parentshiftbook Chapter 264: Li Qingzhao
Chapter 264: Li Qingzhao
Three hours later, Zhang Ping slowly walked out of the Flying Pavilion's base, carrying the meteorite and the heart of the divine tree that he had exchanged for with spirit coins.
Standing on the bustling main street of Penglai Immortal City, he stopped and glanced at the rows of shops on both sides. The aroma of pills from the pill shops mingled with the metallic scent of the weapon-refining workshops, and street vendors loudly hawked the hides and inner cores freshly stripped from demonic beasts. Cultivators in all sorts of attire thronged the area, creating an incredibly lively scene.
The prosperity of Penglai Immortal City is second to none in the entire Taihu Lake Region. The city's rulers have always adhered to the rule of openness and inclusiveness, welcoming merchants and cultivators from all over the world. Even two forces with deep-seated blood feuds would never dare to fight within the Immortal City—this is an ironclad rule established with blood over countless years.
For independent cultivators, this is the closest place to paradise in the entire Taihu Lake region. Next are the affiliated cities of the three major sects. It's not that the power of the three major sects is inferior to that of Penglai Immortal City, but rather that sects have their own rules and cannot accept a massive number of independent cultivators and people from various forces without any barriers, unlike the Immortal City.
Zhang Ping chuckled softly, a deeper realization dawning on him. The administrative system of Penglai Immortal City was inherently more suited to commercial development than that of sects. Here, there were no tangled master-disciple or blood-related relationships. The several Supreme Elders at the Hegemon Body Realm never interfered in specific affairs, leaving everything to their subordinates. Yet, anyone who dared to engage in favoritism, corruption, or embezzlement would die faster than anyone else.
The three major sects are different. They have been passed down for thousands of years, with all sorts of intricate relationships and connections everywhere. If you want to do anything, you have to go through many twists and turns first.
"It does bear a striking resemblance to certain aspects of my past life."
He secretly began to plan. The Yin-Yang Sword Sect couldn't rely on him constantly "picking up" things to supplement its income. In the future, the sect needed stable sales channels for the talismans, pills, and weapons it crafted. It seemed he would have to establish a dedicated trading caravan upon returning, specifically to handle business with Penglai Immortal City.
After getting a basic understanding of the city's commercial layout, Zhang Ping didn't linger. Before it got completely dark, he headed straight for the eastern edge of the city.
Half an hour later, he stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard.
The villa occupies a considerable area, but its outer walls are quite old, covered with lush green ivy that has grown taller than the walls, swaying gently in the evening breeze. Just as I stood still, a loud, energetic bark echoed from the courtyard.
Zhang Ping was slightly taken aback, then raised his hand and released a gentle stream of spiritual energy into the protective formation in front of the gate.
"My name is Zhang Ping. I have come to visit Fellow Daoist Li after being introduced by Fellow Daoist Moyu."
After a moment of spiritual energy entering, a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanated from the wooden door, and the protective array slowly dissipated. With a creak, the heavy wooden door opened from the inside.
Instead of a courtyard, what came into view was a screen wall made of blue bricks, standing alone behind the door, blocking the view from the outside. This kind of design to prevent prying eyes is common in the mortal world, but rarely appears in the residence of a cultivator.
Zhang Ping glanced at her a few more times, and couldn't help but feel a little more curious about this fellow Daoist, Li Qingzhao, whom he had never met before.
Previously at the Flying Pavilion, he had formally invited Mo Yu to serve as a guest elder at the Yin Yang Sword Sect, but she politely declined. Mo Yu had a prior agreement with the Flying Pavilion that even when not on missions, she was responsible for organizing the pavilion's ancient books and sorting out flight routes in various regions. In addition, her own cultivation required time, so she simply couldn't spare the time. However, she was enthusiastic and immediately recommended one of her friends to Zhang Ping—Li Qingzhao, who was also a cultivator at the Divine Harmony Realm.
When Zhang Ping heard the name, he was stunned for a long time. He felt a strange sense of familiarity. It took him a long time to realize that this was the same name as the famous female poet from his previous life.
"Woof woof woof!"
As he rounded the screen wall, the even louder barking of dogs pulled him back to reality.
Moss grew in the cracks of the bluestone slabs underfoot, and green vines spread along the corners of the walls. The entire courtyard was divided in the middle by a gravel path, and apart from this path, the open spaces on both sides had been cultivated into neat vegetable gardens! Lush green vegetables, bright red peppers, and cucumbers hanging on trellises were growing vigorously, extending all the way to the eaves.
At the end of the path, there is a lush osmanthus tree on each side. Under the osmanthus tree on the right, there is a stone table and several stone chairs, and a faint aroma of tea wafts from the celadon teacups.
A woman dressed in plain white cloth sat on a stone bench, her trouser legs still stained with fresh yellow mud, clearly having just been working in the vegetable garden. She held a teacup in her hand, calmly observing Zhang Ping. A large yellow dog lay at her feet, baring its teeth and growling at him. On the stone table beside her, a lazy tabby cat curled up, its eyes half-closed, too lazy to move.
Zhang Ping immediately recognized her as Li Qingzhao. He quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Zhang Ping, greetings to Fellow Daoist Li."
Li Qingzhao nodded slightly, her tone gentle and warm: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, there's no need for such formality. Please sit down."
Zhang Ping sat down at the stone table, observing the other woman without making a sound. She appeared to be around thirty years old, with faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Clearly, she hadn't deliberately used spiritual power to conceal her appearance, allowing the years to leave their natural marks. She didn't exude any of the imposing aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator; instead, she radiated a serene tranquility, as if she were truly an ordinary peasant woman living in seclusion in the mountains.
Looking at the vegetable garden that filled the yard, Zhang Ping immediately made up his mind—this kind of reclusive cultivator who has seen through the vanities of the world and dislikes conflict is simply the best candidate for a guest elder!
"As for your purpose, Moyu has already informed me." Li Qingzhao reached out and gently patted the head of the big yellow dog at her feet. The dog, which had been baring its teeth, immediately became docile, lay down on the ground, and wagged its tail.
Her hands were slender with long, delicate fingers, but Zhang Ping could clearly see a thin layer of calluses on her palms and fingertips. This should never have appeared on a pampered Nascent Soul cultivator.
After saying this, Li Qingzhao stopped talking, but picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
Zhang Ping immediately understood and got straight to the point: "If you have any requests, please feel free to make them. As long as they are within the capabilities of the Yin Yang Sword Sect, I will do my best to fulfill them."
Li Qingzhao didn't mince words and said frankly, "Many years ago, I fought a deadly battle with my enemy. Although I eventually killed him, I also suffered severe internal injuries, which delayed the best time for treatment and left me with a chronic illness. Now, I can only exert 70% of my strength."
"To slowly heal the injuries, in addition to taking a few spiritual medicines every month, one must also stay in an environment rich in wood-attribute spiritual energy for a long time."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Ping immediately replied, his tone very sincere: "That's easy. There's a special medicinal garden on the back mountain of my sect, equipped with a medium-sized spirit-gathering array, where the wood-attribute spiritual energy is extremely rich. If you're willing to come, I can immediately set aside the best area specifically for you to grow the wood-attribute spiritual herbs you need. As for your monthly medication, the sect will cover it all."