"But where is this Mysterious Secret Realm?"
There are countless mystic realms in the world, with all sorts of strange and varied rules. It was impossible for Jiang Li to know about every single one. But that was fine.
If he didn't know, there were always professionals who did. ... Everyone in the Heavenly Mystery Tower cultivated a technique called "Grasping Heavenly Mystery," a cultivation technique that led directly to ascension. When cultivated to great completion, one could vaguely sense their own fortunes and misfortunes, turn calamities into blessings, and avoid danger.
Unfortunately, this cultivation technique was not for sale at the Heavenly Mystery Tower, otherwise many cultivators would want to practice it. Within the Heavenly Mystery Tower, the Tower Master's cultivation was the highest, followed by the persons in charge of the Heavenly Mystery Tower branches in the various great imperial dynasties.
Although these people were not as skilled as the Tower Master, they had also reached the level of being able to perceive fortune and disaster. Zhou Youfu, the person in charge of the Heavenly Mystery Tower in Great Zhou, was lying on the roof, bathing in a pool of condensed spiritual qi, enjoying a moment of peace.
If you were to ask which imperial dynasty the Heavenly Mystery Tower liked most, it would have to be Great Zhou. The people here were law-abiding and followed the Heavenly Mystery Tower's rules.
They would not risk taking a Heavenly Mystery Tower member hostage to demand cultivation techniques, nor would they be foolish enough to come to the Heavenly Mystery Tower to steal things.
And they certainly would not buy an incomplete version of intelligence just to save a little money, only to turn around and claim the information provided by the Heavenly Mystery Tower was inaccurate. Please, at our Heavenly Mystery Tower, you get what you pay for. We told you it was an incomplete version when we gave you the intelligence.
You yourself felt that with your high cultivation, there would be no problem. What has that got to do with us? This type of customer gave the Heavenly Mystery Tower the biggest headaches.
Another type was the customer who had no money but insisted on haggling, saying things like, "I already know a little about this intelligence, blah blah blah, it's not worth that many spirit stones." Their Heavenly Mystery Tower never offered discounts on intelligence, let alone gave it away for free! The decennial assessment had just passed.
Their Great Zhou Heavenly Mystery Tower had ranked first in performance and first in customer satisfaction, making the other branch tower masters green with envy.
"Great Zhou is good!"
Zhou Youfu felt that he truly lived up to his surname, Zhou, and had a great affinity with Great Zhou. He happily submerged his plump body into the spiritual water, large bubbles gurgling to the surface. But how strange.
Before, I could always sense that my good luck was continuous. How is it that now my fortune and misfortune are uncertain, and the future is a chaotic blur? A nearby attendant heard a message from below and ran to the edge of the pool in a panic, his face pale with shock, saying, "Tower Master, this is bad!
Human Emperor Jiang is here!" Zhou Youfu was so frightened that he forgot to breathe and swallowed a large mouthful of his bathwater.
"Our Heavenly Mystery Tower doesn't break the law, we don't commit crimes, we don't cultivate the Demonic Path, and our prices are fair. Why is he here?!" ...
Most people who came to the Heavenly Mystery Tower would cover their faces to hide their identities. Those without money would just grab a piece of black cloth to cover their face. Those with money used black cloth that could conceal fluctuations in spiritual power.
The Heavenly Mystery Tower did not mind either way. They just sold intelligence; they did not care who they sold it to. And as for those who showed their faces to buy intelligence, they did not care about that either.
That was the customer's freedom. But today, they had to care. Even the Branch Tower Master had to come out to greet him.
Because Human Emperor Jiang had arrived.
"Welcome, Human Emperor Jiang, on your inspection tour."
Zhou Youfu led the upper echelons of the Heavenly Mystery Tower to welcome Jiang Li. The pupils of the masked crowd around them constricted, their faces revealing a fanatical fervor. They no longer cared about hiding their identities and all turned to look at Jiang Li.
This was the living, breathing Human Emperor Jiang! A sight one might not see once in a lifetime! Fortunately, the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Tower maintained order and did not let the crowd surround Jiang Li.
Seeing Zhou Youfu's behavior, Jiang Li thought to himself, "Didn't I just come here to buy some information about the Mysterious Secret Realm? Why is this being treated like the General Tower Master is inspecting the various branches?"
Jiang Li did not know that for the people of the Heavenly Mystery Tower, his arrival was indeed an inspection of their work. Two hundred years ago, Jiang Li had overseen the creation of the Map of the Nine Provinces.
After analysis, the Heavenly Mystery Tower believed this was a sign of Jiang Li's dissatisfaction with their actions, a way to take the opportunity to discipline them.
If the Heavenly Mystery Tower of two hundred years ago still held some resentment towards Jiang Li, then after these two hundred years, having witnessed Jiang Li effortlessly slay despairingly powerful Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons countless times, the Heavenly Mystery Tower truly did not dare to have the slightest trace of ill will towards him.
Therefore, if Jiang Li were to visit the Heavenly Mystery Tower again, they had to serve him well, so that he could not find a single fault with them.
"Ah, no..."
"The customer is an Immortal; that is our principle of hospitality. Human Emperor Jiang, please look. This is our Heavenly Mystery Tower's reception hall. We have each guest go to a private room for a personal reception to ensure confidentiality and satisfy our customers."
Zhou Youfu, with practiced ease, introduced the reformed working model of the Heavenly Mystery Tower to Jiang Li.
"Each specialist will have a crystal ball in their hand that connects to the headquarters. Through the crystal ball, they can look up all the information the Heavenly Mystery Tower possesses."
"Our pricing is also based on a strict set of standards; we would never falsely inflate our prices."
Zhou Youfu took out a large, thick book, which was presumably the pricing standard he mentioned.
"If it involves intelligence that the Heavenly Mystery Tower does not possess, we will collect it from various places according to the customer's needs, ensuring we have everything they might want. Of course, some information involves privacy, and we are resolute in not selling it!"
Zhou Youfu spoke with absolute certainty, his face full of righteousness. As for whether what he said was true, that was unknown. But Jiang Li noticed he had said "resolute in not selling," not "resolute in not collecting."
"Mm, resolute in not collecting. Well done."
Jiang Li nodded pretentiously and patted Zhou Youfu on the shoulder. How could Zhou Youfu not understand the hidden meaning in Jiang Li's words? He was giving them a hint.
"Right, we are resolute in not collecting!" he quickly declared.
As for whether to actually do so, he would let the Tower Master decide that later.
"I wonder if the Human Emperor is satisfied with our work?"
"There are no other issues. I just came this time to find out about the Mysterious Secret Realm."
Zhou Youfu thought Jiang Li was randomly posing a question to test the Heavenly Mystery Tower's ability to handle intelligence. He quickly took out the crystal ball and operated it himself. Soon, all the information about the Mysterious Secret Realm was compiled, stored in a jade slip, and respectfully handed to Jiang Li for his inspection.
Jiang Li gave it a quick glance. Good heavens, even the birth date and time of the person who created the Mysterious Secret Realm was written down. And they still claimed they did not sell private information?
However, he could not control the Heavenly Mystery Tower. The Human Emperor's authority was not that extensive. What he said just now was considered a suggestion; if he were to bring it up again now, it would be an overreach of his power.
"How many spirit stones?"
"The Human Emperor jests. This information isn't worth many spirit stones. Just consider it a gift from the Heavenly Mystery Tower to the Human Emperor Palace."
After some back-and-forth, Jiang Li eventually stuffed the spirit stones into Zhou Youfu's arms at a reasonable price. Zhou Youfu held the spirit stones as if holding a hot potato, not knowing whether to accept them or refuse them. After achieving his goal, Jiang Li transformed into a streak of light and departed.
Zhou Youfu called a Heavenly Mystery Tower disciple over.
"I remember you are skilled in the Dao of Painting?"
"Yes, Tower Master."
"Then paint the scene of me and Human Emperor Jiang standing together just now. Frame it and hang it on the wall. Remember, use the best materials! If you do this well, I will promote you to a core disciple."
"Yes!"
The Heavenly Mystery Tower disciple clenched his fists, exceptionally excited. A few days later, a painting titled "Human Emperor Jiang at the Heavenly Mystery Tower" was hung in the main hall of the Heavenly Mystery Tower, attracting countless people to stop and admire it.
In the painting, Jiang Li was patting Zhou Youfu on the shoulder, appearing to be entrusting him with a great responsibility. Zhou Youfu had a righteous expression, looking as though he could bear this great responsibility.
(End of this chapter)