Translator: SilverNeko
Editor: Dancing Dolphins Yo!
Jun YanZhi’s complexion was as cold as ice, as he stood up from the ground and looked at Xi Fang.
He didn’t speak, but no one dared to look down upon him again.
Lu ZhiShan put away the empty ancient scroll that was in his hands before he slowly said: “Do you know which technique you just inherited?”
Jun YanZhi replied in a neither slow nor fast pace: “The powerful one clearly explained everything.”
Lu ZhiShan: “Good, very good……” He watched Jun YanZhi as he solemnly said: “A demonic cultivator is currently obstructing the path of cultivation. Right now, the lives of over seventy people of Qing Xu Sword sect and sixteen people of Gu Jing sect are depending on you.”
The entire back hall was silent, as they waited for Jun YanZhi’s reaction.
Jun YanZhi glanced at Xi Fang and the various peak masters. He tightly pressed his lips together for a while before he finally replied: “Didn’t sect head and the peak masters suspect me as the demonic cultivator a few days ago? But now you’re fine with leaving the lives of the Tian Heng peak disciples to me?”
Xi Fang’s expression didn’t change. It was clear and clean without the slightest trace of guilt: “You have very high talent and have to shoulder this heavy responsibility. I have to consider the future prospects of Qing Xu Sword sect. Suspecting you is something within my obligations. You are extremely intelligent so it shouldn’t be that you do not understand.”
Xi Fang only had the Qing Xu Sword sect in his eyes. He never did things to please others, nor did he request that other people understand him. He just sought to have a clear conscience.
Jun YanZhi lowered his head and then raised it again to look at Xi Fang. His tone of voice was heavier and slower. He had regained his normal modest gentleman appearance: “Sect head’s elucidation, disciple understands. In Qing Xu Sword sect’s calamity, disciple will not resign even if I die a thousand times over.”
The peak masters all simultaneously looked at him, but no one knew one thing. It was that even if Jun YanZhi didn’t want to not resign even if he died a thousand times over, he would still have to partic.i.p.ate.
His looks were very elegant. When he was cold, it seemed to distance people thousands of miles away. But at this moment when his expression relaxed, there was a little bit of warmth. It made people feel as if they were immersed in a spring breeze. It made the atmosphere in the back hall peaceful and relaxed.
Although that was what he said, his eyebrows slightly knitted together as if there were some difficulties and unwillingness, but he didn’t voice them out.
Xi Fang saw his expression and with a sway of his sleeves, a white jade plaque[0]appeared in his hands: “If you train in the《Hundred Herbs Thousand Souls Method》, for every time you advance a level, your cultivation will stagnate for three years which is greatly unfair. This is the jade plaque of Yu Rong peak’s Flying Immortal tower. You will be allowed to choose a sword in the tower as well as three sets of martial art methods. For Xiao Tian pill and the Qi Yuan pill, you will receive 500 each. If you still want anything else, you can tell Zhu Jin.”[1]
The Flying Immortal tower was a place where only the top three Foundation Building disciples of the interpeak compet.i.tion could visit once. Other than them, only the peak masters and Golden Core cultivators could enter.
Martial art methods were categorized into low level, middle level, high level, and supreme level. Any methods above those would all be inherited methods. Half of Yu Rong peak was a library. Inside there were several thousand low level, middle level, and even high level methods. Only Foundation Building disciples were allowed in. However, inside Flying Immortal tower was Qing Xu Sword sect’s few dozens of supreme level methods. The strength of a few sets of methods were even stronger than inherited methods.
These three methods would definitely let his cultivation take huge leaps.
Xi Fang’s compensation could only be considered overcompensating and not under compensating.
Jun YanZhi lowered his gaze and took the box from Xi Fang. His tone of voice was apologetic, and the last bit of unwillingness finally disappeared: “……Disciple thanks sect head.”
Lu ZhiShan who saw the situation slowly said: “The things in the future are unpredictable. Starting from today, you must secretly practice《Hundred Herbs Thousand Souls Method》. You must not slack off. It’s a pity that no one knew this method’s wonders. Even I have only barely heard about the effects of the first three levels. After the first three levels, it must be a whole new sky and earth[2].”
Jun YanZhi frowned and lowered his gaze: “Understood.”
Lu ZhiShan sighed and continued: “……Although the inheritor has been chosen, the chances of successfully cultivating the method aren’t necessarily high. Starting from today, you don’t need to think about the various mundane things. Just go into closed-door cultivation. You must enter the first level within half a month, that way you can save everyone.”
“Yes.”
Xi Fang asked Lu ZhiShan: “Is there anything else to prepare?”
Lu ZhiShan stroked his beard: “Currently, I do not know, but there might be the need for medicinal plants. Wait until he has cultivated the method into the first level, and naturally, we’ll know.”
Xi Fang pondered for a while before he asked Zhu Jin: “Has peak master Duan Xuan of Hui Shi peak come out of closed-door cultivation yet?”
“He has not yet come out.”
Xi Fang couldn’t help but frown: “I know now. Peak masters, you all should go back to look after your peak’s disciples. If anything happens, immediately come to discuss.”
“Yes.” Everyone responded and went their own way. Jun YanZhi also left.
There were only Xi Fang and Lu ZhiShan within the back hall.
Lu ZhiShan slowly said: “This demonic cultivator, who does sect head Xi believe it is?”
Xi Fang: “Does elder Lu have a guess?”
Lu ZhiShan’s expression became bitter: “Sect head Xi doesn’t know, but when I went back to Gu Jing sect, I found that over ten other disciple’s under me had also lost their reason and fell into madness. They were imprisoned.”
Xi Fang: “Does elder Lu mean that this demonic cultivator might not be within Qing Xu Sword sect?”
For a long time Lu ZhiShan remained silent before he finally said: “When I went back to Gu Jing sect, I did a thorough investigation. When a demonic cultivator with a higher level of cultivation enters a state of madness, it could cause the heart demons in people within an area of a few kilometers, even tens of kilometers to become more active, resulting in them losing their reason. This method is the most brutal and cruel. No one in the vicinity can avoid it, but this demonic cultivator only led seventy-some people from Tian Heng peak into madness. The rest of the people are still as usual. To do this, the demonic cultivator must use their own blood. My guess is that these seventy-some people probably drank water that contained the demonic cultivator’s blood. Then the demonic cultivator would only need to use their thoughts to make people sink into madness.”
Xi Fang: “Then the thirty-some disciples of elder Lu also drank water with the demonic cultivator’s blood?”
“……It’s hard to say, but looking at it this way, this demonic cultivator might not be in Qing Xu Sword sect.”
“If it’s really like this, then what is this person’s goal, and what are they going to do next?”
Lu ZhiShan: “This demonic cultivator’s level of cultivation is high. If they are really at Nascent Soul stage, then they can gather demonic energy and hide their cultivation to the point that neither you nor I can tell. Unfortunately, both of our sect’s Nascent Soul stage cultivators are in the middle of closed-door cultivation, and it is unknown how many years it will be before they come out. This is worrying.”
Xi Fang gazed out the window and was silent for a long time before he replied: “……Just let Jun YanZhi give it a try. With heaven sending down disasters, the amount of casualties is already determined. It is already outside of the control of you and me.”
Evening time, the sky was gradually darkening.
The birds in the forest were all huddled into a ball. Each one was leaning on another, slightly ruffling their feathers.
Wen Jing didn’t know when Jun YanZhi would come back, so he returned to his own stone house. He meditated while he waited. The tortoise was quietly lying on the floor, chewing slowly.
After waiting for a long time and still with no sign of Jun YanZhi coming to find him, Wen Jing walked next to the clear spring in the courtyard and took off his clothing
The habit of washing up every day probably couldn’t be changed in this lifetime.
It was already late Spring, but it was colder in the mountains. Taking showers, Wen Jing always sought to experience a refreshing feeling. Using the wooden pail, he scooped out a lot of water and poured it onto his head. The water from the spring was ice cold and clear as he poured it onto himself.
As soon as the water from the pail was completely poured out, Wen Jing touched his face and then froze.
A light fragrance floated in front of his nose and spiritual energy swayed in the wind.
“Shixiong……”
He was embarra.s.sed as he looked at the person in front of him in silence.
“Taking a bath?” Jun YanZhi’s gaze seemed to sweep over. He slightly opened his mouth before closing it again. Finally, he lightly gazed into the distance: “Shidi, you should put on your clothes. I didn’t see anything.”
Although Wen Jing didn’t dare to say it aloud, he always felt that Jun YanZhi was a little childish. He clearly saw it, yet he needed to say that he didn’t see it. Even if you saw, it didn’t matter. We’re both guys. It won’t affect his n.o.ble and unsullied reputation……
The clean clothes were hung on a bamboo stalk behind Jun YanZhi, so Jun YanZhi had to hand him the clothes. Once Wen Jing had worn his pants, he excitedly asked Jun YanZhi while drying his hair: “What happened today?”
Jun YanZhi deliberated his words and phrasing: “……Today, I inherited a cultivation method.”
Wen Jing was bursting with excitement, so much so that flowers were blooming in his heart, but he still put on a surprised expression: “What method?”
“It’s goes by《Hundred Herbs Thousand Souls Method》and is a technique to suppress demonic cultivators that requires a wood spirit root. If this method could be learned, then it is possible to save the seventy-some Tian Heng peak disciples.” Jun YanZhi gave a slight cough before continuing, “Maybe it could even save peak master Zhao.”
“Really?” Wen Jing was surprised for a while before he said with a smile, “Just save however many you can, Shixiong. No matter what, you are still Qing Xu Sword sect’s savior.”
Jun YanZhi lightly smiled: “I have to go into closed-door cultivation for the following half a month. You……Would you be willing to accompany me?”
“Okay. When you enter into meditation in the house, I’ll wait by your side.”
Wen Jing’s clothing was half open. His smile was pure and with the summer night wind blowing around his youthful body, it emitted a refreshing feeling that was unique to men. It slightly shook people up.
Jun YanZhi lowered his head: “It’s getting late. You should sleep. I’ll be going back now.”
“I’ll come to find you tomorrow morning.”
Jun YanZhi didn’t say anything excessive anymore and just touched the pouch on his waist that carried the little red fruits: “Empty again.”
“I’ll get you more.” Wen Jing hastily took the pouch and ran towards the house.
At dawn the next day, Jun YanZhi swallowed a Bi Gu pill and entered meditation in a small room in the stone house. Wen Jing also moved over to live in his house.
Originally there were only the two of them, but Xi Fang summoned Liu QianMo to Yu Rong peak and told him about Jun YanZhi inheriting the《Hundred Herbs Thousand Souls Method》, telling him to keep this a secret from others temporarily. He also commanded him and He Ling to go together to guard and keep watch.
Therefore, Liu QianMo and He Ling also moved into Jun YanZhi’s living s.p.a.ce to protect his safety.
Ten days quietly pa.s.sed. Initially, he was as idle as the drifting clouds and wild storks, but Wen Jing’s mind was wandering and a little worried.
The tortoise went missing.
The tortoise sometimes lingered to a random corner around the peak, but it would always go back to its home at night or come to Jun YanZhi’s place to find him. However, in the last ten days, the tortoise disappeared without a trace. Even the little fruits that were prepared for it weren’t eaten.
Wen Jing searched Hui Shi peak many times but found nothing. He was both anxious and worried.
The tortoise was shixiong’s spirit beast. Only Jun YanZhi had a way to summon or locate it. Wen Jing couldn’t do anything since Jun YanZhi was meditating in a small room in the stone house.
At dawn on that day, a wave of wood fragrance floated out from the small room in the stone house, quietly. Jun YanZhi’s residence was filled with a fragrance that made people’s mind and body feel refreshed.
Wen Jing was the first to rush over and he stood in front of the stone house.
In a moment, the fragrance faded, and the door slowly opened.
Jun YanZhi appeared from inside the stone house. His complexion was ruddy. His spirit felt like it was soaring. He was energetic and glowing as if he had just slept for a few days and nights.
“Shixiong, you came out!” Wen Jing suppressed his excitement, trying to make his voice as calm as possible.
Jun YanZhi was just about to grab Wen Jing’s hand when he felt two extremely familiar spirit energies: “Senior martial brother and second martial brother are also here?”
“En.”
Jun YanZhi lightly frowned.
“Jun YanZhi had entered mediation in the stone house for a total of 13 days and nights when suddenly, his consciousness was surrounded by a ball of pale white light. He followed what was written in the method and cycled the white ball of light through all of his meridians. At first, there was a bursting pain, but then it slowly lightened. However, when the white ball of light was cycled through the mind, a pain radiated all the way down to the bones, causing his entire body to tremble uncontrollably.
Although Jun YanZhi was not clear on this, he knew that temporarily he could’nt touch the thing in his mind, so he just cycled the white ball of light around his body.
On that day, the white ball of light suddenly brightened. After a light wave of dizziness, his body emitted a strong wood fragrance. He knew that he had already practiced to the first level.”
——Excerpt from《A Calamity for All Living Things》chapter 64.
Footnotes:
[0] Picture of the white jade plaque provided by the editor. ^^
[1] There’s a lot of names here. For the story it isn’t necessary to really remember their names and what they do since you can just take it as him getting a lot of rewards and compensation, but if you do want to know:
Qi Yuan pill is a Qi replenishing pill. If you translate directly, it means Qi Source.
I’m not sure on the Xiao Tian pill as I couldn’t find it on any forums for common cultivation genre pill on Baidu, but I a.s.sume it helps with breaking through and advancing levels. The direct translations means daybreak or dawn.
[3] This is a phrase meaning like basically a whole new world. In this case he means the effects would be completely different and no one knows what it’ll be like but in an optimistic way. If this still doesn’t make sense, try to remember the phrase there’s always people beyond people and skys beyond skys.
Tn: Wait! I think I caught onto something. Is it possible that maybe Jun YanZhi is the one behind this to try and get back the cultivation method??? Especially since he mentioned that they can’t test out his cultivation and that Lu ZhiShan’s disciples back in his sect also lost their minds and what not. The only problem is with the blood. Maybe Jun YanZhi has a different method since his demonic cultivation is innate?
Note: It’s not under a spoiler warning because I’m guessing and have only read until the latest translated chapter to keep my motivation high. ^^
Yay! I finished my first round of midterms! T^T Tears of joy. Is it just my school or do you guys also have three midterms for science courses? It feels more like a quarter term or test, but they call it midterms so it’s so stressful. Sorry for the late release. I’ll be spending some more time translating these few weeks.