Borrowing What He Could Learn

Asha sat with her knees drawn up inside the magic circle, holding a talisman flag depicting a winged tiger in her hand, gazing absently at the purple moon in the sky. She had waited from day to night, watching the flying boats come and go, and for a few moments she did wonder whether the Daoist priest was dead or had simply abandoned her.

But looking at the clear sky above Lei Marsh, and the shimmering False Moon shining brightly in the sky, one blue and one purple, bathing the earth in an eerie purplish-gray hue, for some reason, it calmed Asha's chaotic thoughts.

She wasn't cultivating or meditating; she was simply gazing at the Moon in the sky, lost in thought. Her mind was blank, at least she didn't have to think about her grandma, dad, or mom. Just being alone quietly was quite nice.

"The dew is white tonight, and the moon is brighter in my hometown. What's wrong, are you homesick?" Li Fan, having finished his meal, returned wearing a veil and casually pulled off a magic circle to chat with the barbarian girl.

Asha shook her head. "No, I wasn't thinking about anything."

Li Fan casually comforted her, "Tsk tsk, take it easy. In this world, eight or nine out of ten people who renounce the world to cultivate start with their families being destroyed and are just trying to survive. Don't think too much about it. It's pointless to be full of bitterness and hatred all day long. Just enjoy each day as it comes and eat as much as you can."

Asha didn't explain much, but asked, "Immortal, you're back so late, did that lion demon run away?"

Li Fan blushed with embarrassment, "Oh, actually I ate that lion, and as a result, I was also poisoned by your Gu poison. I was paralyzed on the ground for a long time before I recovered..."

Asha squinted at him, speechless for a moment, but she could tell that this 'deity' had a rather sinister appearance, but seemed to have a very unreliable personality.

Li Fan didn't care that his reputation among the country girl might suffer, and directly asked her, "Asha, your skill is quite good, could you teach me?"

"Craftsmanship... You want to learn my family's Gu magic?" Asha was speechless for a moment. How did this apprenticeship turn out the other way around?

"Ahem, of course I won't learn for nothing. Well, I am a disciple of the Ink Bamboo Mountain in the Li Country. I'm not qualified to take on disciples yet, but I see that you are thoughtful, clever, and quick-witted. I happen to know a senior sister who is looking for disciples. If you are willing, I can introduce you to her sect. From now on, we will be fellow disciples, and we can learn from each other's methods."

Li Fan couldn't even raise a Kun, so he was too lazy to take care of a child. However, he remembered that Fu Ling was recruiting people to teach the art of maidservant. This country girl was quite skilled in Gu Fuling and making porridge and wine. She came from a poor family, had experienced hardship, and matured early. She should meet her criteria for taking on apprentices.

Having nowhere else to go, Asha nodded and bowed, saying, "Thank you for taking me in, immortal. Asha have heard of the illustrious reputation of Ink Bamboo Mountain and am willing to become your disciple."

Li Fan was overjoyed and, under the guise of learning from a fellow disciple, tricked the country girl into giving him her family's Gu poison techniques, the <<White's Pharmacopoeia>>.

It turns out that Asha's grandmother's surname was Bai. She was originally a physician from the Central Plains, with a family history of medicine. It is said that she was even Imperial Physician in a certain country. Presumably, her family was involved in some power struggle and feud over succession. Grandma Bai fled to the Kun Country for refuge and married into the Chen Family, the local chieftain. Combining the Chen Family's local Gu poison techniques with her own Bai Family's medical skills and Qi cultivation techniques, she managed to reach the Golden Core realm. So she summarized her family's traditions and her many years of research and wrote this book, <<White's Pharmacopoeia>>.

Although it cannot compare with the orthodox Dao of the Xuanmen, it at least has a considerable foundation in medicine. Moreover, the Chen Family's Gu poison technique can be cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, and it is said that the Kun Country also has Gu techniques that can be cultivated to the Divine Transformation stage. This pharmacopoeia is actually an analysis and study of the Kun Country's Gu techniques using the medical principles of the Central Plains, and it can be considered a remarkable book.

Therefore, Chen Asha was raised and mentored by Grandma Bai from a young age. She not only learned the Chen Family's Gu poison, but also possessed Central Plains bloodline and the talent of an eighth-grade cultivator. She was proficient in Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, medicine and pharmaceuticals, beast taming and Gu raising, and medical theory and literature. In other words, she had a slight accent, but after listening to her a lot, it was understandable.

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says, this kid will definitely be easier for you to raise than you are...'

Damn, don't be fickle! Remember your determination to reach the third rank? Seriously though, are you really not planning to take Jian Yi as your disciple? Aren't you going to rebuild the Beichen Sword Sect? And isn't that fox your grand-disciple too? More hands make light work, right?

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'No, the disciples of the Xuan Sect must bear the tribulations of their sect. Without a certain destiny and opportunity, one cannot walk this path at all.'"

To be a true disciple of my Beichen Sword Sect, only geniuses like you and Xiao Yao, capable of forging ahead without hesitation and overcoming the tribulations of death with their swords, are worthy. This girl's aptitude and potential are only passable; she hasn't yet overcome the tribulations of death, so her fate is still uncertain.

Sword Intent, you're really strict... But it seems these carefully selected disciples haven't disgraced the sect... It's just a pity that Asha doesn't seem to have the opportunity...

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'But you're right, times have changed. The path over at Mo Mountain is too dangerous. Your Dao heart collapses so easily; it's indeed not very safe. Besides, at least she has Central Plains blood, which is better than a demon... Alright, pass on a sword manual to her for me, and take a look at her pulse first.'"

Sword Intent, that old arrogance, seems to have changed somewhat since it learned about the damned disciple's death... But it still has prejudice against demons. Oh well, there's no rush.

Li Fan smiled and waved to Asha, who was engrossed in explaining the <White's Pharmacopoeia> and unaware that she had just received a fortuitous opportunity.

Asha was taken aback. "Immortal, is there something you didn't understand?"

"Hehe, I am a peerless genius, able to read ten lines at a glance and remember everything I see. How could I not understand? To thank you for passing on your family's teachings, Asha, I will also pass on a Daoist technique to you. Let me check your meridians..." Li Fan said while taking Asha's pulse and checking her Inner Landscape with each Dao Breath. "Also, you don't have to keep calling me 'Soy Sauce' anymore. Just call me Senior Brother Li."

Asa nodded obediently, "I know, Li Sixiong."

Oh, having a junior female student is quite fun.

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'She's just short; she must be a little older than you, right?'"

Tsk, whatever, he's the senior anyway.

After discussing it with Jian Yi, Li Fan opened his eyes and said, "Asha, the Dao technique I'm about to impart to you is the sword scripture of the Beichen Sword Sect... Have you ever heard of the Beichen Sword Sect?"

Asha shook her head. "No."

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said... What! She hasn't even heard of my Beichen Sword Sect... Sigh, it's better she hasn't heard of it; it's frustrating to even think about it... Well then, she already has a foundation, not too bad, but her aptitude is too poor. Starting over would be too harmful to her body. So, I'll first teach her the Outer Sect's <<Guide to Ordinary True Qi Sword Transformation>>, let her practice it first, and see how her comprehension of swordsmanship is.'

... Couldn't you have chosen a cooler name?

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says, Bah! That sword scripture was worth a hundred demon heads back then! Take it or leave it!'

Li Fan broke out in a cold sweat. "Ahem, if you haven't heard of it, you haven't. Well, I'll pass this on to you. It's the <<Puhua Sword Qi>> technique used by the Beichen Sword Sect to test the aptitude of its Outer Sect Disciple. It can transform the true qi cultivated by disciples who have already joined the sect into the form of sword qi. Although the strength of the sword qi is not as great as other Daoist techniques, you don't have to abandon your cultivation and start over. Moreover, it will come with the special effects of other true qi."

Since you have already mastered the Gu poison technique, you don't need to abandon your own family's Cultivation Method. You can directly learn this <<Puhua Sword Qi>>. As long as you refine and integrate it constantly, just like your grandmother's pharmacopoeia, sooner or later you will be able to integrate what you have learned with sword qi and create your own Cultivation Method.

This is also the entrance exam for the orthodox Xuanmen sect, do you understand?

Asha bowed in gratitude, "Thank you very much, senior brother, for transmitting the Dharma. Asha will definitely cultivate diligently and live up to your expectations."

Li Fan nodded and took out the rather sharp sword he had obtained from the spring. "This sword isn't too bad. Use it for now and observe its sword energy. I'll give you another one later."

Asha stared at the gleaming golden sword, clearly a magical weapon belonging to Golden Core Stage cultivator, and was speechless for a moment. Describing it as "not trash" seemed a bit inappropriate...

"This... thank you very much, Senior Brother..."

This exchange took another night. Asha taught Li Fan "<White's Pharmacopoeia>," while Li Fan passed on the "<Puhua Sword Qi>" to her and taught her two sword techniques.

Unfortunately, Asha is clearly a theorist. The eighth rank of the Profound Heaven Sword Intent is quite fair. She is quite smart, but perhaps due to innate factors, her physical aptitude is indeed lacking, and her swordsmanship comprehension seems poor as well. She simply cannot learn or remember the Profound Heaven Sword Method demonstrated by Li Fan, her movements are very non-standard, and her physical fitness is even worse. She is out of breath after practicing the sword twice.

So Li Fan had no choice but to settle for second best. He discussed it with Profound Heaven Sword Intent and then selected the first three consecutive sword moves of the Lightning Style from the five moves of the Profound Heaven Sword Method to teach her. She memorized them by rote and often practiced them as a form of physical exercise. In real close combat, she could barely manage to cope.

Just because she can't get started right away doesn't mean she's not cut out for swordsmanship. Generally, it takes three to five years of practice to see how it goes. Even Li Fan knows that when comparing aptitude and talent, you can't compare it to his own situation.

Incidentally, Li Fan has already memorized the <<White's Pharmacopoeia>> perfectly. While the pharmacology and toxicology recorded in this book cannot compare to those of true masters of medicine in the Xuanmen sect, its value lies in the fact that it records Grandma Bai's learning and analysis of the Gu poison techniques of the Kun Country from the perspective of a cultivator from the Central Plains. It not only focuses on the pharmacology of poison preparation and detoxification, but also reveals that the Bai Family previously held a high position in the Immortal Palace, even using beast-taming techniques to borrow and improve Gu-raising methods.

Taking Chen Asha's natal Gu as an example, that black snake is quite different from ordinary spirit beasts and Daoist pets. The beast taming method of the Immortal Palace treats spirit pets as mounts, henchmen, pets, or even wives and concubines, each cultivating their own path, and cooperating with each other to gain various familiarity bonuses. However, Asha's natal Gu treats the Gu, the snake, and Asha as a whole for cultivation, where the loss of one is the loss of the other, and the glory of one is the glory of the other. This is somewhat similar to the transformation of Tai Su.

Of course, the snake gu wouldn't affect Asha's Dao heart; it only aided her cultivation. However, her ability to use gu and poison, as well as her methods of fighting, all lay in this natal gu. Once her natal gu was killed by an enemy, Asha would be at the mercy of others, just like her grandmother. That's why Profound Heaven Sword Intent passed on a piece of <<Puhua Sword Qi>> to her and allowed Li Fan to also pass on the Profound Heaven Sword Method, increasing her ability to protect herself.

Li Fan himself also gained a lot of inspiration from the <<White's Pharmacopoeia>>. He not only memorized a bunch of prescriptions for pills and poisons, as well as methods for casting and removing Gu poisons, but he also felt that when the opportunity arose, he could try to establish an additional link between himself and his many Dao bodies, similar to the natal Gu poison. If, like the natal Gu poison, one body could receive a boost while the other was cultivating, wouldn't his cultivation speed be soaring?

Ahem Of course, this is just an inspiration for now; we'll have to discuss the specifics later during cultivation. Having mastered the methods of using Gu poison and also obtained a bunch of poisons from Asha, Li Fan feels his chances of defeating the Nangong Family have increased considerably.

So when dawn broke, he first took Asha back to the Lingqiu Mountain Middle Valley Dojo, found her a flying merchant ship from Ink Bamboo Mountain, and entrusted the caravan to take Asha to the 'recently famous' Qingyue Creek. Then he wrote a letter and gave Asha a pile of Storage Jade filled with materials that he had picked up, telling her to take it back to the Dojo to find Kun.

If she hadn't run away with a bunch of Storage Jade, even if Fuling didn't take her in, Li Fan could have taken her in as a servant to watch over the alchemy furnace. In any case, she could be considered a disciple of Qingyue Creek.

If she really runs away, then we've tested her character early on. Even if we lose all the things we gained for free, it's still better than investing too much later and losing it all.

In short, the opportunity has been given to Asha; it's up to her to choose and whether she can seize it.

As for Li Fan, after seeing Asha off and acquiring a sack of Storage Jade from a merchant, he was free from worries and ready to make a big splash. At the same time, he also learned about the whereabouts of the Nangong Family from the rogue cultivators who traveled to and from Lei Marsh.

Well, no wonder Li Fan couldn't find it anywhere on the outskirts of Lei Marsh; it turns out the Immortal Palace had actually gone straight into the depths of Lei Marsh!

It turns out that one of the great cultivators who ventured into the heart of Lei Marsh Swamp to explore had actually opened an ancient immortal palace!

As a result, not only the news of the Nangong Family's attainment of enlightenment spread, but also the news from Ink Bamboo Mountain, Li Country, Xun Kingdom, Kun Country, demons, and rogue cultivators—any great cultivator or demon with the strength of the Nascent Soul Realm —were all drawn there!

Moreover, many Golden Core cultivators who had banded together went to take a look. It is said that human cultivators and demons have split into two camps and banded together. One side is trying to break the restrictions of the immortal mansion, while the other side is constantly harassing the other's progress. The fighting is fierce, and they all want to rush into the cave to seize the treasure!

"There's actually a celestial abode in Lei Marsh Swamp?" This wasn't the first time Li Fan had been fooled, and he instinctively asked, "Could it be the ruins of the Beichen Sword Sect?"

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent Dao, blaming me again! My sword box was hidden in a mountain cave for my disciples to train with, not for setting up a celestial abode in Lei Marsh Swamp!"

Because Li Fan had bought a large quantity of Storage Jade, the merchant guild owner also shared a report, "It shouldn't be the Beichen Sword Sect. Rumor has it that it's an ancient Immortal Pavilion palace, likely belonging to an ancient demon god defeated during the Immortal Venerable era. It might even be the ancient demon god who ruled Lei Marsh. This time, many powerful demons have gathered, wanting to compete for the cultivation methods of ancient demons."

"The cultivation methods of demons..." Li Fan said with little interest.

The shopkeeper added, "Although it's useless to humans, it should contain many rare and Heavenly Treasure that are now extinct. Ink Bamboo Mountain is worried that the demons of the Ten-thousand-mountains might obtain the ancient techniques, which would be difficult to deal with later. It's said that Yao the Supervisor led a team to compete for them."

Well, if Xiao Yao were here, perhaps we could help each other and even take advantage of the chaos to wipe out the Nangong Family and pin the blame on the monsters...

"Let's go watch the show, Profound Heaven Sword Intent said. Maybe we can even find a Cultivation Method for Kun to practice."

Huh? Right! It's better than letting the vendors figure out some barbecue avenue on their own; it's embarrassing to even talk about it...

Alright! Let's go! Let's raid the Lei Marsh Swamp Demon Palace dungeon!

I've run out of drafts, so I'll be resuming single updates. Thank you all for your support!