The Programmer Cultivator

In terms of influence alone, she could already keep the Weird Old Man in check to a certain degree.

The Weird Old Man knew all of this, but he didn’t oppose it or resent it. He just watched quietly from the sidelines.

’Hmph, just you wait. Once I’m Promoted Tai Chi, I’ll build my own faction and leverage the infighting between the Sect’s major departments. I’ll use the Sect’s power to pressure that Weird Old Man until he agrees to my demands.’

’Don’t think a mere title of Spirit Nurturing Master can make up for all the other differences.’

But that Weird Old Man was truly infuriating.

She had just secretly begun to condense her Rune Core when he discovered her.

She was fifteen that year, and utterly discouraged.

The Weird Old Man stopped her advancement, telling her about the origins and current state of Spirit Nurturing Masters, and explaining the core reason they held such an esteemed status.

She understood. As a Disciple of the middling Four-Nine Upper Sect, even with an Immortal Spirit Root, her only direct path into a Holy Land was through the Spirit Nurturing Holy Land.

That was why the Weird Old Man wanted her to change her Foundation Establishment Technique and forbade her from touching any of the Spirit Nurturing Beads he had given the Sect, lest she damage or pollute her own innate Spirit.

She couldn’t use her Tier Two Ice Technique, which she had already cultivated to a certain level, as the foundation for her Rune Core Creation.

She could only be Promoted Tai Chi using a Technique that focused on Spirit Awakening or aided her comprehension of other skills as her core.

Only then could she possibly become an esteemed Spirit Nurturing Master at the Tai Chi or Duality realm.

Only then could she become strong, no longer be weak, and even do whatever she wanted.

But why had she wanted to become strong in the first place?

The Four-Nine Upper Sect wouldn’t tolerate someone with her Talent being with Brother Ming.

So if she went to the Holy Land, given its status, it would be even less likely to tolerate her being with Brother Ming.

Brother Ming wouldn’t even be able to get through the gates of the Holy Land; they would be separated forever.

She was certain of it because she had secretly checked Brother Ming’s Talent countless times over the years.

Brother Ming, who had clearly been more precocious than her, really did have a Spirit Root of only twenty-one.

Why couldn’t Innate Wisdom affect one’s Talent and grant them a powerful one?

From that day on, she felt lost. Brother Ming or the Holy Land? Which would she choose?

It wasn’t actually a difficult question. Others might think it was foolish, but she had known her choice for a long time.

But after years of being constrained, of dealing with the Sect’s infighting, and gaining a deep understanding of its power structures, she knew she had no choice.

Everything she had now was built on the foundation of her being an extraordinary genius with a dazzling future.

Now, the Weird Old Man had offered her an even more dazzling path, but if she dared to refuse, all her years of hard work would be for nothing.

A genius willing to throw away their own potential would never get any support from the Sect.

And she and Brother Ming would never have a chance.

So, faced with a choice that was no choice at all, she was utterly lost.

Three years passed in a flash. With her journey to the Holy Land approaching, the feelings she had suppressed for so long finally became unbearable.

She had to see Brother Ming. To hell with the Weird Old Man.

She hadn’t spoken a single word to Brother Ming in ten years. She missed him dearly.

That day, when she fell into Brother Ming’s arms, she was secretly delighted. ’It’s been ten years,’ she thought, ’and Brother Ming’s chest feels even stronger.’

After that day, she started to pull some strings for Brother Ming’s sake.

Her ten years of effort hadn’t been in vain; not even the Weird Old Man knew what she was up to, let alone anyone else in the Inner Sect.

But why had Brother Ming’s Cultivation suddenly started improving so quickly?

He was even going to the back mountain to prepare materials for his advancement?

’Could some old monster be attempting Possession?’

’No, I have to go check on him. I have to at least ensure he’s safe.’

So she arranged another "chance" encounter, but she ended up dragging Brother Ming into the Inner Sect’s conflicts.

Brother Ming also helped her realize something. She would go to the Holy Land. But before she did, it seemed the Inner Sect hadn’t had any real excitement for a long time.

Had some people mistaken her good behavior over the past few years as a sign that she had become easy to bully?

’In that case, I might as well stir things up before I leave. The Weird Old Man won’t be able to stop me. There are some things—some people—I can’t leave behind to threaten Brother Ming’s survival in the Sect.’

’If I leave and Brother Ming is pushed to his limit, it’ll be too late to hold anyone accountable for the consequences.’

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