The Programmer Cultivator

Qian Xiaogong was a sensitive child. Though he was too young and not particularly precocious to understand what was happening, he could still tell that his mother was upset.

He toddled forward cutely and carefully took Qian Ruyan’s hand. ”Mother, please don’t be sad,” he said. ”If it’s that bad, Xiaogong just won’t cultivate.”

”As long as you’re happy, I’m willing to live my whole life as a mortal and always stay by your side.”

His attempt at comfort had the opposite effect. Qian Ruyan’s eyes reddened, and she nearly burst into tears.

Seeing this, Yue Mengsheng said, ”Let’s go back and discuss this. With a physique so poor, he doesn’t necessarily have to follow these paths. The help we could offer wouldn’t be significant anyway.”

Qian Ruyan nodded.

The group of six returned to the reception hall.

The atmosphere on the way back was somber. Even after they returned to the hall and took their seats, Qian Ruyan still hadn’t seemed to recover her composure.

However, she was an ancestor of the Three Talents and a successful, shrewd merchant, so her emotional control was still quite good.

After a long moment, she let out a deep sigh and looked at the four people across from her. ”Do any of you fellow Daoists have any ideas?” she asked.

Yue Mengsheng and the other two exchanged glances. Gu Liancai was the most direct, saying:

”I specialize in Fire Skills, and my Sunshine Nurturing Spirit naturally clashes with him. If his Talent were better, this minor conflict wouldn’t matter, but with a Spirit Root like his... I won’t get involved.”

Gan Zili looked at Qian Ruyan and said, ”My Guardian specialization wouldn’t help, but it wouldn’t have any negative effects either.

But for me to create a Control Set would be purely a matter of luck. I imagine Fellow Daoist Ruyan wouldn’t be interested in such a gamble.”

Clinging to a final glimmer of hope, Qian Ruyan looked at Yue Mengsheng, but he just shook his head and said:

”In the Flower Dao, I do know the Ice Flower Technique. And while I haven’t delved much into the Wood Dao, it’s still somewhat compatible with my Ice and Snow Dao.

But the Control Sets I know are all focused on the path of frost and ice. As for the Flower Wood Dao, I probably couldn’t even assemble a single complete Entry-Level Set.”

Qian Ruyan’s expression darkened. ’Do I have no other choice?’ she murmured. ’But Xiaogong’s Spirit Root is already so limited. If we don’t seize every single opportunity, then his future will be...’

Yue Mengsheng and the other two didn’t respond. Instead, they all turned in unison to look at Zhang Deming.

Seeing this, the crestfallen Qian Ruyan was taken aback. Her gaze also fell on Zhang Deming as she recalled the Spirit Nurturing Bead from before. ”Could it be,” she began, ”that Fellow Daoist Zhang is also a Spirit Nurturing Master?”

Zhang Deming smiled faintly. ”That’s right.”

”Then...” Qian Ruyan looked at Zhang Deming, her hope rekindled.

Zhang Deming nodded. ”The path of Flower and Wood is indeed a good fit for me. After all, I happen to be quite proficient in the Vine Technique.

What’s more, I can customize a comprehensive Tier Three Mastery Inheritance Set for the boy!”

A sharp light flashed in Qian Ruyan’s eyes. ”A Tier Three Mastery Level Inheritance Bead Set? Are you certain, Fellow Daoist?”

Zhang Deming simply smiled without answering. Qian Ruyan glanced at Yue Mengsheng and the other two and saw they weren’t surprised in the slightest.

Qian Ruyan composed herself and glanced at the four of them. ”It seems the Celestial Spirit Sect has undergone some rather significant changes these past few decades.

I truly haven’t been getting out enough. To think I didn’t even know that Spirit Nurturing Peak now has four Spirit Nurturing Masters—and a Tier Three Mastery one at that.

Since that’s the case, what price do you require, Fellow Daoist, to tailor-make an Inheritance Bead Set for Xiaogong?”

Zhang Deming glanced at Gan Zili, signaling for him to handle the negotiation, as she was an old customer of his.

At that moment, however, Yue Mengsheng unexpectedly took the initiative to speak.

”Let’s not rush to the price. If you want us to make the bead set for you, you must first agree to one condition: you will not casually spread any information about our Spirit Nurturing Peak without our permission.”

Qian Ruyan was taken aback for a moment. She glanced at Zhang Deming and then smiled. ”You need not worry about that, Fellow Daoist. I can certainly guarantee as much.”

Yue Mengsheng said, ”In that case, Fellow Daoist Ruyan, you wouldn’t mind if we include it in the contract, would you?”

”Not at all,” Qian Ruyan replied nonchalantly.

Zhang Deming didn’t actually care much about this. ’If not for the need to maintain my persona,’ he thought, ’I couldn’t care less about being exposed. I’m not afraid of anyone’s scrutiny.’

’The Merit Pool and the like couldn’t find a single flaw in him. He was absolutely certain of that, especially when it came to his Soul Age.’

After that, Zhang Deming quietly watched as Yue Mengsheng and Qian Ruyan began to negotiate the terms of the order.

It had to be said, though Yue Mengsheng looked like a total slacker, he was anything but a fool.

A so-called ”most complete” Tier Three Mastery Inheritance Bead Set would, at most, be worth eight or ten thousand Spirit Stones, yet he had managed to drive the price all the way up to thirty-five thousand.

It wasn’t that Qian Ruyan was a poor negotiator; on the contrary, she was exceptionally skilled.

But the power dynamic in this negotiation was painfully clear. One party had no other choice, while the other was pushing their advantage. No matter how skilled her tactics, there was nothing she could do.

If she hadn’t already spent ten thousand, and if Qian Ruyan hadn’t played the sympathy card to get Yue Mengsheng to knock five thousand off as a favor, the price truly would have reached the astronomical sum of fifty thousand Spirit Stones.

This really showed Zhang Deming what it meant to be a fiercely protective parent, a true mama bear, and a bona fide tycoon.

The price was settled, but she had quite a few requirements in return, including the ability to request modifications according to her wishes during the customization process.

Yue Mengsheng didn’t agree to this immediately, looking to Zhang Deming instead.

Only after getting a nod from Zhang Deming did he tentatively agree.

Once the negotiations were complete, a disciple led Qian Ruyan out. The small-scale Dao forum being held outside had already been underway for some time.

It was time for old-timers like them to make their appearance.

...

The forum lasted for several hours. In reality, it was just the disciples from the two powers idly exchanging opinions, much like a poetry reading.