178: Chapter 178 Do you know who owns the Spirit Talisman Shop?

Some people quietly left the scene.

"I came all the way from the Wu State cultivation world to your Spirit Talisman Workshop to buy Talismans because I valued your high quality and good prices. Now it seems there really is something fishy going on; rumors truly cannot be trusted."

Someone threw the paper number tag in their hand onto the ground.

"How unlucky. I wasted my time lining up early this morning just to grab a reservation spot."

They then stomped on it fiercely several times. "This reservation spot is better off discarded, lest I waste more money."

Many others followed suit, tearing up their reservation tags until paper scraps littered the ground.

Several scalpers stood dumbfounded at the edge of the crowd, staring dizzily at the book-thick stacks of reservation tags in their hands, then at the scraps drifting in the wind.

Bitterness filled their hearts; the reservation tags in their hands had been bought at a high price, and they hadn't expected them to turn into waste paper in the blink of an eye.

"What a loss, a massive loss!"

Xu Changsheng shook his head as he watched the comical scene in front of the pavilion. "One should avoid messing with futures; that stuff is truly lethal. But it's also thanks to you being able to hold onto them—they'll go back up in value soon."

Thinking of this, he turned his head to look at Shen Ling'er.

It just so happened that the latter was also looking at him, her smile bright and beautiful.

...

Seeing the situation on the field spiral out of control, Jiang Lan's expression grew more solemn; he was already prepared for the possibility of not being able to open for business today.

To avoid affecting any future reopening, he shouted loudly, "Guests, please do not listen to Shopkeeper Qian's one-sided story. There must be some misunderstanding. I will give everyone an explanation later!"

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Qian gave a cruel smile. "Later? If Fellow Daoist Jiang doesn't give everyone present an explanation today, then go talk to the Immortal City guards."

Just as those words were spoken.

A squad of guards was seen marching in formation from the street corner, their armor neat and their steps in perfect unison.

The leader was dressed in dark iron armor with a spiritual sword hanging at his waist. His face was cold and stern; he was precisely the Director of the East City Guard Division—Shen Chong.

Eight men behind him were split into two wings, faintly forming an encirclement.

Seeing Shen Chong, Shopkeeper Qian's confidence grew even stronger. He stepped forward to greet him. "Fellow Daoist Shen, you've finally arrived! Otherwise, this person would have actually managed to open the shop."

Shen Chong nodded, looking up at the glittering gold plaque.

When Jiang Lan saw Shen Chong, his heart skipped a beat. This was also his first time meeting this East City Guard Director.

Shen Chong was away from the Immortal City for years at a time. Rumor had it he stayed in the barren lands to the east of the Wu State to reclaim territory for the Immortal City. He was a mysterious figure among the city's residents.

Seeing him today, he was indeed awe-inspiring.

Jiang Lan's heart sank. If he were an ordinary citizen, having a powerful guard like Shen Chong would be very reassuring.

But unfortunately, given this posture, Shopkeeper Qian intended to send him to the dungeon.

Shen Chong's piercing gaze shifted downward to look at Jiang Lan, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy.

The surroundings fell silent.

Shen Chong was shrouded in Evil Qi, carrying a natural atmosphere of slaughter. The pressure of a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection Cultivator made it somewhat difficult for people to breathe.

Only the faint sound of the crowd's heartbeats could be heard.

Shen Chong walked toward Jiang Lan step by step, his cold eyes like thousand-year-old ice that could neither be melted nor avoided.

Jiang Lan just watched. Thinking of the interrogation he would face in the dungeon, his legs actually began to tremble involuntarily.

However, the next scene was beyond everyone's expectations.

Shen Chong arrived in front of Jiang Lan, and the piercing frost between his brows slowly dissipated, his features softening.

The latter was bewildered and was just about to say something.

The former brushed past him, walked to the front of the Spirit Talisman Workshop, and then dropped to one knee, planting his sword beside him.

Facing the sign of the Spirit Talisman Workshop, he performed a half-kneeling salute!

In an instant, the wind died down and the clouds stilled.

Time seemed to stop at this moment. Even Shopkeeper Qian's excited breathing from moments ago and Jiang Lan's nervous heartbeat seemed to cease in this instant.

Rapid breathing vanished; hearts seemed to stop beating.

The surrounding crowd's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

This was simply one of the most incredible scenes they had ever witnessed in their lives.

The dignified Director of the East City Guard Division was actually saluting an ordinary civilian Talisman workshop.

Even Shopkeeper Qian, who had been immersed in the Immortal City for a long time, was seeing a Guard Division Director perform such a ritual outside of the City Lord's Mansion for the first time.

An ill omen suddenly rose in his heart.

He hurriedly stepped forward, his previous arrogance replaced by obsequiousness. "Director Shen, what is this? What are you doing?"

Only then did Shen Chong slowly stand up and look back at him.

His cold gaze, laden with Evil Qi, swept over him. Shopkeeper Qian was so stifled he couldn't even speak and had to swallow his words back down his throat.

Shen Chong ignored him. Standing under the archway, his gaze shifted back to Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan immediately became alert, stepping forward with cupped hands to plead his case. "Director Shen, please do not believe Shopkeeper Qian's one-sided claims. My workshop has been open for several years, and the Talismans we sell have always satisfied our customers."

Shen Chong looked around, his brow furrowing.

Thinking he was dissatisfied, Jiang Lan immediately added, "If Director Shen does not believe me, you can enter the shop right now to inspect and choose. There are absolutely no Talismans like the one in Young Master Ma's hand."

He then looked at Shopkeeper Qian. "I suspect that the Talismans in the hands of Young Master Ma and those Cultivators were swapped by someone!"

Shen Chong looked into the distance, eyeing the crowd of Cultivators watching the commotion, and raised an eyebrow.

Seeing this.

The previously noisy crowd instantly went silent. Their faces turned pale as they looked at the figure in black armor, and they spontaneously retreated backward, their movements quick and silent like a receding tide.

Shen Chong saw the familiar figure standing on the distant pavilion, and the curve of his lips grew higher, actually revealing a gentle smile.

He asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, do you know who the owner of your Spirit Talisman Workshop is?"

"Ah?"

This question truly stumped Jiang Lan. He really didn't know the identity of the woman wearing the Divine Sense-shielding bamboo hat that day.

He shook his head. "I don't know. Does Director Shen know?"

Shen Chong suppressed a smile. "I do know, but I cannot tell you."

After saying that, he walked down.

He pointed at Shopkeeper Qian, Young Master Ma, and the group of Loose Cultivators who had testified. "All of you come with me back to the Guard Division. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."

Shopkeeper Qian was confused and pointed at Jiang Lan. "Their Talismans were bought at the Spirit Talisman Workshop. Doesn't Fellow Daoist Jiang need to go?"

Shen Chong shook his head. "No."

"Why? As the source, shouldn't he explain the origin of the goods?"

The development of events had completely exceeded Shopkeeper Qian's expectations. Shen Chong's attitude toward the Spirit Talisman Workshop seemed a bit strange, especially that comment about the owner.

But he was no pushover either. While Shen Chong was the dignified and solemn East City Director, he wasn't bad himself. He was, after all, the manager of a major establishment and wouldn't allow himself to be handled so easily.

Shen Chong's expression gradually cooled. Looking at him, he said word by word, "I said, it is not necessary. The owner of the Spirit Talisman Workshop would not do something like selling fake or inferior Talismans."

"If you do not comply with my judgment, Fellow Daoist, you can appeal to the City Lord Division later."

Hearing those words.

Everyone present was clever; how could they not hear the meaning behind Shen Chong's words?

Shen Chong, the strongest Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Immortal City, actually had a deep connection with the owner of the Spirit Talisman Workshop!