NOVEL WEB Chapter 27: A Solution
Several miles away.
Fang Xi pulled the Qinghe Sword from the chest of an elderly warrior, causing blood to spatter across the ground.
“Old man had no honor in combat, but I’ve grown accustomed to such tactics.”
Ever since his extravagant purchases at the market months ago, he frequently faced attempted robberies whenever venturing out.
Fortunately, the highest level among these robbers was true energy cultivators, which he could easily handle. However, scavenging their bodies yielded little significant gains, leaving Fang Xi somewhat disappointed.
He entered an abandoned dwelling, devoid of inhabitants, and initiated the transmigration process.
‘The best way to evade pursuit is by completely disappearing!’
‘I’ll spend some time in the cultivation world, honing my martial skills before returning…’
In Blackstone City.
The sky remained perpetually dim, with eerie light filtering through layers of black mist.At the boundary between Inner and Outer Cities stood a large mansion.
A few scattered ‘cursed beings’ roamed aimlessly nearby.
Based on rapidly gained scavenging experience, entering the area under the tree canopy invariably led to attacks by aerial roots, along with relentless assaults from numerous Treefolk and cursed beings - it was virtually a death sentence!
The strength of Treefolk surpassed that of ordinary dojo masters.
Even confronting cursed beings posed significant challenges for martial apprentices with three transformations of blood and qi.
Despite dwindling resources, many fearless individuals risked their lives at the edge of danger, seeking opportunities amidst peril.
The wooden gate of the mansion gently opened, revealing two children emerging cautiously.
Unsure where they hailed from, these wandering orphans had formed a small team, venturing out to scavenge for supplies.
“Hurry up, the monsters will be here soon!” whispered a girl with braided hair, her voice hushed.
“Don’t worry, Xiao Yun, Dog Brother is always quick!” replied a half-grown youth, running out from the inner quarters. He wore tattered clothes, his arms filled with bulging bundles.
Despite their cautious steps, they inadvertently caught the attention of a nearby cursed being.
“Oh no! Xiao Yun, you go first!”
Dog Brother thrust the bundled package into Xiao Yun’s arms and pushed her away.
The cursed being tilted its head; it appeared as a woman, with most of its face covered in dark runes. Its vacant eyes fixed intently on the two living figures.
Suddenly, it accelerated at a frightening speed.
“Run!”
Dog Brother grabbed a nearby rock, hurled it towards the female cursed being, and sprinted in the opposite direction. “Come on, come after me!”
“Dog Brother!” Crying, Xiao Yun fled towards the Outer City.
If they didn’t retrieve the food soon, the younger children back in their small shack would starve to death.
Thud!
Unfortunately, overwhelmed by grief, Xiao Yun wasn’t watching where she was going and tripped hard.
Despite the pain, the little girl didn’t cry out but clutched tightly onto the bundle in her arms. However, several pieces of cured meat still rolled free.
Splat!
One piece bounced a few times before coming to rest beside a shoe.
Xiao Yun looked up and saw feet like iron pillars, followed by a man towering over her like a steel tower. Fear instantly washed across her face.
Every surviving child knew to stay far from anyone stronger than themselves, as strangers often harbored ill intent!
“H-Here…here for you!” stammered Xiao Yun timidly, her voice laced with tears. “But can you please leave some for me?”
Xiao Yun timidly asked, her voice trembling with near tears, “Could you please leave some for me?”
The burly man picked up the cured meat, placed it in the little girl’s hand, and smiled, “I, Zhang Junming, never take what is unjustly earned!”
As he spoke, the man swiftly flashed towards the female cursed being.
During his movement, his muscles flowed like water, revealing him to be a formidable martial artist at the dojo master level within external cultivation realms.
Bang!
With a blood-curdling scream, the cursed woman was sent flying.
Zhang Junming, holding one child under each arm, rapidly fled from danger. He only set them down once they reached the outskirts of the Outer City.
“Many thanks, great hero!” The young Dog Brother forced a smile, his sharp eyes darting around restlessly.
“Haha, worry not, I have no ill intentions. In fact, your quick-wittedness impresses me greatly. If circumstances were different, I would undoubtedly take you as my disciple,” Zhang Junming sighed. “Alas… most of my disciples have already perished…”
“Big brother, this is for you!” Xiao Yun, her eyes smiling brightly, offered a piece of cured meat to the large man.
Taken aback, Zhang Junming burst out laughing. Despite previously dismissing such food months ago due to its dirtiness, he eagerly took the cured meat and took a hearty bite. “Delicious, truly delicious…”
“Delicious!”
On Qingzhu Mountain.
Fang Xi had caught a wild chicken and, without using a pot, simply plucked its feathers, cleaned out the innards, stuffed it with spirit bamboo shoots and mushrooms, added various seasonings, then coated it in clay to create a beggar’s chicken dish. With one bite of the wing, the savory taste was so intense it felt like his eyebrows might melt off.
“Haha, Fellow Daoist Fang, this beggar’s chicken is truly exceptional.”
Chen Ping sat nearby, rapidly tearing into a succulent drumstick. The aroma wafted enticingly, and with just a gentle tug, the meat effortlessly separated from the bone.
Around the campfire were two more scattered cultivators, appearing much less affluent than Goddess Yunmeng’s group, with cultivation bases at the early stages of Qi Refinement.
After returning from Mingqing Pavilion, Chen Ping felt somewhat apologetic. He decided to introduce Fang Xi to two new fellow practitioners once again. This time, he learned from his mistake and chose individuals within a similar cultivation level circle.
They set up near the shanty town outskirts for an impromptu outdoor barbecue.
“Ah… Fellow Daoist Fang, your culinary skills would undoubtedly make you a divine chef in the secular world. Have you ever considered becoming a spiritual chef?”
One individual appeared quite ascetic and ethereal, yet he was rapidly devouring a chicken’s hindquarters. Nearby lay two thoroughly picked clean chicken claws. The way he licked his fingers while eating suggested immense enjoyment, as if savoring some extraordinary delicacy.
This man introduced himself as ‘Nine Profound Supreme’. Despite his impressive demeanor, his actual cultivation base was only at the second layer of Qi Refinement. Rumor had it that before coming to Qingzhu Mountain, he served as an imperial advisor for a period in the mortal realm. However, upon arrival here, he found himself among the lowest ranks, though he possessed considerable knowledge, particularly about worldly affairs.
“Meat without wine is incomplete!”
Beside Jiuxuan sat a young gentleman dressed in green attire, reminiscent of a secular hero from the mortal world.
He seemed around twenty years old but already boasted a cultivation base nearing the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining.
His name was Di Qi, hailing from a small Qi Refinement clan near Qingzhu Mountain, where he ranked seventh among siblings.
Although his spiritual root aptitude was mediocre, he stood out as the most affluent among those present. At this moment, he promptly produced a gourd filled with spirit wine and began distributing it to everyone.
“Fellow Daoist Di, you’re always so generous!” Chen Ping hastily grabbed a cup, glanced at it, then tossed it aside, opting instead for a worn-out bowl. He smiled and remarked, “A gourd of spirit wine like this could easily fetch one spirit stone in the market!”
“Not at all… I’ve always believed that sharing cultivation insights with close friends is truly delightful!” Di Qi replied cheerfully.
In reality, he was quite conscious of his status as a clan cultivator, even if it was akin to a loose cultivator from a Qi Refining family - it still placed him above ordinary independents!
However, considering Chen Ping’s potential as a future talisman master, extending this courtesy was deemed necessary.
The four enjoyed feasting and drinking together, reveling in their camaraderie.
After satisfying their hunger and thirst, Nine Profound Supreme began recounting tales from his extensive travels across various regions, filled with extraordinary experiences.
Even Fang Xi listened intently, thoroughly engrossed.
Initially, his aim in joining different social circles was to broaden his knowledge and expand his network of connections.
As Jiuxuan boasted about capturing renowned martial experts from the secular world as servants, Fang Xi’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, “No matter how strong these worldly warriors may be, they can’t compare to a cultivator in the first layer of Qi Refinement, right?”
“True, but they make excellent servants for menial tasks or, in the case of those female heroes, delightful bedwarmers.” Nine Profound Supreme reminisced fondly, his smile radiating contentment.
“Not necessarily… If worldly martial artists prepare adequately, leveraging terrain and utilizing appropriate tools… Even early-stage Qi Refiners, once depleted of magical energy, could indeed face defeat,” Di Qi interjected.
As a family cultivator, he had been specifically warned by his elders about this.
“Actually… The path of body cultivation followed by mundane martial artists bears some resemblance to true body cultivation,” Fang Xi subtly steered the conversation.
“No, not quite…” Nine Profound Supreme shook his head. “Even someone like Qin Tian, renowned as one of Yue Kingdom’s Ten Absolute Masters for mastering ten extraordinary physical techniques, despite his unparalleled prowess, ultimately fell short compared to a cultivator at the first stage of Body Refinement. Furthermore, he met an untimely death within a few years.”
“It’s likely he died due to internal conflicts from his cultivation methods. As cultivators, using our spiritual senses to introspect and harmonize such issues might have saved him or even led to greater achievements!” Fang Xi’s eyes flickered with insight.
“Doubtful, doubtful, doubtful… If mortal martial arts were comparable to secret body cultivation techniques, we would all have embraced them long ago.” Chen Ping shook his head emphatically.
“Actually, there might be a solution,” Di Qi responded mysteriously.
“Oh? Please enlighten us, Daoist Di.” Fang Xi’s heart stirred, sensing that the crucial moment had arrived.
Di Qi took a deep sip from his gourd, seemingly savoring the spirit wine with closed eyes before nodding and shaking his head rhythmically. “A cultivator’s spiritual sense can only temporarily suppress conflicting inner energies. To truly eliminate such hazards, one should consider purchasing ‘Breath Harmonizing Pills’ from the Pill Cauldron Pavilion. These pills excel at reconciling diverse inner energies. In my family, we once hired a rare martial artist, unmatched for centuries in the jianghu, as a servant, offering these very pills as compensation!”
Upon hearing this, Fang Xi’s eyes lit up brightly.
It wasn’t because he was certain the Breath Harmonizing Pill could solve his issue directly. Rather, the challenge of harmonizing mixed martial blood qi, which seemed insurmountable in Great Liang, might well be considered trivial by great Foundation Establishment cultivators in the southern wilderness’s cultivation world!
‘The Breath Harmonizing Pill is specifically designed to address issues with Yue Kingdom warriors’ inner energies, not blood qi.’
‘However, it’s possible that the Pill Cauldron Pavilion may have medicinal pills capable of harmonizing martial blood qi!’
‘Even medicinal pills to increase one’s blood qi limit might be achievable if desired by skilled alchemists!’
Fang Xi felt immensely pleased.
By exchanging resources and experiences between the two realms, his prospects for advancing on the Dao path and achieving longevity seemed brighter than ever!