The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 7: Before He Arrives, Storms Gather

The incident involving the rampaging pet cat at Xishi Residential Complex has finally been resolved. In the end, one person died and 49 were injured, while the mutated pet cat was disposed of by government authorities. Major media outlets reported on the incident immediately, causing a sensation. It sparked even more heated discussion online, leading to intense debates on the issue of pet adoption. Neither side would back down; each claimed their own position was justified. The “red side” argued that in today’s rapidly changing world, pet ownership is dangerous—not only does it fail to guarantee one’s own safety but also harms others, as seen in the Xishi Residential Complex incident. They therefore called for the immediate removal of all existing pets and the enactment of regulations banning pet ownership to prevent such tragedies from recurring. On the other hand, pet lovers argued that pets are companions and are as dear as family members; such an absolute approach is simply inappropriate. Furthermore, they claimed the incident with the stray cat in Xishi Residential Complex was a one-off event—people capable of opening spiritual channels are as rare as national treasures, and those who can control such unchecked spiritual beings are even rarer. This was, in their view, a coincidence so extraordinary it could not be more so. The online debate has been intense, but the incident’s impact has been limited. After all, we no longer live in the peaceful times of the past; for people in today’s turbulent world, new events happen every day, and no one will keep paying attention to this indefinitely. At most, government departments have been quite busy lately, with urgent documents being issued nationwide. The desks of top officials in each region have also been piled high with additional documents, such as the “Plan for the Management and Rectification of Residents’ Pets” and the “In-Depth Investigation of the Urban Peripheral Environment”... For several days in a row, Mayor Li didn’t have a moment’s rest. As the mayor with actual authority over cultivator affairs, he had to handle any matter concerning cultivators. Now that such a major incident had occurred in his jurisdiction, he naturally had to resolve it properly. Although the matter involving the pet cat had been temporarily resolved, Mayor Li still had no time to rest. He was currently presiding over a meeting to discuss various matters concerning the Tianjiang Cultivator Academy and Mu Tian. “The other matters concerning the Cultivator Academy have largely been settled, so now let’s discuss Young Teacher Mu Tian, who has come to Tianjiang Cultivator Academy to teach. Everyone, please feel free to speak your mind—there’s no need to hold back. After all, today’s meeting isn’t meant to be overly formal,” Mayor Li said to the assembly below the podium. Everyone present was a figure of considerable influence: leaders from the Municipal Education Bureau, senior officials from the Tianjiang Cultivator Academy, representatives of prestigious sects, and heads of top martial arts schools. In a sense, the people gathered here represented the power structure of the entire city of Tianjiang, with the city’s entire upper class standing behind them. Instantly, a low murmur of discussion filled the room. “This is wonderful news! Tianhai Academy is renowned far and wide as one of Huaxia’s premier sanctuaries for cultivators. Every graduate is truly extraordinary. Now that Master Mu Tian has come to Tianjiang to teach, bringing with him advanced knowledge of the Xuan Realm, it will be a tremendous boost to the promotion and prosperity of cultivator education here in Tianjiang,” said Yun Jinting, head of the prestigious Yun Tian Martial Arts Hall, speaking first. “Old Yun is absolutely right.” “Absolutely. There’s great potential for Tianjiang.” The crowd responded enthusiastically; no one objected to Yun Jinting’s remarks. After all, this arrangement benefited everyone and was beyond dispute. Mayor Li nodded and continued, “Since everyone has expressed their welcome and approval of Teacher Mu Tian’s arrival, we now need to discuss his compensation.” As soon as he finished speaking, a staff member handed out a list to everyone present, and the room immediately erupted in commotion. “Mayor Li, you must be mistaken. This… this is way too excessive.” “That’s right. I’m not opposed to offering Mu Tian generous compensation, but this is far too lavish. Why should he receive a share of the resources without doing anything? Even though he’s from Tianhai Academy, none of us know what his actual abilities are. I think this is really a bit excessive.” “Exactly. Everyone else is working their butts off for just this much, and to hand out so much all at once—I’m afraid that won’t sit well with the crowd!” In an instant, a wave of protests swept through the room; the praise and approval for Mu Tian that had been expressed just moments ago was now nowhere to be heard. When interests aren’t at stake, everyone gets along swimmingly—it’s all “you’re great, I’m great, we’re all great.” But once it comes to dividing the pie, no one holds back. Seeing such a strong reaction from the crowd, Mayor Li couldn’t help but feel a pang of unease. In fact, Mayor Li hadn’t initially intended to touch anyone’s share of the pie, but he’d made the decision after returning from Xishi Residential Complex a few days earlier and having a long talk with Wang Jian. Upon hearing Wang Jian’s account, Mayor Li was both surprised and delighted. He had originally thought Mu Tian was simply a valuable asset—well-versed in Daowen scriptures—who could greatly aid in promoting the Xuan Realm civilization in the region. But according to Wang Jian, Mu Tian was not only well-versed in Daowen scriptures but had also reached an unimaginable level of cultivation. Mayor Li’s own cultivation was average, so he didn’t have a deep understanding of the nuances of these realms, but he had complete faith in Wang Jian’s judgment. He still vividly remembered the look of shock and disbelief on Wang Jian’s face at that moment. If even a master as formidable as Wang Jian was so thoroughly impressed, Mayor Li had every reason to place even greater importance on Mu Tian. Mayor Li made a gesture to signal for silence, and the entire room quickly fell quiet. “I understand everyone’s concerns, but the city made this decision after careful consideration. I’m sure you’re all aware of the incident a few days ago where a pet cat ran amok in Xishi Residential Complex,” Mayor Li said calmly after a moment’s thought, his composure restored. Everyone exchanged glances but remained silent, waiting for Mayor Li to continue—though they all had their own suspicions. Seeing that he had the crowd’s full attention, Mayor Li continued, “Mu Tian lives in Xishi Residential Complex, and he was present at the time of the incident. Media reports claimed that it was our relevant department officials who dealt with the mutated Ragdoll cat, but that’s not actually the case. The real hero was Mu Tian—it was he who, single-handedly, defeated the mutated Ragdoll cat....” Before Mayor Li could finish his sentence, the entire room gasped in unison, and cries of astonishment rang out. Seeing their reaction, Mayor Li smiled knowingly—Old Wang had truly read this group’s temperament perfectly—and added, “As for the strength of a spirit beast in the process of opening its spiritual veins, everyone here surely knows better than a layman like me.” Everyone present, of course, understood—and it was precisely because they understood that they were all the more stunned and awestruck. Defeating an invincible Meridian Condensation Realm cultivator? You’ve got to be kidding! “Mayor Li, you’re not joking, are you? How could this be… It’s absolutely impossible…” “Rumors say Mu Tian’s cultivation level is mediocre, yet suddenly he’s become someone who might have surpassed the Condensation Vein Realm? That’s just too far-fetched.” The room erupted into a clamor once more, sounding like a bustling marketplace—there was not a trace of a formal meeting to be found. “What? Do you all think I, Wang Jian, am just spouting nonsense?” Wang Jian, seated next to Mayor Li, immediately spoke up, his tone laced with hostility. “I was the one who handled the pet cat rampage at Xishi Residential Complex. I, Wang Jian, witnessed Mu Tian defeat that pet cat with my own eyes—there’s not a word of falsehood in what I’ve said!” Instantly, the room fell silent.