Speak of Cao Cao, and Xiao Qiao Arrives

Jiang Chen received his inner sect disciple robes, along with an Azure Mist Sect-made disciple sword and Storage Ring.

He took off his blue-gray cloth servant's uniform and changed into a gauzy blue-and-cyan disciple robe. Its sleeves fluttered without wind, spiritual energy seeped through his skin and into his limbs, and with a five-foot azure sword at his side, Jiang Chen finally had the elegant bearing of an immortal cultivator.

The Storage Ring was somewhat wasted on him, though.

Storage Rings had originally been high-end goods, priced far beyond traditional storage bags. After Azure Mist Sect mastered the production process, it drove their price below that of storage bags, sweeping through Fireburn Kingdom and even the western HZ market. It was practically the rabbit of the cultivation world.

As a result, every Azure Mist Sect disciple had one. If outer sect servants had possessed the cultivation needed to open Storage Rings, even they would have gotten one apiece, looking imposing indeed.

Jiang Chen's simulator came with its own storage inventory, so the Storage Ring could only serve as decoration—or as cover for the inventory during battle. It would still be useful for launching a surprise attack.

Within Azure Mist Sect's inner sect, the peaks were too steep, leaving very few places suitable for building cave abodes. Qi Refinement disciples could not have independent cave abodes.

Having grown accustomed to living in a cave abode on Stubborn Stone Peak, Jiang Chen could now only stay in the disciple quarters.

The Tranquil Heart Peak disciple quarters stood on the ridge of the front mountain, resembling rows of villas. The scenery was quite good, though the spiritual energy density and formation arrangements could not compare to a private cave abode.

The disciple quarters were separated by gender, and only one room remained vacant. Jiang Chen had no choice but to move in that very night.

There was a private cultivation room, two latticed windows, moonlight spilling in, and a gentle mountain breeze.

Jiang Chen sat cross-legged, settled his divine sense, circulated his energy through the heavenly cycle, and began meditating. Before long, he fell asleep.

Early the next morning.

Jiang Chen went to see Tranquil Heart Peak's teaching deacon, Chen Gongxing, a middle-aged man who had devoted a hundred years to plowing wheat.

His wheat field lay across a rugged mountain ridge.

The wheat stalks grew in disorder: tall and short, straight and crooked, green and yellow, each flaunting its own charm. The ears of wheat were equally unremarkable, crooked melons and split dates, each with its own grade.

The only thing they shared was the clear, unfettered fragrance of wheat emanating from every stalk—not for mankind, but simply because it was wheat.

A middle-aged man with a bamboo hat covering his face lay atop a huge boulder beside the wheat field.

His head rested on a hoe handle, a longsword lay in his arms, and a short wheat stalk hung from his mouth as he hummed a melodious tune.

Jiang Chen had heard a little about Deacon Chen.

His talent was ordinary, yet through exceptional comprehension and willpower, he had cultivated all the way to Foundation Establishment Peak. He was known as the Watcher in the Wheat Fields, the number one beneath Golden Core.

"Disciple Jiang Chen came up the mountain only last night and has come especially to pay respects to Deacon Chen!"

Chen Gongxing kept his bamboo hat on and did not even glance at Jiang Chen. He merely said:

"Shh. Can you hear the whispers of the wheat ears?"

Jiang Chen had long heard that Deacon Chen had an eccentric temperament, so he did not take offense.

"This disciple is dull-witted. I ask Deacon Chen for guidance."

Chen Gongxing sounded faintly disappointed as he gave his customary reply:

"Tranquil Heart Peak has a high concentration of spiritual energy. Low-level cultivation focuses on calming the heart and enduring bitter practice, while high-level cultivation focuses on soul arts and Dao techniques. Since you have just come up the mountain, you may farm, gather herbs, fell bamboo, cultivate spirit insects... choose one and do it for a few years. Once you have done it until you grow impatient, come find me again."

How could Jiang Chen not know that Chen Gongxing himself had entered the inner sect from outer sect Qi Refinement? Now he simply wanted Jiang Chen to repeat his own cultivation path, without teaching according to aptitude.

"Reporting to Deacon Chen, this disciple has already cultivated bitterly for many years at the outer sect's Stubborn Stone Peak. I have long since grown impatient."

Chen Gongxing froze. He climbed to his feet, removed his bamboo hat, and gave Jiang Chen a look. Sure enough, he saw in Jiang Chen's eyes the plainness and steadfastness unique to one who had endured bitter cultivation.

"Stubborn Stone Peak... now that you mention it, I too came up from the outer sect back then. I lived on Little Cricket Peak beside Stubborn Stone Peak, and often sneaked peeks at the senior sisters of Sunset Glow Peak.

"For a servant disciple to enter the inner sect, your disposition is sufficient. Very well, take this jade slip first.

"It contains Basic Spirit Control and sword-control methods. Study them on your own first. Come find me again when you encounter a bottleneck."

With that, he tossed Jiang Chen a jade slip.

Study Basic Spirit Control and sword control on his own...

Jiang Chen did not show any disappointment. He neatly caught the jade slip, cupped his hands, and bowed.

"Thank you, Deacon Chen!"

Over the next few days.

During the day, Jiang Chen found a secluded place in Tranquil Heart Peak's rear mountain to study sword control and spirit control on his own. At night, he returned to the disciple quarters to meditate in quiet cultivation.

Most of the other Tranquil Heart Peak disciples at Qi Refinement cultivated bitterly through farming, while most at Foundation Establishment took on missions in exchange for sect contribution points.

There were not many like Jiang Chen, studying spirit control on their own.

Gradually, some senior and junior brothers began pointing at him behind his back and making idle remarks.

In the same building of disciple quarters, only one plump and stocky Qi Refinement disciple took the initiative to speak with Jiang Chen.

"Junior Brother Jiang, my name is Wang Baolin. I also rose into the inner sect from Stubborn Stone Peak. Self-study is not easy, so feel free to ask me about anything you do not understand!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother Wang."

This showed that birds of a feather flocked together; those with mediocre talent all liked to keep company with others of mediocre talent.

Even Deacon Chen viewed him in a different light.

Because he did not want to betray friends, nor did he want to be betrayed by them, Jiang Chen did not particularly like making friends.

Still, he would not keep people a thousand miles away. He simply remained as bland as water, stopping at the bounds of courtesy.

The contents of Deacon Chen's jade slip were most suitable for disciples of average talent like Jiang Chen to study by themselves.

Spirit control was object control: using one's own spiritual power to fuse mainly with the five spirits of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, thereby achieving the effect of controlling objects from afar.

Jiang Chen's talent was evenly spread. He knew a little of all five spirits, but was not especially proficient in any of them.

After several days of cultivation, Jiang Chen could already form things like spiraling water spheres and fireballs...

Yet Spiritual Power Snap, which placed comparatively greater demands on talent, remained difficult for him to master.

Fortunately, three days later, he learned sword control.

After all, Azure Mist Sect disciple swords came with wind-control and balancing functions, allowing even Qi Refinement disciples to master them easily.

Though daily spirit-control cultivation was tedious, it was still quite interesting to a newcomer like Jiang Chen.

Even if the progress was tiny, there was something new every day.

He had even forgotten that he still had a system!

In the rear mountain of Tranquil Heart Peak, within a bamboo forest, atop a huge boulder.

Jiang Chen snapped his fingers at a bamboo leaf from afar. With only a rustle of wind, the bamboo branches swayed, but the leaf remained unpierced.

This meant that his Wind Spirit Flick was too loosely condensed. Once launched, it quickly collapsed into a gust of wind.

"Failed again..."

Only then did he suddenly remember the system.

"It has been five days since Senior Sister Liu set fire to the mountain. Why has the simulator still not come online... What exactly counts as the main storyline?"

Speak of Cao Cao, and Xiao Qiao arrived.

The simulator had not come online, but Liu Ruyan had arrived.

Her figure was petite, her features delicate and pretty, and a hint of grievance lingered in her tranquil, waterlike eyes as she stared straight at Jiang Chen.

"I searched for ages. I never expected Senior to become a disciple of my Tranquil Heart Peak."

One day as husband and wife meant a hundred days of affection. Seeing Liu Ruyan again five days later, Jiang Chen still felt rather melancholy.

It was difficult to equate the cool and aloof Senior Sister Liu before him with the cunning, seductive Thousand-Faced Fox.

"Wasn't I worried about Senior Sister Liu following me around every day with illusion arts? So I simply delivered myself to your door."

Liu Ruyan covered her mouth and laughed. Her expression relaxed as she snapped her fingers, piercing several bamboo leaves, then mocked Jiang Chen in return:

"Senior sees into people's hearts and foretells matters like a god. Who would have thought your talent for spirit control would be so mediocre?"

Jiang Chen had a headache as well, but he said:

"I think talent can be made up for with resources and bitter cultivation, but being handsome is a lifelong matter. I quite like this body. Do you have any objection?"

Liu Ruyan paced with her hands behind her back, carefully examining Jiang Chen's build and appearance. In the end, she shook her head.

"This junior believes that a cultivator's appearance can easily be altered through spells. Yet trying to compensate for mediocre cultivation talent is harder than ascending to heaven."

Jiang Chen smiled.

"If I alter my appearance before others and people discover it, they will speculate about my true appearance with the greatest malice. They might even suspect that I am a transformed demon."

As he spoke, he stared meaningfully at Liu Ruyan's pert side of her hips. His gaze was calm, as though nine fox tails might spring out from there at any moment.

Liu Ruyan turned away. Her eyes shifted slightly as a startled feeling of having been seen through rose in her heart.

"Last time, Senior said this sect hid dragons and crouching tigers. Did you have anyone in particular in mind?"

Jiang Chen froze. Back then, he had merely said it casually to frighten Liu Ruyan and buy Azure Mist Sect some time.

He had already slipped away, yet who would have thought that after traveling through several places, he would still meet Liu Ruyan again?

Just as he did not know how to answer, a line of transparent text appeared before his eyes—

[Main storyline two, "Demi-Immortal's Book," is now online. Would you like to watch immediately and participate in the story simulation?]