Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

Several days passed, and at last an internal investigation within Penglai yielded results.

The spy was not someone Luo Yan knew, but the Daoist Companion of a patrolling cultivator, who had gathered intelligence from her husband before secretly communicating with the Demonic Path.

The Sect Leader of Xuan Du had already arranged for someone to interrogate the spy overnight. Upon learning this, Luo Yan quickly went to find Shi Liuli to inform her of the situation.

"The identity of this spy isn’t really important," Shi Liuli said slowly while holding a jade slip, "The key lies in who the liaison on the Demonic Path side responsible for contacting her is."

"If the two were only in one-way contact, once the liaisons catch wind, they will immediately discard the spy, and by then it may not be possible to trace them down, and the lead will be lost here."

"Liuli," Luo Yan cautiously advised, "don’t be anxious. Perhaps we can extract enough information from the spy through interrogation before their contact realizes, and uproot this network of spies completely."

"Anxious?" Shi Liuli paused for a moment and then shook her head, "I am not anxious."

"The vengeance for my father does not lie on any one person, but the entire Demonic Path is complicit."

Luo Yan: .........

Fine, no matter who is responsible for Elder Shi Ding’s fall, as long as the entire Demonic Path is eradicated, the great vengeance will be one hundred percent avenged... This logic certainly has no fault, truly straightforward and brutal.

"Liuli, what are you looking at?" Luo Yan attempted to lighten the mood.

"Sword casting," Shi Liuli answered, "Since our eldest senior brother started his own sect and father is no longer here, there is no one left in Heavenly Craft Workshop who can cast swords."

"Flying swords are currently the most profitable magic artifact business. If we’re missing this sector, there will be a significant gap in the financial income of Heavenly Craft Workshop..."

As she said this, her voice paused, and then she suddenly asked:

"Didn’t the Shi Family from Guangling County send someone over last time, wanting to have their young offspring apprenticed in the Heavenly Craft Workshop?"

"Yes," Luo Yan nodded, "But now that Master is... I don’t know if the Shi Family still has this intention."

"We must maintain our relationship with the Shi Family," Shi Liuli stood up, took Luo Yan’s arm, and explained in a low voice, "After father’s departure, those original business partners will inevitably have greatly reduced confidence in Heavenly Craft Workshop."

"As long as we can have the Shi Family continue to uphold the original cooperation, at least we can salvage some of the external impression and evaluations. Hmm, I’ll go with you this time."

"Liuli..." Luo Yan hesitated.

Under normal circumstances, Miss Shi linking arms with him would surely have brought a joyful expression to his face.

The current cold and rational Shi Liuli was very unaccustomed to.

Cough cough, Liuli is about to become my Daoist Companion, so I’d better get used to it quickly.

Of course, when it comes to adapting to circumstances and being reactive, Luo Yan as a multi-faceted spy naturally had extensive experience and certainly wouldn’t be stumped by Shi Liuli like this.

Soon after, he left Penglai with Shi Liuli, controlling a sword to travel westward and reached the Divine Land Continent, coming to the Shi Family in Guangling County for a visit.

The Shi Family in Guangling County was also a notable cultivator family in the local area. Although the cultivation realms of the family disciples weren’t outstanding, they did have a certain heritage in the art of forging space artifacts.

Seeing that Master Jingyun of Penglai had come to visit, the Shi Family immediately sent out children to welcome them.

Following the children of the Shi Family, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli entered a spacious reception hall, only to see Shi Xing rushing over eagerly from the back and warmly inviting them to sit down.

"Sect Leader Shi."

Luo Yan sipped his tea calmly and then got straight to the point, "You must have heard about the situation at Heavenly Craft Workshop. We’ve come this time to inquire whether the entry-level agreement from last time is still valid?"

"How could it not be?" Shi Xing said with a cautious smile, "It’s just that... we too deeply mourn Elder Shi Ding’s passing, but as of now, there’s no one left in Heavenly Craft Workshop who can teach Shi Qing how to refine space artifacts, right? Even if she is accepted into Heavenly Craft Workshop, who will she learn from?"

"Sect Leader Shi."

Shi Liuli spoke up unhurriedly from the side, "While I am not particularly gifted, I would like to offer a few corrections to the concerns you just raised."

"First, even when my father was alive and accepted Shi Wenshi as his disciple, he did not provide instruction every day; most of the teachings were carried out through the relevant texts he left behind for self-study."

"Second, inheriting the mantle isn’t about the master himself but about the body of knowledge he imparts. Ordinary cultivators might need their master’s guidance to solve their doubts, but since Shi Qing possesses a photographic memory, her need for this can be minimized to the lowest level."

"Even so..." Shi Xing showed a troubled expression, "without a master, joining Heavenly Craft Workshop may indeed seem inappropriate. The Shi Family isn’t solely governed by my decisions; the clan elders will certainly have their suspicions."

"If these are the clan elders’ concerns, then there’s another perspective to consider." Shi Liuli stated calmly, "If I’m not mistaken, the clan elders are not worried about what Shi Qing can learn; they’re concerned about the benefits her joining Heavenly Craft Workshop can bring to the Shi Family."

"Let me explain it to you here: the greatest benefit of Shi Qing joining Heavenly Craft Workshop isn’t her own growth but rather the opportunity for the Guangling Shi Family to access Penglai Jade Pure Sect’s resources."

Shi Xing had been fiddling with his teacup, but upon hearing this, he stopped his movements subconsciously.

"The issue with the artifact forging line isn’t the lack of market demand but the high initial investment costs," Shi Liuli continued, "Even within Penglai Jade Pure Sect, only our Heavenly Craft Workshop possesses the comprehensive capability for artifact forging. Whether my father is alive or not won’t change this fact."

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"If the Shi Family has reservations and eventually decides not to let Shi Qing join our Heavenly Craft Workshop, then whose sect do you plan for her to join?"

"Among the many sects in the East Sea, you’re likely considering having her apprentice with a sect that possesses artifact refining techniques. Even if those sects have technology, do they also have resources on par with Penglai Jade Pure Sect to allow Shi Qing to practice and learn artifact forging?"

"And if we step back ten thousand paces, even if Shi Qing masters artifact forging, what about Core Formation? Across the entire East Sea, which sect’s Foundation Establishment Realm disciples have the highest success rate of reaching Core Formation? I presume I need not remind you."

"This matter of apprenticeship isn’t just about receiving instruction. On the path of cultivation, wealth, companions, techniques, and environment are all indispensable. All must be considered holistically. Liuli has spoken presumptuously, and that’s all I will say."

Having finished, Shi Liuli raised her teacup and took a small sip.

Shi Xing, sitting opposite, was stunned for a long moment before he smiled wryly and said:

"Liuli, I visited Elder Shi Ding back in the days and saw you several times, but I never knew you to be so eloquent."

"Perhaps it really is some legacy that has made Heavenly Craft Workshop a gathering place for outstanding talents... I have no objections now, but this matter still needs to be discussed with the clan elders. We can’t give you an immediate answer, so please be patient."

"Mhm."

Shi Liuli nodded and then threw a glance at Luo Yan.

Luo Yan then stood up to take his leave.

As they left Guangling County with Shi Liuli, Luo Yan couldn’t help but ask:

"Liuli, I didn’t know you had become so articulate."

Shi Liuli was silent for a moment before she said:

"Luo Yan."

"What is it?" Luo Yan asked curiously, feeling Miss Shi’s arm wrapping more tightly around his.

"Before, it was Master who supported the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop," Shi Liuli said slowly. "From now on... it will be up to us."