Chapter Fifteen: The Grand Ascension Ceremony of Tai Nan

The young man, dressed in luxurious attire, clenched his teeth. His mood had been sour all day, and the rage in his heart sought an outlet. Now, it seemed, fortune had delivered him an opportunity: this filthy Taoist, appearing out of nowhere, dared to slight him so brazenly. He would vent his anger on him!

With resolve in his heart, the young man remained motionless where he stood, his expression filled with contempt. "Why don't you go ask around the county to see who Zhao Dezhu must make way for? Not only you, a mere Taoist—if even the county magistrate himself were to come, he would not dare speak to me in such a manner!"

Chen Jiu sighed inwardly. Trouble, indeed.

At that moment, Zhao Dezhu's friends stepped forward. A beautiful woman among them tried to dissuade him: "Brother Zhao, I know you're troubled by the upcoming Tainan Ascension Festival, but this is the Immortal Ascension Pavilion. If you cause a scene here, even Old Master Zhao may not be able to save you."

Her words seemed to awaken him from a dream. Zhao Dezhu's cold gaze suddenly sharpened. In his fury, he had forgotten that this place was under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public Safety—the strongest cultivation force in the Jin Dynasty.

He snorted coldly, then cast a deep look at Chen Jiu. "Today I'll let you go, filthy Taoist. But if I see you again, I'll beat you every time!"

With that, he brushed past Chen Jiu and stormed out of the 'C' Pavilion. The beautiful woman who had spoken earlier glanced at Chen Jiu, nodded slightly, and followed the group of wealthy youths out.

Chen Jiu pursed his lips in silence. A local tyrant, is he? Beat me every time he sees me? Ha, let's see if he can even find me.

Though he was frustrated, he hadn't forgotten his purpose here. As he approached the display case of magical instruments, an elderly man in blue appeared from the side.

"May I ask, Daoist, do you have a letter of introduction?" the old man asked abruptly.

Chen Jiu's expression shifted. "Indeed, I do have such a letter," he replied, producing the letter written by Sun Bai from his robes.

The old man chuckled heartily. "Why didn't you show it earlier, Daoist? If you'd presented it sooner, those men wouldn't have dared trouble you so."

He accepted the letter and immediately opened it to read. "Oh? You're recommended by that boy Sun Bai?!"

Chen Jiu nodded. "That's right. I met Mr. Sun at Liugou Temple. After a pleasant acquaintance, he recommended me here."

The old man in blue nodded in realization and cupped his hands in greeting. "I am Fourth Master Sun of the Sun family, in charge of this 'C' Pavilion. Since you are Sun Bai's friend, you are a friend of our Sun family as well."

Chen Jiu was moved by these words. It seemed the Sun family held considerable influence in the county.

"Such kindness is overwhelming, elder," Chen Jiu replied modestly, though he was inwardly delighted. At least with this connection, he would not have to tread carefully within the pavilion.

"May I ask what treasures you seek, Daoist?" Fourth Master Sun asked confidently. "Let me help you find something suitable."

Chen Jiu thought for a moment. "Heh, I'm but a poor Taoist. The treasures here are merely eye candy for me; I have no particular desires."

He was here only to gather information—the items were far beyond his means.

Fourth Master Sun shook his head. "No matter. This 'C' Pavilion is rarely open; you should take this chance to observe as much as you wish."

He then led Chen Jiu to the various display cases, introducing each item in turn.

"This 'Thundercloud Talisman' was crafted by a high master of the Dao. When activated, it summons rolling thunder—an excellent tool for driving out evil and monsters!" the elder said, pointing to a talisman glowing with golden light.

Chen Jiu glanced at the price—two hundred merit points—and felt a wave of fear. He had risked his life to slay a mountain demon for only eighty points, yet this talisman cost two hundred, and it was limited in use...

"Incredible, truly incredible..." Chen Jiu exclaimed, though his heart was filled with shock.

"Impressive, isn't it? Now, Daoist, take a look at this..." Fourth Master Sun, clearly enjoying himself, guided Chen Jiu from case to case.

The items were extraordinary, worthy of the 'C' Pavilion, but Chen Jiu had only eighty merit points. He felt like a beggar with a single coin wandering into a royal tavern, dreaming of rare delicacies.

Still, as he browsed, a few treasures caught his eye.

One was the "Five-Thunder Disk," a defensive magical instrument that, when infused with spiritual power, would summon thunder to protect the user. But its price—one thousand merit points—made Chen Jiu abandon the thought.

"One thousand merit points... I'd have to slay more than ten mountain demons..."

Another was a movement technique called "Windstride." As its name suggested, it allowed the practitioner to move with the lightness of the wind, ideal for travel or evading enemies. Yet the prohibitive price left Chen Jiu with nothing but envy and longing.

After viewing the last magical item, Chen Jiu finally let out a long breath.

The more he saw, the more he wanted to possess them all. He felt as if he might gouge out his own eyes or chop off his hands—just as he'd experienced online shopping before he crossed over, unable to control his urge to "buy, buy, buy" even when his wallet was empty.

Fourth Master Sun, shrewd and observant, immediately noticed Chen Jiu's yearning.

With a sly grin, he said, "Tempted, aren't you?"

"In truth, the treasures here aren't limited to payment with merit points or longevity coins," he suddenly remarked.

Chen Jiu's expression changed. "If not with currency, how might one acquire them?"

Fourth Master Sun smiled. "Have you heard of the Tainan Ascension Festival?"

The name was familiar—he had just heard it from Zhao Dezhu, who seemed to have been annoyed by it.

"Please, elder, tell me more."

Fourth Master Sun chuckled. "The Ascension Festival is hosted by the master of the Immortal Ascension Pavilion, held on Tainan Mountain south of the county. Anyone who completes the tasks set by the pavilion master can claim any treasure from the pavilion—though only from the open 'C' and 'D' Pavilions."

Chen Jiu pondered for a moment. "Elder, is this festival difficult?"

Fourth Master Sun replied, "It isn't about difficulty. The Ascension Festival is a rare grand event, personally hosted by the master of the pavilion. Only cultivators with a foundation below the Small Pill stage may enter, and the rewards are generous... So, if you must ask, the challenge is considerable."

"But rest assured, Daoist. Though there are many tasks, no lives are ever lost—this has always been the rule." Sensing Chen Jiu's concern, Fourth Master Sun explained.

Chen Jiu considered this carefully. Since there was no mortal danger and he met the qualifications, why not take a chance? The festival was simply a contest among cultivators; his goal was modest—if he could win a treasure, it would be ideal.

That "Five-Thunder Disk" was exactly what he needed.

With this thought, Chen Jiu's heart settled on a decision.