Chapter 22: The Awkward Master-Disciple Relationship, Redbrow's Mystery |
In the more than ten years since his transmigration, everything Yulou had seen or heard paled in comparison to the profound shock of the scene unfolding before his eyes.
What an incredible sight it was.
As evening approached, the setting sun, resembling a ripe red persimmon, gradually dipped below the horizon.
Yet, the blazing light radiating from where True Person Danri was situated hung high in the distant sky, burning as intensely as the midday sun.
Brilliant golden-red light cascaded from this second sun, bathing everything between heaven and earth.
Even Yulou's cheeks were tinted with that same golden-red hue.
Yu'an was still worried about a potential trap, but Yulou was already certain. No one would dare to act so arrogantly in Hongdengzhao's territory—except for their own people.
"So this is True Person Danri? Danri, the morning sun... she truly lives up to her title," he murmured.
Zhong Ningyao was a cultivator with fire and wood spirit roots, and her father was Redbrow, a master of fire arts. She understood all too well what that second sun in the sky signified.
Yulou noticed a figure soaring into the sky from the Prefecture Cultivator's Manor in Clear Stream Market. The person flew above the market and effortlessly activated Clear Stream Market's protective formation.
"Why is Jiang Baobian activating the formation?" Yulou asked, looking at his senior martial sister.
"To hand over control. With True Person Danri here, Jiang Baobian has to act meek and submissive," Zhong Ningyao explained.
Zhong Ningyao was knowledgeable, but she had only guessed half the truth.
Jiang Baobian did indeed have to act submissive, but True Person Danri did not need control over any defensive formation, much less care about the trivial authority held by the Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market.
This Purple Palace cultivator from Hongdengzhao had come to Clear Stream Market with the Merit Hall branch on a specific mission, even deploying Hongdengzhao's famous magic treasure, the Golden Crow Driving Sun.
The second sun in the sky was actually the radiant afterglow generated when a Purple Palace cultivator controlled the Golden Crow Driving Sun in flight.
If Jiang Baobian had not hurriedly raised the formation, and the Golden Crow Driving Sun decelerated even slightly too late, the spiritual essence of the Clear Stream of Qin Rhyme would have been completely evaporated. The rogue cultivators in the market with insufficient cultivation bases would have been severely injured or even killed by the intense light.
"Senior martial sister, are we still going to bet on horses?"
Yulou felt that this was hardly the time for betting on horses and seeking amusement.
Zhong Ningyao's expression paused, and she spoke with hesitation.
"Let us forget about the horse betting. We can go some other time. After all, I just wanted to broaden your horizons.
"You two should head back first and stay with the elders of your family. The Wang Clan is a vassal of Hongdengzhao, so you might have a chance to meet the Purple Palace cultivator directly.
"Yulou, if possible, ask your clan's ancestor if my father can be brought along to pay his respects.
"Whether it works out or not, I will give you a reward. And if it succeeds, my father will compensate you heavily!"
Yulou weighed the matter in his mind before replying.
"Understood. Wait for my news."
After saying that, he grabbed Yu'an, who was still on high alert, and headed straight back to Fortune Source Residence.
Watching their retreating figures, Zhong Ningyao frowned deeply.
Taking the two brothers to bet on horses today was merely an excuse to bring up this exact matter. However, the early arrival of the Merit Hall branch had completely disrupted Redbrow's plans.
In name, Redbrow and the two brothers had a master-disciple relationship, but Householder Redbrow had already collected an apprenticeship fee of five thousand spirit stones beforehand.
And now, her father was the one asking for a favor from the Wang Clan.
Such a master-disciple relationship was undeniably awkward.
——
In the main hall of Fortune Source Residence, rogue cultivators were frantically exchanging information. Everyone's face displayed a mix of excitement, anxiety, or pure thrill.
"Before I came back, I heard from a Fellow Daoist at the Peak Qi Condensation realm that the red flying boat in the middle houses the Hongdengzhao Merit Hall branch.
"Word is, a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator is steering it from within, which is why it has such terrifying might."
"It is not just Hongdengzhao. There are two other flying magic treasures in the sky that do not belong to them."
"I know! One of them is the mobile pavilion of an Immortal Alliance Emissary. But what faction does that white stone tower next to it belong to?"
"What a coincidence, I have actually seen a similar white stone tower before."
"Oh? Tell us quickly!"
"Quick, tell us!"
"Sigh, my mouth is a bit dry. I seemed to have forgotten."
The rogue cultivator who knew the origin of the white stone tower was putting on airs. Bailu, who was slacking off at the counter, couldn't stand it anymore and was about to speak, but a rogue cultivator—who might have been genuinely foolish or just playing dumb—spoke up first.
"Waiter, come, bring a pot of spirit tea for this Fellow Daoist!"
Bailu instantly beamed with joy. No longer planning to share the information for free, she hurried to pour the tea.
She first took half a mace of ninth-grade spirit tea, added half a tael of ordinary tea, and then smilingly served it to the sucker.
This was exactly how Fortune Source Residence sold its spirit tea. If they used purely spirit tea, those rogue cultivators wouldn't be willing to buy it.
The rogue cultivator who had put on a show just to scam some tea took a sip. Unable to taste anything amiss, he drank with immense satisfaction.
"You guys probably don't know, but Hongdengzhao changed their sect master a few years ago. The new one is from the Huang Clan, a major Purple Palace family.
"You might not have heard of the Huang Clan, but they specialize in doing business between the sects and major families of the Wunan Cultivation World.
"I worked for the Huang Clan for a few years back in the day, and that white stone tower is the Huang Clan's Hundred Treasures Workshop!
"It might look like a small stone tower, but there's a massive market inside. It might be a third the size of Clear Stream Market, entirely run by Huang Clan personnel.
"In the past, this kind of Hundred Treasures Workshop would only travel between the territories of major clans, grand sects, and the headquarters of Purple Palace sects. They would never come to a place like Clear Stream Market, which is filled purely with Qi Refining cultivators.
"It's likely because someone from the Huang Clan became the sect master of Hongdengzhao that the Hundred Treasures Workshop came along with the Merit Hall branch!"
"The Merit Hall and the Hundred Treasures Workshop are here to do business, but why did the Immortal Alliance's mobile pavilion come along too?"
"Why don't you go ask? The Immortal Alliance serves all cultivators. If you ask, they might just tell you."
"You go! I'm certainly not going!"
"They're just trying to fool ghosts. Nobody believes their nonsense!"
While the rogue cultivators were messily shooting the breeze, Yulou kept a low profile and walked toward the counter.
"How is the situation with the small rooms in the backyard?" Yulou asked.
"Get us some food and send it to our room," Yu'an chimed in.
"All you know is how to eat!" Yulou glared at his younger brother.
"Are you not hungry?"
Yu'an didn't understand what his brother was pretending for.
"We're going to see the Patriarch in a moment!"
Yulou couldn't openly declare his intention to mooch a meal off the Patriarch, so he only offered a subtle hint, but Yu'an clearly missed it.
"Then please send it a bit later, thank you."
With a helpless, soft chuckle, Yulou said no more.
Eat, eat, eat. All he knows is how to eat!
Glancing at Yulou and then at Yu'an, Bailu calmly lowered her head and replied in a soft voice that the rogue cultivators couldn't hear.
"I will arrange it right away. As for the small rooms in the back, a little less than half of them were rented out today. The Ancestor came to take a look this afternoon and smiled very happily."
Yu'an nodded in understanding. Bailu, who worked the floor year-round, was a sensible and clever girl.
——
"Do you know why Master didn't personally ask the Patriarch to let him tag along to pay respects to True Person Danri?"
Leading his foolish younger brother toward the backyard, Yulou turned his head and asked.
"He was afraid the Patriarch would refuse, making him lose face?"
It was a tough question to answer, and Yu'an scratched his head.
"No. Master is about to reach the Foundation Establishment realm, but he doesn't want to choose a faction to attach himself to just yet.
"If he personally came to plead with the Patriarch, the Patriarch would definitely agree. However, it would then be difficult for him to decline the Patriarch's subsequent invitation to join the Wang Clan."
Yulou increasingly felt that his master was far from simple.
He was exceptionally shrewd in handling affairs, an excellent businessman, and possessed extraordinary cultivation and attainments in the artificing path.
He didn't seem like a rogue cultivator with no background.
"Brother, you're overthinking it. Master could just establish his own clan."
"Hah, true. Maybe I am overthinking things."
Yulou didn't bother explaining things to his naive brother. Noticing Tang Nianqiu guarding the front desk of the wooden building, he asked respectfully,
"Uncle Nianqiu, where is the Patriarch right now?"
Tang Nianqiu set down his ledger and pointed upstairs.
"He's up there. He's still altering the layout of the small rooms."
"Spit it out, hurry up!"
"Sigh, my mouth is a bit dry. I seem to have forgotten."
The rogue cultivator who knew the origins of the white stone tower was putting on airs. Bailu, who had been slacking off at the counter, couldn't stand watching him drag it out and was about to speak up. However, another rogue cultivator—who was either genuinely foolish or just playing along—beat her to it.
"Server! Come get this Fellow Daoist a pot of spirit tea!"
Bailu instantly beamed with joy. Abandoning any thought of sharing the information for free, she hurried over to pour the tea.
She first took two and a half grams of ninth-grade spirit tea, mixed it with twenty-five grams of ordinary tea leaves, and served it to the easy mark with a smile.
This was exactly how Fortune Source Residence sold its spirit tea. If they used pure spirit tea leaves, these rogue cultivators would never be willing to part with the money for it.
The posturing rogue cultivator, having successfully scammed a free drink, took a sip of the spirit tea. He didn't notice anything amiss and drank it with sheer delight.
"You guys might not know this, but Hongdengzhao appointed a new sect master a few years ago. He is from the Huang Clan, a major Purple Palace family.
"You might not have heard of the Huang Clan, but they specialize in doing business among the sects and prominent families of the Wunan Cultivation World.
"I actually worked for the Huang Clan for a few years back in the day. That white stone tower is the Huang Clan's Hundred Treasures Workshop!
"It might look like a small stone tower, but inside, it is a massive market. It is probably a third the size of Clear Stream Market and entirely operated by people from the Huang Clan.
"In the past, these Hundred Treasures Workshops only traveled between the territories of major clans, grand sects, and the headquarters of Purple Palace sects. They would never visit a place like Clear Stream Market, which is populated entirely by Qi Refining cultivators.
"It's probably because someone from the Huang Clan became the sect master of Hongdengzhao that the Hundred Treasures Workshop accompanied the Merit Hall branch here!"
"The Merit Hall and the Hundred Treasures Workshop are here to do business, but why did the Immortal Alliance Emissary's pavilion come along as well?"
"Why don't you go ask them? The Immortal Alliance serves all cultivators. If you ask, they might just tell you."
"You go! I'm not going!"
"They only fool ghosts; no one believes their nonsense!"
While the rogue cultivators loudly bantered and spouted nonsense, Yulou kept a low profile and walked toward the counter.
"How is the situation with the small rooms in the backyard?" Yulou asked.
"Bring us some food and send it to our room," Yu'an chimed in.
"All you know is how to eat!" Yulou glared at his younger brother.
"Are you not hungry?"
Yu'an didn't understand why his brother was putting on airs.
"We are going to see the Patriarch later!"
Yulou couldn't exactly expose his underlying intention of scoring a free meal by tagging along with the Patriarch. He merely hinted at it, but Yu'an clearly missed the point.
"Then please deliver it a bit later, thank you," Yu'an told Bailu.
Giving a helpless chuckle, Yulou dropped the subject.
'Eat, eat, eat, all you know is how to eat!'
Glancing at Yulou and then at Yu'an, Bailu inconspicuously lowered her head and replied in a soft whisper that the rogue cultivators couldn't hear.
"I will arrange it right away. As for the small rooms in the back, less than half have been occupied today. The Ancestor came to take a look this afternoon and smiled very happily."
Yu'an nodded in understanding. Bailu had worked the hall for years; she was a sensible and clever girl.
——
"Do you know why Master didn't personally ask the Patriarch to let him tag along to pay his respects to True Person Danri?"
Leading his foolish younger brother toward the backyard, Yulou turned his head and asked.
"Because he was afraid the Patriarch would refuse and make him lose face?"
It was a difficult question to answer, and Yu'an scratched his head.
"No. Master is on the verge of the Foundation Establishment realm, but he doesn't want to choose a faction to rely on just yet.
"If he brought his request directly to the Patriarch, the Patriarch would certainly agree. But then, it would be very difficult for him to reject the Patriarch's subsequent invitation to join the Wang Clan."
Yulou increasingly felt that this master of theirs was far from simple.
His methods were exceptionally brilliant, he was highly skilled at business, and his cultivation base and attainments in the artificing path were both extraordinary.
He did not seem like a rogue cultivator without any background.
"Brother, you are overthinking this. Master could easily just found his own family."
"Hah, true. Perhaps I am just overthinking it."
Yulou didn't bother explaining anything to the naive Yu'an. Noticing Tang Nianqiu standing guard at the front desk of the wooden building, he asked respectfully.
"Uncle Nianqiu, where is the Patriarch right now?"
Tang Nianqiu set down his ledger, pointed upstairs, and replied.
"He is upstairs. He is still modifying the layout of the small rooms."
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