Chapter 113
Since eight months ago, when Wen Bao was deceived by Wang Lu to leave the Spirit Creek Town with him, he was cheated again and again. For example, when the sect was first established, even the dirty old man was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Intelligence Revenue Service, but he could only be the Intelligence Revenue Service’s glorified worker, commonly known as the strong man; days in and days out, he was in charge of digging pit and building constructions in various places. Afterwards, when the Wisdom Sect expanded, he became the head of the infrastructure department. However, his responsibility was still the same, still digging a pit and building a building, but on a larger scale.
Of course, Wen Bao knew in his heart that Wang Lu had entrusted him the core work of the sect. In more than a half year, Wisdom Sect had amassed countless of money, but the sect also spent money like running water; besides for procuring Six Harmonies Pills, Spirit Root Development Pills, and so on, most of it were poured in infrastructure. At that time, the Wisdom Sect’s construction in the Wang Family Village even left the former Sect Leader of the Seven Stars Sect, Ye Chuchen, flabbergasted. However, since then, the number of villages that were developed on par with the Wang Family Village had been closed to two figures. These villages were all rich with surrounding spiritual energy, and as a result, it was logical to built altars there so that the Wisdom Sect’s double mines evolved to several mines. The construction of these villages wasn’t personally overseen by Wang Lu, but instead by spending a large amount of money for materials and then mobilizing the believers to take the Heaven Burning Blood Technique in exchange for magical power. With enhanced workforce, the construction quickly moved forward, and as the head of the infrastructure department, Wen Bao played a crucial role.
These villages with altars were the core areas of the Wisdom Sect. In addition, there were also facilities according to the characteristics of various areas, such as the medicine field, farm, smelting plant, alchemy furnace room, etc… Such facilities were numerous; though their ranks were not high, they won in practicality. As the head of the infrastructure department, Wen Bao worked days and nights for these projects; more than half a year later, his plumpness had increased another level.
Of course, it was not because of laziness, but because Wen Bao was about to break into level six Qi Cultivating Stage. Based on Wen Bao’s earth base spirit root, this progress was relatively unsurprising. However, considering the relatively conservative education policy in the Spirit Sword Sect, within the disciples with low cultivation stage, this speed was indeed very terrifying. Back in those days, the team leader of their first experiential learning to the Small Clear Sky Peak, Yue Yun, needed four years before he was able to reach level six Qi Cultivating Stage.
This progress naturally couldn’t be separated with his hard work in the last eight months. The infrastructure work of the Wisdom Sect wasn’t simply based on strength alone; any works needed an exquisite control of the surrounding spiritual energy. Initially, Wen Bao wasn’t very good at this thing, but finally, after working on it for more than half a year until he was dead tired, Wen Bao finally felt that his Primordial Spirit has stabilized a lot, and he was able to exert his power even more precisely. Therefore, his cultivation of Qi Cultivating Stage smoothly progressed forward.
This progress in cultivation made Wen Bao realized that his decision to follow Wang Lu when he went down the mountain was the correct choice; that sinister mouth senior brother had always treated him good, it was just that…
When cheating him, that senior brother had never shown any mercy! How could he give the duty to be the diplomatic envoy to him, someone with a poor choice of words? Could it be that this was some kind of mysterious giving-people-a-hard-time program? If he stammered in the Great Ming Country court, there would be people who would suddenly come out and loudly shout: You’ve been tricked!
When he thought it over, he looked at Wang Lu’s handwritten book of diplomacy in his hand and could only sigh. Knowing that he didn’t have any other choice, he braced himself as he strode forward.
From the headquarter of the Wisdom Sect at the Wang Family Village to the Great Ming Country capital, even a cultivator needed to spend three to five days on foot. Wen Bao had ordered his two primary assistants in the infrastructure department to pack his luggage before setting off together with him.
Three days later, three people arrived at the Starting Level City. When they entered the city wall, one of the assistants beside Wen Bao exclaimed with a sigh.
“If we can construct the altar here to attract followers, that would be wonderful.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Bao, who was initially nervous, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Little Yang, you’re quite ambitious.”
Assistant Yang Xiao explained, “This Starting Level City was even livelier than our Eastern Way Prefecture capital. The number of shops on this street alone is comparable to the entire shops in the entire Eastern Way Prefecture capital!”
Another assistant Guo Hong nodded his agreement and added, “It is said that this Starting Level City has a total population of millions, ten times as many as that of the Eastern Way prefecture capital. Moreover, this place is the real Feng Shui treasure, all of the surrounding spiritual spirit within the radius of thousands of miles converge here. I think if our Wisdom Sect is stronger a bit, how amazing it would be if we can move our headquarters and the Primal Chaos Altar here!”
Wen Bao nodded. “It is amazing, but unfortunately, not realistic. Although the Great Ming Country isn’t one of those top rank powerful nations, it’s not going to let us occupy its capital.”
Yang Xiao was somewhat unconvinced. “Sect Leader said, a single spark can set the prairie afire; although the Wisdom Sect hasn’t been established for very long, so it doesn’t have too much power, but sooner or later, it will spread all around the Nine Regions. By then, this Great Ming Country’s capital is nothing.”
Wen Bao’s words were stuck in his throat; he was also annoyed. However inwardly, he lamented that his Senior Brother’s brainwash was too powerful. These Yang Xiao and Guo Hong were originally cultivators from the Seven Stars Sect, which were different from those illiterates. However, just a few months after they entered the Wisdom Sect, they were already more fanatical than the common people. Everyday, they would shout that they must become one of the million forerunners; they were highly motivated workers, which put him, as the head of the department, to shame.
“That’s enough. Let’s go find the Mansion of Light and give the letter of introduction.”
The so-called Mansion of Light was the Great Ming Country’s specialized institution to deal with the matter related to the Immortal Cultivation World. Its function and that of the Union of Ten Thousand Immortal’s Hall of Mortal Reason seemed to overlap, but it was not. The Union of Ten Thousand Immortal’s Hall of Mortal Reason was more like a department of violence, dealing with problems that mortal government couldn’t handle. As for the normal dealings between cultivators of the Immortal Cultivation World and mortals, it was usually handled with rules independently developed by various countries’ government authorities. And thus, the Great Ming Country’s Mansion of Light undertook such responsibilities.
The three of them walked through the city for a moment before they arrived in front of the Mansion of Light. This institution that dealt with the communication between the world of mortals and the Immortal Cultivation World was located in the center of the Starting Level City. Next to that institution was the Imperial Palace; its special geographical position showed its status of being a cut above other people. Even the entrance guards looked at people with a hint of disdain. At the front, when Wen Bao came forward, displayed his cultivator identity and submitted the introduction letter, the other side looked cold and indifferent.
For a trusting and simple Wen Bao, he didn’t mind it at all. After handing over the introduction letter, he withdrew with the intent of letting the people from the Mansion of Light to contact him themselves. However, his two assistants were livid.
“What arrogant bastards, they’re just entrance guards, who do they think they are?”
“Exactly, mere mortals actually dare to look down on us!”
Wen Bao wryly smiled. “Although they’re just mortals, after all, they’re mortals from the Mansion of Light. Although the Great Ming Country is not one of the top rank powerful countries, within their territory, there are millions of cultivators, so the people that they usually warmly welcome are those high-rank important dignitaries, so naturally, they look down on us, country bumpkins.”
Speaking to this, a thought flashed through the fatty’s mind. He had correctly guessed why he was appointed by Wang Lu as the Wisdom Sect’s Diplomatic Envoy.
Currently, Wisdom Sect was still far from being the biggest bully in the Great Ming Country. Even though it has a large number of followers and amazing wealth, it never came out of the low-end development pattern; it’s cultivator with the highest cultivation was still Ye Chuchen, a Xudan Stage cultivator. In other words, as long as a few Jindan Stage cultivators came knocking at their door, the Wisdom Sect would be easily flattened.
Thus, this time when they came to visit the Mansion of Light, they must act humble like a visiting grandson, and who was more professional to do this chore than Wen Bao?
Thinking to this, Wen Bao actually relaxed; since his Senior Brother Wang Lu had handpicked him to be the grandson, it would be alright as long as he completed his duty. In any case, for the specifics of the negotiation, Wang Lu had written them all in the diplomatic book. At the appointed time, he just needed to submit it to the head of the Mansion of Light, wait for the final decision, and that was it.
Therefore, while trying to calm down his two indignant assistants, Wen Bao tried to look for family inn within the Starting Level City where they would wait to be contacted by the liaison from the Mansion of Light. This was one of the sorrows of the small sect. If it was one of the sects within the Union of Ten Thousand Immortals, all these troubles were unnecessary, since they would be able to pass through the entrance to directly talk with the head of the institution.
Wisdom Sect’s development was still long and far.
With Wen Bao’s calm mentality, he patiently waited for the reply from the Mansion of Light. One day, two days, three days… on the fourth day, not to mention the two fuming assistants, even Wen Bao somewhat could not stay still.
The letter that he gave wasn’t just a letter of introduction. It has a total of several hundred characters, which accounted for their identities, origin, as well as the request for a dialogue with the head of the Mansion of Light; what was so difficult to process it!? It wasn’t as if it was written in the Western text!
Clearly, the Mansion looked down on them and thus, didn’t attach great importance to their letter. Although they were already prepared to act as a humble grandson, this was too much. Wen Bao was aggrieved.
“Elder Wen, do we still have to continue to wait?”
The two assistants were naturally doubly aggrieved. In Wang Family Village and other places, they, as the backbone of the sect, were worshiped by countless of followers. However, here at the Starting Level City, they couldn’t even be qualified as grandsons!
Wen Bao thought for a moment. Actually, with his temper, he didn’t mind to wait. However, in the likely event that the introduction letter was just put on the shelf like it was a stone dropped into the sea, then this diplomatic mission would come to naught…
“Very well, we’ll go ask them again.”
Thus, the three of them strode toward the Mansion of Light once again. Along the way, the two assistants constantly fanned their boss’s anger. Finally, the swayed Wen Bao turned murderous, as if he would charge through the entrance no matter who was guarding it.
As a result, when they arrived at the Mansion of Light, they saw a person that seemed to be in charge was sternly admonishing the subordinate.
“Be prepared the two of you, in a moment, the Immortal Teacher will come to pay a visit. I don’t want anything to go wrong, otherwise, I’ll peel off your skin, you hear me!?”
The two guards gingerly complied. However, not too far away from there, Wen Bao and his two assistants looked at each other in dismay.
Yang Xiao asked, “Immortal Teacher? Is that us?”
Wen Bao laughed in spite trying not to. “How could it be? This is the state capital after all; if there’s an Immortal Teacher here, it would be at least a Jindan Stage.”
Guo Hong also asked, “If they took us seriously, how could they let us dry waiting at the inn for several days? I think they are rarely visited by an Immortal Teacher, that’s why they didn’t know what to do.”
Guo Hong was indignant, thus, his voice was slightly louder. Wen Bao hastily pulled him aside, unfortunately, the person in charge seemed to have heard this admonishment.
Fortunately, at this time, the other matter was more important. Thus, after that steward cast a glance at the three people, he had no interest to investigate these three boring country bumpkins, and began to tell the two guards the various details. This time, the House of Light attached great importance to this Immortal Teacher visit, and they especially paid particular attention to the elaborate superfluous parts. However, before the Steward ended his incessant nagging, a man came in a hurry and whispered a few words in his ear, and the steward’s countenance drastically changed. After ferociously glaring at the two guards and warning them, the steward respectfully stood by the entrance.
Before long came a bustling voice. Two youths crowded by a large group of people were briskly walking over to the Mansion of Light. From their attires, they seemed to be dignitaries of the Great Ming Country. Usually, when traveling, these nobles would avoid the crowd. However, right now, the two were all smiles as they walked together through the sweaty crowd, completely lacking the image of nobles.
Guo Hong was somewhat unconvinced. “I don’t think there’s anything remarkable with those two; they’re just Qi Cultivating cultivators. As for why they can drag a lot of people with them, they must be disciples of a top sect or children of some big cultivators, bah, goddam second generation!”
Yang Xiao nodded in agreement. “This Great Ming Country’s Mansion of Light really has no integrity. Their servile countenance is laughable. Compared to our Wisdom Sect… it’s like the difference between the heaven and the earth.”
“Yeah, if it’s our Wisdom Sect who manage this country, it would be several times stronger than now.”
The two people continued their talk for awhile before they inadvertently thought about future scenes; the more they talked, the more excited they were. However, a moment later, they suddenly felt that something was wrong. If it was usual, Elder Wen Bao would’ve told them to stop, but now, there was nothing but silence from him.
When they turned to look at him, they saw Wen Bao was blankly staring at the distant two people. His eyes seemed very surprised, but also a million times bitter.
What… was happening here?
And at this time, the two people had come near enough that their voice could be heard.
“Junior Sister Yue, in front of us is the Mansion of Light.”
“Em, thank you, Senior Brother Zhu Qin, for contacting me here. Otherwise, I really don’t know what to do.”