On the summit of a scenic mountain peak.
Wang Ping and Yu Cheng Taoist stood at the top, gazing at the beautiful rivers and mountains in the distance as they discussed the recent gathering.
"The one who tried to trip us up this ti was most likely that Hongchen." Yu Cheng Taoist’s voice was nearly carried away by the wind as he spoke into it.
But Wang Ping heard him clearly.
"What does he gain from it?" Wang Ping asked, confused. He had harbored the sa suspicion.
"People can be complicated. They often do things that harm others even if they don’t benefit themselves."
"Isn’t that the kind of foolish thing only mortal enemies would do? I don’t understand how I could have offended him!" Wang Ping was even more perplexed.
"He’s a genius, and you’re just an unknown nobody. Yet, you’ve managed to surpass his talent." Yu Cheng Taoist continued speaking into the wind, as if the cool breeze helped deepen his thoughts. "Jealousy is more terrifying than hatred. I told you long ago to be wary of him."
Wang Ping had a sudden realization. He had been judging others by his own standards, but in reality, many people were simply paranoid.
"When I first entered this realm, I heard from a senior brother that there’s a quota for Great Realm Cultivators... I didn’t pay it much mind at the ti, but now I realize there’s more to it. The only way to learn the secrets is to keep climbing."
Yu Cheng Taoist paused here and turned to Wang Ping. "Do you know why I’m doing all of this?"
"To gain bargaining chips!"
"Correct. Rember, you can talk to those people from the gathering, you can even make promises, but don’t take any of it too seriously..." Yu Cheng Taoist first affird Wang Ping’s answer, then seed to ramble for a mont before asking again, "Who do you think I plan to trade these bargaining chips with?"
Wang Ping had actually considered this question before, but he always shied away from it whenever he reached the crucial point.
The answer was obvious!
"The Xiao Shan Lord?"
"Yes. To put it bluntly, everything we’re doing is to please the Xiao Shan Lord. Only with his approval can we possibly obtain the Third Realm Cultivation Technique for the Taiyan Talisman. Without the Lord’s nod, our only choice is to leave and go elsewhere. Then, we’d face the sa fate as Wenhai, and that’s even harder than pleasing the Xiao Shan Lord!"
Wang Ping’s thoughts suddenly jumped. Deep down, he had always seen the Xiao Shan Lord as the final boss.
"The Xiao Shan Lord is a very charismatic man, but he cannot be trusted. That’s why I let you see his dark side first." Yu Cheng Taoist once again gazed at the distant scenery. "This is one of the few things I, as your master, can teach you. I hope you rember it."
"Yes!" Wang Ping quickly agreed.
Yu Cheng Taoist fell silent for more than ten breaths before continuing, "Look at our little alliance. Every single one of them thinks they’re the chosen one, shouting thunderous slogans about using the Daoist Scripture Hall to fight the Six Heart Sect. It’s nothing more than self-preservation within the rules, and the rules are controlled by soone else."
"Opposing the Lord... suppress that thought right now. And don’t you ever think it again until the day you beco a Lord yourself. Because your life truly is nothing more than a whim of the Lord!"
Yu Cheng Taoist turned his head again. Master and disciple t each other’s gaze. For the first ti, Wang Ping saw helplessness in his master’s eyes.
"Do you understand what I’m saying?"
"I understand!"
"Do you know why I’m telling you this now?"
"Please, Master, enlighten ."
"I suspect Hongchen has already been given up on. This is your chance. The Xiao Shan Lord routinely grants an audience to all cultivators in the south who enter the realm using the Taiyan Talisman. And as far as I know, in the last fifty years, you are the only one who has succeeded. The others either failed or switched to a different cultivation thod."
Wang Ping’s brow furrowed. He felt an instinctive resistance in his heart.
Yu Cheng Taoist saw Wang Ping’s reluctance. He didn’t try to soothe his emotions, but continued, "The Xiao Shan Lord... To be honest, I admire him. In the past thousand years, he is the only Fourth Realm Cultivator who has dared to attempt advancing to the Fifth Realm."
"Before, I always doubted whether he could make up his mind. No, I should say the entire world doubted his resolve. But looking at the current situation, I feel he has finally made his decision..."
"You..."
Yu Cheng Taoist pointed a finger at Wang Ping. "When the opportunity cos, no matter how many bargaining chips we have, we must hand them all over at once. This... it’s dangerous, but it’s a rare opportunity. An opportunity like this cos once in a hundred years—no, once in a thousand!"
Wang Ping lowered his head. He knew what opportunity his master was talking about.
If the Xiao Shan Lord succeeded in his advancent, those who backed him would rise with him. If he failed, he would leave behind a huge power vacuum. The entire south would be without a leader, which was also an opportunity.
Only now did Wang Ping understand why Wenyang Taoist had told them to do their utmost to advance to the Third Realm. Only by reaching the Third Realm could they have a chance to get a piece of the pie. And the bargaining chips Yu Cheng Taoist was collecting were the price to buy the path to the Third Realm!
At this thought, Wang Ping cupped his fist in his hand and bowed deeply to Yu Cheng Taoist.
...
After his deep discussion with his master, Wang Ping sat alone on the summit, letting the cool wind blow over him for a full day and night. Only then did he return to Sanhe Temple to give a few instructions to Liu Shuang and Liang Tao, before taking Yu Lian back to the Qianmu Mountain Dao Field.
He sat alone before the scholar tree for another night to compose himself. Just after breakfast, a young servant ca to report that Yang Hou was requesting an audience.
"Martial Uncle, here is the information you requested on Junior Sister Hu." Yang Hou had co personally to deliver the file on Hu Qianqian.
Wang Ping took it and began to read...
Hu Qianqian’s file was simple. She took human form at the age of two, after which she was taken away by the elders of the White Fox Race. After absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to a certain degree in their ancestral land, she was registered at the Daoist Scripture Hall.
Then they ran into infighting within Snowfield Buddhism. All the local cities and Demon Race clans were forced to pick a side. The White Fox Race, however, did not want to cultivate Buddhist Teachings—the reason was simple: they truly didn’t understand it. Thus, they began a secret migration.
Hu Qianqian registered at the Daoist Scripture Hall in every place she went, so her movents were easy to trace... She first traveled north, then likely headed south due to the chaos of war. She even went to the Southeast Islands before finally arriving in Jinhuai Prefecture.
"She’s really had it tough. Following this path, didn’t she basically circle the entire Zhongzhou Continent?" Yu Lian said, perched on Wang Ping’s shoulder.
"You’re right!" Wang Ping only realized this after hearing Yu Lian’s words. He then looked at Yang Hou and asked, "Have you sent people to verify this?"
"I have already sent my first and second disciples to verify it personally," Yang Hou replied with certainty, feeling pleased with his own prudence.
This wasn’t a case of Wang Ping making a mountain out of a molehill. A nominal disciple was still a disciple, and one had to bear a certain amount of karma for them. Moreover, for Qianmu Temple to accept Inner Sect Disciples, verifying their background was a fundantal requirent—even if verifying the background for this prospective disciple of his was proving to be quite troubleso.
"I’ll go see how she’s doing."
With those words, Yu Lian flew up into the air. Wang Ping didn’t follow. After sending Yang Hou away, he walked to the scholar tree, entered a ditative state, and began his daily, repetitive path of cultivation.
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