The Southern Mountain Society

Hearing the voice from outside, He Sheng was rather surprised. According to the feedback from his divine sense, standing outside the door was clearly a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator!

"This Primordial Mist Immortal City truly deserves to be called a great cultivation city. I've run into a cultivator of the same rank so quickly—but what could this man want, coming to my door of his own accord?"

After pondering briefly, He Sheng decided the other party probably bore no ill intent. After all, the Immortal Friends Inn was a business run by the third disciple under Heavenly Centipede True Person.

This third disciple was a False Core cultivator!

After weighing the matter, He Sheng had Kou Xiang'er go open the door.

When the door opened, a lean middle-aged man stood outside. He wore a faded blue dharma robe, washed nearly white, and carried a horsetail whisk in his right hand.

"Forgive the disturbance. This poor Daoist is Wind Spirit. I have come for an unannounced visit; I hope, Fellow Daoist, that you will not take offense."

The middle-aged man calling himself Wind Spirit was quite courteous. He Sheng cupped his hands and invited him in for a talk, then had Kou Xiang'er brew some spirit tea.

Once host and guest had both taken their seats, Wind Spirit spoke again:

"I have yet to formally introduce myself. This poor Daoist is Wind Spirit, a mere Rogue Cultivator. I currently reside in cave dwelling Number Seven, Section B, Origin Communion Ward."

"I am Xiang Yue. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Wind."

After exchanging courtesies, Wind Spirit began probing into He Sheng's origins.

"You seem unfamiliar, Fellow Daoist. May I ask where you came from before arriving in Primordial Mist Immortal City? Could it be for the auction convention two years from now?"

At those words, a faint, ambiguous smile curled across He Sheng's lips.

"What? You start by investigating my background the moment we meet—is there some reason for that?

Could it be that the auction convention is not to be attended?"

Wind Spirit hurriedly smiled and waved his hands.

"You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist.

This old Daoist came uninvited today because I could tell that you most likely come from a Rogue Cultivator background. That is why I shamelessly came calling.

..."

As he spoke, Wind Spirit unexpectedly began pouring out his grievances.

He first spoke of how Rogue Cultivators had no status and were oppressed everywhere, able only to snatch at the cultivation resources leaking through the cracks between the fingers of disciples from great sects and noble clans.

He even used Foundation Establishment Pills as an example, saying that disciples of prestigious sects ate them like candy pellets, while Rogue Cultivators had to fight until their heads bled for one—and were often trapped in schemes besides.

In short, this Wind Spirit understood very clearly the dual status of Rogue Cultivators as both beasts of burden and chives to be harvested.

"...Those immortal sects and cultivation clans often join hands to set traps as well, specifically to drive up prices against us Rogue Cultivators.

Not long ago, this old Daoist took a liking to a second-rank high-grade piece of 'Heavenly Goldstone' in Myriad Treasures Tower. I had intended to buy it as supplementary material for refining the prototype of a dharma treasure, but the instant I revealed my intention to purchase it, two immortal sect disciples came along and took turns raising the price.

This old Daoist could not swallow that insult, so I immediately flicked my sleeves and left. But Fellow Daoist, guess what happened?

A few days later, I saw that same 'Heavenly Goldstone' in Myriad Treasures Tower again. Its size and shape were exactly identical, yet they insisted it was newly arrived stock and claimed someone had reserved it.

If this old Daoist wanted it, there was only one way: pay more! Twice the price!

They truly... go too far in bullying others!"

The more Wind Spirit spoke, the angrier he became, slapping his thigh as he said:

"We Rogue Cultivators have no patron, no backing. Even if we cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, we are still less than dog shit in the eyes of those great powers—utterly at the mercy of the butcher's knife!"

He Sheng listened patiently, wanting to see what medicine this man was really selling from his gourd.

After all, he was not very familiar with Primordial Mist Immortal City. Brother Piao's memories contained only a few hurried visits, and he had had even less contact with Rogue Cultivators.

When Wind Spirit finished speaking and sighed, He Sheng could not help asking:

"May I ask, Fellow Daoist Wind, how did you determine that I come from a Rogue Cultivator background?"

At that, Wind Spirit actually set up a soundproof barrier and said in a mysteriously furtive manner:

"Does Fellow Daoist know what divine abilities are?"

He Sheng's heart skipped a beat. Though he had learned from the <Myriad Demons Co-Cultivation Spirit Transformation Art> what spells and divine abilities were, he was still utterly in the dark about the overall concept of divine abilities. He only knew, from the terrifying combat strength Ye Shaochen had displayed, that divine abilities were extraordinarily formidable.

Thus, he shook his head.

Wind Spirit continued:

"Then does Fellow Daoist know what attributes are?"

He Sheng still shook his head.

Wind Spirit asked again:

"Then does Fellow Daoist know what modern cultivators are, and what ancient cultivators are?"

He Sheng was even more bewildered. Brother Piao's memories contained no knowledge of such things whatsoever.

Wind Spirit clapped his hands and laughed, pointing at He Sheng.

"And Fellow Daoist Xiang still says he is not a Rogue Cultivator?"

After saying that, he took out a silver token that was neither metal nor jade, engraved with the two characters "Southern Mountain," and tossed it to He Sheng.

"On the new moon in the third month of next year, our Southern Mountain Society will hold a gathering.

When the time comes, simply take out this plaque in Primordial Mist Immortal City, and you will receive the location of the gathering.

If you wish to learn of the matter this old Daoist mentioned, you must be sure to attend then.

Our Southern Mountain Society is filled with fellow Rogue Cultivators. Our purpose is to help one another, avoid the excessive exploitation of those great immortal sects, exchange what we have for what we lack, and break through the barriers of knowledge and perception set up by the upper-tier immortal sects of this age."

Having said that, Wind Spirit prepared to drift away.

But He Sheng was having none of it. He said, "You came uninvited, cast so many hooks in a row, and now you plan to run off without revealing the answer? Are you intending to leave my heart unable to settle for the next half year?

There's no such logic, is there?!"

As he spoke, He Sheng's expression darkened, and the fluctuations of spiritual power within him surged sharply.

Seeing He Sheng's unfriendly expression and swiftly sensing the growing pressure he exuded, Wind Spirit's heart tightened. He quickly burst into laughter and said, "You misunderstand, Fellow Daoist.

This old Daoist only said so much because I wished to become one of your kindred spirits on the Dao.

Very well. I feel a certain affinity with you, Fellow Daoist. Today, I shall make an exception and answer one of your questions in advance!"

He cleared his throat and said solemnly, "In this present age, the upper-tier immortal sects sit high among the clouds, ruling the cultivation world from top to bottom.

So-called ancient cultivators are not cultivators from ancient times, but practitioners of the cultivation method that the upper-tier immortal sects of this age call the 'Qi Refinement and Void Integration Dao.'

This method has been passed down since antiquity. We Rogue Cultivators, as well as those fallen sects and small local clans, all inherit this same method.

Simply put, in the eyes of the upper-tier immortal sects, we are all outdated ancient cultivators."

The Qi Refinement and Void Integration Dao?

He Sheng suddenly recalled that when he had used the clepsydra to cultivate the Clear Ripple Water Control Art, it had subtly indicated that he lacked something and could not touch higher-order power.

At that thought, he vaguely understood something and hurriedly asked, "Then what are modern cultivators?"

Wind Spirit replied, "Naturally, they cultivate the 'Qi Ingestion and Divine Powers Dao' practiced by the upper-tier immortal sects of this age!

This method enters the Dao through ingesting qi. From the very beginning, one's 'attribute' is determined by one's own fate configuration, allowing one to feed on qi and nourish life. Once one forges a Dao foundation and gains the embryonic form of a life divine power, one can be called unrivaled in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

When facing Foundation Establishment cultivators like us ancient cultivators, so long as they possess a divine power, even fighting across realms is as easy as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.

..."

Wind Spirit's words still rang in his ears, but the man himself had already drifted away.

Holding that silver plaque, He Sheng sat motionless beside the table, his mind filled with Ye Shaochen's sword light.

"Divine powers? Divine powers!

No wonder Ye Shaochen said that day that Brother Piao was merely some miscellaneous countryside cultivator. So it hadn't been an insult—it had been a statement of fact.

The Qi Ingestion and Divine Powers Dao?

It seems the mechanical suppression I thought I'd seen before was actually the result of an iteration in Daoist orthodoxies.

So after all that, Brother Piao had crossed over decades ago and devoted himself to reigning supreme over the Silver Sand River, only to be living in a fog of information."

He Sheng understood more and more clearly that cultivation in this world was far from simple. He knew that if he did not wish to follow in Brother Piao's footsteps, merely keeping a low profile and cultivating cautiously would not be enough. He would also have to break through the fog of information.

"It seems I have no choice but to attend this Southern Mountain Society gathering next March."