My construction materials are weird

“What is a Profound Master? That is a Dao Lord, a True Saint, an untouchable existence? We don't congratulate Profound Masters for their cultivation progress because we simply don't have the qualifications to congratulate them. What do you think is the reason?”

Sun Hui said with a smile.

This book is first published on the entire network by 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞

“Me?” Sun Tong seemed to understand.

“Understood? It's different. Congratulating you on entering the Second Order is firstly to boost morale, and secondly because the cultivation world needs such rituals. You can say it's a public image project, but you can't deny that its advantages outweigh the disadvantages.”

Sun Hui continued, “Moreover, your identity is so crucial. You need to give those below opportunities to curry favor with you. If you don't even give the people below a chance, do you think that's really good?”

“Uh? A bad habit, perhaps.” Sun Tong made a small complaint.

“You can say it's a bad habit, but if a bad habit has always existed and hasn't disappeared, it must have its reasons. If there's no reason at all, it wouldn't exist. That's for sure,” Sun Hui said.

“You're being evasive,” Sun Tong said.

“You should agree.”

“Alright, I agree, but don't make it too grand,” Sun Tong finally agreed.

“Don't worry, it won't be too grand. As I said, you need to have a certain level to congratulate you. It's impossible for just any cultivator to meet and congratulate you. It will be the high-level members of our Eight Great and Four Major factions, as well as well-known rogue cultivators,” Sun Hui said.

“Okay.” Sun Tong breathed a sigh of relief. That was good.

She was most afraid of being dragged out as a mascot, with people she didn't even know coming to congratulate her. That wouldn't be good.

“Then I'll go take care of it.”

“Mm!”

The uncle and niece finished their conversation. Sun Tong felt a little tired, even more tired than handling the affairs of Qingyun Mountain.

On the other side.

When the Four Great and Eight Major factions learned that Sun Tong had agreed, they each began a round of careful preparations.

Rogue cultivators, or some smaller forces who were qualified to participate, were also preparing.

Even the high-level members of the Demon Suppression Department who came with the Four Great Sect Leaders were preparing.

It could be seen that many people were looking forward to General Manager Sun Tong's advancement ceremony. This was no longer a simple ceremony, nor was it just Sun Tong's own affair.

Rather, everyone needed such a ceremony or occasion.

Rogue cultivators and small forces wanted to expand their social circles. The Demon Suppression Department needed to take this opportunity to show their arrival, as a debut ceremony.

The Four Great and Eight Major factions also needed to take this opportunity to showcase their recent achievements, to let the cultivators see their strength, to see the prosperity of their respective forces, and to let Sun Tong see their recent efforts.

Sun Tong's advancement congratulation ceremony was no longer a simple ceremony.

It involved too much.

On the morning of the third day.

Qingyun Mountain, which had not had a large-scale ceremony for a long time, was particularly lively.

All the True Cultivators who were qualified to be invited were the top cultivators.

Some gossip-loving cultivators did some statistics and found that almost all of them were above the middle stage of Profound Transformation. In other words, if their cultivation had not reached the middle stage of Profound Transformation, no matter what force they belonged to, whose disciple they were, or whose young master they were, they were not qualified to participate.

The number of congratulatory attendees was a decreasing method, not an increasing one.

The decreasing method meant that the number of people who could lowly congratulate would only decrease, not increase.

Insufficient cultivation, insufficient fame, insufficient control of power, etc., would all lead to being eliminated.

Rather be short than shoddy, ensuring that all participants were experts.

Therefore, even those with middle-stage Profound Transformation cultivation were eliminated due to insufficient control of power.

This time, it was truly a gathering of elites among elites, legends among legends.

Currently, the palace where Xuan Huang resided, as well as the Merit Hall, etc., were all avatars of the Myriad Spirits Palace.

Therefore, there was no problem of insufficient area. Not to mention three thousand people in a hall, even thirty thousand or three hundred thousand people would be fine.

Strictly speaking, this belonged to an official congratulatory ceremony.

In addition, there were also folk congratulatory methods.

For example, in Nanshi.

After a few years of change, Nanshi had changed a lot.

The most direct example was that in the past, those in the mid-stage of Entering Order in Nanshi were experts who could form small forces.

But now, the leaders, sect masters, and family heads of the forces that could gain a foothold in Nanshi were all extraordinary True Cultivators. Without the existence of Transcendent, it was impossible to gain a foothold in Nanshi.

Even the leaders, sect masters, and family heads of some of the strongest forces had already reached the middle stage of Profound Transformation.

Today's Nanshi was equally lively, with smiles on everyone's faces, and countless shops displaying various promotional slogans.

In general, it was all to congratulate Merit Hall's General Manager Sun Tong on entering the Second Order. This Hall XXX…

See, these business people were also participating in the grand event of Sun Tong's advancement, and were also working hard to promote this ceremony.

Therefore, the congratulatory ceremony for Sun Tong's advancement was definitely not just her personal matter anymore.

“Daoist, wasn't this spirit talisman three merit points before? Why is it three and a half points today? Why is it more expensive?”

A cultivator who entered the store to buy was very puzzled. The spirit talisman had always been three merit points, so why had it become three and a half?

“It's not more expensive, where is it more expensive? Three and a half is still expensive? Don't talk nonsense. To congratulate Merit Hall's General Manager Sun Tong on entering the Second Order, we are celebrating with the whole world, we have reduced the price. It was originally five merit points, but now it's only 70% off at three and a half.”

“You? This?” The thin cultivator was dumbfounded.

It was originally a good three merit points, but seeing the store's promotion [To congratulate Merit Hall's General Manager Sun Tong on entering the Second Order of Profound Connection, this store is 30% off today].

That's why he planned to buy more.

But it was actually more expensive?

“What's wrong? Daoist is not satisfied with General Manager Sun? Could it be that our congratulating General Manager Sun on her advancement is wrong? Isn't this a day of celebration for the whole world?”

The shopkeeper immediately looked over with an unfriendly gaze.

“No, no, no, I, I…” The cultivator was startled. Good heavens, how could he dare say he wasn't satisfied.

“No?” The shopkeeper continued, “Then you're dissatisfied with our small shop?”

“No, don't misunderstand, neither, I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare,” the cultivator immediately replied.

As a rogue cultivator, he really couldn't afford to offend those who could open shops in Nanshi. These were all people with connections.

Without some connections, it was impossible to support a shop in Nanshi.

“Then what do you mean?” the shopkeeper asked knowingly.

"I, I, the points I brought aren't quite enough. I just came in to ask, just to ask," the cultivator said, covered in sweat.

The shopkeeper opposite him had been suppressing him with an aura that exceeded his own.

"Asked enough?" the shopkeeper asked.

"Uh, asked enough," the cultivator replied.

"Buying or not?" the shopkeeper pressed.

"Well, I'm temporarily, temporarily..." the cultivator stammered.

"Understood. You don't have enough points. It's okay, you can look even if you don't buy. We're not a black shop that forces sales. Take your time, browse as you please."

The shopkeeper understood. He wasn't here to cause trouble, just a poor ghost looking for a bargain. How boring.

"Thank you, sorry for the disturbance, sorry for the disturbance," the cultivator said, feeling the pressure disappear. He breathed a sigh of relief and immediately left.

Only after leaving the shop did he begin to curse.

"Damn black shop, so greedy! A spirit talisman that's always been three points is now three and a half after a 30% discount. Bah! What 'Congratulations to Chief Manager Sun Tong on advancing, a universal celebration'? Clearly, they're using this opportunity to make dirty money. Disgusting!"

While cursing, he didn't forget to look back to see if the shopkeeper was following, appearing both bold and cowardly.

"I don't believe it! If I can't buy it from you, I can't buy a spirit talisman anywhere else?"

This cultivator really needed a spirit talisman. Having learned his lesson, he decided to go to another shop since this one was too expensive.

Unfortunately, he was disappointed.

Spirit talismans that were always three points were all advertised with discounts and price reductions today, but none of them genuinely lowered the price. They were all three and a half points, with discounts only for buying in bulk.

"Heh heh!" The cultivator sneered, finally understanding.

All crows under the sky are equally black. Even the shops of the great powers like the Four Great Families and Eight Great Sects are using the righteous banner of congratulations while secretly raising prices.

"What universal celebration? I don't feel it at all."

The cultivator stopped talking.

This was a microcosm of the changes in Southern City. Even the shops had connections.

It wasn't that Xuanhuang's best and most virtuous place had changed, but that it had always been like this.

Xuanhuang reserved all its gentleness for the most ordinary people, certainly not for cultivators.

Embarking on the path of cultivation meant there was no kindness or benevolence, no courtesy or light.

This didn't align with the competitive environment of cultivators, and such an environment couldn't nurture strong cultivators. As long as it didn't involve malicious events that crossed the line, the competition in the cultivation world was extremely cruel.

It had always been like this.

In the beginning, neither the cultivators nor the forces establishing themselves in Southern City had experienced the process of developing a power.

They were equally ignorant, so it didn't seem so cruel.

But having developed to this point, those who weren't ruthless had long been eliminated. Those who survived were all ruthless, but they also had their own unique skills, which allowed them to thrive until now.

The shops were the same, evolving from ignorant newbies to 'black-hearted' shopkeepers.

Note that the term 'black-hearted' is in quotation marks, as that's what the cultivators called them.

Strictly speaking, they couldn't be considered black-hearted shops.

At least they wouldn't force sales, secretly kill people, engage in entrapment, or ambush people midway.

These things that crossed the line were absolutely forbidden. This was not allowed.

There had been such shops in the past, for example, selling something to you at a low price to make you think you got a bargain, but then secretly following you and ambushing you.

Such things had happened, but they were eradicated by the new government, and since then, they had become less common.

It was impossible to eliminate them completely. As long as there were still people, and human nature still dominated, then it couldn't be eliminated. Human nature was terrifying.

But in the places where ordinary people lived, the scene was completely different.

The ordinary people here were well protected, not much different from before the strange revival.

The only difference was more respect for the strong.

Ordinary people were, after all, the largest talent pool for cultivators. Xuanhuang valued them, and the cultivators also valued them. Since everyone valued them, no one would kill the goose that laid the golden eggs, so they were well protected.

Walking in Southern City, the current situation was that transcendents were everywhere. Those at the entry-level stage, even the later stages, were a weak group.

They could only barely survive in Southern City with difficulty.

"Is there any news about Fellow Daoist Huang?" In a teahouse, several transcendent cultivators were gathered.

"No, can't contact him. No response to messages. Probably..." a burly man said regretfully.

If he didn't respond to contact via the point token, he was probably dead.

"Alas, I advised him to stay in Southern City. Although survival is difficult, as long as you grit your teeth and persevere, you can improve. He didn't listen and insisted on going home to build a family power. But what could he do? The last time he contacted us, he hadn't even entered the transcendent level yet. It was still a request for advice. Now, I think he's already..."

The burly man didn't say it explicitly, but everyone understood what he meant.

Not only should Old Huang be dead, but the power Old Huang built was also gone.

If Old Huang had stayed at the time, his cultivation would have been quite good among this group of people.

Now, those who were weaker than Old Huang at the beginning have all entered the transcendent level, but Old Huang, who couldn't stand the competition and went home to build a family power, is gone.

It can only be said that things have changed.

"Many people don't understand that staying in Southern City, even for one more day, is a kind of good fortune. Going home to build a power seems very beautiful, but this world is ultimately a world of the strong. Without enough strength, what if you build your own power? It will still disappear."

The burly man said again, speaking the truth, but many people couldn't see through it.

Having been swept away from Qingyun Mountain and coming to Southern City, they still couldn't win. Continuing to retreat, retreating once was acceptable, but retreating again was unacceptable to many people.

Disheartened, they would return to their hometown, planning to start over and build a power or take disciples to establish a sect.

But if it were that simple, why would the legend of Qingyun Mountain be so competitive?

Those who could stay would never leave. It was still because this environment, although very competitive, allowed for genuine progress.

"Saying these things is useless. Old Huang isn't the first to leave us. Besides, Old Huang was ultimately only at the ninth level of the entry-level stage. If we are lucky enough to still be alive, and Old Huang is also lucky enough to make a name for himself in purgatory, we can still meet."

The woman at the head, with a heroic spirit, said.

"That's right, let's not talk about these upsetting things. Today is Chief Manager Sun's advancement celebration, a universal celebration. Let's talk about something happy," the burly man said.

"That's right, Chief Manager Sun is the first to learn Xuanhuang Taoism from the entry-level stage, the first to enter the second stage of true cultivation. She is our goal. It represents that as long as we work hard, we will also have a day to enter the second stage. Come, everyone, for Chief Manager Sun's entry into the second stage, let's drink this cup."

"Good!"

"That's right, this is not only Chief Manager Sun's glorious day, but also the hope of us cultivators."

"Let's replace wine with tea, cheers."

… (End of chapter)