by Fang Xiang
If it wasn’t for Master, he wouldn’t have any supplies. He wouldn’t even have had the Wu Kong Flag. If he came to such an isolated place as the Desolate Wood Reef, he would have more dangers than lucky encounters.
He couldn’t help but ball up his hands.
Destiny, it was more reliable to grasp it in his own hands.
“Ha ha,” Bo Feng laughed lightly, he seemed to have already had a plan, “I will use a piece of news to exchange with Brother Zuo.”
“News?” Bo Feng’s suggestions was out of Zuo Mo’s expectations.
Bo Feng said generously, “Brother Zuo should look first. If you are not satisfied, we can keep negotiating,” Finishing, his finger flicked and a jade scroll shot at Zuo Mo.
Pia!
A golden palm reached from behind Zuo Mo and accurately grasped the jade scroll.
Bo Feng smiled and didn’t speak. Inside, he praised Zuo Mo’s carefulness.
Zuo Mo took the jade scroll, and lowered his head to read.
There was not much inside the jade scroll, but after reading the last word, Zuo Mo felt he was in a glacier, his entire body cold.
“How is it? Is Brother Zuo satisfied?” Bo Feng asked.
Zuo Mo took a deep breath, and then bowed with folded hands at Bo Feng. He said seriously, “Many thanks, Brother Bo.” Finishing, he took out an empty jade scroll, entered the position of the secret realm, and threw it to Bo Feng.
Bo Feng took the jade scroll. After reading it, joy appeared on his face. When he finished, he crushed the jade scroll to powder.
“Brother Zuo is really refreshing!” Bo Feng said crisply, “This one wants to ask for a wisp of Golden Crow Fire from Brother Zuo, please help me!”
“Golden Crow Fire?” Zuo Mo nodded, “If Brother Bo has earth elemental materials above fourth-grade, a deal can be made.”
He didn’t ask for a high price. The news that Bo Feng had just given him was too important!
Bo Feng could not control his joy, “We really have good fate. This one luckily has a piece of Breathing Rock, and of high quality. It should fulfill Brother Zuo’s demands.”
“Trade!” Zuo Mo did not hesitate in nodding.
In fourth-grade earth element materials, Breathing Rock was a rare fine material. It usually existed in the deepest parts, a special earthy grey that naturally clung together, unable to be cut with anything metal.
Zuo Mo was excited. He finally gathered together everything for his five essence sword set!
* * *
Translator Ramblings: If Pei Yuan Ran had his way, Zuo Mo would have been packed off to Desolate Wood Reef with his allowance of jingshi and not much else. After so many chapters, Bo Feng finally gets what he was pursuing. It was almost too simple since Zuo Mo did the work for him.
“A Problematic Youth” ended right after the Sword Test Conference. We are in Volume Three of the story right now, the title being “Seeking Survival On A Desolate Island.” The title was too much of a spoiler since this volume started when Zuo Mo woke up with Wei Sheng and Luo Li in Fragrant Ginger Yard. We have passed the one-fifth mark of the entire story.
Chapter 196: News
At Wu Kong Mountain, Shi Feng Rong had a face full of fury, “Why?”
Pei Yuan Ran was helplessly apologetic. “Too far! Even if we tell him, he won’t be able to get back. Unless he is jindan, he can’t get back in three days.”
“Then I won’t go to Bright Wave Jie! I’ll go get him!” Shi Feng Rong said decisively.
“Nonsense!” Pei Yuan Ran was furious. Looking at the pain and anger on Shi Feng Rong’s face, he suppressed the anger inside and said in a low voice, “There are so many experts in Bright Wave Jie. Whether our sect can establish ourselves in Bright Wave Jie, it all depends on us jindan. In our time of need, will Shimei abandon the entire sect for just Zuo Mo?”
Shi Feng Rong bit her lips tears flowing down uncontrollably.
Pei Yuan Ran relaxed his tone of voice, “Shimei, don’t worry. Zuo Mo is usually clever. He definitely will be fine. After we establish ourselves in Bright Wave Jie, we can send people to search for him!”
Pei Yuan Ran comforted Shi Feng Rong for a long time before she was finally persuaded.
———
When Lin Qian saw Pei Yuan Ran, he saw the other’s face was dark, and assumed that Pei Yuan Ran was worried for the future. He comforted, “Sect Leader Pei, do not worry too much. This one has some weight in Bright Wave Jie and will definitely pick a good land for your sect.”
Pei Yuan Ran raised his hands in thanks, but he stared at Lin Qian and said solemnly, “This one still has one thing that that he does not understand. Master Lin, please explain a few things to me!”
“Oh, please speak, Sect Leader Pei,” Lin Qian said.
“Master Lin has no connection to our sect, so why have you been so close with our sect as of late?” Pei Yuan Ran’s eyes were bright.
Lin Qian seemed to have already know that Pei Yuan Ran would ask this, and smiled, “If that’s the case, then I will speak the truth. It is because I see potential in Wei Sheng. Wei Sheng is the most talented xiuzhe that this one has ever seen, he has unbridled potential and his future will certainly be boundless. Sect Leader Pei can think of this as an investment. In the future, when I need help, please, Sect Leader Pei, lend a hand.”
“Naturally,” Pei Yuan Ran’s heart relaxed slightly. Even though he didn’t believe all of it, but he didn’t let it show.
Lin Qian smiled and said, “We will temporarily set our departure at noon three days from now. This one will be waiting and won’t disturbed Sect Leader Pei now. Farewell!”
“I won’t see you off!” Pei Yuan Ran said, raising his folded hands.
———
Zuo Mo and Bo Feng had made two good transactions, the aura between them very harmonious.
Chang Heng and Gui Feng were not interested in Golden Crow Fire, something Zuo Mo felt was very regretful about. However before leaving, Zuo Mo asked them to spread the news of the Golden Crow Fire, and Bo Feng agreed.
Zuo Mo saw Bo Feng and the others leave.
“What are you going to do?” Pu Yao suddenly asked.
Zuo Mo inhaled deeply, and then exhaled, as though he wanted to pushed out all the darkness that had formed in his heart, “I’ll take it step by step.”
Pu Yao smiled coldly, “You didn’t receive one bit of information. Tsk tsk, seems those old codgers don’t value you very much!”
Zuo Mo was silent.
“Plan on flying back?” Pu Yao didn’t have any sympathy.
“There’s not enough time,” Zuo Mo shook his head. From the Desolate Wood Reef to Wu Kong Mountain, flying would take multiple months.
“Don’t worry,” Pu Yao said unconcernedly, “Even if the yaomo come, it would be small groups. Probably just Night Stock Yao and Moon Demon, nothing important.”
“Night Stock Yao and Moon Demon? Are they very strong?” Zuo Mo asked curiously. He didn’t know much about yaomo.
“Little worms,” Pu Yao twisted his mouth, “about the same as ningmai.”
“Then why is everyone fleeing?” Zuo Mo could not understand, “If they are about the same as ningmai, we can completely kill them!”
Pu Yao smiled scornfully. “Whether Night Stock Yao or Moon Demon, if they face your ningmai, they can fight one against three!” His bloody pupil suddenly rippled, “Their growing environment is much more cruel than you guys.”
“So what?” Zuo Mo wasn’t persuaded.” Sky Moon Jie has jindan!”
Pu Yao shrugged indifferently, “This is just the beginning. I am willing to bet… no, guarantee that the old codgers of your sect are definitely planning on migrating away. Who is willing to bleed themselves to help other people stop yaomo?”
“Wu Kong Mountain is the base of our sect … …”
“You are too naïve!” Pu Yao’s words were full of scorn, “Just a poor mountain. As long as they have people, where can’t they go? Without the mountain, they can
go steal another one.”
Zuo Mo couldn’t speak.
“Prepare early,” Pu Yao shook his head, “I won’t have any time in the near future, don’t bother me.”
He disappeared after finishing.
Zuo Mo stood at his spot he was unfocused for a moment. He could not think that the entire front line of Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie had collapsed in such a short period of time. This was the news that he traded with Bo Feng. Supposedly, it was a group of yaomo that had appeared at the flank and caused the collapse of the entire defensive line which fortified Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie.
Sky Moon Jie was not immediately next to Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie, but it wasn’t far from it, so it was in a very dangerous situation. Many sects of Sky Moon Jie had already started to prepare for migration.
This was the news from five days ago.
What had frozen Zuo Mo’s heart was that he had not received any news from his own sect. News from five days ago, with Wu Kong Sword Sect’s present status, they couldn’t be ignorant of it. If he moved now, he couldn’t meet up with the sect unless the sect migrated to Little Mountain Jie. But if they were going through Little Mountain Jie, they would have notified him so he could prepare to receive them.
But he hadn’t received anything.
He knew that he was set on a different path from the sect after this incident.
He wasn’t sad. In reality, when he had came out of the sword essence formation, he had sensed it coming, but he hadn’t thought the day would come so quickly. The present Wu Kong Sword Sect had long not been the Wu Kong Sword Sect of the past.
Never mind, he should think of way to protect himself. It was better to rely on himself than on others.
Zuo Mo’s idea was quite different than anyone else. He decided to keep guarding Desolate Wood Reef. Desolate Wood Reef’s environment was special. Adding on the Skyring Moon Chime Formation, and the golden armor guards, he could basically guarantee his own safety. If it was needed, he could enter Little Mountain Jie through the jie river at any time.
But before that, he needed to increase his own strength. Otherwise, with his zhuji cultivation and despite his large wealth of jingshi, not a piece of him would remain. If he left, he would take the shidi with him.
He had found all the materials for the five essence sword set. Also, his cultivation, which hadn’t moved for such a long time, finally had started to grow.
At this time, it was better to control his personality and increase his own strength before anything else.
The re-forging of Water Drop sword was very quick, only taking one day. He added a piece of fourth-grade Crimson Fire Rock. Even though that did not elevate it to fourth-grade, it rose to the top of third-grade. The outer layer of the Water Drop sword had an additional aura of bright red flame that constantly burned.
Zuo Mo renamed it [Water Fire Sword].
The Teeth Vine was soaked in a “ling spring.” There were no ling springs on the Desolate Wood Reef. This ling spring was one that Zuo Mo made himself using formations. The effect was not as good as natural ling springs. Zuo Mo could only increase the time it spent in the water.
The ten days it should have taken to forge, were extended to thirty days by Zuo Mo.
The Blue Icicle Crystal, the Breath Rock, and the Fox Teeth were all fourth-grade materials. It was almost impossible for Zuo Mo at present to forge them. He could only process them into sword billets. When his cultivation reached ningmai and he had absorbed Golden Crow Fire, could he finish the forging.
All of his other time was spent on meditation.
In this period of time, even Pu Yao who usually disdained Zuo Mo’s cultivation, intelligently chose to remain silent. Also, Pu Yao was very busy in this time.
Zuo Mo received a flying sword message from his Master. On there, it said that Bloody Sky Metropolis Jie had collapsed, and the sect decided to move to Bright Wave Jie. She told Zuo Mo to be careful and protect himself. It also told him he could enter other sects. If there was a chance, he could also go to Bright Wave Jie to find them.
Zuo Mo put the flying sword message into his ring, and turned back to his meditation.
On the Desolate Wood Reef, the black lake had been completely transformed.
The inky black pond water now glowed darkly. On the shore, a simple and old-fashioned stone altar had taken form. Thirty something little yao guards continuously took water from the black water pond and poured it onto the stone tiles of the altar.
The stone tiles were like sponges. No matter how much black water was poured onto the surface, they didn’t leave one drop behind.
Pu Yao looked at the altar, not saying a word.
The number of xiuzhe that passed through Desolate Wood Reef increased over the days. At the beginning, there were little crowds. After a while, it turned to a continuous flow.
The power of the Skyring Moon Chime formation was much higher than before, so the consumption of jingshi was also much higher. Each day, it needed twenty pieces of third-grade jingshi to remain active. However, even though it was very expensive, but the strength exuded by the Brahma sound ring, and the Skyring Moon Chime Formation, prevented the passing xiuzhe from daring to have any greedy thoughts.
The rumors were that the Black Wind Bandits had attacked the Desolate Wood Reef, but ended up all being annihilated. There were also rumors that Zuo Mo was selling Golden Crow Fire. As long as they could pay the price or had good things to trade, they could buy it at any time.
Each xiuzhe that came onto the island would ask around about these two pieces of news when they landed.
As the flow of people increased, Zuo Mo’s daily income also shot up. However, he didn’t have any time to put on it. Each day, he furiously meditated, hoping to quickly break through to ningmai.
In comparison, Lil’ Pagoda was living very well these past days. The large amounts of talismans and materials that Zuo Mo had gotten from the Black Wind Bandits were quite good. Since Zuo Mo could not use them, and there was no place he could sell them, he decided to feed it all to Lil’ Pagoda.
Lil’ Pagoda flowed with light. Compared to the fragility of the past, it seemed to be brimming with life.
The tip of the tower that had been as sharp as a sword was now much more round. The slender body seemed much broader. The past Five Colored Pagoda gave people the feeling of darkness and sharpness. Now, it was more lively and nimble, the aura of killing was much smaller. What Zuo Mo felt most strange about were the five little gourds appeared on the eaves of the first level.
The five little gourds were all of different colors, belonging to the five elements. They were the size of a grain of a rice. If Zuo Mo did not look closely, he wouldn’t have found them.
Zuo Mo and Lil’ Pagoda communicated many times on the use of the five little gourds. Lil’ Pagoda tried very hard to explain, but Zuo Mo didn’t understand even after a long time. Full of anticipation, Zuo Mo couldn’t do anything except throw the question to one side.
To Zuo Mo’s joy, Lil’ Pagoda spat out a piece of grey mud again. It was slightly larger than last time, about the size of his thumb. Zuo Mo put the little bit of grey mud into his ring.
The other shidi also knew now that the sect had already left Sky Moon Jie. Everyone’s mood became terrible. Some people joined other sects. Zuo Mo didn’t stop them. In situations like this, they were certainly free to enter other sects.
Power and responsibility were tied together. The sect surrendered their responsibilities to them. Accordingly, they also surrendered the power to constrain them.
All of Zuo Mo’s efforts were put on cultivation.
He could feel his cultivation progressing extremely quickly. On a certain day, he finally started his charge at ningmai!
Chapter 197: Ningmai!
The ling power inside Zuo Mo’s body was thick like a cloud as it filled his channels. If it was not being channeled they would be abnormally quiet and flow extremely slow as though they had stopped.
This was a charact
eristic unique to zhuji ling power. The ling power in Zuo Mo’s body was thick like rain clouds, showing that his cultivation had reached the peak of zhuji.
The reason that his cultivation had grown so rapidly recently was all due to a strange repulsion at the little holes in his dantian. Before, any ling power he absorbed would spill from the little holes. Right now, the holes still existed but the ling power in his dantian would not spill and leave.
Zuo Mo was very suspicious that this strange repelling force was caused by the draw of earth energy away from his body as this began occurring after the earth energy had tempered his body.
However, the mysteries of channels were not something a little person like Zuo Mo could understand. He quickly threw it to the back of his mind and started to cultivate.
The cloud-like ling power relentlessly circulated in his body. Zuo Mo had already maintained this for four hours. His ling power was active while his mind and body were all at their best condition.
He started to charge into ningmai!
All the ling power in his body were roused, they started to flow through the channels at a speed Zuo Mo was familiar with.
Ningmai, or concentrating channels, required condensing the mist-like ling power into liquid form ling power. The simplest way was to continuously absorb ling power thus increasing the density of ling power causing it to condense from gas into liquid.
However, the process was not so simple when this condensation occurred in real life. After one’s cultivation reached the peak of zhuji, they would encounter resistance when they absorbed ling power. If they could not absorb ling power they could not increase the density of ling power.
Many people found themselves stuck at this gate into ningmai.
There were many ways to break through to the stage of ningmai, such as lingdan. The markets would sell Ningmai Dan. The success rate was high but not everyone liked to use them. Different than zhuji, those in ningmai stage started to comprehend the laws of the world. The breakthrough to ningmai was a wonderful opportunity to comprehend all kinds of laws. Xiuzhe who had confidence and high aspirations for themselves usually would not chose the Ningmai Dan but to comprehend by themselves.