While Nie Shiyun’s thoughts were fixed on ascending, Zhai Bairong, already in the upper layer, was exhausting every means to find a way down.
He had been delayed for some time within the Phoenix Clan’s territory. After leaving their lands, he had often wondered if Nie Shiyun had already reached the Upper Celestial Realm, and whether he had heard that the Phoenixes resided in the upper layer and was currently on his way to find them. Zhai Bairong knew that staying put in the upper layer to wait for him was the most prudent course of action; the Upper Celestial Realm was even vaster than he had imagined, and if both of them spent their time wandering in search of the other, they might very well miss each other entirely.
Logic dictated this path, yet Zhai Bairong found it difficult to convince himself to wait around doing nothing. He had not just arrived in the Upper Celestial Realm yesterday; over time, he had gradually gathered a significant amount of information. He realized that a Deity Transformation cultivation was simply not enough to command respect here, which inevitably led to him worrying for Nie Shiyun.
Though Nie Shiyun usually acted with great prudence, Zhai Bairong knew all too well that his partner would make incredibly bold decisions whenever he deemed them necessary. While Nie Shiyun always seemed to turn peril into safety, it was enough to give his Dao companion a constant fright.
At this thought, Zhai Bairong fell into a pensive silence, his palm lightly brushing the cauldron before him. A lingering warmth still radiated from the furnace walls; it had been quite a while since his last batch of pills had been completed. Zhai Bairong was startled to realize that he had lost himself in thought for half an hour just by thinking of the other man.
Just then, a knock sounded on the door of the Earth-Fire Room.
"Apologies, I hope I didn't interrupt your refining? I couldn't feel any heat from the fire outside, and your allotted time has passed..."
Zhai Bairong hurriedly put away his cauldron and deactivated the restriction on the door.
"Senior. My apologies, I was lost in thought and lost track of time."
"It’s no matter. I was just a bit puzzled when I saw the time restriction hadn't been lifted. It’s fine if you need to use it a bit longer." The female cultivator outside waved her hand, signaling him not to take it to heart.
Zhai Bairong breathed a small sigh of relief.
Several months ago.
After Zhai Bairong left the Phoenix Clan’s territory, he had inquired everywhere about how cultivators traveled between the layers and eventually made his way to a nearby port. Upon learning that a ticket for the immortal ship traveling between the upper and middle layers cost a staggering four hundred thousand immortal crystals, Zhai Bairong couldn't help but gasp, even though he already knew how severely spirit stones had depreciated in the Upper Celestial Realm.
He never expected that he would one day find himself fretting over money.
The various clans and sects did not recruit year-round. The population mobility in this area was very low; many clans hadn't accepted outsiders for hundreds of years. Zhai Bairong had no choice but to give up on that route. Lacking experience in running a business alone, he felt quite troubled as he asked around the town.
He wasn't one to put on airs and asked at every possible place. However, whenever he went to a restaurant or inn to ask the owner if they needed help, they would look him up and down and conclude he must be joking. They would say things like, "Honored guest, please don't tease me," before asking what he wanted to order for dinner. This happened many times, leaving Zhai Bairong feeling unexpectedly frustrated.
Finally, he found a pill shop in a town near the port. Although they weren't actively hiring, Zhai Bairong stated that he was an alchemist capable of refining Spirit-grade pills. At the time he entered the shop, there happened to be quite a few customers. The owner’s sharp eyes noticed that as soon as Zhai Bairong walked in, the eyes of many female cultivators uncontrollably gravitated toward him. After a quick calculation in his head, the owner made an exception and let him stay.
Zhai Bairong didn't know the underlying reason, but overall, he was quite relieved.
This was a large-scale pill shop in the town. Although it didn't bear a specific name, it was backed by the influence of a local clan. The shop sold finished pills, spiritual herbs for alchemy, and even various types of alchemical fires. Such a large and comprehensive shop didn't exist in the lower cultivation world, and Zhai Bairong couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
Upon learning that the pill shop had its own alchemy rooms and alchemists to provide basic stock, Zhai Bairong suggested to the owner who hired him that he could go to the back to help out. Even if it was menial work, an alchemist would be more adept at it than an outsider.
"No, you stay right here in the shop. I’m paying you a higher wage than those working in the alchemy rooms!" the owner insisted.
Zhai Bairong found it hard to refuse; he was indeed receiving a salary that was quite generous compared to his workload. His daily job consisted of sitting in the shop, chatting with customers when they arrived, weighing out a few portions of spiritual herbs, or packing a few pills according to the requested quantity.
Some of the other cultivators working at the front desk found out his pay was higher than theirs and were quite dissatisfied. However, they didn't dare protest to the owner because... ever since Zhai Bairong arrived, business had truly improved significantly. Moreover, the customers were almost exclusively young ladies!
"Alchemist Zhai, I’ve finished all the Youth-Retaining Pills I bought last time. Give me some more. Sigh, maintaining one's appearance is so expensive..."
"I want some too, I want some too!"
"I just need some Spirit-grade Spirit-Restoring Pills."
"I also want to buy some herbs. Alchemist Zhai, please help me pick out a few portions of Purple Monkey Flower..."
Zhai Bairong glanced awkwardly at the empty counter next to him and said tactfully, "I’m a bit busy here. Why don't you let someone else in the shop help you..."
"No need! We can wait."
"Exactly, exactly."
Several female cultivators who had come together huddled together, chattering away.
The owner appeared at the right moment, chuckling. "Fellow Daoists, why not come over here first and look at the newly arrived alchemical fires? Just browse around. Look, this is a high-quality item we just acquired recently..."
Seeing the women’s attention being drawn away by the owner, Zhai Bairong let out a sigh of relief as if he had been rescued.
If he hadn't realized by now why the owner had specifically kept him around, he would be a fool.
*Does this count as... selling my charms?*
Zhai Bairong thought of the fact that he already had a Dao companion and frowned slightly, his heart feeling quite conflicted.
In the distance, two female cultivators whispered to each other: "Look, he looks a bit troubled but too polite to speak up. So handsome."
"I understand..."
Completely unaware that his look of confusion only served to brighten the moods of these young ladies from great clans, Zhai Bairong tried his best not to give any response that could be misunderstood. Wearing a polite but cool smile, he went about the business of packing pills.
"Are we really that ugly? It shouldn't be." On the other side of the counter, the other cultivators were bored stiff, huddled together and whispering their dissatisfaction.
"You've lost completely in terms of temperament."
Everyone was startled and turned around to see a senior alchemist from the back alchemy rooms. She was currently carrying a crate of pill bottles and spiritual herbs, clearly there to restock.
"Senior Yan, thank you for your hard work. We’ve been seeing you quite often lately; the last restock was only two days ago." The idle cultivators finally had something to do and immediately took the items to categorize and shelve them.
"It’s all thanks to him. The back alchemy rooms have been very busy lately." Alchemist Yan was in a great mood. Although the alchemists in the back also received a monthly salary, they got extra commissions when business was good. Recently had been the busiest period they'd seen in a long time.
"Does Senior Yan also like that type?" one cultivator whispered.
"Haha, everyone has an appreciation for beauty," Alchemist Yan didn't deny it.
"But look at him, he doesn't appreciate the kindness of these female cultivators at all. Even so, everyone is still rushing to find him?" the person next to her said sourly.
As if to prove his point, Zhai Bairong handed a pill bottle to a customer in the distance. When the latter tried to use the opportunity to lean in closer, Zhai Bairong had already stepped back two paces without leaving a trace.
"That’s exactly why people are curious," Alchemist Yan said with a look of "you guys don't understand" as she scanned the group of disgruntled male cultivators.
"Alchemist Zhai, are there any pills here that you refined yourself?" a cultivator who had come for the first time asked curiously from outside the counter.
Zhai Bairong replied, "My apologies, no. Most of the pills our shop sells are Immortal-grade. I can only refine Spirit-grade pills; they wouldn't be worthy of your notice."
"It doesn't matter. Spirit-grade pills can be sold a bit cheaper; we can buy them in bulk. Boss, do you even know how to do business?" The female cultivator outside the counter happened to spot the shop owner by the alchemical fire cabinet. Most of them were regular customers and expressed their dissatisfaction quite bluntly.
Zhai Bairong kindly advised, "Seniors, you likely know better than I, and it might be meddlesome of me to say this... but all medicine has a trace of toxicity. Please do not buy large quantities of pills just to support the shop's business. The sentiment alone is enough."
"Your boss is right there, and yet you say such things! Next time, wait until he’s not around to tell us secretly." The woman in front of him laughed merrily. Not only did she not stop because of Zhai Bairong’s warning, but she actually bought several more items.
"It’s fine, I’ll buy them to feed my spirit pets."
Zhai Bairong: "...Alright then."
The people in the upper layer of the Upper Celestial Realm lived quite extravagantly.
Seeing the owner nearby smiling so widely his eyes were mere slits, Zhai Bairong helplessly packed several more drawers of pills for the customers before him.
That night, after the shop closed, the owner changed his mind and allowed Zhai Bairong to go to the back alchemy rooms to refine medicine. Upon hearing this news, not only did the cultivators in the shop have a few words to say, but even the junior alchemists working their way up from the bottom in the back rooms were somewhat indignant. However, they had already heard that Zhai Bairong was saving money to go to the middle layer and wouldn't be staying long, so they didn't make a scene.
Zhai Bairong also knew he was being envied by many of the male cultivators in the shop. Although this method of earning money differed slightly from what he had imagined, as long as he could save enough, it was fine for now. Zhai Bairong planned to head to the middle layer by the next spring equinox; once he left, he likely wouldn't return.
From then on, Zhai Bairong began a schedule of four days on and three days off. On the days he wasn't on duty at the shop, he refined pills in the back. After the pills were finished and checked for quality by the shop's inspectors, Zhai Bairong would personally bring them to the front.
During his days off, the male cultivators in the shop finally didn't have to spend every day watching their own counters go ignored while a man across from them was pursued by a crowd of women. They could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
If you asked if they were jealous—of course they were! In the path of cultivation, the human race had always had more men than women, and the female cultivators living in the upper layer especially had very high standards. This group of brothers working in the shop hadn't managed to find a single Dao companion among them!
One day after the shop closed, someone watched Zhai Bairong as he finally escaped the crowd of women. Seeing his look of relief, the man said sourly, "Brother Zhai truly has good fortune. You must know how many daughters of wealthy families are among those women who come every day? If you could marry into one of their families, you wouldn't have to squeeze in here with us to earn this hard-earned money. Forget the ship fare to the middle layer; you could travel back and forth eighty times without a care."
Zhai Bairong had just stepped out from behind the counter. Hearing this, he froze for a moment.
"Fellow Daoists, you've misunderstood. I have no such intention. I already have a Dao companion; I’m going to the middle layer specifically to find him."
"Huh!?"
"What, what..."
"How come we never heard about this!"
Instantly, the group of bachelors grew excited and crowded around Zhai Bairong.
They were very curious about what kind of Dao companion a man like Zhai Bairong—who could maintain his distance even when faced with wealthy young ladies who were both talented and beautiful—would have.
"She must be a beauty on the level of a celestial, right? Dammit, I’m so jealous..."
"Does your wife know you're surrounded by a crowd of women here? If she found out, it would be disastrous, wouldn't it?" someone said gloatingly.
Zhai Bairong waited for the noisy voices to finally die down before finding an opening to correct them: "You've misunderstood again. My Dao companion is male."
"..."
The cultivators who had been talking all at once fell silent in an instant, completely choked up.
"I believe my actions have not crossed any lines," Zhai Bairong murmured.
He felt that even if Nie Shiyun knew, he wouldn't be angry, as this was a necessity of the situation. Hadn't Nie Shiyun himself praised that Phoenix woman for being beautiful?
...Zhai Bairong had remembered that for quite a long time.
The cultivators remained speechless for a good while. What kind of situation was this? The wealthy young ladies they pined for looked down on them, and as it turned out, the man those ladies liked didn't even like women!
Suddenly, the bitterness in their hearts faded significantly.
"So that’s how it is..."
"Th-this... Brother Zhai remains unmoved even in the face of so many beauties. Your companion must be a man of striking appearance and talent as well."
To ease the awkwardness in the air, one cultivator took the initiative to smooth things over.
Thinking of Nie Shiyun, Zhai Bairong couldn't help but let out a trace of a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart. He had no intention of discussing his partner in detail with this group, so he simply agreed, "Yes. He is very good."
Three simple words, yet they gave the cultivators a bout of goosebumps. Zhai Bairong’s usual polite smile was enough to make a crowd of women excited, but looking at it now, that smile had been terribly fake. When talking about that unknown Dao companion, Zhai Bairong’s smile was truly something that left one speechless.
The group made up their minds never to ask Zhai Bairong about this matter again. Forget women; that smile even had a certain lethality toward men...
"If you have no other business, I will take my leave first," Zhai Bairong asked politely. Seeing that they had nothing urgent to say, he turned and left.
The cultivators watched him go and looked at each other, their previous hostility having mostly dissipated.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 上天界 | Upper Celestial Realm | The higher realm where the story takes place. |
| 仙晶 | Immortal Crystals | The high-level currency used in the Upper Celestial Realm. |
| 灵级 | Spirit-grade | A tier of pills/items below Immortal-grade. |
| 仙级 | Immortal-grade | A high tier of pills/items in the Upper Celestial Realm. |
| 驻颜丹 | Youth-Retaining Pill | A pill used to maintain a youthful appearance. |
| 回灵丹 | Spirit-Restoring Pill | A pill used to recover spiritual energy. |
| 紫猴花 | Purple Monkey Flower | A type of spiritual herb. |
| 入赘 | Matrilocal marriage | The act of a man marrying into the wife's family, often implying a lower status for the husband. |
