A Perfect Fit

Jiang Chen found it increasingly strange the more he listened.

He had only casually said that the Azure Mist Sect was full of hidden masters to scare Liu Ruyan, yet his words had somehow become prophecy.

On the Ascending Dragon Continent, Nascent Soul cultivators were hard currency in terms of combat power. Wherever they went, they could awe an entire region.

Even a force as powerful as the Heavenly Demon Sect was said to have only two Nascent Soul demonic cultivators in residence, yet they had swept across Fireburn Kingdom, pillaging dozens of cities.

The Azure Mist Sect had already fallen into the ranks of third-rate minor sects, but after producing a Nascent Soul realm sect master three hundred years ago, it had widely recruited disciples and swiftly risen again.

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

Yet... he was far too low-key.

He was not especially devoted to teaching, nor had he done anything earth-shattering.

All Jiang Chen had heard was that he planted wheat over and over atop Tranquil Heart Peak, every bit the image of one seeking enlightenment.

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

And now this old innkeeper said that Chen Gongxing had already been at the peak of Foundation Establishment a century ago...

No matter how he looked at it, he 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 technique, but it offered all manner of exquisite annotations on basic spirit control, greatly accelerating his mastery and proficiency in 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 more advanced spirit-control method—

Myriad Phenomena Realm Resonance.

Jiang Chen had found no detailed explanation of this spirit-control method in the jade slip. It merely said that it placed extremely high demands on the cultivator's talent.

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

Only when all three requirements 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 disorders, or mental derangement.

He still remembered their first meeting, when Steward Chen had lain on a huge rock beside the wheat field with a straw hat covering his face and asked whether he could hear the whispers of the wheat ears...

At the time, Jiang Chen had thought the man was insane.

But now, could that have been the so-called Myriad Phenomena Realm Resonance? Listening to the voices of all things?

"Perhaps Steward Chen deliberately suppressed or concealed his cultivation in order to cultivate a certain technique."

That was Jiang Chen's conclusion.

The slightly tipsy old innkeeper paused, seemingly recalling the past.

"You mean Myriad Phenomena Realm Resonance?

I heard him say it was a legendary spirit-control method. Unfortunately, his talent was too high, and he lacked experience when his cultivation was low, so he was not suited to cultivating it...

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

Jiang Chen was equally surprised.

He had assumed Myriad Phenomena Realm Resonance required high cultivation, but its requirements turned out to work in reverse.

Could it be similar to the Demi-Immortal's Book, in that one's talent could not be too high?

He could not shake the feeling that there was something suspicious connecting the two...

"I hope Steward Chen merely concealed his cultivation."

Jiang Chen replied.

The old man sighed, casually warmed a cup of wine for Jiang Chen, then drank it himself in one gulp while Jiang Chen was still debating whether to drink it.

"A person cannot cling to obsessions. Cultivation is the same.

Take this old man. Back then, I had reached my limit and forcibly attempted a breakthrough to mid-stage Foundation Establishment. It cracked my core wall and nearly caused me to fall to demonic deviation.

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

There is much more to life than cultivation!"

Jiang Chen nodded slightly. If not for the system, he would have had an entire lifetime to experience the joys and sorrows of mortal life.

With the system, only by cultivating until he ascended in broad daylight could he meet a good end.

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

One half was planted with pines, maples, peach trees, and bamboo. Beside the trees was a small hot spring shrouded in mist.

By the bank stood a stone table and a large straw mat.

A Qi Refining cultivation array and a breath-concealing restriction had been set upon the three-foot straw mat.

The arrangement could not have been more thoughtful, and the exorbitant price of one spirit stone per day now made sense.

Jiang Chen sat cross-legged and began his daily meditation.

At present, he had spirit stones and the Demon Shrine, but he still lacked demonic qi, so he could not fuse them to rapidly raise his cultivation.

As for ordinary cultivation, advancing was difficult for his dantian, which possessed equal aptitude in all five elements.

For these three days, he would only perform the simplest seated meditation to stabilize his cultivation and nurture both body and mind.

His true plan was to make long-term arrangements after the matter with the Azure Mist Sect had been resolved.

After several spirit stones and Spirit-Nurturing Pills entered his stomach, several hours passed. Jiang Chen's aura rose, his spiritual veins became unobstructed, 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 slowly exhaled, feeling refreshed from head to toe.

Perhaps the Demonic Aura hidden within the abyss of his sea of qi was acting up, but ordinary meditation had actually made him sweat.

He simply removed his clothes and stepped into the hot spring beside the trees for a bath.

The water was only waist-deep, warm, smooth, and clear. It carried a coolness that refreshed the skin like melting ice and snow, mixed with a faint smell of sulfur.

The spring was rich in spiritual power, while its medicinal properties soothed the skin. Every trace of it was intoxicating.

Jiang Chen slowly closed his eyes.

Not long after.

A knock sounded outside the room.

"Who is it?"

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

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

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

That was practically a perfect fit.

Good thing this was a respectable inn!

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

Though her constitution seemed somewhat unusual...

"Come in."

The woman entered with a respectful bow, bent at the waist as she approached the hot spring, and set out wine and snacks for Jiang Chen.

She wore loose black clothing that concealed her figure. She looked quite young, and her features were rather attractive, but her expression was mournful, making her resemble a widow.

A faint mist floated over the water.

And from the woman drifted an equally faint, nearly imperceptible...

Demonic qi.

Jiang Chen's gaze shifted slightly.

After cultivating the Demi-Immortal Method, his divine sense had become extraordinarily sharp, allowing him to detect that trace of demonic qi.

It smelled somewhat like a snake...

A great demon like the Thousand-Faced Fox would not leak even the slightest trace of demonic qi.

This woman was either a minor demon or merely a mortal tainted by demonic qi. He could not tell with his naked eye.

It would be impolite to probe inside her body with his divine sense, and it could easily put her on guard.

"Is this a service provided to every room?"

The woman in black said:

"Grandfather said that you and he both belonged to the Azure Mist Sect and had spoken very pleasantly last night, so he ordered me to bring you some wine."

"Then why send a married woman like you?"

"Only Grandfather, Grandmother, and I are at home. 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 said:

"My husband did not heed Grandfather's advice and had his soul ensnared by some demoness outside. He is now nothing but dry bones in a grave."

Jiang Chen nodded slightly.

Going by the woman's words, if her husband had already become dry bones in a grave, the demonic qi on her body could not have lingered for so long... she was most likely a snake demon herself.

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

"Yes."

After the woman departed 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 and some were bad; some concealed their identities, while others openly admitted them.

It would be too difficult for a minor demon to kill the son of an old Foundation Establishment cultivator in his own home, and if she had lived there for a long time, it was impossible that they would not have discovered her identity.

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

Only after staring at the wine and snacks by the pool and confirming that they were safe, nonpoisonous, and all of excellent quality did he take a small sip of wine.

It had quite a pleasant flavor.

At noon on the second day.

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

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