Ode to Returning Home

Jiang Chen thought, What if the old book attendant had spread half-true intelligence himself, luring all sorts of demons and monsters into the Scripture Pavilion, then slowly worked on them through the Demi-Immortal's Book...

This guy was a real angler!

Sure enough, humans were the most sinister.

What happened next began to turn bloody.

The old book attendant secretly formed a hand seal and activated the Form-Returning Technique through the formation he had arranged beforehand in the Scripture Pavilion.

In an instant, crimson bloodlight engulfed the entire basement!

"You had long cultivated the Form-Returning Book. You merely never noticed because its effects were mild."

The ancient demon and the Jiao Serpent seemed to have had their throats seized in an instant. Demonic Flame and demon qi poured uncontrollably from their demonic core and Demon Core.

"How is this possible?!"

"When did you cultivate it?"

The old book attendant brought his palms together, continuously increasing the pressure as he patiently operated the Form-Returning Formation.

"The very first book you cultivated after entering the Scripture Pavilion was the genuine Form-Returning Book. It was created by this old man, Reverend Guiqi. If I had not called it the Demi-Immortal's Book, why would anyone have come?"

Guiqi... Gui Qi...

"So it really was you!"

The ancient demon and the Jiao Serpent knew they had been tricked and could no longer turn things around, but there was still one matter they did not understand.

"The Demi-Immortal's Book had mild effects, making it difficult for us to notice. Why has it become like this now...?"

Reverend Guiqi's cultivation far surpassed theirs. He had long secured victory and patiently explained:

"Though we cultivate the same Demi-Immortal's Book, I am the Abyss and you are the fish on the chopping block. As one wanes, the other waxes; yin and yang give rise to each other. Half-immortal plus half-immortal—is that not the radiant path to immortality? Rest in peace, you two. One day, this old man shall ascend in broad daylight on your behalf!"

The two were soon drained dry of demon qi and Demonic Flame. Their bodies twisted and rapidly withered.

"You old thief! You follow such a wicked demonic path—do you think you can become immortal?"

Reverend Guiqi's body gradually returned to an adult's height. White-haired yet youthful-faced, he possessed the bearing of an immortal... though he had already weathered several thousand years of time.

"What is an immortal? Can one become immortal through a Dao heart without self, or through a kind heart that embraces all beneath heaven?

Every being that stands above others is inevitably accompanied by the exploitation of countless living beings.

There has only ever been one path to the heavens. On this road, no one is more noble than anyone else!"

As he spoke, he thoroughly drained the bones and marrow of the two demons, who had been reduced to Peak Golden Core cultivation, absorbing every last bit of them.

His complexion became much rosier, his robes fluttering as he appeared gentle and amiable.

"In merely half a year, I have completely absorbed the spiritual qi of two Nascent Soul demons. With such cultivation efficiency, Spirit Severing is not far away!"

After dealing with one demon and one devil, Reverend Guiqi rearranged the Scripture Pavilion's formation, sealed the two holes in the wall, added dust and cobwebs, then left behind an extremely concealed, cramped air vent to await new prey.

He sent a carrier pigeon letter to Gray Castle's branch in Xihe Prefecture, continuing to spread false information.

Afterward, he returned to the adjacent cave abode to meditate and digest the spiritual qi he had devoured.

Several hours later, the scene ended.

Jiang Chen's divine sense returned to Tranquil Heart Peak.

The cruel reality made his scalp tingle.

On Reverend Guiqi, he vaguely saw a shadow of his own future.

With poor talent, it was nearly impossible to rely on sudden enlightenment or improve his innate aptitude. He could only desperately seize more resources...

Yet this world's resources were limited. In the end, society would inevitably become one where people devoured people.

Fortunately, generally speaking, although the Demi-Immortal's Book could not improve the innate aptitude of cultivators with talent like his, it could greatly enhance cultivation efficiency.

As for hunters and prey rushing toward one another and turning it into the Star-Absorbing Technique, Jiang Chen preferred to stay far away from that...

Unless he encountered genuine wicked demons and heretics.

This time, the scenario was fairly simple.

It was only that several characters possessed excessively high combat power, leaving Jiang Chen unsure how to intervene for the moment.

He had no obligation to save demons.

He only wanted to know how he could obtain the Form-Returning Book.

Three chances.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Chen decided that his general approach would be similar to the previous simulated scenario.

For the first try, he would test the stupid method first—charge in alone and see whether there was any opportunity.

The second time, he would cooperate with Liu Ruyan and attempt to find a foolproof plan.

For the third, he would leave himself a small safeguard.

With that in mind, he immediately took action.

"Begin the first simulation."

[Reminder: The host is currently being watched and observed by another person. To avoid temporal and logical disorder, you cannot teleport to the scenario point in your current state and may only begin the simulated scenario from your present location.]

Jiang Chen was startled.

He could not flash away while someone was nearby... This system was pretty scientific!

Did that not mean that, next time, it would be best to watch the simulated scenario while no one was around?

With no other choice, Jiang Chen could only start the scenario from where he stood. He said to Liu Ruyan:

"To raise my cultivation as quickly as possible, I need a large number of spirit stones, pills, and healing medicines. Help me gather them by tomorrow, and I'll tell you where the hidden masters of the sect are."

Liu Ruyan was slightly stunned. She had not expected Jiang Chen to truly know the powerful figures within the sect...

"See you tomorrow."

After casually chatting with Liu Ruyan for a few more moments, Jiang Chen returned to the disciples' quarters.

The reason he had made a deal with Liu Ruyan was also to prepare a fallback in advance. Perhaps he could achieve a perfect ending in the first simulation and use it as insurance?

That way, he could take more risks in the next two attempts and do the things he loved to do.

Back in the disciples' quarters, Jiang Chen immediately sat cross-legged on his meditation mat and began cultivating quietly.

Liu Ruyan did not follow him while invisible this time.

Instead, his plump senior brother, Wang Baolin, came over to warn him:

"I just saw you talking to Senior Sister Liu. Next time, you should be more discreet, or the other senior brothers might hold a grudge against you."

Jiang Chen closed his eyes and thanked him.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Wang!"

Yet Wang Baolin did not leave. With a sly grin, he said:

"Well, Junior Brother Jiang... seeing how well your senior brother takes care of you, could you teach me some secret method for winning the hearts of senior sisters and junior sisters?"

In order to send Senior Brother Wang away as quickly as possible, Jiang Chen could only offer serious advice.

"My suggestion is to lose weight. Eat less."

Upon hearing that, Wang Baolin suddenly regained the majesty of a three-hundred-jin powerhouse.

"To hell with women!"

After finally fooling Wang Baolin into leaving, Jiang Chen calculated the exact timing according to the original scenario. Only after Reverend Guiqi had devoured the demon and devil did he set off, flying on his sword straight toward Myriad Laws Peak.

Once at Myriad Laws Peak, Jiang Chen had no way to directly enter Reverend Guiqi's cave abode.

So he went to the Scripture Pavilion directly above Reverend Guiqi's cave abode and slipped two spirit stones to the pavilion steward.

After calculating the precise location, he went to a corner on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion, directly above Reverend Guiqi's head. He plopped down and casually began singing the Ode to Returning Home:

"Returning home, returning home—my fields are about to grow wild, why do I not return? Since I have let my heart be enslaved by my form, why should I mourn alone in sorrow..."

The disciples who had come to the Scripture Pavilion to borrow jade slips all turned to stare. They felt that a fool had arrived, yet could not help admiring the young man's literary talent.

Jiang Chen's purpose was not to show off. He was dancing on Reverend Guiqi's grave right above his head, trying to draw his attention.

Whoosh—

Sure enough, before he had finished singing the Ode to Returning Home, a gust of demonic wind suddenly swept into the Scripture Pavilion and carried Jiang Chen away.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Chen appeared in a forest.

There was no one around. Only Reverend Guiqi's aged voice sounded beside his ear.

"Who are you, and why have you appeared here?"