Qin Lue pondered for a moment before stepping into the large tent where several Foundation Establishment cultivators were gathered.
The intense gazes of the assembled Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately fixed upon him as he entered. Several powerful divine senses swept over Ye Qin, found nothing unusual, and then retracted.
Upon entering the tent, Ye Qin took stock of the strength of the Foundation Establishment cultivators present.
Among the seven Foundation Establishment cultivators present, clad in varied attire, one was at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, two were at the middle stage, and the remaining four were at the early stage.
Ye Qin himself was at the second layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, placing him near the lower end of the power spectrum among this group.
Having previously encountered many Foundation Establishment cultivators during his time at Xian Yuan, and having even seen a Core Formation cultivator on the border of Northern Qi, he possessed considerable confidence in his own abilities, certain he could secure his safety even among these peers.
With this thought, Ye Qin settled his mind and meticulously surveyed everyone in the tent.
Seated at the head of the tent was a white-bearded elder with a solemn expression. The family markings on his sleeves clearly indicated he was a cultivator from the Zhou Clan, furthermore, he was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, making him the most powerful cultivator in the entire tent.
The other six Foundation Establishment cultivators were seated at banquet tables along the left and right sides of the tent.
On the right sat three individuals, all cultivators from the Beast Spirit Sect, dressed in red and green robes, appearing quite close as they conversed in low tones. The three on the left, clad in strangely bizarre attire, sat alone, drinking and eating by themselves, occasionally glancing up at the other cultivators with distinctly cold expressions.
Although Ye Qin could discern hidden identity markers on them, he had no clear understanding of what those marks signified and could not guess their origins at all. Clearly, the cultivators on the left and right sides of the tent belonged to entirely different factions.
Ye Qin mused internally: the cultivators from the Spirit Gate on the right likely had a close relationship with the Zhou Clan, whereas the ones on the left were probably the invited State Protecting Immortal Masters, not truly intimate with the Zhou Clan.
Zhou Lin, who had escorted Ye Qin to the tent, had already reached the white-bearded elder ahead of him, reporting Ye Qin’s intention to serve as a State Protecting Immortal Master for the Great Zhou Kingdom. Upon learning of Ye Qin’s ambition, the elder showed a look of pleasant surprise, briefly introduced the others, and inquired about Ye Qin’s background.
“Brother Qin, please take a seat. Your presence in our Great Zhou Kingdom is most welcome. Allow me to introduce everyone. I am Zhou Yan, the Vice Clan Head of the Zhou Clan. To my left are Master Basha from the Ishkuli Nation of Tianqiong Plain, Cultivator Ling Ru from Spirit Lake Nation of Wan Yue Lake, and Daoist Zheng from the Land of Chaos. The three on the right are fellow disciples from the Beast Spirit Sect, hailing from Shang Liang Nation, Wuma Nation, and Ba Nation: Junior Brother Wang, Junior Brother Zhang, and Junior Sister Shi. May I ask which nation Brother Qin hails from, and which sect?”
“I am a rogue cultivator from the Wu Nation. Greetings to Brother Zhou and all esteemed brothers.”
After cupping his hands in greeting to all the seated cultivators, Ye Qin sat down on the side with the Beast Spirit Sect disciples. As the saying goes, excessive talk invites mistakes; he only mentioned the four words "Wu Nation Rogue Cultivator" regarding his identity and said no more, lest he expose any flaws.
The Central Land Continent was vast, and the Wu Nation was an insignificant speck of a country, exceedingly far from the Great Zhou Kingdom. Finding the Wu Nation would be a difficult task; without several years, one might not even ascertain its location. Furthermore, being born a rogue cultivator made a thorough investigation of his background nearly impossible.
Moreover, his choice to sit with the Beast Spirit Sect cultivators was strategic.
No matter what, he was a cultivator from the Spirit Mist Cultivation World, and both the Beast Spirit Sect and the Green Pill Sect shared the same origins. He understood the methods of the Beast Spirit Sect cultivators better, allowing him time to react should any unforeseen events occur. He was entirely unfamiliar with the cultivators from Tianqiong Plain, Wan Yue Lake, and the Land of Chaos, and did not know what divine abilities they possessed. He certainly did not intend to sit with people whose backgrounds were entirely unknown; if trouble arose, he wouldn't know how to defend against it.
Zhou Yan paused, clearly unable to place the Wu Nation. Fortunately, he did not press the matter. He clapped his hands, signaling the waiting female attendants to bring tea and wine, and said with a smile, “Brother Qin is new here, so allow me to explain the remuneration for serving as a State Protecting Immortal Master for Great Zhou. For an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the starting rate is one hundred low-grade spirit stones per month. Does Brother Qin find this price acceptable?”
Several female attendants approached and arranged a lavish spread of food and wine before Ye Qin. He smiled faintly at them, nodded, and took a sip of wine. This wine, likely brewed with a small quantity of spiritual fruit, possessed a jade-like clarity and considerable spiritual energy.
Since he planned to remain in the Danyang Camp for some time, he naturally needed to present himself as someone genuinely seeking the role of a State Protecting Immortal Master. After a brief pause, he inquired, “If the Foundation Establishment cultivators of Great Zhou and Northern Qi come to blows, even damaging a single magical artifact would cost at least a thousand spirit stones. How is that accounted for?”
A burst of hearty laughter erupted from the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the tent.
“Brother Qin must be taking on this type of assignment for the first time! It’s understandable that you don't know the usual practice.”
A Beast Spirit Sect cultivator named Wang, seated next to Ye Qin, explained enthusiastically, “Actually, this one hundred low-grade spirit stones fee is purely the price for engaging Brother Qin as a State Protecting Immortal Master. You only need to follow the army’s movements during this time and are not required to do anything specific. We Immortal Masters are actually quite relaxed. If an important mission arises, the price is calculated separately based on the mission's significance. These tasks are also up to you whether you wish to accept; you can decline if you prefer not to go.”
Zhou Yan smiled, “Precisely. There’s no need to rush, Brother Qin will understand gradually. The Zhou Clan conducts business with absolute fairness. The payment for every task has established precedents; you will receive exactly what is due, not a single spirit stone less.”
Ye Qin feigned ignorance and smiled humbly, “I truly was unaware of this. I have been in secluded cultivation until recently achieving minor success, only then venturing out to seek experience. I happened to pass through Danyang City, saw that Great Zhou was recruiting Immortal Masters, and came here.”
“That explains it. For Brother Qin to reach the Foundation Establishment stage as a rogue cultivator is quite rare and commendable,” Cultivator Wang chuckled. “However, Brother Qin need not worry too much. The probability of a direct clash between the Foundation Establishment cultivators of Zhou and Northern Qi is very low, and there will be no real danger. If there were true peril, I, Fatty Wang, wouldn’t have come. After all, no amount of spirit stones is worth more than our lives.”
The cultivators chatted volubly for a while, and Ye Qin gradually grasped the situation.
The one hundred low-grade spirit stones Great Zhou paid monthly to hire this group of Foundation Establishment cultivators as State Protecting Immortal Masters was essentially to leverage their prestige to enhance the Great Zhou Kingdom’s imposing presence.
Great Zhou had recruited just over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators and one or two hundred Qi Refining cultivators here. This amounted to five or six thousand low-grade spirit stones monthly—a considerable expense that only a powerful family like the Zhou Clan could afford.
Great Zhou could not maintain so many State Protecting Immortal Masters regularly. They only engaged in temporary recruitment during times of extremely tense warfare. Once the fiercest hostilities ended, these “State Protecting Immortal Masters” would depart immediately, no longer staying in Great Zhou.
After becoming slightly more familiar with the other cultivators, Ye Qin opened up, gradually speaking less and listening more to what everyone else was saying.
During their discussion, Daoist Zheng suddenly asked Zhou Yan, who was seated at the head, “Elder Brother Zhou, may I ask why Great Zhou and Northern Qi have suddenly mobilized troops on such a large scale?”
Zhou Yan’s expression shifted slightly, and he smiled faintly, “Brother Zheng, this matter goes back a long way. It involves personal grudges between my Zhou Clan and the Lü Clan. I hope you’ll excuse me for not elaborating.”
The others felt puzzled but did not press the issue further. Since Zhou Yan claimed it was a private feud between the Zhou and Lü Clans, it was inconvenient for them to inquire too deeply.
However, Ye Qin’s heart stirred.
He naturally knew the real reason: a newly discovered small spirit stone vein along the border of Great Zhou and Northern Qi had prompted both nations to mobilize forces to seize control of the border territory. However, this news seemed not to have spread widely yet, known only to a few members of the Lü and Zhou Clans, hence Daoist Zheng’s question.
Daoist Zheng then inquired, “When has the Great Zhou Kingdom decided to commence hostilities against the Northern Qi Kingdom?”
Zhou Yan pondered, “Well, preparations for this war have been underway for over half a year. A major battle is expected by the end of this month. Danyang is the largest military stronghold closest to Northern Qi. At that time, many more State Protecting Immortal Masters will arrive here to guarantee the safety of Danyang City. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators will gather here then—a rare opportunity. Therefore, before the war begins, I plan to convene everyone for an exchange of items, and I hope everyone can attend!”
The Foundation Establishment cultivators nodded one after another, indicating their intention to participate.
According to cultivation world custom, if many cultivators gather together, they typically hold such a trade fair to exchange items, bringing out what they don't need in exchange for items in others' hands. Each takes what they need; it benefits everyone.
Ye Qin naturally intended to participate as well. The Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered in the Danyang Camp hailed from Spirit Mist, Tianqiong Plain, and Wan Yue Lake; perhaps he could find some good items.
These eight Foundation Establishment cultivators spent two or three hours in a small gathering within the tent. After concluding their official business, they engaged in casual chatter, sharing amusing anecdotes, drinking heartily, and only dispersed after thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Once the other cultivators departed, Zhou Yan’s face immediately darkened. “Uninvited guests often bring trouble! Half of these people have questionable origins. Zhou, what are your thoughts on these seven?”
From behind a screen behind him emerged a Foundation Establishment cultivator—a handsome man in his prime, clearly a member of the Zhou Clan. His aura was excellently concealed beneath the pressure released by Zhou Yan, remaining undetected until that moment.
The middle-aged man smiled faintly, “The three from the Beast Spirit Sect can be trusted. That Daoist Zheng is a notorious wicked cultivator from the Land of Chaos, ruthless and purely motivated by wealth. As for his probing questions, he has likely heard some unfavorable rumors. As for Basha from Ishkuli Nation and Ling Ru from Spirit Lake Nation, their backgrounds are mysterious, and they speak little. I don't know why they suddenly volunteered to come to our Great Zhou Kingdom.”
Zhou Yan asked, “And that young cultivator named Qin?”
The middle-aged man replied, “This young man is only in his early twenties. Although he claims to be a rogue cultivator, there has never been a rogue cultivator in the Spirit Mist Cultivation World who reached Foundation Establishment under the age of twenty. This fellow is most likely a core member of some family or sect, out on trial. Young cultivators venturing out usually seek fame and recognition, yet this person deliberately conceals his identity, not wanting us to know. He is quite intriguing, but without evidence, we don’t know what he intends to do here in Danyang Camp.”
Zhou Yan sighed wryly, “In other words, none of those four can be trusted?”
The middle-aged man chuckled, “Unless they are Zhou Clan members or Beast Spirit Sect cultivators, they cannot be trusted. However, even if those four are untrustworthy, we must keep them in Great Zhou to bolster our prestige. Otherwise, if they turn around and join Northern Qi as their State Protecting Immortal Masters, that would be disastrous. A deficit of one and an increase of one—that’s eight Foundation Establishment cultivators. If the disparity in Foundation Establishment cultivators between Great Zhou and Northern Qi becomes too large, we will lose before the battle even begins.” (To be continued...)