Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

As news of the murdered Dao Foundation Cultivator spread among the low-level Cultivators, all sorts of rumors began to fly.

An indescribable mood permeated the air above Yunjing Island.

Doubt!

Panic!

...

Even Zhu Ju couldn’t help but be affected. For several days, his cultivation of the Sword Formulas made no progress whatsoever.

The Drunken Daoist still hadn’t returned.

Without such a well-informed source, he had no idea what was happening on the island, but he had a nagging feeling that something was wrong.

The Dark Workshop.

Zhu Ju followed a familiar path to an inconspicuous shop and cupped his fists toward the old man busy behind the counter.

"Fellow Daoist, you’ve arrived."

The Shopkeeper greeted him with a smile.

"Miss Dong is already here. She’s in Room A-3."

CREAK...

Pushing the door open, he saw Dong Ping, dressed in a practical Magical Robe. She was cupping her cheek with one hand and toying with a teacup with the other, lost in thought.

Hearing the noise, she turned her head and offered a charming smile.

"Brother Zhu, you’re right on time."

"Are you here for the Grass Returning Pills again?"

As an Inspector for the Commerce Association, she had a monthly quota allowing her to purchase various elixirs from the Commerce Association at a low price.

She could then resell them to earn a good sum of Spirit Stones.

Dong Ping not only sold her own quota but even took on the quotas of several other Inspectors, running a business of buying low and selling high.

The Grass Returning Pill,

was the most common elixir used by Dao Foundation Cultivators to aid their cultivation.

"Yes," Zhu Ju said, pulling a chair over and sitting down across from her.

"My progress with the Mixed Element Scripture is slow. Without the help of elixirs, I’m afraid I’ll have no hope of ever reaching the Late-Stage Dao Foundation."

"Let alone the Golden Core Path!"

"Haha..." Dong Ping’s laughter was hearty.

"Brother Zhu, you truly are exceptionally talented. Others who practice the Mixed Element Scripture can’t even reach the Mid-Stage Dao Foundation in their entire lives, yet you’re already thinking about the Golden Core Path."

"Speaking of which, there are some Commerce Association Inspectors who also practice the Mixed Element Scripture, but they’re all from the older generation, just whiling away their days."

"That Shopkeeper outside is one of them."

The Shopkeeper’s surname was Ran, and his given name was Rangu.

In his youth, he too was proud and ambitious, with eyes for nothing but the Great Dao.

Alas...

Ten years, then sixty, then a hundred years passed. The Great Dao was like a distant mountain, forever visible but unreachable.

Eventually, he fell into utter despair.

Zhu Ju smiled and took out his storage pouch.

"Ten vials, as usual."

"Not so fast," Dong Ping said, waving her hand.

"Brother Zhu, let’s get the unpleasant part over with first. The price of the Grass Returning Pills has gone up. Twenty percent."

"Hmm?" Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.

"That much of an increase?"

He had expected a price hike before coming, but not this much. The Grass Returning Pill was already expensive as an elixir for Dao Foundation Cultivators, so a twenty-percent increase was quite significant.

"There’s nothing to be done."

Dong Ping spread her hands.

"Lately, the price of everything has been going up."

"Raw materials, labor fees... they’re all rising, so the selling price naturally follows. Elixirs are actually better off; some things have nearly doubled in price!"

"..." Zhu Ju sighed helplessly and took out more Spirit Stones, a pained look on his face.

"Give me twenty... no, thirty vials!"

Over the years, with his two shops and various resources from the Otherworld, his income had been quite considerable.

But his expenses were also high.

Elixirs were essential for his cultivation, and arrays were a veritable money pit, so he didn’t have much of a surplus.

"Alright!"

Dong Ping was beaming.

"Brother Zhu, you’re so generous."

"Don’t worry, you’re definitely not losing out by buying now. The market for elixirs is sure to rise again soon."

"Oh..." Zhu Ju looked at her.

"You don’t think the Commerce Association will be able to resolve this trouble quickly, Fellow Daoist?"

"Resolve it?" Dong Ping shook her head.

"I’ve never experienced anything like what’s happening now, but lately, I’ve heard the older generation talk about the past."

"Back then..."

"The Yann Family wasn’t the top family in the Yunjing Commerce Association. The current situation only came about after a period of turmoil that lasted several months."

"The past is a lesson for the present!"

Zhu Ju’s brows furrowed.

"Fellow Daoist Dong, what do you mean by that?"

"Could it be..."

"That someone on Yunjing Island could actually move against the Yann Family?"

The Yann Family controlled the Commerce Association’s Tier Three Array. Even if someone had the ambition, they probably wouldn’t have the ability.

Unless...

The other families on the island joined forces.

But even if the other families did join forces, with the Yann Family’s control over the island’s array, they still wouldn’t necessarily lose.

As long as no Golden Core cultivators got involved, Zhu Ju couldn’t imagine how the Yann Family could fall.

"Maybe," Dong Ping said noncommittally, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. She spoke slowly.

"What goes up must come down. It’s always been this way."

"The Patriarch of the Yann Family failed to break through to the Golden Core Realm. He is suspected to have become a Fallen Demon and disappeared. He’s very likely the one who killed those Dao Foundation Cultivators. With something this major happening, the Yann Family must give everyone on the island an explanation."

Zhu Ju grew pensive.

"I don’t know how the situation will develop, but I definitely can’t stay on the Yann Family’s sinking ship," Dong Ping said with a smile.

"Brother Zhu, how about I introduce you to a new connection?"

"I’m impressed!" Zhu Ju cupped his fists.

"But there’s no need for now. I am, at heart, a Loose Practitioner. My title as a Guest Minister of the Yann Family shouldn’t be enough to make me a target."

’No wonder she was following Patriarch Fang around a few days ago. So, she’s already found a new backer.’

’As an Inspector, she’s well-informed. Dong Ping probably noticed something was amiss long ago.’

He left the shop without having decided where to go next, when a Communication Jade Talisman on his waist began to glow with Spiritual Light.

Zhu Ju took out the Jade Talisman, his eyebrow twitching slightly.

’Senior Brother Yann Ying?’

*

*

*

Yann Ying’s original surname was Wang, and his given name was Ying. He was an Inner Sect Disciple of the number one Immortal Sect in Dazhou, the Jade Void Sect.

Back when the Jade Void Sect’s gates were destroyed, as an Inner Sect Disciple, he fled to the East Sea. There, he met and fell in love with his wife. With the Yann Family’s help, he established his Dao Foundation. He then changed his surname from Wang to Yann, and upon doing so, swore an oath that he would no longer be a disciple of the Jade Void Sect in this life.

Zhu Ju addressing him as a "senior brother" was merely a nod to a past sentiment, but the two were genuinely on good terms.

SWOOSH!

A Sword Light streaked across the sky and landed before a courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu."

A pretty Female Cultivator came out to greet him.

The Female Cultivator’s name was Yann Lan, the younger sister of Yann Ying’s wife.

Yann Ying’s wife never established a Dao Foundation and had passed away years ago. Yann Lan, however, had successfully broken through and become a Dao Foundation Cultivator.

"Miss Lann," Zhu Ju began.

"Where is my senior brother?"

"My brother-in-law went to the ancestral home," Yann Lan replied, her eyes filled with panic.

"Most of the Yann Family’s direct lineage and Dao Foundation Cultivators have gone there. I was worried about Liang’er and the others, so I stayed behind."

"Hmm?" Zhu Ju’s expression darkened.

"Has the Yann Family’s situation gotten that bad? Why can’t Senior Brother Yann’s children go to the Yann Family’s ancestral home?"

Yann Lan faltered.

"Hmph!" Seeing her reaction, Zhu Ju snorted.

"It seems changing your name is no substitute for being born with it. After all these years of serving the Yann Family, my senior brother is still treated like an outsider. When trouble strikes, they won’t even shelter his own flesh and blood."

"Well... you can’t really say that," Yann Lan explained in a low voice.

"The ancestral home is small. It might not be safe with too many people there, and it’s not necessarily unsafe to stay outside."

"Let’s not talk about that for now." Zhu Ju frowned and asked,

"Is someone really going to make a move against the Yann Family?"

"It’s very likely," Yann Lan said with a bitter smile.

"The people in the Commerce Association are convinced that the one who has been killing Dao Foundation Cultivators is our Patriarch, and they’re demanding that the Yann Family hand him over."

"But..."

"We don’t even know where the Patriarch is. How can we hand him over?"

"The situation is getting more and more tense. There have already been small-scale instances of combat in the past few days. Things could spiral out of control at any moment."

"How dare they?" Zhu Ju looked confused.

"Putting aside the fact that the Yann Family has experts as numerous as clouds, with their control over the Commerce Association’s array, even a coalition of the other families would be no match for them, as long as no Golden Core cultivators interfere."

"Master Tang," Yann Lan said, her face full of bitterness.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, do you remember the Master Tang who escaped? He taught the other families parts of the array that the Yann Family controlled. Now, although the Yann Family still controls the array, they no longer have an absolute advantage."

"Only the ancestral home can be guaranteed safe. As for the outside... we can only hope they won’t really make a move."

’Master Tang?’

’So that’s how it is!’

A look of realization dawned on Zhu Ju’s face, followed by a deepening frown.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu."

Seeing his expression, Yann Lan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said,

"My brother-in-law’s descendants are all here. The children are innocent! I beg you, Fellow Daoist, to protect them."

"Once this is over, my brother-in-law and the Yann Family will surely reward you handsomely!"

"This..." Zhu Ju hesitated.

"Senior Brother has been on this island for so many years. Besides me, doesn’t he have any other trustworthy friends?"

"He does," Yann Lan nodded.

"Before my brother-in-law left, he sent messages to all his trusted friends. You, Fellow Daoist Zhu, are the first one to arrive."

"That’s good," Zhu Ju said, his expression relaxing slightly.

"Even if there’s turmoil on the island, with a few Dao Foundation Cultivators present, it won’t be difficult to protect a few Innate realm individuals and Mortals."

"Yes," Yann Lan nodded repeatedly.

"Not difficult. Not difficult at all."

Time slowly passed.

The sky gradually darkened.

It wasn’t just the sky that darkened, but Zhu Ju’s expression as well.

"Miss Lann."

He glanced around and asked,

"Are you sure my senior brother sent messages to others besides me?"

"I’m sure!" Yann Lan’s eyes were red, as if she were about to cry. She nodded emphatically.

"I saw my brother-in-law send the messages with my own eyes. Besides you, Fellow Daoist Zhu, there were also Fellow Daoist Ming, Fellow Daoist Han, and the others."

"How..."

"How could this be?"

Yunjing Island was large, but with the flying speed of a Dao Foundation Cultivator, it would never take a full day to cross.

Therefore...

They either didn’t receive the message, or they received it and were unwilling to come.

Yann Ying had sent an urgent message; the Jade Talisman would have given a warning, so the possibility of them not receiving it was slim.

"Heh..." A bitter expression crossed Yann Lan’s face, and her body swayed.

"My brother-in-law sent messages to several friends, but to think that in the end, only Fellow Daoist Zhu would come."

"Sigh!"

"So much for the warmth of friendship. The world is a cold place."

"A fog is rolling in," Zhu Ju said suddenly.

"There’s something wrong with this fog!"

Yann Lan’s heart jumped. She looked and saw that a faint mist had appeared out of nowhere, and it was growing thicker by the second.

Ordinary fog could hardly obstruct the vision of a Dao Foundation Cultivator.

But this fog not only blocked vision but also clouded one’s senses. Even the connection to the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi had become sluggish.

Even without trying, he knew that casting magic would become difficult, and its power would be diminished.

"An array!"

Yann Lan took a step back, her voice trembling.

"These are the Celestial Kuiper Clouds! They can blind one’s Divine Sense. The fog’s appearance means the No-Fly Array has been activated."

Zhu Ju looked up.

He could feel that he had likely lost the ability to fly. This would limit many of a Dao Foundation Cultivator’s techniques. If surrounded, there would be no chance of escape.

"Miss Lann."

Zhu Ju thought for a moment, then said in a solemn voice,

"This is our senior brother’s residence. Though it’s protected by an array, it’s far too conspicuous. If someone really is making a move against the Yann Family, this place will certainly be one of their targets."

"Go gather our senior brother’s descendants. We’ll move to a different location. With the cover of the fog, we’ll actually be safer."

"Yes!" Yann Lan replied. She turned to go gather the others but stopped in her tracks after just two steps.

"Don’t worry."

Zhu Ju said,

"I promised our senior brother I would protect his bloodline, and I will do my utmost. I won’t abandon you."

"Yes." Yann Lan nodded, her eyes red.

"Thank you, Bro... Brother Zhu!"

The two were close in age and had comparable cultivation. Yann Ying had once even considered matchmaking Yann Lan with Zhu Ju.

However, Yann Lan had refused.

She couldn’t leave the Yann Family or Yunjing Island to follow Zhu Ju to the mysterious Ten Thousand Mountains.

In the end, nothing came of it.

’Looking at him now,’

’this ’Brother Zhu’ is not only exceptionally talented and handsome, but also responsible and dependable. He wouldn’t be a bad partner at all.’

As the thought crossed her mind, Yann Lan’s pretty face flushed red, and she hurried toward the backyard.

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