Chương 15: Chapter 14 Not So Impressive (Thanks to Qing Yi 'Mist Lost Alliance Leader!)
Morning.
Rainbow light flickered in the sky as a woman clad in rust-gold trimmed white elder clothes descended upon Qiongbi Peak. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but there was also a terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from her that warned others to stay away.
Inner Sect Third Elder!
Peak Master Ning Qing of Purple Cloud Peak!
Ning Daoran had been with the Chaotic Sect for these few years, and although he was not famous, he had some understanding of the higher ups in the Sect.
This Third Elder, Ning Qing, was a sword cultivator and the master of one of the four main peaks, Purple Cloud Peak. She held the power of life and death within the Sect.
At this moment, Ning Qing, along with a few of her direct disciples, slowly stepped into Courtyard No. 78.
"Holy shit…"
Ning Daoran was amazed, holding onto Big Stupid Deer's neck while watching the excitement from a distance, laughing and saying, "Junior Sister is quite fortunate, huh? The Third Elder personally coming to accept her as a disciple, such treatment, tsk tsk tsk…"
He sighed loudly, "If an Inner Sect Elder came to take me as a disciple... I don't even dare to think about it…"
"Roar!"
Big Stupid Deer let out a clear call, gently waving its tail, signaling to its big brother not to lose heart. It didn't matter if those elders looked down on him now, they would beg to become disciples under him in the future!
...
Soon after, the news spread.
The Third Elder, Ning Qing, took Han Bing as her direct disciple!
When Ning Qing, holding Han Bing's hand, walked out of the courtyard, Ning Daoran was relieved. It seemed Han Bing would definitely not have a bad time by Ning Qing's side.
"Master…"
Han Bing suddenly looked toward her master and whispered a few words.
"Mhm."
Ning Qing smiled and nodded.
Han Bing pursed her lips and rushed over to Ning Daoran along the ridge of the field, then she unbuckled the snow-white sword from her waist, saying, "Senior Brother Ning, I'm going to Purple Cloud Peak now… This is a gift that my mother gave me.
This sword is called Qiushui, though it's only a first-tier mid-grade magical artifact, but... I hope Senior Brother won't find it too shabby!"
"Ah?"
Ning Daoran was dumbfounded, "Junior Sister, you are a sword cultivator. Naturally, it's best to keep the sword for yourself."
"Please don't be polite, Senior Brother."
Han Bing smiled and said, "After I return to Purple Cloud Peak, Master will bestow upon me a first-tier top-grade magical sword."
In the distance, a group of Purple Cloud Peak's direct and Inner Sect disciples all looked over here.
Ning Daoran pondered for a moment, then quickly accepted the Qiushui Sword, grinning and said, "Then thank you, Junior Sister. I hope you do well on Purple Cloud Peak, safe and sound, and may your path of immortality flourish!"
Han Bing smiled and turned to leave.
And when those disciples of Purple Cloud Peak looked at Ning Daoran, there was no longer any disdain in their eyes. Even the Third Elder, Ning Qing, when she looked over, slightly furrowed her brow.
Perfect. Ning Daoran wanted exactly that; he intended to leave the impression of being "greedy" among these fellow disciples at Purple Cloud Peak, as such a person would seem more harmless.
Otherwise, declining Junior Sister's kindness would seem overambitious and would likely attract more attention.
Besides, the Qiushui Sword is a mid-grade magical artifact, just what he needed!
...
Ning Qing waved her sleeve and summoned a spirit boat, taking Han Bing along as they departed on the spirit boat.
"Bing'er."
She looked at this disciple with innate Sword Heart Clarity, speaking with an affectionate smile, "Who is this Senior Brother Ning, and why did you give him the treasure sword left to you by your mother?"
Han Bing softly replied, "Master, during the few years I've been a spirit farmer at Qiongbi Peak, Senior Brother Ning has taken good care of me. He is a very kind person."
"Oh, I see."
In fact, there was something in Han Bing's heart that she couldn't bring herself to say.
Uncle Lin had left and never returned, most likely harmed by Li Xiu.
And the day Senior Brother Ning came up the mountain, his demeanor was clearly that of someone who had just fought a battle. Moreover, Li Xiu hadn't come back to the mountain at all since then.
Han Bing was clever enough to guess the secret behind it.
With such a massive favor, she still felt that giving the Qiushui Sword to her Senior Brother was not enough.
...
After Junior Sister went to Purple Cloud Peak, Courtyard No. 78's spirit field was taken over by a coarse fellow named "Ma Quanyou." A naturally familiar man, he quickly mixed in with everyone, and the people of Qiongbi Peak also called him Old Ma.
Everything seemed to return to tranquility again.
Beneath the banyan tree, people often gathered.
Granny Yun Cui was getting old and couldn't bend over for too long, so Ning Daoran took it upon himself to lend a hand, taking Big Stupid Deer to help her with the spirit field a little. Pulling weeds didn't take much effort, especially since both he and Big Stupid Deer were full of energy.
What's more, Ning Daoran had plenty of time. He just needed to wait for the spirit rice to grow to have Refining Time, and he didn't even need to cultivate in the meantime.
Granny Yun Cui's granddaughter had also grown up and turned into a three-year-old girl. She enjoyed spending time with Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer the most.
Under the banyan tree, Ning Daoran played with the little girl.
"Chen Weimo, attention!"
"Chen Weimo, at ease!"
"Chen Weimo, march! One-two-one! One-two-one!"
Everyone watched with laughter, as if with Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer around, there would never be a shortage of joy on Qiongbi Peak.
The only person who wasn't too happy was Zhong Yan.
Xin Yan had been gone for several months with no news. No one knew what was happening in that secret realm.
...
This anxiety persisted until one afternoon.
An Outer Disciple brought some bad news: Xin Yan had successfully explored the secret realm and broken through to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, but after collaborating with others in a round of robbery cultivation, he was killed by the Lingnan Demons he was traveling with.
"Fellow Daoist, this is Fellow Daoist Xin's relic."
The Outer Disciple handed over an item wrapped in cloth.
"My husband, he…"
Zhong Yan slowly unwrapped the cloth, revealing a segment of a purple sword hilt.
In an instant, Zhong Yan was as if struck by lightning. Her pretty face showed a complex expression of sorrow and humiliation; she quickly tucked the item into her bosom and then returned to the No. 80 Spirit Field.
In the days that followed, aside from fertilizing and weeding, Zhong Yan hardly ever went out.
...
Days passed by, one after another.
Zhong Yan, maintaining nearly three acres of spirit fields on her own, gradually found it to be a strain. The weeds in the field grew denser by the day, and the rice ears they produced were far less plump than those from the other spirit lands, not to mention incomparable to Ning Daoran's Green Bamboo Spirit Rice.
Until one day, a man appeared in front of No. 80 Spirit Field.
This man, named Hong Ming, had an incredibly thick mana circulating within him and was a Sixth Level of Qi Refining cultivator.
Without saying a word, he just stood in front of the small courtyard.
"You can go. Xin Yan is dead. I won't accept another man. You might as well give up on that thought."
Hearing Zhong Yan's words, Hong Ming didn't speak but simply scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
He didn't leave but instead took out a Spiritual Hoe and began to fertilize and weed Zhong Yan's spirit field.
By late autumn, the growth of No. 80 Spirit Field was looking much better. Next year's harvest would probably not be too shabby.
As for Hong Ming, no one knew who he was or where he lived. He would arrive before dawn, tend to the spirit field, and not leave until sunset.
He never knocked on Zhong Yan's door, simply silently caring for the land.
Finally, several months later.
"Creak..."
Zhong Yan pushed open the courtyard door, her beautiful eyes slightly red. Her voice was much gentler as she said, "I can agree to be your Daoist couple, but you have to promise me one thing. Otherwise, I will turn and leave."
"Okay, tell me, I will agree to whatever you say!" Hong Ming nodded repeatedly.
After that, Hong Ming lived in the No. 80 Spiritual Field Courtyard, becoming the head of the household.
"Sigh..."
In the midst of the Small Cloud Mist Array, someone who had been enjoying the show for several months shook their head gently.
Just like this, just like this!
...
Time flew by quickly, and two years had passed in the blink of an eye.
No. 77 Spirit Field was still bursting with life. Within the Small Cloud Mist Array, Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer lived each day to the fullest, working from dawn until dusk, eating and drinking well, unimaginably happy.
At this time, the Refining Time had accumulated nearly thirty thousand years.
Ning Daoran decided to practice the Soul Searching Technique. His Soul Searching Technique had just reached Great Success, and he always felt that this technique should be cultivated to a higher level; otherwise, the memories retrieved during a Soul Search would not be clear enough, appearing mosaic-like.
Pouring the Refining Time into the technique, he began to cultivate!
[The first year, you stare blankly at the Soul Searching Technique, feeling completely clueless.]
[The ninety-second year, you see no progress in cultivating the Soul Searching Technique, much like your stagnant cultivation.]
[The three thousand six hundred and fortieth year, certain images suddenly emerge in your mind, and you feel a sense of enlightenment.]
[Soul Searching Technique. Dark Rank Lower (Perfect)]
[The four thousand one hundred and twenty-fourth year, your Soul Searching Technique can progress no further, you feel that you have reached your limit. Sometimes you even feel as if something impure has entered your brain.]
[The five thousand three hundred and sixtieth year, you catch a toad and try to search its mind for something. You see grasshoppers and fish and shrimp in the water; you start to think you might be going insane...]
[The eight thousand one hundred and fortieth year, you suddenly reach an epiphany; everything turns out to be so simple.]
[Soul Searching Technique. Dark Rank Lower (Transformation Realm)]
"Huff..."
Having cultivated the Soul Searching Technique to the Transformation Realm, Ning Daoran felt his head swell slightly, as if a lot of things that didn't belong to him had suddenly poured into his mind.
However, he felt an unprecedented clarity in his Spirit Platform, and his spiritual power seemed to have increased a lot.
Suddenly, he made a decision to push on and cultivate to an even higher level; surely, he wouldn't lose out!
[The 10,340th year, your mind is in an extremely unstable state. People are calling you a madman, an idiot; you observe the stars at night, understanding many things that mortals cannot comprehend.]
[Fourteen thousand three hundred years, you are extremely old, your hair has all fallen out. When you look at yourself in the copper mirror, you even think you have gone back to before your transmigration, to the thirty-five-year-old bald programmer...]
[You sit in meditation for thousands of years, at which point the light in your heart finally begins to flicker.]
[The weather and energy of heaven and earth surge. You hadn't expected that your contemplation would yield such a transformation.]
[Soul Searching Technique. Dark Rank Lower (Return to Nature)]
[Remaining Refining Time: thirteen thousand nine hundred and forty-four years.]
...
"Incredible..."
Ning Daoran slowly opened his eyes. He had actually achieved Return to Nature so quickly! For the Soul Searching Technique, a Dark Rank Technique, to reach Return to Nature this quickly indicated that he had a talent in this area!
However, at that moment, he suddenly noticed something was amiss.
"Huh?"
When Ning Daoran looked outside the door, he could see the sprouts swaying in the spring breeze through the doorframe.
"This is..."
He was dumbstruck. As a cultivator in the Qi Refining Mid-stage, he should only be capable of inspecting his own body with his Spiritual Sense, but at this moment, his Spiritual Sense had actually left his body and could explore the outside world!
Once Spiritual Sense leaves the body, it's no longer Spiritual Sense—it's Divine Sense!
Ning Daoran was shocked; Divine Sense was something that, according to legends, only great powers at the Foundation Establishment Stage possessed… right?
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