Chapter 710
In the short term, the workers had to rely on their grasp of the situation, but in the long run, selecting mortals from the Bai Xian Alliance would be far better.
Not to mention, the people of the Bai Xian Alliance had little faith in Zheng Fa these days, and entering the Jiu Shan Realm wouldn’t bring much in terms of spiritual power.
However, with long-term education and cultivation, over ten or a hundred years, this situation would inevitably change. The spiritual power they could bring in the future would certainly not be insignificant.
At present, Zheng Fa had already treated the Bai Xian Alliance as another foundation, managing it with great care.
Shi Nandang understood this well. Although he was a Transformation God, and Xiao Qing and the others were merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, Zheng Fa actually placed more importance on the tasks in their hands. These tasks would surely be long-lasting, and the merits they would accumulate in the future could not be underestimated.
Thus, he took the time to offer Xiao Qing a few more words of advice.
“Is it very important to the master?”
Xiao Qing’s eyes lit up.
Shi Nandang felt speechless. After all this time, that’s what you picked up on?
Xiao Qing furrowed her brow, looking worried. “But I’ve never been out before. What if I mess up something important for the master...”
“…”
“Shi Zhenren…”
Shi Nandang shook his head, helplessly saying, “Don’t overthink it. This matter is significant, but it’s not something you alone can affect.”
Seeing that Xiao Qing was still anxious, he added, “You must have been a temple steward before to be chosen for this. Just do what you did back then.”
Xiao Qing fell into thought, slowly nodding.
When it was time for Shi Nandang to disembark, he vanished in a flash.
Xiao Qing clung to the ship’s railing, scanning the horizon, but he was nowhere to be seen. She could only shout, “Shi Zhenren, once I earn some merits, I’ll treat you to delicious food in the market and buy you some Xianzi Zui (a type of celestial wine)!”
After a long while, a voice carried on the wind, laced with laughter:
“Sure.”
…
Dozens of miles away, in a hidden valley, a group of people was secretly observing the Shen Xiao Fei Zhou (Divine Sky Flying Boat) where Xiao Qing was.
Their numbers totaled around a hundred, hiding in a cave.
The cave bore marks of chiseling, clearly recently excavated, with a copper mirror hanging at the entrance, shimmering with a precious light.
But from the outside, one could only see the dense vines and rugged blue stones, with no sign of an entrance.
“Li Lao Guai, didn’t you say your Shun Lou Jing (Mirage Mirror) can’t even reveal the truth to a Yuanying (Nascent Soul) master? What are you afraid of?”
An old woman’s voice rang out. Li Lao Guai was indeed a Yuanying cultivator, and he gazed thoughtfully at the flying boat, murmuring, “That person… is a Transformation God.”
“Transformation God!”
The cave fell silent, only to hear Li Lao Guai continue, “This Shun Lou Jing was obtained in a secret realm. Even a Transformation God, if not looked at closely, can be mistaken. It has saved me many times in the past.”
“Just now, that person glanced casually, and my precious mirror was startled into awakening its spirit. This person… is definitely not an ordinary Yuanying.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the people in the cave exchanged glances.
“A Transformation God?” The old woman’s tone was laced with panic. “I said we should have left early. But you all were greedy, insisting on pulling one last job before leaving.”
“Now we’ve even attracted a Transformation God.”
Li Lao Guai frowned, sneering, “We’ve been driven here by the Hao Ri Mountain and have long run out of resources. If we don’t seize some from the smaller sects, what good will it do to return?”
“Didn’t you make a fortune?”
“Besides, my Shun Lou Jing hasn’t been discovered yet.”
The old woman fell silent for a moment before reluctantly saying, “But what if we run into a Transformation God? Can we escape now?”
“A Transformation God… Shi… perhaps it could be a stroke of luck.” Li Lao Guai’s face even bore a hint of a smile. “If we can return, once I clarify some matters, perhaps we can achieve great merit and ask Hao Ri Mountain for a reward.”
“Ah?”
Little did they know, Li Lao Guai’s expression turned unusually cautious, unwilling to elaborate further.
Or perhaps he wanted to keep his secrets.
This group consisted of a small portion of scattered cultivators from the Hao Ri Mountain region, along with a few small sects that had betrayed the Bai Xian Alliance. Their backgrounds varied, and they were not united in purpose. Since he wouldn’t speak, others didn’t dare to pry, merely discussing among themselves:
“Return? How do we get back? Can this Shun Lou Jing conceal us while we flee?”
Li Lao Guai’s expression darkened. “No, if we use our powers, not to mention a Transformation God, even an ordinary Yuanying master would see through it. It’s too risky.”
“Then…”
The group exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.
At that moment, a hesitant voice came from a nearby Foundation Establishment cultivator. “I… I have an idea.”
“Hmm?”
“My family is nearby, and I have some connections. If we can disguise ourselves as a merchant caravan and hide our spiritual power, we might have a chance to escape.”
As soon as he said this, everyone’s eyes lit up.
Even Li Lao Guai nodded repeatedly in agreement. “Though it carries some risk, it’s not a bad idea. However, we’re unfamiliar with the area, and disguising ourselves might lead to mistakes. Are you confident?”
The Foundation Establishment cultivator nodded vigorously. “I had a close servant who was a tenant of my family, and it seems he lives nearby now.”
Li Lao Guai thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. “Take me to find him.”
The two used the precious mirror for cover and arrived at a village.
Li Lao Guai cautiously used his spiritual sense to search from a distance and soon found the servant’s dwelling at the edge of the village.
“Master?”
An old man with completely white hair and a frail frame sat at the door. Upon seeing the Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was taken aback, exclaiming in surprise.
The young cultivator looked like a youth, and their meeting resembled that of a grandfather and grandson.
“Master, what brings you here… I was just going to find the family to prepare a meal, let me greet you!”
Seeing that no one was home, Li Lao Guai felt pleased and exchanged a knowing glance with the Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Don’t rush.” The cultivator understood and spoke up, “I heard from my family that you’ve been doing some business lately?”
“Yes, after you entered the immortal sect, I was fortunate to receive your grace and became a steward in the family’s merchant caravan. Now that I’m old, I’ve returned to the village.”
“I need you to help me find some carts and a few people familiar with the trade routes.”
The Foundation Establishment cultivator stated directly.
“This…” The old man hesitated for a moment, but seeing his expression, he understood. “Master, I haven’t been out for over ten years. I need to inquire first.”
“Be quick!”
“Yes!”
After listening to their conversation, Li Lao Guai glanced at the old man and suddenly took out a porcelain vial. “Take this.”
The old man trembled, looking at the Foundation Establishment cultivator, but the long-lost master turned his head away.
“I…”
“Hmm?”
Li Lao Guai released his aura.
The pressure of a Yuanying master was not something an ordinary person could withstand.
Soon, the old man, trembling, swallowed a green pill from the vial.
“This pill is extremely poisonous. I’ll come every half month to give you an antidote. Once we leave this place, I’ll provide you with the cure.”
The old man’s face turned even paler.
“Don’t think that just because you’re old, you’re not afraid of death.” Li Lao Guai, still not reassured, added coldly, “Your surname is Xie, and you have two sons and a daughter, four grandsons…”
“...I dare not! I dare not!” The old man Xie spoke in a trembling voice.
Li Lao Guai chuckled lightly. “As long as you help us leave safely, I can also grant some opportunities for your sons and grandsons in the future.”
Old man Xie nodded repeatedly, his face showing a hint of longing as he watched the two leave.
…
“Father! Father!”
Old man Xie was lost in thought when he heard his eldest son’s call, snapping him back to reality.
“What is it?”
“Father, what are you thinking about?”
Old man Xie shook his head, knowing this was a matter of life and death, and he couldn’t tell anyone.
Seeing that he wouldn’t speak, his son didn’t press further, only saying, “The immortals from Jiu Shan Sect have come to the town!”
“Jiu Shan Sect?”
His eldest son whispered, “Father, you don’t know? Our main family… seems to have betrayed the Jiu Shan Sect, and now they’ve all vanished!”
Old man Xie’s face twitched. “Betrayed?”
His eldest son hurriedly reassured him, “Don’t be afraid, Father. I heard that if you’re not a direct descendant of the immortals, the Jiu Shan Sect won’t bother with you.”
Old man Xie nodded slightly, his anxious heart easing a bit.
But suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and old man Xie trembled, looking toward the door, feeling a chill run through him.
A young man stood at the entrance, dressed in a long robe resembling a Daoist garment, with the nine mountains embroidered on the hem.
Old man Xie had never seen such a robe, but after his master became an immortal, he had worn something similar when he returned home!
The Jiu Shan Sect had come!
The young man looked at him curiously before smiling gently. “Did I come at a bad time?”
Old man Xie hurriedly replied, “No! No! Who are you?”
“I’m a disciple of the Jiu Shan Sect. This area is now under the jurisdiction of the Jiu Shan Sect. I’m here to inform you that the day after tomorrow at noon, each family should send a few capable people to the town.”
“The day after tomorrow at noon! Got it, understood!”
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