319: Chapter 280 319: Chapter 280 They each downed one cup after another, and the two jins of alcohol were quickly finished by them.
Jiang Tang observed that they didn’t seem drunk, but their faces were flushed red, knowing it wasn’t the alcohol that caused their cheeks to redden.
It was probably the rich spiritual energy in the alcohol that made them hold back the flush in their faces.
“Do you want more to drink?
I still have some alcohol here.”
Jiang Tang’s offer was both generous and carefree as he smiled at them.
“Jiang Tang, come and treat me to a drink tomorrow!
I’m off to seclude myself for cultivation.”
“Jiang Tang, I’ll head back first, call me when you’re drinking.”
“Jiang Tang, I leave the matters of the Elixir Peak to you, I’m going back to enter secluded cultivation.”
Their faces were red, thinking about going into secluded cultivation to improve their skills; even the Elixir Peak Master, who was previously against Jiang Tang, fearing he would take his position, put aside his concern for his position and prioritized his personal growth.
At this moment, the Elixir Peak Master’s thought was that no position could compare to the advancement in cultivation; with improved cultivation, should he worry about lacking status?
After all, Jiang Tang was just an elder on the books, and his position as the Elixir Peak Master couldn’t be shaken.
However, he had to make good use of the resources available to him.
Now he understood the intention of the Sect Leader in assigning him the Elixir Peak for a few days, to see if he could make it better under his management.
If Jiang Tang couldn’t accomplish anything worthwhile in a few days, he would have a chance to speak ill of him in front of the Sect Leader.
Jiang Tang watched these people pat their butts and leave without concern for him.
They were only there to eat, drink, and play; they waved their hands, patted their butts, and left without a thank you.
And what about that Elixir Peak Master who left Elixir Peak in his care?
Did he not only lose the wife but also the soldiers?
The fine liquor was given away, and he took on more responsibilities; it seemed his plan to roam carefree around the North City Immortal Sect in the following days was not going to happen.
Alas, who asked him to be so capable?
It’s true what they say, the more able you are, the more work you’re given.
Well then, let’s give it a try tomorrow and teach those fellow disciples!
Jiang Tang didn’t want to stay at the Sect Leader’s place any longer, and after leaving, he didn’t use Wind-racing Step but instead looked down leisurely from the main peak of the North City Immortal Sect, observing the other mountains of the Sect from high above.
The main peak was taller than the other mountains, and he could see the place where he had been a Servant Disciple.
He thought of those Servant Disciples and wondered if they still remembered him.
As for this time’s Immortal Sect competition, he didn’t know whether any of those Servant Disciples had been promoted to the Outer Sect Disciples.
But for those who had helped him in the past, he had to go and see them.
Jiang Tang arrived at the living quarters of the Servant Disciples at the very bottom of the North City Immortal Sect, the place where he used to guard the medicinal garden.
Entering his old lodgings, he found someone else living there.
When that person saw someone coming in, he looked out.
“Who are you?”
“Hello, I’m just taking a look around; I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Hmm, what’s there to see here?”
“Yes, there’s nothing much to see.” Jiang Tang thought back to his time living there when he hadn’t yet participated in the Agricultural Immortal Association, and the Steward of the Immortal Sect had questioned how he could afford to live in such a shabby place?
At that time, he was barely scraping by!
Who would have thought a person of such humble beginnings would have the life he has today?
“May I ask, younger brother, where did the people who used to live nearby go?”
“Are you talking about the people who lived nearby?
Seeing your cultivation and your appearance, you don’t seem like a Servant Disciple.
Why do you ask about them?”
The male disciple sized up Jiang Tang, thinking this handsome man’s cultivation was not easy to discern.
With such fine clothing and appearance, why had he come to their abode?
Such a young gentleman did not seem to be a figure from the Immortal Sect.
Before, this Servant Disciple worked elsewhere, but after some people were promoted to Outer Sect Disciple and others disappeared from the lodging, he was assigned here.
He felt the place was dreary, yet had no choice but to live here.
“I’m just an acquaintance of theirs.”
“Them?
A month ago, during the Outer Sect competition, the guys next door all were promoted to Outer Sect Disciples.
They have moved from these lodgings long ago.”
“Where are they living now?”
“I don’t know.
They were gone by the time I got here.
You should ask someone else!”
“Alright then!
It’s no issue, I was just passing through.”
Jiang Tang had not met anyone he knew from before and could only give up on that front.
It seemed that their meeting was truly difficult.
Even within the same Immortal Sect, with over a thousand disciples, it was better to let it be.
The person watched Jiang Tang walk away with a puzzled expression, finding it strange for such a character to visit their place.
“Who was that?”
A person from next door came over and asked the disciple, who shook his head after glancing at the now-distant black dot and said, “I don’t know, seems like he came looking for someone.”
“Did he say who he was?”
“Forgot to ask.”
Jiang Tang returned to the Elder’s Courtyard that the Elixir Peak Master had prepared for him, and by then it was already dark.
Seeing him arrive, the servant disciple paid respects and said, “Elder, is there anything you need me to do for you?
Have you had dinner yet?
Should I cook for you?”
“No need, I just ate.
You can go rest!”
“Oh,” mumbled the servant disciple, who had been assigned to the Elder’s residence in the hopes of getting the chance to be close to the Elder and perhaps be taken on as a direct disciple someday—a daydream, but he still yearned for such a dream at night.
Jiang Tang surveyed the courtyard, which had several rooms, and chose one to enter.
The room of a person who practiced cultivation had everything one needed.
His room had a table, stools, and even a bed, and there was also a formation in the room.
Jiang Tang waved his hand and added an additional barrier to the room before entering the space.
He preferred to cultivate in his space rather than sitting on the bed outside.
Having drunk wine and soaked in the hot springs earlier had boosted his Fire Spirit Root.
After drinking again, he needed to enter the space to cultivate.
Jiang Tang had already entered the Spirit Mansion and advancing by another small realm was easy.
This time, he went inside the sun to cultivate.
He felt that soaking in the hot spring was something he had just done, and cultivating in the sun seemed to make his advancement even quicker.
Jiang Tang entered the Primordial Treasure Lingtian Space, and Eryao and Green Ox looked over, ready to speak with her.
Jiang Tang waved at them, signaling them to get back to work, then he flew into the sun.
As before, he sat inside the sun, absorbing the golden Spiritual Energy, along with the energy transformed from the power of the wine in his body, to attack the barrier of the mid-stage Spirit Mansion.
It had only been a few days since Jiang Tang’s last rise in level, and even with the previous groundwork, it still required great effort to reach the mid-stage Spirit Mansion.
Despite the advantage, it seemed like his previous quick advancements made it harder to progress further at higher levels, even though he possessed the monstrous Star-absorbing Spell.
Jiang Tang repeatedly assaulted the barrier, and in the presence of such dense Spiritual Energy, his body had swelled up like a giant balloon, making him feel like he was about to explode, his face flushing with the strain.
It felt terribly uncomfortable.
He could only endure; cultivators defied the heavens on their path, who ever said advancement was easy?
And who found becoming a Great Power Holder an easy feat?
Jiang Tang noticed that images began to appear in his mind, scenes from his past life as well as events since his arrival in the Cultivation World.
Scene after scene unfolded, some bringing joy, others pain, and yet others hatred.
When he was bullied in the Cultivation World, he didn’t say he hadn’t killed.
His actions were in self-defense, he reassured himself when remembering those who had bullied him and whom he had killed.
It was like seeing people seeking revenge against him, calling him a demon.
After image after image had passed, his anguish turned to joy, and then back to pain again, his expressions changing continuously.
It was as if there were two people, one saying he was an upright man, the other stating he was a villain.
Then two shadows appeared, one resembling his current self, the other looking like a demon.
“I must become a man above men, kill those who have wronged me, and become the most authoritative person in the Cultivation World.”
“What you’re doing is wrong, you will incur heavenly retribution.
Becoming a man above men is fine, but you cannot kill the innocent indiscriminately.”
“Nonsense, if you don’t kill those who don’t submit, how can everyone be made to obey you?
Otherwise, there would be no end to those who want to kill you.”
Two little figures in Jiang Tang’s mind kept arguing, leaving him to wrestle with whether to be righteous or indulge in indiscriminate slaughter.