Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 68

[Vol. 6] Chapter 68: A Familiar Spirit Veil

“I see…” Murong Yun nodded in admiration.

“Even though I’ve been to Xiangshou County many times, this is the first time I’ve learned about these centuries-old events in such detail. I imagine only a handful of long-lived beings or official records could recount the story so thoroughly nowadays.”

“Miss Ling Feng, are all masters from the [Yin-Yang Division] as well-versed in history as you?”

The young woman smiled and shook her head, neither confirming nor denying the comment. Bai’er tactfully shifted the topic.

“So, are we heading straight to Cangyun Mountain now?”

Violet and Ling Feng had already discussed this beforehand.

“No need to rush. Let’s take a look around the city first and gather some information. After all, it’s just speculation that the Western Origin Spirit Maiden might be connected to Peach Blossom Peak on Cangyun Mountain. We know almost nothing about her exact location or other relevant clues. Climbing the mountain blindly would be no different from wandering aimlessly.”

“Exactly. Haste makes waste,” Ling Feng agreed.

Murong Yun nodded thoughtfully, clearly influenced by their reasoning. After a brief moment of reflection, he made a suggestion.

“In that case, let me take you to a place. The timing should be just right, and he should still be there. If you’re looking for information, I doubt there’s a better spot in all of Xiangshou County to find it.”

“Oh? It’s rare to see you so straightforward, Mr. Murong. If that’s the case, there’s no harm in checking it out. What do you think, Violet?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

With their opinions aligned, the group promptly changed direction and followed Murong Yun toward a specific destination within the city.

As the capital of Xiangshou County, Xiangshou City naturally stands as one of the most bustling and densely populated areas in the region. While it might not match the population density of inland cities like Yangyuan City, it has its own unique charm.

The streets here are dominated by businesses related to spirit pets. These range from breeding and sales to medical care, training, rescue, and even formal burial services for deceased spirit pets. The industry covers every imaginable aspect, both within and beyond Violet’ expectations.

Spirit pets, to put it bluntly, are essentially [Yokai], or descendants of [Yokai] imbued with a trace of spiritual essence. The relationship between the two is like a large circle encompassing a smaller one. Not all [Yokai] are spirit pets, but all spirit pets can be classified as [Yokai].

In the [Ancient Spirit Realm], there aren’t many intelligent species, only humans and [Yokai]. The spirit pets absorbed energy from the earth typically only persist for three to four generations. After that, their descendants gradually revert to ordinary beasts, unable to form large, sustainable populations. This is one of the key differences between the two continents.

Of course, the term [Yokai] covers a wide range. To generalize, even holy beasts like Qilin or Yazi are considered [Yokai]. The difference lies in their immense power or dangerous nature, which earns them titles like “holy.” The same logic applies to spirit pets.

However, compared to most parts of the Western Origin Spirit Kingdom, the people of Xiangshou County exhibit a uniquely harmonious relationship with spirit pets. If other areas adopt a “live and let live” approach, the residents here take it a step further, fostering mutual support and cooperation between humans and spirit pets.

While there is a pet trade industry, it operates within a formal and regulated structure. Unlike the poaching syndicates in the Human United Kingdom, which treat spirit pets as slaves, the ones here live in more comfortable environments.

Violet observed no signs of forced compliance or fear in their expressions. Instead, many spirit pets seemed to evaluate the passing travelers with curious, almost discerning eyes.

Violet even noticed an intriguing detail. Before completing a transaction, both parties used special methods to gauge the spirit pet’s willingness. If a pet was unwilling to be sold to a particular buyer, the seller couldn’t force the sale, no matter how high the price offered.

“Hmm, this is quite an interesting place,” Violet murmured to herself as she observed her surroundings.

While taking in the lively streetscape, she turned to glance at someone who had supposedly visited this city several times before.

“Murong Yun, do you know where these spirit pets come from? Are they caught in the spiritual valleys and mountains of Xiangshou County, or are they raised from infancy in special facilities? But isn’t it incredibly difficult to artificially rear creatures like these Yokai?”

From what Violet observed, most of the spirit pets being sold were relatively low-level or in their juvenile stages. At least 80% of them hadn’t developed the ability to transform into even the most basic humanoid forms. Instead, they resembled small cats, dogs, foxes, or other peculiar and clearly weaker shapes.

The more mature yokai, those capable of partially or fully assuming human forms, were rarely seen on the sales floor. Even when they appeared, they attracted far fewer buyers. This left Violet wondering about the hidden intricacies of the trade.

Murong Yun, however, didn’t seem surprised by her question. He quickly offered a warm explanation.

“Of course, they’re not caught. Spirit pet capture is strictly forbidden across Xiangshou County and the entire Ji Province. Anyone caught doing so faces severe penalties. Instead, people who want a spirit pet must seek a chance encounter or mutual affinity in the wild.”

“As for the ones you see being sold here, they typically fall into two categories. The first group consists of spirit pets that, due to various circumstances, lost their parents and were subsequently taken in and cared for by specialized organizations.

“Although these creatures aren’t directly born from the essence of the earth, their bloodlines haven’t diluted much. As a result, they retain a significant degree of spiritual essence, allowing them to develop abilities similar to those of naturally occurring spirit pets. They’re often chosen by children, teenagers, or individuals with limited strength but considerable financial means who want to raise a companion from scratch.”

“The second group consists of true juvenile Yokai. After achieving a certain level of sentience, some willingly come to the market. They negotiate with market handlers to find suitable partners, often in exchange for better cultivation resources, protection, or companionship.”

The middle-aged man in white smiled slightly.

“Of course, while we call them ‘masters,’ the pets likely view their relationship more as partnerships. Once a contract is established, it’s difficult to break. However, if a spirit pet genuinely no longer wishes to remain with its original owner, it can regain its freedom by paying a certain price.”

“You see, those Yokai that have already taken human form usually come back here to find new partners after losing or parting ways with their previous ones for various reasons.”

“Huh, there’s quite a bit of nuance to all this,” Violet remarked.

While her words sounded casual, she actually found this kind of relationship quite agreeable. It reminded her of her bond with Xiao Guang.

Although the dragon girl constantly called her “master” all day long, Violet never truly saw Xiao Guang as a subordinate. To her, Xiao Guang was family.

Even with her later companions, like Snow Wing or Little Fang, Violet never intended to force them to maintain their contracts if they chose to leave. She suspected that the bond between the people here and their spirit pets was likely very similar to her own experiences.

As she observed the lively streets and surroundings, Murong Yun led the group to their destination.

In front of a grand, traditional-style building, Violet stopped in her tracks, surprised by the three large words etched onto the sign.

“Spirit Veil Merchant Guild?”

Sensing Violet’s curiosity about their goal, Ling Feng quickly provided an explanation.

“Violet, the Spirit Veil Merchant Guild is a major financial organization established by the native residents of the [Ancient Spirit Realm] with authorization from [Spirit Veil Immortal Island]. It’s not limited to here, you’ll find branches in other major cities of the Western Origin Spirit Kingdom and even in the three other nations.”

“Though Spirit Veil Merchant Guild wields immense influence, with wealth and reach rivaling nations, it has no direct ties to [Spirit Veil Immortal Island]. Even if you met the head of the Merchant Guild, they wouldn’t be able to help you get there. You’ll still have to wait for the island to open its gates on its own terms.”

The black-haired girl nodded thoughtfully.

“Ah, I’m not really trying to achieve my goal through this Merchant Guild. It’s just that before… I was… Never mind. So, what do they sell here? Rare treasures?”

Although Violet voiced her guess, she doubted it was accurate. If this branch of Spirit Veil Merchant Guild simply sold valuable treasures like those on the other continent, the bustling crowds here wouldn’t make much sense. Clearly, the threshold for buying here was much lower.

Sure enough, Ling Feng shook her head with a smile.

“What they sell… is hard to summarize. Instead of explaining, why don’t we just go inside and see for ourselves?”