Chapter 338: Is This How You Cultivate?

Chapter 338: Is This How You Cultivate?

Wangshan Temple.

The mountain was high, the forest secluded; the ancient temple stood atop the peak, hidden within the clouds.

A melodious bell tolled occasionally, as if this were a realm of immortals.

Yet... every citizen of Zhenyang City knew that calling Wangshan Temple a paradise three years ago might have been fitting.

Now, upon these stone steps, every inch was soaked in blood, every stair stained with bone.

Many who could no longer survive in Zhenyang City fled toward Wangshan Temple, only to be hunted down by demons on the steps.

Within the ancient temple, weeds grew wild, thorns covered the ground.

An old monk sat withered before the Buddha statue, eyes closed, chanting sutras.

Tap, tap.

Footsteps echoed, unusually loud within the great hall.

The abbot of Wangshan Temple, eyes still shut, ceased his chanting: "Why has the honored guest come?"

Though he had not opened his eyes, the distinct sound of the footsteps told him that their owner was neither his disciple nor a demon.

"Qi Yuan of the Demon Suppression Bureau, I have some questions for you."

Qi Yuan calmly regarded the abbot of Wangshan Temple.

This abbot appeared to have paralyzed legs, yet his cultivation had reached the peak of Qi and Blood.

Qi Yuan estimated that if not for his leg condition, the abbot would likely have already reached the Jade Blood Realm.

"May I ask what business the benefactor has?" The abbot of Wangshan Temple remained composed, unafraid of Qi Yuan's affiliation with the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"The flower demon Man Luo—I want to know her whereabouts." Qi Yuan wasted no words.

The abbot, who had been calm, showed a pained expression upon hearing that name.

"She... is in the Wind Flower Cave," the abbot said without concealment.

"Your heartbeat tells me you're not lying, but... those words were a lie." Qi Yuan studied the abbot.

With his cultivation, he could tell if an ordinary person was lying without using his nose-lengthening ability.

The abbot's heartbeat remained steady, and his micro-expressions suggested he was answering truthfully.

But his nose grew longer.

The abbot looked at Qi Yuan in surprise: "Benefactor... you are quite special."

"Whether I'm special or not doesn't matter. Tell me the correct answer." Qi Yuan had no patience for idle talk.

He was eager to kill demons.

"The person you seek is in the Wind Flower Cave," the abbot replied again.

This time, Qi Yuan's nose did not lengthen.

He showed an intrigued expression: "Interesting. This time it's true.

That the flower demon Man Luo is in the Wind Flower Cave is false; that the person I seek is in the Wind Flower Cave is true.

Doesn't that mean... ah, my brain is starting to hurt.

I won't think about it anymore. Let it be."

Qi Yuan stopped pondering.

This task seemed troublesome.

But completing it wasn't hard.

Why not just search the souls of all enemies and get the truth?

That would be far quicker and more accurate than guessing wildly.

Just then, the abbot spoke: "Benefactor, if you have come to slay demons, please spare her life. She... was born into suffering, and those she killed deserved death."

The abbot's voice carried deep helplessness.

According to the county magistrate, the flower demon Man Luo had been raised by the abbot of Wangshan since childhood, like his own daughter.

"Thank you for telling me. I'll remember that." Qi Yuan nodded.

He was still polite.

Even though he was asking for information, he still said thank you.

After speaking, Qi Yuan's figure vanished.

In the empty great hall, only the abbot of Wangshan Temple remained.

He gazed at the hall, as if seeing the young man and woman kissing beneath the Buddha shrine.

As if seeing Old Master Tong and Old Madam Tong weeping bitterly.

Man and demon—different paths.

"A parent's love for their child means planning for their future," the abbot murmured.

...

Within the Shu Demon Mountains, the terrain was steep, mostly cliffs and precipices.

At this moment, led by Huo Mushi, a few people moved along a mountain path.

Thorns grew thick, the road was rough.

Suddenly, Qi Yuan stopped: "Bodyguard, it's your turn."

In the cave ahead, two demons were sleeping.

These were scattered demons.

Huo Mushi had brought them to slay demons, naturally targeting scattered ones.

Otherwise, if they charged into the demon camp of Shu Demon Mountains, even with their courage, they wouldn't last long.

Yang Guang's voice was deep and rough: "Little brother, you sit here and enjoy your melon. I'll be back in a flash!"

Since he had agreed to protect Qi Yuan, Yang Guang would keep his word.

Anyway, as long as he gave Qi Yuan enough demon blood essence, Qi Yuan could obtain the Genius Alliance credential.

That was a good deal.

"Go quickly and return quickly," Qi Yuan said, sitting on a large rock and eating a watermelon.

This watermelon was stolen—no, taken—from a melon patch.

According to their estimation, the melons were planted by demons on Shu Demon Mountain.

Since they were passing by, they had to confiscate the illicit goods.

The only pity was that they couldn't find the melon patch's owner; otherwise, they could have earned some more demon blood essence.

Qi Yuan sat on the rock, legs crossed, looking relaxed.

Huo Mushi and the three yamen runners stood to one side, carrying watermelons in their arms and pockets full of watermelon seeds. Supplies were scarce in the city, so they planned to bring them back for planting within the walls.

“Master Qi, letting Master Yang go in alone… isn’t that dangerous?” Huo Mushi asked, his voice laced with worry. “There are two boar demons in the cave, both terrifying great demons at the late stage of Qi and Blood!”

A great demon at the late stage of Qi and Blood would already hold a rank within the demon camp.

Huo Mushi had assumed that all the masters from the Demon Suppression Bureau would join forces against such demons.

But instead…

“Relax. Yang Guang should be strong enough—otherwise, he wouldn’t have offered to be my bodyguard. It’s a minor issue.” Qi Yuan munched on his watermelon, spitting out seeds.

Huo Mushi, seeing this, said nothing more, though his expression remained uneasy.

Time ticked by, minute after minute. Qi Yuan finished his watermelon and stared blankly at the rind. “There’s no trash bin here. Where do I toss this?”

Qi Yuan was a man of principle; he never littered.

Especially not watermelon rinds—if someone stepped on one, they could slip and fall. If someone got hurt, he’d have to pay compensation.

Huo Mushi blinked at Qi Yuan’s words.

Was this how people from the capital thought?

Such a bizarre thing to worry about.

“It’s fine. This place is remote, and the only ones who come here are demons. Even if someone falls, it’ll be a demon,” An Qiao said.

“Makes sense.” Qi Yuan finally tossed the rind away.

Just then, footsteps approached, accompanied by a gruff voice.

“Brother Qi, those two boar demons have been slain. Is the demon essence blood… enough?”

In the near distance, the bald-headed Yang Xing strode toward them, a wild boar hoisted in each hand.

Each boar weighed three or four hundred catties.

Now they were dead pigs.

Huo Mushi and the other runners’ eyes lit up at the sight.

This Master Yang was ferocious indeed.

In the time it took to eat a slice of watermelon, he had killed two great demons at the late stage of Qi and Blood?

“Not enough.” Qi Yuan waved his hand.

Instantly, a hundred drops of demon essence blood fell into his palm.

“No matter. There’s still time. I’ll go kill more demons.” Carrying the two boar demons, Yang Guang didn’t even breathe heavily. “My reputation is solid. I said I’d help you get enough demon essence blood, and I will!”

To be honest, Yang Guang felt a twinge of guilt toward Qi Yuan.

After all, he had gotten the better end of this deal.

How much demon essence blood could Qi Yuan, who had just entered the Jade Blood realm, possibly use?

But the token from the Genius Alliance was a rare find.

“I trust your character. Good work.” Qi Yuan offered a few words of praise.

Then Yang Guang dropped the boar carcasses to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Take these demon corpses back for food!”

Huo Mushi swallowed hard.

The two boars together weighed nearly a thousand catties.

The city folk could finally eat well.

The four runners hurried forward to lift the boar carcasses.

They had trained in martial arts, so their strength was formidable.

“Huo Mushi, lead the way. This time, find something more formidable!” Yang Guang declared with confidence.

By his estimate, killing one more great demon at the early stage of Jade Blood would be more than enough for Qi Yuan’s needs.

He chose to hunt an early-stage Jade Blood demon instead of several more late-stage Qi and Blood ones precisely to showcase his overwhelming power.

It was a message to Qi Yuan: See? With me as your bodyguard, you can rest easy.

More importantly, Qi Yuan could already kill late-stage Qi and Blood demons himself.

If Yang Guang didn’t take down an early-stage Jade Blood demon, wouldn’t that make his role as bodyguard seem pointless?

Like being the only person in a department—he dared not take leave, because if he did, his boss would realize the department ran just fine without him.

“Something stronger?” Huo Mushi’s face shifted. “Such a great demon, in the demon camp, could command over a hundred demon soldiers. Should we…”

“Relax! With me here, it’s nothing!” Yang Guang thumped his chest.

Having just slain two great demons, he was brimming with confidence.

“Yeah, do as he says. Find a tough one. Killing weaklings is too boring,” Qi Yuan added.

Seeing this, Huo Mushi had no choice but to say, “Then this time, we’ll hunt a snake demon—an early-stage Jade Blood demon!”

“Don’t worry. A mere early-stage Jade Blood demon is nothing.” Yang Guang was utterly assured.

Qi Yuan grinned happily beside him. “This bodyguard was a real bargain. If I’d met him earlier, my last mission world wouldn’t have been so rough.”

Yang Guang felt a swell of pride. “If we run into trouble on your next mission, I’ll protect you too!”

“Really?” Qi Yuan’s eyes lit up. “What if we face a peerless enemy? Will you still protect me?”

“Of course!” Yang Guang, already feeling he had gotten the better deal, swore with a thump on his chest.

“Too bad one of my enemies isn’t around. If he were, I’d call him over right now and have Brother Yang beat him to death for me,” Qi Yuan sighed.

“Oh? What enemy?” Yang Guang asked instinctively.

“Well, the patriarch of Taihuang Palace—he’s got some strength. Almost drove me from my homeland. Alas, I’m too weak now, no match for him. If I could boost my power a bit, maybe I could stand against him!” Qi Yuan recalled the great calamity of Canglan Realm and the Taihuang Palace behind it, that Yang God.

That Yang God was clearly no ordinary one.

Yang Guang’s heart settled. He figured it was probably a mid-stage Jade Blood demon.

“If he dares come, I’ll take his head and deliver it to you, Brother Qi!” Yang Guang declared without a care.

“Brother Yang… truly bold and fearless!” Qi Yuan marveled.

Back in Canglan Realm, even those who knew of Taihuang Palace’s Yang God dared not curse him.

Because the Yang God’s reflection across the heavens was no empty boast.

One curse, and he might sense it.

But this world was different—no stars reflected across the heavens.

The Yang God of Taihuang Palace couldn’t sense a thing.

Otherwise, a bolt of lightning might soon descend from the heavens, striking Yang Guang dead on the spot.

Of course, Qi Yuan was also curious.

If that Yang God from the Taihuang Palace were to descend, and Yang Guang were to shield him, clashing with the Yang God—what would the outcome be?

Seeing Yang Guang so confident, he must have some hidden cards, right?

"A man's word is his bond!" Yang Guang continued, thumping his chest.

"Brother Yang, how about this: when the game ends and I go home, you come with me.

If that old ancestor from the Taihuang Palace descends, you block him for me?" Qi Yuan asked tentatively.

Though Yang Guang was only at the mid-stage of Jade Blood Realm, what if... he secretly possessed the cultivation of the Supreme Dao Ancestor?

That would be perfectly normal, wouldn't it?

Take the ants on the ground, for instance—today they eat a grain of rice, but maybe yesterday they swallowed a dinosaur.

Perfectly logical.

"No problem, a trivial matter!" Yang Guang agreed readily.

"Let's go, kill the snake demon!" Qi Yuan said then.

A smug look flickered in Yang Guang's eyes: "Brother Qi, you just need to sit back and eat melon; leave the demon-slaying to me!"

About half an hour later, the group arrived at a forest.

Yang Guang was true to his word—he said he'd go alone, and so he did.

Qi Yuan and the others stayed in the forest, waiting for Yang Guang to return from slaying the demon.

Qi Yuan sat on a wooden stump, a stench of blood and rot wafting over.

"The smell here is too strong; I've lost my appetite for melon. Might as well... cultivate."

Having just obtained a hundred drops of demonic beast essence blood, he had to cultivate.

An Qiao watched Qi Yuan, admiration in her eyes: "Master Qi, no wonder you've reached the Jade Blood Realm so young—such diligence is beyond ordinary people."

Huo Mushi also looked on with respect.

An Qiao gazed at Qi Yuan, who closed his eyes as if truly cultivating.

Just then, a peculiar sound emerged from Qi Yuan's lips.

"You have consumed 100 drops of demonic beast essence blood, beginning cultivation.

The path of cultivation lies in diligence.

50 drops of demonic beast essence blood consumed; your cultivation increases by fifty days, advancing far in the early Jade Blood Realm.

50 drops of demonic beast essence blood consumed; you gain another fifty days of cultivation.

Relying on the strong foundation laid earlier, you are now only a step away from the mid-Jade Blood Realm."

"??" An Qiao.

"??" Huo Mushi.

At that moment, Qi Yuan opened his eyes, his expression quite refreshed.

"Not bad, this cultivation session was very rewarding—I'm almost at the mid-Jade Blood Realm now."

An Qiao stared at him with a strange look.

This... the hell is cultivation?

Cultivation with a voice-over?

"Master Qi... do you always cultivate like this?" An Qiao couldn't help asking.

"Yes, this way cultivation is faster. Using demonic beast essence blood... it's really quick." Qi Yuan answered truthfully, without any concealment.

An Qiao couldn't hold it together anymore.

She had also used demonic beast essence blood for cultivation.

But nowhere near like Qi Yuan!

One drop of demonic beast essence blood took her at least a day to refine and convert into blood energy.

Qi Yuan here—just dubbing his own voice, pretending to be the system from TV shows and anime, and that's it? Cultivation complete?

What a huge joke!

No proper martial artist cultivates like this.

"Master Qi, you can't just recklessly consume demonic beast essence blood, or else... you'll go mad and explode to death!" An Qiao couldn't help warning.

"Don't worry, I can handle it. No fear." Qi Yuan replied.

An Qiao's gaze toward Qi Yuan couldn't help but show suspicion.

Had he already gone mad?

Looking at his state of mind... he really didn't seem normal.

Just then, a thick stench of blood swept over, and Yang Guang walked back, brimming with confidence. His bald head was slightly bruised, but his face beamed with joy.

"Brother Qi, this haul was great. In that snake lair, there were actually two early-stage Jade Blood Realm snake demons, and I killed them both.

The demonic beast essence blood from these two snakes should be enough for you, right?" Yang Guang said, a little out of breath.

Clearly, hunting these two early-stage Jade Blood Realm snake demons had taken some effort.

But the reward was also rich.

The essence blood from two early-stage Jade Blood Realm demons would definitely meet Qi Yuan's needs.

"Excellent, that's four hundred drops of demonic beast essence blood." Qi Yuan waved his hand, and another four hundred drops of essence blood fell into his grasp.

These four hundred drops of demonic beast essence blood would be enough to push his cultivation into the mid-Jade Blood Realm.

He was growing more and more fond of the Shu Demon Mountain.

Especially since he had a free hired hand.

He pondered whether to have Yang Guang help him wipe out the three thousand demon soldiers of Shu Demon Mountain.

After all, Yang Guang had the nerve to challenge the Yang God of Taihuang Palace—slaughtering Shu Demon Mountain... wouldn't that be as easy as blowing out a breath?

"But this demonic beast essence blood isn't enough. I consume it very quickly during cultivation. You can ask An Qiao if you don't believe me.

I swallowed that hundred drops in one gulp just now." Qi Yuan looked at Yang Guang with eager anticipation. "How about you kill some more for me?"

"Not enough?" Yang Guang's heart skipped a beat.

(End of chapter)