The two Reds behind me took a step forward to get in between us. I subtly waved them back since I could handle this. After all, it took an old monster to keep an old monster in line.

“You may not have realized, but I was here and at the Alchemists’ Guild when you placed your orders. By chance, I overheard them. From there it was easy to deduce your end goal.”

The pressure that wasn’t actually affecting me eased.

“Hey!” The arrogant young kid spoke up like a dumbass. “The Zhang clan can handle this situation. This young master does not need nor did I ask for your help.”

I narrowed my eyes at the ungrateful punk. He had a face that practically begged to be punched.

Just because he was a member of a great clan and had guards at the peak of Golden Core did not mean he could walk all over a high realmed rogue cultivator. This was just relying on his clan to back up his poor life choices and bully those with no backing.

A Clan or a sect was supposed to provide some protection. It did not make it so the person could walk around doing whatever the fuck they wanted!

But Of course — of fucking course — what would a bad harem Xianxia be without an Arrogant Young Master?

Often their idiocy led to the main character killing off a patriarch or ancestor in each generation until their major clan/family/sect was practically wiped out. As if the family only existed to be the protagonist’s whetstone.

And of course, this situation always started because little shits like this lost face.

Seriously, how fucking hard was it to let something inconsequential go when they could be cultivating to reach immortality instead?

Fucking dumbasses.

With a smile, I took a step closer to this Zhang Clan prick. “Who said I was trying to help you?” His face turned red. “Obviously, I’m speaking with this interesting senior here.”

I took another step closer. The guards beside him didn’t see me as a threat.

After examining the punk, I noticed that a gourd pendant hung at his waist. That was a life-saving spiritual tool that could take an attack from a Nascent Soul!

No wonder this kid thought he could walk around like a dumbass peacock with water for brains.

I sighed. A tool like that would be useful for facing my tribulation. Whatever. It wasn’t mine, and I had other ways to protect myself.

Water For Brains crossed his arms and huffed. “Obviously you think that by helping me I’ll tell the Zhang clan to do you a favor.”

Excuse me?! I made a quick deduction, “Ah. I understand now. You’re here waiting for the Sect Trials.”

“Who are you?” one guard asked.

I ignored him. Red Seven stepped forward to block that guard’s view of me.

The arrogant dipshit waved his guard back and looked me over. He likely saw my travel worn clothes I had yet to replace, and my injured guards. He didn’t take me seriously at all!

“So what if I am here for the trials?”

“Don’t you find it strange that the Zhang Clan would send a young master like you to join the Indomitable Will Sect?”

He snorted. “Of course not! My spiritual foundation is perfect! They’re merely sending me to the sect because I can practice the sect’s cultivation techniques much better than my clan’s specific techniques!”

I smirked. “Are you sure that’s the reason?”

“Of course! My potential is so excellent that I’ll become the direct disciple of a peak elder! Just watch!”

“That’s right, young master!” A few of his servants supported him.

I shook my head. “I don’t deny that you’re talented to reach the fifth layer of Qi Condensation at your age, but don’t you wonder why your clan would even let a talent like you go if they really appreciated you that much?”

He blinked, then his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by that?

“Your Clan is throwing you into the sect to correct your terrible personality before you get yourself killed.”

The kid’s face turned purple with rage. “You dare!”

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Little Spring clutched my sleeve. Oh… maybe that bit of truth went overboard into an affront.

People who strutted around like this asshole were walking insults to their family or clan. While there were some families who were blind and let their arrogant young dickheads fuck around all they wanted… they were actually few and far between. The chances of meeting one was low… Unless one was stuck in the narrative of—

I glanced at Little Spring, who looked like he was about to punch this kid for yelling at me. Well, shit.

I had to do something about this.

“Yes. I dare. You should consider what my background could possibly be and why I dare.”

His eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

Since I didn’t want to get deeper into this conversation, I decided it was time to calmly run away.

I turned back to the black-robed man. “Excuse me, Senior. If you have a free moment. I think we could discuss the Dao and spiritual tools in one of the guild’s back rooms.”

I showed my Formation Master’s badge to an associate who finally realized that this situation might escalate out of control after all and came running up to us. They picked up on my meaning right away and escorted us to a private room in the back, similar to the rooms in the Alchemists’ Guild.

Once we were seated and had the proper obfuscation formations activated, I sighed.

“Let me start over.” Because I respected this genius, I bowed and, I continued, “Greetings Senior. I’m Formation Master Lin. I am also an Apprentice Alchemist, and a Spiritual Tool Forging Master.”

“I’m Daoist Black Jade, A Spiritual Tool Forging Master.”

As I suspected.

“How did you find out what I was working on just from hearing the items I requested?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re working on exactly, but considering that it’s something that requires both alchemy and formations to create, I think I can help.”

“I’m not looking for an apprentice or a disciple.”

“I already have a master.”

“And your master is?”

“Someone far-far above Nascent Soul.”

His spine straightened. That seemed to pique his interest, at least.

“Then are you approaching me on your master’s orders?”

“No. But that doesn’t mean that he won’t protect me if necessary.” That was a lie but, whatever. I was used to it at this point.

He nodded. “Then why did you really bring me back here?”

“Because I’m curious about what you’re trying to make that would require all these disciplines. And if I like what you’re creating, then I might be able to get my master to help invest.”

He blinked slowly and stared into my eyes as if glancing at my soul. Well, thank fuck I already hid my massive soul using that seal a while ago.

He straightened. “I’m planning on creating a spiritual tool that can communicate between each other.”

“Will it also transfer items between each tool. Or a hub?”

His eyes widened. “I had considered it but it seems impossible.”

I chuckled. “We live in a world with spiritual energy. Where cultivators fly on swords at speeds that break reality. Is there anything that’s truly impossible?”

I could practically feel the block in Senior Black Jade’s cultivation loosen. Maybe I’d said too much? No. That wasn’t enough to enlighten him yet.

“That is a very interesting way of looking at the world, Formation Master Lin.”

I grinned. “I’d like to think so. But back to your tool. I assume you’re going to use this to create a vast information network?”

I had a feeling he would have done a spit take if he’d been drinking tea.

“Because if that’s the case, then I would like to become your silent partner.”

He sputtered. “You think you can help? Or is it that you think your master would help me? Because every master I’ve even hinted about this has told me that it’s impossible and thrown me out.”

“Sometimes old monsters can be set in their ways.” I, on the other hand, came from a world of near-constant innovation. If things didn’t change and improve over time then it was weird. Frankly, this was why I constantly researched and tried to improve things while everyone else was focused on stealing treasures from ancient ruins. The ancients didn’t necessarily know better!

Also, fuck the stagnation of the immortal world. Innovation was king!

“Your tool and your information network will succeed. I want to be a part of it.”

He blinked slowly. “I can’t do much without funds to buy the treasures I need.”

“Of course. You need investors for that. Unfortunately, you also need a functional product before you find investors.”

After thinking for a few minutes, I brought out a paper and started writing a list of names I knew from my past life. People who actually invested in this (something I only knew because they bragged about it at the various conventions I went to).

“If you can create a basic model of your tool to prove your concept, then you should be able to get these cultivators to invest in it to offset costs of additional research. Now, before you bring out or talk about what you have done so far, should we write up a contract? We are in the Formation Masters’ guild, after all.”

“What do you and your master want out of this, exactly? Spirit stones? Just as a passing fancy?”

“What do I want out of it? The most important thing to a cultivator. Something you can never get back once it’s spent. Time.”

Just because I’d gone back in time didn’t mean that I could waste it! This was a second chance to do things better, and I wouldn’t fuck it up by ignoring the world outside the sect. I had no idea how I would change this new timeline, so I needed to be suspicious of my effect on it. And that required that I learn about the world outside and compare it to my past life.

“Your spiritual tool and information network will help me save my precious time.”

“Worrying about the world is strange for a small Qi Condensation cultivator like yourself. Usually it’s only those in the higher realms who have a stake in the larger events who care about things like this. I’m guessing your master is the one who is actually interested?”

I didn’t reply and let him make his own assumptions. “I’m the one who wants to be your silent partner. I can even pass on some advice from my master that can help you reach Immortal Bone Creation.”

His eyes widened. “Isn’t that a little too much?” He grimaced. He must not have had a lot of confidence in himself. It almost physically hurt to see someone who made it to Nascent Soul have this much lack of confidence. No wonder it took him two hundred more years to create his guild and make a name for himself.

“Senior, you’ll need to at least be that strong if you intend to keep your hands on the information guild you’re going to create with this device.”

His jaw tightened as he seemed to consider it. Then he nodded.

“Are you ready to sign a contract and discuss some things that will blow your mind?”

“What?”

“What?” I coughed. “I mean, discuss things that will help you reach the pinnacle?”

Very cautiously, Black Jade opened his mouth. “I agree.”