The recorder cultivator looked down upon Chen Xia, but did not make things too difficult for him. He casually waved his hand, signaling for Chen Xia to walk up the mountain path, while also giving him a reminder.
"When you go in, use your own judgment. If your attire is unsuitable, then use your brain and don't offend the masters. Otherwise you'll only have yourself to blame for the misery."
"Mm." Chen Xia lightly nodded without saying much, and was not angry at all towards these insignificant characters.
To supreme battleships, ants rushing was unimportant.
Little Cinnabar Hall governed this region, so there should be a so-called great cultivator presiding. Judging by the name, there might also be cinnabar pills inside.
Chen Xia presently did need pills. His heavily injured body was somewhat stuck - it wouldn't get worse, but it wasn't recovering either. If he wanted to utilize spiritual energy techniques, it would probably aggravate his condition.
Fortunately, his enhanced strength was unaffected, and he still had the combat power of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, but with his current heavy injuries, he certainly wasn't as formidable as at his peak.
If his body was unhindered, then the combined might of his cultivation level and enhanced strength at the mid-Nascent Soul realm could contend against Bloodhook's avatar at the Sky Patching realm.
Although they hadn't fought, Chen Xia was certain he could match the avatar.
Chen Xia thought this over as he continued walking up the mountain path without stopping.
Inverted Mountain had a very strange structure. There was no path upwards from below. Instead, a flight of a hundred thousand steps was built leading through the clouds, which is why it was also called the Mountain Climbing Path.
Although the path was extremely long, there were many climbers because of the large amount of people.
There were also patrolling Little Cinnabar Hall cultivators stationed along the way. They all had their hands behind their backs and chins tilted up, gazing down condescendingly at the climbers.
Chen Xia was already halfway up the mountain path, above which were the sea of clouds.
Accompanying him was an old man. They just happened to climb the mountain together.
Presently, the old man was breathing heavily with a flushed complexion, drenched in sweat. He was extremely exhausted, yet still followed behind Chen Xia without falling behind.
Chen Xia had an indifferent expression and walked lightly, but his speed was mysteriously fast, maintaining a constant pace without changing.
The two chatted while climbing. Mainly Chen Xia asked about the background of Little Cinnabar Hall.
The old man didn't know too clearly either, and could only answer based on hearsay, "Little Cinnabar Hall is a major sect in Qing Province's region. They are the overlords of this place. We climbers want to beg the masters for alms."
"So I've become a beggar?" Chen Xia curiously asked.
"What else could it be? Most of the climbers are servants. The masters have no need to climb, they can just fly up directly with their abilities.
Old man me cultivated a bit in my youth, my talent wasn't good, but I reached the Qi Condensation realm. I can't do big things, but coming to be the masters' medicine slave and collect some silver taels every month is still possible."
The old man sighed, then asked Chen Xia, "Young man, why have you come climbing?"
Chen Xia rubbed his nose. "Don't know. I saw everyone climbing, so I climbed too. Maybe I'm just following the trend."
After reaching the midpoint of the climbing path, the old man's steps grew more labored, wheezing heavily. And without water to drink, his strength waned even more.
Fortunately, the old man thought of a solution. He stopped and placed his water jug in his crotch.
This made Chen Xia halt his steps, slightly startled. "That's not... you..."
He spoke hesitantly.
"Haha, don't worry, self-production, self-consumption!" The old man was quite humorous.
Chen Xia nodded.
It was utilizing recycling to the extreme.
"Go on ahead young man. If we're fated, maybe we can work together as medicine slaves."
Chen Xia nodded. This was his first time being called 'young man' so many times.
He was a four thousand year old young man, so it was still reasonable.
He curiously looked two more times, then turned and quickened his pace up the mountain path.
No peeking at impropriety, Chen Xia understood this principle.
Mainly there really wasn't anything worth looking at.
His steps grew faster, darting up the mountain path like a gust of wind, continuously overtaking many climbers while fluttering his tattered clothes.
It was quite stylish.
Cultivators with deeper cultivation bases had long reached Inverted Mountain's peak, probably at the Foundation Establishment realm. They now stood respectfully at the mountain top, waiting for the Little Cinnabar Hall masters to inspect them.
They lowered their heads, most apprehensive and not daring to directly look at the magnificently dressed masters. They anxiously awaited the results of the inspection.
Among the Little Cinnabar Hall masters, one existence was especially arrogant. He sat in a grand chair, dressed in striking white clothes with long hair draped at his waist. He appeared bored, lazily fiddling with his nails.
The other Little Cinnabar Hall cultivators were sizing up the climbing people. If they saw someone pleasing, they would ask some questions. If the person's background and cultivation were decent, they could be taken as a medicine slave.
"What's your name?" A Little Cinnabar Hall cultivator suddenly asked a climber.
The man shuddered, extremely nervous and stuttering as he spoke.
"W...Wang... Wang San."
The Little Cinnabar Hall cultivator furrowed his brows and asked again, "Where are you from?"
"S...South... South City."
"You seem to have spirit roots, why can't you even speak clearly?" The cultivator was a bit dissatisfied.
Upon hearing this, the man trembled in fear, breaking out in a cold sweat on his back. He hurriedly explained,
"This lowly one is s...so... so, so excited and deeply honored, t...tongue-tied from nervousness."
"Mm, I can hear that you're very excited." The Little Cinnabar Hall elder nodded, then secretly glanced at the arrogantly seated figure behind him and sent a voice transmission,
"Don't mention tongue-tied again."
"Yes, yes." Wang San hurriedly nodded.
"Alright, not bad. Go to the back to take some pills. You'll be my medicine slave."
Right after the cultivator finished speaking, a clear cracking sound suddenly rang out.
Slap!
"How can you be so stupid? Even roadside strays are smarter than you!"
A climber collapsed to the ground with a red palm print on his face, the corners of his mouth bleeding as he prostrated on the ground, trembling.
"Worthless pig-ape!" The slapping cultivator cursed.
The man didn't dare retort and hurriedly crawled up to kneel before the cultivator, kowtowing.
"This lowly one was wrong, please forgive me master, please forgive me."
The other climbers didn't dare make a sound, bowing their heads in fear of implicating themselves.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, a figure in tattered clothes walked up the mountain path. His first words made all the cultivators turn their heads.
"I heard you guys are hiring. Do you have weekends off?" Chen Xia curiously asked.