Stronger from Earth

Chapter 242 241: The Flowing Days of Qiushui

"In the realm of cultivation, time passes without notice, and before you know it, it's early summer."

Wang Xuan stretched lazily. Having spent two to three months in the Hell Realm and nearly a month on Dixuan Star, June had quietly arrived, missing the fragrance of spring and welcoming the heat.

"So heavy!!!"

A dragon turtle with a diameter of twenty meters carried a small mountain on its back, struggling arduously with each step, its limbs weak and weary.

Wang Xuan gifted it a few pills, and the little Dominator happily ate them, instantly refreshed and energized.

"Cultivate well." Passing by the Spiritual Bamboo Grove, Wang Xuan noticed Xiong Bamboo sitting by the roadside with open eyes, its towering body quite intimidating.

However, with Wang Xuan's perception, it was easy to see that this creature was actually asleep, pretending to be a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast, though hundreds of years of laziness were not so easily changed.

"As long as it has the intention, I'm not expecting any combat power from it; as long as it acts cute and welcomes guests for me, it's fine." Wang Xuan thought it wouldn't be a bad choice to treat Xiong Bamboo as a mascot.

The steward saw Wang Xuan approach and greeted, "Mountain Lord."

Dozens of servants busied themselves on Black and White Mountain, managing a herb garden, a vegetable garden, and the Spirit Grain Field below the mountain, working at least seven to eight hours a day, sparing only the remaining time for their own cultivation.

Of course, their welfare was quite good.

The familiar Black and White Mountain had its own operational rhythm, which gradually gained structure as Wang Xuan's cultivation level increased. Quietly, Black and White Mountain had grown from ninety-nine meters to nearly two hundred meters now, making the servants busier.

"Hmm." Wang Xuan nodded and entered the palace. Chun Shui, startled for a moment, quickly put aside her tasks and approached.

"Mountain Lord, I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Chun Shui said, surprised by Wang Xuan's quick return. She had met Dixuan a few days ago and was intimidated by his aura, while Dixuan only took a brief tour before leaving.

"I dealt with some matters, and now I have some free time to return and rest for a while," Wang Xuan said, acknowledging that once he went out, he often didn't stay in one place for several months.

"Where is Qiushui?"

Upon hearing this, Chun Shui felt embarrassed because her younger sister was once again indulging in play, lost in a starry game, often staying in the game cabin for several days.

"I'll go call her." Chun Shui felt she should thoroughly scold her younger sister; her behavior was a bit too willful.

Wang Xuan waved his hand, "Let her be." Qiushui was at an age full of playfulness, driven by her nature, not warranting blame.

However, the more lenient the Mountain Lord was, the more Chun Shui felt that as handmaidens, they should maintain their duties and not be reckless.

Life on Black and White Mountain was always comfortable. Wang Xuan improved his alchemy technique. As he attained the Primordial Spirit, his alchemy no longer needed to be restricted by superficial cultivation levels, reaching the Earth Tier Upper Third Grade Pill Master's level, already considered an Alchemy Master.

"Steward, go to Senior Feng Daozi and get some alchemy materials for me. Just apply as listed." Within three or four days, he had consumed all the materials for Earth Tier pills.

As a True-tier Alchemist, Feng Daozi's herb garden was quite large, requiring a lot of effort to cultivate numerous herbs, yet many were consumed by Wang Xuan. Sometimes, even applications to the Mountain Gate were necessary for exchanges with equivalent pills.

Half a month later, with Wang Xuan's Primordial Spirit level Heart Spirit and vast Golden Core Power, he had managed to produce only a hundred furnaces of pills, mostly top-grade, with super-grade pills appearing much less frequently.

Earth Immortal level pills took much more time and effort to refine, naturally boasting impressive effects as well.

"There aren't many Earth Immortal Realm disciples on Immortal Martial Mountain. If I wholeheartedly focus on alchemy, I can supply the majority of the Mountain Gate disciples," Wang Xuan remarked.

But monopolizing the entire market would offend many. Wang Xuan wouldn't do such a thing, as the Earth Tier Alchemists on the mountain needed to make a living, and he himself didn't have the energy to make pills every day.

He stored a batch of pills, and Immortal Dome Pavilion could sell them slowly. Wang Xuan no longer needed to worry about money, with billions of Star Yuan left in his account, much of which had been used to purchase real estate previously.

Nowadays, casually refining a furnace of Earth Immortal pills was worth billions of Star Yuan; earning money was of no interest to him now. The operation of Immortal Dome Pavilion was mainly to give back to the Mountain Gate and gather Celestial Treasures and various resources.

"The Alchemy Domain, why doesn't it have the strongest fortune blessing of the Same Realm?" Wang Xuan shook his head, finding the Alchemy Domain amusing, yet he felt an air of solitary unrivaledness.

A summon from He Fang, and Wang Xuan met his master.

"Qi, last time your master mentioned sending you to oversee a Martial Arts Hall. Are you still willing to go?" He Fang asked.

Every disciple of the Mountain Gate should be of value to the sect, contributing to its development as they grow. Many of the Immortal Martial Combat Halls across the Divine Land have headmasters who are True Disciples.

Wang Xuan nodded, "Of course."

"Very well, in the short term, there are nearly a hundred Martial Arts Hall head positions available for reassignment in East China, North China, Central China, and West China. You can select one yourself." With a wave of He Fang's hand, a map formed of energy hovered in the air with each point marked.

Wang Xuan glanced around and quickly had a few intentions.

Yuzhang City, East Sea Shore, South Sea Shore, the harsh land of the northwest, Shu Region, the Southeast Asia Triangle, Middle East, Africa, North America, and other regions.

Wang Xuan did not want to stay in too comfortable a place; Yuzhang City is his hometown, and staying there at a young age seemed like settling down. Too unfamiliar a place wouldn't work either, as those areas might be close to some Immortal Holy Lands.

After thinking it over, Wang Xuan decided to head to Southeast Asia. At the start of the Era of Mythology, jungle areas with more wildlife were the most challenging for human survival, but of course, there were also many opportunities.

Many people from the Southeast Asia region migrated to other planets in the Solar System back in those days, yet many people persisted and took root there.

That region is populated by many races and forces, coupled with a buffer zone of demon beasts, where humans and demons mix with a lot of entangled interests, making it relatively dangerous. However, there are no Immortal Holy Lands there.

Of course, that area also counts as the edge of the influence of Immortal Martial Mountain, and the deterrence is sufficient. Moreover, Wang Xuan can use a Space Gate to instantly return to the heart of the Mountain Gate.

"Here it is then." Wang Xuan pointed to the map.

He Fang pondered for a moment and said, "That area is indeed quite chaotic, but the influence of Immortal Martial Mountain is still pretty good. Just be sure to stay safe.

If you can expand the Mountain Gate's influence, it would be a merit."

This chaos is relative, especially to him as a Star Lord of Super Star Position. Within the Mother Star, he can reach anywhere instantly, and all chaos can be suppressed with a single hand. The real problem on the Mother Star is external threats.

On Black and White Mountain, Chun Shui, as the elder sister, was scolding her younger sister Qiushui, with a very stern tone, reprimanding her sister's willfulness.

"Qiushui, you've been addicted to games for too long. You must remember we are the Mountain Lord's close attendants and have our responsibilities.

Using games for occasional entertainment is fine, but it ought not to delay cultivation. You must not get so engrossed that the Mountain Lord can't even see you when he needs to."

Qiushui rarely saw her sister so strict, but felt somewhat aggrieved by this reprimand and said, "The Mountain Lord hardly comes back anyway, so I play games because I'm bored. Besides, the Mountain Lord is so nice, he wouldn't blame Qiushui."

"Hehe," Chun Shui didn't speak any grand truths, just said, "Keeping a cat can catch mice, a dog can guard the house, planting a tree can provide shade; every grass and tree on Black and White Mountain has its value and purpose.

When they show no use and are unnoticed, they're set aside, but if one day they become an eyesore, they'd be casually discarded.

The things we often use are remembered, but once they're not needed, they'll gradually be forgotten over time, allowed to decay."

Do you remember where the dress you loved last year went? Seems you gave it away, right? Did you notice the difference in the food treatment between Xiong Bamboo and the Golden Turtle? Xiong Bamboo, as a Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast, has cultivation levels higher than the Golden Turtle, yet its food is far inferior to the Golden Turtle's.

If you had even an ounce of sense, you should know you're on the road to a slow death. The Mountain Lord is indeed a good person, but I feel like having you as a close attendant or not doesn't make much difference.

If one day you're sent to tend the Spirit Field or even given to one of the Mountain Lord's friends, I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Don't blame others when that happens. There's nothing I can do to help because the seeds of your downfall are being sown now."

Qiushui was frightened and chilled to the bone by her sister's harsh words.

Chun Shui blandly said, "The Mountain Lord raises you, and seemingly there's no use. In the past, you could still be a decorative vase, but now that vase doesn't even appear before his eyes, not even serving as eye candy. Where do you think you should go from here?"

Qiushui suddenly burst into tears.

The sister, unable to bear it, embraced Qiushui. Her words of intimidation were only in hopes that her sister would turn back from the wrong path, ultimately out of good intentions.

Those words just now were like knives leaving scars in her sister's heart, and Chun Shui felt pain too, but she knew that painless words wouldn't have any effect.

"Alright, alright, learn from your mistakes and change. We have no parents, so we ought to grow some wisdom. You must learn to grow up."

After this day, Qiushui's gaming pod was nowhere to be found, stuffed in some corner. These days she often followed her sister, learning some useful skills and managing household affairs.

She was learning, gradually growing up.

Every time she saw Wang Xuan, Qiushui felt nervous and fearful, afraid that Wang Xuan would send her away somewhere. Life on Black and White Mountain was indeed good, and she couldn't bear to leave the Mountain Lord or her sister.

"This girl, such a fast change in temperament?" Wang Xuan shook his head.

He focused on alchemy while comprehending the many mysteries of the Mixed Element Martial Scripture, but he knew that following the usual ways made it difficult to become the strongest in the Same Realm, hence seeking a solution.

While refining pills, suddenly on Creation Peak, miles away, dark clouds gathered, lightning and thunder erupted, and the second senior brother burst forth with joyous laughter, full of flair and exceptionally delighted.