Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

Chapter 133: Chapter 68: Middlemen Profiteering Both Ways
“There are infinitely many possibilities for the future,” explained Kunlun Mirror.

“To give you an analogy, it’s as if there are infinitely many paths before you.”

“I randomly sampled ten thousand of them and found that only one was a path to life, the rest led to death.”

“Then I recorded the details of that one path, which is the strategy you’re seeing now.”

“I see,” Qiu Changtian pondered, “so if I go now to kill Long Eyebrow Immortal, can you also find that one possibility for my survival among tens of thousands of certain-death outcomes?”

“If you go kill Long Eyebrow Immortal now, the success rate is definitely less than one in several tens of thousands, okay?” the Kunlun Mirror said with exasperation. “Besides, my spiritual power isn’t endless. I have to transport you back and forth, provide you with Mirror Flower Water Moon for disguise and now also devise a strategy for you…”

“Alright, alright, don’t say anymore,” Qiu Changtian immediately said. “I understand your difficulties, but isn’t this all for the future we both aspire to?”

No sooner had he finished speaking than he suddenly felt something was amiss.

Why did he feel like a husband weary of his wife’s nagging?

Casting aside the jumbled thoughts in his mind, Qiu Changtian continued to look at the strategy.

The strategy said that next, he would have Ah Jing disguise him to look like Xu Anze, whom he had just seen, and then descend to the thirtieth floor.

So, after donning the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, Qiu Changtian passed through various levels, descending the stairs.

The deeper he went, the darker the color of the walls around him, and the more dense and numerous the tadpole texts on them, giving a sense of tense, oppressive danger.

On reaching the thirtieth floor, Qiu Changtian saw someone with the appearance of a Shushan Golden Core True Person overseeing duties, standing in the center of the hall, back facing him, scrutinizing the Immortal Seal Script on the walls.

“Greetings, Marquis of Mount Tu,” said Qiu Changtian with a bow.

The person turned around, revealing the figure of a middle-aged beautiful woman, and said with a smile:

“How did you know I am Marquis of Mount Tu?”

“If I were to infiltrate the Demon Locking Tower, I would also choose to disguise myself as an overseeing officer in the tower,” Qiu Changtian replied.

“Not necessarily,” laughed Marquis of Mount Tu. “Why not disguise oneself as a Shushan disciple entering the tower for trials?”

“Because Marquis of Mount Tu could not have known in advance that the Demon Locking Tower would open for trials today,” Qiu Changtian answered.

“Why would I not know?”

“If Marquis of Mount Tu had known, there would have been no need to engage my services,” Qiu Changtian said in a low voice.

“You are indeed a clever one,” Marquis of Mount Tu laughed. “You must be ‘Xu Anze,’ right?”

“Exactly.”

“This Demon Locking Tower’s formation is too profound for me to understand,” Marquis of Mount Tu said, her voice pausing for a moment. “I need to talk with some of my juniors in the tower.”

“During this time, we can’t allow those disciples undergoing trials to come down here and cause disturbances. Do you have any good ideas?”

After pretending to consider it for a moment, Qiu Changtian said:

“In that case, I have a plan.”

“Currently, among the Shushan peaks, Qingluo Peak is notorious for its bad reputation. Coincidentally, the Peak Master, Qi Sha True Person, is currently undergoing a closed-door Death Gate trial, and no one knows the situation inside.”

“First, I’ll go around attacking Foundation Establishment disciples, leaving behind the name of Qi Sha True Person.”

“Once everyone is on edge, I would request Marquis of Mount Tu to disguise as Qi Sha True Person and attack Jinghua, the Golden Core True Person leading the Foundation Establishment trials.”

“I see,” the Marquis of Mount Tu nodded slightly, “If Jinghua True Person is suddenly attacked, it will push the panic to its peak. To protect these Foundation Establishment disciples, she will surely choose to end the trial.”

“Moreover, once it is confirmed that Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian, is seeking revenge within the tower, the news would spread from Jinghua True Person to the lower floors. The Golden Core trial teams will also be horrified and afraid of Su Jian finding them, and will choose to temporarily withdraw from the Demon Locking Tower.”

At this point, Marquis of Mount Tu suddenly pivoted on his heel.

From a dignified middle-aged beautiful woman, he transformed in an instant into a tall, silver-haired, imposing, and stern-looking old hunk.

“How about this?” the Marquis of Mount Tu asked in a deep male voice, conjuring a cold-hued Flying Sword that looked eight or nine parts similar to the Harsh Cold Sword, “Do I bear any resemblance to Qi Sha True Person?”

Qiu Changtian: …………

“Absolutely flawless,” he immediately praised, “Comparable to the spells of the Immortal Sects.”

“It’s just a minor trick,” Marquis of Mount Tu said indifferently, suddenly raising his hand and shooting a cold light into Qiu Changtian’s body.

“What’s this!” Qiu Changtian’s expression changed dramatically.

“Your reward,” Marquis of Mount Tu replied.

Qiu Changtian held his breath and looked inward to his Sea of Consciousness, only to notice an extra point of light.

Upon probing with his Divine Sense, he found some basic Illusion Techniques and…

“She has planted a secret Illusion Technique in you,” Kunlun Mirror reminded him, “If you have any thoughts of betrayal, she will immediately sense it through your spirit and thus become aware.”

“Is it that amazing?” Qiu Changtian said in surprise. He had only known about Soul Search to check memories but had no idea there was also such a secret lie-detection spell.

“Not amazing. As she said, it’s just a small technique,” Kunlun Mirror said with a chuckle, “Your Daoist Heart Clarity is naturally immune to Illusion Techniques, and I have already shielded it; you need not worry.”

“Excellent, worthy of being my Ah Jing,” thus Qiu Changtian acted surprised, bowed his hands and said, “Thank you, Marquis of Mount Tu, for granting me Illusion Techniques.”

“You’re about to create chaos among Shushan Sect Disciples; you certainly need some life-saving skills,” Marquis of Mount Tu, confirming that the person before him had no intent to betray, spoke amicably, “Go. If you encounter any problems, look for me in the Death Gate area on the forty-seventh floor.”

“Understood.” Qiu Changtian bowed and departed.

Following the strategy to return to the upper levels, he quickly made it back to the tenth floor.

In the central hall of the tenth floor, Xu Anze, who had been waiting in the rest gate passage, saw Qiu Changtian returning and hastily showed himself, eagerly reporting:

“This subordinate pays respect to Marquis of Mount Tu. To let the True Person know, the team has now descended to the seventh level, and two have already been killed in a sneak attack by ‘Qi Sha True Person.’”

“Now in the trial team of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the disciples are extremely nervous, and Jinghua True Person doesn’t allow everyone to freely choose the eight gates of the trial; disciples from the same peak must act together.”

“Many disciples are worried about being killed now. In the secret realm, they are all proceeding with extreme caution; their progress is slow.”

“Very good,” Qiu Changtian expressed approval, “I have important matters to attend to below; you continue to delay their progress!”

“There’s another thing to report to Marquis of Mount Tu,” Xu Anze took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein, saying, “This talisman has been used twice and has two uses left.”

“In case of an emergency, could I ask Marquis of Mount Tu to help recharge it?”

“Hmm.” Qiu Changtian took the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein and put it into his sleeve.

Xu Anze: ???? ?

“This talisman has many limitations, and is inconvenient to use,” Qiu Changtian said with a cold smile, “I see you are clever and aware. For now, I will impart some Illusion Techniques to you, listen carefully…”

Xu Anze was initially startled, but then, immediately, he was overcome with great joy.

For a traitor like him, compared to the Strange Object that could only be used a few times and would definitely be taken back, the coveted disguise Illusion Techniques were clearly the more important of the two.

Qiu Changtian then orally relayed the techniques given by Marquis of Mount Tu to Xu Anze.

Xu Anze quickly took them to heart, again and again expressing vast gratitude and inexplicable emotion, causing Qiu Changtian to be somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

To become a middle-man playing both ends, enjoying the benefits from both the buyer and the seller, felt truly exceptional!