Chapter 124: Making Money

Ling Bo shrank back into the clouds, not daring to breathe. After Huan Zhong and Kong Hou left, she sighed in relief. “Shi-shixiong, you said they could not be together. I said they did not have just a simple relationship between them.”

Luckily she had not just charged out and called them. Otherwise, she would have been very embarrassed. She could compete with Kong Hou on who dressed better, but she could not interrupt them in the middle of their loving.

Chang De had not thought that Huan Zhong and Kong Hou really got together. The cultivation world was casual about matters of love to the point they did not care. He had only ever seen interactions like the ones between Spirit Master Huan Zhong and Celestial Kong Hou in mortals.

“Let’s return.” Ling Bo turned around. Radiance Sect was holding a banquet tonight. She could not scout out Kong Hou’s attire, so she had to work on her own. They were both pentad spirit base female cultivators. She could not lose to Kong Hou.

“All right.” Chang De noticed Lin Hu had noticed them from the corner. He bowed to Lin Hu, turned the flying sword, and flew back to his own residence.

##

The Cloud Gazing Hall of Sword Cry Peak was Huan Zhong’s private residence. The entire palace was an enormous field of spirit energy. Each furnishing and each pillar carried special energy fields that were beneficial to pendad spirit base cultivators who lived there.

Compared to the grand wealth of Radiance Sect, Kong Hou suddenly felt Splendid Cloud Sect was very poor.
“Most of these are things I got from secret realms.” Huan Zhong pushed open the cave door to the treasury. The cave was filled with flowing light, and richer than the treasuries of some sects.

Kong Hou looked at Huan Zhong, and then at the treasury. Was this a tycoon flaunting his wealth?

“Apologies, I do not know what to give you.” Huan Zhong held Kong Hou’s hand. “Pick whatever you like.” He then put a jade scroll in Kong Hou’s hand. “Use this jade scroll to open the doors of this cave residence.”

The jade scroll was icy cold in her hand. Kong Hou stilled and shoved the jade scroll back in Huan Zhong’s hand. “I am a messy person, I do not want to be your housekeeper. Your entire person is mine—what do I want the jade scroll for? If I want anything in the future, wouldn’t it be better if you got it for me?”

Huan Zhong held the jade scroll and seemed puzzled. “Then let’s see what is inside first, and then I will get what you want in the future?”

Kong Hou smiled brightly at Huan Zhong, amused and helpless. “You are usually calm and smart—why are you so stupid now?”

Huan Zhong was even more puzzled. Was he not doing very well?

“Let’s go.” Kong Hou gripped Huan Zhong’s hand and walked into the treasury. There were numerous shelves placed in the treasury filled with all kinds of talismans and jewels as if they were worthless stones.

“This one.” Kong Hou picked up a small and refined hairpin which had a formation that would glow when worn. “Tonight, there is a banquet. Many female cultivators will come. I will not let people say you are blind and picked an ugly-looking silly girl.”

Huan Zhong heard her words and walked to a door in the corner. He pulled open the small door. Inside were side chambers filled with all kinds of jewelry and precious stones. The light was so blinding that Kong Hou’s eyes hurt.

“If you like those, that is so good.” Huan Zhong smiled helplessly and said, “I do not know what to do with these things.”

“Ah!” Kong Hou looked at the rings and hairpins in the small room and jumped onto Huan Zhong to hug him. “Huan Zhong, I finally understand why many people like rich people.”

For the first time, she clearly realized how strong this man she was in a relationship with was.

Good-looking, great cultivation, and a treasury filled with numerous talismans…

“In my last life, I must have saved the entire cultivation world to encounter you.” Kong Hou turned to look at Huan Zhong. Even the brightest jewels and talismans could not shine as brightly as this man.

“What?” Huan Zhong was slightly puzzled.

Kong Hou shook her head and closed the door for Huan Zhong. “Take me back, I need to dress.”

Huan Zhong looked at the closed door, and then at Kong Hou who was preparing to leave the treasury. She had been so happy just now to see the jewelry inside, but why didn’t she go in to pick?

“I have already picked the most valuable treasure in here.” Kong Hou tilted her head. “If I do not go, I fear people will come steal.”

“Just a hairpin, it is not a treasure…”

“Here.” Kong Hou and Huan Zhong walked out of the treasury. She grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers together. “I am taking away the rarest and most precious treasure of Radiance Sect.”

A powerful wind blew away the clouds in the sky. The sky was blue and so beautiful people could almost forget everything.

“This precious treasure is willing to follow you for a lifetime. Even if other people steal, they won’t be able to steal it away. Do not throw him away, will you?” Huan Zhong bent down slightly to be closer to Kong Hou. He had a faint herbal fragrance. Kong Hou unconsciously grabbed his waist.

“As long as the treasure doesn’t grow legs and run away, I will not bear to throw it away. I will hold it in my hand, and hide it in my pocket. I will let everyone know he is my treasure.”

“So…”—Huan Zhong laughed softly—”are you going to give me a status?”

Kong Hou: “…”

So he did this much in order to get a status?

She coughed dryly and scratched Huan Zhong’s palm. “I will, I will. After this conference finishes, I will return and tell Master …” Midway through, she covered her mouth and shook her head. She said, “I cannot say it.”

“Why?” Huan Zhong saw her wide eyes and looked down. “I have made it difficult for you.”

“It is not that,” Kong Hou explained. “Look at those people in the storybooks. If they say they are going to do an important matter after they finish something, they usually do not have good endings. I am going to ascend together with you—I cannot say such things.”

Huan Zhong laughed and felt Kong Hou was even more adorable. He nodded and said, “As long as you remember to give me a status.”

Kong Hou looked around guiltily. Luckily, no disciple of Radiance Sect was around. Otherwise, if they heard such things, wouldn’t they think she was scum that used people and then left them?

“I will see you back.” Looking at Kong Hou’s guilty appearance, Huan Zhong reached out. “Later, Spirit Master Qiu Shuang will walk ahead, and you and I will go to the banquet together?”

Kong Hou: “…”

Wasn’t this akin to telling everyone she and Huan Zhong had a very close relationship?

“It is not possible?” Huan Zhong smiled gently at Kong Hou. “I have made it difficult for you. It is more appropriate for you to walk with Spirit Master Qiu Shuang.”

When a good-looking man who usually did not smile gave a tolerant and pained smile, almost no woman could resist the beauty. Kong Hou was a woman, and one with a normal sense of beauty. When her man showed an expression like this, she could not help but feel for him.

“All right.” Kong Hou nodded. “Together with you.”

The beauty was seductive, and she… she was helpless. This was a mistake that any normal woman would make.

“Kong Hou, I am very happy.” Huan Zhong’s smile grew warmer, like a sweet coat of sugar that wrapped around Kong Hou’s entire heart.

She would not bear to refuse climbing a mountain of blades with him if he smiled like this, much less appearing with him at the banquet. Other than spoiling her man, what else could she do?

“Greetings to Zhong Xi Shishu, Celestial Kong Hou.” A disciple of Radiance Sect came over.

“Yes.” Huan Zhong’s smile immediately disappeared and he returned to looking aloof. However, he did not bear to release Kong Hou’s hand. “Miss Kong Hou is an honored guest of our Sword Cry Peak. Based on seniority, you can call her shishu.”

“Yes.” The young sword cultivator looked at Huan Zhong and Kong Hou’s linked hands. He was stunned inside but bowed to Kong Hou. “Junior greets Kong Hou Shishu.”

“No need for such politeness.” Kong Hou shoved a brocade bag at this disciple. “Meeting gift.”

The disciple peeked at Huan Zhong. Seeing him not object, he took it. “Thank you, Shishu.”

When this disciple left, Huan Zhong suddenly said, “Should I make up gifts for your junior disciples?”

Kong Hou smiled. “If you are willing, I will thank them for you.”

He laughed at her. The two took more than an hour to walk the short way to return to Kong Hou’s hall. Wu Chuan, standing at the door, saw the two walking hand in hand and peeking at each other. Then he looked back at his fellow disciples. How could he help cover up for her?

The disciples of Splendid Cloud Sect were watching with relish and using sound arts to talk to each other.

[I just knew that there is nothing in the cultivation world that Kong Hou Shimei cannot do. Base Building in four years, recruiting Five Flavors Manor, and now even getting Spirit Master Zhong Xi of Radiance Sect. The hero of our generation.]

[I never expected the usually cold and noble Spirit Master Zhong Xi would be like this when together with Kong Hou Shimei.]

[Men, they always have many faces.]

[Shijie, I am also a man…]

[Men who are not good-looking enough will have no one to admire them even if they have many faces. Little Shidi, life is very cruel—you have to understand as early as possible.]

[…]

Huan Zhong bid farewell to Kong Hou. Seeing the path friends standing at the door, he bowed slightly to them and turned to leave. Returning to Cloud Gazing Hall, Huan Zhong said, “Lin Hu, did you find the books?”

“All here.” Lin Hu took out a thick stack of storybooks to give to Huan Zhong. “The most well-rated and popular books on the market for gaining the favor of women are all here.”

Huan Zhong nodded and did not immediately read them. He said, “Today, I took her to see the treasury, and gave the jade scroll for the treasury to her. She did not want it. Why?”

“Master.” Lin Hu laughed. “Miss Kong Hou is not a greedy person. I fear that your jade scroll will not be accepted.”

“Then how can I give it to her?” Huan Zhong frowned.

“Maybe when Miss Kong Hou is willing to become path companions with you?” Lin Hu raised an eyebrow and thought seriously about this question. “Master, keep working hard.”

Huan Zhong was silent.

If he could join and become path companions with Kong Hou…

No, the main problem now was that he had to obtain a status.

“Right, Master, there is a matter I forgot to tell you.” Lin Hu took out a money bag with a few spirit stones inside.

“Why give me this?” Huan Zhong looked at the spirit stones in Lin Hu’s hand. He did not lack for these things. What was Lin Hu doing?

“Master, your storybooks made money.”

Having written for many years, they had been losing money all this time before finally managing to make money. All the bookshops of the cultivation world were greatly moved.

Translator Ramblings: The last sentence of this chapter describes it all.