Chapter 188: Guests from the Mountains

Qingmu Ridge?

Chen Ci glanced at the pill bottle in his hand, feeling slightly surprised. Setting aside the origins of this group of cultivators, these few Premium Bigu Pills alone were not something an ordinary miscellaneous rogue cultivator could refine. If this bottle of pills was meant as a greeting gift for Long Xianzhi, he feared it was actually intended for him to see.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Ci asked, "What is the current situation at Qingquan Village? Is there any fighting in the village?"

The Ma Family Village had expended great effort for that Spirit Spring and that Medicine Field; for it to be seized by others after only two years of operation, it was no wonder the Ma family had not come to discuss the follow-up matters regarding the Corpse Ganoderma with Sanyin Temple for so long.

Ma Family Village was two hundred miles of mountain road away from Changping County. Without the foundation of Qingquan Village, it would take their cultivators several days to make a round trip. What attitude the Ma Family Ancestor held toward this matter was also up for debate.

"None. According to the Sect Master, they came to rely on distant relatives, only to find out after arriving that Qingquan Village had suffered a great disaster and had been occupied by the Ma family."

Long Xianzhi thought for a moment and reported, "The disciples of Qingmu Ridge captured all the Ma family members. Considering the affairs of Qingquan Village had nothing to do with the Ma family, they simply drove them back and even returned all the medicinal herbs the Ma family had planted, though Qingquan Village could no longer be given back to the Ma family."

"Oh?"

Chen Ci's heart stirred. Although Qingquan Village was in the vicinity of Changping County, it was nearly a hundred miles of mountain road away and not under the jurisdiction of Changping County. Judging by the style of Qingmu Ridge's actions, they were holding onto reason while maintaining a posture of wanting to stay for the long term.

Could it be that his own Sanyin Temple was about to have another neighbor?

"Have you seen the Qingmu Ridge Sect Master? What is his cultivation level roughly?"

Chen Ci seemed to think of something and asked slowly.

"This Apprentice has seen him. If one speaks of True Qi cultivation, it seems to be slightly stronger than Teacher's."

Long Xianzhi weighed his words and replied carefully.

"I understand. You may go down and rest."

Chen Ci nodded to show he understood, then called his Apprentice back and smiled, "This Bigu Pill is a greeting gift from that Sect Master to you; don't leave it behind."

After speaking, Chen Ci tossed the pill bottle over. He had already probed these Bigu Pills with his Observation Qi Method; the aura was pure, containing only the essence of spirit grain as a medicinal ingredient, with nothing amiss.

"Yes."

Long Xianzhi took the pill bottle, raised his hand in a salute, and retreated to go practice.

"How strange."

Once his Registered Disciple had exited, Chen Ci stroked his chin, feeling it was slightly odd.

The Liang Kingdom was already remote, and his Changping County was even more so on the edge of Xishan Prefecture. How could cultivators from some Qingmu Ridge suddenly move here? As for the excuse of relying on distant relatives, it was enough to just listen; it could not be taken as truth.

If there were a Yuanfang, there must be something fishy about it.

"Forget it. The matter of the Corpse Ganoderma at Ma Family Village can be delayed for a few days. Whether those two families reconcile or fight it out, it will likely take a month or so to determine a winner."

Chen Ci shook his head. This matter was quite troublesome. But then again, if the Ma family lost the Medicine Field at Qingquan Village, and if the Ma Family Ancestor wanted enough plant essence to cleanse his Five Metal Qi and extend his life, he would likely be even more dependent on his Yellow Sprout Pill, which was actually a good thing.

For some reason, Chen Ci had recently grown to love a calm and unruffled life of cultivation: improving his pill techniques, studying talisman techniques, and then taking time to practice the Golden Scale Wonderful Method and the Five Ghosts Wonderful Method. This step-by-step progress was a rare joy on the path of cultivation.

Any factor that disrupted his cultivation plan was something Master Chen detested deeply.

"That is why it is reasonable for me to raise the price of the pills, very reasonable."

Chen Ci sighed. Surely the Ma Family Ancestor could understand his feelings, right? Yes, it should be so.

Five days later.

Sanyin Temple, backyard.

Herb-Gathering Spell: Entry Level/54/100

Soul Fixing Talisman: Proficient/19/100

Chen Ci withdrew his gaze from the Gold Finger panel and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

There was progress, but the grinding was truly difficult.

"The hundred arts of immortal cultivation are all difficult to master. It is truly reasonable; a cultivator's time and energy are limited. If one goes to refine powerful evil artifacts or evil methods, one has no extra time to increase cultivation or study immortal arts."

Chen Ci looked at the sky and called out to Qingfeng outside the courtyard, "Deliver these two talismans to Yuanqing and have him send them to Due Palace."

"Yes, Master."

Little Qingfeng took the order and carefully held the two Soul Fixing Talismans as he went to the side courtyard.

Chen Ci stood up, stretched his muscles and bones a little, and paced slowly in the courtyard. He wondered if the Ma family had resolved the issue with the Medicine Field over these past few days. Although the cost-effectiveness of practicing the Herb-Gathering Spell with ordinary Bigu Pills might be higher, this stuff was useless, and he always felt a lack of motivation.

"Moreover, the Nourishing Qi Green Ganoderma Pill is, after all, only a Lower Grade Spirit Pill that complements the Sanyin Qi-Eating Method, and it is quite niche. I have no more advanced pill formulas on hand, so I need to make plans early."

Chen Ci considered it. Although he still had a trial sister above him, the thing was, the more others invested, the more they would demand later. He had no way to handle the inheritance of techniques, but for other pills and talisman books, he did not want to beg others unless absolutely necessary.

Most of the gifts in this world were truly marked with a price.

Suddenly, a burst of footsteps outside the courtyard interrupted Chen Ci's thoughts. Judging by the weight, it should be his Daoist boy, Qingfeng.

"Qingfeng, what is it?"

Chen Ci withdrew his thoughts and asked.

"Master, there are guests visiting. They are three Daoists I do not recognize."

Just as Qingfeng had handed the Soul Fixing Talismans to Geng Yuanqing, someone outside Sanyin Temple had presented a visiting card and gifts, stating directly that they were visiting Chen Ci. Although he was not old, he could see that the visitors had an extraordinary bearing, so he hurried in to report.

Guests visiting?

Chen Ci glanced at the green visiting card in his hand, as well as a familiar-looking pill bottle. He understood in his heart, took the two items, and then ordered, "Welcome them to the main hall and serve good tea. I will be there shortly."

"Yes."

Qingfeng bowed and hurried to the front again.

Chen Ci opened the visiting card. Sure enough, it was written: 'Gu Ningyuan, Sect Master of Qingmu Ridge, pays respects with his disciples.' He opened the pill bottle and saw twelve Xiaohuan Dan inside. However, observing the medicinal properties and aura, they were slightly different from the Xiaohuan Dan on the market; it was estimated that some adjustments had been made to the pill formula and ingredients.

If the Premium Bigu Pill only involved the essence of spirit grain and the mastery of the Herb-Gathering Spell, then this bottle of Xiaohuan Dan proved that Qingmu Ridge truly possessed a pill-making inheritance.

Chen Ci flicked his fingers, pondered for a moment, held the pill bottle in his palm, tucked the White Bone Heart-Lock Hammer under his Daoist robe, smoothed his Five Yin Evil Qi Bag, and then leisurely went to the main hall.

When Chen Ci stepped into the main hall, a Daoist in a green robe and high crown, with wide sleeves and straw sandals, was sitting on a mat drinking tea. He was about fifty years old, looked gentle, had a mustache, and two disciples standing behind him were also dressed in green robes, though they did not wear crowns.

"Daoist Gu, I failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive me!"

Chen Ci was slightly surprised in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged as he raised his hand and bowed with a smile.

This Sect Master of Qingmu Ridge had an incredibly high cultivation level. The feeling he gave him was even two points stronger than Geng Laodao back then; he feared he was not far from the Hundred Apertures Qi. If there was also a Dao Foundation inheritance in his sect, he feared that within ten or twenty years, a real Dao Foundation High Cultivator would emerge in the mountains. Even if it were only a Lower Grade Dao Foundation, it would be enough to run rampant in Xishan Prefecture for two hundred years.

Even the two disciples he brought behind him had cultivation levels of ten or twenty apertures.

It seems the Ma Family is destined to suffer this loss.

These thoughts flashed through Chen Ci's mind. Seeing Chen Ci emerge, this man surnamed Gu did not put on airs; he stood up, returned the courtesy politely, and said with a smile, "Greetings, Daoist Chen. My sect has moved here in its entirety, and I should have come to pay my respects to you long ago. Coming uninvited today is, instead, a disturbance to you."

"Daoist Gu is too polite."

The two gave each other plenty of face, though it is likely that the face given to Master Chen was partly due to the reflected glory of the He Mountain Sect. This is the benefit of being in a major sect; even if it is a Side Door major sect, as long as one does not actively stir up trouble, one can generally gain a bit of extra respect.

After drinking tea and chatting for a while, and introducing themselves, Chen Ci asked with some surprise, "Daoist Gu, you come from the Tang Kingdom?"

He had originally been wondering where this Qingmu Ridge had come from, but he had not expected it to be a lineage of cultivators from another country; this was even more peculiar.

Chen Ci did not even really know where the Tang Kingdom was.

"Yes, we were originally people from Shang Prefecture in the Tang Kingdom. It is just that the Tang Kingdom has not been very stable these past few years. My Qingmu Sect focuses mostly on the two paths of medicine and alchemy, and we do not wish to be dragged into the fighting between fellow practitioners. After discussing it, we simply took our Apprentices and left the Tang Kingdom to seek another mountain gate."

Gu Ningyuan set down his teacup, his expression somewhat wistful: "The Miao family of Qingquan Village were also members of the Qingmu Sect over a hundred years ago. We traveled far to the Liang Kingdom, originally intending to visit distant relatives, but we learned that the Miao family had already met with disaster, so we could only settle temporarily in Qingquan Village."

Regardless of whether what this man surnamed Gu said was true, or if there really was a bond of the same sect with Qingquan Village, the Miao family was already dead, and the dead could naturally not jump out to refute him.

However, some of the gossip and anecdotes he spoke of regarding the Tang Kingdom piqued Chen Ci's interest.

The Tang Kingdom is a major power, and its vast territory is incomparable to that of the Liang Kingdom. Its location is roughly to the northwest of the Liang Kingdom, separated by several thousand miles. Its ruler, the Li clan, is a descendant of a Primordial Spirit True Monarch from the Profound Gate major sect, the Pingyuan Sect, and the entire country naturally holds the Pingyuan Sect in high esteem.

The cultivation techniques of the Pingyuan Sect emphasize that 'the Dao is the original heart, with neither good nor evil.' The conduct of their Apprentices is slightly eccentric, but as long as one does not provoke them, they generally cannot be bothered to manage other matters. Therefore, the Side Door cultivators, Miscellaneous Cultivators, and Loose Practitioners within the Tang Kingdom are much more prosperous than in the Liang Kingdom. The members of Qingmu Ridge originally cultivated on Qingmu Mountain in Shang Prefecture, and their lineage has existed for over four hundred years.

However, in recent years, the Pingyuan Sect first had a dispute with a major external sect, leading to much slaughter among their Apprentices, and then they somehow began to fight with Longhu Mountain as well. At this time, all kinds of cultivators within the Tang Kingdom either rely on their own strength to join the outer courtyard of the Pingyuan Sect to seek a future, or they feel it is too dangerous and simply leave the Tang Kingdom to find a place to cultivate elsewhere.

Qingmu Ridge chose the latter.

"In any case, the cultivation world in the Tang Kingdom is very chaotic right now. All kinds of Side Door cultivators are brave and fierce, inviting people to help them fight with swords; it is easy to meet with disaster if you agree, and easy to offend fellow practitioners if you don't. It was better to just abandon our foundation and leave."

Gu Ningyuan's expression was somewhat helpless. He glanced at Chen Ci, as if remembering something, and said, "However, before I left, I did hear some rumors that Longhu Mountain wanted to occupy the two water veins of this continent, which is why they clashed with the Pingyuan Sect and fought with true fire. As for whether it is true or not, that is not something for small cultivators like us to know."

Although Chen Ci was somewhat curious, he only echoed with a smile.

Listening to what this man surnamed Gu said, the two main water veins of Yuping Zhou both originate in the Tang Kingdom and then pass through the sphere of influence of Longhu Mountain.

It is just like the Liuyun River; its upper water vein is called the Huanyue River in the Tang Kingdom, flowing through a large marsh called Luoyu Lake in the middle, then passing through the Liuyun River in the Liang Kingdom, and flowing directly into the East Sea.

Gu Ningyuan had spoken for a long time and was somewhat thirsty. He drank the tea in his cup and then cleared his throat to get to the point: "Daoist Chen, I came here today not only to visit you, but also to make an ungracious request. When the Miao family left, they took some artifacts with them. I heard from fellow practitioners in the mountains that the disaster in Qingquan Village was entirely resolved by Daoist Chen. However, there is a large cauldron among them that might be an old object from my sect. Of course, if this object is of no great use to Daoist Chen, I am willing to exchange it for pills, alchemy materials, or divine sand. I wonder if that is possible?"

A large cauldron?

Chen Ci's heart stirred slightly. He had not expected this man surnamed Gu to ask about this matter, but after thinking about it, he spoke truthfully: "There is indeed a large cauldron, but whether it is an old object from your sect, I do not know."

"Could you let me take a look at it?"

Gu Ningyuan's eyes lit up, but he still explained: "These artifacts are just antiques with some age; they are not Dharma Artifacts or spiritual objects. Daoist Chen should have checked them as well. If you like it, it would be fine to give it to you."

"Daoist Gu is joking."

Chen Ci simply stood up. That 'Medicine Spring' cauldron was indeed not a valuable item; it was too big for alchemy and easily caused the medicinal properties to dissipate. It was more like a large vat used for medicinal baths. If it could be converted into cultivation resources, that would not be bad. Since this Qingmu Ridge Sect Master had shown full courtesy by visiting today, there was no need for him to act like a villain.

"Daoist, please wait a moment. I will move that cauldron out for you to take a look."

The alchemy room is a private place, so Chen Ci naturally would not let others look around at will, so he simply moved the bronze cauldron out himself.

"Oh?"

Seeing this bronze cauldron, Gu Ningyuan only gave a light exclamation, then stepped forward to examine it carefully inside and out. He did not miss the patterns or inscriptions on the cauldron's body, but in the end, he shook his head with some regret: "This cauldron has quite a bit of age, but it is not an old object from my sect. I estimate it was found by the Miao family after they came to the Liang Kingdom. I have troubled Daoist Chen."

"It is no trouble."

Chen Ci smiled gently: "It is a small matter."

"This cauldron already carries a trace of spiritual energy. If ordinary people use it to cook food, it can boil out the essence, which is beneficial to the body."

Gu Ningyuan said to Chen Ci with a hint of apology: "If you find a master of the artifact path, you can have it refined into a Dharma Artifact. It can remove impurities and turbid Qi from food. It is of no great use to cultivators of our level, but if used for the Apprentices' meals, it should have thirty to fifty percent of the efficacy of ordinary Bigu Pills. It is still passable."

Chen Ci nodded, thoughtful: "Thank you for the guidance, Daoist."

The two chatted again about the customs of the Tang Kingdom and the Liang Kingdom. Seeing that it was getting late, Gu Ningyuan stood up and said with regret: "Daoist Chen, there are still some miscellaneous matters in the sect, so I will not chat anymore. When you have leisure in the future, I invite you to visit my sect."

"Easily done."

Chen Ci said politely: "Daoist Gu, would you like to stay for a simple meal?"

"Next time, next time."

Gu Ningyuan waved his hand gracefully and left with his two Apprentices. Chen Ci saw him out of the temple gate and watched him go down the mountain before returning to the main hall, looking up and down at that 'Medicine Spring' bronze cauldron.

"Tang Kingdom cultivators..."

Chen Ci pondered slightly. This bronze cauldron should have nothing unusual about it, but the behavior of this man surnamed Gu seemed as if he were looking for something. Could it be that there is some opportunity in Qingquan Village?

But immediately, he laughed silently. His own path lies in the two paths of alchemy and talismans, and the Five Ghosts Wonderful Method. Other opportunities are fine if they exist, and fine if they don't. Moreover, that Qingquan Village seems to have bad Feng Shui and is a bit of a master-killer; three families in a row have had no good endings, so there is no need for him to investigate in detail.

It is just that this man surnamed Gu did not talk much about the background of Qingmu Ridge or the changes in the mountains. He did not know if, besides this family, there were any other Side Door Loose Practitioners who had arrived near Changping County.

"Speaking of which, the Ma Family hasn't been wiped out, have they?"

Chen Ci's expression suddenly became a bit strange. Even if these Tang Kingdom cultivators came to the Liang Kingdom, they probably would not dare to offend Longhu Mountain, and the He Mountain Sect probably would not dare either. There do not seem to be many spiritual peaks or Daoist sites left to choose from.

"It shouldn't be that bad. In fact, ninety-nine percent of the cultivators in the world stop before the Hundred Apertures. The cultivation of the Ma Family Ancestor is still enough to hold the fort."

Whether the Ma family members die or not does not have much to do with Master Chen, but Master Chen's Corpse Ganoderma has not been collected yet. If someone destroys it casually, he will not be able to find any ready-made long-term corpse-raising grounds to find a sufficient amount of Corpse Ganoderma.

"Troublesome."

Master Chen touched his chin. No, he still needs to understand the changes in the mountains. He cannot be completely in the dark beside his own sleeping mat; he must have some preparation.

It just so happens that he has an acquaintance in the mountains who must know more about the changes within a few hundred miles than Master Chen does.

(End of chapter)