Chapter 145 Two Immortals in One Cage! Sikong Changfeng worked through the night to build the "

The wind in front of the Taiji Hall finally slowed down.

Yet the awe-inspiring atmosphere that lingered in this world had not dissipated in the slightest.

On the square, large pieces of white jade bricks were broken, and two deep pits were on the left and right, like two jokes that fell from the sky, embedded in the most solemn and majestic part of the imperial city.

In the pit on the left, Yue Zhenchuan, his black armor cracked and covered in dust, his chest heaving, his eyes fierce yet resentful.

In the pit on the right, Zhao Xuance, the celestial official who had previously been high and mighty, constantly spouting "the annihilation of all living beings," now had his hair ornament askew, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and his face a mixture of pale and ashen.

He looked as if he had been pulled down from the clouds and then thrown into the mud and stomped on.

As for Gu Changxuan—

As the first white-robed immortal to arrive, standing to the side, he inexplicably felt a strange sense of comfort, as if "I'm not the worst off anymore."

Of course, this comfort only lasted for a moment.

The next moment, he saw Su Changqing holding the Border Patrol Seal in one hand, as if it were a slightly larger plate, and turn to look at Sikong Changfeng.

"Third brother."

"exist!"

Sikong Changfeng stepped forward almost reflexively, holding the account book, his back ramrod straight, his attitude as upright as a chief steward ready to receive an imperial edict at any time.

Su Changqing glanced at the three people in the pit and casually said:

"Make me a cage before tonight."

"cage?"

Sikong Changfeng was taken aback.

"Hmm, make it sturdy, bigger, and not too shabby."

Su Changqing thought for a moment and then added a sentence.

"After all, he is an immortal. If we confine him too casually, it will make people think that Changqing Tower has no class."

"..."

The square fell silent.

Many people's facial expressions froze.

What does it mean to lock things up too casually and make them look cheap?

You threw the Immortal Official in Charge of the Imperial Guard and the General of the Imperial Guard into a pit, and then planned to put them in cages. This is no longer a question of "whether it's classy or not," is it?

This is like using the face of the immortal realm as a stepping stone!

But Sikong Changfeng was only stunned for a moment before his eyes gradually lit up.

He got it.

I understand now.

Previously, the services offered were "charging for taking photos", "charging for touching the immortal", and "immortal preaching package", which were considered basic services and at most individual items.

But things are different now.

What is this now?

This is a scene upgrade!

This is an immersive experience!

This is a high-end approach that goes directly from a single decorative piece to a "living interactive exhibition of two immortals"!

Moreover, it is the exclusive first release of the Imperial City Taiji Hall. No other place has it. Within the Three Kingdoms, no, looking across the world, you can't find a second one!

Sikong Changfeng's breathing became slightly rapid.

A string of words almost instantly popped into his mind.

[VIP Seating]

【Double Immortals in the Same Cage Night Session】

[Listen up close to the immortal breaking through his defenses]

[Changqinglou Supreme Viewing Ticket]

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Su, should the cage be placed in front of the Taiji Hall, or somewhere else?"

Su Changqing glanced down at the patrol seal in his hand and casually said, "Put it in front of the palace first, to liven things up for the people of Tianqi City. Once they're tired of it, we can move it to the entrance of the Changqing Tower's main branch."

Sikong Changfeng nodded repeatedly and quickly wrote it down.

"Very good, very good. It will be exhibited first in front of the palace, and then toured around the palace."

Xiao Se stood to the side, his brow twitching as he listened. Finally, he couldn't help but speak up, saying calmly, "You two, can't you at least show some respect for this Taiji Hall?"

Sikong Changfeng turned and glanced at him, his tone self-righteous.

"Sixth Prince, no, it should be His Majesty acting as regent now."

"It is precisely because it is the Taiji Hall that it has such a grand presence."

"Who would believe that an immortal could be imprisoned in an ordinary place? But if you put it in front of the Taiji Hall, you can tell it's real at a glance."

Xiao Se: "..."

He was momentarily at a loss for words to refute.

Given Changqinglou's absurd yet increasingly sophisticated business logic, Sikong Changfeng's words actually have a certain degree of twisted logic.

Li Hanyi, holding Su Xiaonuo, stood on a higher stone step, watching the group below seriously discussing the "placement of the immortal cage." A hint of inexplicable helplessness appeared on her usually aloof and jade-like face.

She was already used to Su Changqing's unconventional ways of doing things.

But every time I see him handle something incredibly important like he's fiddling with everyday household items, it still feels so unreal.

Especially right now.

The Heavenly Gate was not closed, the patrol seal was dismantled, and two True Immortals from the Upper Realm were seriously injured and fell to the ground.

Anyone, anywhere, should be on high alert right now.

As it turned out, Su Changqing was the one who fared better.

First they figured out how to lock it up, then where to put it, and finally they complained that the cage wasn't high-end enough.

This is not strength.

This is so powerful that they don't even bother to take the other party seriously.

Su Xiaonuo, on the other hand, had none of the complicated thoughts of adults.

The little girl was held in Li Hanyi's arms, her eyes sparkling as she looked down, becoming happier and happier the more she looked.

"Mommy, Mommy, are we really going to make a big cage?"

"Um."

"Should we give them small stools?"

Li Hanyi was taken aback: "Why put a small stool there?"

Su Xiaonuo blinked her big eyes and analyzed very seriously: "Because if they get tired of standing, they can sit down and argue. If they keep standing, they'll soon not want to talk anymore, and then it won't be fun for others to watch."

"..."

Li Hanyi remained silent for a moment, then realized that what the child said made some sense.

Below, Sikong Changfeng, with his extremely sharp ears, immediately looked up and shouted, "Little Nuonuo is right! Add a small stool!"

"We could also put a small table there so they can sit facing each other, making it easier for them to... ah, I mean, to exchange secrets about the upper realms!"

Xiao Se's face went numb as he listened.

What a wonderful exchange of secrets from the upper realms!

You're clearly treating immortals like a theatrical troupe.

Zhao Xuance and Yue Zhenchuan, who were trapped in the pit, were trembling with rage.

Especially Zhao Xuance.

He was a dignified celestial official who held the seal of office. He had never suffered such humiliation.

He wanted to shout angrily, to threaten, to say that the Patrol Palace would not let them off, but as soon as he tried to vent his anger, a sharp pain shot through his chest, and a metallic taste rose in his throat again.

On the contrary, Gu Changxuan stood to the side, glanced at him with a complicated look, and felt a strange sense of sympathy for him.

When the wooden plaque was hung on him yesterday, wasn't he just as furious?

But later, as the anger raged on, all that was left was numbness.

Because you will soon find that in front of someone like Su Changqing who doesn't follow the rules of the upper realm at all, the title of the Patrol Hall and the dignity of a True Immortal are all meaningless.

The more you care, the more accurately he can hit where you hurt the most.

and--

The crowd at this place really keeps growing.

Thinking of this, Gu Changxuan subconsciously looked up and glanced around the square.

as predicted.

The court officials, nobles, imperial guards, and even the wandering swordsmen and merchants in the back row, who had been terrified by the imperial seal, all changed their expressions at this moment.

At first, there was shock, then awe, then fear.

But now, after they confirmed that Su Changqing had truly trampled these two visitors from the upper realm under his feet, the fear that had been weighing on their hearts quickly transformed into something else.

An extremely strong curiosity.

And there's excitement.

After all, there are very few opportunities for immortals to appear in the human world.

And to see an immortal beaten like a dead dog, then locked in a cage and exhibited for a fee—

This might be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

wrong.

Given the development trend of Changqinglou, there may be many more such events in the future.

Some people in the crowd had already started whispering among themselves.

"Are you really going to lock him up?"

"Nonsense, didn't you hear Mr. Su say it himself?"

"My God, that's a celestial official from the Palace of Border Patrols..."

"What happened to the celestial official? Isn't he lying in the pit too?"

"You know what, I'm actually thinking of buying a ticket to see it up close."

"Me too……"

"If we can get them to tell us a few more secrets about the upper realm, this money will be well spent!"

"I just don't know if it's expensive."

"When has anything from Changqinglou ever been cheap?"

"There's a reason why it's expensive! Elsewhere, you can spend a hundred taels and still not see a single strand of the immortal's hair, but here you can spend ten thousand taels and see double!"

"..."

Sikong Changfeng became more and more satisfied as he listened, his eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

The market response has been very positive.

very good.

It was even more enthusiastic than he had anticipated.

What does this tell us?

This shows that the powerful and wealthy in Tianqi City are no longer satisfied with simply eating and drinking tea to achieve their goals; they now need new consumption scenarios that are more sophisticated, symbolic of status, and allow them to flaunt their wealth.

And "Two Immortals in the Same Cage" undoubtedly hits this need perfectly!

Thinking of this, Sikong Changfeng immediately turned around and said to the Snow Moon City disciples behind him:

"Go, go and get more people right away."

"Call over the best carpenters, blacksmiths, and array masters from the workshop."

"Hurry!"

"Oh, right, go to the kitchen of Changqing Tower and call Wushuang over as well."

A disciple nearby was taken aback: "Why are you calling for Senior Brother Wushuang?"

Sikong Changfeng's eyes widened: "Nonsense! If we don't use his flying sword to cut the materials now, when will we? Making a fairy cage isn't ordinary carpentry work. It must be meticulously crafted, and both speed and aesthetics must keep up!"

"Call Lei Wujie over as well, and have him take charge of carrying materials, starting the fire, and assisting with the work."

"As for Xiao Se—"

He turned to look at Xiao Se, revealing an extremely practiced, business-like smile.

"Teller, could you please draft a ticket pricing charter and come up with a more catchy name?"

Xiao Se's temple throbbed with a vein.

"You're really going to order me around now?"

Sikong Changfeng said matter-of-factly, "We're all from Changqinglou, why be so formal? Besides, this is the Taiji Hall project; if we do it well, it will bring fame to Beili."

Xiao Se took a deep breath, too lazy to argue with him, and simply said, "You set the ticket price yourself, but don't make it too outrageous."

Sikong Changfeng coughed and said, "I originally wanted to start at 100,000 taels."

Xiao Se's eyes instantly turned cold.

Sikong Changfeng immediately changed his tune: "Of course! Considering the initial opening promotions, the first round can be cheaper."

Su Changqing stood aside, holding the patrol seal, listening to their increasingly distant conversation without stopping them, simply finding it amusing.

When it comes to doing business, you really have to look to Sikong Changfeng.

This third city lord of Snowmoon City has developed a very peculiar balance between being tricked and tricking others.

Even if they were cursing in their hearts just a moment ago, they can still rush in with high spirits and expand the business as long as they see something profitable.

Talent.

He's a real talent.

……

Before long, the news spread like wildfire throughout the entire city of Tianqi.

In front of the Taiji Hall, Su Changqing dismantled the patrol seal with one hand and slapped two True Immortals from the Upper Realm into the pits with the other.

Moreover, Changqinglou is about to launch a brand new limited-edition project—

Two immortals in the same cage!

As soon as the news came out, Tianqi City felt as if a ladle of boiling oil had been poured into a pot.

In the noble mansion, the old marquis, who was holding his morning tea, slammed his teacup down with a "smack," and his beard stood on end.

"What? Two immortals in one cage?"

"Get the car ready! No, get the tickets ready! I'm getting a front-row ticket today, no matter what!"

On the other side, several duchesses who usually considered themselves superior and rarely went out could no longer sit still.

"Can immortals be locked up together?"

"Really?"

"Yesterday, my sister's cousin said there was a white-robed immortal hanging at the entrance of Changqing Tower. I didn't believe it at first, but now there are two of them?"

"Quickly go and find out. If they really are issuing invoices, reserve three for the government office first—no, five!"

"I want the very front row!"

Meanwhile, things were even more lively in the martial arts world.

Many martial arts practitioners who originally planned to leave Tianqi decided to stay a few more days upon hearing the news.

"Why leave? Even immortals can see it live!"

"Exactly, if we miss this, who will believe us when we go back?"

"I can already imagine how I'll brag about it—I've not only seen immortals, I've also seen immortals locked in cages!"

"Changqing Tower is getting more and more eerie every day..."

"It might be weird, but it's undeniably exhilarating!"

"..."

Throughout Tianqi City, from nobles to commoners, from officials to江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world), everyone's emotions were completely stirred up by this event.

Meanwhile, the area in front of the Taiji Hall was bustling with an extremely strange atmosphere.

The Border Patrol Seal was casually tossed aside by Su Changqing in a corner of the square, like a dismantled plaque.

Sikong Changfeng circled the thing three times, touched it, tapped it, and finally couldn't help but sigh:

"This thing is really hard."

Su Changqing said, "If it's not strong, it won't be used to seal the boundary."

"That's perfect."

Sikong Changfeng nodded, becoming more and more satisfied with what he saw.

"It's good for making the main frame of a cage; it looks impressive and is sturdy enough."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuance, who was in the pit, finally couldn't help but look up, his voice hoarse and venomous.

"You... actually intend to use the Border Patrol Seal as a prison?"

Sikong Changfeng looked at him with surprise.

"Otherwise what?"

"We can't just use ordinary iron railings, can we? Wouldn't that be unfair to the two immortals?"

"Don't worry, Changqinglou values ​​its customers... no, it values ​​the viewing experience and the quality of its decorations. We will never treat you poorly."

Zhao Xuance felt a tightness in his chest and almost spat out blood again.

Just then, a flurry of footsteps came from the direction of the palace gate.

"Here it comes! Which immortal has fallen down again?!"

A familiar shout came from afar; the voice arrived before the person.

The next moment, Lei Wujie, dressed in red and carrying a sword, rushed into the square with excitement on his face.

Behind him, Wushuang walked slowly, still with the calm demeanor of a young man, but when his gaze fell on the two deep pits and the giant seal, he clearly paused for a moment.

Behind them followed several craftsmen carrying toolboxes, looking trembling with fear.

As soon as Lei Wujie ran closer, he first glanced at Zhao Xuance and Yue Zhenchuan in the pit, then at Gu Changxuan standing next to him, and finally gasped.

"Good heavens!"

"Yesterday there was only one immortal, and today there are three?"

"Boss, have you stirred up a hornet's nest?"

Su Changqing glanced at him: "Stop talking nonsense and get to work."

Lei Wujie immediately stood at attention: "Alright!"

After saying that, he leaned closer, lowered his voice, and asked with a gossipy look, "So what's the arrangement this time? Is it going to be hung on the door like yesterday?"

Sikong Changfeng immediately took over the conversation, his expression solemn.

"The vision is too narrow."

"We're not hanging it on the door today; we're making a fairy cage."

"Two immortals in the same cage, a high-end project."

Lei Wujie's eyes widened instantly, and the next second he slapped his thigh hard.

"Brilliant!"

"What's the point of one immortal? It's only interesting when two are imprisoned together!"

"It would be best if they even started fighting!"

"Watching them fight while munching on sunflower seeds would be so exciting!"

Wushuang stood to the side, remained silent for a moment, and then asked the most practical question.

"What should we use to cut it?"

Sikong Changfeng pointed to the boundary patrol seal.

"That's it."

Wushuang looked up at the giant seal, which was entirely white and covered in runes, and raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Can this even be cut?"

Su Changqing said, "If you can't cut it, I will."

"You'll be in charge of trimming, polishing, and carving."

Wushuang nodded and actually began to think about it seriously.

"If you are making a cage, you can decorate the edges with cloud patterns, but they should not be too intricate, otherwise it will look gaudy."

"The door bolts must have hidden latches to prevent the impact of immortal energy."

"If the base were half a foot higher, the viewing angle would be even better."

Sikong Changfeng nodded repeatedly as he listened.

"Okay, okay, let's do it this way!"

Lei Wujie, standing to the side, looked on with admiration: "Wushuang, you've even imbued the making of cages with sword intent now?"

Wushuang calmly said, "Carvings and carved cages are essentially the same."

Lei Wujie: "..."

You've been completely led astray by your boss!

Standing on the stone steps, Li Hanyi watched as these people actually began to study how to make a cage around the patrol seal. The helplessness in her heart had almost turned into a habit.

She looked down at Su Xiaonuo in her arms.

The little girl was watching with great interest and didn't forget to offer suggestions.

"Third Master! The cage needs windows!"

Sikong Changfeng immediately looked up: "Why?"

"Because they need to breathe."

Su Xiaonuo was very serious.

"And this way, others can see it more clearly too!"

"That makes sense!"

Sikong Changfeng quickly wrote it down.

"Add another viewing window!"

Yue Zhenchuan, veins bulging on his forehead, finally roared out from inside the pit:

"Enough!!!"

The roar was so powerful that it sent boulders tumbling about.

But the next moment, Su Changqing simply flicked his finger.

Whoosh.

A peanut shell, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, flew over and landed squarely on Yue Zhenchuan's forehead.

It wasn't very forceful, but it was extremely insulting.

Yue Zhenchuan was completely stunned by the impact.

Su Changqing said calmly, "Be quiet, you're disturbing my daughter."

The square fell silent once more.

Then, many people showed extremely strange expressions on their faces.

Throw peanut shells at the patrolling general...

Only Su Changqing in this world would do something like that.

Su Xiaonuo clapped her hands happily, "Daddy's so right!"

Su Changqing smiled and said, "I'll teach you how to hunt birds later."

Xiao Nuonuo immediately corrected earnestly: "Don't hit Xiaohua, Xiaohua is one of us."

"Okay, let's not hit Xiaohua, let's hit someone else."

"That's fine!"

The father and daughter spoke as if it were perfectly natural.

The three immortals in the pit looked extremely pale.

Especially Zhao Xuance.

He finally understood.

In this place, getting angry is useless, talking about your status is useless, and making threats is even more useless.

The angrier you get, the more these people will treat you like a joke.

The scariest thing is——

They really know how to turn jokes into a business.

By this time, it was nearly afternoon.

The imperial kitchen in the palace was already preparing lunch, but today the busiest place in the Tianqi Imperial City was no longer the imperial kitchen, but this temporary construction site in front of the Taiji Hall.

The craftsmen were urged by Lei Wujie and Wushuang to begin taking measurements.

Wushuang wielded several flying swords, gently tracing the edges of the patrol seal to probe its texture, his movements as delicate as if he were cutting a piece of expensive jade.

Lei Wujie, carrying several specially made black iron pillars, ran back and forth, sweat beading on his forehead, muttering to himself.

"This place is a bit wider."

"It's higher over there."

"We need to leave an opening for food, right? We can't let the immortal starve to death; how can we watch it if he starves to death?"

Upon hearing this, Sikong Changfeng slapped his thigh again.

"Yes! We still need to leave room for feeding!"

"VIPs can pay extra to experience feeding immortals!"

"Of course, what we feed them must be provided by Changqinglou to prevent random feeding."

Xiao Se was sitting on a chair that had been temporarily moved to the side, drafting ticket prices and rules, but upon hearing this, he ultimately closed his eyes.

He began to wonder if he had also been significantly influenced by these people.

In the past, upon hearing such absurd things, he would have already turned away in anger.

But now, he is actually seriously thinking about it:

How should the feeding program be priced so as not to spoil the appetites of these powerful and wealthy individuals, while maximizing the amount of money spent at Changqinglou?

He quickly opened his eyes and said calmly:

"A separate charge applies for each feeding."

"But you can only throw spirit fruits and custom-made snacks; you cannot throw weapons, poison, or notes."

Sikong Changfeng immediately praised, "The accountant is indeed very thoughtful!"

Xiao Se said expressionlessly, "I just don't want to see anyone throwing rotten eggs into the cage."

Sikong Changfeng agreed wholeheartedly upon hearing this.

"That makes sense, that would really lower the class."

Not far away, Gu Changxuan listened to this conversation, his expression already numb.

He suddenly wondered what the reaction would be if the beings in the upper realm could see this place through some means.

The boundary patrol seal was dismantled and replaced with a cage.

The Immortal Official in Charge of Seals and the Patrol Assassin will be designated as "display resources".

A group of people from the lower realms surrounded them, earnestly discussing viewing routes, feeding activities, tiered ticket prices, and special offers for families...

Just thinking about this kind of thing is enough to drive the upper echelons of the Patrol Hall mad with rage.

But I don't know why.

Deep down, Gu Changxuan felt a strange sense of exhilaration.

The Imperial Palace has been high and mighty for far too long.

They never imagined that one day they would become the ones being watched, priced, and arranged.

If that day ever comes.

That's probably quite interesting.

Thinking of this, he caught a glimpse of Zhao Xuance staring intently at Su Changqing out of the corner of his eye, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

You hate now.

You'll get used to it.

In this place, habit is more important than resistance.

……

Before dusk, the reservation lists for "Two Immortals in the Same Cage" had already piled up inside and outside Tianqi City.

The temporary registration desk set up by Changqinglou in front of the side gate of Taiji Hall had a very long queue.

There were imperial relatives, high-ranking officials, incredibly wealthy merchants, and even江湖人 (jianghu people) who brought their families to watch the spectacle.

Everyone had a strange excitement on their face when they paid.

It's like buying some kind of honor that's worthy of being written into the family tree.

"I want two front-row seats!"

"Three middle rows!"

Do you have any private rooms?

"The private boxes are still being set up, but the VIP seats can be reserved."

"Alright, one VIP seat, please!"

"..."

Sikong Changfeng was so busy he barely had time to breathe, but his smile grew brighter and brighter.

He suddenly realized.

All the suffering, the pitfalls, and the hair I've lost these past few days seem to have been worth it.

Because he had a vague premonition.

From today onwards, Changqinglou will be more than just a restaurant, and more than just an auction house.

It will turn into something even more terrifying.

A sort of--

Even immortals can be used for business purposes.

The source of all this, the man in the blue robe who was sitting at the entrance of the Taiji Hall, peeling oranges for his daughter, still looked calm and collected.

It was as if pulling down the patrol seal and slapping down the True Immortals with one hand was just a small, casual thing.

He bent down and handed a segment of orange to Su Xiaonuo.

"Is it sweet?"

"sweet!"

"Then Daddy will peel another one for you."

"good!"

Li Hanyi sat quietly to the side, watching the father and daughter with gentle eyes.

In the distance came the sounds of craftsmen hammering on cage frames, Lei Wujie's loud shouts, Sikong Changfeng's loud announcements of ticket prices, and the bustling activity and noise of the entire Tianqi City.

Yet in this small area, there seems to be a gentle and peaceful atmosphere, separating everything else.

Li Hanyi looked at Su Changqing and suddenly whispered:

"Have you been wanting to do this for a while now?"

Su Changqing looked up and smiled.

"What?"

"Lock up the immortals and sell tickets."

Su Changqing thought about it carefully and shook his head.

I never thought about it before.

"But now I think it's quite suitable."

Li Hanyi's lips curved slightly, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with a few glimmers of light.

"You."

Su Changqing leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"What, do you think your husband is becoming more and more talented at business?"

Li Hanyi's ears burned slightly. She looked away, but her tone remained indifferent.

"He's definitely heartless."

Su Changqing chuckled but didn't offer any explanation.

And in the gentle twilight, deep within the sky, behind the not-yet-fully-healed crack, a deeper, colder gaze seemed to gently descend.

Extremely pale.

Yet it carries a meaning that is more ancient and obscure than that of Zhao Xuance and others.

Su Changqing paused slightly as he peeled the orange.

Then, as if he hadn't noticed anything, he put the last segment of orange into Su Xiaonuo's hand.

But a meaningful smile flickered in his eyes.

It seems—

The fish that came today weren't the really big ones.

And this "celestial cage" of Changqing Tower may soon come in even greater use.