by Fang Xiang
If the consciousness was wounded, they could not avoid experiencing the pain involved.
Under so many eyes, Zuo Mo turned into light and left the Wasteland Beast Chessboard.
“Hahahaha!” Pu Yao’s explosion of laughter spread out far into the sea of consciousness. He pointed at Zuo Mo without any composure, one hand on his stomach, as he laughed without restraint.
Zuo Mo’s face was as black as a pot, his tone unfriendly. “Laughing? What is laughable!”
“Hahahaha!” Pu Yao did not have any intentions of restraining himself and laughed even more outrageously. “I’m going to die from laughter! Street rat, haha, you are a literal street rat right now!”
Already very discontent, Zuo Mo’s discontent increased because of Pu Yao’s laughter.
His stubbornness rose. Wasn’t it just the Ten Finger Prison? He wasn’t afraid of anyone!
He wanted to see what kinds of people had come!
Zuo Mo’s mood was vicious and murderous as he entered the Wasteland Beast Chessboard again!
The scenery in front of him changed as he re-entered the Wasteland Beast chessboard. When he saw the surroundings clearly, his heart was reassured. Good. The position when he entered the Wasteland Beast Chessboard each time was different. This was very advantageous for him. At the least, if he couldn’t win, he could run!
With a trick up his sleeve, Zuo Mo wasn’t panicked anymore.
He started to think about the influence this incident would have on him. He had had a very casual attitude about what had happened before, and did not treat the incident seriously. Now that the situation was different, his demands were also different.
The incident of One Mole seemed to be pretty big. After experiencing so much, Zuo Mo was clear that making a big fuss had its own advantages, like becoming famous faster. When he had successfully completed the prison-breaking battle, people had come to recruit him.
What he needed was information on the Battle of Sealed Extinction. Truthfully, Zuo Mo had no hopes that this would be easy. This was something that even Pu Yao was not clear about. It was a question even if the yao world still had information on the topic. Even if there was information on it, it definitely would not be so easy to access.
Nan Yue was a normal little yao. The Wisteria Clan of the South Sky had been in decline for too long. Cang Ze’s situation was better than Nan Yue but that was just by a little bit. Zuo Mo had a feeling that investigating the Battle of Sealed Extinction was probably not an easy task. If he needed to use large amounts of resources, it would not be possible to realize it with the two of them.
The spiritual imprint on his arm shifted. Nan Yue and Cang Ze had come.
Zuo Mo put a thought and passed it through the spiritual imprint on his arm. Moments later, the two arrived.
“Daren!” The two hurriedly bowed.
“Hmph, is there a quiet place?” Zuo Mo really felt that there were too many people around.
Cang Ze was the first to react and hurriedly said, “Daren only needs to put down an illusory formation.”
Zuo Mo wanted to facepalm. He was so dumb, unable to even think of such a simple solution. It really was an easy matter for him to put down an illusory formation. His right hand rose slightly. A light energy left his hand and landed on the ground. A thin circular curtain of light rose around them and surrounded them.
Cang Ze knew when things were good. Daren’s formation building methods were very powerful. His admiration rose. Daren was not old but he seemed to be able to do anything, and was skilled in all of them.
Nan Yue’s thoughts were much simpler. She looked curiously at the curtain of light. “Daren, what illusory formation is this?”
“Little Coverup, a variant of a water yao art. Water can create illusions, refract light, and is very suitable for setting up illusory formations.” Zuo Mo explained as they moved inside the curtain.
Cang Ze looked with admiration at Nan Yue. Nan Yue and Daren’s relationship was clearly unordinary. It seemed that Nan Yue was Daren’s follower. If she was his student, she would not call him daren, and would call him teacher. Daren still treated Nan Yue as though she was a student, and did not seem like he was interacting with a follower.
It was rare to see a daren that were like this!
Nan Yue was very fortunate!
After Zuo Mo finished his pointer, he asked, “What is Ji Li Yu’s background?”
Nan Yue and Cang Ze’s expressions were slightly strange. Daren, you finally thought of asking about this now?
Cang Ze knew that Nan Yue definitely did not know as many details as he did and said proactively, “Daren, Ji Li Yu is the woman you threw out last time.”
“En, I know.” Zuo Mo said expressionlessly.
“She is the eldest granddaughter of the Ji Family Leader, and is loved by all the elders in the sect. She was very outstanding from youth, and it really was that everyone who saw her was in love with her. The second year after entering the yao art house, she and her younger brother, Ji Cheng, were invited into the Genius Alliance at the same time. Her rise inside the Genius Alliance is much faster than Ji Cheng. She quickly entered the council of elders and is the youngest elder on the council of the Genius Alliance.”
“Genius Alliance again?” Zuo Mo’s brow furrowed slightly. “Continue.”
“Ji Li Yu might not be the next successor to the Ji Family, but she is the most famous yao of the Ji Family. Even the Ji Clan Elder is not as well-known as she is. Ji Li Yu might come from the Ji Family but she is not interested in cultivating yao arts, and studies dancing, singing, and the instruments. She is especially skilled in singing. The sound is enchanting and well-liked by the public.”
“She has many defenders.” Cang Ze paused, and then emphasized, “Many.”
After listening to Cang Ze’s introduction, Zuo Mo instantly felt it was problematic to have offended such a powerful person.
However, Zuo Mo just felt it was troublesome. His attention was still primarily on the Battle of Sealed Extinction.
“Have you heard of the Battle of Sealed Extinction?” Zuo Mo suddenly asked.
“Battle of Sealed Extinction, what is that?” Nan Yu asked curiously.
Cang Ze shook his head. “No.”
Just as Zuo Mo had thought. He mused and then said, “I need to research some information about an ancient battle, do you have any suggestions?”
“Will the records room of our yao art house have it?” Nan Yue said.
Cang Ze said, “If the information Daren is searching for is very rare and obscure, there are some places to try.”
Zuo Mo’s eyes lit up. “Speak.”
“The first is the yao art house that Nan Yue just mentioned. Each yao art house has records rooms, and the scale of the records rooms of those large yao art houses are extremely astonishing, and have complete information in all areas. The second is some special little circles. Each profession will have their own little circles. They would have information exchanges at regular intervals. The third is the simplest, a bounty.”
“Bounty?” Zuo Mo’s eyes gradually became bright.
Chapter 372: Golden Soul
“Yes, Daren.” Cang Ze had started to become familiar with Zuo Mo’s temperament. “This is the most convenient and most plausible solution. The information that Daren needs is most likely uncommon, and we aren’t familiar with this area at all. Since this is the case, we can give the task to a professional yao to do. We only need to supply an appropriate price, one that will move their hearts, and they will definitely try their best to find the information that Daren wants.”
Zuo Mo was persuaded by Cang Ze’s suggestion. “Where do I have to go to put a bounty?”
“You can go to the yao market; but if it is a more difficult bounty, you will have to go to the yao markets of bigger cities,” Cang Ze said.
“Then you can find the biggest city for me. I’ll provide the money,” Zuo Mo said without hesitation.
Cang Ze instantly had an exp
ression of difficulty.
“There is a problem?” Zuo Mo asked with puzzlement.
“Daren might not know, but there are access requirements to go to these large cities. My yao designation level is not high, and so I cannot … …” Cang Ze thought inside, how could Daren not know even this? Was Daren a hidden yao that lived in the deep forests?
“Yao designation level? What is that?” Zuo Mo did not understand.
As expected. Cang Ze was even more sure of his speculation. No wonder Daren’s conduct was so unique. He impatiently explained, “Daren, the yao designation is an imprint that signals each yao’s identity. Every city usually has a big formation. If one cannot reach a certain cultivation, they are unable to enter. The more prosperous the city, the higer the yao designation level needed.”
Zuo Mo became very interested, “Then wouldn’t one city all be experts? They would have to have people to do labor, or do they do everything on their own?”
“These doorways are just directed to the yao that come and go. The locals can enter and leave as they will. The locals of these places usually have low cultivation, and their yao designation is another kind. The management of local yao designations is extremely strict and unable to be faked.”
“This troublesome?” Zuo Mo felt the problem was somewhat difficult and asked, “Then how does one increase their yao designation level?”
“There are many ways. Like a certification of power. With Daren’s strength, you only need to go to the Yao Designation Ministry, and get an examination of power to get a pretty good yao designation level. Other than this, you can increase your contribution. Every city has their needs. If you can provide what they need, one can receive an appropriate contribution credit. When contribution credits reach a certain number, one can receive access permissions.”
Zuo Mo said, “It’s not convenient for me to go. Can I hire a yao with a high yao designation level to go?”
“It is probably very difficult.” Cang Ze shook his head and said, “Yao of high designation levels basically will go to live in the bigger cities. The bigger the city, the better the environment. Like Wind Creek Pond, Victory Mountain, they are all famous holy cultivation grounds. Even if the living in the cities is hard, they would not want to come back because the rate of cultivation progress is higher in those places.”
“What is your yao designation level?” Zuo Mo asked.
“Second.” Cang Ze was slightly embarrassed.
Zuo Mo turned around to ask Nan Yue. “You?”
“Second.” Nan Yue was very open.
“How many levels in total?”
“Twenty four.” Cang Ze thought and then said, “Daren, maybe you can go to the higher prisons to look. Supposedly, there are also places in there that are like yao markets. One of my cousins once went to the third prison and mentioned this to me.”
Zuo Mo nodded. He said, “From today, I will start passing on [Grey Scar Art] to you.”
“Thank you Daren!” Cang Ze suddenly became excited. He suddenly lifted and opened his palm. A golden ball of light appeared in his palm. He respectfully presented it. “This little one’s consciousness is too weak, and can only bring one golden soul every time. In the future, this little one will bring a golden soul each time.”
“This is the Golden Soul?” Zuo Mo took over the Golden Soul curiously.
It looked like a golden cloud the size of a palm. It was insubstantially light in his hand. Like it was alive, it was slightly rippling. Zuo Mo could feel a strong presence of vitality!
Suddenly, deep and raw ancient words came from Zuo Mo’s mouth. No matter how hard Nan Yue and Cang Ze tried to listen, they could not hear it clearly. It was so blurry like it came from the depths of the earth.
With speed visible to the naked eye, the cloud turned to a puddle of golden water. The presence of life suddenly became exponentially stronger.
Bam!
The golden water suddenly exploded and turned into a handful of golden mist. Amidst the deep and indistinct chant, the golden mist silently surrounded Zuo Mo. It was like moisture permeating long-parched sand and quickly entered the body constructed of Zuo Mo’s consciousness without leaving a drop behind.
In Zuo Mo’s sea of consciousness, Pu Yao’s body was covered by a layer of faint golden light. He was sitting cross-legged with a solemn expression.
A powerful presence of vitality filled every corner of the sea of consciousness. The presence that spilled out were all absorbed by Zuo Mo’s sea of consciousness. Zuo Mo felt unspeakably refreshed.
“This is really good!” Zuo Mo said with lingering hunger. He looked at Pu Yao in meditation and couldn’t help but smile. This guy was so urgent and impatient. It seemed that the Golden Soul was very important to him.
He did not disturb Pu Yao and retreated from the sea of consciousness.
Cang Ze was increasingly respectful. He did not understand the deep and indistinct chant that Zuo Mo had just said, but it made him think of some things that Grandfather had said to him on accident. The Grey Clan had guarded its Golden Tree for more than three thousand years, and their understanding of the Golden Soul was much deeper than any other yao. Cang Ze knew of all kinds of legends about the Golden Soul.
The method Daren used to absorb the Golden Soul was completely different than any passed down through the clan.
Cultivating in the deep forests, possessing an inheritance from the ancient ages … …
Cang Ze gradually drew out Zuo Mo’s identity in his mind.
Just as Cang Ze was thinking nonsense, Zuo Mo turned and asked Nan Yue, “How have you been recently?”
“I’ve solved the sixth problem.” Nan Yue seriously replied.
“Hm, pretty good progress.” Zuo Mo was slightly shocked. Nan Yue’s rate of improvement was faster than he had imagined. It seemed that the little girl worked pretty hard during this time. What he did not know was that Nan Yue cultivated with an attitude of putting her life on the line. She had securely remembered Zuo Mo’s reprimand from last time. She cultivated day and night, and spent any free time on cultivation.
Her fundamentals could not be said to be good, and her talent was not outstanding; but she was the first to come into contact with Zuo Mo’s way of thinking. In reality, when the prison-breaking six problems had spread, she had also tried to solve them. Compared to other yao, she had received Zuo Mo’s thinking, and it naturally was easier for her to solve them. She quickly solved up to the fourth problem, but she became stuck.
Her weak foundation stopped her from moving forward. Nan Yue was not stupid and instantly realized this. She recalled a dumb method that Daren had mentioned to her—deconstruct all the yao arts she encountered on the path.
She really ran into the Wasteland Beast Chessboard, and following the chessboard, she deconstructed tile by tile.
Deconstruction of the chessboard, forced to leave, recover her spiritual power, and enter the chessboard again to deconstruct … …
She repeated this. She did not dare to relax one bit. Every time she thought about giving up, she told herself that this was her only chance.
When Zuo Mo finished listening to Nan Yue narrate her daily cultivation, looking at Nan Yue’s focused face, the admiration in his eyes increased. At the side, Cang Ze also had admiration on his face. He had personally seen how crazy Nan Yue had been. Everyone was about the same in age, but this persistence was enough to make him embarrassed.
Zuo Mo motivated Nan Yue. “This method might be dumb, but it once produced a sky yao.”
Cang Ze’s heart shook. There was a lot of room to ponder behind Daren’s words.
Nan Yue did not think much and nodded seriously.
“The foundations are a matter of practicing. Persisting has great benefits.” Zuo Mo then said, “From today, you can start learning [South Sky Arrow Art.] Do not slack off.”
“Yes, Daren!” Nan Yue said with the same seriousness.
Zuo Mo started to pass the two yao arts.
After
asking for Zuo Mo’s permission, Cang Ze released a recording yao art in case he could not remember it all. Then he would become the criminal of his clan. After hearing just a few sentences, he could not control himself, and almost cried.
[Grey Scar Art]! Lost for three thousand years, [Grey Scar Art] was going to see the light of day again!
Compared to Cang Ze’s excitement, Nan Yue was much more peaceful. The Wisteria Clan of the South Sky was far too distant for her. She only hoped that she could reach Daren’s requirements to be able to follow Daren and to give her clansmen better lives.
“Daren, can I teach my clansmen [South Sky Arrow Art]?” Nan Yue asked.
“Of course, This was your South Sky Wisteria Clan’s yao art in the first place,” Zuo Mo said with a smile.
After passing it on to the two, Zuo Mo did not disturb them anymore. This was the best time for them to digest it. Zuo Mo sat down and started to ponder the two yao arts. [Grey Scar Art] and [South Sky Arrow Art] had been on his hands for a while but he hadn’t had the time to examine them.
The two yao arts had their unique aspects.
Zuo Mo had seen many yao arts by now, and could see good or bad at a glance. [Grey Scar Art] was a very unusual illusory killing yao art, and the way of thinking was extremely strange. Zuo Mo had to read it over three times before he understood. The requirements for cultivating [South Sky Arrow Art] was even more strict. It was impossible to cultivate for anyone not a wisteria yao because only wisteria yao could create wisteria arrows, and the succeeding string of arts could be cast.
After reading through both sets of yao arts, many of Zuo Mo’s questions disappeared. No wonder each yao clan had their own inheritances. These inherited yao arts were continuously developed and perfected based on the unique traits of their clan. It would not be a great problem even if these yao arts ended up in the hands of other yao clans because the other basically could not cultivate it. Even if they could, the power would decrease greatly.