Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1040: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (48) — That Place

Tai Yinzi had no idea what the Eternal Kingdom Gaia mentioned truly was—but it was very likely that the Club originated from there.

Thinking along those lines, it almost made sense why, as a Black Soul Envoy, he had the authority to command Gaia.

This place was called a treasure vault… but it was very likely just a storage facility belonging to the Club. After all, the Club’s internal space had always been far more expansive than its exterior suggested.

If the Club had an external warehouse to store things, wouldn't that be perfectly normal?

However, Gaia had claimed she knew nothing about You Ye, let alone the current Boss—which suggested only one possibility.

This warehouse was a legacy of the previous Boss, and Gaia had existed even before You Ye. For some unknown reason, the previous Boss never transferred ownership of this treasury to the current Boss, and Gaia had remained here all this time, without ever updating her knowledge of the outside world.

Gaia had been here for an unknown length of time… Perhaps something had happened, causing her to exhibit some unusual behaviors.

For instance, when he asked about her master, Gaia clearly fell into a state of confusion.

Moreover, he had originally been calling for the Boss, yet Gaia had responded instead… Was it because his summons could not leave this place, or was this place somehow isolated from the Boss’s perception?

The Club was all-powerful… but the Boss was not omnipotent. If this place belonged to the previous Boss—who had existed for a longer time, knew more secrets, and possessed greater abilities—then it wasn’t entirely impossible that they had intentionally hidden certain things from their successor.The simplest way to do that? Purchase a related service from the Club.

Tai Yinzi didn’t know the exact mechanics, but if he had to guess, the previous Boss had likely paid a price to block any information about this place from reaching their successor. This might have been a costly endeavor, but for the previous Boss, it should have been entirely feasible.

Now, the only question was: Why had the previous Boss deliberately hidden this treasury?

Tai Yinzi felt his thoughts growing clearer, thanks in no small part to the endless imaginative content found on the internet—movies, novels, manga, and more.

"Hmm… If this follows the usual trope, then this might be a trial deliberately left behind by the previous Boss for the current one. If the Club operates like a personalized growth system, then once the Boss reaches a certain level, they would naturally trigger this ‘treasury dungeon.’ As for why Gaia appears as a loli, well… that’s just because readers love loli characters! Hmph, I, Daoist Master Tai, have already seen through the truth of everything!"

Gaia, however, remained silent, keeping her head lowered in standby mode, completely ignoring Tai Yinzi’s muttering.

"Wait a moment… if that’s the case—"

A sudden flash of insight struck Tai Yinzi like a lightning bolt in the dark, splitting his thoughts wide open.

"If this is a trial left behind by the previous Boss, then passing the trial should grant an important reward—that’s just basic logic! But if I, Daoist Master Tai, entered this place before the Boss did… doesn’t that mean I got ahead of them?"

Tai Yinzi had an ominous feeling about this thought… but he couldn’t stop himself from thinking further and further down this path.

For example:

What exactly was the trial?What would the reward be for passing it?And… what if that reward was authority?

Right! Currently, he only had Subordinate Permission, but there were several higher levels of authority above it… What if he could clear every challenge and obtain the highest level of authority?

"Gaia! If I obtain the highest level of authority, will I be able to completely control you?" Tai Yinzi’s eyes burned with excitement as he stared at the small girl.

Gaia slowly lifted her head, her mechanical voice replying:

[The highest authority grants complete control over everything within the treasury.]

"Ev… Everything?" Tai Yinzi swallowed hard.

[Confirmed!]

That was it! He needed to obtain this treasury! And then find a way to cut off the Boss’s ability to track him!

In the game world, he had played the role of Lord God, controlling the lives and deaths of players. But ultimately, that was just a game, requiring a constant influx of real-world players… and at the end of the day, it was still virtual, only satisfying him mentally.

But this treasury? Everything inside was real!

Even if he didn’t know what treasures were inside, the ability to completely control Gaia alone was already an unimaginable prize!

That Wang Hu… he belonged to the Four Celestial Spirits, capable of Divine Beast Transformation. If placed in the outside world, he probably held an extremely high status, yet he had been completely overpowered by Gaia without even putting up a fight!

The Source of Anomaly… was it the key to upgrading his authority?

"Gaia, is there any Source of Anomaly left in the treasury?" Tai Yinzi took a deep breath. "Can I use it to increase my authority?"

[Confirmed. Source of Anomaly is used to upgrade Eternal Kingdom citizenship levels.] Gaia nodded. [Exchanging for Source of Anomaly requires contribution points. Current Subordinate Permission Holder’s contribution points: -550.]

"Oh, I have five hundred and fif—Huh? Negative??"

Tai Yinzi froze. Negative five hundred fifty? That number felt… oddly familiar. Something flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.

Just as he was about to question Gaia further, she suddenly moved!

[Multiple claimants detected. Tracking… Tracking complete. Transaction system activating… Splitting.]

Before Tai Yinzi could react, Gaia’s body began to divide—splitting once, then again, and again… until over a hundred copies of her had materialized!

Tai Yinzi didn't bother counting exactly how many—because in an instant, those hundreds of Gaias shot into the sky, streaking across the heavens in a breathtaking spectacle.

Tai Yinzi gazed in the direction they vanished, watching until they were completely out of sight.

"Hmm… Not bad. So she even has a Cloning Divine Skill." He nodded in satisfaction, but his face quickly darkened. "Wait… Damn it! I still haven’t asked how to level up!"

In a panic, Tai Yinzi tried summoning Gaia again. Since he now had experience, this time he called specifically for Gaia instead of the Boss.

But no matter how many times he called, there was no response… Would he have to wait until she finished dealing with those so-called ‘claimants’?

Tai Yinzi frowned deeply.

Did Gaia prioritize responding to claimants over him? Or was it because, as a Subordinate Permission Holder, he was low-priority to her?

Or… was Gaia actually a defective product, unable to distinguish her priorities?

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Tai Yinzi suddenly turned his gaze toward the defeated Wang Hu—who had been immobilized from the start. Though unable to speak, Wang Hu had never once closed his eyes, closely watching Tai Yinzi’s every move.

Tai Yinzi smirked coldly and walked up to the bound Wang Hu.

"Dominating Fist?" Tai Yinzi sneered, stretching out two fingers. "Watch as Daoist Master Tai unleashes my ultimate move—DOMINATING SCISSORS! AH-DAH!!"

His scissor-hand struck Wang Hu’s eyes directly.

Wang Hu’s face twitched uncontrollably, veins bulging from the sheer frustration of being unable to move.

But Tai Yinzi wasn’t done.

Shouting the names of various martial arts techniques, he rained down a flurry of slaps, pokes, and chops on Wang Hu’s helpless body.

"Dragon Subduing Palm! Six Meridian Sword! Thousand-Year Kill! God’s Hand! AH-DAH-DAH-DAH!"

"Dugu Nine Swords! Starburst Healing Slash! Monkey Steals the Peach! AH-ZA-ZA-ZA!"

"Separation of Heaven and Earth, the Star of Creation... Eat my Grand Curry Stick!! Ora ora ora ora..."

No one knew how much time had passed before Tai Yinzi finally stopped. He held both hands up, then slowly pressed them down while letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Done… that was satisfying!"

...

"In the land of Qingqiu, foxes have four legs and nine tails."

Originally, foxes were seen as auspicious beasts. An ancient saying goes: "When the world is at peace, they appear as a sign of good fortune."

But at some point, their image became twisted, demonized, and stories of man-eating foxes began to spread.

...

The white-clothed woman, Yu Sanniang, whom Ming Tushan had mentioned, had already left.

Yet, everyone was still recalling her words and actions, analyzing every detail of her appearance.

"Impossible! That woman had absolutely no demonic aura on her!" An older demon furrowed his brow and said, "She was completely human! How could she possibly be a descendant of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox?"

Ming Tushan shook his head. "This involves a certain secret… though it's not really hidden knowledge. Most of you have probably heard the rumor before—about that place."

"That place? What place?" The younger cultivators looked confused, but the older ones—both Daoists and demons—seemed to be deep in thought.

"Yes, that place," Ming Tushan nodded. "We don’t know its origins, nor do we understand its nature. We can only refer to it as that place

. What we do know is that it's a shop… a shop that sells anything and everything. Legend has it that, five hundred years ago, Yu Sanniang went there and purchased the chance to become human."In Daoist terms, this would mean shedding the demonic form and being reborn as a human. But such a thing was almost impossible. Perhaps the legendary Golden Immortals could do it, or the Six Paths of Reincarnation in the underworld might allow it.

"How could that be?! How can a demon turn into a human?!" someone cried out in shock.

"But it happened," replied Daoist Baijie calmly. "Yu Sanniang, as a descendant of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, held a high status among the demons. A thousand years ago, the Demon Race had not yet declined, and at that time, Yu Sanniang was on par with the leaders of the Four Celestial Spirits Clan and the Greedy Wolf Clan’s Greedy Wolf Star. This was common knowledge in the Daoist world of that era."

But that was a thousand years ago… Over the past millennium, the Daoist world of the Divine Land had gradually weakened. Few from that time had survived to the present day.

Daoist Baijie was one of them. Ming Tushan of the Black Tortoise Clan was another. Even Fengdu City's Ghost King, Xiao Shengmo, only took the throne much later—he wasn't part of this ancient history.

"Around five or six hundred years ago, Yu Sanniang suddenly vanished. Not long after, she reappeared—as a human—and became the last disciple of the head of Huan Zhen Dao," Daoist Baijie recalled. "Few knew about this… and those who did kept it a secret. The impact on both the Daoist and Demon worlds was simply too great."

Demons and humans were fundamentally different beings… If demons could directly transform into humans, wouldn’t that throw the entire world into chaos? Would the Demon Race one day become extinct?

At the time, such fears seemed exaggerated. But the fact that a demon becoming human was no longer just a myth forced the great figures of the Demon World to seriously consider the implications.

...

The younger generation listened intently as Ming Tushan and Baijie recounted this ancient tale, absorbing a history lesson about the Daoist-Demon world. No one dared to doubt these two elders—because both of them were, quite literally, living history.

But regardless of Yu Sanniang’s former status, everyone here had only one thing on their minds: That place.

The place that possessed the means to turn a high-ranking Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox into a human!

"Wait! If that white-clothed woman really is the 'White Moon Fairy' that the seniors mentioned, and she said that the items here aren't easy to take… could it be that this place is that place?"

"But wait… wasn’t that place supposed to be a shop? This looks like a massive island!"

"Think about it—this land is filled with rare treasures, yet their growth conditions and habitats vary wildly. And the gold and jewels on the beach… there's no way they formed naturally. Someone must have collected them."

"That’s right… there must be a master of this place! But if they possess such unfathomable abilities, just who are they?"

As the crowd debated, they seemed to forget about looting the treasures altogether.

Only Ming Tushan and Baijie sighed inwardly.

This wasn’t something they had just noticed, nor was it something that should only now be considered.

This place was filled with treasures—so naturally, there had to be a master of this land. Yet, everyone had conveniently ignored this fact.

They all pretended not to know.

They all thought that if no one said it aloud, these items would simply become ownerless.

"Daoist Baijie, even you didn’t point it out at first, did you?" Ming Tushan murmured.

Daoist Baijie replied calmly, "That’s why I have yet to attain immortality. I am still in the Enlightened Dao Realm. I am still… mortal."

Ming Tushan shook his head. He, too, was the same.

...

At that moment, from deep within the jungle, something was flying rapidly toward them—no, not just one, but an entire swarm!

A hundred identical figures.

Girls with long purple hair, dressed in identical purple outfits!

Before the Daoists and demons could react, these figures had already landed beside each of them in an instant.

【Prototype Treasury Administrator ,Gaia, at your service, esteemed subscriber.】

The same voice.

The same words.

Spoken at the exact same time…

The jungle clearing fell into an eerie silence.

The Daoists and demons alike felt an overwhelming sense of unease.

The atmosphere was so bizarre it was terrifying.

(End of Chapter)

Dragon Subduing Palm (降龙十八掌, Xiánglóng Shíbā Zhǎng)

A famous martial arts technique from The Legend of the Condor Heroes (射雕英雄传) and Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龙八部) by Jin Yong (金庸). It is one of the most powerful external martial arts techniques in wuxia novels.

Six Meridian Sword (六脉神剑, Liù Mài Shén Jiàn)

A legendary internal energy sword technique from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (天龙八部) by Jin Yong (金庸). It allows the user to project sword-like energy from their fingers.

Thousand-Year Kill (千年杀, Qiānnián Shā)

A comedic move from Naruto (ナルト) by Masashi Kishimoto. It is a prank technique where the user thrusts their fingers at an opponent’s backside.

Dugu Nine Swords (独孤九剑, Dúgū Jiǔ Jiàn)

A legendary sword technique from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (笑傲江湖) by Jin Yong (金庸). It is a powerful and adaptable sword style created by the sword master Dugu Qiubai (独孤求败).

God’s Hand (神之手, Shén zhī Shǒu)

The exact reference is unclear.

Starburst Healing Slash (星爆弃疗斩, Xīngbào Qìliáo Zhǎn)

a parody of "Starburst Stream" (星爆气流斩, Xīngbào Qìliú Zhǎn), the signature dual-wielding sword technique used by Kirito in Sword Art Online (ソードアート・オンライン) by Reki Kawahara. The altered version (弃疗, Qìliáo) humorously means "abandoning treatment," suggesting reckless or crazy attacking.

Monkey Steals the Peach (猴子偷桃, Hóuzi Tōu Táo)

A comedic low-blow martial arts move involving striking or grabbing an opponent’s groin.

Separation of Heaven and Earth, the Star of Creation) is a reference to "天地乖離す開闢の星" (Tenchi Kairisu Kaibyaku no Hoshi), which originates from the Fate series, specifically as an attack name for Gilgamesh in Fate/Grand Order.

Eat my Grand Curry Stick, is used as a parody to Gilgamesh’s Enuma Elish, which humorously twists the grandiose nature of the original attack into something comedic.