Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 514 - 513: The Yu Jing Circle

"After all these years, you finally decided to visit this old friend of yours?"

Rao Zongzhi was rather displeased, because this fellow had been in Shangjing for so many years and had only now remembered that he had such a friend.

Hou Niao retorted, "I’ve been to Yujing several times, and not once did I see you. You were either here or there. How dare you say that? Is it because you’ve been too busy with your concubines?"

Rao Zongzhi had also reached the Natural Realm, and had secured a leisurely position at the Sima Mansion; their group, back in the Southwest discourse, was originally made up of elites from all over, naturally making cultivation seem not so difficult, right?

But in reality, this was just the norm among elite circles. If you expanded the circle, like the one in Jin City, Anhe’s hometown circle, or even the Yinling circle, it wasn’t so easy, and many people drifted apart, vanishing without a trace.

During the Southwest discourse, they had grouped in threes, and both Hou Niao and Rao Zongzhi had reached the Upper Natural Realm, while Luo Yewang was a bit behind, just at the God Sensing Realm and still struggling somewhere in the Northern lands, showing signs of lagging behind.

Rao Zongzhi lived in the Rao Mansion and did not live alone, partly because he was not often in the capital and did not see the need for his own estate; he had a restless nature and had traveled far more places than Hou Niao over the years, boasting that he had visited half of the countries on the continent.

Rao Mansion was indeed the Marquis Mansion, its head a Golden Core Elder not affiliated with the Three Mansion system, leaning towards Daoist studies with a focus on elixirs, and although not included in the mansion system, was highly respected and held a notable position within the Yujing cultivation circles—a benefit of being involved with elixirs.

In the Shan Sect, the combination of cultivation and mundane affairs created such anomalies; Nascent Transformation ancestors might establish a Prince Manor, and Golden Core Great Cultivation linked to Marquis Mansion, but not every Great Cultivation ancestor needed to establish a mansion depending on personal wishes and the limitations of their fame and qualifications.

For example, figures such as Wei Zhenren from the Sea Clan often wandered abroad and scorned such arrangements; similarly, newcomers like Li Chuping couldn’t establish mansions either. In fact, Golden Core members of the Sikong Mansion rarely set up their own mansions, such as Judge Wan and Judge Cheng, partly because they had little desire to do so and partly due to the low-key nature of their professions, which varied greatly.

The Marquis Mansion was large, and the two enjoyed drinking and eating meat in the back garden, just as they had during their lesser cultivation days in the Southwest discourse, driven by mood and reminiscence; every cultivator cherished such gatherings, for in their lives, if they continued on this path, the number of people they could meet would only decrease, making past friendships ever more precious and hard to find such pure friendships later on.

"Among those from the Southwest discourse, I wasn’t particularly successful. Pei Yue and Yan Xisheng have already reached the Natural Realm in cultivation, Pi Buxiu is the most frightening - he’s already a Golden Core Great Cultivation. Only Liu Yiyi is still struggling at the God Sensing Realm."

Hou Niao felt somewhat sentimental, as the Yujing senior fellows from back then were truly the best of that group, their potential slowly revealing itself over the decades, fully utilizing their inherent potential and backgrounds—that was their foundation.

"What is Luo Brother doing in the Northern lands? It’s been decades in the blink of an eye, and I haven’t heard of him returning?" This was Hou Niao’s question, since Luo Yewang had gone to the Northern lands on orders from the Sima Mansion, and it was difficult to understand the reasons from the Sikong Mansion side.

Rao Zongzhi knew a bit more, "Yuan Yi Mountain Range, the demon activity there has been frequent and for unknown reasons in recent years; the major powers in the North have focused their main energies there and have recruited cultivators from all countries across the continent, offering generous rewards. freewēbnoveℓ.com

Luo Brother initially chose to go because he saw the rare training opportunities in the Yuan Yi Mountain Range, and after approval from the Sima Mansion, it eventually took place."

Hou Niao was puzzled, "Shouldn’t such matters be arranged by the Sikong Mansion?"

Rao Zongzhi shook his head, "You’ve still had too little contact in Yujing to understand the different authorities of the three mansions; the Sikong Mansion mainly deals with internal and external troubles and does not include all foreign assignments; in fact, both the Sima and Situ Mansions have their own foreign assignments without needing to report to the Sikong Mansion.

The Sima Mansion is the headquarters of the fusion sect, and they are most keen to foster good relations with various Daoist sects; they rarely get the opportunity with the Daoist sects in the Southeast because those sects hold firm attitudes; but it’s not the same in other regions, like the Northern and Northwest, which are the main directions for the Sima Mansion’s foreign assignments.

The Northern Zhao Sect and Yan Sect, the Northwest Qin Sect and Yue Sect, all have more or less some connections with the Sima Mansion. When they ask for help, people hurry to send support, and you are too obviously marked by the Sikong Mansion, otherwise someone like you who can fight would be the perfect candidate to be sent to the Northern lands by the Sima Mansion."

"It sounds quite thrilling."

Hou Niao felt some longing, but he was not destined to be sent to the Northern lands for a long period; there are many treacherous and remote places on the Jinxiu Continent occupied by the Demon Clan; including the Southwest and Southeast directions of Lizhi Sea and Tianjin Ocean, and he managed to thrive in the Lizhi Sea mainly because he always operated near the coast, daring not linger too long in the Blue Sea or deep sea.

In the same vein, the outer side in the Northwest direction is the Rashgan Desert dominated by the Undead Clan; deeper in the Northeast direction is the Yaoguang Mountain Range with fierce natives; further North from the Northern lands is the Yuan Yi Mountain Range, ravaged by the Demon Clan, and like the two seas occupied by the Sea Clan, they are also forces that can contend with the human cultivation world to some extent.

In such places, where cultivators’ capabilities are honed, those who emerge are impressive not because of their realm, but because of their unique auras.

However, in the Cultivation World, discussing realms is essential, so it’s quite contradictory.

Rao Zongzhi sighed, "I’ve also been to the Yuan Yi Mountain Range in the Northern lands, but only tasted a bit of it, never venturing as deeply as Luo Junior Brother; I met him there once and asked when he was returning, but he casually avoided the topic, seeming to really enjoy life in the Northern lands?"

Hou Niao shook his head, "I’ve been in the Lizhi Sea for over twenty years, and there are many things we can’t control, including coming and going, always too many regrets and concerns. Do you think everyone is like you, with a strong backing to hang around in the Sima Mansion, able to leave or stay as they wish?"

Rao Zongzhi glared, "Are you implying that I’m a wastrel? Come on, I’ve known you’ve resented calling me ’Senior Brother’ since the Southwest discourse, always behaving this way, right?

Now everyone can control a flying sword, no longer hacking away like during our lesser cultivation days. This time I will let you understand, Rao Senior Brother was a senior in the past, and is still a senior now!"