49: Chapter 48 Overwhelmed by Emotion 49: Chapter 48 Overwhelmed by Emotion Da Feng Tower, one of the best eateries in Jin City, not only boasts unique flavors but is also rumored to serve culinary delights made with Demon Beast’s spirit flesh; naturally, with their means, they couldn’t afford such delicacies that required payment with Spirit Stones, so they had to settle for the top-tier ingredients among common fare.

What to eat wasn’t important; what mattered was that everyone was happy.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, the atmosphere became more animated, and people were less restrained in their interactions.

Tao Ji began to probe,

“Junior Brother Hou, are you heading straight to the Capital Commandant’s office after the assignment?”

Hou Niao had also mingled in officialdom and, though he disliked it, it didn’t mean he didn’t understand the ropes; coming across such situations, one must never speak frankly.

One had to be vague, ambiguous, and thought-provoking; that was the highest realm.

“How could that be?

If I, the Junior Brother, enter the Capital Commandant’s office with my current realm, wouldn’t that be an embarrassment to Chuping Capital Commandant?

I must first gain experience in the various official departments in Jin City…”

First, to gain experience, and then…

Such words were intentionally setting a trap; it could also possibly mean being dispatched to other places afterward, leading to a mediocre mix…

Wan Shouqi raised his wine cup, “That won’t take too much time.

I see that Junior Brother Hou has made accomplishments in Energy Induction and will surely reach Essence Building within half a year to a year.

By then, with Junior Brother at the Capital Commandant’s office to look after us, we will all feel much relieved.”

Everyone drank up, lifting each other’s spirits; Hou Niao subtly changed the subject,

“Senior Brother Gong is about to embark on a long journey, may I ask where to?

It seems a bit rushed on time…”

Gong Chengyi sighed, “Junior Brother may not know, a month’s deadline is just the last deadline; it’s not necessary to wait until the end.

Good places and positions are always in short supply.

With our backgrounds and strengths, to fight for the most sought-after positions is quite a struggle, so the best strategy for us is to settle for the next best thing.

Instead of aiming for the best, we settle for the next best.

While others fiercely compete for the few good positions, we secure our benefits first.

Although we won’t get the best, at the very least, we won’t end up with the worst…”

Hou Niao sighed inwardly; none of those out in the world were simple.

Gu Weixin took over the conversation, “Not only Senior Brother Gong, but the rest of us will also be leaving one after another in the next few days.

This is the inevitable choice for Cultivators with some connections but not strong ones.

It saves us from competing over and over again.

Senior Brother Gong will head to Chongshan Town, which is plagued with Mountain Demons.

The advantage is that the Quanzhen power there is strong, with a Tongxuan Master at the helm, and the economy is thriving with order.

It’s a good place to practice Cultivation, and for newbies, it’s also considered an upper-town.”

Gong Chengyi managed a wry smile, “It’s not quite an upper-town, but it’s a fair mid-to-upper town at best.

Even for such a place, I’ve spent quite a bit of my savings and invested in many connections; even a few days late, and I might not have secured it.

I set my sights there because it has Demons to eliminate; not only can I enhance my combat abilities, but I can also acquire some Demon Cores to offset household expenses…”

Tao Ji sighed, “It’s just that there’s some danger; the mountains are high and the forests dense.

You must be careful, Senior Brother…”

Gong Chengyi nodded, “Where is there no danger?

Where are there no Demons?

At least Chongshan Town has a Tongxuan Master holding the fort; I believe it’s all under control.

I’ve looked into the casualty rates of Quanzhen disciples in the Da Feng Plain over the years, and Chongshan Town is relatively low.

That’s already quite good.

If I were to be sent to those desolate and treacherous mountains, there’d be no time even for tears.”

Hunting demons is the best way to maximize one’s strength, which is very important for the Quanzhen Demon Sect.

In cultivation, strength is paramount.

In the Daoist Sects, you can strategize on paper, but in the Demon Sects, it’s about actual combat.

Without the ability, even if you’re pushed into a high position, you won’t be able to cope and it will be even more dangerous.

Therefore, the presence of demons in the area is not scary; the key is that the threat of the demons must be controllable, providing both benefits and a chance to exercise one’s abilities.

Such a place is considered to be prime; as for the thought of venturing into dangerous mountains and treacherous waters to expand one’s territory, they shouldn’t even consider it with their current abilities.

Wan Shouqi felt somewhat gloomy; just thinking about the future made him feel a sense of powerlessness.

He came from a prominent family in Anhe Country, with a wife and children, among others, which meant he had many more concerns.

“I wonder how the communication channels to Anhe are doing?

It’s been a year and a half since I left home, and I have no idea how things are there?

Although Shan Country’s Quanzhen confronts the Anhe Daoist, regular correspondence should still be smooth, right?”

Tao Ji teased, “Junior Brother Wan seems to have chosen the wrong profession.

While devoted to cultivation, his heart remains with his family.

Could it be that he can’t cultivate in peace without hearing news from home?”

Abandoning one’s family and livelihood for the pursuit of cultivation is not the norm for all cultivators; especially for low-rank cultivators with living parents and existing wives and children, most of them don’t reach the Tongxuan realm, and their lifespan is no different from ordinary people.

Under such circumstances, it’s impossible for them to disregard their families.

After all, it’s natural for people to leave themselves a way out.

Like these men, who are all in their twenties or thirties, an age of many ties—with elderly parents and young children—it’s only logical that while striving for themselves, they also harbor the thought of returning home to retire if their cultivation fails.

Gu Weixin considered for a moment, “The Quanzhen Sect does not forbid disciples from communicating with their hometowns, but finding the specific channels for it is difficult.

If you were to send your letter through Jin City and wait for someone to carry it forward, it would take a very long time.

The best method is to send the letter directly to the Border City, as they have more channels to Anhe.”

Cultivation is not omnipotent.

The ability to deliver a talisman across a thousand miles instantaneously is not something these lesser cultivators could achieve.

They still had to rely on the normal courier stations of the mortal world, which takes considerably longer and is vastly complicated by the need to transfer across the borders of two countries.

“Shan Country has many bordering points with Anhe, involving over a dozen towns and cities.

However, if we talk about convenient and efficient transport, nothing beats the route between Jiangyou Town and Liuyang City.

If we could get the letter to Jiangyou, we could save a lot of time, but we’re not familiar with the Sword Mansion there.”

Relationships need to be cultivated slowly over time; they cannot be built up in just a few years.

Besides, we’re not all gathered together to communicate with one another; being scattered across Da Feng Plain, we seldom have the chance to meet each other, which indeed makes it difficult.

Hou Niao spoke up, “I happen to know a few Sword Mansion patrol officers in Jiangyou Town, I should be able to get the letter to Liuyang quickly.

But after that, I’m afraid I can’t be of help anymore.”

Wan Shouqi was overjoyed, “After it gets to Liuyang, there’s no need to worry, my family has business there…

Junior Brother Hou, you have done a great favor for your senior brother, please accept my gratitude.”

Hou Niao quickly stood up, and there was a bit of back-and-forth.

He wasn’t just meddling in others’ business out of boredom—it was his intent to test the reliability of information transmission between the two countries by conveying hometown news.

When the time was right, he could use this channel to maintain contact with Daoist Chong Ling.

Daoist Chong Ling once said that after his significant contributions, he could return to Anhe and enter the Daoist Sect.

Therefore, establishing and maintaining a communications channel was crucial.

He couldn’t personally travel to and fro, so he had to put effort into other areas.

There was a sense of using fellow villagers for his ends, but isn’t that what fellow villagers are for?

Establishing a channel for regular family correspondence now could become useful when it really matters…

…

Spring insects fly against the netted door, evening sparrows hide among the flower branches.

In the shadowy places as dusk falls, the time comes to strike back.