Chapter 91: A Misaligned Tale of Technology and Nation-Building, Part 6

“Really?” The Golden Core cultivator, too, grew interested. After all, this method truly seemed to be something anyone could cultivate. Even the body-refining arts said to be suitable for everyone actually still depended on one’s foundation and aptitude; this one, by contrast, genuinely did not care about any of that.

Who among them did not have a few mortal relatives? The Golden Core cultivator was no exception, and once she heard what the technique could do, she was tempted. If it was true, then taking one more mortal along would hardly matter.

“Yes.” Mu Yin nodded, knowing she had struck a chord. In her previous world, she had already realized that her body-training art might not be useless in other worlds. After all, it was a method distilled from both scientific superpowers and cultivation systems.

“Tell me the first part and let me judge for myself. If it checks out, I can take your mother with us.” The Golden Core cultivator meant to verify it first.

“This technique works best when the inner formula is combined with the external body movements. The first layer of the formula is…” Mu Yin began reciting the inner method and was about to demonstrate the movements, but was stopped.

“No need. Keep this for when you hand it over to the sect. You may bring your mother along.” The Golden Core cultivator immediately circulated the formula within her own body and discovered that the method truly could strengthen the physique. It was no longer of much use to her, but the energy from the fasting pill in her body was being absorbed and transformed, and very quickly at that.

That was enough. She gave her consent generously.

Mu Yin was overjoyed, thanked her at once, and hurried back to Cao Shi. Cao Shi had not dared approach just then, and when she saw Mu Yin running over, she hastened to meet her.

“You little girl, where did you get such courage!” Cao Shi was truly frightened this time. How could she dare run up and question anyone so openly? If she had met someone with a bad temper, she might not even know how she died.

“I know, Mother. I only dared because I could tell the immortals were all decent people,” Mu Yin said, shrinking her shoulders in a spoiled, ingratiating way.

“And you still think there will be a next time?” Cao Shi’s brows shot up immediately.

“No, no, never again.” Mu Yin hurried to promise. Over these past three years, she had gradually shed some of her old prejudices against Cao Shi. Cao Shi had indeed been meek, but that was because she knew nothing and believed a woman needed support from her natal family.

Cao Shi had compromised with the Mi family because she believed that without sons of her own, her daughter would need to rely on the Mi family’s boys after marriage, so she endured what she had to endure. But she was not so meek that she would fail to protect the original host.

She had fought for everything she reasonably could, though unfortunately her words carried little weight and had little effect. Later, after leaving that life behind, her outlook changed, and her character became a little steadier as well.

So Mu Yin and Cao Shi naturally grew closer. Her parents were still the Mu family couple, of course, but when she stepped into another person’s life, that person’s parents became hers as well. If they treated her well, she would be filial; if they treated her badly, then they were strangers, and as long as old age was provided for, that was enough. If things were truly dreadful, then they were simply strangers.

“Oh, right, Mother. I’ve already convinced the immortal master. You can come with us,” Mu Yin said.

“Wasn’t that supposed to be impossible?” Cao Shi had heard some of their earlier conversation. The commotion had been close by, and word had spread.

“I traded a technique for your place.” Mu Yin did not hide it and told her the truth.

“Huh? Wouldn’t that be a little improper?” Cao Shi had not expected this and stammered a little. She did not know what sort of technique it was. In truth, she did not understand the cultivation world at all, but she could still tell that a technique or method ought to be something very important.

“It’s all right. This technique honestly isn’t that impressive.” Mu Yin waved it off. It was not one of a kind. If there was anything truly unique, it was the cultivation method for her superpower: the Creation Art.

That was the one tailor-made for her abilities. As for this body-training technique, it had originally been created in the apocalypse to be widely taught. The results were good enough, but even if cultivated to the highest level, it only reached roughly the Golden Core stage. On top of that, it offered only physical attacks, not spell-based ones. At most, it was like martial arts with inner force released outward.

After a while, the mixed-root children and the other children who had already confirmed they would be going all prepared to board the ship. Mu Yin also led Cao Shi up the lowered steps. Naturally, those who saw this asked why Cao Shi was allowed to go.

After all, besides her, only the female lead, Shui Yueran, had brought along her younger sister. In addition, her second younger brother also had spiritual roots. One could say that aside from their parents, the whole family of three siblings was heading to the cultivation world. Once she grew stronger, she would probably come back to bring the rest of her clan as well.

In response to the doubts, the Golden Core cultivator directly released her oppressive aura, forcing everyone to swallow their objections. Only then did she speak.

“She paid enough to exchange for this passage. Do any of you have that?”

Only after being cowed by the pressure did the crowd remember that this was not someone they could afford to offend. At once, even the people who had been shouting most arrogantly fell silent. A cultivator’s kindness did not mean a mortal could trample all over them.

Still, this concerned their own interests. Who would not want to go to the cultivation world? Perhaps they might even get some kind of immortal elixir and live longer themselves. So one person, gathering his courage, asked:

“Immortal master, may I ask what sort of reward would count?”

He was not foolish enough to ask how much money it would take.

The mortal realm was not without cultivators. Those mixed-root disciples who could not make a living in the cultivation world would eventually return to the mortal world and become local big shots, and perhaps they would even produce descendants with good spiritual roots. For that reason, the mortal realm still knew quite a lot about the cultivation world—for example, that they did not use gold and silver, but spirit stones instead.

“A cultivation method our sect does not possess,” the Golden Core cultivator replied.

At once, no one in the crowd said another word.

How could any of them possibly have a cultivation method? Even if they did, it would be some unimpressive technique brought back by returning cultivators.

The way the others looked at Mu Yin changed after that.

Mu Yin did not mind. The cabins on the airship were limited, and these disciples did not have rooms of their own. They could only squeeze in with others or sleep on the deck.

“Hello, my name is Shui Yueran. This is my younger sister, Shui Yuyan. I know you—you’re from the place that sells the nine-layer cakes on the street.” Shui Yueran came over to Mu Yin and greeted her warmly.

“Hello, my name is Mi Yinyin. I know you too—you’re the owner of the snack shop.” Mu Yin had a fairly good impression of the female lead. She was not a bad person: a little kind, but not foolishly self-sacrificing.

Her shop hired women who were strong-willed and self-reliant but lacked opportunities, and she protected them as well. Cao Shi had once been one of the people she helped, so Mu Yin did not reject the other woman’s attempt to strike up a conversation.

“Um, may I ask what technique you turned in?” Shui Yueran asked. She was not trying to force the issue. It was just that she knew once the other party had already handed the method over to the sect, she probably would not mind telling her, since she would certainly find out in the end anyway.

She was very curious about this cultivation method. Before transmigrating, she had been a scientist. Although her research field had been mechanics, she still had a great interest in such fantastical things that went beyond science.