Chapter 9 All trees have spirits, let us cultivate for a day.
"Chirp chirp chirp—"
A piercing scream erupted from the soil, and a large hand swiftly struck out, predicting its escape route. After a miserable, tearing cry, the ginseng drooped down, roots and leaves alike, looking no different from dead.
But this little thing isn't some delicate creature that dies as soon as it leaves the ground.
"So serious, you're a professional at playing dead." Chang Yubai poked it with his finger.
Li Qingyun nodded, still reading his own mental cultivation manual.
After Chang Yubai's hands-on teaching, Li Qingyun gained a deeper understanding of the flow of spiritual energy. When she flipped back to the previous pages of the book, she realized that she had overlooked many important points.
This book... really suits his personality.
It's practically a technique tailor-made for me.
It's unclear who Chang Yubai is, but he can casually pull out this wood-attribute cultivation manual based on his attributes. There are countless cultivation manuals in the world, and to be able to do it so accurately must require reading them thousands of times.
The identity of the cheap master has become increasingly mysterious.
This means he needs to work harder to gain Chang Yubai's trust and strive to become his one and only disciple.
"Brother, do you want to rest for a bit?"
"The sooner you die, the sooner you'll be reborn." Chang Yubai didn't have much strength. Although digging for mandrakes from various terrains was novel, he couldn't stand how torturous the thing was. Not only did it make his ears hurt, but it also ran incredibly fast. To catch it, he not only had to concentrate, but he also had to prepare in advance.
In his previous life, he followed his master to dig for ginseng, but he was always careless and slow. One step behind led to another, causing him to chase after the same ginseng seventeen times.
Seventeen times! Walking the dog would be exhausting, but this dog looks like it can still run an eighteenth time.
Fortunately, his master couldn't stand it and stepped in to stop him, thus freeing him from the endless chase.
Subsequently, Chang Yubai began to take each ginseng seriously, striving to seize the initiative and never giving them even the slightest chance to get ahead of the starting line.
Now it's even worse. He doesn't even have a master to back him up anymore. If he makes a single mistake, he and Xiaoyun will run themselves ragged and still not be able to catch up with her.
100% success rate, with absolutely no room for error.
Chang Yubai: I'm so tired—
He really can't do such delicate and strenuous work!
But since his master rarely asked him for help, how could he possibly refuse?
"Where's the next place?" Chang Yubai clenched his fist. "I'm ready!"
Li Qingyun: "..." What are you so excited about?
Before you get all fired up, could you please tone down your pained expression?
"This way." Xiaoyun began to lead the way.
“At the root system of the tree in front, this one likes to steal nutrients from the giant plants, especially the giant plants with a strong smell of smoke.”
Tree Nests are dwellings in the Forest of All Spirits, and large habitats resembling dormitories, where the human presence is far greater than usual.
Chang Yubai didn't hesitate and slammed his palm down on the ground beneath the tree nest.
The palm strike, imbued with spiritual power, shook the soil, causing the earth to tremble and the trees to sway. Several curses rang out from among the leaves overhead.
"Be gentle!!!" Xiao Li Qingyun cried out in a low voice, her face filled with terror.
"The ginseng is very fragile!"
Then Chang Yubai gave him a thumbs up and a wink, looking quite pleased with himself.
Li Qingyun: "..." I really want to kick him to death.
Fortunately, Chang Yubai was quick enough that by the time the people in the tree nest jumped down to check the situation, all that was left was a deep pit about the thickness of a forearm on the ground.
Chang Yubai: What a joke! Knowing that there are overpowered protagonists in this world, I have to max out my escape skills!
Li Qingyun: Ah, I'm used to it. I've been dragged away again.
What a contradictory guy. He's clearly incredibly capable, yet he's always so cautious in ways that are hard to understand.
"Over there, the sixteenth tree, which is also the last one in Muqiong County."
To be honest, having a strong laborer is really convenient. In less than half a day, he had finished harvesting all the ginseng in the county. If Li Qingyun had come alone, he would have had to guard against pursuers and concentrate on digging for ginseng. He would have been exhausted and probably wouldn't have been able to harvest any.
Thinking of this, Xiao Li Qingyun couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
I guess I'm using Chang Yubai... But Chang Yubai isn't like those other parasites, he hasn't done anything to wrong me, and he even found me the most suitable cultivation technique...
Xiao Liqing shrank her head even tighter.
"Xiaoyun, there's no road ahead."
"On the left, the bushes are empty."
"oh."
Sure enough, there were no branches in the bushes, so it was a space to walk through.
"Wow, that's amazing." Chang Yubai exclaimed. "Xiao Yun, you're so familiar with the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits."
Li Qingyun froze for a moment.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Cough, I, I am indeed very familiar with this place." Li Qingyun's little brain was working frantically, and she finally realized that she had not disguised herself at all, and had come to the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits with a very strong purpose from the very beginning.
Oh no, I hope I won't be suspected.
How is he going to explain this to Chang Yubai? Given how easygoing this guy is, he probably won't hold it against him, right?
“Brother, actually,” Li Qingyun stammered, “Wanling is my hometown. I came back here to retrieve something I left behind.”
That's right, he wasn't a wild child born in the wilderness; he has a legitimate background!
Although they are all invalid now.
Chang Yubai was surprised: ⊙O⊙
Hometown! Master's hometown!!
In short, he went home with his master! He's gone back to both his past and present lives!
Li Qingyun: What are you so excited about!
"Then, is this ginseng that makes noise a local specialty?" Chang Yubai's eyes lit up.
Not only was he taken home by his master, but they also packed up local specialties together!
Master really loves him the most.
Li Qingyun: "You, I...tsk."
It is indeed a local specialty; across the entire Guanwu Continent, only the Forest of Ten Thousand Spirits has this product.
The problem is, it didn't grow naturally!
Li Qingyun took another deep breath, snatched the ginseng that Chang Yubai was pointing at, and looked solemn.
But when it came to explaining, his mouth moved faster than his brain: "This isn't a local specialty; it's... a family heirloom."
Chang Yubai nodded.
Li Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, thank goodness he's a fool, he believed her so easily.
He was so outspoken just now, he almost let something slip – that was close!
After saying that, Li Qingyun's heart skipped a beat again. Something was wrong. Who would hide their belongings in the ground and make noise?
Isn't this even more suspicious?
Chang Yubai: That's so suspicious.
He suspected that Xiaoyun was lying.
Master is really bad at lying now; that long string of spaces and pauses is clearly an excuse he's making up!
They're not even going to act anymore!
Chang Yubai nodded: "Okay."
What can we do? Of course, we have to cooperate.
Li Qingyun: "..."
You actually believe that?
Looks like he's really stupid.
Li Qingyun's gaze towards him was subtle.
As you travel along the Muk Dome County route, in addition to the magnificent local giant trees, the rich natural spiritual energy is also a major feature of the area.
All spirits, countless spiritual energies, endlessly generate and create a natural realm that transcends the mundane world.
Unlike the desolate wilderness that used the power of nature to wipe out humanity, the Forest of All Spirits cares too much about every piece of land, to the point that it no longer cares about humanity.
It is said that all life born here carries the blood of the tree god to some extent, and cannot be considered fully human.
Yet, this very unique life form finds cultivation even easier, allowing it to better comprehend the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and rise step by step.
Chang Yubai thought of his master's wood-attribute spiritual power, and combined with the hometown mentioned earlier, it was not difficult to deduce that his master was a member of the Wood Spirit Clan.
But Master never mentioned this matter.
Then Chang Yubai had no need to make the suggestion on his own.
He changed his approach: "Xiaoyun, are you practicing?"
Li Qingyun: "Huh?" Is there something wrong with his ears?
Why does it sound like I heard the word "cultivation" coming from Lazy Dog's mouth?
"Compared to asking me about cultivation, don't you even need to cultivate?" Li Qingyun had wanted to ask this question for a long time.
He followed Chang Yubai out of the Great Wilderness and ventured into the myriad realms, and along the way he never saw this person meditating with his eyes closed.
Is this guy's cultivation level stuck, or does he simply not want to cultivate anymore?
Before today, he would have doubted that Chang Yubai would ever reach the High Martial Realm.
But now, he seriously and solemnly suspects that this guy is simply lazy! He even does his cultivation half-heartedly!
This lazy dog actually offered to cultivate?
Something's not right, something's very wrong.
Chang Yubai glanced sideways guiltily: "Isn't it because the spiritual energy of Wanling is so abundant and rare? Since you're here, you're a guest, so don't miss out..."
“Okay,” Li Qingyun readily agreed.
Regardless of whether it's right or wrong, we still have to take advantage of the readily available master.
Although Master Chang's methods are quite unconventional.
"The Spiritual Pivot cycles nine times, the first grows and the last grows, transforming, collecting, storing, consolidating, dispersing, and merging, ultimately returning to the unity of the primordial energy and merging with the Great Void."
"With a single turn, the bud breaks through, and the spirit sea turns, like spring rain soaking the dantian and the spiritual abyss, like a long river hanging upside down to flow into the spirit body, endlessly regenerating."
I haven't read the manual for many years, but some sentences are still fresh in my memory.
Chang Yubai silently recited the Life Transformation chapter of the Nine Revolutions Heart Method, while guiding Li Qingyun's spiritual power to flow into her dantian.
Interspersed throughout are his unique interpretations, such as thinking of the Spirit Abyss and Spirit Sea as land and rivers, and spiritual power as fertile ingredients, and absorbing spiritual power to break through realms as absorbing nutrients so that the seeds in the field can successfully sprout...
Li Qingyun: What a tricky and vulgar cultivation method.
But it is indeed easy to understand.
Once the intangible is given form, it becomes much easier to operate.
Li Qingyun never imagined that cultivation could be so pleasant.
Is it because the mental cultivation method is suitable?
Or was it because of proper guidance?
Li Qingyun slowly opened her eyes. Chang Yubai was no longer meditating in front of her. Thinking about it, it made sense. This person only had three breaths of heat. He would never stay in one place for long. Asking him to meditate quietly was more painful than taking his life.
"Pfft." Li Qingyun couldn't help but laugh out loud when she thought of Chang Yubai sitting in meditation with a mournful face, looking like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Even just thinking about it makes it hard to hold back a laugh.
"You're awake?" Chang Yubai peeked out from behind the leaves. "Look what I picked!"
A bright red fruit was thrown over, and Li Qingyun reached out, his palm filled with immense spiritual energy.
“This…” Li Qingyun frowned.
This thing looks familiar.
"I've picked the fruit of the Spirit Lamp Tree Lizard!"
The Spirit Lamp Tree Lizard is a common spirit beast in the Forest of Spirits. It has a fruit hanging from its head like a lanternfish, and its body resembles a traditional lizard. It is gentle by nature, likes to eat leaves with spiritual power, and often climbs tree trunks.
However, the fighting power of the Spirit Lamp Tree Lizard should not be underestimated, especially in grassy and woody environments, which are more conducive to its movement and the use of spiritual power. Even if ordinary cultivators know that the effects of the Lamp Fruit are extraordinary, they do not dare to risk challenging it.
"You fought with the tree lizard?" Li Qingyun's first reaction was to snatch it away.
"No, I got lucky. A group of people were fighting ahead and accidentally injured a tree lizard that was passing by. I felt sorry for it and asked if it wanted medicine. I offered to trade it some lamp fruit."
Then the tree lizard obediently lay down on the ground, letting him pick the lamp fruit.
Li Qingyun: "...Where did you get such incredible luck?"
"I don't know, my luck has been incredibly good lately. When I'm short of money, cannon fodder gives me money, and when I want to cultivate, spirit beasts give me fruit. I almost thought I was the real Dragon Overlord."
Li Qingyun: So who exactly is Long Aotian?
Why is he being treated so unfairly?
"I've finished reading it, here you go."
"?" Chang Yubai asked in confusion, "I picked this for you. I don't cultivate, why would I eat this?"
Very well, still a lazy dog.
"Can't you cultivate for a bit?" Li Qingyun smirked. "Do you still want to run away like before, the moment you hear Quan Quan is coming?"
Can't you be a little more ambitious, work harder to advance, and fight back directly?
Ambitious!
Chang Yubai shrank back in fright.
"don't want!"
“Cultivation is too troublesome. I can escape. I’m very good at escaping. No one can catch me except Long Aotian. Elder Quanquan could never even touch the hem of my clothes!”
"Oh? Then this old man will have to give it a try."
"!!!"
In an instant, both Chang Yubai and Li Qingyun tensed up.
"Huh, you really didn't run into it." Quan Quan exclaimed in surprise, "You little rascal, you really know how to dodge."
Ha, you're kidding, I've died once! How could I possibly repeat the same mistake? — Chang Yubai thought to himself.
Long Aotian, a Venerable Martial Realm cultivator, couldn't react in time. He couldn't afford to lose face again at the level of a Profound Martial Realm old man.
His master was still watching from the side!
I absolutely cannot be persuaded to study anymore!
"Xiaoyun, I..." Chang Yubai planned to take Li Qingyun with him and run away, but unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, Elder Quanquan left his sight and headed straight for Li Qingyun.
"Hey you old bastard, get over here!"
Don't touch my master!
"Huh?" Elder Quanquan didn't expect that the boy who was just playing hide-and-seek with him would suddenly change his attitude and attack him with anger.
"Have you thought this through? You can't beat me."
Elder Quanquan had heard his cowardly remarks many times and knew that this kid didn't dare to go against him at all.
Quan Quan smiled and made a magic array, preparing to throw it over.
In the blink of an eye, the person had vanished.
Huh?
It turns out that Chang Yubai didn't shout it with any intention of attacking; from the very beginning, it was all about running away.
While Quan Quan was turning around to form the magic array, he had already crushed the teleportation talisman behind his back, flashed to Li Qingyun's side, and then quickly took a detour to activate the Firefly Essence, teleporting to another place.
"That brat!"
Quan Quan laughed in exasperation.
They really don't follow the usual path.
He had never seen such a clear-cut cowardice.
He even wanted to use Li Qingyun to test this boy.
"Hmph." Quan Quan snorted coldly, "My Muqiong County is not a place you can come and go as you please?"
With a tap of his scepter, the surrounding vegetation shook violently, and the originally heavy and massive branches moved, clearing a wide path for him.
Chang Yubai: "Oh no, they're catching up."
Li Qingyun frantically looked left and right: "Where? I didn't see it!"
“In the back.” Chang Yubai had a bold idea. “What do you think about us hiding in Shuque County? Or Shuying County?”
"I advise you not to go, or I might really kill you," Quan Quan kindly reminded him.
Chang Yubai braked at high speed.
Quan Quan: ?
“I’m not running away,” Chang Yubai said. “You don’t seem that keen on fighting us.”
Elders who are truly ready to fight might be verbose, but they won't be this kind of helpful.
Quan Quan: "...You should have known sooner."
"Did you do that with the firefly marrow?"
He was looking at Li Qingyun when he asked the question.
Why destroy the firefly marrow?
Li Qingyun never looked up, quietly hiding behind Chang Yubai.
Chang Yubai: "Would you believe me if I said we were just putting it into practice?"
Quan Quan: ...
Quan Quan: "You did it, didn't you? To test if you could activate the Firefly Essence, right?"
He was still speaking to Xiaoyun.
>person<
“It’s me,” Li Qingyun whispered.
Chang Yubai interjected, "I can make the compensation on your behalf!"
"No need." Elder Quanquan simply nodded. "Since it was you who did it, then I am relieved."
Huh?
"Recently, Shuque County has been acting aggressively. I'm afraid it's because of an internal enemy trying to disturb the peace of my Muqiong County."
Chang Yubai: "Uh, is this something we can listen to?"
"Hmm? What if I say no?"
"So, are you going to silence us?"
"Hahaha!" Elder Quanquan laughed again, this time amused. "Of course, of course I'll find a way to shut you up."
Chang Yubai: X﹏X
But they had already repositioned themselves to fight.
"You little rascal, your face changes faster than turning the pages of a book, that's really interesting."
Hearing this, Chang Yubai happily withdrew from his stance.
“It’s pointless. Absolutely pointless, unless you give me a single piece of the special wood from Muqiong County, then I’ll pretend you never played me.”
Chang Yubai tried to negotiate a better price.
Quan Quan: "..."
Quan Quan gave in: "You should just get out of my Muqiong County."
A note from the author:
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