The disciple from Elixir Dust Peak, having failed to properly attend to the spirit beasts, has been punished with a three-year cessation of their monthly allowance;
To evade his own culpability, he intended to strike against two fellow disciples and has been punished with solitary contemplation for twenty years; having committed both offenses, this disciple is now listed as one under surveillance within the sect. If there are any further transgressions, his cultivation will be abolished, and he will be expelled from Wanyun Sect.
For the minor infraction of the two little disciples from Flowing Cloud Observatory of leaving without permission and being under suspicion of injuring a fellow disciple, a punishment of three months of solitary reflection has been decreed; although it was instigated by a disciple of Elixir Dust Peak, no further punishment will be given in consideration of this fact.
After the Mundane Affairs Hall delivered such a verdict, the playful immortals within the sect each took their leave and dispersed from the scene.
Elder Yansheng took personal action and examined Li Ping'an and Ningning Mu once more for any internal injuries.
Li Ping'an also hadn't forgotten his main business and presented the token from Minister Weiyen, expressing the need to replenish the supplies of Five Grains Pills in Flowing Cloud Observatory.
Elder Yansheng immediately arranged for two ministers to rush to Flowing Cloud Observatory on the front mountain, and also to bring Li Ping'an and Ningning Mu back with them on their way.
Upon returning to the backyard of Flowing Cloud Observatory, Ningning Mu still seemed somewhat dazed.
"Senior brother?"
Poised to sit in meditation and quickly assimilate the power of the Immortal Pill he had consumed, Li Ping'an turned around and inquired, "What is it?"
Ningning Mu lightly bit her lip and asked softly, "Are you really one of the... influential elites within the sect..."
"I hardly count as one of the influential elites."
Li Ping'an chuckled wryly, but he didn't conceal the truth and simply shared the story of him and his father attending the test in Wan'an City, and how his father skyrocketed in status and became a disciple of Wanyun Sect's founding patriarch.
Ningning Mu was stunned for quite a while before she heaved a resigned sigh.
Li Ping'an felt somewhat perplexed, "What's wrong?"
With frustration, Ningning Mu said, "Great, now I seem like one of those opportunists."
"Hahaha!"
For the first time since his arrival at the mountain, Li Ping'an laughed so heartily.
"You're still laughing, senior brother!"
Ningning Mu huffed:
"I'm going back to cultivate!
"Had I known, I wouldn't have gone out with you, senior brother. No wonder as I was leaving the Mundane Affairs Hall, I overheard someone asking me if I had a master."
She turned and left hastily, her pretty face slightly sulky, but indeed taking the issue of 'reputation' seriously.
Li Ping'an didn't bother to explain further but instead called out, "Junior sister Mu!"
"Hmm?"
Ningning Mu turned with a look of inquiry.
The setting Taiyang Star cast its warm, life-giving light upon Ningning Mu, who stood bathed in its glow, a faint smile appearing on her slightly fatigued face;
Her eyes reflected the golden light as she gazed at Li Ping'an, her hands clasped behind her, her cascading hair outlining the hem of her garment, which in turn sketched out the delicate figure of the young girl.
Li Ping'an used his mana to pass her a small, exquisite crossbow and twelve top-grade spirit stones, the likes of which were rare even for ordinary Qi Cultivators.
——A gift from the grandmaster.
Ningning Mu looked puzzled, "What's this?"
"I'm thanking you, junior sister, for guiding me in swordsmanship before, from which I've greatly benefited; I have nothing to repay you with," said Li Ping'an with a clear and earnest look in his eyes:
"Today we have also joined hands to overcome a calamity together, which makes us comrades in spirit, so please accept this without demur."
Ningning Mu blinked and hugged the crossbow and spirit stones close to her chest.
"Who, who overcame a calamity with you... I was merely being a chivalrous hero..."
Having said that, she stole a few more glances at Li Ping'an, turned her head, and hurried back to her own courtyard.
Li Ping'an shook his head with a smile, leaped back to his small building, and, thinking it would be a while before his father arrived, began to meditate, concentrating on absorbing the remaining power of the Immortal Pill to strengthen his own Dao foundation.
'I should really make an effort to befriend this junior sister in the future.'
'It's just that her character is too naive; she can be easily used by bad people.'
And these were the thoughts he had before entering his meditative state.
...
The moon shone brightly amidst sparse stars, and the mountain gate was serene.
The window of Li Ping'an's wooden building on the second floor was slowly pushed open, and Li Dazhi peered inside, softly calling out with a breathy voice:
"Ping'an? Are you cultivating?"
Li Ping'an opened his eyes, his surroundings tinged with shallow ripples of spiritual energy, and a hint of the fragrance of elixir pills filled the room.
Now that he thought about it, it was truly generous of Elder Yansheng, the rotating Hall Master, to have given him, a mere Qi Cultivator, an Immortal Pill that he could slowly absorb...
Li Dazhi chuckled outside the window, flipping himself into the room, holding his full belly and letting out a burp, his plump face showing an air of satisfaction.
"Old Brother Yun Chenzi is really not bad at all."
Li Ping'an couldn't grasp the context, "Yun Chenzi?"
"Ah," Li Dazhi raised his eyebrows at his son and sat on the chair by the bed, "he's the Peak Master of Elixir Dust Peak."
Li Ping'an pondered with a bowed head.
Li Dazhi chuckled, "Don't worry, it's all settled! Here, these are for you!"
As he spoke, Li Dazhi shook a bunch of porcelain bottles from his sleeve, the bottles completely burying Li Ping'an's calves.
Li Ping'an's mouth twitched frantically.
How many benefits had his father reaped from Elixir Dust Peak!
"These, ah, they're all Immortal Pills and spiritual medicines," Li Dazhi laughed, "Elixir Dust Peak's greatest specialty is alchemy, many of which can improve constitution and enhance one's Dao foundation—real treasures."
Li Ping'an heaved a sigh in his native dialect, "Dad, how could you accept so much..."
"Hey," Li Dazhi responded nonchalantly, also in dialect, "all these are mere courtesies offered on account of your grandmaster's face, as a token of forming connections; don't think too much of it."
The subsequent conversation between father and son was all in their native dialect.
"Dad."
Li Ping'an said with a frown:
"Haven't you forgotten that there are Heavenly Immortals in the sect who are dissatisfied with you becoming a disciple of the grandmaster?
"Today you made friends with the immortals of Elixir Dust Peak effortlessly. You certainly only want more friends rather than enemies, but in the eyes of those with ulterior motives, isn't this the beginning of winning people over?"
"Winning over hearts?"
Li Dazhi scratched his head and couldn't help but click his tongue:
"That is indeed the case.
"But I really didn't intend to recruit Elixir Dust Peak to prepare for becoming the Sect Leader in the future!"
"Ah, no, that's not right, I've never even considered becoming the Sect Leader!"
"There are several Heavenly Immortals within the sect eyeing the position of the next Sect Leader, why would I want to get involved in that commotion!"
Li Ping'an: ...
Based on his understanding of his own father, he could easily judge that his father had definitely thought about becoming the Sect Leader of the Wanyun Sect!
That odd craving for power in middle-aged men.
"Dad, I'm just saying that there's a hidden danger in this situation."
Li Ping'an spoke seriously:
"There are disadvantages to this matter, of course, but there are also advantages, and the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
"Elixir Dust Peak is the money tree within the sect, with deep foundations. They wish to befriend you because you have given them enough face today, so you should make frequent visits later on.
"But next, Dad, you need to focus on your cultivation and not actively make connections with other powers within the sect.
"These Elixir Pills must also be dealt with… Dad, you can ask the Mundane Affairs Hall to sell these Elixir Pills outside the sect gates and exchange them for Spirit Stones and treasures."
"Sell them?" Li Dazhi asked puzzledly, "Wouldn't that be slapping the other party's face?"
"Just listen to me, keep some and sell some, and also say to others that you're new to the sect and have neither treasures nor wealth."
Li Ping'an smiled:
"Immortals are mostly prideful and arrogant. The most common reference I've heard in the hall is 'merchant's son.'
"Since that's the case, Dad, you might as well first craft your persona as a mundane merchant, only aware of immediate benefits and not the bigger picture, usually keen on small advantages but not engaging in personnel management.
"In the world of cultivation, the cultivation of a Qi Cultivator is the most fundamental. Doing these things is only to reduce some potential targeting, so that before you step into the True Immortal or Heavenly Immortal Realm, you can face less resistance from other competitors within the sect.
"Your illustrious masters won't hold it against you either, for in their eyes, that's how you should be."
Li Dazhi's face grew solemn, as he mulled over the idea deeply, then exclaimed with wide eyes: "What competitors! I really don't have that kind of ambition!"
"I understand, I understand."
Li Ping'an smiled with narrowed eyes:
"Dad, you just want to contribute to the collective and fully utilize the individual's role within the group to realize your own value."
"Exactly!"
Li Dazhi stood tall, puffing out his chest. "Comrade Li, you've had quite a good political awareness recently."
"Comrade Li, the path to immortality is unfinished, you cannot slack off."
"Let's encourage each other and create splendor together!"
Li Dazhi gestured grandly with a sweep of his hand.
Li Ping'an curiously asked, "Dad, what realm have you reached now in your cultivation?"
Li Dazhi wanted to tell the truth, but feared discouraging Li Ping'an, he hesitantly said, "Roughly at the second or third level of Condensation of Light... I guess."
——The six realms prior to becoming an immortal are, in order: Qi Cultivation, Spirit Gathering, Light Condensation, Virtual Refinement, Merge True, Heaven and Earth Bridge.
Li Ping'an earnestly admonished:
"Dad, innate talent and aptitude are vain if one doesn't strive to realize them.
"Your own cultivation realm is what we father and son can rely on the most in the future.
"Next, I hope you will diligently practice and improve every day, reaching the Immortal Realm and attaining immortality at an early date so I can rest more securely."
Li Dazhi nodded seriously, just about to agree, but then he felt something was off.
No!
It seemed like his son was the one urging him to study?
Li Dazhi exclaimed irritably, "Hey! This is all wrong!"
"Right, Dad," Li Ping'an switched topics, giving his father no chance to chide him, "can you get some chronicles or books?"
"What's that?"
"Books that the Immortals of Wanyun Sect have written about this world."
Li Ping'an said:
"We need to figure out what this world is like as soon as we can.
"We also need to understand Wanyun Sect's position among the cultivation sects and whether we have any enemies."
"Well," Li Dazhi nodded, "what I know now is that there really is a Holy Mother creating people, the Holy Mother truly exists, she's the protector of our Human Race, I've also heard about the Three Pure Ones, we are currently in the East Continent... Wanyun Sect is one of the top twenty big immortal sects in the East Continent!"
Li Ping'an raised an eyebrow, smilingly said, "Dad, try to get me some more books, I can now circulate the Heavenly Circuit on my own, the more you can get, the better, we can also try to borrow from within the sect."
"Sure! No problem! That's a minor issue!"
Li Dazhi patted his chest:
"You just be at ease... keep this thing with you."
As he said this, Li Dazhi took out a Jade Talisman.
"If you encounter danger again, just crush the Jade Talisman, and your grandmaster will appear to save you."
Li Ping'an frowned deeply, whispering, "Dad, you are a disciple of the grandmaster, but I am not. This could be disrespectful to the grandmaster, and he might be displeased."
"Hey, there's no such rule! Your grandmaster is a really good person!"
Li Ping'an firmly refused to accept it.
Li Dazhi had no choice but to take back the Jade Talisman.
He stayed for another hour, then was persuaded by Li Ping'an to leave.
Li Ping'an maintained his pale complexion, standing by the window watching his father disappear into the mountain mist, and then he saw a white cloud drifting toward the Flowing Cloud Observatory.
On the cloud, two middle-aged Female Immortals were talking about something.
Seeing this, Li Ping'an revealed a faint smile.
These two Female Immortals had been pointing fingers at Ningning Mu in the Mundane Affairs Hall before, probably intending to take her as a disciple.
This could be considered a stroke of luck for Sister Ningning.
'When can I take on a master? It doesn't have to be a Heavenly Immortal; even a True Immortal would do.'
'Leave it to fate.'
Li Ping'an sighed, closed the window, and floated back to the bed, ready to continue absorbing the robust medicinal power still residing within his body.
No sooner had he settled down than the window was slightly pushed open, and a whispered voice reached his ears.
"Young Friend Ping'an, am I disturbing you?"
Hearing this voice, Li Ping'an immediately envisioned a large, square face;
It was that high-ranking Minister named Xinhuai Wang.