Chapter 230: With Him Around, I’m Not the Ugliest Anymore
"Come with me."
Ali waved Liu Bo over.
Liu Bo played the part of someone who, despite being slow on the uptake, could still follow directions, and trailed after Ali.
Ali seemed simple, but his behavior was surprisingly normal. At least he wasn’t mistreating Liu Bo.
Liu Bo diligently played the role of a slow-witted fool.
Meanwhile, he asked the System, ’So, should I practice this mental method or not?’
If he started practicing now, it would reveal he had achieved entry-level cultivation. If he didn’t, he would just be a player with a Spirit Root.
But he couldn’t cultivate!
’Isn’t this game just tormenting me?’
System: "It’s best not to right now."
Hua Lu may have allowed Liu Bo to live, but if he showed any abnormalities, she would likely kill him without a second thought.
Liu Bo followed Ali into a cave entrance.
After a series of twists and turns, the view suddenly opened up, and a whole new world appeared before Liu Bo’s eyes.
It was a vast, dreamlike forest that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Treehouses hung from thick trunks, and a network of glowing green roots twisted and twined, covering the entire forest.
The ground was a riot of blooming flowers, with small animals darting through them.
Some of them were faintly recognizable as demon beasts, but the demon beasts here looked quite normal.
If this place were anywhere else, it’d be a five-star tourist destination, mobbed by influencers.
Liu Bo was stunned once again.
’Even though I’ve been captured,’ he thought, ’staying here to enjoy the scenery for a while wouldn’t be so bad.’
As Ali appeared with Liu Bo, a few other Demon Cultivators suddenly materialized.
Most of them were better-looking than Ali, though not stunningly so—but compared to Liu Bo, every single one of them was a beauty!
A young Female Demon Cultivator with butterfly wings flew out from a cluster of purple flowers. Giggling, she looked at Ali and said, "Ali, Ali, where did you find another ugly thing? It’s just like you—"
Liu Bo: ’What a foul mouth!’
The butterfly maiden’s expression changed. "A member of the Human Clan?"
The aura of a human was distinct; it was mainly because Liu Bo was so ugly that no one had noticed right away.
At the mention of the Human Clan, many Demon Cultivators emerged from the surroundings.
Each had a different form, and most retained some of their beastly features.
Ali quickly grabbed Liu Bo. "Don’t get excited! I already told Sister Hualu. This is the human I brought back. He’s a fool and he’s super ugly. I brought him back to play with me. From now on, I’m not the ugliest one anymore. You’re not allowed to call me an ugly thing! If you’re going to insult someone, insult him!"
Liu Bo: "..."
’How incredibly rude.’
System: "Even I can’t listen to this anymore!"
Unexpectedly—perhaps because Demon Cultivators really were simple-minded—the butterfly maiden studied Liu Bo seriously and nodded. "He really is uglier than you."
Then she shouted, "From now on, Ali isn’t the ugliest thing here anymore!"
Ali grinned.
Liu Bo fell silent.
Everyone reveled in a joyous moment that came solely at Liu Bo’s expense.
System: "Demon Cultivators have no class."
Liu Bo: "..."
Ali was extremely pleased. He was no longer the ugliest thing in the clan; Liu Bo had taken his place.
He led Liu Bo along, and the other Demon Cultivators didn’t stop them, merely watching the pair with curious and mocking gazes.
Liu Bo found it a little strange. ’Aren’t the Human Clan and Demon Cultivators supposed to be mortal enemies?’
’These Demon Cultivators don’t seem to hold that much malice toward humans.’
It wasn’t until they arrived before a treehouse that Liu Bo understood why.
Although the treehouse was suspended in mid-air, it had a wooden ladder, allowing direct access.
Ali walked up to the wooden house and shouted, "Uncle Nian!"
"What is it?" an annoyed voice drifted out from the treehouse, followed by a white-bearded old man.
Dressed in a white robe that complemented his appearance, he had the venerable air of a celestial sage.
When he saw Liu Bo, his expression changed. "Why did you bring a human back?"
"I picked him up on the road. I saw he was so ugly that nobody wanted him, so I grabbed him. Now he’s the ugliest one, and I’m not anymore."
Liu Bo: "..."
The white-bearded old man stroked his whiskers, his eyes narrowing as he sized up Liu Bo. "To be so old, yet have a Spirit Root and still not be a Cultivator of the Human Clan?"
Ali immediately piped up, "He’s a fool! He doesn’t remember anything and drools when he talks. The Human Clan ostracized him, so no Sect would take him."
"..."
’Although this Ali is a bit of an idiot, what he’s saying is actually helping me.’
After all, most Sects would accept anyone with a Spirit Root.
To be this old and not even at the entry-level proved that no Sect wanted him. Moreover, he had no Spirit Stones, so he couldn’t even afford a common entry-level cultivation method from the market.
For a Human Clan Cultivator, this was rather unbelievable.
Even Loose Cultivators typically became so only after certain events; it was nearly impossible not to join a Sect in the early stages.
The only other possibility was being the child of a Loose Cultivator, with a hereditary mental method that made joining a Sect unnecessary.
Liu Bo clearly didn’t fit into either category.
Faced with the white-bearded old man’s disbelieving gaze, Liu Bo could only stare blankly, putting on a dim-witted expression.
The old man was still skeptical. "Then what did you bring him to me for?"
"Uncle Nian, you’re from the Human Clan too. Do you have an entry-level cultivation method for humans? Teach him how to start cultivating so he can live longer. There’s a lot of poisonous stuff in our clan. If he dies from poison, I’ll be the ugliest one again."
Liu Bo’s eyes lit up.
’I didn’t expect such a fortunate turn of events.’
’And this old man is actually human?’
’No wonder the Demon Cultivators here don’t harbor that much malice towards the Human Clan.’
’They were just blaming Ali for carelessly bringing someone back.’
The old man wasn’t unwilling, he just said, "Didn’t you say he’s a fool? Even if I give him one, would he be able to understand it?"
Despite his words, the old man suddenly appeared before them, reached out, and pressed his hand against Liu Bo’s forehead.
A stream of Spiritual Energy shot toward his brain, circling once through Liu Bo’s body.
While Liu Bo was still looking utterly baffled, the old man expressed some surprise. "His Consciousness is so pure. He really is a fool."
For those who walk the path of cultivation, the undeveloped state of a person’s soul and awareness is called the Consciousness. At a Late Stage, it splits into two parts: the Sea of Consciousness and the Primordial Spirit.
If there were issues, the Consciousness would inevitably have impurities. But from his brief observation, Liu Bo’s body was indeed unbelievably pure.
Whether he believed it or not, this was something that couldn’t lie.
Duan Wunian studied Liu Bo’s face carefully, then nodded.
"He doesn’t seem like a malicious person. It’s a stroke of fortune that you found him. Judging by his appearance, it hasn’t been easy for him to survive this long."
Ali was still nodding. "See? I told you. Otherwise, what normal person wouldn’t be scared of us?"
Duan Wunian rolled his eyes. "You know what it’s like out there, and you still dare to wander around? Be careful not to run into disciples from the Taixue Sect. If you get into trouble, no one will be able to save you!"
Ali chuckled. "I was out gathering herbs this time."
The old man said nothing, simply pulling a mental method tome from his Qiankun Bag.
"I don’t have anything else. Have him practice with this. If he can truly achieve entry-level cultivation with it, it’ll be his good fortune."