飘零影音

Chapter 49 - Arc 5: Loose Cultivator Alliance | Chapter 49: Check-in

Translator: Lynn

Xu Ziqing’s intention was to provide him with a good residence. Naturally, Xu Ziqing would not be ungrateful, so he smiled and said, “Please make the arrangements, my Daoist friend.”

Upon hearing this, Su Xin was pleased and waved his hand, saying, “I’ve thought of a perfect place.”

“I dare not disobey,” Xu Ziqing responded.

Ascending the winding and steep stone steps, which posed no difficulty for a cultivator, they arrived at a hillside where a narrow stone path extended in a circular pattern, leading to a wide rocky outcrop.

Su Xin stepped onto this rocky path and led the way, with Xu Ziqing following closely. As they ventured deeper, the surroundings grew cooler, and the light dimmed.

Looking around, Xu Ziqing noticed two thick trees extending horizontally above, with enormous canopies providing shade from the scorching sun. The canopy covered the entire rock, so when viewed from above, only one side of the green shade was visible, while from below, one could only see the massive rock, bare like an inverted pot.

Beneath the two towering trees stood a house made of vermilion wood and adorned with green tiles that matched the color of the foliage, offering additional shelter.

The house appeared new, and as soon as Xu Ziqing stepped onto the mountain rock, he felt a fresh woody aroma enveloping his senses, refreshing his heart. The spiritual aura here was so dense that each breath filled his throat with a cool and invigorating sensation, revitalizing his internal organs.

As Xu Ziqing surveyed the surroundings, a sense of joy welled up within him. Even in a tranquil state of mind, he couldn’t help but feel immense delight at discovering this precious cultivation location. The abundance of spiritual energy here was comparable, if not superior, to the cave at the bottom of the secret lake!

Su Xin, although possessing a bold temperament, was not impolite. Since he had guided Xu Ziqing to this place, he carefully observed Xu Ziqing’s expression. When he noticed the look of satisfaction in Xu Ziqing’s eyes, a smile formed on his lips. “Does this place suit you, Daoist Xu?” he inquired.

Xu Ziqing replied, “This place is excellent. Thank you.”

Su Xin’s eyebrows lifted, and he continued, “There is a prohibition placed around the house by our ancestors. However, each token is only applicable to a single room, so once you have decided, it cannot be changed.”

Understanding that Su Xin had already presented a remarkable option, Xu Ziqing had no intentions of being greedy. He smiled and said, “I am already very satisfied.”

Su Xin also smiled and said, “Then I won’t bother you any longer.” With that, he produced a red jade sword and handed it to Xu Ziqing, explaining, “If you ever need to reach me, use this jade sword to send a message. It contains a trace of my consciousness, ensuring it reaches me successfully.”

Expressing his gratitude, Xu Ziqing accepted the jade sword and added, “Thank you very much. I have gained a lot from the battle with the blood demon, so I plan to enter seclusion for a few days. When I emerge, I may have to ask for your guidance to ensure I haven’t missed anything.”

His friend Yun Lie had reminded him that the incident involving the Chenghuang Kingdom was related to borrowing the sword from Heavenly Dao. Even if Xu Ziqing didn’t make an appearance now, he would still gain something from his cultivation. Although Su Xin had overheard the elders’ projections within the alliance and had used his human power to glimpse the heavens, he was still involved in the matter and would surely benefit as well.

However, even great benefits needed to be seized in a timely manner, as time waits for no one. Xu Ziqing and Su Xin had only recently become acquainted, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for Xu Ziqing to directly remind him. Instead, he politely conveyed his request for Su Xin’s confirmation, indicating that he, too, would close himself off to avoid missing any important opportunities.

“After careful consideration, I will need some time for myself as well. We can meet again once I have completed my seclusion,” Xu Ziqing said with a faint smile.

Su Xin also cupped his hands in farewell and replied, “Until then!” With that, he turned around, waving his sword, and swiftly descended the path, visibly eager.

Xu Ziqing watched him depart before turning his attention toward the house and taking a few steps forward. However, an invisible force gently pushed him back, halting his progress.

“This must be the prohibition,” Xu Ziqing surmised. He didn’t need to use the token to test it but instead delved into his storage ring with his consciousness and asked his friend, “Brother Yun, can you examine the prohibition? Is it possible to break it?”

Yun Lie remained unseen but raised his eyelids slightly, stating, “The individual who placed the prohibition possesses a higher cultivation level than me.”

Xu Ziqing was taken aback. He had known Yun Lie for quite some time and had never encountered a situation he couldn’t handle. Xu Ziqing had always held the belief that “Brother Yun can accomplish anything.” Therefore, hearing Yun Lie’s words came as a surprise.

However, Xu Ziqing’s smile returned soon after.

Yun Lie had always given people the impression of being profound and unpredictable. Despite considering him his best friend, Xu Ziqing held great respect for him and refrained from causing any trouble. However, now that Xu Ziqing realized there was something even Yun Lie couldn’t do, he felt a closer bond with him.

While Xu Ziqing was contemplating this, he heard Yun Lie’s voice once again, “This prohibition is not malicious; it serves a protective purpose.”

Relieved, Xu Ziqing smiled and thanked Yun Lie, saying, “Thank you, Brother Yun. I will proceed inside.” With those words, he stepped forward and scraped the token he held against the prohibition.

A colored light flashed, and a thin film adhered to the token, resembling a talisman. Soon, the film faded into the token, which then emitted a faint inner light, seemingly coming alive.

Amazed by the experience, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but appreciate the substance of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. It truly lived up to its reputation as a long-established force in the small world of Haotian.

As he looked up, he noticed a faint white mist enveloping the entire rocky outcrop, indicating the area where the house was located. This mist was a manifestation of the prohibition, ensuring that no one could disturb him while he cultivated here.

Feeling increasingly satisfied, Xu Ziqing lifted his steps and entered the house. Upon entering, he found the interior elegantly furnished, far surpassing what he had seen in the inn or on the spirit boat.

In addition to the outer hall and the bedroom, there was a quiet room dedicated to cultivation. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a white candle on the floor, creating a clean and pleasant atmosphere.

Satisfied with the arrangement, Xu Ziqing nodded and made up his mind to enter seclusion. Just as he was about to do so, the token suddenly emitted a fluctuation, catching his attention. He stepped out to investigate.

There stood a young boy and girl who had triggered the prohibition. The boy, dressed as a servant, and the girl, dressed as a maidservant, appeared respectful.

Approaching Xu Ziqing, the boy spoke first, “Immortal Xu, Qingfeng and Miaoyue are here to serve.”

Xu Ziqing realized that these two must be the servants assigned to cater to the cultivators staying at the High Guest House who held the first-class token. He pondered for a moment and decided not to refuse their assistance.

In his previous life, Xu Ziqing had been attended to by many personal servants, and he had also encountered numerous servant girls in the Xu family. Thus, he was accustomed to having servants. Rejecting their services would likely be seen as an offense, and punishing them would only make their lives more difficult. It was simpler to accept their help and avoid unnecessary trouble.

With a slight smile, Xu Ziqing said, “Qingfeng, you will take care of my courtyard, while Miaoyue will handle the food and water preparations. I will be in seclusion for a few days, so I will place a prohibition outside the inner room. You two should not approach it to avoid any harm.”

The Loose Cultivator Alliance was concerned that these high-ranking outsiders might suspect foul play, so the servants and maidservants assigned were all martial artists—physically strong but not cultivators. Naturally, they would not pose a threat and would not be able to pry into Xu Ziqing’s techniques and secrets.

Qingfeng and Miaoyue, feeling relieved by Xu Ziqing’s gentle attitude, responded obediently, “Yes, Immortal Xu.”

Xu Ziqing pondered for a moment and then said, “I will proceed with my seclusion now. You two can settle into the ear room.” With that, he returned to his quiet room. After a few days without food and water, he needed to focus on his battle strategy.

Due to Xu Ziqing’s serene state of mind, he faced no obstacles when entering into meditation, and this occasion was no different. Seated in a cross-legged position on the futon, he silently practiced the eighth chapter of the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique,” gathering spiritual energy within his body. Starting from the twelve meridians that had been previously opened, he followed the complete cycle thirty-six times, repeating this process back and forth for a total of one hundred and eight times as a warm-up exercise.

Next, he performed the exercises once more, focusing on opening the acupoints on the top of his head. He drew in the continuous flow of spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth, allowing it to descend from his singular spiritual root and directly into his dantian.

At that moment, Xu Ziqing sensed a noticeable difference in the way he absorbed the aura of the heavens and the earth, surpassing his past experiences.

The sensation spread through Xu Ziqing’s acupuncture points, akin to a delightful massage as if his entire body was being soothed by warm water. Every meridian, muscle, and bone felt invigorated and comfortable.

Indeed, the spiritual energy drawn from the vicinity of the spirit nodes contained the balanced essence of the five elements emanating from those nodes. This allowed the wood spiritual roots to bypass the filtering process and advance much faster.

Feeling immense comfort, Xu Ziqing not only intensified his cultivation speed but also poured in spiritual energy more vigorously. Yet, he experienced no discomfort; on the contrary, he felt increasingly joyful.

The spiritual energy transformed into spiritual power, surging through the meridians where several acupuncture points had been opened. This time, it flowed freely, consecutively opening four or five acupuncture points without obstruction. The spiritual energy refused to halt, continuing to surge toward the next acupuncture point.

Xu Ziqing found this development to be quite unusual.

If placed in a similar situation before, Xu Ziqing would have been ecstatic but cautious, taking a pause to internally assess and prevent any damage to his meridians due to the rapid progress. However, this time, he accepted it as a natural occurrence and felt a sense of transcendence in his mind.

His spiritual energy surged relentlessly, and within a few breaths, he had consecutively opened seven or eight acupuncture points in quick succession. Suddenly, a series of images flashed in Xu Ziqing’s mind. They were scenes from his battle against the blood demon when he was trapped in the blood demon’s formation. These images were vividly presented before him as if they had been imprinted in his consciousness.

It seemed that he had glimpsed something within the blood demon’s techniques that could only be grasped by a higher-level cultivator. These insights were esoteric and mysterious, far beyond his current realm of understanding. Nevertheless, Xu Ziqing diligently recorded and imprinted them in his mind. Although he couldn’t comprehend them fully at the moment, he knew they would be immensely beneficial when he reached a higher realm, aiding him in finding his own path more swiftly or consolidating and strengthening his existing cultivation.

This would enable him to break through to a higher realm at a faster pace.

With a series of explosive sounds, Xu Ziqing’s meridians opened up rapidly, and the thirteenth meridian was unblocked. The spiritual energy surged through, fearlessly piercing through the acupuncture points and orifices as if they were made of paper, unable to resist. Three more acupuncture points… two acupuncture points… one acupuncture point!

The fourteenth meridian was also opened up!

Xu Ziqing exhaled a long breath, and a green-colored mass of Qi formed in front of him. It felt as if a certain barrier in his body had been torn open, and his entire being grew lighter.

He had now reached the eighth level of Qi refinement!

Slowly awakening from his cultivation, Xu Ziqing opened his eyes and looked at his hands. Due to the massive influx of spiritual energy coursing through his bones, his palms appeared extraordinarily moist and slender.

He finally understood that by defeating the blood demon, the Heavenly Dao had indeed bestowed him with great benefits. In that battle, the Heavenly Dao had granted him and Su Xin an ample amount of luck and grace.

Xu Ziqing closed his eyes and reflected on his past experiences. Throughout his journey to immortality, he encountered various inner demons. One such demon arose from a colorful illusory butterfly, which had invoked feelings of despair and thoughts of loved ones from his past life. Fortunately, he overcame that demon without any danger.

However, he couldn’t rest easy, knowing that his path to immortality was filled with potential demons. Another demon he recognized was the mental shackles inherited from his previous life. He was unwilling to take lives, even though circumstances in the secret realm had pushed him to strike. Even the despicable Tian Liang and Xu Zi Qian were killed by the sword qi Xu Zifeng had bestowed upon Xu Zitang, not by Xu Ziqing’s own hands. But he knew that one day he might have to take a life, and if he couldn’t overcome his reluctance in a critical situation, it might cost him his own life.

If he remained weak in such moments, he would be ashamed and unable to face his friends, even without Yun Lie’s reproach. Although he recognized his weakness and anticipated it to be his next inner demon, he didn’t know how to overcome it and refine his heart further.

This time, Heavenly Will’s first blessing was to rid Xu Ziqing of this particular demon. The blood demon had committed numerous atrocities that could not be compensated for by consoling the countless victims in the South. Even a benevolent man like Xu Ziqing desired to kill such an evil being. However, in killing the blood demon, he inadvertently took Jiao Tu’s life as well. Jiao Tu was innocent, but Xu Ziqing couldn’t afford to be lenient. He felt genuinely remorseful afterward.

But then he discovered that although Jiao Tu had died, his soul remained intact. Through all the twists and turns, the contradictions, and the choices between righteousness and trivial matters, Jiao Tu met his death honorably. Despite Jiao Tu’s demise, there was still hope.

With his unwavering integrity, Xu Ziqing succeeded in accepting Jiao Tu’s death and his own choices. Reflecting on the past, he found solace and overcame his inner demons. As a result, he could now face the possibility of taking a life without being rendered powerless.

Furthermore, the second benefit he gained was the breakthrough in his cultivation level and directly reaching the eighth level of Qi refinement.

The third benefit was the invaluable experience and insights he obtained from battling the blood demon, a cultivator who had already reached the late Golden Core Formation stage.

Even Xu Ziqing, known for his calm demeanor, couldn’t help but feel a wave of excitement in his heart. However, he quickly composed himself, taking a deep breath to regain control of his emotions and temporarily suppress his joy.

But being youthful at heart, Xu Ziqing couldn’t resist calling out in a low voice, “Brother Yun, Brother Yun.”

Yun Lie responded as he emerged, his white robes resting on the ground, his posture cold and distant. He asked, “What is it?”

With a smile and a lighter tone, Xu Ziqing replied, “Brother Yun, I’ve made significant progress in my cultivation thanks to your guidance. I couldn’t contain my excitement and wanted to share it with you.”

Yun Lie lifted his gaze, observing the changes in Xu Ziqing’s eyes, and stated, “Well done.”

Xu Ziqing felt increasingly delighted upon hearing Yun Lie’s words. “I am truly grateful for your kindness, Brother Yun,” he expressed his gratitude.

He proceeded to narrate his breakthrough and transformation to Yun Lie. After spending a considerable amount of time in the other world, there was no one closer to him than his friend who resided in the storage ring.

Yun Lie patiently listened until Xu Ziqing finished, then nodded slightly. “I am pleased that you have overcome your inner demons,” he acknowledged.

Xu Ziqing’s smile grew wider. It was the first time Yun Lie had shown satisfaction, and even though Xu Ziqing couldn’t see his friend’s smile, it filled his heart with joy.

However, Yun Lie added, “The battle with the blood demon will bring you great benefits. Therefore, you should conduct further research and not neglect it.”

Xu Ziqing cleared his throat lightly, composed his expression, and responded solemnly, “I understand, Brother Yun. I will take it upon myself.”

Afterward, Yun Lie’s figure faintly dissipated, swiftly disappearing without a trace once again.

Xu Ziqing didn’t dwell on it and settled back down, reopening the acupuncture points on the top of his head. He guided his spiritual energy in accordance with his techniques, deeply reflecting on his battle with the blood demon.

He became so engrossed in his thoughts that he lost track of time, unaware of how much had elapsed.

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