After Transmigrating as an Immortal Master, I Hold a Group Meeting - Chapter 91

Ning Mingmei: “Zero creates one, one creates everything. Meaning, everything equals one and everything also equals zero.”

Gui Ruoxue finally lifted his head, his eyes shadowed by deep, blood-red rings. His tone was ominous. “Speak like a normal person.”

“Although there’s nothing on Misty Peak, that is precisely what you truly need: freedom.” Ning Mingmei adjusted his glasses. “You now have the complete freedom to build your own research base from scratch, free from the oversight of senior scholars and the pressures of administration. Everything here will align perfectly with your vision.”

Gui Ruoxue: …

…

“The most valuable thing in this world is freedom,” Ning Mingmei continued, “because it brings limitless possibilities. If this mountain were already filled with things I created, if my theories were already established here, that would restrict your development. Little Gui, tell me, am I right?”

After half an hour of Ning Mingmei’s brainwashing, Gui Ruoxue entered an unstable state.

On one hand, some of what Ning Mingmei said seemed quite reasonable. On the other hand, it all felt so profoundly inhuman.

Ning Mingmei: “Besides, I heard that you’ve already been listed as a wanted person, whether it’s the Brilliant Blossom Valley or the Green Jade Altar. In their eyes, you must be nothing more than a stray dog with no home to return to, wandering the Six Realms, living in constant fear, jumping at shadows. No friends, no subordinates, not even time to continue your pharmaceutical work.”

At the mention of the Brilliant Blossom Valley, a ripple of emotion flickered through the redness of Gui Ruoxue’s almond-shaped eyes.

The long-haired beauty sat curled up beside the icy lake, staring blankly into the distance. A few strands of his long hair drifted into the water, floating and entangling like withering black weeds, unable to find a place to root.

“Brilliant Blossom Valley… huh.” He exhaled softly, a hint of mockery in his voice. “So it’s finally begun.”

It was clear that, deep down, he still cared about the Brilliant Blossom Valley.

This was precisely the opportunity Ning Mingmei needed to enlighten him. “But they don’t know. Right now, you are neither homeless nor in hiding. On the contrary, you reside in the inner sect of the greatest sect in the world, on Misty Peak, one of its twelve main peaks, where the Elder Swordbearer of Misty Peak treats you as an honored guest.”

Well, that did seem to be the case.

“Moreover, you are free from worldly affairs and have ample time for pharmaceutical research. In the future, I will even recruit many disciples from the Supreme Clarity Sect to assist you in your studies. You are not abandoned or alone. In addition, I have personally set up protective wards to ensure your safety and keep you undisturbed. ‘Home is where the heart is at peace.’ Those who mock you have no idea that Misty Peak is now your second home.”

Tell me, doesn’t that sound great?

It does!

Gui Ruoxue was silent for a moment before saying, “…You make a fair point.” There was a hint of hesitation in his beautiful eyes, a trace of melancholy.

Seeing this rare moment of vulnerability, Ning Mingmei said, “Don’t worry, you have me now.”

Gui Ruoxue: “…Thank you.”

The system, which had been silently observing the entire exchange: …

What exactly are you?!

After comforting Gui Ruoxue, Ning Mingmei left him with a collection of equipment he had conveniently ‘acquired’ from Ye Province. As Gui Ruoxue examined the tools, he murmured, “I have to admit, the modifications they made to these devices do show a certain level of skill.”

“Indeed. For now, spend a few days freely conducting research in the back of the mountain and getting familiar with the environment. In the meantime, I’ll look into what kind of research in the Supreme Clarity Sect is more…”

Profitable.

After a pause, Ning Mingmei added, “Or if there’s anything from the Brilliant Blossom Valley—no, from Green Jade Altar, that you still want to study, write it down for me. I’ll see if it’s…”

Profitable.

The system asked, [Why not take from the Brilliant Blossom Valley?]

Ning Mingmei: “The Brilliant Blossom Valley is a righteous sect and even a cooperative partner of the Supreme Clarity Sect. Although the cultivation world doesn’t have formal patent laws yet, if they were to come asking about intellectual property rights, it would be tricky to explain. But Green Jade Altar is an evil sect. Even in the future, they won’t be granted copyright protection. Which means we can steal from them as much as we want, as crazily as we want, without restraint. Even if we replicate their products exactly, all we have to do is scrape off their logo and stamp the Supreme Clarity Sect’s insignia on it, and suddenly, it’s our research.

“At that point, do you really think a small evil sect like the Green Jade Altar has the nerve to question the top righteous sect in the world? On top of that, I can use this logo-swapping project to squeeze out other research teams’ funding, just like how another team once squeezed out mine…”

The system: […Why are you so experienced at this? Just how many times have you been pushed out?!]

“Besides, Gui Ruoxue probably wants revenge against the Green Jade Altar. If I help him flood the world with bootleg copies of their work, spreading their stolen formulas across all four seas, wouldn’t that make him even happier? And that happiness would fuel his academic enthusiasm.” Ning Mingmei smirked. “A perfect win-win situation.”

Gui Ruoxue had no concept of intellectual property laws. All he sensed was something else. “Am I the only one in the back of the mountain?”

Ning Mingmei turned to the system. “This postdoc hasn’t even started his research and is already asking me for assistants. Clearly, Gui Ruoxue’s dedication to academia is lacking.”

The system: …

“I’ll have Ren Miao come help you, along with another person… You’ll find out soon.” Ning Mingmei remained calm and composed. “Besides them, there are also two others, Wu Yun and Hu Yang. I think Hu Yang has been properly re-educated, but Wu Yun still needs some work.”

The other person, of course, was Xuezhu.

Since the conversation had already gone this far, Ning Mingmei conveniently returned Gui Ruoxue’s Qiankun pouch to him, except for a few weapons with lethal capabilities.

Gui Ruoxue checked inside the pouch and immediately frowned. “Did you see my ring?”

Ning Mingmei feigned ignorance. “No idea. I fought several battles with a few fiend cultivators, so maybe it got lost during that time.”

Gui Ruoxue’s expression darkened for a moment. He thought for a while before slowly saying, “Forget it. As long as it wasn’t picked up by Jiang Duo, everything’s fine.”

Ning Mingmei asked knowingly, “What was in that ring?”

Gui Ruoxue replied indifferently, “Nothing much, just a rare material.”

As a Divine Transformation wood spiritual root cultivator, Gui Ruoxue already had considerable independence, for example, repairing houses using wood or constructing structures with plants.

At least, that was how Ning Mingmei assigned tasks to him. “No way, you wood spiritual root cultivators can’t even do this?”

Gui Ruoxue: “…And you lightning spiritual root cultivators manipulate positive and negative charges? That’s something I’ve never heard of.”

Ning Mingmei adjusted his glasses. “That just means you haven’t studied deeply enough.”

…In the end, Gui Ruoxue gritted his teeth and went to set up the area and do the work. Meanwhile, Ning Mingmei left briskly and stopped by the snow cave to check on Wu Yun and Hu Yang.

On the way, the system asked him, [That ring of Gui Ruoxue’s…]

“Hm?”

[Why did you leave it for the protagonist?] The system couldn’t understand it. Ning Mingmei seemed to be constantly trying to kill the protagonist, yet in the end, he still returned the protagonist’s first golden finger to him.

Ning Mingmei had only one response. “Before harvesting leeks, you have to fertilize them first.”

?

“Scientific training should start from childhood. Lian Chengyue is five years old now, the perfect age to start learning and attending extracurricular classes.” Ning Mingmei adjusted his glasses again. “Now that the Supreme Clarity Sect has expanded its recruitment, too many inner disciples have joined without even basic cultivation knowledge. Lian Chengyue will eventually enter my sect and be enslaved by me. Do you think I should waste my time giving him scientific enlightenment after he joins?”

The system: …

…So the goal was to make Lian Chengyue self-sufficient, growing into a strong and ready-to-harvest leek before even entering the sect!

Inside the snow cave, two people were imprisoned. One side held Hu Yang and the other side held Wu Yun.

Ning Mingmei went to talk to Hu Yang first. Hu Yang was very cooperative and had a good attitude.

Ning Mingmei decided to give him a second chance. “From today on, you’ll stay at Misty Peak as an external temporary worker.” He unlocked the prison door.

In the future, if Gui Ruoxue ever caused an experimental accident, Hu Yang could take the blame. After all, Gui Ruoxue was a talent acquisition, so no matter how serious the accident, he had to be protected.

Hu Yang was deeply grateful. The beautiful half of his face and the disfigured half both twisted into an awkward smile. After a moment, he carefully asked Ning Mingmei, “Immortal… Immortal Master, may I ask about… Physician Wu?”

Even though he himself was barely surviving, the first thing he wanted to do after being released was to ask about Wu Yun’s condition.

So, Ning Mingmei took him to Wu Yun’s prison cell.

The cell was extremely simple with just four bare walls. There was a small vent near the top of one wall, the only window through which the lonely prisoner could see the outside world. Even if all he saw was an endless snowy landscape, at least there was some sunlight.

When Ning Mingmei found Hu Yang earlier, he had been curled up on the patch of snow where the sunlight reached.

However, Wu Yun was different.

Wu Yun sat in the darkest corner, away from the light. He hugged his knees, resting his sharp chin on them. His nose bridge was so thin it seemed almost transparent, like a fragile piece of snow, as if a single ray of sunlight could melt him away.

For the first time, Ning Mingmei realized that even after taking off his mask, Wu Yun still looked like a young boy. However, his gaze was empty and aged, and his amber eyes carried a silence like someone at death’s door. When he heard the two people approaching, those amber eyes moved slightly. Then, the aged youth nodded at Ning Mingmei.

“I’m here to talk to you,” Ning Mingmei said. “But before me, it seems like he has something to say to you.” He pushed the hesitant and nervous Hu Yang forward. “I’ll give you half an incense stick’s worth of time.”

But what could the two of them even talk about? There was nothing left to say. From the moment Wu Yun sought revenge against Ye Province, he had already written the ending for everyone in Ye Province, and all of them were doomed to die. With the conclusion already set, even if Wu Yun spoke to Hu Yang or treated his injuries, it was no different from providing hospice care to a dying man.

Even though Hu Yang, in order to save him, had foolishly taken Deputy City Lord Qin’s talisman and rushed up the mountain to face certain death.

And even more so because Hu Yang was a descendant of the Hu family. The ancestors of the Hu family had once been among those who cast Wu Yun into hell.

Ning Mingmei waited outside the snow cave while they talked.

Half an incense stick’s time had passed. He stepped into the snow cave and saw Hu Yang with his head lowered.

When he noticed Ning Mingmei enter, Hu Yang forced an awkward smile. “Immortal Master…”

Ning Mingmei said, “Go over to Little Xue’s place.”

Hu Yang replied, “Alright.” As he passed Ning Mingmei, he suddenly stopped and stammered, “I-Immortal Master… If Physician Wu is still feeling down, could you…”

Be patient with him?

He was still calling him by his false name.

Hu Yang left. Ning Mingmei walked forward. He saw that Wu Yun was no longer resting his chin on his knees. Instead, the aged youth had tilted his head and was leaning against the wall.

Ning Mingmei said, “It looks like your conversation didn’t go well.”

Wu Yun suddenly spoke. “I actually hoped you truly liked me. How pathetic. That was the last thing he said to me.”

Ning Mingmei responded with a simple, “Hmm.”

Time passed, second by second. Ning Mingmei remained silent, watching as the daylight shining through the small window shifted from the east to the west. The westward light cast a long shadow of Wu Yun on the ground.

Only then did Ning Mingmei speak. “As I said before, as long as you’re alive, the Li tribe still exists. It’s summer now, the season of blooming flowers. It’s too early for them to fall, so at least wait until winter.”

A sharp burst of sword energy sliced open the prison door.

“When you’re ready to leave, go find Gui Ruoxue,” Ning Mingmei said.

Wu Yun closed his eyes. After a long pause, he buried his head in his knees.

***

After dealing with the matters at the back mountain, the next morning, all the disciples gathered in Ning Mingmei’s Snow Ruling Hall.

This time, not only was the hall packed with disciples from Misty Peak, but even disciples from other peaks crowded outside, trying to eavesdrop.

They weren’t just there for academic discussions but they also wanted to hear gossip.

The disciples, all exhausted from the last-minute meeting, sported dark circles under their eyes but were still brimming with energy.

Ning Mingmei started with the first agenda item: introducing their new junior martial sister, Ren Miao.

The Elder Swordbearer had gone down the mountain and brought back a new junior martial sister for Misty Peak!

The news spread quickly, not only throughout Misty Peak but across the entire Supreme Clarity Sect. Everyone, both inside and outside the sect, was curious. What was so special about the ordinary girl that Ning Mingmei had brought back?

Some even speculated, did she had a koi-like luck aura?

Among those particularly restless about the news was the newly recruited outer sect disciple, Yu Zi, who had just joined the civil engineering team.

While sketching a design, Yu Zi suddenly let out a sharp scream. “The Elder Swordbearer took in a new disciple?”

A female disciple, no less?

The disciple spreading the news nodded. “Yes. I heard she has dual water-wood spiritual roots, nothing particularly outstanding.”

Yu Zi: …

Damn it! I have a heavenly earth spiritual root!

“…It’s fine.” Gritting her teeth, Yu Zi told herself, “As long as I draw fast enough, Ning Mingmei will eventually notice me.”

When that happens, she will be the youngest junior sister of Misty Peak!

But honestly, the Supreme Clarity Sect was so unprofessional! Architecture and civil engineering weren’t even separate fields there. While Yu Zi was drawing until her vision blurred, she finally understood why, the moment she spoke to the Workers Hall’s master yesterday, he had immediately decided to keep her.

Simply put, they were desperate for labor!

Outside, the discussions were lively, but Ning Mingmei continued with the meeting. He dismissed the shy Ren Miao and moved on to the next agenda item with Lin Heting. “Is the Misty Peak anthem ready?”

Lin Heting replied, “Yes. Song Mingke said they’ll come to Misty Peak tomorrow to perform it for us in person.”

Ning Mingmei nodded. “Good. Let’s sell some tickets as well. Let the disciples from other peaks hear our Misty Peak anthem too.”

It didn’t sound like he was joking.

He then casually checked in on the other disciples’ projects. Since it was a surprise inspection, a dozen disciples stumbled through their reports, practically wishing they could drop dead on the spot to atone for their failures.

Once everyone finished reporting, the two talisman cultivators standing to the side began trembling uncontrollably.

What kind of messed-up place is the Supreme Clarity Sect?!

Ning Mingmei said, “By the way, let me introduce two exchange students from the Ice Quenching Pavilion, Ling Yuan and Wei Xi. Starting today, they’ll be training and working here for the next few years. Everyone, please welcome them.”

The focus immediately shifted and the disciples enthusiastically clapped. The two talisman cultivators, on the other hand, were completely stunned.

W-Wait, years?!

Years?!

Ning Mingmei turned to them. “Ling Yuan, Wei Xi, after sitting through this meeting, I’m sure you’ve gotten a basic understanding of our different teams. Now, let me test you. What is Lin Heting’s team responsible for?”

The two talisman cultivators: …

Damn it, we got careless!

Who actually listens to what their colleagues are doing during meetings?

Don’t people only wake up when they hear their own name?

Ning Mingmei continued, “Alright then, which group interests you the most?”

The two talisman cultivators: …No answer.

“In that case, why don’t you rotate through every project team?” Ning Mingmei’s glasses glinted coldly. “Spend some time in each group, help out wherever you can, and by the end, we’ll see which team suits you best.”

In other words, they had to help with every team.

A pair of free engineers, who wouldn’t use them?!

The two talisman cultivators: …Wait. This actually sounds pretty reasonable?

“Let’s start with the library management system,” Ning Mingmei said, casually pointing at someone. “After all, writing a library management system is a rite of passage for every talisman cultivator.”

And with that, he tossed them to Wen Siheng.

With everything settled, the meeting ended. The disciples left with dazed expressions, as if waking from a dream. Bai Bugui dawdled near the door, overhearing Ning Mingmei calling Xuezhu to stay behind.

Xuezhu glanced at him, looking incredibly smug.

Just as Bai Bugui was feeling miserable, the fifteenth disciple called out to him, “Fourth Senior Brother, Master wants you to stay, too.”

Stay too?

Has my time finally come?!

Xuezhu soon came out looking elated, his smile beaming. Clearly, he had just been entrusted with some important new task.

Watching Xuezhu head happily toward the back mountain, Bai Bugui, nervous yet excited, stepped into Snow Ruling Hall with his mind full of secret reports.