They had come up here, after all, to get a definite answer: would Immortal Master Lu, who had broken through to the Purple Mansion Realm, want to meddle in Spirit Terrace County's affairs? Would he seek to monopolize all the resources of Spirit Terrace County...
If he opened his jaws like a lion, how could they possibly scrape together what a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator required?
"I'll accept the gifts you have brought. In the future, unless there is something important, there is no need to come looking for me. Handle matters yourselves."
"Of course," seeing a trace of relief appear on their faces, he paused and smiled. "The Dao Academy's allotted share must not come up short. Your four families have handled matters for so long; you should understand what needs to be done. I will not interfere with anything else."
His voice was ethereal, yet the meaning beneath his words was unmistakably plain: the allotted share was the bottom line. He did not care about the rest.
The Bai Clan's eldest young master froze for a moment. Having always followed his father, the Bai Clan Head, and learned how to handle the Lineage's relationships, he was accustomed to being smooth and tactful in all directions. Hearing such blunt words so suddenly, he could not help but read several more layers of meaning into them.
Yet he heard his father say beside him, "Rest assured, Immortal Master. We have always handled such matters well. We will certainly not burden you with these trifles."
"Mm. You may leave."
Though he stood in this place, with the mountain wind howling and tugging at the corners of his robes, Lu Qing's sleeves and hair did not stir in the slightest.
Following his father down the mountain, they returned home.
Bai Shoucai's face was brimming with delight.
"Father."
"Hmm? If you have something to say, say it." Bai Shoucai glanced at his son.
The eldest young master of the Bai Clan hesitated, then voiced his thoughts.
Since Lu Qing had become the resident guardian, should he not keep certain things firmly in his grasp?
Would it not be better for cultivation if resources were gathered together?
"Mm, you simply think too much. What I usually teach you is the art of balance and power that a Lineage requires. But for one devoted wholeheartedly to cultivation, such trivial affairs are burdens."
After hearing him out, Bai Shoucai continued, "And how do you know that, compared with the resources of our little place, the resources that can be exchanged within the great Immortal Sects are beyond imagination?"
As he spoke, a trace of dazed nostalgia appeared in Bai Shoucai's eyes. He had clearly recalled something from his youth.
The eldest young master of the Bai Clan said, "Then isn't he one of those ascetic cultivators? But..."
In his impression, ascetic cultivators were people who would not yield to soft words or hard threats, utterly incapable of flexibility.
What Lineage did not have matters it could not let others know? If an ascetic cultivator came here as their resident guardian, then perhaps from the very day he arrived, blood would rain from the heavens and heads would roll across the earth.
This was no fabrication. It had happened in the neighboring county just last year.
That storm of blood and slaughter had made countless cultivators afraid to embezzle even a scrap, fearing that the instant they reached out, someone would chop off their heads.
Ascetic cultivators themselves were not what one feared. What one feared was the backing behind them.
"You think he doesn't seem like an ascetic cultivator?" Bai Shoucai shook his head. His aged eyes saw straight through his eldest son's thoughts. "The world is vast. There is more than one kind of ascetic cultivator."
"That previous ascetic cultivator cultivated precepts and discipline. He killed people to uphold his own Dao."
The eldest young master of the Bai Clan was somewhat stunned. He had not known the inside story of that incident.
He wanted to ask further, but Bai Shoucai had already waved a hand. "Enough of this. In any case, do not disturb that Immortal Master unless there is something important from now on."
"The path of cultivation stretches endlessly ahead. You should improve your own cultivation as well."
Within the other families, their elders likewise warned their clansmen and descendants in the same way.
Only two brief meetings.
Yet Lu Qing had already left an impression on many people.
That was, this Immortal Master truly did not manage affairs.
And he had said so with such bluntness. Clearly, he would not involve himself in the heap of messy affairs among the several families.
Such casual delegation of power made some suspect his intentions, while others vaguely sensed his indifference.
For Lu Qing, the matter was very simple. He only wanted to remain here peacefully for a full year, then leave immediately once that year was over.
He was not some master of political maneuvering. He could not outwit these people in scheming against one another. But Lu Qing had not come here to fight them for power and profit. To put it plainly, the Dao Academy's allotted share had to be there, and his own share had to be there. As for everything else, they could do as they pleased.
So long as no demonic beast tide arrived, even if the several families fought until they lived or died, he could not care less.
Lu Qing had not come to Spirit Terrace County to be a nanny. Since beginning cultivation, every period of secluded cultivation had been spent carefully tempering his Dao Heart.
After crushing the shadow of that past death beneath his feet, Lu Qing had become increasingly calm and at ease.
Still, he would not place himself in danger.
This time, when he arrived in Spirit Terrace County, he had taken advantage of his breakthrough to carefully scan every inch of the place.
He found no opportunities of fortune. Only the place in the Jiang River where that old turtle slept could be considered a good Cultivation Cave rich in spiritual energy.
But it could not compare to the Green Bamboo Courtyard where he currently resided.
His Divine Consciousness spread out in all directions as he examined the opened items inside the wooden chests.
A hint of surprise flashed through his eyes. Inside were neither Spirit Stones nor treasures, but dozens upon hundreds of formation diagrams—ordinary, simple, high-grade, and incomplete diagrams alike, all manner of them.
And they were remarkably consistent. Aside from Spirit Stones, what had been presented were formation diagrams, detailed explanations of formations, or Jade Slips and books containing records related to formations.
Lu Qing's expression turned strange for a moment. Had he become that obsessed with formations without even realizing it?
Still, this was good. The sect possessed an enormous number of formation diagrams, of every imaginable kind, but Lu Qing's pockets were empty. Earning Contribution Points truly required time.
Now that he had these formation diagrams, though most were basic ones—
Lu Qing also understood that a ten-thousand-zhang tower rose from level ground. Were not the foundations of formations built from these very things? He had already encountered formations before and successfully drawn them. With this greater variety of formation diagrams, he would have plenty to keep him busy in the days ahead.
Looking at the several large chests, Lu Qing spoke of being busy, yet he could not hide his delight.
"Trapping Formations, Killing Formations, Restricting Formations, Bewildering Formations, Illusion Formations... There truly are many varieties of formations."
Lu Qing had broken through to a major realm, so he was not in a rush to cultivate further. After entering the Purple Mansion Realm, one began to touch upon comprehending the laws of heaven and earth. This initial contact was not something that could raise one to a higher realm merely through a breakthrough in Spiritual Power.
Over the next several days.
Starting with the simplest formations, Lu Qing wielded several plain basic formations with consummate mastery. Beyond that, immersed in formations, he also carved a Killing Formation into the Void Ground within the bamboo forest. It was a Killing Formation designed to break the Formation Eye by stepping upon it, specifically meant to complement his practice of the Windchaser Art.
When cultivated to great completion, the Windchaser Art made one like the wind, leaving no shadow behind.
During the first half of his journey here, Lu Qing had practiced this art while traveling, but he had set it aside for some time afterward.
This was the perfect opportunity. He could test the Killing Formation's power while also experimenting with the perfected state of the Windchaser Art.
He even took the chance to ponder how to conceal the fluctuations of a formation.
Within the Void Ground of the bamboo forest, Green Bamboo leaves rustled. There was clearly no one in sight, yet it seemed as though a gust of wind had swept through the leaves, raising a soft whispering sound.
Lu Qing's figure appeared.
Having entered the Purple Mansion Realm, the increase in his cultivation had brought this technique to its utmost limit.
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