Chapter 934: Mixed Cultivation Wei Wuwei

The world was vast, and the influence of the book "Yellow Springs" was gradually spreading. While its impact was more immediate for cultivators capable of cloud travel, its dissemination among ordinary people was relatively slow. However, this situation had significantly improved by now.

In the Jadeite Mountains of Jizhou, deep within the range, a large convoy was slowly advancing towards a point where the existing mountain path was about to give way. Some of the vehicles were ox-carts, others horse-drawn carriages. The ox-cart wheels occasionally sank deeper when passing through muddy ground, indicating they were carrying heavy loads.

Accompanying the convoy were several unarmored experts from the Great Zhen official establishment, a few scholarly-looking officials, and three Celestial Masters from the Celestial Master Bureau.

At this moment, two official establishment experts far ahead discovered the path was blocked. One immediately used his lightness skill to swiftly return, landing in front of the leading horse-drawn carriage.

"Master Qian, Celestial Master Zhao, the mountain path ahead has ended. Should we have the convoy stop?"

The civil official and the Celestial Master inside the carriage were both reading. Upon hearing the subordinate's report, they both put down their books. The Celestial Master opened the carriage window, looked outside, then gently nodded to the civil official beside him before standing up and stepping out of the carriage.

"No need to stop. Just keep going straight. Make sure to watch the vehicles; the road ahead might be quite bumpy for a stretch."

"Understood!"

Celestial Master Zhao walked forward, then lightly leaped as if using the wind as footholds, quickly surpassing the initial group of escorts to reach the very front. The mountain path was truly gone; its end was marked by weeds. Beyond that lay an undulating area scattered with loose, though not very large, rocks. The convoy should still be able to manage for a short distance.

Ignoring the questioning gazes of the escorts beside him, Celestial Master Zhao directly stepped over the end of the path and walked ahead. The escorts could only shout to those behind, "Hurry and follow! Have one person go to the front of each vehicle to lead the oxen and horses, to prevent them from running wild! Watch the oxen and horses, watch the oxen and horses!"

As the escorts continued to shout, the vehicles slowly drove off the mountain path one by one, proceeding over the bumpy hills.

Celestial Master Zhao walked for a quarter of an hour. This time, there truly was no road ahead, only large boulders, and the surrounding terrain was very rugged. Before the escorts could even ask, Celestial Master Zhao walked up to one of the large boulders and cupped his hands in a salute.

"I am Zhao Jiang, a disciple of Mount Yuhai. I am escorting a Great Zhen convoy through here. I hope you can provide some convenience. Here is our official document."

Celestial Master Zhao took out a hard-covered official document from his sleeve. After unfolding it, the first fold of the page contained several lines of text and was stamped with the Great Zhen seal.

After Celestial Master Zhao presented the document, a white light emanated from the boulder, followed by a faint rumbling sound from the surroundings. All the large boulders began to tremble slightly. The next moment, the rocks blocking the path began to turn over, the larger ones rolling aside while smaller ones gathered together. To the astonished gazes of those in the convoy behind, a fully paved and obviously sturdy stone path appeared before them.

Celestial Master Zhao put away the document, then, with a smile, bowed once more to the large boulder before issuing an order to those behind him. "There's a road now, so quickly follow! We're not far from Jade Radiance Peak. That's a ferry crossing for immortals. Stay close, remember not to make too much noise, but there's no need to be overly constrained either."

Those behind recovered from their surprise and quickly acknowledged the order, leading their carts and horses to follow. This newly appeared road was surprisingly smoother than the previous mountain path. It led deeper into the Jadeite Mountains, then wound its way towards a mountain peak that, though not exceptionally tall, was remarkably large.

In their line of sight, other people ascending the mountain gradually appeared. Some carried bundles and traveled in groups, while others were solitary and carried nothing. However, their attention was drawn by the enormous convoy, which remained the most conspicuous presence even after they reached the mountain.

Then, most people in the convoy, and those who were also visiting Jade Radiance Peak for the first time, were stunned. Amidst the thin clouds and mist, at the summit of this large mountain deep within the Jadeite Mountains, there was surprisingly a sizable cluster of buildings. Some of these buildings shimmered with beautiful, iridescent light. Further out, on the periphery, two colossal "tower-ships" seemed to be moored within the clouds: one was plain but imposing, the other crystal clear, as if carved from white jade.

"Ships... flying in the sky?"

"This is the immortal's port!"

Many in the convoy, deeply shocked, voiced exclamations of awe. However, the convoy did not stop, but slowly drove into the immortal port. The goods on their carts were all books, specifically the six volumes of "Yellow Springs," which were in high demand throughout Great Zhen and even in neighboring countries.

The "Yellow Springs" books, which were out of stock everywhere in Great Zhen, were present here in an amount that filled an entire large convoy. If those who desperately wanted to buy them but couldn't knew about this, they would surely go mad. However, these books had their own mission: they were destined for various prefectures across the land.

"Heh heh heh, Senior Brother Zhao, I, Wei, have been waiting for you for a long time!"

As soon as the convoy reached the summit of Jade Radiance Peak, Wei Wuwei, whose figure remained rotund even after starting cultivation, directly led a few people to greet them, bowing as he walked. Although Wei Wuwei's cultivation was not high—he had never even managed to cultivate an "Inner Scenery of Intent," let alone condense a 'Dan Furnace'—he was still able to consult some basic cultivation texts from Mount Yuhai. He was never truly considered a member of Mount Yuhai, only a "study companion" for his child. Yet, Wei Yuansheng had long since grown up, and Mount Yuhai never expelled Wei Wuwei. Now, Wei Wuwei was using this platform to fully expand his endeavors.

Speaking of which, Wei Wuwei was an absolute anomaly among cultivators. Despite being an immortal cultivator, he never forgot the Wei family's business and had delved increasingly deep into the ways of commerce, taking great pleasure in it. Even his attire differed from typical immortal cultivators; he simply preferred wearing more opulent clothes. Over the years, Wei Wuwei's main cultivation achievement had been to, primarily with himself in mind and with the help of his son Wei Yuansheng and Daoist Yangming, forge a large, glittering copper coin as a magical artifact, which he often held and toyed with.

When ordinary immortal cultivators saw Wei Wuwei, their first reaction would certainly not be to consider him a fellow Daoist. Nor did he resemble someone from an official family or scholarly background. At first glance, he could only be associated with immense wealth and prosperity.

Wei Wuwei's cultivation was slow, but this was also because his energy was not entirely focused on immortal cultivation. In fact, his self-awareness was very clear; he had long since realized over the years that his temperament was actually contrary to the path of immortality, at least not compatible with its higher realms. Although there were many such cultivators, Wei Wuwei disliked being stuck in an awkward middle ground, unable to achieve great heights yet unwilling to accept lesser aspirations. Even so, Wei Wuwei did not neglect his immortal cultivation. It was just that in the eyes of immortal cultivators with whom he had some acquaintance, Patriarch Wei seemed a bit unfocused, as he applied himself to too many things and his interests were too widespread.

Wei Wuwei often visited local earth gods, mountain spirits, and even ghost deities, seemingly very interested in the divine path. He also frequently read literary classics by great sages and various literary masterpieces late into the night, like a scholar. At the same time, he was busy with the construction of Mount Yuhai's immortal port, as well as planning routes for realm-crossing ferries and the rotation of cultivators. He also frequently dealt with various immortal sects, promoting the affairs of Jade Radiance Peak. He also went to various immortal ports to arrange the opening of treasure pavilions. These didn't seem to involve any extraordinary business, nor could they possibly compete with established, large-scale entities like Lingbao Pavilion, which were growing in fame. Yet, he merely said it was good to have a presence. Wei Wuwei also did not neglect the Wei clan's mundane businesses. Occasionally, he even personally involved himself in matters like contemplating opening new trade routes to other continents.

Of course, Wei Wuwei always absolutely prioritized matters entrusted to him by Ji Yuan. The people of Mount Yuhai found it hard to imagine how Wei Wuwei could possess such immense energy, or how he could possibly find so much time for all these activities. It was as if he cultivated immortality simply to conveniently squeeze out time even from sleep. Given Wei Wuwei's astonishing situation, even Mount Yuhai cultivators of higher cultivation and those from other immortal sects who knew Patriarch Wei would not easily underestimate him, even if they couldn't fully comprehend it. For those who understood Wei Wuwei knew clearly that he was an intelligent person, someone who was very clear about what he wanted to do and what he should do, and incapable of wasting his life. If Ji Yuan were aware of all of Wei Wuwei's circumstances, he would surely be unable to resist praising him with a single phrase: "Master of Time Management."

Therefore, facing this anomalous man, who seemed to have been a cultivation "good-for-nothing" for years, Zhao Jiang dared not show any disrespect and quickly stepped forward to return the solemn salute.

"Patriarch Wei, it has been several years, and your demeanor remains as remarkable as ever!"

"Hahahaha, Senior Brother Zhao, you flatter me! My meager cultivation, in the eyes of some, is merely that of a good-for-nothing. Come, come, everyone from the convoy, come rest in my pavilion!"

Wei Wuwei had his signature smiling face, his eyes squinting when he smiled, making him appear harmless. But no one in the mundane martial arts world of his past dared to think so.

"Very well, thank you, Patriarch Wei."

Zhao Jiang smiled as he and Wei Wuwei exchanged polite gestures. He also instructed the convoy behind to follow. Noticing the Great Zhen officials in the carriages, though they were mere civil clerks, Wei Wuwei still bowed and greeted each of them individually. Wei Wuwei's current status was not ordinary. Secretly, following the path Ji Yuan had pointed out to him years ago, he had been planning great endeavors. Now, even when facing an eminent person like Ju Yuanzi, he showed no signs of nervousness or agitation. Yet, even when dealing with immortal cultivators or spirits of lower cultivation, or even ordinary mortals, as long as they did not offend him, he would always treat them with utmost courtesy and respect, and make them feel his absolute sincerity.

"Oh, by the way, Senior Brother Zhao, I heard you possess a highly skilled divine ability called 'Spirit Command,' which allows you to summon spiritual energy beyond the limits of your own cultivation for your use?"

Wei Wuwei continued to chat casually with Zhao Jiang as they walked.

"That is true, but it's not as miraculous as outsiders might imagine. As the saying goes, 'water and fire are merciless.' Commanding spirits is far more difficult than commanding water or fire. The spiritual energy I command merely amplifies my immortal techniques, creating a grander display, but it lacks much flexibility."

"Oh!" Wei Wuwei nodded and said with a chuckle, "I, Wei, have an impolite request. I hope to purchase the 'Spirit Command' technique from Senior Brother Zhao a few times. I guarantee the compensation will satisfy you."

"Purchase a few times?" Zhao Jiang was slightly puzzled. Wei Wuwei certainly understood the rules of the immortal path, so he definitely wasn't trying to buy the cultivation method for "Spirit Command." But what did "purchase a few times" mean? Did he want Zhao Jiang to use his ability for him a few times?

As if knowing what Zhao Jiang was thinking, Wei Wuwei explained with a smile, "Over the past few years, I, Wei, have also, independently, comprehended... well, you could call it a divine ability. If the other party is willing, and the transaction can be completed, I can 'buy' certain special things, such as Senior Brother Zhao's 'Spirit Command' technique. Oh, right, Senior Brother just needs to cast his spell on this copper coin of mine."

Zhao Jiang frowned. This glittering large copper coin was about the size of a teacup lid; it was indeed Wei Wuwei's magical artifact. But how could the subtle functions of a magical artifact be considered one's own divine ability?

However, Wei Wuwei said no more. This copper coin was a magical artifact, and a very special one, serving more as a symbol of trade. A magical artifact connected to one's heart; although Wei Wuwei did not possess the "Inner Scenery of Intent" or a "Dan Furnace" like other immortal cultivators, he nonetheless had his own path.

Ultimately, Zhao Jiang did not refuse Wei Wuwei's request. Although he did not intend to ask for any compensation, Wei Wuwei still gave Zhao Jiang some "Water Essence Concretions" as payment. Zhao Jiang, in turn, needed to cast spells upon the golden copper coin several times; the exact number of times was left to Zhao Jiang's discretion.

A moment later, somewhere outside Jade Radiance Peak, Zhao Jiang concentrated and cast a spell, drawing spiritual energy from all directions to gather, transforming into a swirling spiritual wind which flowed with radiance towards the large golden copper coin suspended in mid-air. Originally, Zhao Jiang was very careful, prepared to stop in time if the copper coin could not withstand his divine ability, as the magical artifact did not appear remarkable. To his surprise, the spiritual wind roared towards the coin, but like water encountering a sinkhole, it all swirled into the coin's central hole and vanished.

"Excellent, Senior Brother Zhao, what powerful magic!"

Zhao Jiang felt a little awkward. After a slight smile, he continued casting spells. The first attempt showed no reaction at all, which was quite embarrassing; at least a jingle from the coin or a slight sway would have been good. But Zhao Jiang cast spells ten times in total, each time with more force than the last. Later, it wasn't even gently approaching the coin, but rather casting spells to strike the coin with relatively gentle force. Yet, the coin never once swayed. When he came to his senses, his magical energy consumption had already exceeded what he anticipated.

"Senior Brother Zhao, that's enough, that's enough! Excessive magical energy depletion isn't good. That's plenty, plenty!"

Wei Wuwei still wore a smiling face and repeatedly bowed to Zhao Jiang, concluding the spell-casting session. The latter, however, was filled with doubt and astonishment regarding the glittering large copper coin. "This copper coin, wasn't it refined by Wei Wuwei himself? Even if Martial Uncle Yangming helped, isn't this far too peculiar?"

Zhao Jiang left, still full of uncertainty and surprise. Meanwhile, upon returning to his pavilion on Jade Radiance Peak, Wei Wuwei had already gained a deeper understanding of Zhao Jiang's "Spirit Command" technique. The ten spells that entered the copper coin had, in fact, integrated into his own mind. If he were to perform those ten spells, he would be no worse than Zhao Jiang, perhaps even more exaggeratedly powerful...

Wei Wuwei also held some smaller, very special copper coins, which were "Dharma coins" given to him by Ji Yuan.