Volume 3, Chapter 160 – Changing Maps

Facing the Desolate Demon Territory from afar was the vast and prosperous human realm.

Under the rule of the Human Empress, the vast lands were divided into Nine Heavens and Twelve Commanderies.

At this moment, in Beihe Commandery, one of these Nine Heavens and Twelve Commanderies.

In the most prosperous district within the commandery city, there was a magnificently decorated wine house.

This establishment was called Five Immortals House, one of the most famous and mysterious money pits in Beihe Commandery.

Very few people knew who the boss behind this wine house was. The only thing known to all was that since hundreds of years ago, this wine house had been the paradise spoken of by all celebrities and literary figures in Beihe Commandery.

In Five Immortals House, there were beautiful people of all races and colors, as well as delicacies from every region. The ingredients used spanned north and south.

Whether it was fresh seafood or rare treasures from the ice plains, as long as customers wanted it, there was rarely anything that couldn’t be found in Five Immortals House.

If customers were sufficiently noble and generous, wanting to taste exotic beauties from the blood clan, golden-haired elves blessed by nature, or fox clan beauties worth a thousand gold, even these weren’t impossible in Five Immortals House.

Therefore, Five Immortals House’s reputation spread far and wide.

Aside from celebrities, literary figures, and romantic talents from all quarters, countless high officials, nobles, and sect immortal elders would also linger here.

Besides this, Five Immortals House also had private rooms of different ranks such as Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, provided for customers of different identities and statuses.

But in the rumors, above these ranked private rooms, there existed an “Immortal” rank private room.

However, in Five Immortals House’s hundreds of years of operation, it had never been heard that any distinguished guest had the privilege of using the “Immortal” rank private room.

That so-called “Immortal” rank private room had almost become a legendary ghost story of Five Immortals House.

But today seemed different.

Even though it was still daylight and not yet Five Immortals House’s busiest time, the attendants and maidservants in Five Immortals House had already been nervously bustling about since early.

At this moment, the customers still remaining in Five Immortals House all discovered with surprise that these attendants and maidservants appeared even more nervous than during their usual busiest periods.

It was as if some incomparably distinguished guest was about to arrive.

At this moment, in a private room on the top floor of Five Immortals House that had almost never been used, a silver-haired young woman sat by the window, legs crossed, savoring Five Immortals House’s top-grade delicacies.

A scantily clad, voluptuously figured, pointy-eared golden-haired elf was pouring her a bowl of fruit-scented wine.

Another glamorous dragon maiden, with black twin horns on her forehead and a thick tail covered in black scales behind her, was bringing her a piece of spirit fowl immortal liver worth a thousand gold.

However, this silver-haired young woman showed complete lack of interest in all this. Whether it was the exotic fine wine or the delicacies that ordinary people had never even heard of, after tasting a bit, she lost interest.

In this private room, there also stood a portly middle-aged man.

At this moment, this middle-aged man who looked smooth and amiable due to his corpulence nervously raised his hand to wipe the fine sweat slightly seeping from his forehead.

His face wore an ingratiating smile.

“Your Majesty… do you dislike these beauties and delicacies?”

“If you dislike them, I’ll go change them for you.”

Lu Zhuxin propped her head up with one hand, leaning against the chair.

Hearing this middle-aged man’s words, she only turned her head slightly to glance at the man.

“No need. They’re quite good.”

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“I don’t dislike them.”

Dragon girls and elf girls! The standard of fantasy otherworlds!

Also elements Lu Zhuxin had greatly enjoyed before transmigrating.

If it had been right after transmigrating, she might have had these two beauties sit beside her, then carefully played with the elf’s long ears and the dragon maiden’s scaled tail.

But now, whenever Lu Zhuxin raised such thoughts, the mark on her neck would emit a cold sensation, dispersing the thoughts in her heart.

The same applied to delicacies. Five Immortals House’s delicacies were world-renowned, but when Lu Zhuxin ate them, she would always recall the ordinary delicious food personally cooked for her by a certain tall and proud sword cultivator.

She felt like she had become frigid. She had lost interest in things she once greatly enjoyed.

Of course, Lu Zhuxin also understood the reason for this.

Deep marking easily caused fox demons to form spirit fetuses, while shallow marking easily affected fox demons’ consciousness, making fox demons develop dependence and attachment to the marking’s master.

The higher the marking master’s cultivation, the stronger this influence.

On Lu Zhuxin’s neck, that Venerable Saint-level Pure Yang mark was preventing her from developing interest in anyone other than “Qu Qingtang.”

This was the setting.

Of course, this influence wasn’t mandatory or permanent. After the mark dissipated, the effect would slowly fade.

Moreover, now that “Qu Qingtang” was already dead, even if this mark would affect Lu Zhuxin somehow, it could basically be ignored.

It must be said, the mark Qu Qingtang left behind was very useful.

Lu Zhuxin’s heat period had never flared up again, and even her cultivation’s circulation was smoother than before.

The only drawback was that after “Qu Qingtang” died, she often felt like she wanted to comprehend the mortal world and enter Buddhist seclusion.

“Sigh…”

“You don’t need to be so nervous.” Lu Zhuxin said. “Just treat me as an ordinary customer.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The middle-aged man’s sweat-soaked large hands quietly wiped themselves on his sleeve.

To say he wasn’t nervous was naturally impossible.

This distinguished guest before him was the fox clan’s deity!

The only fox in thousands of years to achieve the nine-tailed realm, the World-Ending Fox Monarch!

A thousand years ago, after the Fox Monarch sealed herself in Fox Palace, very few could personally behold the Fox Monarch’s true appearance.

When the Fox Monarch traveled incognito, she also rarely revealed her identity outside.

But now, this legendary Fox Monarch, the deity of the entire fox clan, appeared before him!

How could it not make fox people feel excited?!

“By the way, who are you again?” Lu Zhuxin looked at the middle-aged man and asked.

“Your Majesty, this humble one is Huang Huying…” The middle-aged man said. “I’m the manager of Five Immortals House and the current president of Golden Bell Commerce Association.”

“The chieftain of the Yellow Fox Tribe is my father.”

“Of course, whether it’s Five Immortals House or Golden Bell Commerce Association, the true master behind them is you!”

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Huang Huying’s face was full of excitement, his eyes filled with worship.

Lu Zhuxin strongly suspected that if she allowed him to reveal his fox form at this moment, he would have already raised his fox tail high.

Oh, that was something only kittens and puppies would do.

“No need for this.” Lu Zhuxin waved her hand. “I have no intention of interfering with the fox clan’s industries in the human realm. Everything can continue as before.”

“You also don’t need to address me this way.”

Huang Huying hesitated for a moment. “Then when you’re outside, how should I address you? Your Majesty.”

This was a good question.

In fact, Lu Zhuxin hadn’t yet thought about what to do next.

Half a week ago, Lu Zhuxin had slept for a full seven days in Fox Palace due to excessive mental energy consumption.

After waking, she hurriedly bid farewell to the Nether Abyss Demon Venerable and declined her kind invitation.

That loli Demon Venerable, although feeling regretful about this, didn’t insist, which made Lu Zhuxin barely breathe a sigh of relief.

Of course, when leaving, the Demon Venerable had stuffed Lu Zhuxin with a pile of protective treasures, most of which the Demon Venerable had seized from human sect hands during the thousand-year blood war.

Lu Zhuxin couldn’t refuse and had to accept them.

After that, Lu Zhuxin left Fox Palace with Hu Mei’er and departed for the human realm.

Originally, Hu Xian’er had also wanted to come along.

But with a sword sect Venerable Saint falling on fox clan land, endless troubles awaited the fox clan.

Moreover, the fox clan’s various affairs couldn’t do without someone in charge.

Under these circumstances, Hu Xian’er could only remain alone to guard Fox Palace.

When Lu Zhuxin left, the white fox Hu Xian’er tearfully bid farewell to Lu Zhuxin.

“Your Majesty! Once I finish handling these messy trivial matters, I’ll come find you in the human realm.”

“Very soon!”

Along this journey, Lu Zhuxin and Hu Mei’er hurried along, using the fox clan’s scouted routes, carefully avoiding the righteous sect patrols, borrowing the fox clan’s secret passages, and successfully infiltrated the heart of the human realm.

They arrived at Beihe Commandery, the wealthiest of the human realm’s Twelve Commanderies.

This was also where the next Heaven-Mandated Female Lead resided.

The eldest daughter of Lingbao Commerce Association’s president and Beihe Commandery’s Chi family head, Chi Jingwen.

Also the fiancée of Nanhe Song Clan’s prodigy and Lingxiao Sword Sect’s Young Sect Master, Song Shixuan.

The Chi family’s eldest young lady, Chi Xiyan.

This marriage was an alliance between the three powers of Lingxiao Sword Sect, the Nanhe Song Clan, and the Chi family’s Lingbao Commerce Association.

Wanting to destroy this marriage was equivalent to opposing these three powers.

This kind of political marriage formed through mutual interests wasn’t so easily destroyed.

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The fox clan, as one of the demon realm’s four great powerful clans, didn’t have many powerful individuals, but speaking purely of influence, naturally wouldn’t fear the union of these three parties.

However, this was the human realm’s territory, not the demon realm.

If the fox clan showed themselves on human realm territory, they would be purged.

“Political marriage…” Lu Zhuxin stroked her chin, recalling Chi Xiyan’s setting.

In the original work, Lu Zhuxin hadn’t devoted too much ink to Chi Xiyan.

If Song Shiyuan’s setting in the original text was the Heaven-Mandated protagonist’s silent supporter from behind.

Then Chi Xiyan was the Heaven-Mandated protagonist’s material supporter.

Aside from Chi Xiyan’s talent in the alchemy path, it relied on the money power of Lingbao Commerce Association behind Chi Xiyan.

Possessing one of the wealthiest commerce associations within the human realm, Lingbao Commerce Association, the Chi family’s background could be described as rival to nations in wealth.

For instance, in this Beihe Commandery city, fifty percent of the industries within the city belonged under Lingbao Commerce Association.

And Beihe Commandery was the wealthiest commandery府 among the human realm’s Twelve Commanderies.

Of course, another ten percent of Beihe Commandery’s industries belonged to Golden Bell Commerce Association.

That is, Lu Zhuxin.

The fox clan was a nation, the demon realm’s wealthiest powerful clan, and wasn’t on the same level as commerce association families like the Chi family.

Golden Bell Commerce Association and Five Immortals House were the fox clan’s most important industries in the human realm.

They were also important channels for the fox clan to circulate goods and collect intelligence in the human realm.

“Whether attacking from Lingxiao Sword Sect or from the Song family, both would be rather difficult.”

After much thought, Lu Zhuxin felt that starting from Lingbao Commerce Association’s Chi family should be the easiest route among the three powers.

After all, Chi Xiyan’s positioning was the Heaven-Mandated Male Lead’s money cheat.

“Last time conquering Song Shiyuan, after Song Shiyuan and the little fox demon fell for each other, it still couldn’t sever her karmic connection with Song Shixuan…”

“This shows that conquering the Heaven-Mandated Female Lead isn’t sufficient to sever the Heaven-Mandated Male Lead’s heavenly fortune…”

“And for the Chi Xiyan storyline, for the Heaven-Mandated Male Lead, his heavenly fortune isn’t just Chi Xiyan herself, but also Lingbao Commerce Association behind Chi Xiyan…”

“Thus, wanting to sever the Chi Xiyan storyline, attacking Lingbao Commerce Association is necessary.”

Among them, the most direct and straightforward method was to mobilize Golden Bell Commerce Association and Five Immortals House’s influence, backed by the fox clan’s wealth, to frontally defeat the Chi family and Lingbao Commerce Association in the marketplace.

This was indeed the most direct route.

But it wasn’t the best route.

The fox clan’s wealth naturally didn’t fear the Chi family, but behind the Chi family were also the Song Clan and Lingxiao Sword Sect.

If the Chi family suffered disaster, the Song Clan and Lingxiao Sword Sect definitely wouldn’t stand by and watch.

Falling into a four-way melee would inevitably stir up quite a mess.

If she was too high-profile and attracted the Human Empress’s attention, that would be a disaster.

Golden Bell Commerce Association and Five Immortals House were too important to the fox clan. If any accident occurred, for the fox clan, it would be an unbearable loss.

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Lu Zhuxin didn’t need to conquer just this one female lead.

For the future’s sake, she should avoid such risks.

Moreover, most importantly, Lu Zhuxin herself had no business acumen.

In her previous life, simulation management games were the field she was worst at.

In a financial war, she wouldn’t even know when the game ended in her defeat.

So she seemed to have no other choice.

“Perhaps I can temporarily bypass Lingbao Commerce Association and attack from the Chi family… no, let’s target Chi Xiyan herself.”

“Chi Xiyan…”

“The talented young woman exceptional in both alchemy and sword.”

“The Chi family’s eldest young lady.”

“Raised from childhood on all kinds of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, with countless treasures and talismans on her person.”

“Whether in vision or cultivation, far surpassing ordinary noble family young women…”

“If I want to attack her, then how can I approach her?”

Among the Heaven-Mandated Female Leads, as the money cheat Chi Xiyan, her feelings for the male lead weren’t that deep.

She was neither stupidly devoted like Ming Zhaoxi, nor deep and intense like Song Shiyuan.

Having united due to mutual interests, she would appear more rational and shrewd.

In the original text, Lu Zhuxin never clearly wrote Chi Xiyan’s feelings for the Heaven-Mandated Male Lead to the end.

Or perhaps she had no feelings called “love” for the Heaven-Mandated Male Lead at all, merely a relationship of flesh and interests.

Such a person, wanting to gain her trust wasn’t easy, let alone conquering her.

Lu Zhuxin’s head started to ache.

However, since she had decided to target Chi Xiyan, now she needed an opportunity to approach her.

She needed to be close enough to her, preferably the kind where they could spend day and night together.

While thinking, Lu Zhuxin once again cast her gaze out the window.

Not far from Five Immortals House, there was a small plaza.

On that small plaza, several simple tents were set up.

“That is…”

Lu Zhuxin suddenly recalled what she had written in the original text, the scene when Heaven-Mandated Male Lead Song Shixuan and Chi Xiyan first met.

“Exceptional in both alchemy and sword, a sage healer of the apricot grove.”

“Fairy Xiyan’s… traveling charitable medical practice.”