Chapter 475: Seeking Someone Out
It was March.
The weather was warming, the flowers were blooming, and the vegetation was lush.
Bai Mo was diligently practicing Alchemy when a small incident occurred.
A group of Alchemy Cultivators from the Great Liang Dynasty, who were traveling through the area, had come seeking an audience with Bai Mo, drawn by his reputation.
“Are there any Grandmasters?”
Bai Mo asked coolly after being summoned.
Ah Er, who had received the message, tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then shook it.
The outer sect disciple who had come to deliver the news had been respectful and clear, and had made no mention of the word ‘Grandmaster’.
“Then turn them away,” Bai Mo said.
At his current level, his status, position, and reputation were all extraordinary. He was not someone just anyone could meet on a whim.
Bai Mo had met the cultural envoys from the Great Liang Dynasty before and had a certain reputation in their circles.
For those outside the academies, it was all about fame and fortune.
It wasn’t uncommon for people to seek a visit with him just to boost their own reputation by spreading the word afterward.
Ah Er nodded and left the mountain to reply to the outer sect disciple, giving the reason that Bai Mo was too busy with Alchemy to be disturbed.
The disciple understood. He turned and left Mi Mountain, preparing to send the people from the Great Liang Dynasty on their way.
The medicinal herbs sent from Immortal Arrival City were nearly depleted. Having emerged from his work, Bai Mo was in no hurry to start a new furnace.
At this time of year, many of the Demon Beasts in the Celestial Barrier Mountain range were in heat.
After hibernating through the cold winter, they had reawakened, filled their bellies, and were now ready to reproduce.
The Demon Hunting Teams tended to be more restrained during this season.
The Demon Beasts in the mountains became irritable and sensitive. Rushing up the mountain rashly, one could die without even knowing how.
One day, when An Caiwei came over, Bai Mo gave her the usual Pills to aid her cultivation and was suddenly struck by an idea.
“Are there any senior Alchemy Dao practitioners in seclusion nearby?”
An Caiwei, who had just received the Pills and was happily putting them away, was taken aback by his question.
“You’re asking me about that?”
Bai Mo sighed helplessly.
“I focus only on Alchemy and am in seclusion every other day. I hardly ever go out. I’m no different from a poor scholar poring over his books all day.”
“Silkworm Valley is a place blessed by nature, producing all sorts of fine things. It wouldn’t be surprising if a sect senior has passed through.”
An Caiwei didn’t usually pay much attention to such matters.
Being familiar with Bai Mo, she rarely had any need for other Pills.
But Bai Mo’s words reminded her of a few things.
“Actually, there is someone.”
An Caiwei said, her interest piqued.
“Junior Brother, do you remember that besides the major, well-known peaks in our sect, there are also many smaller peaks?”
Bai Mo nodded.
Most of the sect’s smaller peaks had only a few members, or a dozen at most.
If their luck was bad, these minor peaks could see their lineage die out after a few generations, disappearing without so much as a ripple.
But looking back at the sect’s history, some were lucky enough to produce an incredible disciple who revitalized their faction, allowing it to leap to fame.
Once the peak grew powerful, its original handful of nobodies would become revered figures in their own right.
But regardless, even when their power was small, the disciple or elder holding up the faction always had real ability. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to establish a peak of their own.
An Caiwei recalled, saying:
“There’s an old senior from one of the smaller peaks who often comes to Silkworm Valley to purchase materials.”
“He studies the Dao of Life and is said to have considerable attainments in Alchemy.”
“He once did a favor for an elder in Silkworm Valley, so whenever he comes, we always give him the best materials.”
An Caiwei added a word of caution:
“He’s an elder who has touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul Realm. He’s older than my grandfather and is very conservative.”
“If you plan to visit him, you need to be careful with your words and actions.”
Bai Mo cupped his fists.
“I must ask Senior Sister to share this elder’s information with me.”
“Just you wait.”
An Caiwei left.
A few days later, she sent someone with a message.
The senior sister delivering the message arrived together with the same outer sect disciple from a few days ago.
This beautiful senior sister sized up the outer sect disciple, making him rather uneasy.
“Why are you doing someone else’s errands?”
“From the look on your face, you’re not happy being the middleman. I suppose the person who asked for your help isn’t a very pleasant character either, are they?”
The senior sister’s sharp insight made the outer sect disciple break out in a sweat.
He could only cup his fists and avert his gaze.
“Senior Sister, please don’t mock me. It’s just that the person is from my hometown and pressured me by bringing up our old friendship. I had no choice but to come…”
Bai Mo came out to greet the two of them.
The senior sister from Silkworm Valley took a step back and said to Bai Mo:
“Junior Brother, you have another guest. He arrived a moment before I did, so let him speak first.”
Ah Er, who was carrying used bowls and chopsticks to be washed, happened to glance outside.
He then ran over, calling out and gesturing that this was the same person from a few days ago.
The outer sect disciple took a handwritten letter from his sleeve.
“Brother Bai, please take a look. This is a letter my fellow townsman insisted I bring for your viewing.”
“He said that after you read it, you would surely be moved and agree to meet with them.”
‘So they’re still such arrogant people.’
Bai Mo didn’t want to embarrass the disciple, so he accepted the letter and examined it closely.
A moment later, Bai Mo sighed.
The letter contained a few treatises on the Alchemy Dao, which, compared to mainstream theories, took a highly unconventional approach.
The author was clearly extremely confident, writing with impassioned fervor and at great length.
However, in Bai Mo’s opinion, out of the long, rambling text, less than thirty percent of the content was useful, and even those parts were disconnected from each other.
To an alchemist with a short temper, it would have been complete and utter nonsense.
Returning the letter to the disciple, Bai Mo said:
“Your fellow townsman is likely an extremely conceited person.”
“His thoughts on the Alchemy Dao are too influenced by his emotions. He has fixated on trivial details and is nowhere near the level of true subtlety.”
“In my opinion, he is not suited for the Alchemy Dao. I will not see him. Tell him to go back.”
The outer sect disciple showed no resentment, instead bowing and cupping his fists.
“You are right, Brother Bai. His realm hasn’t advanced for a long time. I also felt something was amiss.”
Bai Mo still had a considerable reputation in the outer sect. The disciple had heard of him and knew his temperament.
He was far too embarrassed to try and defend his arrogant and unskilled fellow townsman.
And so, he departed.
Only then did the senior sister from Silkworm Valley step forward with a smile, taking out a slip of paper and handing it to Bai Mo.
“Here, this is the address of that senior of the Alchemy Dao.”
“When you go, Junior Brother, if you speak politely, all will be well. But if you offend the senior, don’t you dare say we were the ones who introduced you…”
The slip of paper was pressed into Bai Mo’s hand, and he gave a wry smile.
“Understood.”
He thought for a moment, then took out a rosy Pill and placed it in her hand.
“This Pill replenishes Qi and blood. For an ordinary person, it also has the effect of beautifying the complexion and smoothing the flow of energy. Please accept it, Senior Sister.”
The beautiful senior sister shot him a sideways glance, gracefully accepted the Pill, and drifted away.
“So you do know how to handle things. It wasn’t a total waste for me to delay my elder’s business to make a special trip to Mi Mountain…”
Bai Mo shook his head and unfolded the slip of paper to look.
A line of characters was written on it—an address, along with the name of the sect senior.
Returning to his residence on Mi Mountain, Bai Mo burned incense and bathed, giving instructions to Ah Er as he did.
“We’re going on a trip. Tidy yourself up. Don’t be slovenly.”
“And remember to prepare a gift…”