After Transmigrating as an Immortal Master, I Hold a Group Meeting - Chapter 107

The system: [Huh??]

“Establishing a new order isn’t something that can be done overnight,” Ning Mingmei said calmly. “For now, the most important thing is to recover the twenty-one million I spent building the Supreme Clarity Sect Special Drink production line and the FaceScroll servers.”

That was twenty-one million. Rounded up, that was half of Ning Mingmei’s entire fortune.

The system: […Isn’t the Supreme Clarity Sect Special Drink already making over a million a month in sales?]

At that level of profit, even after deducting costs, Ning Mingmei could easily recoup his investment in just four years and have a stable, healthy cash flow.

“The food and beverage industry may be lucrative, but it’s also costly,” Ning Mingmei explained. “Production costs, storage costs, transportation costs; everything adds up. Physical industries need everything from packaging to ground marketing; you have to grease palms at every level. And this kind of model, selling products and services directly to consumers, becomes an endless headache once after-sales kicks in. In short,” he concluded, “it’s just labor for profit.”

The system, watching the Supreme Clarity Sect Special Drink production machines powered by spiritual energy in the distance: …

Cultivators in the Divine Transformation realm were supposed to move mountains and calm seas, yet here they were, producing beverages. Meanwhile, Ning Mingmei sat serenely in a pavilion, leisurely pouring himself a cup of tea.

The system: [You call this labor for profit?]

“Anything that requires manpower is labor for profit.” Ning Mingmei set his cup down and reclined lazily. “Mind your tone. You’re the one asking me for help right now.”

…The system swallowed all the curses it wanted to say. [Then, what exactly do you plan to do?] it asked instead, with remarkable flexibility.

“I plan to create something that earns infinite profit without any cost.”

The system felt a faint sense of dread. […The entertainment industry?]

That was a term it had picked up while working on missions in Ning Mingmei’s original world, an industry known for high returns and minimal investment.

Ning Mingmei shook his head. “That’s just one step in the process. Not enough.”

The system’s metaphorical gears turned. […Venture capital?] So he didn’t even want to deal with film production costs. He wanted to make money directly from money?

Ning Mingmei: “You’re thinking too small and too risky.”

The system: [What risk? What exactly do you want to do?]

“We need a little moral high ground,” said Ning Mingmei, “and a touch of ‘idealism.’ Because,” he continued, “earning money directly through capital gains invites moral condemnation.”

The system paused to think and then flatly replied, [I don’t understand.]

“System, remember this,” Ning Mingmei said softly. “I came here to pursue academia, not to do business.”

The system was speechless. [Then why are you making so much money? Just to build more research buildings?]

“What I want to build is not a research building,” said Ning Mingmei, raising the porcelain cup in his hand, “Instead, I want to build…” Moonlight shimmered on the rippling liquid inside the cup, painting his face in a blurred silver glow. But in his eyes, there wasn’t a single trace of emotion. “…a golden tower.”

The system: [Huh??]

Its startled sound rustled through the air like wind in pine branches, fading into the distant mountains.

Ning Mingmei gave no further explanation. Perhaps many questions in this world simply had no answers. But at last, the one who led the conversation gave a faint laugh.

“To think I’ve fallen so low that I’m talking to you of all things… More than I imagined, I truly am…” He didn’t finish the last two words.

Under the moonlit mountains, the towering Misty Peak was but a grain in the vastness of the Supreme Clarity Sect.

The system didn’t know if the words left unsaid were ‘lonely’.

***

The next morning, Lu Mengqing set out personally for the Radiant Valor Peak martial arts arena.

The elder of Gold Island accompanied her. They chatted amiably, although a subtle distance lingered between them.

The reason was simple: if Lu Mengqing hadn’t intervened years ago, the current leader of the Smoky Cloud Tower would have been the present master of Gold Island.

The Gold Island’s cultivators were famous for their overbearing might. Gold was considered the symbol of kingship and ritual authority, and the Gold Islanders prided themselves on their power, always carrying an air of arrogance.

Even now, some among them sought to stand on equal footing with Lu Mengqing.

On the way, Lu Mengqing glanced at FaceScroll again.

Today’s most anticipated main event was between Jiang Chennian of Jade Pavilion Peak, a late Foundation Establishment Qi cultivator from the Supreme Clarity Sect, and Ming Ruyue of Gold Island, a late Foundation Establishment music cultivator from the Smoky Cloud Tower.

Just seeing their names, Lu Mengqing already knew the outcome.

Qi cultivation was the Supreme Clarity Sect’s weaker specialty, while Gold Island cultivators were the strongest in martial and offensive arts. Jiang Chennian’s spiritual root was wood; Ming Ruyue’s was metal, and metal overcomes wood. Although both were personal disciples of their respective peak lords, the Supreme Clarity Sect was clearly at a disadvantage.

Not to mention, Jiang Chennian had lost to Ming Ruyue seven years ago and again fourteen years ago. This was a prediction model based purely on experience.

Not only Lu Mengqing, but everyone else in both sects thought the same. The Gold Island disciples arrived at the arena already convinced of their victory, utterly at ease.

“I’ve always said that the metal root is the best for music cultivation,” said the Gold Island elder proudly before his disciples. “Those of Bamboo Island have mostly wood roots; too soft, lacking force. Stone Island folk are mostly earth roots, sturdy but dull. As for those of Silk Island, who favor water roots… ah, pardon me, Tower Master Lu, I forgot you’re water-rooted yourself.”

Lu Mengqing merely smiled faintly, offering no reply.

A true leader must think of the greater good. Today’s victory was almost certainly the Smoky Cloud Tower’s. She should have been pleased.

And yet, the arrogance of the Gold Island people soured her mood.

Deep down, Lu Mengqing found herself wishing, just a little, that they might lose once, to wipe those smug smiles from their faces.

Of course, she knew it was impossible.

The Gold Island disciples were still chatting among themselves. Since this was a public place, Lu Mengqing, as the Tower Master, couldn’t very well scroll through FaceScroll in front of everyone. She turned her gaze instead toward the arena.

At once, she saw a familiar figure.

“Ning Mingmei?”

What was Ning Mingmei doing here?

He was dressed much the same as yesterday, in a pale blue outer robe. Yet, unlike most sword cultivators who stood upright as bamboo, he carried an easy, drifting air about him, almost as if he were content to float along with the breeze.

However, what caught Lu Mengqing’s attention was his behavior.

He was speaking with several disciples from Jade Pavilion Peak. That was strange. Weren’t sword cultivators and Qi cultivators in the Supreme Clarity Sect known to be as incompatible as water and fire?

Lu Mengqing knew that Ning Mingmei was on good terms with Yin Xisheng but that was interaction among the upper ranks. She hadn’t expected Ning Mingmei to have such friendly ties with the ordinary disciples of Jade Pavilion Peak as well.

It surprised her deeply.

After all, it was common knowledge that even a peak lord might not know every disciple in their own peak, let alone those from another.

Lu Mengqing silently adjusted her assessment of Ning Mingmei’s influence upward.

And when she recognized the female disciple speaking with him, her surprise only grew.

Jiang Yu.

The Jiang family was a respectable cultivation clan and Jiang Yu herself possessed a heavenly wood spiritual root.

More than a decade ago, the Smoky Cloud Tower and the Supreme Clarity Sect had nearly come to blows over recruiting her. In the end, Jiang Yu had chosen the Supreme Clarity Sect.

At the time, Lu Mengqing had confidently predicted that Jiang Yu would regret it.

Jiang Yu’s stated reason was that she was more interested in the path of Qi cultivation but everyone knew that within the Supreme Clarity Sect, sword cultivation was the strongest and most prestigious path. If she had joined the Smoky Cloud Tower’s popular Bamboo Island to become a flute cultivator instead of a Qi cultivator at the Supreme Clarity Sect… the difference in prospects would have been enormous.

Yet today, Jiang Yu stood beside Ning Mingmei, her face alight with joy and excitement; an excitement that had nothing to do with romance, but the pure, fervent admiration of a student before her ideal teacher.

That made Lu Mengqing uneasy.

Could it be that after all these years as a Qi cultivator, Jiang Yu had finally come to her senses and wanted to switch fields?

What kind of fool would study such a weak specialty?!

Regardless of her private thoughts, the moment the bell rang, signaling the start of the duel, everyone returned to their seats. Even the Gold Island people fell silent.

The Gold Island elder clapped Ming Ruyue on the shoulder. “Ruyue, go.”

The proud youth in white, his robe trimmed with red, nodded.

Ming Ruyue was tall and striking, his features sharp and dazzling. Even in his plain white robe, his gaze radiated a cutting arrogance. “Don’t worry, Elder,” he said. “I’ll finish this within an incense stick of time. Then we can go watch Junior Brother Zhang’s match.”

His boast that his Junior Brother Zhang’s match would begin in less time than it took an incense stick to burn could only be called audacious. But Ming Ruyue had the power to back it up. As the personal disciple of Gold Island’s master, he was a prodigy who joined the sect later than the famed Song Mingke, yet had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage even earlier. The two were often called the Twin Jewels of the Smoky Cloud Tower’s younger generation, yet because of Ming Ruyue’s sharp and overbearing nature, their relationship was anything but good.

With a tap of his toe, Ming Ruyue leapt onto the dueling platform.

From the other side came a gentle young man in purple robes; refined, soft-spoken, even a little timid. It was Jiang Chennian of Jade Pavilion Peak.

“Fellow Daoist Ming,” Jiang Chennian greeted nervously, facing an opponent who had defeated him twice before. “It’s… been a long time.”

Ming Ruyue merely nodded, not bothering to reply.

Lu Mengqing could immediately tell this arrogance had enraged Jade Pavilion Peak disciples—wait, why were there so many people from the Supreme Clarity Sect?

Thanks to FaceScroll’s live-match tracking feature, nearly everyone who could attend had shown up.

“What kind of attitude is that?”

“One incense stick’s time? You’re dreaming!”

Not only Jade Pavilion Peak’s Qi cultivators, but even the sword cultivators from the Supreme Clarity Sect’s other peaks were furious now. Within their own sect, joking that Qi cultivators were a pitfall was one thing but for an outsider to come flaunting arrogance on their grounds? Unacceptable.

The Supreme Clarity Sect’s collective protectiveness ignited like dry tinder. The crowd erupted in shouts.

“Senior Brother Jiang! Defeat him!”

“If you don’t win, you’re not the Supreme Clarity Sect disciple!”

“Arrogant brat, try crossing swords with me if you dare! Swords, not zithers!”

With each chant of ‘Fight!,’ the pressure on Jiang Chennian mounted. His face paled and his fingers trembled faintly. He looked like a student repeating his final year of high school, standing once more before the dreaded college entrance exam.

His Junior Sister Jiang Yu screamed, “Senior Brother Jiang! Remember what I taught you! Don’t lose to that Smoky Cloud brat!”

Jiang Chennian was still breathing heavily when another voice reached his ear.

“Don’t be nervous, Jiang Chennian. Just do as you practiced,” the person said.

The words were similar to Jiang Yu’s but to Jiang Chennian, they sounded like the voice of salvation. “Peak Lord Ning…” he breathed.

Ning Mingmei used his classic line, “Just imagine he’s a giant cabbage with too many joints.”

“Too much talking,” someone snapped. “Are you going to start or not?”

“Zheng!”

The bell rang sharply.

As the sound echoed, the white-robed youth summoned nine golden bells, their tones slicing through the air like arrows as they hurtled toward Jiang Chennian!

Too fast. Jiang Chennian couldn’t dodge in time and his robe was slashed open with a loud rip.

An injury at the very start drew a wave of jeers from the crowd. The youth in white remained unmoved, continuing his performance.

That was only the opening movement.

“Too much killing intent,” Lu Mengqing frowned.

“It doesn’t matter,” said the Gold Island elder, stroking his beard with satisfaction. “As long as it works.”

Lu Mengqing hadn’t slept well in days; fatigue and a dull ache pressed at her temples. She slowly closed her eyes as the sound of murderous bells filled the air. It seemed that even with Ning Mingmei present, this match’s outcome was already decided…

…But when her awareness returned, Lu Mengqing suddenly jolted upright.

The bell rings were gone.

Had it ended? Or…

“Jiang Chennian, what’s happening?!”

Lu Mengqing’s eyes flew open.

A dozen thick vines had erupted from the ground. The white-robed youth was bound tightly, his expression filled with disbelief.

How could this be?

Wasn’t a metal spiritual root supposed to counter wood? How could Ming Ruyue be unable to cut through those vines?!

Lu Mengqing suddenly noticed something.

In the past, when Jiang Chennian used this technique, he would summon hundreds of vines; a full sea of them. But now, he only uses a dozen or so. As a result, each vine was far more saturated with spiritual energy; livelier, tougher, and more flexible. Lu Mengqing could see the youth’s face flushing red with strain as he poured all his strength into one last golden bell, trying to sever the vines that bound him.

It was useless.

“Fellow Daoist Ming, you don’t need to waste your strength,” Jiang Chennian said calmly. “There are indeed a dozen vines here, but only a few are actually restraining you. The rest are decoys.”

“Ming Ruyue looks like he can move,” Ning Mingmei said from the other side of the arena, “but his range of motion has been precisely limited and he can’t reach the bells. If he tries to twist or flip, he’ll only bind himself tighter. And Jiang Chennian has reinforced the stress concentration points with spiritual energy. Without knowledge of material mechanics, Ming Ruyue won’t break free.”

The bell of truce sounded. The arena fell silent.

No one had expected that the Qi cultivator Jiang Chennian of Jade Pavilion Peak could defeat Ming Ruyue, the prodigy of Smoky Cloud Tower.

Only when the referee announced the result did the crowd erupt in screams.

“He won!!”

“We actually won!”

“Jiang Chennian! Jiang Chennian!”

“Qi cultivation! Qi cultivation! Qi cultivation!” someone shouted, using a phrase clearly borrowed from somewhere else.

However, most people wanted to know one thing. How did Jiang Chennian do it?!

Surrounded by cheering peers, the victor stammered out the line Ning Mingmei had told him to say, “After today, I’ll be updating my cultivation routine and next matches on FaceScroll. If you’re interested, please follow me there. Thank you!”

A classic post-victory promotion.

The crowd: …

“FaceScroll!!”

“Oh my god, who can give me an invite code? Everyone’s on it except me!”

“Whoever gives me a code, I’ll call them mom! I’ll fetch them hot water for a month!”

“I’ve got one, hahaha! Followed already!”

“And— and also,” Jiang Chennian continued, encouraged by Jiang Yu’s look, “aside from my master Yin Xisheng, I especially want to thank Master Ning of Misty Peak for his extra guidance. If anyone’s interested, you’re welcome to join Jade Pavilion Peak’s Qi practice sessions.”

The crowd: …

“Peak Lord Ning?”

“Wait — aren’t you a Qi cultivator? And isn’t Peak Lord Ning a sword cultivator?”

“Don’t tell me Peak Lord Ning’s skills are so vast he can even teach Qi techniques?”

Jiang Yu jumped in at the perfect moment. “Also! In half an hour, Arena C5, Misty Peak vs. Bamboo Island! Everyone should go watch!”

With such a hot match pulling the attention, the crowd’s excitement peaked again.

“Isn’t that Peak Lord Ning’s direct disciple? Lemme see… the seventeenth disciple?”

“Go, go, go! Hurry before the seats are gone!”

“I still can’t believe Jiang Chennian beat Ming Ruyue! I lost my whole wager!”

“What’s going on? Is it really thanks to Peak Lord Ning?”

After congratulating Jiang Chennian, the spectators swarmed off toward Arena C5.

Having completed Ning Mingmei’s task, Jiang Chennian stayed behind to wipe the sweat off his face, only to find Ming Ruyue glaring icily at him.

…Damn, he’d forgotten the opponent.

Jiang Chennian said quickly, “Sorry, I got caught up thanking Master Ning and forgot to speak to you. You fought really well.”

Ming Ruyue: “…”

The prodigy’s expression was sour, still tinged pink from the earlier near-asphyxiation. He gave Jiang Chennian one last frosty glance and turned to leave.

Jiang Chennian stood there awkwardly, scratching his head… when he saw Ming Ruyue suddenly coming back.

“Junior Brother Ming!” someone from the Smoky Cloud Tower shouted, “Don’t be impulsive!”

The remaining onlookers tensed. Under everyone’s gaze, Ming Ruyue walked up to Jiang Chennian and asked coldly, “Your master is Yin Xisheng, isn’t he? Then, why did you call Peak Lord Ning Master too?”

Jiang Chennian: …

Ah, he’d said it out of habit, just following Jiang Yu’s lead.

Jiang Yu, sharp-tongued as ever: “What’s it to you how we call him? Hmph! If you’ve got the guts, you call Peak Lord Ning ‘Master’ too!”

…

That didn’t sound like a matter of guts.

However, Ming Ruyue was young and easily provoked. His eyes went cold. “Fine!”

Even the Smoky Cloud Tower’s own people were startled. Someone tugged his sleeve. “Senior Brother Ming, that’s not appropriate.”

Ming Ruyue: …

“I meant, I’m going to Arena C5. I want to see just what kind of skills Misty Peak disciples have.” With that, he flung his sleeve and strode off.

Jiang Yu and Jiang Chennian remained where they were. She tugged his sleeve. “See? I told you, bringing Misty Peak’s ways into Jade Pavilion Peak totally works!”

Jiang Chennian gave a wry smile. “Junior Sister.”

“Mm?”

“My legs gave out. I can’t walk.”

It was perfectly normal to collapse after a fight like that, which was exactly how everyone saw Jiang Chennian sink to the ground, legs limp. The image spread through all of the Supreme Clarity Sect in an instant, along with the shocking news that Jiang Chennian had beaten Ming Ruyue and publicly thanked Ning Mingmei.

While the world buzzed, only Ning Mingmei sat calmly on the viewing platform, scrolling through FaceScroll.

He sent Wei Xi, the top-knot talisman cultivator, a message.

Ning Mingmei: “Add another trending tag #Will Ming Ruyue And Jiang Chennian Fight At Arena C5?”

The world never lacked people who loved a spectacle. With that new trending tag, the traffic surged. If only 5% of people had planned to see Misty Peak vs. Bamboo Island before, now 50% were going.

With everything proceeding perfectly, Ning Mingmei quietly slipped away.

Meanwhile, in the Smoky Cloud Tower’s tent, the Gold Island elder still sat in shock. “What— what just happened? This… this…”

Even though their sect had lost the match, Lu Mengqing, who was normally fiercely competitive, felt no irritation at all. On the contrary, she was filled with anticipation.

Her attendant asked softly, “Master, where are we going now?”

“To Arena C5,” Lu Mengqing said. She admitted to herself that at this moment, Ning Mingmei had completely captured her attention.

…And not just hers but that of every spectator in the tournament.

This time, she wanted to see with her own eyes what kind of surprise Misty Peak’s true competition would bring.