Cultivators Are So Weak in This World-Chapter 205 - 190 Human Affairs, Part 2

’Alchemy: Basic Stage (Mastered)’

With the change in text, a torrent of memories surged into Zhang Rongfang’s mind.

He closed his eyes and seemed to see himself, over the past three years, constantly refining various basic elixirs.

The recipes of these elixirs were all the basic ones he had encountered and learned during that time.

One cauldron after another, one furnace after another.

At first, his failure rate was extremely high, but as the number of attempts increased, and as time went on,

his success rate slowly began to rise and become higher.

’Indeed... indeed it has succeeded...’ Zhang Rongfang was overjoyed in his heart.

It fully confirmed that the attribute bar was not only focused on martial arts. Other skills were also feasible.

’The reason my trap option didn’t appear initially might be because I had only learned one trap technique, without understanding its principles and without a comprehensive understanding.’

Determining the broader utility of the attribute points, Zhang Rongfang’s eyes deepened.

’In this case... traps, medical skills, mechanisms, etc., can all be improved to prepare for emergencies.’

*

*

*

In the dead of night.

In the large forest area between Yangshuo City and the Celestial Treasure Palace.

Under the orders of Monk Hongyan, a group of bandits from Butcher Mountain, disguised as common folk, carrying stacks of fake identity documents, gathered and prepared.

The group comprised a total of sixteen people.

The leader, named Zheng Jiaquan, had followed Monk Hongyan for a long time.

"Are you all ready!?" Zheng Jiaquan, laden with big and small snakeskin bags, which were filled with pre-prepared written slips and posters, asked.

"Leader, are we... really going up there to scatter them?" asked the second-in-command, the scholarly-looking Zhang Huisheng, with some concern on his face.

"Of course, it’s real. Just rush up and throw them, then leave. What’s there to be afraid of?" Zheng Jiaquan said impatiently.

First, reveal Zhang Ying’s identity, forcing him to hide from Great Dao Teaching.

If that doesn’t succeed, use an inside man to lure him out.

This was Butcher Mountain’s entire plan.

If it fails within a month, they would withdraw.

"Go, go, go, what’s there to fear! The reward’s doubled for those who go!" Zheng Jiaquan shouted.

The group was stirred up for quite a while, getting heated, before sneaking along the mountain to approach the Celestial Treasure Palace.

Some took out the notices prepared to be posted on the trunk of trees along the official road near the Celestial Treasure Palace.

"Who’s there!?"

Before they got within a hundred meters, a team of well-equipped patrolmen with lanterns quickly approached.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!"

Zheng Jiaquan kept urging.

Five subordinates immediately sped up, carrying word posters to paste on the roadside trunks. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Whoosh!!

Suddenly, there was a sharp whistle.

With a thud, a fast-spinning machete slammed into the back of a bandit posting a notice.

Blood spurted out high.

The bandit screamed miserably, turning to run, but it was too late.

He barely took a few steps before collapsing softly to the ground, unable to move.

Quickly, several more spinning machetes flew in, striking other bandits fiercely.

Zheng Jiaquan was dumbfounded, unable to believe the exaggerated scene before him.

They... they were just there to post a few papers...

Did it have to be so exaggerated??

Zheng Jiaquan couldn’t comprehend at all.

"Kill this group of Celestial Lock Teaching scoundrels!" someone from the opposing side yelled angrily. "They’ve come twice, and to dare come a third time is seeking death!!"

The bandits fell one after another, most being taken down with a single encounter.

They had no power to resist.

The notices in their hands were splattered with blood, unreadable.

Zheng Jiaquan immediately didn’t care about much else and turned to flee as well. He left behind the notices and slips, dropping them to escape.

After the group had run away.

The few attackers promptly returned to gather the scattered slips and notices from the ground, burning them all together.

The leader, with a ponytail and long brown hair hanging down his back, was incredibly burly.

He picked up a piece of paper and looked at it.

’The true identity of Zhang Ying of the Great Dao Teaching is actually a Spirit Envoy of the Eastern Sect’s Golden Wing Pavilion. His aim is to infiltrate the Great Dao Teaching and drag the entire Celestial Treasure Palace into the Eastern and Western Sect rivalry!’

"Hmm, the content is written well, what a pity... we can’t deal with those experts from the Western Sect, but your small fry can be easily taken care of." He shook his head and waved his hand.

"Brothers, let’s withdraw."

The group acknowledged and quickly cleaned up the scene, leaving the forest swiftly.

No one from beginning to end knew their true identities or why they were disguised as people from the Great Dao Teaching.

A little while later, a few figures, drawn by the noise, arrived at the forest, finding nothing but large areas of bloodstained corpses.

"Was it another battle between the Eastern and Western Sects?" one man asked gloomily.

"It seems so, but this time it was just some low-level ones, nothing worth seeing," another replied.

"Then let’s not bother with it. Our stance is neutral, not biased. As long as it doesn’t affect us, everything else is none of our concern."

"Understood!"

*

*

*

Great Capital.

In a secluded, undiscovered underground chamber.

"Golden Core Stage... who would’ve thought... that little fellow actually reached the Golden Core Stage."

A woman with a stiff face, dressed in plain white and with a gold belt at her waist, admired a miniature wooden model of the entire Great Capital before her, hands behind her back.

The model featured intersecting pavilions and towers, some areas showing opulence and prosperity, others poverty and simplicity.

Apart from the empty space where the royal palace should be, the rest was intricately crafted.

Across from the woman, another woman with a similarly stiff expression and slightly petite stature lifted her head and let out a sigh.

"He lied to me."

"Lied to you about what?" The woman with the golden belt asked in confusion.

"Lied to me that he was nineteen." The petite woman replied.

"Isn’t he twenty-six?" The woman with the golden belt was astonished.

"The records just changed to thirty-five." The petite woman continued.

"..."

"...."

"So how old is that kid actually?!" The woman with the golden belt was at a loss for words.

"Martial arts Ninth Grade, Cultivation of Literature Golden Core, he is not the core whose skills are cultivated using concentrated resources by the major sect. Thirty-five should be accurate. Other identities are likely fake." The petite woman answered.

"That’s still impressive. I can’t even figure him out with bone reading..." The woman with the golden belt sighed, "No wonder you value him so much and even arranged an alternative through the Sensing Sect."

She paused. "However, just with this, a thirty-five-year-old Golden Core isn’t enough for the Great Dao Teaching to protect him. Ninth Grade doesn’t mean much to that sect."

"It’s okay, I’ve arranged for someone to deal with it. Once this period passes, everything will be fine.

Moreover... I’m about to enter the Extreme Realm... if things aren’t settled by then, I will forget these matters." The petite woman said softly.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Extreme Realm, it’s a pathway of no return.

Especially that type of Extreme Realm, once entered, you’ll only remember one target.

"Tong Zhang... why... why won’t she just bow her head?" The woman with the golden belt suddenly said in a deep voice.

Celestial Maiden Tong Chapter crossed her arms in front of her and gently rubbed her fingers together.

"There are many reasons."

She smiled.

"Some are mine, some belong to others..."

"Actually, the Extreme Realm is far from being as strong as imagined... still of flesh and blood, still powerless." The woman with the golden belt said softly.

"...." Tong Zhang didn’t speak further, bowing her head and lightly tracing her finger over the streets of the Great Capital.

In this world, some people don’t want to be dogs, don’t want to bow forever.

She was like that, so was that person.

Everyone thinks humans can’t defeat them with mere flesh.

But she doesn’t believe it.

Some things, if you don’t try, you’ll never see hope.

*

*

*

Celestial Treasure Palace.

In the bright and inner palace of the three Great Dao Palaces.

Fang Zhiyun sat among numerous disciples and believers, wearing a magnificent Daoist robe, holding a stone scripture volume, continuously chanting segments of the Life Reversal Scripture.

This scripture is primarily used for reversing fortunes, making one luckier.

Its duration is claimed to be within two days.

Of course, such claims might be exaggerated; whether it actually has the power to reverse fortunes is unknown.

Anyway, as the Palace Master, Fang Zhiyun himself didn’t know if it worked, he just recited them.

Throughout the bright inner palace, over a hundred people sat cross-legged, chanting together.

Among those sitting in the center were over ten Spirit People nobles from the Great Capital and important representatives from various factions.

Everyone was there seeking better fortune.

Many originally felt enormous mental pressure, but under the influence of the scripture, they gradually calmed down.

As time passed, gradually, more than ten minutes elapsed, and the chanting was completed.

Surrounding Daoist attendants began tidying up the miscellaneous items from the ceremony.

Palace Master Fang Zhiyun concluded, taking the Duster, soothing and bidding farewell to departing esteemed guests.

With each believer leaving, the incense box on the right was once again filled.

Soon, one believer after another departed.

Eventually, only a long-haired woman in a goose-yellow long-sleeved shirt and pants remained, accompanied by a maid, quietly waiting for the others to leave.

Fang Zhiyun noticed that the woman had something to say, so he gestured for her to wait a moment.

After changing robes and freshening up, he returned to the main hall.

"Does this venerable have matters to discuss?"

Among the three Palace Masters of Celestial Treasure Palace, Fang Zhiyun was the most mild-tempered one, but also the one most trusted and valued by Sect Leader Yue Dewen.

The woman in yellow smiled and said, "My master sent me to ask the Palace Master one question. Does the favor from the Lihen Hall event still hold?"

The kind smile on Fang Zhiyun’s face instantly vanished, his expression stunned for a moment, then he showed a wry smile.

"Of course, it counts. Please speak."

"It seems the Palace Master guessed we might come?" The woman in yellow asked with a smile.

"At such a critical time, if you didn’t come, it would be strange." Fang Zhiyun shook his head. "Speak, I’ll do my best."

"This individual." The woman in yellow gently handed over a paper scroll, "My master hopes you will protect him, not let him leave Celestial Treasure Palace and get entangled in the current vortex."

Fang Zhiyun looked around, the attending Daoists instinctively turned their heads, facing away.

Only then did he reach out, accept the paper scroll, and slowly unfold it.

The scroll clearly wrote: Zhang Ying, thirty-five years old, Cultivation of Literature Golden Core Stage, Martial Arts Ninth Grade, Golden Wing Pavilion Spirit Messenger in Wushan....

Following this were a series of related experiences, martial arts paths, etc.

Initially, Fang Zhiyun frowned, but upon seeing the martial arts section, which clearly indicated the Golden Wing Pavilion Spirit Messenger, was all Great Dao Teaching paths.

His expression immediately turned peculiar.

"What about his Golden Roc Secret Record?"

"Didn’t practice." The woman in yellow seemed speechless, "Alright, I’ve delivered the message. Your sect might have some objections about him, but please, Palace Master, make the ruling."

"With such aptitude...rest assured, I will voice support." Fang Zhiyun nodded seriously.

A thirty-five-year-old Golden Core Stage, although over thirty, has a rather decent aptitude. In Celestial Treasure Palace, he occupies a somewhat awkward position among the younger generation.

Fang Zhiyun was well aware that this person, though talented.

But still not enough to offend the Western Sect and other factions because of him.

If Zhang Ying’s true identity were exposed, within the palace, some might feel it’s not worth provoking the Western Sect and Sensing Sect simply because of one Zhang Ying.

It’s unwarranted.

However, since the Celestial Maiden used a past favor as leverage, he must do his utmost regardless.