Chapter Twenty-Three: The Pavilion of Oblivion

The Wangchuan Pavilion was well-deserving of its reputation as the premier commercial establishment in the Underworld. The building spanned twelve floors, with the grade of the merchandise sold increasing in accordance with the level.

The first three floors offered the most basic cultivation supplies. From the fourth floor upward, every level boasted items of superior quality and rank.

Observing the dazzling array of goods, Wan Yi felt as if he had been transported to another lifetime, reminiscent of his past life browsing a department store.

Just as he was looking around while trailing behind Yan Wuji, two figures, Niu San and Ma Si, approached, escorting a woman.

This woman was tall yet possessed a voluptuous figure. A tight-fitting red dress clung to her form, accentuating every exquisite curve. Up close, her features were delicate, her skin as fair as snow. Her nose was elegant and straight, her lips like cherries, and her brows resembled fine, distant mountains, while her eyes shimmered with a captivating, watery depth.

Her posture was enchanting—a blend of allure and a hint of heroic spirit. A single glance from her seemed capable of ensnaring a soul. She was truly a woman of ten thousand charms.

Wan Yi merely caught a glimpse of her, and his heart began to thrum wildly. Fearing he would appear flustered in public, he quickly turned his head away, thinking to himself, "This ghost woman is so curvy and alluring—what a siren!"

Just then, as if she had peered directly into his thoughts, the woman pursed her lips into a smile and bowed to Yan Wuji. "Mingyue greets you, My Lord. I wonder what brings you here today?"

As she spoke, her gaze lingered on Wan Yi. It made his skin flush with heat and his throat go dry.

Yan Wuji, seemingly accustomed to her demeanor, gave a hearty laugh. He patted Wan Yi on the shoulder and introduced him: "Mingyue, come, let me introduce you. This is young brother Wan Yi, our newly appointed Captain of the Soul-Snatching Division. I brought him here today to select some suitable cultivation techniques and, while we're at it, find him a proper weapon."

He then turned to Wan Yi. "Brother, this is Qi Mingyue, the owner of the Wangchuan Pavilion."

Upon hearing Yan Wuji’s words, the woman was visibly startled. Her playful expression vanished, replaced by one of disbelief. She widened her lovely peach-blossom eyes and began to size Wan Yi up once more.

It was no wonder she was surprised. With Wan Yi’s current Foundation Establishment cultivation, he was essentially invisible among the ghost cultivators of the Soul-Snatching Division. That someone with such meager cultivation could become a Captain was enough to make anyone’s jaw drop.

Furthermore, what she found truly incredible was that Wan Yi was clearly a living human, not a ghost cultivator! For a mortal from the world of the living to join the Underworld’s Soul-Snatching Division was absolutely unprecedented.

As she wondered about his origins, Wan Yi reached his limit. It was the first time in his two lives that he had been scrutinized so brazenly by such a great beauty.

"Damn it, if you want to look, I'll let you look until you've had enough!" With that thought, Wan Yi took a step forward, puffed out his chest, and flashed a wicked, charming smile. "I am Wan Yi. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Qi."

His expression and posture seemed to say, "Come on then, isn't this what you wanted to see? I'll let you get your fill. Look at you, acting like you've never seen the world."

Qi Mingyue regained her composure, and looking at the man before her, she naturally guessed his intent. She covered her red lips and giggled, "Oh my, this little girl can hardly bear such a formal address from a Captain. You should just call me Mingyue."

Seeing her return to her previous flirtatious self, Wan Yi felt a headache coming on. *Good heavens, what kind of woman is this?! You can't mess with her—you really can't!*

Yan Wuji, finding the scene a bit much, stepped in. "Enough, Mingyue. There will be plenty of time for pleasantries later. Take us to the upper floors; the things down here aren't worthy of my brother."

Yan Wuji's words left Qi Mingyue even more astonished. If he had called Wan Yi "brother" earlier as a mere courtesy, this time, in front of outsiders, he was genuinely treating him as such. It was highly intriguing; in the entire Underworld, who didn't know Yan Wuji’s temperament? Very few ever caught his eye.

As the owner of the Wangchuan Pavilion, Qi Mingyue had seen all sorts of people and had long since cultivated a sharp, discerning mind. Regardless of what background Wan Yi might have, Yan Wuji’s attitude alone was enough to warrant her full attention.

In an instant, having weighed the pros and cons, she set aside her slighting thoughts and offered a sycophantic smile. "My Lords, please, this way to the upper floor."

Under her guidance, the two arrived at the top floor of the Wangchuan Pavilion. The manuals and artifacts displayed here were the absolute best of the best.

Wan Yi secretly glanced at the prices on the shelves and his pupils constricted sharply; he couldn't help but gasp. *My god! Are these really that expensive?!*

The cheapest among these techniques cost tens or hundreds of thousands of high-grade spirit stones, and many were priced in the tens or hundreds of millions. This completely shattered his confidence after having just collected four storage bags! He had thought he was somewhat wealthy, but in the end, he was nothing!

Yan Wuji seemed to guess his thoughts and laughed. "Brother, feel free to pick whatever you like! All your expenses today are on the Soul-Snatching Division!"

Wan Yi was overjoyed. Fearing the other might go back on his word, he confirmed, "Really?"

Yan Wuji nodded with a smile. "Of course. The Wangchuan Pavilion is an asset of our Division. Just tell your brother what you want; consider it done!"

Before Wan Yi could reply, Qi Mingyue’s pretty face darkened. She dragged out her words and complained, "Oh, My Lord, you say that so easily. If someone comes down from above to audit the accounts later, you’ll have to take the blame for me!"

Seeing her press the issue, Yan Wuji’s face sank. Fearing a loss of face in front of Wan Yi, he spoke sternly, "I have my own ways of handling such matters!"

Wan Yi, meanwhile, ignored their bickering. Since Yan Wuji had spoken, he wouldn't stand on ceremony. He couldn't wait to start browsing the shelves.

He was indeed lacking a decent cultivation mental method. What he had practiced previously was merely the introductory method of the Vastness Sect—a stripped-down, inferior version at that. The reason was that as servant disciples, they weren't even considered formal disciples. The sect feared they wouldn't endure the hardships of servitude and might run away, so they never imparted the authentic techniques.

Although Wan Yi could now gain cultivation through killing Emperor-realm cultivators, he couldn't afford to be lazy in his practice, so a good mental method was vital.

After a round of inspection, Wan Yi frowned slightly. It wasn't that these techniques weren't good; they just didn't catch his eye. There were several Heaven-grade techniques among them, but no matter how he flipped through them, he felt no connection.

Just as he was beginning to feel disappointed, a dust-covered manual in the corner caught his attention. He walked over, picked it up, and brushed off the dust. The five characters "Five Elements Qi Sea Art" instantly met his eyes.