Chapter 25
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Chapter 25: The Gathering
Inside the door was a hall that was more than ten times larger than his room.
In the hall, there are five low dining tables. In the front, there is one main table, with two tables on each side. Except for one that is empty, there are people sitting on the cushions at the other tables.
When they saw Wang Yu walking in, they all looked his way.
"This young brother must be Brother Wang, right? Tsk tsk, I am not sure about your skills, but your strong aura is truly rare. Please take a seat!" An old man in a purple robe, with white hair and a rosy face, stood up and said excitedly upon recognizing Wang Yu.
"Senior, you flatter me." Wang Yu was taken aback by the words and cupped his hands before sitting down at the only empty table. He looked at the people sitting at the other three tables.
One table had a fierce-looking monk wearing an iron hoop on his head.
Another table had the young couple he had seen on the deck before.
The last table had an elderly woman with kind eyes, dressed in a red and green robe, with gray hair held up by a black wooden hairpin.
"There aren’t many fellow travelers on this ship. Half of them are already here, and the rest do not like crowds, so I did not invite them. By the way, may I ask who Brother Wang studied under?" The old man in the purple robe asked casually to Wang Yu after sitting back down.
"I apologize, my master does not allow me to mention names when I am outside. So, I cannot say more here." Wang Yu stood up again and cupped his hands to the people around him.
"Still quite cautious. Everyone set off by boat from Yellow Stone City. It doesn’t matter how many companions there are there; if you don’t want to say, that’s fine." The monk next to him heard this, rolled his eyes, and buzzed out a response.
"People’s hearts are so dangerous now. Brother Wang is so mature at his age; I truly admire that," the old woman said, her tone friendly.
The young couple clearly recognized Wang Yu from the deck and were whispering to each other in surprise.
"Haha, if Brother Wang doesn’t wish to say more, let’s leave it at that. Let me introduce everyone: this is Master Iron Arm, who practices the Qi Refining Stage’s renowned technique of protecting the cauldron. His arms are invulnerable to blades and fire, and he can even withstand magical tools. This is Lady Yin, who excels in beast taming and spirit communication; she can eliminate opponents without a trace, so one must never offend her. And this is Brother Huang, a member of the Huang family, and the most outstanding disciple in the last twenty years. Beside him is his wife, Taoist Friend Hu." Yu Bintian cheerfully introduced everyone.
Wang Yu greeted each person with clasped hands, and when he learned that the young man was from the Huang family, he felt a chill in his heart but showed no change in his expression as he sat back down.
"Taoist Friend Yu, although we are only acquaintances, you seem to know quite a lot about us. What did you mean when you said Brother Wang has exceptional vitality?" Lady Yin asked the old man in purple robes.
Others also showed looks of curiosity.
"To be honest, I practiced a technique that allows me to sense energy, and I have a special feeling towards those with strong vitality. When Brother Wang entered the room just now, it felt as if a furnace came in. I’ve rarely seen such strong vitality before," the old man replied.
"I suspect Brother Wang either practices a special Body Refining Technique or awakened a certain physical bloodline. Of course, this is because Brother Wang’s cultivation level is not very high; once he attains greater power, outsiders won’t be able to discern it easily," Yu Bintian said while glancing at the old woman and chuckling.
Awakened the physical bloodline!
As soon as Lady Yin heard this, she had no response, but the monk and the young couple from the Huang family unconsciously exclaimed together, and Wang Yu’s gaze became noticeably different.
The method of observing energy!
However, Wang Yu felt a bit uneasy, as the power of the bloodline seemed to be much more special than he had imagined, so he hurriedly explained in a vague way:
"You must be joking, senior. I haven’t awakened any bloodline; I have only practiced some simple Body Refining Techniques."
He felt that his "Iron Eating Crocodile" bloodline had only awakened halfway, which wasn’t technically a lie.
"Body Refining Techniques are quite rare even in the Qi Refining Stage. Speaking of which, the technique I practice, Golden Stone Skill, could be considered a kind of body refining art. If there’s an opportunity, the two of us can share our insights." The monk’s tone changed greatly, and he even nodded in acknowledgment to Wang Yu.
"My wife and I are also quite interested in Brother Wang’s body refining techniques, and the Huang family has some rare mystical techniques. If Brother Wang is willing, we can exchange some ideas." The husband from the young couple in the Huang family also clasped his fists towards Wang Yu from a distance.
Wang Yu could only nod in agreement one by one.
Lady Yin watched all of this with a smile on her face and continued to ask the old man in the purple robe:
"Taoist Friend Yu, you are different from us. Although you are also a free practitioner, you are wealthy in Tong Prefecture, with many servants and a huge family to take care of you. Why would you come to Yellow Stone City, such a poor place in the Land of Residual Spirits, and hurry back so quickly?"
"That’s right, I have also heard about Brother Yu’s reputation as a wealthy man in Tong Prefecture; otherwise, I wouldn’t have come here so easily when invited." The monk nodded in agreement.
"Ah, at my age, why would I travel far? It is just to help my unworthy descendants earn a few more spirit stones. Although Yellow Stone City is in the Land of Residual Spirits, it has abundant iron mines. One third of the cargo on this Iron Arrow Ship is high-quality iron that I bought from the Huang family. Once I return to Tong Prefecture, I can find some blacksmiths to refine it, and then I will have a batch of forged iron to sell in the market." Yu Bintian replied casually.
"That’s true, we free practitioners are not like those from big cultivation families or sects; we have to rely on our own hands for all cultivation resources. Brother Yu also has to care for his family’s future, which is even more challenging," Lady Yin said, showing great understanding.
"I often wish I had come from a big cultivation family; otherwise, after all these years, I wouldn’t have such a low level of cultivation. Brother Huang has the support of the Huang family and, at such a young age, is already as skilled as us," the monk nodded, looking enviously at the Huang couple.
"Iron Brother, being from a small cultivation family like the Huang family is not as good as outsiders think. The resources within the family are fiercely competitive, and if any family member offends a powerful cultivator, the whole family could face trouble," Lady Yin warned.
"Our Huang family had to flee far away for this reason and ended up in a place like Yellow Stone City in the Land of Residual Spirits. I envy all of you who have no family burdens and can live freely. If I wish to cultivate further, I should join one of those large cultivation sects; only a sect can provide the resources needed for Foundation Establishment," the young man from the Huang family said, a bitter smile on his face.
"As long as you reach Foundation Establishment, you can expect a lifespan of two hundred years. Who wouldn’t want that? But after reaching the third level of Qi Refining, you must go to places with spiritual veins to continue your cultivation. As free practitioners, we either work in markets backed by powerful forces or serve some cultivation families as guest disciples. I worked in Guangyuan District for twenty to thirty years, learning a little about refining spiritual materials, and barely saved enough spirit stones to leave," Yu Bintian said, stroking his beard with emotion.
"I am not as lucky as Taoist Friend Yu. I became a cultivator because I received teachings from a senior, but the resources left by that senior only allowed me to reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Now that I want to join a sect, they won’t accept me. A large family of cultivators also looks down on me. I can’t earn spirit stones by working in the market, so I can only go to places like Yellow Stone City to gather some Spirit Qi to barely maintain my level." The monk said with a gloomy expression.
Wang Yu listened to their complaints and thought to himself, could it really be so hard for loose cultivators outside?
"I am slightly better off than you two. I used to be an outer disciple of a sect, but I made a big mistake and was expelled," Lady Yin said slowly.
"What? Taoist Friend Yin was once a sect disciple?" Yu Bintian and Tie Tou were both surprised, looking at the old woman again with new eyes.
The Huang couple also exchanged glances and showed surprised expressions.
"Compared to inner disciples, it is easier to become an outer disciple of a sect. Don’t be fooled by my current appearance; I had good talent when I was young. I regret it. After being expelled from the sect, I realized how hard it is to cultivate outside. Over the decades, I have not progressed, but instead have regressed," Lady Yin sighed, yet there was a hint of pride in her words.
"Taoist Friend Yin, may I ask which sect you came from?" the monk couldn’t help but ask.
"The teachings of my sect were significant. Now I am just a loose cultivator and have no face to mention it. But Taoist Friend Huang, although the Huang family is not a big cultivating family, they at least have guaranteed resources, which is already much better than ordinary loose cultivators," Lady Yin said, shaking her head and smiling at the young man from the Huang family.
"Actually, everyone is being too modest. Once cultivators reach the mid-stage of Qi Refining, it is not a problem to establish themselves in major markets. Even with family support, my wife and I have just entered this stage. As you all know, it is easier to cultivate before the Qi Refining Stage, but it becomes harder and takes longer at the mid-stage. What Brother Tie means about big cultivating families looking down on others is certainly true, but if they are willing to join a smaller family like ours as guests, the Huang family would definitely welcome them," the young man from the Huang family replied politely.
"Oh, with Brother Huang saying that, if I can’t make it outside, I might really go to work for the nobles. At that time, Brother Huang, don’t forget your words today." The monk listened to the young man’s words and a faint smile appeared on his fierce face.
The young man from the Huang family readily agreed.
Wang Yu, who had been listening in a daze, noticed that everyone’s attention was now focused on him. After a moment of thought, he suddenly realized, and after coughing a couple of times, he said to the others:
"I come from a remote place called Yellow Stone City, and I have only been practicing for a few years, so my skills are very shallow. This time I left Yellow Stone City just because my master allowed me to. I wanted to see what the outside world is like, and perhaps find a place with spiritual energy to continue my training."
"Brother Wang, the Spirit Qi around you is not strong, so you probably haven’t formed a Spiritual Root yet. At your age, you should be out exploring more. Otherwise, if you stay in a place like Yellow Stone City, a Land of Residual Spirits, what future will you have? The Guangyuan District lies within Tong Prefecture, and I have some friends there. If you’d like to go, I can help introduce you." Yu Bintian said enthusiastically to Wang Yu.
Wang Yu repeatedly thanked him.
Then, after chatting for a while longer and sharing some interesting stories from the world of cultivation, Wang Yu and the young couple from the Huang family listened with great interest.
Just then, Lady Yin suddenly asked the young man from the Huang family:
"Brother Huang, before boarding the ship, are the two people wanting to come aboard from the Huang family? They are here to look for you, right?"