บท 19: Chapter 18 Thoughts Transcend (Thanks to the Gold Coin Gang Leader!)
At this moment, Ning Daoran, in the late-stage Qi Refining, was faced with two choices.
One was to continue hiding his cultivation and keep a low profile by farming.
The other was to reveal his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation and then he would be able to claim a copy of the "Flame Sun Skill" for free at the Contribution Hall.
Like the Evergreen Technique, the Flame Sun Skill was a Yellow-Rank top-grade cultivation method that anyone with a Fire Attribute Spiritual Root could cultivate.
Moreover, the Flame Sun Skill was created by the Chaos Ancestor himself and shared similarities with sword techniques. Once cultivated successfully, one could drive the Flame Sun Energy from within their body through their fingertips, transforming it into fierce Sword Qi for attacking the target.
Therefore, the fellow cultivators practicing on the mountain would often raise their fingers and "biubiubiu" shoot out Sword Qi.The sight of their prowess left Ning Daoran passing by with Big Stupid Deer in awe, exclaiming "awesome!"
Ning Daoran intended to follow the path of Dual Cultivation in Wood and Fire; thus, the Flame Sun Skill was obviously a shortcut.
But in the end, he chose to continue farming inconspicuously. With his current reliance on the Return to Nature Body Tempering Technique and the seventh-layer Evergreen Technique, he was already unrivaled at the same level - there was no need to aim too high beyond his reach.
As for the Flame Sun Skill, it was not an issue to claim and start cultivating it a few years later when he had advanced to a higher realm. After all, the benefits of Refining Time would accumulate over time and would not vanish.
When the time was ripe and he claimed the Flame Sun Skill, reaching great success with Return to Nature, his significant abilities would be indisputable, and others seeking to control him would likely find it impossible.
...
On Qiongbi Peak.
Chen Weimo had grown into an eight-year-old girl, running up and down the field ridges in clothes personally made for her by Granny Yun Cui.
"Uncle Ning!"
"Uncle Lu!"
Every time she saw the man and the deer, the little girl would straighten up, and then rest at ease, her eyes filled with resolve.
Ning Daoran always smiled and patted her little head: "Well done, well done, you deserve a reward!"
He would either reward her with fruit or take her to the backyard to catch fish.
Chen Weimo loved catching fish the most; Granny would then prepare her a very delicious Spirit Fish feast at night. The girl's outward appearance was lovely, but inside, she was a little glutton.
"Ning Daoran, you shouldn't spoil her too much..."
Granny Yun Cui would always chide, seeing Chen Weimo emerge with fish caught with a willow branch: "Those Spirit Fish are valuable; you've raised them with difficulty. It's better to sell them at the Workshop for more Spirit Stones. It's fine if Chen Weimo eats just ordinary little fish and shrimp."
"It's okay, Granny, my fish pond produces a high yield; we won't miss a bit for Chen Weimo."
So, Granny Yun Cui would nod with a smile, knowing inwardly that they owed many favors.
Chen Weimo was fortunate to have a Spirit Root, although it was an Eighth Grade Five Spirit Roots, which meant that in her lifetime, Foundation Establishment was hopeless. But with the nourishment of Spirit Fish and Spirit Rice, perhaps she could reach the late stage of Qi Refinement, which actually was quite enough.
Spirit Field No. 78.
Ma Quanyou had saved up some Spirit Stones and was already quite content.
With his very poor innate talent, he did not even need to think about Foundation Establishment and would always bring his Spirit Stones to the field ridges.
"Fellow Taoist Ning, there are some shanties to the east of the Workshop, where some beautiful women live. You know what they do, right?"
"I know."
Ning Daoran's gaze was indifferent: "They are women with meager Spiritual Roots, who, in their desire to pursue the Great Dao, are willing to sell their bodies for advancement..."
Ma Quanyou was taken aback and didn't know how to respond.
"Fellow Taoist Ning, a young man full of vigor at twenty, don't you want to experience the tenderness of the fairies?"
Ma Quanyou licked his lips: "I regularly look after a Fairy named Xi Han; if you want to go, I can let you experience that delirious pleasure..."
"Old Ma."
Ning Daoran spoke earnestly: "Are you saying that without a companion to accompany you, you lose interest?"
"Ah?"
Ma Quanyou's face turned red, and he left with a bow.
Seems like getting an Outer Disciple to join him for a fling was out of the question.
Spirit Field No. 80.
The couple, Hong Ming and Zhong Yan, had been deeply in love over the past few years, with Hong Ming doting on Zhong Yan, who catered to all his wishes; Zhong Yan served Hong Ming with relative dedication.
Yet, sometimes, when Zhong Yan would drift off, gazing into the distance atop the field ridges, her eyes would reveal a trace of longing and resentment.
Spirit Field No. 81.
The Spirit Farmer named Huang Shan still farmed during the day and endured rigorous cultivation at night, yet his Cultivation had not advanced an inch over the years.
...
On this day, the sky was overcast, heavy dark clouds pressing in, a storm ready to break.
In the evening, inside a secret chamber twenty zhang deep.
Ning Daoran practiced pile-driving while using tamed mountain finches to keep abreast of the situation inside and outside the mountain.
Just outside the Mountain Gate, two men in plain clothes had been loitering for two days, their actions reeking of suspicion.
Finally, while Ning Daoran directed a mountain finch to observe closely, he overheard their conversation.
"Boss, is the lead really true? Was the one who killed the Third Master seven years ago really from the Chaotic Sect?"
"Junior, we were sent here by the Big Master and the Second Master just to investigate this matter. Why ask me such questions? The lead has been followed all the way to the Chaotic Sect.
We just need to find a way to check the Accounts in their Contribution Hall, then we'll know who passed through Qingniu Town on the day the Third Master died."
His eyes flickered with a fierce glow: "The Big Master said, as long as we find someone suspicious, that's enough. Naturally, we can't provoke the Chaotic Sect, but if that person leaves the sect, we have a chance to catch them outside; we can secretly skin or torture them - that's up to us!"
"As long as we're not truly causing trouble for the Chaotic Sect, let me think of a way. I do know a few friends... It shouldn't be hard to glean a bit of news from the Chaotic Sect."
...
The thieves from Black Wind Village had actually dared to come knocking – such audacity!
Ning Daoran went out from the Mountain Gate alone.
In the thick woods, he easily knocked down two bandits with a pair of hand chops, and immediately performed a Soul Search!
Under the perfected Soul Searching Technique, images of the Big Master and Second Master of Black Wind Village emerged in his mind.
The Third Master was originally the brother of the Big Master's favorite concubine, a man who had leveraged his sister's position to climb the ranks. After the death of the Third Master, the concubine threw tantrums for a long time.
Despite holding her dear, the Big Master never forced himself on her when he was overwhelmed. Over the years, he constantly sent people to investigate and finally received news that Chaotic Sect members had passed through that stretch of woods on that day.
Soon, the investigation would lead back to Ning Daoran.
"My goodness... This is not good at all!"
Ning Daoran killed one with each thrust of his spear. These two bandits may not have killed anyone, but they had assisted in countless acts of complicity, and their deaths were of no consequence.
Deep in the night, at Spiritual Field Courtyard No. 77.
After telling Big Stupid Deer about this matter, Ning Daoran felt even more uneasy.
The thunderous downpour outside made it impossible for him to sleep.
He rose to practice his stance and to enhance his cultivation, but he couldn't seem to meditate.
Nothing else, his thoughts were not clear!
In an instant, Ning Daoran made up his mind, abruptly got up to wake Big Stupid Deer, and said in a deep voice, "Old Lu, someone has set their sights on us brothers and wants to take us down. Can you tolerate this?"
"Roar~~~"
Big Stupid Deer let out a prolonged neigh, veins popping in frustration on his forehead—the idea of tolerance was out of the question; they had to strike first!
"Old Lu, gather our things. Let's head down the mountain!"
Immediately, Ning Daoran spent over four thousand years of Refining Time to perfect the techniques of Invisibility and Sound Absorption, both "trivial skills," and then tucked the Azure Dragon Spear on Big Stupid Deer's back before stepping out the door with an umbrella in hand.
...
After leaving Chaotic Sect, he immediately changed into a different set of clothes.
Clad in a dark robe, covered with a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, he held the Azure Dragon Spear.
In that moment, Ning Daoran looked every bit the wandering swordsman from Jianghu.
After quickly traveling over a hundred miles, he saw the distant lights dotting the mountain—Black Wind Village.
"Old Lu."
Ning Daoran touched the rain-drenched neck of Big Stupid Deer and said softly, "I'll infiltrate the Mountain Village alone. You use Earth Tunneling to follow me, but don't get too close unless I mess up. If I don't, don't make a move, understood?"
"Roar~~~"
Big Stupid Deer uttered a soft call, indicating to his brother, "Don't worry, I understand everything."
And so, in the pouring rain, Ning Daoran utilized the Perfect Concealing Breath Technique, Invisibility Technique, and Sound Absorption Technique, his figure disappearing as if into thin air, directly infiltrating the Mountain Village.
Big Stupid Deer lifted a front hoof, his whole body plunging straight down into the earth, his innate Earth Tunneling Divine Ability of the Mountain Bashing Deer indeed profound.
...
Black Wind Village, a mighty stronghold feared for miles around.
It was said the Big Master was at the Qi Refining Ninth Level, and the Second Master at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer. In the surrounding villages, their notoriety was infamous, their names fearsome enough to silence crying babies!
During the day, Black Wind Village had raided a merchant convoy and reaped a bountiful loot, and they had just celebrated with a victory feast.
In the heavy rain, a shadow wielding an umbrella staggered towards a wing room.
It was the Second Master.
Full from eating and drinking, all he wanted was to hurry back to his room to attend to his two concubines.
"Chunxiang, Qiuyue, I'm coming."
As he stepped under the porch, he put away the umbrella, tossing it aside, only to find that there was no light in the room.
"Not even lighting the lamps, you don't want me to come back?"
He had been jeered by the Big Master at the feast, and the Second Master was already sensing a simmering anger.
Seeing that the two concubines had not lit the lamp in wait, the fire in him immediately flared up.
"Damn it, open the door for me!"
The Second Master kicked the door, breaking the latch, and a blast of cold air rushed into the room.
No response.
"What, are you both dead asleep?!"
The Second Master, of course, could not have suspected that someone had slipped into the Mountain Village. Staggering with drunkenness, he stepped into the room.
But as he walked in, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and in an instant, most of the influence of alcohol left him!
In the pitch-black room, a figure leapt up, nimbly hanging from a beam above, followed by a sharpened object creating a piercing sound, rushing straight at his face!
Ning Daoran's arms tensed with muscles, exerting full force for the blow!
"What..."
The Second Master, as if falling into a frigid abyss, was too slow in reacting to dodge, only feeling a numbness on his face, followed by the loss of all sensation.
Ning Daoran's attack was ferocious, the spear strike utterly shattering the Second Master's head to bits!
In the room, the two beautiful concubines lay in bed, both under the effects of the Soul Search Technique.
Ning Daoran closed the door, performed a Soul Search on the corpse of the Second Master, and immediately retrieved all of the Second Master's belongings from under the stove, vanishing into the night rain.
...
Deep within the Mountain Village, in the most luxurious tower, was the residence of the Big Master.
The Big Master, a cultivator close to Perfect Realm at the Qi Refining Ninth Level, had a different temperament from the Second Master, only favoring his concubines. Nonetheless, his concubines had recently forbidden him to touch them. It was just as well, there was no need to let desires for women hinder his cultivation.
At that moment, the Big Master had just returned from the feast and with a light shake, the Spiritual Power within surged, shaking off much of the influence from the alcohol. He then stepped towards the stairwell, proceeding towards the practice room at the top of the tower.
The deep silence of the night was optimal for cultivating.
"Creak..."
As he opened the door, a piercing whoosh, sharp and high-pitched like the roar of a wild beast, a shadow lunged directly for the Big Master's face!
"Trouble!"
In an instant, the Big Master's eyelids twitched uncontrollably as the pressure wave distorted his face severely.
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