Cultivation is Creation-Chapter 166: A Trade?

I made my way toward Madame Butterfly. She was speaking to another guild member, her expression suggesting she found the conversation about as interesting as watching paint dry in slow motion.

Perfect timing.

I approached with careful deference, waiting at a respectful distance until she noticed me. It didn't take long – whatever else you might say about Madame Butterfly, her spatial awareness was impressive. She turned to face me before I'd even got a chance to bow.

"Ah, Chen Yong's new... project." Her smile was razor-sharp. "Come to give up already?"

"Actually," I bowed, "this junior was hoping to seek guidance about inner world theory."

Her eyebrows rose fractionally. "Oh? And what makes you think I would waste my time on such basic instruction?"

I hesitated for a moment. I really hadn't wanted to get involved in immortal romance drama, but desperate times called for desperate measures. And right now, this seemed like my only option.

"Because," I said carefully, "I could put in a good word with Elder Chen Yong about you."

Her expression frosted over. "And why would I care about that foolish drunk's opinion?"

"Well," I continued, trying to ignore every survival instinct screaming at me to stop talking, "I've noticed how ‘friendly’ you are with him..." I trailed off meaningfully.

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. The temperature around us dropped several degrees, and I had a sudden vivid understanding of why butterflies weren't just beautiful - they could also be deadly predators.

Though, as unpredictable as higher ranked cultivators could be, it would be more than strange for a Life Realm cultivator from a different sect to smite down a Qi Condensation cultivator randomly, especially considering her ‘relationship’ with my master.

"’Friendly’? You are either very brave or very foolish," she said softly, each word sharp as a blade. Then, surprisingly, her lips curved into an amused smile. "Perhaps I'll humor you, little observer. If nothing else, you've made what was becoming a tedious day somewhat more... interesting. So, what is it that you want to know?"

I held back a sigh of relief, so far so good. "I was wondering about the development of inner worlds beyond the Stellar Realm…"

"My, my," she studied me with new interest. "Ambitious, aren't we? Though I suppose that's to be expected from one of Chen Yong's strays. He does have a habit of collecting... interesting specimens."

I waited, keeping my expression attentive but not eager. Sometimes the best way to get information from powerful cultivators was to let them convince themselves that sharing it was their idea.

"Tell me," she continued, "why does a mere Qi Condensation cultivator need such advanced knowledge?"

"Need? No, I wouldn't say need." I chose my words carefully, not wanting to draw too much suspicion, I would rather she see me as an overly enthusiastic student. "But understanding higher realms helps build better foundations. After all, how can one properly lay the groundwork without knowing what structure it needs to support?"

"Hmm." She tapped one perfectly manicured finger against her chin. "A reasonable argument. Almost convincing, even. But you're not the first junior to try this approach."

I stayed silent, waiting. There was something in her tone – not quite dismissal, more like... anticipation?

"Though I must admit," she continued, "most don't make it past the library's restrictions. Fewer still think to approach the Formation Guild. And only a very, very small number would dare to ask me directly."

"This junior apologizes if—"

She waved away my attempt at humility. "Oh, spare me the formalities. We both know you're not really sorry. What interests me is why you're willing to take such risks for this particular knowledge."

I considered my options. Lying to someone of her level would be pointless – she'd see through it instantly. A partial truth, then.

"I've noticed... inconsistencies in how inner world theory is taught. Information that's conspicuously absent, topics that are deliberately obscured. It makes me wonder what's being hidden, and why."

"Clever boy," she smiled, but there was something sharp behind it. "Though perhaps not as clever as you think. Did it occur to you that some knowledge is restricted for good reasons?"

"Of course. But usually those reasons are explained, even if the knowledge itself is kept secret. With this..." I gestured vaguely. "There's not even an acknowledgment that something's being hidden. It's as if someone went through and deliberately removed all traces of certain information."

"And if they did?" Her voice took on a dangerous edge. "If that information was removed because every cultivator and their inner world spirit who learned it below the Life Realm went insane? If their inner worlds twisted into nightmare realms that had to be destroyed?”

I blinked. That... was not the response I'd expected.

"I see I have your attention now." Her smile was cold. "Knowledge, little cultivator, is not always power. Sometimes it's poison. Sometimes it's a blade that cuts both ways. And sometimes..." she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "it's a truth that burns away everything you thought you knew, leaving only ashes and madness behind."

Well. That was suitably ominous.

"But," she straightened up, her tone suddenly light again, "since you're so determined to learn... perhaps we can make a deal?"

In my experience, when immortal cultivators started talking about deals, it was usually time to run in the opposite direction. Preferably while screaming. However, I expected this, no cultivator would give anything away for free, and as I rise up the cultivation ranks, trades like this will only become more common.

"What kind of deal?"

"Oh, nothing too difficult." Her smile was pure innocence, which somehow managed to be more terrifying than her previous threats. "Just a small task. A simple retrieval mission, really. Something well within the capabilities of a Qi Condensation cultivator."

Why did I have a feeling this "simple retrieval mission" would involve fighting my way through hordes of spiritual beasts while avoiding ancient curses and probably some sort of apocalyptic weather?

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"And what would this task involve?"

"The Moonlit Dew Flower," she said, as if that explained everything. When I didn't immediately react with either recognition or terror, she elaborated: "A rather rare herb that blooms only under specific conditions. I need one for... research purposes."

That pause before "research purposes" was not at all suspicious. Nope. Not even a little bit.

"And where would I find this flower?"

"I’ve submitted all the details to your sect’s mission board." She waved toward the massive board that dominated one wall of the guild hall. "Including the... competitive nature of the task."

Competitive? Why did I have a feeling that meant other cultivators would be trying to get there first?

"The threats shouldn't be beyond the Qi Condensation realm," she continued, answering my unspoken question. "Though I should warn you – the flower is quite delicate. Harvesting it requires... finesse."

"And if I succeed?"

"Then I'll tell you what you want to know, and I promise it will be worth more than you'll find in any book or from your Master." Her eyes glittered. "Though I warn you again – some knowledge cannot be unlearned. Some truths, once known, change everything. Are you certain you're prepared for that?"

No. No, I absolutely was not certain. But I needed to understand what I was dealing with. My inner world was growing more complex by the day, and flying blind was no longer an option.

"I'll do it."

"Excellent!" She clapped her hands together. "Do try not to die horribly. It would be such a waste of potential. And Chen Yong would be absolutely insufferable about it."

With that cheerful sendoff, she glided away, leaving me to contemplate my life choices. Again.

"Master," Azure's voice was dry enough to turn water to steam, "I believe this qualifies as 'something reckless.'"

"Probably," I agreed. "But with Elder Chen Yong in closed-door cultivation and the Genesis Seed busy with annexation, I already planned to leave the sect to get some contribution points anyway. This just gives us extra motivation."

And we did need them. The Genesis Seed was growing stronger every day, but without proper resources to support its development, we'd hit a wall as soon as I breakthrough to Qi Condensation Stage 7.

One of the key lessons I learned from the Life Realm Comprehension Crystal was that attempting to create life in an uninhabitable area was a waste of time, the first step was to develop the inner world so that it could sustain life. Only then would it be worth slowing down the annexation process to pay the Blue Sun Academy a visit.

The walk to the Azure Peak Sect's mission hall gave me time to think.

The mission system was one of the few aspects of sect life that actually made sense to me. Any cultivator, mortal, or organization could submit a request for help, assuming they could pay the required fees and offer an appropriate reward. The sect would then evaluate the mission, assign it a difficulty rating, and post it on the mission board.

It was surprisingly egalitarian, especially for the cultivation world. A mortal merchant's caravan escort request might sit right next to a noble clan's artifact retrieval mission. The only thing that mattered was whether you could complete the task and whether the reward was worth your time.

The mission hall itself was exactly what you'd expect – a large, open room with multiple bulletin boards arranged by difficulty level. Junior disciples clustered around the easier missions, while the higher-ranked ones were eerily empty. Probably because anyone capable of completing those missions was also capable of getting better-paying private contracts.

I made my way to the retrieval section, it was... extensive. Apparently, cultivators were always in need of rare herbs, mysterious artifacts, and various body parts from unfortunate spiritual beasts. I scanned through the listings, looking for—

There it was. "Moonlit Dew Flower Retrieval - Competitive Mission."

The details were... interesting. The flower apparently only bloomed during the full moon, and even then only under specific conditions involving ambient spiritual energy levels and temperature. It grew in a valley known for its unstable spatial fluctuations, which explained why more powerful cultivators couldn't simply go get it themselves – anything above Qi Condensation would probably trigger the spatial instabilities.

The reward was substantial: 1000 contribution points, plus whatever other herbs or resources I could gather along the way. It probably wouldn’t be enough to get the materials we needed for the next phase of inner world development, but it would be a strong start.

As I reached for the mission tablet, I heard voices from nearby.

"...beast wave heading straight for Three Rivers Town," someone was saying. "They're calling for all available cultivators to help with evacuation and defense."

"Another one? That's the third this month. Something must be stirring them up..."

"...good pay, but probably not worth the risk..."

I froze mid-step. Three Rivers Town meant the beast wave would pass right through...

"Floating Reed Village," I whispered, memories of another life flickering through my mind. A simple tailor's shop, kind parents, a peaceful life before the visit of an old man changed everything.

My home. Or rather, the original Ke Yin's home.

I turned slowly, catching sight of a group of cultivators discussing another mission posting. They were debating the merits of taking on what sounded like a defensive mission, arguing about whether the reward justified the danger.

But I barely heard them. My mind was stuck on those three words: Floating Reed Village.

I'd been avoiding thinking about it – about the family the original Ke Yin had left behind. His parents were still there, probably wondering why their son hadn't contacted them since joining the sect. Did they think he was too busy? Too important now for his humble merchant family?

"Master?" Azure's voice was gentle. "Your heart rate has increased by 47%. Are you... well?"

Was I? That was a complicated question.

I looked down at the mission tablet in my hand, then back at the group discussing the beast wave.

"Change of plans," I whispered. "We're taking two missions."