Zhou Wuji found the stellar gold Daoist robe to be a perfect fit; having put it on, he had no desire to take it off.
He felt a twinge of regret as well—back when he had plenty of silver, why hadn't he thought to buy himself a couple of high-grade robes?
"Clothes make the man, saddles make the horse"—that saying was damn well right!
Clad in the stellar gold robe, he felt his already twelve-out-of-ten dashing handsomeness had gained another three points, easily reaching a full fifteen!
Not to mention that the material of the stellar gold robe was extraordinary: impervious to fire and water, and even capable of warding off ordinary blades.
Inscribed within was a Northern Culmen Heavenly Dipper Divine Talisman, which could bestow a Big Dipper Heavenly Astral star robe upon him at crucial moments.
Though he could invoke the protection himself, doing so required three breaths of time. With the talismans on the robe, a single thought would trigger it instantly.
Still, robes like this were precious; ordinary Daoists truly couldn't afford them, nor did they have any place to buy one.
The Lower Court was remote after all, lacking good things. Only the White Rainbow Sword was decent.
A person truly needed to climb higher—only then could one see grander vistas and experience a wider world.
Just as Zhou Wuji was preening in his newly acquired robe, a knock sounded at the door.
Without paying it much mind, he casually instructed, "Shangxing, go open the door and see who it is."
Yang Tieying was fiercely loyal and volunteered to Shangxing, "I'll go with you."
Having stirred up trouble only a few days prior, Yang Tieying feared someone was coming to settle scores; with Shangxing's spindly arms and legs, the boy might get hurt.
Zhou Wuji only smiled and let them be. He had just received honors before everyone in the Lower Court; what blind fool would dare pick trouble with him now?
He picked a woven sash to tie around his waist. As a belt, the sash had an inner lining with a rigid section containing hidden compartments for small trinkets.
A sturdy sash could also securely support the seventeen-jin White Rainbow Sword, which was very important.
His current sash had been far too narrow, warping out of shape under the sword's weight.
Zhou Wuji had just finished tidying up when Shangxing came rushing back in: "Martial Uncle... it's, it's Chief Steward Grandmaster Yigong!"
"Oh?"
Zhou Wuji guessed Yigong's intention and felt a touch surprised. Was this man truly that smooth and accommodating?
Since Yigong was a generation above him after all, Zhou Wuji went to the doorway to receive him.
Yigong hadn't come alone. Behind him was a crowd of Daoists carrying various goods, and outside the gate stood several wheelbarrows piled high with rice, flour, cured meat, fruit, firewood, and the like...
"My Daoist name is Yigong, just an unpromising disciple of the abbot. Please forgive my presumptuous visit!"
Yigong's round face was brimming with smiles as he bowed with cupped hands.
Zhou Wuji courteously returned the salute. "Greetings, Chief Steward."
Yigong turned solemn and said, "I have only just taken up the post of chief steward, and with affairs so chaotic, there are many matters I have yet to sort out. I only recently heard about the business with the pills and the firewood, and I have severely punished those two rascals. It was indeed my oversight, causing Senior Brother Yiping and you, Martial Nephew, to suffer. It is all my fault, and I offer you my sincere apologies."
As he spoke, Yigong actually stepped back two paces and bowed deeply with clasped hands once more.
Although Zhou Wuji despised the petty tricks Bixing Hall had pulled, seeing Yigong apologize so earnestly—whether it was an act or not—he still found it rather gratifying.
Yigong was an elder, after all, so Zhou Wuji returned the salute with clasped hands and said politely, "A trivial matter like that was surely just the knavish malice of the subordinates below; what does it have to do with Martial Uncle Yigong? Please don't be like this, Martial Uncle—Wuji cannot bear such deference..."
"Haha, as long as the misunderstanding is cleared up! Those two will certainly not escape severe punishment!"
Daoist Yigong's round face broke into a delighted smile. He stepped forward to take Zhou Wuji by the hand, appearing extremely warm. "Guarding the Myriad Ghosts Cavern is arduous work. Martial Nephew, whatever you need, just speak the word. Even if the Lower Court lacks it, Martial Uncle will find a way to get it and bring it to you..."
Zhou Wuji also smiled warmly. "Thank you, Martial Uncle. With Martial Uncle looking out for me like this, your nephew truly has no way to repay you..."
Aside from tangible benefits, adults ultimately just wanted respect.
The goods Yigong brought were no great matter; the crucial part was that he had humbled himself to apologize, making Zhou Wuji feel respected.
Whether it was insincere or not, his mood was quite good.
Expecting an apology to be genuinely heartfelt would be demanding far too much...
Zhou Wuji introduced Martial Uncle Yiping to Yigong, who warmly exchanged pleasantries with Yiping, praised Yang Tieying for being valiant and upright, and commended Shangxing for being sharp and clever...
When Daoist Yigong finally departed, Shangxing and Yang Tieying were still grinning from ear to ear, heaping praise on Daoist Yigong in unison:
"Grandmaster Yigong is truly a good person—he was just misled by the villains underneath him..."
"Grandmaster Yigong really has an eye for talent!"
Daoist Yiping also said to Zhou Wuji, "This man is slick and experienced; he is a smart one. Since he has lowered his head, let the matter rest..."
Having passed fifty, Yiping naturally wouldn't lose his bearings over a few flattering words from Yigong.
Even execution only took a head hitting the ground; for a minor administrative spat, this was more than enough.
"Martial Uncle is entirely right."
Zhou Wuji might be petty, but he wasn't petty to an absurd degree, nor was he naive enough to forget everything just because someone coaxed him.
Such was the reality within the sect: they contested without breaking ties, preserving a delicate balance.
With Yigong proactively admitting fault and their problem solved, there was little point in clinging to the grievance.
Judging by how slick Yigong was, those low-class tricks indeed did not seem like his doing.
That didn't mean tensions with the Yuheng lineage had vanished, only that the friction with Bixing Hall was temporarily resolved.
If Yigong pulled any more tricks, an apology alone wouldn't settle it next time.
Zhou Wuji had far too much to do, with no patience to squander on petty scheming against the Lower Court crowd.
Listening to Zhichong and Zhihe chat had broadened his horizons.
With the earth veins churning, the realm was already sliding toward chaos. Holding the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment in hand, he could seize the moment to rise...
Zhou Wuji did nothing else that day, continuing to learn Serpent-Insect Seal Script from Martial Uncle Yiping.
At dusk, an acolyte came by with a notice, telling Zhou Wuji to prepare to depart for Wu Family Village the following morning.
Zhou Wuji was mildly surprised. Going to Wu Family Village was hardly pleasant business, but being able to accompany Zhichong of the Celestial Master Mansion was a coveted assignment.
Countless people in the Lower Court had their eyes on it, yearning to show their faces before Zhichong.
If one happened to gain Zhichong's favor and he spoke a few praiseful words to the abbot, it would be tantamount to ascending to heaven in a single stride.
Zhou Wuji didn't know whether this was Zhihe's idea or Zhichong's, but thankfully that didn't matter.
Nor did he think about trying to curry favor with the two; unlike others, he was confident that his cultivation would steadily advance, obviating any need to actively cultivate social favors.
Still, he knew Xue Ying of the Heavenly Ghost Sect was behind this matter, which might offer an opportunity to prove himself...
Early the next morning, Zhou Wuji, dressed in the stellar gold cloud brocade Daoist robe with the White Rainbow Sword at his waist, waited before the Arctic Celestial Emperor Hall.
Besides him, there were several Wu-generation disciples, including Wu'ai.
Among them was a female cultivator with brows like swords and sharp, brilliant eyes, dressed in a loose deep-blue Daoist robe with a longsword at her waist.
Her facial features were regular, yet the sharpness between her brows gave her a fierce, frigid demeanor.
Zhou Wuji had caught sight of this female cultivator once in the grand hall yesterday; judging by where she stood, she belonged to Zhihe's lineage, seemed roughly his age, and had already attained Rank Seven cultivation.
Seeing her up close, one could perceive the razor-sharp aura clinging to her entire body; she was clearly a sword cultivator.
The female cultivator also noticed Zhou Wuji; her sword-brows arched slightly, and her gaze turned icy.
Zhou Wuji took no offense, instead giving her a slight nod of acknowledgment.
Half a year ago, he might have felt annoyed by her hostility, but now he only found it mildly amusing.
Chiefly, she posed no threat to him whatsoever; they were not on the same level, so Zhou Wuji could afford to be magnanimous.
It was like a tiger seeing a pup bare its teeth—the tiger wouldn't get angry, at most wondering if the creature tasted any good...
Then again, her true qi cultivation was remarkably pure; she was no mere pup...
Wu'ai had always treated Zhou Wuji with great respect, largely because he had witnessed the ruthless severity of Zhou Wuji's sword; he was genuinely afraid of his fellow disciple.
He came over of his own accord to greet Zhou Wuji and introduced him to the surrounding peers.
The many Daoists naturally recognized Zhou Wuji; he had stolen the spotlight yesterday!
Looking at the stellar gold cloud brocade robe Zhou Wuji wore—its deep, noble aura making him look like an immortal—it would be a lie to say they weren't envious.
Regardless of what they thought inside, everyone was quite courteous on the surface.
Even that female cultivator clasped her hands in greeting.
Only then did Zhou Wuji learn that the female cultivator was named Wu Leng—an uncommon name—and had long completed her ordination and register conferral as an official seventh-rank Daoist.
In truth, everyone standing here was of Rank Seven; only by advancing to Rank Seven and obtaining an ordination certificate did one become a formal disciple of the Arctic Sect.
The Yuheng lineage looking down on other branches was one thing; Rank Sevens looking down on those below Rank Seven was another entirely.
Proud and arrogant though they were, they were all polite to Zhou Wuji because of his formidable combat record: by conservative estimates, he had slain five or six Rank Seven martial artists, and rebel soldiers beyond count...
Once they actually interacted, they discovered Zhou Wuji was surprisingly open and generous, his speech witty and engaging, without putting on airs just because he had newly received honors.
After chatting for a while, they all came to find Zhou Wuji quite agreeable—handsome, sharp-witted, and genuinely top-tier friend material...
Having suffered at Zhou Wuji's hands before, Wuhe felt deeply uncomfortable seeing everyone chatting so warmly with him, yet dared not utter a peep.
Fortunately, Wu Leng didn't join in, which gave him a bit of solace...
Daoist Yiding soon arrived and led the group to receive the abbot and Zhichong. Flanked and surrounded by the crowd, the leaders made their way out of the Lower Court.
For reasons unknown, Zhishan did not accompany them.
A vessel was already waiting at the dock—a flat-bottomed boat divided into upper and lower decks, with clean cabins and refined furnishings, originally a passenger boat kept for a local prominent clan's private use.
Boarding the large boat, the party sailed downstream, passing Old Dragon Island along the way. By dusk, they arrived at Yunming County.
The county magistrate of Yunming County also turned out to welcome them in a rather formal ceremony.
Zhou Wuji was surprised as well; emissaries from the Celestial Master Mansion truly commanded different treatment. Even a county magistrate, the ruler of a hundred li, condescended to come receive them in person.
Perhaps a major calamity had struck the county, placing enormous pressure on the magistrate and forcing him to plead for aid from the Daoist sects.
Wu Family Village was still dozens of li from Yunming County. As night was falling, the Lower Court party took lodging in Yunming County for the day.
With the magistrate arranging matters, everyone stayed in the finest inn, and Zhou Wuji was even allotted a private room.
With time on his hands, Zhou Wuji chatted with the inn's waiter for a long while, inquiring about Yunming's local customs and current climate.
The waiter had worked there for years, knew the surrounding situation intimately, and with tips in hand, answered every single question...
That night, after completing his routine cultivation, Zhou Wuji closed his eyes to focus his mind. His spiritual sense within the spirit aperture reached out to connect with the Tianshu Star high in the Nine Heavens, establishing a resonant link with the Big Dipper star domain.
In this moment, the seven stars of the Big Dipper transformed into his eyes, looking down over heaven and earth. As his spiritual sense shifted, his vision contracted continuously, centering upon himself in Yunming County...
Zhichong of the Celestial Master Mansion was present here and quite likely already of Rank Four, while Abbot Zhihe was Rank Five.
Despite two such formidable masters nearby, Zhou Wuji felt no fear. Using the Big Dipper as his eyes was an orthodox art of their sect, with nothing shameful to hide.
It was precisely because the two were here that he wanted to test whether these masters could perceive his technique.
And take a look at the situation in Yunming County along the way...
In his trance-like perception, specks of living spiritual light flickered in the inn like starlight, dimming and brightening, yet all hovering at a relatively stable level.
These clearly belonged to his Rank Seven fellow disciples.
Concentrating his gaze, he faintly discerned a thread of deep starlight circulating—most likely Rank Five Zhihe.
Yet he saw no sign of Zhichong. Evidently, Zhichong's cultivation was even higher, his aura hidden so deeply that it exceeded Zhou Wuji's scope of observation.
Using the Big Dipper as eyes clearly could not see everything; it had many limitations.
The good news was that neither Zhihe nor Zhichong seemed to notice his observation, attesting to the marvelous subtlety of the technique.
Zhou Wuji shifted his "gaze." Among the many gleaming lights, he spotted another peculiar radiance, tightly and stably linked to the Yaoguang Star of the Big Dipper.
At the same time, the sword-browed, bright-eyed Wu Leng appeared upon his Heart Mirror. Sitting quietly and cycling her true qi, her expression was serene and her breathing deep and distant, devoid of her daytime frostiness...
"Rank Six." Zhou Wuji was mildly surprised. Only now did he realize Wu Leng had already opened her Heavenly Gate, advancing to Rank Six.
The circulation of her breathing and qi was still far less seasoned than his own; she had evidently broken through to Rank Six not long ago.
Zhou Wuji could not help feeling a sense of marvel. He relied on the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, whereas this female cultivator had achieved it through her own cultivation. While the result was the same, it clearly demonstrated Wu Leng's exceptional talent. No wonder she carried such innate pride—she truly possessed real skill...
Chapter 129