A Fleeting Wind and Smoke, Youth Long Gone

Chen Ganliu suddenly had a feeling. With two senior sisters this domineering, his master was surely even more tyrannical. He was probably never going to escape now.

How could the Great Demon, who even dared to storm the Immortal Encounter Sect, possibly allow a disciple under him to flee?

"I'm doomed!"

"Though in my eyes, cultivating immortality and cultivating demonic arts are no different at all."

"The Orthodox Heavenly Demon Sect refines Heavenly Demons and evolves magical power. It doesn't kill people or practice wicked arts. It's merely more dangerous and more bizarre—it isn't utterly devoid of conscience."

"But... I still can't quite dispel this unease."

That evening, the three of them stayed at the inn in Plum Blossom Mountain Immortal Market.

Places like Suiyang Immortal Market and Shuangyun Immortal Market, which were tiny in scale, had no lodgings at all. On the rare occasion someone stayed temporarily, they had to solve the lodging problem themselves. But places like Qingyun Immortal Market and Plum Blossom Mountain Immortal Market had inns where people could rent rooms.

The inn at Plum Blossom Mountain Immortal Market had not been established by the six Great Saints of the Demon Race from Plum Blossom Mountain. Instead, an immortal sect called Jade Tower View had sent disciples over to build a courtyard.

It had originally been meant to accommodate disciples of their own sect, but it gradually opened to outsiders. Not only did it allow disciples from various immortal sects to stay, it also welcomed demons, receiving guests from all directions.

Jade Tower View was renowned for its formations. Thus, the courtyard it had built twisted and turned, with countless formations interlinked throughout it. They were exceptionally sensitive to changes in aura. No matter who it was, the moment malicious intent stirred, the people of Jade Tower View could sense it. Therefore, ever since this inn had been established, there had never been a murder.

After Chen Ganliu followed his two senior sisters to the inn, he first cultivated as usual. Only when the moon climbed to the middle of the sky did he stop, thinking to himself, "After completing the Spring Bloom Spiritual Vein and refining the Natal Spirit Talisman, my cultivation has advanced far faster than before. In two or three days, I should be able to open another acupoint. In seventy or eighty days, I may be able to refine all the Green Leaf Spirit Talismans into my acupoints."

"But I only know these thirty-six Green Leaf Spirit Talismans. After that, I'll have to grind away at the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art."

"I wonder, with this aptitude, if I return to Three Saints Island, that Great Demon..."

"No, when my master sees me, will she fly into a rage and kill me to refine a demon?"

"What exactly does Mind-Wandering Zen want? Why is it so insistent on recognizing me as its master?"

"If I had any aptitude or background, how could I have cultivated in two lifetimes?"

"I should have encountered my opportunities in my previous life."

Chen Ganliu drew out the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade. The Immortal Flying Blade immediately flew above his head once it was freed from its bindings.

Chen Ganliu had tried many times before. As long as he did not bind it tightly, the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade would stand upright above his head and refuse to move whether he slept, sat, lay down, or walked.

Feeling that his cultivation was slightly stronger, Chen Ganliu activated the Azure Emperor Jia Yi Art and sent over a strand of true qi. This time, however, the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade reacted differently. It responded at once, sending back a wisp of blade intent.

The blade intent cleaved into a thread of spiritual qi. Like a long snake struck at its vulnerable seventh inch, the thread writhed violently before plunging three inches behind his brow.

Chen Ganliu was horrified when he suddenly felt the thread of spiritual qi break apart inch by inch. A brand-new spiritual vein, however, grew section by section and took shape in the blink of an eye. It was indeed a Jia Wood Spirit Radiance Qi Vein!

Spirit radiance was the foremost of the thirty-six Jia Wood spiritual veins. Cultivators said: "Jia Wood reaches the heavens in luxuriant growth; Yi Wood winds softly, bearing flowers. Thus, Jia Wood is best at receiving yang fire and exhaling it into spiritual inspiration, nurturing vitality. Spirit radiance is the chief of Jia Wood, shining with myriad lights and endless transformations."

Chen Ganliu's hands moved faster than his thoughts. He sketched dozens of spirit-radiance talismans, and they indeed merged perfectly with the newly born spiritual vein, giving birth to a second Natal Spirit Talisman.

The Mind-Wandering Zen Blade swayed above Chen Ganliu's head as though seeking praise, looking utterly smug.

Chen Ganliu tried sending in some Azure Emperor Jia Yi True Qi, but the Immortal Flying Blade no longer reacted. He sighed, knowing that one must not be too greedy, and extinguished his wild hopes.

He touched the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade above his head and thought, "So this blade can actually destroy threads of spiritual qi and transform them into spiritual veins."

"I had never heard of the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade at the Immortal Encounter Sect, yet this blade's spirituality is in no way inferior to Azure Luan."

"Azure Luan is one of the seven famous blades under heaven, and one of the six sect-protecting Flying Swords of the Immortal Encounter Sect."

"This Mind-Wandering Zen Blade can destroy threads of spiritual qi and transform them into spiritual veins. It seems to contain an enormous secret."

"It..."

A heretical thought suddenly sprang into Chen Ganliu's mind. He thought, "I have been a person in three lives and cultivated in two. My Dao Path in this life is bound to surpass that of my previous life."

"But if I have another life after this, and this Mind-Wandering Zen Blade is fated to be with me in that future life, is that why it is so close to me in this life?"

At that thought, Chen Ganliu laughed blankly and thought, "How absurd."

He put away the Mind-Wandering Zen Blade and could not help pushing open the door, wanting to take a casual walk.

The inn built by Jade Tower View was enormous, with more than a dozen scenic spots, each one ingeniously crafted by nature and marvelous to behold.

Chen Ganliu wandered aimlessly. After a while, his mood gradually brightened. After all, he had just cultivated, refined another thread of spiritual qi, and grown another spiritual vein. His aptitude had undergone a earth-shaking enhancement, and he had even refined a second Natal Spirit Talisman. How could he not be happy?

He had toured more than half the inn and was about to return to his room when he heard several people whispering among themselves, seemingly discussing a deal. He could not help feeling puzzled and thought, "This is an immortal market. Why aren't they trading openly? Why negotiate in secret at Jade Tower View's inn?"

"Many cultivators stay at Jade Tower View, and there are plenty of demons too. It can't be called private at all, nor is it a good place for a secret transaction."

Chen Ganliu had no intention of listening to other people's secrets and was about to leave when he heard a familiar voice: "This is a secret treasure passed down by the Immortal Encounter Sect. I will only exchange it for a Nine-Turn Jade Spirit Pill. You have already gained a great advantage, so why are you still trying to force the price down?"

Chen Ganliu's heart stirred, and he cried inwardly, "Nan Shiheng."

He did not know why his senior sister had also come here. Relying on the formations spread throughout Jade Tower View—which could even hinder the spiritual sense of a great Golden Core Realm cultivator—he secretly crept a few steps closer. He saw two Daoists trading with his senior sister. With smug expressions, they said, "Fairy Nan, we all know you want to exchange for an elixir to heal Yun Susu."

"Without this Nine-Turn Jade Spirit Pill, Yun Susu won't live past this year. If you refuse, then go burn a few more incense sticks for your friend."

"Think about it—Fairy Yun risked everything for her friend and went to the Immortal Encounter Sect to lend her aid, only to be injured by a Demonic Cultivator. Yet her friend refuses to save her."

The two Daoists grew more and more pleased with themselves. Nan Shiheng's face turned livid. If not for her friend's life, she would probably have already fallen out with them.

Witnessing this scene, Chen Ganliu suddenly understood why his old wife had been at the peak of the Golden Core Realm back then yet possessed such a meager fortune, having to rely on selling low-grade talismans to get by. Her precious hoard from her younger days must all have been brought out to treat Yun Susu's illness.

He endured and endured. He knew it would be inappropriate to step out now, but seeing the two Daoists' faces, he still could not help shouting, "Isn't it just a Nine-Turn Jade Spirit Pill?"

"I happen to have a few in my hands..."