Chapter Ninety-One: The Deep Pit

As the steward of a medicinal garden, he was secretly selling spiritual rice. So long as he kept things discreet, he would certainly not draw too much attention.

However, just as Heso took advantage of his spare time to set up a stall in the market district to sell talismans and promote himself as a talisman master, the arrival of a paper crane bearing a message brought a sudden halt to the thoughts he had been entertaining.

That day, Heso was preparing, as usual, to go out and sell talismans, while also spreading word of his identity as a talisman master in preparation for selling his spiritual rice in the future. But just as he was about to leave, a paper crane descended from the sky and landed instantly before him.

Seeing this, Heso reached out to catch it, letting a trace of his aura seep forth at the same time.

At once, the paper crane, which had been gleaming with spiritual light, transformed into a sheet of paper and fell into his hand.

“Friend Heso, it has been several years since we last met. By now, Ping'er has followed Master to Azure Abyss Immortal City. When we parted, I was unable to bid you farewell, and I hope you will not blame me.”

“This message comes because I suddenly recalled that Friend Heso once purchased an introductory manual on array cultivation from the Spirit Arts Pavilion. I wonder whether you have made any progress.”

“Recently, Ping'er heard from Master that anyone who has made an entry into array cultivation may, by exception, be accepted into Thick Earth Sect and become an inner sect disciple.”

“If Friend Heso has this opportunity, then Ping'er must first offer her congratulations.”

“Ping'er.”

Looking at the delicate handwriting on the page, Heso’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart had already been set raging.

No wonder.

No wonder he had never once heard of the fate awaiting rogue cultivators after entering array cultivation.

No wonder he had never seen even a single array master.

No wonder, while searching for a place to open up spirit fields, he had never found any site occupied by other array cultivators.

No wonder.

Pinching the paper in his hand, Heso turned back into the room. After closing the door, only then did a trace of struggle appear on his face.

According to Ping'er’s letter, if he truthfully reported that he had already entered array cultivation, he could be taken in as an inner sect disciple by Thick Earth Sect, a great golden core sect.

Thick Earth Sect was a golden core power.

Ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators were all outer sect disciples.

Only those who could attempt the Foundation Establishment realm, and had a very good chance of success, were worthy of being called inner sect disciples.

Once one broke through to Foundation Establishment and became a true Foundation Establishment cultivator, one was no longer a disciple.

One became an elder.

Although elders differed in rank and authority, their status was the same.

In other words, once one entered array cultivation, in Thick Earth Sect’s eyes, there was a very high chance of stepping into Foundation Establishment.

That was why they would offer such tempting terms, allowing cultivators who had entered array cultivation to join Thick Earth Sect in advance, so as to foster a sense of belonging to the sect.

Sitting beside the desk, Heso slowly brewed himself a pot of tea.

Only when the fragrance of tea filled the room and the chamber was alive with its scent did his heart finally settle.

Originally, Heso had never imagined that one day he would be able to join Thick Earth Sect as a Qi Refinement cultivator and become one of its inner sect disciples.

But now, looking at the paper in his hand, he felt that this opportunity had suddenly appeared before him.

Still, by nature he was cautious. Even after learning of this matter, once he had calmed down, he decided to probe further.

“Thank you for your concern, Friend Ping'er. I studied array cultivation for several years, but gained nothing in the end. Helplessly, I have now switched to talisman cultivation.”

“After years of study, I am now also a known talisman master in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market.”

“This chance seems not to be destined for me after all, but I still thank you for informing me of it.”

“However, I have studied array methods for many years and still have been unable to make any entry. Might I ask Friend Ping'er to enlighten me as to why array cultivation is so difficult to begin with?”

“And yet, once one enters it, one may become an inner sect disciple of Thick Earth Sect.”

“Heso.”

A thin sheet of paper appeared in Heso’s hand. With a slight movement of spiritual power between his fingers, lines of writing were quickly inscribed upon it.

Then, with a breath of spiritual force, the paper rose into the air and flew off into the distance.

In the room, beside the desk, Heso no longer had any mind to go back to the market district to sell talismans.

He had already entered array cultivation long ago, and had even harvested two crops of spiritual rice.

More than twenty thousand pounds of spiritual rice were stored in his small cargo storage bag, waiting only for his plan to reach its end before being sold off.

As for the status of inner sect disciple of Thick Earth Sect, he was certainly tempted by it.

But since he was already on the verge of earning over a thousand spirit stones a year, he did not appear especially shaken.

After all, whether he joined Thick Earth Sect or not, he could still live very well.

Even if the immortal market were no longer safe, he could always leave it and go live in some other secure place.

So long as one had enough spirit stones, one could live well wherever one went.

After a short while, while Heso waited quietly for Ping'er’s reply, another paper crane carrying a message descended from the sky and landed before him.

Seeing this, Heso’s eyes lit up. He immediately released his aura and, in an instant, took the paper crane into his hand.

The crane turned into a sheet of paper, which Heso casually unfolded.

“Congratulations to Friend Heso on becoming a talisman master. Talisman cultivation may not be favored as much as array cultivation, but it is still a very good livelihood. Ping'er offers her congratulations.”

“As for your doubt, I have also heard Master speak of how difficult it is to enter array cultivation. To begin, one must possess talent for arrays; without it, an ordinary cultivator may study for decades and still fail to make any entry.”

“But if one does have such talent, then generally speaking, entry can be achieved in about five years. One learns the first array, the spirit-gathering array, and then within another five years one may learn the other two major arrays.”

“Once array cultivation is entered, one may immediately become an inner sect disciple of Thick Earth Sect. This is indeed true. Moreover, once one has entered array cultivation, it is impossible to conceal.”

“Does Friend Heso know why the three arrays in the introductory manual are spirit-gathering, maze, and five elements, rather than some others?”

“According to Master’s idle remarks, the spirit-gathering, maze, and five elements arrays, when combined, can be used to open up spirit fields outside and grow spirit rice or other spirit plants.”

“But these three great arrays were deliberately released. The production of spiritual rice and spirit plants in immortal markets and immortal cities is all strictly limited.”

“If some immortal market, or some immortal city, were suddenly to have a few extra batches of spiritual rice of unknown origin—you should understand what I mean.”

“Ping'er.”

As Heso’s gaze passed over the delicate lines of writing on the page, his expression darkened slightly.

Spirit-gathering, maze, five elements?

Was that not exactly the array set recorded in the introductory manual to array cultivation?

The spirit-gathering array supplies spiritual energy to the spirit field, the maze array conceals its aura and location, and the five elements array protects the field from intrusion.

He himself had been able to think of how, by combining these three arrays, one could open spirit fields outside and reap enormous profit.

So how could Thick Earth Sect, and the other cultivators of this world, possibly fail to think of it?

Judging from Ping'er’s description, these three arrays were clearly a trap.

A huge trap!

And more than that, it was the kind of colossal pit that had been dug long ago, waiting only for cultivators to jump in.

The End