I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals 226

## Chapter 223: A Deceptive Spirit Contract

This trade fair was more like a social gathering.

For example, Master Wang, with his impressive background and resources, was the object of attention from merchants in Jing State, who all sought to make connections with him.

“Brother Wu! Fang just heard that Master Wang is looking for two guards, prioritizing Liang State cultivators, so that he’ll have someone to command once he arrives in Jing State.”

The purple-faced, burly man spoke with a hint of excitement in his voice.

“Oh? If that’s the case, Brother Fang can give it a try.”

Lu Chang’an responded, following the flow of the conversation.

The purple-faced, burly man was one of the few late Foundation Establishment cultivators among the Liang State cultivators on the ship.

Having a higher cultivation level would be an advantage when applying for the guard position.

If he could climb the ladder of such a powerful individual, he could ensure his safe arrival in Jing State, and possibly gain a chance to use him as leverage in the future.

“Brother Wu, won’t you give it a try?”

“I’m of mediocre strength and dull in nature, I fear I wouldn’t be able to serve a noble person well.”

Lu Chang’an shook his head. He wasn’t interested in any kind of contract that limited his freedom.

During the trade fair, some Liang State cultivators had signed indentured servitude contracts with Jing State merchants.

Although they were exploited and treated as cheap labor by Jing State merchants, it was still better than dying in Liang State or being forcibly conscripted into the Immortal Cultivation battlefield.

For example, the purple-faced, burly man, being a battlefield deserter with a warrant out for his arrest, would undoubtedly meet his demise in Liang State.

Lu Chang’an speculated that these contracts had limited quotas and that the merchants had to pay a certain price to the Nine Suns Merchant Guild.

Therefore, they would try to maximize their benefits when signing these contracts.

During the trade fair, Lu Chang’an observed Miss Wei’s actions.

She had negotiated with several skilled Foundation Establishment cultivators, all of whom met the conditions stated by the New Moon Merchant Guild for “retainers” – possessing mid-to-high level second-order skills.

For such talented individuals, the contracts offered by various merchant guilds were generally more lenient.

This observation made Lu Chang’an ponder and form some thoughts.

…

The next afternoon, the purple-faced, burly man returned to his room looking dejected.

Lu Chang’an later learned that the purple-faced, burly man had failed to become Master Wang’s guard, not even making it past the initial selection.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Chang’an understood the reason.

Master Wang’s hunchbacked old servant, whose true strength was unknown, was at least a Fake Golden Core cultivator, and his eyes were sharp.

The purple-faced, burly man exuded a heavy killing intent. As a battlefield deserter, his background was unclear, and he lacked loyalty.

The purple-faced, burly man soon gave up his hopes.

The following day, he joined the New Moon Merchant Guild, signing an indentured servitude contract and becoming one of their escorts.

“Brother Wu, although signing a contract with the Merchant Guild means losing some freedom, it’s better than losing your life.”

After joining the guild, the purple-faced, burly man tried to persuade Lu Chang’an.

“Besides, it’s good to be under a big tree. The Merchant Guild will also provide spirit vein training grounds and resources.”

“According to Manager Jia, a Liang State cultivator who had shown excellent performance during his contract period, ended up marrying the Guild Master’s daughter, and later even became one of the Merchant Guild’s main executives. Life there is much more comfortable than in Liang State!”

Lu Chang’an smiled but didn’t say anything. While this story might have a real prototype, it was definitely a rare outlier.

If they didn’t dangle a carrot in front of them, giving them a glimmer of hope, how would those who signed the contract be willing to work their lives away for the Merchant Guild?

“Brother Fang, can you let Brother Wu have a look at the spirit contract you signed?”

Lu Chang’an felt a flicker of interest and proposed.

“Brother Wu, what do you mean?” The purple-faced, burly man raised an eyebrow, hesitant.

“There’s an old saying in the mundane world: No merchant is innocent. Brother Wu wants to see if there’s any trickery in the contract.”

Lu Chang’an said with a serious tone.

The purple-faced, burly man chuckled, “Brother Fang, I’m not a naive person. The contract doesn’t have any issues with the agreed-upon content.”

With that, he took out a yellow-skin spirit contract scroll and allowed Lu Chang’an to examine it.

“Second-order spirit contract… Fang Zhong… New Moon Merchant Guild…”

Lu Chang’an checked the format, the language used, and the obligations of both parties, finding no fault.

Through this contract, Lu Chang’an learned the purple-faced, burly man’s full name: Fang Zhong.

The name Fang Zhong might be an alias, but it didn’t affect the binding force of the contract.

As long as one left their magic power imprint on the contract, it would take effect.

This magic power imprint carried a cultivator’s unique soul aura.

The binding force was almost equivalent to a heart demon oath. Within a certain range, it would have additional effects of magic power backlash and location sensing.

Even if one managed to escape, they wouldn’t be able to take a single step within the Jing State territory, becoming a wanted fugitive.

These second-order spirit contract scrolls, depending on their effect, were worth a thousand to two thousand spirit stones each and were protected by the Jing State Merchant League.

“Hmm, there’s no problem.”

Lu Chang’an nodded and returned the contract scroll to Fang Zhong.

After Fang Zhong left, Lu Chang’an smirked.

These second-order spirit contract scrolls were primarily binding on cultivators at Foundation Establishment level and below.

For Fake Golden Core cultivators, signing one was almost like signing a blank piece of paper; the cost of breaching the contract was negligible.

Lu Chang’an’s spiritual consciousness and physical body had both reached the Fake Golden Core level, so naturally he wasn’t afraid of signing such a contract.

Furthermore, he could even try to deceive the spirit contract with the magic power aura simulated by the Hundred Illusions Mask.

After all, it was only a second-order spirit contract, leaving room for exploitation.

Lu Chang’an made up his mind to find a more agreeable Merchant Guild and sign a contract.

…

After several days of private contact, Lu Chang’an found a relatively suitable target.

In a guest room on the second floor of the spirit ship.

“Brother Wu claims to be a second-order alchemist, can you demonstrate your skills by refining some pills?”

The handsome young man seated at the head of the table, dressed in silk robes and a jade crown, spoke directly.

This handsome young man was the representative of the “Five Blessings Merchant Guild.” The accompanying guild cultivators called him Master Xia.

“Brother Wu is of limited ability, I can refine a batch of second-order spirit pills that have a relatively fast refining process.”

Lu Chang’an couldn’t allow the other party to give him a test question, mainly because his second-order alchemist skills were rather weak.

The reason why he didn’t reveal his skills as a talisman master and puppeteer was because he was afraid of revealing his identity.

The hidden dangers of killing the Jin Yang Sect cultivator in the ancient ruins were still unknown.

Being a stranger in a strange land, it was safer to play it safe.

In the Liang State cultivation world, the outside world only knew that Lu Chang’an was a talisman master. Only those who had close relationships with him knew he also cultivated puppeteering skills.

As for his second-order alchemist achievements, the outside world was unaware of them.

“Please take a look, Master Xia.”

A few days later, Lu Chang’an successfully opened the furnace and refined three second-order lower-grade Rejuvenation Pills.

Master Xia examined the quality of the pills with a blank expression.

He handed the pills to the old man with a mustache.

The old man with a mustache carefully inspected the pills, sniffed them with his nose, and his brows furrowed slightly.

“Master, Wu Fan is indeed a second-order lower-grade alchemist, but his techniques are rather mediocre, and he doesn’t seem to have any signature skills.”

The old man with a mustache was at late Foundation Establishment cultivation level and used his spiritual sense to transmit a message to Master Xia.

“He’s still a second-order alchemist, which is beneficial to the clan and the guild. If he were any more skilled, he wouldn’t be available to us, the Five Blessings Merchant Guild.”

Master Xia sighed inwardly and transmitted a message back.

After confirming Lu Chang’an’s skills, Master Xia asked some more questions, probing about Lu Chang’an’s background.

For Liang State cultivators who signed contracts, the guild had to guarantee their identities.

If they encountered an enemy state spy or a criminal, and committed heinous crimes within Jing State territory, the guaranteeing merchant guild would also bear joint liability.

“Master Xia, isn’t a twenty-year contract duration too long?”

Lu Chang’an expressed his dissatisfaction.

Master Xia explained, “The cultivators from your country who sign contracts on the spirit ship, almost all have a minimum twenty-year contract duration. This is non-negotiable.”

“Moreover, we provide Brother Wu with a beautifully landscaped second-order spirit vein training ground, basic spirit stones and resources for cultivation, including beautiful concubines and servants…”

“We can lower the yearly pill refining quota by 30%. Any excess amount will be compensated at the standard rate.”

Lu Chang’an symbolically bargained.

Master Xia and the old man with a mustache discussed for a while before finally agreeing to Lu Chang’an’s request.

Lu Chang’an thought to himself, although this condition wasn’t as good as being a retainer, it was considered a reasonable employment relationship.

The only downside was that the basic compensation was low and the contract duration was rather long.

However, the Five Blessings Merchant Guild needed to provide guarantees when signing a cultivator, and they had to pay a sum of spirit stones to the Nine Suns Merchant Guild.

Purchasing a second-order spirit contract from the Merchant League was also an expense.

Therefore, among the guilds Lu Chang’an had negotiated with, the Five Blessings Merchant Guild’s conditions were considered relatively lenient.

Of course, this was due to the fact that the Five Blessings Merchant Guild wasn’t very powerful and had a need for a second-order alchemist.

In comparison, other large merchant guilds were more demanding in their terms.

…

A quarter of an hour later.

Lu Chang’an signed a second-order spirit contract with the merchant guild represented by Master Xia.

The contract’s binding conditions were much more relaxed compared to Fang Zhong’s contract.

Lu Chang’an used the “Hundred Illusions Mask” to simulate someone else’s magic power aura and left his imprint on the second-order spirit contract.

This way, once he reached the Jing State cultivation world, whether he fulfilled his contractual obligations would depend entirely on Lu Chang’an’s mood.

“Master Xia, I’m now an external contractor signed by your guild, can you ensure my safe arrival in Jing State?”

Lu Chang’an asked.

“As long as we don’t encounter the Demon Cult, our guild can guarantee your safe arrival in Jing State. Once you enter our territory, the final identity verification will be easy with the contract in hand.”

Master Xia’s tone was much gentler, and he answered patiently.

“May I ask, how likely is it that we’ll encounter the Demon Cult?”

Previously on the ship, Lu Chang’an had inquired, and the biggest threat was encountering the Demon Cult.

The Nine Suns Merchant Guild, with greater resources, could afford to bribe their way out of trouble.

“There’s about a one in ten chance.”

Master Xia was quite calm.

“If unfortunately we do encounter them, don’t panic. As long as you aren’t a target for the Demon Cult’s assassination, you can pay a ransom.”

“One in ten?”

Lu Chang’an thought of Miss Wei on the spirit ship and felt like the probability had doubled.

…

Unbeknownst to them, the Nine Suns Merchant Guild’s spirit ship had been flying for a month in the desolate land between the two states.

They were halfway through the journey.

Lu Chang’an felt reassured: With less than half the journey left, even if they encountered any unexpected incidents, he would be under much less pressure to travel alone to Jing State.

Because this region, closer to Jing State, was less affected by the Immortal Cultivation war, the risks were lower than those in Liang State.

“Brother Wu, you actually joined the ‘Five Blessings Merchant Guild’?”

“This guild is in a precarious situation. Its businesses are being suppressed by the ‘New Moon Merchant Guild,’ and they’ve been losing money for years, almost to the point of collapse.”

Fang Zhong somehow learned the news and felt it was a waste of Lu Chang’an’s choice.

He had originally invited Lu Chang’an to join the New Moon Merchant Guild together, but the latter didn’t agree and instead joined the weaker Five Blessings Merchant Guild.

Lu Chang’an only then learned the true situation of the Five Blessings Merchant Guild – they were actually rivals with the New Moon Merchant Guild?

Lu Chang’an chose the Five Blessings Merchant Guild because they were more agreeable and had more lenient conditions, that’s all.

Even if the New Moon Merchant Guild’s conditions weren’t harsh, Lu Chang’an didn’t want to join.

Because the ship ticket he had was obtained by Li Congren through the New Moon Merchant Guild’s channels.

If Lu Chang’an joined the New Moon Merchant Guild, they would most likely investigate his background. If they investigated too deeply, there was a chance they would link him to his identity.

“Brother Wu, cheers to you! No matter what the future holds, before we land in Jing State, Fang considers you a friend.”

Fang Zhong finished his cup of spirit wine, his tone hearty, and his face, covered in mounds of flesh, flushed purple from the alcohol.

Lu Chang’an heard the subtext and smiled, raising his cup in response.

At the same time.

On the ship’s bow deck.

The handsome young man in golden robes stood side-by-side with the long-haired woman with her face veiled in a thin gauze, overlooking the sea of clouds below.

“Master Wang, we’ll reach Jing State in a few weeks. Do you think the Demon Cult cultivators will attempt to assassinate us?”

Miss Wei brushed her hair, her jet-black eyes, her smooth forehead, her straight nose, faintly visible under the veil, outlining her cold and beautiful features.

“Miss Wei, you can rest assured.”

Master Wang remained calm and composed, his voice firm:

“With me here, even if those Demon Cult cultivators show up, what can they do?”

Boom!

A dull roar that shook the mountains echoed from the distant sky.

Master Wang’s heart shuddered, his face instantly turning pale, a sense of dread creeping over him.

At that moment, all the cultivators on the spirit ship felt their blood churning and their ears ringing.

“Not good!”

The hunchbacked old man, who had been meditating with his eyes closed nearby, suddenly changed his expression.

Whoosh!

He quickly stood up, along with the beautiful young girl, and escorted Master Wang back to his upper-class guest room.

“Ah…”

Miss Wei covered her face, feigning panic.

No one noticed that the corners of her mouth, beneath the veil, curled up into a mocking smile.

…

In a guest room on the first floor, Lu Chang’an and Fang Zhong were also alarmed.

“What was that sound?”

Fang Zhong ran out of the room nervously and looked into the distance.

“Third-order great demon? Accompanied by strong demonic energy?”

Lu Chang’an closed his eyes and sensed, his expression changing.

Buzz!

The Nine Suns Merchant Guild’s spirit ship activated its formations, slowing down to maintain order within the ship.

Moo~

A terrifying roar echoed from the sky six or seven miles away, amidst swirling black winds and fog.

Using their spiritual eye spells, the cultivators looked out, their hearts pounding.

At the site of the incident, a huge iron-black bull, as tall as a tower, with hooves like giant pillars, stomped through black wind flames, creating a sandstorm that swept for a mile or two.

Boom! Crack!

Under its hooves, a thirty-zhang long merchant guild spirit ship cracked, emitting a sound of being strained to its limits.

Within the spirit ship, black wind flames raged, and the screams of the injured cultivators were gradually swallowed by the flames.

“Black Wind Bull! The Demon Cult’s sacred beast!”

On the spirit ship, some knowledgeable merchant guild cultivators turned pale, their voices trembling.

The Black Wind Bull was a top-tier earth-grade bloodline, with a body like steel, immense strength, and mastery of black wind magic, with immense destructive power.

Near the Black Wind Bull, two groups of cultivators in dark robes were slaughtering the injured cultivators who had escaped from the spirit ship.

“Xiang Jinglong! You’ve joined the Demon Cult, aiding and abetting their evil deeds. The Liang State sects will sooner or later take your life.”

A green-robed beautiful woman with Fake Golden Core cultivation level, her mouth dripping with blood, her spiritual light fading, her dress charred black, weakly collapsed to the ground.

“Spit! You old hag, how arrogant you were when you chased after me!”

Xiang Jinglong, with a wheat-colored complexion and a golden embroidered robe, stepped on the green-robed female cultivator, looking down at her.

The green-robed woman’s ribs were fractured. She said sadly, “Xiang Jinglong… you murdered the elder’s descendant… You won’t escape your fate…”

“What elder’s descendant? Explain yourself!”

Xiang Jinglong’s face darkened, his eyes filled with gloom.

Years ago, he had caused trouble in Mo’s market, suspected of revealing his identity. It was a minor incident, and the evidence wasn’t enough, but somehow he ended up on the Li Huo Palace’s wanted list.

Over the years, he had established himself in the Demon Cult, trying to investigate the reason, but hadn’t found any clues.

Now, hearing the green-robed woman’s words, he vaguely sensed the truth.

Xiang Jinglong lifted the green-robed woman, intending to interrogate her further.

But he discovered that she was already a corpse with a slight warmth remaining.

To prevent humiliation and torture, she had used her last bit of magic power to self-destruct her heart meridian.

“Damn it!”

A gloomy look appeared on Xiang Jinglong’s face, his gaze shifting towards the larger spirit ship several miles away in the sky.

“Master Xiang, that’s the Nine Suns Merchant Guild’s spirit ship.”

The middle-aged cultivator in dark robes, leading the other group, revealed a knowing smile.

…

The Nine Suns Merchant Guild’s spirit ship was on high alert, trying to avoid the site of the incident.

However, the spirit ship was massive, its speed far inferior to Fake Golden Core cultivators and smaller spirit boats of the same grade.

Moo~

How fast was that third-order great demon Black Wind Bull, within ten breaths it had caught up.

Xiang Jinglong and another Demon Cult Fake Golden Core cultivator, leading their two groups of cultivators, surrounded the ship.

Based on Lu Chang’an’s extensive experience in running away, it was not advisable to make any rash moves at this point, otherwise, he might attract the attention of the third-order great demon and the Demon Cult’s Fake Golden Cores.

After all, there were two or three Fake Golden Core cultivators on the spirit ship, either openly or secretly.

Once the attention of important figures was diverted and chaos ensued, that would be the best opportunity.

Moreover, as long as that Miss Wei was on the ship, Lu Chang’an wouldn’t have to worry about his safety for the time being.

The other cultivators on the spirit ship, however, were panicked.

Unlike Lu Chang’an, they didn’t know as much about the inner workings.

The Nine Suns Merchant Guild had only one Fake Golden Core cultivator, officially.

That was the Confucian-robed middle-aged man who was in charge.

“Master Xiang, we’re legitimate Jing State merchants, and we’ve never skipped paying the tolls every time we pass. Can we…”

The Confucian-robed middle-aged man smiled and came forward.

He glanced at the Black Wind Bull casting a huge shadow above them, his eyelids twitching.

“Less nonsense, open the formations! This one is only capturing suspected cultivators from the Liang State sects!”

Xiang Jinglong said impatiently.

The Confucian-robed middle-aged man chuckled wryly, exchanged a few words with the managers of several major merchant guilds, and finally ordered the opening of the spirit ship’s formations.

“Everyone stay put in your rooms, anyone who dares to come out will be killed without mercy!”

Xiang Jinglong and the middle-aged Fake Golden Core cultivator boarded the spirit ship from the front and back, checking each room.

This search was much stricter than the Liang State sects.

Whether it was a regular room or an upper-class room, every corner was thoroughly inspected.

The third-order great demon Black Wind Bull hovered in the sky, its terrifyingly cold black wind magic made the cultivators feel suffocated.

The two Demon Cult Fake Golden Core cultivators monitored the inspection of each room throughout the process.

(End of chapter)

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