Ninth In the World

The most popular shop in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City was the Starry Sky Tea House.

Not only was the tea in the Starry Sky Tea House popular, but there were also countless freedom points flowing into the tea house every day. Even manager Di Jiu attracted a lot of attention and many powerhouses visited him.

This was because the news about the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Pill Di Jiu made had leaked. Sect masters from different sects, the Gigantic Tripod Liberal City Elixir Association and some cultivators who wanted pill refills had visited Di Jiu.

If Di Jiu had not been Jie Huang’s Big Brother, his little Starry Sky Tea House would have been torn down long ago.

Five months had passed since Di Jiu and Jie Huang had entered reclusive cultivation. When Jie Huang finally stopped cultivating, his cultivation experience had decreased from the early-stage Grand Zenith Immortal to the early-stage Great Unity Immortal.

Jie Huang burst into laughter after he stopped cultivating. At the moment, his heart was filled with surprise. He had finally become an ordinary person.

Other than feeling surprised, he also felt the joy of a new birth. He would not have become who he was if he had not come to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City and called Di Jiu his Big Brother.

Although his cultivation experience had dropped to the Great Unity Immortal Realm, his strength was not any weaker than it had been in the past, when he had been at the Grand Zenith Immortal Realm. His strength would increase by a few levels when he reached the Grand Zenith Immortal Realm.

“You are right. Although your Spiritual Force reached the level-three Immortal Force, it is still a bit weak. However, it is much stronger than what you had in the past.” Di Jiu had taught Jie Huang the Starry Sky Art and opened the galaxy meridian in his body. Therefore, Di Jiu understood Jie Huang very well.

Jie Huang laughed. “Big Brother, although my level-three Immortal Force is quite weak, I’m afraid that you are not even at level three. I could almost thrash you in terms of cultivation experience.”

Di Jiu’s cultivation experience had not increased. It had remained at the level-one Immortal Lord ever since he had come to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City and it remained unchanged even though his alchemy Dao had attained the grade-nine immortal pill after a few months of reclusive cultivation.

Di Jiu was too lazy to respond to Jie Huang. After all, he could defeat Jie Huang easily, even if the latter was a first-stage Great Unity Immortal.

That was because Jie Huang learned cultivation techniques from Di Jiu, and Di Jiu had a stronger Spiritual Force than him. Di Jiu was at the level-four Immortal Force, and it was extremely rare for cultivators to have a Spiritual Force higher than their cultivation experience.

“Let’s go and see how many freedom points Little Tree earned for me after five months of reclusive cultivation,” Di Jiu said as he opened the restriction.

“Big Brother…” Little Tree approached Di Jiu joyfully and said, “We have made lots of freedom points. There’s a whole lot, Big Brother, look!”

When Little Tree passed Di Jiu’s identification card to him, he was astonished by the data on the card.

Although he had not asked Little Tree to sell the tea freely, the number of freedom points on his identification card had still reached a terrifying amount— 1.1 billion.

Di Jiu would not have dared to start this business if he had known that he would earn so many freedom points. He was afraid that even Jie Huang’s father would not be able to handle such a huge amount of freedom points.

“Big Brother, many people who bought our Starry Sky Tea sold the tea at a higher price, which is bad for us.” Little Tree did not care about its own cultivation experience, but it was very particular about earning freedom points.

Di Jiu did not say anything, as he was trying very hard to learn alchemy. He intended to search for the cave abode left behind by the Almighty Universe as stated on the turtle shell drawing with Jie Huang after Jie Huang completed his reclusive cultivation.

His initial plan had been to leave Little Tree and Mo Yuxuan in the shop. However, he no longer dared to do that, so he had to bring them along.

“Oh yeah, Big Brother, the deputy guild master of the Elixir Association and Deacon Lin Qing came looking for you a few times. In addition, Hall Master Dui from the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City Law Enforcement Hall and two deputy city lords came to see you. Elders from a few big sects also came and told me to inform them once you completed your reclusive cultivation…”

Little Tree’s words sent chills down Di Jiu’s spine. He immediately asked Mo Yuxuan and Black Fire to come out.

When everyone came down, Di Jiu said in a serious tone, “We have to leave the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City.”

“Big Brother, what will happen to Sister Mo’s injuries if we leave?” Black Fire knew that Di Jiu had come to the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City to get the Agama True Glazed Water.

Black Fire was now almost a level-four immortal demon and was leveling up really fast.

When Jie Huang had first met Black Fire, he had walked around Black Fire a few times in amazement because he had not known what it was at all.

“I’m fine,” Mo Yuxuan said hurriedly. She had cultivated through meditation every day, so her appearance had started to recover. She had an ominous feeling that the Starry Sky Tea House was in a dangerous position and something bad was about to happen at any moment.

Di Jiu lowered his voice and said, “We have to leave now. I asked Deacon Huo to help me search for the Agama True Glazed Water. Deacon Huo will inform me once the treasure appears in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City and we will come back.”

“Big Brother, is there any danger?” Jie Huang felt Di Jiu’s worry.

Di Jiu nodded. “Yes, the profits we have made from selling the Starry Sky Tea have put us in danger. The reason those people have been waiting for me to come out of reclusive cultivation is probably because of Jie Huang’s father. The four of you can enter my Quintessential World first. I must leave the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City right now.”

Di Jiu no longer felt any hesitation. He had obtained the “Heavenly Mutable Sutra” from the Radiant Fortune Immortal Sect. Although he had only read part of the book, he felt a foreboding.

Jie Huang wanted to mention his father, but he decided to keep quiet after thinking of the warnings Di Jiu had given him previously. He would not depend on his father in the future. Instead, he would depend on himself. His big brother’s advice was right.

“Jie Huang, take out the jade card your father gave you and place it on level two, where we enter reclusive cultivation.” Di Jiu asked Jie Huang to take out Jie Wanling’s jade card after sending Mo Yuxuan, Black Fire and Little Tree into the Quintessential World.

“Big Brother, although I shouldn’t rely on my father, I can still use this card if anything happens?” Jie Huang was puzzled.

Di Jiu sneered. “How do you temper yourself with your father’s jade card? If you have a reliance on everything that you do, your cultivation will be affected drastically.”

“Oh, I know.” Jie Huang did not dare object. Therefore, he sent the jade card into the cave abode.

Di Jiu’s words were not wrong. However, the reason he did not want Jie Huang to keep the jade card was not because he wanted to pressure Jie Huang, but because he did not trust Jie Wanling at all.

He was there to earn lots of money, and he thought that he would be exposed very soon if Jie Huang carried the scheming Jie Wanling’s jade card around.

After sending Jie Huang into the Quintessential World, Di Jiu set up a display array and disguised himself before leaving the Starry Sky Tea House by using his Spiritual Force escape technique.

Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force was at level four and it was more condensed compared to other cultivators. He knew that countless Spiritual Forces were watching the Starry Sky Tea House when he left the tea house by using the Spiritual Force escape technique.

It seemed like his theory was correct. Many people had their eyes on the Starry Sky Tea House. Even the Palatial Lord of the Starry Demon Palace would not be able to protect the tea house.

Di Jiu left the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City as fast as he could. With the help of the Spiritual Force escape technique, he managed to run away from the city within a very short time.

…

The next morning, countless cultivators rushed to the Starry Sky Tea House like they always did. After all, there were limited Starry Sky Tea leaves every day, so whoever went first would be able to get some. There was also another rule in the Starry Sky Tea House. Those who queued in advance would not be able to buy the tea leaves. The customers had to come after the Starry Sky Tea House opened.

Many cultivators who rushed to the Starry Sky Tea House were shocked when they reached the place.

The Starry Sky Tea House had not opened. There was a gigantic sign on the door that said, “The Starry Sky Tea leaves have been sold out. Please wait for the next batch of leaves.”

That was the message on the display array Di Jiu had set up before leaving. The display array would show the message after he left the Starry Sky Tea House.

Many people were dumbstruck by the sudden closing of the Starry Sky Tea House.

The merchants who resold the Starry Sky Tea were particularly frightened. Those merchants had their way of purchasing Starry Sky Tea. They would walk around the Starry Sky Tea House and rush to the tea house once it opened.

Now that the Starry Sky Tea House was closed, their businesses would be ruined and many promises they had made would be broken.

Unlike the merchants who resold the tea, the Starry Sky Tea House would never make promises about the Starry Sky Tea. The merchants would make bold promises because they wanted to attract customers and make extremely high profits. During the previous months, it had been fine for them to make promises, as the Starry Sky Tea House would open punctually. However, the sudden closing of the Starry Sky Tea House made them panic.

Many powers in the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City could not sit still after finding out about the closing of the Starry Sky Tea House. The two deputy city lords, as well as numerous elders, rushed to the Starry Sky Tea House.

They were willing to wait for Di Jiu to complete his reclusive cultivation because they were afraid of Jie Wanling, the palatial lord of the Starry Demon Palace, and they did not want to be on bad terms with Di Jiu. Who would want to fall out with someone who could refine the Starry Sky Tea and the Seven-Orifice Soul Condensing Pill? It would not be so bad if Di Jiu had only closed down the Starry Sky Tea House. However, it would be unacceptable if he had left the Gigantic Tripod Liberal Immortal City.

Many people did not think that Di Jiu had left the Starry Sky Tea House. After all, they had been watching the tea house, so they would have noticed if Di Jiu had tried to leave.

“Alchemy Master Di, Yu Yanzi from the Thunder Solar Sect is here to pay you a visit.” A man with thunder streaks on his face walked in front of the Starry Sky Tea House and cupped his fists.

Some Immortal Essence permeated the man’s voice. This was considered a forceful visit for a cultivator.

Although many people were there to look for Di Jiu, nobody had paid a forceful visit. No one spoke before someone finally spoke up. Everyone wanted to know if Di Jiu was still in the Starry Sky Tea House.