Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

Chapter 211: Chapter 209: The Strong’s Trade

Floating Duckweed Workshop, private room.

Ning Daoran sat by the window, enjoying tea with Chen Ping’er.

Cultivation was arduous, and they believed in balancing work with leisure; whenever he had time, he would come to relax with Chen Ping’er.

“I didn’t expect Mo Yunting to value the Shadowless Wood so highly.”

Chen Ping’er’s delicate eyebrows furrowed. “Just a piece of Shadowless Wood to win over a Golden Core cultivator, what a profitable deal! How could Mo Yunting not understand such simple logic?”

“It’s different.”

Ning Daoran smiled understandingly. “Mo Yunting, the Sect Master of Divine Weapon Sect, also holds the dual identities of a Middle-stage Golden Core and a Divine Craftsman. How could such a person of high power and position consider a mere Early-stage Golden Core Loose Cultivator?”

He sighed, “Alas, to put it bluntly, it’s really tough being a Loose Cultivator out there. If I had the backing of the Ten Great Immortal Sects, Mo Yunting would probably have been willing to part with some Shadowless Wood.”

Chen Ping’er nodded, seeing the reason in his words.

At that moment, noises arose from the street.

Opposite them, on the second floor of the brothel, what had been a beautiful scene of “beckoning sleeves” turned chaotic as a figure broke through the railing and fell from the second floor.

The figure appeared to be a brothel woman, with exceedingly beautiful features.

“Ah~~~”

A group of brothel women retreated in fright, and upon seeing the bloodstains on the ground, some screamed, “Someone’s dead… dead…”

“Oh my god, Little Xiyu, my Little Xiyu…”

The madam rushed out, kneeling beside the convulsing woman, wiping away her tears continuously.

“Noise!”

From the sky above, a figure descended, a male cultivator dressed in white garb at the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, the Young Master of Divine Weapon Sect, Mo Xinglie.

Just as Ning Daoran had guessed, this Young Master indeed treated Fanshu City like his own backyard.

“This Young Master will ask you once more.”

Mo Xinglie gently stepped on the woman’s cheekbone, his voice cold, “Are you willing to serve this Young Master tonight?”

“I…”

The woman under his foot, though fierce, continuously spit out blood, still managed to say intermittently, “I… would rather… die…”

“Then die!”

Mo Xinglie exerted force under his foot, instantly crushing the woman’s head.

“My daughter…”

The madam cried even louder, but also extremely frightened, rolled back several steps on the ground, “Is there no justice? No law? Murder in broad daylight, murder…”

“Noisy!”

Mo Xinglie lightly raised his hand, and suddenly a small bag of Spirit Stones flew out and landed in front of the madam, “These Spirit Stones are enough to buy your entire brothel, scram!”

He turned and seemingly intended to continue drinking in the brothel.

“Lawless…”

Ning Daoran frowned, witnessing everything unfold.

“Fellow Daoist Ning.”

Chen Ping’er slowly shook her head, “Fanshu City is just like this. Half the city’s revenue relies on the Divine Weapon Sect. The Sect has more authority here than the government. With Mo Yunting so indulgent towards his sole son, who dares to provoke him?”

“If you wish to act as heaven’s agent,” she continued, “you would be thoroughly offending the Divine Weapon Sect. Not just you, but even the sword casting shop behind you would be implicated.”

Shortly thereafter, the sound of horse hooves approached as a group of government constables arrived.

One of the Captains, upon seeing the body in the street, burst out in rage, “Mo Xinglie, you are lawless, do you really take Fanshu City as your own backyard?”

“What did you say?”

From the second floor, Mo Xinglie, twirling a jade cup, stepped out, sneering, “A dog of the City Guard dares speak thus to this Young Master?”

“You…”

The young Captain drew his sword, “Today, I will arrest you, a murderer who commits crime openly!”

“Are you worthy?”

Mo Xinglie made no effort to conceal his scorn, suddenly crushed the jade cup in his hand, his Late-stage Foundation Establishment mana surged, controlling several Spiritual Artifacts that descended from the sky. Immediately, a Flying Sword carrying clouds and thunder targeted the young Captain’s throat.

“You!”

The young Captain, skilled indeed, quickly rolled to avoid it, but his horse was split into two in an instant, blood spilling everywhere.

He was merely at the Early-stage Condensed Liquid Realm, his cultivation far beneath that of Mo Xinglie, not to mention that the other also possessed several Top-grade spiritual tools.

“Mo Xinglie!”

Several constables simultaneously drew swords, “Our master is an officer under the City Guard, killing him is tantamount to rebellion!”

“Did I say I was going to kill him?”

The next moment, several Spiritual Artifacts descended, knocking the young Captain to the ground.

“Swoosh!”

A silver rope suddenly shot out like a snake, instantly binding the young Captain tightly.

Following that, Mo Xinglie harshly stepped on the Captain’s face, sneering, “What are you to meddle in my affairs? Dreaming of being a hero? First get the skills, you trash… what skills do you have?”

The young Captain, publicly humiliated, was flushed with shame.

“The City Guard is coming, the City Guard is coming!”

From not far away, another commotion arose.

Amidst the sound of horse hooves, a rather portly middle-aged man rode swiftly, the City Guard of Fanshu City.

“Mo Xinglie, don’t go too far. Let’s stop here and release my men.”

This City Guard, not daring to speak a harsh word.

Mo Xinglie laughed loudly, kicking the Captain’s body aside, laughed, “Keep your dogs managed; don’t let them bite around in broad daylight!”

Saying so, he leapt up, turning into a streak of Tunneling light flying toward Red Leaf Valley.

The city guard, infuriated, his face alternating between ashen and livid.

…

Ning Daoran watched placidly and stood to leave.

The trouble that Mo Xinglie brought to Red Leaf Valley was inevitable.

And Mo Yunting was destined to pay a price for indulging his son’s murderous spree, so Ning Daoran was not in a hurry at all; he preferred to wait and see how the situation would unfold.

As for the Wanxiang Cloud Thunder Hammer Technique and Shadowless Wood, everything that should come would come; there was no need to rush.

Several days later.

“Senior Ning, big trouble again!”

Sang Ping’an rushed into the backyard, excited, “Mo Xinglie, in less than half a month, committed another public atrocity in Fanshu City–guess what, the woman he killed by mistake was none other than the daughter of the city guard, Wang Chengruo!”

“Ah?”

Ning Daoran shuddered, “Wang Chengruo certainly won’t let this go, will he?”

“Exactly.”

Sang Ping’an said eagerly, “The city guard has already sent word to Qingzhou Town Immortal Tower, asking for the Immortal Guardian to come and personally handle the matter!

I heard that the new Immortal Guardian of Qingzhou Town Immortal Tower is named Feng Tianzong, a Middle-stage Embracing Elixir martial artist skilled in sword techniques, with formidable combat strength and a record of slaying Mid-stage Golden Core cultivators from Sangyu Country during the border wars!”

“I see…”

Ning Daoran smiled faintly and said nothing.

Several days later, Sang Ping’an brought more news.

Feng Tianzong had indeed come alone to Red Leaf Valley to confront the Divine Weapon Sect.

Mo Yunting personally met him.

After a round of courtesies, Feng Tianzong demanded to bring Mo Xinglie to justice in a proper trial, while Mo Yunting admitted his faults in parenting and was willing to take the punishment on behalf of his son.

Feng Tianzong made a promise that if Mo Yunting could barehandedly block his three sword strikes without defeat, he would not pursue the matter further.

So, on that pitch-dark night.

The crowd of cultivators and martial artists saw three astonishingly brilliant slashes sweep across Red Leaf Valley.

Afterward, Feng Tianzong turned and left without further troubling Red Leaf Valley.

And Mo Yunting had indeed barehandedly caught the three sword strikes from a Middle-stage Embracing Elixir martial artist. Although he sustained some minor injuries, he ultimately saved his own life.

“Dammit…”

Ning Daoran furrowed his brow, they say what goes around comes around, but how could Mo Xinglie escape his fate just like that?

Is there no justice? No law?

Even, he suspected that there might be some underhanded deal between Mo Yunting and Feng Tianzong, otherwise, if Feng Tianzong truly wanted to capture someone, why make a pact for three sword strikes? Does it make him seem impressive?

Moreover, Mo Yunting is a Divine Craftsman, not a Divine General; his Mid-stage Golden Core isn’t that strong, how could he barehandedly block three sword strikes from a Middle-stage Embracing Elixir stage?

So, it seemed more like two Golden Core high-level cultivators tacitly staged a play to shut the city guard, Wang Chengruo’s, mouth.

Wang Chengruo was merely a civilian official, a mere mortal.

His daughter’s wrongful death seemed to be of no great concern to the Divine Weapon Sect, nor to the Immortal Tower.

…

That day.

Ning Daoran was drinking tea again at Floating Duckweed Workshop.

Today, Chen Ping’er wore a rather short skirt, its hem barely passing the knee, revealing a pair of enticingly fair legs.

“Would you like to have lunch here at the workshop?”

Chen Ping’er said, “The cooks here are quite skilled.”

“If there’s no extra charge, I would stay for lunch.”

Chen Ping’er covered her mouth, laughing lightly, “No extra charge, consider this meal on me.”

“Very well.”

“Fellow Daoist Ning, could you refine some Xuanyuan Pills for me?” Chen Ping’er asked with a dimpled smile, “Recently, I feel my cultivation has become more solid, and it’s about time to consider a breakthrough.”

“Sure.”

Ning Daoran knew there was no such thing as a free lunch, “But the materials must be provided by you, I can do the alchemy without any charges.”

“Agreed!”

Several days later, Chen Ping’er advanced to Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

To celebrate this, Floating Duckweed Workshop held a banquet, and Ning Daoran attended, presenting a small gift as a token of his good will.

Afterward, life resumed its uneventful pace.

…

A year later.

Big Stupid Deer’s Wind and Thunder Hammer Technique advanced to the Transformation Realm!

While wielding the hammer at the forge, it almost seemed as divine, quite impressive indeed.

Additionally, the Fire Devouring Ants kept in the Spirit Garden Cave Heaven evolved again through mutual combat, developing a delicate shell-like Spirit Armor around themselves.

Ning Daoran named it Sky Gang Spirit Armor, and about ten percent of the Fire Devouring Ants now possessed this dual offensive and defensive capability, significantly boosting their strength.

Elder Ou Yeping grew older by the day, but his mouth got tougher, and he asked for more rematches.

Ning Daoran didn’t mind, content to spend each day playing chess and drinking with the elder.

…

Before long, nine years had passed.

Big Stupid Deer’s Wind and Thunder Hammer Technique advanced to Return to Nature.

Elder Ou Yeping’s lifespan was reaching its end.