PID Chapter 29.2

Chu Jinglan: “…”

 

What’s going on?

 

Just from Chu Jinglan’s expression, the three children snapped back to reality: Wow, they had actually expected their master to pat their heads too. How could they think that? It was definitely impossible!

 

However, they were immediately drawn to the plaques in Chu Jinglan’s hand. The wild child Mo Zhi jumped up first: “A plaque exchanged for a hundred taels of silver! Do I have one too?”

 

Chu Jinglan pulled out Mo Zhi’s disciple plaque, and Mo Zhi happily received it: “It looks nice! How do I use it?”

 

Yan Chun and Chu Xia properly accepted their plaques. They were clever and saw that other new disciples from the sect were hanging their plaques on their waists, so they followed suit, pulling Mo Zhi along.

 

Chu Jinglan had a sect token in his left hand with “Du E Sect” written on it. In his right hand, he had two more plaques. Xiao Mo picked up one with simple patterns and waved it around: “Is this mine?”

 

The remaining plaque had ornate designs and was labeled “Sect Master Token.”

 

A sect with only five people was essentially just making up numbers. With a blood contract in place, even if they disbanded the sect after reaching the Middle Realm, Yan Chun, Chu Xia, and Mo Zhi would still have to serve Chu Jinglan. Who was the sect master or disciple didn’t really matter.

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t withdraw his hand: “You can take it if you want.”

 

“I don’t need it,” Xiao Mo said, stroking his own plaque. The wooden material was simple but polished smooth, nice to spin occasionally. He suddenly thought, “Now that I have this, should I change how I address you?”

 

Xiao Mo: “Sect Master?”

 

Chu Jinglan remained impassive: “The sect is just a cover. I don’t count as a sect master.”

 

Xiao Mo nodded seriously: “But since we’re all practicing together, we should seem more familiar. You insist on being my older brother, but calling you that feels too sticky. How about I call you ‘Shixiong[mfn]senior brother[/mfn]’ from now on?”

 

These two words came out smoothly, like his energy channels had been unblocked. Unlike when he said “older brother,” which felt awkward, he could call “Shixiong” without any hesitation.

 

He found it amusing and tilted his head to look at Chu Jinglan, calling out again: “Shixiong?”

 

Chu Jinglan: “…”

 

Chu Jinglan’s fingers curled involuntarily.

 

He suddenly understood why Xiao Mo had looked like he wanted to dig a hole and hide when he repeatedly called him “older brother” in the merchant caravan.

 

…Indeed, it was very embarrassing, making one want to cover their ears and escape to another place.

 

Congratulations to Chu Jinglan for experiencing “social death,” a gem of modern society, just like Xiao Mo.

 

The three children finished arranging their waist plaques and, hearing their conversation, gathered around with bright eyes. Chu Jinglan suddenly understood their intentions, and the faint emotion in his eyes was suppressed. Coldly and ruthlessly, he said: “Don’t follow his lead and call me that.”

 

The three children’s eyes immediately lost their luster.

 

Xiao Mo stepped forward, embracing them as they walked: “It’s alright, the sect master has a hard exterior but a soft heart. Once you learn more, you can call him ‘Shifu[mfn]master[/mfn]’ or ‘Shixiong,’ and he won’t be able to do anything about it.”

 

The children’s faces lit up again, regaining their spirits. Xiao Mo couldn’t help but feel that this age was perfect for knowing things but still being innocent, making them easy to coax.

 

*

 

After returning to the residence, they began packing. Chu Jinglan took out some medicinal materials he had previously prepared for Wan Yu and exchanged them all for money. He also bought a carriage to take them to the Middle Realm later.

 

Chu Jinglan had accumulated five storage devices, enough to take all the items from the warehouse. He carried one with him and gave the remaining four to Xiao Mo.

 

Xiao Mo put them into his spatial backpack.

 

This again highlighted the strange settings of the backpack. The same grid could hold twenty identical swords to reach its limit, but it could also hold twenty identical storage devices. Xiao Mo couldn’t help but ask the system when this broken service would be upgraded, wondering why it could hold twenty taels of gold but not twenty tons.

 

The system replied that it would depend on his cultivation level and even opened an upgrade progress bar for him, visible on the panel: “Equipment upgrades are also tracked here. You can see everything.”

 

Xiao Mo examined the progress bar and had an epiphany: “You never rush me to cultivate, seeming to let me do as I please, but items require points to exchange, and service upgrades depend on cultivation level. Isn’t this just an online game tactic?”

 

He had promised not to grind or spend money, but once in the game, he realized the capitalist trap was deep, and all the talk was deceitful.

 

The system hummed: “These are all tools that can assist you. You also chose to leave your salted fish state voluntarily.”

 

There was some truth to that, but not much.

 

After everything was packed, they handed the residence back to the caretaker. The silver Chu Jinglan had given earlier was enough, making the caretaker’s job easy and occasional, so it would be sufficient for many years.

 

Chu Jinglan had originally chosen Wei City because the portal between the Middle Realm and the Lower Realm was just ten miles outside the city. The group drove the carriage and quickly arrived.

 

The portal area was bustling with people coming and going. To avoid running into anyone from the Chu family, Chu Jinglan put on a mask, while Xiao Mo simply went invisible without materializing.

 

This was where the benefits of being an Inner Demon spirit body became apparent—he could enter the Middle Realm without paying spirit stones!

 

The rule was ten low-grade spirit stones per person. Since Xiao Mo wasn’t human and didn’t have flesh and blood like the demonic races, he was a spirit form. The portal couldn’t stop him, so he could come and go freely. This wasn’t considered sneaking in; it was just a legitimate way to save money.

 

Being an Inner Demon was truly convenient and cost-effective.

 

Chu Jinglan paid forty low-grade spirit stones. The gatekeepers from the Middle Realm wrote a symbol on each of their hands. With this mark, they could pass through the portal.

 

Xiao Mo watched as the spirit stones flowed away: “It’s a big business. Who are the gatekeepers?”

 

Chu Jinglan communicated with him mentally: “The gatekeepers between the Lower Realm and the Middle Realm are all from the Immortal Alliance.”

 

The Immortal Alliance was a major force spanning the Middle and Upper Realms, formed by multiple sects and noble families. It had an alliance headquarters in the Upper Realm with an alliance leader.

 

It wasn’t surprising if it was them, but the Immortal Alliance was just one of the major powers. When it came to the most powerful forces in the cultivation world, it belonged to the Cloud Top Six Sects.

 

These six major sects were the leaders, with over a thousand affiliated sects under them, having a vast influence. Later, Chu Jinglan would join one of the six sects.

 

However, this was not something Chu Jinglan, whose cultivation hadn’t recovered yet, would know.

 

The portal was a light screen, with an array set up by the Immortal Alliance five meters away. Chu Jinglan and the others had the symbols on their hands, allowing them to pass through the array safely. For caution, Xiao Mo temporarily returned to the sea of consciousness, observing the outside through Chu Jinglan’s vision.

 

The three children were excited and nervous, crowded at the carriage door. Yan Chun held Chu Xia, while Mo Zhi clung to their arms. Chu Jinglan drove the carriage, and the wheels rolled as they entered the light screen.

 

After the intense light faded from their view, the carriage continued on at a steady pace. The children rubbed their eyes and suddenly felt a sharp wind above them. Looking up, they saw many cultivators flying on swords, leaving trails of spiritual energy behind them like shooting stars. This was a novelty for the children who had just begun to learn about cultivation.

 

The three children: “Wow!”

 

The Lower Realm wasn’t devoid of cultivators flying on swords, but they had never seen it before.

 

Next to them, someone pulled out a flying boat, which expanded from a light point like magic.

 

The children: “Wow!!”

 

Some people used demonic beasts as mounts or had them pull carts. Compared to these, Chu Jinglan’s simple and unassuming carriage stood out.

 

Others cast glances, seeing only the driver wearing a mask and three small heads.

 

This unusual combination drew some curiosity, but no one paid much attention.

 

“Must be someone buying their way into a sect’s disciple quota to do business in the Middle Realm?”

 

After all, they couldn’t sense any cultivation from them.

 

“Who does business with so many children? A carriage can’t even hold much cargo. Ah, never mind them. It’s none of our business. Let’s go. Doing tasks in the Lower Realm is a waste of time. The air in the Middle Realm is fresher!”

 

The spiritual energy in the Lower Realm was the thinnest of the three realms. Even Yan Chun and the others could feel that their bodies seemed lighter in the Middle Realm, and their breathing was smoother, leaving them feeling a bit buoyant.

 

Mo Zhi looked around curiously: “Are we floating in a heavenly palace? Where are the fairy sisters?”

 

Xiao Mo emerged from the sea of consciousness, settled in the carriage, and tapped Mo Zhi’s head with his flute: “What’s on your little mind? Focus on your cultivation. The fairy sisters are all powerful figures. If you work hard, you’ll be able to meet them.”

 

Chu Jinglan drove the carriage until they were far from the portal, where the crowd had thinned out. He removed his mask and stopped the carriage: “We’ll have lunch here.”

 

They had brought fasting pills in their luggage, but when they had the opportunity to eat, there was no need to waste them.

 

Chu Jinglan secured the horse, and Yan Chun and Chu Xia had already set up the pot. Mo Zhi wanted to go into the nearby woods to gather firewood, but before he could take a step, Chu Jinglan called him back.

 

Mo Zhi blinked: “I can gather firewood.”

 

“You silly kid, he’s worried about dangers in the woods,” Xiao Mo said, walking forward. “Stay here. This is the Middle Realm. If you encounter demonic beasts in the woods, you’re not even enough to fill their teeth.”

 

Mo Zhi shuddered and retreated. He had been somewhat lazy about studying and practicing, as the introductory cultivation books required literacy. Learning characters was painful for him, but now he felt a sense of urgency.

 

If I could fly on a sword, I wouldn’t be afraid of wild beasts.

 

He rubbed against Yan Chun: “I’ll learn a few more characters today!”

 

Seeing him finally showing initiative, Yan Chun was surprised, then pleased, and handed him a spoon: “Good, but first go knead the dough.”

 

Xiao Mo didn’t follow Chu Jinglan into the woods. Although he had just scared the children with tales of demonic beasts, most ordinary forest beasts hadn’t opened their spiritual awareness and didn’t have demonic cores. They were just a bit more ferocious than wild animals, which Chu Jinglan could handle.

 

Those intelligent demonic beasts, in a Middle Realm where cultivators were common, generally wouldn’t appear in shallow forests.

 

Yan Chun and Chu Xia were skilled at doing chores, and Mo Zhi had learned a bit from them over the past few days. The three of them set up the pot and waited for Chu Jinglan to return.

 

Like little birds in a nest waiting to be fed, Xiao Mo imagined the scene of chicks chirping with their mouths open and couldn’t help but smile.

 

Their destination in the Middle Realm was Lin’an Academy.

 

Lin’an Academy was a cultivation school where many cultivators gathered. The best medical cultivator in the Middle Realm, Liu Shao, taught there as an instructor.

 

Chu Jinglan had initially planned to buy a map after passing through the portal, but Xiao Mo had told him that he knew the route.

 

At the time, Chu Jinglan had merely glanced at him without asking why an Inner Demon would know a route even he himself didn’t. He simply nodded and said: “Alright.”

 

Xiao Mo thought to himself: You might think I have many secrets, but in my eyes, you’re also full of mysteries. We’re evenly matched—it’s just perfect.

 

From the portal to Lin’an Academy, their small carriage would take over ten days to reach it. So the children still had time to read more books and learn more characters.

 

When Chu Jinglan returned from the woods, he was carrying a wild chicken. Roasting chicken was something Mo Zhi excelled at—he was an expert. The chicken had already been cleaned by Chu Jinglan, and Mo Zhi skewered it with a stick and began roasting it skillfully.

 

Water boiled in the pot to soak their dry rations. Once everything was ready, Yan Chun and Chu Xia ladled out portions for Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan first. Xiao Mo waved his hand: “I’ve already taken fasting pills; I don’t need food. You eat.”

 

Chu Xia held her bowl and sighed softly: “That’s so convenient; you don’t even need to eat.”

 

Mo Zhi nodded vigorously but immediately betrayed his stance when he smelled the golden roasted chicken’s aroma: “But eating delicious food is also a kind of enjoyment. I think if you can eat, you should!”

 

Xiao Mo wanted to agree with him but decided not to dwell on it since he couldn’t eat anyway—no need to make himself feel worse.

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter