Chapter 32: First-hand Knowledge of the Mind-numbing Aura

Ling Xian saw as the Great Fiends with bear heads approached, then Eldest Bear poked him. This was the first time they saw a human in Myriad Mountains since any who wandered aimlessly in the fiends’ territory was guaranteed and early death. Eldest Bear spoke, “Second Bear, you think he’ll bite us?”

“Think so, I heard humans also eat bear paws.”

Ling Xian raged inside, Bite your sister! I’m not a wild beast!

Second Bear checked Ling Xian’s mouth and hands, then said in earnest, “Look, he has no fangs, just teeth. While hunting he can only use his teeth to bite, so he must be a biter.”

Eldest Bear was in deep thought, then nodded, “Second Bear, what you say is reasonable. I heard human cultivators all have protective treasures, so their clothes and armor must be treasures. This kid might not have a hight cultivation, only the 1st stage of Dao Sense realm, but he’s a cultivator nonetheless. Let’s strip him clean, just in case!” 

The two of them took no time at all exposing Ling Xian in all his glory. Eldest Bear reached over and flicked Ling Xian’s little brother, “Why is this guy’s little brother so small, I wanted to eat it and increase my stamina.”

“Humans, how could their’s compare to ours?”

Ling Xian huffed and puffed inside, I’m 12, alright! I didn’t even go through puberty yet!

His shame burned hotter and hotter until it knocked him out cold.

The two bears were enjoying themselves as they carried the squeaky clean Ling Xian, flying towards their cave and prepping him as a gift for their Archfiend.

When Ling Xian woke up, he found himself in a fiend’s cave. He looked around and saw someone on a seat of bones, draped in a robe made of black feathers, with a jade-like face, a carefree and remarkable young fiend.

He was in human form, an Archfiend!

I’m finished, there’s no way out this time.

And what Chen Ming was holding was a book titled, ‘18 Ways to Cook Human’!

Chen Ming glanced at Ling Xian, ‘Something’s fishy about how he’s tied up. Do those bears have suck hobbies?’ He then looked at the ones he dubbed Eldest Bear and Second Bear, “How come you returned with a human?”

Eldest Bear spoke, “Archfiend Sir, weren’t you saying nothing taste good lately? So we brought you a human.”

Chen Ming looked at Ling Xian and his shinny skin, “Why did you pick him clean?”

“Heard that humans have protective items and were afraid his Daoist robe was one of them.”

Chen Ming walked towards Ling Xian. Not that he wanted to try the taste of long pig, no, he didn’t have such an appetite. As he was intending to let Ling Xian go, at ten feet from him, he heard it.

“Ding! Entered Mind-numbing Aura’s range. Your intelligence is lowered, detecting resistances… You don’t have any resistance for the Mind-numbing Aura, your IQ is halved.”

Eh, Mind-numbing Aura?

Chen Ming carefully inspected Ling Xian and he now saw two auras on him:

‘Mind-numbing Aura lvl 2

Everywhere I go, I feel at home!

Effect: everyone will have half IQ in a ten-foot radius.’

‘Luck Aura lvl 4

It isn’t impossible to have one’s wish granted.

Effect: luck is greatly increased.

Secondary effect: passive.’

This kid actually has two aura, and their even Mind-numbing Aura and Luck Aura.

These auras were much more impressive than Zhuo Qingyao’s!

For reasons unknown, the thought of making him his disciple struck Chen Ming, to nurture him!

Chen Ming was about to speak when he realized, Damn, I’m under the effect of the Mind-numbing Aura!

Leaving the ten-foot radius in a flash, Chen Ming once again considered the youth. Taking a disciple like this would leave him with no room for respect, and the youth might not be willing to accept him.

Regarding seasoned Immortal Masters, geniuses had an uncanny instinct on choosing their masters.

Chen Ming waved his hand, “Get him some clothes, aren’t you embarrassed to watch something so small? And this kid isn’t fat, are bones even tasty? Raise him outside my lair first.”

After dealing with Ling Xian, Chen Ming thought back on the kid’s situation. He had a shattered Dao Palace, from his failed attempt to enter Dao Initiation realm, and could only train in Dao Canon. According to this kid’s bones, he should be around twelve years old. That meant that three years already passed since he failed to breakthrough, that he was around ten years old when he attempted to advance to Dao Initiation realm.

What a genius!

Chen Ming turned into a crow and tuned in on what Ling Xian was doing from a corner of the courtyard, then glanced at his merits, Eh? 171 already? It seems Zhuo Qingyao went up a stage.

Since you cultivate Dao Canon, and since it conceals a great secret, I will guide you.

Chen Ming asked inwardly, “How many volumes of Dao Canon can I comprehend with current merits?”

“Ding! Current merits are 171, can comprehend 8 volumes, with 13 merits remaining. Continue?”

“Yes, direct comprehension!”

Chen Ming disinclined of using inferred comprehension. This wasn’t a magical art, and one needed to comprehend a cultivation method with one’s heat. Was it even possible for this kid to see him comprehending it with his heart?

Ling Xian was currently talking to himself, “I am trapped by a fiend, and an Archfiend at that. I don’t know if it’s good or bad.”

“Escape might be difficult, but I can’t lose hope! Let’s survey the area first.”

Chen Ming watched as Ling Xian inspected the terrain, and when he began seeing the corner of the wall where a crow was, Chen Ming flew towards his lair while operating the Dao Canon at full power.

Ling Xian finally climbed the wall, and saw Chen Ming, Shit, Archfiend didn’t see me, right?

Ling Xian mental faculties recovered rather quickly, He looked as if he was cultivating. I should be in the clear. 

Ling Xian peaked his little head out, gazing at Chen Ming. It was fine not looking, but one look was enough to scare him witless, This fiend is cultivating the Dao Canon!

Ling Xian practiced the Dao Canon for the past three years and was very familiar with its energy signature.

He trained day in day out yet made no noticeable progress. Dao Canon was as common as it gets, known to be hard to comprehend, difficult to cultivate and useless to boot!

Ling Xian felt as if the Archfiend mocked him by training in the Dao Canon , Most likely I had stepped on a pile of dogshit. If others could see this, their hearts might flatline.

‘Humph, how can someone cultivate Dao Canon so easily? ‘

Then Ling Xian heard a boom and all the surrounding spiritual energy rushed towards Chen Ming’s body. He had a breakthrough!

Ling Xian comforted himself, I know how hard it is to train in Dao Canon, even an Archfiend hundreds of years old advanced only a stage.

And then Ling Xian heard another pop, Chen Ming advanced again!

It short-circuited Ling Xian’s thoughts, Impossible! He still thought Chen Ming trained for hundreds of years before he advanced a stage.

Then Ling Xian heard a third bang, emphasising Chen Ming’s advancement yet again!

Ling Xian’s thought, This Archfiend’s understanding in Dao Canon has reached such a profound level! If I can pay my respects to him and receive his guidance, I will recover my cultivation!

Chen Ming laughed on the inside, Humph, squirt, Immortal Master Chen is not someone you can easily control!