Chapter 99
As she dressed in her ceremonial robes, the Maidservant neatly tied her coat strings, combed her hair finely, and tied it into a light knot.
It felt like just a few days ago they were saying the new year was right around the corner, but the year had already changed.
Today was the First Day of New Year and the day the Biun Sect’s New Year’s Banquet was held.
On top of that, it was also the day she turned Twelve Years Old.
[Twelve Years Old.]
Baek-Cheong quietly repeated the number in her mind.
While the Maidservant gave her appearance a final touch-up, she simply lowered her head slightly and looked down at her toes.
Above her embroidered silk shoes, about two finger-joints' worth of her instep was visible.
It didn’t look much different from the instep she had seen last New Year.
[…I don’t think I’ve grown taller.]
She raised her arm and spread her palm.
The length of her fingers was also about the same as last year.
Looking back on her memories of her Robe Hem being long one year and short another, she must have grown at least a little.
She also knew that her mother always instructed them to make her clothes slightly larger each time.
[But this is a bit much.]
For the body of a child turning twelve, it was a time when she should be growing rapidly.
Back when she was at the Main Family, the Branch Lineage children her age used to shoot up in height.
Yet, even when she looked in the mirror, the top of her head had stopped at a similar spot as last year.
While the Maidservant who finished combing her hair stepped away, Baek-Cheong took another step closer to the mirror.
The reflection in the mirror stood there looking exactly the same as she had at last year’s New Year’s Banquet.
[This is strange.]
Usually, a Cultivator’s growth didn’t stop just because they raised their stage.
Entering the Foundation Establishment stage didn’t stop one’s growth, and entering the Core Formation stage didn’t stop one’s aging.
If that were the case, all the cultivators who grew up being called geniuses in their childhood would have remained with the appearance of young children, and the Cultivation World would have become a chaotic place swarming with Old Monsters looking like kids.
[Though that would be a much scarier situation.]
Instead, she had heard that once one’s stage rose above a certain level, their lifespan increased and their Aging Speed slowed down accordingly.
On top of that, there were cases where breaking through a stage increased one’s lifespan and made their appearance look even younger.
And one didn’t become handsome or pretty just because their stage increased.
Even for a Great Cultivator who had reached the Nascent Soul stage or Soul Formation stage, an ugly face remained an ugly face.
It was just that, as they repeatedly expelled turbid qi during the cultivation process, their bodies had less Turbid Energy like waste, making their skin look smooth and clean.
[That must be why Beauty Pills sell so well.]
In the Cultivation World, the demand for pills and artifacts related to rejuvenation or beauty was always overflowing.
There were stories about how Alchemists never ran out of requests for face Retaining Pills and Beauty Nourishing Pills.
She had seen Dao Friends in the Nameless Forum rolling out bait about how Jade mirrors or Beauty Tablets, which finely adjusted one’s appearance, could fetch whatever price the seller named in the Marketplace.
Even among Great Cultivators, it was rare to find someone who didn’t care about their appearance.
She had heard that Female Cultivators, in particular, never failed to stock up on such pills.
Anyway, taking everything into account, one thing remained unchanged.
Even for a Cultivator, physical growth still occurred, and they grew old as they aged.
[But why am I exactly the same?]
Baek-Cheong raised her hand and lightly touched her small chest.
It had some presence since she was a girl, but it made no strong arguments.
When she was 10, there had been at least a slight sign of growth, but from 11 onwards, there wasn’t even a hint.
[Don’t tell me.]
There was actually a fact that came to mind.
The unusual factors about her didn’t stop at just one or two.
However, the Unification Latent Spirit Root that stole the nutrients of her Five Elements Heavenly Spirit Root.
The time it had properly revealed its presence was right after she consumed the Inscribed Five Elements Pill at the tail end of her 10th year.
“Nah, probably not.”
She had never heard of a similar case even in the various posts from the Dao Friends.
Just as her thoughts were about to deepen, the sound of footsteps approached from outside.
“Cheong-A, are you finished getting ready?”
Her uncle called out in a calm voice from outside.
“Yes, uncle!”
Baek-Cheong raised her head and tore her gaze away from the mirror.
She pushed the thoughts rolling around in her head to the side as well.
There was something else she needed to focus on today.
How to completely fleece the New Spring Exchange Gathering was sitting right in the center of her mind.
After neatly aligning the tips of her shoes, she opened the door to her Abode and stepped out.
Breathing in the Biun Sect’s New Year morning air, she hurried her steps.
* * *
The entire Main Sect of the Biun Sect was bustling.
Over by the Outer Sect, a long Group Procession of Outer Sect Disciples lined up as New Year’s Greetings went back and forth, and as one went up toward the Inner Sect, it seemed small banquets were being held separately on each Peak.
A thick scent of pills blanketed the Pill Refining Peak, and colorful lights gently wavered from the tips of flags on the Formation Peak.
Tables of spirit wine and spirit fruits were set up along every path, and disciples paired up in twos and threes to exchange New Year’s Blessings.
Among the Guests staying at the Main Sect, the Clan Dignitaries with status were being guided toward the Sect Master’s Peak.
Baek Mu-Yeong and Baek-Cheong were also in the midst of this flow.
Leading the way, Baek Gyu’s Biun Sect Robe was exactly the Attire of a True Disciple, and on the coat of Baek Mu-Yeong following behind, the crests of the Baek Clan Merchant Guild and the Clan were neatly engraved.
Wedged between the two, Baek-Cheong stepped onto the Cloud Platform heading for the Summit of the Sect Master’s Peak.
While white clouds laid out neatly beneath her feet, the Pavilion at the Summit of the Sect Master’s Peak drew closer in the center of her vision.
“That is the Sect Master’s Peak, where the Sect Master resides.”
Her Eldest Brother, leading the way, informed her in a proud tone.
It was the place she had only seen the outline of from afar when touring the Main Sect.
“Among the Peaks of the Main Sect, it rises the highest and is the foremost in Dense Spiritual Energy. It is the Peak where the First Generation Sect Master personally chose the location, and the Pavilion at the Summit is also a place where the Second Generation Sect Master personally arranged the Formations.”
A pride rarely seen when he was at the Main Family faintly colored her Eldest Brother’s tone.
Clouds stretched long from every eaves of the Pavilion, and the traces of Formations surrounded the Pavilion’s vicinity.
As they got closer, the weave of the Formations finally caught her eye strand by strand.
There were some with familiar Formation Glyphs, mixed with applied forms she had seen in the Jinmun Formation Diagram, making her mind feel intrigued for a moment.
[Just looking around the Formations will give me plenty to see.]
As she stepped into the Pavilion, her vision brightened significantly.
Dignitaries sent from other clans and sects had already taken their seats.
The seats presumed to be for Prestigious Clans from various continents and the seats for diverse Factions that had traveled from afar were neatly divided according to their status.
[So this is what a Great Sect’s New Year’s Banquet is like.]
Baek-Cheong composed her expression and was guided to her Seat.
The Yeonha Baek Clan’s seats were arranged much further inside than the other clans.
The fact that the Yeonha Baek Clan’s status had risen a level since her father proclaimed the Millennial Plan was clearly revealed in the Seating Arrangement.
Just as she was about to sit down, her gaze was naturally drawn to the innermost area.
An Old Cultivator seated in the Seat of Honor immediately caught her eye.
Compared to the others, his presence was entirely different.
Just from the sight of him sitting calmly, it felt as if the air inside the Pavilion was tilting to one side.
[That must be the Biun Sect Master.]
If it was an Old Cultivator sitting in a Seat that naturally drew everyone’s gaze, there was no one else it could be but the Sect Master.
However, quietly gauging the aura he exuded, he fell far short of her Master, the Pacheon Sword Saint.
Thanks to staying by the side of the Pacheon Sword Saint, who had reached Nascent Soul Grand Perfection, for a while, Baek-Cheong could faintly gauge the aura of a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.
[Maybe around the Late Nascent Soul Stage.]
Since Pung Jin-Hae-Hae, who had visited the Main Family last year as an Inner Sect Elder, was at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, it was more than enough for the status of a Sect Master.
The Sect Master, for his part, was simply quietly receiving the greetings of the Guests from his Seat.
On both his left and right, the True Disciples sat in diagonal rows.
In the closest Seat was the Eldest Senior Disciple Brother.
[…The Eldest Senior Disciple Brother has also changed somehow since I last saw him.]
It was Wang Sam, who had come to the Main Family as part of the Delegation last year.
In her memory from back then, he was at the Very Late Foundation Establishment Stage.
The way he sat there now made him look like a different person from back then.
The energy leaking out from between his robes had grown much denser, and the aura dwelling in his body gave off a much deeper impression.
[He entered the Core Formation stage.]
He had broken through his stage within a single year.
There was a good reason for him to be seated next to the Sect Master.
Next to Wang Sam, the other True Disciples were seated in order.
She saw one more familiar face.
[Jin-Wi… was it? I heard he went into closed-door Training, but he showed up right on time.]
The memory of her Eldest Brother telling her he was in closed-door Training came back to her, albeit faintly.
He had said he would likely show himself around the New Year’s Banquet, so it seemed he had broken through his stage right on schedule.
Jin-Wi, sitting in his Seat, definitely had the aura of the Foundation Establishment stage, having escaped the Qi Condensation Stage.
[Just like a Heavenly Spiritual Root Holder.]
They were the same age, but she was at the Qi Condensation Stage, 7th Level, while someone else had entered the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.
It couldn’t be helped, since she possessed a Dantian Vast as the Sea and Square as the Earth due to the aftermath of the Five Elements Mutual Generation.
However, outwardly, she remained indifferent and simply buried the thought appropriately in her mind.
Anyway, it seemed Jin-Wi had recognized her first.
Jin-Wi was looking at her, unable to stand straight up from his Seat, yet unable to withdraw his gaze either.
Just from making eye contact from far away, she could see the corners of his mouth trying to sneakily loosen into a smile.
Baek-Cheong slightly bowed her head to show her manners.
At that, the corners of Jin-Wi’s mouth seemed to loosen even more.
[I am pretty, after all.]
But inwardly, she didn’t feel much of a thrill.
Just as she was about to withdraw her gaze, feeling about as much interest as she would for a pebble rolling on the side of the road.
One fact belatedly caught up in her mind.
[…Huh?]
Baek-Cheong carefully scanned the seats where the True Disciples were lined up once more.
Starting from the Eldest Senior Disciple Brother, followed by two True Disciples around the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, her Eldest Brother, another person around the Mid Foundation Establishment Stage, and Junior Disciple Jin-Wi seated at the very end - it was a total of six seats.
Compared to the personnel who had come as the visiting Delegation, one Seat was empty.
[Senior Mong-Yo isn’t here?]
She was her Eldest Brother’s Eldest Sister who had visited the Main Family as part of the Delegation last year.
She was also the person who had doted on her and urged her to definitely come visit the Biun Sect.
When planning how to roam around the New Spring Exchange Gathering, she was also the person Baek-Cheong had mentally earmarked as a Guide to replace her Eldest Brother.
If her Eldest Brother was guarding her side, it was obvious she wouldn’t even be able to set foot in the Martial Arts Competition, just as he had dissuaded her.
Instead, if senior Mong-Yo, who looked upon her fondly, filled her Eldest Brother’s spot, she saw a way to attend the Martial Arts Competition even if she had to beg.
Her calculation was that she needed a Disciple who knew the inner workings of the Sect well by her side to flawlessly fleece everything from the arts festival and auction to the Martial Arts Competition, even as an External Guest.
But the person herself was nowhere to be seen.
[Where did she go?]
Baek-Cheong barely suppressed the corners of her mouth from stiffening outwardly.
Seeing how the other True Disciples were sitting calmly in their respective seats, it didn’t seem like there had been an accident.
Even so, from her perspective, it was a huge problem.
Her plan to squeeze into the Martial Arts Competition despite her Eldest Brother’s dissuasion and grab a share of the rewards was ruined.
[My Martial Arts Competition!!!]
While despairing inwardly, Baek-Cheong composed her expression and sat down.
She was going to have to rewrite her plan to fleece the New Spring Exchange Gathering from scratch.