“This is my bounty token,” Shu Xin said. Li Qinghe, who was standing beside her, immediately stepped forward and presented the token to Elder Hu with both hands.
Elder Hu examined it carefully. The smile on his face grew even broader. “May I ask which sect or school you hail from, Dao Lord? Perhaps our Hu family has disciples who have joined your sect.”
Shu Xin said nothing.
Cao Ru, who had no idea what was going on, suddenly felt as if the scabbard on her back had been tapped. She hurriedly stepped forward to interrupt. “Since our Dao Lord is traveling abroad, naturally she cannot rely on her sect at every turn. Elder Hu, our Dao Lord is here only to complete a task. Once the payment and goods have been exchanged, that will be all.”
[I’ve been with Shu Xin for so long, yet she still has to rely on me. These two little girls need more training!]
The Sword Spirit secretly swelled with pride. At times like this, they still had to count on it for reminders.
But immediately afterward, the Sword Spirit fell into frustration.
How had it ended up joining in with the act, too?
Elder Hu stroked his beard. “That is quite reasonable. There is no need to rush. May I ask how we should address you, Dao Lord?”
“My surname is Lin,” Shu Xin emphasized. “Lin as in the character made of two trees.”
The Lin family?
It was not an especially common surname, but neither was it rare. Quite a few sects had cultivation clans bearing the surname Lin. It was simply impossible to tell which one she belonged to.
Still, Elder Hu knew that this female Nascent Soul cultivator was most likely traveling down the mountain to gain experience and build up her credentials. Even so, she could not be treated carelessly. There was never any harm in showing her some respect during the early stages.
“Haha, now that everyone has arrived, we can begin the banquet.” Elder Hu quickly shifted the subject and began attending to the feelings of every cultivator present. “It’s nothing more than a simple home-cooked meal. I hope none of you fellow Daoists will take offense. Once we sign the contract, we can set out in three days. I’ll be counting on everyone’s assistance from here on.”
Naturally, the banquet ended with both host and guests thoroughly pleased.
Most Nascent Soul cultivators were highly conceited. Although they were curious about Shu Xin, none of them asked her directly during the banquet.
Elder Hu had been right about one thing. The escort mission would take at least three or four months, and possibly as long as a year or more. They had plenty of time. Surely they did not need to worry about failing to uncover any information.
Making a move too early and alerting the enemy was something only amateurs did.
Still, Shu Xin’s entrance, as well as the bearing she displayed when she stepped forward, had successfully made an impression on everyone.
Even when the courtyards were assigned that evening, she was given the one with the most abundant spiritual energy.
The Hu family had indeed spared no expense. Every Nascent Soul cultivator was given a separate courtyard, and a Spirit-Gathering Formation had been arranged around each one with spirit stones to facilitate cultivation.
The selected Core Formation cultivators were assigned two to a courtyard. Aside from the spiritual energy being less abundant, the other conditions were not much different.
Once Shu Xin and the others reached their courtyard, Cao Ru set up a formation plate for defense. Only then could they finally relax a little.
They had spent the entire day maintaining their act while remaining alert enough to pick up on and respond to anything Shu Xin said. Working as a personal maid was more exhausting than cultivating on the mountain for several months.
“This is too exhausting.” Cao Ru collapsed into a chair without a trace of decorum. “I’d rather spend a whole year studying formations than deal with those people again. The moment the banquet began, the Hu family’s maids came over one after another to pry for information.”
“They started with the maids, but when they realized we weren’t saying anything, they switched to the handsome attendants.” Li Qinghe looked equally miserable. “They even gave us a lot of gifts.”
Qi Feiyang, Meng Wenrui, and Yuan Dawei were also carrying gifts in both hands. None of them had returned empty-handed.
“See that? The world respects fine clothes before it respects the person wearing them.” Seeing how relaxed the five servants and students had become, Shu Xin did not rush to reprimand them.
Work was like boiling a frog in warm water.
If you threw someone into a difficult task from the very beginning, it was easy to scare them away.
Besides, her divine sense was powerful enough to prevent any spying.
“Indeed. Even though they’re all Nascent Soul cultivators, the other cultivators clearly weren’t treated as well as we were.” Yuan Dawei nodded. “Then I’ll do the same whenever I go out in the future. I’ll hire a few servants to make myself look important.”
“Provided you have the ability to withstand a sneak attack,” Shu Xin replied with a smile. “Otherwise, people like us have another nickname: fat sheep.”
Everything had its advantages and disadvantages.
They had received respect and benefits openly, but in secret, they would naturally have to deal with the schemes that came with them.
“Once you’ve rested, leave two people here and send the other three out to look around and gather information.” Shu Xin thought for a moment before adding, “Do you know what matters most when making your way in the outside world?”
“Cultivation level!” the five of them answered in unison.
They had noticed the difference long ago.
Among the cultivators who had come to apply for the escort job, there were more than thirty Core Formation cultivators. Yet even they had been subject to careful selection.
Meanwhile, Shu Xin, a Nascent Soul cultivator, had received treatment of an entirely different kind.
It seemed to be only a single realm of difference, but the gap between Core Formation and Nascent Soul was like the gap between elementary school and university. It might not look that great on the surface, but in reality, one had to endure countless hardships and setbacks to reach the next stage successfully.
And most people would never get there at all.
“Of course not. No matter how high your cultivation is, there will always be someone stronger.” Shu Xin shook her head. “Remember this: when making your way in the cultivation world, the most important thing is shamelessness. If you encounter someone you cannot afford to offend or defeat, turning around and running is nothing to be ashamed of. At worst, you can settle the score later. In this world, whoever lives the longest is the one who gets to have the final say. Outliving your enemy and killing your enemy are not actually all that different.”
The five servants and students seemed stunned by this line of reasoning.
“Life is unpredictable. You can learn slowly.” Shu Xin gave them an indulgent smile. “Discuss among yourselves who will stay and who will go out. Remember, don’t embarrass me while you’re outside. No matter what you see or hear, do not act on impulse. Come back and report everything to me, understood?”
“Yes.”
The five discussed it among themselves. In the end, they decided to leave Li Qinghe and Meng Wenrui behind. Their skins were the thinnest, and they still had not recovered from the day’s performance, so they were better off resting first.
The other three went out to gather information for their Senior Sister Dao Lord, as they privately called her.
[Is there something wrong with this Hu family?]
After Qi Feiyang and the other two had left, the Sword Spirit flew around once before returning to Shu Xin’s hand.
“Could a clan that has ties to the Myriad Dao Sect really be free of problems?” Shu Xin rested her chin on one hand. “On the surface, I’m a Nascent Soul cultivator, so the Hu family will be wary of me. But my foolish junior brothers and sister are different. In the eyes of those old foxes, they’re no different from tender melon vines.”
[You’re using your junior brothers and sister as bait?]
“That’s called casting a long line to catch a big fish.” Shu Xin spoke with complete seriousness. “Surely you don’t expect me to personally humble myself and curry favor just to investigate the situation? Wouldn’t that make all my years of cultivation pointless?”
Leaders were only responsible for providing direction. It was the subordinates who carried it out.
To be fair, a leader like her—someone who could keep a clear head and not make her subordinates run around pointlessly—was already one in a million.
The Sword Spirit fell silent.
Sometimes, it genuinely felt that Shu Xin was perfectly suited to cultivating demonic arts.
Meanwhile.
The moment the three of them—Qi Feiyang and the others—stepped out of the courtyard, word of it reached the ears of those with ulterior motives.
That Dao Lord Lin looked difficult to deal with, but the servants she had brought with her were young and didn’t look particularly sharp. Their cultivation, however, was far from weak. They had probably been favored in the past.
Everyone here had a keen eye.
The few servants by Dao Lord Lin’s side were all quite young, yet their cultivation at the Core Formation stage was remarkably solid. Some of them even surpassed the highly valued descendants of the Hu family.
There was a reason people said it was better to be a dog in a major sect than a king in some remote place. The platforms and resources available to the two were on completely different levels.
The reason no one doubted Shu Xin’s claim that she came from a major sect was that the five servants beside her were simply too gifted.
Just think about it: what sort of obscure family could afford to keep five heaven-blessed prodigies as servants?
Other things could be faked, but cultivation and resources could not.
Qi Feiyang and the other two were still somewhat excited.
After all, this was their first time handling matters independently. They were all determined to perform well and show Senior Sister Dao Lord what they were capable of.
Thus, the three of them did not rashly split up.
Three Core Formation cultivators walking together were enough to discourage most petty criminals from making a move against them.
“Hey, aren’t you the people who serve that Dao Lord?” Suddenly, another Core Formation cultivator darted out from a corner. He was carrying a wine jug in his hand. “What, couldn’t sleep either, so you came to visit the Hu family? Or are you out gathering information?”
Qi Feiyang and the other two watched the sudden arrival warily.
“Haha, don’t be so tense.” The ordinary-looking cultivator waved a hand. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Zhang Zhensheng, a wandering cultivator. I’m probably older than all of you, but when we’re traveling outside, such formalities aren’t necessary. We judge seniority by cultivation. Whoever has the higher cultivation is the senior; whoever has the lower cultivation is the junior. If our cultivation is about the same, we can simply address each other as fellow Daoists.”
“Fellow Daoist Zhang, you were waiting here specifically for us, weren’t you?” Cao Ru glanced over the surrounding terrain before asking, “You’re carrying wine, but you don’t smell much of alcohol. Were you deliberately waiting for us here?”
“You’ve got a good eye.” Zhang Zhensheng gave her a thumbs-up. “I’m one of the bodyguards hired by the Hu family. Originally, I only came here to earn some spirit stones and improve my life. I didn’t expect so many formidable figures to show up. To be honest, I’m starting to regret coming. Since you’re out gathering information too, why don’t we sit down and have a proper talk?”
The three of them discussed it for a while before agreeing.
“Refreshing.” Zhang Zhensheng tipped his head back and took a drink. “Come on, let’s go to where we’re staying and discuss things there. Don’t worry. There are three of you and only one of me—I couldn’t possibly be your opponent. Besides, I can’t afford to provoke your master.”
The three of them found his reasoning sound, so they decided to take a look. If they discovered anything suspicious, they could always attack then.
“The cultivator assigned to the same courtyard as me left early on,” Zhang Zhensheng said casually. “Judging by his appearance, he won’t be coming back anytime soon. Have a seat. We can talk slowly.”
“How do you know he won’t be coming back?” Cao Ru asked with a frown. “You sound awfully certain. Did you do something to him?”
“This…” Zhang Zhensheng scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat exasperated. “You really are new to traveling outside, aren’t you? You don’t know anything. That fellow staying in the courtyard with me obviously went out to ‘borrow seed.’”
“What does ‘borrow seed’ mean?” Cao Ru pressed.
Zhang Zhensheng looked at Cao Ru helplessly. He really did not want to explain this to a female cultivator, but none of the three seemed to understand.
“We wandering cultivators are often scornfully referred to by aristocratic families and sects as wild cultivators. We have nothing to our name, so many times, all we can do is sell ourselves cheaply. After all, for people like us, the only things of real value are our own bodies and our lives.”
“Among the aristocratic families, there are naturally people with excellent spiritual roots, as well as descendants with poor spiritual roots—or even ordinary mortals. They can’t keep raising descendants with poor aptitude while getting nothing in return. And even marriage alliances have to be carefully weighed and selected; they can’t simply marry anyone off at random. As a result, many descendants with poor aptitude end up in a state of uselessness.” Zhang Zhensheng answered, “In such circumstances, female cultivators with poor aptitude actually have an easier time than male cultivators.”
“Because female cultivators can bear children, and the children are guaranteed to carry the Hu family bloodline. Male cultivators, on the other hand, offer no such guarantee.”
What female cultivator would be willing to bear a child for a male cultivator with poor aptitude? With that time and effort, she might as well find a male cultivator with good aptitude and take a chance on producing a talented child.
“So, when cultivators with decent cultivation come to the family, if they’re willing to ‘lend their seed,’ the Hu family’s female cultivators with mediocre aptitude will offer them a payment in spirit stones. But once the act is over, they go their separate ways. Any child born from it naturally takes the surname Hu. Otherwise, how could aristocratic families ensure that gifted descendants were born year after year?” Zhang Zhensheng said seriously. “As for the fellow staying with me, I noticed that his qi and blood are severely depleted. I’m afraid he couldn’t fetch much of a price, and any female cultivator with even a little ambition wouldn’t take an interest in him.”
“Then what happens to male cultivators with poor aptitude?” Qi Feiyang could not help asking.
“If they’re lucky, some cultivator might take a liking to them and give them away as a gift. If they’re unlucky, and they can’t even produce decent offspring, they’ll naturally be stripped of their family bloodline and thrown into the mortal kingdoms to fend for themselves.”
Zhang Zhensheng smiled. “This is still considered a relatively conscientious family. I’ve heard that some newly established families, in order to make the most of everything they have, refine the blood essence of these male descendants with poor aptitude and use it to sacrifice to the family’s magical treasures. Especially for magical treasures that require an enormous price to activate—ones that can only be used by members of the family bloodline. When they encounter a powerful enemy, these male descendants make the best expendable resources.”
The worldview of the cultivation world would gradually unfold through journeys like this.
Other sects would also slowly make their appearance.
