The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion said softly, “Don’t be too quick to rejoice. What if you can’t produce the Nirvana Pill in three months?”
Even she found it hard to believe that she was negotiating a deal with a fourteen-year-old girl who had just entered the cultivation world for a year and was at the first stage of Foundation Establishment.
If Bao Gu couldn’t produce the Nirvana Pill in three months, she would become a laughingstock in the cultivation world, and even a bloodbath at Xuantian Sect wouldn’t save her face.
Bao Gu replied, “If I can’t provide the Nirvana Pill, I’ll give you the complete recipe and enough materials to refine two batches of Nirvana Pill.”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion said calmly, “Alright, then you should pay a 40% deposit first, and this deal will be settled.”
Bao Gu was taken aback and asked, “How do I pay this 40% deposit? Am I supposed to give you half of the materials? I haven’t even refined the pill yet!”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion replied, “A merchant has their own rules. Do you think I would risk offending the Eternal Life Sovereign and the Dragon Roar Sovereign based on your empty words and a glance at this incomplete recipe?”
Bao Gu thought for a moment and said, “I don’t have a deposit, but I do have a security!”
She immediately took out half of the materials needed to refine the Nirvana Pill from her storage bag and handed them to the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion.
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion took the storage bag containing the materials and was speechless!
Such precious spiritual materials were usually stored in specially crafted high-grade jade boxes, but Bao Gu had simply pulled the entire plant out of the ground, dirt and all, and tossed it into the storage bag.
If the storage bag had been a treasure, it would have been fine, but it was actually the kind used by the poorest cultivators, which could be bought for just a few low-grade spirit stones.
The materials were of the highest quality, and even in her own medicinal garden, she only had three plants of that age.
She carefully transferred the materials from the storage bag into a spirit energy-rich jade box for safekeeping, to avoid any damage or waste.
She then asked Bao Gu when she wanted to see the heads of the Eternal Life Sovereign and the Dragon Roar Sovereign.
Bao Gu said, “If they don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke them; I only ask you to take action against them for self-preservation. If they remain quiet, I don’t wish to stir up trouble, but if they attack Xuantian Sect, I hope you can act swiftly.”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion asked, “Is what we discussed today, aside from the Nirvana Pill, to be kept confidential?”
Bao Gu thought for a moment and smiled, “If I wanted to scheme against Taiyin Sect, I would definitely ask you to keep it a secret. However, that would inevitably lead to bloody conflict; forget it, please inform them about this deal. If they know it’s difficult, that would be best; if they back off, or if someone hears these rumors and still wants to target me, I will spend heavily to buy their heads! You don’t mind if the treasure is too hot to handle, do you?”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion smiled contentedly and asked Bao Gu, “Is there anything else you need to add?”
Bao Gu blinked and playfully looked at the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion, asking, “Master, shall we form an alliance?”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion countered, “Are you asking to ally with me or with Xuantian Sect?”
Bao Gu replied, “My life and death are tied to Xuantian Sect; allying with me is the same as allying with Xuantian Sect.”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion asked, “What benefits would an alliance with me bring?”
Bao Gu inquired, “What do you think my future achievements will be?”
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion laughed and said, “The path of cultivation is fraught with unpredictable life and death; do you think having so many treasures by your side will ensure a smooth journey? It’s well-known that those with five spiritual roots progress slowly and find it difficult to advance. Even if you pile up genius treasures, you may not necessarily reach the Core Formation stage. Even if you do pass that stage, the chances of falling during the Nascent Soul tribulation are as high as eight or nine out of ten. Whether you can withstand the heavenly tribulation and cultivate a Nascent Soul remains uncertain. If you want to uphold the glory of a sect, you must cultivate to the Transformation Stage. Looking at the current cultivation world, those who can reach the Transformation Stage are as rare as one in a hundred thousand! Xuanyue Ancient City has a legacy that has lasted for tens of thousands of years, with countless generations of cultivators, yet only a little over a hundred have reached the Transformation Stage, and there are fewer than ten Transformation Stage cultivators still alive.”
She stated frankly, “Even if I have high hopes for you and believe you will achieve great things in the future, I still won’t ally with you.”
She smiled and said, “Since ancient times, alliances among various forces have been based on mutual benefit; if there’s no benefit, they will abandon each other. It’s better to conduct business, keeping clear accounts, without any entanglements or disputes. That’s why Soul Chasing Pavilion has only engaged in trade and never made alliances.”
Bao Gu smiled, finding herself at a loss for words.
The master of Soul Chasing Pavilion said, “Then it’s settled.”
Bao Gu replied, “Alright!”
She stood up and said, “Until we meet again, farewell.”
She cupped her fists in a salute and, with Yu Mi accompanying her, flew away on her sword.
Suddenly, the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion’s vehicle released a powerful force that tore through space, and her vehicle vanished directly from the spot.
Bao Gu was envious of the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion’s vehicle and said to Yu Mi, “Sister, in the future, we will also have a vehicle like the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion.”
Yu Mi replied, “Let’s go back!”
and steered her sword towards Xuantian Sect.
Bao Gu noticed that Yu Mi was in a bad mood and hurriedly followed her, asking, “Sister, are you unhappy?”
Seeing Yu Mi remain silent, she called out again, “Sister.”
Yu Mi said, “Bao Gu, you are too attached to worldly matters.”
Bao Gu felt confused and asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Yu Mi replied, “Cultivation is about oneself. No matter how powerful a force or remarkable a person you can invite to assist you, it is not your own and cannot last. Do you know what I saw in the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion just now?”
Bao Gu asked, “What was it?”
Yu Mi said, “She is Soul Chasing Pavilion.”
Bao Gu looked puzzled, not understanding.
Yu Mi explained, “To put it simply, the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion gave me the impression that she could handle your deal without needing to mobilize any other assassins from Soul Chasing Pavilion. She said she could kill whoever she wanted; it was her doing, not relying on a large number of assassins from Soul Chasing Pavilion. In the mortal realm, strength comes from unity, gathering the power of many to become strong, but in the cultivation world, strength comes from oneself. A true strong person can withstand thousands of troops. The simplest example is that in mortal wars, you often hear about how many troops a general leads, but in the cultivation world, what you hear most is how many cultivators of what realms the opponent has!”
Bao Gu listened quietly.
Yu Mi continued, “I know you are determined to protect your sect, but I hope you understand one thing. What we risk our lives to protect is not the mountains and rivers beneath our feet, but our foundation, our dignity, and our legacy. Better to have our heads crushed than to bow even a little. If Xuantian Sect cannot protect itself through its own strength and relies on help from other sects to survive, even if the mountain gate remains, it is already dead.”
She looked at Bao Gu and said each word clearly, “I would rather die in battle than seek help from others.”
Bao Gu understood that her sister was worried that she was compromising her principles by trying to curry favor with powerful forces for self-preservation.
She was at a disadvantage in terms of cultivation strength, but who would help someone for no reason?
If she asked for help, it was also a fair trade.
She asked, “Sister, is being brave and ruthless considered a skill? Everyone only sees how many strong cultivators each sect has and wants to become one of them, striving towards that goal. A general’s success comes at the cost of countless bones; how many aspiring generals end up as mere corpses along the way? Cultivation is about seeking immortality, but on this path to immortality, how many have died due to mutual conflict? How many have perished in heavenly tribulations, and how many have died at the hands of their fellow cultivators? Since I entered the cultivation world, I haven’t seen a single cultivator die during tribulation, nor have I seen one die of old age; I’ve only seen thousands of cultivators die due to mutual slaughter. If I ask the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion to take action, and if Taiyin Sect does not attack Xuantian Sect, everything will be peaceful, and there will be no casualties. If the two sects go to war, how many will die? How many forces will be dragged into it? How many people will Xuantian Sect have left? How many will Taiyin Sect lose? How many from other forces will die? Putting a knife to the necks of those two Sovereigns to prevent them from starting a war can save many lives. If they do go to war, cutting off their heads and ending the conflict early can also save many lives. If I lose my principles by trading those pills with the master of Soul Chasing Pavilion, I accept it, because my principles can save many lives!”
Her eyes turned red as she looked at Yu Mi, her emotions running high, tears welling up uncontrollably.
She didn’t want to see her sister in danger, didn’t want to see her fellow disciples die tragically, and didn’t want to see her Little Martial Aunt in the deep pool face another life-and-death crisis!
Yu Mi stood beside Bao Gu, staring at her intently.
She really wanted to understand her little junior sister, who at fourteen had not fully matured yet, should still have a hint of innocence, yet possessed a composure and unconventional methods that were hard to grasp, even forming her own principles for dealing with the world.
Bao Gu gave her the impression of being young yet wise, as if she had lived through a lifetime.
Bao Gu rubbed her eyes, wiping away the tears, and said angrily, “Sister, let’s go back!”
It was thankless to say this!
She had put in so much effort and money, only to be scolded for lacking principles in the end.
Giving away the Nirvana Pill and such precious materials pained her more than anyone else, but those things were nothing compared to life.
Bao Gu ignored the gazes of the sect disciples and did not return to Lingyun Main Peak, but instead went back to the small wooden house where she had originally lived.
The spiritual herbs in the small courtyard had been completely ransacked by the Duobao Spirit Monkey and were now overgrown with weeds.
Yu Mi followed Bao Gu into the wooden house’s guest hall and asked, “Are you angry?”
Bao Gu huffed, “If I scolded you for lacking principles, would you be angry?”
Yu Mi replied, “No, at most I would just give you a beating.”
Bao Gu was speechless, turned, and threw herself onto the hard wooden bed, which had no proper bedding, just a few animal skins laid out.
Yu Mi entered the room and sat by the bed, looking at Bao Gu.
She really didn’t know how to talk to Bao Gu; sometimes she was so mature and wise that it scared her, while other times she was so childish that it left her speechless.
She said, “Stop being angry; I have something to ask you!”
Bao Gu, feeling aggrieved, shouted, “You look down on my merchant ways, thinking I’m using lowly tactics that aren’t worth mentioning.”
Yu Mi said, “I’m just afraid you’ll go down the wrong path and waste your cultivation.”
Bao Gu buried her head in the animal skins on the bed, ignoring Yu Mi.
Yu Mi patted Bao Gu and said, “I have something to ask you.”
Bao Gu really didn’t want to talk to her sister, but hearing her tone, she knew it was serious, so she sat up cross-legged on the bed and weakly said, “Ask away.”
Yu Mi asked, “Where did you learn these tricks for scheming and deceiving people?”
As soon as Bao Gu heard this question, she knew it wasn’t good, and she was so angry that she almost jumped up to hit someone.
She pushed Yu Mi hard and shouted, “Get out!”
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn’t hold back; they rolled down her cheeks.
Yu Mi hurriedly called out, “Hey, don’t cry! I’m serious; I really admire you.”
No matter how much Bao Gu pushed her, she remained unmoved.
Admiring her while scolding her for lacking principles?
Bao Gu didn’t believe Yu Mi’s words, feeling wronged and aggrieved as she pushed Yu Mi harder, trying to shove her out.
Seeing Bao Gu cry so much, Yu Mi coaxed, “Look at me; I’m just as foolish and don’t have your cleverness…”
Self-proclaimed as smart, she belittled herself to calm Bao Gu down.
Bao Gu’s tears flowed even more fiercely, her heart aching with anger, and she trembled as she shouted, “You just think I’m cunning and slippery!”
Yu Mi thought, “You really are cunning! It’s not that I look down on you; sometimes it’s quite useful.”
But seeing Bao Gu cry so much, she didn’t dare say anything more and simply asked, “Bao Gu, don’t cry. I just want to know who your master is, who taught you all this?”
Bao Gu yelled, “You brought me into the sect; don’t you know who my master is?”
Yu Mi pointed to her own temple and said, “I meant your intellect and reasoning skills, not your cultivation!”
Bao Gu was so angry she couldn’t control her breathing, her chest tightening with rage.
She understood what Yu Mi meant and shouted, “My dad!”
She gritted her teeth and said, “If you dare look down on my dad or say anything bad about him, I’ll fall out with you!”
Yu Mi helplessly said, “I didn’t mean that. I’m just a bit curious. We are sisters, sharing the same master, having gone through life and death together countless times since I entered the cultivation world. You and Little Martial Aunt are the closest to me, yet I often feel like I can’t understand you. If it were other sects’ disciples, it would be fine, but we live under the same roof and face things together, so I want to know more about you, about your past and how you became who you are now.”
Hearing Yu Mi’s words, Bao Gu felt they were reasonable.
Her sister wanting to understand her was better than being indifferent.
The anger in her heart eased a bit, and she said, “I didn’t grow up in a chaotic way. My dad took me to see some things and taught me a lot. I also read many books from Sun Xiucai, learning a lot of principles from them, some from the books, and some I figured out myself based on the books and human relationships, along with what my dad taught me.”
Yu Mi exclaimed, “Is that all?”
She sighed, “Well, you really are a genius!”
Bao Gu rolled her eyes at Yu Mi and said, “Do you remember the great drought in Qing Shan County?”
Yu Mi replied, “Of course I remember; I still have the skin of the fire toad in my storage bag for medicine.”
Bao Gu said, “Three-Year Drought, a drought that lasted over three years, starving many people and leaving countless families in ruin. My family sold grain, and everyone thought we had plenty, so all sorts of people came to us for food. In the second year of the drought, my dad’s heatstroke worsened, and he fell ill, bedridden. The number of people coming for grain was so high that I didn’t even dare close the door; if I did, they would break it down. I was afraid it would worsen my dad’s condition, so I had to find a way to deal with those who came for food.”
She hugged her knees and glanced at Yu Mi, saying, “The way I deal with people was honed during that time.”
Yu Mi thought for a moment and asked, “Did anyone die at your house during that time?”
Bao Gu replied, “There were people who came to rob grain in the middle of the night. The son of Aunt Zhou next door was a constable, and he called the officials to deal with it several times, and there were inevitably casualties. I had Aunt Zhou’s son call his colleagues from the constabulary over, giving each of them half a pound of fine grain or a pound of coarse grain. As long as something happened on my side, they could come as quickly as possible with a signal…”
Yu Mi asked, “Did the officials rob you?”
Bao Gu said, “Aunt Zhou’s son and they were colleagues, and Aunt Zhou even wanted me to marry her son. They weren’t at the point of starving to death, so how could they rob me?”
Yu Mi: “…”
She felt inexplicably stifled!
She looked at Bao Gu and asked, “If I hadn’t taken you away, would you have married that constable?”
Bao Gu looked at Yu Mi, imagining all the possibilities if she hadn’t been taken away.
Yu Mi asked, “Would you really have married him?”
Her heart felt stifled, wanting to go beat that constable up.
How could such a clever and lovely Bao Gu end up marrying that stinky constable?
It felt like such a good cabbage should be married by her!
A fleeting thought crossed her mind.
Bao Gu hesitated and said, “He probably died! Even if you killed the fire toad and it rained from the sky to grow grain, it would still take until next year to have food. By the time I met you, my family had already run out of grain.”
Yu Mi could only feel relieved that she had taken Bao Gu away at first glance; otherwise, whether Bao Gu married or died would have been quite distressing.
It was a perfect match for them to rely on each other as sisters.
She clarified that Bao Gu’s schemes were for self-preservation, which put her mind at ease, and stood up to say, “Alright, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back. You should cultivate well.”
She took a few steps, then thought that Bao Gu living here was too far from her own small courtyard, so she stopped and turned to ask, “Aren’t you going back to the main peak?”
Bao Gu replied lazily, “Not going back,” and lay back down on the animal skins.
Yu Mi said to Bao Gu, “Are you still angry?”
and returned to the bedside.
Bao Gu muttered, “Sister, do you not trust me?”
Yu Mi was surprised and exclaimed, “How could that be?”
Bao Gu said, “Then why did you scold me for lacking principles?”
Yu Mi felt exasperated and said, “Isn’t it just because I’m afraid you’ll accidentally go down the wrong path?”
Bao Gu sat up and shouted, “Oh! You think I have ulterior motives!”
Yu Mi felt like she couldn’t communicate with Bao Gu!
She turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, she heard Bao Gu say she was angry, and she turned back, glaring at Bao Gu as if she wanted to strangle her.
