Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy

  After exposing her background, many mysteries logically revealed themselves.

  For example, why, as a mere mortal world’s martial art master, could she bare-handedly destroy low grade magical treasures, punch away the Jindan Stage Wang Wu, and also received the direct core ray attack from the Golden Thread Red Refined Snake without suffering any injury.

  “It’s all because of that vacuum point, which was born from the combination of the Spirit Sword Sect’s Grand Protection Array and the spiritual energy node at the Blue River Region. I’m not clear about the specific principle behind it, but any spiritual energy or any object with magical power would be expelled by the existence of this ‘vacuum’, unless that thing has more power than the combined power of the mountain’s Grand Protection Array and the spiritual energy node at the Blue River Region, which could forcefully break through the vacuum. However, if even the Nine Tailed Heavenly Fox can’t even break this thing, I’m afraid only a True Immortal descending to the world would be able to…Therefore, just now, even though that Golden Thread Red Refined Snake’s core ray was powerful, it could do nothing to my body. But in exchange for that invulnerability, I could no longer embark on the path of Immortal Cultivation, and I have to settle as a mortal world’s martial art master.”


  After listening to her explanation, Wang Lu went silent for a moment. “In other words, it’s a dream killer?”


  “Huh?”


  Wang Lu chuckled. “Having sealed the Nine Tailed in the body, and thus able to expel any kind of spiritual energy or magical power, which makes all techniques ineffective… Sure enough, this setup is really moving. Just now, the fist that almost destroyed my face is particularly powerful, just like Miss Uzumaki Ling.”


  “Huh? What are you talking about?”


  “… It’s nothing, I just got carried away a little bit. In short, I understand your story, Sister Ling. It’s really intricate and bizarre. Alas, no wonder you hate your father.”


  However, the Lady Boss was surprised instead; she seriously refuted, “No, I don’t hate him! How could I be so narrow-minded? At that time, he also had no choice. In the face of a mythical beast’s invasion, he was able to protect all the people; this is a remarkable feat. Moreover, he also had his own difficulties for refusing to call outside reinforcement. Not to mention that, except for not being able to cultivate, this condition doesn’t affect me in anywhere else. Moreover, thanks to this ‘vacuum effect’, I have extra advantage in fighting a cultivator… How can I hold a grudge against him?”


  Wang Lu didn’t get it. “Then why are your relationship with him so poor?”


  “If it was you whose body was stuffed with an out-of-control mythical beast, which makes you unable to cultivate for your entire life, would you be happy? Yes, I do not hate him, but I also don’t like him. Besides, that old fool is so stick-in-the-mud, and he has severe nearsightedness. So, of course we don’t have a good relationship. Every time I remember that I am his daughter, I would become uncomfortable, just like how it’s a pain in the ass whenever you think about your Master, Wang Wu.”


  “… What an apt analogy!” Wang Lu sincerely sighed, showing his agreement.

  The Lady Boss shrugged and added, “In fact, it’s not even limited to this. Because he took that thirty years matter too hard, everytime he sees me, his face would always show that he see me like I am some kind of a newborn baby! Damn, I am obviously a slender, blooming young girl! I don’t even feel I am worse than others, but why would he always see me as inferior? He is also quite abnormal; every time we meet, he would always turn softy with me, calling about deep love between father and daughter, ugh, it’s so disgusting!”


  Wang Lu was surprised. “Unexpectedly, uncle Sect Leader is one of those affectionate father! It’s really hard on you all these years, Sister Ling!”


  “Humph, in short, I’m tired of him to death. That’s why a few years ago, I went down the mountain to open an inn to avoid meeting him daily, thus saving my appetite! But damn! He still tried to attempt to force me back to the mountain using his Sect Leader privilege! Were it not for my threat to break his beloved antique, he wouldn’t have given up! However, he then falsely accused me for not having business acumen; he told me that I would lose money instead. So, two years ago, I made a bet against him; if I can make a profit while managing the inn, he wouldn’t be allowed to disturb me. Then… thanks to your help, that old fogey sulked for about a month, hahaha!”


  “I think I can probably understand why there were so many twists and turns in the last Immortal Gathering.”


  After hearing so much, the two-year secrets were finally revealed to Wang Lu. However, the Lady Boss has exhausted her mood in telling this story; she waved her hand. “Okay, I think that’s enough about me. Let’s continue picking herbs… But, like I said, don’t take me as capable of doing anything. I could only make spiritual energy and magical power invalid; I can’t resolve physical damage. So, if you encounter monsters who fight purely physical, I can’t help you.”


  Wang Lu laughed. “No problem, this has been more than enough.”


  In a sense, after uncovering the truth about the Lady Boss, her value in Wang Lu’s eyes has actually increased. This dream killer ability, as long as it was used in the correct situation, could work wonders.

  The Red Refined Fruit was just the beginning of a great course. After this, the legendary herbal plants in the Small Clear Sky Peak like Wailing Ghost Rattan, Flesh Mushroom… All would be his! Not only did he want to harvest the Small Clear Sky Peak, with the help of the Lady Boss’s vacuum, he even wanted to charge into the Big Clear Sky Peak to fish in troubled waters!

  Even though the monsters at the Big Clear Sky Peak were all category four or five, what should Wang Lu worry about! No matter how powerful the inhabitants of the Large Clear Sky Peak were, they were still in the Spirit Sword Sect’s territory, which was under the complete control of the Sect Leader Feng Yin! As long as he ‘held the thigh’ of the illegitimate daughter of the Sect Leader, Wang Lu did not believe that they would encounter any danger!

  Hmm, initially, half of the reason why he brought the Lady Boss into this experiential learning was for the combat, and another half was to amass money. But now, it seemed like a huge opportunity had presented itself before him.

  However, before Wang Lu could conceive this grand experiential learning strategy and harvest the entire Clear Sky Peak, the alarm talisman within his robe suddenly lit up, flew, out and hovered before Wang Lu.

  “Is this the sect’s emergency order? The receiver must rush to the Spirit Pool Peak as soon as possible?”


  Wang Lu frowned, thinking, “This emergency call really came at a bad time; I just got the Red Refined Fruit, the first step to complete this experiential learning, and there are still many things that I want to accomplish here. This is the third time I tried to plunder the Small Clear Sky Peak, yet it must be interrupted by this emergency call!”


  The Lady Boss was also unhappy with this; if Wang Lu’s gone, they were basically leaderless, how could they continue this experiential learning anymore?

  “What happened? Is that Sect Leader dead?”


  ————


  At the Spirit Pool Peak of the Spirit Sword Mountain, Wang Lu was being led by the emergency talisman as he passed through the Heavenly Policy Hall, and soon, he arrived at the elegant and secluded courtyard. When he went to the entrance, he saw the talisman float to the front gate. He then looked up and saw the nameplate of that courtyard. The words written there were: Spirit Pool Study Room. As soon as he read those words, he could not help but be startled. Wasn’t this place usually reserved as the dining place for the Sect’s middle-managers and up? Since the building’s colors were alternated between red and white, and ordinary disciples couldn’t enter inside, the curious disciples would often jokingly refer this as the pink house and would sexually fantasize about what happened inside. Moreover, they even compiled several booklets and fabricated the variation of “twelve women” [1] and so on being kept inside the pink house as pleasure women for the Elders to satisfy their carnal desires; it depicted all kinds of postures and positions. Of course, this booklet could only be privately circulated. The Heavenly Policy Hall had tried to ban and prohibit their circulation, but it was to no avail. The two most famous masterpiece were authored by Lu and Wang; many disciples deeply admired them.

  Now, he was summoned to this place… what could possibly be the reason for this? Could it be that they wanted to invite him, as a well-known author, for taking photos, signing autographs or something?

  Since he didn’t know, Wang Lu didn’t want to think about it too much; he just strode inside.

  However, inside the courtyard, his high regard for this place significantly dropped. While the building was exquisite and the environment was elegant, it was not as glamorous as the rumors that spread outside. Let alone twelve nubile women, even a single sex doll was nowhere to be seen; instead, the courtyard was filled with a cold atmosphere.

  “Is this the legendary pink house? Tch, what a disappointment. The Elder who runs this place definitely doesn’t know the concept of professional management; it’s like the Ru Family Inn at the Spirit Creek Town; they all belong to the kind of without-worry-that-it-would-run-aground ‘state enterprise’… Alas, if I could find a private contractor at low price, that would be cool. I would first release several avant-garde concept arts, and then engage in an illegal fundraising at the sect before finally building the house.”


  While thinking, Wang Lu was being led by the talisman into that pink house. Inside it, there were only two or three rooms, and the people that summoned him was sitting at the middle room, which was also the biggest. Unsurprisingly, they were the several Martial Uncles of the Heavenly Sword Hall; only they were eligible to summon a Successor Disciple at will.

  Wang Lu steadily stood before them and then saluted them as required by regulation. “Sect Leader Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and…” Wang Lu paused as he looked at a hooded cultivator. “May I ask who you are?”


  Several Elders laughed in unison. Suddenly, Wang Lu felt as if he was being molested.

  The Sect Leader Feng Yin smiled and then explained, “Wang Lu, you entered this sect not too long ago, and your Master probably has no patience to teach you much of the sect’s common knowledge… so it’s not a surprise if you don’t know him. He is your Seventh Uncle, the Seventh Heavenly Sword Hall Elder, and the owner of the Clear Sky Peak. He has been out wandering for the last three years and has just returned today. He wants to see you, that’s why I summoned you here.”


  Seventh Uncle!? Wang Lu was taken aback; no wonder he was summoned back! The Clear Sky Peak’s owner, the thief’s victim, has finally arrived! This was really an unfortunate timing. Moreover, the purpose to come here was definitely not good because they selected this pink house to summon him… They must be harboring evil intentions!

  He also didn’t know whether Sister Ling and that fatty have the skill to harvest the Red Refined Fruit, otherwise, the permit document that he got from Mu Xiao with great difficulty would be in vain…


  While he was pondering, the Seventh Elder finally opened his mouth to speak, “Hehe, you really are Fifth Senior Sister’s disciple. You’re Wang Lu who possessed the Void Spirit Root and created a miracle two years ago, right? Hmm, you really live up to your reputation, no wonder Fifth Sister took a liking of you!”


  However, Wang Lu was inwardly upset instead. “Who wants to be liked by that degenerate-without-limit Master? Oh, Martial Uncle, you slander me with your words, are you deliberately looking for trouble?”


  However, what happened next was totally unexpected to him.

  The Seventh Elder was very enthusiastic; he quickly approached Wang Lu, circled around him twice, and then repeatedly praised him. “What amazing bones and handsome face! Worthy to be Fifth Senior Sister’s Successor Disciple!”


  He then took out a delicate Jade Box from within his large sleeve. “Here, take this. I got this from when I wandered at the Eastern border; this is the Harmony Cloud Pill that I refined from the Immortal Glass Cloud Grass. Not that valuable, but this is a kind regard from your Martial Uncle; just consider this as a welcome gift.”


  Wang Lu was stunned, he vaguely felt that the Cloud Pill was familiar; it seemed like he saw it from a certain book… in his memory. Suddenly, he was startled.

  From the chapter two of the thirteenth section of Nine Region’s Immortal Cloud Records, at the numerous mountains on the Eastern Border Region, Patriarch Peng He, after 53 years of study, refined the grass from the Clear Sky into pills. A dose of it was as unpredictable as clouds and mists, and the name of that pill was, Harmony Cloud Pill, a second rank spiritual pill.

  Second rank spiritual pill… This thing was second rank spiritual pill!?

  This thing was far from “not valuable”. Although it couldn’t be compared to the first rank without a doubt, it was still a first rate elixir. One pill of any second rank spiritual pill must be worth tens of thousands of spirit stones out there. Moreover, this Harmony Cloud Pill was famous for its practicality, so it was not a surprise even if it was sold for one hundred thousand spirit stones! And this was actually the welcome gift from the Seventh Elder!? This…


  It was really flattering! The problem was, there was no reason for this “affection” this was the first time they met, so there shouldn’t be such a gesture, shouldn’t it? Casually giving someone else a hundred thousand spirit stones, did he think he was the Head of the Union of the Ten Thousand Immortals? The Spirit Sword Sect was certainly rich in martial arts and Immortal skills, but the Elders couldn’t be this wealthy…


  While Wang Lu was still hesitating, the Seventh Elder has taken the initiative to tuck the jade box in his hand. “Just take it, no need to be polite. Fifth Senior Sister had saved my life once, and have taken care of me these many years! Her disciple is my disciple, and this is just a mere Harmony Cloud Pill; it still can’t be compared with Fifth Senior Sister’s benevolence at that event! Alas, a pity that she’s out wandering and not here instead. When I went out wandering, I brought many souvenirs just like what she told me… But, I’ll just give it to you, and you can hand it over to her later.”


  While talking, this mysterious yet full of warmth Elder pulled out a big lump of mustard seed bags from his sleeve. The style of the bags varied, but not one of them was of low quality. It was clear that these were all his souvenirs from when he went out wandering… For a time, it dazzled Wang Lu’s eyes!

  What’s wrong with this like-a-lavish-spender-youth Seventh Elder!? He actually claimed that he was saved by Wang Lu’s Master, and it seemed like their relationship was quite intimate—the several nearby Martial Uncles were unalarmed by this strange sight, they just wryly smiled and slightly shook their heads; obviously, they had tacitly approved of the Seventh Elder’s enthusiasm.

  What was happening here! Based on his Master’s virtue, she shouldn’t have any friends at all!? She even dared to offend the Sect Leader and the Disciplinary Elder, these number one and number two elites of the sect! How could she have such a lavish spender friend?

  While he was still in shock, Wang Lu subconsciously took the mustard seed bags one by one, and then looked at this Seventh Elder with wide eyes as if he could see through the shadow cast by the hood.

  At this time, the Sect Leader laughed. “Junior Brother, there’re only our own people here, I think you could pull down your hood.”


  The seventh Elder froze for a moment, and then patted his head. “Oh, you’re right. I always wore it when wandering outside, so I just completely got used to it.”


  With that, the Seventh Elder pulled his hood down, revealing the true face of this mysterious person.

  Clank, clank. The sound of a broken thing was heard.

  All the mustard bags had slipped from Wang Lu’s hands and dropped to the ground. He had just been assaulted by a truly shocking scene. A Successor Disciple who had trained his composure daily had actually been petrified by extreme shock.

  After a long while, Wang Lu was finally able to slowly open his mouth; his voice was hoarse as if it was extremely difficult for him to speak. “Black, black Martial Uncle!?”


  The person hidden behind the hood was actually black! The only things white were his eyes and his rows of teeth, which showed great contrast with his skin! With his thick lips and curly hair, he was so unlike the people of the Nine Regions… If outsiders were here, they would exclaim: Kunlun Westerners!

  That’s right, it was the Kunlun Westerners!

  In recent years, the trade between the Nine Regions and the Western Continent continued to increase day by day. Thus, in the Nine Regions, blonde-haired people were no longer uncommon. Some of them were even accepted by several sects as cultivators. However, dark-skinned people of the Kunlun Mountains was very rarely seen.

  Actually, these Kunlun Westerners were not natives of Kunlun. A certain group of seafaring, risk taker people of the Western Continent had braved the ocean and took back with them slaves from the wild areas. Several thousand years later, the descendants of these slaves had come to the Nine Regions along with the flourishing trade with Western Continent, and had formed their own ethnic group.

  However, in Kunlun, these people have no status at all, and as a result, their numbers were low. Moreover, their level of civilization was far behind the others, but the key thing was, the people with big magical power amongst them were truly abysmal.

  Compared to the Nine Regions’ cultivators, even after they experienced the Age of Chaos, the current Union of Ten Thousand Immortals was an extremely powerful governing force, as well as a deterrent force. As for the Western Continent people, they have this Grand Wizard community which cannot be underestimated. The first time both civilizations intersected, there were fierce battles which caused disastrous loss to both sides…


  However, the Kunlun Westerners fell far short of that. According to the expert from the Union of the Ten Thousand Immortals and the Western Continent People, most of the Kunlun Westerners were still stuck to their primitive way. Those with magical powers were called elders or witch doctor, which used the most primitive witchcraft and sorcery. Their cultivation system was simple and crude, far from the sophistication of the two great continents.

  Worst of all, because of their ancestry and culture, these Kunlun Westerners had great difficulties integrating with the two continents’ systems. So far, in the Union of Ten Thousand Immortals, there were quite many Yuanying Stage’s blonde-haired people. However, only a handful of Kunlun Westerners had reached the Jindan Stage—and that was probably because they ate precious materials and elixirs.

  Therefore, if the existence of this Kunlun Westerner as one of the Elders of the Heavenly Sword Hall of the Spirit Sword Mountain were known to the outsiders, it would cause a great shock. But obviously, whether it was the Seventh Elder himself or the Spirit Sword Sect, they were not interested in creating such a shock in the Nine Regions.

  They were only interested in shocking their own people.

  Upon listening to Wang Lu’s stunned exclaim, the several Elders guffawed at once. Only the kind Seventh Elder who took pity on him and awkwardly touched his own curly hair spoke, “Hey, I am black; it’s okay if you want to call me Black Martial Uncle, ha! Later on, you can just call me Black Martial Uncle! It is said that initially, Fifth Senior Sister once blurted out ‘black devil’ when she first saw me…”


  The Disciplinary Elder shook his head. “How could you let him be so rude? Junior Brother, you are a Sect’s Elder, and no matter how you tolerate him, you can’t let him break the rules of etiquette. Yeah, we can let go that he blurted out those words in shock, but after this, he can’t just call you like that again.”


  The Seventh Elder awkwardly touched his head. “I understand, Senior Brother.” However, he secretly winked at Wang Lu as if to tell him, “Don’t bother with that old antique.”


  However, Wang Lu didn’t know how to reply to that. Thus, he just lightly coughed twice to indicate his reply.

  However, inwardly, he was utterly confused. Not because he was anxious and so on, but because the information dump was too much. Even for a qualified professional adventurer like him, he still needed time to process them all.

  This Spirit Sword Sect was truly a “one of a kind” sect. Not only did they have the Fifth Elder who always set a new world record on how low a person could be, a peerless b*tch who’s dragging down the entire Union of Ten Thousand Immortals, they actually have this black Martial Uncle! A black Immortal Cultivator! What the hell has happened to this world!?

  Calm down, calm down yourself!

  Wang Lu inwardly said to himself that; as a professional adventurer, even if Mt. Tai collapsed before him, it should not disturb him and changed his countenance, so what if he got a Black Martial Uncle? There were many strange things that could happen in this world. Was having a Black Martial Uncle more impossible than having a Master like Wang Wu?

  Moreover, this should also explain why that “lone star” Master, who has very few friends, could have a harmonious relationship with this Martial Uncle.

  Ahem, women, who wouldn’t like this black Martial uncle? Especially with this tall and sturdy Seventh Martial Uncle, presumably, his “part” was also as big as him!

  While he was thinking, the Seventh Elder smiled and said to him, “Oh, I almost forgot. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I don’t have to mention my other identity, but, my name is Ao Guanhai [2]. I hope we can get along well in the future.”


  Ao-ao Guanhai…?

  Note:

  [1] From the twelve beautiful women portrayed in the famous Qing Era novel, Dream of the Red Chamber

  [2] Former president of US, Barrack Obama, is known to many Chinese as O-Watching-Sea (奥观海 Ao-Guan-Hai) because he was gifted a calligraphy work on which there is a line of verse that says "Watching the sea and hearing the tides".