Departure (Seeking Bookmarks, Seeking Continued Reading)

After hearing his Master's words, Wang Ping was not overly worried about his own safety. After all, Daoist Yucheng had placed a Jia Talisman and a Bing Talisman on him; these two talismans could help him withstand a First Realm Cultivator.

What truly concerned him were the Disciples. If they really fought one or two battles with the Baishui Sect, the Disciples would definitely suffer casualties.

Three days passed without notice. The people coming to the temple to have their wounds treated still arrived in an endless stream, and some were even from other prefectures. Because too much time had passed for these people, many of their wounds had already become infected.

Moreover, Nan Fang was already rife with mosquitoes and miasma, nearly causing a small-scale epidemic. In the end, Wang Ping stepped in, using the Green Wood Technique to eliminate the pathogens and treat several patients who were on the verge of death.

After working until afternoon, Wang Ping was preparing to return to the Mountain Top Dojo to rest when a Young Disciple hurried over and reported, "Martial Uncle, an envoy from the Daoist Scripture Hall has arrived. He is waiting for you in the Inner Court Main Hall."

They had come!

A gleam flashed through Wang Ping's eyes. He formed a magic seal and cast a Cleanse Technique on himself. Yulian woke from his wrist as the spell's True Essence flowed, wriggling along Wang Ping's arm as though she were delighted. Then she fixed the Young Disciple with a pair of Vertical Pupils, making his scalp crawl.

Inner Court Main Hall.

The moment Wang Ping entered, he heard Zhao Qing's hearty laughter. Then he saw a Middle-aged man Sitting Upright at the foremost seat on the left beneath the portrait of the Great Celestial Lord of Primordial Beginning. He had a thick beard and wore a gray Short Shirt convenient for riding. His hair had not undergone the Coming-of-Age Ceremony and was casually tied together with a hemp rope.

"Senior brother!"

The moment Zhao Qing saw Wang Ping, he rose to greet him.

The waiting guest also turned around. Upon seeing Wang Ping, he immediately stood and clasped his fists in salute. As he rose, the wooden ID Badge at his waist immediately caught Wang Ping's eye.

After Zhao Qing introduced the guest, the man clasped his fists again and said, "Daoist Changqing..." As he spoke, he took a grayish-white Bamboo Slip from his robes. "This is the summons document from the Daoist Scripture Hall. Please examine it..."

Wang Ping did not take it immediately.

The guest froze for a moment, then removed his ID Badge and offered it over. "This is my ID Badge!"

"Mm."

Wang Ping first took the ID Badge. After injecting a thread of True Essence into it, he sensed the mark of the Daoist Scripture Hall within, as well as a simple projection of the man before him.

Only after confirming there was no problem did Wang Ping accept the so-called "summons document."

Its contents were the same as what Daoist Yucheng had told him days ago. He was to reach the Prefectural Office of Sanwen County, Ning'an Prefecture within five days, and he had to bring at least fifteen Qi practitioners with him.

"My task is complete. I shall take my leave first!"

"Take care, Daoist Priest..."

Zhao Qing warmly escorted the guest out of the Main Hall, then all the way to the Main Gate. In the end, he even gave him some loose silver for tea money. When he returned to the Main Hall, Wang Ping had yet to leave.

"Trouble?" Zhao Qing asked.

"See for yourself." Wang Ping handed the Bamboo Slip to Zhao Qing, then turned and casually sat down in a chair.

Zhao Qing naturally sat near Wang Ping. After a moment, he looked up and asked, "Is this because of Yongming Port?"

After so many days, everyone who ought to know about Yongming Port already knew, aside from the common folk at the bottom. In another two days at most, even the Capital City would know.

"Yes." Wang Ping nodded.

"Is it troublesome?"

"No. A matter decided by the Daoist Scripture Hall—such a minor corpse transformation is no more than the light of fireflies."

"Then this is a good thing!"

Wang Ping gave Zhao Qing a serious look. "What are you thinking?"

"Since it is a mission destined for victory, wouldn't everyone who goes be gilding themselves?" Zhao Qing met Wang Ping's gaze. "Of course, I know this time the gilding will be anything but ordinary. After all, there are hundreds of thousands of unknown Corpse Soldiers. If battle truly breaks out, casualties will certainly be unavoidable. And then there is the matter of other sects competing for credit..."

At this point, Zhao Qing suddenly stood. "I need to make arrangements as soon as possible. Thousand Wood Temple certainly will not be the only sect summoned this time. If we arrange things too late, by the time we reach Sanwen County, we might not even have a place to sleep... I'll be right back."

Zhao Qing left in a hurry, and returned just as quickly.

Wang Ping had Zhao Qing sit down and told him about some matters concerning the Baishui Sect.

After hearing it, Zhao Qing slapped the table. "I knew it! Why has the Baishui Sect always been getting in the way of our business? I thought it was merely commercial competition, but there was actually this connection behind it. In that case... this operation truly needs to be considered over the long term."

Thousand Wood Temple currently had sixty-two Qi practitioners who had achieved success in Qi Refining. There were only a dozen or so at the Marrow Cleansing realm, and most of them were Third Generation Disciples. Some Fourth Generation Disciples had not even mastered the most basic spells.

The senior and junior brothers discussed matters for Half an Hour before finally selecting twenty-five people. Of these, twenty were Qi practitioners skilled in combat, while five were chosen from the Pill Court, skilled in treating internal injuries and knowledgeable about corpse poison.

"These people are only the ones in the open. In secret, I will select another dozen or so capable hands and arrange some Jianghu Guests as well... Rest assured, I have managed the Inner Court for many years. I will not boast about anything else, but I have learned a bit about scheming and trickery."

Zhao Qing said with a chuckle, "We may not be able to inflict any substantial damage on the Baishui Sect, but it will certainly be enough to preserve our own strength!"

"Jianghu Guests? Can they be trusted?" Wang Ping asked.

"We will not tell them the specifics anyway. Do not worry, I know what I am doing!"

Once the matter was decided, Wang Ping ordered Liang Tao, the Steward of the Martial Arts Academy, to lead his Disciples ahead to Sanwen County as the advance party. Wang Ping himself would lead the main force out early the next morning according to plan, while Zhao Qing would direct the Personnel in secret.

Before departing, Wang Ping went to Daoist Yucheng's small courtyard to report on this plan. By the time he returned to the Mountain Top Dojo, Liu Shuang had already been waiting for a long while. As expected, she asked to accompany Wang Ping to Sanwen County.

Liu Shuang said, "Master, for this mission, several Martial Uncles have sent out their Disciples, while our branch has shown nothing at all. No matter how one looks at it, that cannot be justified. In the future, my junior brother and I will not be able to hold our heads up in the temple!"

"Your junior brother is getting married next month..."

"If anything comes up, we can ask grand-disciple to handle it."

The Daoist Scripture Hall had assigned Daoist Yucheng to remain stationed in Shang'an Prefecture and prevent any unexpected incidents. From this arrangement, it was clear that those above were treating this matter more cautiously than Wang Ping had imagined.

In the end, Wang Ping agreed to Liu Shuang's request.

Liu Shuang had been right about one thing. If neither she nor Yang Ziping went this time, the two of them would be unable to hold their heads up in the temple for a very long time afterward.

Down the mountain...

Just after leaving the marketplace, Wang Ping saw a huge Pitch Black Pit on the Official Road outside it. It had been caused by the aftershock of the battle between Two Third Realm Cultivators a few days earlier, and the Laborers conscripted by the county were clearing the pit.

This sudden incident had damaged many of Yongshan County's Typhoon Defense Measures. The county office had no choice but to conscript Corvée Labor during the busy farming season. As a result, the yield of the Crops would certainly decrease by year's end, yet the Imperial Court's Taxes would not be reduced by a single coin.

"Master, when can I become a Third Realm Cultivator?" Liu Shuang asked softly. The questions she considered were different from Wang Ping's.

"As long as you cultivate with focus, that day will come eventually."

"Oh!" Liu Shuang seemed somewhat disappointed. Her Pitch Black Eyes stared at the Pitch Black Pit for a long time, and even after they had gone far away, she turned back to look at it several times.

"Her emotions rise and fall by turns!" Yulian coiled around Wang Ping's arm, her head resting against his face as she studied Liu Shuang without blinking.

Wang Ping's brisk steps paused. He turned to look at Liu Shuang, then sensed the emotions of the other Disciples as well. "Each of you has your own path. As long as you cultivate with focus and achieve Foundation Establishment before the age of one hundred, one day you will become a Secret Method Cultivator. Once you take that step, the Third Realm will not be impossible either!"

After hearing this, the Fourth Generation Young Disciples were filled with drive. Most of the Third Generation Disciples remained expressionless, while some even turned back to glance at the already blurred Pitch Black Pit.

Time could change many people's thoughts. When one person contemplated the same matter in Youth, as a Young Adult, in Middle Age, and in old age, the result and feelings would all differ. Foundation Establishment within a Hundred Years sounded simple, but how many could truly persist?

Not to mention... the limitations of one's Spiritual Root.