"It’s time to leave! The Northern Land is bound to be caught in a storm of intense investigations. With gold and jewels stolen from dozens of noble families, both Prince Pingbian’s Mansion and the Inspection and Supervision Department will launch extensive pursuits. I must be careful next time I come to the county town." Zhang Chen watched as the Fox Spirit finished transporting the last of the silver, then transformed into a Vampire Bat and disappeared into the night.
Zhang Chen was unaware that his actions would bring disaster upon his teacher’s family.
After all, Chen Sanliang’s family suddenly became wealthy without reason and spent lavishly; it’s no wonder they attracted attention.
The Daoist Temple was silent during the night, and the bat that Zhang Chen had transformed into finally returned to the Daoist Temple before sunset.
Xiaodouding was munching on peanuts under the lamp, engrossed in reading text marked with pinyin, so much so that he didn’t even notice Zhang Chen coming in.
"What are you reading so intently?" Zhang Chen asked curiously, placing the three paper packages on the table as he came beside Xiaodouding.
"Ah, how did you just appear? Gave me quite the fright." The book almost fell from Xiaodouding’s hands, but he quickly grabbed it, gave Zhang Chen a sideways look, and complained.
Zhang Chen patted the paper packages, and Xiaodouding’s eyes instantly brightened. He hurried to unwrap them, revealing the beef jerky, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, and peanuts inside.
Xiaodouding grabbed a piece of beef jerky and began chewing it with large bites, his eyes lighting up: "Delicious! Absolutely delicious! This taste is beyond the Daoist Temple’s capabilities."
Speaking of this, Xiaodouding looked at the dried fruits on the table, then turned to Zhang Chen suspiciously: "You didn’t sneak out of the Daoist Temple, did you?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhang Chen patted Xiaodouding’s head: "Eat these secretly, don’t let anyone find out."
"Alright, I won’t ask more." Chengyu replied with a pleased smile, rewrapping the dried fruits and peanuts delicately, and stuffing them into his clothing, puffing it up, then squatted on the stool, nibbling the beef jerky.
"Say, why have you been so mysterious lately? Aren’t you up to something shady?" Chengyu asked Zhang Chen while gnawing on the beef.
"If I were up to good deeds, where would you get beef jerky and dried fruits?" Zhang Chen retorted crossly: "So much nonsense, even good food can’t shut your mouth?"
Xiaodouding rolled his eyes but didn’t say more for the sake of the good food, just ate furiously.
Zhang Chen lazily lay on the recliner, taking out Chen Sanliang’s manuscript intending to read, when Xiaodouding tapped the table: "Zhang Chen, you haven’t practiced martial arts today."
"Senior sister, I’ve switched to cultivating immortality, won’t be practicing martial arts anymore." Zhang Chen replied lazily.
"Why not just go straight to immortality!" Xiaodouding snapped back, then stood up and came over to Zhang Chen, kicking his thigh hard, the force reaching the bone, making Zhang Chen wince: "Senior sister, I brought you good food, can’t you go easy on me?"
"Harsh treatment proves my concern for you." Xiaodouding replied righteously.
Unable to persuade Xiaodouding, Zhang Chen could only rise and stretch his muscles, practicing the True Dragon Form.
Satisfied, Xiaodouding nodded, finished the beef, and went upstairs: "You practice on your own, I’m going to read."
After Xiaodouding left, Zhang Chen abandoned martial arts practice and delved into the art of cultivating immortality.
Qi Cultivation doesn’t solely rely on adding points, self-driven training is also possible.
Zhang Chen cultivated well into the night, seeing progress in his Qi Cultivation bar: [7 skills (entry-level): Qi Cultivation Third Heaven (150/4000)]
Experience points increased by fifty.
Then Zhang Chen visualized the Heaven Square Earth Circle Diagram, his soul entered the Mysterious World once more, observing the incomplete talismans in the ruins, hoping to soon produce a second talisman.
Having found the first talisman so magical, he believed the second wouldn’t disappoint him.
With the success of the first talisman, Zhang Chen felt more insightful while deciphering the second one, gaining some clues.
The Fox Spirit was summoned to the First Heaven of the Spiritual World, looking with curiosity while standing under the Cyan Lotus’s protection, gazing at the Mysterious World, eyes filled with wonder.
Though after a while, unable to discern anything, the Fox Spirit approached Zhang Chen, joining him in studying the incomplete talismans on the ground.
About half an hour later, the Fox Spirit suddenly turned to Zhang Chen: "Did you notice anything?"
"Notice what?" Zhang Chen looked at the agitated Fox Spirit.
"This world is filled with a mysterious element, capable of repairing the Divine Soul and strengthening it." Fox Fairy Nannan said excitedly, "If you refine the God here, cultivation will advance rapidly, definitely several times, even dozens of times faster than in the outside world."
"Really?" Zhang Chen looked surprised, not having detected the change.
After all, Zhang Chen wasn’t focused on cultivating the Divine Soul, he practiced Spell Qi Cultivation, merging the soul with mysterious Golden Light into magical power, not as sensitive as the Fox Spirit.
"Yes! Definitely yes! Also, thanks to the mysterious elements here, the soul can undergo transformation implicitly, this is Great Creation!" Fox Fairy Nannan exclaimed excitedly, "If I can cultivate here for a year, I’ll surely break through the possession shackles, reach the realm of Yin Spirit."