Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 294 - 48 Outer Disciples of Divine Capital
Hou Benli was an Outer Disciple of Tianling Ridge, and belonged to the rather unsuccessful group; he didn't belong to any branch and when mentioning his Sect, he could only say "Outer Disciples of Tianling Ridge." He and a group of fellow disciples had just finished a "major project" and were virtually collapsing from exhaustion.
After completing the task and feeling a bit happy, Hou Benli wanted to say something fun, but seeing his fellow disciples sprawled around in dispirited states, he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.
Tracking demon beast herds continuously for a month in the uninhabited region and observing the ecosystem, that really wasn't a life for humans.
"Alas, born at the wrong time!" Hou Benli heavily placed his teacup on the table and lamented.
Divine Capital was located downstream of the Great River, approaching a thousand miles near the East Sea. In ancient times, it was the frontline where Sea Demons invaded the land, with few mortals living there. However, the area was also home to a large Sect in ancient times, so despite constant demon calamities, Great Demons were rare. This led to the preservation of Shenzhou's largest plains in their original ecological state around Divine Capital. Later, the Sect stationed here switched allegiance to the Modern Immortal Path, and Divine Capital was designated as its fiefdom, but the ecological zone was preserved. The Tianling Ridge station in Divine Capital was also established because of this ecological area.
For Hou Benli, an External Affairs Disciple, regularly visiting the uninhabited area to observe demon beasts was normal. Honestly, this was very far from the thrilling, heroic Immortal cultivation life he had imagined.
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"Enough already, if you lived in the times of the Ancient Method Practitioners, you probably wouldn't have survived a few days on the Immortal Path..." Another Outer Disciple of Tianling Ridge waved his hand.
"The Modern Immortal Path doesn't emphasize innate talent or comprehension, I might just be one of those once-in-a-million cultivation geniuses," Hou Benli retorted.
That Outer Disciple laughed: "Then you would definitely have been picked by someone virtuous at birth."
An older disciple of Tianling Ridge knocked on the table: "Alright, enough, stop messing around. Finish this pot of tea and then all of you go to sleep... ugh, really, I'm too tired to even eat."
This disciple had reached Qi Refining Perfection, and was the highest in cultivation among those present. Having taken on most of the pressure during this research task outdoors, he was the most exhausted and even yawned while speaking.
Hou Benli then looked towards another woman; she was also an Outer Disciple of Tianling Ridge. Unlike the others, this girl did not appear fatigued, but instead looked as though she was about to cry.
"Fang Ya, what's wrong?"
The girl named Fang Ya stuttered, "Wuuu... Junior Brother Chen... Junior Brother Chen..."
"I'll be damned!" Hou Benli exclaimed, "Did he... did he do that to you?"
Not far away, Wang Qi, who had just lifted his teacup, almost spat out his water—had the academic environment in Divine Capital really gotten so bad? Were unwritten rules now even a logical guess?
"No, it's not that..." Fang Ya sobbed, "I accidentally killed several of Junior Brother Chen's mice… And he kicked me out… Even though he has so many mice, he deducted my monthly salary..."
"Cough, cough. Cough, cough." Wang Qi was nearly choked by water. Okay, this wasn't any unwritten rule, but a tragic incident triggered by a monster, who naturally acts clueless but is known as the Lab Terminator, much like Dexter's sister from the cartoon.
In biological laboratories, not just any animal can serve as an experimental subject. Experiments aimed for simpler outcomes often need to eliminate unnecessary variables to avoid interference. If an animal's specific physiological function becomes that "redundant variable," then that function must be removed.
They just created genetic defects artificially.
Mice with special genetic defects couldn't even survive in natural environments, they had to be bred in specific settings, which made the cost of each mouse jump up a tier. Although Wang Qi wasn't a biology major, he knew these mice weren't cheap. Based on prices from his previous life, the cost of one of these mice ranged from thousands to a hundred thousand. About thirty percent of the United States' ten billion dollars of research funds were spent on experimental animals.
A few dead mice...for a Cultivator who had just started his independent lab and had to breed his own mice to cut costs, this was absolutely unbearable.
Girl...your Senior Brother didn't draw his sword and slice you, which just shows how incredibly tolerant he was...
But what Wang Qi hadn't expected was that other Tianling Ridge Cultivators actually agreed with the girl's complaints.
"It's really...digging through mountains, raising mice, that's what Cultivators do today," Hou Benli became increasingly indignant. "It would be much more enjoyable if we were hunting Demon Beasts."
"Forget it," said the disciple who had achieved Qi Refining Perfection, tapping the table twice. "This is cultivation. Instead of complaining here, better roll back and reflect on what you've learned and assimilate it."
"I just don't believe that the high-ranking members of the Immortal Alliance cultivate this way. Take Junior Brother Chen, for example; I've never seen him digging through the wilderness."
There are specialized fields in every profession, brother...can those researching genetics in the lab and those surveying ecosystems over mountains be the same...
Wang Qi, munching on some snacks, despaired at these exemplary half-baked Tianling Ridge disciples. He decided not to listen to their complaints any further and directly asked those two Wanfa Sect disciples about the location of their sect's external station.
However, the next thing Hou Benli said made him pause for a moment.
"Not to mention, I bet that the top ranks in this year's unified entrance trials didn't cultivate this way," said Hou Benli, lowering his voice as if he were sharing a secret. "Do you know the top scorer of this year's unified entrance trial? You don't, do you? The first and second places, that last fight was absolutely epic! Especially this year's number one from the Immortal Institute, Senior Brother Wang Qi, his Sword Technique, his movement technique..."
As an openly acknowledged True Disciple, Wang Qi's status was much higher than that of an Outer Disciple, so even though the Outer Disciples had entered the sect a few years before Wang Qi, they still had to address him as Senior Brother.
Wang Qi, all smiles, paused. After all, it was quite entertaining to hear others praise him while he was incognito; how could he possibly interrupt them?
Hou Benli wasn't much interested in scientific examinations, but when it came to discussing tales akin to those from Jianghu, he became very enthusiastic—though the entrance trials were similar to a college entrance examination system, they were also the closest to his ideal vision of the Immortal Dao. Since the establishment of the Immortal Alliance, public order was incredibly good, and the passionate youth often had nowhere to channel their energy. He quickly recounted several famous battles from this year's unified martial trials. Finally, he turned to the Wanfa Sect Outer Disciples sitting nearby and said, "Mo Zhenzhen, this Senior Brother is from the Wanfa Sect, the Wanfa Sect!"
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Dexter's sister, Didi, "Dexter's Laboratory," a vicious Lab Terminator—oh my, really showing my age with this reference.
Ahem, by the way, in the famous Western fanfiction "Powerpuff Girls D," Dexter successfully wooed everyone's childhood goddess, Powerpuff Girls Blossom. Congratulations are in order.
