Chapter 93: This Must Be a Divine Being Amongst Gods

“Ah?” Sai Diaochan was momentarily taken aback.

After leaving Tongfu Inn with Duan Wenxuan, she had assumed he admired her beauty and wanted to keep her as a concubine. Given his extraordinary appearance, Sai Diaochan never dared to think he might consider marrying her as his primary wife.

But this unexpected turn differed entirely from what she anticipated.

“I wasn’t joking earlier. In this vast world, wherever there are people, there is a jianghu. All methods of navigating life can be termed ‘jianghu techniques,’ hence the concept of Eight Great Gates.”

Seeing Sai Diaochan’s attentive expression, Duan Wenxuan earnestly repeated the information about the Eight Great Gates that he had fabricated years ago. Then, he continued, “The original leader of the Colorful Gate was Xie Lingyun, an unparalleled and exceptional woman. Unfortunately, fate is unpredictable; she ultimately fell victim to love and met her demise far from home. The Duan family shared a close bond with Xie Lingyun. Upon her death, she entrusted the Colorful Gate token to us through a messenger, hoping we would find a suitable successor among women in the future.”

Sai Diaochan never suspected Duan Wenxuan of deception and felt momentarily anxious. “I… I…was truly chosen by you?”

Initially, she had been quite confident, as building a substantial business empire alone, including opening a large restaurant, was no easy feat. However, after her restaurant’s bankruptcy and subsequent sale into servitude, much of her ambition had been dampened.

“It was indeed you; I recognized your potential at first sight. During my travels these past days, I encountered countless women, but they either lacked talent, were overly timid, or confined to traditional roles. You stood out as the most suitable candidate. Unfortunately, Xie Lingyun met an untimely demise, causing the Colorful Gate members to disperse. From now on, it will largely depend on your own efforts.”

Sai Diaochan had previously felt aimless, unsure of what exactly she wanted to achieve. Making money seemed desirable, but then what? Find a good family to marry into? As an unmarried woman venturing outside societal norms, she couldn’t predict who she might end up with. Naturally, confusion filled her heart. With Duan Wenxuan providing her a clear objective, Sai Diaochan suddenly found direction for her future path. Moreover, grateful for his rescue, she willingly embraced this opportunity to repay him.

As Sai Diaochan pondered these thoughts, she unconsciously gripped the colorful gate token. ”…Duan-gongzi, rest assured. Even if I cannot restore the Colorful Gate’s prominence, I will undoubtedly ensure its legacy continues.”

Duan Wenxuan smiled, “From now on, don’t refer to yourself as a servant; I tore up your indenture contract right before your eyes. Moreover, you are now the leader of the Colorful Gate. Calling yourself a servant doesn’t make sense.”

Sai Diaochan also smiled, “Regardless, I will forever remember Duan-gongzi’s kindness.”

Duan Wenxuan then produced several property deeds he had acquired from The Tramps world, mostly for restaurants and brothels. After all, the Colorful Gate thrived in such industries. He subsequently handed over the disguise technique, lightness martial art, Finger-Breaking Xuanyuan’s Eternal Youth Inner Strength, and Four-Sided Exquisite Gambling Technique, which Bai Sanniang had previously entrusted to him.

“Don’t refuse these. These establishments were originally part of the Colorful Gate’s assets. After Xie Lingyun’s death, our Duan family lost interest in managing them and handed them off to others. We’re not entirely sure how they’ve been faring since then. With these deeds, you can reclaim each one. How you choose to manage them in the future is entirely up to you.”

“As for these secret manuals, they were closely guarded within the Colorful Gate. Given your talent and aptitude, during our time together, I will teach you the basics of inner strength cultivation. The rest, unfortunately, can only be gradually mastered by yourself.”

Sai Diaochan was momentarily stunned. With a quick glance, she realized that the seven to eight property deeds in her hands were all located in major cities - no insignificant sum. Moreover, those secret manuals held immense value. Although Sai Diaochan herself lacked martial skills, having navigated the jianghu, she understood their worth.

Had she known these techniques before, how could anyone have forced her into signing a contract as a slave?

“There’s no need for words of gratitude. Xie Lingyun trusted our Duan clan, so we would never exploit the Colorful Gate’s assets. Keep them safe, and one day, carry on the legacy of the Colorful Gate.”

Gripping the items tightly, Sai Diaochan suddenly rose from her seat inside the carriage and knelt towards Duan Wenxuan. Despite his attempts to stop her, she refused to stand up. “Duan-gongzi, today’s gesture truly leaves me indebted. While I may not know the full extent of the Colorful Gate’s past, please know that any future requests from you shall be met without hesitation.”

“Very well,” Duan Wenxuan acquiesced.

It wasn’t that he fully trusted Sai Diaochan’s words; rather, given his current capabilities, could she truly escape from under his control?

With this matter settled, approximately three or four days later, the carriage hired by Duan Wenxuan finally came to a stop at a specific location. Throughout these days, Sai Diaochan had remained close to Duan Wenxuan and, under his guidance, began cultivating her inner strength.

Sai Diaochan did not pursue simultaneous internal and external cultivation. Instead, after developing some foundation in inner strength, she directly focused on mastering disguise techniques and the Four-Sided Exquisite Gambling Technique. It must be acknowledged that Sai Diaochan possessed exceptional aptitude, effortlessly grasping these jianghu skills.

In just a few short days, Sai Diaochan underwent a noticeable transformation in demeanor.

“Why have we arrived here, Gongzi?” As they disembarked from the carriage, Sai Diaochan noticed Duan Wenxuan dismissing the driver, who promptly left with haste, intriguing her somewhat.

This location was about three to four days’ journey from Qi Xia Town, surrounded by continuous mountain ranges with a particularly imposing peak known as Cuiweishan. The area around Cuiweishan was far from peaceful; it not only harbored the infamous bandit gang of Black Wind Stronghold but also served as refuge for numerous criminals fleeing the jianghu.

In this world, the imperial court’s influence waned, and the only entity capable of somewhat controlling the ‘great heroes’ of the jianghu were the Six Gates Division. However, the Six Gates lacked manpower, and in such a martial society, they could primarily protect key areas near the capital city, leaving other regions vulnerable. Despite knowing the unrest here, especially close to the official road, authorities had little choice but to let it be.

Sai Diaochan, having spent time in Qi Xia Town, was naturally aware of Cuiweishan, prompting her question.

Duan Wenxuan smiled without answering Sai Diaochan directly, instead leisurely leading her towards Cuiweishan.

A wealthy young master clad in opulent attire, accompanied by a beautiful woman venturing into Cuiweishan, inevitably attracted unsavory attention. As Duan Wenxuan casually strolled and made some discreet arrangements, it was unsurprising that ignorant troublemakers would disturb him.

Sai Diaochan, still lacking mastery of martial arts, initially felt apprehensive. However, she soon realized that no one could get close to Duan Wenxuan. It was unclear what he did, but merely shifting his gaze caused those intruders to scream in terror, some collapsing dead with blood seeping from their orifices.

Unbeknownst to Sai Diaochan, Duan Wenxuan’s left eye had turned completely pitch-black.

Moreover, she witnessed Duan Wenxuan gently wave his hand, causing nearby vegetation to burst into frenzied growth at a visible rate. The plants swiftly engulfed the corpses, grinding them into pulp instantaneously.

This display was achieved through the combined effects of mutants: “Plant Heart,” “Seven-Colored Flower,” and the slight control over plant growth obtained from the white deer on Little Peak Mountain.

After fusing with the Twisted Eye, Duan Wenxuan discovered it perfectly complemented the Greed Pot, leading him to speculate whether these mutants could either counteract or enhance each other.

The seven-colored flower originally could only hasten the blooming of flowers; if Duan Wenxuan wished, he could have used it as a mere illusion akin to lotus blossoms appearing beneath every step. Its limited capabilities made it somewhat insignificant, akin to a useless appendage. However, upon fusion, it reacted intriguingly with the previously merged Plant Heart mutant, further amplified by the white deer’s innate ability. The combined effect far surpassed the simple sum of its parts.

This was Duan Wenxuan’s first trial of this newfound power, and witnessing the transformation around him, even he felt momentarily astonished.

With such unrestrained control over plants, Duan Wenxuan had a premonition that if he continued to fuse more plant-based mutants or unique items, he would virtually become a ‘god’.

He could potentially cover the entire real world with vegetation, turning it into a sea of greenery, essentially his own personal paradise. This absolute mastery over nature momentarily bewildered Duan Wenxuan. It took him a while to gradually regain his composure.

Is this…isn’t this beyond human capability?

As Duan Wenxuan marveled at his own power, Sai Diaochan’s legs went weak, nearly causing her to collapse. She had imagined countless possibilities for Duan Wenxuan’s identity, but never once did she think he could be divine.

“A…a celestial being?”

Duan Wenxuan composed himself, observing Sai Diaochan’s dazed expression with a smile. “Your words hold some truth; indeed, I am not bound by worldly affairs here.”

Sai Diaochan’s heart skipped a beat before gradually settling down. Yes, only a divine entity would disregard property deeds and land titles. Regardless of any other explanation, she couldn’t believe anyone else could remain entirely devoid of greed.

Following Duan Wenxuan through Cuiweishan for two days, Sai Diaochan remained puzzled about what exactly he was doing. All she observed were instances where Duan Wenxuan occasionally buried small objects or used plants to block certain passages.

Additionally, she witnessed firsthand why Duan Wenxuan deserved the title of a celestial being. As they traversed Cuiweishan, wildlife that typically fled upon seeing humans instead showed remarkable affinity towards Duan Wenxuan. Could there be any doubt he was divine?

After two days, Duan Wenxuan finally stopped and said, “I need to leave for a while. What about you?”

“Can’t I continue following you, Gongzi?” Sai Diaochan anxiously asked.

“The place I’m going isn’t suitable for you at the moment. Here’s what we’ll do - first, go and manage the remaining assets of the Colorful Gate. Additionally, don’t neglect those secret techniques; they might prove useful in the future.”

Sai Diaochan was not one to be easily deterred. Seeing that Duan Wenxuan had made up his mind, she understood it was futile to argue and accepted his decision. Gently, she responded, “Very well, I won’t disappoint your guidance, Gongzi. Once I’ve taken care of the Colorful Gate affairs, I will certainly return to Cuiweishan. If you seek me, just come here.”

That very morning, Sai Diaochan commandeered a horse from Black Wind Stronghold and departed along the official road.

Duan Wenxuan calculated the time, estimating that in reality, it should now be close to when he needs to transport those individuals into this realm. Indeed, he had chosen Cuiweishan as the starting point for this wuxia world.