Chapter 207: Chapter 96: Taking Stock of Assets and the Spring Festival Gathering

Shen Xiaozhu was quite diligent in her cultivation. Coupled with the fact that she had already developed a sense of qi, she mastered the Chang Chun Technique in just half a month.

But Wang Ping didn’t give her a new Cultivation Technique. Instead, he had her continue practicing the Chang Chun Technique every day, with Yu Lian supervising her. He also had the Pill Hall provide her with special medicine to regulate her qi and soothe the meridians disrupted by her martial arts practice.

Before he knew it, another Chinese New Year was approaching. Liu Shuang needed to tend to her state of mind this year, so she likely wouldn’t be coming to the Mountain Peak Dojo. His Second Senior Brother, Liu Zixiu, was currently on a lecture tour and had been invited to the Royal Family’s banquet in Shangjing City for the New Year, so he wouldn’t be coming to the Dao Field either.

The people confirmed to be coming this year were Hu Qianqian, Su Hai, Wang Li, Guangxuan of Sanhe Temple, and Liu Chang, as well as Wang Ping’s two grand-disciples, Liu Ling and Zhao Yu’Er.

On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Wang Ping was suddenly struck by a whim and decided to take stock of his personal assets.

First were his savings. He had seven to eight million taels of silver, though it was difficult to get an exact count. Part of it was physical silver stored at Baisui Lake and the Mountain Peak Dojo, and the rest was in promissory notes, which were a bit disorganized. Most of these notes were from his own Daoist Temple Bank.

After his savings came the Spirit Wood. He had six pieces that were over a thousand years old, which he had acquired at a high price over the last two years. He also had more than six hundred pieces that were over a century old. Most of those were a gift from Taishan from when he last left Ningzhou Road, while a small portion had been harvested from his own garden.

Wang Ping planned to use Ten Thousand Year Spirit Wood to forge weapons for the Golden Armor Soldiers. A single piece of such wood cost over one million taels of silver and was something money couldn’t always buy. He had already tasked the Daoist Scripture Hall with acquiring some for him, but so far, no one had responded.

Then, his most valuable assets were the various Secret Techniques and Arrays he had acquired for free using his light screen panel.

The Arrays included the Yin-Yang Body Refining Array, the Nine Extremes Array, the Mystic Sect Eight-Union Alchemy Array, the Two Yang Sealing Array, and the Aethereal Void Art.

The first two Arrays were already in use, and the third would be implemented within the next decade. As for the fourth, the hundreds of portable Sealing Arrays he now carried were simplified versions derived from it. Finally, construction based on the Aethereal Void Art was also underway.

His Secret Techniques included the Taiyin Demon Seal, the first two volumes of the Essence Wood Technique, the extremely practical True Thunder Thunder Law Altar, and the Five Elements Condensation Art, which had brought him immense wealth.

As for his Demon Soldiers, the "Void Escape" he had used initially was now completely useless to him. He planned to give it to Shen Xiaozhu when she eventually went out to gain experience.

Next were the Water Moon Bell and the Purgatory Banner; these two Demon Soldiers were his current mainstays. There was also the small gray flag he had obtained from the Mouse Demon Liu San. He had never used it, as its function overlapped with the Purgatory Banner, and it wasn’t as effective. He could give it to Shen Xiaozhu as well.

’I need to stock up on some Wood Spirit-attribute Spiritual Objects or Celestial and Earthly Treasures.’ After tallying his assets, Wang Ping felt they were a little pathetic.

"I’m even more pathetic than you. I only have a Water-Control Pearl," Yu Lian said as she landed on Wang Ping’s shoulder.

"Then is there something you want?"

"That sounds like too much trouble. The Water-Control Pearl is enough for me," Yu Lian replied casually. A Spirit Pet’s greatest strength was its resonance with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi; external objects were often less useful than their innate spiritual connection.

"Besides, I don’t have anywhere to put it." Yu Lian nuzzled her head against Wang Ping’s cheek, then flew off on a cloud toward Shen Xiaozhu. She seemed to be paying special attention to the girl.

Wang Ping put away his storage pouch and glanced at the roof beam by the courtyard entrance. The Artifact Spirit of the Purgatory Banner and Tongyu Taoist seemed to be whispering about something. He let out a soft chuckle, lit the brazier beside the Stone Table, then rose to ladle cool water from a nearby vat into a kettle.

...

「Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the Chinese New Year arrived.」

Wang Ping spent a day with his master in the small courtyard on the back mountain. During that time, the disciples of the sect came one by one to pay their respects and offer New Year’s greetings to Yu Cheng Taoist and Wang Ping.

「On the first day of the New Year.」

The front hall of Qianmu Temple was packed with people. Yang Hou and the other Deans had all gathered to hold a grand New Year’s ceremony, as was tradition.

Wang Ping spent a leisurely day. On the second day of the New Year, Hu Qianqian was the first to arrive at the Mountain Peak Dojo. After Yu Lian introduced her to Shen Xiaozhu, the two martial sisters began to prepare the site for the gathering.

As noon approached, Su Hai and Wang Li arrived at the Dao Field. This time, each of them had brought someone along—clearly, disciples they had recruited from within their respective clans. Whether these newcomers could enter Wang Ping’s lineage, however, still depended on his approval.

"Master!"

"Grand-Uncle!"

After greeting him, they both pushed the young men beside them forward. The two juniors were filled with apprehension, especially when they met Yu Lian’s eyes.

Yu Lian communicated with Wang Ping in his Spirit Sea. ’The one Wang Li brought has severely suppressed emotions—he’s probably disciplined too strictly. The other one must be from the military. His spirit is vigorous, and his emotional state is one of steady integrity.’

Wang Ping took note but didn’t interfere in how the two were educating their own disciples.

Then, Su Hai and Wang Li introduced their disciples. Su Hai’s disciple was named Su Hui, a child from a collateral branch of the Su Family. Wang Li’s disciple was named Wang Ying, a direct blood relative of the Wang Family.

Wang Ping gave a nod of approval and called Shen Xiaozhu over to meet Su Hai and Wang Li.

At Noon, just as the winter sun broke through the thick clouds, Liu Ling and Zhao Yu’Er arrived at the Dao Field. The two still didn’t get along, though they were slightly more restrained about it than before.

Liu Ling was beginning to show her age; a few white strands streaked her hair, and wrinkles had formed at the corners of her eyes. She had lost her former bubbly energy and now spoke with a steady composure.

Zhao Yu’Er, on the other hand, seemed exhausted. Her spirit was in a state of deathly stillness, as if she had lost all passion for life. Such a disposition was well-suited for renouncing worldly affairs, but she couldn’t see the path forward and was lost in a state of confusion.

Just as the noon banquet was about to begin, two streaks of light flashed across the sky, and Guangxuan and Liu Chang landed on the Mountain Peak Dojo.

The noon banquet here was very informal. Seniors and juniors all sat at one table, chatting about recent amusing events on Nanlin Road. Before long, the conversation drifted to the problems that arose as the local clans grew more powerful.

"There have been many clan conflicts recently, some even involving Entering Cultivators. This era of peace has gone on a little too long," Guangxuan said, looking at Wang Ping with a serious expression. "Most of these clans consist of Artifact Cultivators. They don’t cultivate their minds or their morals, and once they grow powerful, they become difficult to control. I’ve already ordered Sanhe Temple to strictly investigate the illegal hunting and killing of the Demon Race."

The moment he said this, Wang Li and Su Hai immediately felt the pressure, as they were prime examples of the people Guangxuan was describing.

"It’s true they need to be reined in. I’ll speak with Daoist Zi Luan about this after the New Year. However, we can’t relax our own efforts either." Wang Ping thought for a moment before looking at Wang Li and Su Hai. "Can you use some simple means to keep them in check?"

Su Hai immediately responded, "We can, but I’m worried that it will lead to even greater conflict when it’s time to divide the spoils later. When that happens... it won’t be just a small squabble between two families..."

Wang Ping cut him off. "Then suppress them from the shadows. While we may not be able to prevent the whole world from falling into chaos, it’s best if our own little corner of it remains peaceful."

"Yes!"