Left alone in the blink of an eye, Lee Hyun stood there in a daze.
After a moment, he came to his senses and looked at the iron token in his hand.
The front was engraved with the words "No. 8", while a fragment of a low-grade spirit stone was embedded in the back. A little spiritual qi still remained within the spirit stone.
When Lee Hyun held the access token and activated the formation with his divine sense, the token began to glow faintly.
Hummm–
An invisible force pushed the mist away from Lee Hyun's body in a circle.
The mist retreated about one zhang (about 3 m), revealing a narrow path leading to the cabin. Bone-Rot Flowers with ivory blossoms grew to the left of the path, while Purple Poison Orchids drooped their violet leaves on the right. In the shaded spirit field at the very back, dark blue-black Yin Soul Grass grew thickly.
Lee Hyun carefully stepped inside.
A faint barrier surrounded the cabin. When he brought the access token close, the barrier parted like rippling water.
Once inside, Lee Hyun immediately shut the door and checked the windows as well.
Unlike outside, the air inside the cabin was fairly clean. Formation flags had been planted throughout the walls and floor, and in one corner of the room sat a formation plate fitted with a low-grade spirit stone.
The low-grade spirit stone had lost nearly half its glow. It seemed to be what maintained the cabin's formation.
A ledger and a map of the Withering Yin Field lay on the table.
Lee Hyun opened the ledger first.
It listed the dates and amounts for watering, the harvest times, and even when the spirit stones powering the formations had to be replaced.
When he opened the drawer beneath the table, he found three wooden boxes. They were labeled "Yin-Gathering Formation", "Poison-Warding Formation", and "Emergency Use", respectively, and inside them were neatly arranged low-grade spirit stones meant for work in the Withering Yin Field.
At the beginning of every month, the Outer Gate Affairs Hall issued eight low-grade spirit stones. Five were used to maintain the formations around the spirit field and cabin, while the remaining three served as the monthly stipend for the disciple managing the Withering Yin Field.
Lee Hyun turned to the next page of the ledger. It contained instructions on managing the spirit field.
The Bone-Rot Flowers and Yin Soul Grass only needed the Spirit Rain Art once every two days. The Purple Poison Orchids had to be watered once every three days, and if their roots grew within three ja (about 90 cm) of one another, they had to be transplanted before they began stealing each other's life force.
The Yin-Gathering Formation at the center of the spirit field had to be activated every ten days. By inserting one low-grade spirit stone and running the formation for a full day, the yin qi scattered throughout the valley would gather in the spirit field.
Any spirit insects that appeared had to be caught personally, though the ledger stated that they were rarely seen in the Withering Yin Field.
The harvesting methods were recorded as well.
Every three months, the fully bloomed Bone-Rot Flowers were cut off along with their stems. If the flower was left intact on one plant out of every ten, white seedpods resembling fragments of bone would form where the petals had fallen. Once the seedpods split open, black seeds emerged from within, and those only needed to be buried one knuckle deep.
Every four months, the fully grown leaves of the Yin Soul Grass were harvested by cutting them at the base. The seeds that formed at the tips of old stalks were as light as dust, so they had to be scattered over damp soil on a windless day and gently pressed down with the palm.
Once every six months, the thickened roots of the Purple Poison Orchids were dug up. Finger-sized young bulbs could be separated from them and replanted three knuckles deep, where they would grow into new Purple Poison Orchids.
'It really is easy, at least.'
The problem was going outside the cabin.
From the ledger, Lee Hyun learned that the low-grade spirit stone inserted into the access token had to be paid for out of his own pocket.
If he failed to learn the basic techniques and relied on the access token while tending the spirit field, powering the token would cost one low-grade spirit stone every month. In other words, unless he learned the basic techniques quickly, his monthly stipend would be reduced by a third.
'First I need to find out whether the toxic qi in the Withering Yin Field actually reduces my lifespan. If it doesn't, there's no reason to waste a low-grade spirit stone.'
'If my lifespan doesn't decrease, I might not need the access token or even the basic techniques. But basic techniques are useful for plenty of things besides working in the Withering Yin Field, so I should learn them anyway...'
Checking the dates Senior Brother Wen Gang had written at the end of the ledger, Lee Hyun saw that all three spirit plants had last been watered today.
He only needed to go out two days later to use the Spirit Rain Art on the Bone-Rot Flowers and Yin Soul Grass, so until then, he decided to first learn the Air-Clearing Art, Breath-Sealing Art, and Qi Sphere Barrier.
...
After spending two full days inside the cabin practicing nothing but techniques, Lee Hyun became capable of using all three at a very rudimentary level.
Lee Hyun erected the Qi Sphere Barrier and activated the Breath-Sealing Art before heading out into the field.
Ssssh–
Murky energy laden with toxic qi crept up along the barrier.
Purple mist clung to the surface of the Qi Sphere Barrier as though gnawing away at it. Perhaps because his proficiency was still low, his spiritual power drained faster than expected.
Lee Hyun hurriedly used the Spirit Rain Art to water the Bone-Rot Flowers and Yin Soul Grass, then returned to the cabin.
There was nothing wrong with his body.
...
The third day.
Today, he had to use the Spirit Rain Art on the Purple Poison Orchids. This time, Lee Hyun dispelled the Qi Sphere Barrier from just one arm.
Chilly yin energy passed through his skin and seeped into his flesh. It felt as though an invisible hand inside his body were slowly tugging at something warm.
Lee Hyun had been slightly afraid that his agelessness might not protect him from such a strange force. Yet even after waiting, he felt no change in his body.
The chilly yin energy tried to draw out Lee Hyun's life force, but it dispersed uselessly, as though there were simply nothing there for it to pull on.
"Hmm... So I really am immune?"
Lee Hyun completely dispelled the Qi Sphere Barrier. Purple fumes entered through his nose and mouth and seeped deep into his lungs.
Ten breaths.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Lee Hyun's body showed no reaction at all.
He circulated his spiritual power and tried forcing the toxic qi out of his lungs. When Lee Hyun exhaled deeply, a whitish mist streamed from his mouth.
Having gained a little confidence, he walked farther into the field.
He crouched in front of a Bone-Rot Flower, brought his face close to its petals, and carefully inhaled.
"Sssniff–"
His lungs felt slightly ticklish.
"Yaaawn...."
Lee Hyun yawned so widely that his jaw nearly popped.
"......."
He felt none of the pain of his bones rotting. Instead, it felt pleasantly cool, like stepping into the shade on a sweltering summer day.
"So to me, this is basically just a cool, comfortable farm...."
After finishing his work and returning to the cabin, Lee Hyun carefully examined himself for any possible side effects.
He could find no sign that his life force or vital essence had diminished. His head merely felt a little heavy, and drowsiness washed over him, perhaps because he had inhaled too much of the mist.
Only then did Lee Hyun realize there had been a blind spot in his thinking.
'Damn, I let my guard down! Come to think of it, this stuff doesn't just eat away at lifespan, does it? Even if I don't age, that doesn't mean I'm immune to poison itself...'
...
Several days later, Lee Hyun confirmed that his body had suffered no damage.
He was relieved, but decided to remain more cautious from then on. In the cultivation world, a moment of carelessness could plunge him into grave danger.
***
One year later.
Lee Hyun had completely adapted to life in the Withering Yin Field.
At the prescribed intervals, he used the Spirit Rain Art and activated the formations. Whenever the spirit plants were ready for harvest, he cut them, placed them in wooden boxes, and replanted the seeds he had set aside.
The work took less than one shichen (two hours) a day.
Hardly any weeds grew, and whether because they could not withstand the toxic qi or simply disliked the three spirit plants, spirit insects rarely appeared.
Compared to when he had grown Green Dew Grass under Senior Brother Lu Baishan, the work was extremely easygoing.
He spent the rest of his time learning techniques and cultivating.
By now, a single gesture with the Cleansing Art could remove poisonous powder from his clothes and body. The flame created by his Fire-Kindling Art had grown to the size of a torch, and he could even use the Air-Clearing Art to replace the air inside the cabin.
He also deliberately practiced the Qi Sphere Barrier and Detoxification Art every day.
...
One day, an inspector from the Outer Gate Affairs Hall came to visit. There was no problem with his work. It was merely a routine inspection required by the rules.
"Junior Brother Lee, you still look remarkably healthy even after coming to the Withering Yin Field."
Chen Jiuming spoke while examining Lee Hyun's face.
"I've followed the rules the Senior Brothers taught me to the letter."
"Even so, most people start looking pale and losing some of their hair after about a year...."
"I suppose I've always had a strong constitution."
"How enviable."
Chen Jiuming brushed it off without much thought, but Lee Hyun could not laugh.
From that day onward, he began growing a beard and mixed a tiny amount of ash from the dried grass left in the hearth with water, dabbing it around his eyes and cheeks.
With his skin looking duller and shadows beneath his eyes, he appeared several years older than before.
However, it was not a fundamental solution.
A year had passed since he came to the Withering Yin Field, yet his bone age was still nineteen. If he still looked exactly the same after spending another four years here, even the dullest person would have no choice but to find it strange.
If Senior Brother Chen Jiuming grew suspicious and brought some means of checking his lifespan, Lee Hyun would be in serious trouble.
'There's no way I can hide this for five years. I need to leave the sect as soon as possible!'
Fortunately, he had gained plenty as well.
Every month, he received three low-grade spirit stones and thirty contribution points. When the harvest was good, he received additional contribution points on top of that.
Lee Hyun carefully saved every spirit stone he received as his share and used contribution points to cover his living necessities.
Little by little, he began preparing to leave Qinghe Valley.
...
Before he knew it, a year and a half had passed since he transferred to the Withering Yin Field, and late summer had arrived.
At the foot of a mountain several li (a few kilometers) from the valley where the Withering Yin Field lay, there was a small cave that had once been occupied by a bear long ago.
It lay far from any traveled path, and there was nothing of value nearby, so cultivators had no reason to visit.
Lee Hyun sat deep inside the cave, moving his brush across the page.
Across from him, Wang Shao had a book spread open before him and was frantically copying down its contents.
"Brother, you looked so honest. I never dreamed you'd be the one to suggest something like this first...!"
Wang Shao spoke in a low voice.
The boy who had once been sixteen was now a solidly built young man. A sword hung at his waist, and a shallow scar had appeared above his right eyebrow.
"You have to do whatever you can to survive in the cultivation world. How are you supposed to get ahead if you have the same advantages as everyone else?"
"That's true. But are we really going to be all right?"
Wang Shao glanced uneasily toward the cave entrance.
"Who pays much attention to outer disciples in early Qi Refining? As long as the two of us keep quiet, no one will ever know."
Books borrowed from the Scripture Pavilion were piled in front of them.
Qinghe Valley allowed disciples to take basic cultivation arts and technique manuals out of the pavilion so they could practice them at their residences whenever they had spare time.
Even cultivators did not use jade slips exclusively when recording or reading information.
From mid Qi Refining onward, cultivators often read jade slips with their divine sense, but disciples in early Qi Refining had divine senses too weak for that, so they frequently relied on ordinary books. Unlike jade slips, however, the contents of a book did not instantly enter one's mind after a single reading.
The Scripture Pavilion knew this as well, so cultivation art and technique manuals could be checked out for periods ranging from as little as fifteen days to as long as two months.
However, showing a borrowed book to another disciple or copying its contents and passing them on was naturally forbidden.
Even if these were not core inheritances, there was no chance the sect would allow disciples to privately transmit teachings without paying contribution points.
In other words, what Lee Hyun and Wang Shao were doing right now violated the sect rules!
After discussing it between themselves, they had divided up the techniques they needed, borrowed different manuals, and copied each other's books somewhere no one could see them.
Over the past six months, the two of them had copied several manuals using the same method.
Since Lee Hyun had been the one to make this risky proposal, he paid more of the contribution points than Wang Shao. Managing the Withering Yin Field had left him with far more contribution points to spare.
The manuals Lee Hyun had spent contribution points to borrow were The Three Protective Arts, Earth Escape Art, Spirit-Concealing & Aura-Concealing Art, The Six Arts of Perception, and Five-Element Fundamentals.
The Three Protective Arts contained the Spirit Light Shield, which formed a shield from spiritual power; the Earth Armor Art, which covered the entire body in earthen armor; and the Flowing Water Veil, which deflected attacks with a curtain of water.
The Earth Escape Art was a technique for moving through soil. Because his realm was still low, he could not pass through solid rock or ground covered by formations, and without sufficient proficiency there was also the danger of losing his sense of direction underground or suffocating.
The Spirit-Concealing & Aura-Concealing Art contained the Aura-Concealing Art, which concealed fluctuations in one's spiritual power, and the Spirit-Concealing Art, which made one's realm appear lower than it truly was. At first glance, the two produced similar effects, but the details of how they functioned were different.
The Six Arts of Perception was a manual compiling the Farsight Art, which allowed one to see far into the distance; the Keen Hearing Art, which amplified faint sounds; the Night Vision Art, which allowed one to see in darkness; the Scent-Tracking Art, which distinguished faint smells; the Aura-Reading Art, which observed the flow of qi; and the Ground-Sense Art, which detected nearby movement through vibrations in the earth.
Five-Element Fundamentals contained attack techniques commonly used throughout the cultivation world, such as the Fireball Art, Water Arrow Art, Metal Blade Art, Earth Spike Art, and Wood Binding Art.
Wang Shao, on the other hand, had borrowed Lightness Step Essentials, Azure Steel Sword Art, and Introductory Guide on Telekinesis and Sword Control.
Lightness Step Essentials contained the Lightness Art, which made the body lighter, and the Distance-Shrinking Step, which allowed rapid movement over short distances.
Azure Steel Sword Art was the basic sword art most commonly practiced by outer sword cultivators, while Introductory Guide on Telekinesis and Sword Control began with the Telekinesis Art, which used spiritual power to pull or push objects, and went on to cover the fundamentals of the Sword Control Art for controlling flying swords.
These techniques could all be learned from early Qi Refining onward. None could be called particularly exceptional, but their principles were simple and their fundamentals solid, making them useful foundations for learning better techniques later on.
In particular, the Earth Escape Art, Spirit-Concealing & Aura-Concealing Art, and Lightness Step Essentials were the techniques he most needed to learn first if he wanted to evade pursuit after leaving the sect.
...
After copying the final sentence, Lee Hyun set down his brush.
"Done."
He let the ink dry, then folded the copied pages one by one.
"This way, we've managed to learn all these techniques while spending only half the contribution points."
"As long as we don't get caught."
"If we do, let's say you were the one who suggested it first."
"Brother!"
Wang Shao looked utterly wronged.
"I'm joking."
Lee Hyun handed the book back to Wang Shao.
Wang Shao, having also finished copying, pushed his copies of Earth Escape Art and Spirit-Concealing & Aura-Concealing Art toward Lee Hyun.
"Remember this. Once you've memorized the copies, burn them until there's no trace left."
"Of course. Brother, are you really going to leave the sect?"