章 21: Chapter 20: The Wang Family's Co-opting (Please Collect!)
Autumn morning, shrouded in fog.
Ning Daoran plucked a cucumber from the small courtyard, washed it slightly, and then began munching directly.
Suddenly, he remembered his childhood in the countryside in his previous life, waking up early in the morning to check the growth of cucumbers at his grandmother's house, which suddenly inspired him to recite a poem:
"The wind and rain do not change my original intention, cucumbers are two yuan fifty per pound!"
"What??"
Big Stupid Deer, sitting in a lounge chair eating cucumbers, was startled and widened its eyes. Indeed, big brother is really cultured, such a neat poem is beyond me.
"Uh?"
Ning Daoran swept his Divine Sense and immediately noticed a burst of energy soaring into the sky from the direction of Spiritual Field #80.
Someone had a breakthrough!
Unsurprisingly, the only one capable of such a breakthrough display was Hong Ming of the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, who had now reached the Seventh Layer and stepped into the Late Stage of Qi Refining.
The owners of several spiritual fields at Qiongbi Peak went to congratulate.
Ma Quanyou laughed, "Congratulations to Fellow Taoist Hong on reaching the Late Stage of Qi Refining, it is truly a joyful event. It seems that Fellow Taoist Hong has a bright future ahead, and even Foundation Establishment could be considered."
"Too kind, too kind, thanks, Fellow Taoist."
Huang Shan looked on with respect, solemnly saying, "Fellow Taoist Hong's breakthrough to the Late Stage of Qi Refining, becoming the first in cultivation at Qiongbi Peak, is truly a joyous event. As a part of Qiongbi Peak, I share in this honor."
Hong Ming's expression shifted slightly, but he still smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Fellow Taoist."
Ning Daoran gently bowed his hands, "Congratulations, Fellow Taoist. May your path toward immortality remain evergreen!"
"Thank you, Fellow Taoist Ning!"
Soon after, Granny Yun Cui also came out with Chen Weimo, politely offering their congratulations.
People were not just congratulating verbally but also showed substantive gestures.
Ma Quanyou and Huang Shan each gave two Spirit Stones as a congratulatory gift, as making friends with Hong Ming in his newfound status was akin to latching onto a strong leg.
Ning Daoran gifted ten jin of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice, which, according to the market price, was much more generous than the gifts given by the previous two.
Granny Yun Cui did not give a gift, as Chen Weimo had started her cultivation and also needed a lot of Spirit Stones. There was no need to feign generosity, and Hong Ming and Zhong Yan understood.
...
Just when everyone thought the life at Qiongbi Peak would continue to be peaceful, an incident occurred.
One afternoon, Hong Ming took some magical artifacts and a few personal belongings and hastily left the #80 Spiritual Field Courtyard where he had lived for many years.
When people asked, Zhong Yan was also vague, not saying much, only mentioning that Hong Ming had gone out for some experiential training.
Only Ning Daoran knew why Hong Ming had left.
Each person had their own fate, and he could not bother much about it.
For him, there was good news. A year had passed, and the death of the two leaders at Black Wind Village hadn't stirred any major disturbances.
It was said that after the death of the two leaders, the group first panicked and then rejoiced, deciding to implement an election system to choose new leaders from those with Spirit Roots and Cultivation.
Subsequently, Black Wind Village fell into a power struggle, and both elected leaders framed and attacked each other, leading to their eventual deaths.
The group rejoiced again, and another round of elections began!
Thus, after several rounds of elections, all cultivators in Black Wind Village perished, leaving only mortals who could only bully the nearby villagers.
Essentially, Ning Daoran's "actions" from a year ago had sunk to the bottom of the sea.
It was safe now, time to leave the mountain!
On this day, he took Big Stupid Deer down the mountain, filling the Storage Bag with various items like Green Bamboo Spirit Rice, Low Grade Magic Tools, and Spirit Fish.
This trip down the mountain was to find channels for selling stolen goods and also to purchase a Flying Artifact.
Being a "Half-step Mid Stage Qi Refining" Great Cultivator, buying a Flying Artifact was quite a reasonable choice.
After arriving at Yellow Dragon Square.
He first went to Wind Stopping Tower, and gave Hong Chengyan fifty jin of Green Bamboo Spirit Rice and two five-jin Spirit Fish.
Hong Chengyan was so pleased that he no longer called him a disciple nephew but directly referred to him as a virtuous nephew! He lamented that it was a pity that his Spirit Root was not better; otherwise, Foundation Establishment would have been promising, and he could even have helped secure a Foundation Establishment Pill.
These polite words, Ning Daoran naturally took them lightly.
Once he truly achieved Perfection at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, Hong Chengyan surely would not acknowledge this statement.
After all, the value of a Foundation Establishment Pill was evident, capable of changing the fate of a Foundation Establishment Family. Even within Chaotic Sect, Foundation Establishment Pills were not casually distributed.
...
Qingfu Square.
A young woman, around seventeen or eighteen years old, who seemed to know her business, came up to greet him. She was extremely beautiful, and her intelligence could not be concealed by the charm in her eyes.
"Fellow Taoist, what would you like to buy? I can show you around."
Her cultivation was evident, at the Qi Refining Second Layer. Not high but not low either.
"What is fellow Taoist's name?"
"My name is Chen Ping'er. May I know how to address you?"
"Ning Daoran, an Outer Disciple of Chaotic Sect. I'm looking to buy a Flying Artifact."
"That so!"
Chen Ping'er smiled showing her dimples, "Please follow me, Fellow Taoist. Qingfu Square has a wide variety of Flying Artifacts. We should be able to meet your needs."
After entering a shop, it was filled with various Flying Artifacts.
There were green leaves as well as cattail fans, banana leaves, handkerchiefs, with grades ranging from magic artifacts to spiritual artifacts.
Eventually, Ning Daoran's gaze fell on a green bamboo leaf-shaped magical artifact, glowing like jade.
"Green bamboo leaf, a First-tier Middle-grade Magical Artifact, made from Second Order High Grade Thousand-year-old Bamboo Leaves. It flies very fast and consumes less mana from the cultivator."
Chen Ping'er narrowed her beautiful eyes, smiling, "If Fellow Taoist truly desires it, I can offer a ten-percent discount. It'll cost 270 Low Grade Spirit Stones."
Ning Daoran pondered for a moment; the price was indeed fair. The typical price for a middle-grade Flying Artifact was at least 300 Spirit Stones. This Green Bamboo Leaf was intact without any faults or flaws, filled with lustrous and abundant spiritual energy, and could still be used for many years.
"Agreed."
He smiled slightly, "Fellow Taoist Chen is straightforward in her dealings, so I shall also be more straightforward."
Immediately he added, "However, you must give me the spell to control this Green Bamboo Leaf for free."
Each flying artifact comes with a control spell; usually, these spells are included without extra charge, but some unscrupulous shops might sell the spells separately to make extra money.
'How is this straightforward?'
Chen Ping'er couldn't help but think to herself but still said with a smile, "Of course, our Qingfu Square does business honestly, appealing to both young and old. Please rest assured, Fellow Taoist. Here is the Green Bamboo Leaf and here, the spell for it."
Ning Daoran slapped his Storage Bag, and took out two hundred and seventy Low Grade Spirit Stones to present.
"Fellow Taoist Chen, may I ask if your workshop buys Green Bamboo Spirit Rice?"
"We do."
Chen Ping'er smiled, "Do you have some Green Bamboo Spirit Rice? Our Qingfu Square buys it at a rate of one Spirit Stone per two kilograms, how much do you have?"
"One hundred kilograms."
"Good!"
They immediately concluded the deal, and fifty Spirit Stones were transferred—considered a small replenishment for him.
As for selling Green Bamboo Spirit Rice at Qingfu Square, Ning Daoran saw no issue with it.
After all, Spirit farmers' main income is from selling Spirit Rice. Spirit farmers of the Chaotic Sect would have some surplus each year after paying their dues, and selling this surplus was necessary to accumulate Spirit Stones to further their cultivation.
Ning Daoran had been growing Green Bamboo Spirit Rice on Qiongbi Peak for several years. Considering the yield of four to five hundred kilograms per acre, selling a few hundred kilograms annually was perfectly reasonable.
Later, Ning Daoran entered a rather chaotic street behind Yellow Dragon Square.
The black market.
It was composed of haphazardly arranged shops strung together. Transactions here could exist today and be gone tomorrow. Each shop was quite rough and on the roadside, numerous Loose Cultivators set up stalls.
Ning Daoran merely looked around and made inquiries without taking any action.
Inside his Storage Bag, the two Low Grade magic artifacts given by Big Master were waiting for a disguised visit for fencing!
After a stroll, he returned to the main street of Yellow Dragon Square.
...
"Fellow Taoist, my young master wishes to invite you for a chat."
Suddenly, a red-faced man struck up a conversation.
This man had some cultivation; it was clear he was a servant from a wealthy household, at the Third Layer of Qi Refining, the same as Ning Daoran's apparent level, so he spoke neither servilely nor overbearingly.
"Your young master?"
Ning Daoran furrowed his brows, an unexpected situation had arisen.
Refusing might annoy the other party, but attending might lead to complications.
After a brief contemplation, he decided to go anyway, as they were right under the nose of Wind Stopping Tower. These people wouldn't dare to make a move.
And even if they dared... Ning Daoran didn't care. He just wanted to test the power of the broken porcelain.
Mingxiang Pavilion.
A tea pavilion in the core area of Yellow Dragon Square.
This place sold Spiritual Tea, expensive varieties costing at least two Spirit Stones per cup—natural deterrents for ordinary Loose Cultivators.
Those who frequented Mingxiang Pavilion were either Great Cultivators temporarily residing in the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range or so-called cultivation families who needed such high-end venues for appearances.
In a secluded seat by the window, a young man in a white robe stood and smiled, "Fellow Taoist Ning, I am Wan Xuantong, Young Master of the Wang Family of Stone Valley, pleased to meet you."
The Wang Family of Stone Valley?
Ning Daoran searched his memory, having some impression; the Wang Family of Stone Valley seemed to be a Foundation Establishment family in the vicinity of the Yellow Dragon Mountain Range, having an Early-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor and possessing a First-tier top-grade spiritual vein.
"Fellow Taoist Wang, did you need me for something?"
"Please have a seat first. We can discuss over a cup of Spiritual Tea."
Ning Daoran sat down, sipped the quite agreeable tea, and smiled, "You can speak now."
"I've heard that fellow Taoist Ning, despite your young age, has cultivated the Rain Transformation Technique to the Fourth Layer and even grown Second-order Green Bamboo Spirit Rice, yet you remain merely an Outer Disciple of the Chaotic Sect.
He slightly raised his eyebrows, "If you're willing, my Wang family would honor you as an Elder. All you need to do is look after eight acres of Spirit field, producing three thousand kilograms of Spirit Rice annually.
Rest assured, my Wang family would not treat you poorly. We would be willing to tribute three hundred Spirit Stones per year plus a First-tier Middle-grade Magic Artifact. Additionally, we would open a Cave Mansion for you in the core area of the Spirit Vein, and you could freely choose any Cultivation Technique from our family.
As for the matter of a Taoist couple, our family has many female cultivators, including several of stunning beauty. You may choose any—or even many—to wed or take as concubines."
Young Master Wang launched an all-round offensive the moment he spoke, displaying great sincerity.
"Fellow Taoist..."
Ning Daoran furrowed his eyebrows, "Do you not know that I am a disciple of the Chaotic Sect?"
"I do."
Wan Xuantong's lips curled slightly, "But I also know that you are merely an Outer Disciple. Are the generous terms I've offered not enough to sway your heart?"
"How preposterous."
Ning Daoran spoke calmly, "Once a disciple of the Chaotic Sect, always a disciple of the Chaotic Sect. Do you think mere words will make me leave the sect?
When I was just at the First Layer of Qi Refinement, the Chaotic Sect took me in. I still hold a sense of gratitude.
Enough said, my friend—I must take my leave!"
Saying so, he led Big Stupid Deer downstairs, not looking back as he strode away.
...
Wan Xuantong did not say anything else but watched his departing figure, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.
"Young Master, about this man..."
"No need for more words. Let's pretend nothing happened today!"
He wasn't afraid to offend Ning Daoran, but he still feared the powerful backing behind Ning Daoran!
...
Wind Stopping Tower.
A Great Cultivator, toying with a White Jade Brush Washer, withdrew his Divine Sense, the corners of his mouth curving slightly in a smile, "This boy, having such loyalty to his sect is indeed rare..."
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