Eternal Life: I Can Sell Everything

Song Ciwan followed Niu the Sixth. She watched as he turned into a small alley, staggered onward, and finally stopped before a short wooden door whose surface was a patchwork of rich yet faded colors.

Various feathers and shells were stuck into the wood above the door. At a glance, they were arranged in an arc, forming what looked like a grotesque, smiling face!

A single glance was enough for Song Ciwan to feel as though she could smell a foul, rank odor.

Niu the Sixth, however, stopped before the door as if he had caught a whiff of some wonderful fragrance. He closed his eyes, savoring it for a moment, before placing a hand on the rattle at his waist and knocking gently on the door.

He knocked five times in a rhythm of three long and two short taps. A low, hoarse voice like a crow’s caw answered from within. "Come in!"

Niu the Sixth stroked the rattle at his waist, gritted his teeth, and pushed the door open to enter.

The moment he stepped inside, an indescribable, rank heat washed over him. Billowing waves of warmth carried a red glow that filled the room, making him dizzy and disoriented.

Niu the Sixth carefully navigated past the burning braziers scattered across the floor and knelt before a slate-blue banner in the center of the small hut.

A shadowy figure was seated behind the banner. Its shoulders were hunched high, while its head was pointed and bald. In that same low, hoarse voice, it spoke. "Mortal, have you made your decision?"

Niu the Sixth had already made up his mind, and all traces of drunkenness vanished from his face. He spoke with earnest reverence, "Master Wu, I went back and investigated thoroughly. My Niuniu’s murder is undeniably linked to the Hongsheng Martial Arts Hall! I beg for your help, Master. I am willing to pay any price, so long as those villains pay for their crimes with blood!"

With that, Niu the Sixth bowed, striking his head heavily against the floor three times with a series of loud THUDS.

As he kowtowed, Song Ciwan clearly saw a thin, white wisp of energy threaded with scarlet rise from the top of Niu the Sixth’s head.

The red-and-white wisp drifted upward, then suddenly passed through the slate-blue banner and into the hands of the figure behind it!

No, to be more precise, the seated figure was holding a Purification Bottle. The red-and-white wisp of energy had fallen directly into it.

As Song Ciwan’s gaze fell upon it, a thought suddenly struck her.

’This wisp of energy... it’s so similar to the "human desires" the Heaven and Earth Scale collects.’

’These "human desires" are supposed to be invisible to the naked eye. In the past, even after developing my Spiritual Sense through Cultivation, I still couldn’t see "human desires" directly. I could only see what they looked like after the Heaven and Earth Scale had collected them.’

’But now, I can see them. What does this mean?’

’Did my own Cultivation have some sort of miraculous breakthrough?’

’Or... does this have nothing to do with me at all? Is the real reason I have this special perspective—the ability to see "human desires" with my own eyes—all because of that "door" I passed through?’

’On the Floating Platform in Illusory Nether City, the Cultivators had worked together to push open that "door." But after passing through it, I ended up here, in the "Mortal World." I can’t be the only one who came to the "Mortal World." All the Cultivators who went through that door must have arrived here, too.’

’We are physically in the "Mortal World," yet we’re also isolated from it. And we’ve gained this special sight, this ability to see "human desires" with our own eyes!’

’It’s all so strange... and so bewildering.’

’Now that we can see "human desires," what are we supposed to do?’

Song Ciwan didn’t know what the others would do, but an idea suddenly sparked in her own mind.

She decided to test it.

So she took a soft step forward, passing through the banner.

On the other side of the banner, Niu the Sixth was still kneeling on the ground, kowtowing and begging ceaselessly. As his head struck the floor, wisps of energy rose continuously from his crown, passing through the fabric and flying into the Purification Bottle held by the figure behind it.

Song Ciwan now saw the true appearance of the figure behind the banner.

It was difficult to say whether this being was a man or a monster.

The being wore a great cloak of inky-blue feathers. Despite being seated, its back was hunched high, and scraggly, salt-and-pepper hair draped over its shoulders. Its face was a web of wrinkles, but its mouth jutted out in a sharp point.

At first glance, it didn’t look like human lips at all, but rather the beak of a bird!

Its appearance was nothing short of horrifying.

Master Wu’s eyes were even more unsettling—mostly white, with pupils as small as pinpricks. Deep within them, an inexplicable red light flickered ominously. A strange, intimidating aura pulsed fiercely from his body.

For a split second, Song Ciwan thought Master Wu had seen her.

But she quickly dismissed the thought. She believed her state of Invisibility was still secure.

How could she be so sure?

Because as Niu the Sixth continued to kowtow and another wisp of "human desires" drifted forth, Song Ciwan suddenly reached out and caught it.

The Heaven and Earth Scale materialized and, in the instant her hand closed around the wisp, snatched it away completely.

[Human desires: A mortal’s hatred, fear, and sorrow. Value: two taels and one mace. Tradable.]

[Human desires: A mortal’s hatred, fear, and sorrow. Value: one tael and five mace. Tradable.]

[Human desires: A mortal’s hatred, fear, and sorrow. Value: one tael and three mace. Tradable.]

[Human desires...]

With a few waves of her hand, Song Ciwan intercepted six wisps of "human desires" in succession.

The seated Master Wu showed no reaction. He simply held the Purification Bottle, gave it a slight shake, and then frowned. "Mortal, are you truly willing to pay any price?"

Niu the Sixth pleaded again and again, "I am willing! Please, Master, help me!"

Master Wu said, "Then why is your heart not devout?"

Niu the Sixth could only cry out in protest, "My heart is completely devout! I haven’t wavered in the slightest! Please, Master, help me!"

Master Wu said, "If that is the case, you shall undergo the trial of coals and walk the path of fire to prove your devotion."

What did he mean by the trial of coals and the path of fire?

Song Ciwan didn’t understand at first, but it soon became clear.

Without a word, Niu the Sixth took off his shoes and socks, lifted his foot, and stepped directly onto one of the braziers.

SIZZLE!

The moment his foot made contact, the smell of scorching flesh filled the air.

Sweat beaded on Niu the Sixth’s brow from the agony, and a powerful surge of human desires burst forth from him.

This cloud of human desires was more red than white. It passed through the banner and shot straight toward the Purification Bottle in Master Wu’s hands.

Song Ciwan’s brow furrowed slightly. Her hand twitched, but this time, she chose not to intercept it.

She watched in silence.

She watched as Master Wu, holding the Purification Bottle, gave it a little shake. A smile of satisfaction spread across his deeply wrinkled face.

On the other side of the banner, Niu the Sixth trod upon the burning coals, sending sparks flying with every step.

He lifted his foot from one brazier and moved toward the next.

Red-and-white energy streamed continuously from his crown as he chanted, "Master, I am truly devout! Please, Master, help me!"

"Please, Master, help me!"

"Please, Master, help me!"

...

With every cry, drops of sweat and blood fell, instantly vanishing into the charred ash of the coals.