Dusk deepened.
They passed through the city gates.
A bustling scene of people coming and going immediately appeared before Zhang Jing and the others. A considerable number of cultivators mingled among them, some rogue cultivators, others Dao Academy disciples wearing blue magical robes like their own.
"We finally made it to Langya Commandery City."
Senior Brother Xia's cry carried a hint of world-weariness.
The journey from Black Mountain County's seat to Langya Commandery City was a mere nine hundred-odd li, yet it had taken the five of them a full half month.
They had fought frequently along the way, with scarcely a moment to relax their minds.
Their faces had long since become steeped in exhaustion.
"We certainly ran into plenty of demons along the way." Senior Brother Ding squeezed out a smile. "Fortunately, we've finally reached Langya Commandery City."
"With our senior brothers stationed here, the demons won't dare run rampant. Let's find an inn and rest up tonight. We can discuss the other arrangements tomorrow."
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"We'll follow your lead, Senior Brother."
Everyone answered, visibly relaxing.
Before long.
Zhang Jing and the others found a fairly decent-looking inn and headed straight inside.
"Your presence honors our humble establishment, five Immortal Elders. May I ask if you wish to stay?"
Before they even entered,
the innkeeper came out to greet them, his enthusiasm tempered by a little caution.
"Five superior rooms. Take us there now," Senior Brother Ding said.
"Right away. This way, Immortal Elders!"
At his words, the innkeeper hurriedly bowed and led the way, with the five of them following behind.
Only after entering
did Zhang Jing notice that there were quite a few cultivators in the ground-floor hall, although they were all rogue cultivators at the first or second layer of Qi Refining.
Gazes turned toward the five of them, some openly, others discreetly.
But once they caught sight of those unmistakable blue magical robes, those gazes withdrew one after another, and the entire ground floor instantly fell silent.
Only after Zhang Jing and the others had disappeared completely from view did the rogue cultivators in the hall become lively again.
Spiritual sense fluctuated, and murmurs rustled on without cease.
"Good heavens, another squad! How many people has the Dao Academy sent here already?"
"At least a few hundred, I'd say."
"Then this demon uprising in Langya Commandery must be no simple matter."
"Isn't that precisely our opportunity? In the past, we hardly ever saw an esteemed Dao Academy cultivator, let alone managed to get any guidance. Now, by hunting demons, we can not only trade materials from their bodies for guidance, but might even obtain rare resources from them that we've never heard of before."
"If we seize this opportunity, we might just find our chance to advance to middle Qi Refining."
"Exactly. I heard someone dug a Demon Core out of a demon a while ago and actually traded it to an esteemed Dao Academy cultivator for some kind of High-Grade Spirit Pill. His cultivation soared!"
"Did you notice how young those cultivators just now looked? But the fluctuations of spiritual power inside them-tsk, tsk. Terrifying!"
"Aren't all Dao Academy cultivators like that?"
"Have you heard? Two monstrous talents recently appeared in the Dao Academy. They're not even twenty, but they already slaughter middle Qi Refining demons like slicing melons and chopping vegetables."
"Hiss-"
That night.
Zhang Jing, who sat cross-legged on the bed cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of excitement rising in his gaze.
For once, he had not made talismans that day.
There was no other reason: the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method had advanced to level four today.
His gaze shifted.
[Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method · Level 4 (1/1200)] Skill traits: Origin-Gathering Spiritual Light (low-grade), Crimson Spirit Light (intermediate-grade)
Once he saw the newly emerged skill trait clearly,
Zhang Jing's gaze froze.
The good news: the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method had reached level four, as expected.
The even better news: the new skill trait was actually intermediate-grade, beyond his expectations!
Why did an intermediate-grade trait appear? Does the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method, the most basic cultivation visualization method, hold a secret?! Perhaps everyone has overlooked it.
No! The Dao Academy couldn't possibly be unaware of it. But why haven't they said anything?
Surely the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method... couldn't have come from somewhere other than the Dao Academy?
Confusion entered Zhang Jing's eyes.
He could not help recalling the pure, weighty, magnificent spiritual light he had dimly glimpsed when he first practiced the Pure Origin Breath-Absorbing Visualization Method. It had occupied some boundless firmament, both sun and moon, and the vast expanse of stars besides.
It was as though that spiritual light was the only light.
Yet he had never seen it again in his subsequent cultivation.
His thoughts began to seethe. All manner of ideas intertwined, one conjecture emerging after another, only to bring still more questions in their wake.
He did not know how much time passed.
Whew-
Zhang Jing exhaled softly and buried all his doubts deep within his heart.
As long as he kept climbing the vast path of immortality, he believed he would understand all these things sooner or later.
He looked at Crimson Spirit Light, and with a shift of thought, a trace of information appeared in his mind.
A long while later,
a flash of understanding crossed Zhang Jing's eyes.
Crimson Spirit Light: "crimson spirit" meant a heart as innocent as a newborn's, where inner demons did not arise, no evil could intrude, and stray thoughts did not exist. The spirit returned to its innate state; I alone ruled my heart and mind.
Within the range of Crimson Spirit Light, all stray thoughts and lingering remnants of thought ceased to exist.
Perhaps I can activate Crimson Spirit Light together with the Mind's Eye Dao Seed. That way, the full potential of the thinking and comprehension enhanced by the Mind's Eye Dao Seed will be unleashed! I'll be able to raise my skill experience grinding speed another notch, and my cultivation will become more efficient too!
So Zhang Jing thought.
A mind of pure focus, free of distracting thoughts-wasn't that the so-called "flow" state of his previous life?
In that state, his capacity to learn and comprehend would be pushed straight to its limit.
Then... his talisman-making success rate ought to improve as well!
Zhang Jing's eyes shone.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Crimson Spirit Light, though seemingly unremarkable, actually had terrifying effects.
Wait!
A glint flashed through Zhang Jing's eyes, and he swept one hand over his Storage Bag.
The Black Tiger Demon's Demon Core appeared in his palm.
The demonic resentment and baleful intent inside the Demon Core should count as lingering remnants of thought. At the very least, they must qualify as external demons, he thought uncertainly.
A crimson spiritual light slowly emerged from his body.
Enveloped in the red light, the Demon Core trembled gently. Within moments, wisps of black smoke rose from it, slowly fading into nothingness.
Venomous voices suddenly rang out beside Zhang Jing's ears, then vanished without a trace an instant later.
"Human, you deserve to die!"
"You're despicable!"
"Kill, kill, kill!"
"Heehee, human flesh tastes delicious and is so nourishing!"
The night slowly passed.
The Demon Core in Zhang Jing's hand gleamed crystalline white within the Crimson Spirit Light. Not a trace remained of the resentment the demon had attached to it before its death.
The Crimson Spirit Light slowly dissipated.
Ignoring his mental exhaustion, he pinched the Demon Core between his fingers, raised it before his eyes, and examined it carefully.
Exceptionally dense spiritual qi slowly seeped out of the Demon Core.
So, if Senior Brother Ding was right, this middle Qi Refining Demon Core is worth a hundred Dao Merit?
It seemed he had... found another way to earn Dao Merit.
Knock, knock-
"Junior Brother Zhang Jing, are you awake? Senior Brother Li, the deputy captain of our Luodu Squad stationed in Langya, wants to see you. Hurry and come with me."
Senior Brother Ding spoke as he knocked.
Deputy Captain Senior Brother Li?
Hearing this, Zhang Jing put the purified Demon Core into the Spirit Pendant Space, then rose and walked toward the door.
"Senior Brother Ding, why does the deputy captain suddenly want to see me?"
He looked at Senior Brother Ding and asked in puzzlement.
"Haha, it's something very good for you. Come along quickly, Junior Brother. Don't keep Senior Brother Li waiting."
A broad smile unwittingly spread over Senior Brother Ding's face.