Chapter 3: Life In The Immortal City Is Unruly

Afterward, Chu Sheng tucked the Soul Devouring Banner into his robes.

He looked at the dried corpses sprawled every which way before him, feeling somewhat guilty.

Especially Old Li the cook, who had specifically made his favorite braised pork just yesterday.

And the guard captain Zhang Wu, who had looked after him the entire journey.

Even Third Concubine… though her motives hadn’t been pure, she had at least let him experience the warmth of human company.

“Haah, Immortal treasures really do pack too much power.”

Chu Sheng shook his head and sighed.

“One moment of carelessness and it’s total annihilation for ordinary people.”

“The fault lies not with me, but with this Immortal treasure!”

Chu Sheng pressed his palms together:

“Everyone, may you journey well. Captain Zhang, in your next life, don’t go around telling people stories about the Soul Devouring Banner. Old Li the cook, your braised pork truly was something else. Third Concubine… hmm, that rouge color really didn’t suit you.”

“As for this senior in the purple robes.”

 Chu Sheng looked toward that dried corpse.

“Although your intentions in giving me this treasure were far from good, you were at least half a master to me. To die so young right after defeating an evil demon—what a pity, what a shame.”

He suddenly remembered something and began searching through the purple-robed Daoist’s body.

Sure enough, tucked inside the lining of his robe was a small cloth pouch—dusty and utterly unremarkable.

“What’s this?”

Chu Sheng turned it over and over.

 “A coin purse? Doesn’t look like one, it’s too small.”

He then went to search the demonic cultivator’s corpse and found a black bracelet, its design ancient and primitive, radiating a sinister aura.

“Immortals really are poor.”

Chu Sheng muttered.

“They fight to the death and this is all they have on them. Unless… storage artifacts?”

Chu Sheng recalled the rumors he’d heard about Immortals.

Delighted, he tucked both the cloth pouch and the bracelet into his robes, then patted the Soul Devouring Banner nestled against his chest—he now knew it was no Human Emperor Banner.

“Well, this treasure counts as an Immortal encounter.”

He thought it over and decided he should do something in the end.

After all, they had traveled together. He couldn’t just leave them to rot in the wilderness.

“I’m doing this for your own good.”

Chu Sheng dragged the bodies together, muttering to himself.

“What if wild dogs got to you? How undignified that would be.”

He piled the merchant group’s corpses, the purple-robed Daoist’s corpse, and the unlucky demonic cultivator’s corpse all together, then set them alight.

In an instant, flames roared skyward and black smoke billowed.

With the scene taken care of, Chu Sheng continued on his way.

After walking a while, a sudden whim struck him—he tried drawing the Soul Devouring Banner into his body.

To his surprise, it actually worked!

A cool sensation crept in through his palm and traveled into his body, finally coming to rest somewhere in his lower abdomen.

“Is this the Dantian?”

Chu Sheng rubbed his belly.

 “Feels like I swallowed an ice-cold slice of watermelon.”

He had no ability to look inward, so he could only guess by feels that the Soul Devouring Banner had settled in there.

“Pretty well-behaved.”

Chu Sheng remarked.

He then tried drawing the small cloth pouch and the black bracelet into his Dantian, but nothing happened at all.

“These are Immortal treasures—if someone finds them on me, what then?”

Muttering to himself, he tried storing both items inside the Soul Devouring Banner instead. To his surprise, it actually worked.

He then drew the Soul Devouring Banner back into his Dantian. Now no one could detect a thing!

As for whether an Immortal might sense it—that was a matter of luck.

After walking a dozen or some meters, Chu Sheng came across another merchant caravan.

This time he was smarter about it. He said nothing about having any Immortal sect connections and only mentioned that he was heading to Taiyi Gate to visit relatives. He paid 50 taels of silver for a ride.

The caravan leader saw that he was young yet spent freely and agreed without hesitation.

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One month later, at the foot of the mountain where Taiyi Gate stood.

Chu Sheng craned his neck upward. Through the swirling mist and clouds, the faint silhouettes of Immortal palaces and pavilions emerged—upturned eaves and grand archways, an air of Immortal grandeur.

At the base of the mountain sat an enormous city.

Above its gate, 4 great characters were carved: Taiyi Immortal City.

A long queue stretched from the city gate—common folk and cultivators alike.

Chu Sheng noticed that ordinary people paid 10 taels of silver to enter, while cultivators walked straight through.

“Discrimination!”

Chu Sheng grumbled as he fished out his money.

“Once I become an Immortal, I’ll fly in and out of this gate every single day just to spite you all!”

He paid his fee, stepped through the gate, and was instantly stunned by the sight before him.

The streets were wide and immaculate, lined on both sides with shops selling everything imaginable: elixir stores, artifact shops, spirit herb stalls, and even an “Immortal Bird Rental”.

Someone was genuinely flying through the sky on the back of an Immortal crane!

“Fellow Daoist, first time here?”

A chubby man sidled over with a wide grin.

“Care to buy a copy of the Immortal City Guide? Just 1 tael of silver, and you’ll have the whole city figured out in 3 days!”

Chu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then bought one.

The chubby man handed over a small booklet, then leaned in and lowered his voice:

 “Since you seem like a decent sort, I’ll throw in a tip—some Immortal maidens just arrived at ‘Drunken Immortal Tower’ in the east of the city. Word is they were outer disciples who ran short on cultivation resources and had to… you know.”

Chu Sheng’s eyes lit up.

“Many thanks!”

Following the guide, he first found an inn to stay at.

One inquiry about the price and he nearly jumped out of his skin:

even the cheapest room cost 5 taels of silver a day!

“That’s more expensive than the old estate back in my village!”

Chu Sheng paid through gritted teeth.

Once settled, he headed out to ask around about Taiyi Gate’s disciple recruitment.

As it turned out, Taiyi Gate accepted disciples every autumn—still 3 months away.

“3 months…”

Chu Sheng did the math.

“I’ll need to watch my spending.”

He checked the silver notes tucked in his robes—all “inherited” from Xiongfeng Bandit Camp and the merchant caravan—roughly 80,000 taels remaining.

“That should be enough… right?”

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As it turned out, Chu Sheng had grossly overestimated his self-control.

Taiyi Immortal City was far too entertaining.

On the 1st day, he visited a cultivation method shop, hoping to buy something to advance his cultivation.

The shopkeeper looked him over:

“Fellow Daoist, you haven’t drawn qi into your body yet, have you? I’d suggest starting with the Basic Breathing Method—only 50 taels.”

Chu Sheng flipped through it, found the cultivation speed too slow, and asked if there was anything faster.

The shopkeeper pulled him into a corner, shot a shifty glance toward the shop entrance, and produced a slim black booklet.

“This one is guaranteed to be fast.”

On its cover, 4 characters read: Basic Demonic Art.

Chu Sheng’s heart soared.

A demonic cultivator without a demonic art was like a hoof without a horse—simply unacceptable.

This cultivation method was exactly what he wanted. He snatched it up on the spot.

That said, he had no intention of practicing it now. His plan was to join Taiyi Gate first, then cultivate in secret—and dazzle everyone.

On the 2nd day, he visited an artifact shop, wanting to buy a flying sword.

The shop assistant stifled a laugh:

“Fellow Daoist, a flying sword requires at least the 3rd level of Qi Refinement to control. Perhaps you’d like to look at this wooden sword instead? Only 10 taels—makes a lovely decoration.”

Chu Sheng didn’t buy it.

On the 3rd day, he went to Drunken Immortal Tower.

That visit opened the door to a whole new world.

“Young master, first time here?”

The madam greeted him with a beaming smile.

“We have ordinary girls as well as Immortal maidens—though the maidens require spirit stones.”

Chu Sheng waved a generous hand:

“Bring out your finest!”

That night, he spent 200 taels.

On the 4th day, he visited another pleasure house.

On the 5th day, a 3rd one.

On the 6th day…

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3 months later, on the eve of the Disciple Acceptance Ceremony.

Chu Sheng sat in his inn room, staring at the mere 10,000 taels of silver left in his hands, on the verge of tears.

“70,000 taels! A full 70,000 taels!”

 He beat his chest in anguish.

“How could I have so little control over my own hands?!”

But then again, over these 3 months he had visited over a dozen pleasure houses across the Immortal City—perhaps it was worth every coin.

“The girls of the Immortal City truly are something else”

Chu Sheng savored the memory.

 “Every one of them is radiant, and their skills… exceptional. I heard that Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion actually has a real Immortal maiden—shame it requires spirit stones…”

He made a silent vow: once I have spirit stones, I will absolutely experience what an Immortal maiden has to offer!

Right—spirit stones!

It was only then that Chu Sheng remembered he still had those 2 suspected storage artifacts.

He reached into the Soul Devouring Banner and pulled out the small cloth pouch and the black bracelet, examining them from every angle.

“These must be a Storage Pouch and a Storage Bracelet!”

Chu Sheng declared.

“Every novel says so!”

The problem was, without spiritual energy, he couldn’t open them.

“Once I join Taiyi Gate and learn cultivation methods, I’ll be able to open them.”

Chu Sheng was brimming with anticipation.

 “There might be spirit stones, elixirs, cultivation manuals inside… I’m going to be rich!”

He tucked the 2 treasures away safely, then gave the Soul Devouring Banner a pat.

“And you.”

Chu Sheng addressed the Soul Devouring Banner

“Don’t go causing trouble inside Taiyi Gate. We need to keep a low profile, lay low, stay…

The Soul Devouring Banner gave a faint tremor, as if to say:

“Yeah, yeah, stop nagging.”

Chu Sheng nodded in satisfaction and began preparing for the next day’s Disciple Acceptance Ceremony.

He changed into his most presentable clothes, tucked away the last 10,000 taels of silver, and practiced his expressions in front of a bronze mirror.

“Greetings, Immortal Elder, my name is Chu Sheng. I aspire to slay demons and uphold the Righteous Path!”

Too forced.

“This disciple, Chu Sheng, has long admired Taiyi Gate!”

Too theatrical.

“I want to become an Immortal!”

Too blunt.

After half a shichen of practice, Chu Sheng was exhausted. He flopped onto the bed.

“Forget it, whatever happens, happens. Besides, I have the Soul Devouring Banner. If worst comes to worst…”

A terrifying thought struck him:

 “What if Taiyi Gate discovers I’m carrying an evil path supreme treasure…”

“It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine.”

 Chu Sheng reassured himself.

“I’ll just say it’s a family heirloom, specifically designed to counter evil demons. If they ask why it feels so sinister, I’ll say… opposites attract!”

A perfect explanation!

Chu Sheng drifted off to sleep in peace. In his dreams, he stood atop the Soul Devouring Banner, cutting down all in his path, as every Immortal maiden threw herself into his arms…