Gu Musheng's sudden challenge, coupled with Li Ping's addition of a new rule to the foundation establishment fund,
had cast a slight pall over the gathering. But since the Shared Boat Association's overall framework remained unchanged and was actually developing in a better direction, everyone still accepted the changes.
Before long, the gloomy mood was swept away.
Only Zhang Tie remained silent, hiding off to one side and drowning his sorrows in drink.
There was little the others could say about that.
After all, while they sympathized with Zhang Tie, could they have held themselves back if they had been in Gu Musheng's position?
On a matter as important as their own foundation establishment, they could not willingly yield, no matter how close they were.
Besides, the Shared Boat Association had been founded to help all its members reach foundation establishment.
Whoever contributed more would receive higher priority for foundation establishment and get to advance first. That was reasonable, and everyone could accept it.
If, simply because Zhang Tie was older and closest to Li Ping,
Li Ping insisted on favoring Zhang Tie and giving him the right to attempt foundation establishment first, that would truly breed resentment in everyone and scatter the hearts of the entire Shared Boat Association.
During the latter half of the banquet, Li Ping guided the other six in their cultivation one by one, as usual.
He was a foundation establishment cultivator whose experience and knowledge far exceeded those of qi refining cultivators. Guiding the six was naturally effortless for him; often, just a few words cleared away the fog in their minds.
As Li Ping expounded on cultivation, the sky gradually brightened without anyone noticing.
Only then did Li Ping stop. Smiling, he said, "All right, go attend to your own affairs. Think everything through carefully once you get home, and remember to come back here in ten days."
"Yes, big brother." All six hurriedly rose and bowed.
A moment later, five of them left together, but one figure remained standing where he was.
Li Ping could not help asking in surprise, "Hanmo, is something the matter?"
The man standing there wore a long white robe and had a face as handsome as polished jade. He was their fifth brother, Qi Hanmo, who had advanced to a "First-Tier Upper-Grade Musician."
Hearing Li Ping's question and seeing that the others had gone far enough away, Qi Hanmo said respectfully, "There's a personal matter I'd like your advice on, big brother."
"Oh, a personal matter?" Li Ping nodded with a smile. "Go ahead, let me hear it. Sit down and talk. No need to stand."
"All right, big brother." Qi Hanmo sat down as instructed.
Then, under Li Ping's puzzled gaze, he spoke frankly. "Big brother, here's what happened. Not long ago, I advanced to a First-Tier Upper-Grade Musician. Once word got out, someone invited me to treat a young woman."
Li Ping nodded. In the cultivation world, musicians were somewhat like the therapists of his previous life. Through music, they soothed their patients' minds, helped them dispel heart demons and resolve mental afflictions, and brought them back from mental collapse.
Qi Hanmo continued, "My treatment worked quite well, and the young woman's condition improved considerably. But it wasn't until I was leaving that I learned her name was Lin Yue. She was the Insane Female Cultivator mentioned in the Immortal City Rumors a while ago."
"Since the treatment worked well, they may invite me back to treat her again." At this point, Qi Hanmo looked at Li Ping and said frankly, "I heard you had some friction with the Immortal City over this matter, big brother, so... I wanted to ask your opinion. Should I continue treating Lin Yue?"
"So that's what this is about." Li Ping waved a hand dismissively. "Don't put stock in hearsay. I haven't had any friction with the Immortal City. Even if I had, I wouldn't take it out on a poor woman like Lin Yue."
Qi Hanmo could not help feeling relieved at those words. He asked, "Then, big brother, should I...?"
Li Ping smiled. "You can save a poor woman and earn a sizable sum of spirit stones in the process. Why wouldn't you? Of course you should continue treating Lin Yue. If you can cure her, you'll have done a great good deed. And if you can earn a favor from the Immortal City as well, that will benefit you considerably."
Given the chance, Li Ping certainly would not mind taking vicious revenge on that damned Sword Cultivator, Dai Sangyu.
But toward her poor disciple, Li Ping felt only sympathy, without the slightest hatred. He certainly would not stop Qi Hanmo from treating her!
"With your assurance, big brother, I can rest easy." Qi Hanmo breathed a sigh of relief.
As a musician, he had been deeply torn between treating someone in need and the possibility that his big brother might blame him. Fortunately, his big brother had made the choice for him.
At the hide-processing shop in Black Garment Alley.
Old Lin was already hard at work early on New Year's morning. Under his precise knife work, every scrap of flesh and fat was stripped from the demon beast hide, leaving none behind. A foul, bloody stench soon filled the entire shop.
Just then, Zhang Tie walked in from outside.
Old Lin promptly called to him, "Come give me a hand."
"Oh." Zhang Tie hurried over to help, though his spirits seemed rather low.
Old Lin was a shrewd old hand and immediately noticed that something was wrong with his disciple. Still, he did not ask any questions and continued working on the demon beast hide in his hands.
They worked until noon.
Qi refining cultivators could not yet go without food, so Old Lin and Zhang Tie chatted as they ate demon beast meat.
Only then did Old Lin ask why Zhang Tie was feeling down.
Zhang Tie had no intention of hiding anything from his master. He directly recounted how Gu Musheng had contributed a hundred spirit stones, and how his big brother had proposed a rule forbidding them from reducing their contributions in the future.
Old Lin's gaze instantly sharpened, though his words remained casual. "Then have you all handed over this year's contributions?"
"No." Zhang Tie shook his head. "Big brother told us to come back and think it through carefully, then decide in ten days, so we wouldn't regret it later!"
At those words, Old Lin's expression softened again. "So that's why you're unhappy. This isn't such a big deal. Since that boy Gu Musheng is willing to contribute a hundred spirit stones every year, you should raise your contribution to a hundred spirit stones too."
"Master, I..." Zhang Tie looked up anxiously.
But before he could finish, Old Lin cut him off. He sighed. "That boy Li Ping is a sly one. He's even trying to swindle an old man like me out of my spirit stones. From now on, you'll still put up thirty spirit stones. Your master will cover the remaining seventy."
Zhang Tie grew agitated. "Master, those spirit stones are for your old age! You..."
"Enough. Stop fussing. Since you call me your master, I can't let anyone bully you." Old Lin's tall figure was slightly stooped, but his words carried an imposing force. "It's only seventy spirit stones a year. Your master has scraped by in the Immortal City for all these years. I can still afford that much."
"But what if I fail at foundation establishment..." Zhang Tie shook his head repeatedly, refusing to let Old Lin make up the shortfall for him.
If he raised his contribution to a hundred spirit stones now and succeeded at foundation establishment, that sum would naturally mean little.
But if he failed and still had to contribute a hundred spirit stones every year, wouldn't he drag his master down with him? His master had toiled his whole life... At that thought, Zhang Tie dared not think any further.
When he looked up, he found his master watching him with encouragement in his eyes. "Even Gu Musheng, with his four-spirit root, dares to take a gamble. You have a three-spirit root, and a chance at foundation establishment is right before you. What is there to fear? If something really does go wrong, these old bones of mine will shoulder it with you!"
While Zhang Tie and Old Lin were speaking, at the Wang Family Ancestral Grounds.
The Wang Family Ancestor looked at the cowering figure before him, his eyes full of exasperation at iron that refused to become steel. He barked, "You have a dual spirit root and a Foundation Establishment Pill to help you. What are you afraid of!"
At his shout, the cowering figure visibly trembled.