Isn't This a Game? Why Are You All Cultivating for Real!

Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Senior Sister Ming

Lü Rongyu was honestly a bit surprised.

A single sentence was all it took to make him ecstatic.

He was still a kid at heart, after all. "Is that so? What a coincidence! By the way, what brings you all here?"

The Daoist casually took a few bottles of Spiritual Wine from his Jiezidai.

This was the first time Spiritual Wine had made its way to the Taohua Sect. Lü Rongyu took just one sip and was stunned. "You can actually infuse Spirit Grass into wine? What an ingenious idea!"

The Taohua Sect specialized in medicine, so they frequently nurtured Spirit Grass and knew just how delicate it could be.

While common, they had a low survival rate if not meticulously cared for.

Fusing Spirit Grass with mortal food was even more unbelievable.

It might not seem very significant on the surface, but a Medicine Sect disciple like Lü Rongyu could see the deeper implications.

He immediately asked, "Who brewed this Spiritual Wine?"

’It’s a bit improper to ask about another Sect’s secrets like this.’

The Daoist chuckled. "It was developed by a disciple from our Sect. I don’t know the specifics of who it was."

He said it so naturally that Lü Rongyu believed him.

"There will definitely be cultivators interested in this."

When cultivators drank, it was mainly for the unique character of the drink.

A wine that could be fused with Spirit Grass would definitely fetch a good price on the market.

"That’s right. We came to the Taohua Sect this time to do some business," the Daoist said, casually probing. "We’re thinking of opening a shop here to sell our Sect’s specialty items. What’s the process for setting up a shop here?"

"Oh, there’s not much to it. If you want to open one, you just need to apply," Lü Rongyu said. "I can take you. What are you planning to sell?"

"A bit of everything. Our Sect has a lot of members now, so we’re also looking to buy things."

This was just a pretext. They had such a surplus of some items, like Demon Beast Materials, that they didn’t actually purchase them.

But they could pass them off as items they’d acquired through purchasing.

In Wang’an County, so many common materials were being sold that prices were already starting to drop, all because the Longevity Sect was supplying them in such large quantities.

However, plenty of their own members went out on expeditions to First Mountain, so it wouldn’t seem like these materials came to them too easily.

The more disciples who went out, the more demon beasts were naturally hunted.

"That’s all fine," Lü Rongyu said enthusiastically. "Will you be selling food, too? I still remember those roasted chicken wings of yours."

That was what he was really thinking about.

It was a shame he hadn’t left the Sect since returning, so it had been a long time since he’d had them.

"Of course!" the Daoist said. "If you want some, we can whip them up for you in a bit. We brought plenty of supplies with us."

Lü Rongyu was overjoyed. "Great, great, great!"

Having an acquaintance on the inside really made things easier. Qinglin County, in the Taohua Sect’s territory, had few requirements or restrictions.

Of course, one still had to pay taxes to open a shop, but the rate was low. Taxes here were collected at a flat rate based on time and population, not on transaction volume.

This was undoubtedly the most convenient method for the players.

Once Han Tian and his group finished arrangements at the Taohua Sect, they would have to move on to the next Sect.

They had calculated the travel time; it was about a two-day journey for a disciple at the Qi Refinement Realm.

It was slightly closer than First Mountain.

But the Taohua Sect was the closest of them all.

One would also encounter stray demon beasts on the way, so the journey wasn’t entirely safe.

To open a shop, they would need to pick two players to man the post.

This was a long-term assignment. They eventually agreed on a rotation schedule: a new person would take over every half-month in real-world time, which corresponded to one month in the game.

***

Within the Sea View Sect, the news that Shuitan had become the disciple of the Fifth Peak’s elder sent shockwaves through the entire Sect.

This was especially true for the Outer Disciples.

They hadn’t expected that of all the people who went to see the Fifth Elder, Shuitan would be the one chosen.

’Why him?’

’Was it just because Shuitan was old?’

After Jiang Qi arranged his new quarters, Shuitan returned to retrieve some of his belongings.

The other Outer Disciples looked at Shuitan with a mixture of expressions—some with jealousy, others with envy.

Pan Qingyi couldn’t believe it either, but his feelings were purely of envy for Shuitan.

As one of the few Outer Disciples who was on good terms with Shuitan, Pan Qingyi looked at him with pure admiration. "This is great! I told you, with your talent, you were bound to make a name for yourself eventually."

He just hadn’t expected him to make *such* a big name for himself!

’To be accepted as the Fifth Elder’s disciple!’

Of course, Pan Qingyi was also happy for him.

But Shuitan hadn’t come back just for that. He patted Pan Qingyi on the shoulder. "After I get settled in, I’m going to accept an expedition mission. Want to come with me?"

He couldn’t stay in the Sea View Sect permanently. ’Under the Fifth Elder’s watchful eye, who knows if my secrets will be exposed.’

And as an ambitious disciple, the Fifth Elder would certainly approve of him going out on expeditions to improve his cultivation.

"Go out... to kill demon beasts?"

Pan Qingyi hesitated. He had always been timid and hadn’t dared to venture out.

Plus, given his background, no one would force him to leave, even if he stayed in the Sect forever. He would just have to endure a little bullying.

"Yes." Shuitan didn’t press him. "If you make up your mind, I’ll come find you the day I’m set to leave."

Because of Pan Qingyi’s kindness, Shuitan decided to foster this good relationship.

’Anyway, this is a game. I can act freely.’

’Besides, with the way the Sea View Sect is structured, it’s normal for ordinary disciples to never get a chance to advance unless they’re exceptionally talented.’

"I... I’ll think about it."

’If an elder’s disciple is leading the way, it’s bound to be much safer.’

Pan Qingyi was also eager for real-world experience; he had been stuck at the Late-stage Qi Refining for far too long.

He just couldn’t seem to find that sliver of opportunity he needed for Foundation Establishment.

Shuitan left after saying his piece.

Now that they knew Pan Qingyi and Shuitan were on good terms, and with Shuitan’s meteoric rise to become the Fifth Elder’s disciple, the other Outer Disciples no longer dared to bully Pan Qingyi.

If Pan Qingyi were to complain to him, even though Shuitan was only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, his status as an elder’s disciple meant he stood above all of them.

Anyone who dared to offend an elder’s disciple would only end up being expelled from the Sea View Sect.

The Fifth Peak’s elder taking on a new disciple didn’t seem to be particularly novel in the Sea View Sect. As Shuitan arrived at the entrance of the courtyard Jiang Qi had arranged for him, he saw a beautiful female cultivator.

The female cultivator had exceptionally bright and lively eyes. She had already sensed Shuitan’s arrival. Giving him a quick glance, she giggled and said, "It’s only been two years since the Fifth Elder last took a disciple. Who has he taken a fancy to this time?"

She looked Shuitan up and down. "You don’t seem that special."

Although her words were belittling, there didn’t seem to be any real malice behind them.

Shuitan didn’t know her identity, but he figured calling her "Senior Sister" couldn’t be wrong.

The woman took the initiative to introduce herself. "I’m a disciple of the Second Elder. You can call me Senior Sister Ming."

The peaks of the Sea View Sect were ranked according to the cultivation of their respective masters, excluding the Sect’s secluded patriarchs.

This meant the Second Elder was the second-strongest combatant in the Sect, so his disciples naturally held an extraordinary status.

Shuitan immediately greeted her again, "Greetings, Senior Sister Ming."

"Hee hee, you’re a rather interesting one."

’He’s only at the Qi Refining Middle Stage, yet he’s so unusually composed when meeting a Golden Core Stage cultivator like me, even with my Realm suppressed.’