by Fang Xiang
Pu Yao’s complete shift in attitude caused Zuo Mo to feel the unusual nature of this matter.
He didn’t agree immediately and asked cautiously, “Pu, to learn this set of Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art, are there any requirements?”
“Very simple, you accept the succession of this branch.”
“Can you be more concrete?” Zuo Mo carefully asked.
“Concrete?” Pu Yao stilled. He had never thought about the problem of accepting students. Being asked by Zuo Mo now, he didn’t know what to say. He tilted his head and thought back to when Teacher had accepted him.
“Before you accept students, you must travel to the First Yao Art House of the yao realm and enter your name into the Sky Yao Pavilion.”
Thinking about it, Pu Yao suddenly felt ashamed. He remembered the hopes Teacher had for him. Even though he had become a Sky Yao, but due to other reasons, he had not realized Teacher’s hopes.
This demand surprised Zuo Mo.
“Oh, you don’t need me to swear an oath?”
“Not necessary.”
“No rules?”
“No.”
“No restrictions?”
“No.”
The more Zuo Mo asked, the stranger he felt the situation was. This sect, oh, in his understanding, it was a sect. The requirements for acceptance for this sect was really low. As to being entered in Sky Yao Pavilion, Zuo Mo didn’t think of it as an important matter.
Accept students? That matter had nothing to do with him. Sky Yao Pavilion, who even knew what that was? But as long as he did not accept students, that had nothing to do with him.
By the end of the inquiry, Zuo Mo still didn’t quite believe it. Were yao sects so easy to enter?
In xiuzhe sects, every disciple had their duties, each needed to contribute to the sect in order to receive benefits.
Yet Pu Yao’s sect didn’t need any service and he could get benefits. It was so strange!
After thinking for a while, Zuo Mo felt there was only one possibility left.
Pu Yao’s sect was definitely a pitifully small sect.
Only the lowest and smallest sects would be so indiscriminating … …
Spat spat spat!
Zuo Mo found that he was now a part of the sect, and hurriedly stopped.
However, he had found the differences after such a contrast.
The gravestone had something like oaths to abide by and probably originated from a large sect which was why it had so many rules. Pu Yao’s sect was so loose and definitely was a small one.
“Oh, if I learn the Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art, can I still cultivate the Great Day mo physique?”
Zuo Mo shamelessly asked.
* * *
Translator Ramblings: Zuo Mo, always asking for a mile when he’s given an inch. Some things have to do with talent but there are also complicating factors.
The five hundred little yao arts are “little” so in this case, it means they are elementary and for beginners. They are not powerful enough to affect the world. In fact, it is probably going to be a disappointment if you have the expectation that “laws” are hugely powerful and understanding grants you a magical power or ability. Understanding something doesn’t mean you have the power to change or affect the world even if you understand how it works. So they are more limited than what other stories depict.
Chapter 336: Try
Pu Yao stared at Zuo Mo without speaking.
Zuo Mo felt uncomfortable under the gaze and smiled weakly, “It would be a pity to not cultivate the Great Day mo physique!”
After being stared at while, just as Zuo Mo thought Pu Yao was going to be angry, Pu Yao suddenly spoke, “I have to think about this.”
Even though Pu Yao didn’t immediately answer, Zuo Mo still saw hope. He hurriedly left the sea of consciousness.
Once Zuo Mo left the sea of consciousness, large amounts of black mist came out of the gravestone. Figures flitted across the surface of the stone.
Pu Yao seemed to not see them, and spoke to himself, “Cultivate yao and mo together, this idea is quite interesting.”
The relationship between yao and mo was much closer than with xiuzhe, but the two of them had never heard of a person cultivating yao and mo at the same time. Pu Yao was a knowledgeable yao, and the Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art was a lost and great knowledge. But the Great Day mo physique was also a high ranking mo physique. If Zuo Mo had not successful cultivated it, Pu Yao definitely wouldn’t rack his brains over the issue. But since Zuo Mo had successfully cultivated the Great Day mo physique, it would really be a pity to throw it away.
Yao cultivation was the most free and liberal of all three cultivations. Education methods like the yao art houses were much more liberal than the sect succession of the xiuzhe or the clan succession of the mo.
Figures flashed across the gravestone.
“You feel it is possible to try?” Pu Yao raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.
He sank into thought. He had all kinds of anger and dissatisfaction with the gravestone, but being the one to guard the gravestone for tens of thousands of years, the other was a significant factor. The gravestone had many places that he felt were stupid, stubborn, and too conservative, but he was familiar with the accomplishments and knowledge the gravestone had.
Pu Yao became unusually hesitant. Since Zuo Mo could comprehend the Divine Summoning Art on his own, he was perfect for cultivating the Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art, and was the best successor. If Zuo Mo focused on cultivating the Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art, there was a high possibility that he could reach the stage of a Sky Yao. But if he cultivated the mo physique and the yao art at the same time, it was hard to predict the outcome The journey of cultivating a mo physique was the most dangerous of the three paths. His soul would be destroyed due to the slightest carelessness.
The flashing shadow of a person on the surface of the gravestone silently waited for Pu Yao’s decision.
Pu Yao glanced at the gravestone out of the corner of his eyes. Its silence, and the events that happened in the past flashed across his mind. His bloody pupil suddenly became deep, and an imperceptible sorrow floated at the deepest part of his eye.
In a moment, his expression turned normal. He smiled mockingly and said, “What? Afraid your line of succession will end? Your set of stuff is so old its teeth is falling out, it should have been thrown into the trash a long time ago!”
“Hmph! If he wants to cultivate, then cultivate. I’m also slightly curious. Tsk tsk, yao art, mo physique, spells, formations, what kind of weirdo will this boy cultivate to become?”
A hint of insanity flashed across Pu Yao’s bloody pupil.
———
In the camp, after Zuo Mo opened his eyes, everyone’s hearts finally landed. However, this incident rang the alarm for everyone. This ghastly place was more dangerous than they had imagined.
The people of Guard Camp worked even harder on their cultivation.
The black fiendish energy had benefits for them. The black fiendish energy inside the fiendish mist was even denser, and harder to process. They had to carefully control the rate at which they absorbed fiendish mist. Otherwise, the fiendish mist would corrode their minds and they would gradually turn to fiend soul beasts.
However, this was a good place to cultivate [Hardship Guard]. All of them progressed quickly. Another person cultivated and formed their weapon. This person was an unexpected surprise to everyone. It was actually A Wen. After A Wen healed completely, he stayed with Guard Camp, and started cultivating [Hardship Guard] with everyone else.
In Guard Camp, A Wen had spent the shortest time cultivating [Hardship Guard] but his progression rate was amazing. When Zuo Mo was informed that A Wen had formed his weapon, he also jumped in fright. This talent was too outrageous.
A Wen’s weapon was a spear. Its entire body was black without any light. A dark red tassel hung below the head of the spear like a dark flame.
Once thi
s black spear formed, A Wen hugged it and sank into meditation.
What also surprised Zuo Mo were the three hundred flower slaves. After these flower slaves were rescued from Hundred Flower Alliance, Shu Long had been taking care of them as they cultivated the [Flower Yao Mutual Existence Art]. This yao art was very wondrous. In a short period of time, they regained their clarity of mind and managed to suppressed the ling flowers planted on their bodies.
The flowers that Hundred Flower Alliance picked to grow on these flower slaves were all rare and valuable ling flowers. These ling flowers were all fifth-grade, and by themselves were rare ling objects that could automatically absorb the ling energy in the surroundings. However, this place was thin in ling energy and was filled with black fiendish energy. The ling flowers on their bodies had all turned to absorbing black fiendish energy instead.
It had to be said that everything in the world had their own abilities.
The brutal and dark black fiendish energy was not dark at all after being absorbed by the ling flowers, and became warm and lively. They progressed quickly.
Compared to the Guard Camp being fishes in the water, the situation of Vermillion Bird Camp was not too good. Even though Zuo Mo had given them the scrolls of [Fiend Ling] so they did not have to fear black fiendish energy as much as before, they still needed to cultivate it to a certain stage to regain their full combat abilities.
Among them, the sixteen seal xiu led by Gong Liang Wei were the worst off.
After they were captured in Little Mountain Jie, they had been put into Vermillion Bird Camp by Gongsun Cha. However, due to their unique cultivating methods, their position in Vermillion Bird Camp was very awkward.
At present, the combat tactic of Vermillion Bird Camp depended on speed and sharpness. This was the tactic that sword xiu were most skilled in. What seal xiu were more skilled in was support. Adding on that the spells they cultivated weren’t anything profound, the increases they could provide were limited. To date, before they could act, the battle would be finished.
Even though Gongsun Cha Daren put importance on them, it could not change the fact that they were in an awkward position.
Their cultivation was at the bottom of Vermillion Bird Camp, and the [Fiend Ling] had high demands of cultivation. They found it even harder.
“Why don’t we ask Gongsun Cha Daren to move to Golden Crow Camp,” one of the people said with his head down.
Gong Liang Wei was silent. He was over his forties, his talent was average, but due to his steadiness, he was the shixiong of this group of people. He also knew that Golden Crow Camp was more appropriate for them at this time.
They were skilled in all kinds of seal, and one among them called Li Zhuo was able to make second-grade seal soldiers. This was a great achievement for ningmai level seal xiu.
Seal xiu were skilled in all kinds of seals, were skilled in formations and making all kinds of seals, and to attack through use of seals.
In a seal xiu’s normal cultivation, they needed to use all kinds of formations and seals. This was the point that they differed from other xiuzhe. This place was thin in ling power. The formations that they needed for their cultivation could not perform fully, and their cultivation was not enough that they could cultivate [Fiend Ling].
As they spoke, Zong Ru walked towards them.
Gong Liang Wei hurriedly stood and went up to welcome Zong Ru. Zong Ru was the leader of the Shield Guard Platoon, and was responsible for Gongsun Daren’s safety. He had a high position in Vermillion Bird Camp. Gong Liang Wei was skilled in interaction, and did not show any of the trouble on his face. He said with a smile, “It is rare for Zong Daren to come here, is there something you wish to order?”
Zong Ru smiled warmly and passed over several jade scrolls. “Gongsun Daren has asked me to deliver some things to everyone.”
Gong Liang Wei took the jade scrolls with slight puzzlement. “What is worth Daren personally making a trip?”
“Everyone will know after reading.”
After Zong Ru spoke, he raised his folded hands and left. Zong Ru’s cultivation deepened by the day, and was increasingly warm and subdued like he was a normal person without any sharp edges.
After Zong Ru left, everyone crowded over.
Gong Liang Wei’s consciousness swept the jade scroll, and his body uncontrollably tensed.
The jade scrolls on their hands were the jade scrolls Zuo Mo had sent to Golden Crow Camp.
The content on formations made everyone’s eyes lit up.
———
Gongsun Cha was immersed in playing war chess everyday. That mysterious person did not appear so he studied by himself. Ever since he heard that battle generals had their cultivation spells, his thoughts started to wander.
He was completely enchanted with the highly difficult profession of battle general.
Since he did not have the spells that battle generals cultivated, then why couldn’t he explore by himself?
Gongsun Cha’s personality was a bit insane to begin with, he was always filled with interest and enthusiasm towards matters that normal people would find irrational. Creating battle general spells, another person wouldn’t even dare to think of it, but he had no fear.
However, in terms of knowledge of cultivation, he had a good grasp of his own limitations, but he also had his own solution, war chess. The craftsmanship of these war chess games were exquisitely detailed, and they closely mimicked to reality. The person that designed them definitely was a great battle general. Of course, the possibility it was a yaomo general was great.
However, this difference wasn’t major in Gongsun Cha’s view.
He tried to find hints and clues in the war chess games. He was curious how true battle generals cultivated. He had been immersed in this highly difficult pursuit recently.
He had made discoveries.
———
Pu Yao who had been teaching Zuo Mo suddenly raised his head, shock flashing through his bloody pupil.
Zuo Mo stilled, raised his head and asked, “What is it?”
“Oh, nothing.” Pu Yao’s expression turned normal .He looked at Zuo Mo. “You can continue to practice the Great Day mo physique. The condition is that your yao art cultivation meets my demands.”
“What demands?” Zuo Mo weakly asked.
Pu Yao gave a teeth-baring smile. “When I was in the yao art house, I had a nickname.”
“Nickname?” Zuo Mo was dazed. “What nickname?”
“They liked to call me the Encyclopedia Of Yao Arts.” The faint voice came from Pu Yao’s shadowed face. A sharp smile flashed. “As my successor, you need to maintain this great tradition.”
A bad feeling washed over Zuo Mo’s mind.
“From today onwards, immerse yourself in the ocean of yao arts!”
Pu Yao’s arrogant voice threw Zuo Mo completely into hell.
There were many kinds of yao arts, and could not be counted. Just basic little yao arts had five hundred kinds, so the true scale could be imagined.
Also, Pu Yao had no intentions of passing Archaic Wasteland Sacrificial Art onto Zuo Mo, and started to explain things beginning with little yao arts. Zuo Mo found to his shock that the little yao arts that he though he learned were more complicated and intricate than he had previously imagined.
A completely different world started to reveal itself to him.
Pu Yao had never spoken of yao arts like this before. He was confident with each type of yao art, free and high-flying.
The person and yao were immersed and completely forgot the flow of time.
After an unknown number of days, they were suddenly disturbed.
It was Golden Crow Camp!
* * *
Translator Ramblings: There might be some ambiguity which is probably deliberate but you guys are really good at picking at the details so I’m going to clarify about the gravestone. When Pu Yao talks about the “gravestone,” it is usually as though the “gravestone” is a person which is com
municating back to him in this chapter. However, the gravestone is also an object and the “gravestone” or “he” that Pu Yao refers to is not the gravestone as an object.
Poor Zuo Mo, you are a little lab rat. Pu Yao is crazy enough to risk gambling with his own life on Zuo Mo being able to cultivate the three different methods at the same time since if Zuo Mo dies, he will as well.
Chapter 337: Crimson Fiend Cauldron
The center of the slave transporting boat had been completely transformed. The rooms on multiple floors had been completely torn down. Right now, what stood in their place was a double-handled red cauldron about five zhang tall. The crimson red cauldron appeared to have been just taken from a strong fire. The shape was simple, but the presence was heavy. If one went to closer, they would see that the body of the cauldron was covered in formation scripts written in the size of ants. The complexity would make one faint.
If a xiuzhe skilled in forging saw this cauldron, they would be very shocked. Such small and complex formation scripts could not be completed even if a jindan forging xiuzhe worked for three to five years.
This enormous Crimson Fiend Cauldron was the effort by all of the people in Golden Crow Camp.
The body of the cauldron was made from a mixture of fire element materials like Crimson Fire Rock. The great majority were fourth-grade materials. The forging method to make the Crimson Fire Cauldron was different than normal methods. After the plan had been confirmed, the large cauldron had been divided into three hundred and twenty six pieces. There had been clear discussion regarding the size of each piece and the seal scripts carved into them. Due to the fact the sizes of the parts were relatively small after being dismembered, the forging difficulty was much lower. Each piece was repeatedly forged, and each line on the seal scriptshad been exquisitely planned.
In other words, the large cauldron was a puzzle that was pieced together. The entire assembly process took seven whole days and nights, members of Golden Crow Camp forged without sleep and rest to finish. After that, the entire camp used Golden Crow Fire to forge it for fourteen days to melt it into one body.