The Old Hypocrite
High above the vast sea of clouds over Perching Clouds Island, four figures appeared without a sound.
A female cultivator in purple Daoist robes embroidered with a bat concealed the radiance around her, and her face blurred beyond recognition. She looked down, and in an instant, she had surveyed every corner of Perching Clouds Island.
Looking at Tang Yuan, who had just stepped out of an inn below, the purple-robed cultivator murmured to herself, "How fortunate, how marvelous. To think I'd meet a young fellow Daoist cultivating toward the Ghost Metal fruition here.
"But where did he get the fourth-grade, lower-tier metal-attribute Spiritual Qi, Thunder Metal Gui Sha?
"Doesn't he know that the fourth-grade, middle-tier metal-attribute Spiritual Qi, Ghost Moon Gold Gang, has been gone for over a thousand years? Forget attaining Golden Core or Purple Mansion; without Ghost Moon Gold Gang, he can't even cultivate to Foundation Establishment.
"Back then, I couldn't find Ghost Moon Gold Gang either. I found only Ghost Moon Earth Gang, so I had no choice but to switch to pursuing the Ghost Earth fruition.
"Since we've met, fate must have brought us together. Perhaps I should give him a few pointers..."
The purple-robed cultivator took out the Bat Shadow Banner and formed a hand seal. Before she could begin her divination, a fierce wind suddenly blew in, leaving her Divine Sense somewhat dazed. Frowning, she withdrew the Law Technique.
The purple-robed cultivator raised her alluring brows slightly. "That old hypocrite really does see the hundreds of thousands of mortals and cultivators on this island and in that city as morsels in his mouth!"
Another figure appeared silently in the void, and a world-weary voice spoke with a trace of resignation. "Fellow Daoist Zheng, don't stir up trouble, or that man will swallow you too."
The purple-robed cultivator sneered, "Heh, your Song Household has spent over two hundred years building up Ascension City on Perching Clouds Island. It's a cultivators' market that's made a name for itself even across our Purple Mother Continent, and you're just letting that old hypocrite from the Mystic Spirit Continent's Purple Sword Sect swallow it up. You're truly generous!"
The Song Household patriarch did not argue. He merely murmured helplessly, "What can I do? When I was trying to break through to Purple Mansion, I received guidance from that Great True Person. A debt owed back then must be repaid sooner or later."
"He only has two Greater Divine Abilities and three Minor Divine Abilities now. He's only at late-stage Purple Mansion, so he doesn't count as a Great True Person. At most, he's half a step from being one.
"The Purple Sword Sect is considered an upright and reputable sect on the Mystic Spirit Continent to the east, yet that old hypocrite is swallowing hundreds of thousands of living beings whole. He's worse than the Mystic Spirit Continent's Holy Cardamom Sect. At least the Holy Cardamom Sect doesn't lay hands on mortals." The purple-robed cultivator curled her lip.
"Fellow Daoist Zheng Yuan, the rest of us are only at mid-stage Purple Mansion. Even with Fellow Daoist Song, the five of us mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivators are no match for True Person Qin of the Purple Sword Sect.
"We came today to observe how True Person Qin combines these last three Minor Divine Abilities into his final Greater Divine Ability, attaining three Heavenly Divine Abilities and reaching peak Purple Mansion.
"You, don't stir up trouble.
"Speaking of which, your Purple Palace has also killed quite a few Azure Origin Sect disciples without cause. I sent a message talisman to Great True Person Lu of the Azure Origin Sect, and only then did he let the matter go. So don't cause trouble." A male cultivator holding a horsetail whisk frowned slightly.
"Tch. So what if the Azure Origin Sect is the greatest cultivation sect on our Purple Mother Continent? The things they get up to are no better than what we in the Purple Palace do.
"Forget it, forget it. Let's just watch the show." The corners of Zheng Yuan's mouth curled up as she thought, *Once old hypocrite Qin's Divine Ability formation closes, it would be best if one or two cultivators could still escape with their lives and ruin that old thief Qin's Greater Divine Ability fusion.
Hee-hee, then that old bastard Qin would fail to attain Golden Core and wouldn't even get a chance to flee into the void or reincarnate. The people from the Netherworld Administration would take him away on the spot...
Below the sea of clouds, outside Ascension City's cultivators' market, Tang Yuan was eating breakfast at a roadside stall.
"Boss, you put dried Red Spirit Eel meat in these 'eight-treasure soup dumplings,' didn't you?
"It's a pity, though. If they were made with fresh Red Spirit Eel, they'd taste even better." Tang Yuan ate the soup dumplings and could not stop praising them.
"Sir, you really know your food. You could even taste the Red Spirit Eel meat in the dumplings." Smiling, the stall owner kneaded his dough. "To tell you the truth, I'm a cultivator too, at the fourth layer of Meridian Opening.
"I used to work as a spirit-fishing laborer for the Song Household, catching fish on their Falling Clouds Island. I did it for six whole years.
"After paying rent for my home and boat, I could hardly save a few Spirit Stones in a year. When my fourth child was born, I could barely keep going, so I came to the Song Household's Perching Clouds Island and opened this bun shop.
"Hey, eldest! How many times have I told you? Put the firewood in one piece at a time!"
Tang Yuan looked at the stall owner's eldest son, who was tending the fire, his eyes nearly shut from the smoke. The corners of his mouth rose slightly. *The stall owner's eldest son looks about the same age as my eldest, Tang Tiansong.
Like Tiansong, he isn't a natural-born Aperture Opener. He can only live as a mortal.
"As for me, I just want to save up two hundred Spirit Stones quickly so I can buy a spirit boat and go back to fishing." The stall owner rearranged the firewood in the stove and went back to kneading the dough. "There's nothing else I can do. My wife's a mortal, and none of my four children can cultivate either, but life as a mortal is too hard.
"I'm thinking that if I catch and sell spirit fish with my own spirit boat in the future, it'll give my four children a way to make a living for the rest of their lives."
Those who were not natural-born Aperture Openers could not cultivate and had no spiritual power. But if they took a Spirit Drawing Pill, even mortals could temporarily gain a little spiritual power and use some low-tier Law Techniques. That was also why Tang Yuan planned to give the Seven Stars Sword to his eldest son: although Tang Tiansong could not cultivate, he could take a Spirit Drawing Pill, which was not too expensive, and gain a little spiritual power for one or two shichen. With the Seven Stars Sword, a middle-grade Law Artifact, in his hands, he would have a little more ability to protect himself.
"Boss, that's a good plan. Though they're slower than cultivators, mortals can still catch ordinary spirit fish without using any Law Techniques or spiritual power." Tang Yuan nodded and drank his thin congee.
"Oh, you know about catching spirit fish too, sir?" The stall owner looked surprised.
"Heh, I worked as a spirit-fishing laborer for ten whole years." Tang Yuan smiled.
"Oh! A kindred spirit.
"Wife, take over making the buns for a while. I'll have a chat with this gentleman and ask him about his fishing experience." The stall owner set down the dough, sat down, and cupped his hands in greeting to Tang Yuan.
Meeting an old acquaintance away from home was a pleasure too.
Tang Yuan and the stall owner took turns sharing amusing stories and memories from their fishing days, sighing over the moments of danger each had faced while fishing...
Before he knew it, Tang Yuan had spent nearly three quarters of a shichen over breakfast.
Seeing that it was nearly the hour of the snake, Tang Yuan paid for his meal and hurried into the market. Talking with the bun-shop owner and seeing his family of six working happily together to make a living, Tang Yuan felt for a moment that being a mortal and living a mortal's life was rather good too.
Second, Tang Yuan was homesick. He missed his wife and his five lovely children, and decided that whether or not he managed to buy Moon Jade Radiance, he had to set out for home today.
Perching Clouds Island lay in the eastern sea of the Purple Mother Continent, less than a thousand li from the mainland. A spirit boat could reach the coast in under two shichen. From there, he could take a flying boat fueled by Spirit Stones westward, straight across the middle of the Purple Mother Continent, and reach home in about half a month: Dangwu Village, at the northern foot of the Dragon-Gazing Lake Desert.
Tang Yuan had only taken a few steps into the market when a Song Household cultivator stopped him. "Fellow Daoist, please wait. Our shopkeeper would like to see you."
Tang Yuan looked at the Song Household's medicine pavilion, with its high, jutting eaves and glittering splendor, and frowned. Could the Song Household have discovered that I'm a disciple of a demonic sect from the distant Mystic Spirit Continent, and plan to rob me in the name of righteousness? Maybe even kill me?...