Chapter 60
Translator: T_Fan
Fifteen days later.
A massive flying boat was soaring beneath the clouds.
There were twelve cultivators aboard in all. Along with Lee Hyun and Fang Jiyun, they were Foundation Establishment cultivators selected from several peaks of the Inner Alchemy Court. Some were skilled at appraising and transplanting spirit plants, while others had mainly been responsible for examining old pill recipes and medicinal ingredients.
The Elders had divided up the list sent by Qinghe Valley and assigned their respective disciples to inspect the items.
The leader of the group was Xu Zhenyue, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator with extensive experience in external dealings and escort missions.
Lee Hyun sat to one side of the deck and read the jade slip again.
「Tier 2 Poison-Warding Pill recipe and detoxification notes.
Tier 2 Spirit-Calming Pill recipe.
Fragment concerning the harvesting and drying of yin-aspected spirit plants…」
Spirit-Calming Pill.
The name had caught his attention ever since he first read the list before their departure.
Long ago, Senior Brother Lu had told him that Yin Soul Grass was the main ingredient in the Spirit-Calming Pill. It was used to calm the mind and treat heart demons and qi deviation, and it could also temper the primordial spirit and divine sense.
Yet he had been unable to find the pill recipe in the Danxiao Sect’s Pill Recipe Pavilion.
‘So Qinghe Valley still had the pill recipe.’
Lee Hyun recalled the report Gray Mountain Goat had submitted to the Two Heavens Society more than seventy years ago.
– Purple Poison Orchid is indeed one of the main ingredients in the Poison-Warding Pill. Of the nearby places that practice alchemy for Poison-Warding Pills, Qinghe Valley in the Great Yan Kingdom is the closest. However, we found no information suggesting that Qinghe Valley uses Bone-Rot Flowers or Yin Soul Grass.
At the time, Lee Hyun had wondered whether Qinghe Valley had lost some of its pill recipes over the years.
‘Do they have the pill recipe but no longer use it for alchemy? Or was the investigation back then simply wrong….’
Either way, he would find out once he went there himself.
When Lee Hyun withdrew his divine sense from the jade slip, Fang Jiyun, who had been sorting documents beside him, handed him a sheet of paper.
“These are the ones you’ll be responsible for.”
Beside the names of the medicinal ingredients and inheritances were the items he was expected to inspect.
Most were yin-aspected spirit plants and highly toxic medicinal ingredients, and the Spirit-Calming Pill recipe was included near the bottom.
Lee Hyun had specifically asked to inspect the Spirit-Calming Pill recipe himself, if nothing else, and fortunately his request had been accepted.
The fact that he had already learned the Poison-Warding Pill recipe and could compare methods for processing toxic medicinal ingredients seemed to have helped as well.
“If we have to read an inheritance to inspect it, what happens to the contribution points?”
“For inheritances our sect already possesses, the task was assigned to those who had formally accessed them before. As for the ones we’re considering purchasing, whoever is designated as the inspector gets to read them.”
Fang Jiyun pointed to the small seal near the bottom of the paper.
“Even if an inheritance you inspect is later registered, you won’t have to pay contribution points to access it separately. Consider that one of the rewards for this mission. But you mustn’t pass around and read anything assigned to someone else.”
“Understood.”
“And don’t overlook flaws just because you like an inheritance. If we end up buying something useless, the person who inspected it will have to answer for it.”
Lee Hyun nodded, folded the paper, and put it in his storage pouch.
He would get to read new pill recipes and receive a mission reward on top of that. This outing was turning out better than expected.
He placed the jade slip against his forehead again.
…
A little over ten days later.
The flying boat entered the mountain range of the southwestern Great Yan Kingdom.
Steep mountains and deep valleys stretched endlessly below. Through clouds clinging to the mountainsides, scattered villages and terraced fields came into view.
Lee Hyun walked to the edge of the deck.
In the distance stood two peaks that seemed to lean toward each other, with a thin stream running between them.
It was terrain he remembered.
As the flying boat passed between the peaks, a broad valley appeared.
Qinghe Valley.
‘It’s been a long time…’
The peaks lining the valley did not look very different from what he remembered. Yet many of the spirit fields that had once covered the mountainsides were now overgrown with trees and weeds.
Only the tiered stone walls remained to show that fields had once been there.
Fang Jiyun came up beside him.
“It seems even those outer peaks used to be covered entirely in spirit fields.”
As the flying boat approached Qinghe Valley’s main mountain, two streaks of spirit light rose from the Mountain Gate and flew toward them. They carried the spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“Are you fellow Daoists from the Danxiao Sect?”
Xu Zhenyue stepped forward.
“I am Xu Zhenyue of the Inner Alchemy Court. We came after receiving the letter sent by the Valley Master of Qinghe Valley.”
He held out his identity token and the sealed letter. After checking the seal, the Qinghe Valley cultivator clasped his hands.
“You’ve had a long journey. The Valley Master is waiting for you.”
…
The flying boat landed on a stone platform inside the Mountain Gate.
Several people were waiting in front of the platform, including an elderly white-haired cultivator.
The elderly cultivator, whose back was straight and eyes were clear, clasped his hands first.
“I am Wei Qingshan, Valley Master of Qinghe Valley. Thank you for coming such a long way.”
Lee Hyun could sense the aura of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
Xu Zhenyue and the other Danxiao Sect cultivators returned the greeting.
As greetings were exchanged, Lee Hyun studied the people standing behind Wei Qingshan.
They appeared to be Qinghe Valley’s Elders. Few looked young, and many had white hair and beards.
Wei Qingshan smiled.
“Please, come inside first.”
…
Old fragrant trees lined the path as the group followed Wei Qingshan. When Lee Hyun spotted a lecture hall with a blue-tiled roof beyond them, his steps slowed for a moment.
It was where newly admitted disciples had once gathered to practice Drawing Qi into the Body.
Several children around ten years old were sitting inside the open doors. When the middle-aged cultivator standing before them conjured a small cloud above his fingertips, all the children looked up at once.
A few drops of rain fell from the cloud.
Lee Hyun unconsciously glanced to the right.
That path had once led to the Outer Gate residences, but a stone wall now blocked the way.
While he was looking away, the Qinghe Valley cultivator walking ahead extended a hand to the left.
“This way.”
…
Tea and spirit fruits had already been set out in the Guest Hall.
Qinghe Valley disciples showed them to their seats and poured tea. Once all the visiting cultivators were seated, Wei Qingshan took his place across from them.
The tea carried a faint grassy fragrance.
Lee Hyun took a sip and set down his cup.
He had never entered this hall before. As an outer disciple back then, he would never have had any reason to come to a place like this.
Wei Qingshan spoke.
“Would you like to examine the goods first? Or would you prefer to rest today and begin tomorrow…?”
“We’ll hear a brief explanation of the situation first, and if there’s time left, we’ll inspect the Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse.”
Xu Zhenyue took out the letter.
“This is the list our sect received. Has anything changed since then?”
“A few things have been added.”
Wei Qingshan glanced at an Elder seated beside him, and the Elder handed over a new list.
Xu Zhenyue spread the two lists side by side. At first, his eyes moved rapidly down the writing, but before long, his gaze stopped.
“You intend to part with these mother plants as well?”
“Yes.”
“Even the Seed Storehouse reserves….”
Xu Zhenyue looked up.
“If you put all of these up for sale, won’t it be difficult to prepare for the next harvest?”
Wei Qingshan did not answer immediately. One of the Qinghe Valley Elders seated beside him fidgeted with his teacup.
After a moment, Wei Qingshan spoke.
“That is why I have one more request for you fellow Daoists. Our valley does not intend to receive the entire payment in spirit stones.”
Xu Zhenyue removed his hand from the list.
“Then what do you seek?”
Wei Qingshan slowly swept his gaze across the Danxiao Sect cultivators.
“Could you take in the cultivators of our valley as well?”
“……”
The sound of someone setting down a teacup seemed unusually loud.
Wei Qingshan continued.
“Our valley currently has a little over five hundred disciples. Seventeen of us, myself included, are Foundation Establishment cultivators. Many work in spirit-plant cultivation, but we also have people skilled in alchemy and the processing of medicinal ingredients.”
He pointed to the new list.
“We will hand over the medicinal ingredients, mother plants, seeds, and the inheritances that remain in our valley. In return, I hope the Danxiao Sect can provide these people with a place where they can work and continue their cultivation.”
Xu Zhenyue stared at Wei Qingshan for a long moment.
“Valley Master Wei. There was nothing about this in the letter.”
“I know.”
“We came here to appraise and purchase goods. We don’t have the authority to accept the cultivators of your valley into our sect…”
Wei Qingshan nodded.
“I am not asking you to agree here and now. First, please see what remains in our valley. Afterward, I ask only that you convey our wishes to the Elders of your sect.”
He paused briefly before adding,
“It was my fault for not making this clear from the beginning.”
Xu Zhenyue’s expression turned serious.
“If our sect refuses your request, do you intend to refuse to sell the goods as well? Surely you don’t think we came all this way because we have nothing better to do.”
“Please don’t worry. The sale of the goods can be discussed separately. Still… I thought it was a request worth making at least once.”
One of the accompanying Danxiao Sect cultivators asked,
“Are things in your valley truly that difficult?”
Wei Qingshan looked out the window for a moment before giving a bitter smile.
“It has already been a long time since our valley produced a Golden Core cultivator. Our younger disciples keep leaving, and now even demon beasts from the distant seas are being driven toward the coast. I sensed that our valley’s fortunes were nearing their end. But that does not mean the immortal path of everyone here must end along with it, does it? We have many talented children.”
The Guest Hall fell silent. Lee Hyun stared at the small leaf floating in his teacup.
Xu Zhenyue spoke again.
“I understand your intentions, Valley Master Wei. However, there is no guarantee that every cultivator from your valley will become a formal disciple of our sect.”
Wei Qingshan nodded.
“We do not expect equal treatment from the beginning. We would even accept being assigned to a separate Outer Gate Herb Garden. I only hope that if they accumulate contributions and prove their skills, there will be a path for them to learn inheritances and receive pills.”
Xu Zhenyue considered this for a moment.
“I will relay those conditions exactly as you’ve stated them. But whatever we may tell the sect after returning, we must inspect the goods first.”
Some of the tension left Wei Qingshan’s expression.
“Of course.”
Xu Zhenyue folded the new list.
“Then we’ll begin with the Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse. The appraisal and access to the inheritances will proceed as agreed in the letter.”
“Very well.”
Wei Qingshan rose from his seat.
…
The Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding Qinghe Valley’s Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse bowed to Wei Qingshan.
Wei Qingshan nodded.
“Elder Lu. Open the storehouse for our fellow Daoists.”
“I am Lu Jingshou. I will guide you through the medicinal ingredients and the living mother plants.”
He appeared to be a little over fifty. Lee Hyun’s gaze lingered on his face for a moment.
‘Lu?’
It wasn’t merely that they shared the same surname. His face looked remarkably familiar.
‘Genes really are incredible…. I can’t believe Senior Brother Lu actually has a distant descendant still living here!’
Lee Hyun studied Lu Jingshou’s face once more. It fascinated him that such a similar face could still exist after so many years. He instinctively knew that, one way or another, Lu Jingshou carried Senior Brother Lu’s bloodline.
Lu Jingshou inserted his identity token into a groove beside the stone door.
Hummm―
The seal released, and the stone door opened.
Jade caskets and medicine bottles sat on the stone shelves within, each with its own wooden tag hanging in front.
The Danxiao Sect cultivators began comparing the ledgers against the actual stock and examining the quality of the stored spirit plants.
While checking the spirit plants against the list, Lee Hyun discovered that Qinghe Valley no longer cultivated Bone-Rot Flowers or Yin Soul Grass.
…
The next day.
A small stone chamber beside the Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse.
A jade slip and a thin book rested on the table.
They contained the Tier 2 Spirit-Calming Pill recipe and its annotations.
Lee Hyun picked up the jade slip and poured his divine sense into it, and the contents of the pill recipe entered his consciousness.
After the Spirit-Calming Pill’s effects and instructions for use came a list of its main ingredient and supplementary medicinal ingredients.
At the very top was Yin Soul Grass with a medicine age exceeding two hundred years.
Lee Hyun read through the pill recipe and annotations in order, committing their contents to memory. Whenever he encountered an ambiguous passage, he asked the Qinghe Valley cultivator beside him for clarification.
About half a shichen (about one hour) had passed when a commotion broke out outside.
Having memorized the entire pill recipe, Lee Hyun went outside with the Qinghe Valley cultivator.
‘What’s going on?’
…
A flying boat had landed on the stone platform in front of Qinghe Valley’s Guest Hall, its white sail bearing the image of a blue cloud.
‘That’s…’
Lee Hyun had seen that emblem back when he lived as a woodcutter in White Wood Village. Much later, he had also seen it inside the torn robe of the cultivator who attacked him.
‘The Azure Cloud Sect?’
The Azure Cloud Sect was a great sect of the Xuan Kingdom, located beyond the northeastern reaches of the Great Yan Kingdom.
From the perspective of the Kun Kingdom, the Xuan Kingdom was a large cultivation nation to the northwest. The Great Yan Kingdom, however, lay along the southern frontier of its sphere of influence.
When Lee Hyun entered the Guest Hall, he found thirteen Azure Cloud Sect cultivators already seated.
The middle-aged cultivator seated deepest inside rose and greeted Xu Zhenyue. He gave off the same aura of Foundation Establishment Great Perfection as Wei Qingshan.
“I am Shi Zhenheng of the Azure Cloud Sect’s External Affairs Hall.”
“I am Xu Zhenyue of the Danxiao Sect’s Inner Alchemy Court.”
“You’ve come a long way.”
Shi Zhenheng waited until the Danxiao Sect cultivators had taken their seats.
Lee Hyun sat beside Fang Jiyun as well.
Wei Qingshan lifted the teapot, but Shi Zhenheng raised a hand to decline.
“It seemed something was happening in Qinghe Valley, so I came to see for myself. But I found that the fellow Daoists of the Danxiao Sect had already arrived.”
“We received a letter and came to conduct an appraisal.”
“I hear you’re not merely selling medicinal ingredients, but parting with the mother plants and seeds as well? And the spirit-plant cultivators are going to the Kun Kingdom with them.”
Wei Qingshan’s hand froze around the teapot.
Xu Zhenyue’s expression did not change.
“We have merely received a request from Valley Master Wei regarding that matter. Our sect has not decided anything yet.”
“Then that’s fortunate. We can discuss it before anything is decided.”
Shi Zhenheng looked at Wei Qingshan.
“Valley Master Wei. If your Mountain Gate in the Great Yan Kingdom has fallen on hard times, shouldn’t you have discussed the matter with the fellow Daoists of the Xuan Kingdom first?”
“It is not as though we never discussed it.”
Wei Qingshan’s voice grew slightly harder.
“Under the conditions your sect offered, the cultivators of our valley would find it difficult to continue practicing their skills and cultivation.”
The Guest Hall fell silent.
Wei Qingshan looked directly at Shi Zhenheng.
“Our valley has long devoted itself to spirit-plant cultivation and alchemy. We are looking for a place where our people can continue learning those arts. There is nowhere more suitable than the Danxiao Sect.”
“So to open that path, you intend to hand the Xuan Kingdom’s spirit-plant cultivators and mother plants over to the Kun Kingdom?”
Wei Qingshan replied.
“It is true that our valley lies within the Great Yan Kingdom. But the Great Yan Kingdom is merely a division of the mundane world, and this place is a rugged backwater where the cultivation world of the Xuan Kingdom has never extended its reach. In truth, doesn’t Qinghe Valley have little connection to the Xuan Kingdom?”
One of the cultivators seated behind Shi Zhenheng set down his teacup.
Clack.
The brief sound echoed through the Guest Hall.
Xu Zhenyue glanced in that direction before speaking.
“Fellow Daoist Shi. Our sect is inspecting these goods at Qinghe Valley’s request. The terms of any purchase have not even been decided. If you have something to say on behalf of the Azure Cloud Sect, then say it clearly.”
“Very well. Then I will speak plainly.”
Shi Zhenheng’s gaze turned toward the transport crates lined up beneath the eaves.
“If this were merely a few boxes of medicinal ingredients changing hands, we would have no reason to involve ourselves. But if the mother plants, seeds, and the people who cultivated them all leave at once, that is another matter.”
“And who decides where that line is drawn?”
“This is happening in the Great Yan Kingdom. I am saying that the circumstances of the Xuan Kingdom’s cultivation world must also be considered. We should find a way to settle this without turning against one another.”
Silence lingered in the Guest Hall for a moment.
One of the Azure Cloud Sect cultivators leaned slightly forward.
“It seems your sect hasn’t decided what it intends to take yet either. We should inspect the goods as well. We need to know whether we’re interested in the same things, don’t we?”
Xu Zhenyue looked at Wei Qingshan.
The goods belonged to Qinghe Valley.
Wei Qingshan thought for a moment before nodding.
“You may inspect them. However, sealed items must be opened in the presence of the person responsible for them.”
Shi Zhenheng called to one of the Azure Cloud Sect cultivators.
“Steward Wen. Take a few people and check the items marked on the list. Look through the scattered records as well.”
“Understood.”
The man, a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator, bowed his head and left the Guest Hall with two other Azure Cloud Sect cultivators.
Fang Jiyun sent Lee Hyun a voice transmission.
[Go back and continue what you were doing. If they try to move any of the goods, tell me.]
Lee Hyun nodded and rose from his seat.
…
When he reached the Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse, Lu Jingshou rose from where he had been crouching in front of a mother plant.
Lee Hyun asked,
“May I continue inspecting them?”
“Of course.”
Lu Jingshou glanced toward the Guest Hall.
“What did the Azure Cloud Sect ask for?”
“They’re still discussing it. For now, they said they want to inspect the goods as well.”
“I see…”
Lu Jingshou’s expression darkened slightly.
“Do you intend to go to the Danxiao Sect as well, Fellow Daoist Lu?”
“If they’ll take me, I’d like to go.”
Having answered so quickly, Lu Jingshou scratched his head with a slightly sheepish look.
…
Some time later.
Raised voices came from outside.
“You were told to inspect the goods, not take them away!”
It was Lu Jingshou’s voice. A heavy impact followed.
Boom!
Lee Hyun headed outside while sending a voice-transmission talisman to Fang Jiyun.
One of the Azure Cloud Sect cultivators was using a technique to levitate two wooden cases and move them toward the flying boat.
In front of the Medicinal Ingredient Storehouse, two Danxiao Sect cultivators stood with Lu Jingshou behind them, blocking the way. One used a shield to withstand Steward Wen’s palm force, while the other’s flying sword knocked aside the silver needles of an Azure Cloud Sect female cultivator.
Clang! Clang-clang!
Ripples spread across the surface of the shield every time Steward Wen’s sleeve moved.
“We’re only taking them to our flying boat for appraisal. We’ll return them when we’re done, so move aside.”
“Not even a dog would believe that.”
The Danxiao Sect cultivator holding the shield replied,
“If your sect puts a price on them and then decides to take them, how exactly are we supposed to get them back?”
Steward Wen of the Azure Cloud Sect refused to back down.
“Keep moving them.”
At the Azure Cloud Sect cultivator’s gesture, the wooden cases floated over the steps.
At that moment, Lee Hyun reached out and seized a corner of the case in front.
Hummm―
The wooden case slicing through the air stopped dead, as though nailed in place.
The Azure Cloud Sect cultivator radiating the spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment Stage 3 twitched an eyebrow. He had narrow, sharp eyes and thin lips.
“Let go.”
Instead of answering, Lee Hyun forced the wooden case downward. The instant it settled onto the ground, a blue flying sword shot from the man’s sleeve like a flash of light, aiming to sever the wrist gripping the case in one stroke.
“Watch out!”
At his fellow disciple’s shout, two streaks of silver curved through the air from Lee Hyun’s right. They were the silver needles of the female cultivator, who had been watching for an opening beyond the shield.
Instead of dodging, Lee Hyun punched with his right fist.
Clang!
His fist, wrapped in spirit light, struck the flat of the incoming flying sword at an angle. The flying sword was knocked aside, spinning half a turn before striking the two incoming silver needles out of the air.
Clang! Clatter!
Lee Hyun shot through the scattering sparks like a bolt of lightning.
The man flinched and hurriedly formed a hand seal, but Lee Hyun had already slipped deep inside his guard.
The man hastily thrust his left palm toward Lee Hyun’s chest. Spirit light gathered brilliantly in the center of his palm.
Shing―
Lee Hyun drew the Profound Gate Sword while knocking the man’s wrist outward with his left hand. At the same time, he slammed the back of the blade into the inside of the man’s elbow.
Crack!
The deflected palm force smashed into the stone floor beside their feet.
Lee Hyun immediately folded the man’s arm and yanked him forward. At the same time, he kicked out the man’s front knee to break his balance and drove the end of the sword hilt into his chest.
Boom!
The body-protecting spirit light shattered with a sharp burst. The man’s body flew into the air, and he spat blood as he tumbled five or six paces across the stone floor.
The man struggled, but could not immediately rise. His blue flying sword also lost its luster and hung listlessly in the air.
Clatter!
The dimmed flying sword rolled to Lee Hyun’s feet.
At the seamless barrage of attacks, Lu Jingshou involuntarily sucked in a breath.
“How dare you!”
The instant Steward Wen’s attention snapped toward his fallen fellow disciple, the Danxiao Sect cultivator drove his shield forward.
Boom!
Steward Wen was forced two or three steps down the stairs.
The fellow disciple holding the shield looked at Lee Hyun.
“Fine work, Junior Brother Li!”
At that moment, more than ten streaks of spirit light surged into the air from the direction of the Guest Hall. Foundation Establishment cultivators from both the Danxiao Sect and the Azure Cloud Sect erupted with spiritual pressure as they flew toward them.
****
TL Note: With this, we have caught up with the latest release, including the 10 advance chapters. I’ll be releasing 1 chapter daily from now on, as the original author is releasing 1 chapter daily. If there is any delay or a day off, I’ll make an announcement on Discord, so make sure to join. Thanks!
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