The Stranger, White Bone Prayer Beads

It's difficult to reason with someone who is fixated on something.

If you tried to talk to Xuan Wuqi about other things, he might not truly understand his mistakes.

But Duan Tianya's words in the pitch-black night, where his expression couldn't be seen, "Accepting punishment will delay your cultivation," struck directly at Xuan Wuqi's core.

Even if Luo Bei were truly considered an opponent, cultivation is not about winning or losing in a single day.

"As cultivators, shouldn't our future practice rely on ourselves? Why then do we form sects and factions, establish numerous rules and regulations, and be restricted by others? Is it solely for the inheritance of techniques?"

With one realization leading to many, Xuan Wuqi finally understood his mistake. However, for the first time violating the rules, Xuan Wuqi suddenly found himself pondering a question that he couldn't quite grasp:

***

"Xuan Wuqi disregarded the teachings of his elders, abandoned his fellow disciples, and left them in danger. He violated sect rules. Considering it his first offense, he shall be confined to face the wall for ten days."

Shushan has one thousand four hundred and twenty peaks. Of these, two hundred and sixty-four are uninhabited by Shushan disciples, three hundred and eighty-two have no connecting paths, and thirty-two are forbidden areas. For new disciples entering the Geli Peaks, the only areas they can typically access are sixteen.

"Shushan disciples shall not harm fellow disciples... shall not bully the weak... shall not associate with demons..."

After Xuan Wuqi incurred Ming Hao's wrath, Ming Hao's expression for the following day was several times more severe than usual. Luo Bei and the other disciples spent the entire day studying the Shushan regulations.

"Compared to this, my Luofu has none of these tedious formalities."

Luo Bei, with his simple mind, had no other thoughts beyond this one.

"Where is Martial Uncle Ming Hao?"

"Who is this?"

"Look at the scar on his face."

"What's wrong with his eyes?"

Another day passed. After Luo Bei and Cai Shu finished practicing the Foundation Establishment Fist Technique, they discovered that the person instructing them had changed. Before Luo Bei stood not the slightly plump Ming Hao, but a man with somewhat scorched yellow hair, wearing a dark green long robe. He appeared to be in his thirties and had a stern expression.

What drew Luo Bei and the others' attention the most was a terrifying scar on the man's left cheek. It looked as if half of the flesh on his left side had been blown away by some magic treasure and then regrown, giving him a ghastly appearance. His left eye was also very strange; the black pupil seemed to be twice the size of his right eye. As his gaze swept coldly over Luo Bei and the others, they all felt a sense of unease.

"My name is Dan Lingsheng. You may call me Martial Uncle."

This tall, thin man with scorched yellow hair and a terrifying scar on his face stood at the lecture platform in the Hall of Nourishing the Heart and addressed Luo Bei and the others, who were returning to their yellow straw mats.

"So he's Dan Lingsheng."

"You know him?" Luo Bei, sitting beside Cai Shu, heard her murmur.

"He's Bing Zhujun's third disciple. It's said he hates evil and is ruthless in his actions. He once single-handedly wiped out a sect that practiced evil cultivation techniques. The scar on his face is said to be from a magic battle," Cai Shu replied softly to Luo Bei.

"Then what's wrong with his eyes?"

"He doesn't primarily cultivate Flying Swords; he practices other Daoist arts. It's said his left eye became that way after cultivating a certain incantation. It should have a special function, but I don't know what," Cai Shu continued to whisper.

"For the next few days, I will be teaching you." At this moment, Dan Lingsheng glanced coldly at Cai Shu and Luo Bei, as if he had overheard their conversation. Cai Shu and Luo Bei both felt a chill run down their spines. Dan Lingsheng then continued, his voice low, almost a whisper, yet somehow everyone could hear him clearly, "I know you are all here because your talent is far superior to ordinary people. But don't assume that just because you've reached Shushan, a place filled with magic flying swords, you are guaranteed to achieve something. I don't expect everyone to understand that cultivation is not the same as practicing spells. I only ask that you not be as foolish as the batch of idiots I've taught before."

After these words, the Hall of Nourishing the Heart became even quieter. Zi Xuangu and the others sat up straight, as if trying to prove they were definitely not idiots.

"Luo Bei," Dan Lingsheng suddenly called out, "I heard you collected five types of herbs the day before yesterday?"

Luo Bei unconsciously glanced at Cai Shu and nodded in surprise, "Yes, Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng."

"Do you know what would be produced if you refined water chestnut fruit and xishen leaf together without adding liudan wood?"

"I don't know." Luo Bei looked at Cai Shu blankly. Cai Shu also shook her head slightly; she didn't know either.

"Then what about refining liudan wood and xishen leaf together?"

"I don't know." Luo Bei shook his head again.

"So even high talent has its limits." Dan Lingsheng let out a scoff. Without paying attention to Luo Bei, he moved his left hand, and a phantom image of a peculiar plant, about three feet tall, with emerald green leaves but black flowers, appeared with astonishing clarity before everyone's eyes. "Today, all of you will go to Tianzhu Peak again. Those who haven't found the previously mentioned five herbs will find them. Those who have already found the five herbs will go and find this poison arrow orchid. I will also give each of you a Flying Flame Talisman. However, since you've already been to Tianzhu Peak once, you will no longer be going in pairs. You will search alone, so pay attention. If you encounter danger and don't have time to activate the Flying Flame Talisman, don't blame me."

After a pause, Dan Lingsheng swept his gaze coldly over everyone and said emotionlessly, "You have all memorized the Shushan regulations yesterday. Just like last time, I will use the Flying Flame Talisman as the signal. Those who see the Flying Flame Talisman and do not immediately return will no longer need to remain in Shushan!"

"Not remaining in Shushan? Does that mean expulsion from the sect?!" Luo Bei and the others couldn't help but look up at Dan Lingsheng. But seeing his somber expression, they all felt in their hearts that the stern Dan Lingsheng was not making an empty threat.

"Luo Bei," at the iron chain bridge of Tianzhu Peak, Dan Lingsheng, who made the new disciples feel somewhat guilty, called Luo Bei aside again. "You seem to have a good relationship with Lin Hang."

Unsure why Dan Lingsheng would suddenly ask this, Luo Bei was taken aback, but he still nodded, "Yes, Senior Brother Lin Hang has taken good care of me. Is something wrong, Martial Uncle?"

Dan Lingsheng glanced at Luo Bei. "Lin Hang hasn't found the xishen leaf yet. Why didn't you tell him where you found the xishen leaf?"

How does Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng know where we found the xishen leaf? How does he know there were several more on that cliff we found?

Luo Bei had these thoughts. After a slight hesitation, Dan Lingsheng sneered again, "Luo Bei, there's a saying: if you don't want anyone to know, don't do it. Moreover, this is Shushan. You've already fought with the Jing Shen disciples, do you still expect others not to know? However, I'm not here to pursue this matter now. I just saw you walking with Lin Hang earlier and you seemed hesitant, perhaps wondering whether to tell him, but you ultimately didn't. I'm just curious and want to know why you didn't tell him."

"The rocks in that area are a bit loose and quite dangerous," Luo Bei replied, looking coldly at Dan Lingsheng. "His legs are not convenient. Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng, you've asked us to go into the mountain alone again this time. I was afraid that if I told him, he might encounter misfortune going to that place. I thought that perhaps if I didn't tell him about that place, he might find it elsewhere, so I didn't tell him."

"So that's how it is?" Dan Lingsheng stood coldly by the iron chain, watching Luo Bei's figure as he entered the dense forest. "Luo Bei, I hope your words are from the heart."

I wonder if Cai Shu will be a little scared by herself. Probably not, she seems to have practiced Daoist arts already and is much more powerful than us.

Last time, I didn't seem to see the poison arrow orchid that Martial Uncle Dan Lingsheng wants us to find. Maybe I should look in a different direction.

Luo Bei thought this while tightly gripping a Flying Flame Talisman. He hadn't used the last one, and Dan Lingsheng had given him another, so he now had two Flying Flame Talismans. He also had one Yimu Green Lightning Talisman, and after giving a few to Lin Hang, he had three Divine Speed Talismans remaining.

Tianzhu Peak covered a vast area. Walking three to four miles in the opposite direction from last time, Luo Bei discovered a forest filled with birds. The trees in this forest were of various types. By Luo Bei's estimation, he only recognized two or three of them. As Luo Bei entered the forest, countless birds took flight in alarm, and feathers rained down.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of bird droppings. There were bird nests on the branches and in the bushes, and many yellow-beaked, white-feathered young birds were chirping for food. After Luo Bei passed through the forest, it slowly returned to its quiet state.

Continuing forward, the mountain forest became even more wild, with countless thick vines intertwined. Luo Bei proceeded with increasing caution.

Luo Bei, having spent a long time in Luofu, was well aware of the rules of the Savage Jungle. These areas where ordinary mountain birds gathered should logically be coveted by some snake-like beasts that preyed on birds. Yet, there were no traces of such creatures near this particular forest. Generally, this could only mean one thing: a more fearsome beast or bird of prey, which those snake-beasts feared even more, was present nearby.

"Liudan Wood."

"Water Chestnut Fruit."

As they continued forward, the Poison Arrow Orchid seemed much rarer than other herbs. By the time the sun began to set and the sky grew dim, with at most half an hour left until Dan Lingsheng's Flying Flame Talisman would be activated, Luo Bei had found several of the herbs he was looking for. However, he still hadn't found the Poison Arrow Orchid he sought.

"It seems I might have to return empty-handed today."

Seeing that time was running out, Luo Bei dared not venture deeper. He could only follow the markers he had made and slowly head back, searching carefully along the way. Suddenly, he spotted a plant with black flowers. "The leaves don't look right; it's not the Poison Arrow Orchid." To his dismay, after carefully pulling up the plant and examining it closely, Luo Bei found that the shape of its branches and leaves did not match the Poison Arrow Orchid.

"Are you looking for this Poison Arrow Orchid?" Just then, a sinister voice suddenly sounded behind him. "Is it that old ghost Dan Lingsheng who sent you to find this?"

Luo Bei turned around in shock. He saw a gaunt man, completely shrouded in a black robe, standing behind him. The man wore a ferocious white bone mask, making it impossible to discern his age or features. A strange and eerie aura emanated from him. In his hand, besides a Poison Arrow Orchid with lush green leaves and black flowers, he held a string of white prayer beads. Upon closer inspection, these white prayer beads appeared to be strung together from human finger bones!