Chapter 16 - 15: 1 Core, 4 Requirements

Chapter 16: Chapter 15: 1 Core, 4 Requirements

"This is Sister Miaoyun, the second young lady of the Zhou Family from Shixia Town. Like us, she’s also a Fisherman and Farmer for the Yun Family."

"Not only is Sister Miaoyun’s Cultivation at the Fourth-Layer Qi Refining, but she is also a Lower-Grade Talisman Master."

Shixia Town was ninety miles north of Jingyue Lake, and also under the rule of the Yun Family.

The Zhou Family was a Qi Refining Family in Shixia Town, but not the only one, and the strongest cultivator in their family was only at the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining.

Otherwise, how could the esteemed second young lady of a Cultivation Family possibly come to the Yun Family to be a mere Fisherman and Farmer?

Evidently, the Direct Descendants of some weaker Qi Refining Families also needed to venture out on their own to procure Cultivation Resources.

"I am Chen Jianghe. A pleasure to meet you, Fairy Miaoyun," Chen Jianghe said, clasping his hands in greeting.

"Yu Daniu. A pleasure to meet you, Fairy Miaoyun."

A strange look appeared in Yu Daniu’s eyes. He clearly hadn’t expected Gao Peiyao to bring someone else.

’Today is the day we’re forming our alliance. How can there be an outsider present?’

"Greetings to you two fellow Daoists."

Zhou Miaoyun smiled and curtsied gracefully, showing none of the airs of a young lady from a prominent family.

"Brother Jianghe and Brother Daniu, your presence here means you agree with my proposal and are interested in forming the Mutual Aid Alliance."

Gao Peiyao fluttered her long eyelashes, invited everyone to sit, and poured tea. "Sister Miaoyun is also interested in joining our alliance. What are your thoughts, my two brothers?"

At this moment, Gao Peiyao had clearly become the organizer of their small alliance.

"Fairy Miaoyun is from a prominent family, her Cultivation is higher than ours, and she is a Talisman Master. If the Mutual Aid Alliance can have Fairy Miaoyun join, we would be the ones benefiting," Chen Jianghe said with a smile.

’Gao Peiyao was the one who brought her. Her Cultivation and background are better than ours, and with her sitting right here, I can’t very well object.’

’Besides, Gao Peiyao is the founder of the Mutual Aid Alliance; she’s naturally bringing people in for her own benefit.’

’As things stand now, the benefits I bring to Gao Peiyao are far less than what Zhou Miaoyun can offer.’

’If I don’t agree to let Zhou Miaoyun join, then the only option is for me to leave this little alliance myself.’

"Right, right, exactly."

With Chen Jianghe having stated his position, Yu Daniu quickly chimed in to agree.

"Thank you, my two fellow Daoists."

Zhou Miaoyun nodded her thanks.

Her Spirit Root Talent was poor—she too had a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root—and being a woman, she was not valued in the Zhou Family.

The Cultivation Resources she could receive were limited, which had prompted her to leave home and come to the Yun Family to seek opportunities.

Of course, becoming a Senior Fisherman and Farmer was not her intended path for development.

Her real goal in coming to the Yun Family was to break through in the Talisman Dao, become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master, and then an Honored Guest Elder of the Yun Family.

The reason she wanted to join the Mutual Aid Alliance organized by Gao Peiyao was because she valued Gao Peiyao’s Talent and future potential.

With her own Spirit Root Talent and Talisman Dao Skills, she could see the limits of her future at a glance.

At her absolute peak, she would reach Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivation and become a Middle-Grade Talisman Master.

And reaching the Late Stage of Qi Refining was only possible on the condition that she first became a Middle-Grade Talisman Master; otherwise, she would never have enough resources to cultivate to the Late Stage.

Gao Peiyao’s Spirit Root Talent was quite good. In the future, when she reached Late-Stage Qi Refining, she could provide significant help, perhaps even changing the foreseeable, dead-end future that lay before her.

"Since we all agree to establish the Mutual Aid Alliance, let’s move on to discussing the rules and content of the alliance."

Everyone nodded.

"Peiyao, you’re the one who initiated the Mutual Aid Alliance. I imagine you’ve already drafted some ideas, so why don’t you share them for us to consider?" Chen Jianghe said.

"Alright, I’ll go first. If there’s anything inappropriate, please point it out, Sister Miaoyun and my two brothers."

Gao Peiyao nodded, then said, "The fundamental purpose of forming the Mutual Aid Alliance is so that we can support each other and go further on the Immortal Dao."

"For now, the core goal of our mutual aid will be to reach Late-Stage Qi Refining. If any of us reaches the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining, the rest should do their utmost to help that person purchase a Misfortune-Breaking Pill to break through their Cultivation.

In turn, the person who breaks through to Late-Stage Qi Refining should do their best to help the other allies also break through to the Late Stage."

After speaking, Gao Peiyao looked at everyone.

"Agreed," Zhou Miaoyun was the first to nod and state her position.

Chen Jianghe thought for a moment before agreeing. ’Reaching the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining is just a matter of time for me anyway.’

Those with a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root would all encounter a bottleneck when breaking through to Mid-Stage Qi Refining, which could take anywhere from ten to as many as fifteen or twenty years of polishing to overcome.

With sufficient financial resources, one could use a Qi Storage Pill to break the bottleneck.

Similarly, the bottleneck encountered when trying to break through to Late-Stage Qi Refining was even more severe, requiring the purchase of a Misfortune-Breaking Pill to aid the breakthrough.

Seeing that neither Chen Jianghe nor Zhou Miaoyun had any objections, Yu Daniu also expressed his agreement.

Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Gao Peiyao showed a satisfied smile and continued, "Alliance members will need to abide by four requirements.

"First, we will have a small gathering at a fixed location once a year to exchange cultivation insights and trade items of equal value. Hmm... let’s tentatively set the location as Yuelai Inn.

"Second, should the Yun Family undergo any changes, to prevent any potential future mishaps, allies must support one another. If one is in trouble, the other three must provide aid, and we will overcome crises together.

"Third, members with higher Cultivation should do their best to help members with lower Cultivation, but this help will not be without compensation.

"Fourth, for now, the Mutual Aid Alliance consists of the four of us. If anyone else is to join later, it will require the consent of at least three of the four of us."

Gao Peiyao had stated the one core principle and four requirements of the Mutual Aid Alliance.

Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu exchanged a glance and both nodded.

The core content of the alliance and the requirements for its members, as stated by Gao Peiyao, were all established on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

No one would become dependent on anyone else.

Nor would anyone hold a position above the others.

At this particular point in time, the rules the alliance members had to follow were most beneficial to Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu.

They were the weaker party, the ones who would be supported.

Zhou Miaoyun had the highest Cultivation at the Fourth-Layer Qi Refining. She wouldn’t be able to reach the Sixth-Layer Qi Refining anytime soon, so she wouldn’t need their help for that.

Although Gao Peiyao’s Cultivation was the same as Chen Jianghe’s and Yu Daniu’s, at the Second-Layer Qi Refining, her Talent was slightly higher, and she had the foundation left behind by Old Gao. She would surpass them soon.

Most importantly, with the sudden changes in the Yun Family, if the waterways were to descend into chaos in the future, they would have a Mid-Stage Qi Refining ally.

And a Talisman Master at that.

That offered some benefits, at least.

Of course, while Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu would benefit in the short term, in the long run, Gao Peiyao and Zhou Miaoyun stood to gain more.

Those two were the most likely to break through to Late-Stage Qi Refining.

"I agree with the one core principle and four requirements Peiyao has proposed," Chen Jianghe was the first to state his position.

’My Spirit Root Talent isn’t great, but I have a long lifespan. For me, this Mutual Aid Alliance will offer more help in the later stages.’

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

Zhou Miaoyun and Yu Daniu stated their agreement one after another.

"Alright, then. We will establish the Mutual Aid Alliance based on this one core principle and four requirements, and we will swear a Heart Demon Oath not to violate it."

Gao Peiyao’s expression turned solemn as she went first, swearing the Heart Demon Oath.

Afterward, Zhou Miaoyun, Chen Jianghe, and Yu Daniu all swore the Heart Demon Oath as well.