Chapter 43
Village Beneath the Clouds
Mount Kienga was a mountain located in the country's center. The towering range pierced through the sky, with cloud masses floating around at distances over two kilometers—a distinctive feature no other place could match. Beyond nature's perfection, this place was also full of civilization and history that ordinary people couldn't perceive.
The Alchemists' Association was one of them. A mansion stood alone on one mountain ridge, isolated from everything else. The towering construction was full of history and clearly distinguishable. Though it stood on a mountain range, the route used to travel here was extremely convenient and spacious.
That was due to another equally famous place besides the Alchemists' Association.
It wasn't an ancient old place like the Association, though.
It was a "village." Located in the middle area, surrounded by towering mountain ranges, this "Village Beneath the Clouds" was Bai Fanxian's travel destination.
It was where the revered "Divine Doctor" lived and was in closed-door training.
Originally, Village Beneath the Clouds was a gathering place for cultivators. They had deep connections with the Alchemists' Association. Some were disciples there. Some were teachers. Some were patients needing medicine for treatment.
In an era when travel wasn't as convenient as now, crossing a mountain range required tremendous strength and endurance.
So they had an idea.
They started "constructing" this Village Beneath the Clouds about five hundred years ago.
It became the residence of cultivators, including some alchemists. Most who lived in this village had some relationship with the Alchemists' Association one way or another.
Originally this place was just an ordinary village. As time passed, it started growing and became a place full of wonder. The cultivators gathering together started settling down, making their descendants all have cultivator bloodlines and start cultivation from young ages.
Around ten years ago, this village welcomed the great "Divine Doctor Wu Jia." Since then the place became livelier. It developed prosperously. Travel and contact with the outside world became convenient. The Divine Doctor's fame attracted tourists and patients wanting to meet him endlessly.
The Divine Doctor went into closed-door training around five years ago. Instead of becoming quiet and lonely, the village was filled with liveliness. It had already developed into a tourist village. Hotels and lodging sprang up in the village abundantly. Plus the discovery of large hot spring sources under the village made it a travel destination for relaxation for many cultivators.
Therefore, when reliable news came that the Divine Doctor would emerge from training, and this period would also have the Alchemists' Association's alchemy science seminar, many cultivators gathered at this Village Beneath the Clouds like it was a festival!
Bai Fanxian sat in Tang Tianjie's luxurious black car and looked out the window with interest. Just entering Mount Kienga territory, she could feel traffic starting to jam. The massive number of vehicles made the once spacious road narrow.
On both sides of the road, cultivators traveled on their own. Their faces were full of excitement and joy. Some walked slowly, viewing the beautiful valley scenery. Others burst out qi and ran up the mountain at maximum speed.
"There are so many people..."
Bai Fanxian grumbled. Hui'er and Tang Yeye, who'd never seen so many people, nodded in agreement. Tang Tianjie laughed lightly and explained:
"It's normally crowded like this. This year there are two big events overlapping, though. So people gathered especially heavy."
"Once we get up there, these cars have to come down from the mountain. Only when events finish can they go back up to pick people up again. So don't worry—it won't be too crowded."
Tang Tianjie's explanation sounded reasonable. Looking at the massive number of vehicles, if everyone parked them on the mountain, traffic up there would be jammed and inconvenient.
She also saw vehicles driving down through the other lane in large amounts. That meant up there was already starting to fill with people.
They took about ten minutes to reach the summit. The route after that was extremely smooth. The two little ones' eyes sparkled when they looked down at the scenery below.
The Kienga valley was shaped like a wok basin. From the summit where they were, they could see throughout the whole valley. Bai Fanxian observed that on the opposite mountain range stood a construction with an ancient and noble atmosphere. Many people walked in and out of that place like ants.
Let her guess—that place must be the Alchemists' Association?
Below, she could see people gathering in a large village. Houses that looked like a mix between antiquity and modernity stood in rows, forming lines and creating mysterious charm that made people fall in love.
Bai Fanxian could sense hot air from beneath the village. At one corner she could observe many hot spring pools, large and small. They'd been modified into small river streams flowing through forests around the whole village. Pink-flowered trees similar to Japan's sakura were planted scattered on both riverbanks. Quite a few people brought mats out to spread and sit relaxing under the trees while enjoying nature. When the petals scattered, they created a special atmosphere as one characteristic.
She knew they weren't ordinary trees, though.
She could sense faint qi and natural power nourishing those trees.
They'd help cultivators relax and promote qi circulation slightly better.
Bai Fanxian could imagine herself soaking in hot springs while leisurely sipping tea, with the backdrop of mountain range views and cloud masses, with those pink flowers falling down as petals right away.
Tang Tianjie was very excited too. After his granddaughter got sick, he hadn't gone out to relax at places like this. So this was his first time in many years as well.
After ordering Ama and Atian to come pick them up in several days, they walked into the village. The children were excited but didn't dare run around wildly, afraid of getting lost. Small hands clung to both sides of Bai Fanxian's sleeves.
Inside the village was filled with liveliness like a festival. Just walking in, street vendor stalls appeared with both food and strange items on sale everywhere.
Both the walkway area and both banks of that small river stream were full of tourists who were cultivators enjoying the atmosphere.
Wooden bridges just five to six meters long spanning between both banks became the most popular photo spot. Besides views on both riverbanks, sometimes people rowing small boats passed under the bridge at intervals to see as well.
Since only cultivators were here, they could bring out materials and miraculous items to sell openly without worrying about ordinary people's eyes.
Bai Fanxian looked at shops around with interest. Since being born until having an age of ten thousand and twenty-five years, this could be called the first time Grandmaster Bai had toured a festival like this.
Huang Zihuan was happy too. Seeing the two little ones showing interest in some shops, he used a Martial Master cultivator's speed to disappear in a blink, appearing again with two pretty pink cotton candies in hand.
"Will Grandmaster Bai have some too?" Uncle Huang turned to ask Bai Fanxian after giving candy to Hui'er and Tang Yeye, who were smiling happily.
"I'm fine..." Bai Fanxian didn't eat candy or food much. She preferred a good cup of tea instead.
"Once we reach the lodging, I'll find the village's famous tea for you."
Uncle Huang bowed. He knew well what Grandmaster Bai wanted most.
"Thank you..."
Bai Fanxian showed a smile at the corner of her mouth. Huang Zihuan never disappointed her.
Suddenly, chaos appeared in front of them. A middle-aged man squeezed out from the crowd toward Bai Fanxian. His face was full of excitement and shock. If observing carefully, you'd find in his hand he was holding a small mic, making people turn to look at him with interest.
Not long after, behind the middle-aged man who was staring at Bai Fanxian in shock, a man and woman pair appeared running after him. Their faces were full of exhaustion and they gasped for breath from having to carry large cameras on their shoulders while running through the crowd.
"That's people from the Cultivator Community..."
"Right. They make programs about cultivators to broadcast on websites. They interview famous people, film reality shows, or even arrange strength rankings."
"But that woman's so beautiful."
She wasn't at home, so Bai Fanxian couldn't wear the Little Bear pattern t-shirt and shorts anymore. She was now in an ancient-style covering outfit that emphasized elegance and nobility instead. This outfit was another one she used to wear when she was the great Goddess Alchemy Palace master.
It was custom made for her by her people. So it suited her most.
"I heard lately Director Wang's arranging the 5th Cultivation World Goddess Rankings."
"The one ranking only cultivators, right?"
"Exactly! I think that woman has to be in the top ranks for sure!"
"But I've never seen her face before. Maybe she's a newcomer cultivator?"
Bai Fanxian, with her physical ability, definitely heard all these people's words around her. When she heard the strange-mannered middle-aged man was from the Cultivator Community website, she stopped being interested.
"Wa...wait!"
Director Wang, seeing Bai Fanxian suddenly leave without paying him any attention, felt frustrated. He quickly ran to block in front of Bai Fanxian again with speed.
Huang Zihuan, who was afraid Grandmaster Bai would start getting annoyed, stepped out to block in front.
At first Director Wang was displeased. When Huang Zihuan's 5th-stage Martial Master pressure burst out, his face paled.
"Hu...Huang Zihuan?"
Being someone who worked in this field, he studied faces and distinctive features of famous cultivators just in case, especially cultivators who were mid-stage Martial Master and above. He almost remembered everyone.
In records, Huang Zihuan was only 2nd-stage Martial Master, wasn't he?
Besides the elderly butler, Director Wang sensed another quiet pressure coming from the old man beside him.
Tang Tianjie!?
Besides the status of Tang Clan head, recently Tang Tianjie had just achieved success in reviving ancient pills like the Vitality Restoration Elixir and identifying its very dangerous side effects. His fame soared even higher among alchemists.
In this seminar he was also one who'd go up to lecture!
Why were they with this beautiful woman?
"Could you move aside..."
"My lady's traveling to the hotel. If you have business, come talk with me after that... okay?"
Director Wang trembled uncontrollably. The power and pressure from the butler in front seemed more intense than 5th-stage Martial Master! For now they could only move aside obediently, choosing to follow quietly behind until reaching the lodging as Huang Zihuan said.
The crowd watched Bai Fanxian's group walk past with fear. Many of them turned to look with interest.
"The butler's even a 5th-stage Martial Master?"
"Has the Tang Clan developed this much already..."