by Fang Xiang
After practicing [Sky Wave Fist Scripture], he would have another move. However, Pu Yao had also said that [Sky Wave Fist Scripture] was not some powerful fist scripture, and the power should not be very shocking.
Thinking about it that way, Zuo Mo felt that overall his moves were lackluster. In terms of talismans, Lil’ Pagoda was a soul-tethered talisman, but it was more skilled in controlling formations. While the other talismans that he possessed were valuable, but he did not have talismans that were at the very top of the grade.
No matter the grade, the finest talismans of the grade would have their own special characteristics.
A strong feeling of danger arose.
Zuo Mo had already decided to use gang fighting against the jindan expert of Clear Sky Sect, but that did not mean that he did not need the power to protect himself. At the very least, he had to guarantee that he could survive the upcoming gang fight.
The best place to cultivate was in the camp. Zuo Mo decided to move to the camp.
———
Having Boss personally come to the camp instantly made everyone alert; they did not dare slack off. Their eyes occasionally floated in the direction of Boss. No matter if it was an old-timer or one of the new members, they all knew one thing, Boss had many good things in his possession!
The first person to benefit had been Ma Fan. A fifth-grade movement method, many people had stared at it with red eyes. These days, they personally saw Ma Fan practicing the fifth-grade movement method that he had received. The dazzling images that had been produced before could not even be perceived now. He was like a wraith, suddenly appearing and disappearing. Every xiuzhe who saw this scene had uncontrollably inhaled sharply. When they thought of Ma Fan’s untraceable and powerful [Illusory Shadowless Sword of Destruction], together with this silent and untraceable movement method, they knew he was able to kill any of them without a trace.
Lil’ Miss had also given Ma Fan a beast service card. No one dared to underestimate the grey and non-descript butterfly.
While Ma Fan made everyone jealous, they had nothing to say. Ma Fan’s power was obvious. His cultivation was not as high as Xie Shan, but his effect during battles was not something Xie Shan could compare to. Even Xie Shan would admit it. What was more, the numbers of enemy killed were written in bright red cinnabar and his score not something anyone could hope to match.
But Zong Ru’s encounter had gotten many people thinking.
Zong Ru was a docile person and could not defend against the probing of these people and had completely admitted to everything. Boss had insisted in trading, and this reassured them all. What dissatisfaction could they have in following such a boss? However, a few days after the inquiry, Zong Ru’s furious improvement shocked his team members, Nian Lu and Lei Peng,
Lil’ Miss also discovered Zong Ru’s present situation, and instantly took him out to cultivate on his own.
Eventually everyone had found out that Zong Ru had three formations carved onto his body which had lead to such miraculous effects! Instantly, everyone’s heart moved. Fifth-grade movement method was a reward based on service, and there was no chance to change this. But these three formations were something that Zong Ru had used a fist scripture to trade for.
In other words, these formations could be traded for!
These experienced old-timers, how could they not understand this?
Boss had also came to cultivate at the base. With such a good chance, how could they let it slip past their fingertips?
The first one to try was Lei Peng. He had been stimulated the most after practicing with Zong Ru everyday. This guy seemed like a rough man, but in reality, his mind was extremely attentive. He even had managed to get the effects of the three formations out of Zong Ru.
The use of the body cultivation formation was not large for him, but he drooled at the other two formations. This guy was extremely daring, and took advantage of a chance to rest to approach Zuo Mo. This rough man used an extremely ingratiating tone to say, “Boss, can an ask you for something?”
Zuo Mo looked with slight surprise at Lei Peng. “What is it?”
“An also wants three formations carved on the body.” Hearing Boss make a sound of surprise, his heart jumped and he hurriedly said, “An is willing to use [Abyss Ghost Sabre Scripture] to trade.”
Zuo Mo instantly understood.
Was there any reason to refuse business that came up to the door? Even more, he was still very unfamiliar with carving formations onto the body. It was rare that there was an experimental subject that came up to him. Zuo Mo’s heart rejoiced.
Zuo Mo made a sound and pretended to think. “Carving the formations is not so simple. There is a risk.”
Lei Peng had already mentally prepared for this point. There was no free lunch in the world. How could there not be any risk in such a speedy and simple method? However, he asked cautiously, “Would it harm the cultivation?”
“No, but it will leave behind scars if it fails. Because it uses a special ling liquid, even scar removing dan may be unable to remove it.”
Lei Peng instantly released and breath and chuckled. “An’s a man, so an doesn’t need to be so pretty.” The failure of the carving would just be a scar. Which guy that lived off a bloody blade to survive would care about that?
Seeing the situation, Zuo Mo said expressionlessly, “I don’t need a sabre scripture. If you want to trade, you have to use something else.” He had already learned a variety of things, he didn’t plan on adding a sabre scripture to the mix.
Lei Peng instantly panicked and flung open the hundred treasure pouch on his waist and emptied it. “Boss, take what you want, an will trade!”
Zuo Mo narrowed his eyes and swept across the objects. Suddenly, his gaze slightly froze. He picked out a fist sized jade rock from a pile of knick-knacks and said, “This one.”
“Okay!” Lei Peng was overjoyed. What he was most worried about at the moment was that he didn’t have anything that Boss wanted. He seemed to be afraid that Boss would regret his decision, and he hurriedly packed away everything else.
“Come with me.” Zuo Mo stood, and after an exchange with Gongsun Cha, he left with Lei Peng.
———
When Lei Peng joyfully returned in the evening, the camp instantly exploded. When Lei Peng bared his upper body and showed off the three formations that had just been carved, other people drooled.
With an example of success, the crowds started to move.
Who didn’t have something good on their bodies? Materials, talismans, jade scrolls. Boss traded for everything. Boss was even willing to take some talisman remnants. Also, Boss never demanded an outrageous price. He would only pick one item each time.
Many times, everyone felt that Boss was a businessman full of professionalism!
Almost all the xiuzhe decided to carve the formations. Zuo Mo’s waiting line had already formed a twenty day backlog. He felt he would be driven insane by what he was gaining this time!
After taking down Xie Shan, he had one hundred and ten people under his command. Other than Zong Ru and Lei Peng, everyone else had queued up for getting formations carved. What was more practical and valuable as increasing one’s strength?
None of them were beginners. Everyone understood the value of these three formations. Even if Zuo Mo’s condition had been more stringent, the great majority would still have chosen to get them carved. However, Zuo Mo’s conduct of “picking only one” had left an impression of “not greedy” on the people.
If Zuo Mo’s facial expression could move, he would definitely be smiling widely.
There was not much in terms of talismans that could move his heart, but there were some precious jade scrolls. He had even found the Summer Flower ling farming jade scroll. He had been searching for this thing for a very long time. The result was that he had picked it out from a pile that appeared to be garbage.
What he had gained the most was all kinds of materials. These people all had cultivatio
ns in ningmai, which of them would collect normal materials? Zuo Mo had picked all fourth-grade materials. He had the Golden Crow Fire now and could process these materials.
Even Pu Yao felt jealous of Zuo Mo’s gains!
However, the transaction between them did not include the dividends of the profits Zuo Mo would get from using the formations. If it had been in the past, Pu Yao would have no consideration in taking from Zuo Mo. But right now, Pu Yao was in a position of asking a favor from Zuo Mo, and could not do so.
The red-eyed Pu Yao could only use another method to vent the dissatisfaction in his heart.
“You’ve already familiarized yourself with the [Copper Rhinoceros Mo Matrix]. This is the mo matrix for [Golden-Wing Great Roc]. You should try to analyze it as fast as possible.” Pu Yao threw out a jade scroll. The mo matrix recorded inside the jade scroll was much more complex than the [Copper Rhinoceros Mo Marix]. After just one look, Zuo Mo felt slightly dizzy.
Pu Yao was very smug.
In any mo jie, Golden-Wing Great Rocs were nobility, and possessed an unique bloodline! They were born abnormal, not needing any technique for their intelligence to be awakened. They had the highest kind of inheritance. After evolving each generation, their bodies gradually became perfected, and the mo matrix on their bodies was also perfected. Their only weakness was one common to many clans with superb bloodlines, low reproductive ability.
Such a complex mo matrix was far beyond Zuo Mo’s abilities.
Pu Yao had purposefully given the [Golden-Wing Great Roc Matrix] to Zuo Mo to douse Zuo Mo’s arrogance. A mo matrix as perfect as this one held a fatal attraction to Zuo Mo. Zuo Mo would uncontrollably be attracted to it, and be tortured by it. When the fire was right, he would then throw a low level mo matrix to Zuo Mo.
The more Pu Yao thought, the happier he became. For some reason, when he saw Zuo Mo’s recent smugness, he was very displeased inside.
Just as Pu Yao had imagined, Zuo Mo was completely enchanted by this mo matrix, deeply enchanted! Pu Yao could clearly detect when Zuo Mo first saw the [Golden-Wing Great Roc Matrix], his breathing had stopped!
However, unexpectedly, Zuo Mo had displayed astounding self-control. The first thing he did after his trance was throw the jade scroll into the ring.
Then Pu Yao heard Zuo Mo grit out as he carved formations for people, his mouth almost convulsing as he chanted, refrain, refrain!
There were frequent screams that came out of Zuo Mo’s room.
* * *
Translator Ramblings: Yes, Zuo Mo has now carved formations onto his group of captive-soldiers. Zuo Mo has a very low level mo matrix and the three formations are simplified from that so they are even more basic. It doesn’t mean that the three formations aren’t advanced, but the mo matrix has other attributes which Zuo Mo cannot copy onto the formations.
It is very funny though that Zuo Mo has managed to win with great benefits. He gets people to feel that it is good to work for him, they will become stronger due to the formations and he also got paid in materials.
Chapter 228: Ma Fan’s Decisiveness
Ma Fan had a separate cultivation area, which Gongsun Cha had specifically drawn out for him. It was a little corner closest to the water.
The geography of Stone Door Beach was very wide, next to the mountains and water. Occasionally, white birds would swim by on the water. The cruel conflicts in Little Mountain Jie had not affected them, thus they still lived idle lives. They did not have anything that xiuzhe would scheme after. They were not ling beasts, and the change in ling power did not affect them.
The remnant rays of the dusk reflected off the water, the white birds dragging their long shadows, the reeds gently waving in the wind. Unconsciously, Ma Fan stopped training, and walked to the water, looking into the distance, his heart peaceful and serene.
Suddenly, he lifted his eyelids, wariness flashing through his eyes.
Without changing expression, he lowered his arm, the jade card that was tied to his wrist touched his fingertip. A finger-sized grey butterfly silently grasped onto the inside of his middle finger, looking like a nondescript grey ring.
Ma Fan’s eyes were covered in an imperceptible layer of grey. It looked as though his eyes had become dimmer.
[Ling Pupils]!
His vision silently changed. The dense reeds gradually became transparent, and a ball of shadow was visible as it hid among them.
So that’s where they were hiding!
The other’s position was about one hundred and fifty zhang away from him. He didn’t have the confidence to kill with one blow at this distance. From the position the other had chosen, the other could be considered very careful. If he could not kill with one blow, it would be unlikely to be able to stop the other in this open landscape.
Ma Fan guessed that it was a spy from some other faction. This distance was more suited to watch but not an ambush.
If this was in the past, Ma Fan would have most likely chosen to disregard it. It was better to not invite trouble, he disliked trouble. But today, the first thought that flashed through his mind was actually to kill the other person!
When he managed to respond, he couldn’t help but feel shock at his first instinct. However, he didn’t waste much time on his emotions. He recalled the reminders Gongsun Cha had said many times to him.
“The greatest taboo on the battlefield is indecisiveness! You are the core, you must be decisive, you must make the choice in a lightning flash! No matter if the choice is right or wrong!”
This distance … … he wasn’t certain of killing with one blow, what should he do?
“You have to believe in your fellows, don’t just go at it alone. What would you do if you don’t have a chance? Very simple, you have two choices, you can make chances for your teammates and your teammates can make chances for you.”
Ma Fan turned around, his expression normal. He saw three fellows. He only recognized one person of the three, the guy that was called Xie Shan. He had been the leader of the group they had captured last time. Supposedly, his cultivation was ningmai third stratum.
In reality, he had hoped that the three people he saw was the Lei Peng team. Even though Xie Shan’s power was far stronger than the Lei Peng team, but this team was made of new members and didn’t have any familiarity with him.
However, he didn’t have a better choice.
“Old Xie,” He raised his arm, and shouted.
———
Xie Shan stilled and stopped moving, turning his face towards Ma Fan, puzzled on the inside. He naturally recognized Ma Fan, the core of the entire troop. The one with an incomparable position, the most trusted subordinate of Lil’ Miss.
But Xie Shan had never spoken one word with him.
“Hey!” Even though he was puzzled, he still responded with a smile. In the troop, he was the newest of the new. Even if his individual power was the highest, to gain Gongsun Cha’s trust, it required time. He wasn’t so stupid as to offend Ma Fan.
“Come help me train, let’s try my new movement method,” Ma Fan’s tone was intimate as he shouted.
Xie Shan imperceptibly furrowed his brows. He might be a newbie, but he was used to being the leader, no one had dared ask him to assist in training. However, the other’s intimate tone did not hold any negativity. What puzzled him even more was that he had never seen Ma Fan find someone to train with him in the past.
It was slightly strange … …
Suddenly, his eyes locked onto the palm that Ma Fan had raised up, a finger sized grey butterfly peacefully grasping his middle finger.
His heart suddenly jumped!
It had been Gongsun Cha who gave the grey butterfly beast service card to Ma Fan. It was rare to see him use it. If it really was a spar, Ma Fan should not have summoned the grey butterfly.
Xie Shan was very experienced. He thought as he smiled and walked towards Ma Fan. “Okay!”
The other two xiuzhe on the team looked at each other and did not speak. They could
not afford to offend Xie Shan, much less Ma Fan. The two just stopped to watch.
Ma Fan and Xie Shan did not waste words, starting immediately.
What Xie Shan cultivated was the [Aurora Mirage Sword]. This was a rare fifth-grade sword scripture. He didn’t need to show his flying sword, raising his hands, multicolored sword energies flew out like an extremely beautiful aurora above the snow.
An icy presence instantly spread. Under the aurora in the sky, snowflakes danced, sharp as knives!
Sword essence!
———
Ma Fan’s heart instantly shook. This was sword essence! In the camp, all one hundred and ten xiuzhe were all ningmai, but there wasn’t more than five people that had comprehended sword essence.
As expected of the strongest person of the camp. With this attack, Ma Fan felt the pressure increase. The bright sword essences were like mist and dust, carrying a cold presence. Under the beautiful appearance was fatal killing intent!
The slowly spreading sword essence was like countless thin strands that were invisible to the naked eye that would silently trap a person.
However, you aren’t the only one who comprehended sword essence! Ma Fan’s grey eyes slightly narrowed.
———
Xie Shan intended to show his strength. In the previous battle, he had not displayed his strength. Gongsun Cha’s three section wave killing charge had been too ferocious. It was like an enormous hammer. With one blow, Xie Shan’s group had been broken into pieces. Seeing the situation, Xie Shan had immediately surrendered. Up until now, he had not had a chance to showcase his own strength.
It was a pity that Gongsun Cha was not at the camp. Xie Shan felt some regret. If he could display his full power in front of Lil’ Miss, it would be of great aid to increasing his status within the troop. However, there were only benefits and no disadvantages to displaying his strength in front of his fellows.
He was quickly surprised by Ma Fan’s strength.