Chapter 25: Gathering

Inside the main gate was a hall more than ten times larger than his room.

Placed in the hall were five low dining tables; one at the head, and two on each side. Except for one that was empty, people were already seated on the cushions behind the other tables.

Seeing Wang Yu walk in, their gazes all turned toward him.

"This little brother must be Fellow Daoist Wang, right? Tsk tsk, I'm not too clear on your cultivation, but the strength of your Qi and blood is truly rare. Won't you please take a seat?" The purple-robed old man at the head, with snow-white hair and a ruddy complexion, said as he stood up with bright eyes after seeing Wang Yu's face clearly.

"Senior, you flatter me." Wang Yu was stunned upon hearing this. He cupped his hands before sitting behind the only empty table, looking at the people seated at the other three tables.

At one table sat a fierce-looking wandering monk wearing an iron headband.

At another sat the young couple he had seen on the deck.

At the last table was an old woman with a kind face and gentle eyes, wearing a red and green dress. Her hair was graying, and a black wooden hairpin was stuck in it.

"There aren't many fellow travelers on this ship, and half of them are already here. The rest don't like liveliness, so I didn't invite them. By the way, I wonder whose disciple you are, Brother Wang?" After the purple-robed old man sat back down, he asked Wang Yu, appearing casual.

"Apologies, my master does not allow me to mention his name while traveling outside, so it is difficult for me to say more here." Wang Yu stood up again and cupped his hands toward those around him.

"Quite cautious, aren't you? Everyone set sail from Huang Shi City; how many fellow travelers could there be there? If you don't want to say it, then forget it." The monk nearby rolled his eyes and said with a buzzing voice.

"People's hearts are treacherous nowadays. For Brother Wang to be this steady at such an age, I truly admire it." The old woman spoke, her tone quite kind.

The young couple clearly recognized Wang Yu from the deck as well, and they whispered to each other with surprised expressions.

"Haha, if Brother Wang doesn't want to say more, then so be it. Let me introduce everyone. This is Zen Master Iron Arm; the Golden Stone Art he practices is a famous protective cultivation method in the Qi Refinement Stage. His pair of arms are impervious to blades and spears, water and fire, and can even withstand magic artifacts. This is Madam Yin, who excels in beast-taming and spirit-driving techniques; she can kill an opponent invisibly, so you must never offend her. This Brother Huang is a disciple of the Huang family, and also the most outstanding disciple the Huang family has had in the last twenty years. Beside him is his wife, Fellow Daoist Hu." Yu Bintian introduced them one by one with a smile.

Wang Yu cupped his hands and greeted them one by one. When he heard that the young man was from the Huang family, his heart tightened, but he sat back down without showing the slightest change in his expression.

"Fellow Daoist Yu, although we are only nodding acquaintances, our backgrounds have all been uncovered by you. But what did you mean just now when you said Brother Wang's Qi and blood were rarely seen in a lifetime?" Madam Yin asked the purple-robed old man.

The others also showed expressions of confusion.

"I won't hide it from everyone: I have practiced a type of Qi-observing method, and I have a special sensitivity to those with vigorous Qi and blood. Just now, the moment Brother Wang entered the room, I felt as if a furnace had entered. I truly haven't seen many people with such vigorous Qi and blood before."

"I suspect Brother Wang either practices a special body-refining technique or has awakened some kind of physical bloodline. Of course, this is also because Brother Wang's cultivation is not high; once his magic power is profound in the future, outsiders won't be able to see it so easily." Yu Bintian looked at the old woman and replied with a laugh.

Awakened a physical bloodline!

Upon hearing this, before Madam Yin could react, the monk and the young Huang couple let out a soft exclamation in unison, and their gazes toward Wang Yu were clearly different.

Qi-observing method!

Wang Yu, however, felt something was not quite right; bloodline power seemed far more special than he had imagined, so he hurriedly gave a vague explanation:

"Senior, you are joking. How could I have awakened any bloodline? I have only practiced some simple body-refining techniques."

His "Iron-Eating Crocodile" bloodline was only half-awakened, so it wasn't exactly a lie.

"Body-refining techniques are also very rare cultivation arts in the Qi Refinement Stage. Come to think of it, the Golden Stone Art I practice is also half a body-refining technique. If there is an opportunity, the two of us can exchange insights." The monk's tone changed drastically, and he actually nodded to Wang Yu in greeting.

"My wife and I are also quite interested in Brother Wang's body-refining technique. The Huang family also collects some secret techniques rarely seen outside. If Brother Wang is willing, we can also exchange a few." The Huang family man among the young couple also cupped his hands toward Wang Yu from a distance.

Wang Yu could only nod and agree to them one by one.

Madam Yin watched all this with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, and continued to ask the purple-robed old man:

"Fellow Daoist Yu, you are different from us. Although you are also a rogue cultivator, you have vast wealth and crowds of servants in Tongzhou. Why would you come to a place like Huang Shi City, a land of residual spirit energy with scarce resources, and why are you in such a hurry to go back?"

"That's right, I have also heard of Brother Yu's reputation as a wealthy man in Tongzhou; otherwise, I wouldn't have been so easily invited." The monk nodded in agreement.

"Sigh, at my age, why else would I go on a long journey? It's just to earn a few more spirit stones for my useless descendants. Although Huang Shi City is a land of residual spirit energy, it is rich in iron ore. One-third of the cargo on this Iron Arrow is high-quality refined iron I found the Huang family to purchase. Once I return to Tongzhou and find some blacksmiths to forge it well, I can get a batch of thousand-forged iron to sell to the market." Yu Bintian replied with a relaxed expression.

"That is true. We rogue cultivators are not like those from cultivation families and cultivation sects; all our cultivation resources can only be fought for with our own hands. For Brother Yu to still have to look after the cultivation of his descendants, that is even harder." Madam Yin looked as if she felt the same way.

"I also often hate myself for not being born into a major cultivation clan; otherwise, after so many years, I would never have only this much cultivation. Brother Huang has the Huang family as a backer, and at such a young age, his cultivation is already not below ours." The monk also nodded, looking at the Huang couple with envious eyes.

"Brother Tie, small cultivation clans like the Huang family are not as good as outsiders feel. Not only is the competition for those few resources within the clan fierce, but if any clan member offends some great cultivator, the entire family will suffer along with them."

"Our Huang family fled to another land back then because of this, forced to a land of residual spirit energy like Huang Shi City. I actually envy you all for having no family ties, being free and unfettered. If you really want to go further in cultivation, you should join those major cultivation sects; only sects can provide resources that offer hope for Foundation Establishment." The young Huang man heard this and had a bitter smile on his face.

"As long as one reaches Foundation Establishment, one can hope for a lifespan of two hundred years; who wouldn't want that? But after the third level of Qi Refinement, one must go to a spirit region with spirit veins to continue cultivation. Rogue cultivators like us must either work in markets that have major forces as backers or sell our lives as guest elders for some cultivation families. I worked in the Guangyuan Market for twenty or thirty years back then and learned a little craft for refining spirit materials before I managed to save enough spirit stones to leave." Yu Bintian also stroked his beard and sighed.

"I didn't have such good luck as Fellow Daoist Yu. I obtained the legacy of a rogue cultivator senior back then, which is how I embarked on the path of cultivation, but the resources left by that senior only allowed me to cultivate to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. Now, if I join a sect, they won't accept me; if I go to be a guest elder for a major cultivation clan, they don't look down on me; if I go to work in a market, I don't have the ability to earn spirit stones. I can only find a land of residual spirit energy like Huang Shi City to scrape some spirit energy, which is how I barely manage to keep my realm from dropping." The monk said with a gloomy face.

Wang Yu heard their complaints and muttered to himself, wondering if it was really that hard for rogue cultivators outside.

"I am slightly better off than the two of you. I was once an outer sect disciple of a certain sect, but later I made a big mistake and was expelled from the sect." Madam Yin said slowly.

"What, Fellow Daoist Yin was once a sect disciple?" Yu Bintian and Iron Monk were both startled and began to re-examine the old woman.

After the Huang couple looked at each other, they also showed surprised expressions.

"Compared to inner sect disciples, it is relatively easier to enter as an outer sect disciple. Don't look at me as I am now; my cultivation aptitude was actually quite good when I was young. I regret it now; only after being expelled from the sect did I know the difficulty of cultivation outside. Now, after decades, my cultivation has not advanced but retreated." Madam Yin sighed, but there was a sense of pride in her words.

"Fellow Daoist Yin, may I ask which sect you came from back then?" The monk couldn't help but ask.

"My sect's kindness is heavy; I am just a rogue cultivator now, so naturally, I have no face to mention it. On the contrary, Fellow Daoist Huang, although the Huang family is not a major cultivation clan, basic cultivation resources are still guaranteed. Just this point alone is several times better than ordinary rogue cultivators." Madam Yin shook her head and smiled at the young Huang man.

"Actually, fellow daoists, you are all too modest. Once we cultivators reach the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, there is no problem at all in establishing ourselves in major markets. Even with family resources supporting us, my wife and I have only just entered this realm. You all know that cultivation before the Qi Refinement Stage is fine, but after reaching the mid-stage, it is more difficult to cultivate with each level, and each level takes more time. What Brother Tie said about being looked down upon by cultivation families should refer to those major cultivation clans. If you are willing to come to a small clan like our Huang family to be a guest elder, the Huang family would definitely open its doors to welcome you." The young Huang man replied politely.

"Oh, with Brother Huang's words, if I can't make it outside, I might really go to your clan to be a guest elder. When that time comes, Brother Huang, don't forget today's words." The monk heard the young man's words, and a slight smile appeared on his fierce face.

The Huang youth naturally agreed readily.

Wang Yu, who was listening intently on the side, noticed at this time that everyone's gaze was intentionally or unintentionally falling on him. After turning his thoughts a few times, he felt a bit enlightened. After coughing twice, he said to the others:

"I come from a remote place in Huang Shi City and have only been cultivating for a few years, so my cultivation is very shallow. This time, leaving Huang Shi City, I just received my master's permission to see what the outside world is like, and by the way, find a place with spirit veins to continue cultivating."

"Brother Wang, the spirit energy fluctuations on your body are not large; you should not have condensed your spirit roots yet. At such an age, you should be wandering outside more; otherwise, if you stay in a land of residual spirit energy like Huang Shi City, what future can you have? Guangyuan Market is located within Tongzhou; I have some friends there. If you want to go over and take a look, I can help introduce you." Yu Bintian said to Wang Yu enthusiastically.

Wang Yu thanked him repeatedly.

Then, everyone chatted for a while longer, talking about some interesting things they had seen and heard in the cultivation world. Wang Yu and the young Huang couple listened with great interest.

Just at this moment, Madam Yin suddenly asked the young Huang man:

"Brother Huang, the two people who wanted to board the ship before it set sail were from the Huang family, right? Were they looking for you?" ===== CHAPTER 26 =====