Chapter 141 — Star-Plucking Tower’s Tower Master: You’re Really Kind

Lian Mu was already thoroughly familiar with the road to Star-Plucking Tower.

This time, she could finally walk in openly and aboveboard.

Star-Plucking Tower had quite a good reputation throughout Xi City. Today happened to be the day when the bounties inside the tower were raised, so the storefronts all over Xi City were nearly packed to the brim.

Lian Mu had run out of teleportation talismans and had to ask for a new one from the man stationed at the front of the shop. When she appeared wearing her usual mask, she gave the shopkeeper quite a fright.

“You… you’re—!”

Lian Mu’s face was expressionless. “One teleportation talisman to Star-Plucking Tower, thank—”

Before she could finish, the man thrust a large stack of talisman papers at her with trembling hands and ducked under the counter. “Don’t hit me! All the teleportation talismans are right here!”

Lian Mu: “?”

Did she really look that violent?

Wealth Bringer was still tucked away in her spatial pouch; she hadn’t even drawn her sword.

Baffled, Lian Mu pocketed the whole stack of talismans, burned one, and entered the interior of Star-Plucking Tower.

She glanced around. There were plenty of people but no clear way upstairs, so she grabbed a random man in black.

“How do I get to the top floor? I need to see your tower master,” Lian Mu said.

The man in black had been about to claim a bounty. He turned around irritably, ready to curse, but when he saw her familiar mask pattern, he jolted and stumbled backward.

“Cultivation is Robbing Money—you’re back again!?”

“I need to see your tower master.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Don’t think just because you’re from Flying Sea Pavilion that we won’t touch you. This is Star-Plucking Tower turf—don’t cause trouble!”

Lian Mu: “……”

When did she become someone from Flying Sea Pavilion?

“Last time you and that Bai Lingque deliberately wrecked Star-Plucking Tower. The second-in-command has his eye on you—Star-Plucking Tower won’t let you off easy!”

Lian Mu directly showed her token. “Go get your second-in-command.”

The man stared at the token, frozen, and took a long moment to react. “You… who exactly are you?”

“Cut the crap. Want this tower torn down a second time?” Lian Mu smiled sweetly.

Frightened by her look, the man shivered at the memory of her battle with Bai Lingque, then vanished without a word.

The bystanders nearby: “……”

Terrifying!

So she was the infamous ‘Cultivation is Robbing Money’—she just waltzed in and threatened to smash up the place again. How brazen could one be?

Lian Mu walked over to the tea area and said with a smile, “Sorry for throwing my weight around earlier. I’m actually a good person. A cup of hot tea, please.”

The man in black serving tea had trembling hands. “…Yes, please have a seat.”

Good person, my ass!

Anyone who’d worked in Star-Plucking Tower long enough knew how she and that outsider expert had blasted a hole clear through the first floor last time. The second-in-command had been furious and banned cultivator bounties outright.

Everyone thought Bai Lingque would kill Cultivation is Robbing Money, but who knew they’d turn out to be allies—after fighting, they even sat in the pill refining room having tea and heart-to-heart chats.

“You look kind of familiar,” Lian Mu said as she accepted the tea but didn’t drink it—just warmed her hands. “Are you Number Fifty-Seven?”

Number Fifty-Seven paused. “You still remember me?”

“I borrowed a sword from you, of course I remember. By the way, why doesn’t Star-Plucking Tower have a way to reach the upper floors?”

The first floor had a few big doors, but the ceiling was sealed off—no stairs or anything.

“You need a special pass to teleport up. You could’ve gone to the second floor ages ago, but you never came back after that day.” Number Fifty-Seven hesitated. “Word upstairs was you were a Flying Sea Pavilion plant sent to stir trouble, so they wiped your bounty record.”

“And… the second-in-command said you’re forever banned from claiming bounties. Your name’s been blacklisted from the spirit plant and demonic beast bounty walls too.”

Lian Mu nodded thoughtfully. So because of her fight with Bai Lingque, Star-Plucking Tower had completely erased her existence.

No wonder the shopkeeper had looked at her so oddly.

“I’m not from Flying Sea Pavilion—Bai Lingque is. And besides, he did all the wrecking, not me.”

Number Fifty-Seven drew a deep breath. “…Please wait here. I’ll be right back.”

He slipped away in a flash.

Lian Mu sat off to the side, savoring the faintly bitter tea fragrance as she waited for the man in black to return.

Around her, people kept sneaking glances, murmuring nonstop, full of misunderstandings:

“So she’s one of the Flying Sea Pavilion’s agents? How dare she come back…”

“Heard the Pavilion wants to absorb Star-Plucking Tower—looks like they’re here to seize territory.”

“Anyone who can scare the Tower’s people like that must be pretty formidable…”

Lian Mu listened silently. She hadn’t realized Flying Sea Pavilion had such ambitions—no wonder they sent Bai Lingque in person.

“Young friend, the second-in-command would like to see you.”

The man in black came back. Lian Mu gave him a once-over and spotted a red mark on his face—most likely from being hit.

This second-in-command must have quite a temper.

Thinking it over, Lian Mu drew her sword and kept it in hand for peace of mind.

The man pressed a talisman to her shoulder, which burst into flame without burning her.

In the next instant, they were both teleported to another floor.

This level was nearly deserted. Two masked, composed black-clad guards flanked the door—clearly more formidable than the one beside her.

A guard pushed open the door. Inside were only two people. One leaned against the wall, smiling at her; the other sat in a grand armchair, rolling a jade walnut in his hand, face dark with displeasure.

Lian Mu had barely stepped in when the seated man flicked his finger—a needle shot from the jade walnut straight at her.

She dodged sideways, and the hidden needle slammed into the outer wall, leaving a deep dent like a fist strike.

“Hey, no fighting now,” said the standing man with a grin. “She’s a distinguished guest here by the tower master’s own command—if anything happens to her, how will we answer to him?”

The second-in-command of Star-Plucking Tower lifted his hawk-sharp eyes to her. “Show me the token.”

Lian Mu displayed it. The second-in-command pursed his lips and turned his head aside.

“Come in already—don’t just stand there. You dared wreck Star-Plucking Tower’s business, so how come you’re acting so timid now?”

The standing man took out a Fish-and-Goose Stone. Not long after, an image appeared on its surface.

“Tower master, someone’s here to see you.”

Lian Mu met eyes with the figure inside the Fish-and-Goose Stone—a person sitting in a wooden wheelchair, long black hair draped to the waist, face concealed by a blue demon mask, only the lower half visible, looking rather young.

The tower master gazed back at her. “I don’t know someone as young as you. Who gave you this token?”

“Alchemy cultivator supreme, Feng Tianche.” Lian Mu said directly. “He sent me to ask you for a few things.”

“Him?” The tower master raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t he dead long ago…”

Lian Mu said nothing. The tower master paused, then said, “Are you that dead man’s disciple?”

“Yes.”

The standing man added, “Tower master, this is the one I told you about—‘Cultivation is Robbing Money.’ She repeatedly stole our business, swept up all the demonic beast materials, and colluded with Flying Sea Pavilion’s Bai Su—”

The tower master raised a hand. “Set aside Flying Sea Pavilion for now—I’ll handle Bai Su myself.”

“Didn’t expect to see this token again after so many years.” He sighed. “That man and I broke ties ages ago, but he did save my life once—I owe him that. What’s past is past. Whatever you want, tell Muzhou. If it’s something Star-Plucking Tower can find, it’s yours.”

After he finished speaking, he pinched out the Fish-and-Goose stone, and his figure vanished into thin air.

Lian Mu looked at the two remaining people. “Which one of you is Muzhou?”

The man leaning against the wall nudged the one beside him. “The tower master wants you to handle this.”

Lian Mu’s eyelid twitched.

So it was him — the one who had ambushed her just now.

“What do you want?” Muzhou asked coldly.

Lian Mu pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him. Muzhou glanced at it sideways, frowned, and snapped, “A dead man’s disciple has the nerve to ask for this much just because of the tower master’s favor?”

The man by the wall curled his lips. “Watch your tongue. Though the tower master always belittles him, if he heard you say that, you’d get more than a scolding.”

Muzhou snorted. “You’re late. These spirit plants have already gone to the auction floor. The two of us can’t just take them back — you’ll have to pay for them.”

“I don’t have money.” Lian Mu spread her hands. “Before I came here, my master said I could take them for free. Maybe go ask your tower master again?”

“You think the tower master has time to waste on you?” Muzhou said. “This time, on the tower master’s account, the cost goes to Star-Plucking Tower. You’ll have to go to the fifth floor yourself.”

“I’m new here. What if I get swindled? You come with me.”

“Don’t push your luck.”

Lian Mu dangled the token in her hand. “Then I’ll ask your tower master to come with me.”

“You—!”

“Enough,” the man by the wall interjected. “The tower master gave you this job. Just do it.”

Muzhou’s brows shot up, his beard quivered with rage. He held it in for a long moment before slamming the jade walnut down with a crack. “Don’t forget — your old debts with Star-Plucking Tower aren’t settled yet.”

He strode out the door. Lian Mu followed behind him. “Your tower master doesn’t mind. Why are you so mad?”

Muzhou said nothing. The other man chased after them, yelling gleefully behind, “Because the spirit stones you spend come out of his own purse!”

Lian Mu instantly understood. She glanced down at her sleeve, which had been torn by his hidden needle earlier.

She smiled faintly. “Really? You’re so kind.”

The fifth floor counted as the upper floors — since it was the auction floor of Star-Plucking Tower, there would surely be plenty of good things.

What was written on the paper was one thing; how much she could actually take was another.

Halfway up, Muzhou suddenly heard Cultivation Is Just a Money Grab praising him behind his back. He paused, turned, and saw her smiling at him, and for some reason felt a chill run through him.

He frowned, flicked his sleeve, and strode on without a word.