Torvin considered the Spirit Medicine Secret Realm mission. The potential rewards – unique resources, environmental data – were high. The risks, however, were significant, especially given his lack of Qi cultivation and the stated prerequisite.
Bai Ji watched him, anxiety etched on his face. "Young Friend Li, please reconsider! That realm is treacherous!"
'He does have a point...' Torvin analyzed. Is it genuine concern? Or does he fear losing control over my activities? Or perhaps… he simply doesn't want me accessing potentially valuable resources independently?
"My decision hinges on available alternatives, Elder Bai," Torvin stated coolly. "Are there other avenues for me to acquire resources? Or perhaps… access to the spirit herbs you cultivate?" He deliberately prodded Bai Ji's sore spot.
Bai Ji's eye twitched. The memory of his ravaged herb patch was still raw. "My… personal cultivation resources are not available!" he snapped. "And that Secret Realm requires Qi Refining capabilities! It's too dangerous!"
"Danger is relative," Torvin countered. "Stagnation is a greater threat." He turned back towards the Mission Hall counter, projecting intent to accept the Secret Realm task.
Bai Ji panicked. He couldn't let this happen. If Torvin died in the Secret Realm due to inadequate preparation or lack of cultivation, the Palace Master's wrath would be unpredictable. And if he succeeded… who knew what chaos this anomaly might cause with independent resources? He grabbed Torvin's arm urgently.
"Wait! There are... other considerations! The timing! The realm opens in ten days, duration within is thirty days! Your… ceremony… with the Palace Master is scheduled in less than a month! You cannot be absent!" He played his trump card, appealing to common sense.
Torvin paused, considering this new data point. 'The wedding. A political maneuver by Wu Qingcheng, a constraint on his freedom.' He felt an instinctive revulsion towards it. "The ceremony," he said dismissively, "is nothing but a formality; a proxy can surely stand in, yes? My focus must remain on accumulating strength and fulfilling the three-year agreement."
From her distant peak, within Embracing Moon Hall, Wu Qingcheng, observing via a scrying mirror, felt her teacup tremble slightly. 'Proxy? This buffoon considers his own wedding… a delegable task? The audacity…!' Frost began to gather in her gaze.
Bai Ji stared, utterly aghast. "Proxy?! For the Palace Master's Consort ceremony?! Young Friend Li, have you lost your mind? The Consort must be present! It is… fundamental!" He couldn't fathom the depth of Torvin's ignorance or disregard for established custom. It bordered on insanity.
Torvin waved a dismissive hand. "Details. Trivialities. Compared to the acquisition of vital resources…" He trailed off, seeing the utter disbelief on Bai Ji's face and, more importantly, sensing the futility of arguing with someone so entrenched in "local customs". However, he needed access to those herbs and/or equivalent resources and Bai Ji was gatekeeping him from it, so a change in tactics would be... wise.
"Very well, Martial Uncle Bai," He conceded with apparent reluctance, adopting the address Bai Ji preferred. "Your counsel is without fault. The wedding requires personal attendance. Therefore, the Secret Realm mission is… of a problematic timing." He feigned deep contemplation. "A pity. Those resources would have been valuable for… strengthening myself to better serve the Palace Master's interests, naturally." He subtly shifted the narrative.
The surrounding disciples, eavesdropping intently, murmured amongst themselves, expressions shifting to admiration.
"He foregoes a chance at the Secret Realm… for the Palace Master's ceremony?"
"Such dedication! Placing the Palace's dignity above personal gain!"
"Junior Uncle Li is truly a role model!"
"His priorities are clear! The Palace comes first!"
Torvin mentally filed their reactions. 'Misinterpretation of motive leads to positive perception. Useful.' He gave the crowd a solemn nod. "Duty calls. We must all strive for the betterment of Lanyue Palace."
Bai Ji, however, saw through the performance, recognizing the underlying manipulation aimed squarely at his lost spirit herbs. But Torvin's public concession regarding the wedding relieved the immediate pressure. He sighed, feeling cornered. "If… if certain low-tier spirit herbs are required for… basic conditioning…" he began reluctantly.
"Precisely, Martial Uncle Bai!" Torvin seized the opening. "Continued progress requires consistent resources. Those… 'greens'… proved surprisingly effective, despite their blandness."
Bai Ji flinched. 'He calls Thousand-Year Ginseng leaves 'greens'?!' He took a deep breath. "Fine. Occasional access to designated Tier-1 and Tier-2 conditioning herbs from the outer fields may be permitted, but under strict supervision. The mature plots, however, are forbidden!"
"Understood," Torvin agreed readily. Access secured, albeit limited. He had what he needed for now.
Leaving the bustling Trading Peak, Bai Ji practically dragged Torvin back towards the isolation of Spirit Herb Peak.
"These fields, Martial Uncle Bai," Torvin commented conversationally upon arrival, surveying the meticulously tended rows Bai Ji hadn't yet replanted, "demonstrate considerable expertise. The soil composition, the energy flow… impressive." Calculated flattery might soothe the ruffled feathers.
"Hmph," Bai Ji grunted, unappeased but slightly mollified.
"As a gesture of… apology," Torvin continued smoothly, "for any… misunderstandings regarding my wanton use of resources, perhaps this humble offering might be of interest?" He didn't have a system-generated storage space, but his spatial ring, provided by Bai Ji, contained various things he had on his body before he transmigrated.
He produced a small, metallic object – sleek, unfamiliar, non-functional as far as he could tell, but visually distinct. "This one of mine is a curious artifact, perhaps it may serve to be something useful for you." He offered it to Bai Ji.
Bai Ji eyed the object suspiciously. It pulsed with no discernible Qi, yet its construction was unlike anything he recognized. Smooth, metallic, strange symbols etched onto its surface (which were degraded English warning labels). "What is its function?"
"Unknown," Torvin did not tell the secrets of the modern smartphone, continuing with, "but likely inert, and studying it would be a good way to pass the time."
Bai Ji hesitated, then accepted it. Studying unknown artifacts was intrinsically interesting, even if likely useless. It was, at least, a token of gesture. His anger slightly abated, replaced by weary resignation.
From Embracing Moon Hall, Wu Qingcheng observed the interaction through her scrying mirror from Torvin's handing over the strange metallic object to Bai Ji's reluctant acceptance. 'I didn't even properly check what he had when I inspected him, but detailed inspection about the artifacts from his place of origin could lead to clues to what he is... or is my earlier speculation of them being mere trinkets, true?
The mysteries surrounding her designated consort continued to pile up. 'His adaptability, strange power, baffling ignorance paired with surprising insight (like recognizing the script), and now, unknown artifacts. He is a puzzle box', she mused. One that requires careful handling. Her decision to bind him to Lanyue Palace, to keep him under close observation, felt increasingly justified. The upcoming "wedding" merely the most secure, publicly acceptable method of ensuring his continued presence and proximity.