Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Heavenly River City, Mortals and Cultivators
Tianhe City.
A group of mortal youths who were diligently exercising their bodies suddenly looked up in unison.
They saw the clouds parting, a white cloud boat silently emerging and then landing on the tallest mountain in the city.
Their eyes were instantly filled with joy.
"It’s an Immortal!"
"Ah, is it this year’s wheat?"
"I wonder if the Immortals will take in disciples this year?"
The elder standing beside them also gazed up at the high mountain, and after a moment, he withdrew his gaze and authoritatively swept his eyes over the youths:
"Go ahead, this is a benefit the Immortals are giving you."
"If you have the opportunity, staying by the side of an Immortal is a good thing."
With his words, the youths immediately cheered, bowed to the elder in unison, and began to climb the high mountain.
There were naturally slopes and forests along the way, but they couldn’t stop them at all.
They were the most clever and diligent group of youths in Tianhe City. They honed their bodies every day and had learned some of the texts left by the Four Seasons Sect disciples stationed there, suitable for mortal cultivation.
But the biggest problem was that their Spirit Roots were not very good.
If they wished to pursue a path of Magic cultivation and Divine Techniques, it would be very difficult, but going the route of a Body Cultivator was quite good.
The mortal elder knew that if an Immortal chose them, allowing them to leave and enter a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land in the Immortal Realm, it would be a good thing.
They quickly reached the mountaintop along a path they had walked countless times since childhood.
At this time, several muscular and agile golden monkeys were carrying bundles of wheat from the cloud boat.
These grains had been sun-dried and only needed minor processing to become flour.
Two "Immortals" in blue Taoist robes were chatting with the Immortal Master stationed there, and the youths stopped abruptly, standing honestly on the side.
The guardian there was a female cultivator.
When she saw the youths hurry over, she smiled warmly at Li Ye:
"Junior Brother Li, each year many mortal youths from Tianhe City go to the sect to serve as laborers.
Here, though vast and boundless, is nearly impossible for mortals to reach the end within a lifetime. But after a century, it still becomes just a mound of yellow earth; the path of cultivation depends on opportunity and resources.
If you find any suitable, let me know. These youths are carefully nurtured by Tianhe City, educated by the sect, skilled in farming and watering, thorough in both mind and practice.
Returning to the sect with you would also be an opportunity for them."
After saying so, she cupped her hands to Li Ye, her words sincere.
She had been guarding there for a full hundred years, almost witnessing those children grow into youths, yet unable to enter the true Cultivation Realm, living their lives in the mundane world.
Indeed, the regions allocated by the founder of the Four Seasons Sect through Jianmu were all interconnected.
The area was vast, far exceeding other domains allocated to mortals, and there was absolutely no worry about demonic cultivators causing trouble.
Yet she watched those youths who became famous in the martial world fade away, their beauty turning to bones, feeling a pang of sigh and reluctance.
Alas, even the Four Seasons Sect could only do so much, gradually increasing the number of mortals with Spirit Roots through generations of cultivation.
But making everyone capable of cultivation has yet to be realized.
So lately, whenever someone comes, she tries to recommend them.
At least the senior brothers and sisters who can come here have been carefully selected, so there’s no worry for mortals following them.
"Why would Senior Sister say such things?"
But Li Ye felt somewhat awkward. Living so comfortably, he had no intention of having laborers to serve him, feeling a bit odd.
This "Senior Sister" was rather presumptuous, making him somewhat uncomfortable.
"Sigh." Su Ya shook his head at the female cultivator: "Junior Sister Liu, you’re indeed overreaching.
If Junior Brother Li is willing, naturally he will have interest. What you’re doing goes against the sect rules!"
The female cultivator sighed helplessly: "Indeed, Junior Sister has overstepped.
Junior Brother Li, the water gate of Tianhe Mountain has opened. Should I have a clever youth take you there to have a look?"
"Mm?" Tianhe Mountain Water Gate?
What was that thing?
Just as Li Ye was puzzled, Su Ya leaned in to whisper: "Did you bring the Shining Gold with Qi Fortune?
In a while, when you reach the water gate, scatter the Shining Gold into Elder Turtle’s pond.
The elder will bestow some benefits upon you."
This Elder Turtle, could he be the God that Su Ya mentioned who shelters here?
Li Ye knew what needed to be done and nodded: "Alright, then please trouble Senior Sister."
Junior Sister Liu smiled, "You’re welcome."
She gestured toward the well-behaved youths standing in the distance:
"A clever one, come and take my Junior Brother to meet Elder Turtle. The rest, move the wheat down the mountain with the Golden Apes!"
Those youths seemed to murmur among themselves, and a tall, wheat-skinned handsome youth emerged.
He walked over with some excitement and saluted the group: "Zhao He greets you, Immortals!"
The female cultivator nodded casually: "Off you go."
Zhao He quickly looked at Li Ye, and seeing him nod, he eagerly led the way ahead.
After they left, Su Ya looked at the female cultivator: "How many years of lifespan do you have left?"
She answered nonchalantly: "About ten years, I suppose."
"Senior Brother, after I pass away, who will replace me as the Guardian of Tianhe City?"
Su Ya slowly walked aside and softly said:
"You can choose, Junior Sister Liu."
"However, you’ve been the link between the sect and Tianhe City, entangled with so much karma, so of course, you have merit."
"When you pass, a Nascent Soul elder will come, and if the Qi Fortune and merit you’ve accumulated over this century are enough, you can be conferred with the Immortal Seal and become the Earth and Mountain God of Tianhe."
"But you should know, even as Earth and Mountain Gods, assistance from cultivators is needed. Today, I’ve used some favor to bring Junior Brother Li here."
"I’ve brought him here; what happens next is up to you, but don’t do anything foolish."
"I still need to deliver wheat to other cities."
"Hopefully, you’ll have some gains before I return."
He patted Junior Sister Liu on the shoulder, then re-boarded the cloud boat, which slowly started and turned into a beam of light, departing.
The female cultivator looked in the direction Su Ya left, her eyes filled with hope.
She had worked hard for a hundred years, abandoning the prosperity of the Cultivation Realm, cultivating among humans, finally getting a chance to become an Earth and Mountain God.
Though if she wasn’t mistaken, this "Junior Brother Li" hadn’t even entered the sect yet, so why did Senior Brother Su need to expend favors to bring him here?
She turned to look at the quiet path behind her and pondered for a moment but decided not to follow.
She hoped that the child was clever enough to clearly explain the current situation of Tianhe City.
These cave worlds, inhabited by mortals, claim to be treated equally, but each year, there’s always a subtle difference in resource allocation.
They need help from those in the sect, and the latter needs sufficient merit; cooperation would naturally be best.
Moreover...some spirit plants can only yield seeds and seedlings here.