Chapter 37: Risking a Fortune, Hidden Dragon Golden Light |
The night sky was a brilliant galaxy of stars. Mid-air, aboard a flying carriage artifact, the master and his disciples were deep in conversation.
"Master, you mentioned that a ninth-grade spiritual object might be born in Twin Dragon Mountain in the future. Who would this newborn spiritual object belong to?"
Yulou was highly curious about the distribution of resources within the cultivation world.
"Major factions like the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and the Immortal Alliance have vast empires and boundless wealth. They certainly wouldn't lower themselves to snatching a ninth-grade spiritual object. It would look too unseemly.
"Factions like Dripdrop Cave and the Gu Clan have Purple Palace experts holding down the fort. They wouldn't make a move either; it's beneath their status.
"Under the rule of the Immortal Alliance, Foundation Establishment cultivators are severely restricted. The price of a careless move could very well be the annihilation of their entire clan.
"More often than not, it is the Qi Refining cultivators who battle it out, and the winner takes the prize.
"That was exactly how the previous patriarch of the Wu Clan managed to snatch the Chaotic Stone Well."
Hongmei spoke, a touch of fervent desire burning in his heart.
"Does that mean those great clans and immortal sects will also send their own disciples, hiding their identities, to participate in the scramble?" Yulou asked, a hint of melancholy in his voice.
Yulou had figured it out long ago: this rotten cultivation world was nothing but a massive prison. Its rules and dogmas locked down every cultivator who hadn't reached the Purple Palace realm.
If you couldn't become a Purple Palace expert, you had to play by the rules.
But playing by the rules meant you could never earn extraordinary profits.
Without profits, there were no resources, and without resources, you could never reach the Purple Palace.
Caught in this endless, interlocking cycle, the Wang Clan hadn't produced a single Purple Palace expert in one thousand two hundred years.
"Hahaha, you aren't stupid. Foundation Establishment cultivators can calculate the approximate time a spiritual object will be born. Any faction with a Foundation Establishment cultivator will send out their elites ahead of time to wait nearby.
"Rogue cultivators can't afford to wait, let alone fight them off. The Wu Clan came out of Wondrous Peak Mountain, and your Wang Clan is a vassal of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. It's difficult being a rogue cultivator. A rogue cultivator's only hope is to somehow scrape by and reach Foundation Establishment just to live an extra two hundred years."
Hongmei grumbled.
He wanted to be free and unfettered too. He desperately wanted it, but he simply couldn't achieve it!
"Master, you will definitely succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment!" This was Yulou.
"Definitely succeed! You'll definitely succeed!" This was Yu'an.
"Hahaha, we'll leave it to fate. I have nearly risked my entire fortune this time."
Yulou fell silent.
For the sake of Foundation Establishment, Hongmei had indeed nearly bankrupted himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't have permitted the two of them to borrow Forge Peak Residence to sell artifacts to outsiders.
At the time, the Wang Clan and Hongmei had a gentleman's agreement: Yulou and his brother could not refine and sell artifacts to outsiders while Hongmei was still alive.
But now, Hongmei couldn't care less about that. He needed the two brothers to prop up the business at Forge Peak Residence to alleviate his financial pressure and squeeze out more time for his Foundation Establishment preparations.
This even included their return yesterday to his former cave dwelling at Twin Dragon Mountain. It was the first time in many years that Hongmei had sought out rogue cultivators he used to know to sell artifacts.
Time was tight, and no matter how much he prepared, he constantly worried it wouldn't be enough. The plump Householder Redbrow might look relaxed on the surface, but his actions betrayed a deep, frantic urgency.
——
Morning arrived, and a white mountain mist gently draped over the emerald peaks along the riverbank.
A massive green river wound its way across the land. If the "dragons" in Twin Dragon Mountain were a bit of a stretch, the "dragon" in this Hidden Dragon River seemed incredibly fitting and justified.
The flying carriage artifact landed smoothly on Golden Wall Cliff beside the Hidden Dragon River. Here sat a market town completely unrecorded on any map—Hidden Dragon Market.
Stepping off the artifact, Yulou noticed many cultivators hovering in the air or clinging close to the cliff face, crowding the edges of Golden Wall Cliff. It seemed as though something special was about to happen.
"They are waiting for the Hidden Dragon Golden Light. Although the Hidden Dragon River is not a spiritual river, nor is it a spiritual object, Golden Wall Cliff is an eighth-grade spiritual object.
"Every morning, when the mountain mist around Golden Wall Cliff is scattered by the combined forces of the rising sun and the cliff's own golden radiance, it produces a unique spiritual tide known as the Hidden Dragon Golden Light.
"This spiritual tide is extraordinary. It can act as a spiritual primer for many types of talismans, far superior to gathering the Great Sun's purple energy for the same purpose."
Surprisingly, Hongmei had quite a few acquaintances here. He greeted people as he walked, eventually pointing at a general store.
"This is your clan's shop. The manager is named Wang Rongsheng. Do you two know him?"
Yulou was somewhat stunned.
Well, well, well. The Wang Clan truly was extraordinary—even dipping their fingers into illegal businesses.
The Immortal Alliance was too far away, while the Wang Clan was right next door. He finally understood why Wang Xianmao was so confident he could pull Hongmei into the Wang Clan after his Foundation Establishment.
The meaning of a deep-rooted heritage was once again tangibly displayed before Yulou's eyes.
"I've heard of him, but never met him. Clan Uncle Rongsheng left home to make his way in the world a long time ago," Yulou replied.
"Hahaha, go inside and wait for me. I'm going to talk business, and I'll take you back to Clear Stream Market in the afternoon."
Huh?
Watching Hongmei walk away without a backward glance, Yulou drew in a sharp breath.
Hidden Dragon Market was an illegal market town!
Master, aren't you being far too careless?
However, Hidden Dragon Market had the backing of people from the Immortal Alliance, as well as the Purple Palace faction, Wondrous Peak Mountain.
Its reputation was indeed formidable. Seeing the bustling crowds, it was no less lively than Clear Stream Market.
"Let's go. We should pay our respects to this clan uncle of ours. While we're at it, we can ask if he knows what kind of business Master is doing here."
With Yu'an in tow, Yulou stepped into the general store.
Right past the entrance was a large counter. Behind the counter stood several shelves, though they looked somewhat bare.
"What would the two Fellow Daoists like?" the shop assistant asked.
"We're looking for the manager. Is he available?"
Yulou asked calmly, discreetly observing the shop's interior.
"Just a moment." Seeing Yulou's striking appearance, the assistant didn't delay and quickly called Wang Rongsheng out.
Wang Rongsheng had the appearance of a thin old man with a cultivation base at early Qi Condensation. Dressed in a loose, flowing Daoist robe and sporting a well-groomed beard, he looked quite the part of a transcendent immortal.
"Hahaha, what business do you two young Daoists have with this old man?"
Wang Rongsheng hadn't returned to the clan in many years, so he didn't recognize Yulou or Yu'an.
Yu'an was already beginning to feel awkward, but Yulou actually found the situation quite amusing.
Meeting family far from home—what was there to be overly formal about?
They were all children of the Wang Clan; they were family.
"Uncle Rongsheng, I am Yulou, and this is Yu'an. We followed our master, Householder Redbrow, to Hidden Dragon Market for business today. Knowing you were here, we came specifically to pay our respects."
Wang Rongsheng stared blankly for a moment before realization dawned on him. He stepped out from behind the counter, looking rather annoyed.
"That bastard Redbrow, why did he bring you two here?!"
Noticing Yulou's slight embarrassment, he quickly explained.
"It's not that you aren't welcome here. Sigh, Redbrow is just acting like a fool!
"Times are different now. Valley Spirit Sect across the river and Wondrous Peak Mountain on this side are having friction. Everyone in Hidden Dragon Market is highly on edge."
"Master came to talk business. He brought us out of Clear Stream Market along the way to teach us support arts."
Yulou felt a sense of absurdity. After sixteen years of quiet cultivation since his transmigration, was he finally about to trigger the obligatory transmigrator trope where trouble followed wherever he went?
"Uncle Rongsheng, everything looks completely normal outside to me?" Yu'an was also somewhat puzzled.
Hidden Dragon Market had slightly fewer people than Clear Stream Market, but because it was built along the cliffside, its layout was more compact. It was just as bustling as Clear Stream Market, showing absolutely no signs of everyone being on edge.
"Valley Spirit Sect wants Golden Wall Cliff. They've already put out the word that they're going to attack Hidden Dragon Market soon."
Wang Rongsheng was highly irritated right now. Both Yulou and Yu'an were direct lineage disciples of the Wang Clan, and Qilin children at that.
He had never met the two children, but he knew of them.
A crisis could erupt at any moment, yet their unreliable master had actually brought them right into Hidden Dragon Market.
Redbrow, you truly are unreliable!
"Valley Spirit Sect is attacking Hidden Dragon Market? Then why are there still so many cultivators inside?" Yulou asked in shock.
With just three sentences, Wang Rongsheng completely shattered Yulou's newly formed understanding of the cultivation world under the control of the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Sects.
Valley Spirit Sect was a vassal of the Sky Serpent Sect, a sect established by a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator.
Behind Hidden Dragon Market was Wondrous Peak Mountain, a vassal of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, which also had a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator holding down the fort.
If a fight broke out here, wouldn't everything descend into complete chaos?
"This spiritual tide is quite extraordinary. It can serve as a spiritual conduit for various types of talismans, functioning far better than extracting the Great Sun Purple Qi for the same purpose."
Surprisingly, Hongmei had quite a few acquaintances here. He greeted people as he walked, eventually pointing at a general store.
"This is your family's shop. The manager's name is Wang Rongsheng. Do the two of you know him?"
Yulou was somewhat stunned.
Impressive. The Wang Clan was truly remarkable. They even had a hand in illicit businesses.
The Immortal Alliance was far away, but the Wang Clan was close at hand. He finally understood why Wang Xianmao was so confident he could rope Hongmei into the Wang Clan once he reached Foundation Establishment.
The true weight of a clan's legacy and heritage was once again displayed right before Yulou's eyes.
"I've heard of him, but I've never met him. Clan uncle Rongsheng left home to make his own way a very long time ago," Yulou replied.
"Hahaha, you two go inside and wait for me. I'm going to negotiate a business deal. I'll take you back to Clear Stream Market this afternoon."
What?
Watching Hongmei walk away without even looking back, Yulou drew a sharp breath.
Hidden Dragon Market was an illicit market town!
Master, aren't you being a bit too careless?
However, Hidden Dragon Market was backed by people from the Immortal Alliance, as well as the Purple Palace faction, Wondrous Peak Mountain.
Its reputation was indeed formidable. The sheer volume of people bustling back and forth made it look just as prosperous as Clear Stream Market.
"Let's go. We'll head inside and pay our respects to this clan uncle of ours, and while we're at it, ask if he knows what kind of business Master is doing here."
Taking Yu'an along, Yulou stepped into the general store.
Just inside the entrance was a large counter with display shelves situated behind it, though they looked somewhat bare.
"What would the two Fellow Daoists like to buy?" a shop assistant asked.
"We're looking for the manager. Is he available?"
Yulou observed the layout of the shop, asking the question without changing his expression.
"Just a moment." Seeing Yulou's extraordinary bearing, the assistant didn't delay and quickly went to fetch Wang Rongsheng.
Wang Rongsheng was a thin, elderly man with an early Qi Condensation cultivation base. He wore a loose, flowing dharma robe and sported a fine beard, giving him quite the air of an immortal.
"Hahaha, what business do you two young Daoist friends have with this old man?"
Having been away from the clan for many years, Wang Rongsheng did not recognize Yulou or Yu'an.
Yu'an was already beginning to feel awkward, but Yulou actually found the situation quite amusing.
Running into relatives in a foreign land—what was there to be shy about?
They were all children of the Wang Clan; they were family.
"Uncle Rongsheng, I am Yulou, and this is Yu'an. Today, we accompanied our master, Householder Redbrow, to Hidden Dragon Market to discuss business. Knowing you were here, we came specifically to pay our respects."
Wang Rongsheng was startled at first, then realization dawned on him. He stepped out from behind the counter, looking exasperated as he spoke.
"That bastard Redbrow! Why would he bring you two here of all places!"
Seeing the slightly awkward expression on Yulou's face, he quickly explained.
"It's not that you aren't welcome. Sigh, Redbrow is just fooling around!
"Things aren't like they used to be. The Valley Spirit Sect across the river has clashed with Wondrous Peak Mountain on this side. Everyone in Hidden Dragon Market is deeply on edge."
"Master came to negotiate a business deal and brought us out of Clear Stream Market along the way to teach us support arts."
Yulou found it a bit cliché. After transmigrating and cultivating quietly for sixteen years, was he finally going to trigger the mandatory 'trouble follows the transmigrator everywhere' trope?
"Uncle Rongsheng, things look perfectly normal outside to me," Yu'an chimed in, looking confused.
Hidden Dragon Market had slightly fewer people than Clear Stream Market, but it was built tightly along the cliffside, making its prosperity comparable. There was no sign of panic or tension anywhere.
"The Valley Spirit Sect wants Golden Wall Cliff. They have already let the word out—they're going to attack Hidden Dragon Market soon."
Wang Rongsheng was incredibly annoyed. Both Yulou and Yu'an were direct lineage disciples of the Wang Clan, and Qilin children at that.
He hadn't met these two kids before, but he certainly knew of them.
A crisis could erupt at any moment, yet their unreliable master had brought them straight into Hidden Dragon Market.
Redbrow, you are truly unreliable!
"The Valley Spirit Sect is attacking Hidden Dragon Market? Then why are there still so many cultivators here?"
Yulou asked in shock.
With just three sentences, Wang Rongsheng had completely shattered Yulou's newly formed understanding of a cultivation world firmly controlled by the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Sects.
The Valley Spirit Sect was a vassal of the Sky Serpent Sect, a faction established by a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator.
Behind Hidden Dragon Market stood Wondrous Peak Mountain, a vassal of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, which also had a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator holding the fort.
If they actually started fighting, wouldn't the whole region fall into complete chaos?