Where Is the Dao?

"How Tai Shan Is..." Ji Zhong searched through the manuscript of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer and finally found the source. The manuscript read—

"This move could be considered the most profound ultimate technique in the Tai Shan Sect's swordsmanship. Its essence does not lie in the sword move wielded by the right hand, but in the calculations made by the left. The left hand continuously bends and counts its fingers, calculating the enemy's position, martial sect, body length and build, weapon size, the height of the sunlight shining upon him, and so on. The calculations are exceedingly complex. Once everything has been calculated correctly, one thrusts out with the sword, and the strike never misses."

Ji Zhong was stunned. "It really is this move..." He then glanced at Chen Luo, who was lying on the bed. "No wonder Young Master's mind was overtaxed and he fainted outright. Still, since that's all it is, he'll be fine after sleeping."

Ji Zhong certainly did not dare tell Chen Xuan that Chen Luo had fainted because he had dueled with him. He was clearly a bodyguard, yet he had knocked his employer unconscious. It was far too embarrassing.

Now that he knew Chen Luo was in no danger, Ji Zhong calmly picked up the final stack of manuscripts and began reading with great relish.

In Dream Flower Forest, Chen Luo rubbed his head. Even after entering this place, he still felt a dull pain in his skull.

"Master, you fainted after activating it only once. Your soul is way too weak..."

The Black Cat circled around Chen Luo's feet, occasionally rubbing its neck against his calf. Chen Luo picked the Black Cat up and placed it on his lap. Stroking it with one hand, he demanded, "With such a huge side effect, why didn't you tell me?"

The Black Cat struggled in Chen Luo's hands. "I didn't know! It was obviously just a very simple calculation..."

Chen Luo patted the Black Cat's rump. "Still talking back..."

"Master, you're bullying the cat!" The Black Cat rolled over and vanished with a bang, hiding God knew where.

"It's got quite a temper!" Chen Luo laughed helplessly. He did not bother with the Black Cat and instead mentally reviewed what this move could do for him.

According to the move's description, How Tai Shan Is could practically be considered a pseudo-causality-law divine technique. The only similar technique Chen Luo could think of was Li Xunhuan's Little Li Flying Dagger. However, before How Tai Shan Is could be activated, it required a period of calculation. The stronger the enemy, the longer that period would be. Once activated, it would also cause backlash to the soul.

"Isn't this just a sure-hit skill that requires a casting time and deducts HP upon activation?" Chen Luo summed it up. Judging from his current state in the flower forest, his body could only withstand one backlash of this kind for now. At present, this move could only serve as a trump card for staking his life.

"This cheat's sense of anticipation is pretty weak..." Chen Luo complained.

Still, Chen Luo could not be considered disappointed. After all, this was a wuxia novel from a low-martial world. Being able to obtain a "causality-law" move like this was already quite good. His true rise would depend on the Xianxia Realm and the Carefree Realm that came later.

What with Vertical Golden Light, Ten Thousand Swords Returning as One, Seventy-two Transformations, Three Heads and Six Arms, Innate One-Qi Great Grasping... Just thinking about them made his heart race with longing.

But how was he supposed to level up from the Red Dust Realm?

Chen Luo suddenly thought of something and called out, "Tai Shan!"

The little Black Cat appeared out of thin air on Chen Luo's shoulder. "Oh, my wicked master, were you calling for me?"

Hearing the little Black Cat speak in an arrogant little girl's voice, Chen Luo nearly burst out laughing. He rubbed its head. "All right. From now on, your name will be Tai Shan."

"Since you insist so strongly, Master, I'll reluctantly accept this name."

"Stop fooling around and talk about something serious. You're a high-grade Book Spirit. Do you know what I need to do to unlock the book restrictions on the Xianxia Realm and Carefree Realm?"

As he spoke, Chen Luo pointed toward the paths sealed off in those two realms.

The little Black Cat glanced at them and said flippantly, "Silly Master, once your cultivation in the Red Dust Realm reaches its peak, you'll naturally enter the next realm."

"Then how do I cultivate the Red Dust Realm to its peak?"

"Obviously by using Red Dust Qi to cultivate..."

"Red Dust Qi? What's that?"

The Black Cat's tail drifted lightly across Chen Luo's eyes. With a gentle swish, it shook loose specks of multicolored mist.

"You mean this?" Chen Luo glanced at it. A ball of multicolored mist then gathered in his hand. It was much larger than before, a full basketball in size—the result of absorbing the large mass of multicolored mist brought by the Black Cat when it manifested.

"This is called Red Dust Qi?"

The Black Cat glanced at it, then climbed onto Chen Luo's head with complete naturalness. "This is Red Dust Qi. Every time Master writes a book in the Red Dust Realm, a wisp of Red Dust Qi is produced inside your body. In addition, once a book is completed, the Book Spirit will bring a large amount of Red Dust Qi all at once."

"So writing a book earns royalties, and finishing it earns a completion bonus..." Chen Luo supplied his own translation.

"How do I cultivate Red Dust Qi?" Chen Luo plucked the little Black Cat off his head and asked while stroking it.

The Black Cat assumed a comfortable position, and its voice rang out in Chen Luo's mind. "Master must first find a 'Dao' that can use Red Dust Qi before you can cultivate with it."

"'Dao'? What's that?"

The Black Cat hopped out of Chen Luo's hands, jumped in front of him, and crouched down. With a wave of its paw, a scene appeared between them. It showed a river, with fish periodically leaping from the water.

"Since Master has asked so sincerely, I'll explain it to you. Look at this scene..." The Black Cat licked its forepaw, but its voice continued echoing in Chen Luo's heart. "The Red Dust Qi is the fish in this river, while Master is the person on the bank."

The scene shifted. A person appeared on the riverbank, looking extremely weak and drooling as he stared at the fish in the river.

Chen Luo's expression darkened. That drool is a little excessive...

"For Master to cultivate is like wanting to eat fish to fill your belly. But you can't swim, so what do you do? You need a tool."

A fishing rod suddenly appeared beside the figure in the scene. The figure picked it up and began fishing, eventually catching a basketful of fish. Happily carrying them, the figure left, and the scene vanished.

"Does Master understand now? That fishing rod is the 'Dao.' It's the method by which you obtain the fish! Once you have the method, Master can cultivate."

"I understand the picture, but where is this 'Dao'?"

"The 'Dao' must conform to the operating laws of this world's Heavenly Dao. Does Master really think Book Spirits from another world like us would know?"

"Hmm... So you don't know either?"

"Meow—"

"No acting cute..."

As Chen Luo played around with the Black Cat, he suddenly sensed a piece of information in his mind and asked in confusion, "Nine Swords of Dugu? What's going on?"

Outside, Ji Zhong's face was filled with astonishment. Just after he finished reading the final page of the entire book, the phantom image of a tiny sword suddenly appeared above the pages of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. The little sword then shot into Ji Zhong's mind.

Within Ji Zhong's consciousness, a cultivation method for Nine Swords of Dugu suddenly appeared!

Ji Zhong extended his hand. With a thought, a wisp of multicolored mist the size of a soybean condensed in his palm!

Last night's stars, last night's wind—may your collections top ten thousand in your dreams~

Please give me some votes. Any kind will do...

Also: Thanks to reader Taishang Menren for the reward...