group of cultivators were moving forward, Chen Feng mobilized his divine sense to feel them out. The weakest amongst them was at level 3 of the Concealed stage. There were also some that Chen Feng could not assess. Two in particular managed to sense Chen Feng’s actions and they turned around to snicker at him.

“Could this woman be from one of the immortal dao sects?” Chen Feng speculated.

“Not even heir disciples of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects can hope to match this level of financial power. As for the elite disciples, it is unlikely for them to spend so much money to recruit so many loose cultivators. There must be more to this than meets the eye,” Ye Ziming analysed.

“Come, let’s head to Great Origin Trade Association,” said Chen Feng. At the same time, he adjusted his aura and finally fixed it at level 3 of the Concealed stage. That way, the other cultivators would think that Chen Feng was a level 3 Concealed stage cultivator. Only those with a higher soul power than Chen Feng could see Chen Feng’s true state of cultivation.

After the woman in black appeared, she caused a stir to rise up within Great Origin Trade Association. Some of the waiting cultivators began discussing in hushed tones as they speculated the identity of this woman in black. However, when the woman in black swept a glance around, they all felt a wave of pressure sweeping past them. Involuntarily, they all fell silent.

Seeing the might displayed by the woman in black’s gaze, everyone there became secretly shocked. They all thought to themselves. It seems this employer is very powerful.

After Chen Feng’s group arrived, they did not stand out. Instead, they mixed in with the rest of the crowd. They said nothing and simply waited there with the rest.

There is a total of 300 Concealed stage cultivators. With this kind of power, she can easily level a kingdom or even a small immortal dao sect. Chen Feng was secretly shocked.

“I only need cultivators at level 3 of the Concealed stage or above,” the woman in black suddenly said coolly. It was a bewitching and languid voice and those who heard it felt a desire to fall right into them.

Woah!

Hearing those words, some of the cultivators there became displeased. Some shouted out as well.

“Why? When you posted the task, why didn’t you make that clear? To come out and tell us this now after we have come all this way? We would have come here for nothing! Are you messing with us?” a mighty-looking man was unable to stop himself from shouting out.

He was a level 3 Concealed stage cultivator.

“I will not let everyone come here for nothing. Everyone will be given 1,000 Basic Yang Pills,” said the woman in black coolly. She remained calm, seemingly having seen much and was not one to become flustered easily.

“1,000 Basic Yang Pills!” Everyone there was shocked. The level 3 Concealed stage cultivator was lost for words. One thousand Basic Yang Pills was enough to last him for quite some time. Besides, he did not even have to do anything for them. Those pills were practically given for free. Why not?

However, some fellows refused to yield.

“You think you can send us off with just 1,000 Basic Yang Pills? We brothers travelled tens of thousands of li to come here not just for 1,000 Basic Yang Pills. How about this? We will not ask for much. Give each of us 10,000 Basic Yang Pills and we will leave,” a young cultivator suddenly shouted out like a ruffian.

“That is right! Give each of us 10,000 Basic Yang Pills and we can forget about this!” Several more cultivators followed suit.

Fools! Do they have a death wish? Chen Feng thought to himself.

As expected, the woman in black waved her hand and one of the bodyguards standing behind her attacked. Beams of light abruptly exploded from the sky and those shouting cultivators were instantly cleaved into two each. The blood within their bodies were all evaporated by the heat of the blade beams, leaving only charred corpses behind.

Seeing that move shocked everyone and they all grew quiet. No one shouted anymore and those below level 3 of the Concealed stage stepped forward to accept the Basic Yang Pills before leaving.

“That move is powerful. An astral blade split into four. Additionally, each of them was extremely precise while containing a potent power of fire. This is something that requires reaching the ‘one multitasking mind’ realm. Furthermore, his fire-type technique has reached the epitome of perfection. Even the blade in his hand is a high-grade Magic artefact.” Chen Feng’s eyes blazed like torches and he was able to clearly see every move the bodyguard made just now.

After the cultivators beneath level 3 of the Concealed stage had left, there were still more than 100 cultivators around. The atmosphere there immediately transformed. Oppressive and stern. The weakest amongst the remaining cultivators was at level 3 of the Concealed stage and they could be considered as experts as well.

One by one, the woman in black glanced at the remaining cultivators. Whenever her gaze fell upon any of the cultivators there, the cultivator would feel goose bumps rising all over his or her body. It felt as though the woman in black had seen through them all. It was a very unpleasant feeling. 

“You two, leave,” said the woman in black coolly.

As expected, two cultivators who tried to sneak past the requirement walked out. There was a slightly contorted look on their faces and they left without even attempting to go receive the pills.

Those two fellows are at peak level 2 of the Concealed stage and will soon be breaking through to level 3. Unexpectedly, the woman had seen through them. Considering that, Chen Feng’s heart grew tense. Given how powerful she is, could she see through my cultivation state?

Finally, the woman in black’s gaze fell upon Chen Feng’s body. As expected, a flicker appeared on her eyes. It seemed she had noticed something.

What a vicious eyesight this woman has! Her inspection capability is very strong. I fear she may have discovered my true cultivation base. Sensing her gaze, Chen Feng felt as though she had seen right through him. He screamed a warning to himself.

Unexpectedly, after a pause, the woman in black shifted her gaze away to regard Lu Ta, who was beside him.

Phew! It seems I passed. It appears she had seen through my cultivation state, but chose not to say anything. That makes sense. She wants cultivators at level 3 or above. At present, I have already condensed out my Soulflame. Strength wise, I have met their conditions. Still, she managed to see through my cultivation state. I wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing?

It is up to us whether or not to accept this task. If it is unsuitable, we can just give up on it. At any rate, I am not lacking Basic Yang Pills. After considering that, Chen Feng grew relaxed.