Yu Mi sat in the chair in the living room, healing her injuries through meditation, while Bao Gu busied herself at the table with plans to open a wine shop in front of Lingyun Peak’s mountain gate. After finishing her tasks, she was both tired and sleepy, so she went back to the bedroom to rest.
Bao Gu woke up feeling refreshed. She went to the courtyard and saw Yu Mi, dressed in a flowing white fairy dress, standing in the middle of the courtyard. Her white clothes against the white snow made her look like a celestial being. If one were to paint a picture of Senior Sister, it would surely be a masterpiece depicting an extraordinary celestial fairy.
Yu Mi turned her head towards Bao Gu and said, “Awake? You sure can sleep! You’ve slept for two whole days and nights!”
Bao Gu asked, “Senior Sister, are your injuries healed?”
Yu Mi replied, “They’re healed. Once a cultivator reaches the Golden Core stage, injuries that don’t affect the Dantian or soul aren’t considered serious.” While speaking, she handed Bao Gu two sets of clothes and a token, saying, “The Sect Leader has promoted you to a true disciple of Lingyun Peak. These are your clothes and token.”
Bao Gu took the clothes and token from Yu Mi and stored them in her storage bag, asking, “What’s the situation outside now?”
Yu Mi replied, “We’re worried about Taiyin Sect members sneaking in, so all the peaks are conducting searches.”
Bao Gu asked, “Aren’t we searching Lingyun Peak?”
Yu Mi said, “Little Martial Aunt and the Mountain Guardian Granny are in charge of searching Lingyun Peak.”
Bao Gu inquired, “How about the other peaks?”
Yu Mi answered, “Shuiyun Ze suffered the most damage, with over half of its disciples dead or injured. Zhu Tou was seriously injured, but fortunately, he had a Nascent Soul Fruit that saved his life. Zhuo Yun Peak’s Wu Yuanzi Uncle-Master is gone.”
Bao Gu exclaimed in shock, “Uncle-Master Wu Yuanzi? The one who was recruiting disciples in Yun City the day I joined the sect? What about Brother Feng Menglong?” She didn’t know many disciples in Xuantian Sect, but she remembered Nan Yi, the acting Sect Leader’s true disciple, and Feng Menglong from Shuiyun Ze, who had registered her when she joined the sect. She remembered him most for asking Senior Sister for money to stay at an inn because he had no spirit stones, and Senior Sister told him to sleep on the street.
Yu Mi said, “He’s not seriously injured. He should be fine after some rest.”
Bao Gu thought to herself: So he was injured! But fortunately, he’s still alive! She asked, “Is there really a traitor within our Xuantian Sect?”
Yu Mi said, “The Sect Leader went to investigate Shuiyun Ze’s formation and found it was sabotaged from the inside. Either Taiyin Sect members had sneaked in long ago, or there’s a traitor among us. Without evidence, it’s not good to speculate rashly, so we just need to be careful.”
Bao Gu scratched her head and said, “It’s also a good thing that Lingyun Peak has fewer people; at least we won’t have a traitor.”
Yu Mi smiled and said, “It’s not necessarily true that we have a traitor. Alright, now that you’re awake, hurry up and practice.”
Bao Gu hopped over to Yu Mi, hugged her arm, and said, “Senior Sister, I want to refine a flying sword from a flying sword stone.”
Yu Mi asked, “Do you know how to refine tools?”
Bao Gu said, “I can learn.”
Yu Mi said, “The ancient ruins are about to open soon. You should focus on cultivating for now. After coming out of the ancient ruins, you can learn tool refinement.”
Bao Gu obediently sat by the creek to practice.
Yu Mi sat cross-legged in the courtyard and meditated.
Half a day later, Zi Yunshu and the Mountain Guardian Granny appeared outside the courtyard.
Yu Mi opened her eyes and went to greet them, asking, “How’s the situation?”
Zi Yunshu said, “We’ve searched for two days and haven’t seen any signs of outsiders entering. The Mountain Guardian Granny has placed spies everywhere; even an ant can’t escape her eyes.” After speaking, she glanced at Bao Gu, who was meditating by the creek, and said to Yu Mi, “How many refining materials do you have left? Give them all to me.”
Yu Mi didn’t ask any questions and gave all her refining materials to Zi Yunshu.
Zi Yunshu took the materials and returned to the deep pool not far from the courtyard.
Yu Mi invited the Mountain Guardian Granny into the courtyard and said, “Xuantian Sect is facing troubled times, and we’re relying on you, Granny.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny said, “Protecting Lingyun Peak is my duty, Immortal Yu Mi.”
Yu Mi said, “We’ll be leaving for a while soon, and Lingyun Peak will need your extra care. Many eyes are on Bao Gu, so to be safe, please stay in the courtyard for some time.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny nodded slightly and transformed into a black, stone-like dead tree standing in a corner of the courtyard.
Snowflakes fell, and soon, the “dead tree” was covered in a layer of snow, looking like a tree sculpture in the ice and snow.
Yu Mi meditated in the snow not far from Bao Gu, protecting her.
Bao Gu didn’t notice Zi Yunshu and the Mountain Guardian Granny’s return, focusing on consuming Qi Refining Pills and drinking Monkey Wine to practice. She slowly refined the Monkey Wine and Qi Refining Pills, transforming them into true qi stored in her Dantian. The abundant true qi circulated in her Dantian, compressing and trying to condense it further.
If her Dantian was previously like a gas bag, then the true qi in her Dantian was the gas, and at this moment, there was a mung bean-sized, multicolored bean in the center of her Dantian’s true qi. This little bean slowly rotated, absorbing the true qi from her Dantian and then releasing it back out. The true qi in her Dantian continuously entered and exited the little bean, with strands of true qi even seeping into the meridians outside her Dantian.
Bao Gu stood up and saw Yu Mi sitting nearby.
The snow had stopped, and sunlight shone on Yu Mi, making her look like she was covered in a layer of golden light, radiant like a goddess.
Yu Mi opened her eyes and stood up, asking Bao Gu, “Finished practicing?”
Bao Gu hummed in response and asked, “Has Little Martial Aunt not returned yet?”
Yu Mi said, “She returned seven days ago.”
Bao Gu’s peripheral vision suddenly caught something new in the courtyard. She turned her head and was surprised to see a black, stone-like dead tree standing in the courtyard, with a few branches still hanging with unmelted snow. Bao Gu exclaimed, “Senior Sister, where did you get such an ugly piece of gloomy wood?” She turned to Yu Mi and asked, “Isn’t gloomy wood suitable for making coffins and furniture? Does it have other uses?”
Yu Mi: “……”
The ugly piece of gloomy wood suddenly transformed into an old woman holding a cane, and an aged voice sounded, “Does Bao Gu plan to use me for a coffin or furniture?”
Bao Gu was so startled that she quickly turned her head, only to find the gloomy wood gone and the Mountain Guardian Granny standing in its place. She immediately realized her mistake, and sweat broke out instantly! That gloomy wood was the Mountain Guardian Granny’s true form!
Bao Gu forced a laugh, quickly bowed, and said, “Greetings, Mountain Guardian Granny! Bao Gu has met the Mountain Guardian Granny, you’re the best at cultivating.” She nervously approached the courtyard, bowing her head and saying, “Bao Gu didn’t recognize your true form, Granny, please forgive my offense.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny said, “Or should I split myself to make you a bed? You can sleep on me while you’re alive, and I can be your coffin when you’re dead!”
Bao Gu was extremely embarrassed and kept apologizing.
In the end, it was Yu Mi who came to smooth things over for Bao Gu.
Yu Mi said, “Please come inside, Granny!” She then said to Bao Gu, “Didn’t you have something to ask the Granny?”
Bao Gu followed Yu Mi inside with her head down, invited the Mountain Guardian Granny to sit, and said, “Bao Gu has a request for Granny.” Seeing the Mountain Guardian Granny’s expression soften and not blaming her for her earlier offensive words, Bao Gu breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Granny must also know about my Monkey Wine and selling it to Qingfeng Pavilion.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny said, “I’ve heard. When you wanted to enter the Bamboo Sea Forbidden Land, I couldn’t stop you. I thought you would lose your life for nothing and felt sorry for you, but I didn’t expect you to gain such a great opportunity. It’s indeed a blessing for Lingyun Peak.”
Bao Gu smiled sheepishly, “I was ignorant, please don’t blame me, Granny.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny waved her hand and said, “Speak, what do you need me to do?”
Bao Gu took out a storage bag and handed it to the Mountain Guardian Granny.
The Mountain Guardian Granny took the storage bag, peeked inside, and her face changed dramatically, trembling with fear, she quickly said, “This is too much, I can’t accept such a grand gift from you!”
Bao Gu made a sound of confusion and said, “Granny, this… isn’t a gift for you!”
The Mountain Guardian Granny’s wrinkled old face stiffened, and she asked sullenly, “Then what do you mean?” She threw the storage bag back to Bao Gu.
Bao Gu caught the storage bag the Mountain Guardian Granny threw back and said, “Granny, hear me out. I’m giving you these Monkey Wines to ask you to open a wine shop in front of Lingyun Mountain’s gate to sell Monkey Wine to our fellow sect members. I’ve already set the price, 20% cheaper than selling to Qingfeng Pavilion. You only need to set up the shop in front of Lingyun Peak’s gate once a month, sell in limited quantities, and stop when sold out. Even if not all are sold that day, you only sell once a month. Of course, I can’t let you work for nothing. I’ll give you one gourd of sixth-grade Monkey Wine and two gourds of fifth-grade Monkey Wine every year as compensation. Granny, what do you think? I know it’s beneath you to sell wine, but I really can’t find anyone else. Besides you, Little Martial Aunt, and Senior Sister, who else can I trust?”
The Mountain Guardian Granny’s wrinkled old face showed a half-smile and said, “Passing down the lineage, we’re all branches of the same tree. I’ll help you with this. Bao Gu, are you really giving me one gourd of sixth-grade Monkey Wine and two gourds of fifth-grade Monkey Wine? This… you won’t make any profit from selling wine like this, right?”
Bao Gu smiled and said, “I won’t make a profit, but I have to take care of my fellow sect members, right? Besides, Granny and I are both from Lingyun Peak, so I should honor you.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny scolded with a smile, “Look at you, being so formal with Granny. Then Granny will take care of the wine shop for you.”
“Thank you, Granny!” Bao Gu handed the storage bag filled with Monkey Wine to the Mountain Guardian Granny with both hands, saying, “This is the amount for one year. I can only take out this much for now. I’ll have to wait until I exchange for more spiritual herbs and fruits and Duobao Spirit Monkey brews more Monkey Wine.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny said with a smile, “Granny will come to you every time the wine is sold out to give you the earnings.”
Bao Gu replied, “Okay, thank you, Granny.”
The Mountain Guardian Granny pointed at Bao Gu and said to Yu Mi, “This Bao Gu is a sincere child!” She looked at Bao Gu more and more fondly, took out a bead darker than her true form, and handed it to Bao Gu, saying, “Take this Water Repelling Bead. With it, you can go anywhere in rivers, lakes, and seas.”
“Thank you, Granny!” Bao Gu happily accepted the Water Repelling Bead from the Mountain Guardian Granny and stored it in her super-sized storage bag.
Standing aside, Yu Mi gave Bao Gu a side-eye, then another side-eye, and secretly added to her evaluation of Bao Gu: outwardly simple and cute, inwardly deep and scheming, good at winning people over!
After sending the Mountain Guardian Granny out of the courtyard, Bao Gu asked Yu Mi to accompany her to see the Sect Leader.
Yu Mi told Bao Gu that she had already reported Bao Gu’s progress to the Sect Leader, and he would come over soon. She had to admit that her little junior sister was not simple. She seemed straightforward and cute, but in reality, she was quite cunning. Using benefits to win people over really made her want to beat Bao Gu up. But upon further thought, Bao Gu’s actions seemed not wrong. With insufficient strength, it was necessary to ensure everything was well-managed to avoid future disasters.
About an hour later, Sect Leader Zi Tianjun arrived at the courtyard.
Bao Gu and Yu Mi respectfully invited Zi Tianjun inside.
Zi Tianjun saw that Bao Gu had advanced to the sixth stage of Qi Refining but didn’t say anything. After all, consuming five bottles of Qi Refining Pills, over five hundred Qi Refining Pills, and a whole gourd of first-grade Monkey Wine, it would be unreasonable not to advance.
After greeting Zi Tianjun, Bao Gu presented her prepared gifts to him.
Zi Tianjun accepted them and said, “You didn’t ask your Little Martial Aunt to invite me over just to give me gifts, did you?”
Bao Gu nodded and reported her plan to ask the Mountain Guardian Granny to open a wine shop in front of Lingyun Peak’s gate to Zi Tianjun.
She also handed him a price list, saying, “All Monkey Wines are priced at 80% of what we sell to Qingfeng Pavilion.” She thought for a moment and said, “Sect Leader, I want to send a notice to all the peaks to inform them about this shop. This way, they have a place to exchange for Monkey Wine when they need it, without being delayed by my seclusion or absence.”
Zi Tianjun replied, “Your idea is feasible! Let your Senior Sister deliver the notice for you.”
Yu Mi silently stared at Bao Gu, thinking, “I’m your Senior Sister, or am I the acting peak master of Lingyun Peak? It’s one thing to be your bodyguard and protector, but now I’m running errands for you too!” She wordlessly took the notice from Bao Gu, stepped on her flying sword, and left Lingyun Peak to deliver the notice.
