Chapter 427: Chapter 428: Feel Free to Steal, If It Works, I Lose
 

“The bathhouse is indeed the main way to enhance the spiritual power and cultivation level of cultivators, and now that it’s been stolen right from under our noses, it’s a fatal blow to the Holy City!”

“This must have been done by people from the first or second battlefield. I’ve already sent people to investigate. The one who stole the water source must be found!”

“It’s just that I don’t know if Young Master Li is still willing to allocate the water resource for bathing. I imagine it would require a huge amount of materials, right?”

Yang Guang and the others still had bitter expressions on their faces, ignoring Ergouzi’s comments as if they were nothing.

“City Lord Yang, rest assured, my subordinates will soon have news. If it really is the work of those from the first or second battlefield, we must retrieve the water source at all costs!”

Cai Kunxu said with a gloomy expression, now that the old beggar and Sky Blade Song Que were in the Holy City, they feared no one.

Li Xiaobai entered the grand hall with Yang Huan.

“City Lord Yang, why do you look so worried? Are you concerned about what happened with the Tangneng First-class?”

“Young Master Li, you’re finally here. Last night, a cultivator sneaked into the city and used the Soul-Bewitching Array to knock out the cultivators and quietly took away the water source from the Tangneng First-class. Now the cultivators in the Holy City are in uproar.”

Seeing Li Xiaobai come in, Yang Guang was overjoyed and hurriedly greeted him, as Li Xiaobai was the only one who could solve the bathhouse issue for the Holy City now.

“You need not worry about anything, City Lord Yang. The water in the bathhouse is just very ordinary well water. When I came, I had already refilled it on the way.”

“As for the thief who stole the water, let him steal it if he wants to—it’s useless anyway.”

Li Xiaobai waved his hand with a chuckle, signalling everyone to be calm.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guang was stunned. Could the water used for bathing really be just ordinary water?

To be able to rapidly increase the cultivation level of a cultivator, wasn’t it supposed to be mixed with Heaven and Earth Treasures?

How could ordinary water possibly have such an effect?

Everyone couldn’t help but closely examine the water quality surrounding their bodies. Indeed, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, no fluctuations of spiritual power were discernible, yet immersing themselves in it, the spiritual power in their Dantian just wouldn’t stop rising.

“Could it be that Young Master Li’s Tangneng First-class uses an Array for its effects?”

“By inscribing a type of Spirit Gathering Array on the building materials used to construct the bathhouse, this could ensure that spiritual power constantly flows into the cultivators’ bodies!”

Cai Kunxu cautiously hypothesized, unable to think of any other explanation.

“Ha, that, well, is a secret. You don’t need to worry about anything. Unless they can move the entire shop, it’s completely impossible for them to gain any benefit,” Li Xiaobai said with an indifferent expression.

“Woof, Lord Ergouzi had already said, it’s not the first or second time that the bathhouse water has been stolen—it’s alright.”

Ergouzi muttered from within the pool.

This statement brought sudden enlightenment to everyone—no wonder Li Xiaobai wasn’t panicking; he had experience with this.

That made sense. With a store whose bathhouse was so effective, it was routine for someone to steal the water source to study its formula; having countermeasures in place was only natural.

After all, he was the expert in running the store; there was no need for them to worry.

“Young Master Li, the bathhouse is indeed miraculous. Just by soaking for one night, the spiritual power within my body actually increased. Before, I thought that at this stage in my cultivation, apart from Immortal Spirit Qi, there were no other treasures that could enhance cultivation levels.”

“I owe you a favor now. If there’s ever anything you need in the future, just say the word!”

Song Que spoke, his eyes gleaming with unstoppable joy. In just one night, the Spiritual Power within his body had significantly increased. A few more nights of soaking, he feared, might restore his strength to its previous peak.

Most crucially, he had done no cultivation from start to finish; he had simply soaked in the pool, slept, and upon waking, his Spiritual Power had increased considerably.

It truly was inconceivable; even top-tier Formations were not known to achieve such a feat.

“It’s a small matter. If it can help our senior, then this bathhouse is indeed worth its salt,”

Li Xiaobai said, nodding.

The others wanted to say more when suddenly, a disciple’s shout came from outside the hall.

“Report, Young Master Yang Chen from the First Battlefield has sent a letter!”

“Bring it here!”

Yang Guang’s eyes brightened, and he hastily spoke. Yang Chen and Ling Feng were the cultivators lurking in the First Battlefield, and there had been no word from them. To his surprise, a letter arrived today.

Li Xiaobai took the letter, reading it softly.

“Today in the First Battlefield, Tangneng First-class and good quality shops were established in large numbers, seemingly with the intent to compete with the Holy City. Junior brother must be cautious. Your fellow senior brothers suspect that the water sources in the shops within Holy City have been replaced.”

“Today in the First Battlefield, Tangneng First-class and good quality shops held their grand opening. The popularity is overwhelming, and it’s feared that from now on, the cultivators of the First and Second Battlefields will no longer go to the Holy City.”

The letter was short, just a few sentences, but the content it expressed was rather shocking.

“Damn it, I knew it was the First Battlefield’s doing. I hadn’t expected them to be so shameless, to brazenly come to the Holy City and commit theft!”

“And they even opened Tangneng First-class and good quality shops, not even bothering to change the shop names. It’s utterly shameless! Do they think our popularity is so easily ridden upon?”

Cai Kunxu flew into a rage, just as he had suspected: the bathwater was stolen by the First Battlefield, and the opponent had even started Tangneng First-class and good quality shops.

Their motive was quite clear – to create a diversion, making the First Battlefield self-sufficient. They would come to the Holy City when stocks were low to buy in large quantities, then return to continue selling.

Right now, for all he knew, Mei Changqing and others could be deciphering the secrets of Huazi’s bathwater. If they managed to grasp the method of refinement, they could completely break away from the control of the Holy City and even dominate at an even faster pace.

“Enough talk. We’re going to dispute this. Such despicable acts cannot be tolerated!”

Xiong Da said with a jar-like voice from the side.

“Gentlemen, there’s no need to be angry. As I have just said, whatever the First Battlefield does, they can’t make their shops have the miraculous effect of enhancing cultivation levels.”

“We just need to let them be. Their schemes and tricks will collapse on their own,”

Li Xiaobai gestured for everyone to calm down. Such low-level tricks of deception would not affect his business empire.

Besides giving free publicity to Tangneng First-class and good quality shops and a bit of fame, it would bear no fruit.

“Since Young Master Li has spoken thus, let’s listen to you. We shall no longer concern ourselves with this matter. But what should we do if those thieves strike again? It’s difficult to identify and capture them among the cultivators.”

Yang Guang’s face still carried a hint of worry, feeling that the Holy City was currently in a passive state.

“No matter, let them steal what they wish. It’s worthless anyway. If we’re lacking anything, I will replenish it. As for Huazi, as long as they purchase normally, we will sell them whatever amount they want!”