Rotten Flesh and Bamboo Sword

After two years in the Cultivation Hall, Doctor Li Tianliang once said that the toad's second Spiritual Power was the Water Breath Technique.

Cultivators who obtained a toad as a Companion could awaken the toad's second Spiritual Power naturally by immersing themselves in water for a long time.

However, the toad had a hidden Spiritual Power that the Li Family cultivators did not know about. The Li Clan had only recently joined the Five Poisons Sect, and their foundation in Poison Cultivation was shallow, so they were completely unaware of its secrets.

Through reading miscellaneous books, Li Shuidao learned of an extremely powerful Spiritual Power called the "Wind Catching Eye." The book did not mention how to obtain the Wind Catching Eye, nor did it say which Companion corresponded to it. It only described the power of this Spiritual Power.

However, with the scientific knowledge accumulated in his previous life, he instantly thought of the toad's hunting talent: dynamic vision.

The toad's ability to kill mosquitoes and flies in the pitch-black night with a single strike relied entirely on its signature skill, its hidden Spiritual Power: the Wind Catching Eye.

The first Spiritual Power of Five Poisons Sect cultivators was always a potent poison. During the Spirit Awakening Early-stage, they could often awaken their second Spiritual Power to increase their combat strength. Only a very few could awaken a hidden third Spiritual Power.

By the Spirit Channeling Realm mid-stage, cultivators would generate Magical Power, allowing them to cultivate various Dao techniques. There would no longer be a need to awaken Companion Spiritual Powers by sensing them.

Following the method of practicing Flying Knife to awaken the Scorpion Tail Sting, to obtain the "Wind Catching Eye," one should imitate the toad's hunting habit of flicking its tongue to catch insects with sword techniques, practicing repeatedly until it awakens naturally.

Therefore, a powerful rapier was exactly what Li Shuidao needed at the moment.

This black sword on the street stall was clearly extraordinary. Li Shuidao saw it and felt his heart burn. Just as he was about to step forward to ask the price, a middle-aged cultivator preempted him, asking, "What kind of sword is this? It looks quite good."

The stall owner slowly looked up and said, "Mid-grade magic artifact, Black Lotus Demonic Sword. Five hundred Spirit Stones. Take it if you want it."

Spirit Stones!?

Hearing the price, Li Shuidao's face twitched. This was beyond his means.

Spirit Stones were the universal currency on the Tianyuan Cultivation Continent. The thirty Jade Coins in Li Shuidao's hand were issued by the Black Mountain Five Poisons Sect and were only circulated in the Black Mountain area. They would be like waste paper if taken to other regions.

In the Black Mountain area, one hundred and twenty Jade Coins could be exchanged for one Spirit Stone.

Five hundred Spirit Stones equaled sixty thousand Jade Coins.

The item was good, but the price was not cheap.

Li Shuidao could only look elsewhere.

That Black Lotus Demonic Sword was not suitable for him!

Setting aside the exorbitant price, the main issue was its flashy appearance. If he took this sword, it would simply be courting death.

Li Shuidao soon set his sights on another treasure sword.

This sword gleamed with silver light and was exceptionally sharp.

"Can I try it out?" Li Shuidao asked.

"Please do!" the vendor said before turning to leave.

Li Shuidao picked up the treasure sword and swung it a few times with ease. It felt a bit heavy.

A sword's weight, while indicating solid materials, did not necessarily mean it was suitable for cultivating Spiritual Powers.

"How much is this sword?"

"One hundred Jade Coins," the vendor said, holding up one finger.

"One hundred Jade Coins? You're asking one hundred Jade Coins for a mortal weapon?" Li Shuidao shook his head.

"This sword can slice through iron like mud! Eighty Jade Coins, do you want it?"

"No!"

"Fifty Jade Coins!"

"Still no!"

"Then you name a price!" the vendor said anxiously.

"This sword is too heavy and not suitable for me." Li Shuidao put down the slender sword and moved on to other stalls.

He then browsed several more stalls. Setting aside the price, the swords themselves did not meet his expectations.

Before a bloody stall, a burly man with a full beard guarded the stall.

"Boss, what are you selling?"

"Can't you see? Yao Beast meat and blood." the butcher introduced.

"How much is this meat?" the customer asked.

"Ten Jade Coins per jin."

"Your meat is yellowish and has lost all its spiritual energy, yet you dare to sell it for ten Jade Coins per jin."

"No bargaining. Buy it or get lost!" the big man said coldly.

The inquirer was rebuffed and could only leave in a huff.

A boy of fourteen or fifteen stood before the meat stall.

He squatted down and poked the meat with his finger, asking, "What kind of meat is this?"

"Second-tier Yao Beast Mud Dragon Meat," the big man said sparingly.

Li Shuidao sniffed it carefully. It did indeed have a foul odor and had already begun to rot.

Mud Dragon.

An Earth-attributed Yao Beast.

Earth gives birth to Metal, Metal gives birth to Water.

It's perfect for my use.

"It really is stinking. Can you give me a discount?" Li Shuidao frowned deeply and sighed as he spoke.

"How much do you want then?" Seeing Li Shuidao's good attitude, the big man seemed very easy to talk to as well.

"All the meat on this stall, thirty Jade Coins for the lot, how about that?" Li Shuidao estimated there were about five jin of Mud Dragon meat on the stall and offered all the money he had.

The big man looked at Li Shuidao in surprise. After a moment of thought, he said, "I also have a piece of Mud Dragon skin here, quite intact. It's only twenty Spirit Stones."

"No, I only want the meat," Li Shuidao said.

"Alright, but this meat really has gone rotten and stinks. Thirty Jade Coins is a bit of a loss for you."

"Could I trouble you, sir, to give me this Bamboo Sword?" Li Shuidao pointed to a sharpened long bamboo strip on the stall.

"What do you need that for?" the big man asked curiously.

"To make a sword," Li Shuidao replied truthfully.

"Haha… Bamboo Sword?"

"Indeed," Li Shuidao replied truthfully.

The big man pulled the bloody bamboo strip out of the meat and wiped the blood off with his finger. "This is Prism Mountain Green Bamboo, which I casually sharpened. It's exceptionally tough and incomparably sharp, but it can only be used to skewer meat. It can't be used as a weapon at all. Do you know why?"

"Because the Five Elements Metal overcomes Wood. If you use bamboo as a sword, even a common weapon could cut it down," Li Shuidao explained.

"You know that, yet you still want to make a sword out of bamboo?"

"It's just for practicing sword techniques; I never intended to fight with it," Li Shuidao continued to explain.

"To practice swordplay? That's too light. If you want to practice swordplay, you should use a heavy sword. Practicing with a light sword won't get you anywhere," the big man chuckled.

"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I have my own use for the Bamboo Sword."

"Fine! Since you want it, I'll give it to you." The big man flicked his wrist, and the Bamboo Sword danced, accurately piercing all the Mud Dragon meat on the stall.

This move was truly impressive, making Li Shuidao's eyes light up.

One handed over the money, the other handed over the goods.

"Your cultivation is low and your body is weak now, so this Bamboo Sword might actually be suitable for you. When your cultivation reaches my level in the future, holding this flimsy thing, you won't feel any sense of using a sword at all."

"Thank you for your advice, sir," Li Shuidao said respectfully.

The big man nodded, took out a complete piece of Mud Dragon skin from his storage bag, placed it on the stall, and continued his business.

What the big man was actually selling wasn't the meat or the skin, but the Yao Dan of the Mud Dragon Yao Beast. He only sold it to those who understood, and the so-called meat and skin were merely for show.

A moment later…

Li Shuidao, with a Bamboo Sword skewering several large chunks of expired Mud Dragon meat, arrived at the stone platform by the small river bend with Li Shuilang to meet Senior Sister Jiang Xue.

Seeing Li Shuidao carrying a large pile of rotten meat back, Jiang Xue immediately scolded him, "You idiot, you've been tricked! You want to use the blood and flesh of Yao Beasts as Spiritual Object to feed your Companion, but it needs to be fresh. This kind of rotten meat has no spiritual energy and is worthless!"