Cultivation Nerd

As we drew closer to the gleaming marble walls of the Blazing Sun Sect, the tall walls seemed to calm my frayed nerves. The tension that had gripped my nerves slowly eased.

Along the way, we had separated from the other sects. With four Core Elders escorting us, no one stopped us at the gate. Once inside, the Core Elders turned toward us.

We stood on the road leading to various parts of the Sect, surrounded by lush green grass, blossoming flowers, and towering trees. After spending so much time in the wild, it felt strange to be so close to a forest and hear nothing—no animals, not even the chirp of a cricket.

"The Sect has provided you with countless benefits," one of the Core Elders said, breaking the silence. "Whatever you found in those ruins is yours to keep. However, if you're willing to share a copy with the Sect, you will be rewarded in kind. For example, suppose you've obtained an Earth Grade Technique and contribute it to the Sect's library. In that case, you will receive another Earth Grade Technique from the Sect. It's like gaining two for the price of one."

The offer was tempting. I considered sharing the arrays and alchemy recipes I had acquired, knowing it would double my gains from this expedition. That was the greedy part of my brain speaking.

I wasn't that naive. Revealing that I had Level 7 Arrays in my storage ring would be like painting a target on my back. The Sect's top Array Conjurer was at Level 7, so there was no way I could trust them with what I possessed, and I had little interest in bolstering the Blazing Sun Sect's power.

Some of the others stepped forward, offering scrolls. The Core Elders used strange artifacts to copy them, pulling out their own scrolls from storage rings and handing them over as rewards. They had planned this before even setting off.

The artifact they used for copying resembled a mechanical imp. One hand touched the original scroll while the other wielded a brush, transferring the contents onto the new scroll.

It was a fascinating device, something I would have loved to study if time allowed.

"Honorable Core Elders," one of the disciples spoke up—a short, stocky young man in a blue uniform with crooked teeth. "If we contribute our Earth Techniques to the Sect's library, are we forbidden from teaching them to our Clans?"

His question drew the attention of several clan-affiliated disciples, including my cousins.

"Even if you contribute the techniques, arrays, pill recipes, or anything else to the Sect, they remain yours," replied one of the Core Elders, a tall, middle-aged man with stubble on his chin. "You didn't steal from the Sect to give them to your family, so whether you share your spoils with your Clan is your choice. However, the techniques we offer you in exchange cannot be shared with anyone, including your family."

That was fair. Despite the deep-seated corruption at the top, moments like these made it clear why the Blazing Sun Sect was one of the four great sects. Its policies were designed to encourage disciples to contribute, and they worked well.

Many disciples nodded in agreement, some smiling. Even my cousins stepped forward to hand over their acquired technique scrolls.

Still, it was evident that some disciples wouldn’t reveal what they had found in the ruins. These were likely the ones who had gained something precious, and sharing it would only paint a target on their backs. In fact, their reluctance alone would be enough to draw suspicion from any clever individual who could see through their act.

Not that I had to worry about that. Anyone foolish enough to try taking something from me would soon become another victim of Song Song’s bloodlust. If they went after me, the only treasure they got would be death.

“Did you find anything in the tomb?” one of the Core Elders asked, his gaze locking on me.

“Hm?” I blinked in confusion.

Why were they singling me out? Had they figured out I’d found something?

“You were our monstrous beast specialist during this expedition,” the middle-aged Core Elder with stubble on his chin clarified. “Did you learn anything new about monstrous beasts in the tomb?”

“Oh, no, nothing,” I replied, steadying my voice. “The immortal didn’t leave any records about monstrous beasts.”

The Core Elder narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing me as if trying to peel back my facade. His gaze shifted to Song Song, lingering momentarily before he finally let it go and looked away.

“Well then, you’re dismissed. If you have any reports on the tomb or its layout, write them up. You’ll be rewarded with spirit stones,” the elder said before all four Core Elders vanished in a blur, leaving us behind.

The remaining disciples began to disperse. Some left with satisfaction, others with disappointment, and a few with visible sadness.

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Turning to my cousins, I said, “I’m going to meet some old friends in the Outer Sect, so I won’t be able to come with you.”

They nodded without complaint, but Song Song gave me a look that sank my heart. I knew exactly what she was about to say.

“I’ll come along,” she declared.

I raised a questioning brow. “Don’t you have better things to do?”

“No, not really,” she replied instantly. Then she leaned in close and whispered, “You might be able to fool the others, but not me.”

Thanks to their enhanced hearing, my cousins stood close enough to hear her, but they wisely pretended not to notice and walked away without a word. Liu Bo even wore a relieved smile as though he had just escaped a den of wolves.

Once we were alone, Song Song’s face lit up with a smile—not one of her usual psychotic grins, but a sweet, practiced one that she had undoubtedly perfected in front of a mirror.

"You think I can't tell you found something in the tomb?" Song Song shook her head like a disappointed parent. "I thought you knew me better than that. Your actions speak louder than words, and I know exactly how you would have acted if you'd come back empty-handed."

"Nice to know you had nothing better to do on this journey than stare at me," I replied, shaking my head as I discreetly cast a silencing array around us.

"So, what did you find in there?" she pressed.

"A Tier 6 Pill recipe and arrays from Level 4 to 7," I answered.

The smile slipped from Song Song's lips, her eyes widening. "Damn... Like, damn!"

She didn't bother hiding her shock. I could have told her about the Sky Grade Technique too, but I didn't trust the silencing array enough. While Level 7 Arrays were rare, they could only be used by Array Conjurers. But a Sky Grade Technique? That was something else entirely.

Even a Core Elder would kill for that—maybe even the Sect Leader. Despite all her clan's resources, I was confident that Song Song didn't have a Sky Grade Technique. That alone showed how rare and valuable it was. And it wasn't something that could be shared.

"Since when did you get so damn lucky?" Song Song asked. "I fully expect you to break through to Level 4 Array Conjurer soon. You've practically inherited an immortal's legacy!"

I wasn't even going to argue about how she made becoming a Level 4 Array Conjurer sound as easy as grabbing a sandwich.

We continued walking toward the outer sect's library, Song Song at my side.

"By the way, how many spirit stones do we have in the vault rings?" she asked.

"About 138,000, give or take," I replied.

"You can use a hundred thousand of those to get the resources you need to advance as an Array Conjurer," she said, her tone resolute. "As a Level 4 Array Conjurer, you'll be able to do more than just slow down Foundation Establishment Cultivators with your arrays."

I paused momentarily, and Song Song gave me a puzzled look before we continued walking. Her offer hit me hard. I knew how much effort she'd put into accumulating that wealth. She gave me free reign over our finances, trusting me to make the most of it.

I wanted to thank her, but I knew Song Song wouldn't appreciate any corny display of gratitude. She might even slap me if I tried.

"Ah, yes, I can see it now—'The Array Emperor and his sidekick, Song Song,'" I teased, a smile tugging at my lips. "History books will be written about me… I mean us."

Song Song slung her arm around my shoulders faster than I could react, pulling me closer. She was so caught in the mood she didn't even notice her chest brushing against my arm. Song Song really needed to learn the concept of personal space.

"It would be a cautionary tale about an arrogant servant and his mighty master," she chuckled. "About how trying to get too close to the sun was a bad idea because you would get burned."

I tried to pry her arm away, but Song Song’s grip was like a steel vice—unyielding. Her red nails brushed against my shoulder as she grabbed my robe, effortlessly dragging me along.

“Come on, servant. You’ve got errands to run,” she teased, pulling me toward the library pagoda without a care.

It was late, and the streets were mostly empty. Still, a few people caught sight of us. I doubted Song Song even considered how it looked to others, and even if she did, she wouldn’t care. She was reckless like that.

When we finally neared the library, she at least had the decency to let me go. By then, the sky had grown dark, and the full moon bathed us in a soft, silvery light.

“At last, you stopped bullying your junior disciple. You should be ashamed of using your authority to take advantage of my gentle nature,” I quipped, playing the part of the professional victim as I stepped into the library.

Night or day, the library’s interior always looked the same. The room was lit by artifacts embedded in the ceiling and the glow of flickering candles. The scent of old books filled the air, enveloping the space in a cozy, somber atmosphere.

As usual, the librarian sat behind the counter while the old man lounged near the shelves, sipping tea. His face brightened with malicious glee when he spotted me, clearly eager for another round of verbal sparring. But the moment he noticed Song Song at my side, his expression soured, as though he had just bitten into a lemon. Without even greeting us, he slunk behind a nearby shelf, vanishing from sight.

I approached the librarian, who welcomed us with a warm, polite smile—quite the contrast to the old man. “Liu Feng, Lady Song. Welcome. Please, feel free to explore my humble library.”

“Thanks,” Song Song said absently, her gaze wandering up to the ceiling, looking entirely uninterested.

Why did she come here if she was going to act like this?

The librarian, unfazed, adjusted his Harry Potter-like glasses and asked, “By the way, I heard about the expedition. How did it go?”

“It went fine,” I replied with a shrug, pulling a scroll from my storage ring. “Remember when you mentioned needing something valuable to secure a big contribution and become an inner elder? Something like a talented disciple? Well, I’ve got something better—a Tier 6 pill recipe. You can contribute it to the Sect.”