All Heavenly destiny reduced to ashes
Chapter 221 - 81 Undercurrents of Calmness (1/3)

Chapter 221: Chapter 81 Undercurrents of Calmness (1/3)

In Tianyuan Realm, there are few ’elderly’ people.

It’s not that the resources of Tianyuan Realm are so scarce that people must be killed once they get old, but because most inhabitants are cultivators. As long as one reaches the stage of Qi Refinement, they can significantly slow down the aging of their bodies, with their appearance at death looking at most around fifty or sixty years old.

Moreover, with some cosmetic surgeries and Youth Preserving Elixirs, as long as one has money, even a dying old lady can have a youthful and delicate body, and a face that looks good enough to eat.

But this old lady was different.

Iron Hand sat in his familiar yet much cleaner seat, thoughtfully tilting his head as he looked towards the backroom door.

Granny Huai had finished cleaning and was resting in the backroom.

This old lady had no cultivation... a rarity in Xuanye City, even more so than Foundation Establishment. Anyone without the talent for cultivation, even if their body was deficient, could undergo surgery to mend their physical form, having at least a thread-like essence of Qi.

Those without cultivation, whether in the city, safe zones, or the wilderness, would live on thin ice, struggling to survive.

Only wealthy and powerful families could afford to support someone who doesn’t cultivate or produce anything until they get old.

And yet... she was so healthy, healthy enough to clean even at the brink of passing away!

"That old lady has a talent for cultivation... in fact, she possesses a strong ’Qi’. It’s just all contained within her soul and spirit and hasn’t been used on her physical body."

Iron Hand’s hand held a Formation Brush as he fell into deep thought, "Is she a specially trained talent deliberately nurtured by some major family or clan? Or could it be..."

Iron Hand, having seen much of the world, had actually guessed Granny Huai’s true identity correctly. However, not fully understanding the situation, he did not dwell on this line of thought, "What kind of friends has Huo Qing made to come across such a person?"

"And that house purchase..."

As he thought this, before Iron Hand could get up to ask, Granny Huai came over with a bowl of meat and mushroom soup, "This was initially prepared to simmer until Huo Qing and the others came back to drink, but Iron Hand Boss, you must be thirsty after your long journey."

"I am indeed a bit thirsty, thank you."

Iron Hand’s red mechanical eye scanned, confirming there were no toxins or abnormalities, and then he took a sip.

It had to be said, it was quite delicious. He used to make soup by haphazardly throwing canned ingredients, water, and salt together, reasoning that cultivation would digest it anyhow, and the end result wouldn’t differ much.

After another sip, Iron Hand gave it some thought and still decided to address Granny Huai, directly voicing the doubt in his heart, "It may be somewhat impolite, but Madam, I see you’re not an ordinary human, at least not someone who ought to appear at my place... How did you come to know my foolish nephew?"

Granny Huai shook her head slightly, "I didn’t originally know Huo Qing, it was my... junior in the sect that became acquainted with him."

After considering for a moment, she still chose to reveal the identity implied by ’sect’.

Granny Huai was experienced. She knew that An Jing and others like Huo Qing all claimed to be from the wilderness when interacting with each other, but An Jing’s behavior had not been quite wilderness-like.

However, not all wilderness people are from tribes. There must be other organizations... When An Jing returned, she would communicate with him to help smooth over this inconsistency.

Granny Huai did not say much more, but Iron Hand silently took note, "From a sect? No wonder she doesn’t seem like she’s from a wilderness tribe nor from a city’s noble family; turns out to be from an Underground Esoteric Sect... Huh?"

Iron Hand recalled someone.

That ’wilderness kid’ who had helped Huo Qing and whom Huo Qing would indeed call a friend.

A realization struck Iron Hand’s heart, "So it’s him! I thought this kid, despite knowing very little, had delicate and tender skin, not like someone who’s lived in the city, yet not like a wilderness person either. Turns out, he’s from an Esoteric Sect!"

After the apocalypse, numerous secret religious sects sprouted like bamboo shoots after a rain in various safe zones of the wilderness. Some were legitimate cultivational sects that gathered followers to amass divine power and protect their region, while others were corrupted by Heavenly Demons, serving as incubators for the Demon Calamity.

Looking at Granny Huai and that wilderness lad, it seemed they belonged to a normal sect... Even if it wasn’t normal, now wasn’t the time to turn hostile.

Next, the two of them chatted about some sect details, and Granny Huai knew that the other party wanted to gather some information. After some thought, she tried to describe her experiences within the Heaven’s Will Cult and some descriptions of the Ritual Tracks and Law Altar without any bias as much as possible.

All in all, it was half-true, half-false, which made Iron Hand, who knew Granny Huai couldn’t possibly tell the whole truth, feel it was quite believable.

"Your venerability truly is experienced and knowledgeable, and your cult’s teachings are also quite fair and harmonious. I presume it must be a benevolent sect that loves its people as children," Iron Hand remarked.

It must be said that Granny Huai’s conversation skills were probably unmatched by a hundred Huo Qings and fifty You Ruhuis put together. After exchanging words with her for half an hour, Iron Hand not only felt he had gained a lot, learning numerous life skills, but his impression of Granny Huai had also improved significantly.

In response to the hints of information subtly revealed by Granny Huai, Iron Hand casually sighed, only to find that Granny Huai’s smile had turned into a bitter smile, and he immediately understood.

—Ah, so it’s another sect with good teachings on the surface, but in practice, it follows the same old rules.

He realized this and felt it was even more genuine. In the ghostly situation of the Tianyuan Realm, could there really be an underground organization with a sound-minded leadership?

Just as Iron Hand was about to continue inquiring, to see how much information about his family that big nephew of his had disclosed, he suddenly received a communication.

"Hmm... big sister?!"

The light in his eyes suddenly brightened, and even Granny Huai could tell that Iron Hand’s expression had changed abruptly. He looked excited yet apprehensive, and a touch incredulous.

—Had he received communication from someone he admired, or from an important relative?

Since Huo Qing had received several communications, Granny Huai knew that Iron Hand was now communicating with someone via a chip.

And she could tell that the expression on Iron Hand’s face was not one that would appear upon receiving a message from just any ordinary person.

As expected, when the light in Iron Hand’s eyes dimmed slightly, he stood up, "There’s another urgent matter. You just rest here, old lady. When Huo Qing comes back, ask him to send me a communication."

"Of course. Take care, Boss. Till we meet again."

Granny Huai stood up to see him off but was gestured by Iron Hand to sit down, "You’re approaching the end of your long life, old lady. No need to exert yourself."

"However, I do find something a bit odd," he remarked.

This time, it was a genuine inner curiosity, so even though Iron Hand was eager to head off to Xuanye City for the meeting, he stopped in his tracks to look at Granny Huai, "Is this your cult’s teaching? I see that you have not a single sign of modification on you, nor have you undergone any life-extension surgeries?"

"Hmm... personal reasons, I guess," Granny Huai replied.

—Modifications, life-extension? This world’s technology truly is beyond imagination.

Although Granny Huai didn’t entertain this notion, she nonetheless took a mental note of the technology.

Iron Hand left in a hurry, while Granny Huai stayed alone in the recycling shack. She fell silent for a while, then smiled and shook her head, "Having resolved to face death, why bother contemplating other things?"

She turned back to cooking, waiting for An Jing and the others to return.

Meanwhile, An Jing and the others were busy sorting through their spoils of war.