Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Mi Xiaojing said, "Everyone's dead, why aren't we running? The nine peaks of our sect are about to collapse, burnt to a crisp. If we don't run, I'll be roasted alive."
Just a few sentences painted a vivid picture of the tragic scene at the sect, causing Lu Yu to shiver uncontrollably.
He enjoyed doing business more than cultivation. Although he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, his combat abilities were poor. Both his fighting skills and courage were no better than an ordinary person's.
If Lu Yu were to venture out, he'd fare well enough in Tianyuan Market, but his chances of survival in the wild were slim, a fact he was well aware of.
Lu Yu knew that Mi Xiaojing was skilled in alchemy, which was a significant asset in Tianyuan Market. For cultivators, having Spirit Pills to aid their practice was a hundred times better than painstaking self-cultivation. In the Cultivation World, Spirit Pills were the real currency, even more eye-catching than Spirit Stones.
Zhang Ke was curious. He asked, "Uncle Lu, how come you have a shop here?"
Lu Yu replied, "This shop was acquired unintentionally in the past. Actually, I have a smaller shop in Tianyuan Market that specializes in selling low-level Spirit Pills and buying alchemy materials. But that one belongs to the sect, or more precisely, to Grass-Benevolence Hall. It was originally Uncle Chen Shouyi's, and he entrusted me to manage it. However, there's been no word from Uncle Chen since the sect's great battle. I don't know if he's dead or alive."
Mi Xiaojing was aware that Chen Shouyi had been killed on Qingmu Peak, so the little shop was now ownerless.
"Are you familiar with Shuanghe Town?"
"Yes, it's managed by the Luo family. Well, the Luo family is a Cultivation family. The ancestor is a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. His strength is decent. He only deals with low-level rogue cultivators and ordinary people, not bothering with cultivators from our sect."
"I see. Brother, we plan to settle in Shuanghe Town and need a manor. It would be best if it's a bit separated from the town, like upstream or downstream. If there's one available, that's great; if not, we'll build one ourselves. You're familiar with this place, can you help us?"
Lu Yu asked, "Just the few of you?"
Mi Xiaojing shook his head, "There's a group of us, and two more senior cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage will join us."
Ah!
Lu Yu was stunned. In Tianyuan Market, Foundation Establishment cultivators were definitely high-ranking figures. With such people backing them, they wouldn't have to act recklessly, but they'd certainly be untroubled by most troubles. This was a solid support to cling to!
"That's great! Which two seniors?"
"Senior Yong Ji and Senior Yang Shan!"
"Impressive, they are direct disciples. Brother, from now on, I'm with you. Don't worry, I'll handle the manor. You guys can stay at my place for now! I've bought a residence here with two small buildings, which should be enough."
Mi Xiaojing was also pleased. Having someone else handle things saved him time. He just wanted to settle down quickly so he could focus on cultivation. In fact, he preferred the life at Western Expansion Sect—peaceful, detached, and free from worldly strife.
He was growing increasingly impatient with mundane affairs.
Last time, in the Mysterious Heaven Formation, he had obtained many treasures, but he hadn't dared to study them, keeping them in his Immortal Pouch, thinking about them every day but unable to take them out.
Treasure Light could attract masters in minutes. Without strength, showing these treasures was tantamount to suicide. Fortunately, he had the Immortal Pouch to carry them inside his body; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to carry them at all.
Mi Xiaojing sent out two paper owls to inform Yong Ji and Yang Shan of their location in Shuanghe Town. Since flying was not possible, it would take some time for them to arrive.
Lu Yu, however, was thrilled. In the Sword Heart Sect, he never had the chance to even speak with Yong Ji. Now, with the sect destroyed, he had the opportunity to interact with such masters. He felt both happy and secure. Especially after hearing about the sect's demise, he had felt empty and anxious.
***
In the afternoon, Yong Ji and Yang Shan arrived at Lu's Clothing Store with their people. Lu Yu busied himself with hospitality. This was his support now, and he would rely on mingling with these people. How could he afford to neglect them?
With Lu Yu's help, Mi Xiaojing didn't have to be busy. He handed over the Flying Boat to Yong Ji to return when he had the chance, while he found a quiet room to cultivate.
His Foundation Establishment Great Perfection was not yet stable. Always busy and on the move, Mi Xiaojing hadn't had much time to cultivate, which had delayed his progress. Seizing the temporary peace, he immediately began his practice.
Starry Sky Qianyuan Art, upon reaching the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, would begin a transformation. Once successful, he would advance to the Foundation Establishment stage.
However, Foundation Establishment did not mean forming a Golden Elixir but a Star Elixir, similar to the Golden Elixir but with its own characteristics. If the Golden Elixir was an extension of a cultivator's life, the Star Elixir was much more complex. This ancient cultivation method had been lost, and the reason lay in this complexity.
Overly complex things often lead to variables. A slight misstep could result in failure. Mi Xiaojing was unaware of the dangers involved.
Of course, even if Mi Xiaojing knew the dangers now, he couldn't stop. In other words, he couldn't switch to another cultivation method and had to follow the Starry Sky Qianyuan Art.
If he forcibly changed his cultivation method, the consequences would be severe. Death would be the lightest outcome; worse, he could turn into a demon, a fate worse than death.
Condensing the Star Elixir was extremely difficult and required many conditions. Mi Xiaojing couldn't worry about that now. His current task was to stabilize his Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. Once his cultivation level was stable, according to the Starry Sky Qianyuan Art, his strength would soar. As for how powerful he could become, Mi Xiaojing himself was unclear.
After the sect's battle, Mi Xiaojing realized how weak he was. He had barely escaped with his treasures, which was a significant shock to him.
In fact, if it weren't for the Mantra Banner, Mi Xiaojing wouldn't have escaped at all, although he didn't know he possessed such a treasure.
Diligent cultivation became his only goal.
As for the residence, Mi Xiaojing didn't want to get involved. With enough people and sufficient Spirit Stones, he'd let others handle it.
He still had plenty of low-grade Spirit Stones, so he didn't need to earn money through alchemy for the time being. However, Mi Xiaojing planned to refine a batch of Spirit Pills after settling down, both for everyone's use and to exchange for Spirit Stones.
Originally, Mi Xiaojing just intended to consolidate his cultivation, but it turned into a retreat. After eleven days of intensive practice, he finally stabilized his cultivation.
During this period, Mi Xiaojing was completely immersed in cultivation, unaware of the passing time. When he opened his eyes, more than ten days had passed.