by Fang Xiang
Zuo Mo was silent. His fists uncontrollably tightened.
“Speaking about it, there is a place that has souls and you don’t have to kill anyone. But it is very dangerous. How about it? Are you interested?” Pu Yao’s expression was leisurely.
“What place?” Zuo Mo asked in spite of himself. Just now, Pu Yao’s words pierced his heart.
“Heehee, you don’t need to know now. Don’t worry, you don’t need to kill anyone. You just have to say whether you agree or not. As to payment, when your conditions are enough, I naturally will let you be satisfied.”
“I agree.” He didn’t think about it further. Zuo Mo nodded. As long as he didn’t have to kill anyone, he wasn’t afraid of danger.
He didn’t have anything else to lose.
“Ai, finally finished this transaction. For a few souls, this really wasn’t easy. Business, not doing it for a long time, I really deteriorated.” Pu Yao ruefully said in an experienced tone.
Zuo Mo didn’t know what to say.
Pu Yao turned his face over: “Alright, let’s discuss another transaction.”
“Another transaction?” Zuo Mo was full of wariness and some puzzlement.
“Jingshi, I require jingshi.” Pu Yao chucked: “Want to experience sword essence? Ten pieces of second grade jingshi each time. How about it, isn’t it cheap?”
Zuo Mo stared with a gaping mouth.
Chapter 32: Refusal
The little dark gold sword cheerfully flew around Zuo Mo’s fingers. It was extremely fast, leaving behind a dash of gold light like a gold colored lightning bolt.
Zuo Mo’s eyes showed happiness.
[Art of Aged Gold] finally reached the third level! After the third level, the aged gold energy also transformed. The once dark gold sands became even finer and shinier, the gold sword that was formed even more exquisite. It was like a narrow fish, nimbly darting and swerving.
The little gold sword was very small. The region it moved in was only his palm and the sword moves were all very simple. There was none of the grand moves. However, if an experienced sword xiu was here, they could be shocked to find that contained in the movements of this little gold sword was a faint strand of sword essence.
Zuo Mo could also feel this small strand of sword essence. Other than joy, he couldn’t help but feel pain.
Returning home, no matter how hard he tried to remember, he still couldn’t find the feeling of that last sword strike that day. With no other solution, he could only spend jingshi at Pu Yao’s to experience sword essence.
Ten pieces of second grade jingshi each time!
He spent all the jingshi he had and finally comprehended a sliver of sword essence! It was this sliver of sword essence that caused his [Art of Aged Gold] to break through to the third level.
Compared to before, the present Pu Yao was a completely unscrupulous businessman that only recognized jingshi and nothing else. He didn’t know what really happened the last time, why did Pu Yao release him in the end? It was clear that Pu Yao’s attitude towards him had changed slightly.
He seemed even more impatient, even hard to communicate with, if there was no matter about him and he was called, he would ignore … …
But for some reason, Zuo Mo felt the present Pu Yao was much safer, even though he needed to spend large amounts of jingshi.
[Art of Aged Gold] reaching the third level meant that he only needed one more spell to reach the third level before he could become a ling plant farmer. If he became a ling plant farmer, his status in the sect would be drastically different. The sect would supply him with large amount of resources and then he could even more quickly increase his strength.
The question he was facing now was what spell to choose to make a breakthrough.
In the end, he chose [Art of Flora]. In the low level spells, [Art of Flora] was renowned for its complicated finger motions. This was also the reason that Zuo Mo chose it. Finger motions, its trace could be found in almost all low level spells. Low level xiuzhe didn’t have enough cultivation and frequently needed the assistance of the finger motions to completely cast. Even though after the stage of jingdan, finger motions would almost completely disappear, but before that, finger motions was a very useful technique.
Just as Zuo Mo was concentrating on practising his finger motions, Pu Yao, sitting on the gravestone in the sea of consciousness, snorted and said to himself: “You just chose this piece of rubbish?
After practicing for a long time, Zuo Mo found that he was stuck at the same level. If he wanted to improve more, it was very difficult. His finger motions were actually very proficient, but it was always lacking flow. Thinking about the special feeling when he used Art of Flora to help Li Ying Feng shiji and the others weed, he guess that was the direction he should work at. But the profound feeling, similar to when he had released the sword at the enemy last time, no matter how he thought, he couldn’t find it.
Asking Pu Yao! It was a pity that Zuo Mo didn’t have any more jingshi.
For the next following days, he still didn’t have any ideas. The stubbornness in Zuo Mo’s bones was aroused.
Wasn’t it just finger motions?
He thought of a way.
He took out a basin of water. Submerging both hands in the water, he started to practice his finger motions underwater.
The feeling under in the water was expectedly different. The resistance was much greater. The finger motions, originally well practiced, instantly became scattered.
Zuo Mo instantly became alert. He felt he found the direction!
What he was most afraid of was not having a direction. If he could find the direction, he could overcome even the biggest problem.
Just at this time, Shi Xiang and Liang Luo came to visit as they promised. The two’s visit was very unexpected to Zuo Mo. He had originally thought the two were insincere and just said it, and never though they would actually really come.
Two ningmai xiuzhe coming to visit a lianqi outer sect disciple. No one would believe it.
“Haha, Little Brother Zuo, it’s only been a few days, and you’ve improved greatly. I think that very soon you would enter zhuji.” Shi Xiang smiled and then with a face full of concern, said: “Have you prepared what you need for zhuji? I have a few zhuji dan here, the grade isn’t bad.”
Zuo Mo was even more cautious. Unreasonable attention, if it wasn’t malicious, it was robbery. The other was way too enthusiastic and he automatically was on the defence.
His mouth hurried replied: “Shi da ge is too kind. Just a while ago, Fourth Shigu bestowed a zhuji dan, it’s enough for me.”
Liang Luo and Shi Xiang quietly exchanged a look but this didn’t escape Zuo Mo’s watch.
Shi Xiang smiled, responding: “That’s good, that’s good!” Inside, he thought that it was not going well. Had Zuo Mo’s elders started to pay attention to his potential?
“Such a genius such as Little Brother Zuo would always attract attention no matter the place. Haha. When are you becoming an inner sect disciple, we can come and celebrate.” He didn’t give up and probed.
Zuo Mo shook his head: “Our sect needs zhuji before it is enough to become an inner sect disciple. It’s still too early.”
Hope rose in Shi Xiang. His face was greatly shocked: “Oh, but such a great talent as Little Brother Zuo also have to be limited by such old fashioned rules?”
He didn’t know what the other wanted. Zuo Mo said cautiously: “Shi da ge is joking, where do I count as a genius?”
At one side, Liang Luo was already impatient. He always liked being straightforward and crisply opened: “Little Brother Zuo, why don’t you come to our Chi Sword Sect. If you are willing to come, you would definitely be a core disciple!”
Shi Xiang looked nervously at Zuo Mo.
Zuo Mo blanked. After a long beat, he finally reacted and smiled hesitantly: “Both da ge, don’t joke. This brother knows how much I’m worth.”
Shi Xiang said seriously: “We aren’t joking and are
inviting you sincerely. Little Brother Zuo’s talents are exceptional, but the hardship in the long journey of cultivation, I’m sure that Little Brother Zuo is very clear. With your talents, you should try to enter zhuji as fast as possible and leave behind the common duties, concentrate on cultivating and be assisted by guidance from elders. I cannot promise that you could reach the top but becoming jindan, the possibility is very great!”
Zuo Mo stared dazedly at the two people.
“If you are always entangled in these common duties, no matter how good your talents are, they would be wasted.” Shi Xiang said earnestly.
They were sincere……
Zuo Mo believed in the two people’s words but suddenly he also felt this was preposterous. At what time did he become exceptionally talented and was invited by others to enter a sect?
Talent? He didn’t have that kind of thing. Otherwise, would the sect leader not have seen it? The sect leader had been the one that brought him back. In the past he would sometimes think that maybe it was that the sect leader didn’t have good enough insight but the presence that night the sect leader and the shishu had exuded made him understand that the shishu that usually didn’t appear were all powerful and extraordinary people.
The two people were only interested him because of Pu Yao. If other people had the same opportunities as him, they would definitely be much stronger than him.
He thought about two years ago, the instant that he opened his eyes……
Thought about him sweating up a storm in the ling fields……
Shi Xiang and Liang Luo didn’t speak. They were quietly waiting for Zuo Mo’s choice. Even though they didn’t understand what he had to hesitate about. They had given sufficient sincerity. This kind of benefits, giving them to a lianqi disciple, it had never happened at Chi Sword Sect.
After a long time, when the lowered head of Zuo Mo rose and the muddled eyes recovered clarity, the two knew that Zuo Mo had made a choice.
Zuo Mo said earnestly: “Many thanks to both da ge for your good will. This brother appreciates it. These years, I’m used to living in Wu Kong Sword Sect. The sect and the elders have been very attentive to me and I have no intentions of leaving!”
The tone wasn’t heavy but it was full of a kind of determination.
In his sea of consciousness, Pu Yao disdainfully spat out a word: “Idiot!”
Disappointed expressions came upon Shi Xiang and Liang Luo’s faces. But they also knew that it wouldn’t be effective to speak more. They didn’t have the interest in chatting and after exchanging a few more words, they bid farewell.
Sending away the two, Zuo Mo returned to his little yard and stared into space. Then he continued to bury his head in practising [Art of Flora].
The time passed by extremely full. Pu Yao didn’t pay attention to Zuo Mo. Zuo Mo was happy to not be disturbed. If the devil didn’t torment him, he thanked the earth and the heavens. Every day, he would travel to Cold Mist Valley, learn to care for all kinds of ling herbs. After [Art of Aged Gold] reached the third level, the power increased greatly. He inspected all the ling herbs in Cold Mist Valley one by one and found some deeply hidden pests. After spending effort to exterminate those pests, his [Art of Aged Gold] became even more proficient.
He still couldn’t imprint on the flying sword so he decided to use the little aged gold sword to practise sword scriptures and ruminate on sword essence.
In the water, he practised [Art of Flora] and reinforced his finger movements.
All the other time, he devoted it all to [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation]. The main use of [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation] was to increase consciousness but Zuo Mo found that it could also increase ling energy. The effects were much better than his mainstream crappy [Ten Principles Scripture]. He basically abandoned [Ten Principles Scripture] and changed to cultivate [Embryonic Breathing Spiritual Cultivation].
Everyday, he only rested for four hours. All the other time was put on cultivation, continuous cultivation.
During this period of time, he wanted his [Art of Flora] to reach the third level.
After this little while, the new cycle of planting ling grains would arrive. He would be occupied. In that case, there would be much less time left for cultivation.
In the basin of water, a pair of withered hands, from fingertip to wrist, were all immersed in water. The parts above the wrist were bare in the air.
Zuo Mo’s eyes were closed, exhaling and concentrating.
Suddenly, the ten thin fingers moved, fast as light, creating layers of undercurrents, the movements adding a kind of cold flavour. The speed at which the fingers moved was extremely fast. The surface of the water was like boiling water, countless undercurrents restlessly moving but what was strange was that not even a drop splashed.
The two wrists seemed to be made of copper, not moving a sliver. The nimbleness of the ten fingers were astounding, the dazzling finger movements changing.
The closed eyes didn’t open. Zuo Mo’s breathing unconsciously became heavier.
The movements of his hands became even faster. The fingers under the water were unable to be distinguished. Splashes bloomed like flowers, the speed became faster, the collision between splashes suddenly became vicious.
The water in the basin seemed to have been lifted by an invisible hand. The surface of the water completely raised up two centimeters.
As the speed of the ten fingers became faster, the surface became even higher.
That pair of withered hands seemed to have a strange attraction, sucking the ball of water and holding it in midair.
Suddenly, Zuo Mo opened his eyes!
The ten fingers in the water suddenly became straight. Bang. The ball of water sucked onto the hands broke like a vase, turning into ten bursts of water arrows, slashing out!
Joy made its way onto Zuo Mo’s eyes.
Chapter 33: The Spring Sprout Jade Medal
Dong Fu.
As one of the thirteen primary towns of Tian Yue Jie, all kinds of authorities were very developed. Even though Tian Yue Jie was governed by Kun Lun Jing, and it was primarily made up of sword sects, but the requirements of sword xiu to need all kinds of resources wasn’t small. So while the core disciples of all the sects cultivated the sword, they would still try very hard to attract other kinds of xiuzhe.
Different xiuzhe received different treatment. The same types of xiuzhe would also receive different treatment based on their cultivation. Due to this, the evaluations of all kinds of professions were extremely important. It would be a very difficult thing to get a sword xiu to determine the skill level of a ling plant farmer. For each xiuzhe, after being professionally licensed, they could quickly find a satisfactory job in every location.
All kinds of cultivators had their own authorities. The ling plant farmers had the Institute of Ling Plants, the beast speakers had the Institute of Beast Language.
“Congratulations, it’s very rare to see such a young ling plants farmer in Dong Fu. And you have comprehended the fourth level of [Little Art of Cloud and Rain], your future is limitless!” The ling plant farmer responsible for the exam smiled as he gave Zuo Mo a jade medal. Barely visible inside the medal was a small and tender sprout, five elements energy revolving around it.
The jade medals of a ling plant farmer were sorted into four levels. Spring sprout, summer flower, autumn fruit and winter hibernation. There were even finer distinctions at each level but those exams were extremely complicated. Many ling plant farmers only ever did the licensing for the four levels.
Zuo Mo joyfully took the jade medal. To get this jade medal, he really hadn’t wasted all his effort!
The ling plants farmer in Dong Fu only had the authority to give out spring sprout jade medals. To get a higher level jade medal, he needed to go to a more prosperous place. However, in the short term, Zuo Mo completely didn’t have to consider that problem. The levelling up of ling plants farmers was extremely hard. The summer flower jade medal required
all five kinds of spells to reach the fifth level. Other than that, they needed to know how to create ling fields above the fourth grade.
After giving thanks to the elder, Zuo Mo decided to leave the institute. Just as he came out of the Institute of Ling Plants, numerous people instantly circled around.
“Mister Zuo, our sect desperately needs a ling plant farmer, is Mister Zuo willing … …”
“Don’t listen to him, he’s only a small sect, can’t give good benefits. Our sect is much more prosperous, you can ask for all the benefits you … …”
“If you are willing to come to our sect… …”
……
The explosions of sound caused Zuo Mo’s head to turn to a mess.
Just at this time, a deep voice suddenly interrupted: “Sorry, excuse me. Everyone, don’t block my shizhi [1]. Sorry, please make way.” The voice wasn’t loud but everyone heard it clearly. A hidden presence spread and the crowd naturally made way. Just this cultivation was enough to make everyone stop talking.
Seeing the smiling fat person not far away, Zuo Mo’s heart jumped and he hurriedly went up to bow: “Third Shishu!” And then bowed to Li Ying Feng behind Yan Le: “Shijie!”
The smile on Yan Le’s face was harmonious and affable. He patted Zuo Mo’s shoulder: “Not bad, not bad. Didn’t think a ling plant farmer could come out of our sect. The sect leader will be ecstatic. If it wasn’t that I had something to do in Dong Fu, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even know.”
At this time, Li Ying Feng added: “When Shidi went weeding a short while ago, I knew that our sect would soon have a ling plant farmer. But I didn’t think Shidi would be this fast. Shidi, congratulations!”
“Just a fluke, fluke!” Facing Yan Le Shishu, Zuo Mo was extremely nervous. A great monster was still living in his head.