Chapter 4: The Scumbag’s Technique and a Fateful Encounter

Quan Haoqing asked with a strange expression, “Those two… they were both quasi-Immortals at the time, right?”

The Book Spirit stated matter-of-factly, “Even quasi-Immortals can fall into destitution. They couldn’t very well just spend all their money and then rely on their cultivation to rob others, could they?”

“Indeed.”

Recalling a righteous individual who had recently discussed opportunities with him, Quan Haoqing nodded in profound agreement.

‘As expected, the moral standards of enlightened masters who achieve the Immortal Realm are indeed trustworthy.’

However, the Book Spirit immediately continued, “After all, when the secret realm was established, not much time had passed since my former master’s last extortion. At that point, those sects had no spare funds. Although my master’s friend thought they could be squeezed again, my former master said that ‘draining the pond to catch all the fish’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to take a short-sighted approach, destroying future prospects for immediate gain) wasn’t ideal, as there would be nothing left to collect later. So, they gave up on the idea, leaving you all to suffer the consequences.”

‘I retract my previous trust.’

After a moment of silence, Quan Haoqing remarked, “…Actually, those sects only appear poor; if you squeezed them again, they’d probably still have something.”

The Book Spirit agreed wholeheartedly, yet stated with regret, “There was nothing to be done; my master’s moral standards were simply too high. Originally, they intended to make up for it once they became wealthier, but unfortunately, they ascended to Immortality and didn’t have the chance. However, this is the secret realm of my master’s friend, and since their cultivation technique is so unique, the remaining provisions should be a bit more than my former master’s, don’t you think?”

Quan Haoqing’s eyes lit up as he inquired, “Unique? Does it possess some extraordinary effect? And would it conflict with your cultivation technique?”

The Book Spirit, unusually, fell silent for a moment before replying, “It certainly has an extraordinary effect, but I imagine you, as a rogue cultivator with a normal mind, wouldn’t consider practicing it. Moreover, the cultivation technique is highly conflicting; you absolutely must not practice it! The person who created this technique is a scumbag.”

Quan Haoqing paused, bewildered, and asked, “Wasn’t he your former master’s friend?”

The Book Spirit affirmed, “Yes, but he is also a scumbag. Before ascending to Immortality, my former master lamented their poor choice of friends on more than one occasion, but by then, they had become sworn comrades, so nothing could be done. Yet, he is indeed a scumbag; this is something both my former master and I agree upon.”

Quan Haoqing asked with a subtle expression, “May I ask what he did?”

“He created a cultivation technique.”

Recalling the Book Spirit’s earlier description, Quan Haoqing seemed to realize something and asked, “Don’t tell me it’s the cultivation technique left behind in this secret realm?”

The Book Spirit gave an affirmative answer, “Precisely.”

Quan Haoqing somewhat understood. “That cultivation technique is so bizarre? Could it be a demonic or unorthodox path?”

The Book Spirit stated calmly, “No, it belongs to the Orthodox Xuanmen (TL Note: A traditional term referring to the Daoist school of cultivation, often implying righteousness and orthodoxy).”

Quan Haoqing felt his brain cells were insufficient to process this. “Could you explain what exactly the master of this secret realm did to make both you and your former master call him a scumbag?”

The Book Spirit replied bitterly, “He created this cultivation technique for my former master and tried to get them to practice it without disclosing the prerequisites for cultivation. An absolute scumbag! My former master pursued him for a full year.”

“So, what effects does that cultivation technique have?”

“Apologies, my former master and that individual made an agreement; the specific effects cannot be revealed.”

Quan Haoqing asked curiously, “Did your former master practice it, then?”

The Book Spirit said with relief, “No, they didn’t. Because they understood the other party too well, they kept a wary eye out and learned the consequences of practicing it.”

Clearly, despite belonging to the Orthodox Xuanmen, this secret realm’s cultivation technique was anything but proper, igniting a fierce curiosity in Quan Haoqing about its wondrous qualities. However, just as he was about to inquire further, the Book Spirit voiced a question.

“It’s gone?”

Quan Haoqing stepped forward, his gaze falling upon an empty clearing where only emerald blades of grass swayed gently in the wind. If the two secret realms shared the same structure, then a cultivation manual should also be suspended in mid-air here, awaiting the arrival of a destined individual.

Yet, there was nothing.

Upon seeing this, Quan Haoqing asked, “Could it be that someone has already taken the cultivation technique?”

The Book Spirit paused, startled, and said, “How perverse would someone have to be to cultivate that? My former master even placed restrictions on that book through coercive means, ensuring that cultivators must know the training conditions before being tricked into practicing it.”

“Furthermore, it was still here before this secret realm opened!”

The Book Spirit seemed incredulous. “Two individuals carrying pure Yang energy entered the secret realm simultaneously? How pathetic must the other person be to encounter it?”

Truth be told, Quan Haoqing felt that if he didn’t discover the true nature of that cultivation manual’s technique, it would undoubtedly become the greatest inner demon on his path to Immortality.

“However, if there truly is… an entity willing to practice it, I probably know its location. Shall we go take a look?”

‘Has the option of ‘human’ already been ruled out?’

Quan Haoqing silently muttered a retort, then asked, “Is that alright? My moral standards are hardly as exemplary as your former master’s.”

The Book Spirit declared frankly, “Sworn comradeship is a matter between my past master and their friend; it has nothing to do with you or them. Now, you are my master, and I shall be your witness, recording your life. As for what kind of path to Immortality you choose to embark upon, that does not depend on me. Ultimately, on the path to becoming an Immortal, a Saint, or a Buddha, who can claim to be flawless?”

Quan Haoqing smiled faintly, stating calmly, “Since you’ve put it that way, wouldn’t it seem rather hypocritical of me to still demur? Let’s go, we’ll take a look at that cultivation technique.”

Just as Quan Haoqing was about to move, his gaze was drawn to something on the ground. He swiftly walked over and picked it up: a waist token, stained with blood to the point where its inscription was illegible.

Vigorously wiping away the bloodstains, Quan Haoqing could barely make out the two characters on the waist token: ‘Ye Lan’.

‘Well, well, well, isn’t this a coincidence?!’

Quan Haoqing immediately broke into a brilliant smile. “Excellent, excellent, truly excellent! As expected, adversaries are always destined to meet.”

Tucking the waist token into his storage, Quan Haoqing turned to the Book Spirit beside him and asked, “I might know who practiced this cultivation technique. Can you tell me about its characteristics? Not in too much detail, but at least enough so I won’t be completely ignorant of their methods when we clash.”

“Well now…”

****

Returning to Ye Lan.

Her footsteps grew progressively heavier, and hurried breaths echoed incessantly through the silent jungle, as crimson drops of blood stained the earth’s green carpet a fiery red.

Whether due to dizziness or some other cause, the vision in Ye Qingfeng’s eyes gradually dimmed, and the world seemed to sway.

The bright sunlight no longer warmed her body, and the increasingly profound ancient path through the forest seemed to transform into an otherworldly demon, ready to devour her at any moment.

Ye Lan’s voice was hoarse and weak, “How much farther~, I’m feeling… a bit unwell.”

A deathly aura emanated from her body.

The Book Spirit honestly floated out words that only a calligraphy master could have penned: “It’s not ‘a bit unwell’; your body itself is already nearing collapse. Now, it’s simply because you are about to die.”

“Is that so? I… I’m about to die.”

Her vision blurred, and even the Book Spirit’s imposing characters became so distorted that she could only decipher fragments.

Only when death truly descended could a living being comprehend the terror it brought.

All of Ye Lan’s resistance and composure vanished in that instant. She did not wish to die so ignominiously. Her dream of becoming an Immortal had barely begun, the enemies who had framed her were yet to be slain, and she had experienced less than the tip of the iceberg of this cultivation world’s wonders.

“Do you intend to have a dead person cultivate your technique?!”

Ye Lan felt as though she were roaring, yet her ears registered not a single sound.

“We’ve arrived. Enter… Hmm~, it seems you require some assistance.”

Ye Lan had exhausted even the strength to support her own body. Just then, she felt her body plummet into water, and a soul-piercing cold instantly enveloped her entire being. Following this, she discovered she possessed enough strength to open her eyes.

However, as she opened her eyes, the sight that greeted her was—herself?!

This terrifying sight sent a tremor through Ye Lan’s divine soul, and familiar white characters immediately appeared beside her.

“Do not let your mind fluctuate too much. Your cultivation is far from sufficient to manifest a Yang Spirit; this is currently being achieved through special means.”

Ye Lan immediately reined in her emotions, and only then did the tremor in her primordial spirit cease. It was at this moment that she finally noticed her surroundings.

If she wasn’t mistaken, she was submerged in water. The surrounding lake was so clear that light easily penetrated to reveal the entire lakebed, yet strangely, no living creatures existed within it, not even the most common lake algae or aquatic plants.

Not only that, but Ye Lan even felt a trace of cold. Logically, in the state of a manifested Yang Spirit, she shouldn’t possess her five bodily senses, yet this was not the case.

“This is the Profound Nether Lake, specially left by my master. It can freeze the physical body, allowing a cultivator’s primordial spirit to manifest as a Yang Spirit regardless of their realm or cultivation. Isn’t it wondrous?”

Ye Lan frowned slightly and said, “But how can I cultivate in a soul-body state? My Dantian and the meridians of my cosmic orbit are all within my physical body.”

The Book Spirit explained, “Your physical body has suffered severe damage, and the meridians of your cosmic orbit are currently unable to function. Forcibly circulating energy would cause your body to collapse instantly. Fortunately, the cultivation of the Profound Yin Netherworld Art (Xuan Yin Ming You Jue) inherently requires the reconstruction of the physical body, and one must cultivate the spirit before the body. From now on, disregard your physical body. As your divine soul cultivates, the Profound Nether Lake will assist in reconstructing your physical body.”

Ye Lan’s eyelid hitched as she inquired, “I heard a very ominous word. You said ‘reconstruct,’ not ‘repair,’ didn’t you? I must have misheard, right?”