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RM 45: Preparations (II)
🕑 Added 2024-11-10 20:40:52 +0000 UTC“Condition of bones, perfect.”
“Nerves, all connected.”
“Organs, without visible damage.”
“Muscles, no tears.”
“Qi Pathways, uninterrupted.”
“Scars, none.”
Lui Zhi circled me with her tools as a sixth-grade formation prevented me from moving. Each aspect of my body was checked, even sliding the robes off my shoulders to observe my bare skin. She announced the result for the Xianquan and Huang Bai to hear.
This Formation alone could bind a peak Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, not to mention I was under the eye of two Nascent realm cultivators on the higher end, not to mention a Two Revolution Deity transformation cultivator watching over my every move.
All in all, this was overkill.
“Hey now, how can you strip your older brother like this? Did you forget any decency?” I would’ve liked to struggle but the formation kept me in place.
“Don’t talk with me about decency Brother Li, because of how frequently you get injured I’ve seen your body more than my own.” Lui Zhi poked my ribs with a smirk.
“…Still, there is no way to go this far.” My eyes landed on Xianquan, the ringmaster of this fiasco.
“Well, what else do you expect us to do with your track record?”
Truthfully, I couldn’t refute him. When injured I had always tried to heal myself with my skills, it was to get used to the process while learning how to do a better job on my own. Yes, it came with its downsides but talented doctors like Lui Zhi wouldn’t always be at an arms-length after all. Of course, these guys didn’t take very kindly to that approach.
“Don’t avert your eyes now, Senior Brother.” Huang Bai’s words were gentle but her eyes had a hint of coldness. “Why did you face Shu Huang and put yourself in danger?”
“I wasn’t alone, and Bian Que did most of the work anyway.” A sigh escaped my lips, “…And I had no other choice but to do this.”
“Hearing that from you is as unconvincing as it can be.” Huang Bai saw through that immediately.
“Indeed, you always avoid things that don’t gain you anything.” Xianquan added, his eyes blinked faster than normal.
Don’t try to fool me.
That was what he said in the code we used, after all, he knew that Bian Que was me.
“What do you guys think I am?” I said, replying to Xianquan.
“Thick-faced.” Xianquan said.
“Swindler with no conscience.” Huang Bai smiled.
“Slave driver.” Lui Zhi hit my back in spite.
“Hey now, you are hurting my precious feelings here.” I can’t believe I raised these kids.
Of course, what they said wasn’t far off. Even in this position, I had several ways to break away, but if I did it would only complicate the situation so staying put was the better option. I wouldn't stand a chance if Xianquan became serious in the sect. It was like fighting a shark in the ocean.
I didn’t have to fear them finding out about my changed spiritual roots, even if forceful, these little siblings of mine were respectful in their own way. A spiritual root, a part of a cultivator’s soul, wasn’t to be touched without consent. Unless one was an enemy, and that was one thing I didn’t have to worry about here.
“So, what is the final verdict?” Xianquan asked.
Even if he tried to maintain his indifference, this guy’s eyes showed his hidden worry.
“Perfect. It's almost too perfect. The traces of previous injuries have vanished too.” Liu Zhi came to the front, a keen shine in her eyes. “That Heaven’s Pond or whatever has got some miraculous effects.”
The word from the site should’ve already reached Xianquan, and Lui Zhi through him. As much as she liked to drink and laze around, some things did get her going.
“I have a three-hundred-page report on its effects if you want.” I had put it together during my stay there.
“Sounds troublesome, can’t you like summarize it to three pages or less?” She demanded.
“It is the summarized version.” I smiled.
“Ugh…”
Needless to say, this girl was just as lazy as before when it came to reading. Finally, the chains around me vanished in smoke and Huang Bai’s vigilance blew away like a breeze. It seemed like the two were satisfied with my current condition, even if they didn’t want to.
“We don’t have enough evidence to sanction Senior Brother this time.” Huang Bai said.
Well, I did erase it all in the Heaven’s Pond. Hurray for that.
“Leaving that behind, did Long Lingxin bring in good news?” I asked taking my seat.
“Of course. We now have control over Tie, Zhou, Xian, and Xing Province. Not only do we have the Heaven’s Pond under our territory now, but now we share a direct border with Purple Cloud Sect.” Xianquan passed me the scroll.
Inside it, the additional compensation of spirit stones and many rare poisonous herbs were listed along with the signs of the leaders of Purple Cloud Sect recognizing the deal.
“If it wasn’t for Brother’s nasty schemes that took advantage of their high pride and dire circumstances, they would’ve never agreed to this.” Huang Bai poured me sweet tea with some bitter words.
“Aren’t you being a little too honest, Bai’er?” I looked at her sweet and innocent smile.
“I am always honest.” She said.
It was hopeless. A dry laugh later I turned to Xianquan, we had to think about further actions.
The area was veiled in obscurity right now, but when the situation calms down Purple Cloud Sect would send people to investigate the areas we have demanded. It was common courtesy to keep each other in check and probe for information, just that I didn’t want anyone to discover that pond anytime soon. That was why I matched the borders between the two sects and made a bigger, more imposing problem to draw attention. And, I knew the value of those areas because of the future.
“If possible, I want you to go and study the place. It would be great if we can recreate that pond in our sect and move that pond altogether.” Creating a stronghold was also an option, but now wasn’t the time to divide forces. Since that place was built upon a formation of sorts, that’s what the records from the Demonic cultivators read, Xianquan would be the best one to go.
“I plan to leave tomorrow.” Xianquan said instantly.
“At least wait till Jiahong is back.” I added.
With Zhao Jun barely staying in the sect the combat force of the sect was low at the moment. And the last thing I wanted to do was give the hyenas a chance.
“I’ll trust you to watch over the sect as always.” Xianquan flashed a handsome smile, but it only had bad intentions.
This is your punishment. His eyes said.
This kid… well whatever.
“Alright.”
“He accepted it so easily. Brother is definitely scheming something.” Lui Zhi pointed at me with a wine jug in her hand.
There wasn’t a point in contesting so I left it be.
“How did you find such a place, Brother?” Huang Bai asked ignoring the previous topic.
Heaven’s Pond was a treasure that couldn’t be explained easily, matter of fact the sudden discovery gives rise to suspicion even within the sect because of how abrupt it was. Paired with how much these guys knew about me, they could catch any half-hearted lie. However, I had a foolproof reason in place long before I left.
“I heard about the legend from Granny Long.” It was the woman who broke the mountain out of spite, and these kids should remember her too.
“That old h—esteemed senior?” Xianquan grimaced, he had the hardest time because of Granny Long.
Her desire for excellent treasures extended to people too, and this kid was almost stolen from under Master’s nose because of his talent.
“After remembering about it I thought it would be a good lesson for the disciples to get some idea of how cultivators search for treasures. I planned to take them to another place but I never thought that we’d end up finding the thing.” I gave them a made-up list of events about how we discovered the place, it was a whole lot of convincing slop that would work in most scenarios similar to this.
“We better not let that hag find about it.” Lui Zhi spoke in a stupor. Even if she wasn’t drunk, she wouldn’t mince her words.
And, the gentle Huang Bai didn’t correct her this time. Every one of my fellow disciples, aside from me, had braved the relentless recruitment tactics of Granny Long.
“She’ll try to claim it as hers, that petty old woman.” I too had very little respect for the elder of the world’s strongest royal beast clan.
As this sour topic was glossed over, a new one came to the surface. The topic I have been waiting for.
“About the Eastern Martial Meet this time. Any volunteers?” Xianquan’s question was met with a brief silence.
It wasn’t surprising. Although the event only happened once a decade, the only people who actively participated in that event were Hua Jiahong and Zhou Jun, both weren’t available at the moment. Chen Zhipeng hadn’t left the sect in three decades, Lui Zhi hadn’t left in five decades, Xianquan couldn’t leave his post for long, and Huang Bai mostly stayed behind to defend the sect too.
I only attended the meet a few times in secret and only attended once openly.
With a wry smile, Xianquan was getting ready to take out the paper chits we made before. Of the three chits, two were safe and one wasn’t. We had agreed on this method to choose who would go between Huang Bai, Lui Zhi, or me in case Jiahong and Zhou Jun weren’t around, which happened rarely.
But this time things had to change.
“Since there is no one else, I guess I’ll go as the Elder in charge.” I said.
The three in the hall looked at me like kids who had seen ghosts. Exaggerated expressions, well not really in a sense.
“Stop it you brats. I just think it’ll be a good opportunity for my disciples so I am going.” I said.
Xianquan smiled with a wriggle of his brow because of how much the past me had avoided this.
“Your disciples, huh?”
“It is like seeing Jiahong all over again, just that it is over disciples.” Liu Zhi cackled.
“At least Senior Brother has become more active like before.” Huang Bai was the only one who seemed respectful in a way, but even she was giggling.
“Well, being a Master is a heavy responsibility.” I added. Just as a disciple viewed the Master as a parent, it was the Master’s duty to protect and guide their disciples as if they would their children.
“I guess we can’t argue with that.” Pleased for some reason, Xianquan moved on. “Sister Huang, I’ll leave him to you.”
“I’ll keep an eye on him.” Huang Bai responded.
“Your brats… can’t you trust me for once?”
“Sorry Brother, you have yourself to blame.” Xianquan stood up from his chair. “Now, I’ll contact other peaks about the trial to select the disciples for East Martial Meet, we’ll hold it in four weeks so please prepare well.”
The discussion came to an end. The drunk Liu Zhi was taken away by Huang Bai, and I left for Plum Peak myself as Xianquan had a lot on his plate right now. Just the addition of the new territories was enough to keep him busy, but he also had to visit the pond.
That pond would become an important source of strength not only to our sect but for the entire continent when the Demonic cultivators start moving.
For now, I had to focus on the growth of my disciples. They arrived in the lecture room immediately and sat down, ready for a class on formations. But I had to let them know of the new development first.
“We are participating in a trial this coming month?” Wang Yang spoke in part surprise and part excitement over the event.
“It is to select disciples for the upcoming East Martial Meet. You’ll meet with the top geniuses of the eastern continent there and get a chance to face them.” I decided to give them some more incentive, “The sect will give you an additional reward for qualifying, if you stand out in the meet you’ll get even greater rewards from the pool gathered by the sects and a separate reward from our sect. Of course, the competition will be tough in both places.”
“Will the Jade Sword Hall also participate?” Sun Lingling asked.
“Yes, their name is on the list as usual.” The sect she asked for was a powerful minor sect made of only sword cultivators.
With the tenth youngest Sword Grandmaster on the continent at its helm, it was the sect Sun Lingling joined in the future because of the sect leader’s connection with her sister.
My confirmation had increased her determination to some degree. Wang Yang already seemed interested, now Sun Lingling had made up her mind too.
“Master, what is the Trial we’ll have to participate in?” He asked.
I held back my laughter behind the façade of coolness. No matter what, Wang Yang’s success was etched in stone during this.
“It is a Treasure Hunt this time.”
...
The next chapter will be out tomorrow around the same time.
Give me your thoughts if possible and point out any mistakes.
Thank you for your help and patience as always.
Comments
MagicWafflez
bah! of course those junior brothers/sisters of his would just be worried about him~ i don't know why i was worried in the first place~ even when they finally find out everything, they'll just be worried about him and monitor him for a bit~ that said, I know he doesn't want that because he wants to put as many things into motion as he can before that point, but still~ hm hm~ reading all together is nice, but reading one at a time gives more time to process~
