The End of the Immortal Path-Chapter 54 - 53: Seeing Him Profit Is Worse Than My Own Loss
Once the spots were confirmed, there would be three scheduled breaks.
The first was in the latter half of December. This was also the first contest for Cultivation Skills and Magic Skills.
This time, the Three Floors and Six Pavilions would each compete internally.
The second would be in the latter half of March, another half-month break.
This time, the Three Floors would compete against each other.
And three of the Six Pavilions would compete amongst themselves.
The available Magic Skills and Cultivation Skills, especially the Magic Skills, would be even more powerful.
The final contest would be in the latter half of June.
A competition between the Three Floors and Six Pavilions.
This time, the focus would be primarily on Magic Skills.
There was also a chance for a Top-grade Cultivation Skill to appear.
However, few would pass up a Magic Skill, as the final moment was only two months away.
The Sect assessment would begin in mid-August.
The teams for these three contests were fixed.
They could not be changed.
This left Li Yuan in despair. He was saddled with a short-sighted Student Cultivator.
The guy was impossible to reason with and could stab him in the back at any moment.
’I should teach him how to be a proper teammate.’
However, Li Yuan realized the guy had just left without even untying him.
’Looks like I’ll have to pay him some Spiritual Source.’
Li Yuan: "..."
’What’s the use of Spiritual Source?’
’Befriending a young master like me should be the number one goal for these poor folk, shouldn’t it?’
’After all, a few scraps from my table would be enough to completely change their circumstances.’
’A single word from me could land them a job as a guard.’
’Any financial hardship they face could be solved with a single word from me.’
’Spiritual Source is the most basic reward.’
’But this Jiang Man...’
’His perspective is just too narrow.’
"I can’t believe Jiang Man is such dead weight. The upcoming contests are going to be tough."
He sighed heavily.
"Jiang Man is so stupid." Yan Huimin had never dreamed she would meet someone like him.
’A thousand Spiritual Source... he must be desperate.’
’Is he really not afraid of offending us?’
’I’ll get even with him sooner or later.’
Much later, Fang Tianyi and his group returned victorious.
They passed by the Qi Refining Forest and happened to see Li Yuan and Yan Huimin.
"Why are you two still tied up?" Fang Tianyi asked, curious. "Which family’s Death Warrior was so ’generous’ as to not even untie you?"
Li Yuan was furious, but he didn’t let it show.
’Showing more anger would just make me a laughingstock.’
’It would be nothing but the impotent rage of the powerless.’
He looked at the person before him and said calmly, "Fang Tianyi, you think you’re the biggest winner here?"
"Who else? You?" Fang Tianyi shot back.
"My brother got a Mid-grade Observation Method. Isn’t that enough to make him the winner?" Fang Yuanyuan sneered.
"Do you know why Jiang Man stood by and let you attack me?" Li Yuan said, thinking as he spoke.
Hearing this, Fang Tianyi asked curiously, "Wasn’t it because you were too stingy to part with any Spiritual Source?"
The corner of Li Yuan’s eye twitched. Maintaining his composure, he said, "Actually, we had a conflict before you even arrived. He said he wanted a Qi Refining Skill. Do you know why?"
"Because he doesn’t have one. It’s a common failing among the poor—they think Qi Refining Skills are the most important thing," said Fang Yuanyuan.
Li Yuan completely agreed with Fang Yuanyuan; her words mirrored his own thoughts. But he couldn’t admit that. Instead, he said, "Wrong. It’s because he doesn’t need a Visualization Skill. You might not believe it, but the truth is, he already has a Visualization Skill of Middle Grade or higher. The only thing he’s missing is a Qi Refining Skill.
"You think you came out ahead, but in reality, not only did you give Jiang Man a thousand Spiritual Source, you also helped him get the Qi Refining Skill he wanted for free.
"Otherwise, he might have even fought me to stop me from getting the Visualization Skill."
Fang Yuanyuan scoffed, "Do you really think that’s possible? Someone with a Mid-grade Observation Method wouldn’t have a Mid Grade Qi Refining Method?"
Li Yuan said no more. He didn’t believe it himself.
’But saying it was just a way to save some face.’
’It would be best if I can make them feel like they got the short end of the stick, too.’
’I can’t be the only one who took a huge loss.’
If everyone thought Jiang Man had profited handsomely, he wouldn’t look quite so pathetic.
Fang Tianyi turned and walked away.
On the way, Fang Yuanyuan laughed. "That Li Yuan is such a sore loser. ’He already has a Visualization Skill’—as if! How could a poor person ever get access to a Mid-grade Observation Method?
"Don’t you agree, Brother?"
Fang Tianyi didn’t answer.
’Others might not know, but I do.’
’Jiang Man really has studied one before—and it was a Top-grade Observation Method.’
’But normally, it should have been impossible for him to learn.’
’But judging from today, it’s possible he actually succeeded.’
’If that’s really the case...’
’Giving him Spiritual Source, helping him get a Qi Refining Skill...’
Fang Tianyi instinctively slapped his thigh.
’We got played.’
Seeing the other guy come out on top felt even worse than taking a loss himself.
"Brother, what’s wrong?" Fang Yuanyuan asked, confused. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
"It’s nothing. Let’s go back." After a moment’s thought, Fang Tianyi decided Li Yuan was probably just trying to save face.
’Because it was highly unlikely anyone could learn that Visualization Skill.’
’But...’
He definitely wasn’t as happy as he had been before.
’It’s fine. There are still two more contests. I just need to get something better then.’
’No need to stoop to a poor man’s level.’
——
Back at the stables, the first thing Jiang Man did was get to his chores.
"You’re already ranked first in your courtyard. Do you still need to work here?"
the Old Yellow Ox asked.
"It doesn’t take much time, and I still get paid in grain. There’s no downside. Besides, my score is so high that my grain rations were doubled.
"Now they’re afraid for me to show up. If the rations double again, they’ll stop hiring me.
"It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even dare go update my score."
Jiang Man shook his head with a sigh.
’This job really isn’t kind to high-scorers,’ he thought.
"You got a Qi Refining Skill?" the Old Yellow Ox asked, munching on some nearby grass.
"Yes, I plan on starting my Reincarnation today," Jiang Man said truthfully.
"How many days do you plan to take to finish it?" the Old Yellow Ox asked tentatively.
Jiang Man thought for a moment. "Qi Refining Skills are harder than Visualization Skills, so it should take a fair bit of time."
He paused, then continued, "About seven days, I think. I should be able to reach the Eleventh Layer."
The Old Yellow Ox lowered its head to eat grass and said no more.
Jiang Man didn’t mind.
However, the day’s events had put him on alert.
These people were all very strong. Their Cultivation level was one thing, but the power of their Magic Skills was far beyond anything he had learned.
Getting a good Magic Skill wouldn’t be easy.
He would just have to wait for the next contest.
’During this time, I’ll focus on my Cultivation and earn some Spiritual Source on the side.’
Earning a thousand today had been an unexpected windfall.
He could finally pay back the two hundred he owed Steward Miao.
——
「At night.」
The side entrance of the Yunqian Bureau.
The man formerly known as Housekeeper Fang brought a woman to the main gate.
Both of them seemed apprehensive.
"We just came to see him," the woman said. She was dressed in coarse linen, her hair slightly disheveled.
"We should forget it. We might distract him, and it wouldn’t be good if someone saw us," Housekeeper Fang said.
"I just managed to sell a bit of Spiritual Source, so we won’t have to come again next time. It’s fine," the woman said.
Housekeeper Fang shook his head. "If we come too often, it’ll just put more pressure on him. Why don’t you understand? Things will be as they will be. There’s no point in worrying about it."
"There’s no one around at night. It’ll be fine. Let’s just wait and see," the woman said.
Housekeeper Fang said sternly, "Later, don’t ask what you shouldn’t. Behave yourself. And fix your hair, it’s a mess."
