Chapter 124: A New Era

***From that point on, everything went smoothly.

“Haha, what a pleasure. I’m Gahwi, the new General Overseer of Plum Shadow Pavilion.”

“…Pleased to meet you, Cultivator Ga.”

The other party, a Core Formation cultivator, reluctantly returned Karlstein’s firm handshake.

There were two more Core Formation cultivators, led by the first, but they did not bother to voice their discontent. Karlstein had already proven his skill, more or less. Moreover, by choosing not to take the life of their Senior Brother Shen, he had shown good judgment.

Friction with a Core Formation cultivator over the deaths of mere Foundation Building cultivators would be a significant loss.

Besides, Senior Master Fang Yan said he’d take responsibility anyway.

They were taken aback by the boldness displayed by the young man before them. Wasn’t he afraid? He was likely to make an enemy of a monstrous Nascent Soul expert.

But there was no worry on the other’s face. Rather, he showed a bright, beaming smile.

“In any case, we welcome someone as capable as you to lead Plum Shadow Pavilion’s Flame Metal Branch.”

“Hahaha. I appreciate your warm welcome.”

All things considered, there was no need for unnecessary squabbling.

“If you need anything, call this child.”

As one of the Core Formation cultivators at the back gestured, an old man who had been standing at a distance hurried over.

“Ah. I know this child.”

“How fortunate then. Yucheol! You will serve this person and provide whatever is needed.”

“…Yes. I understand.”

Ma Yucheol bowed his head, expression complicated.

“This child is a bright one who recently developed a Dharma Tool that can operate without Spiritual Power.”

“…Aha. Is that so?”

Karlstein grinned. What a coincidence for Ma Yucheol to appear right before him like this.

Moreover, at the mention of a Dharma Tool that could operate without Spiritual Power, he understood what it was and how things had unfolded.

It’s just like graduate school, haha.

“I look forward to working with you, Cultivator Ma. I’ll be calling on you often.”

“…Yes. Just give the word, sir.”

Ma Yucheol broke out in a cold sweat.

And so, the meeting with the Flame Metal Sect concluded.

“Oi, Yucheol!”

“Y-yes!”

Of course, Ma Yucheol was left by his side.

“Well, well, you’re quite the clever child, aren’t you? A. Non-Spiritual. Dharma. Tool, huh! Hahaha.”

“…”

“Follow me.”

“…Yes.”

Ma Yucheol followed, complexion deathly pale.

Karlstein strode majestically towards the top floor of Plum Shadow Pavilion. Of course, there was a separate branch manager in charge of the upper floors, like Yuyu, but the manager would not dare confront Karlstein.

In fact, the branch manager seemed oddly pleased to have gained a strong backer.

Karlstein sat down in his office and gestured to Ma Yucheol with his chin.

“?!”

“Yucheol.”

“Y-yes!”

“First, bring out everything you’ve got.”

“…Yes sir!”

Ma Yucheol started pulling out treasures as if eager to give up anything for Karlstein.

“Hmm… Is this it? What you were making during closed-door cultivation?”

“…Yes, sir. That’s right.”

Ma Yucheol’s face had turned pale from sweating so much.

“Hmm… Your skill is… passable, surprisingly.”

“…Thank you.”

Of course, this was considering it was handmade.

“I see the qualities of a factory manager in you. What say you? Hahaha!”

“…Pardon?”

“Anyway, this is good. You seem like someone worth having a conversation with as well.”

“…Yes.”

“Hm? What’s this?”

“…!”

Karlstein’s eyes fell on a book made of leather with faint traces of blood.

[Well, well… Young Pup, make sure to keep that one.]

Rustle- Rustle-

“Is this a cultivation manual?”

The cover bore the ostentatious title of “Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra”.

“Hmm…”

“Uh… I originally intended on giving the Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra to you… Honorable Ga.”

“Aha. Is this an advanced version of the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra? But isn’t it slightly different?”

The Grand Void Cultivation Sutra was not made with such ominous leather. The content was also strangely different.

“That’s… because the Grand Void Cultivation Sutra is a simplified version of the Grand Void Gold Puppet Sutra. After many years of revision to make it learnable even for beginners—“

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes…”

“Since you were going to give it to me anyway, I presume it’s fine for me to take it?”

“…Yes.”

Although Ma Yucheol hesitated for a moment, he ultimately closed his eyes and nodded.

“Huh. Anyway, Yucheol.”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t this world so nice?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, treating people based on ability over seniority seems like a fine idea. Shall we apply it to World?”

“I am not sure what you mean…”

“Well… it’s not something we’ll do right away…”

Ma Yucheol felt like he was being thrown between heaven and hell with each of Karlstein’s words.

Karlstein closed the cultivation manual with a thud, standing up.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Yucheol!”

“…Yes sir.”

“Your voice is weak!”

“Yes sir!!”

“That’s better. Yucheol!!!”

“YES SIR!!!”

Karlstein stopped mid-sentence and approached the window, looking down at the street below. He could see a few Qi Refining cultivators flying around on Sky Boards in the distance.

“Yucheol. The world will change greatly, and for that, we’ll need many hands.”

“… I’m sorry?”

“Just keep that in mind. Hahaha!”

Karlstein’s boisterous laughter echoed throughout the Flame Metal Sect.

***While Karlstein was throwing his weight around at the Flame Metal Sect…

Deep in the sea, from beneath a massive rock encircled by golden ropes, a vehement bellow reverberated across the entire ocean.

“Damn it!!! Those insignificant Lower Realm insects!!”

But in the end, it was nothing more than noise.

“Unforgivable. Even if I have to destroy the Lower Realm, I will surely…!”

He was Jiao Zhenqing, a member of the Noble Archer’s Inspection Bureau. Zhenqing was trapped beneath the massive rock along with his burning rage, unable to escape.

“You dare… make me waste 10 years… 10 years?!”

Jiao Zhenqing had been crossing the ocean to the Northern Continent after annihilating the cultivation world of the Southern Continent when he was unexpectedly ambushed.

Nevertheless, the enemies were naturally no match for him, and he had reduced about half of the attackers into sacrifices… when it happened. The Great Sealing Formation that those bastards deployed at the cost of their lives, spitting blood. Not even Jiao Zhenqing could ignore its power.

Ultimately, he ended up in this sorry state, gnashing his teeth. Krrk.

“You bastards… Don’t think I’ll give you an easy death…”

His voice rippled through the air, thick with rage.

Krrrk.

“Soon. It will be soon. Just wait…!”

Unlike his initial expectation of at least 100 years of sealing, the sealing formation was almost broken.

“Once I break the last spell… I will chew up every last one of you…”

Krrk-

Even as he spewed fury, Jiao Zhenqing did not cease breaking the sealing formation.

***“Extra! Extra, hear! Extra! Extra I say! Get the news from the cultivation world for just one inferior-grade Spiritual Stone!”

A boy of 1st Stage Qi Refining shouted at the top of his lungs, speeding through the streets on a Sky Board.

A passing cultivator raised his hand.

“One here!”

“Yes, sir!”

The boy skillfully tossed a newspaper to the cultivator as he rode on. In exchange, a small Spiritual Stone thrown by the cultivator landed in his hand.

The boy tucked the Spiritual Stone into his pocket and disappeared, still shouting, while the cultivator who bought the newspaper straightened it with a shake of his head.

[Milky Way Daily]

“The world has changed much indeed.”

The cultivator shook his head once more, licking his finger and opening the newspaper.

The front page of the Milky Way Daily boldly proclaimed, ‘Plum Shadow Pavilion Strikes Again! New High-End Dharma Treasure Developed? Everyone’s Shocked by Its Power Surpassing Existing Treasures…’

“My word. It hasn’t been that long since they developed mass-produced Dharma Treasures, albeit inferior versions…”

“Tell me about it. Isn’t that why the cultivation world is in an uproar right now?”

“What… Does Plum Shadow Pavilion have a Celestial locked up somewhere?”

“Hahaha. Who knows? They might actually have a real Celestial imprisoned in the basement of Plum Shadow Pavilion’s Flame Metal Branch!”

The young cultivator reading the newspaper took a sip of black liquid.

“Ahh! Isn’t this black liquid also from Plum Shadow Pavilion?”

“That’s right, now this is what I call the Drink of Immortals. It’s that refreshing, almost burning sensation that rises from your throat, you know. Arguing about spicy or and whatnot is now a thing of the past.”

“By the way, have you heard?”

“About what?”

“There was a recent cultivation tournament in the Northern Continent, and well…”

“Aha. You must be talking about that Late-Stage Foundation Building cultivator who killed a Core Formation expert.”

“I am. I don’t know where the world’s headed. Even if it’s Foundation Building, it was only possible because they were decked out in Plum Shadow Pavilion’s high-end products… But is it even conceivable for Foundation Building to defeat Core Formation in the first place? Tsk-tsk.”

“Well, it’s good for us. If we can get our hands on Plum Shadow Pavilion’s high-end Dharma Tools, even I, a mere cultivator of the 10th Qi Refining Stage, can survive encounters with Foundation Building cultivators.”

“Tsk-tsk. Why can’t you think of the opposite? At this rate, cultivators who strut around proudly might end up being killed by mortals.”

“…Well, at least it’s fortunate that they can’t do anything about Nascent Soul cultivators, right?”

“That’s true.”

They didn’t stop sipping the black liquid even as they conversed.

“Ohh.”

“By the way, this is a rumor that hasn’t made it to the newspapers yet.”

“A rumor?”

“Well… regarding the General Overseer of Plum Shadow Pavilion’s Flame Metal Branch.”

“The Branch that’s even larger than the Headquarters?”

“Yes. The Overseer who is far more mysterious than even the Pavilion’s Master.”

“Shh. Lower your voice. We shouldn’t casually speak of the General Overseer.”

“I’ve already set up a Qi barrier.”

“Well, that’s good then. So what about this General Overseer?”

“…I heard they’re getting engaged.”

“…Engaged?”

The listening cultivator’s jaw dropped.

“As you know, the General Overseer of the Flame Metal Branch has never shown their face before, right?”

“Th-that’s right.”

“Yet the most mysterious figure in the cultivation world is now holding a grand wedding ceremony. Which is causing quite a stir.”

“My goodness…”

It was a rumor hard to believe. The Overseer, who had never shown their face before, is now holding a grand wedding ceremony?

It was impossible not to be intrigued. After all, this person was none other than the very architect of the era they were currently enjoying.

“The world must be in an uproar.”

“You don’t know the half of it, friend.”

“How many young women in the cultivation world have been eyeing him?”

“There’s a whole bunch of women being encouraged forward by the Immortal Sects too.”

“Haha.”