Chapter 88
The Supreme Clan Head had stepped into the Late Golden Core.
Crossing a minor Boundary was certainly a cause for celebration, but the timing was rather awkward.
Just a few months ago, three Nascent Soul Cultivators attended the banquet celebrating the Clan Head’s Golden Core Breakthrough, where the Millennial Plan was also proclaimed.
To hold another grand banquet so soon after that would be pushing it.
In the end, it was decided to hold a modest banquet, inviting only the Direct Lineage and Branch Lineage members who were available to attend.
‘Modest by the Baek Clan’s standards, that is.’
Baek-Cheong sat on one side of the Banquet Hall and looked around.
Dozens of relatives filled the seats in the spacious Main Hall deep within the Clan compound.
And from the Seating Arrangement to the quality of the food, the scale was in no way inferior to a formal banquet of any other Clan.
They called it modest, yet spirit tea and spirit wine circulated endlessly.
The Baek Clan’s standard for modesty was far removed from the sensibilities of ordinary people.
“The Supreme Clan Head has taken another step forward on the Path to Nascent Soul! What a joyous occasion this is!”
“The ten thousand years of the Yeonha Baek Clan will become even more steadfast, so we wish the Supreme Clan Head continued health and success!”
Toasts honoring the Supreme Clan Head’s future Nascent Soul followed one after another.
Reaching the Late Golden Core meant he had passed a major hurdle on the treacherous path toward the Nascent Soul stage.
It also meant that the Supreme Clan Head would hold his position as the pillar of the Clan for that much longer.
The Branch Lineage elders vied to offer their congratulations, and her grandfather calmly nodded as he accepted their cups of wine with the same imposing presence as always.
The sight of him walking out without a single speck of soot on his robes, even after taking the lightning tribulation head-on and having half of the Supreme Clan Head’s Hall collapse, was still vivid in her memory.
“Grandfather is truly grandfather.”
Mother was looking over from the opposite Seat, smiling warmly.
Father sat beside her grandfather, concealing the aura that had deepened since his Golden Core Breakthrough as he offered a cup of wine.
Now that the Clan had two pillars, the burden carried on their shoulders was effectively shared.
The banquet flowed harmoniously in this manner.
With every round of drinks, the faces of the Branch Lineage elders grew redder, and conversations about the future of a Clan with two Golden Core Cultivators buzzed everywhere.
Baek-Cheong let those conversations go in one ear and out the other as she sipped the spirit tea placed before her.
There was one noticeably different thing about this banquet.
It was the way the Branch Lineage elders looked at her.
“To think Cheong-Yi is already at Qi Condensation Stage, 7th Level, is truly amazing.”
“Even though it has barely been two years since she stepped into cultivation…”
“To escape the fate of a mixed spiritual root and reach this point is simply astonishing.”
The tone of the passing remarks from the Branch Lineage members was quite different from before.
In the past, their gazes were mostly filled with cheap sympathy and ridicule.
For the Clan Head’s Youngest daughter, who had received the trash-tier evaluation of five spiritual roots, the most she ever got was light encouragement.
But now, instead of ridicule, there was a mix of marvel.
In just her second year of cultivation, she had escaped the fate of a mixed spiritual root and reached Qi Condensation Stage, 7th Level.
She had effectively risen even faster than the Direct Lineage’s Eldest Son, Second Son, and Third Son.
It was a premature thought, but rumors were quietly circulating among the Branch Lineage that she was no different from a Talent capable of becoming a Great Cultivator.
“Qi Condensation Stage, 7th Level is close to the great circle of perfection, isn’t it? You are truly admirable, Cheong-Yi.”
“Thank you, Paternal Cousin-Uncle.”
“Are you aiming for the Foundation Establishment stage next?”
“Well. My forum-surfing time is decreasing.”
Baek-Cheong did not voice her inner thoughts.
“Yes, I am Training hard with the Foundation Establishment stage as my goal.”
At her exemplary answer, her Paternal Cousin-Uncle nodded in satisfaction and returned to his Seat.
However, Baek-Cheong snorted inwardly.
Comparing her realm progression speed side-by-side with her older brothers was unfair in itself.
Her brothers were all Earth Spiritual Root Holders.
Because their aptitude was excellent, they had no need to rush, and they reached the Foundation Establishment stage without taking a single Spirit Gathering Pill or stepping into a single Spirit Gathering Formation, steadily solidifying their foundations.
It was only natural for an Earth Spiritual Root Holder to build his or her foundation and climb up step by step, and his or her lack of speed in the early stages was purely for the sake of his or her inner foundation.
On the other hand, she was a mixed spiritual root.
She had rapidly broken through the Qi Condensation Stage thanks to the Clan generously supporting her with external items like Spirit Gathering Pills and supreme-grade attribute pills, with the intention of at least raising her realm.
A realm raised by relying on external items and one climbed by solidifying the foundation through one’s own power had completely different inner foundations, so it was not something the Branch Lineage should compare carelessly.
“Of course, the situation is a bit different now.”
Thanks to the Five Elements Pill, she had gained the aptitude of a Five Elements Heavenly Spirit Root and was belatedly, yet naturally, raising her realm.
The only three people who knew about the change in her spiritual root were Yak-seon, her grandfather, and father.
The Branch Lineage members still perceived Baek-Cheong as a genius who had barely escaped being a mixed spiritual root.
However, Baek-Cheong had absolutely no intention of revealing the state of her spiritual root honestly.
Besides that, she was in a situation where she could self-supply Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills and other attribute pills.
She simply didn’t feel any reason to raise her realm hastily.
It was wiser to suppress the Nutrient Erosion of the latent spiritual root with Inscribed Pills while adjusting the timing of her breakthroughs on her own.
“Well, more than that.”
The problem is that the changed attitude of the Branch Lineage members is quite annoying right now.
In the past, no one ever initiated a conversation with her.
They sent looks of sympathy, but asking for a conversation was rare enough to count on one hand.
It had actually been more comfortable that way, but now things were completely different.
“Cheong-A, do you have a special secret to your Training?”
“Our Second Child is also in the Qi Condensation Stage, so if you have any helpful words…”
The number of times people spoke to her had increased tenfold.
Everything was a bother, but since it was a banquet that would end in a day, she had to endure and bear it.
She maintained a demure appearance, keeping her Seat and bowing her head in response to the congratulatory greetings offered by the elders.
On the outside, she was the picture of politeness, while on the inside, she was just waiting for the banquet to end quickly.
“I just want to surf the forum in the corner of my room.”
It was around the time the banquet passed its midpoint.
As the alcohol circulated and the atmosphere relaxed, the Branch Lineage elders gathered in groups and their conversations bloomed.
The attention directed at her was naturally fading just as she was about to take a breather.
Her uncle’s face caught her eye through the milling crowd.
It had been a long time since her uncle, who had recently been residing in Yeonha Immortal City, showed his face to the Main Family.
Since father succeeded in his Golden Core Breakthrough, he must have been spending busy days expanding the Baek Clan Merchant Guild.
At the banquet was such an uncle, but his expression was not good.
He sat alone in a corner of the Banquet Hall, tilting his wine cup, his face considerably dark, looking lost in worry.
He didn’t mingle with the people around him and seemed lost in his own thoughts.
“Could it be…”
Baek-Cheong jumped to a conclusion, her small conscience pricked.
Could her unreasonable demand have caused a problem?
She remembered pestering him to give her a 2nd Tier Five Elements Golem as a gift.
It cost fifty High-High-Grade Spirit Stones to make five 1st Tier Five Elements Golems, and a 2nd Tier would be double that.
She had essentially dumped the cost of nearly a hundred High-High-Grade Spirit Stones onto her uncle, so it was understandable that he was lost in worry.
She felt a tiny bit of guilt.
“Why does uncle have to make me care like this?”
After hesitating for a moment, she stood up from her Seat.
With careful steps, she approached her uncle.
“Uncle.”
Baek Mu-Yeong raised his head and looked at Baek-Cheong.
Unlike his usual self, he had a faintly welcoming expression that caught her eye.
“Oh, it’s Cheong-Yi.”
Then, he gestured with his chin toward the Seat next to him, signaling her to sit.
Baek-Cheong carefully sat down next to her uncle.
When one looked closely, dark shadows had settled heavily under his eyes, and his cheeks looked more gaunt than usual.
The presence that used to constantly monitor her with a sharp glare was nowhere to be found, and the hand tilting the wine cup was drained of energy.
Her guilt intensified slightly.
“I should at least give him this.”
Baek-Cheong took out a small bundle from her Storage Platform and held it out to her uncle.
Inside the bundle, ten jade bottles were neatly arranged.
Each bottle contained three Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills, making a total of thirty pills.
“These are the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills I’ve made over time. Use them to help make the 2nd Tier Five Elements Golem.”
When it was discovered that she had personally made the Low-grade Five Elements Pill, her uncle also realized she had received the Transmission of the Secret Pill Refining Method from Yak-seon.
Because of that, she confidently handed over the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills she had made without deceiving him like last time.
Above all, Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills were not items that could be found just anywhere, and the Spiritual Energy Emission of a single pill was considerable.
Ten bottles were a significant resource, so they would be of some help in Crafting the golem.
Baek Mu-Yeong stared blankly down at the offered bundle.
“Why is he acting like this?”
He paused for a moment with a bewildered expression, then accepted the bundle for now.
While he lifted one jade bottle to examine it, the subtle spiritual energy unique to Inscribed Pills seeped out of the bottle.
Only after Baek Mu-Yeong held and examined it for a long time did his eyes move rapidly as he grasped the situation.
He looked back and forth between the bundle and Baek-Cheong’s face, and a subtle expression appeared around his mouth.
He realized why his Niece had brought this and what she was misunderstanding.
“Cheong-A.”
“Yes?”
“It’s not the matter you’re worried about, but I will put these Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills to good use.”
Along with Baek Mu-Yeong’s tone that seemed to tease his Niece, a relaxed smile slyly spread over his exhausted expression.
“Eh…?”
Baek-Cheong belatedly realized her misunderstanding.
Her uncle’s worry seemed unrelated to the cost of the 2nd Tier Five Elements Golem.
It was certainly true that a 2nd Tier Five Elements Golem cost a massive amount, but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle as the Guild Master of the Baek Clan Merchant Guild.
Since she had harbored needless guilt all on her own and even offered a gift, her misunderstanding must have looked amusing from her uncle’s perspective.
“Uncle, please give the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills back then.”
She reached out her hand to take the bundle back.
But Baek Mu-Yeong was already shoving the bundle into his Spatial Treasure.
He leisurely lifted his wine cup, took a sip, and pretended not to hear.
“Uncle!”
“Since I’ve already accepted it, it would be difficult to return it.”
“I made those!”
“However, how does asking for something back after you offered it first align with proper etiquette?”
Baek-Cheong was at a loss for words in front of her uncle, who calmly brought up principles.
It was true that she had offered it first, so asking for it back didn’t make sense.
It was an incident brought about by her own delusion.
“I have to suffer so much to Refine thirty pills, you know.”
“Which is why they are all the more valuable, aren’t they?”
At his flawless reply, Baek-Cheong couldn’t think of anything else to argue.
Beating her uncle with words was impossible.
“A tenth of my Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills…”
The stockpile she had diligently refined through Golem Pill Refining had passed into her uncle’s embrace.
As she pouted her lips with a feeling of injustice, Baek Mu-Yeong opened his mouth as if to change the subject.
“The reason I was lost in worry is something else.”
“What is it?”
A sullen tone slipped out on its own.
“The new year will be here in a few months, won’t it?”
Aside from this, Baek Mu-Yeong’s expression darkened again.
The playfulness faded, and he returned to the worried look he had when he entered the Banquet Hall.
“It’s because I think I will have to visit the Biun Sect in time.”
“The Biun Sect?”
“Yes.”
Her uncle set down his wine cup and let out a heavy sigh.
“Our Clan’s external status has changed, so shouldn’t we show sincerity befitting it? If we proclaim the Millennial Plan and can’t even pay a single visit to the Biun Sect, we will lose face.”
The Biun Sect was a Great Sect where a Soul Transformation Old Ancestor was still going strong.
Her Eldest Brother belonged there as the Sect Master’s True Disciple, and the relationship between the two sides had deepened to the point where an Inner Sect Elder of the Biun Sect had brought a personal letter from the Sect Master to father’s Golden Core Banquet.
They couldn’t afford to neglect their first formal greeting after the Clan’s status had changed.
“It’s not something for you to worry about, so there’s no need to trouble yourself over it.”
Baek Mu-Yeong added those words and sank back into his thoughts.
If it was sincerity to be shown to a Great Sect that served a Soul Transformation Old Ancestor, simply procuring items from the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion and handing them over wouldn’t even come close.
He had to prepare something that befitted the Clan’s standing while also being capable of moving the other party’s heart.
It was inevitable that his worries would naturally deepen.
“The Biun Sect.”
Meanwhile, the faces of her Eldest Brother Baek Gyu, Jin-Wi, and Mong-Yo flashed through Baek-Cheong’s mind one after another.
She recalled the sight of Jin-Wi smiling brightly and saying he would guide her around the Biun Sect.
It was a promise made on empty words she had thrown out, but she hadn’t forgotten it.
‘Whatever, I’ll think about it later.’
Baek-Cheong folded her thoughts away and put on her demure expression again.
However, the thought of the Biun Sect surprisingly did not easily fade from her mind.