Free Web NovelChapter 132: Chapter 132: Invitation
It was a new day, and the weather was fine.
Neighbors, the Demon Hunting Team from Lanshan Mountain, the Tong family caravan he had traveled with to Celestial Mountain City...
Bai Mo visited one place after another.
No one was surprised to receive an invitation from Bai Mo. They offered their congratulations and readily accepted.
There was a small complication at the Tong family Commerce Association. The old man who had traveled with Bai Mo to Celestial Mountain City had been injured and was bedridden.
"I got hurt while I was out on business. Otherwise, I would have paid a visit to Brother Bai myself."
"I can’t get around easily now, so I’ll send my son to show his support on the day!"
Seeing the old man’s deathly pale face, Bai Mo didn’t press the issue. He just urged him to rest well and said they should keep in touch, then took his leave.
A manager from the Tong family Commerce Association walked Bai Mo a long way out.
’Perhaps I should pay a visit to my fellow alchemists in the city.’
Bai Mo turned and asked for the addresses of the other alchemists.
The manager from the Tong family, clearly familiar with the city, pointed them all out. But as he finished, he lowered his voice and said:
"Alchemist Bai, you should be careful. Those other alchemists... they might not be willing to see you right now."
Bai Mo stopped in his tracks.
"Please, explain."
The manager, who bore a slight resemblance to the old man, glanced around before speaking:
"The local Pill Masters are a tight-knit group. They’re very wary of alchemists from outside the city walls."
"Over the years, they’ve built up considerable wealth and have steadily tightened their grip on the city’s Pill trade."
"And to do that, they’ve surely used some... less-than-honorable methods."
Understanding dawned on Bai Mo.
’Things like this might have been manageable before.’
’Relying on their connection to the Pill Pavilion, the three great pillars of Immortal Arrival City’s Alchemy Dao had even dared to provoke disciples of the Miaofa Sect.’
’But now that there’s been a change in leadership, and with the Xuandao Sect’s reputation, they wouldn’t dare be so reckless.’
’Regardless, I have to pay them a visit.’
Bai Mo bid the manager farewell and walked off at a brisk pace.
Before long, he arrived before a residence with a vermilion-lacquered gate.
Even the servants guarding the gate were dressed in fine fabrics, their faces devoid of any humble or obsequious expression.
Bai Mo was recognized from a distance as soon as he drew near.
The gatekeeper blinked, his eyes locking onto Bai Mo. He then crisply bowed, turned without a moment’s hesitation, and led a few men to greet him.
"Are you Alchemist Bai, sir?"
"My respects, sir!"
The gatekeeper said with a broad smile, cupping his hands in a salute. His posture was exceedingly deferential.
’He works for a Pill Master, after all. He must have recognized me at some point.’
However, Bai Mo noticed that the man was positioned directly in his path.
’And he had no intention of moving aside whatsoever!’
Bai Mo just smiled.
"I am Bai Mo. I’ve come today to catch up with my fellow alchemist and, while I’m at it, invite him to my grand opening ceremony..."
The gatekeeper wrung his hands.
"What a shame! For such a momentous occasion, my master would normally accept without hesitation."
"However, he is unable to see you right now..."
As he spoke, the vermilion gate swung open, and several servants emerged, struggling to carry a large chest.
More people followed close behind them.
Faint whispers of "sink it in the river" and "burn it" could be heard.
Bai Mo asked, "Is your household cleaning out old belongings?"
The gatekeeper glanced back over his shoulder and nodded.
"Precisely. There’s a new power in the city now, so our residence must naturally adopt a new look!"
"It’s a complete mess inside. You are an esteemed member of the Sect and are on close terms with the venerable cultivators. You are a person of great status, so it would be improper for you to enter."
Since the Xuandao Sect hadn’t come knocking on their doors, it proved the three great Pill Masters weren’t in dire straits just yet. They could likely get by with a bit of pretense.
Bai Mo naturally wouldn’t overstay his welcome, so he smiled and said:
"In that case, I’ll take my leave. Please give my regards to your master."
The gatekeeper nodded profusely.
"Take care, Alchemist Bai. My master will certainly have a gift sent for the occasion!"
Bai Mo let out a laugh.
"I’ll go see how the other two alchemists are doing!"
The gatekeeper watched Bai Mo depart.
’The other two families are probably "cleaning out the trash" as well, making room for the new...’
he thought to himself, but said aloud:
"Did you all get a good look at him?"
"He’s an Alchemy Cultivator on the same level as our master. Be a bit sharper next time you see him!"
The servants beside him chorused their assent.
"Yes, we’ll remember!"
...
Bai Mo went to the residences of the other two alchemists, but was denied entry at both.
He could only hear a flurry of activity from within, occasionally punctuated by the crack of a whip and angry shouts.
"Vile servants! All of them! Causing the master so much grief!"
A burly gatekeeper said, seeing Bai Mo off with an expression of deep distress.
He wore the pained expression of a man trying to manage a large and unruly household.
"My young master will definitely be there to show his support. Alchemist Bai, you should head back for now..."
Bai Mo simply cupped his hands in farewell and concluded his visits for the day.
’Tsk. This is the first time I’ve been treated like a thief just because of my sect affiliation.’
On his way back, Bai Mo’s thoughts turned to his brothers from the Xuandao Sect.
’I absolutely have to invite Brother Guo and the others in person.’
But Bai Mo had just come from their headquarters and knew that the cultivators were all busy.
’I’ll wait until the invitations are printed, then I’ll pay them a visit.’
With his rounds complete, the day was already over.
Bai Mo felt a wave of exhaustion. Upon returning home, he collapsed into a chair.
Wei An brought over some tea, pouring a cup for him at just the right moment.
"Shopkeeper, would you like something to eat?"
Bai Mo waved his hand, simply taking a sip of his tea.
"I visited so many homes. I’m already full from all the snacks and sweets I’ve eaten."
"Oh, right. Tomorrow, go to the shop on the corner and pick up our invitations. Their calligraphy is excellent, so I’m not worried about the quality."
Bai Mo thought for a moment, then gestured with his hand.
"Bring me a brush and ink. Take this down."
Wei An hurried to comply.
"I’ll deliver the invitations to my brothers in the Sect myself."
"Once I’ve set the date, you’ll deliver invitations to the people on this list. I already visited some of them today."
Bai Mo closed his eyes and began to list them from memory:
"Fellow Daoist Xu Ruyuan, the members of the Demon Hunting Team, the Tong family..."
Bai Mo rattled off a long list of names, and Wei An’s brush flew across the paper, recording every one.
The list included all sorts of Cultivators: some who were moderately well-known, some who ran businesses, and even a few who were complete nobodies.
"I wonder if Miss Lan Ru is around. Brother Lanshan mentioned she would be back in a few days."
"Then there’s Li Hu. I took over his shop, but he’s probably gone to live with his father. I doubt we’ll be able to find him."
The faces of old acquaintances flashed through his mind one by one.
Bai Mo was still mulling over the list, wondering if he had missed anyone, when he suddenly heard a dull thud.
THUD!
Bai Mo and Wei An exchanged a look. Wei An was the first to point upward.
"Who’s there?"
Bai Mo narrowed his eyes. Just as he rose to his feet with a serious expression, a figure with an indifferent look appeared at the back door.
"It’s me."
"Brother Shui!"
Bai Mo’s face lit up with surprise as he hurried forward to greet him.
"Are you finished with your tasks!?"
Shui Ziming nodded. "It took some effort, but it’s finally settled."
"By the way, what have you been up to lately?"
"I was on your roof just now and sensed a faint, ethereal aura."
Shui Ziming said nonchalantly, "I took the liberty of destroying it just now."
Surprised, Bai Mo quickly explained:
"I was just giving Brother Guo a little help!"
After Bai Mo explained the situation, Shui Ziming nodded.
"That aura must have attached itself to you at some point. Perhaps those people were planning to retaliate."
Shui Ziming shook his head.
"Brother Guo handled that improperly."
"Someone who dares to spy on a fellow sect member... that sort of trash should be exterminated on the spot. Why bother sending someone to secretly observe them?"
He had already sent the junior brother who was standing guard back.
Bai Mo quickly poured more tea and said to Shui Ziming,
"Brother Shui, I am incredibly grateful for your concern."
"It’s been difficult to see you lately. Have you been busy dealing with the Cultivators from the Miaofa Sect?"
Shui Ziming took the tea and nodded.
"Now that things have progressed this far, I suppose there’s no harm in telling you..."
