Chapter 141 You Are the Destined One

Seeing the look of eager anticipation on her face, Xie Jinchuan deliberately kept up the mystery.

"Close your eyes and wait a moment. When I tell you to open them, you'll know."

This sense of mystery made Shen Qingli feel somewhat excited, and she immediately closed her eyes.

"It's a deal, then! It has to be somewhere fun!"

The next second, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, followed by the rushing sound of the wind past her ears. A moment later, her feet touched the ground.

The surrounding atmosphere was completely different, filled with all sorts of mouth-watering and delightful aromas!

"We've arrived."

Hearing Xie Jinchuan's voice fade, she opened her eyes impatiently. Upon taking in her surroundings, she found everything exceptionally novel and fascinating!

Night had descended over the vast expanse. They appeared to be standing at the gates of a town. The settlement was draped in red lanterns, looking both eerie yet somewhat festive. The bustling noise of the crowd sounded lively and vibrant, and the inhabitants wore a wide variety of attires. Shen Qingli could even sense the faint presence of demonic aura and various other energies lingering in the air.

"Eat this. It will conceal the pure spiritual energy within you. To outsiders, we will just look like ordinary immortals."

Xie Jinchuan placed a pill into Shen Qingli's palm, then tossed one into his own mouth. Instantly, their true cultivation levels were completely veiled, making it impossible for anyone to gauge their strength.

"Where is this place?"

Shen Qingli asked with curiosity. She watched as Xie Jinchuan smiled faintly and flicked his wrist, transforming her professional attire into a flowing, elegant dress adorned with delicate floral patterns—practical for everyday wear yet exuding a subtle nobility.

"It looks so pretty."

Even as she marveled at her appearance, Xie Jinchuan changed his own garments, transforming his look to resemble that of a celestial being.

"Since we are immortals, we naturally must look the part."

Xie Jinchuan murmured in a low voice, his hair reverting to its original snowy white, making him even more striking.

"But is it really okay for us to dress like this?"

Just as her voice trailed off, Shen Qingli spotted a female demon dressed in an outfit even more flamboyant than her own walking past, and she quietly swallowed her words.

"This is the Ghost City at the intersection of the Three Realms, also known as the black market in your human world."

"Here, mortals, demons, and immortals mingle freely. There are plenty of interesting things to be found here. It should keep you entertained."

Xie Jinchuan had given it careful thought. Shen Qingli would likely have lost interest in ordinary human amusements long ago, which was why he had thought of this place. Bringing her here would surely make her happy.

As the two approached the entrance, a guard verified their identities and handed each of them a mask. These were pure white masks, appearing quite distinct from the ones worn by the other people inside.

"Young lady, this mask can transform according to your innermost desires, though it can only change once."

The elderly woman at the gate said kindly. After thanking her, the two stepped inside, feeling as though they had just passed through a shimmering barrier.

The old woman's gaze lingered on Shen Qingli's retreating figure. She let out a sigh, her words carrying a profound and enigmatic meaning.

"The cycles of the mortal world are wondrous and bound by varied fates. In the end, you have still made your way here."

With that, the old woman vanished into thin air, and the gatekeeper was replaced by a young maidservant.

At that moment, a figure clad in a hooded cloak appeared before the maid.

"I want to go in."

The figure murmured, her brows and eyes tainted with a terrifying, malevolent hostility.

As the maidservant checked her identity, she frowned and offered a word of caution. "Young lady, accumulating too much karma through slaughter is unwise. You should first conceal the heavy stench of demon blood on you. Otherwise, your fate upon entering will likely be far from pleasant."

Gazing at the medicinal soup handed to her by the maid, the woman furrowed her brow. Despite her displeasure, she drank it down in one go, then picked up a mask and put it on her face. The mask instantly shifted into the horrifying visage of a vicious ghoul, prompting onlookers to instinctively give her a wide berth.

"That woman must have killed countless people."

"She reeks of a dense demonic aura. Better stay far away from her; we don't want to be targeted and stripped of our demon cores."

A slight commotion stirred behind them. Shen Qingli turned her head in curiosity, catching only a glimpse of the departing black-cloaked figure. Shaking off the thought, she turned back to her own floral mask, which looked exceptionally fresh and pretty.

As for Xie Jinchuan, his mask was trimmed with cool blue accents, radiating a cold aloofness that perfectly matched his inherent aura.

"What are you looking at?"

Xie Jinchuan asked with a hint of confusion when he noticed Shen Qingli glancing backward.

"Oh, nothing. I just heard a commotion behind us and looked over. Let's go check out that small stall over there!"

Xie Jinchuan nodded, allowing himself to be pulled along into the throng of people.

By the time they drifted further away, the woman had emerged from the shadows. Watching their affectionate retreating figures, she drew a deep breath, her eyes filled with such intense malice that she looked ready to rush forward and kill them on the spot.

Yet, keeping her ultimate objective in mind, she cast a fierce, hateful glare at them before turning around and heading toward the nearby Puppet Pavilion.

The ghost market was exceptionally bustling, filled with every imaginable variety of human street food—truly a comprehensive collection.

Before long, Xie Jinchuan's hands were full of small paper bags, while Shen Qingli happily munched on a skewer of fried tofu.

"This is so good! It's been ages since I last had this!"

She said with a bright smile, looking thoroughly delighted.

Seeing her so happy, the corners of Xie Jinchuan's lips curled upward into a gentle smile.

Even though both of them wore masks, their extraordinary grace and elegance were impossible to ignore, and the glimpses of their features left others full of fanciful imagination.

"Those two really are a handsome man and a stunning beauty."

"Truly a pair to be envied."

Listening to the sincere praises floating from the crowd around them, Shen Qingli felt that this place was simply wonderful.

"I want to try that next!"

Her eyes lit up at the sight of some cheese-topped corn.

Xie Jinchuan rose with practiced ease. "Wait here for me, I'll go buy it."

She nodded and let her gaze wander around the surroundings. Suddenly, a flash of reflected light made her narrow her eyes. Adjusting her vision, she tried to trace the source, only to find herself drawn to an ancient mirror displayed at a nearby stall.

"Elder, how much is this item?"

She squatted down, picked up the bronze mirror, and asked inquisitively.

It was a bronze mirror, and at that moment, it reflected her current appearance—she looked stunningly lovely!

"Ten thousand spirit stones."

The old vendor clearly ran his stall with a carefree attitude. The ancient mirror possessed an exquisite craftsmanship that didn't look like anything manufactured in the human world, but ten thousand spirit stones for a palm-sized mirror was undeniably quite expensive.

"Can you make it a bit cheaper?"

The old vendor looked at her, his voice weathered and tinged with the vicissitudes of time. "Young lady, nothing at my stall is ordinary. This mirror is a magical artifact, and it has always been searching for its fated owner. Today, it seems that person is you."

Hearing this, Shen Qingli's mouth twitched slightly.

Why did that sound so much like a con artist trying to make a sale?

Yet, as she stared at the mirror in her hand, Shen Qingli felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. She examined it closely, but still could not figure out how it functioned as a magical artifact.

"Elder, how is this mirror supposed to be used as a magical artifact?"

The old vendor cast a meaningful glance at Shen Qingli, stroked his beard, and replied, "Everything depends on how the young lady chooses to use it. Beyond that, this old man knows nothing more."

That explanation was practically no different from saying nothing at all.

Shen Qingli examined it one last time and ultimately decided to pay the price.

When she stood up, gave the mirror one final look, and turned around to ask Xie Jinchuan a question, she found that both the elderly vendor and his entire stall had vanished completely into thin air...