Luoxia Village possessed a soul-trapping array. If this hidden danger were not resolved, it was feared that endless troubles would ensue. After walking around once, Baili broke the soul-trapping array, and instantly felt a rich surge of spiritual qi.
Filled with astonishment in his heart, he immediately sat cross-legged at the foot of the mountain to cultivate. His stagnant meridians were forced open, and his suppressed cultivation was reviving.
Gao Qiu sensed the anomaly right away, casting a glance toward the direction of the back mountain and asking Lu Liu, “Did cultivators ever come to your place in the past?”
Lu Liu was completely clueless about everything. Before Gao Qiu and the others arrived, he had never heard of such a thing. However, the older generation might know, so he shook his head in response to Gao Qiu.
Seeing Gao Qiu’s look of disappointment, he added, “I don’t know, but Third Grandpa Lu should know.”
“Who is Third Grandpa Lu?” Gao Qiu’s eyes were filled with perplexity, completely ignorant of the person Lu Liu mentioned. “Is he the old man who was together with the village chief and the others when the spiritual roots were tested the day before yesterday?”
“No.” Lu Liu glanced at Lu Qing, lowering his head to reply, “He’s the barefoot doctor in the village, the one who examined A-Qing. The limping fellow who stood with us during the spiritual root testing the day before yesterday.”
Third Grandpa Lu had read medical books and knew how to treat minor ailments. His leg had been broken while searching for medicinal herbs on the mountain, and over time it left behind a chronic ailment, causing him to walk with a limp.
Pondering thoughtfully, Gao Qiu stood up on the spot: “He lives next door, right? I’ll go ask about the situation; your village is a bit abnormal.”
“Abnormal?” Lu Liu hastily stood up. “I’ll take you there. I also want to know what on earth is wrong with the village.”
Speaking as they walked, the two of them quickly left Lu Qing forgotten in the courtyard.
Lu Qing watched them depart and could still hear Gao Qiu’s words: “Do you know about demons? Demons are extremely ferocious and their demonic power is tyrannical. When my senior brother and I arrived at your village, we sensed demonic qi…”
Lu Qing stood up and returned to the room. Tomorrow they would leave Luoxia Village, and Lu Liu had already packed his bundle for him: clothes to change into, dried rations, and silver coins.
“System.”
[Host, I am here.] The system answered coldly, [Does the host have any business?]
“If I give the Spirit-Cleansing Pill to Lu Liu to ingest, will he possess a spiritual root?” To be honest, Lu Liu’s reputation in the village wasn’t very good. Because of this body’s condition, Lu Liu had also suffered plenty of bullying and suppression.
If the Spirit-Cleansing Pill were given to Lu Liu to ingest, perhaps he might also possess an opportunity of fate.
[Yes, but it will arouse suspicion; the host has no need to do this.] The system did not agree with this approach, its voice sounding as though it had grown even colder.
“I understand.” Lu Qing didn’t push the matter either; the situation from that night had left him with too heavy a psychological trauma, which he still hadn’t fully recovered from.
At the mere thought of the color red and the bloody stench, his stomach would churn with nausea. To distract himself, he examined the black hair ribbon hanging down.
The black hair ribbon draped down alongside his brown long hair, feeling soft and lightweight in his hand. One could never tell that this ribbon was actually a dharma artifact.
Memories from before he lost consciousness surfaced: the ribbon had crushed and shattered that heart like silk and mist. It was very strange; a mere heart had actually turned into a demonic entity.
Pondering with a furrowed brow, he didn’t understand the Blood-Bath Mode very well, knowing only that the Ten Directions and Nine Sects were led by the Lingyao Sect, while the Nine Vaults and Ten Cities were led by the Shengying City.
The Shifang Realm was located in Guiyao, while the Nine Vaults were located in Chendao. Between the hundreds of immortal sects lay the mortal world.
His missions involved numerous aspects; whether it was Guiyao or Chendao, he would have to walk through those places sooner or later and would inevitably deal with the hundreds of immortal sects. Moreover, the settings of this game diverged from typical novels in many aspects for instance, the realms of cultivation, the demonic entities and evil specters.
Even the cultivation methods were entirely different.
Lu Qing rubbed his temples, feeling as though he had forgotten something: “What kind of person is that Immortal Lord Yunchuan?”
Since he had to complete missions, he had to understand things clearly. He couldn’t just take it one step at a time; this world was far too dangerous, and he didn’t have that many lives to spare for revivals.
[Callous and merciless, a high-and-mighty flower, stern and devoid of smiles.] The system summarized it in a few phrases, pausing briefly before adding, [If one really has to put it into words, it’s about the same as someone who practices the Ruthless Dao, though what he practices is the Daoist legal system.]
Lu Qing retorted unhappily, “That’s as good as saying nothing. Such people are the hardest to approach; I’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
Gao Qiu and Lu Liu returned shortly, accompanied by Baili.
Lu Liu’s expression was dazed, his eyes vacant.
Baili stood at the courtyard gate, hearing the noisy commotion from afar.
Gao Qiu offered words of consolation, carrying a trace of impatience in his tone: “Lu Liu, ever since your younger brother’s spiritual root was detected, he has already been different from ordinary mortals. Don’t be too sad; decades in the cultivation world pass in the blink of an eye. Perhaps when Lu Qing goes out for experiential training, he’ll even be able to meet your reincarnation.”
Gao Qiu didn’t know how to comfort people, and saying this was no different from not saying it at all. Anyone unaware would have thought he was cursing someone.
Lu Liu raised an arm to wipe his face, forcing out a smile: “Please wait a moment, two immortal elders; I’m going to speak a few words with A-Qing.”
Gao Qiu waved a hand, his expression softening as he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief: “Go on, go on.”
Lu Liu pushed open the room door and closed it behind him, struggling slightly to remain steady as he unconsciously stroked the table with lowered head: “A-Qing, when you go to the cultivation world, you must remain constantly vigilant toward others and not easily trust anyone. Cultivate properly; within my lifetime, I’ll wait for you to return and see me.”
Lu Qing opened his mouth with a troubled expression; he didn’t know how to comfort people either. He stepped forward with stiffened hands and gave Lu Liu a hug.
Lowering his head slightly to stare at the tips of his own shoes, his heart remained entirely calm: “You don’t need to worry; I know how to protect myself.”
He thought to himself: This is a game world, and I won’t invest any genuine emotions. I will work hard to complete the missions and return to my own world.
And everything inside the game will have nothing to do with me.
With a choked voice, Lu Liu held Lu Qing tightly in an embrace: “I know you hate to part with me, but no matter how reluctant you are, you still have to keep moving forward.”
There were many things he wanted to say such as paying attention to one’s own safety, eating properly, and cultivating diligently. But since he himself couldn’t step onto the immortal path of fate, as parting approached he could only speak some trivial, insignificant nonsense.
Gao Qiu urged from outside the courtyard: “Are you two brothers done yet? It’s getting late, time to set off.”
Just earlier when he and Lu Liu went to look for Third Grandpa Lu, they happened to encounter his senior brother on the way. His senior brother said an elder had transmitted a voice message instructing them to converge at Jinyu Town, as the sect had already dispatched inner disciples, and they should return as well.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been in such a rush; originally three days had been agreed upon, yet they were departing on the very second day.
He actually rather liked this village, even though the village elders were extremely guarded against them. But the younger generation and children were very simple and rustic, reminding him of a village he had passed by during experiential training previously.
“We’re done, keeping the two immortal elders waiting for long.” The room door opened, and Lu Liu and Lu Qing appeared together.
With his bundle slung over his shoulder and a calm expression, Lu Qing stood by, while Lu Liu had reddened eye rims.
Glancing at them, Baili turned and walked outward: “It’ll probably be evening by the time we reach Jinyu Town. Don’t waste time, let’s hurry on the journey.”
Baili and Gao Qiu walked at the front, those who had been selected followed behind, and Lu Qing walked silently at the very rear.
In the distance, cyan skies and white mists loomed vaguely. A sour ache struck Lu Liu’s heart, and his reluctance to part reached its critical limit.
He and A-Qing had depended on each other for survival. In the past, A-Qing was a fool, and no matter what he did, he would always keep A-Qing in mind. But now, A-Qing had cleared his mind, tested positive for a spiritual root, and stepped onto the immortal path in a single bound—it was decreed by fate, with its own destined bounds.
Partings in the human world for long periods ultimately breed no sorrow. Perhaps in this lifetime, they would lack the affinity to meet again.
“A-Qing!” Lu Liu chased after him. In the distance, the figures were growing more and more distant, and he saw A-Qing pause briefly. He neither turned back nor spoke.
Lu Liu flashed a wide grin and shouted loudly: “All past matters are as though they died yesterday; all future matters are as though they were born today! You must remember these words and never forget them.”
The people ahead continued walking, a right hand lifting high to wave vigorously.
In the village, people watched their loved ones depart until they could no longer be seen at the edge of the road, before returning indoors brimming with bittersweet sorrow.
The house grew quiet, as though the laughter and chatter of last night could still be seen. Lu Liu sat on a stool with a desolate expression.
A flash of white on the table caught his eye. Raising his head to look, a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes.
A square white porcelain bottle sat upright on the table; its material was of superior quality, and a single glance revealed it was not something forged by mortal hands.
He gripped the white porcelain bottle tightly as tears shimmered, laughing and crying simultaneously: “What an absolute fool clearly worried yet putting on a look of total indifference.”
There were ten people who had been selected: the oldest was exactly thirty years old, the youngest was ten, and the majority were young people in their teens and twenties.
One of them asked in trepidation, not knowing why they were leaving the village a day early: “Immortal Elder Baili, Immortal Elder Gao, why are we leaving a day early?”
Gao Qiu didn’t know the specifics and found it hard to explain, so he remained silent without speaking.
Without turning his head, Baili spoke in a flat tone: “There are urgent matters, which is why we departed a day ahead of schedule. But you needn’t worry; we will safely escort you all to the Shifang Realm.”
An elder had transmitted a voice message saying that a demonic star had descended and demonic entities were running amok in the mortal world. They were told to leave quickly, as the sect had already dispatched inner disciples. Their own cultivation was insufficient, and they could not afford to perish outside.
As these words fell, several of them looked at each other in dismay, clearly sensing the danger hidden within.
Demonic entities…
They had never even heard of them before. What did a demon look like? Would the grass on the ground turn into spirits? Would the trees on the ground turn into spirits? Would the fierce beasts in the mountains turn into spirits?
If so, they possessed zero ability to resist when encountering a demonic entity; would these immortal elders properly protect them?
Would they…
Die?
Perhaps frightened by all sorts of chaotic thoughts, a young child among them turned pale in complexion, yet dared not speak out.
The crowd stirred restlessly. A trace of annoyance flashed through Gao Qiu’s eyes as he spoke in a gruff voice: “You needn’t worry. You are all mortals right now and haven’t started cultivating yet; we will protect you.”
The sun was rather large, and the weather was hot. Even with the comfort of Gao Qiu who possessed “great skills” the thread of terror remained inevitable.
The thirty-year-old was exceptionally tall, with a body full of solid muscle. Dressed in brown short-sleeved attire, he had already broken out in a sweat.
Lifting a hand to wipe the sweat from his face with flattery on his mind, he turned around and barked a reprimand: “Alright, what is there to be afraid of? Didn’t the two immortal elders say so? They’ll protect us, so just travel quietly. All that chattering and chirping is annoying.”
Gao Qiu and Baili understood inwardly. Uninformed mortals always elevated their status sky-high. In truth, within the Shifang Realm, their cultivation was micro-low and they were merely outer disciples when had they ever been fawned over like this?
However, since someone stood up to act as a surrogate reprimander, they wouldn’t say extra words either, which saved them plenty of trouble.
With a slight frown on his brow, Lu Qing meandered along, harboring his own calculations in his heart.
After walking for half a day’s journey, when they arrived at Jinyu Town, sunset had already arrived. The setting sun sank westward, orange evening glow hung across the sky, and rosy clouds draped over half the firmament.
The town was bustling with people coming and going, lined with shops and commercial storefronts, while shop banners fluttered in the wind. Cries of peddlers and shouts rose one after another, making for an extremely lively scene.
Leading the crowd through the bustling street, Baili arrived at a desolate and secluded spot where the group met the elder spoken of by Baili.
That was an elderly man who looked like an immortal of lofty bone and transcendent style, dressed in a black long robe whose hood shrouded his entire physique. He wore a white jade pendant at his waist and was full of vigorous spirit.
“You’ve arrived. You all know what this is about—do you have the confidence to safely escort them to the Shifang Realm?” The elder narrowed his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the crowd.
Baili cupped his fists and spoke respectfully: “Elder Ouyang, this disciple understands. This disciple is filled with deep perplexity: won’t Elder Ouyang return to the Shifang Realm together with us disciples?”
Ouyang Ning possessed cultivation at the Mahayana stage and served as a guest elder of the Lingyao Sect, addressed respectfully by all sect disciples as Elder Ouyang. Hearing this, he lifted his eyelids to look at Baili, his voice husky: “This deity still has urgent business; the rest of you return to the sect together with Tang Geng.”
Tang Geng was an outer sect elder managing all outer sect disciples, dispatched externally to the mortal world by the Sect Master, with cultivation at the Separation stage.
They had urgent business coming to the mortal world this time. With the sect’s voice transmission coming in the morning, having selected disciples, it was time for them to return. As for the rest of the matters, inner sect disciples would naturally step in to take over.
Tang Geng didn’t know the reason, but Ouyang Ning knew. Ouyang Ning had contacted people far away in various directions at the first possible moment, and upon converging, instructed them to return to the Shifang Realm.
Gao Qiu and Baili had gone to Luoxia Village, while Tang Geng had led people to other villages. Four teams had headed in the four directions of east, west, south, and north, and all of them had encountered demonic entities to varying degrees.
Yet solely on the side of Luoxia Village, there was only demonic qi, but no demonic entities. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Ouyang Ning pondered inwardly without speaking further.
“Understood, this disciple obeys Elder Ouyang’s command.” Gao Qiu and Baili spoke in unison, brimming with utmost respect.
The conversation among the three left the people of Luoxia Village dead silent. They could tell that this black-robed elder held a very high status and was extremely formidable.
By the dead of night, the other three teams finally gathered completely. Ouyang Ning raised a hand to summon a flying boat. With a flash of white light, a massive flying boat abruptly halted upon the open ground, eliciting gasps of astonishment and intakes of breath in unison.
Tang Geng cupped his fists toward Ouyang Ning with a solemn expression: “Then we must trouble Elder Ouyang. Let’s depart.”
Everyone boarded the flying boat. After arranging the outer disciples properly, the flying boat lifted off the ground and plunged into the boundless dark night.
Inside an exquisite room paved with golden light sat five people, hailing from different locations.
A gold spiritual root, fifteen years old, whose steady facial features still retained childish innocence.
A water spiritual root, eighteen years old, a woman with soft and delicate features.
A fire spiritual root, twenty-seven years old, a youth with sneaky, rat-like features.
A earth spiritual root, twenty-seven years old, a smiling-eyed man who had initiated mutual introductions.
Together with the wood spiritual root Lu Qing, there were five fine sprouts.
The rest either possessed three or four spiritual roots and were assigned to other living quarters.
Perhaps even the outer sect disciples who came to the mortal world hadn’t expected such an unexpected harvest this time; their unsightly complexions eased slightly when they saw Lu Qing and his group.
The flying boat possessed a soundproofing effect, isolating the initial clamor and noise. After introducing themselves to one another inside the room, the five of them quieted down. They were mortals after all, and having tossed about for a long time, weariness overcame them and they drifted off to sleep.