Der törichte Agent

Kapitel 3

It was already 8:30 p.m., but the city's commercial center was still bustling with people in the summer night. The shops on both sides of the street showed no sign of closing and were doing their best to display their goods to passersby.

"Honey, look how beautiful that dress is!" Fujiwara Misaki said excitedly, pointing to a purple dress in a shop window on the street, while pulling the hand of the woman next to her, speaking in not-so-fluent Chinese.

"Don't you always say you're a homebody? How can you be so extravagant? I don't have any income right now, how am I supposed to buy it for you!" Grass Ash glanced at Feng Shui, then turned to Fujiwara Misaki beside her and said, feigning displeasure.

"But I like it!" Fujiwara Mishu said coquettishly.

"Hehe, you two are really good at playing along. Since I've already said I'm bringing you two shopping today, buy whatever you like, it'll be on me." Feng Shui said to the demon couple with great enthusiasm.

"Thank you, boss." Grass Ash and Fujiwara Mishu were overjoyed and walked happily into the store.

Feng Shui chuckled and shook his head with a sigh, following behind the two as they walked towards the shop entrance. Suddenly, an unusual fluctuation swept through Feng Shui's sensory domain; only those who had cultivated could sense this fluctuation. However, even those who had cultivated could not reach Feng Shui's current level, because the one releasing this fluctuation was a cultivator at roughly the same level as Feng Shui.

Feng Shui didn't pause for a moment, because he knew someone was watching him, but he didn't want them to know he was aware of it. The enemy was in the shadows while he was in the light; he didn't fully understand their intentions, so he shouldn't let them easily realize he sensed their presence. This way, even if a conflict did occur, there would be some room for maneuver.

It seemed that Cao Hui and Fujiwara Misuke hadn't gone shopping in a long time. They were standing in front of the checkout counter, carrying several large bags of designer clothes, looking at Feng Shui with warm expressions, waiting for him to pay the bill.

"You two are a match made in heaven, each one more extravagant than the other. You've bought so many clothes from brands like VERSCE, Chanel, and Gucci!" Feng Shui said helplessly, looking at the tote bags with various brands printed on them.

"Boss, we don't know what brand it is. We just thought these outfits looked nice, so we asked the waiter to wrap them all up. Are they expensive?" Grass Ash asked curiously with innocent eyes.

"It wasn't very expensive. Oh well, since I already said I'd treat you to shopping, I can't go back on my word. I'll pay the bill," Feng Shui said helplessly.

It really wasn't very expensive. There were six pieces of clothing in total, three sets for men and three for women, totaling 26,400 RMB. Fortunately, Feng Shui is a wealthy person, and he casually handed the cashier a Visa credit card that is accepted worldwide.

Actually, the average consumption level in this city isn't very high, and people like the Fengshui Trio who buy six pieces of world-famous brand clothing at once are even rarer. To attract "big customers" like the Fengshui Trio to become repeat customers, this store actually gave away many small, not-so-valuable gifts and a VIP gold card for future purchases. Apparently, it offers a 9.5% discount on future clothing purchases. It seems every business is shrewd and calculating.

Just as Kusahi and Fujiwara Miho stepped out of the shop, they bumped into someone. This person's appearance was incredibly sudden. With Kusahi's three thousand years of cultivation, bumping into someone while walking was something that should never happen. Since it had already occurred, it could only mean one thing: this person appeared suddenly and deliberately allowed themselves to be knocked down.

Cao Hui was stunned and didn't react at all, but Fujiwara Mihide had already stepped forward to help the person who had been knocked down.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" Fujiwara Mihide apologized as she helped the person on the ground up.

This person was a man, and could be considered a handsome man by all standards. Even Vic Zhou from F4 couldn't compare to him. He even had a thick, black braid down his back. His whole being exuded a mysterious, classical, and aristocratic air.

The man smiled slightly at Fujiwara Mihide, his eyes sparkling like autumn waves. Though he was angry, he seemed to be smiling, and his gaze was full of affection. A blue glint flashed in his eyes for a moment, which not only stunned Fujiwara Mihide, but also made her infatuated.

Feng Shui's gaze towards the man was icy cold, releasing a subtle, almost imperceptible sense of thought that quickly invaded Fujiwara Mihide's mind.

"Beware of the bewitching eyes," Feng Shui said in Fujiwara Misaki's mind.

2004-12-7 13:14:00

Fujiwara Mihide felt a jolt and quickly returned to normal, only to find that her face was slightly hot, as if it had turned into a peach blossom.

Cao Hui stared at the man he had bumped into, his initial surprise at the man's appearance quickly turning to anger. Because someone dared to seduce his wife right in front of him—this was intolerable! How could a man stand by and watch someone flirt with his woman without getting angry?

"Hey kid, what are you doing!" Grass Ash stepped forward and pointed at the man angrily.

However, Feng Shui stopped Cao Hui and gave him a wink, signaling him not to cause trouble. Cao Hui understood, glared at the man, grabbed Fujiwara Miho, and stormed past him, walking away angrily. As Feng Shui passed by the man, the man gave him a strange, slight smile.

A consciousness is transmitted to the realm of Feng Shui thought.

"My name is Jimmy Liao, and yours is Feng Shui, right?" the man said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you!" Feng Shui replied in kind.

Without pausing for a moment, Feng Shui brushed past the man who called himself Jimi, without looking back at him, and disappeared into the street in an instant, carrying with him grass ash and Fujiwara Misaki.

“A demon cultivator—Feng Shui. Truly extraordinary. Until we meet again.” Jimi smiled as he looked at the spot where Feng Shui and the other two had disappeared.

※ ※ ※

It was 11:50 p.m. on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month.

The city finally quieted down, and only the streetlights stood alone on both sides of the bustling streets. A gentle breeze swept across the surface of the street, blowing up a few pieces of scattered paper. The wind was desolate, and so were the people.

Suddenly, the entire city went dark, completely shrouded in darkness. Then, eighteen deep blue beams of light appeared from eighteen points in the city, piercing the sky and lingering there for a long time. The clouds in the sky also began to ripple and churn.

If viewed from above, one would see that these eighteen deep blue beams of light actually form two overlapping trigrams, and the two points where these trigrams meet are precisely where the city's lifeline lies.

2004-12-7 13:17:00

Chapter Five: Flying Dragon in the Sky

The path of cultivation is divided into five schools.

"Gods, demons, monsters, immortals, and the Dao"

While the cultivation methods of these five schools appear to be largely the same on the surface, they are actually quite different.

Specifically, the path of cultivation has only two directions: cultivating the divine and cultivating the demonic. Why is cultivating the demonic always ranked after cultivating the divine? It is because the path of cultivating the demonic involves hundreds of times more hardships and dangers than the path of cultivating the divine. The slightest mistake will lead to eternal damnation. Therefore, throughout history, the first choice for cultivators has always been cultivating the divine.

Cultivating the divine is the highest realm of cultivation, and those who can reach it are as rare as a drop in the ocean, seemingly unattainable. Moreover, the beginning is difficult and tedious. Ancient cultivators of the divine, through the "Searching for the Gods" written by Zhang Tianshi, began their cultivation journey from its initial stages to its pinnacle, the so-called higher level of "cultivating immortality." This cycle repeated itself endlessly, traversing the realms of cultivation for millennia, yet truly reaching the realm of cultivating immortality remained an unattainable goal. Therefore, the history of cultivating immortality includes many who, unable to reach this level, abandoned their physical bodies and cultivated entirely as souls—the "wandering immortals." Even Zhang Tianshi himself could only reach the level of becoming an immortal, thus joining the ranks of immortals and standing atop the celestial realm, reflecting on the years of cultivation with profound感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings). Even he felt a sense of unattainability towards the even higher realm of cultivating the divine.

Cultivating demonic arts and cultivating monsters are two realms that are completely opposite to cultivating gods.

The path of demon cultivation is a very narrow cultivation method, allowing any creature other than humans to cultivate. Those who achieve great success are few and far between, and none achieve much. To cultivate demonhood, one must first cultivate a human form; this is the hallmark of demon cultivation. Without the ability to transform into human form, demon cultivation is utterly meaningless. Then, one cultivates from the human form one has achieved to the pinnacle of demonhood, becoming comparable to those who cultivate divinity.

However, cultivating demonic arts can never surpass the realm of cultivating demonic arts. This is because the path of demonic cultivation involves not only physical pain, but also profound mental torment and the ostracism from fellow cultivators. Cultivating demonic arts is a path of no return, but reaching the pinnacle of demonic cultivation allows one to transcend the gods; it is the ultimate form of demonic arts, the pinnacle of all power. What demonic cultivators seek is not merely a goal, but an endless path of cultivation—the constant point among all cultivation realms.

There is only one way to cultivate the demonic path, and that is—cultivating arrays.

Because all things in the world are within the array, the world itself is an array, and all things are inseparable from it. Where there is an array, there is life; where there is an array, there is death. All cycles of reincarnation evolve from the array. The array is the beginning of everything, and also the end of everything.

※ ※ ※

On the night of the full moon, all was quiet. Eighteen blue beams of light pierced straight into the sky, turning the dark night sky into a deep blue. Two enormous, overlapping Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbols hung in the sky, a truly magnificent sight.

The sky was boiling, yet it was completely silent.

If you look closely, you'll find that there are five moons in the night sky, arranged in the shape of the "five of bamboo" in mahjong, seemingly echoing each other from afar.

In an instant, the full moon in the center slowly emitted a faint crimson glow, a restless aura of outward expansion stirring within it. A massive dragon head emerged from the crimson moon, seemingly struggling, as if desperately trying to break free of its confinement. Finally, the crimson dragon broke free from the moon's embrace, its entire body released, appearing from afar like an aircraft carrier suspended in the sky. Although this crimson dragon could now soar through the heavens, it could not escape the constraints of the eighteen blue beams of light.

Sharp and distant dragon roars echoed across the city, but the people in the city seemed not to hear them. The entire city remained dark, like a dead city, with only the eighteen blue pillars of light shining brightly.

At this moment, eighteen figures appeared from the eighteen pillars of light, rushing upwards rapidly within them. The target of these eighteen people was none other than the purple dragon.

In the distance, atop the tallest building in the city, three figures silently watched everything unfold in the darkness. Their faces were obscured, but three pairs of bright eyes shone like fireflies in the blackness, so vivid and outstanding.

"Boss, what are they doing?" one of them asked fearfully.

“They’re at ‘Fubao’!” another replied.

"What is 'Fu Bao'?" the man continued to ask.

"That dragon is a demonic artifact from the demonic path, called the 'Dragon Release Disc.' It belongs to the same type of cultivation item as the immortal artifacts of the immortal cultivation world, the divine artifacts of the god cultivation world, the demonic artifacts of the demon cultivation world, and the magical artifacts of the Taoist cultivation world, but the differences between them are worlds apart. This is because the 'Dragon Release Disc' is a supreme treasure of the demonic cultivation world. If one can subdue this object and cultivate with it, not only will one's demonic cultivation level increase a thousandfold, but when one reaches a certain level, this 'Dragon Release Disc' will become the strongest demonic treasure capable of contending with the entire god realm," another replied.

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? But to me, that dragon doesn't look like a 'plate' at all; it's clearly a living creature!" the man asked, puzzled.

“You’re wrong. The ‘Dragon Release Disc’ hasn’t been subdued yet. It’s currently trapped by the ‘Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Formation’ set up by those eighteen demon cultivators. And the master who controls this formation is the man we just met,” the man replied.

These three were Feng Shui, Cao Hui, and Fujiwara Mishu. At this moment, the three of them were observing the changes in the "Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Formation" in the distance.

Meanwhile, in the distance, within the "Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Array," the purple dragon, not yet restored to its original "Releasing Dragon Coil" form, had been enraged by the eighteen demon cultivators. It darted back and forth within the array, unable to escape. The eighteen demon cultivators were encased in blue pillars of light—the very foundation of the "Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Array," a defensive array in itself. Therefore, the "Releasing Dragon Coil" could not harm the demon cultivators in the slightest.

However, the energy consumed by the array was also enormous, and the eighteen demon cultivators gradually became exhausted, the dark blue light pillar fading considerably. Yet, the power of the "Dragon Release Disc" grew stronger and stronger. This is the difference between demonic artifacts, divine artifacts, and other types of cultivation tools. Demonic artifacts absorb power, while divine artifacts release it; hence the saying, "The higher the Tao, the greater the demonic power." This is because the stronger the external force, the greater its resistance and absorption, and it slowly absorbs the external force, converting it into the energy it needs.

Suddenly, a vibrant purple halo emanated from the "Dragon Release Disc," spreading endlessly in all directions. The Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Formation that had been trapping the "Dragon Release Disc" collapsed. The eighteen pillars of light shattered like glass from a powerful tremor, turning into countless shimmering, dark blue fragments that sparkled in the night sky. The eighteen demon cultivators were also thrown about by the energy emitted by the "Dragon Release Disc," scattered across the sky, some even losing consciousness and plummeting rapidly towards the ground.

The "Releasing Dragon Plate" finally broke free from its constraints, but because it had been trapped by the Four Extremes Formless Armor Removal Formation, it became extremely ferocious and began to chase after the eighteen demon cultivators in the air, eliminating them one by one.

In the night sky, an enormous purple dragon coiled among countless shimmering blue fragments, sometimes darting left, sometimes right, as if searching for something. Meanwhile, eighteen figures, darker than the night itself, frantically fled through the air, unable to escape the purple dragon's shadow.

In the blink of an eye, all eighteen demon cultivators had perished, leaving only one still stubbornly battling the purple dragon.

Suddenly, the last remaining demon cultivator was enveloped in an incredibly powerful deep blue aura. The blue light revealed his true appearance, which turned out to be several meters tall.

Jimi appeared somewhat disheveled, his black robe tattered and his hair disheveled, but the malevolent glint in his eyes grew ever stronger. Bathed in the blue energy, his eyes shimmered with a deep blue light.

The "Dragon Release Disc" had calmed down, hovering a few meters in front of him and fifty meters away. Two purple pupils were staring intently at him, and an invisible pressure enveloped the entire night sky. The temperature suddenly dropped, reaching minus thirty-eight degrees Celsius. The air and this low pressure created convection currents, causing a physical change that turned the air into something crystalline.

Snowflakes fluttered down onto the earth, half blue and half purple.

Chapter Six: The Spirit Medium

The city, bathed in summer night light, was now adorned with a unique and enchanting beauty by the blue and purple hues of snow. Meanwhile, the temperature continued to drop, reaching a low of minus forty-five degrees Celsius.

Three snowmen appeared where Feng Shui, Cao Hui, and Fujiwara Mihide were standing, looking rather goofy. However, three pairs of eyes shone even brighter.

"Boss, should we continue to stay here?" Grass Ash's voice was somewhat muffled inside the snowman.

"Let's wait and see. Haven't you heard of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?" Feng Shui was quite clever, because he spoke these words directly in the minds of Cao Hui and Fujiwara Miho.

"Hehe, Feng Shui Master is still the best. How could I forget to use the 'Consciousness Transmission Body'?" Grass Ash said somewhat awkwardly.

(Consciousness Transmission: This refers to a method of communicating thoughts directly to a specific person within a certain range by breaking down what needs to be said into a pulse-like frequency. This method is similar to the "telepathic connection" used in the cultivation world.)

PS: However, there was once a popular saying in the cultivation world that indicated that the communication method of "telepathy" is not very effective.

"The 'spiritual connection' is so strong, it stands proudly in the immortal realm, head held high and chest puffed out, yet it just won't open!"

A few meters away, the dragon and the dragon had been facing each other for a long time, but no further conflict had occurred. Blue and purple snow filled the air around them, and only the faint shadows of the man and the dragon could be seen.

“Cultivator of demons, even if you can calculate that today is the day of my birth, you simply do not have the power to subdue me.” Shi Longpan actually uttered a powerful and distant human voice.

"I know, I just wanted to see you and see what the supreme treasure of the Demon Cultivation Realm is like. Now I have seen it. Farewell." A strange smile flashed in Jimi's eyes as he said coldly.

"Shilongpan" was stunned for a moment, not understanding what Jimi meant at all. However, Jimi had already disappeared, and only the purple snow continued to spread in the sky.

The dragon-shaped disc shook its enormous body, and the low pressure in the air instantly disappeared. The purple snowflakes turned into purple rain, which poured down on every corner of the city before turning into light water and evaporating completely under the gentle warmth of summer.

The starry night sky appeared above Shi Longpan's head, and the city's neon lights were lit once more, giving the night a touch of wildness. Looking down at the human world below, Shi Longpan felt a desolate loneliness. A sharper and more distant dragon's roar came from Shi Longpan's mouth, as if lamenting the wasted years that had once slumbered, or as if beckoning to something.

Just then, specks of starlight suddenly appeared on the distant horizon, looking like shooting stars streaking across the sky. However, these starlight points were heading towards the location of the Dragon-Releasing Disc. Finally, they drew closer, and these specks of starlight turned out to be countless cultivators flying on swords.

The cultivation path has two levels of restrictions on the ability to fly.

Cultivating divinity, immortality, and Taoism are all paths of cultivation in the same direction, while cultivating demonic arts and monsters are exactly the opposite. Cultivating divinity and immortality are high-level cultivation paths. Reaching the realm of immortality allows one to fly using qi, while cultivating Taoism is the next level below immortality. The main tool for cultivating Taoism is the flying sword, which serves as both a weapon and a means of flight. Only by transcending Taoism and entering the realm of immortality can one abandon the flying sword and soar through the skies using qi. However, cultivating demonic arts and monsters is not so complicated. Monster cultivators are themselves birds and spirits with high spiritual energy, so they inherently possess the ability to fly, which is a basic requirement for both immortals and monsters. Furthermore, demon cultivators cannot be compared to cultivators of other cultivation paths. The essence of demon cultivators lies in their cultivation of "arrays." Arrays are incredibly diverse and all-encompassing. Some demon cultivators are themselves "arrays," and the variations of these arrays are beyond comprehension. Each demon cultivator's array is completely different, making it impossible to fathom their fundamental nature and mysteries. This is precisely the ultimate meaning of demon cultivation.

The "arrays" cultivated by demon cultivators are similar to the "nascent soul" cultivated by Taoist cultivators, yet there is a qualitative difference. This is because a demon cultivator's "array cultivation" is their own soul; the human body is the ultimate "array," and the soul is the array's core, divided into Yin and Yang. Furthermore, the location of the array's core is different for each demon cultivator. However, a demon cultivator's level of cultivation cannot be judged solely by appearances, because they cultivate entirely through "arrays," and their inherent power may not be very high. However, the "arrays" they cultivate are incredibly powerful, and the meaning they contain is far more profound. It can be said that each demon cultivator is a universe, a constantly evolving universe. The level of cultivation is defined according to the evolutionary mysteries of the array.

Once upon a time, a supreme cultivator in the demonic cultivation world refined the entire universe, arranging it into an array. This explains why the planets in the universe orbit according to their respective paths, and why there are different star systems within the universe – all due to this array. This cultivator was the only one capable of refining the universe. Later, he disappeared, and no cultivator has ever surpassed him. That's why the universe has maintained its current form, unchanged ever since.

The cultivation method for the "Nascent Soul" of Taoist cultivators is entirely based on the division of realms into "Initial Formation (pale red), Condensation (pale yellow), Incarnation (pale blue), Infant Soul (pale red), Piercing Immortality (pale green), Refining (pale silver), and Ascending to Immortality (deep silver)." When the "Nascent Soul" reaches the Refining realm, it signifies that the cultivator is about to embark on the path of immortality. Therefore, the levels of Taoist cultivators are easily distinguishable. Demon cultivators and monster cultivators collectively refer to Taoist cultivators as "spirit mediums."

The cultivators flying on their swords gradually became more clearly visible, while the Dragon-Releasing Disc completely disregarded them. This was because the Dragon-Releasing Disc was a super magical treasure of the demonic cultivation world; it was itself an ultimate array, or one could say it was a demonic cultivator itself. Because demonic cultivators, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, could create their own demonic artifacts, which was the difference between demonic cultivation and divine cultivation. Reaching the pinnacle of demonic cultivation allowed one to transform into any form of existence.

Upon closer inspection, these uninvited cultivators were all flying on swords in the vast sky. Their attire was quite traditional, with each person wearing a long robe reminiscent of the Qin Dynasty, and they all possessed an otherworldly aura, as if they were untouched by worldly affairs.

The cultivators had reached a position fifty meters in front of the Dragon Release Plate and all stopped in the air, without taking any further action. The Dragon Release Plate simply floated in the air, observing the situation.

The leading cultivator appeared to be around thirty years old. He was thin, his body resembling a pine tree atop Mount Tai. His eyes emitted a faint, silvery light, and he had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and well-defined features. His entire face was as clearly sculpted as if it were made of stone.

One can discern a cultivator's specific cultivation level simply by observing their eyes. The pale silver light in this cultivator's eyes clearly indicates that they have reached the stage of almost achieving immortality through the separation of their nascent soul. Given some more time, after passing the tribulation of ascension, they will be able to abandon their nascent soul and enter the realm of immortal cultivation. It seems this person is the leader of this group of cultivators.

The cultivator noticed that the Dragon-Releasing Disc remained motionless, and his brow grew increasingly serious. "If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move either." A stalemate ensued. The cultivator had no idea of the Dragon-Releasing Disc's true identity, as his level of cultivation was far too limited to understand what a demonic treasure of the demonic cultivation world was. In his realm of cultivation, his knowledge was at most limited to celestial artifacts of the immortal cultivation world. Only those who had reached the level of godhood could recognize such a top-tier demonic artifact. This was the difference between realms and levels of cultivation.