The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 76: Chapter 74: Another Encounter

A massive amount of Spiritual Power gushed out with the Spell. Behind him, the Qingshui River abruptly seemed to flow in reverse, as if the Celestial River itself were pouring down. The clear river water shot toward the sky from behind Zhang Deming like a waterfall.

”Source of all things, bend to my will, gather as clouds.”

As Zhang Deming spoke, the water flew overhead, spreading into a cloud above the heads of the several hundred townspeople.

As if exploding, it rapidly expanded and rose, forming a single, solid cloud.

In just a moment, the sky low over the entirety of Qingshui Town was enveloped by a cloud.

’It’s a pity I don’t have a Thunder Lightning Technique and haven’t learned any Feng Shui Attribute Techniques. I can’t create dark storm clouds, so the whole spectacle is much less impressive. The effect is just... a bit underwhelming!’

”I, the Cultivator Zhang Deming, hereby decree: rain, fall.”

The moment Zhang Deming finished speaking, a fine, dense rain instantly began to fall.

”It’s raining!!!”

”Three years! It’s been three long years, and it’s finally raining.”

”The heavens have opened their eyes!”

”It’s the Master Dragon King who has opened his eyes! The Master Dragon King is merciful!”

”The Dragon Monarch is merciful!”

...

Seeing how excited everyone around him was, Zhang Deming slowly relaxed his stance.

If he were still an Intermediate Apprentice, he would have needed to perform the Casting multiple times in different areas to cover the entire town with rain.

But now, a single, full-power Casting was just barely enough.

He opened his panel and looked at his inventory. Aside from the white orb of light that had formed when he was promoted, a speck of light next to it had now solidified just a tiny bit, but that was all.

’No Qi Fortune. I’m giving this a bad review!’

’I performed that whole grand ritual for nothing. It seems playing god doesn’t earn any Qi Fortune.’

’Well, I can’t really say that.’

’The principle I’ve figured out for gaining Qi Fortune is to expand my core personal influence. Posing as a grand master should still work, but it depends on who the audience is.’

Snapping out of his thoughts, Zhang Deming glanced at the villagers, who were beside themselves with excitement, and paid them no more mind.

He floated up and silently departed from the altar. When he reached the edge of town, he found Pei Xiaoxiao leaning against the town wall, watching him from a distance.

”It’s all done, Senior Brother!” Pei Xiaoxiao said.

Zhang Deming nodded. ”You can submit the task evaluation now.”

”Okay, Senior Brother.”

Smiling, Pei Xiaoxiao took out her great-grandfather’s Identity Card.

This item wasn’t considered precious within the Sect, but for those who went out to establish new family branches, it was treated as a family heirloom to be passed down.

’Hmm, in a way, it’s like a shared system cheat for the outer families of the Celestial Spirit Sect—a low-spec version, of course.’

’Through it, they can post tasks for the Sect or request aid. I guess you could call it another one of those traditions!’

’A Sect with a long history is bound to have some traditions, isn’t it?’

Pei Xiaoxiao gave a five-star rating, and then the two of them returned to the inn.

”It’s getting a little late. We’ll hit the road tomorrow. It’s a long way, and we don’t have mounts. I can’t possibly carry you all the way back.

So, you’ll have to take a carriage to the Sect to report in. Once you’re inside, just show them your identity. It won’t be a problem for you to enter the Outer Sect as an Outer Disciple.

Oh, and remember to put my name down as the referrer,” Zhang Deming added, giving her instructions for what was to come.

Pei Xiaoxiao froze. ”Senior Brother,” she said, ”you’re not coming back with me?”

Zhang Deming shook his head. ”Yuanzhou and Liuzhou are incredibly far apart. Traveling with you by carriage would take at least several days, maybe even ten.

Even if you travel on your own, with your current Cultivation and no Techniques to boost your speed, it will take you two or three days at the very fastest.

I have matters to attend to back at the Sect and can’t be delayed for that long.”

”Alright,” Pei Xiaoxiao said, her expression falling.

Zhang Deming took four fist-sized Gold Ingots from his pocket. He kept one for himself and handed the other three to Pei Xiaoxiao.

”Senior Brother, what am I going to do with so much money? From the one you gave me before, I haven’t even spent a fraction of it on lodging.”

Seeing Zhang Deming press three more Gold Ingots on her, Pei Xiaoxiao said in a fluster.

Zhang Deming smiled. ”Take it. Be generous on your journey. Don’t give Ordinary people a reason to laugh at a Cultivator.

This gold and silver isn’t worth much more than rocks in the Sect.

Ah, forget it. Even if I tell you this now, and even if you believe me, you can’t truly grasp the difference.

You’ll understand after you’ve spent a few years in the Sect.

If it weren’t for a combination of reasons—like the Sect needing to govern dozens of provinces, and Spirit Stones being too precious and having too high a denomination for servant disciples—

then gold and silver currency would have absolutely no place in the Sect.”

Zhang Deming saw that even as Pei Xiaoxiao listened to his words, her eyes were still fixed on the gold. He decided not to say any more. ’She’ll have to figure it out for herself in the future.’

After giving a few more instructions, Zhang Deming finally stopped talking.

...

Early the next morning, Zhang Deming said his goodbyes to Pei Xiaoxiao.

Escorted by a large crowd of townspeople, he left Qingshui Town.

He immediately began traveling at top speed. Thanks to the improvement in his Cultivation, his pace had increased ever so slightly.

The journey here, traveling at full speed and including time to recover Spiritual Power, had taken the better part of a day, nearly a full one.

Now, with several times more Spiritual Power than he’d had as an Intermediate Apprentice, he could travel at full speed without needing to stop and recover. By noon, Zhang Deming had already reached the outskirts of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

As he neared the main gate, Zhang Deming paused, slightly startled.

Ahead on the road, a short, ragged figure in tattered clothes was moving along slowly.

The back of the figure looked familiar, so Zhang Deming slowed down and walked up to them.

The person sensed Zhang Deming’s approach and spun around warily.

”It’s you! What happened to you?” Zhang Deming asked, astonished.

”Senior Brother Zhang?” Upon seeing Zhang Deming, Yi Huaihai visibly relaxed. His body swayed, and he nearly collapsed.

Zhang Deming looked at the ten-year-old or so boy before him. It was the same little fellow he’d met once at the inn, the one whose personality meshed well with his own, yet was also a bit extreme.

The little guy had lost his former cute, doll-like appearance, as well as his previous aloof and cold temperament.

His clothes were in tatters and his face was haggard. Even his lips showed the chapped dryness of a mortal.

Seeing the boy’s miserable state, Zhang Deming asked in surprise,

”You’ve been traveling for three or four days, yet not only have you failed to reach the Sect, you’ve ended up like this. Did you run into a Demon Beast?”

Yi Huaihai shook his head. ”If I’d run into a Demon Beast, I wouldn’t be in this state. I could have just hidden, and I’d have made it to the Sect by now.”

”Then what is it? Don’t tell me you were robbed by a Demon Cultivator or a Loose Cultivator?

There shouldn’t be any Loose Cultivators that brazen here in Yuanzhou, right?” Zhang Deming continued.

”If I’d really been robbed, do you think someone my age would have been left alive?” Yi Huaihai retorted.

”Then what happened? Stop being so evasive. You’re not being as straightforward as you were before,” Zhang Deming said.

A bitter expression crossed Yi Huaihai’s face. ”I was afraid you’d laugh at me, Senior Brother. I was ambushed by a group of mortals... and almost didn’t make it.”

”Mortals?” Zhang Deming said in surprise.