Right in His Wheelhouse

The more Jiang Chen listened, the more something felt off.

He had merely tossed out a remark about the Azure Mist Sect hiding crouching tigers and coiled dragons to scare Liu Ruyan, yet it had somehow become prophecy.

On the Ascending Dragon Continent, Nascent Soul Cultivators were hard currency when it came to combat power. No matter where they went, they could awe an entire region.

Even a powerhouse like the Heavenly Demon Sect was said to have only two Nascent Soul Realm demon cultivators holding the fort, yet they had swept through Fireburn Kingdom, pillaging dozens of cities.

The Azure Mist Sect had already fallen into the ranks of third-rate minor sects, but because it produced a Nascent Soul Realm sect master three hundred years ago, it recruited disciples far and wide and swiftly rose to its feet again.

As for Steward Chen in the wheat field... Jiang Chen had felt from their very first meeting that he was no minor figure.

Yet... he had kept far too low a profile.

He was not particularly diligent in teaching, nor had Jiang Chen seen him accomplish anything earth-shattering.

He had only heard that Chen planted wheat over and over on Tranquil Heart Peak, every inch the enlightened seeker.

Jiang Chen had once heard Steward Chen say that he had cultivated on Little Cricket Peak in the outer sect, which also seemed to be a place of enlightenment.

And now this old innkeeper was saying that Chen Gongxing had already been at Foundation Establishment Peak a hundred years ago...

No matter how he listened to it, Chen sounded like a genius.

Why would a genius suppress his cultivation to seek enlightenment?

The jade slip Steward Chen had given him contained no special cultivation manual, but it offered all manner of exquisite annotations on Basic Spirit Control, greatly accelerating Jiang Chen's mastery and proficiency with Five-Element Spirit Control.

Moreover, after Spiritual Power Spiral Ball, Spiritual Power Snap, and the Spirit-Infused Sword Art, its final section proposed an even higher-tier spirit-control method—

Myriad Phenomena Resonance.

Within the jade slip, Jiang Chen had found no detailed explanation of this spirit-control method. It only said that it placed extraordinarily high demands on a cultivator's talent.

Physique, divine soul, and cultivation... not one of the three could be lacking.

Only when all three conditions were met could one see the specific contents while holding the jade slip.

If one forcibly cultivated this method, it would instead disrupt one's normal cultivation, causing spiritual vein damage, bloodline damage, or mental disorder.

He still remembered their first meeting, when Steward Chen had lain atop a huge boulder beside the wheat field with a bamboo hat covering his face, asking whether Jiang Chen could hear the whispers of the wheat ears...

Back then, Jiang Chen had thought him insane.

But now, could this be the so-called Myriad Phenomena Resonance? Listening to the voices of all things?

"Perhaps Steward Chen deliberately suppressed or concealed his cultivation because he was cultivating some particular technique."

That was Jiang Chen's conclusion.

The slightly tipsy old innkeeper froze for a moment, as though he had recalled the past.

"You mean Myriad Phenomena Resonance?

"I heard him say that it was a legendary spirit-control method. Unfortunately, his talent was too high, and he lacked experience when his cultivation was low, so it was unsuitable for him...

"If cultivating this method delayed one's normal cultivation, that would be putting the cart before the horse."

Jiang Chen was equally astonished.

He had thought Myriad Phenomena Resonance required high cultivation, but it turned out the requirement worked in reverse.

Talent could not be too high? Could it have something in common with the Demi-Immortal's Book?

He could not shake the feeling that there was something fishy between the two...

"I hope Steward Chen is merely concealing his cultivation."

Jiang Chen replied.

The old man let out a long sigh and casually warmed a cup of wine for Jiang Chen. Jiang Chen was still hesitating over whether to drink it when the old man drained it himself in one gulp.

"A person cannot have obsessions, and cultivation is no different.

"Take this old man. Back then, I had cultivated to my limit and forcibly tried to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. It caused my pill wall to crack, and I nearly fell to demonic deviation.

"Now, I have long since let it go. Foundation Establishment cultivation already grants several hundred years of life. Compared to mortals, that is no different from being an immortal.

"There is much more to life than cultivation!"

Jiang Chen nodded faintly. If not for the system, he would have had a lifetime to experience the bitter, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors of mortal life.

With the system, he could only die well if he cultivated without cease until ascending in broad daylight.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

The old man stroked his beard and laughed, his breath reeking of wine.

"Haha, you flatter me, you flatter me."

Jiang Chen arrived at the cultivation room.

The cultivation room was not large, only a little over one zhang square, yet it had been built like a miniature garden.

Pines, maples, peach trees, and bamboo occupied half the space, while beside the trees sat a small hot spring wreathed in mist.

A stone table stood by the shore, along with a large straw mat.

A three-foot meditation mat was laid with a Qi Refinement Realm cultivation array and a breath-concealing restriction.

The arrangements could not have been more thoughtful. At the outrageous price of one spirit stone per day, it made sense.

Jiang Chen sat cross-legged and began his usual quiet cultivation.

At present, he had spirit stones and a Demon Shrine, but he still lacked demonic aura. He could not fuse them to rapidly increase his cultivation.

And ordinary cultivation made advancement difficult for a dantian blessed equally in all five elements.

For these three days, he would do only the simplest meditative cultivation, stabilizing his cultivation and nourishing both body and mind.

His goal was still to make long-term plans after matters with the Azure Mist Sect had concluded.

Several spirit stones and Spirit-Nurturing Pills entered his stomach. A few hours later, Jiang Chen's aura rose, his spiritual veins flowed smoothly, and his dantian gradually stabilized.

Unfortunately, the cultivation room lacked the immortal scenery and atmosphere of the Azure Mist Sect, making it somewhat dull.

One day later.

Jiang Chen let out a long breath, feeling refreshed from head to toe.

Perhaps the demonic aura hidden within the Qi Sea Abyss was stirring trouble, but ordinary meditation had actually made him sweat.

So he took off his clothes and slipped into the hot spring beside the trees for a bath.

The water was only waist-deep, warm, smooth, and clear. It carried the cool, skin-refreshing sensation of melting ice and snow, mixed with a faint scent of sulfur.

The spring was rich in spiritual power, and its medicinal properties soothed the skin. Every thread of it fit perfectly, intoxicating him.

Jiang Chen slowly closed his eyes.

Not long after.

A knock sounded outside the door.

"Who is it?"

"Grandfather instructed me to bring wine and pastries to Young Master Cao."

Young Master Cao... only then did Jiang Chen remember that the name he had given the innkeeper was Cao Mengde.

Why had this old man sent his daughter-in-law to deliver wine to a guest named Cao Mengde?

This was practically right in his wheelhouse.

Good thing this was a respectable inn!

Jiang Chen swept out with his divine sense and confirmed that the woman outside was merely a mortal.

Though her constitution seemed somewhat unusual...

"Come in."

The woman entered respectfully, bent over as she approached the hot spring, and prepared wine and pastries for Jiang Chen.

She wore loose black clothing that concealed her figure. She looked quite young, and her features were fairly attractive, but her expression was mournful and desolate, like that of a widow.

A faint mist drifted over the water's surface.

And from the woman's body drifted an equally faint, almost imperceptible...

Demonic aura.

Jiang Chen's eyes shifted slightly.

Only after cultivating the Demi-Immortal Method had his divine sense become sharp enough to detect such a trace of demonic aura.

It smelled like a snake...

A great demon like the Thousand-Faced Fox would not leak even a wisp of demonic aura.

This woman was either a minor demon or merely a mortal contaminated by demonic aura. Jiang Chen could not tell with his naked eyes.

It would be impolite to send his divine sense into her body, and it could easily alert her.

"Is this a service provided in every room?"

The woman in black said:

"Grandfather said that you and the young master both belong to the Azure Mist Sect, and that you had a pleasant conversation last night, so he ordered me to bring some wine."

"Then why send a married woman like you?"

"There are only Grandfather, Grandmother, and me in the household. Otherwise, I can have Grandmother come next time."

Then you should come instead...

Jiang Chen asked again:

"Why is your husband not at home?"

The woman replied:

"My husband did not heed Grandfather's advice and had his soul hooked away by a demoness outside. He is now dry bones in a grave."

Jiang Chen nodded faintly.

By the woman's account, if her husband had already become dry bones in a grave, the demonic aura on her body could not have lasted so long... she was most likely a snake demon.

"You may leave. Thank Senior Zhang on my behalf."

"Yes."

After the woman left with a respectful bow, Jiang Chen frowned slightly.

Was I overthinking this?

On the Ascending Dragon Continent, many demon cultivators chose to live among humans. Some were good, some evil; some concealed their identities, while others confessed openly and received leniency.

For a minor demon to kill the son of an old Foundation Establishment cultivator in his own home would be too difficult, and if she had lived there for long, it would have been impossible for them not to discover her identity.

It was better not to meddle in other people's family affairs.

He stared at the wine and pastries by the pool. Only after confirming that they were safe, nonpoisonous, and all fine goods did he take a small sip of wine.

It had quite a flavor.

At noon the next day.

After cultivating cross-legged for a long while, Jiang Chen finally received the third main storyline.

[Main Storyline Three: "Witch Splits the Mountain" is now online. Would you like to watch immediately and participate in the storyline simulation?]