The Programmer Cultivator

Chapter 69: Chapter 67: Analysis

Pei Xiaoxiao snapped back to her senses, a conflicted look on her face. ”But Senior Brother, I wouldn’t have been able to get in without you. To split it like this...”

Zhang Deming smiled. ”Without you to lead the way, I wouldn’t have been able to get it either, right?

Besides, this place has a deep connection to your family. So splitting it evenly is perfectly fine. Just take it.

But you have to hide it well. Dozens of Spirit Stones is no small amount. It’s enough to make many senior brothers from the Outer Sect, or even the Inner Sect, kill for it. After you enter the Sect, you must not reveal it.

Especially since this thing is a main material for advancement, it’s even more likely to make people take desperate risks than Spirit Stones.”

Hearing this, Pei Xiaoxiao nodded, quickly turned her back, pulled open her clothes, and started stuffing the things into her crotch.

Zhang Deming: ”...”

’Pockets in the underwear, hiding a personal stash in the crotch... isn’t that a patented move of old village men from the 80s and 90s in my past life?’

’It seems that in this world, many village men also know this secret. But to pass it on to a daughter...’

’What were they thinking?’

’This... You’re really something else!’

Zhang Deming also turned around. Though she was a well-developed loli, she was still, strictly speaking, of an age that could get a man a prison sentence. He couldn’t afford to get involved.

”Wait!”

Zhang Deming turned back, confused. He looked at Pei Xiaoxiao, who had suddenly stopped, and asked, ”What’s wrong?”

With the serious and calculating expression of a penny-pincher, Pei Xiaoxiao said, ”Senior Brother, why did we take these two jades?

Isn’t this killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?

If we leave them here, we can come back to cultivate again in the future!”

Zhang Deming was taken aback for a moment. ’Heh, this little girl even knows about long-term development. She’s got quite the farming mindset!’

Zhang Deming smiled and said, ”It’s not a bad idea. You’ve got potential.”

Pei Xiaoxiao said proudly, ”Right? I think so too!”

With that, she was about to put the Warm Sun Jade back.

Zhang Deming said, ”Unfortunately, that’s not realistic.”

Pei Xiaoxiao turned to look at Zhang Deming, confused. Zhang Deming began to explain, ”I originally thought that the Qingshui Prefecture from before was created by Senior Brother Pei, your great-grandfather.”

Pei Xiaoxiao asked doubtfully, ”Originally thought? Senior Brother, you don’t think so anymore? The notebook didn’t say anything about it.

My great-grandfather only recorded that Cave Mansion, and he didn’t mention much, just that it was a good place for quiet Cultivation.”

Zhang Deming nodded. ”That’s right. After seeing what’s down here, I’m fairly certain this must be the remains of an Ancient Cultivator.”

”The remains of an Ancient Cultivator?” Pei Xiaoxiao asked.

Zhang Deming nodded again. ”Well, not exactly ’remains.’ More like a vacation home or something.

Judging from the consistent style between the upper and lower levels, it was probably made by the same person.

There must have been some kind of treasure here originally. As it was being nurtured, it gave birth to a powerful Natural Array.

After the original owner took the treasure, he used his exquisite array techniques to create this weak, Semi-Natural Spirit Nourishing Array on top of the remnants of the Natural Array, using the Warm Sun Jades as the core.

It gave this stone chamber a spirit-nourishing effect, and was probably intended to be used as a Cultivation Room for his descendants or Disciples.

You can pretty much tell from the surrounding prayer mats.

However, there was a big gap between expectation and reality. Not only was the spirit-nourishing effect not ideal, but too much of the Natural Array’s structure had dissipated, leaving only a tiny, extremely unstable part.

And that tiny part was the key to nourishing spirit over a large area.

So, in order to preserve this extremely unstable, tiny, natural part, this place was sealed.

A Qingshui Prefecture was then built on top. If I’m not mistaken, the mist from here was originally drawn up periodically, in extremely small amounts, through a special channel to be used for Cultivation.

This is also why you were able to experience something akin to an Enlightenment Introduction, becoming an Intermediate Apprentice in a single day.

If we hadn’t come in here and absorbed all at once the misty Spiritual Qi that had accumulated for who knows how many years...

...we could have used the place above as a regular cultivation spot. By figuring out the timing and frequency of the extraction, we could have had a long-term, steady supply.”

Hearing this, Pei Xiaoxiao asked, ”So we can’t do that now?”

Zhang Deming nodded. ”As we came in and absorbed the Spiritual Qi, the last bit of Spiritual Light from the Natural Array that nurtured the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures also dissipated.

You can tell from the fact that the membrane of light at the entrance has disappeared, and the carved Stone Cone on top of the stone platform has become very dry.

Because the original owner’s Spirit-Nourishing Array was clearly based on the Natural Array as its core foundation.

With the core gone, the Array obviously dissipated along with it.

It’s also because of this that I’m sure your great-grandfather didn’t create this place.

If your great-grandfather had such profound attainment in Array Cultivation, he wouldn’t have been sent out to establish a family after getting too old, having failed to be promoted to the Inner Sect.

Besides, Senior Brother Pei was in the Outer Sect and likely followed the path of Close Combat Techniques, right? Otherwise, your first Technique wouldn’t have been a Sword Technique.

What’s more, with your great-grandfather’s insight, it’s impossible that he would see a place like this and not try to come in and absorb the energy.

And if he had come in, there would be nothing left for us today.”

Pei Xiaoxiao asked, her heart aching a little, ”Senior Brother, are you saying this place is useless now?”

Zhang Deming said with certainty, ”Down here, only the outer Water-Repelling Array is still operating now.

But without the support of this inner chamber’s Spiritual Power, it will probably shrink slowly over the next month or so.

Speaking of which, that Array was built quite well. Originally, it only had the power to keep the Cave Mansion dry.

But as the Spiritual Qi in the inner chamber went unabsorbed for a long time, it turned into mist.

With the increased power supply to the Array, its effect was exaggerated to the point that an entire town didn’t see a single drop of rain for years.

From this, you can see how profound the original owner’s attainment in Arrays was.

He was very likely an Array Master who specialized solely in Arrays.”

As they spoke, the two of them checked (scoured) the room thoroughly once more. They didn’t find any more treasures, but Pei Xiaoxiao was still quite unwilling to give up, looking as if she was ready to dig three feet deep into the ground.

Zhang Deming shook his head and said, ”Let’s go. We still need to call people to come get the snake meat. In this hot weather, it’ll spoil if we leave it for too long.”

Pei Xiaoxiao, still unsatisfied, reluctantly replied, ”Oh!”

Just then, Zhang Deming paused slightly. In his storage, the white light orb that was almost half-formed suddenly finished condensing.

’The stock I’d used up is finally replenished. I have one again.’

...

The two left the Cave Mansion and swam to shore.

As soon as they got ashore, Zhang Deming looked at Pei Xiaoxiao, who was soaked to the bone like a drowned rat. Not only were her plain clothes completely drenched, but the hidden Warm Sun Jade was also now clearly visible.

’Putting the jade in that place... it must be quite warm!’

’And because it’s red...’

All these random thoughts suddenly popped into Zhang Deming’s head, and he couldn’t suppress them.

”Ahem... Uh, Xiaoxiao.”

Pei Xiaoxiao, who was shaking the water off, looked up in confusion and asked, ”What is it, Senior Brother?”

”That... uh... this whole hiding-treasures-in-your-crotch thing. You should probably stop doing that in the future.

That’s a little habit for village people, and men at that, to hide their personal stashes. It’s not appropriate for a young girl like you!

When your dad taught you this, I don’t think his intention was to teach you how to hide things.

He probably taught you this to scare off any potential sons-in-law.

Mm, if your dad were still alive, he would’ve made a super cultured (sinister and vile) father-in-law!” Zhang Deming said.

’Uh, why did I suddenly say that...?’