Chapter 167 - 196: Talisman Paper, Portrait, Old Woman, I’ve Become a Tool?
With this sudden turn of events, everyone in the entire prison, from the various Prison Chiefs, the Prison Headquarters, and Prison Chief Murong Hai down to every last Prison Guard, felt their hearts grow heavy. It was as if a great stone was lodged in their chests, making it hard to breathe.
"Brother Su Bai! Do you think there really is a Celestial Net Sword and Mingfeng Saber in the depths of this prison?"
A short while later, Zhang Wei walked up to Su Bai and asked him, puzzled.
"I’m not sure." Su Bai shook his head, then said gravely, "At this point, whether the treasures are real or not is no longer important."
"As word of the celestial phenomenon spreads, it won’t be long before reckless individuals from demonic and evil paths start pouring into the prison’s depths to find out the truth."
"Sigh... You’re right." Zhang Wei sighed after a moment’s thought.
A sense of helplessness washed over him.
’Even if the treasures are fake, what difference would it make?’
’In the past, the slightest rumor of a treasure would be enough to attract countless people who would flock to it.’
’The question of its authenticity would never be enough to stop the greed in people’s hearts.’
The one piece of good news, however, was that Great Xia had recently annihilated the East Sea Dragon Palace, establishing its dominance in no uncertain terms.
Furthermore, the mysterious new Boxing Saint had slain Ao Gu of the Dragon Mansion Realm, making a name for himself in a single battle.
As a result, for the time being, not many dared to rashly enter the Imperial City to investigate.
Most were lying low around the Imperial City, watching from the shadows to see who would make the first move.
For a time, no disturbances occurred within the Imperial City.
But as time went on, beneath the seemingly placid surface, a dangerous undercurrent was already raging.
More and more humans, Demons, and monsters were drawn by news of the treasure, their gazes all fixed on this place.
Faced with this situation, Jiang Guanshui, who had been entrusted with this matter by Emperor Xia, decided after some thought to meet the changing circumstances by maintaining the status quo. Everything would proceed as usual.
Back in the prison, Su Bai and Zhang Wei finished their idle chat.
He then went to assemble with the others.
It was business as usual.
As evening approached, Su Bai decided to go out for a meal.
As he entered an alley, he saw a few people standing under a tree at the far end, talking furtively.
"A portrait of the Fist Monarch, ten silver! A portrait of the Divine Monarch, twenty silver! A portrait of the Immortal Elder, thirty silver!"
"Which one do you wish to acquire?"
"That’s so expensive! My husband works himself to the bone all year and doesn’t even make ten silver..."
"You call that expensive?"
"Think about it! If you buy just one portrait, you get to listen to a Dharma Protector preach four times a month, receive three bowls of Talismanic Water, and one Disaster Avoidance Talisman!"
"As long as you are devout!"
"This Talismanic Water can cure all illnesses! You’ll also have a chance to receive a blessing from an Immortal Child, which will protect your home and keep your family safe!"
The people talking were a few women from the alley and a withered, stooped old woman.
After overhearing their conversation, Su Bai recalled seeing people carrying large stacks of something and peddling portraits earlier that morning.
He had been busy eating at the time and hadn’t paid them any mind.
He never thought he’d run into them again.
Su Bai strode forward and demanded, "What are you doing?"
Seeing Su Bai in his official robes, the women who had been about to buy the portraits brightened up and hurriedly asked, "Officer, you’re just in time! Please, take a look for us. Do these portraits really work?"
The old woman selling the portraits trembled inexplicably upon seeing Su Bai. Her gaze grew shifty, and clutching the scrolls in her hand, she turned to flee!
But Su Bai shot out a hand and grabbed her. In one smooth motion, he snatched the entire bundle of portraits from her arms.
"What’s the rush?"
"As it happens, my home is in need of a House-Protecting Immortal God. I was just about to acquire one!"
"Let me take a good look."
With a slight smile, Su Bai casually unfurled one of the portraits.
On the scroll was a benevolent-looking man in white robes. His right hand was raised in a fist, radiating a dazzling golden light.
His features were somewhat blurry, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.
At first glance, it seemed rather affable, but the longer one looked, the stranger it became.
Su Bai looked at the inscription at the bottom of the portrait: "Savior from Suffering and Hardship, the Disaster Destruction Fist Monarch!"
"And which Immortal God would this be?"
"It’s... it’s..."
The old woman stammered. Seeing her hesitation, one of the other women chimed in, "He’s the great Immortal who stopped the devastating flood a while back!"
"They say that great Immortal just threw a single punch and blew the whole flood away!"
"What!?"
Su Bai was dumbfounded.
He quickly unrolled another portrait.
The figure in this painting was similar to the last, though dressed differently.
It depicted a majestic Divine Monarch with one foot trampling the Dragon Palace!
At the bottom was the inscription: "The Evil-Breaking, Monster-Slaying, Demon-Purging Divine Monarch!"
"That’s the legendary Divine Monarch who crushed the East Sea Dragon Palace!" one of the women explained.
Su Bai was utterly speechless.
’So the portraits these people were peddling...’
’...were actually of me?’
’They didn’t just paint my likeness as a god, they even made up divine titles for me. And they’re charging ten, twenty silver for a single portrait.’
Unbelievable!
’Are they using my reputation to scam people out of their money, deceive followers, and accumulate the Power of Incense?’
Su Bai had never imagined he would one day become a fundraising tool for an Evil Cult.
A fire of anger ignited in his heart.
He was going to find out exactly who was audacious enough to use his name to swindle people right under his nose.
With a grim expression, Su Bai continued to unroll the scrolls.
When he saw the last portrait, the truth finally became clear.
"Savior from Suffering and Hardship, the Tai Sui Immortal Elder!"
Su Bai’s eyes went cold. He immediately reached for the old woman.
’So, it’s the heretics from the Black Lotus Sect.’
’Using a god’s name in vain to spread heresy and swindle money from the people.’
"You’ve been caught red-handed. You’re coming with me!"
Hearing that, the old woman’s expression changed in alarm, and she immediately shrieked in terror, "Officer! I don’t know!"
"I don’t know anything!"
"I’m just selling these paintings for someone else! I’m really not one of those Black Lotus Sect heretics!"
Terrified by Su Bai, the old woman confessed everything.
But when Su Bai told her to lead him to the base where the paintings were made, she adamantly refused.
"Officer! Please, spare an old woman like me!"
"I’m just helping sell paintings to earn a little money for my family."
"If I take you there, and even one of them gets away, my whole family will be slaughtered!"
"When I’m dead and gone, who’s going to get justice for me!?"
As she spoke, her body trembled violently. She pleaded desperately, tears streaming down her face.
Her pitiful state moved the other women, who couldn’t help but plead on her behalf.
They were completely oblivious to the fact that they themselves had been moments away from losing several years’ worth of savings.
The scene made Su Bai frown.
’You pity a member of an Evil Cult like her now, but when you’re the one who falls into their trap and your family is ruined, will anyone come to pity you?’
Unfortunately.
This simple line of reasoning was completely lost on the women beside him.
Returning to the matter at hand.
Su Bai ignored the old woman’s wails, seized her, and then spoke, his face devoid of expression.
"Enough talk. You’re coming with me!"