Cultivation Nerd-Chapter 255: Art of The Deal

Meeting someone at the peak of Foundation Establishment was always an experience. There was an invisible weight to them and a pressure that felt heavier than just Qi. This guy felt especially dangerous, the kind of cultivator likely to step into Core Formation within the next decade or so.

He looked relatively young for his stage. By cultivator standards, he was probably around fifty. Dressed in a standard loose-sleeved uniform, he gave off a quiet kind of confidence.

I bowed my head and cupped my hands.

"Jinor Liu Feng greets the honorable elder."

The elder gave a slight nod.

"No need to bow, junior. I should be the one apologizing on behalf of those two fools for playing a prank on you with the gate."

Though he said he should be bowing, he didn't. He only offered a remorseful tone.

"The disciples outside today were friends of theirs. They thought it was just their buddies returning and decided to have some fun."

Both guards bowed at once.

"We apologize for the dishonorable conduct, fellow friends from the Blazing Sun Sect," they apologized.

This was a nice change of pace. Compared to how Molten Sky Island had treated me, even basic respect felt luxurious. Especially when I had shown the highest-tier disciple token.

"My name is Bai Shang. Most just call me elder, but you can call me Uncle Bai Shang," the man said.

I nodded, deciding not to reject his friendliness. Though it was very weird that he decided out of nowhere to have me call him that.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Uncle Bai Shang."

He smiled and motioned for the guards to return to their post. They did so without hesitation.

"Come," he said. "The gate isn't the right place for this sort of conversation."

I followed him, with Speedy, Fu Yating, and Wu Yan trailing behind. The steps cut into the stone wall led down toward the city proper, with its main structures built at a lower elevation than the gate itself.

As we passed through the residential areas, I noticed how unnaturally pale many of the cultivators looked. It was like they hadn't seen the sun in years.

We crossed a narrow stone bridge crossing the river, and Elder Bai Shang gestured downward.

"That's the Black Snake River," he said. "Tainted with poisons and toxins from the minerals around here. It's one of our oldest natural defenses. We have some concoctions and arrays that can make some nasty stuff out of this."

Closer now, I could see the river wasn't just dark. It was black. Oily. Like ink made from death.

"This water has killed more enemies than I can count," he added. "And if things keep going the way they are, it'll be put to use again soon."

"Local powers causing trouble?" I asked.

He let out a slow huff.

"North of here, a few hundred li, is our border with the Azure Frost Sect. Lately, organizations affiliated with the other great sects have been getting bolder."

"No doubt with the blessing of their parent sects," I added. "It's the usual game: feign ignorance while stirring the pot."

He shot me a quick glance as if reassessing my insight.

"It's not just the outside, either," I continued. "After what happened in the Blazing Sun Sect… we've got our own problems."

"Oh?" Elder Bai Shang's brows lifted slightly. "How are things playing out on your side?"

"You know how it is. Everyone's looking out for themselves. The Sect is still in disarray. We're trying to find a new leader. Otherwise, it'll fall apart from the inside before any enemies can touch us."

"A new Sect Leader…" he echoed, sighing heavily. "That's a shame. The old one was a good man. Held the Blazing Sun Sect steady for five hundred years. That kind of reign doesn't come around twice."

I agreed with the sentiment, even if I wasn't so sure about the why of that stability. It wasn't that he kept people in line with fairness. It was that he was so powerful that no one dared move against him openly or chaotically.

"He was a great leader," I said carefully. "But with everything that's happened... we can't afford to wait. We need to move."

The elder nodded, his gaze lingering on the massive obsidian spire at the heart of the cavern. His eyes had a melancholic look, like someone remembering something long buried.

"That was part of the reason I came here," I said, following his gaze. "While it's clear that the Blazing Sun Sect no longer has any Nascent Soul cultivators among its ranks, we still need someone at the helm. Someone with the talent and mental fortitude to reach that stage."

He turned to me, a glint of calculation in his eyes. But his smile remained warm and unchanged.

"It sounds like you already have someone in mind."

"I do. I believe Song Song is the only one with the strength to hold up the sky for the Blazing Sun Sect. She won't be the weakest with her talent, even among Nascent Soul cultivators. Not by far."

The elder gave a soft hum of agreement but offered no commitment, at least not for a few seconds.

"I haven't met many Nascent Soul cultivators myself, but those who reach that realm are... exceptional," he finally said. "Monsters, most of them. They were already fighting above their level long before their breakthrough."

He didn't outright say yes, but it was clearly an open invitation for more.

"I'll bet my life that Song Song will surpass them all within the next century," I said.

It might sound like an empty promise from someone like me. After all, giving away your life is easy when you don't plan to lose it. Like offering your molars after death… it was pointless.

"No need to worry," the elder smiled. "We already support Song Song. She's the obvious choice for Sect Leader and for the Song Clan Head as well."

"Thank you," I said, bowing.

Whether my words had any influence or not, hearing it directly was reassuring.

"There are still a few radicals in the Serpent Bone Hall who'd rather stay neutral in all this," he continued. "But your visit… well, it reminded us that Song Song hasn't forgotten us. She values our support."

I wasn't so sure about that, honestly. I couldn't really picture her being especially appreciative, but I wasn't about to say that. Still, the higher-ups here clearly had good heads on their shoulders and were smart enough to keep themselves from getting dragged in without cause.

Sorry guys. I knew how annoying it was to get involved in a mess you didn't ask for. But I needed their help.

"After the incident with the Blazing Sun Sect," he went on, "we heard that Song Song's father took her away for some sort of secret training. That alone says she's being groomed for leadership."

Their intel systems were impressive to know that much. But it also highlighted a problem; they took information at face value too often, which led to assumptions. Lucky for me, those assumptions worked in my favor.

"Song San was a solid second candidate," the elder added. "Especially since he shared our affinity for poison. You know, the founder of the Serpent Bone Hall was once a disciple of the Song Clan, long ago."

"Really?" I said. That part I hadn't heard before.

It was surprising. I'd spent a lot of time reading through the Song Clan's historical records and hadn't come across anything like that. Either the founder wasn't notable enough to be recorded… or this was a convenient story, a way to reinforce our current alliance.

Either way, it didn't matter. The result was the same.

And just like that, I had to throw out all the prepared speeches I'd rehearsed for this. They were already on our side.

With nothing else to push, our conversation slipped into silence. Only the echo of footsteps and ambient cavern noise remained.

I decided to pivot to keep the silence from turning awkward and avoid letting him think too hard about why Song Song hadn't shown up herself.

"I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way," I said. "And if it does, just tell me to shut up, Uncle Bai Shang. But I've always been curious about what kind of techniques you use here. I'm trying to understand how martial paths evolved across the continent."

He chuckled. "No offense taken. It's rare to meet someone so enthusiastic about poison."

Then, he launched into an explanation of some of their foundational techniques. The Serpent Sack Technique, an Earth Grade method that allowed a cultivator to store poison in their body undetected. Then there was the Serpent Fang Technique, which involved slowly desensitizing the hands with poisons until one could kill with just a touch.

It was fascinating, but also... kind of reckless.

As he explained more and more, part of me couldn't help but wonder: Was this a trap? Was he just sharing everything because he planned to kill me soon? After all, a good poison technique became useless if an enemy knew how to counter it.

Most of the ones he told me about weren't tied to specific poisons, making them harder to prepare antidotes for. But still, this was a lot of trust.

Still, I had no intention of wasting it.

With a major Core Formation backer now guaranteed, I could breathe easier. Song Song had their support, and by extension, so did I.

Now, I could finally let go of some of the weight and allow myself to enjoy the little curiosities I considered fun.

“Sorry, but would it be rude if I stayed here for a month or two?” I asked. “Maybe I could sleep in one of the abandoned buildings above ground if it’s not too much trouble.”

I said it politely, but let’s be honest, if they told me to sleep up there, that’d be rude as hell. And it’d mean their so-called support was just lip service.

“Of course, we won’t let you sleep in an abandoned town like some beggar,” Bai Shang said, chuckling. “Please don’t ask such silly things. You’re more than welcome here, and I’ll even host you in my own residence!”

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“Thanks,” I said.

This place… was honestly fascinating.

Even now, surrounded by people, the city didn’t feel less eerie. If anything, the creeping weirdness was stronger. The obsidian spike jutting up from the center wasn’t helping either.

Navigating this place turned out to be harder than it looked. The terrain was a messy patchwork of natural stone and rickety construction. We had to cross old wooden stairways bolted into the cavern walls, creaking and swaying with each step. The planks were warped from age and moisture, and the handrails, where they existed, were more “decoration” than actual safety.

Between the wooden bits were carved stone stairs, narrow and uneven, worn smooth by decades of use. Some spots were barely more than footholds in the cliffside, forcing me to hug the wall just to pass. The layout was a twisting maze, one wrong turn and you could fall straight into darkness.

How many disciples had fallen to their deaths down here? Probably more than a few.

Eventually, we reached a section carved into the cavern wall, where a row of residences had been dug out. It reminded me of those archeological sites where people used to dig holes into cliffs, only this had wooden doors.

Bai Shang stepped up to one door and placed his palm against it. A gentle pulse of Qi flickered from his hand, and the door clicked open.

Some kind of locking array. Interesting.

He opened it, revealing a dim, simple room. There was a square stone platform with a mattress laid over it, meant to be a bed. Other basic furniture was carved straight from the walls. Clearly, minimalism was their aesthetic.

There were actually two beds. The second one was next to the door and hidden in the shadows.

“We don’t really do luxury here in the Serpent Bone Hall,” he said. “But if you need anything, we’ll do our best to get it for you.”

Was he testing me?

“After months on the road, even a roof and a mattress feel like a luxury,” I said with a smile. “Thank you, truly.”

It wasn’t entirely true; traveling with arrays made life much easier, but I wasn’t about to sound ungrateful.

“Well then, I’ll leave you to rest,” Bai Shang said. “If you need anything, just ask any disciple, and they’ll fetch me.”

He left, and the four of us, I, Fu Yating, Wu Yan, and Speedy, stepped inside.

I spread my senses out carefully, trying not to be rude. No Core Formation cultivators too close, thankfully. But there was a peak Qi Gathering cultivator next door.

I shrugged and started doing some light stretches to work the road-weariness from my muscles.

Holy hell. I did it. I actually pulled it off.

Only now I allowed the happiness to pull down my mask.

I had secured Song Song a real chance at surviving this whole ordeal. Fuck yeah!

I hadn’t realized how much it was weighing on me until the weight lifted.

Humming some modern pop song, I crouched in front of the door and studied the locking mechanism Bai Shang had used.

Ah. Disappointing. Not even a true locking array, just a push array triggering a latch. Basic.

I stood up, sighed, and flopped onto one of the stone beds.

“So, how do you like your fancy new accommodations?” Fu Yating asked, leaning on one of the beds and glancing at a softly glowing crystal embedded in the wall, the only source of dim light in the room. “I think it’s perfect for the soon-to-be second-in-command of the next Sect Leader.”

“I don’t need your sarcastic undertones, my dear fiancée,” I said.

“C’mon, I know you like my voice more than silence.”

“That’s not a high bar.”

“And that wasn’t sarcasm,” she grinned. “That was straight-up talk, honest and face-to-face. Just the way you like it, dear husband.”

I closed my eyes and ignored her. She had a pretty high opinion of herself for someone who thought I liked her voice more than bleak silence. Still… I didn’t really mind it.

…

After a few hours of resting, there was a knock on the door. The Qi signature told me it was our next-door neighbor.

I stood up, opened the door and found a black-haired, brown-eyed guy in his mid-twenties standing there. He looked way too innocent for a place like this, like someone who’d wandered in from a countryside village and hadn’t realized he was living in a murder-cult.

But his cultivation was nothing to scoff at. Peak Qi Gathering in your mid-twenties wasn’t bad, especially not for a place like this. He had a real shot at reaching Core Formation, which meant he could one day be a pillar of this organization.

“How can I help you, honorable senior?” I asked politely.

“Hello, strange neighbor,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Name’s Sha Gua. Just checking who Master decided to bring in. We don’t usually have guests, y’know?”

He rubbed the back of his head, laughing awkwardly.

There was nothing wrong with what he said, but the way he said it? Yeah… he was definitely a bit of a goof.

“Well hello, mysterious neighbor,” I said in a mock deep voice, trying to make him feel comfortable.

I’d never admit it out loud, but I’d been that guy more than once in my previous life.

This guy was probably the hope of his generation. Going from the great sects to smaller organizations was always a little jarring. Someone with the potential to reach Core Formation was barely worth a footnote in the Blazing Sun Sect. Technically, after my talent upgrade thanks to the Four-Way Immortal or whatever his fake title was, even I had the potential to reach that stage.

But what the big sects were really looking for was Nascent Soul talent. The next Song Songs, Ye Ans and Wu Yans. Two of those had extreme physiques, which showed how rare top-tier potential was. And even those born with it often got stopped by their mindset.

“By the way, I’m a disciple of Elder Bai Shang,” he said, dropping the clown act. “Never thought I’d get a junior brother.”

“Well, sorry to break your dreams,” I said. “I’m not a new student. I’m actually from the Blazing Sun Sect, here on official business.”

“Oh, that’s even better!” he said, eyes lighting up. “I’ve never met someone from outside. Especially not from the Blazing Sun Sect!”

We talked for a bit. He was friendly, surprisingly so, and told me all about himself. Apparently, despite being part of the Serpent Bone Hall, he hadn’t learned any poison techniques. Said his body didn’t have the resistance needed to handle the stronger ones, even though he had the talent.

That was interesting. Some techniques really couldn’t be practiced by everyone. And for a sect like this, which depended on specific physical conditions for their methods, their talent pool was going to be a lot more limited than, say, sword-based sects. Serpent Bone Hall had it rough.

“You should come to the Blazing Sun Sect to train,” I told him. “Pick up some Earth Grade techniques, then return here stronger. Though… now might not be the best time, since there’s a bit of trouble brewing.”

“I’m not afraid of trouble,” he said confidently.

Not a good attitude. The world was all about calculated risk. However, saying you’re not afraid of danger was one thing, and being unafraid was something else.

“Though I’ll have to wait out something first,” he added, “and then I’ll join the Blazing Sun Sect and fight the good fight.”

Fight the good fight? My guy, you’re gonna get absolutely slaughtered.

Also… what did he mean by “wait out something”? It didn’t sound like he was talking about the Blazing Sun Sect.

“So, is there any trouble nearby?” I asked. I was looking for anything interesting to break up the boredom between cultivation sessions.

“Well…” he looked away. “There are some Azure Frost Sect subordinates becoming a bit wilder lately.”

Really? People under the Azure Frost Sect acting recklessly? That was rare. Usually, anyone that high up the ladder wasn’t dumb.

After all, this wasn’t a world where someone could become president just because their dad was. Power and potential mattered most, but you had to be smart or lucky to climb to the top. And there were a lot more smart people than lucky ones.

“Oh, I know what it is,” I said casually.

He froze and then frowned. There was unease behind his eyes.

Wow. He actually fell for it. This was the cousin to the classic “I know you’re there” move, making someone hiding think they had been found out.

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure about the rules in your sect or whether you’re allowed to know certain things. I’d rather not cause problems with the Serpent Bone Hall because someone ran their mouth too much. Sorry.”

He looked like he was about to say something, then closed his mouth.

“Well, I’ve gotta go,” he muttered, turning and walking off quickly.

He probably thought he revealed more than he actually did. And if he ever planned on joining the Blazing Sun Sect, he was going to need to get a lot better at handling conversations like that. Turning your back on someone too quickly? Dangerous move.

Too many young masters in the sect were insecure little frogs who used to be frogs at the bottom of the well and were now seeing the full sky for the first time, and they got vindictive fast.

Well, better to teach the lesson now.

I extended my arm slowly and carefully enough not to make any sound.

No reaction. His combat instincts were trash.

Then I snapped my fingers.

For a moment, I thought about using Eight Mind Phantoms to read his thoughts. But I didn’t care enough. And I wasn’t about to get reckless by using that technique casually. The moment I developed that habit, I’d end up trying it on someone I really shouldn’t.

He spun around, startled.

I smiled.

"Careful, don't turn your back on someone you just met," I said. "Also, I know about the treasure. Though maybe calling it a 'treasure' isn't the best description. Some things are better left unsaid out loud."

"Ugh, I really need to work on my sensory techniques if I ever want to leave this place," he grumbled. "Even my teacher says that's my weakness. Though, to be fair, he says that about almost everything."

"Well, everyone starts somewhere. Even your teacher probably had a point in his life where he didn't know a single martial technique," I encouraged.

"Serpent Bone Hall doesn't have much development outside the poison path," he admitted.

"Then try practicing some similar Mortal Grade techniques that align with the Earth Grade ones you want later. It'll build a foundation and give you a head start," I said. "You think the... thing will help with that?"

He froze for just a second, but I saw the gears turning behind his eyes. Finally, he said, "Not exactly sure. The people who've tried it before never said it helped."

Huh. So, it was the kind of treasure that could regrow? That's the only way people could repeatedly consume it. Not unheard of, but rare. Even rarer for such a thing to grow naturally in a place like this.

Only one thing came to mind: the Nine-Hearted Snake Flower, a heavenly-grade plant born where the White Snake Immortal supposedly died. It was said that the heavens celebrated the death by creating a regenerating treasure in that very spot. One bloomed every hundred years.

But there was a big problem with that theory: it was lethal. One of the most dangerous poisons under heaven. Legends said anyone within a hundred steps would die.

Unless... they'd found a way to refine it through alchemy?

Highly unlikely. My alchemy knowledge was patchy at best, and my skills were even worse. But I had put some time into memorizing herbs and natural treasures. One of the few subjects I found fun.

"Still, raw power is its own kind of treasure," I said. "With you at the peak of Qi Gathering, it might not help that much. But for your next stage and everything beyond? Huge."

"Probably," he sighed. "Though I'm not sure my teacher will even be able to get it for me. There's a line. A lot of others are waiting for their turn."

"Well, you've got time. Even if it's in your fifties, you can still take it," I shrugged.

"Nah, I'm only twenty-five," he said. "But if we step back now, we'll get pushed even further back later. That's what Master always says."

From the way he said that, it was likely a botanical treasure. So, I'd been on the right track. Also, judging by the way he spoke about reusing it in under a generation, it narrowed the possibilities further.

Only one thing came to mind.

Hearthfire Ice-Stem Flower.

It boosted Qi absorption, stabilized the foundation, and increased both cold and heat resistance. Not quite at the level of a Yang Fruit, but up there. The elemental resistances were minor, but the overall effect was potent.

But where around here would such a flower even grow? This place didn't feel cold enough.

Was I guessing wrong? I didn't know every herb out there.

Still… the northern side of the border, inside Azure Frost Sect territory, would have the terrain for it.

Wait. No way.

Had these guys been stealing the flower from the Azure Frost Sect's territory this whole time? That would explain the conflict between the two, and why both factions were keeping it under wraps from their parent sects, the Blazing Sun Sect and Azure Frost Sect.

If either of the big dogs found out, they'd step in and demand a cut.

Which meant… if I took it, I wouldn't have to share.

They'd just think the other side stole it again.

Both would keep blaming each other. No one would suspect me.

And if it was the Hearthfire Ice-Stem Flower, I had about twenty years until the next bloom. Which meant this wasn't a one-and-done thing. It was basically farmable.

I could swoop in, take the treasure, and leave them fighting over air.

Wow. Okay. I wasn't that much of an asshole, and I was not going through the effort to come all the way out here again to get something that I had already seen once.

Finally. Finally, I was getting the full xianxia experience.

Time to get lost in some academic fun. I was going to catalog and study every effect of that flower.

Shit, I was getting excited just thinking about it.