Leaving Seclusion

After Wu Tian returned to Qiyun Cave, he found that the dark clouds hanging over his head had thinned considerably, yet they still remained. He could not help frowning slightly.

"Could that damned fatty really dare to attack me directly?"

Suppressing the irritation in his heart, he thought, Forget it. I'll stay in seclusion in my Cave Mansion for the time being and simply avoid going out.

At this thought, he calmed his mind and focused his spirit. He cast the Thunder Sound Curse, Fire Pupil Curse, Cloud Water Spell, and Gather Wind Spell one after another. After one cycle of spells, he cleansed the turbid qi, opened his acupoints, and immersed himself in cultivation.

Meal House.

By evening, Wu Xia'er had already fallen asleep. Wu Lian and Huang Ren, husband and wife, had been busy all day and only now lay down.

"Xia'er's Immortal root has wind and fire attributes. The best choice is to go to Fire Crow Cave. Senior Sister Yao of Fire Crow Cave and I have an old acquaintance. She's already in the Law Refining Realm, kindhearted, and gentle-tempered."

"However, if we want Xia'er to enter Fire Crow Cave, we'll have to make a trip to the Law Transmission Hall and offer that steward some benefits."

Even after lying down in bed, Wu Lian was still making plans. "Besides that, once Xia'er reaches the Qi Nurturing, Form Condensing stage, she'll have to choose a demon creature, strip its flesh and skin to cultivate a beast form, and extract its Yin Soul to refine a true form."

"But Fire Crow Cave raises its own group of fire crows, so we won't need to worry about that. I'm thinking that when the time comes, we can give Senior Sister Yao some Jade Visage Fruits and ask her to arrange one with a good appearance for Xia'er."

"And didn't we say before that we'd prepare a Curse Artifact for Xia'er to protect herself? That Wind Fire Whip really suits her. The materials we've saved are almost enough too; it's just that we're still short a little Yin Soul Silk."

"I'm thinking of going to Senior Brother Man Xiong's place to see if he has any extra. We can visit each other and build a connection."

"If that doesn't work, we'll have to exchange Merit points for it. That'll be another expense..."

Listening to his wife prattle on, Huang Ren pulled her into his arms and remained silent. He felt guilty. After all these years, Wu Lian had never enjoyed any blessings by following him; instead, she had spent her days circling the stove.

That fiery-tempered, delicately beautiful girl from back then now had wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She spent all day in the kitchen, smoke-blackened and drenched in the smell of cooking oil, and had barely worn a few new outfits.

Now, for the sake of their daughter, she was worrying herself even more...

His thoughts ran wild, and he realized that at some point, Wu Lian had fallen asleep while talking.

She was simply too tired. Every day, she had to get up and start working before dawn.

Huang Ren slowly turned his head and looked at his wife's face. Although she was somewhat older now, one could still vaguely make out her former prettiness. Her figure in particular remained alluring—thanks to cultivation, she still had a slender waist, rounded hips, and lingering charm.

He sighed softly. He had originally been reluctant, but at this moment, he finally made up his mind.

"When I go to transport ingredients in a few days, I'll make a trip to Wild Dog Cave..."

"Don't blame me either. No demon creature carrying the bloodline of Skull Mountain can live long. Sooner or later, someone will skin it and extract its soul."

With these thoughts, the faint guilt hidden deep in his heart seemed to dissipate considerably.

Huang Ren tightened the arm around his wife, gently kissed her forehead, and slowly closed his eyes as well.

Wu Tian had no idea what Fatty Huang was planning. Although he could sense that an impending disaster was approaching, he could not simply charge over and bite the fatty to death.

Fatty Huang had been nurturing his qi for decades. Wu Tian could not defeat him at all.

Even telling Wu Xia'er would be useless. After all, nothing had happened yet. What could he say? Your father bears ill will toward me?

When? What does he intend to do to you? How will he attack?

He would have no answer to any of these questions. Could a dog simply tell someone, "Your father intends to harm me"?

Anyone would find it inexplicable, even absurd.

How could anyone compare a dog's baffling words with the father who had raised them?

Yet with the dark clouds pressing down overhead and disaster looming, he felt truly stifled.

Even hiding in the cave did not make the disaster disappear.

After returning from the Meal House, several days passed in succession. Wu Tian opened five acupoints, and his Tongyou Qi became much purer as well, growing slightly from the single thread it had originally been.

With True Qi bolstering them, his cultivation speed with the Thunder Sound Curse and Fire Pupil Curse had become much faster than before.

The four spell arts, opening acupoints, and tempering True Qi filled his daily schedule to the brim.

Whenever he grew hungry, he ate a few Bitter Bamboo leaves, then used the Cloud Water Spell and Gather Wind Spell to irrigate the Bitter Bamboo, helping this spirit root flourish.

During this time, Wu Xia'er naturally sent Sound Transmission Incantations as well. Most of the time, Wu Tian merely listened and rarely replied.

"White Dragon, I've been assigned to Fire Crow Cave."

"Master is so beautiful and gentle. Do you think I'll be as pretty as her when I grow up?"

"I started learning new spell arts today. Master taught me the Fire Smoke Spell and Ride Wind Spell. They're so difficult. I studied for so long before barely memorizing them. I wonder when I'll be able to gain entry into them."

"Waaah! Mother came to see me, and she said she's going to Qiyun Cave tomorrow. I begged her for ages to take me along, but she refused."

"Boohoo, Mother doesn't love me anymore. I miss you so much, White Dragon..."

Listening to the little girl's words—sometimes joyful, sometimes melancholy, sometimes angry—Wu Tian also felt that things had become livelier. The mountains were lonely and austere, and during seclusion in the cave, one lost all sense of time. With her there, he felt much warmer.

Only, the dark clouds of disaster overhead cast an extra shadow over his heart.

"This can't go on. I wonder what that Fatty Huang is plotting."

"And Aunt Wu is coming tomorrow too. I wonder what for?"

Wu Tian pondered for a long time without reaching a conclusion. He could only temporarily set aside his distracting thoughts and continue bitterly cultivating the four spell arts, opening his acupoints.

When dawn came, he had just finished cultivating the Fire Pupil Curse and inhaled a thread of purple qi from the rising sun when he heard movement from the rear of the Cave Mansion.

Man Xiongmu walked out of the quiet room. Upon seeing Wu Tian, he could not help laughing aloud. "Who planted this Sound Transmission Incantation on your head? I never thought of using this method to speak with you."

He could not stop himself from laughing heartily. Then he returned to his own quiet room, took out a Sound Transmission Talisman, and likewise planted it on Wu Tian's forehead.

The two spell patterns intertwined, forming an increasingly intricate design. Azure light flowed through it, making Wu Tian look ever more extraordinary.

"White Dragon, can you hear me?"

Wu Tian activated the Sound Transmission Incantation with his True Qi and replied, "Master Man Xiong, I can hear you."

He had deliberately considered this form of address.

Calling him Master directly would be somewhat inappropriate. After all, he had not yet formally entered his sect, and he did not know what Man Xiongmu thought. Besides, he was a demon creature.

Calling him Master Man Xiong was intimate without sounding abrupt.

After all, Man Xiongmu really was passing his teachings on to him.

When Man Xiongmu heard Wu Tian's clear yet slightly childish voice, a smile also appeared on his face. "Junior Sister Wu Lian from the Meal House sent me a Sound Transmission Incantation yesterday, saying she wanted to come over. I imagine she must have something to ask me."

"I haven't gained much from my seclusion lately. I'm thinking of taking on some missions and going down the mountain—first, to earn Merit points, and second, to look for some materials for Law Refining."

"After I receive the guest, I'll make a trip to the Mountain Patrol Hall. You stay in the Cave Mansion and cultivate properly."

Wu Tian replied upon hearing this, "Understood, Master Man Xiong."

After saying this, he looked toward the sky. The dark clouds pressing down overhead had unexpectedly grown even denser, and his eyes immediately turned icy cold.