Chapter 118: Chapter 7: Brief Interaction and Conflict

In this world, no matter where you go, there are always factions and regional divisions. For instance, if chaos were to engulf Zhongzhou, it would immediately fracture into regions like the south, the north, the Southwest, and the Northwest.

When people travel far from home, they usually introduce themselves by their largest region. But on their own turf, these territories are subdivided into various roads, and then each prefecture has its own allies and rivals.

And to most sects on Nanlin Road, Wenhai was an outsider, so his arrival was not well-received.

But there was no way Wang Ping would fall for Hongchen’s obvious attempt to sow discord. He calmly watched Wenhai pay his respects below. Then, to his surprise, he saw the Cultivators from Ningde Prefecture’s Single Saber Sect actually stand up to greet Wenhai.

Wang Ping wasn’t the only one surprised; the Cultivators from the other sects present all showed their astonishment. But no one stood up to say anything at such an occasion. They simply watched with cold indifference as Wenhai took his seat.

Hongchen leaned over and continued whispering in Wang Ping’s ear, "The Single Saber Sect has a Second Realm Artifact Cultivator. It seems our Friend Wenhai has found himself a powerful ally."

Wang Ping glanced at Hongchen and chuckled. "A pity that the Daoist Scripture Hall now governs the world. No matter how high a realm an Artifact Cultivator reaches, they can only sit around and stagnate."

Artifact Cultivators are different from other Cultivators. In the Second Realm, their combat prowess is ferocious, and one can take on several ordinary Second Realm Cultivators. However, the process of advancing is excruciatingly painful. In a hundred years, you might not even see ten people succeed across all of Zhongzhou.

As for the Third Realm beyond that... currently, all Artifact Cultivators in the entire Cultivation Realm are stuck at the Third Realm. The Artifact Cultivators of that realm are all madmen!

Everyone had arrived, but the assembly still didn’t officially begin. Today was merely a transitional day. After everyone met and exchanged some pleasantries, they departed to rest and await the official start of the assembly tomorrow.

The small courtyard where the members of Qianmu Temple were resting was located midway up a high peak, offering a perfect view of the beautiful mountain range.

The group had just settled in when Yuan Qing of Three Flames Temple arrived with his disciple to pay a visit. He was followed by Li Xingwen of the Pingdong Sect. The two rivals had somehow come together.

Yu Cheng Taoist served them fine tea.

"This tea smells wonderful," Li Xingwen remarked.

"My disciple happened upon a method for roasting tea, so I had the tea farmers at the foot of the mountain try making some," Yu Cheng Taoist explained simply.

"The flavor is also unique. Bitter at first, but with a sweet aftertaste." Yuan Qing’s eyes lit up after a sip. He looked at Wang Ping and said, "This tea truly captures the spirit of our Taoist Family."

"No matter how good the spirit, it’s wasted in the hands of you lot from Three Flames Temple," Li Xingwen retorted instinctively.

"Alright now, after all these years, are you two still holding a grudge over that trivial matter?"

As Yu Cheng mediated, he refilled their cups. He then looked at Yuan Qing and asked, "Your senior brother, Yuan Qing, rendered considerable merit for his work at Yongming Port last time. I kept hearing that the Daoist Scripture Hall intended to promote him to the Second Realm. How come there’s been no news since?"

Hearing this, Wang Ping recalled what Yuanqing Taoist looked like. He then glanced at Mars, who stood behind Yuan Qing. At the time, he had only thought Mars and Yuanqing Taoist were particularly close, assuming it was a senior Fire Spirit Cultivator helping a junior. He never expected them to be from the same sect.

"They considered it, but after the Daoist Scripture Hall assessed my senior brother, they felt his condition gave him too low a chance of successfully advancing," Yuan Qing said, shaking his head with regret.

Li Xingwen looked like he wanted to make a sarcastic comment, but he must have thought better of it, swallowing the words on the tip of his tongue.

To an ordinary Qi Cultivator, an Entering Cultivator is a god-like being, high and mighty. But they, too, face the same problems and hardships as any Qi Cultivator.

"Did you two come all this way just to complain to me?" Yu Cheng Taoist asked.

"Well, it’s like this..." Yuan Qing said, speaking before Li Xingwen could. "I heard that you acquired a great formation from a Demon Race ruin that can improve one’s innate constitution?"

Yu Cheng Taoist glanced at the two of them. "That’s right, there is such a thing. However, this doesn’t seem like the right time or place to discuss it, does it?"

"I was being presumptuous..."

Yuan Qing picked up his teacup in embarrassment. Li Xingwen, beside him, also chose to remain silent.

...

At the gate of the small mountain stream courtyard.

Led by Yu Cheng Taoist, Wang Ping saw Yuan Qing and Li Xingwen off. After returning and sitting back down, Yu Cheng asked, "What do you think?"

"It was only a matter of time before the news leaked. As long as they can pay the right price, there’s no reason we can’t agree. The situation in the world today can change in an instant; one more friend is one more path to take."

"You’re not wrong, but all transactions have a prerequisite. The current prerequisite is my presence at Qianmu Temple. In the future..." Yu Cheng Taoist stared at Wang Ping, "the future will depend on you."

"Yes!"

Wang Ping replied softly.

Yu Cheng Taoist said no more. He rose, found a random room, and went inside to rest, awaiting the next day’s assembly.

Wang Ping picked up the boiled kettle, discarded the old tea leaves, and prepared to brew a new pot to pass the time.

Just then, Yu Lian emerged from his sleeve and said, "Wenhai’s malice toward you is very obvious! He has an Earth Spirit Spiritual Artifact with him, and its spiritual sense is extremely strong. And that Li Xingwen—his divine soul and consciousness are almost connected to the earth itself. I feel he’s a little stronger than you."

Wang Ping listened quietly to the intelligence Yu Lian had gathered, then said, "Can’t you be a little bolder?"

"It’s my instinct! It’s not a question of being bold or not," Yu Lian retorted, climbing onto the tea table and pointing at a cup. "Pour me a cup, too."

At that moment, Liu Shuang came out of an adjacent room and said to Wang Ping, "Master, this disciple has some friends at Sanhe Temple and would like to go visit them."

"Mm, go ahead."

Wang Ping waved his hand magnanimously.

Liu Shuang had just left when Liang Tao also emerged from his room, followed by two other disciples. He said, "Martial Uncle, I’ve made plans with two Fellow Daoists from Sanhe Temple to go hiking and drinking."

"Alright. Don’t get drunk and stay out, understand?"

"Yes!"

Watching Liang Tao’s departing figure, a flash of envy crossed Wang Ping’s mind, but it passed just as quickly. He calmly brewed his tea, making idle chit-chat with Yu Lian.

Before he knew it, the sky had grown dark.

Liang Tao was the first to return, reeking of alcohol. Liu Shuang followed later. As she walked into the courtyard, Wang Ping sensed a heavy, hostile aura about her and asked, "What happened?"

"I was just about to report to you, Master..."

Liu Shuang bowed and said, "While I was sparring with two Fellow Daoists from Sanhe Temple at the training grounds, we were provoked by the Single Saber Sect. A conflict broke out, and during the fight, I failed to control my emotions and broke the left arm of one of their disciples."

...

Wang Ping frowned slightly and asked, "They provoked you first?"

Liu Shuang nodded. "Yes!"

"Alright. It’s fine. Go back and rest for now."

Liu Shuang was taken aback. She had expected her master to scold her for her lack of mental cultivation, or at the very least, punish her by making her copy the Mental Tranquility Technique ten times. She never thought he would let her off so easily.

"What do you think is going on?" Wang Ping asked Yu Lian after Liu Shuang had returned to her room.

"I don’t know. Should I go teach them a lesson?"

"No need. In any case, we’re not the ones who lost out. Let’s wait and see what they’re up to."

This was Sanhe Temple. If Wang Ping really wanted to make trouble for the Single Saber Sect, it would be a simple matter. However, doing so would likely be playing right into their hands.

Just as he was pondering this, a set of footsteps approached from outside the courtyard gate.

It wasn’t disciples from the Single Saber Sect—they weren’t that foolish. It was Guangxuan, dressed in a Daoist Robe. He stopped politely before the two Qi Cultivators guarding the gate.