The Peddler Makes a Name, and All His Contacts Come Calling

The next day, at the Ge Family Courtyard in Locust Flower Old Lane.

The Young Peddler still sat cross-legged on his bed, studying the Melon Cultivation Art and Anle Zishen's Logbook. At the same time, he spared a sliver of his attention to sense the vague stirrings throughout Qiantang County.

After yesterday's earth-shaking upheaval, he didn't need to look too closely to understand the situation inside and outside the county.

Everything had changed!

It had changed beyond recognition, and the place was incredibly lively.

First, outside the county, the desolate countryside, secluded valleys, and hidden forests had once concealed countless low-grade spirits and monsters, Man-Eating Demons and Ghosts, and the like. Now, they had all been swept clean by Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators who had come rushing from every direction.

They hadn't all done so deliberately. Righteous Sects like Shaolin and Wudang had gone out of their way to do it, but most of the rest were simply here in such numbers that some were bound to get itchy hands.

This had certainly been a blessing for the Wild Village Towns that had long suffered from such incursions. At least they'd enjoy some peace for a while.

The closer one got to Sunset Mountain, the safer it became. Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators from every corner of the land had come for the mountain and the sect on it.

As for the county city, though Ge Xian was now inside his home, the moment he opened his perception, his skull began to roar.

All kinds of "qi signatures," countless in number and varying in strength, flickered without end. Ge Xian had no choice but to shrink his range of perception to the area around his own courtyard, lest the roaring assail him at every moment.

In a single day—just one day—Qiantang County had become the focal point of the Dayuan Dynasty.

Perhaps word had spread so quickly because the entire Guǐ Wǔ Cultivation World had spared no expense in using costly, specialized methods to send messages. Or perhaps there were other mysterious, unknown reasons.

He'd heard that Guǐ Wǔ Sects from the Western Regions, such as the Tianshan Sect and White Camel Mountain, were also heading to Qiantang.

Obviously, unless they had some special means, they wouldn't make it in time for the Martial Discussion Convention and the martial arts competition for marriage, both only two days away.

Even with time so short, the number of Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators gathered in the region was doubling every few hours.

Cultivators from the Bottom Layer of humanity, usually scattered across the land in silence and out of touch with one another, were now arriving from near and far.

All this upheaval had been caused by what he'd witnessed with his own eyes yesterday:

"The Ancient Tomb Sect's leader, Li Wa, moved her sect out of Zhongnan Mountain and settled at Sunset Mountain, outside Qiantang County."

"That same day, she led her disciples in an assault to open up the mountain. They slaughtered a Mortal Transformation Snake Demon and divided its flesh among themselves, greatly advancing their cultivation. Li Wa herself stepped into the [Mortal Transformation Realm], comprehended an Innate Divine Ability, and announced that she would hold a Dao Discussion Conference in three days. At that time, she would reveal the Method of Mortal Transformation and hold a martial arts competition for marriage for her adopted daughter."

When this news spread throughout the provinces and regions of the Dayuan Dynasty, not a single Guǐ Wǔ Cultivator could resist.

It concerned their Dao Path!

No matter how far away they were, they had to come.

The major Guǐ Wǔ Sects—Shaolin Temple, Wudang Sect, Ming Cult, and others—had even sent their leaders and Grand Elders. They were taking this matter extremely seriously.

At the same time, Li Wa's fame had instantly surpassed that of every Guǐ Wǔ Grandmaster. She now stood above all Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators, undisputedly the foremost among them.

For the foreseeable future, more and more Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators would gather here, take over Qiantang, and make themselves the masters of the place.

What Ge Xian found strange was that Lu Hualong and Yelü Yuyan, the Perverted Couple who ruled Qiantang County, had shown no reaction at all, even though they were about to be completely overshadowed.

Lu Hualong had even stopped the major task of bringing refugees into the city.

For a time, he couldn't guess what the Demon County Magistrate was planning.

He could only turn his attention back to himself. Yesterday, he'd witnessed the Ancient Tomb Sect's leader ascend to Mortal Transformation and unleash her Innate Divine Ability, blowing a breath of qi that turned Sunset Mountain into jade. It had truly stunned Ge Xian.

"In the Dao Entry Realm, absorbing qi into the body is enough to qualify. Most cultivators in the world are at this stage."

"Foundation Establishment is much harder. I have to undergo Dao Transformation until I possess a complete Demon Body and can unleash various demonic arts. I'm only short of completely transforming a Dragon Face. Once that's done, my Evil Dragon Aspect should advance to the [Foundation Establishment Realm]. I'm close. If I use Cai Bu to plunder some more dragon qi, I should manage it."

"The Mortal Transformation Realm means completely shedding the Mortal Coil and comprehending at least one Innate Divine Ability... The key lies in the Meditation Method. Every Dao lineage keeps it secret, and outsiders have little chance of obtaining one. I can search for it while continuing to use Cai Bu to plunder dragon qi, and see if I can accumulate enough to trigger a qualitative change and comprehend an Innate Divine Ability on my own."

"Speaking of which, Li Wa had only just entered the Mortal Transformation Realm, yet she could turn a whole mountain to jade. Quite a display."

"If that's the case, the Innate Divine Abilities of Lu Hualong and Yelü Yuyan must be even more terrifying. Those two showed off their might when they fought the Eternal Life Cult's Evil Cultivators, and again the night they tried to catch me. But neither occasion seemed serious enough for them to unleash their Innate Divine Abilities. So I never got to see them."

"The backbone of the Cultivation World's fighting strength is probably the Mortal Transformation Realm... As for the three realms beyond it—Spirit Connection, Manifestation, and Unity—those are still distant, nebulous matters. There's nowhere I can go to learn about them."

As Ge Xian pondered, there was no sign of confusion on his face.

He'd long since settled on his Cultivation Path.

By taking in and using Cai Bu, his progress was already far beyond that of cultivators from any other Dao lineage.

He was content. He would keep a low profile and develop steadily; there was no need to get greedy and risk trouble.

If he'd truly been an impatient, foolishly greedy man, he could have opened the [Lord She Treasure Pouch] days ago and used Cai Bu on the embryo inside, which seemed to contain the Rat Clan Evil God Will. He could have refined the "Son of God Aspect" overnight and advanced to Foundation Establishment.

Instead, Ge Xian had left the thing hidden away, gathering dust.

As the peddler pondered and studied his secret manuals,

his brows suddenly knitted together.

Through the doorway, he looked straight into his courtyard.

An uninvited guest?

Suspicion flashed across his face, but soon some memories welled up in his mind. Ge Xian immediately looked exasperated and couldn't help complaining inwardly: I did take over the Original Body Shell, so I should bear the debts that came with it. But this Young Peddler had no sense of proportion. Of all the things he could have been, he had to become a double agent. Now one of his contacts has come knocking.

Before the thought had even finished, Ge Xian quickly tucked the two secret manuals into his robes.

Then he rose and opened the door halfway, sending his voice out: "An honored guest has arrived, but the city is on edge, so I can't come out to greet you. Please come in at once."

As soon as he finished speaking, an almost imperceptible qi signature flickered before the empty doorway. Then the door swung shut without a breath of wind.

Two figures appeared directly in front of Ge Xian.

One was a thoroughly unremarkable middle-aged man. The other was a handsome young monk in a red robe, with a kindly face and smile lines at the corners of his mouth.

The first man was clearly deferential to the second—so respectful that he was almost fawning.

And yet the first man was the contact for one of the Spy Organizations that Ge Xian's original self had joined.

The Red Robe Monk appeared and looked straight at Ge Xian. Buddha-light flickered in his eyes. Whatever he saw seemed to satisfy him, and he nodded before saying with a chuckle:

"Young brother, you have a remarkable foundation. You've even awakened the [Mind's Eye] talent, which makes you ideal for joining my Buddhist sect."

"This monk is Faxian. Once matters here are settled, you can come back to Bozhou with me and cultivate the Maitreya Buddha Dharma. You're sure to reach Foundation Establishment, and Mortal Transformation is within reach too."

At that, Ge Xian put on a delighted expression.

Inside his head, however, a brief roar rang out, and he couldn't help complaining again.

Bozhou, the Maitreya Cult... Well, damn!

The original self had a sharp eye. The very first Spy Organization he joined came from Liu Futong's Rebel Army, currently the biggest rebel force in the Dayuan Dynasty.

This Red Robe Monk feels dangerous, and he has a sharp eye too. He didn't see my Charm and Cultivate talent, but he did notice my Supernatural Perception.

I wonder what realm he's at. He sounds like he came from the Maitreya Cult. A sinister Buddhist sect that dares support a rebel uprising and isn't afraid of the Myriad Laws Sect's power—how could it be weak?

This is a disaster. I can't even find a good excuse to refuse. Am I about to be dragged off to Liu Futong's side, only to end up at the bottom of a river?

While Peddler Ge's mind churned with thoughts, his utterly unremarkable middle-aged contact looked at Ge Xian and praised him too:

"I only planted a casual little seed back then. I never expected Brother Ge to be so talented, or so quick-witted."

"I heard you've already infiltrated the Propaganda Team organized by that Lu Hualong, and that you're on excellent terms with his two Ghoul Generals, Zhang Buzu and Zhao Wuyou. That's wonderful."

"Brother Ge, if you've already learned anything, tell me. You'll be richly rewarded."

"If it's good news, it'll also make things easier for you when you cultivate in the Maitreya Cult later."

Hearing this, Ge Xian knew he couldn't blame his predecessor anymore. He'd brought this on himself too.

If he hadn't made such a splash, this "contact" might not even have remembered that he'd once recruited a peddler as a spy.

Suppressing a bitter laugh, Ge Xian quickly thought things through, then began handing over information.

He picked and chose, sharing some of what he knew with the two men: for instance, how Lu Hualong's ghouls sometimes sighed over the past lives of their older brothers, or how Lu Hualong had another wife hidden away, who was probably the madam of a Fox Whore brothel.

The two men were both intrigued.

The Red Robe Monk in particular showed none of the detachment of a man of religion. Instead, when he heard the gossip and private scandals, he became visibly excited and laughed as he chimed in:

"Born with tiger stripes and tiger eyes, he was a prodigy in his youth, with heroes gathered around him... Then his nature changed halfway through, and he began punishing good and rewarding evil. He devoured his brothers and refined them into ghouls... This is indeed the Cultivation Path of a [Gu-Eating Spirit Monster]."

"Lu Hualong is quite extraordinary."

"As for his wife, since her surname is Yelü, she must be the daughter of Yelü Tianzheng, the chancellor of Jiangzhe Province. He's no one to underestimate. He's at the Spirit Connection Realm, and legend has it that the man has refined a full eight Innate Divine Abilities. As long as he lives, Jiangzhe Province will remain a hard nut to crack."

"But even so, she's the daughter of a Border Governor. How did she end up as a madam? Willow Oriole Alley, was it? This monk's Skin Sac is easy on the eyes, too. It's only right that I go meet those lovely Fox Women..."

This monk called Faxian never missed a chance to make a lewd remark.

Ge Xian had never had any hopes for the [Maitreya Cult], and now he was even more certain it was a sinister Buddhist sect.

His nameless "contact" was interested too, but what he wanted to learn most was the distribution of troops in Qiantang County and the surrounding area, as well as the number and strength of the various Dao lineages.

He kept asking questions, and Ge Xian answered only in scattered fragments.

After listening for a dozen breaths or so, Faxian gradually grew impatient and cut him off:

"All right, all right. Don't make things difficult for Brother Ge."

"He's a peddler in the Propaganda Team. It's impressive enough that he's managed to learn those secrets. How could he possibly find out the troop strength in Qiantang for you?"

"This monk has to join the fun at Sunset Mountain, and now I'm going to Willow Oriole Alley for a bit of pleasure. Why should I stand around listening to you chatter? That's enough."

"Brother Ge has done us a service by providing intelligence. Take these prayer beads for protection... Consider them the beginning of a good relationship between us. I'll come fetch you in a few days. With the Mind's Eye, you ought to cultivate Buddhist Dharma as soon as possible. Why waste your time here as a spy and infiltrator? If you get yourself killed, I won't get the credit for bringing you into the sect."

After his startlingly candid words, Monk Faxian took off his prayer beads and put them in Ge Xian's hand. Then he grabbed the middle-aged spy, and the two of them gradually faded into their Skin Sacs. The door swung open, and they left without hesitation.

They had come quickly and gone just as fast.

He seemed like a straightforward, decent monk, but Ge Xian couldn't help suspecting that the man was in a hurry to go meet those Fox Whores in Willow Oriole Alley.

After the two had left, Ge Xian looked at the Blood Bodhi Prayer Beads in his hand. With Faxian's explanation, along with his own perception, he immediately understood what they did. When worn, they could be activated with a thought to form a layer of Buddhist light as a shield in times of danger. It could withstand attacks from a Dao Entry Realm cultivator for half an hour, but would shatter from a single strike by someone at Foundation Establishment.

"I did get a string of prayer beads with a strange protective power, but in a few days I'll be facing the risk of being forcibly dragged away."

"Not worth it, not worth it at all."

As Ge Xian muttered and went to close the door, he started thinking about how to break out of this predicament.

But just as he'd shut the door and returned to his bed, not long had passed

before he seemed to sense something again. He turned sharply toward his Locust Flower Small Courtyard. The familiar memories of the original body's perception welled up, and Ge Xian's face froze. He felt as if his whole world had gone wrong.

"Another... another one?"

As his mind roared, Ge Xian immediately guessed what was going on.

Because of what had happened at Sunset Mountain, Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators had gathered in Qiantang. An event of this scale had also drawn in all kinds of rebels and other forces.

Among them, there were bound to be the various Spy Organizations the original self had rashly agreed to work for.

And just by chance, Peddler Ge had made something of a name for himself during this time.

So those "contacts" who had forgotten all about the Young Peddler had now remembered him.

"I just sent off someone from Liu Futong's side. Who will this second group be?"

"Rebels, or some other faction?"

Although Ge Xian felt something was terribly wrong, he kept his composure.

First, he tucked the prayer beads into his robes. Then, following the same routine, he opened the door halfway and sent his voice out to invite his guest inside.

It was a meeting between spies, so they couldn't do it openly.

The visitor also had their own methods. The empty doorway swung shut without a breath of wind again.

This time, two figures appeared in front of Ge Xian.

One was the contact from his original self's memories, who had recruited him. He looked like an old man who made his living at the fish market, and he reeked of salt and fish.

The other was a middle-aged scholar, with a broad forehead and an air of refined wisdom.

After they appeared, the one who first took a close look at Ge Xian was, as expected, the middle-aged scholar, whose status was clearly much higher. He was just like Faxian, the monk from Liu Futong's camp.

Ge Xian let him look, while wondering which faction the two belonged to and thinking of a way to send them off quickly.

But when the middle-aged scholar spoke aloud, Ge Huolang seemed to hear something unbelievable. His mind roared.

"Young man, you're quite gifted. Besides the [Mind's Eye] talent, it seems you've awakened another mysterious talent as well."

"Although it doesn't quite suit the Dragon Nest Secret Method cultivated by my lord's followers, that's no problem. My lord is benevolent and loves the people. His influence is growing, and his subordinates include many prodigies. Many Dao lineages have also sent people to join us and offer strong support. Finding you a suitable secret method will be no trouble at all."

"I am Shi Er. I can vouch for you."

"If you're willing, once matters here are settled, come with me to Gaoyou."