Chapter 109: Calamity and Fate

As soon as the message disappeared from the forest, the token vanished on its own.

Feng Ke’er confidently stepped into the space, using transformation magic to change her appearance. The space created by spatial magic was well concealed, recognizable only by cultivators at least three levels higher than her. Heh heh, so to onlookers, most would assume she was using invisibility magic. In Joy Valley, it was explicitly forbidden for cultivators to use flying spells, but the guards tended to turn a blind eye to invisible flights, believing it was better not to stir trouble. As a result, many cultivators traveled invisibly to avoid paying “guide fees.” It was common to see someone suddenly materialize at the entrances or exits of Joy Valley, and people had long since grown accustomed to it.

Still a female cultivator, Feng Ke’er altered her age, appearance, figure, and attire. She transformed into a plump middle-aged woman with a kind face, balanced features, and a round, chubby face like a glutinous rice ball. Her outfit remained that of a humble itinerant cultivator—gray robes, black cloth shoes, and a simple wide black cloth belt around her waist. Her high bun was adorned with a single white jade hairpin, nothing extravagant.

However, this time she did not conceal her cultivation level. Firstly, as a perfect Nascent Soul stage cultivator, her level was neither outstanding nor low, so she wouldn’t stand out among other cultivators. Secondly, her mastery at this stage far surpassed others of the same rank; there was no need to play the fool—she could still eat tigers!

Next, she forced out the pure spiritual energies of fire and earth within her body to suppress the ice spiritual energy and mask her so-called Yin constitution. Previously, she had underestimated the audacity of certain male cultivators. As the saying goes, it’s not the thief you fear stealing but the thief who covets what you have. Now she was making amends before it was too late.

Upon exiting the space, Feng Ke’er obediently found a “guide” and paid a low-grade spirit stone to enter the marketplace. Although, with her current cultivation, she could easily fly invisibly between the message forest and the marketplace countless times without issue. But she was not an ordinary person. Without a specialized invisibility treasure, the invisibility duration for an average perfect Nascent Soul cultivator was extremely limited. Traveling invisibly between the message forest and the marketplace was already their limit. Cultivators were highly cautious when traveling and never allowed themselves to overexert their physical or spiritual energies.

She also used a low-grade spirit stone to exchange for a token at the entrance, which served as a ticket—she had carefully inspected it. It was merely a simple wooden tag, apparently used by Joy Valley’s officials for counting visitor flow. She had heard that Joy Valley’s official management of bounty halls and inns resembled a modern personal franchise system. At the end of each year, the valley master, Hu Sanye, would determine the spirit stone commission for the next year based on the visitor numbers in the three major sectors.

Upon hearing this, Feng Ke’er’s eyes twitched with surprise, and her interest in Hu Sanye grew wildly: could this guy have also transmigrated here?

The marketplace was more than twice the size of the message forest and far busier. Walking through it, Feng Ke’er felt as if she were inside a living Scroll of the Riverside Scene at Qingming: countless shops lined up side by side, bustling street stalls, a crowd coming and going like weaving threads, and the air filled with shouts and haggling.

Here, demon cultivators and human cultivators coexisted peacefully. There were demon vendors with half-human, half-beast faces enthusiastically selling goods to human cultivators, and human cultivators recruiting demon cultivators to promote their wares.

Demon cultivators usually dressed with styles reflecting their true forms, making fashion here much more avant-garde and diverse than outside the valley. For example, clothing: outside, cultivators—male or female—usually wore either long or short robes, differing mostly in color but similar in style. But inside the valley, dress styles became more varied. Besides Taoist robes, males wore short combat suits, females wore wide-sleeved long skirts. Many who cared about their attire had delicately embroidered flowers, insects, and fish on their fabrics.

Feng Ke’er’s eyes lit up as she browsed and found a ready-made clothing shop where she picked two outfits: one a black night outfit reminiscent of martial arts films, and the other a crimson dress. Both were tailored to her true measurements.

The shopkeeper, a warm and responsible woman, enthusiastically recommended another embroidered pleated skirt in a deep purple, two sizes larger, claiming it matched Feng Ke’er’s complexion.

Feng Ke’er, willing to be persuaded, immediately changed into it. The shopkeeper’s taste was excellent—the new skirt made her look much younger.

She paid for the other two outfits, planning to store them in her storage pouch.

The shopkeeper noticed the sparkle in her eyes.

Feng Ke’er cheerfully explained that the two were gifts for her two apprentices.

The shopkeeper smiled knowingly and said, “I see. By the way, I’m giving you two handkerchiefs as a little extra. Our shop always has a fresh selection of designs. Please come again.”

Feng Ke’er was internally thunderstruck. Oh my god, what she’d been wandering was actually an antique-style street, wasn't it?

Despite her caution, Feng Ke’er felt as if a pair of eyes were always watching her from behind after leaving the clothing shop.

Yet when she sent out her divine sense to search, she found no suspicious individuals nearby.

She casually browsed a few more stalls, but the feeling of being followed lingered. Having been a lone hero in the Obstruction Sea for over three centuries, her senses were finely honed, and she never doubted her sixth sense.

She was also confident in her divine sense.

But now, she could not detect her tail.

What did this mean? One: the follower’s cultivation far surpassed hers. That would mean either Nuwa herself or her one-eyed dragon bodyguard, or some celestial being dispatched from the Immortal Realm. A low-profile cultivator like her wouldn’t attract such attention. So this possibility was ruled out.

Two: the follower possessed an artifact akin to a stealth amulet.

The mention of an artifact sparked her interest.

After walking down another street, someone suddenly darted into a quiet alley opposite her.

The sensation of being followed remained.

Good, her enemy had come. Feng Ke’er smiled coldly and swiftly headed deeper into the alley.

At last, she reached the alley’s end.

“Hey, traveler ahead, please stop!” came a low command from behind.

Her opponent revealed themselves so easily? Did they really think she was an easy catch? Feng Ke’er turned with a smile: “You’ve followed me all this way; may I ask your purpose?” She subtly clenched a silent-sealing talisman in her hand, which could block sound. Whether this person was allied with Wang, Wu, or others, it was better to be prepared. This time, she intended to capture a live one.

The man was a lean middle-aged cultivator with a third-layer Nascent Soul cultivation, dressed in black combat clothes, his gaze cold and sinister, face pale as paper, exuding a chilling aura.

Feng Ke’er frowned slightly: appearances reveal the heart—this fellow did not look like a good person.

“I am Yan Nan. My master wishes to speak with you,” he said, clasping his fists and scrutinizing her.

As expected, they were accomplices. These people just wouldn’t quit, huh? Feng Ke’er snorted coldly: “I’ve been entangled with many matters recently and must regretfully decline your master’s generous invitation.”

Yan Nan’s eyes grew colder, his impatience evident. “If my master tells you to go, then you go! Why so much nonsense?”

Feng Ke’er’s anger turned to laughter. “May I ask your master’s honorable name?”

“Less talk, you’ll know when you get there!” Yan Nan raised his withered right hand.

In a flash, the scene shifted. No alley remained; four wooden walls enclosed her, and Yan Nan was nowhere to be seen. Feng Ke’er suddenly realized she was locked inside a nearly two-meter square wooden box—airtight with no openings or seams, a perfectly sealed container.

Damn it, caught by a magic treasure! Like the Journey to the West, she thumped the box furiously. “Bastard, let me out!”

Yan Nan approached, standing beside the trembling box, chuckling wickedly. “Little girl, haven’t you always wanted to know who my master is? Don’t worry, I’m taking you there now.” He formed a hand seal and chanted quietly.

The wooden box emitted a dazzling white light and rapidly shrank. In a moment, it became a small wooden box no larger than a fist. Proudly weighing the tiny box, Yan Nan prepared to leave.

“Wait, young man!” a voice called from midair.

Yan Nan looked up, and suddenly three black figures appeared—three male cultivators wearing black hooded robes.

He could not discern their cultivation levels!

“I wonder what advice the three elders have?” Yan Nan tightened his grip on the little box, fully alert.

Inside the box, Feng Ke’er was startled: “Mama mia! Isn’t this the trio of crows who once sent me through time? They’re here too?”

Rubbing her eyes hard, she steadied her heart and breathed a sigh of relief: these three looked much younger now. This wasn’t that trio from the modern world; they were the prehistoric trio still investigating the old director.

Then a wave of anxiety washed over her: damn, it looked like she was about to be abducted again, all her efforts wasted. It seemed she was destined to have no connection with the mysterious mastermind.

The middle one appeared the eldest and leader of the three. With arrogant raised chin, he murmured, “The little girl in the box is very likely the one we seek. Leave her here and you may go.”

Yan Nan hesitated briefly. From the fact they used invisibility magic undetectable to him, he could deduce their cultivation surpassed his. He couldn’t face them one-on-three, let alone one-on-one. But failure meant certain death or worse upon return. Reluctantly, he decided to reveal his master’s name...

At this moment, the one on the left lost patience and shouted, “Stop stalling!” Raising his right hand like a hook...

Yan Nan suddenly felt a massive pull. The small wooden box slipped from his grasp and flew away.

(To be continued)

Divine Treasury of the Heavens 109_Chapter 109: The Abduction and Harmonization Updated Complete!