Chapter 142 The Immortal Awakens: You Lower Realm People, Do You Treat Me Like a Tourist Attraction?

Outside the Taiji Hall in Tianqi City.

As the morning light just spilled over the palace walls, the pale golden sunlight shone on the long white jade imperial road, making the entire imperial city seem as if it were coated with a faint ethereal glow.

The once solemn and imposing inner palace of the imperial city, where even speaking required hushed tones, has now been completely transformed.

In front of the Taiji Hall, on the widest square, a conspicuous jade platform had been erected. The platform was three zhang high, with wind chimes hanging from its four corners. The chimes tinkled melodiously in the morning breeze. In the center of the platform stood a figure that was both incongruous and extremely eye-catching.

The man was dressed in white, his robes flowing gracefully, exuding an ethereal and otherworldly aura.

But now—

His hands were locked behind his back by a seemingly light but actually heavy cyan sword intent, and a faint golden rune slowly flowed around his body, fixing him in place, making it difficult for him to even lift his eyelids completely.

What's even more outrageous is...

He actually had a wooden plaque hanging around his neck.

Eight large characters were written on it in a vigorous, flowing style.

[A True Immortal from the Upper Realm Charges for Photos]

There is also a line of smaller characters below the wooden sign.

[Touching once costs 10,000 taels of silver, preaching costs 100,000 taels of silver; no refunds will be given if you anger someone.]

The square was surrounded by layers of people.

There were court officials, imperial guards, martial arts masters, nobles of the Tianqi Emperor, and a large group of well-informed wealthy merchants who came specifically to watch the spectacle.

Everyone craned their necks, their eyes burning with desire.

Hermit.

This is a living immortal.

Moreover, these immortals were displayed at the entrance of the Taiji Hall for people to admire after they were suppressed.

Who has ever seen such a scene in their life?

Many people couldn't help but gasp as they watched.

"Is he really an immortal?"

"Didn't we say yesterday that this person came from outside the Heavenly Gate, and tried to wipe out Changqing Tower with a wave of his hand, but was stopped by Mr. Su with a slap?"

"It wasn't just one slap; I heard that Mr. Su was peeling grapes for the little princess when he casually pulled her down from the clouds!"

"My God... that's a fairy!"

"What's wrong with the fairy? Didn't you see the sign? This is a tourist attraction."

"..."

Some people's lips twitched, some people's hearts trembled, and some people had already begun to secretly consider whether to spend money to touch it.

after all.

That's an immortal!

Just touch it, and you'll be able to brag about it for the rest of your life!

On the jade platform, the white-robed immortal listened to the dense murmur of conversation all around him. Veins bulged on his forehead, his chest heaved, and his eyes seemed to spit fire.

humiliation.

An unprecedented humiliation!

His name is Gu Changxuan. He is a true immortal envoy of the Imperial Palace of the Nine Heavens. He roams the various realms of the lower world. Wherever he goes, emperors kneel to welcome him and holy lands bow their heads. Who would dare to show the slightest disrespect?

But he never expected that he had come under orders, and before he could even finish a complete sentence, he was suppressed by the man in the blue robe who looked like he was holding a child.

Even more outrageous is—

Suppression is one thing.

Surprisingly, the other party did not kill him immediately.

Instead, they sealed him off here, put up a sign, and started charging him!

TOLL!

Every time Gu Changxuan thought of those two words, he felt his Dao heart tremble.

Just then, a slight commotion suddenly arose in the crowd.

The people in the front row quickly stepped aside to make way.

Two figures, one tall and one short, slowly walked over from the other side of the square.

The woman was dressed in white, her long hair flowing like a waterfall, a sword hanging at her waist, her face so cold and beautiful that even the morning light dared not linger. Yet, the frostiness that once kept people at a distance was gone from her eyes; instead, a touch of gentleness and warmth had appeared.

It was Li Hanyi.

Beside her, a little girl with short legs darted around quickly, wearing a light pink dress, holding a half-eaten candied hawthorn skewer, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered a new toy.

"Mother, Mother, is this the big bad guy?"

Su Xiaonuo tilted her head back, her voice crisp and sweet.

"It was him. He even tried to harm your father yesterday."

Li Hanyi spoke calmly, but a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes when she looked at the jade platform.

For her, whoever comes after her may not necessarily die immediately.

But if anyone comes after Su Changqing and Su Xiaonuo—

That would really be a death wish.

Su Xiaonuo immediately snorted, her little face puffed out.

"You bad guy!"

As she spoke, she ran to the jade platform, stood on tiptoe, and looked intently at the white-robed immortal on it.

Gu Changxuan was already burning with rage, and now being stared at so closely by a little girl with a childish voice made him feel even more humiliated. He coldly said, "A mere child from the lower realm dares to—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

Su Xiaonuo stretched out a small, white finger and poked the hem of his clothes.

"Huh? Mother, why is he so hard?"

"Like a wooden doll that doesn't move."

There was a moment of silence.

The next moment, many people almost lost their composure, and their shoulders began to tremble.

Wooden figure?

This is an immortal!

Gu Changxuan's eyes twitched violently as he gritted his teeth and said, "I am a True Immortal of the Nine Heavens, not a piece of wood—"

Su Xiaonuo reached out and poked his face again.

"Oh, so that's the talking wooden figure!"

"..."

Gu Changxuan's face flushed red instantly.

Li Hanyi's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from not far away.

Sikong Changfeng, dressed in a magnificent robe and carrying a thick stack of account books, was panting as he walked, sweat beading on his forehead.

He was followed by a group of Changqinglou employees, as well as several Xueyue City disciples who were responsible for cashiering, registration, and maintaining order.

As soon as Sikong Changfeng arrived, he glanced at Gu Changxuan on the jade platform, then immediately put on a professional, enthusiastic smile and said loudly:

"Everyone! Come this way, line up, line up!"

"Touching the Immortal is now officially open!"

"The first 100 people pay 10,000 taels each time. You can only touch their faces, not pull their hair!"

"The last hundred will pay 20,000 taels each time. You can touch their sleeves, but if the immortal gets angry, he won't be responsible for cleaning up the mess!"

"In addition, Changqinglou is offering a limited-time 'Top-Tier Set Meal'—a photo with immortals, a cup of Enlightenment Tea, and a complimentary VIP seat at the Tianqi flagship store. Originally priced at 188,000, it's only 128,000 today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience was stunned.

Then, it exploded with a bang!

"What? You can really touch it?"

"Is there a timed price?"

"128,000... That's a bit pricey, but this is a celestial being!"

"What is a group photo?"

"Are you stupid? We're just standing together so the palace painters can paint a portrait of us as a memento!"

"Bought it!"

"I'll go first!"

"Nobody should try to take it from me! I want to make an offering for my ancestral home!"

On the jade platform, Gu Changxuan listened to the insane ramblings of the people below and felt his scalp tingling.

crazy!

The entire Netherworld has gone mad!

He originally thought that when he woke up, he would see mortals who were trembling with fear, kneeling, worshipping, and shivering.

And now?

Should we line up to touch him?

It's divided into the first hundred and the last hundred?

Haggling?!

Gu Changxuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the murderous intent and shame surging in his heart, and stared coldly at Sikong Changfeng.

"Ants."

"Once I'm free, you'll be the first person I kill."

Sikong Changfeng paused, feeling genuinely a bit uneasy.

After all, this is an immortal, even if he is suppressed now, he is still an immortal.

But the thought of whose territory this was made him straighten up instantly, and he gave Gu Changxuan an extremely friendly smile.

"Master Gu, that's not right of you."

"Customer experience is paramount. As a core resource of our newly launched high-end project, you should maintain a smile and improve your service attitude."

"Besides, if you were really capable of escaping, you wouldn't have ended up hanging here last night."

"..."

Gu Changxuan's breath hitched.

Good, very good!

He, a dignified immortal, was taught the meaning of service attitude by a mortal who might not even have perfected the Divine Travel skill!

Li Hanyi was speechless and said indifferently, "Sikong Changfeng, that's enough."

Sikong Changfeng immediately coughed twice and said seriously, "Junior Sister Hanyi, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Even so, he turned and lowered his voice, instructing the waiter beside him:

"Make the brand even bigger."

"In addition, here's another clause—if Immortal Gu voluntarily speaks of a secret from the Upper Realm, an extra 30,000 taels will be charged."

The waiter next to him nodded solemnly and quickly wrote it down.

Gu Changxuan: "..."

He suddenly felt that he would rather fight that man in the blue robe again.

Even being slapped to death is better than being surrounded by these people and treated like a tourist attraction!

Just as his Dao heart was about to collapse, a lazy voice came from inside the Taiji Hall.

"What's all the noise about?"

The sound wasn't loud.

But it was like a gust of wind, instantly sweeping across the entire square.

The Taiji Hall, which was originally as noisy as a market, suddenly fell silent.

Almost everyone instinctively turned to look.

At the entrance of the Taiji Hall, a figure in a green robe slowly walked out, carrying a small wooden basin.

Fresh peaches soaked in a wooden basin, water droplets rolling around, exuding a spiritual aura.

As Su Changqing walked, he casually picked out the reddest peach, wiped it on his sleeve, and handed it to Su Xiaonuo.

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

"Thank you, Father!"

Su Xiaonuo's eyes curved into crescents with joy as she ran over with the peaches in her hands.

Li Hanyi glanced at him, her gaze falling on the bowl of peaches, her tone tinged with helplessness: "You went to Changqing Realm to pick peaches again?"

"Hmm, a new batch just ripened, quite sweet."

As Su Changqing spoke, he picked out another one and handed it to Li Hanyi.

"Try it."

Li Hanyi was initially a little uncomfortable in front of so many people, but seeing his natural expression, she eventually reached out and took it, taking a small bite.

Crisp, sweet, and juicy.

More importantly, after the peach flesh entered her mouth, a wisp of extremely warm and gentle primordial spiritual energy dissolved and flowed slowly along her meridians, instantly dispelling the slight fatigue she had felt while practicing her sword last night.

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she whispered, "You've been using your own spiritual energy to nourish the peach tree again?"

"It's not a waste for family to eat together."

Su Changqing smiled, then looked up at Gu Changxuan on the jade platform.

His gaze was as calm as if he were looking at a slightly more durable vase.

Gu Changxuan's heart sank suddenly.

That's the look in his eyes.

Last night, this same man sat in front of the Taiji Hall, feeding the child soup while glancing at him.

The next moment—

The sky collapsed, the immortal light shattered, and all his protective immortal techniques, true spirit seals, and patrol talismans crumbled like paper under that one glance!

If it weren't for the fact that the other party seemed to have held back, he would probably have been completely destroyed by now.

Thinking of this, Gu Changxuan's boiling anger finally cooled down a bit.

Instead, there was an overwhelming sense of apprehension.

Su Changqing placed the wooden basin aside and gently tapped it with his hand.

hum!

The runes around the jade platform trembled slightly.

Gu Changxuan felt the terrifying force pressing down on him loosen slightly, and he was finally able to speak fluently and move his gaze.

But the more this was the case, the less he dared to act rashly.

Because he knew that the seal hadn't been loosened.

Instead, the other party allowed him to speak.

"Come on, tell me."

Su Changqing walked to the foot of the jade platform, casually pulled up a chair and sat down, his posture as relaxed as if he were listening to a storyteller in a tavern.

"Where did you come from? What are you doing here? Who sent you?"

Think carefully before you answer.

"Otherwise, I'll have Sikong Changfeng start the 'Immortal Food Tasting' project as well."

Sikong Changfeng's eyes lit up instantly.

"Mr. Su is brilliant! I was just thinking of letting him try our newly developed super spicy and nourishing hot pot..."

Gu Changxuan's expression changed drastically.

Although he was sealed up last night, his consciousness was not completely asleep. He vaguely heard these people discussing things like "Can immortals eat spicy food?" and "If they cry while eating spicy food, will that be an extra selling point?"

This is absolutely outrageous!

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm, and said coldly, "You want to know about the Upper Realm?"

"It's not that I particularly want to."

Su Changqing said slowly and deliberately.

"It mainly depends on how much you're worth."

"If you know more, I'll keep you for a few more days."

"If you don't know much... then we'll just have to find another way to play."

Gu Changxuan's lips twitched slightly.

He had lived for hundreds of years and had never seen such a blatant and insulting method of interrogation.

But he was actually a little afraid.

After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.

"I come from the Nine Heavens Patrol Palace."

"The Palace of World Patrols is responsible for monitoring all realms below, recording the flow of fortune, selecting those destined for greatness, and, when necessary... correcting the trajectory of out-of-control worlds."

"Correcting the trajectory?"

Li Hanyi's eyes were slightly cold.

Sikong Changfeng, with an expression that said "I knew there was something going on," quietly opened the ledger and wrote the words "[The upper realm's secrets, can be used for publicity]" on a blank page.

Gu Changxuan glanced at them and continued:

"The so-called correction is just a nice-sounding way of saying it."

"The truth is, once a variable that is beyond our control appears in a world, the World Patrol Hall will take action, either to eliminate, reclaim, or re-establish the agent."

"The billions of living beings in the lower realm are nothing more than fish in a pond or birds in a cage in the eyes of the upper realm. They are resources that can be measured, harvested, and converted into resources and fortune."

The expressions of everyone around the square changed simultaneously.

Even though they knew that the upper realm might not be a truly compassionate and merciful paradise, hearing the other party say it so bluntly still made them feel cold.

Xiao Se arrived at some unknown time and stood on the stone steps of the Taiji Hall, his hands behind his back, his face cold and aloof.

Upon hearing this, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are those so-called Heavenly Messengers and Immortal Inspectors really just whips in the hands of shepherds?"

"good."

Gu Changxuan nodded, then looked at Su Changqing with a complex expression in his eyes.

"But you are different."

"You are no longer a being that this world can tolerate."

"The Patrol Hall initially regarded you as an out-of-control variable, but later... some people above suspected that you might have come into contact with a higher level of origin, or even severed the causal chain of a certain hunting ground."

As soon as those words were spoken...

The nonchalant smile on Su Changqing's lips finally faded a bit.

Gu Changxuan keenly sensed it and inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

At least.

This shows that he has finally gotten to something truly valuable.

"continue."

Su Changqing said calmly.

Gu Changxuan hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice.

"The Nine Heavens Patrol Palace is not the highest point."

"Above the Palace of World Patrol, there are thirty-three heavenly palaces, where the true master of the chart of the destiny of all worlds resides."

"And beyond the Heavenly Palace, there are some... beings whose names we have only heard of."

"They are not called immortals, nor gods, but only—shepherds of the world."

"Your world was once marked by a certain shepherd, but later, due to some unknown changes, the chain of destiny was broken several times, and the records were severely damaged."

"Until recently, with frequent anomalies in the lower realm, the resurgence of abyssal rifts, and the collapse of the trajectories of the Chosen Ones, the Palace of the Worlds has once again taken notice of this place."

"My purpose in coming here is to first confirm the coordinates, complete the markings, and, if necessary... open the door for important figures to come."

When he said the last sentence, Gu Changxuan was practically staring into Su Changqing's eyes as he spoke each word slowly and deliberately.

He wasn't trying to threaten anyone.

It's gambling.

He was betting that Su Changqing took this matter seriously enough and wouldn't kill him now.

really.

Su Changqing remained silent for a few moments, then gently tapped the armrest of the chair.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to freeze the air in the square.

Li Hanyi looked at him and said softly, "Changqing?"

Su Changqing turned his head and smiled at her.

"fine."

"It just came a little faster than I expected."

After saying that, he raised his hand and beckoned to Gu Changxuan with his finger.

"come over."

As soon as those two words were spoken, the runes on the jade platform suddenly contracted.

Before Gu Changxuan could react, he was lifted up as if by an invisible hand and dragged off the jade platform, hanging three feet in front of Su Changqing.

Everyone around held their breath.

next moment.

Su Changqing raised his hand and gently touched Gu Changxuan's brow with his index finger.

boom!

Gu Changxuan's pupils shrank sharply, and his entire sea of ​​consciousness was instantly engulfed in a monstrous wave!

He felt an indescribable force, like an invisible yet extremely sharp sword, directly cleaving through layers of divine consciousness barriers and penetrating to the deepest depths.

Soul search!

No, it's not just about searching souls!

As that power perused his memories, it even traced the remaining imprints deep within his immortal soul to a higher, more distant, and more hidden aura!

Gu Changxuan's forehead veins bulged, and he let out a low growl as he tried to struggle, but he couldn't even move a finger.

Su Changqing's expression remained calm throughout.

It was as calm as flipping through a slightly interesting ledger.

After a while.

A cold glint finally flashed in his eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

The Patrol Hall is merely the law enforcer in name only.

The one who truly controls the hunting grounds of the heavens and orchestrates the destiny of all realms is the "Shepherd of Realms," hidden in the higher-level mists.

These beings use the world as their field, all living beings as their seedlings, and the most fertile fruit as their prodigies.

If a world is running smoothly, its origins will be gradually extracted.

If a sufficiently brilliant chosen one appears, they should be eliminated before they reach their peak to prevent the emergence of an anomaly that can escape control.

And this world of "The Legend of the Young Swordsman" seems to have produced some extraordinary figures in the past, even breaking the chains and freeing this world from surveillance.

However, for some unknown reason, most traces of that era were erased, and even the records of the Patrol Hall are now only fragments.

Now that Su Changqing has emerged out of nowhere, the Changqing Realm has just been established, and he has seized the World Origin Pearl in the Abyss Dimension. It is as if a nail has been forcibly grown in an old hunting ground that should have been slaughtered long ago.

and so.

Some people couldn't sit still any longer.

Su Changqing slowly withdrew his hand.

Gu Changxuan looked as if he had been pulled out of the water; his clothes were soaked, his face was deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with fear.

"What...what did you see?"

His voice was trembling.

Su Changqing didn't answer, but casually picked up a peach pit from the fruit plate and flicked it with his finger.

Snapped!

The peach pit hit Gu Changxuan squarely on the forehead, making his head sway.

"You're quite valuable."

Su Changqing said calmly.

"I'll spare your life for now."

Gu Changxuan: "..."

At that moment, he didn't know whether he should feel fortunate or despair.

The way everyone around Su Changqing looked at him had completely changed.

Even if they couldn't hear everything or see everything clearly, they still understood one thing.

The lofty immortals are not the end.

When facing those beings whom even immortals had to revere, Su Changqing remained calm and even somewhat disdainful.

Sikong Changfeng was the first to react. His eyes darted around, and he immediately waved his hand.

"Someone come here!"

"Change the sign!"

The waiter quickly stepped forward.

Sikong Changfeng cleared his throat and solemnly announced:

"Starting today, Changqinglou Tianqi flagship store officially launches new services—"

"【The Immortal's Secrets Package】!"

"Includes: Observe a true immortal, hear the secrets of the upper realm, drink Enlightenment Tea, and receive a limited edition photo at Changqing Pavilion!"

"Limited quantity, first come, first served!"

The square erupted in uproar once again.

Gu Changxuan's vision went black, and he almost fainted from anger on the spot.

Li Hanyi rubbed her forehead, a rare "you guys are really something" expression appearing on her face.

Su Xiaonuo, however, had already started clapping happily.

"We made money!"

"Father is the best, and Third Master is good at making money too!"

Sikong Changfeng's eyes almost reddened as he listened.

Finally.

Finally, a human word was spoken.

He'd been tricked so much these past few days that he was questioning his existence, but today he finally heard confirmation from his little ancestor!

However, before he could finish being moved, Su Xiaonuo added insult to injury in her childish voice.

"But Daddy is still the best at tricking people!"

Sikong Changfeng's smile froze instantly.

A burst of suppressed laughter immediately filled the air.

Su Changqing reached out and rubbed Su Xiaonuo's little head, chuckling, "Don't talk nonsense, Daddy is doing legitimate business."

"Yes, yes, legitimate business!"

Su Xiaonuo nodded emphatically, clearly convinced.

Just then.

Above the Taiji Hall, the originally clear sky suddenly rippled with a very faint ripple.

If Su Changqing hadn't just traced Gu Changxuan's immortal soul imprint, he might not have even noticed it immediately.

He raised his head, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Li Hanyi also sensed something was wrong and followed his gaze.

"What's wrong?"

Su Changqing did not answer immediately.

He simply reached out and gently picked up Su Xiaonuo, while placing his other hand on Li Hanyi's shoulder, his tone remaining calm.

"It's nothing."

"Someone noticed their dog hadn't gone home, so they started following the leash."

The words fell.

Gu Changxuan trembled violently, and all the color drained from his face.

He knew better than anyone what this meant.

The border patrol hall over there—

The location has been identified.

Moreover, this time, it's highly unlikely that the one who came was a true immortal messenger like him, who went ahead to explore.

Although the crowd in the square couldn't understand everything, just by looking at Gu Changxuan's ghost-like expression, they knew that things were definitely not that simple.

Sikong Changfeng swallowed hard and lowered his voice, "Mr. Su, this deal... won't fall through, will it?"

Upon hearing this, Su Changqing smiled.

The smile remained gentle, even carrying a hint of laziness.

But for some reason, the person who saw that smile felt a jolt in their heart.

"Stuck in our hands?"

Su Changqing held Su Xiaonuo in his arms, gazing at the sky where ripples were slowly spreading, his voice light and casual.

"Won't."

"At most, it's just a new batch of goods arriving."

A breeze swept past in front of the Taiji Hall.

The wind chimes on the jade platform tinkled.

The morning light was bright and warm, but at this moment, the sky over the entire Tianqi City seemed to have been quietly lowered by that one sentence.

In front of Changqing Tower, the wooden sign that read "True Immortals of the Upper Realm, Photos Available for a Fee" swayed gently in the wind.

It's as if preparing for an even bigger storm to come—

Sign up in advance.