Chapter Twenty-Five: The Phantom Pearl

Bang!

Xu Chen was slammed down from the treetop to the ground.

A graceful figure straddled him, her gaze burning with fury as she glared up at the sky.

"Your Tricolor Fox Clan truly is wanton and lustful. Even after being struck down, you look for a man to cushion your fall."

A cool, clear voice sounded above. There hovered a female disciple of the Flower Spirit Clan, clad in a long green dress, surrounded by four spirit blossoms, each radiating a different glow.

"Hmph! A harlot is a harlot. Our clan loves and hates with abandon, unlike yours," the fox girl retorted. "You pretend to be deep and devoted, but isn’t it all just to climb up to the strong? So sanctimonious."

She sat astride Xu Chen, her three tails—one red, one pink, one white—flicking back and forth across his face.

"Sister, if you can move, would you kindly get off me?" Xu Chen’s position was somewhat awkward, and at fourteen, he couldn't help but react.

The Tricolor Fox girl, mid-argument, glanced down at him. "Who would’ve thought you were still an innocent little brother? And well-endowed, too. Playing coy after taking advantage."

Her teasing gaze stoked an even greater fire in Xu Chen. But at that moment, she stood, a gentle breeze rising to carry her skyward, where she resumed her battle with the Flower Spirit disciple.

Xu Chen hurriedly suppressed his impulses, preparing to keep spectating from the treetop, when another figure appeared beside him—it was the same young man who had just purchased a Ten-Thousand-Mile Mirror.

"Junior Brother, you live a charmed life!" The disciple’s face was a mix of envy, jealousy, and frustration.

"Senior Brother, with your wealth, this kind of fortune is surely within easy reach."

"Flower Spirit coins can’t buy such beauty," the other sighed.

Xu Chen retrieved his Ten-Thousand-Mile Mirror and climbed back into the tree to continue watching the show.

The battle between the two clans raged on until sunset, when the sect’s high elders finally intervened. All disciples involved were sentenced to ten days in the Ice Prison, to begin once their injuries healed.

"They almost stripped each other bare, and all they got was ten days in Ice Prison. There’ll be another show soon enough," the mirror-buying disciple chuckled.

"Junior Brother, since fate brought us together, let’s be friends. In future, we can appreciate the beauty of all shapes and shades together whenever such excitement arises."

"I’m Li Chengfu, registered disciple under Elder Shan Xu." Li Chengfu drew out his disciple token, looking at Xu Chen with a knowing, companionable glint.

"Xu Chen," he replied without fuss, producing his own token. They tapped tokens, recording each other’s information.

Upon returning home, Xu Chen found the wine monkeys still waiting outside his door.

When they saw him approaching, they began swiftly preparing dishes and setting the table.

"Please wait half a stick of incense, sir. The meal will be ready," the chef monkey said respectfully.

"Very well," Xu Chen nodded slightly.

Night fell, the sky ablaze with countless stars.

A brilliant spirit lantern illuminated the small courtyard, making it bright as day.

Xu Chen ate his dinner alone at the stone table in the yard.

Just then, a white figure descended, hovering overhead.

"Xu Chen, you have a package," called the courier crane.

"Toss it down," Xu Chen replied, nodding as he ate.

Since the Thunder Eagle Clan had joined the human delivery business, the cranes’ service had improved greatly.

The package landed softly in his hands—a wooden box, a foot square.

"Father and mother have sent something again."

Opening it, a flash of spiritual light leapt forth, forming the figures of Xu Qiangjia and Wei Miaoqiu in midair.

"Son, do you miss your old man?" his father said with a grin. "Your mother and I are well at the front line. I’ve been promoted to squad leader in the vanguard, with a monthly stipend of 6,000 spirit coins, plus bonuses for combat."

Wei Miaoqiu now spoke, "Son, I’ve officially become a talisman master too. I can earn 4,000 coins a month. So together, we have 10,000 coins between us each month. Don’t be frugal at Daxi Sect—buy whatever resources you need to advance your cultivation quickly."

"If you see a girl you like, human or otherwise, go after her. Don’t be stingy with gifts."

Two years had passed since he’d last seen his parents, and seeing their faces now, Xu Chen suddenly found his eyes moist.

Wei Miaoqiu went on, leaving no detail of concern unsaid.

"Enough, enough, we only have a quarter of an hour. Let me speak to our son," Xu Qiangjia cut in.

"Son, don’t push yourself too hard at Daxi Sect. Stick to our plan if you can; if not, don’t force it. Once you reach the Treasure Body Realm, we’ll return to Cloudbeast City and buy a few shops to run. If you don’t want to do business, then travel the human lands for a while before coming home."

Wei Miaoqiu cared for his daily life, Xu Qiangjia for his future.

After a quarter hour, the hologram vanished, absorbed into a small bead.

Xu Chen recognized it—a Phantom Pearl, able to record a segment of video and sound. Even the cheapest cost at least a hundred spirit coins. Once used, the recording could not be changed—it was a high-end video letter.

The first layer of the box held the Phantom Pearl. The second held two yellow crystal cards. The third held three bottles of pills—Blood Tiger Pill, Flood Dragon Bone Pill, Five Origins Pill.

"These would be better used by Father. Giving them to me is such a waste."

Combined, the pills were worth at least ten thousand spirit coins.

Letting him take them was like selling them for a third of their value.

"But waste or not, it’s their love."

Xu Chen looked up at the sky—it was already late.

"Forget it for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll go to the market and buy a Phantom Pearl. It’s been two years since my parents last saw me."

Within the Sacred White Space, Xu Chen sparred with his doppelganger.

Now, he was no longer just a punching bag—he could sometimes land a blow or two, even if he got hurt in the process.

"Getting interesting, little rookie," the doppelganger teased.

A misstep, and Xu Chen’s wrist was caught, then he was whirled about and slammed to the ground.

Lying there like a puddle of mud, Xu Chen grinned up at his double.

"Just you wait!"

Ten breaths later, he pushed open the door and went in for another round.

At dawn, Xu Chen awoke, opened his door, and frowned.

Usually, by this hour, his training partner would already be running laps with a giant stone on his back. Today, there was only silence.

"Maybe he’s busy," Xu Chen mused, raising his token.

A Wind Spirit Bird landed before him.

"To the nearest human market," he said.

Swinging onto its back, he called, "Three spirit coins—let's go!"

The bird beat its wings and soared.

Morning was the best time to cultivate body and blood foundation skills.

From the bird’s back, Xu Chen gazed down, spotting many disciples training in fields they’d cleared near their homes.

A squad of Golden-Armored Thunder Bulls caught his eye—six great bulls, each ten feet tall, each carrying stones weighing tens of thousands of pounds, running laps around a vast lake.

But the more he looked, the more he realized it wasn’t unique; wherever there were Thunder Bulls, they trained together in groups of three, five, or even more.

"Brother Niu…" Xu Chen stroked his chin, imagining all sorts of reasons why his training partner might be practicing alone.