Xuan Yang’s dinner party concluded just as Nie Shiyun finished his own discussion.
The White Tiger Clan leader had primarily invited Senior Jin; Xuan Yang was merely an accompaniment. Xuan Yang had sensed this as well, finding the meal rather dull and becoming restless long before it ended.
Seeing Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong from a distance with their usual composed expressions, Xuan Yang figured everything had gone smoothly. He was somewhat surprised, however, that the two had only just finished speaking with the White Tiger Clan manager. Wasn't the matter of asking for help just a one-sentence affair?
"Is Senior Jin heading to the Dragon Clan next?" Nie Shiyun asked as he saw Xuan Yang approaching with Shen Yan. No matter how much prestige Senior Jin carried, those of them on the Dragon Clan’s blacklist didn't dare follow along. It seemed they would have to part ways here.
"Yeah. He gave me a communication stone and said to contact him whenever something comes up," Xuan Yang gave a strained smile. "But if he’s sleeping, he might not be able to reply for a while."
That "while" was hard to define; it could easily mean a hundred years.
Nie Shiyun nodded, having no objections. Given Senior Jin’s status, receiving such a promise was already worth a thousand pieces of gold. They didn't have the face to demand he be on call at their every whim.
"No rush. My formation skills are still a long way off from the Heaven Grade. It’s already a stroke of luck that Senior Jin is willing to help."
Xuan Yang agreed and asked Nie Shiyun how his talk with the White Tiger manager had gone.
"We'll talk on the way back."
It wasn't ideal to stand around chatting in someone else's territory. After bidding the White Tiger Clan farewell, the group hurriedly set off on their return journey.
Nie Shiyun had gotten along famously with the White Tiger manager. The man truly lived up to his position. Earlier at the banquet, he had only assumed Nie Shiyun had some minor interactions with the Phoenix Clan and hadn't taken him too seriously. But seeing them arrive together in private this time, the manager immediately recognized Nie Shiyun’s close relationship with Xuan Yang and shifted his perspective instantly.
The Phoenix Emperor had several sons, but this was the first time he had shown such favor to one like Xuan Yang.
The White Tiger Clan had proactively offered to help Nie Shiyun select a site for Yunqing Pavilion. This level of hospitality was far beyond Nie Shiyun’s expectations.
The core of a sect consisted of two things: first, the cultivators who anchored it, and second, the territory. The Upper Realm was vast and rich in resources, but that didn't mean every corner was a wild frontier. The areas with the most prosperous feng shui and spiritual veins had been occupied by major sects tens of thousands of years ago, and the various demon clans had carved out a significant portion as well.
Consequently, few new sects or families had emerged in the last millennium. Starting from scratch in a place with mediocre resources was a recipe for stagnant growth, but trying to squeeze into a prime location meant being suppressed by established sects working in tandem.
Even the cave dwelling where Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong currently resided was just a spot with decent feng shui they had found outside a town to make do for the time being.
"That’s a huge favor they’re doing you! Are they really that kind-hearted? Or does that fellow, the Phoenix Emperor, really have that much face?" Xuan Yang was also taken aback when he heard of the White Tiger Clan’s goodwill.
Nie Shiyun smiled. "Do you think they’re doing this for free? Helping find a piece of land is nothing to the deep-rooted White Tiger Clan. If Yunqing Pavilion fails to amount to anything, they lose nothing. But if Yunqing Pavilion truly achieves something in the future, the benefits they’ll receive won't be small."
Zhai Bairong added, "Indeed. I saw that the White Tiger manager came prepared. Even if the matter of Yunqing Pavilion falls through, they’ve already investigated Shiyun’s and my skills in artifact forging, alchemy, and formations. One way or another, they stand to gain in the future."
"Must be nice... Why can't I learn these crafts? Artifact forging, alchemy, formations, talismans, inscriptions—I can't learn a single one! Sigh, otherwise I’d be rolling in wealth by now," Xuan Yang said, his face full of envy.
Back in the lower realm, Nie Shiyun’s artifact forging was already very profitable. He hadn't expected that in the Upper Realm, this skill wouldn't depreciate in the slightest; talent was still a scarce commodity.
Seeing Xuan Yang’s look of profound grief, Nie Shiyun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He thought to himself that the reason was simple: they were all characters connected to the protagonist in the original book. Even a piece of cannon fodder like himself had to have some specialty, or he would have faded into the background as a nameless extra.
Xuan Yang’s role was likely designed to be that of a mascot, so it wasn't a problem if he couldn't master any technical arts.
"Those who can't learn are the majority. If everyone could do it, no one would make any money," Nie Shiyun explained, before changing the subject. "Stop thinking about that. Don't you have a new mission? Once the White Tiger Clan helps us choose a territory, you can start working."
Only then did Xuan Yang remember the matter, and his face lit up with joy.
Shen Yan and Zhai Bairong hadn't been present at the time and didn't know what riddles the two were speaking in, so they both looked toward them.
Thinking of giving Shen Yan a surprise with his first paycheck, Xuan Yang deliberately didn't mention that Nie Shiyun was paying him per head. He only said he was going to help establish the new Yunqing Pavilion. Shen Yan raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Wasn't that decided long ago?"
"What can I say? I’m forgetful," Xuan Yang said happily.
Zhai Bairong saw Nie Shiyun give him a silent smile and returned a knowing look that said, *I’ll hear the details from you once we’re back.*
The White Tiger Clan wasn't too far from the towns where humans gathered, and the group returned to their cave dwelling within a day.
Xuan Yang and Shen Yan’s side was well-hidden. Most people assumed Xuan Yang lived with his clan like the Phoenix Emperor’s other sons, and since Shen Yan rarely socialized, there were no traces of cultivators frequenting their dwelling.
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong’s side, however, was an exaggeration. The White Tiger manager’s comment about "the grass being trampled into a path" was no lie. When the two arrived at their entrance, they found a large patch of turf had gone completely bald.
Not only that, but even though the peak of the rumors had passed, many cultivators still hadn't given up. As soon as Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong descended from their flying swords, several enthusiastic cultivators sprang out from nowhere and surrounded them. Had they not sensed a lack of hostility, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong would have instinctively drawn their swords.
Having drifted about for over half a month, both were somewhat weary. They didn't want to haggle with these cultivators and politely declined their intentions of "representing a certain sect to discuss matters," turning around to duck into their cave dwelling and refusing to come out.
The representatives sent by the various sects and families were naturally unwilling to give up. They had waited for many days and finally saw the targets, only for them to hide after barely a few words. How were they supposed to report back?
"Sigh, the conditions my sect offered are enough to make even me envious."
"How good can your sect's conditions be? My family’s patriarch personally gave the orders; he takes this matter very seriously..."
The cultivators from different sects began to snipe at one another. On one hand, they couldn't stand their competitors; on the other hand, although they couldn't pass through the cave’s restrictions, if Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong wanted to investigate the situation outside, it was merely a thought away.
Perhaps those two were quietly observing the outside right now. Realizing they all had the same plan, none of the cultivators dared to leave immediately, each trying harder than the last to boast about their own side.
Inside the cave, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong did indeed watch the situation outside for a while. Once they had a general idea of which sects were involved, they cut off the one-way surveillance; otherwise, the noise would have made their ears ache.
Like a high-volume television suddenly being switched off, the cave became incredibly quiet.
Nie Shiyun let out a long breath. "After all that tossing and turning, we’re finally home. I didn't expect a crowd to be waiting to welcome us. It’s certainly lively."
"They seem to think we’re playing hard to get to raise our price. I wonder when they’ll realize that you and I truly have no interest in this," Zhai Bairong said, rubbing his temples as the noise had given him a slight headache. "...For mere messengers, they’re certainly putting in a lot of effort."
"These sects are competing with each other. If any of them can pull this off, the rewards for them will likely be immense." Nie Shiyun thought that if he were in their shoes, he would probably be just as diligent.
It was just like negotiating business deals for a company in his past life. Everyone was just trying to earn a living; it wasn't easy.
He looked at Zhai Bairong, who was slightly frowning, and thought there were exceptions. Bairong certainly wouldn't sell himself like that; he couldn't even imagine such a scene in a dream.
"Suppose a sect sent you to persuade a talent. What would you do?" Nie Shiyun asked curiously.
"Me?" Zhai Bairong was slightly stunned. "I’ve never been responsible for such things. If I truly had to do it, I could only bring my sincerity and explain everything clearly. Then, I would hope the other party agrees."
"Look at the situation outside. If you don't shout over everyone else, you probably won't even get a word in." Nie Shiyun gestured with his chin toward the now-silent entrance of the cave.
Zhai Bairong looked truly troubled. "If I absolutely had to, I could try, but the effect probably wouldn't be very good."
Nie Shiyun thought about it and decided the scene would be hilarious. Honestly, if the people around him knew Zhai Bairong, they would probably be so shocked by the first word he shouted that they’d be too scared to make a sound.
Seeing the corners of Nie Shiyun’s mouth curling up uncontrollably, Zhai Bairong shook his head helplessly. "You know I’m not cut out for that, yet you insist on making fun of me."
"I didn't say anything. I just imagined the scene for a moment," Nie Shiyun countered.
Seeing Zhai Bairong looking at him, Nie Shiyun felt his heart stir for the thousandth time in this life. He leaned forward and gave the other man’s lips a light peck. "Sorry, my apologies."
Zhai Bairong said with a half-smile, "I don't see a hint of apology in you."
With Xuan Yang and Shen Yan around previously, the two hadn't been very intimate. Finally back in their two-person world, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong spent some time being affectionate after their half-month apart.
Zhai Bairong asked what Xuan Yang was hiding from Shen Yan. Learning that he wanted to earn money to give the other a surprise, he wasn't surprised, merely noting it was exactly the kind of thing Xuan Yang would do.
"Shen Yan doesn't seem to like anything in particular. I expect if Xuan Yang just saves up the money and shows him the ledger, he’ll be satisfied," Nie Shiyun remarked.
Zhai Bairong glanced at him. "We don't know what he likes, but as his partner, Xuan Yang probably knows very well. It’s not our place to worry."
"True."
Nie Shiyun thought that to outsiders, Bairong probably seemed like someone with few worldly desires as well. Even so, Bairong actually had many things he enjoyed. For instance, he liked a quiet and elegant living environment, good tea, and calligraphy and paintings. And, of course, he liked Nie Shiyun very much.
At this thought, Nie Shiyun couldn't help but let out a satisfied smile.
As for Xuan Yang’s affairs, he could figure them out himself. Nie Shiyun only needed to know what Zhai Bairong liked.
"Now that Yunqing Pavilion has a foundation and Xuan Yang has appeared in the public eye, he’ll be running around looking for talent for a while. We need to keep up as well," Zhai Bairong said.
Nie Shiyun stretched, mentally tallying their tasks one by one. "Yeah. The two of us at the Body Integration stage isn't enough to look at. Mid-tier families all have Mahayana cultivators backing them; we have to work hard too. Once our cultivation is up, I’ll have to plan for forging new life-bound artifacts. Then there’s repairing the teleportation array. If I can't find a Heaven Grade formation master, I’ll have to search for more ancient texts to study. As for the sect... I can't leave everything to Xuan Yang and Shen Yan. I’ll have to handle the major negotiations myself..."
Zhai Bairong watched his profile as he muttered, gradually becoming lost in thought, and let out a soft sigh.
He took Nie Shiyun’s hand, which was resting on his knee, and gently rubbed it. Their hands were clearly the same size, yet Nie Shiyun’s knuckles were thicker, and there were a few calluses on his palm that hadn't faded.
A cultivator’s body had an extremely fast metabolism; such marks wouldn't easily remain. It was partly because Nie Shiyun didn't think calluses were a bad thing and hadn't bothered to remove them, but it also showed just how much time he truly spent on these various tasks.
Others only saw him as a genius who could slack off and still have his career and cultivation progress side-by-side. Zhai Bairong knew very well that because of the existence of the Space, Nie Shiyun had already spent several lifetimes' worth of time more than others on studying and practicing.
"Don't work yourself too hard. Just do your best. Things are already very good as they are."
"See, we still have plenty of time to be affectionate. I wouldn't call this working myself to death." Nie Shiyun found it quite pleasant that Zhai Bairong was suddenly feeling protective of him. Although he had listed a long string of to-do items, he didn't find them troublesome. Since they were all things he wanted to do, he had plenty of motivation.
Zhai Bairong said regretfully, "It’s just a pity my talent in formations is average. I found it difficult once I reached the late Mortal Grade. I won't be of much help to you regarding the teleportation array."
"Your success rate in alchemy is enough to scare people to death. How is that not helping me? I can use high-grade pills as easily as eating a meal. Outsiders would be green with envy if they knew," Nie Shiyun said with an exaggerated expression.
Zhai Bairong toyed with his palm, their fingers lightly interlacing and separating. To an outsider, it would look incredibly boring, but the two of them never seemed to tire of it.
Hearing Zhai Bairong give a soft hum in response, he didn't argue, but a trace of regret remained on his face. Nie Shiyun guessed that in his heart, Bairong still felt that alchemy was nothing compared to what Nie Shiyun did.
He thought to himself that if anyone else heard their conversation, no matter which side they listened to, they would probably be provoked to death by their words.
***
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 207 | Laying the Foundation | Novela.app | Novela.app
