"Dingding has grown taller again."
"Yuanyuan, you've gained weight again."
Uncle Lin Yong and aunt joked, causing Jiang Yuan to resist discontentedly.
At the family's dining table, there were only soft drinks like Sprite and orange juice—aside from the short time living with Jiang Ding's father, Lin Wanqiu's family hadn't been fond of alcohol since her grandparents' days.
Putting away his smile, Lin Yong asked, "Dingding, how have your grades been lately?"
Jiang Ding didn't feel offended when he heard this.
Uncle Lin Yong had a forthright appearance and a tall build. As a teacher, he understood the awkward thoughts of junior and senior high school students well, and he offered appropriate listening and patience, making him very popular.
"Still the same old story."
Jiang Ding honestly replied, "High scores in moral character, and I feel I can still improve. I'm a little bit confident I can get close to full marks, but for other cultural subjects like math, physics, and geography, the progress has been minimal."
"As for cultivation class, within a number of months at most, I should be able to advance to the Internal Qi Realm."
He didn't plan to tell his relatives about the matters of the other world for the time being.
It's true that the Xianmen Sect is a law-abiding society, and it's also true that the Central Array Spirit Computers are monitoring all public areas of the city at all times. If high-level cultivators seriously violate criminal law, they are quickly punished or even executed, which is highly reliable.
However, if the interests are big enough, there are still people who would take the risk.
And the Xianmen Sect isn't the Demon Sect; there's nothing that can directly kill someone with a prohibition.
Therefore, the fewer people who know, the less risk of exposure there is.
"Confident about getting close to full marks in moral character?" Lin Yong was stunned, knowing his nephew wasn't boasting.
He was aware of the significance of scoring nearly full marks in moral character.
It meant an extreme endorsement of the Xianmen Sect's ideological system—at least that's what society and the Central Array Spirit Computers believed. It would enable one to easily occupy the moral high ground of political correctness within the Xianmen Sect.
Whether for opportunities in work or study, where the performance gap wasn't large, if anyone other than Jiang Ding was chosen, it would invite criticism.
Are you not supportive enough of the Xianmen Sect? Do you have other thoughts?
"Ah, what a pity."
Lin Yong sighed again. The cultural course scores were a bit low, and the cultivation course was considered not bad, but it clearly couldn't make up for the huge gap in the cultural courses.
"Wow, Jiang Ding, you'll soon be able to cut an entire potato into strips with one sword," Jiang Yuan exclaimed, focusing on another aspect.
Lin Wanqiu gently patted her, signaling not to interrupt the adults' conversation.
"Sis, consider this."
Lin Yong pondered for a moment and then said, "You know, Yuanwang has more or less settled down at Qianling University. He told me yesterday that there's an opportunity in the department to exchange for a Qinghua Yunji Elixir. He has also earned some spirit coins to make up the amount, and with an additional two hundred thousand mortal coins, it can be exchanged for Dingding to use. What do you think?"
"If we don't have enough mortal coins, I can also lend some."
There are two types of currency in the Xianmen Sect: spirit coins and mortal coins.
The distinction is simple: for any goods involving the labor and spiritual materials of cultivators, spirit coins must be used for the transaction; conversely, for goods involving the labor and materials of mortals, mortal coins are used.
Many goods typically require both.
The Immortal Dao industry is highly developed, and a lot of artifact refining, elixir making, planting, and talismans involve the work of many mortals and Immortal Dao industrial machines for preliminary processing. For instance, at the Rongcheng Steel Plant where Lin Wanqiu works, a lot of half magic tools are made by Inner Qi Realm martial artists using Optical Formation Engraving Machines.
"Qinghua Yunji Elixir?"
Lin Wanqiu was startled and asked eagerly, "Is it the Qinghua Yunji Elixir that can enhance a martial artist's aptitude without any harm?"
There are many elixirs and medicines available in the market of the Xianmen Sect, but once some harmful and aggressive medicines are consumed, no matter how high the cultivation base or good the performance, no one from the Cultivation Department would accept them.
Lin Yong said somewhat proudly, "Yes, Sis, it's the Qinghua Yunji Elixir."
The aunt felt a bit uncomfortable inside but didn't stop her husband.
"This elixir is too precious."
Lin Wanqiu hesitated: "Yuanwang has much better aptitude than Dingding, and his future achievements are also higher. If this hinders his cultivation..."
"Don't worry, Sis!" Lin Yong waved his hand grandly: "Yuanwang is from the Taoism Department of Qianling University. This amount of spirit coins is nothing to him. Plus, this is his own cousin, what's wrong with a little help?"
"He brought it up himself; otherwise, how would we know about this?"
By the end, his face also showed a smile, feeling greatly relieved.
"Right, Sis," the aunt chimed in: "You and Lin Yong are siblings; don't be too polite about these things."
"Then... thank you so much."
Lin Wanqiu nodded hesitantly: "I still have some savings; I'll transfer it to you tomorrow. Sigh, thank Yuanwang for me."
...
After seeing off the uncle's family.
Lin Wanqiu sighed, "My own brother is still the most reliable."
"Mom, do we have enough money?" Jiang Ding asked, perhaps he should speed up the exploration of the other world and at least secure some funds.
"It's just enough, but we'll have to live frugally for a while."
Lin Wanqiu sighed; for her, she could skimp on clothes and other expenses, but she couldn't bear to scrimp on food.
"I have some savings..."
Jiang Yuan hesitated for a moment, bravely raising her hand, her little face crumpled into a twist.
"Good!"
"You're in charge of the grocery money from now on!"
Jiang Ding and Lin Wanqiu said in unison.
Jiang Yuan had a crestfallen face.
After the family had finished tidying up the dinner table, cleaning up, and disposing of the trash, Jiang Ding returned to his own room.
He donned his gear and opened his eyes.
Vast mountains stretched before him with the mountain breeze stirring up green waves, while the traces of last night's campfire were still visible through the drone's feed.
Standing by his sword deep in thought for a moment, Jiang Ding stepped onto the path and walked in the direction leading out of the mountains.
Several hours later, the narrow mountain path gradually widened, and the grass growing in the middle of the road disappeared. More and more passersby appeared, mostly farmers foraging and chopping wood in the countryside.
Seeing Jiang Ding, a young man in a blue shirt with a longsword at his waist, everyone avoided him, with no one approaching.
Jiang Ding's expression shifted slightly.
Through the drone's perspective, he saw that a few hundred meters down the main road, people were fighting and blood was being shed, with casualties falling to the ground from time to time.
Zooming in, one side had more than a dozen donkey carts with over ten people, loaded with goods, using the carts as a defense against an assault by dozens of masked individuals who had a several meters tall tiger skin banner fluttering impressively not far behind them.
The situation looked like the many attacking the few, but it was not a one-sided battle.
All this was because among the caravan there was an Inner Qi Realm martial artist with a life aura noticeably weaker than that of Gong Caiyu's.
The other fellows were also quite capable.
Amongst the masked attackers, there was one who was in the Inner Qi Realm. Except for a few, most of them were dressed in ragged clothes, raising concerns about their combat capability—only their bloody bravery was admirable, but they had numbers on their side.
Under the relentless attack, the caravan's fellows kept dying or sustaining injuries, and the Inner Qi Realm overseer himself had suffered multiple wounds. Escape was hopeless, and his face was filled with despair.
Jiang Ding frowned, "Are there really martial artists in the Inner Qi Realm who are even weaker than Gong Caiyu?"
Walking over to the edge of the battlefield within a few steps, Jiang Ding stood with his hand on his sword, as distant roars could be heard.
"Who are you to dare rob the Sihai Business Association's cargo?"
"Good sirs! Our Sihai Business Association's business spreads across Yue Country. We have always believed in amicable trade and maintained relationships with our friends in the society. Is there possibly some misunderstanding here?"
The gang of masked attackers didn't answer but instead fought even more ferociously.
Especially the masked Inner Qi Realm martial artist wielding an iron spear; it swirled furiously with vicious and heavy thrusts which, if not carefully dodged, could puncture a fist-sized hole in one's body.
"Who are you?"
Engrossed in watching the fight, a loud shout suddenly reached Jiang Ding's ears.
Swoosh, swoosh!
Instead of a warning, the shout served as a cover for two arrows shot from a crossbow, and then three tall and burly masked men with long spears charged in a '品' formation, showing their well-trained skills.
Clang!
He drew his sword, Expose Sword Style!
A bright arc flashed, deflecting two powerful crossbow arrows, with the longsword diagonally pointing at the ground.
"I'm just passing by."
Jiang Ding looked at the three men rushing toward him, feeling a quiet thirst for blood rising within him.
"To death with you!"
The three bandits lunged with their spears, aiming simultaneously at the throat and sides of the chest and abdomen, like a three-headed, six-armed giant attacking all at once.
Most importantly, they did not sense that unique aura of Inner Energy from an Inner Qi Realm martial artist.
"Killing so readily..."
Jiang Ding frowned, disliking this societal attitude.
With a step aside, he easily avoided the trio's encirclement.
He parried the last spear still aimed at his chest, then suddenly stepped forward, nearly brushing against the masked brute's garment.
Step Sword Form!
The sword tip made a slanting cut; the masked thug revealed a look of horror, and before the two other aged spears could return to position, a sweeping cut followed.
Sword sheathed, Jiang Ding didn't look back as he walked toward the center of the battlefield.
Just as well, he thought. It was hard enough for him to blend in unnoticed, so he sought to join some travelers heading into the city, and these folks seemed perfect.
Behind him, the three masked individuals stiffened and toppled down limply, their spearheads clanging on the ground, with three nearly identical gashes appearing on their throats, blood gushing out and quickly soaking the soil.
Along the way, the occasional obstructer falls to a single sword strike, and attempts at surrounding him are resolved likewise, with only one wound inflicted each time.
Those who dodged were ignored as he proceeded straight ahead.
"Who are you?"
Soon, the situation caught the attention of the bandit leader. He pushed back the head of the caravan with his spear and barked, "Make way! Fierce Tiger Village is carrying out its business, onlookers step aside!"
Jiang Ding ignored him, and where his longsword went, blood sprayed, leaving bandits powerless on the ground.
If they were some army or from some sect or school, he certainly would have given serious thought to advancing or retreating. A name as unimpressive as Fierce Tiger Village wouldn't disrupt his plans.
"Demons!"
As bandits fell in droves, utterly lacking the strength to retaliate, their morale quickly crumbled. Bound by the presence of their leader, countless gazes turned towards the scene.
All had their throats sealed!
The bandit leader chilled at the sight of the corpses on the ground, recognizing it was something even he couldn't do.
Around Jiang Ding, space cleared as no one else dared to approach. He flicked the blood from his sword and directed his gaze at the spear-wielding Inner Qi Realm warrior.
"The wind's tight! Sound the retreat!"
The bandit leader didn't look back. The surrounding bandits scattered like birds and beasts.