Free Web NovelChapter 133: Chapter 133: Evaluation
At some point, a rustling sound started outside as pea-sized raindrops began to fall.
The rain fell hard and fast, drumming straight down on the eaves.
"You seem to get rain year-round here."
Shui Ziming’s train of thought was interrupted, and he glanced outside.
Bai Mo said, "It’s probably because we’re so close to Celestial Barrier Mountain. The moisture in the air gets trapped, which is why it rains."
"But not that often."
Wei An, standing nearby, showed little curiosity. He sensibly went to start a fire and heat up the dishes.
Brother Shui looked at Bai Mo and said in a low voice,
"Brother Bai, do you have any idea why the Miaofa Sect would just hand over Immortal Arrival City for no apparent reason?"
"A city this important, even if it was poorly managed by their disciples, is still a lucrative asset—more than enough for an entire branch of the sect to make a living!"
Bai Mo replied, "The Miaofa Sect is a major sect, after all, filled with exceptional individuals. They must have their reasons."
"More than just filled with talent..."
Shui Ziming tilted his head slightly, gazing in the direction of the Miaofa Sect as if lost in distant thought.
"Thirteen paragons and four true disciples... that’s enough to form the backbone of a whole sect."
"As long as the current elders don’t lose their heads, once the next generation matures, they will have fulfilled their duty, ensuring an orderly succession."
A gap between generations is a major taboo for any sect.
If rivals find such a weakness, being suppressed and having chunks of your territory carved away is a light punishment. The real fear is having your foundation completely destroyed.
That would make them the greatest of sinners to their sect.
As long as there are promising young disciples—seeds for the future—and a core lineage to carry on, a bit of rot on the surface isn’t a fatal issue.
As the Eldest Brother of the Outer Sect, Shui Ziming naturally had a different perspective than a Loose Cultivator.
"The Miaofa Sect gave up Immortal Arrival City precisely to secure the foundation for their next generation."
He held up one finger.
"Not long ago, a Cultivator accidentally discovered a Secret Realm. The Spiritual Qi inside is so dense that the elders of my sect have already designated it a ’Blessed Land’!"
"It would take the various sects at least three hundred years to fully absorb all the opportunities it holds."
Bai Mo grew thoughtful.
"So that group of Cultivators with the Corpse God Pills... they launched their attack for the sake of this Secret Realm?"
Though he didn’t understand what a "Blessed Land" entailed, he could sense its immense value.
The fact that it drew prying eyes from distant Cultivators, compelling them to launch a fearless, death-defying attack, was proof enough.
Shui Ziming nodded.
"Many things escaped from the Secret Realm that day. The Earth-Listener I was pursuing was just one of them."
"It’s only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, yet it possesses so many innate talents that even an ordinary Qi Refining Eighth Layer Cultivator would be helpless against it..."
"The Secret Realm is extraordinary. Heavenly materials and earthly treasures are everywhere, and it even gives birth to exotic beasts. It’s the perfect place to cultivate the next generation of disciples."
Yet the Miaofa Sect missed the initial discovery. Rumor has it they were delayed by some internal affair, which has become a running joke.
In a desperate rush, they finally traded Immortal Arrival City to the Xuandao Sect just to get a slot to participate.
What also put immense pressure on the Miaofa Sect was the vast amount of Spirit Stones they had to pay to keep the other major sects quiet.
"Don’t mind that the Miaofa Sect is currently weighed down by burdens. Once their next generation of disciples matures and replaces the doddering old fools currently in charge, their day of glory will come."
Shui Ziming held the Miaofa Sect in high regard.
But Bai Mo read between the lines.
"But if someone were to cause trouble for the Miaofa Sect..."
"Then that is a tribulation the Miaofa Sect is fated to endure,"
Shui Ziming said calmly.
"You can’t grow strong flowers in a greenhouse. That path only leads to stagnation and death."
"Which of the pillar sects hasn’t been forged through a trial of slaughter?"
Even though Bai Mo had never witnessed such things, he could feel the dangerous undercurrent in those words, and a chill went down his spine.
"To be targeted by a regional hegemon, and not only survive but also flourish..."
Bai Mo paused.
"That is a great trial, a great hardship, unimaginable to mortals!"
Shui Ziming nodded in approval.
"If not for such trials, how could one be worthy of the words ’Heaven’s Mandate’? The favor of fortune, the turn of the great tide—these are not just empty phrases."
Bai Mo nodded and was about to say something, but just then, Wei An brought over a plate of sliced meat.
"Brother Shui, please try some. This is the meat of a Cow Demon; it has a rather unique flavor."
...
Shui Ziming was in a very talkative mood, perhaps because his recent dealings with the Miaofa Sect had left him with much to reflect on.
He didn’t leave until midnight, his figure receding into the distance as the rain tapered off.
Bai Mo watched until Shui Ziming’s figure became a blur and disappeared completely. Only then did he retract his gaze and turn to Wei An.
"You should go rest."
"You have a lot of running around to do tomorrow."
Wei An cleared the dishes from the table, nodded, and quickly left.
He knew what this meant. ’Shopkeeper Bai wants me to show my face and get acquainted with people.’
’If I use this opportunity to learn who everyone is, it’ll save me a lot of trouble in the future.’
Bai Mo, however, remained seated where he was.
’I need to prepare the ingredients, refine a batch of Pills, and restock the inventory.’
’Then, I’ll spend half a month breaking through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. After that, I’ll follow Brother Shui to the sect and choose a profound art to cultivate!’
Just a moment ago, Shui Ziming had made a suggestion to him.
A Pill Master like him wasn’t naturally suited for combat.
However, the sect possessed something called the Thought Manifestation Art, which was described as miraculous and would be an excellent choice for him.
’Brother Shui said the Thought Manifestation Art is well-rounded for both offense and defense, with other wondrous applications besides. He said it can only be mastered by someone with exceptional comprehension, which is a perfect match for me.’
’Without a protective art, traveling the Cultivation Realm is incredibly difficult. You end up stuck in one place.’
If he could truly learn the Thought Manifestation Art, he could eliminate his biggest weakness!
At this thought, Bai Mo couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
「The next day.」
His "good" neighbor Sun Qiao pushed open his door, yawning, only to see large and small carts of medicinal ingredients being hauled into the shop next door.
Judging by the look of the cart drivers, they were all tough laborers accustomed to toiling in the mud.
Sun Qiao jolted, and his sleepiness instantly vanished.
’Shopkeeper Bai is firing up his furnace for Alchemy again?’
’He’s been so mysterious these last few days, I haven’t seen hide nor hair of him...’
As these thoughts churned in his mind, the corners of Sun Qiao’s mouth curled into a smile.
’The Talismans he bought from me last time must be nearly used up. He should be coming by for replacements soon.’
’This might be a good chance to pitch my new line of Talismans...’
When Bai Mo arrived, he found Sun Qiao wearing a beaming smile, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the man was up to no good.
So he ignored Sun Qiao’s rambling and simply bought a few more of the same Talismans he had purchased before.
After paying with Spirit Stones, Bai Mo added casually,
"My shop will be opening in a few days. I hope you’ll come and show your support then, Fellow Daoist."
Sun Qiao blinked, then let out a chuckle.
"I’ve been waiting for this day! In fact, I have a friend who asked me to buy some Fire Marrow Pills on his behalf."
"But can you really prepare enough Pills in such a short time, Shopkeeper Bai?"
"When other Pill Shops open, they usually have their shelves fully stocked with their signature wares, hoping to make a name for themselves right from the start..."
Using his normal Alchemy methods, Bai Mo would have had no confidence.
But now, with the large furnace and Spirit Wood ready in the shop, it wasn’t impossible if he used some unorthodox methods supplemented by other techniques.
And so, when Wei An arrived to deliver a gilt-edged invitation, Sun Qiao saw plumes of smoke rising from the shop next door.
The smoke billowed skyward, and he could easily imagine the intensely busy scene inside Bai Mo’s Alchemy Room.
This made him a little worried about his Talismans.
’This level of heat... they should be able to hold up. If the heat breaks through them, I’ll be too ashamed to ever show my face around here again.’
In his anxious state of mind, he looked at Wei An and found the assistant to be a bit dim-witted.
"Why aren’t you in there helping your shopkeeper?"
Wei An answered truthfully, "The Shopkeeper’s mastery of the Alchemy Dao is sublime. His technique is so practiced it seems effortless, and he has abilities that defy conventional logic."
"He was worried that if I watched, I wouldn’t understand and would instead be led astray, so he sent me out."
Sun Qiao grunted and sent Wei An on his way.
"The Xu Ruyuan you’re looking for, as well as the other Fellow Daoists on your list, aren’t on this street."
"Once you leave this street, don’t gawk around. Just keep your head down and focus on finding your people. If anyone gives you trouble, just drop your shopkeeper’s name..."
