IRBTCI CH9

Bai Lu pitifully said, “…I can’t practice the sword right now, and I’m very miserable. I can only find solace in knitting.”

Huo Xuexiang: “…”

Looking at Bai Lu’s expression, Huo Xuexiang was momentarily dazed. Indeed, Bai Lu hadn’t known that he wouldn’t be able to practice the sword after entering the sect.

“So, Master, put it on quickly,” Bai Lu quickly retracted his pitiful look, adopting an attitude that implied he couldn’t be let down.

Huo Xuexiang had a scarf put on him by Bai Lu, still somewhat unclear if this was part of “caring for a disciple” as Immortal Monarch Boluan had mentioned… Perhaps he should give Bai Lu more lessons?

During his days at Dianmei Peak, Bai Lu learned a new phrase: “No Jiazi in the mountains” (meaning time passes unnoticed). He embraced new knowledge every day, occasionally stubbornly squeezing out time for his own research… he even snuck into the mountains twice in the middle of the night.

—Because previously, Senior Sister had said there were bandits in the mountains, Bai Lu re-threatened the Luo Luo birds, and sure enough, he hadn’t heard of bad public order in the mountains since! Problem easily solved!

And when Bai Lu saw classmate Liang Manggu again, Liang Manggu was being chased all over the valley by Qiusuo, who was wearing a small floral scarf. He was no longer the one who had been stumped by Bai Lu’s brain teasers.

“Young Master, you haven’t finished your homework yet. Please return to the mountain.”

“I’ll go back in a bit.” Bai Lu complained. Was it wrong that he just wanted to squeeze in a little time to organize the materials he had collected? He didn’t even have time to patch his broom.

Bai Lu looked at Qiusuo with teary eyes. Usually, people who were looked at like this by him would surely grant his every wish. His clothes were colored in blue and yellow, adorned with two brightly colored feathers, giving off a springtime vibe. The velvet flower brooch on his chest had also become a plump little bee.

Qiusuo, however, ruthlessly grabbed Bai Lu by the back of his collar and dragged him back: “Young Master, you haven’t finished your homework.”

“No, I asked my master for leave, didn’t he tell you?” The black-robed puppet seemed to not understand at all, dragging Bai Lu towards the study. “Hey you, where’s the human customer service! Master!”

It was at this moment that Liang Manggu appeared—he was now studying at Tianquan Peak as an Artifact Cultivator—saying he wanted to call Bai Lu to collect subsidies together. He was originally worried he wouldn’t be able to go up Dianmei Peak, but unexpectedly, Bai Lu was just running around in the valley.

That’s right, Xuanshan Immortal Sect not only provided food and lodging but also offered subsidies. All disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage could receive some Huanyuan Pills monthly and could also enter the Scripture Depository to read ancient texts.

“Look, I’m going to collect my subsidy. I haven’t really gone out to explore since I came to Xuanshan Immortal Sect. You can’t let me be a reclusive person who doesn’t even know the way!” Bai Lu exclaimed loudly.

Qiusuo pondered for a moment and actually let go.

Bai Lu was stunned. Huh, did he hit a bug? Perhaps this was a reasonable request? Bai Lu hadn’t left Dianmei Peak these days, studying behind closed doors, because he was too far behind others in his progress—perhaps as much as from kindergarten to university.

Liang Manggu only glanced at him and said with horror, “I thought it was bad enough that my master’s spirit artifact would drag us to practice, and if we ran a bit slow, it would stab us in the thigh with a sword.”

Bai Lu immediately reacted, “That ‘thigh’ refers to the thigh! I know that!” He couldn’t get it wrong again; “hanging by one’s hair and pricking one’s thigh” didn’t mean pricking one’s butt.

“So you know, why are you so arrogant?” Liang Manggu said strangely. “Brother Bai, your point of excitement is really odd. By the way, is your peak’s puppet only focused on you? It’s good to have fewer people.”

“Uh… um…” Bai Lu momentarily forgot he had been screaming from being chased just now and said proudly, “I’m the most important disciple of our Dianmei Peak.” He was also the only disciple at the moment…

“Actually, it’s not bad, at least it calls you ‘Young Master,'” Liang Manggu said with a complicated tone. “Our peak also has some bronze puppets, but my master has cultivated for a thousand years. Just at this moment, there are hundreds of direct disciples and countless registered disciples on our peak. Every time a bronze puppet sees me, it calls me ‘Young Master Liang Two Hundred Seventy-One’…”

Bai Lu: “…” What a long title.

“By the way, why didn’t you go to study something like stargazing or divination? Didn’t you say you’re nocturnal and suitable for stargazing?” Bai Lu asked curiously. Astrology is an important field for both Eastern and Western cultures. Star magic is also a subject many wizards study, and its content is even somewhat similar to Eastern practices, using various rituals to draw on the power of the stars, though mostly for healing. Bai Lu had previously thought that if Liang Manggu became a diviner, it wouldn’t be bad; since he liked to gamble, he could calculate his odds of winning.

“…Alas, at that time, many senior brothers and sisters came to talk to me. The senior brothers from Tianquan Peak gave me so many good things, like a hypnotic hourglass that makes you fall asleep instantly when it runs out, a jade pendant that can improve gambling luck, and a cream that can cover dark circles under the eyes, not to mention other small magic tools. I collected a large bag, and then I thought about how they were the main peak… it was greed that got to me!” 

Liang Manggu sighed. That’s how he entered Tianquan Peak, completely abandoning his original aspirations.

Bai Lu didn’t understand why Liang Manggu was sighing; wasn’t that great? His master was a sword cultivator, with nothing but a sword! Liang Manggu’s sect sounded very magnificent.

Liang Manggu then pulled up his sleeves to show Bai Lu the bruises on his body. “Alas, to be honest, my legs are still trembling right now… Body tempering during the day and meditation at night. Luckily, I can sleep enough now! How are you doing, where are you hurt?”

Cultivation was a little different from what he had imagined; it wasn’t like in the stories where you just look at the stars, have an epiphany, and become invincible. Especially during the Foundation Establishment stage, one still had to temper their muscles and bones. As an Artifact Cultivator, the physical demands were even higher, otherwise, how could one lift a furnace? It was much tougher than what he used to train himself, especially since he used to think he would be a diviner or spellcaster focusing on stargazing.

Bai Lu also pulled up his sleeves, which were spotless. His skin was fair and tender, without a single scratch.

Liang Manggu thought for a moment: “Internal injuries?”

“No, I think I’m fine,” Bai Lu said casually. Hmph, even if he was on the verge of death from studying in class, he still had to say he was fine when he came out. Of course, more importantly, he was taking liberal arts classes, so his body was naturally fine; the trauma was all in his brain.

Liang Manggu was incredibly envious; this was the strength of the top student…

The two arrived at Tianxuan Peak, which was adjacent to Dianmei Peak, but much larger as a main peak. Even before arriving, they could feel the temperature rising. Once they went up, it felt like entering the Flaming Mountains. “So hot!”

“It should be because there are many alchemy rooms.”

Previously, Deacon Dai had said that the alchemy rooms were directly connected to the underground fire. Even the Artifact Cultivators of Tianquan Peak didn’t have this convenience; it was said they didn’t get it when the mountain was opened, and only occasionally needed to borrow it.

Liang Manggu said as he walked, “Our batch of disciples are now scattered among various peaks, and occasionally we get to meet. For example, last time I went to see Ding Douhua. We were all curious, since you don’t leave the house at Sword Venerable’s place, are you learning something powerful?”

“That’s right, it’s especially powerful.” Bai Lu had not only finished reading the elementary school textbooks, but he had also recited an incredibly long classical text yesterday. He also missed his classmates, especially Dou Zun, thinking he must arrange to meet up next time.

“I’m not bad either. Although I’m covered in injuries, I can at least control spiritual energy now. In the future, I will definitely be able to forge divine weapons. When the time comes, I’ll forge any sword you want for you.” 

Liang Manggu was completely unaware of what Bai Lu was thinking. As he spoke, he suddenly felt a surge of heroic spirit and laughed up at the sky, “Talented people emerge in every generation; in the future, it will be the world of our generation of extraordinary figures!”

The next moment, they saw Meng Caiqing carrying a pile of pills, like an ox or horse, looking anything but extraordinary.

Facing the three, Meng Caiqing called out powerfully, “Help me quickly!!” Although her voice was still very bright, her eyes were lifeless and her face pale. It was hard to say who looked more exhausted between her and Liang Manggu, who always had dark circles under his eyes…

Bai Lu and Liang Manggu each took some. Liang Manggu asked her, “Didn’t you join the Cangyun Terrace?”

“Don’t even mention it,” Meng Caiqing’s face showed a somewhat familiar expression. After a few more glances, one would notice that it was the same “classroom vibe” that had appeared on Ning Yanhua. “Senior Sister said that Cangyun Terrace also handles administrative duties, with everyone serving as deacons. So besides cultivating, I also have to keep accounts, register, and even mediate disputes for people.”

Mediate disputes? Why would there be disputes here?

Meng Caiqing said somewhat aggrievedly, “Two elders came to Cangyun Terrace to argue about cultivation methods, asking me, someone who hasn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, to mediate. Is that reasonable??”

Bai Lu opened his mouth, “Uh, are you asking us two to mediate?”

Meng Caiqing: “…”

“Pfft.” Liang Manggu laughed, feeling that he wasn’t alone in his struggles. He patted Meng Caiqing reassuringly, “This is what happens when capable people work more. Look how much Senior Sister Ning has grown; she’s so amazing now.”

That’s true. Meng Caiqing’s slumped shoulders straightened again. “I must cultivate well and become as amazing as Senior Sister.”

“Ahhhhhh, I’m the number one master in Xuanshan—”

“Awooo awooo awooo!”

“My pill is done! Open the furnace! Open the furnace!”

With a series of strange cries, a disheveled senior brother ran past barefoot, then ran off again. Because it happened so quickly, Bai Lu’s hair was lifted by the passing wind and then fell back down. He still hadn’t fully reacted to what he had just seen, thinking it was a hallucination. He turned to look at Liang Manggu, who also had a shocked expression.

Meng Caiqing was already used to it and said casually, “Another one ate something bad. It’s fine, the senior brothers of Tianxuan Peak like to test their own pills.”

Bai Lu, Liang Manggu: “…”

“It’s just bad luck. Although underground fire is excellent for alchemy and can refine purer and more potent pills, it’s also difficult to control.”

Soon, that senior brother was held down, tied up, and dragged past them, leaving a few drag marks on the ground. Bai Lu and Liang Manggu helped Meng Caiqing distribute pills. Many disciples from other peaks also came to collect pills.

A senior brother walked up to them, nodded to Liang Manggu, and then curiously looked at Bai Lu: “This must be Sword Venerable’s eldest disciple, I’ve heard about his jade-green eyes.”

“This is my 129th Senior Brother,” Liang Manggu quietly introduced.

“Hello, Senior Brother,” Bai Lu curiously looked at his senior brother. Liang Manggu’s senior brother had a gourd with a missing corner hanging from his waist and a crooked collar around his neck. After a while, Liang Manggu’s 102nd Senior Sister also arrived, with a crooked jade crown on her head and a bent sword in her hand.

Bai Lu greeted them as usual, “Hello, Senior Sister.”

After meeting several of them, Bai Lu pondered, “I’ve noticed that the people in your peak have very unique aesthetics. Didn’t you say they gave you a lot of good stuff? Then why…” When he first saw that gourd, he wondered if it was designed to look like an apple, but the more he looked, the more he realized, how come… they all looked like a pile of junk?

Liang Manggu smiled awkwardly and said faintly, “I only discovered the truth after entering the mountain. So-called artifact cultivators, they forge ugly things that no one else wants, and then they keep them for themselves. You thought my 102nd Senior Sister liked using a sword just now? No, that was a sword she tried to forge for someone else but failed, so she had to keep it for herself…”

Bai Lu: “…” There are too many weirdos in your Xuanshan Sect, Bai Lu secretly complained.

“That’s just how artifact cultivators are; they always have a bunch of spirit artifacts with unclear effects and meanings, too ugly to sell, but too precious to throw away,” Meng Caiqing had also realized. Early artifact cultivators were basically covered in valuable junk. This is also why Liang Manggu sighed belatedly when he mentioned being tricked into joining Tianquan Peak!

__

After finishing their work, Bai Lu went to collect his pills. Seeing the continuous rows of alchemy rooms here, Bai Lu remembered his own magic potions. Without any tools, he hadn’t brewed any magic potions since transmigrating. However, theoretically, all he needed was a cauldron and magic flames. As for ingredients, Dianmei Peak had some growing, and Bai Lu had collected quite a bit from outside the mountain. He could brew potions to replenish energy and magic power.

“Caiqing, if I also want to brew… that is, refine medicine, how can I get the tools?” Bai Lu thought Meng Caiqing would know.

Indeed, Meng Caiqing said clearly, “Why are you interested in pills now too? Then you’ll have to tell your master and see if you can borrow an alchemy room from Tianxuan Peak, or get your own set of tools. Even if disciples from other peaks are interested in alchemy, they’ll come to borrow it during their free time, but they need their master’s approval.” Although the cultivation lineages were divided, the boundaries weren’t so clear, and sometimes they even needed to cooperate.

Upon hearing this, Bai Lu went to ask the people in the alchemy room if he could borrow their space.

“Alchemy is extremely dangerous!” 

The people from Tianxuan Peak shook their heads repeatedly. They looked at Bai Lu and saw that he was delicate and weak, a disciple who hadn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, with low body tempering. 

“Little Junior Brother, our Tianxuan Peak still refines pills with underground fire, and these past few years, the underground fire has been especially strong. How can you control it… Wait, I think I know you, the top scorer in the entrance exam? Are you the one who asked if Biguan pills should be taken before or after meals? What a divine person!” 

The other party clearly saw Bai Lu’s eyes.

Bai Lu: “…” Who spread that around?

Bai Lu saw the other person’s stance, as if they were about to call friends and companions to watch, and thought, never mind if they won’t lend it. He’d go back and report to his mentor. 

“Our lab in the adjacent department has it, we want it too.” Is it normal for my master (he’s the only one in his class, if he’s not the class monitor, who is?) to want a pot?

After hitting a wall at the neighboring Tianxuan Peak, Bai Lu returned to Dianmei Peak and knocked on Huo Xuexiang’s door. The door opened by itself, and Huo Xuexiang was meditating inside. “What is it?” 

It wasn’t time for class yet. But with an extra person at Dianmei Peak, Huo Xuexiang seemed to have quickly gotten used to Bai Lu possibly finding him at any time, asking all sorts of questions.

Since tying up hair was popular here, although he didn’t really like tying hair buns, Bai Lu still reluctantly made himself seventeen or eighteen hair ties. Today, he wore a half-ponytail tied with a mother-of-pearl hair tie, and Qiusuo had even braided two small braids for him. He leaned against the doorway, peering in, his assorted trinkets dangling and swaying in the air.

“Master, there’s something I want to tell you, but I’m a bit embarrassed. But you’ve been very good to me, so I still want to ask,” Bai Lu stammered.

In a short time since entering the sect, Huo Xuexiang had already discovered that this disciple was unusually lively. It was truly rare to see him embarrassed. He said slowly, “Just say it.”

“First, I want to declare that I’m not betraying the way of the sword. This is just a small interest that replaces the way of the sword when I’m suffering right now, just like knitting, and it’s also for my physical well-being.” 

Bai Lu thought to himself, wait, will Master understand “crucible”? What’s the tool for refining medicine called here, a furnace? A pill cauldron?

Huo Xuexiang softly hummed: “Hmm?”

Bai Lu was still leaning by the door, his eyes brimming as he looked at him. Against the light, dust motes floated in the air, and in the dimness, there was only a jade-like highlight: “Master, I want a furnace-cauldron, can you make me a furnace-cauldron?” 

He added another sentence: “A bit special.”

Huo Xuexiang: “…?”