Chapter 36

"For those seven or eight people, the sudden cannibalism by the ferocious three-headed beast was an unprovoked disaster."

"It is rare to see such things elsewhere, but in Wanfu City, such baseless calamities are not uncommon; peace and comfort have no place in Wanfu."

"At least, that is the case until one's strength reaches the level of Carefree Freedom."

As Li Yu pondered, his desire to improve his own strength became increasingly urgent.

Without a doubt, Sequence Eight is definitely not enough.

Sequence Seven should be enough to live freely in a realm like the Machine Workshop.

To go any higher, one would need Sequence Six.

Just as Li Yu was estimating what level he needed to reach to live the life he wanted, the joyful "missionary bustle" already unfolding throughout Wanfu City finally reached the old street of the Machine Workshop.

Missionary personnel sent by various strange and bizarre Evil God sects entered the old street and began knocking on doors one by one.

"Neighbor, are you home? Any interest in joining our 【Snake Sect】? As long as you are willing to join, this snake tooth, which contains potent poison and can bring blessings, will be gifted to you."

"Fellow Daoist, you look like a smart person. Join our 【Chizi Sect】. Coming empty-handed and leaving empty-handed is true wisdom. Joining grants you a ticket to the Unrestricted Assembly."

"Eh, you are also from the Li Nation, a fellow countryman! Come, come, I won't tell anyone else, join my 【Poor God Sect】. The benefits are beyond your imagination. Others get at most a mourning mask for joining; since you are a fellow countryman, I'll give you two. Wear them day and night, and you'll be able to beg for good fortune at any house."

"Big brother, big sister, do you want to get rich overnight? Do you want good fortune to shine upon you? Join the 【Disaster Gate】. As long as you worship the Disaster God, all bad luck will vanish, and good fortune will sprout. Take this lucky copper coin first."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist. If you also dislike the pure human race and enjoy matters of cross-breeding, perhaps you can be our fellow traveler. Listen to the auspicious sound of our great Lord, and take this doll as a gift to enjoy..."

"Knock, knock."

"Neighbor, are you home?"

"Eh, heretic, don't come over here. I came to this house first."

"On Missionary Day, there is no such thing as first come, first served. Whoever has the better methods gets the believers."

"We are all just errand runners, stop arguing. Let's finish quickly and go to the next street."

The courtyard gate of Li Yu's house, which had just been repaired, was also knocked upon at this moment.

And soon, they were arguing in a group.

With anticipation for the free gifts and giveaways, Li Yu stepped forward and opened the door.

Sure enough, five or six people were already crowding in front of his door.

When he appeared, scorching gazes immediately fell upon him, followed by more subtle glances at Su Xing behind Li Yu.

Before he could open his mouth to ask, a full five gifts, whose names and descriptions he had already heard, were handed over.

A snake tooth, a colorful copper scroll, a mourning mask, a bizarre doll that was half-human and half-horse, and a rusty copper coin... Looking at them, although none were rare treasures, they were quite different from ordinary mortal objects and were special items with some value.

Along with them came invitations that were significantly more enthusiastic, and even sweetened.

"Fellow Daoist is so young; you look like a seed for cultivation. Ordinary snake teeth are not worthy of you. This one has been blessed by our sect's Snake Girl Priestess and has stronger effects. As long as you are willing to join, it's yours for free."

"Young Master is too handsome. The Unrestricted events that those commoners attend would only stain you. This ticket is higher-end; all participants will be Sequence Eight or even higher-level cultivators. If Young Master agrees, you can go."

"A young prodigy like you, Fellow Daoist, how can you be tainted by the vulgar human race? Take this centaur girl; after you drip blood to claim ownership, you can experience infinite mysteries."

Li Yu did not know when his expression had turned cold.

After listening, he did not take any of the gifts, but instead asked: "How does one count as having joined the sect?"

This question obviously excited them all, and they each scrambled to answer.

"Wear it on your body and chant 'Long live the Snake God' once, and you are considered joined."

"Write your true name on the admission copper scroll and silently chant 'Chizi is unhindered,' and you are also joined."

"Wear the mourning mask for three breaths and pray to the great Poor God; this is the fastest way to join."

"Hahaha, all of that is too cumbersome. Fellow Daoist, for my sect, as long as you take this good thing and drip blood on it to use it, that's all."

"My lucky copper coin only requires dripping blood to claim ownership."

After hearing all five answers, a look of disappointment could not help but flash in Li Yu's eyes.

Immediately, he refused bluntly:

"Everyone, please go elsewhere."

"I already believe in my Lord and cannot accept your gifts."

Having said that, he prepared to close the door directly.

Seeing this, the five people still wanted to pester him, their mouths already starting to say things like, "Even if you already have a path, Fellow Daoist, our sect has ways."

However, the next moment, after Li Yu turned back and shouted "Su Xing," these five fanatical missionaries all became protective of their lives and dispersed in frustration.

This scene was also within Li Yu's expectations.

From the demeanor of the five people from the start, it could be judged that they knew something about Li Yu and his servant.

That was why they sweetened the gifts upon arrival, trying to lure Li Yu into the trap.

It must have been that night of the Battle Royale, where the master and servant killed too ruthlessly, gaining some fame in a small area, which was why they were targeted.

Of course, that was likely the extent of it; there would be no further conflict.

Magnified to the entire Machine Workshop, the number of Sequence Eight cultivators is not particularly large, but it is not small either.

If they couldn't lure them and turned them into enemies, those sects wouldn't be able to continue missionary work.

"Sure enough, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. In my previous life, I had to be forced to follow something just to get a fan from those street promoters, let alone these good things that can clearly be sold for money."

"Those seemingly harmless, short joining rituals actually have endless future troubles."

"If I really believed, I'm afraid I would be tricked to death."

"However, for some poor people who have no channels, are penniless, and have only a rotten life left, choosing one from these various Evil God sects is indeed the fastest path to becoming a cultivator."

"It's just that the outcome will mostly be very miserable."

"The so-called 'missionary work' is likely used to find cannon fodder at the bottom."

With this thought, Li Yu lost all interest in Missionary Day.

If it were at another time, he would be willing to spend some time to see if he could avoid those traps, get free gifts, and sell them all afterward to get some money.

But since the cost-effectiveness is no longer high, he stopped caring.

"Su Xing!"

"Add a few words to that plague-ridden chicken, tell it to come over and guard the door for me. Whoever asks, refuse them."

"Yes, Master!"

Li Yu closed the door to guests and returned to the main room. Just as he took a step, his mind was already seriously considering the most urgent matter, which concerned his life and his future path.

Demon Star Command!

Previously, there were too many changes, from the divine miracles to the fierce power of the Three Saints.

It left him overwhelmed, not daring to reveal any traces, so he didn't have time to carefully study the cold rules left in his mind by the Demon Star Command.

Now, it was the right time.

"Two days later, I will encounter my first summons and be teleported to an ancient Mystic Domain."

"Cannot refuse, otherwise I will be erased." These were not just two short rules.

Besides causing a strong sense of crisis in Li Yu's heart, a pile of questions immediately emerged in his mind:

"Wait? If everyone who received the Demon Star Command tonight is summoned in two days, doesn't that mean many people will disappear at the same time, which would be a disguised exposure?"

"If they are not summoned at the same time, it means the Mystic Domain and Spirit Realm each person is summoned to will be different."

"When summoned, can I bring things with me? Or will I be taken away empty-handed? Or is it a soul projection?"

"If I can bring things, are there any restrictions?"

"Can I take Su Xing with me?"

Li Yu thought of everything he should have thought of.

Unfortunately, the Demon Star Command is not his Truth Bubble; it won't answer one by one just because his inquiry is so comprehensive.

His questions were like stones sinking into the sea, with no response.

Li Yu suddenly remembered the mockery that felt like an illusion when the rules were conveyed earlier by the Demon Star Command he received, which was called "Disaster Star."

He had that feeling again.

=9+Book_Bar

"The answers to these questions of mine should also belong to secret lore, but they won't reach the ears of low-level cultivators like me."

"I'll just have to wait until I experience it once; if I don't die inside, I can roughly guess it myself."

"However, the owners of those 【Rebel Star】 and 【Plague Star】 commands are all Sequence Seven or higher, young prodigies with great backgrounds, so they must know."

"Unfortunately, although I know their identities, I don't dare to go and ask."

Muttering to this point, Li Yu couldn't help but show a bitter smile.

He used up his fourth Truth Bubble!

Besides intercepting a Disaster Star Command, the remaining harvest was peeking into the true identities of several Demon Star Command owners.

One must know that even experts at Sequence Three or Two cannot do this.

This intelligence is extremely valuable.

Alas, he cannot sell it and doesn't dare to sell it.

"In two days, I'm afraid I'll have to fight for my life again."

"The Demon Star Command owner is both an opportunity and a disaster. In every rumor, it is said that the mortality rate is extremely high, especially for a low-level cultivator like me who knows nothing."

"The current plan is to exhaust my family's wealth and prepare with all my might."

When these thoughts flashed by.

In Li Yu's mind, plans immediately began to form.

The most important thing is to have at least one opportunity to analyze all things.

This is his greatest reliance; at critical moments, it can have an effect almost like cheating.

As this thought arose, Li Yu glanced at his eye membrane.

Fifth Truth Bubble!

Charging progress: one-third.

"Only one or two days, no, if I exclude my other preparation time, I'm afraid I only have a few hours left. In such a short time, where can I find enough transcendent secret lore to fill the remaining bubble?"

"The most convenient 'Wanfu Daily,' the next issue won't be released until three days later... hmm?"

Suddenly, Li Yu seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes lit up.

In his previous life, although he was not a journalism major, he had a friend who was, so he knew some knowledge that could not be considered much of an industry secret.

For example, before each issue of the newspaper is published, a large number of topics and materials are needed, but in the end, not all of them are used, and a lot is left over.

In his previous life, these scraps had no value.

But in this world, especially for Li Yu, the value of these scraps is extraordinary.

With this thought, Li Yu subconsciously wanted to flip through the first issue of the Wanfu Daily and find the contact information on it to see if he could make this deal.

But after flipping through it several times and gaining nothing, he couldn't help but frown and mutter:

"This newspaper can be named 'Wanfu' and distributed throughout the city; I'm afraid its level is very high, at least it can contact the overlords of the four districts and a large number of high-sequence experts."

"Not to mention whether a low-level person like me would be bothered if I went to look for them, just going there is a risk."

"If I happen to meet a high-sequence expert, face to face, my identity as a Demon Star Command owner is very likely to be exposed."

"Hmm? Since the Wanfu Daily is also organized and published by the 【Tiangong Sect】, perhaps promoters like Meng Shenji and Shi Dazhu have channels to help me buy those unused scrap news..."

"For others and even the Wanfu Daily agency, those outdated news stories that weren't selected have no value, so I'm afraid they won't be very expensive."

"I can play the role of a cultivator who loves gossip and has money to burn, which can completely rationalize this matter, and maybe I can even keep doing this in the future, stably and continuously charging the Truth Bubble?"

The more Li Yu thought about it, the more feasible he felt it was.

Without any delay, he called Su Xing and issued a bounty again.

It's just that this time, it was a bit different from before, and no one took it for a long time.

Just when Li Yu was a bit puzzled, Su Xing's mechanical voice suddenly sounded:

"Bounty has been claimed!"

"Tiangong promoter Shi Dazhu is preparing the transaction items, which will take one hour."

"And because this act is suspected of illegal trading of internal information, it needs to be shared with several Wanfu Daily editors, so the selling price will not be low. Please have at least one thousand taels of silver ready."

"Do you want to withdraw the bounty?"

"Agree to him!"

Li Yu said with a knowing look.

Earlier, he was still taking things for granted. After all, it is a newspaper in a transcendent world, so even the scraps that weren't selected still have considerable value.

If he guessed correctly!

He is not the only one with this idea, although the purpose is different.

He is doing it to charge the Truth Bubble, while others might be trying to find some advanced business opportunities or secrets from it. If they can utilize even one piece of information, the value would be huge.

And the Wanfu Daily agency has already formed a rough industrial chain for this.

So other promoters didn't take the bounty, but Shi Dazhu did. This guy is probably the one who loves to fish in troubled waters the most among the Tiangong Sect promoters, and he also has the widest channels.

One thousand taels!

It's much more expensive than expected, but it should be the market price.

If he can successfully fill the fifth Truth Bubble, it would be worth more than the price.

As for the money?

Li Yu is indeed penniless now, but he has things he can sell, and they are of great value.

"That 【Blood Bone Whistle】 belongs to a proper Blood God sect's strange item and is worth at least several thousand taels."

"And that Forbidden God statue, sacrificial book, human skin scroll, and the recipe for the human-vegetable secret medicine... they belong to a complete inheritance. If I am willing to sell them, there is no doubt it will be over ten thousand taels. The only thing to be wary of is that I must find a middleman, otherwise, the person who comes to buy it might be a madman from the Forbidden God sect like Yi Ya."

"It's a pity about the Wandering Soul secret medicine and my own Alchemist Apprentice secret medicine, because they were all obtained by peeking, and there are no reliable strange items to carry the recipes. Even if I write them out, no one will believe or buy them."

"This kind of rule blocks my path to crazily peeking at recipes and selling them for money in the future."

Thinking of this, a look of helplessness flashed in Li Yu's eyes; the shortcut to sudden wealth was cut off before it even began.

(End of chapter)