by Fang Xiang
Yun Xia xianzi calmed down her mind and said, with lingering fears, “I don’t know. They didn’t use flying swords. All they used was five elemental smoke. In combination with their formations, it was extremely powerful.”
“Five Element smoke?” Old He raised his head in slight shock. He hadn’t gone today. He said gravely, “Most of the people who use Five Elemental smoke are roaming xiu, and it’s not easy to collect such a thing……”
“That might not be true.” At this time, Wen Tie sanren said heavily, “It might be that they are trying to misleading us. It might not be easy to collect Five Elemental smoke but it can occasionally be bought on the market. If someone really tried, it’s not impossible. Their target was Mister Yuan! So we have to determine their motives. Why would they target Mister Yuan!”
Everyone who sat here was a veteran and their thoughts fell along the same lines. Tian Song Zi instantly realized and followed up, “They don’t want us to keep investigating the Stars in Daytime!”
“Yes. This point needs to be pondered.” Old He opened, “If they were here to pick up some benefits, stir the waters up, and then steal it away, then they would hope that we could find that yaomo. Who wouldn’t want us to find that yaomo?”
“That yaomo?” Yun Xia xianzi suddenly became alert, “Or the associates of the yaomo!”
The others stared at one another, their faces instantly dark. The people that had attacked them had clearly been part of the same group and clearly couldn’t be that wounded yaomo. It was very likely that they were associates of the yaomo. Before, they had assumed that it was only one wounded yaomo so no one had treated it seriously. With the power of so many jindan masters, wouldn’t it have been easy to exterminate one injured yaomo?
No one could have predicted that the situation would have changed so quickly. It was basically impossible to conceal the matter of the Stars in Daytime. Large numbers of xiuzhe had hoped to hunt and kill the yaomo and had furiously gathered in Sky Moon Jie.
A wounded high-grade yaomo meant countless jingshi and countless talismans!
“There are actually xiuzhe that have allied with the yaomo!” Wen Tie sanren was furious.
Old He raised his head and said, “Why couldn’t it be a group of yaomo?”
Once the words came out, the enormous Dong Fu hall fell silent.
Yun Xia xianzi tiredly went back to her residence. Xiao Huan, seeing her mistress’ expression, said with concern and terror, “Miss, why don’t we leave? The matters here are very frightening!”
Yun Xia grimaced, “How can we leave now? If we don’t conclude this matter, we will let down the deceased Mister Yuan.”
Xiao Huan bit her lips and said resolutely, “Then I will go find yin beads for Miss! If Miss has a few more yin thunder beads, then there’s no need to fear them!”
“Silly girl!” Yun Xia patted Xiao Hun’s head and said affectionately, “Getting a bargain the first one, how can you think you will get the bargain every time?”
“In any case, I can’t help Miss otherwise!” Xiao Huan’s eyes became misty. The two might formally be master and servant, but in reality they were like sisters.
“Your Miss isn’t that weak. At the least, I’m a jindan!” Yun Xia hurriedly comforted Xiao Huan but she was unconfident inside. Old He’s words circled in her heart. She knew that the situation in Blood Sky Metropolis Jie was worsening,but didn’t know how bad it actually was. If the yaomo had really infiltrated Sky Moon Jie, then how bad was the situation in Blood Sky Metropolis Jie?
At some unknown time, a drizzle of rain had started falling outside the room. Looking at the far-away mountains enveloped in the rain, the haze in Yun Xia xianzi’s heart was just as heavy.
———
Zuo Mo had been correct. His tragic life had just started. Old He’s good-intentioned reminder combined with Zuo Mo’s clever fainting, it had alarmed Pei Yuan Ran and the others. Only geniuses who were alive were able to become true masters. In the eyes of Pei Yuan, Shi Feng Rong and the others, Zuo Mo didn’t lack for talent. More so, they thought that Zuo Mo still had hidden talents that were waiting to be discovered. However, his fragile body limited his development. Dying prematurely was something that was likely to befall him.
In comparison, Wei Sheng was almost too strong in this area and didn’t need their concern at all.
Pei Yuan Ran and the others, after being advised, found that their initial thoughts were incorrect. For someone as multi-talented as Zuo Mo, it wasn’t important to cultivate the sword, it was important for him to keep his life. Rather than nurture him into an average sword cultivator, it was much better to make him an extremely healthy turtle. The upper levels of Wu Kong Sword Sect sank into simultaneous reflection. Consequently, Xin Yan personally stepped forward.
From this, it was possible to see how important Wu Kong Sword Sect thought Zuo Mo was!
After the nightmarish cultivation, Zuo Mo’s body had improved. Even though it still appeared thin, but there was some more muscles on his bones. Under the double influence of intense training and the medicinal liquid, he had gradually gotten used to the body cultivation.
It was a pity that Zuo Mo didn’t understand what his Master and the other shibo were thinking. Xin Yan Shibo personally teaching him, shocked and pained him at the same time! In all the elders, Xin Yan was the strictest and the one Zuo Mo was afraid of the most.
How good would it be if it had been Yan Le Shibo? Zuo Mo couldn’t help but fantasize sometimes.
In the grass hut, Xin Yan threw a jade scroll at Zuo Mo and led him to a valley in the back of the mountain. Zuo Mo had came to this valley before. It evidently had just been flattened and there was an eye-catching seal formation at the bottom of the valley. Without a second word, he threw Zuo Mo into the seal formation.
“Shibo, what… … what is this?” Zuo Mo asked, slightly panicked.
Xin Yan Shibo didn’t pay attention to him and floated away.
Zuo Mo looked in alarm at the surroundings. However, as nothing happened, his heart slowly calmed. Was this some body strengthening seal formation? Such a good thing, why didn’t they take it out earlier?
For a while, nothing happened. However, Zuo Mo didn’t dare to run out of the seal formation of his own accord. Shibo had thrown him in, if he ran out, the outcome would be bad. So he started to look at the jade scroll that Shibo gave him.
There was a body-cultivation scripture in the jade scroll. It was called [Vajra Profound Sutra]. Zuo Mo was slightly shocked. From the name, it didn’t look like one of the sect’s scriptures, but more like the scriptures of Dhyana cultivators. Where did Shibo get this? During his two years in the outer sect, he suffered through hardships trying to gather jade scrolls. Zuo mo held a special fondness for jade schools that recorded new things. This time he didn’t need to spend contribution points to get this scroll. Zuo Mo finally felt that he hadn’t suffered for nothing.
Curious, he kept on reading.
As expected, it was a Dhyana xiu scripture. The scriptures of Dhyana xiu were mostly simple and their demands on personal talent were the lowest. However, what they demanded of determination and personality was much higher. This scripture was the same. There wasn’t many complex parts but what it needed was constancy. If this would be constantly cultivated, the body would be like gold metal, and if one could comprehend, the final level would be forming the Vajrapani’s indestructible body.
Of course, Zuo Mo snorted at that. These days, no matter what jade scroll, they would always talk about how strong they were. It was the same as Pu Yao always labeling himself a Sky Yao.
However, what Zuo Mo found interesting was [Vajra Profound Sutra] mentioned that the body would not be easily wounded. No matter what the circumstances, the most important was to stay alive. If it would be somewhat mastered yaomo would be unable to approach near him, and nothing evil would be able to infiltrate. Zuo Mo suddenly found, what he was learning was more and more varied.
“This kind of second-hand it
em, he’s not ashamed to take it out.” Pu Yao somehow came out and said with a face full of disdain.
“Second-hand?” Zuo Mo raised the jade scroll in his hand, “Do you have it?”
“I only keep the finest!” Pu Yao said proudly.
“Like the yin bead?” Zuo Mo smirked.
Pu Yao was like a deflated balloon. The incident of the yin beads had become Zuo Mo’s most effective weapon. Pu Yao didn’t have any room to argue. But when he looked at the seal formation surrounding them, he started to snicker.
Zuo Mo’s heart started to feel unconfident and couldn’t resist asking, “What are you laughing about?”
Pu Yao’s crimson red eye held a strange laughter at Zuo Mo’s misfortunes. Zuo Mo was very familiar with this expression. He had seen this expression too many times recently. Zuo Mo couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.
“Have a good time.” Pu Yao was full of smugness as he went back into Zuo Mo’s consciousness.
Zuo Mo felt even more unconfident. Looking at the seals surrounding him, his heart trembled. Maybe this seal formation wasn’t a body strengthening seal formation?
At this time, suddenly a faint mist formed in the surroundings. Zuo Mo saw it clearly. The mist had been created by the seal formation. He instantly became nervous. Was it about to begin?
The mist quickly spread. He couldn’t see in front of him and became even more cautious.
Hiss!
A sword energy suddenly came out of the mist and shot at him.
Zuo Mo, already on the defense, sliced out with his hand, a sword energy leaving and accurately hitting the sword energy that was flying at him.
Ping!
A light flashed and the two sword energies destroyed each other.
Before Zuo Mo could react, hiss hiss, two other sword energies came out of the mist!
Zuo Mo didn’t dare to drop his defenses and flung out two sword energies.
Hiss hiss hiss hiss!
Four sword energies came at him from different directions.
He dodged left and weaved right, an extremely sorry figure.
The sword energies increased in number at an astounding speed, so fast that Zuo Mo couldn’t react.
When the sword energy entered his body, the needling pain caused Zuo Mo to howl. Zuo Mo finally understood what this damned seal formation was!
Translator ramblings:
For dhyana, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zen. For Vajrapani see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrapani.
Somebody is dead and people are staring to look for Zuo Mo!
Chapter 76: Body Cultivating Sword Formation
A sword formation!
This was actually a sword formation! Damn it, why did Shibo throw him into a sword formation? Zuo Mo suddenly thought of the jade scroll in his hand. If the muscles on his face weren’t paralyzed, his expression right now would be deathly pale!
Body cultivation!
To use a sword formation to cultivate the body, which bastard thought of this idea? Zuo Mo wanted to kill them. He wasn’t dumb. Actually, when he had thought of the [Vajra Profound Sutra] on his hands, he instantly understood. These sword energies were extremely small and non-fatal, but they were exceptionally painful when they hit him.
Hard for a normal flying sword to wound… …
Zuo Mo suddenly thought of the phrase and his little heart shook. Was it necessary to first be pierced by countless flying swords to create a thick skin and then cultivate the “hard to be wounded by flying swords”? He almost fainted at the idea. However, he felt that this idea was probably the truth.
In the first wave of swords, Zuo Mo had been struck seven times. It was so painful he howled.
Thankfully, the sword formation gave him time to breathe. The mist gradually dissipated yet Zuo Mo didn’t relax at all. He quickly took out [Vajra Profound Sutra]. If he didn’t guess wrong, the next storm of swords would be coming in a short while. Xin Yan Shibo’s habits were like his sword, he wouldn’t give people time to rest.
Unfortunately, Zuo Mo had guessed right!
Just as he read a bit of the contents, the second storm of swords started.
With no attention to spare for anything else, he suddenly jumped up and the sword energies left continuously from his hand.
Even though he had comprehended sword essence, he was still struck twelve times during the second wave.
This time, he didn’t make a sound. Inside, he repeatedly cursed Shibo and unhesitatingly started [Vajra Profound Sutra]. If he didn’t successfully do one round of [Vajra Profound Sutra] before the third sword storm came, he would just be ripe pickings. He almost couldn’t deal with the second wave of swords. Twelve strikes. The pain reached his bones.
Thankfully, the language of [Vajra Profound Sutra] was straightforward and simple to practice. Before the third wave arrived, Zuo Mo finally completed one round of the [Vajra Profound Sutra]. A faint gold color appeared on his skin. Before he could admire himself, the third wave of swords silently arrived.
Like the rain hitting the leaves, the “pia-pia” rang out in his ears. As expected, the pain lessened. However, this wave of swords were much denser than the last two waves. Zuo Mo might have the vajra scripture but was still dumbstruck.
He didn’t know how many times he was hit. In a daze, he could only hear Pu Yao’s extremely happy roars of laughter.
When Xin Yan Shibo carried a swollen Zuo Mo back to the Little West Wind Yard, the outer sect disciples along the way that saw the scene all had the same expression –– Zuo Mo Shixiong is very pitiful! After they had seen Zuo Mo abuse himself on the mountain roads every day, they didn’t find it strange anymore.
Of course, there were still rumors. Like Zuo Mo Shixiong had offended Xin Yan Shishu so Xin Yan Shishu was exceptionally angry and was personally administering punishment. Or that Zuo Mo Shixiong was practicing a kind of legendary art. This legendary art was exceptionally cruel and that the female disciples in Fragrant Ginger Yard could prove it.
When Zuo Mo had finally recovered in his own little yard, what welcomed him was the sympathetic gaze of the Grey Beaked goose on the rooftop. Zuo Mo climbed up self-mockingly. He finally could rest for a few days. Before leaving, Shibo had said that he would come back in five days. Clearly, the sword formation was not suited to being used every day. He also needed time to practice [Vajra Profound Sutra]. If he didn’t improve before next time, he would die a terrible death.
[Vajra Profound Sutra] had a slight healing effect. After practicing it for a little while, Zuo Mo felt his entire body had become warm. This shocked him slightly. In the scriptures he had practiced before, the most comfortable was [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation]. It was hard to describe the feeling of void. The feelings this time wasn’t as enchanting as cultivating [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation], but for Zuo Mo who was presently wounded, the warm feeling was actually more appropriate.
Also, because it was easier to learn, there were no bottlenecks in [Vajra Profound Sutra]. It wasn’t like [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation] which always made him spit blood.
After practicing for four hours, Zuo Mo’s entire body was amazingly relaxed, the marks on his body had also faded. Zuo Mo was overjoyed.
He went to the ling fields inside the valley and felt heartache as he looked at the ling grasses in the fields. He hadn’t taken care of the fields for quite a few days. Some of the more sensitive plants seemed slightly wilted. Zuo Mo gritted his teeth and harvested all those ling grasses that were sensitive and near maturity. He decided to sell all of them. The remaining ling grasses were hardier plants.
It was rare for Shibo to have mercy. With a vacation of five days, Zuo Mo could finally take a breath. Even though he knew that the reprieve was temporary and he would once again enter the nightmare after five days, he still planned on enjoying these five days.
Listening to the sound tablet, Zuo Mo hummed a little tune, his head on his arms as he looked at the jade scrolls that Elder
Wei Nan had left.
As soon as he relaxed, he couldn’t help but think of making jingshi! There was no way around it. After soaking in the medicine baths every day, he was in the midst of a great amount of debt and owed Master a lot of jingshi. And now that he was restricted from the dan room, he couldn’t make the Golden Crow pill and had no income. Not only that, he also couldn’t make any progress on the new lingdan.
He suddenly thought of the water method that had been mentioned in Elder Wei Nan’s jade scrolls.
The number of ways to make dan in the world could not be counted. The fire method was the most widespread, and methods involving water and wood were more esoteric. Elder Wei Nan’s knowledge was broad and he was extremely skilled at using whatever was available in the environment to create the greatest value. Zuo Mo admired this very much. In many cases, a person’s circumstances would have all kinds of limitations, and those limits could not be changed. To use disadvantageous circumstances to create good results was undoubtedly an area worthy of deep study.
There was a cold spring in the rock room. It was acceptable for the water method. Most of the dan that could be made by the water method leaned towards the yin and the cold. This was a limit of the water method. But for Zuo Mo, he didn’t have any other choice.
There were many dan recipes involving the water method in the scrolls of Elder Wei Nan. Zuo Mo scanned through and picked a few dan that he could make now, noting down what was needed.
It seemed that he needed to go to Dong Fu.
Even though he had heavy debts, but he didn’t need to pay them off immediately so Zuo Mo still had some jingshi in his pocket. If he sold the ling grasses, which he wasn’t planning on letting the sect sell for him, he would get some more jingshi. He only had five days of vacation. It would take too long if the sect sold it, and no one could know that he had gone to Dong Fu to buy materials. If Master knew he was secretly making dan, Master’s “humph humph” would probably start taking effect. As to the outcome, he didn’t need to even think about it.
