Chapter 14: Evil Intentions

Translator: Cenniwdyl  Editor: Caron_

After half a day of discussion, Li Yushan started to talk about spells.

“There are only a few spells written in bits and pieces in the cultivation technique manual I got years ago. Among them, there’s this fire-summoning spell. Its power is quite good.”

In a flash, he gathered spiritual aura, summoning a small ball of fire at the tip of his finger. He then pointed his finger at the wall and the fire suddenly flew, creating a finger-sized small hole in the wall.

Mo Tiange was stunned. She didn’t find it weird that this fire had this kind of power – her Wind’s Breath was the same in terms of power. From what was written in the manual, the power of spells could be even higher than this. What she found strange was actually its speed and ease of control. The fire managed to only burn a little hole in the wall and damaged no other areas.

A contented smile appeared on Li Yushan’s face. “I had to practice this fire-summoning spell for about three years before I finally gained some control over the fire. Even if I use it against spirit tools, I think I have somewhat of a handle on that. Just now, I was merely showing Fellow Daoist the mediocre result of my practice. Fellow Daoist, since your cultivation technique is superb, your spells are surely very powerful.”

Hesitating for a moment, Mo Tiange cautiously said, “It’s nothing. I’m not very skilled and have only learned a few simple spells. Among them, only the Wind’s Breath spell is slightly powerful.”

“Oh?” Li Yushan seemed very interested. He stared at her and asked, “Could you show it to me?”

Mo Tiange didn’t refuse and started to employ some spiritual aura. With a wave of her hand, a copper candle holder was instantly split in half.

Li Yushan was quite astonished. He asked, “May I know what kind of objects this spell can cut with its full power?”

“Well… I’m not too sure.”

Her words made him smile. “Since Fellow Daoist can use a wind spell, your spiritual roots must be outstanding.”

Mo Tiange was puzzled. “Why do you say so?”

Li Yushan explained, “Each spell has a different elemental attribute and is naturally affected by the elemental attributes of our spiritual roots. I possess four spiritual roots, lacking only metal from the five elements. Among these four, my fire spiritual root is the strongest, so I’ll achieve the best result in practicing fire spells. Wind is affiliated with wood. Since Fellow Daoist could use a wind spell without needing additional support, either the wood attribute in your spiritual roots is very outstanding, or your spiritual root is a mutated wind spiritual root.”

Mo Tiange’s knowledge about cultivation wasn’t deep. His explanation completely bewildered her. “I don’t really know how good my wood spiritual root is, but my spiritual roots are five-elements spiritual roots. I heard that isn’t good at all.”

Li Yushan was completely shocked. “Fellow Daoist has reached the second layer of the Aura Refining realm and can use such an outstanding spell. You actually possess five-elements spiritual roots!?”

Although Mo Tiange didn’t understand why he was so incredulous, she still answered, “Yes.”

Li Yushan’s face was filled with envy. “I assume it’s because Fellow Daoist received advice from elders that you have such an outstanding cultivation technique and are on the right path. May I know what kind of cultivation technique you’re cultivating with?”

Mo Tiange hesitated. The Art of Sunu was a cultivation technique that could only be practiced by female cultivators with Pure Yin Constitution. The Ancestor warned her that she mustn’t, at all costs, let anyone know she had a body with Pure Yin Constitution or people might use her as a Human Furnace. Although she didn’t know what a Human Furnace was, she knew it definitely wasn’t a good thing.

Having seen her hesitation, Li Yushan laughed. “I asked without thinking things through. If Fellow Daoist can’t answer, please forget it.”

Mo Tiange was relieved to hear him say that.

The two of them continued their discussion until Mo Tiange saw that it was getting dark and she hastily bid him goodbye.

She gained a lot from this discussion.

This Li Yushan said he was born in the Tong’an district of Jin Country’s capital city and accidentally obtained a cultivation technique manual in his childhood. He’d been traveling from country to country and met quite a few cultivators. Thus, he had a lot of knowledge and experience.

According to him, although most of the cultivation schools and sects were located in Kunwu, there were also many cultivation clans and individual cultivators scattered everywhere outside Kunwu. In Jin Country, for example, there were quite a few individual cultivators in the Tong’an district alone. They even formed an individual cultivator association and often held discussions to share their experiences. Li Yushan also said that neither his spiritual roots nor cultivation technique was good. Because he hadn’t been able to advance from the third layer of the Aura Refining realm, he traveled around to look for a fated chance.

Mo Tiange had been restraining herself for a long time – restraining herself from asking him for some information about her father. There was still some wariness in her heart. She was afraid that if this person found out she was alone, he would have evil intentions.

Fortunately, this Li Yushan really thought she had a cultivator elder. He only discussed cultivation methods with her and even tried hard to explain things she didn’t understand.

Seeing that the sky was getting dark, she rushed hastily towards the Mo family’s village, completely unaware that there was a silhouette following far behind.

—-

Li Yushan stared at the little village from afar.

This village was completely ordinary, just like every other village in the rural areas of Jin Country. He had been carefully observing it for a long time but he couldn’t find any trace of restrictions or formations here. He wouldn’t have guessed there was actually a cultivator here.

From his observations, that little girl didn’t have a better aptitude than him, but against all reason, her cultivation reached the second layer of the Aura Refining realm. Therefore, he was certain this girl must possess some kind of precious thing.

He’d been trapped in the third layer of the Aura Refining realm for five years. Unlike this little girl, he was aware of many things. Reaching the Foundation Building realm was extremely difficult for individual cultivators. It was only by joining a cultivation group that they could obtain additional, better resources. As for him, his aptitude was rather poor – he definitely had to join a cultivation group and obtain better resources if he wanted to succeed.

But with his aptitude, he was most likely not going to be accepted by any group. He wouldn’t get any opportunities unless his cultivation had the potential of entering the Foundation Building realm. But that was easier said than done! He’d been traveling for about six years but still hadn’t found a fated chance.

This little girl definitely had some secrets. Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone with five spiritual roots cultivating in the secular world, where the spiritual aura was thin, to reach the second layer of the Aura Refining realm in just three years.

Take himself for example; he had four spiritual roots, but he spent three years to reach only the first layer. In fact, he was only able to reach the third layer because he went to a place with a spirit vein to cultivate.

Besides, he had been observing this little girl and found no spirit tools on her body. Based on the nonexistence of spirit tools along with the qualifications she had, she shouldn’t have been able to cultivate to the second layer of the Aura Refining realm.

After watching the little girl walking into the largest house in the village from a distance, he followed her and walked into the village.

At the village border, there was a middle-aged woman catching a chicken. He pondered it and decided to head towards her.

“Excuse me, Sister…”

The woman looked up. She saw him and immediately said, “Young Brother, may I help you?”

Li Yushan said, “I’m on a journey to a town. But it’s already dark now – may I lodge in your house for the night?”

“So it’s like that…” The woman sized him up. Seeing as he was polite and gentle and didn’t seem like a bad person, she happily nodded. “Alright, come in! But our house is in poor condition – don’t regret it.”

He hastily bowed, cupping his hands in front of him. “How would I dare… Thank you.”

The woman rushed into the house and yelled, “Husband, there’s someone asking to stay here for the night! Come quickly and greet our guest!”

Right after someone answered from inside the house, a stout village man walked out of the house. Seeing him, the man said, “Young Brother, you want to stay with us? Quickly come in.”

“Yes. Sorry for the trouble.” He cupped his hands as thanks before following the man inside.

This was an ordinary farmer’s house. In one room, several dishes, as well as a few sets of bowls and chopsticks, had been placed on the table. The man enthusiastically said, “Please sit. Wife, bring him rice!”

The woman outside answered. Soon after, she came inside carrying a bowl of rice.

Li Yushan said with embarrassment, “I have to thank Sister for the trouble. But have I disturbed you…?”

“Hey! It’s nothing. Both my wife and child have already eaten. It’s just me who came back late. Young Brother, be at ease and eat.”

Li Yushan smiled and pretended to be starving, hastily eating his rice. However, his mind was already thinking about how to gather information from these people.