Chapter 222: Guest

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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The Southern Province’s Yellow Smoke Citadel.

It was a city bordering the Myriad Desolation Mountain Range, which could be called the land of demonic beasts, and it could be seen as a sort of fortress.

In terms of location alone, it was the outskirts of the outskirts, but because cultivators wishing to hunt demonic beasts in the Myriad Desolation Mountain Range constantly flooded in, the city’s scale was quite large.

Although it was a chore to have to fend off the demonic beasts that invaded from time to time, it could be said to be a decent city for cultivating.

However…

“This is troublesome.”

The Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel, who was the master of the fortress, could not help but feel frustrated lately.

‘To think finding a successor would become this difficult…’

With all kinds of disturbances occurring recently, such as a secret realm opening in the Middle Province, countless Nascent Soul stage cultivators had died.

As a result, an immense number of Rank 4 spiritual veins without owners had emerged.

In a way, it was an opportunity, but from the perspective of Yellow Smoke Citadel, which was located on the outskirts, it was not very good.

Originally, if a Golden Core merchant wanted to challenge the Nascent Soul stage, they had to pay a truly great price to rent a Rank 4 spiritual vein. Serving the owner of the spiritual vein for a hundred years was a basic requirement.

Yet now, the situation had changed.

Since many vacant lands had appeared in the Middle Province, which was called the sacred land of cultivation, there was no one who would go out of their way to come to a remote area like Yellow Smoke Citadel and serve for a hundred years.

‘Sigh. Honestly, even I would go to the Middle Province rather than come to Yellow Smoke Citadel.’

Senior Jin, who recently became the new Lord of the Divine Wood, had even made an unprecedented declaration that he would rent out Rank 5 spiritual veins.

How many opportunities would there be if one went to the Middle Province during such a time of upheaval?

In fact, he also wanted to abandon the citadel and go to the Middle Province to seriously challenge the Soul Formation stage.

However, the descendants settled in Yellow Smoke Citadel weighed on his mind, so he had no choice but to give up the idea.

“What should I do about this…”

The Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel, who was only letting out deep sighs, racked his brain.

Currently, there were two Nascent Soul stage cultivators in Yellow Smoke Citadel.

One was naturally him, and the other was a cultivator named Wu Yeong-jin, who was serving for a hundred years in exchange for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage at Yellow Smoke Citadel.

‘There are fifty years left of the period promised with Daoist Wu.’

This meant that he had to resolve the issue within fifty years at the latest.

Either find a successor…

or tie Wu Yeong-jin down so that he would settle down and live in Yellow Smoke Citadel for good.

His eyes narrowed as he fell into deep thought.

Broadly speaking, there were two ways to keep Wu Yeong-jin in Yellow Smoke Citadel.

Either catch a weakness somehow and force him not to leave Yellow Smoke Citadel… or bestow upon him so many benefits that he himself would not want to leave.

Entering into the specific methods would be complicated, but in the end, the main point was those two.

The carrot and the stick. Each of them had its own issues.

Playing tricks to catch a weakness had to be conducted very secretly. If they rashly provoked a Nascent Soul stage cultivator and earned his resentment, their descendants might suffer retaliation.

The method of bestowing benefits had no particular danger, but if the opponent was not satisfied and left, that would be the end of it.

What should he do…

Just as he was deliberately pondering while weighing the pros and cons.

“Father! A guest has come to visit Elder Wu, and something is unusual.”

“A guest?”

“My discernment is lacking, so I could not identify it accurately, but he seemed to be at least at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Ah! And he was very young. Judging by his aura full of vitality, it is certain.”

He frowned at the words poured out by his son, who had rushed over.

“Mid-Nascent Soul stage at a young age? That is truly not an easy thing.”

“Could a large power be trying to recruit Elder Wu?”

“…That might indeed be the case.”

If Wu Yeong-jin left for another power under the current circumstances? It would truly be the worst.

To stably defend Yellow Smoke Citadel, there had to be at least two Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

His complexion darkening, he hurried toward the castle where Wu Yeong-jin lived.

He intended to personally check which damn power was acting so ruthlessly. Only then could he formulate a plan or do something.

Standing in front of the massive castle gate that reached twenty zhang in height, he cleared his throat.

“Ahem! Elder Wu. May we have a brief chat?”

How long did he wait in the silence?

“Please come in. Please understand that I cannot come out to greet you because a guest is here.”

The reply that returned after a fairly long time was truly disappointing.

‘Just who is this guest that he would not even come out to greet me…’

No matter how he looked at it, it was not a good sign.

Had a large power really come to recruit Wu Yeong-jin?

Honestly, he was displeased, but he smiled broadly instead as he headed to the reception room, and soon he was able to face an unfamiliar young man.

“You are someone I am meeting for the first time. Nice to meet you. I am called the Castellan of Yellow Smoke…”

The greeting he threw out to assess the opponent suddenly cut off.

The moment his eyes met the young man, who wore a relaxed smile, he had no choice but to do so.

‘…What is this?’

A young man wearing greyish-white martial robes.

When their eyes met, the young man gave him a light nod, which was neither particularly rude nor polite.

There was nothing wrong, but for some reason, his shoulders shrank and his head grew dizzy, making even simple thinking difficult.

Even though there was no intimidating aura of any kind from the young man. It was truly a strange thing.

The moment he swallowed hard from an unknown anxiety.

“Ah?”

Suddenly, he realized that he could not feel any cultivation realm from the young man, and his mind went completely blank.

Why could he not identify the cultivation realm?

Did this not mean that the gap between the two sides was absurdly large?

‘But I am at the Nascent Soul stage?’

To experience once again after hundreds of years what he had only undergone during his days as a low-level cultivator. He could not understand it at all.

In an instant, countless thoughts swept through his mind.

Then, suddenly.

He belatedly understood what the situation was, and his eyes bulged.

There were few experts in this world from whom he, a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, could not feel even a shred of aura.

An expert capable of that was naturally…

“I pay my respects to Senior! T-This is no time for this; I shall prepare a welcoming ceremony…”

none other than a Soul Formation stage expert. Startled out of his wits, he bowed deeply, but soon had no choice but to stand up awkwardly.

“Do not do that. I only came to meet a friend for a moment. And I do not particularly like noisy things.”

“Ah… yes.”

“Since I have confirmed that you are doing well, I shall take my leave now. Well then, Daoist Wu. See you next time.”

At the young man’s calm farewell, Wu Yeong-jin wore a bitter smile.

“Senior Jin’s footsteps are so fast that it is overwhelming to follow. I do not know how many times we will be able to see each other again.”

“Well. Is it not so that one never knows the affairs of the world? Perhaps you will be running alongside me by my side again someday.”

“Haha… I hope so too. Have a safe journey.”

The lightly smiling young man vanished like smoke, leaving only Wu Yeong-jin and the Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel in the reception room.

Just as it grew quiet with each of them lost in deep thought.

The Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel, who had been in shock, suddenly snapped back to his senses and shouted.

“No, you. How could you not say a single word when you have a connection with such an incredible person! Do you know how shocked I was?”

Wu Yeong-jin chuckled, finding it absurd.

“Even if I had said that I have a connection with the person who recently became the new Lord of the Divine Wood, would the Castellan have believed it?”

“Uh… hm.”

For a moment, he had no words to reply. As he coughed awkwardly, Wu Yeong-jin gestured with his chin.

“But what business brought you here?”

“Huh? Ah, it is nothing major. Has it not already been fifty years since you stayed in Yellow Smoke Citadel? I was thinking of gradually increasing the cultivation resources allocated to you.”

“That is fine with me, but…”

At the gaze looking at him suspiciously as if asking why all of a sudden, he hastily continued.

“I will speak honestly. Is there not only fifty years left of the time you promised to stay in Yellow Smoke Citadel? But in fact, it would be a bit troublesome for us if you were to leave.”

“A troublesome situation? Ah, could it be because of the events that occurred in the Middle Province recently?”

“Yes. You knew all about it. Since things have turned out this way, I will speak openly.”

The Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel, clearing his throat, spoke with a serious expression.

“Elder Wu, you are also in a position of leading a family like me, so you will empathize. If one were alone it would be different, but taking one’s dependents and settling down in the highly competitive Middle Province is a very difficult task. Is it not?”

“That is true.”

“Rather, settle down formally in Yellow Smoke Citadel. I will support the spirit stones needed to bring your dependents.”

“…Hm. I will think about it.”

“As you know, Yellow Smoke Citadel is not a land lacking in cultivation resources. Except for the fact that you have to deal with the demonic beasts that pop out occasionally, it is a decent place, so think it over carefully.”

The Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel, who had been persuading in a sincere tone, departed.

Arriving at his own castle with a smiling face, his complexion darkened rapidly.

‘To think he actually had a friendship with a Soul Formation stage cultivator.’

What a bolt from the blue this was.

It was fortunate that he had not played tricks rashly, or he would have almost suffered a great embarrassment.

“Phew.”

He felt like he had survived after almost dying without even knowing it.

Wiping the cold sweat that formed on his forehead, he pondered for a moment, then called his son.

“Choose those among the family’s children who have fine beauty and send them to Elder Wu. Tell him he may use them as disciples…no, even as maids, so let him do as he pleases.”

“…Maids?”

“There is no need to worry too much. Having observed for fifty years, Elder Wu’s personality is relatively decent. He would not truly employ them as maids anyway, but even if they do become maids, they will not have to suffer.”

“Yes. I will do as you said.”

Left alone, the Castellan of Yellow Smoke Citadel let out a deep sigh.

Since the option of holding a weakness and forcing Wu Yeong-jin to remain in the citadel had become impossible, there was only one path left now.

He no choice but to do his best to bestow benefits upon him so that he would want to stay in the citadel of his own accord…

***

At the same time, in Namhwa Capital City.

In that place, which was one of the largest cities in the Southern Province,

a woman who had spread her fame as a talented elixir refiner with a beautiful appearance, Cheong Hwa-ran, bit her lip while hiding her anger.

“Senior. Did you not say three years ago that if only I brought the Soul-Refining Heart Pill, you would let me use the teleportation array to cross over to the Middle Province?”

“Did I? I am sorry, but I do not recall.”

As the portly Nascent Soul stage cultivator feigned ignorance, Cheong Hwa-ran’s complexion darkened.

‘For someone who is the Great Elder of the Cheonghyeon Sect to go back on his word.’

Currently at the Golden Core Great Circle, she intended to challenge the Nascent Soul stage before long.

She had planned to depart for the Middle Province to rent a Rank 4 spiritual vein, but a problem arose from the very start.

For a rogue cultivator like her to take the teleportation array and cross over to the Middle Province, someone with a verified identity had to guarantee her credibility.

That was why she had carried out the mission of the Great Elder of the nearby prestigious Cheonghyeon Sect, but for him to say something else now.

Although she was frustrated and felt wronged, she did not show it and spoke as politely as possible.

“Senior. Then what must I do to be able to use the teleportation array?”

“Haha. Well? Because the number of people trying to cross over to the Middle Province has increased lately. I think it would only be possible if you brought something like a Soul Condensing Pill.”

At the words spoken lightly as if joking, anger surged in her for a moment.

A Soul Condensing Pill? Was that not a pill absolutely necessary when a Golden Core merchant challenged the Nascent Soul stage?

It was an extremely precious treasure, and she could not dedicate it merely to use the teleportation array.

Forcibly suppressing her boiling emotions, she examined the expression of the Great Elder of the Cheonghyeon Sect, but something was strange.

Despite speaking ridiculous nonsense, his eyes were strangely calm. Just as she was startled.

-I am sorry. The Castellan of Namhwa Capital City covets your elixir refining talent, so I have no wish to experience conflict.

At the sound transmission that rang in her ears, she hastily asked back.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

-It will be similar even if you seek out someone other than me. Although your talent is outstanding, you are still at the Golden Core stage, are you not? No one will damage the Castellan’s face for your sake.

Only now did she get a sense of what was going on.

This meant that the Castellan, who coveted her elixir refining talent, was blocking her from leaving.

“…Thank you for explaining the circumstances.”

“Hm? I do not know what you mean. At any rate, it seems difficult to send you to the Middle Province without a Soul Condensing Pill, so give up.”

Bowing deeply to the Great Elder of the Cheonghyeon Sect, who was feigning ignorance while advising her through sound transmission, Cheong Hwa-ran went outside and sighed.

To the powerless, even possessing talent was a sin.

If she had been a mediocre rogue cultivator, no one would have cared whether she went to the Middle Province or not, but her outstanding elixir refining skills, to the point of spreading her fame, were the problem.

She thought about secretly leaving for another city instead, but it did not seem like a wise idea.

She was already targeted by a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. If she left secretly, she might suffer an even harsher fate.

In this world, there were many madmen who felt satisfied only if they destroyed a treasure if they could not possess it.

While worrying about how to resolve the bleak situation, she returned to her cave dwelling, but…

a guest had arrived.

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