Chapter 50

Luo Han never expected that the first step of her journey through the six realms would be halted by the lack of money.
Spirit stones are mineral stones that store spiritual energy, which is why they are considered equivalent currency in the Immortal Realm. But in places where spiritual cultivation isn't practiced, spirit stones aren’t needed. The Demon Realm uses demon coins, the Devil Realm uses demon crystals, and the mortal realm uses gold and silver.
To enter Da Ming City, they would need demon coins.
The four of them fell into an awkward silence. After a moment, Luo Han hesitantly asked, “What if you search through your storage bags again? Maybe, just maybe, there might be demon coins hidden in the corners?”
Zou Jibai honestly shook his head. “I’ve never left Changyi before, and I don’t even have many spirit stones, so I definitely don’t have any demon coins.”
Zou Jibai’s frankness was too much for Luo Han, who turned to Ye Zinan with the last glimmer of hope. “Ye Zinan, you’ve traveled to many places. You’ve encountered things from other realms, right? Think again?”
Ye Zinan didn’t hesitate at all. He simply shook his head. “I don’t have any. I’ve traveled a lot, but I’m self-aware. My cultivation is average, so I’ve never dared to go to dangerous places. I’ve never even left the Immortal Realm, let alone come to the outside world. How could I have demon coins from the Demon Realm?”
Poverty and weakness had brought them together, and Luo Han gradually lost hope. “Lord Tianyu Xingjun said it would take them at least half a month to arrive. We can’t just sleep on the streets for half a month, can we?”
“You’re overthinking it.” Ye Zinan said. “Da Ming City charges an entry fee. We can’t even get on the streets without paying, so how could we sleep on them?”
It was frustratingly reasonable, and Luo Han found herself speechless. At this point, it was actually Ling Qingxiao who spoke up. “I think I have some.”
The three of them were all shocked. In their minds, they had never expected Ling Qingxiao to be the one with money. He was dedicated to cultivating, uninterested in worldly matters, and wouldn't care about things unrelated to his cultivation. With Zhongshan around, Ling Qingxiao would never lack spirit stones, but things like demon coins or demon crystals—he shouldn’t even touch them.
Ling Qingxiao, under their gaze, felt a little embarrassed. “When I was younger, I obtained a demon crystal as a gift from someone. It wasn’t convenient to process it, so I stored it in my storage space. Later, when I saw one crystal was no longer in good condition, I collected a whole set, and there should be some demon coins in the set.”
Demon coins were a special type of crystal containing energy, which is why they were widely recognized in the Demon Realm. The most common and widely used crystals were made into demon coins, with different values based on their size and energy content.
Luo Han fell silent and muttered, “So being a perfectionist has its benefits.”
Having collected one, he casually gathered a set. She wished she had such a hobby.
But in any case, their financial crisis had been temporarily resolved. Ling Qingxiao took out the crystals, and sure enough, there was a complete set of demon coins arranged in order of denomination. Although each denomination only had one coin, it was enough for them to get by.
With the money problem solved, the next issue was their identities. Luo Han suggested that, to avoid drawing attention, it would be best to change into the attire of the Demon Clan. However, even the perfectionist Ling Qingxiao couldn’t solve this problem—he didn’t like collecting clothes, let alone demon clan attire.
It seemed that they would have to make plans for their clothing after entering the city. The four of them made do with some disguises, covering up their Immortal Realm features before heading into the city.
Da Ming City, like Tianzhao City, had guards at its gates. However, compared to Tianzhao City, the security at Da Ming City was almost nonexistent. As long as the entry fee was paid, no one cared who was entering or whether they had dangerous items on them.
The four of them, leading a sheep, smoothly entered the city. The first thing they needed to do was find a place to stay.
Luo Han, holding the remaining demon coins, counted one by one. “There are five demon coins in total. After paying one black coin for the entry fee, we have four left: red, yellow, blue, and white.”
Demon coins, like spirit stones, were categorized into grades. In the Immortal Realm, the lighter the color of the spirit stone and the clearer its quality, the higher its value. In the Demon Realm, the opposite was true. The Demon Clan revered nature, and the brighter the crystal, the more precious it was in their eyes.
Thus, demon coins came in five colors: red, yellow, black, blue, and white, each with a hundred subunits. Red was the highest grade, while white was the lowest. White demon coins had very little purchasing power in the Demon Realm and were mostly used for small change. The real unit of currency was the blue demon coin.
If one blue demon coin is considered one unit, then a white demon coin is a fraction, and a black demon coin is a hundred. Currently, their total was 1,101,101 demon coins, minus the one black demon coin for the entry fee, leaving them with 1,101,000 demon coins.
Luo Han ignored the 0.01 fraction. After counting, she discussed with Ling Qingxiao. “Let’s find a place to stay. We’ll only be here for half a month, so the place should be safe.”
“Hmm.” Ling Qingxiao nodded. “It shouldn’t be too ostentatious. Let’s rent an ordinary courtyard. Given the urgency, the conditions don’t need to be luxurious. We can make do for half a month.”
Luo Han was taken aback and couldn’t help but murmur, “To make do for half a month with one million demon coins?”
“That’s a bit much,” Ling Qingxiao said seriously, not realizing her sarcasm. “But considering the current situation, if we’re careful with our spending, it should be enough.”
Suddenly, the money in Luo Han’s hand lost its appeal, and for some reason, she felt quite sad.
So, this is what the troubles of the rich are like? How to make do for half a month with only one million demon coins.
She wished she had such troubles.
Da Ming City’s commercial and service industries were highly developed. The four of them, clearly newcomers, soon had a demon woman approach them, enthusiastically offering their services. “Are you four immortals looking for a place to stay? Whatever kind of inn you need, I have everything you could want.”
The demon woman was of low cultivation, still incomplete in her transformation. She had two sharp fox ears on her head and a long tail trailing behind her.
Luo Han couldn’t help but glance at the fox lady’s tail. She had only stolen two quick glances before snapping to attention at the fox lady’s words, instantly on guard. "Why did you call us 'immortal lords'?"
The fox lady’s tail swayed rhythmically against the ground. She glanced at Luo Han, who was wearing a long white veil, then at Ling Qingxiao’s face, and countered, "Is that really so hard to guess?"
Just by standing there, the four of them exuded an aura of the Celestial Realm so strongly that it was almost tangible. Especially Ling Qingxiao—his face was the very embodiment of the idealized immortal lord that demon ladies loved to fantasize about. He could easily be the male lead in any of the best-selling romance books circulating in Da Ming City. Did their origins even need to be questioned?
Luo Han glanced up at Ling Qingxiao’s face and felt utterly defeated.
She had thought their disguises were flawless. But in the end, Ling Qingxiao’s face had given everything away from the start.
Ling Qingxiao looked slightly uncomfortable. From the moment they entered the city, he had noticed countless eyes on him. The Demon Realm was different from the Celestial Realm—demons had no strict etiquette and were unrestrained in their behavior. The demon ladies’ gazes were bold and direct, making him feel rather uneasy. Now that the fox lady had pointed it out so blatantly, he coughed lightly and said, "We need a courtyard for four people, nothing extravagant. Safety is the priority."
The fox lady readily agreed and led them toward a residence. After walking for a while, Luo Han suddenly realized something. "Wait—why didn’t you ask how much it costs?"
Ling Qingxiao blinked, clearly having overlooked that entirely. Luo Han, taking on the role of financial manager, hurried forward to inquire about the rent.
Sure enough, asking about the price turned out to be a mistake. The fox lady only accepted monthly rentals—even if they only stayed for half a month, they still had to pay for the full month. Luo Han tried to negotiate but got nowhere. In the end, she gloomily signed the contract, renting the entire courtyard for nine thousand demon coins. After confirming the amount with Ling Qingxiao, she accepted the key from the fox lady.
Once they had the key, the fox lady gave them a brief tour of the residence and then cheerfully departed. As soon as she left, Zou Jibai immediately shut the courtyard doors.
The moment the doors closed, a protective formation activated from the courtyard’s center, spreading out and covering the entire residence.
From outside, a chorus of murmurs and exclamations erupted. Peering from rooftops, alley corners, and behind walls were numerous demons—both men and women, young and old—who had all gathered to watch them.
Da Ming City had seen all kinds of strange things, but proper, upstanding people were a rare sight. Even though the four of them had attempted disguises, the righteous aura they carried was overwhelming. Anyone with a little sense could tell they were from the Celestial Realm.
Now, everyone finally realized just how urgently they needed to blend in. It wasn’t just Ling Qingxiao—even the battle-hardened Ye Zinan was feeling uncomfortable under all the staring. Clad in white robes, leading a black sheep through the streets of Da Ming City, they stood out like a sore thumb.
Luo Han let out a breath of relief. Now that they were inside the courtyard with no outsiders present, she could finally take a proper look around. The courtyard wasn’t small, but unlike the structured, imposing layouts typical of the Celestial Realm, this place had no rigid central axis. There were no paved pathways—just trails naturally formed amidst the lush vegetation. The small, intricately designed houses were nestled among various plants, exuding a strong demonic aesthetic.
The main entrance was on the southwestern corner of the wall. Upon stepping inside, they were greeted by a towering tree with red and green leaves, its vibrant colors standing out beautifully. Hidden among its branches was a treehouse.
The moment Ye Zinan saw the treehouse, he was captivated. Without hesitation, he declared that he would be staying there. As a Vermilion Bird, he naturally loved trees, and this particular treehouse fit his tastes perfectly.
Beyond the tree was another room built from stone, connected to an outdoor kitchen and stove—simple and practical, exuding an ancient tribal feel. Unsurprisingly, Zou Jibai liked it.
Well, that settled it. There was no need to choose anymore. Luo Han made her way through the garden, heading in another direction. In the Celestial Realm, buildings traditionally faced south, but in the Demon Realm, there was no strict adherence to orientation. The remaining two rooms weren’t positioned directly to the north but instead formed a slight curve—one to the east and the other to the west, separated by a spacious semi-open hall.
Neither Luo Han nor Ling Qingxiao had any preference, so Luo Han picked a room at random, leaving the other for Ling Qingxiao.
Luo Han placed some personal belongings in her room and, since there were no outsiders in the courtyard, she removed her veil. Once she had finished organizing, she stepped outside and saw Ling Qingxiao sitting in the flower pavilion, sending a message to Star Lord Gu Xing.
She sat beside him and asked, "Has Star Lord Tianyu set out yet?"
"Not yet. This operation needs to be kept secret. Star Lord Tianyu is making preparations and will move under the cover of night."
"Oh," Luo Han nodded. "Then they know our location now, right?"
"I’ve already sent them the coordinates of this courtyard and the incantation for the barrier. Now, we just need to wait for Star Lord Tianyu to arrive."
Luo Han felt a little more at ease. So far, everything was going smoothly. The Demon Clan still had no idea that the Devourer Beast had left the Western Sea, and even within the Celestial Clan, only a handful of people were aware of the truth.
That time gap was their lifeline.
But Da Ming City was still dangerous. It was the Demon Realm’s territory, after all. If the powerful demon elders found out that the Devourer Beast had been smuggled out of Western Sea by four young celestial cultivators, the consequences would be unimaginable.
In summary, their current situation could be summed up in one phrase: "Stay low, don’t stir trouble."
Luo Han nodded. They still had one million demon coins left—more than enough to get through half a month. As she looked at the shimmering coins in her hands, she suddenly remembered something.
She turned to Ling Qingxiao and asked, "Can I borrow the Celestial Palace’s communication token for a moment?"
Ling Qingxiao, puzzled, handed it over. "Why?"
Luo Han didn’t have time to explain. She quickly grabbed a brush and began writing in the air:
"Star Lord Gu Xing, after entering Da Ming City, we have spent a total of 100 demon coins for the entrance fee and 9,000 for lodging. Over the next half-month, we will also have expenses for food and miscellaneous items. Our presence in Da Ming City was partly accidental but also in service to the Celestial Realm. So...will these expenses be reimbursed?"
Ling Qingxiao understood as soon as he read the last part. He didn’t know what to say.
Luo Han, however, looked completely serious. After revising and polishing her wording to sound more professional, she solemnly sent the message.
The reply came swiftly, concise and brimming with the grandeur of a beneficent patron: "Approved."
Luo Han’s eyes welled up with emotion. Just as she was about to turn to Ling Qingxiao and marvel at how wonderful the Celestial Palace was, the communication token lit up again.
Curious, she opened it, only to be met with a lengthy document. At the very top, bolded characters read: "Celestial Palace Tianshu Academy Reimbursement Regulations."
Beside the title was an additional note from Gu Xing: "Disciples being transported outside of the mission location was an accident. Suggest transferring the case to the Ministry of War—this does not fall under the Tianshu Academy’s reimbursement policy."
Luo Han: "…"
She took back what she said. The Celestial Palace didn’t deserve to be her patron.
Ling Qingxiao turned his face away, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back the faint curl of his lips.
Luo Han scrolled through the exhaustive, convoluted regulations while grumbling to Ling Qingxiao, "Why do they have to phrase things so cryptically? Couldn’t they just write plainly what is and isn’t reimbursable?"
"That’s how bureaucracy works," Ling Qingxiao explained, reading along with her. "They leave room for interpretation instead of making absolute statements."
Luo Han pointed at a particular clause and asked, "Does this mean that materials related to the mission are fully reimbursable, but personal expenses aren’t?"
Ling Qingxiao glanced at it and nodded. "That’s correct."
Luo Han propped her chin up thoughtfully. "That’s a tricky one. Changing clothes for the sake of the mission—does that count as a material expense?"
Ling Qingxiao let out a light sigh. "It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same."
"No, it’s not!" Luo Han shot him a stern glare. "This will determine just how expensive my new clothes will be."
Ling Qingxiao’s eyes flickered for a moment, and then he quickly turned his face away.
Luo Han paused, sensing something. "Wait...were you just about to laugh and then held it in?"
"I was not."
"Just laugh if you want to. Suppressing emotions like this will make you twisted over time."
"I said I was not." Ling Qingxiao was growing exasperated. "You figure it out yourself. I’m going back."
"No, no, no!" Luo Han quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Don’t bring personal feelings into work. At least finish translating the document first."
Hearing voices, Ye Zinan emerged from his treehouse, waving his folded fan as he approached. "What are you two talking about?—Whoa!"
As he drew closer, he finally noticed that Luo Han had removed her veiled hat, revealing her face. Though he had seen it before, being caught off guard by it once again left him momentarily stunned.
"Stop making such a fuss," Luo Han waved him over. "We’re studying the Celestial Palace’s regulations. Come take a look."
In the celestial realm, almost everything could be accomplished with spells, and aside from books used for symbolic purposes, there was little need for paper and ink. At this moment, the reimbursement regulations shimmered in golden script, suspended in the air. Luo Han casually split a portion and pushed it towards Ye Zinan.
Just looking at the dense sea of words gave Ye Zinan a headache. "What am I supposed to check?"
"Whether we can get reimbursed for new clothes."
That piqued Ye Zinan’s interest. As the heir of Yunzhou’s royal family, even though he had long dedicated himself to avoiding serious work, he had still been exposed to official documents. He began combing through the text with keen focus.
Watching the two of them pore over the regulations with such enthusiasm, Ling Qingxiao couldn’t help but interject, "Honestly, it’s all the same. It’s just a set of clothes. If the funds aren’t enough, I have other demon clan crystals."
"It’s not the same!" Luo Han and Ye Zinan retorted in unison.
Ye Zinan scoffed, "You’re from the dragon clan. Every Celestial Emperorin history has come from your family, so of course, you think spending the Celestial Palace’s money is just like spending your own. But for us, that’s a completely different matter!"
Ling Qingxiao gave up entirely, resigning himself to helping them search through the bureaucratic jargon.
Ye Zinan skimmed through the document, clicking his tongue. "You know, the scholars of the Celestial Palace really are something. A simple sentence becomes entirely incomprehensible once they put it into words."
"Exactly," Luo Han sighed in deep agreement, rubbing her eyes. "I’m getting a headache just reading this."
From the garden, Zou Jibai’s voice rang out: "What are you guys doing? The Devourer Beast is trampling through the garden, Luo Han, aren’t you going to do something?"
As he spoke, he approached, but the moment he got a clear look at Luo Han, he nearly jumped back. "You—you—you…!"
"I told you, stop making such a fuss." Luo Han glanced toward the garden, where the Devourer Beast, sensing her gaze, immediately stood at attention.
Beneath its hooves, the lawn had been chewed into a complete mess.
Luo Han winced. This wasn’t even her property—if they ruined the garden like this, how could they possibly justify it?
Ye Zinan helpfully added in a low voice, "The regulations specifically state that damages caused by the Devourer Beast fall under public liability. The official authorities will cover the cost."
Luo Han sighed in relief. At least the Celestial Palace would compensate for the damage. The fox lady was a businesswoman—she’d surely be open to a settlement.
The Devourer Beast, having understood their words, suddenly grew emboldened. Just as it was about to stomp off to wreak havoc elsewhere, Luo Han shot it a sharp glare. "Thinking of trampling more plants? Get over here."
The beast immediately froze and, after some reluctant shuffling, slumped down beside her.
Zou Jibai, watching this unfold, was utterly dumbfounded.
This...this was the Devourer Beast?
It had always acted like a tyrant in front of him, yet before Luo Han, it was as obedient as a trained pet.
Carefully circling past the creature, Zou Jibai took a seat inside, only to glance up at Luo Han’s face and find himself momentarily dazed.
It was the same pair of eyes, yet without the veil, the impact of her features was drastically different—her presence felt exponentially more striking.
So this was why she had refused to remove her veil before.
The flower pavilion extended into the garden, with vibrant clusters of plants spilling over the wooden floorboards. The table and seating were arranged amidst the foliage, bathed in dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Luo Han and Ling Qingxiao sat side by side, the golden rays casting a soft glow around them. Luo Han, no longer wearing her veil, had her unadorned face fully exposed beneath the sunlight—so stunning it seemed almost unreal.
Beside them lay a sleek, well-groomed "black sheep," its head resting idly on the ground. A corner of Luo Han’s robe trailed onto the grass, partially pinned beneath the sheep’s hooves.
The beast seemed bored. It eyed a nearby flowerbed, considering a nibble, but just as it opened its mouth, Ling Qingxiao shot it a quiet glance.
The beast immediately abandoned the idea and resigned itself to sulking in silence.
Zou Jibai stared at the scene before him, momentarily unable to process it. No wonder the city’s demons had immediately recognized them as coming from the Celestial Realm. The way Ling Qingxiao and Luo Han sat side by side—no matter how they dressed, whether in the fashion of the Demon or Spirit Realms—anyone who saw them would know at first glance that they were immortals.
Luo Han had agonized over it for a while, but in the end, Ling Qingxiao presented several regulations as evidence, proving that clothing expenses were covered under travel stipends.
That settled it for Luo Han. She immediately activated the in-room magical artifact and enthusiastically browsed the most expensive clothing selections. As a city dedicated to entertainment and indulgence, Da Ming City had perfected consumer culture in every aspect. While such shopping artifacts weren’t common elsewhere, here, every room came equipped with one.
Luo Han and Ye Zinan happily browsed outfits while Ling Qingxiao, also holding a magical device, was instead studying its mechanics.
Surrounded by countless beautiful garments, Luo Han struggled to pick just one. Since Ling Qingxiao had no interest in shopping, she took the liberty of choosing his outfit as well.
After placing the order, she told Ling Qingxiao, “It’ll be delivered this afternoon. Someone will come to the door.”
Ling Qingxiao merely responded with a simple “Mm,” not even bothering to look up. Luo Han raised an eyebrow and deliberately asked, “Aren’t you curious about what I picked for you? Demon Realm fashion is quite different from the Celestial Realm’s. They favor...a more primitive style, and their fabrics are quite minimal.”
Luo Han had hoped to see him flustered or embarrassed, but after staring at him for a while, she found that his expression remained perfectly composed. Only the faint flutter of his long eyelashes gave anything away.
Surprised, she asked, “You’re really not worried?”
“You wouldn’t.”
Luo Han was momentarily at a loss for words. If she had known Ling Qingxiao trusted her this much, she definitely would’ve picked something more revealing.
Ling Qingxiao looked tall, fair, and slender, but in reality, he had practiced swordsmanship since childhood. A cultivator’s body was naturally flawless, and his skin was— Wait, what was she thinking?!