Chapter 285: Chapter 5: The Lan Family of Jiangzhou
Zhou Heng, after some consideration, made his decision.
A platinum treasure box and two Gold Fortune Bags definitely could not be opened now. He had to wait until he reached the Secret Sixth Rank to maximize his benefits. He also needed to keep some Silver and Copper Fortune Bags.
“Open one Copper Fortune Bag and one Silver Fortune Bag.”
“Congratulations! Luck is off the charts, you’ve obtained a special skill card: Transmutation Card [Copper].”
“Congratulations! You’ve received an additional attribute bonus: Demon Slaying +1.”
“Transmutation Card [Copper]: Can be used on any item or creature below the Third Celestial Rank, rendering it animated, with free-spirited sentience and self-will.”
“Demon Slaying: Effective against Demonic Qi.”
Not a bad haul!
Zhou Heng was happy, especially with the Transmutation Card.
This could totally be used as an ace up his sleeve. Below a Celestial Man, anyone who gets transmuted is likely to drop dead on the spot.
The usage was very simple.
All he needed to do was to transmute someone’s head, and then, abiding by its newfound free-spirited sentience, the head would leave the body of its own accord.
After all, the head is a critical part of the body. Although losing it may not necessarily be fatal for those below a Celestial Man, it would certainly result in severe injury and possibly the loss of the ability to resist.
As for the Demon Slaying bonus attribute, that was also extremely practical.
According to the news he got from the earlier Purple Tenuity Palace gathering, the Central Plains land will see the emergence of demon entities of various levels, and just the sort of power needed to restrain Demonic Qi.
Obtaining such good rewards before descending the mountain, in Zhou Heng’s view, was a good omen.
…
After Zhou Heng left Taihua Mount, he found a passageway to Purple Tenuity Palace and then, via the Starlight Bridge, he traveled to Jiangzhou County City in the southern part of Da Qi.
To meet Fang Su.
Apart from the Purple Lightning Flying Sword, Fang Su’s Qiankun pouch contained her contact address.
However, this time Zhou Heng did not pretend to be the Ziwei Master, but instead went there in his normal attire.
The characteristics of the Purple Lightning Flying Sword were too distinctive; Fang Su would surely recognize it easily, so Zhou Heng saw no need to hide his identity from her.
Jiangzhou is one of the most prosperous and affluent counties in the south of Da Qi, located at the confluence of three rivers, accessible in all directions.
As such, travel and trade are very convenient there, with numerous merchants also abundant, often doing business with Southern Jin across the river, truly a place where wealth flows everywhere.
Zhou Heng arrived here by boat, and as soon as he entered Jiangzhou County City, he felt a completely different vibe from the county cities in central, northern, and western areas.
Inside Jiangzhou City, there were also many waterways, with rivers crisscrossing everywhere, boats ceaselessly sailing, the cries of vendors along the banks endless, and the fragrance of snacks pervading the rivers and city streets.
Zhou Heng felt his appetite being roused. It was said that the roasted duck in Jiangzhou City was unparalleled, and he definitely had to try it when he found the time.
It should be much better than the disappointing Quanjude he ate in his previous life.
Now, it’s time to find Fang Su.
After disembarking, Zhou Heng arrived at the agreed upon place—Huichang Iron Shop.
After indicating that he wanted to buy a longevity lock, the shopkeeper immediately understood, bowed respectfully, and then led him to the guest room in the back courtyard, served tea and pastry, and asked him to wait there.
Before long, Zhou Heng heard footsteps approaching from outside, along with a faint fiery aura that made the atmosphere somewhat scorching hot.
Thump thump.
There was a knock on the door, and from outside came a gentle female voice, asking, “May I come in, sir?”
Zhou Heng, upon hearing the voice, noticed it differed from Room Su’s, yet bore some similarities, suggesting it had been disguised by the wearing of a mask.
Indeed, he would need to pay more attention to disguising his voice in the future.
Wearing only a mask was insufficient.
“Come in,” Zhou Heng said.
“Thank you, Sir,” the woman outside responded with a smile, then pushed the door open and entered.
Zhou Heng was instantly struck by a dazzle before his eyes.
The visitor was a young woman in her early twenties, with stunning beauty and a charming presence, not particularly tall but with a slender waist and a noticeably ample bosom.
Upon entering, the woman immediately closed the door of the guest room.
Then, she took out a mask painted with a white rabbit, placed it on her face, removed it, and said with a smile, “From Jiangzhou Lan Family, Lan Yingzhi pays respects to the esteemed Ziwei Master.”
It was indeed Room Su.
“Indeed, from the Jiangzhou Lan Family,” Zhou Heng said with a smile. “I had heard long ago that the Lan Family from Jiangzhou excels in artifact refining and weapon forging. Ever since you chose Jiangzhou for our meeting location, I’ve had my suspicions.”
The Jiangzhou Lan Family, having risen to prominence only in the last millennium, was not one of the Twelve Ancient Families of Da Qi.
However, under the strong artifact refining and weapon forging skills of the family’s old ancestor, the Lan Family saw rapid growth, only a Celestial Man and accumulated heritage away from reaching the level of the Twelve Ancient Families.
People throughout the lands speculated whether the old ancestor of the Lan Family would break through and become a Celestial Man, or if she would eventually exhaust her lifespan and perish, her millennium of cultivation amounting to naught.
It now seemed that the old ancestor of the Lan Family was indeed running out of time.
Otherwise, a grandmaster of Absolute Fourth Rank would not remain hidden while people discussed whether she would pass away, and Lan Yingzhi would have no need to seek longevity so covertly for her ancestress.
For the Lan Family, the news of their ancestor’s impending end must absolutely not be confirmed, or else it would attract endless greedy gazes and the ensuing, limitless troubles that would follow.
After all, in the thousand years that the old ancestor of the Lan Family had been alive, she had refined and forged many treasure-level weapons and magical treasures, objects difficult to come by for many medium-ranked families and sects, things we can only dream of obtaining.
If the old ancestor of the Lan Family, a Great Grandmaster at the pinnacle of Fourth Rank, were still around, then naturally no one would dare have any ulterior motives. But if the ancestress were no longer present, or it was certain she could no longer act, then the situation would be entirely different.
“Ziwei Master, seeing me must have given you an idea of whom I wish to extend the lifespan for,” Lan Yingzhi said with a wry smile. “Ziwei Master, please come with me. Our old ancestress urgently needs your Lifespan Extension Pill.”
“Very well,” Zhou Heng nodded lightly.
…
Lan Yingzhi led Zhou Heng through a very covert route, deploying various tricks along the way to blind prying eyes.
To avoid their traces being discovered inadvertently by others.
Thus, after taking a roundabout path, they finally entered through the back door of the Lan Family estate.
The subsequent journey was smooth.
Under Lan Yingzhi’s guidance, Zhou Heng traversed through corridor after corridor and courtyard after courtyard, eventually arriving at a secluded and quiet yard.
This was where the old ancestress of the Lan Family was recuperating.
Upon entering with Lan Yingzhi, Zhou Heng immediately attracted everyone’s attention inside.
Apart from an elderly woman seated on the bed, there were more than a dozen people standing there, both old and young, dressed in a variety of attires, including, seemingly, a physician.
“Ancestress, the master has come,” Lan Yingzhi said respectfully. “This master has the ‘Eight Diagrams Purple Gold Pill’ that can extend life by ten years.”
“Indeed, this is the pill,” Zhou Heng nodded slightly, taking out a very ordinary, exceptionally simple pill and presenting it in his palm for everyone to see.
Seeing this pill, the brows of those present all furrowed instantly.