The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 102: Chapter 97: At Xuanhua Tower

Zhang Deming waited quietly. He had personally inserted the insights for the Tier Two Technique, so he knew it contained significantly more information than a Tier One Technique.

After about ten minutes, the ball of light flickered and exploded into a cluster of light specks before vanishing.

Feng Mingyou opened his eyes with some disappointment. Zhang Deming had expected this; after all, if the man were some kind of genius, he wouldn’t have been marginalized for so long.

Feng Mingyou collected himself and didn’t immediately use the Spirit Nurturing Ball again.

Instead, he closed his eyes and began to organize what he had just learned. Zhang Deming didn’t disturb him, quietly drinking his tea.

Feng Mingyou only opened his eyes after Zhang Deming had already re-brewed the pot of tea several times.

He picked up the second Spirit Water Technique Spirit Nurturing Ball from the table and infused it with Spiritual Power without hesitation.

The ball of light once again enveloped him, and Zhang Deming watched quietly.

After another ten-plus minutes, the ball of light flickered again. This time, it trembled on the verge of shattering before finally contracting and stabilizing.

With his eyes still closed, Feng Mingyou’s hands moved in a blur. A stream of water, graceful as an Elf, appeared before him and swirled around his hands.

He then abruptly opened his eyes, and the lively stream of water shot directly into the teapot that Zhang Deming had already thoroughly abused.

Feng Mingyou silently began to heat the water and brew tea. An aura of Dao Essence drifted from his body.

Zhang Deming instantly felt it—a sense of peace and tranquility enveloped him.

After a long moment, Feng Mingyou, making do with the tea leaves Zhang Deming had ruined, brewed another cup for him.

”Please.”

The two didn’t say much, silently savoring the tea for a moment.

Only then did Zhang Deming speak. ”Steward Feng, your skill in the Tea Dao has reached the point of turning decay into wonder. It seems you’re already a Quasi-Tai Chi Cultivator.”

”In that case, allow me to congratulate you in advance on your promotion to Tai Chi.”

Feng Mingyou wasn’t modest. ”I’ve merely gained some small insights.”

Zhang Deming reached out, put away the last Spirit Nurturing Ball on the table, then picked up the blank sheet of paper and set it alight over the tea set, right before Feng Mingyou’s eyes.

Watching the wisps of smoke curl upwards, Zhang Deming smiled and said, ”Remember to be polite.”

Feng Mingyou looked at Zhang Deming, his eyes filled with confusion.

Zhang Deming ignored him. In his consciousness, he reached out and grabbed the still-flickering speck of light.

This time, Zhang Deming wasn’t thrown directly into the channel to be repeatedly tormented.

Instead, he arrived in the Rune Summoning Space created by the Spirit Nurturing Technique. At this moment, the place was a vast expanse of white.

It was no different from when he entered others’ consciousnesses, except for five specks of light twinkling like stars in the sky. There was nothing else.

A thought flashed through Zhang Deming’s mind. The white mist in the Space roiled, and a Floating Island began to rise.

Immortal birds flew and circled the island. On the island itself, Exotic Beasts galloped about as precious plants began to sprout from the ground.

A pavilion made entirely of white jade appeared in the very center of the island. With its carved railings and jade masonry, it was exceedingly beautiful.

A plaque slowly materialized on the pavilion, bearing the words: Xuanhua Tower.

In a corner was a line of smaller text: Yellow Department Building.

The top floor of the pavilion was an observation deck-like level, with no walls. The view was excellent, offering a clear panorama of the entire island.

The surrounding white mist began to transform into countless layers of clouds, shrouding the area.

The entire island seemed to be nestled deep within the firmament.

’Hmm, feels like something’s missing?’

Standing on the top floor of the observation deck, Zhang Deming frowned in thought.

’Right, water!’

’In an Immortal Blessed Land, mountains and water are especially important. How can such a place not have water?’

Not far from the pavilion, a lake suddenly appeared. Small rivers crisscrossed the entire island, eventually flowing down past the clouds.

Zhang Deming looked up. A torrent of water like the Milky Way descending from the nine heavens burst through the clouds, pouring down and crashing into the lake before him.

’There, now it’s perfect.’

Zhang Deming looked at the surrounding scenery and nodded.

His clothes and face began to change. He transformed from a youth of seventeen or eighteen into an old man in his fifties or sixties, with a full head of white hair that shone like silver threads.

A Daoist Robe, as ordinary as could be—like one from a mortal Daoist Temple—appeared on his body.

He examined his new appearance and reckoned it was about right.

Zhang Deming beckoned to the sky. Among the five concealed star-like specks of light, the one representing Feng Mingyou was summoned directly before him.

Zhang Deming gently tapped the speck of light. It flickered, and he felt something rapidly approaching and requesting entry into the Space.

He granted access without a trace, then turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed at the scenery, beginning to play the part of a lofty master.

A moment later, as the speck of light flickered and vanished, a somewhat transparent figure appeared before Zhang Deming.

”GACK... GACK...”

Zhang Deming, who had just been about to open his mouth and make a grand entrance with a poetic verse, froze on the spot.

Staring at Feng Mingyou, who was half-sprawled on the ground dry-heaving nonstop, Zhang Deming was mortified.

’Crap, I forgot about this part!’

’Damn it! I was all set to put on a grand performance, and he pulls this crap on me?’

”The distance is a bit far and the ’transportation’ isn’t great. Just bear with it. You’ll get used to it over time.”

’A grand poetic entrance is out of the question now. Making a debut with a scene like this would completely ruin the atmosphere. I might as well go for a semi-approachable route.’

Watching Feng Mingyou dry-heave uncontrollably, Zhang Deming thought this to himself as he spoke nonchalantly.

The dry-heaving Feng Mingyou heard the aged voice and paused slightly.

”GACK... GACK...”

Then, he uncontrollably started heaving again. Zhang Deming’s face twitched a few times.

’Is it really that bad? The first time it happened to me, I just endured it and it passed.’

’Or is the experience of going different from the experience of being brought here?’

’It shouldn’t be, right? Whether you’re passive on the bottom or active on top, shouldn’t the effect be the same?’

After waiting another moment, Feng Mingyou finally managed to get it under control. Or rather, he had used the dry-heaving as an opportunity to compose himself.

Now that the sudden encounter hadn’t left him completely stunned, he finally looked up and surveyed his surroundings.

”Where is this?” he asked, looking around in confusion while wiping his mouth of non-existent vomit.

Zhang Deming said flatly, ”The Blue Sky Alliance, Yellow Department, Jieyin Floating Island.”

”You can think of it as a Grotto Heaven or a Blessed Land. Whichever is easier for you to understand.”

”A Blessed Land?!!! Senior, are you saying this is one of the Hongmeng Nine Great Blessed Lands?” Feng Mingyou asked in astonishment.

In the Hongmeng Realm, there are forty-nine Upper Sects, nine Blessed Lands, and three Holy Lands.

These powers make up the entire Hongmeng Cultivation Realm, and in a way, they rule over the whole world as a unified body.

Zhang Deming shook his head. ”This is not one of the Hongmeng Blessed Lands.”

”Then where is it?”

Feng Mingyou was only an Outer Disciple, after all. Despite his decades of extra experience, his knowledge was still limited.

Zhang Deming shook his head and said, ”These are not things you should be asking. Allow me to introduce myself. This old one is affiliated with the Alliance’s Yellow Department and is in charge of signing Blood Contracts for new members. You may call me Elder Huang.”

”Greetings, Elder Huang.”

Having used the brief period of vomiting as a buffer, and considering Zhang Deming’s earlier ambiguous words, Feng Mingyou had already more or less figured out what was happening, so he wasn’t completely dumbfounded.

Zhang Deming nodded. ”Let’s dispense with the pleasantries. This old man used a Skill to pull your consciousness here for the purpose of signing a Blood Contract, so let’s not dawdle.”

Feng Mingyou said respectfully, ”Please speak, Senior. This junior will remember every word.”

”Currently, the Alliance has five great rules. Aside from these five, there are no other restrictions.”

”The rules are: ...”

”You must remember these five rules well. If you violate them, no one can save you.”

”As for everything else, the Alliance’s management is extremely lax. You are free to act as you wish, including but not limited to joining other organizations, Sects, and so on.”

”Have you committed all of this to memory?”

As Zhang Deming spoke, Feng Mingyou became increasingly aware of just how mysterious and powerful this Blue Sky Alliance was.

He replied respectfully, ”Yes, Senior. This junior has committed it to memory.”

Zhang Deming nodded and looked Feng Mingyou up and down. ”Your Talent is lacking, but that Dao Essence of yours is not bad.”

”It seems that kid Zhang Wu hasn’t been slacking off these past few days. I see you’re close to Foundation Establishment Tai Chi. Remember to use a Tier Two Technique for your Foundation Establishment.”

”The Alliance doesn’t discriminate against any path, but it has no love for useless slackers. If you achieve Foundation Establishment with a Tier One Technique, you won’t have much of a future in the Alliance.”