Chapter 60: Ning Mingmei’s Greatest Crisis

Ordinary people have three souls and seven spirits. For cultivators, their souls are even stronger and purer.

But the soul of the person behind the curtains seemed to be missing something.

Ning Mingmei had the others wait outside while he entered with two disciples.

There were two people inside the room. One lay on a chaise lounge, while the other sat on a chair beside him, taking his pulse.

The person on the chaise lounge was likely the Royal General, the City Lord of Ye Province.

Lifeless and on the verge of death, that was Ning Mingmei’s first impression of him.

The City Lord was over four hundred years old. Even with the longevity elixir prolonging his life, he still appeared middle-aged. His hair was graying rapidly, making him look even older than his actual appearance suggested. His eyelids drooped heavily, though the contours of his features still hinted at the heroic and handsome man he once was.

The other person had his back to Ning Mingmei, dressed in a light lavender-blue robe. The color was soft, making him look like a drifting violet cloud. He stood beside the City Lord, treating his injuries.

The area he was treating was the Royal General’s right arm.

The man kept his head down, carefully applying herbal steam compresses.

The strange scent filling the room came from that very process.

“Immortal Master, please have a seat,” came a hoarse voice from the chaise lounge. His breath was weak, like wind whistling through a hollow, withered bamboo stalk.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ning Mingmei sipped his tea and signaled for the eleventh disciple to speak.

The eleventh disciple said, “We heard that there have been ghostly disturbances in the city. However, the case details given to the Supreme Clarity Sect were vague and unclear. Could the City Lord describe exactly how these disturbances are manifesting?”

The man coughed a few times, sounding like a broken bellows. But what he said next was unexpected.

“To be honest, this was an overreaction from a few of my subordinates. I regret troubling you immortals to make this trip… There really isn’t anything unusual happening in the city.”

It sounded like the usual polite preamble before getting down to business.

But then, he continued speaking and what he said was essentially an outright dismissal, a request for them to leave immediately.

This…?

The eleventh and the fifteenth disciples both turned to look at Ning Mingmei.

It was rare for Ning Mingmei to actually remain silent. And not just for a moment, but for a long time.

Even rarer was that, for once, he actually looked like the aloof and untouchable person that rumors described, someone poor at socializing.

The room fell into a dead silence.

After a while, Ning Mingmei finally lifted his teacup, his expression seemingly calm and indifferent. “So what you’re saying, Royal General, is that this mission is canceled and we should pack up and leave?”

The eleventh disciple: …

His master’s voice sounded completely normal. At least, to an outsider, it would. But as someone who knew his master best, why did he suddenly feel an eerie chill running down his spine?

The man remained polite. “I sincerely apologize for making you immortals come all this way for nothing. I will instruct my steward to prepare a generous gift for Peak Lord Ning. If it pleases you… it would bring me some peace of mind.”

Ning Mingmei remained as composed as ever. “That won’t be necessary, Royal General. Traveling from the Supreme Clarity Sect to Ye Province is only a matter of a few days.

“Only a few days.”

The man hesitated. “Immortal Master, you honor me too much by calling me ‘Royal General.’ Just call me Ye Feng. I am old and frail now, and my subordinates acted rashly, causing unnecessary trouble. I deeply regret this. No matter how great the compensation, it would not be enough to express even a tenth of my guilt. I only hope you will accept it.”

Not just a tenth of his guilt… More like not even a tenth of six million.

A client withdrawing their funds happens all the time, even in the real world.

The system spoke to Ning Mingmei, [Well, there goes your six million.]

There wasn’t much sympathy in its tone, but there was definitely a hint of schadenfreude.

Ning Mingmei snapped at the system, [Shut up. Don’t talk to me.]

Oh, is he mad?

The system was actually a little excited to see Ning Mingmei suffer for once. [Nothing you can do now. You’ll have to leave tomorrow. But hey, the other missions still add up to seven or eight hundred thousand.]

Ning Mingmei: “…”

The system took his silence as a sign that he was too furious to speak.

But was that really the case?

He hadn’t been angry when Fang Wuyu mocked him.

He hadn’t been angry when Lian Chengyue barked at him like a dog.

He hadn’t even been angry when others looked down on him.

It was just six million.

Ning Mingmei turned to the man and said, “No need to be so formal, Your Grace. I am not well-versed in worldly matters and struggle to remember names, so I will simply call you ‘Your Grace.’ We cultivators do not descend from our mountains for gold or silver, but to serve the greater good and bring peace to the people. We fully understand your reasons for not continuing the partnership. However, since we have already come down from the mountain, we might as well stay in the city for a dozen more days; to sightsee, relax, and enjoy the local culture. I hope Your Grace wouldn’t mind?”

Apologies had been made, compensation had been offered, and in theory, what Ning Mingmei asked for was a very minor request.

“Of course,” the Royal General replied.

But Ning Mingmei caught a fleeting hesitation in his words.

“Of course, if any demons or evil spirits happen to appear in the next few days…” Ning Mingmei deliberately left the sentence unfinished.

This time, he could distinctly sense the shift in the other man’s emotions.

With that, the discussion of the case was over. The group continued chatting casually, touching on topics related to the Supreme Clarity Sect and the mortal realm.

Ning Mingmei noticed that the physician standing beside the Royal General had finished his treatment.

The physician washed away the remaining medicinal paste from the man’s arm, revealing something that was not normal skin.

Instead, it was a disturbing shade of blackish purple.

His entire right arm was discolored, with veins bulging prominently; an injury far beyond ordinary afflictions.

With the treatment ended, the Royal General nodded and signaled for the physician to leave.

As the physician turned, Ning Mingmei noticed that he wore a half-mask, covering everything above his nose.

He gave Ning Mingmei a brief bow before exiting.

His demeanor was cold and detached.

Ning Mingmei then said, “There is something I am quite curious about. What happened to Your Grace’s arm?”

The Royal General replied, “You mean this arm? It’s an old wound from the battlefield, left behind hundreds of years ago.”

“Is that so?” Ning Mingmei said. “I heard that during the Loyal King Battle four hundred years ago, Your Grace played a significant role. But most of those battles were fought against demons or fiends, weren’t they? However, the magical traces on this wound don’t seem like demonic or fiendish arts.”

“In truth, for most of that war, we were fighting our own people. They were all fellow humans, people of the mortal realm…”

At that point, the Royal General let out a bitter laugh and Ning Mingmei finally caught a flicker of emotion beneath his mask.

He continued, “Immortal Master Ning, you have sharp eyes. This wound was indeed not caused by demons or fiends. It was a type of sorcery. A curse.”

“A curse?”

“Sorcery is, of course, no match for immortal arts. But for us mere mortals, it is… effective enough.”

The Royal General, however, did not wish to dwell on the topic any longer. He shifted the conversation to another subject; Qi Miancheng.

It turned out that Qi Miancheng was not only well-connected in the immortal realm but also deeply familiar with the major city lords and power factions of the mortal realm.

The Royal General said, “In recent years, though the demons have retreated, the fiends have never abandoned their desire to destroy our people. They often invade the mortal realm. Fortunately, Sect Master Qi has always acted decisively, coming to our aid time and time again. Sect Master Qi is as bright as the moon and as pure as the wind, upholding justice. I have the utmost admiration for him.”

Although the immortals and fiends were now in a state of cold war, small-scale battles between mortals and fiends were still frequent. Ning Mingmei now had a clearer understanding of the world’s current major conflicts.

Whenever Qi Miancheng was mentioned, it was always in praise. And every time, a faint, flickering light like the last embers of a dying candle would appear in the Royal General’s aged eyes.

It was enough to convince anyone that four hundred years ago, he truly had been the great Royal General, rising from obscurity and victorious on countless battlefields, rather than the man he was now, kept alive by a longevity elixir for four hundred years, merely existing.

Had that elixir, while granting him four centuries of life, also stripped away the essence of the heroic general he once was?

Or perhaps, deep down, the heroic general envied Qi Miancheng.

They were born in nearly the same era. But Qi Miancheng had strong spiritual roots, allowing him to ascend the path of immortality. Even now, he could still ride into battle, fighting for a better world.

As for the Royal General, despite the elixir granting him a long life, four hundred years later, he was nothing more than a man with a middle-aged face, rotting away in Ye Province, unable to fight ever again.

Only those who had once been soldiers could truly understand such a feeling.

Ning Mingmei asked, “Is that physician from the mortal realm?”

The Royal General replied, “Yes. He is a wandering healer, once practicing medicine in the Prince of Qinghe’s fief. Prince of Qinghe heard that my arm was worsening, so he recommended him to me. His medical skills are quite good.”

Prince of Qinghe was also of the imperial family. Fang Wuyu’s nephew, to be exact. Having grown up hearing tales of the Royal General, he greatly admired the legendary warrior who had once been both brave and indifferent to fame and fortune.

The world of cultivation had its benefits as those with great wealth and power always had opportunities to attain longevity.

Thus, even idols from past generations, who should have long been buried, could still be seen in the present.

Ning Mingmei asked, “Why not seek treatment from the Brilliant Blossom Valley? Even the Smoky Cloud Tower and the White River Lodge are known for their skilled medical cultivators.”

The Royal General shook his head. “It’s a curse, so it cannot be healed. That physician can only help ease the pain a little… and that is enough.”

Oh?

The night banquet was approaching, so Ning Mingmei rose to leave.

But as he departed, he left behind a single remark.

“Your Grace’s arm is truly a disturbing sight. The ghostly disturbances in Ye Province City… could they also be related to sorcery?”

Sure enough.

He heard the sudden acceleration of the Royal General’s heartbeat.

***

The night banquet was lavish with golden goblets of fine wine, exquisite dishes, and performances of graceful music and dance. The disciples were toasted frequently and by the time they returned to their rooms, they were so drunk that they collapsed into deep sleep.

As the guest of honor, Ning Mingmei was given the most toasts. However, he maintained an indifferent expression throughout.

The Deputy City Lord and the steward clearly already knew that the Royal General had backed out of the deal. Even during the banquet, they would occasionally exchange glances of silent conversations filled with unspoken words.

Sure enough, as soon as the banquet ended and pleasantries were exchanged, the Deputy City Lord returned to his own residence.

It was evident that they had matters to discuss in private.

The steward, however, arrived with a gift of compensation.

With a polite smile, he said, “The City Lord knows that immortals do not care for mundane wealth, so he has specially prepared many refined and elegant gifts, hoping to bring a smile to the immortals’ faces.”

The list contained antiques and calligraphy scrolls, all of which were valuable treasures within the mortal’s imperial court.

Altogether, they were worth around 900,000.

Ning Mingmei glanced over the list once and then tossed it aside, tapping his fingers on the tea table as he sat.

The eleventh disciple, the only one who hadn’t drunk alcohol, walked in and asked, “Master, what do we do?”

Ning Mingmei replied, “We’ll rest in Ye Province for seven days. Whatever you want to eat or play, go ahead. Put it all on the mansion’s account.”

The eleventh disciple asked, “But Master, why are they acting like this? The mission mentions ghostly disturbances in Ye Province and the Deputy City Lord also says there are ghosts, but the City Lord insists there aren’t?”

It would have been fine if he hadn’t brought it up, but now that he did…

Ning Mingmei’s expression didn’t change.

But the room seemed to grow colder.

Ning Mingmei said, “It’s nothing. Over the next few days, if anything unusual happens in Ye Province, report everything to me. And if you encounter any ghostly creatures…”

The eleventh disciple hesitated. “…Should we get rid of them?”

Ning Mingmei nodded. “Yes. Then pile the corpses in front of the mansion. Consider it our gift to them.”

The eleventh disciple left.

He thought, ‘Technically speaking, Master’s words should be taken as an act of goodwill, eliminating demons and fiends without charging a single coin.’

But for some reason, the whole thing made him feel cold.

The disciples were all delighted, except for Ning Mingmei, who remained in the hall, still tapping his fingers.

The system observed Ning Mingmei.

Tentatively, it asked, [Six million?]

…

Why did Ning Mingmei suddenly seem so cold? Did he hate it that much?

The system continued, [Come on, that money was never in your hands to begin with. You didn’t get it, but it’s not like you lost anything.]

Ning Mingmei scoffed. [Heh.]

The system tried again, [And they were quite polite about it, weren’t they?]

Ning Mingmei adjusted his glasses. [Do I care if they’re polite? Making me lose six million is impolite.]

…

Was he actually holding a grudge over this?

The system asked, [Are you planning to spend seven days here running up their bill?]

Ning Mingmei clicked his tongue.

The system, for once, tried to comfort him in human terms, [It’s just six million. You can squeeze it out of Fang Wuyu later.]

And if that didn’t work, there was always Sect Master Qi or Yin Xisheng to extort.

Ning Mingmei sneered, [Hah. Do you think if I had that six million, I’d stop squeezing them?]

…

Did he even hear himself?

The system instantly lost all sympathy for him.

Ning Mingmei continued, [It’s not about the six million. It’s about contract integrity. Tsk, people these days have no sense of contracts, just like wild beasts. Reimbursements are promised and then suddenly revoked. Funds are guaranteed, only to be handed to someone else. Agreed on layouts and then demanded more money. They promised school-enterprise collaborations but once they get the code, they take it to another company. Copying ideas, rushing to publish, fabricating figures for papers with Photoshop, breaking contracts…]

[And the cultivation realm doesn’t even have contracts or breach clauses. Truly despicable,] Ning Mingmei said. [That six million was already included in my office building budget for this year! Am I supposed to make up for it by cutting my disciples’ wages?]

The system: …

Was it really that serious? Why did it feel like Ning Mingmei was just venting his anger?

Ning Mingmei took a sip of tea. [But from what I see, Ye Province has a lot of problems. By tomorrow morning, the Deputy City Lord will probably come looking for me. From his perspective, he’ll want my help investigating the matter. Since that’s the case, let’s wait and see in the morning.]

?

When had Ning Mingmei figured that out?

The system didn’t even want to ask how he deduced it. It simply said, [But he’s just the deputy city lord. He can’t override the higher-ups. Let it go.]

Ning Mingmei: [I refuse.]

[Curses, strange townsfolk, the physician, the City Lord’s arm, ghostly disturbances,] Ning Mingmei mused. [That city lord is definitely hiding something. Anyone who can skip out on paying six million can’t be a good person. They should all be tossed into a blender. I have some connections in the Supreme Clarity Sect, so tear them all apart for me.]

The system: [Calm down. You don’t seem cold and indifferent at all today.]

What was wrong with Ning Mingmei?

Ning Mingmei said, [My intuition tells me there are many…]

The system: [Secrets?]

Ning Mingmei: [Opportunities to make money… I got so worked up that I misspoke.]

The system: […Misspoke how?]

Ning Mingmei: [I actually told the disciples to rest properly. I should’ve had them start investigating right away. They’ve been idle long enough.]

Ah, there he was, back to his usual self.

Ning Mingmei grew frustrated with his own thoughts. As he stepped out of the hall, his gaze landed on a side-room window.

Right now, Ren Miao was sleeping with a few female disciples. In the small room, Lian Chengyue and Gui Ruoxue were staying together.

He tilted his head slightly, a sudden idea forming.

Ning Mingmei: [Heh.]

The system: ?

That laugh sounded evil. [What are you planning?]

Ning Mingmei adjusted his glasses. [Isn’t it about time for Lian Chengyue to take his medicine?]

The system stared at him and suddenly recalled something.

Earlier at the banquet… Hadn’t Ning Mingmei drunk a lot?

…

Could it be that drunk Ning Mingmei was also… evil?