Chapter 15: A Peaceful World Makes the Traveler Wary

When he returned to the Tower of Celestial Surveillance, he found that, among the group, only Chi Mingzhu and Wang Daoming had risen early and started their cultivation. Liu Yun and Luo Yongsheng were still asleep. This alone revealed the difference in willpower—no wonder the two of them were still at the Qi Nurturing stage; talent was not the only shortcoming to be found.

After a simple greeting, Cao Chengyu produced some breakfast he had specially brought, but both declined, claiming that as cultivators, they needed to keep their bodies pure. Since the age of six, they had lived on light fare, eating little, and nurturing their bodies through breath alone. It had been over eight years now. Cao Chengyu couldn't help but laugh and sigh. In his view, the path of immortality was in pursuit of carefree longevity—if one could not even indulge in the pleasures of the palate, what use was immortality?

Still, philosophies differed, and he saw no reason to impose his own beliefs. He supposed the other two would also refuse food. So, Cao Chengyu simply ate the entire bundle of breakfast himself, patting his stomach with satisfaction and letting out a belch. “How refreshing…”

By the time the sun was high, Liu Yun and Luo Yongsheng finally dragged themselves out of bed, and the five of them gathered at last to proceed together to the Hall of Heavenly Treasures.

The Tower of Celestial Surveillance was filled with formations, many designed to expand space. The Hall of Heavenly Treasures was a prime example. Outwardly, it looked utterly ordinary, no different from any other building, but stepping inside revealed a world apart—a vast, spacious chamber. The left wall was lined with standard White Guard equipment, while the right was hung with rows of small storage pouches.

Newly promoted White Guards, upon registering, could select one item from each wall. Of course, above the White Guards were the three-plumed Blue Guards, six-plumed Purple Guards, and nine-plumed Red Guards. The first two ranks were typically filled by cultivators at the Spirit Refining stage, while the latter two involved those at the Dao Body stage.

Though this world lacked the concept of spiritual roots, distinguishing aptitude by affinity for spiritual energy, upon reaching the third stage of cultivation—the Dao Body stage—one needed to forge a foundational Dao Body from the treasures of heaven and earth. In Cao Chengyu’s understanding, this meant forging a Dao Body with specific attributes, using rare materials. The most common were the bodies aligned with the five elements: Fire Spirit Body, Water Spirit Body, Metal Spirit Body, Earth Spirit Body, and Wood Spirit Body.

There were rarer forms as well: Geng Metal Sword Body, Great Sun True Body, Qianyuan Law Body, and others. Even among the same Dao Body, differences in the spiritual items used led to varying grades. The Immortal Path Compendium that Cao Chengyu had obtained from the treasure chest explained cultivation realms only up to the Dao Body stage; beyond that, to the Purple Mansion stage, the details were vague.

The quality of one's Dao Body determined the limits of future achievement. Naturally, Cao Chengyu aspired to forge the most supreme Dao Body, but he was only just stepping into the Spirit Refining stage. There was no rush.

After claiming their first month’s supplies, their next stop was the Scripture Repository. The four scions of noble families each had their own inherited cultivation methods, and had little interest in basic spells. Only Cao Chengyu needed to visit the repository.

Liu Yun and Luo Yongsheng decided to visit the Ancient Beauty Pavilion, a classic red-light establishment. Unlike the blue houses, which sold song and dance but not the body, the red houses were more direct in their offerings. (In blue houses, the women generally set tests for the patrons; those who passed might be invited to become close companions, the number depending on the woman’s preference and the price on her whim. Scholars all understood these unwritten rules.)

Chi Mingzhu and Wang Daoming, though their aptitude was only a little above average, made up for it with diligence and ambition. Upon collecting their supplies, they returned at once to make use of them.

Thus, from the first day in the Tower of Celestial Surveillance, the five newcomers had already split into three groups, and a sense of distance had begun to form. For now, Cao Chengyu belonged to neither side, and while it wasn’t a concern at present, who could say what the future would hold? He shook his head and put the matter aside.

He was different from the others; the LSP ranking could give him an unfair advantage. Aside from daily cultivation, he needed to learn a great deal of new and unusual knowledge (and techniques), and he also needed to start connecting with those on the ranking list.

When he entered the Scripture Repository, Cao Chengyu noticed that there were no high-ranking elders with profound cultivation overseeing things. Instead, all the duties—registration, lending, and guarding—were handled by White Guards, assigned by the Mission Hall.

Perhaps it was because this was only the second floor’s scripture repository, where the spells were not especially advanced; or perhaps it was because this was the capital’s headquarters, where trouble was unlikely to arise.

A dozen or so White Guards went about their tasks. Cao Chengyu approached the one in charge of registration and stated his purpose briefly.

“Senior brother, I am a newly admitted White Guard. Could you explain the process for obtaining cultivation methods and spells?”

“A new recruit?” The White Guard, a young man himself, frowned and gave Cao Chengyu a once-over, muttering inwardly. Weren’t all the spring recruits here through connections? How was there actually someone coming to collect spells? Perhaps another scion of a declining family? Remembering the pitiable fellow who had recently offended a Blue Guard, this White Guard decided not to make things difficult for Cao Chengyu.

As the saying goes, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Who could predict what the future might hold? Besides, this was his duty.

With this in mind, the White Guard replied kindly, “We are both White Guards; ‘senior brother’ is too formal. Since you’re so young, just call me Brother Liu. To obtain a cultivation method or spell, simply show your White Guard token. Select what you wish inside, and register your choice with me when you leave.”

Cao Chengyu nodded with equal cordiality. “In that case, thank you, Brother Liu.”

“Go on in,” said Liu.

Leaving the registration desk, Cao Chengyu could not help a wry smile. Because of the ranking system, and the fact that he was a transmigrator, he often felt like a protagonist of some story. Yet here, he had not encountered any sage’s favor nor suffered any deliberate trouble. The calm, stable life gave him a sense of foreboding, as if it were the calm before a storm.

The more peaceful things seemed, the more uneasy he felt. The more deeply one’s assumptions were entrenched, the more devastating any future upheaval would be. Even a tranquil, leisurely life could erode one’s will…

His nature had always been somewhat restless, but his first experiences along the path of immortality had made him cautious. The way of immortality: outwardly radiant and ethereal, but who knew how many bones and souls lay buried beneath its surface?

Whether in the novels of his past life or the harshness of reality, he had learned to expect the unexpected. Competition and comparison between people were the true constants. No one to suppress him, no one to offer favor—strange, indeed.

He stepped into the second-floor Scripture Repository, greeted by shelves packed densely with books and bamboo scrolls. The books mostly recorded newly developed spells and principles, while the bamboo scrolls, preserved for longer, contained more ancient knowledge. Of course, this distinction only held for lower-level cultivators. Upon reaching the Purple Mansion stage, cultivators developed spiritual sense, and from then on, cultivation methods and secret arts were recorded in spiritual jade slips.

It was said that such treasures could be comprehended in their entirety with a single thought—truly wondrous beyond compare.