Chapter 156 - 132: Rainstorm and Assassination
"Elemental Stones? You even know about those? You’ve used them? No wonder you’d ask that. So, you’ve started down the path of a Qi Cultivator?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Jin simply glanced at Fang Yue. She didn’t wait for his reply; the subtle shift in his expression already gave her the answer.
"Elemental Stones are formed from condensed Primordial Qi. They can be classified by attribute into at least ten different types. The method of a Qi Cultivator is to directly absorb the Primordial Qi from within these stones."
"But eighty to ninety percent of the Primordial Qi gathered this way will dissipate into your flesh and blood, strengthening your physical body. Your cultivation might progress rapidly for a time, but the world has a finite number of Elemental Stones. This path will inevitably reach a dead end."
Bai Jin explained patiently, resolving Fang Yue’s confusion.
The cultivation method of a Qi Cultivator isn’t bad. In fact, at the same realm, they can even be stronger than a Martial Artist. However, the limited supply of Elemental Stones dooms this path, making it impossible to train a large number of Cultivators.
Their numbers are far eclipsed by those following the Secret Medicine Martial Dao, which is why Qi Cultivators were supplanted by Martial Artists and their methods are rarely passed down in the present day.
Of course, the Qi Cultivator Technique hasn’t gone completely extinct. It’s actually still practiced within the Great Wei Dynasty. Some top-tier factions will select geniuses with supreme Talent to be trained as Qi Cultivators.
"What if I stop now and use Secret Medicines for Qi Sensing instead?" Fang Yue immediately voiced the question on his mind.
After cultivating a tiny bit of Inner Qi, he was still able to take Secret Medicines to practice Marrow Transformation. In fact, because of the Elemental Stones, his progress in Marrow Transformation had actually sped up.
’That feeling can’t be wrong!’
"Heh, of course not. Since you’ve already generated Qi, using Secret Medicines for Qi Sensing now would inevitably cause the two types of Qi to clash. In a mild case, you’d be severely injured. In a severe case, your body would disintegrate."
"It’s not too late. You could Dissipate your Skill and start over. You might still have a chance at Qi Sensing in the future."
Bai Jin shook her head. There are no shortcuts on the path of cultivation.
In the past, there were Martial Artists, and even Qi Cultivators, who had the same idea as Fang Yue, hoping to combine the strengths of both cultivation methods.
But without exception, they all failed.
The Qi from Elemental Stones and the Qi produced from the Refinement of Secret Medicines are not the same. They are similar in form, but their essence is different. They cannot be fused.
"As for immortals... maybe they exist, maybe they don’t. But whether they do or not, they won’t be what you imagine them to be."
Bai Jin said finally.
Fang Yue wanted to ask more, but she shook her head, indicating that if he wanted to continue, he would have to fight her. If he could defeat her, he could keep asking questions.
Otherwise, he should keep his mouth shut.
Fang Yue shook his head. He certainly wasn’t going to make a move. He could feel a faint sense of threat emanating from Bai Jin. Besides, this trip had more or less resolved the doubts in his mind.
He had also been there for quite some time, so he stood up and took his leave.
「A short while later.」
Bai Xingqiu appeared from somewhere and entered Bai Jin’s courtyard.
"Heh heh, what did you think of that guy? Better than the others you’ve met before, right?" Bai Xingqiu asked cautiously, a wide grin on his face.
He kept a distance of thirty feet from Bai Jin, looking as if he didn’t dare get any closer.
"He’s not bad, but it’s a pity he’s on the wrong path. This is as far as he’ll go. Cousin, you should associate less with people like him in the future," Bai Jin said, her tone flat.
She then explained that Fang Yue had used Refinement on an Elemental Stone and had already started down the path of an Ancient Qi Cultivator.
Without the backing of a major faction, it’s impossible to acquire a large quantity of Elemental Stones.
Moreover, while Fang Yue’s Talent was decent, he wasn’t a true one-in-ten-thousand genius. His efficiency in the Refinement of Elemental Stones would naturally be much lower.
This would make his future even more difficult.
And if he were to Dissipate his cultivation and start over now, it would probably take him more than a decade to reach his current level. By then, he’d be over forty and would have missed his chance for Qi Sensing entirely.
With such limited future prospects, he naturally wasn’t worth associating with.
"As expected of someone I, Chubby, have my eye on! Fang actually practices a Qi Cultivator Technique; he’s clearly no ordinary person. I think one day, Fang will definitely shock the world!" Chubby declared, though it was unclear if he was just being stubborn or forcing himself to say it.
But in the next moment, Bai Xingqiu added, "When I, Bai Xingqiu, make friends, do I care about their cultivation potential? Do I care about their future achievements? That’s not making friends, that’s being calculating!"
Bai Jin was rendered speechless.
When she thought about it, she realized it was true. Her cousin really did make friends from all walks of life.
There were those with meager accomplishments, those from families with modest wealth, some Noble Family Descendants, and even peddlers and porters.
"Cousin, I can see that Fang Yue is no ordinary man. If you don’t seize this opportunity, don’t come crying to me with regrets later."
Bai Xingqiu snorted, then, not daring to look at Bai Jin, he immediately turned and fled.
~~~~~~
After staying in Shanyang Prefecture City for another two days and purchasing some daily necessities, Fang Yue began his return journey to Xiahe County Town.
Since he wasn’t carrying much cargo on the way back, his travel speed was much faster than when he came.
In less than five days, he had traveled beyond the immediate vicinity of Shanyang Prefecture City.
"Boss, it looks like this rain isn’t going to stop today. I remember there’s a ruined temple up ahead. Let’s take shelter there."
Elder Zheng the Darts Master glanced at the dark clouds in the sky and turned to speak to Fang Yue, who was in the middle of the group.
They had just left the sphere of influence of Shanyang Prefecture when the sky became overcast. Before long, a torrential downpour began.
They were in the middle of nowhere, with no village or inn in sight. Finding lodging was out of the question.
Fortunately, he was very familiar with this road and knew of a ruined temple nearby. Although it was in disrepair from years of neglect, it would be fine for taking temporary shelter from the rain.
Fang Yue naturally agreed. In this kind of weather, it wouldn’t be a big deal if he were traveling alone.
But with so many people, plus the horse-drawn carriage and the goods on it, they had no choice but to find a place to wait out the rain.
「A quarter of an hour later.」
The convoy entered the ruined temple. The temple’s idol was shattered; its head was long gone, leaving only a half-bodied statue.
Elder Zheng the Darts Master first paid his respects to the statue before leading the convoy members to start a fire and rest.
Fang Yue didn’t need to do these chores. Unable to sit still, he began to wander around the ruined temple.
Walking out of the main hall, Fang Yue recalled seeing a relatively intact pavilion in the courtyard when he first came in.
Following his memory, he made his way to the pavilion, which was situated in a corner of the temple grounds.
The temple itself was built halfway up a small mountain, right against a cliff on one side. The pavilion in the courtyard happened to be constructed right at the cliff’s edge.
Standing in the pavilion, he had a wide, open view from which he could see the road they had just traveled.
"Hm? Who are those people?"
Just then, Fang Yue saw more than a dozen tall figures rushing through the rain on the path leading to the ruined temple.
These were clearly not ordinary people. Even from a great distance, Fang Yue could feel the heavy, malevolent aura they exuded.
"Mo Mountain Tribe’s mountain people?"
As they drew a bit closer, Fang Yue’s sharp vision allowed him to make out the patterns drawn on their exposed skin.
They were just like the ones he had seen on the mountain people of the Mo Mountain Tribe.
Combined with their towering heights—each was nearly two meters tall or more—these people had to be the mountain people of the Mo Mountain Tribe!
’They don’t come in peace! Could it be because of that wooden staff?’
For some reason, Fang Yue had a gut feeling that these people were coming for him.
Furthermore, the Mo Mountain Tribe had been crushed. These mountain people should have been scattered like stray dogs, lying low.
To appear here now, heading straight for the ruined temple with clear intent and radiating killing intent... It was obvious they were after the wooden staff he had seized from the Mo Mountain Tribe’s Grand Elder.
In Fang Yue’s eyes, and in the eyes of many in Shanyang Prefecture, the staff was merely made of a hard material and had no other remarkable qualities.
But perhaps, in the eyes of these Mo Mountain Tribe mountain people, the staff held extraordinary significance.
Seeing the mountain people about to charge into the temple, Fang Yue immediately raised the alarm.
"Boss, what’s happening?"
Elder Zheng the Darts Master and the others grabbed their weapons and fell into formation. As expected of an Escort Agency that traveled this trade route year-round, their professionalism was exceptional.
"Those mountain people from Mo Mountain are approaching," Fang Yue said calmly, his gaze fixed on the temple gate.
"What? Wasn’t the Mo Mountain Tribe wiped out by the imperial court? How dare those mountain people still show themselves?" Elder Zheng the Darts Master was stunned. After all, even before the Mo Mountain Tribe was annihilated, its people rarely appeared near cities.
Because if they were discovered by the patrolling Guard Army, they would be captured and eliminated.
Now that the Mo Mountain Tribe was gone, even if some mountain people survived, their numbers couldn’t be large. How could they dare to appear, unafraid of being discovered and completely exterminated?
Besides, why would the remnants of the Mo Mountain Tribe travel so far to appear here?
If anyone else had said remnants of the Mo Mountain Tribe were attacking, he wouldn’t have believed it. But since the words came from Fang Yue, he had to.
Sure enough, just a moment later, the chaotic sound of splashing footsteps rang out.
The already dilapidated temple gate was struck by a powerful force and shattered with a BOOM. Immediately after, more than a dozen figures appeared—clad in animal hides, taller than ordinary people, and covered in mysterious patterns.
"The Mo Mountain mountain people!"
Elder Zheng the Darts Master had seen the people of the Mo Mountain Tribe before, so he recognized them at once.
These Mo Mountain mountain people didn’t seem to expect their target to be prepared today. They were taken aback for a moment and grew cautious, refraining from charging in and killing everyone as they had planned.
"Seventh Elder, do you think that person lied to us?" one of the Mo Mountain mountain people asked, speaking to their leader—a man who was even taller, wore more lavish animal hides, and had more intricate patterns on his body.
"Secure the escape route. The scepter is here. Kill these people first, we’ll sort out the rest later." This was the Seventh Elder of the Mo Mountain Tribe, now the sole surviving elder.
His words naturally carried authority. Besides, they hadn’t found any ambushes on their way up the mountain. It was possible their targets had simply spotted them by chance.
After all, they hadn’t bothered to hide their tracks on the way up.
With his command, the battle was instantly joined.
The mountain people of the Mo Mountain Tribe roared as they charged the convoy guards, who had formed a defensive line. The guards, in turn, drew their bows and returned fire.
The fight began amidst the downpour.