World of Cultivation - Volume 01 - Money Grubbing Madman

by Fang Xiang

  There was only one crucial point.

  – Fire!

  Chapter 51: Attack

  Fire!

  The essence of [Art of Crimson Flame] was fire, and inside the cauldron was the Li Fire seal formation. This was the reason that Zuo Mo could make Great Strength Pill. However, what [Art of Crimson Flame] condensed was essence of the sun and unfortunately the fire that the Li fire seal formation inside the cauldron provided was too low grade. Originally in the process, the Li fire seal formation should have been the primary flame and the essence of the sun that [Art of Crimson Fire] concentrated should have been the auxiliary. Right now, the sun essence was stronger than the Li Fire seal formation, so naturally problems would occur.

  He recognized where the problem was, Zuo Mo instantly had several ideas on how to solve it. The most feasible method was to lessen the sun essence concentrated by [Art of Crimson Flame], the least feasible was changing the cauldron to a cauldron with a much higher grade Li Fire seal formation. And the boldest method was to change the relationship between primary and auxiliary, to have [Art of Crimson Flame] as primary, Li Fire seal formation as auxiliary.

  Zuo Mo chose the first option. He felt the possibility of success with the first one the highest.

  After thinking it through, he started to prepare.

  What he needed to do first was to be able to precisely control [Art of Crimson Flame]. Before this, he had never thought about accurately controlling [Art of Crimson Flame]. For Zuo Mo, if the sun essence concentrated by [Art of Crimson Flame] was used on the ling plants, naturally, the more the better. In reality, it also seemed so. Zuo Mo had never found a situation where [Art of Crimson Flame] was overused. Why would he have thought about how to precisely control [Art of Crimson Flame]?

  For him, this was a new experience.

  Thankfully, compared to the other spells, the five basic spells of a ling plant farmer were his most familiar ones. In a short period of time, he grasped the basics of condensing essence of the sun.

  But when Zuo Mo once again tried to buy the raw materials of fasting pills from Xu Qing, Xu Qing’s eyes as they stared at him were slightly weird. Buying a large pile of fasting pill ingredients, Zuo Mo secluded himself in the dan room and started his new experiment.

  Failure!

  Still failure!

  Failure!

  ……

  ……

  Zuo Mo wasn’t panicked because of his failures, instead he was very steady and calm. He could feel that he was getting closer to success! This feeling was so strong that quite a few times, he had assumed he would succeed next time.

  The ninth time!

  Even as the last step was completed, there was no burning smell! Zuo Mo’s heart beat quickened, he swallowed his saliva and nervously opened the cauldron.

  A fasting pill with glimmers of gold quietly laid at the bottom of the cauldron.

  There wasn’t any cheering or jumping. Zuo Mo’s face was expressionless, he stared dumbly as he muttered, “Ge can finally become rich!”

  Finishing, his eyes turned dark and with a bang, he fell onto the floor in a dead sleep.

  So tiring!

  In Wu Kong Hall, Pei Yuan Ran’s face was ashen as he looked at the two kneeling below.

  Luo Li and Hao Min were frightened.

  Seated above, Shi Feng Rong’s expression was full of angeragain. She had always put great importance on the medicinal fields of Cold Mist Valley which was why she had given them over for Hao Min to care for. She hadn’t thought that Hao Min would so seriously neglect her duty. The expression on Yan Le and Xin Yan’s faces weren’t much better. Wu Kong Sword Sect might only be a small sect but their rules had always been strict.

  It wasn’t alarming that the others had left but both had duties yet they had sneaked out to travel for such a long time so they were certainly going to get heavily punished.

  Zuo Mo woke up and found that he was still in the dan room. He hurried climbed up and looked at the Great Strength Pill he had made before releasing a breath. So he hadn’t been dreaming.

  He was too lazy to go back to the rock room. He decided to sit in the dan room and meditate to recover ling energy.

  When his ling energy had recovered, he started to make great strength pill again. He didn’t know if it was that he had failed too many times before but the next attempts, he didn’t fail once.

  Feeling slightly tired, Zuo Mo stood up. After searching for methods for a few days, his body and heart were really very tired and needed rest. Meditation could recover ling energy but could not substitute for rest.

  Pushing open the door to leave the dan room, the sunlight stabbed Zuo Mo’s eyes. He raised a hand to cover them.

  However, the feeling of the sun landing on his body was really good. Successfully making a dan, Zuo Mo’s mood was very good. Suddenly, he saw the person walking towards him and blanked. Wasn’t that Hao Min Shijie?

  She and Luo Li Shixiong had returned?

  Thoughts swirled in Zuo Mo’s brain and he decided to give a greeting, “Hao Min Shi……”

  Only when he walked closer did he find it was not good. Hao Min’s eyes were red, clearly having cried.

  Just having been scolded, Hao Min saw Zuo Mo and suddenly remembered that Cold Mist Valley had been given to this zombie face to care for. When she suddenly thought of the scolding and sternness of the sect leader and Master, her anger rose. It had to be this guy who did it. Otherwise, how would Master have known about Cold Mist Valley? Once the idea emerged, she felt that this zombie face was hateful and resentment rose.

  An outer sect disciples dared to trick this lady?

  Her brow raised, without a word, she raised her hand, heading for Zuo Mo’s face?

  Zuo Mo, who had remained alert, reacted very quickly and grabbed Hao Min’s wrist, asking in a deep voice, “Shijie, what are you doing?”

  The anger in Zuo Mo’s heart rose up as well. Before, he wouldn’t have any choice when he encountered something like this but now, the two of them were on equal ground. He wouldn’t act first, but he didn’t have to swallow and bear it.

  “You dare!” Hao Min ground her teeth, extremely enraged,“Even a trash like you dare to offend me!” Before her words landed, her free left hand headed for Zuo Mo’s face, not giving Zuo Mo the chance to speak.

  Zuo Mo’s pupils suddenly shrank, his eyes becoming frigid. The right hand that had practiced countless finger movements was extremely fast and nimble. Before Hao Min’s hand could reach Zuo Mo’s face, she suddenly felt her eyes blur and pah, a slap landed on her face!

  Hao Min blanked after the slap. Her face was burning in pain. She looked in disbelief at Zuo Mo.

  Xu Qing, who had coincidentally just left the yard saw this scene and almost screamed out in shock. Her reaction was very quick as she used her hands to cover her mouth.

  Zuo Mo looked coldly at Hao Min, his voice frigid, “Has Shijie woken up?”

  Giving a penetrating look at Hao Min, he released Hao Min’s wrist and took a step back. For some reason, when Hao Min met Zuo Mo’s gaze, it was like she was completely frozen, her body cold. She shuddered all over, her face going green and red. Terror, embarrassment, anger, it was all mixed together. She actually forgot to speak.

  “Oh, right. Shijie just returned and might not know the latest news.” Zuo Mo, who had turned around, stopped and said coldly, “This little brother was lucky and was taken into the inner sect, and I am now under Master to learn dan-making.”

  He turned around his zombie face, showing off two rows of eerie white teeth, “Shijie, please take care of me.”

  Xu Qing stared with wide eyes as Zuo Mo left. The blow the scene gave her was too big. Before Zuo Mo, Hao Ming was the only inner sect disciples in Fragrant Ginger Yard, she had been arrogant and despotic to the extreme. Everyone had feared her. For some reason, when Xu Qing saw the five fingered hand-print on Hao Min’s face, she felt unspeakably exhilarated!

  Glancing at Hao Min who was still dazedly sta
nding in her original spot, Xu Qing decided to quietly leave. If Hao Min Shijie knew that she had seen this incident, then she would be in a miserable situation.

  Retreating, Xu Qing still felt some disbelief. Awe for Zuo Mo formed. Zuo Shixiong who had been so agreeable usually actually had a time when he was this scary!

  Zuo Mo walked out of Fragrant Ginger Yard, his hand imperceptibly trembling.

  His heart was full of terror. It wasn’t terror due to Hao Min but terror of himself! Just then, in his anger, there seemed to have been a voice saying to him, “Kill her! Kill her!” That impulse was so strong and clear, so strong that what he had given wasn’t a slap but sword energy!

  At what time had he become so ruthless? This discovery made him very nervous.

  In the stories, all the yaomo were terrible and evil, villains who killed like it was their life! Was the cause practicing [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation] causing his personality had been secretly influenced? Or was it Pu Yao that was behind it?

  He stopped, closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling. All the negative emotions seemed to have been vented out in this breath. When he opened his eyes, his gaze resumed its clarity, his hands resumed steadiness.

  It was probably that he was too tired this little while.

  Zuo Mo hadn’t practiced [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation] for a short period of time. This had never happened before. As to Pu Yao, the guy was a perverse one but he was definitely a cautious perverse. He would never actively stir up trouble. Zuo Mo found that Pu Yao was still extremely wary of his elders, especially Xin Yan Shishu.

  Returning to Little West Wind Yard, Zuo Mo decided to not think at all and rest for a time. He put himself on the guard, reminding himself to be careful and attentive.

  For a whole day, he did nothing except sleep.

  He was woken up by the pink paper crane.

  “Ye, heard that there were stars appearing during the day? Was it fun?” It was still the graceful writing that Zuo Mo was familiar with.

  “Never heard of it.” Zuo Mo answered confidently. Stars appearing during the day, how was it possible? In any case, he was certain that he had never seen such an abnormal thing.

  “Ah, but the news I heard was really like that. Ye has to be careful. Stars appearing during the day is an ill omen. It’s possibly yaomo.”

  Zuo Mo’s heart jumped. Yaomo!

  “Such a familiar smell.” Pu Yao had crept up beside Zuo Mo. He stared at the pink paper in Zuo Mo’s hands and then smiled, “So it’s that little girl.”

  Zuo Mo felt that Pu Yao’s smile was very cold.

  “You recognize her?” He asked carefully.

  “Recognize?” Pu Yao’s bloody right eye narrowed into a line as he smiled happily, “Of course I recognize her.” His gaze landed on the paper in Zuo Mo’s hands and snickered, “Yaomo? This little girl is interesting, I like her.”

  Leaving behind a stream of meaningful laughter, Pu Yao disappeared, leaving behind Zuo Mo with a head full of confusion.

  Zuo Mo really didn’t have good feelings towards the owner of this paper crane. Any thing, once it was forced, the feeling would be very bad. Chatting was also the same. However, it really had been him that brought it upon himself. Zuo Mo could do nothing about it. His own actions, he had to take responsibility!

  In the following days, after Zuo Mo felt he had rested enough, he returned back to his glorious mission of earning jingshi. In one go, he made twenty Great Strength Pills, and gave them all to Li Ying Feng.

  Li Ying Feng also gave the jinzhi jade stick that she had mentioned last time to him and reminded him that his conflict with Hao Min had spread through the entire sect and he should be careful.

  When Zuo Mo heard this, he knew it was going to be bad. But he quickly composed himself after some thought. This kind of thing, dodging it wasn’t effective.

  But when he returned to the mouth of West Wing Valley, he saw the ruins of the jinzhi and the arrogantly standing Luo Li Shixiong.

  Zuo Mo stopped in his steps.

  Chapter 52: All In!

  “I hadn’t thought that even you could become an inner sect disciple.” Luo Li’s face was expressionless, his voice cold.

  Zuo Mo looked inside the valley and he was slightly relieved. Luo Li had only tore down the jinzhi at the mouth but didn’t go in. He clearly came prepared. Luo Li might be doted upon by all the elders but he didn’t dare to act too brashly. If the ling grasses and herbs inside the valley were damaged, the elders in the sect wouldn’t let him off.

  Machinations in the shadows, Zuo Mo was clear the other didn’t dare use them on him. The kind of identity that a ling plant farmer had, it meant that he would receive the sect’s protection. What the other could use was an open and public attack.

  Looking at the mess and the completely ruined jinzhi, even though Zuo Mo knew the other was just venting, but his anger still rose. The other had definitely come because of Hao Min Shijie. Zuo Mo wasn’t scared. He had reason on his side. Even if it got brought up to the sect leader, no one would say that he was wrong.

  Zuo Mo controlled the anger, his voice mocking, “Shixiong’s sword is so sharp. A pity to waste these flowers and grasses.”

  Luo Li looked coldly at Zuo Mo, his eyes filled with disdain and contempt, “Whether my sword is sharp or not, you will know. You dare to touch my woman.”

  “Oh.” Zuo Mo brushed it off. He looked at his right hand and said unconcernedly, “So what if I touched her?”

  If there hadn’t been the previous incident with Hao Min, these two were people that he would have tried to curry favor with. But since it had proceeded to this step, both sides like water and fire, there was no possibility of peace. Zuo Mo’s stubbornness came out. Rather than be bullied, he would rather rebel. Even if it might end terribly for him, he wouldn’t let the other off easily. If he didn’t have some viciousness, with his origins as an outer sect disciple, he would be greatly bullied in the future.

  Luo Li’s pupils shrunk, the indifferent expression on his face finally changing, “Three months, the assessment of the sect, I’ll wait for you.”

  “You said wait, so you’ll wait?” Zuo Mo smiled coldly, and gasped, “Shixiong’s face is so big!”

  Luo Li’s expression twisted. His eyes sprouted fire as he looked at Zuo Mo. He barely managed to control himself and snorted angrily, “Hm, let’s see if your mouth is still that hard then!” Finishing, he flew off.

  “Who does he think he is?” Zuo Mo snorted coldly. He turned to walk inside the valley. Everything in the valley was undisturbed. Luo Li basically didn’t come in. Luo Li might be arrogant but he wasn’t dumb. He controlled his behaviour. Ruining the jinzhi of West Wind Valley but not touching the ling grasses in the valley, the elders of the sect would let it go.

  They forbid fighting in the sect. Every sect would have this kind of rules. But fighting inside the sect would always happen. There were many reasons but one of the most important ones was undoubtedly the implicit permission of the elders in the sect. What a sect was afraid of was not having a competitive environment. The occasional skirmish was more beneficial than harmful in the eyes of elders. In most cases, they held a permissive attitude.

  But Zuo Mo felt that these things didn’t have too much to do with him. He didn’t believe that Luo Li would dare come into West Wind Valley. His West Wind Valley was one of the important areas of the sect, possibly even more important than Cold Mist Valley.

  Just like normal, he continued to make dan, right up until Li Ying Feng Shijie came.

  “What?” Zuo Mo cried out, “What kind of rule is that?”

  Li Ying Feng explained, “It’s really like this. Supposedly, because the sect forbid the disciples from fighting so they made the sect assessment the place for resolving conflicts. He can challenge you at that time and you must take it up. If you don’t, you have to give the other fifty contribution points.”

  “But I am a ling plant farmer! I, a ling plant farm
er, do you want me to grab a flying sword and start fighting with him?” Zuo Mo was indignant.

  “You can ask someone.” Li Ying Feng was also helpless, “That doesn’t break the rules. Production cultivators like you can use the dan you make or what you’ve planted to hire others. But you can only ask the other shixiong in the sect, not anyone from other sects.”

  “The other shixiong in the sect? Wei Sheng Shixiong hasn’t come out, who else can I invite?” Zuo Mo felt that he was going crazy. The only person in the sect that could win over Luo Li was Wei Sheng Shixiong. But Wei Sheng Shixiong was in the Sword Cave and won’t be coming out soon.

  “The rules are like this.” Li Ying Feng suggested, “You could go buy some powerful talismans.”

  Zuo Mo felt that he was going to faint. Buy talismans? He was so poor he only had the dregs. Buying talismans! Only now did Zuo Mo understand what Luo Li had meant in his last word that day. His mood instantly became terrible.

  Damn it! It was going to be big trouble!

  Facing Luo Li outside the valley, he wasn’t afraid because he had been confident that Luo Li didn’t dare to do anything to him. When he knew that the inner sect had this rule, he instantly blanked. Things like sword energy, it was fine to use to frighten people. Facing Luo Li who practiced [Empty Sword], he, someone who didn’t even have a sword scripture, wouldn’t even know how he died.

  The elders in the sect, of course, wouldn’t let Luo Li really injure him, but humiliation wouldn’t be avoided. Fifty contribution points, that was a very large amount of wealth. If he sold himself, he wouldn’t get fifty contribution points. Thinking about it, Zuo Mo became even more depressed.

  Li Ying Feng looked in sympathy at Zuo Mo. She wanted to help but had no way. She could only take the Great Strength Pills that Zuo Mo had prepared and left.

  The news that Luo Li had sent out a challenge to Zuo Mo was instantly spread to everyone in the sect. These days when Hao Min saw Zuo Mo, she instantly became high and mighty. Zuo Mo wanted to slap her again. The gazes of everyone else when they saw Zuo Mo was extremely strange. Of course, there wasn’t a lack of others who were laughing at Zuo Mo. No one thought that Zuo Mo was going to have a good outcome.