Chapter 50 - Arc 5: Loose Cultivator Alliance | Chapter 50: Daoism

Chapter 50 - Arc 5: Loose Cultivator Alliance | Chapter 50: Daoism

Translator: Lynn

Five days had passed.

Inside the secluded room, numerous auras compressed together, filling the space without any gaps. In the center, a vortex had formed, twisting the surrounding aura into a long rope that spun around the whirlpool before converging and pouring into its core.

Seated on a futon at the heart of the vortex was a handsome young cultivator. His legs were crossed, hands resting on his knees, as he performed a mysterious incantation. Above the acupuncture points on his head, spiritual energy flowed in like a long dragon, eager to descend and almost solidifying.

A closer look would reveal that his entire body was enveloped in a radiant layer, resembling white mist, giving him an ethereal appearance.

After a considerable amount of time, the aura suddenly quickened, causing the young man to furrow his brow. Suddenly, an explosion occurred!

His limbs trembled slightly, and his eyes shot open—

“Hoo—” A cloud of green qi burst forth from his mouth before being drawn back into his abdomen.

The young man’s eyes emanated a green glow, and his expression turned solemn. With a series of intricate hand gestures, he uttered a command, gathering all the Qi around him.

At that moment, the young man’s body exuded warmth and tranquility, as if he had momentarily descended from the immortal realm into the mortal world, evoking a sense of closeness.

Gradually, the green luminescence in his eyes, around his body, and in his dantian faded away.

“Finally, a small success.” Xu Ziqing smiled gently.

During these days of meditation, Xu Ziqing had fully immersed himself in the battle between himself, Su Xin, and the blood demon. Every movement made by Su Xin and the blood demon had been meticulously analyzed countless times by Xu Ziqing and reconstructed repeatedly.

Through constant reflection, Xu Ziqing not only memorized the trajectory of Su Xin’s sword but also gained a clear understanding of the blood demon’s formation.

Naturally, Xu Ziqing had no intention of learning the cruel and malevolent “Corpse Devil Bone Etching Formation,” but rather sought to deduce cultivation methods utilized by higher-level cultivators from the blood demon’s formation techniques.

Although the blood demon had inhabited Jiao Tu’s body at the time, his cultivation level was relatively weak, but his realm was still present. Delving into such intricate techniques would inevitably lead to enchantment.

Apart from that, Xu Ziqing also resolved a hidden issue.

To break the formation, Xu Ziqing released the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine, which absorbed all the blood mist within the formation, thus shattering it.

However, despite Xu Ziqing successfully subduing the vine through the Essence of Ethereal Wood and making it the foundation of his control over all vegetation, it remained untamed and bloodthirsty by nature.

Due to Xu Ziqing’s insufficient cultivation level to suppress the vine, he had refrained from allowing it to feed on flesh and blood in the past. This time, Xu Ziqing unsealed the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine, enabling it to feed to its heart’s content.

However, the blood mist within the formation consisted entirely of human blood, infused with the strong emotions of resentment, anger, injustice, and hatred from the Southern region’s unfortunate victims. ÚpTodated novels on no(v)el()bin(.)com

These negative emotions served as nourishment for the blood demon, amplifying the power of the formation, and were also a delectable feast for the demon vine. Yet, as soon as Xu Ziqing made contact with the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine and communicated with it after his meditation, these emotions assailed him, almost corroding his mind.

Fortunately, Xu Ziqing had few cravings in life and possessed a gentle and benevolent nature, resulting in a resilient dao heart. He swiftly composed himself and immediately absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, employing the “Ten Thousand Woods Seeding Heart Technique” to pacify the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine. Gradually, the vine awakened from its instinctual state and returned to docility.

Together, the demon vine and Xu Ziqing worked diligently to dispel the resentment and anger of the Southern victims, gradually regaining clarity.

Xu Ziqing considered himself fortunate that he had made the conscious decision to stabilize his Qi refining cultivation at the eighth level and had voluntarily initiated the technique to connect with the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine. Otherwise, if the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine’s consciousness had suddenly grown restless and erupted while he was in the midst of his meditation, the consequences would have been dire, potentially driving him to madness.

Finishing his cultivation practice, Xu Ziqing rose from his seat.

As he stood up, the atmosphere in the room abruptly dissipated, as if it had lost its magnetic pull.

After emerging from the tranquil room, Xu Ziqing gestured to lift the barrier and discovered a small courtyard secluded from the outside world.

Within the courtyard, Qingfeng was diligently sweeping while Miaoyue, true to her name, had adorned the enclosed flower garden with fragrant flowers and trees, creating a delightful aroma.

As soon as Xu Ziqing appeared, both servants noticed and ceased their activities to pay their respects.

Miaoyue showed keen perception. “Master Xu, would you like to have a meal now?”

Xu Ziqing was taken aback, realizing his hunger and initially intending to provide Qingfeng with gold and jade to purchase ingredients. However, he didn’t expect Miaoyue to suggest it first.

Noticing his confusion, Qingfeng hastily explained, “Immortal Master is an esteemed guest with a first-class token, and the Loose Cultivator Alliance is willing to provide hospitality.”

In the Outer Members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance, those with a third-class token were given accommodation, while those with a second-class token received additional servants. Furthermore, those with a first-class token, like Xu Ziqing, were provided regular meals by the Loose Cultivator Alliance, in addition to the other benefits.

Xu Ziqing was far from the Valley’s realm, so he would have had to spend a considerable amount on food. However, with Su Xin obtaining a first-class token for him, he could save himself the trouble. This shifted Xu Ziqing’s perspective of Su Xin, a seemingly impulsive young man. He realized that beneath the recklessness, Su Xin possessed thoughtfulness and care.

Smiling, Xu Ziqing nodded. “I am hungry. Let’s eat.”

Qingfeng swiftly brought over a stone table, his muscular arms indicating his strength. Meanwhile, Miaoyue headed to a side room where a small kitchen had been set up. Anticipating the master’s emergence from seclusion, Miaoyue and others had prepared and kept the food warm, ensuring utmost diligence.

In no time, the meal was served.

During that time, after acquiring the blood demon’s flesh, Xu Ziqing stored it in his storage ring and severed its connection with the blood demon, making it unable to easily summon its flesh and necessitating its removal.

Following the battle with the blood demon, Xu Ziqing felt relieved after crushing its spirit, and his mind became at ease. It was then that Su Xin extended an invitation to join the Loose Cultivator Alliance, which Xu Ziqing had forgotten about.

As this realization crossed his mind, Xu Ziqing’s expression turned slightly peculiar.

After obtaining the blood demon’s flesh, his friend Yun Ling had an aversion to it and preferred to remain outside the storage ring. However, after the battle with the blood demon, Yun Ling had erased some memories of Xin, the host, and re-entered the storage ring... Now that he thought about it, could it be that at that time, Yun Ling also forgot where the blood demon’s flesh was?

If that were the case...

The first thing Xu Ziqing decided to do was to inquire about those who were present at that time.

He composed himself and said, “I still have the blood demon’s flesh in my possession. If you want to see it, I can bring it out.”

Su Xin was also concerned that Xu Ziqing had lost the flesh, but upon hearing that it was still intact, he felt relieved. “It’s not that I personally want to see it, but my master is skeptical and needs to witness it with his own eyes to believe me.”

Understanding the concern of Su Xin’s master, Xu Ziqing replied, “Naturally, it is understandable that your master is worried about you. I will present this flesh as a gift upon my entry into the Alliance.”

Hearing this, Su Xin became overjoyed. “That’s wonderful! My master will be pleased!”

Without further ado, Xu Ziqing flicked his sleeve and placed the flesh in an open space not far away.

As the blood demon’s flesh emerged, a strong aura of blood immediately permeated the surroundings. The entire mountain rock seemed to be filled with a suffocating and oppressive sensation, making even breathing difficult.

The withered and desiccated body resembled a skeletal figure, with thin flesh and blood barely covering the skeleton, resembling a skinned corpse. The face was shapeless, with seven orifices and no trace of hair.

Seeing the blood demon’s flesh for the first time, Su Xin was caught off guard. His eyes widened, and he instinctively covered his mouth and nose, almost gagging. The grotesque appearance was simply too repulsive...

Quickly realizing the discomfort, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

Once Su Xin regained his composure, he felt slightly embarrassed by Xu Ziqing’s tolerant attitude. “Fellow Daoist Xu, I apologize for making you laugh.”

Shaking his head, Xu Ziqing chuckled. “Daoist friend Su Xin, you have a pure heart. The sight of the blood demon’s flesh is indeed... unpleasant when first encountered.”

Upon hearing Xu Ziqing’s understanding, Su Xin felt a sense of irony in his heart. He had never been close to others, but interacting with Xu Ziqing felt like a refreshing breeze, causing him to develop a fondness for him. He spoke candidly, “Fellow Daoist Xu, we have only known each other for a few days, but I feel a strong connection. May I address you as ‘Brother Ziqing’?”

Admiring Su Xin’s straightforward nature, Xu Ziqing naturally accepted and replied, “It would be my honor. Please feel free to address me as you wish.”

Su Xin waved his hand. “Brother Ziqing, you are excellent in all aspects, but you are overly modest and polite. Since I call you ‘Brother Ziqing’ and you are two years older than me, please call me ‘Younger brother’ or ‘Ah Xin’.”

Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “Younger Brother Xin.”

The two of them exchanged smiles once again, both feeling a sense of camaraderie.

After spending a few more moments with Xu Ziqing, Su Xin stood up, pushing his chair back. “Brother Ziqing, my master is still waiting for me to hand over the blood demon’s flesh, so I should go first.”

Xu Ziqing also rose to bid him farewell. “Please, Younger Brother Xin, go ahead. There’s no need for me to see you off.”

The two exchanged their goodbyes, and Su Xin summoned his flying sword, which appeared behind him. With a swift leap, he mounted the sword and nodded to Xu Ziqing. With a slight movement, he vanished on the flying sword.

Xu Ziqing turned around, a smile playing on his lips.

Qingfeng and Miaoyue stood respectfully nearby.

Xu Ziqing gave her instructions. “I will be descending the mountain, and I’m unsure when I will return. You two should take care of the house.”

They immediately replied, “Yes, sir.”

With a thought, Xu Ziqing conjured two blue leaves beneath his feet, and he descended the mountain, floating on the leaves.

“The two of them were in the same boat,” he thought to himself.

As members of the Alliance, they were bound to follow its rules.

Su Xin had informed Xu Ziqing about the practice of exchanging resources within the Alliance, where people traded items they didn’t need for contributions and then used those contributions to acquire the resources they required. It was a convenient system.

Reflecting on his experiences since leaving the secret realm, Xu Ziqing realized that his cultivation still needed to be deeper, and he had many areas in which he fell short. The “TTen Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” he was practicing was incredibly intricate, but it demanded high requirements.

Xu Ziqing realized that during his time in the secret realm, he had obtained demon vines as his primary spiritual trees and acquired more than a dozen varieties of secondary trees. However, he still lacked a few. Although the demon vine possessed great power, its instinctive behavior was difficult to control, making it unsuitable for frequent use in battles. Reflecting on this, Xu Ziqing concluded that the secondary trees held significant importance, and he preferred not to select them during the Qi refining stage. Therefore, he needed to acquire a few more secondary trees and dedicate time to their cultivation.

Taking stock of his current resources, Xu Ziqing carefully assessed his net worth. Having spent five years in the secret realm, he had accumulated numerous high-quality spiritual plants in the underground cave at the bottom of the lake. The quantity in his storage ring likely exceeded a thousand, with the lower estimate being around two or three thousand.

Additionally, the bloodthirsty demon vine required blood as sustenance while it grew, so Xu Ziqing would venture out daily to hunt monsters and beasts for feeding purposes.

Considering the substantial value of his collection, Xu Ziqing realized it was impractical to display everything at once. After contemplating for a while, he decided to prioritize a visit to the trading hall.

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