There's no need to doubt the perseverance of gamblers. Even if they turn back now, it won't be long before they revert to their old ways. That second invitation card will likely be used by them soon.
At that time, what they sell might be more time, longer lifespans.
Zhao Si was just the first to come and sell his time, but he was by no means the last.
As he left, not long after, the second gambler had already stepped into the Other Shore Space.
Similar to Zhao Si, after understanding the wonders of the Other Shore Space, he also chose to sell his time in exchange for money. During this process, the amount of time Zhuang Buzhou possessed increased at a visible rate, without him even realizing it.
A large amount of gold and silver was exchanged, and the time that grew with it had reached five hundred years on his body. These five hundred years were the time remaining for himself, time he could control.
Five hundred years, under normal circumstances, could allow an ordinary person to live longer than a Dynasty, truly a long-lived species. To say it's eternal life would not be an exaggeration.
The pressure he felt due to his own tenfold time consumption instantly eased. With so much time, even with tenfold consumption, he could live for fifty years. Moreover, such transactions had only just begun.
In the Other Shore Space, integrated with the space-time gourd and possessing the book of contracts, the space-time gourd derived its own Time-Space River belonging exclusively to the Other Shore Space, independent of all other Time-Space Rivers. Therefore, as long as one enters the Other Shore Space, the time of the transacting parties, no matter who they are, cannot be hidden; it can be controlled and traded. The prerequisite is that it must be voluntary. Then, through contracts, transactions are conducted, and the power of the fair scale can enforce the contracts.
It easily leveraged time.
If it appeared outside, Zhuang Buzhou would also be unable to conduct time transactions.
This is the unique characteristic of the Other Shore Space.
In the outside world, he couldn't possibly leverage the Time-Space River of the outside world.
“Invitation cards have been sent out. Someone could enter this Other Shore World at any time, but I can't stay here constantly. It seems I must find an assistant or butler who can help with transactions.”
Zhuang Buzhou pondered to himself.
Someone must be permanently stationed here to guard it, but the specific candidate cannot be careless. They must be carefully selected. Once chosen, after entering the Other Shore, there will be no possibility of leaving. The Other Shore Space is his biggest secret and his greatest guarantee for the future.
Stepping out of the Other Shore Space, he returned to the same spot where he had entered, still outside the Liu family mansion. Looking at the brightly lit scene inside the Liu family mansion, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
People experience birth, old age, sickness, death, and various accidents. Now that there is time, whether you can live depends on your luck.
For a person to live, this life is all about luck.
If your luck is bad, you'll die young.
Returning home.
Zhuang Buzhou did not immediately go to sleep. Instead, he took out the “Hundred Questions on Cultivation” that he had ‘picked up’ from Hu Bo.
He began to read it carefully.
Question: What is a cursed relic?
Answer: There are three great Spirit Seas in the Heaven and Earth: the Chaos Sea above, the Endless Sea in the middle, and the Gui Xu Sea below. cursed relics come from the Gui Xu Sea. When all living beings in the world perish, their unwilling obsessions condense to form them. They are formed from the unmanifested, unawakened Spiritual Roots within living beings. They possess special abilities similar to Spiritual Roots. Due to being tainted by the unwilling obsessions and resentments of the original body before death, they condense into curses. When the curses revive, various consequences can arise.
They can allow those who cannot Awaken a Spiritual Root to use them as a substitute, integrating them into their bodies to connect the body with Heaven and Earth, absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and embark on the path of Cultivation. However, integrating a cursed relic will subject one to the erosion of the curse. If unable to resist, one will become nourishment for the cursed relic.
Question: What is a Spirit Master?
Answer: Those who control Spiritual Roots can all be called Spirit Masters, but the term mainly refers to those who become Cultivators by means of cursed relics, enduring the suffering of curses to obtain extraordinary power. They can cultivate, but it is difficult to achieve eternal life. Those who control curses will inevitably be eroded by the curses. Their strength is limited by the cursed relic. A Yellow Rank cursed relic can allow a Spirit Master to advance to the Foundation Establishment Realm at most. A Profound Rank can advance to the Celestial Gang Realm at most. An Earth Rank can advance to the Numbing Soul Realm at most. A Heaven Rank can advance to the Proof of Dao Realm at most.
The higher the grade, the stronger the curse. Those skilled in water drown in water.
Question: What is a professional?
Answer: Professionals are the hundred arts of cultivation, such as Martial Cultivator, Sword Cultivator, Spell Cultivator, Talisman Master, Lingzhi Master, Alchemist, Artifact Refiner, Night Watchman, Paper Master, Painter, Gu Master, etc. These are paths of the Dao, and a profession is the Dao. Any Dao can lead to Proof of Dao. Once you enter the Dao, there is no regret. Only by entering the Dao can you achieve Foundation Establishment. How to choose one's own Dao is of utmost importance. One must be extremely cautious. It is recommended that before Foundation Establishment, one can try various Dao paths and choose the one most suitable for oneself.
Zhuang Buzhou looked through the “Hundred Questions on Cultivation” in his hand, and as he did, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, deeply captivated. The questions were all to the point, and the answers were simple and incisive, bringing a sudden clarity and joy to his heart.
“A treasure book, this is a rare treasure book, especially for me. It can lift the mist that shrouds the cultivation world before my eyes, allowing me to see the true scenery within, and to understand more clearly what cultivation truly is. Hu Bo, ah Hu Bo, you have given me a great gift. It seems that sometimes, doing more good deeds will eventually bring rewards.”
Zhuang Buzhou muttered to himself.
As for Hu Bo, he had helped him a little when he was a constable before. He remembered that someone in the city thought Hu Bo was too old, and a loafer in the city wanted to replace Hu Bo as the Night Watchman for that area, pushing him out.
At that time, he happened to come across it and said a few words, sending the loafer away. What he thought at the time was that if Hu Bo lost his job as a Night Watchman, he would have no other income, and his future days would be uncertain. So, he felt a sense of compassion.
Now, he saw that this “Hundred Questions on Cultivation” was the reward for that compassion.
“Now that I think about it, it was a bit redundant. The matter back then, with Hu Bo's ability, he probably didn't need my intervention at all and could have resolved it himself. According to what is stated in this book, Hu Bo should be a Night Watchman.”
Zhuang Buzhou pondered to himself.
According to what he understood, Hu Bo had been a Night Watchman in the city for many years. He was an old-timer among Night Watchmen, and in that profession, he had an excellent reputation. The possibility of him being a Night Watchman was extremely high.
However, how the Legacy of a Night Watchman specifically worked was not mentioned in this “Hundred Questions on Cultivation,” so he naturally didn't understand it very well, but it was definitely related to being a Night Watchman.
He secretly made a mental note, keeping it in his heart, knowing that he would eventually have the opportunity to understand it.
After reading for a while, Zhuang Buzhou also lay down on the bed and fell asleep.
That night, Qingyun City was not peaceful.
Many strange things happened one after another.
The next morning.
News immediately spread throughout the city.
“Haven't you heard? Liu Old Lord of the Liu family in the east of the city was already preparing various items for his funeral. The Liu family head personally went to Coffin Lu's shop to order a top-grade coffin. However, early this morning, the butler came directly and canceled the order, not even asking for the deposit back. It is said that Liu Old Lord was still robustly strolling in the courtyard this morning, his face glowing with health.”
“I heard that Liu Old Lord was seriously ill and confined to bed before. How did he recover in just one night? It is said that Jiang Jiu Zhen was invited before. Could it be that Doctor Jiang's miraculous hands brought him back to life and cured him?”
“Speaking of Doctor Jiang, his medical skills are indeed amazing. Before, when my bone was dislocated, I went to him, and with just a touch, what do you know? I was immediately fine, no problems at all. I could get back to work right away.”
“Haven't you heard? That Zhao Si is said to have suddenly become rich. This morning, he took his wife and children to the tailor shop and chose several new outfits. The price was not cheap. Also, he bought several catties of meat today, which he usually couldn't afford. He must have struck it rich.”
“Not only Zhao Si, but that old gambler Liu Laosan also got rich. He was just now eating and drinking lavishly in the restaurant, and what he took out was a pile of silver, like snowflakes. Good heavens, one ingot was ten taels!”
The spread of these new stories among the city's common folk was astonishing. Usually, even minor incidents would be discussed for days, let alone such strange occurrences. What was most noticeable was that these suddenly wealthy people all seemed to be the city's gamblers. Each one was addicted to gambling, spending most of their time cooped up in gambling dens. They would never leave until they had lost everything and were thrown out by the casino.
Now, they had suddenly become rich.
One by one, they were decked in gold and silver, completely transformed.
The sheer contrast naturally surprised the city's residents greatly.
Some people with ulterior motives even began to investigate secretly.
They wanted to discover the secret of their overnight wealth.
However, this was money they had exchanged for their lifespans, leaving no trace. As long as the parties involved did not disclose it, it was almost impossible to investigate. It involved the Other Shore Space. At least for now, no one could access it.
In the eastern district, within a separate courtyard of the government office, in a pavilion, a graceful figure could be seen leaning against the painted railing, holding some crumbled pastries and unconsciously scattering them into the pond, causing the carp in the pond to vie for them, stirring up layers of water splashes and ripples, making the lotus leaves sway. A maid stood beside her, looking at her Young Miss's dazed expression and curiously asking.
“Young Miss, yesterday you and Captain Zhuang went boating on the lake. How do you feel about Captain Zhuang?”
Xiao Cui asked.
Her words startled Li Yueru awake. She looked at Xiao Cui with a feigned pout, but then a shy expression appeared, and she hesitated before saying, “Zhuang Dage has noble character, and his words and actions make one feel very comfortable. During our conversation, he didn't show any fear because of my husband-killing fate. Being with him, there's an indescribable feeling, in short, it's very relaxing, very comfortable, not constrained at all.”
“This is the husband your uncle personally chose for you, and he specifically invited a matchmaker to propose marriage. Captain Zhuang's character is well-known; who in the city doesn't give him a thumbs-up when speaking of him?” Xiao Cui said with a light chuckle.