Chapter 238: Teach the Disciple, Starve the Master
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Pingyin County.
Dozens of people began sweeping the surrounding area from the moment they entered the east gate, encountering various strange phenomena.
However, these strange occurrences were not particularly powerful; they were mostly the transformed remains of the ordinary citizens of Pingyin County who had been drained of their blood and flesh. Consequently, it was mostly martial artists in the Visceral Tempering realm who were responsible for cleaning up.
Several experts in the Aperture Tempering realm remained vigilant, guarding against any potential surprises.
In a place like this strange domain, clearing out the final Second Rank anomalies either required a gradual approach, eliminating all First Rank anomalies in Pingyin County to weaken the domain’s power.
Or it entailed a direct confrontation with the Second Rank anomaly, challenging the entire domain head-on.
However, it was clear that the second method was rarely chosen. It was extremely direct but also highly dangerous, not as reliable as the incremental approach.
If the Second Rank anomaly couldn’t resist jumping out, that would be even better. The most potent power in the domain resided at its central node. Once that node was left, the anomalies would be somewhat weaker without its support.
Therefore, if they could force this Second Rank anomaly to come out willingly while gradually clearing the other minor anomalies, the results would be almost the same.
“In the world, everything has its counter. Some of these bizarre anomalies may seem formidable and unsolvable, but as long as you grasp the key points, you can easily overcome them!”
As the anomalies were being successfully cleared, Fang Ziqiu couldn’t help but start explaining.
The martial artists around him, whether in the Visceral Tempering realm or the Body Tempering realm, remained silent and listened attentively.
This was not only because Fang Ziqiu was the highest-ranked cultivator present but also because he was the eldest among them and had extensive experience from his lifelong travels.
For cultivators in the Aperture Tempering realm, they could live up to two hundred years, twice as long as ordinary people. In this perilous world, ordinary people rarely lived to be a hundred, so Aperture Tempering realm cultivators were considered quasi-immortal to them.
Fang Ziqiu’s lifespan was now approaching its limit, and in recent years, his travel destinations had often been dangerous places that could extend his life.
Many precious treasures, if properly refined, could extend a martial artist’s lifespan even if their cultivation didn’t advance.
It could be said that every word Fang Ziqiu spoke at this moment was a generous sharing of his experience with the others. Such opportunities were exceedingly rare outside of master-disciple relationships.
It was also because Fang Ziqiu was so eager to teach, and there were so many Aperture Tempering realm experts around that he couldn’t help but say a few more words.
“Old Fang, if we manage to take Pingyin County smoothly, how about we explore that ancient village you mentioned?” someone whispered.
The more formidable the anomalies, the greater the potential rewards sometimes. With so many wandering cultivators gathered here and another strange domain nearby, it would be a shame not to clear them together.
“There? It’s really ominous, and I’m not very confident. Let’s see how our gains here turn out.”
Fang Ziqiu pondered for a moment and ultimately shook his head. The first time he saw that desolate mountain village from a distance, it gave him a very bad feeling.
Because of his deep knowledge of formations, Fang Ziqiu’s mental power might not be much stronger than those of the same level, but it was definitely more agile and refined. Only this way could he better control formations.
So when other cultivators in the Visceral Tempering realm looked at that ancient village, they might only see it as a strange domain. But in Fang Ziqiu’s eyes, that village was so sinister that it wouldn’t be surprising if Visceral Tempering realm cultivators perished inside.
People around him were somewhat surprised to hear Fang Ziqiu’s words. With so many Visceral Tempering realm cultivators gathered together, it was unexpected that Fang Ziqiu was so wary of that ancient village.
This piqued the curiosity of those nearby. How sinister could that village be to make Fang Ziqiu so cautious?
The desolate mountain village.
After Chen Fei demonstrated the cultivation secrets of the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique, silence enveloped the surroundings. The villagers’ eyes were fixed on Chen Fei, unmoving. The smile on the village chief’s face gradually faded.
“Dear guest, when it comes to sharing techniques, we should do so with sincerity. We’ve treated you sincerely, so how could you deceive us?”
The village chief’s voice was not loud, but as he spoke, it became sharp, almost piercing the eardrums.
“I didn’t deceive you; I really practice this way.”
Chen Fei blinked, remembering clearly that the insights into the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique naturally appeared in his mind after he practiced normal breathing.
There was no hiding or secret about it; it was as clear as day.
“You can try it if you like. If you find it ineffective, you can try breathing more times or increase the frequency,” Chen Fei suggested after some thought.
The village chief’s eyes emitted a eerie red light. After a moment, he stopped. Because the village chief found that Chen Fei had not lied; he really practiced this way.
But what kind of cultivation method could be achieved with normal breathing alone?
If ordinary breathing could be used for cultivation, then all ordinary people in the world would become martial artists.
“Do you have any other additions?” The village chief asked with a dark expression.
“Yes, there’s a very crucial point to learning the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique!” Chen Fei thought for a moment and spoke loudly.
“What is it? Speak up!” The smile gradually returned to the village chief’s face; it had to be this way. Ordinary breathing definitely couldn’t be used for cultivation, so there must be other secrets.
“One or two silver coins. You must have one or two silver coins. I didn’t emphasize this earlier, but it’s extremely important!”
Chen Fei’s face was filled with seriousness as he remembered that he had almost been unable to practice the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique due to lacking one or two silver coins.
The village chief, who had been smiling, froze in place. What did one or two silver coins have to do with the breathing technique?
The village chief turned to look at the villagers, whose eyes were now filled with malice, as if they wanted to pounce on Chen Fei and kill him. But there seemed to be some strange constraint, keeping the villagers quiet in their original positions.
As Chen Fei stopped adding any more details about the breathing technique, tiny threads of something suddenly began flying out of these villagers’ bodies, slowly moving towards Chen Fei.
Earlier, when Lu Zhichun and the other two explained the technique, these villagers had absorbed information from them. But now, this information was flowing backward into Chen Fei.
These villagers could directly absorb everything related to the technique from Lu Zhichun and the others as if they had copied the answers. Afterward, the information became their own, with no further connection to Lu Zhichun and the others.
Just as Lu Zhichun and the others had revealed the answers, these villagers copied them, and then the answers became their own, with no further connection to Lu Zhichun and the others.
However, at this moment, Chen Fei had given an incorrect answer for the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique—natural breathing. This answer was clearly wrong, and when they copied it, they gained nothing.
Teaching disciples could sometimes be a double-edged sword. If the disciples couldn’t learn, the master would still pay the price. In this world, every action had its consequences.
“Thank you, guest, for sharing the technique!”
The villagers shouted in unison, expressing gratitude, but in reality, they wished they could tear Chen Fei apart.
With a smiling face, Chen Fei politely nodded to the villagers and then walked away. As he moved, he noticed that his body was becoming increasingly comfortable, as if it was growing stronger and more robust. At the same time, his mind became much clearer.
Chen Fei found it somewhat strange as he stood still. This continuous sensation of getting stronger persisted for more than a dozen breaths before gradually subsiding.
If there were onlookers present at this moment, they would have noticed that Chen Fei’s aura had increased significantly while the once-sharp and agile gazes of the villagers had dimmed considerably.
“Why would you need one or two silver coins to practice a technique? And who should you give these one or two silver coins to?”
Chen Fei’s clearer mind allowed him to recognize the strange point in his earlier words. However, at this moment, he still couldn’t remember who he should give the one or two silver coins to.
However, deep down, Chen Fei’s subconscious knew that one or two silver coins were crucial. Without them, he wouldn’t have been able to start practicing the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique.
But who should he give it to? Chen Fei felt a buzzing in his head; it seemed like he had forgotten a lot of things, things he just couldn’t recall.
Lu Zhichun and the other two were a bit perplexed when they heard Chen Fei explain the key points of the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique. However, as the cold feeling spread through their stomachs, they subconsciously ignored this matter.
It was as if they had overlooked why they were being so patient, revealing their entire technique, even if it was just an introductory one.
In the past, they would never have done such a thing because, at their level, each technique had their own understanding and interpretation, bearing their personal marks.
Teaching others like this was equivalent to exposing their foundations. With close relationships like master and disciple, it was fine, as teaching was expected. But now, in this unfamiliar situation, it seemed impossible to impart their knowledge so readily.
Yet, despite the impossibility, it had become a reality in this ancient village. Many usual details they would have been cautious about were subconsciously overlooked and forgotten.
“Just now, the three of you shared so much, benefiting us greatly. Are you thirsty? The village has prepared some drinks. Have a drink to quench your thirst,” the village chief said with a smile, clapping his hands.
Three bowls of liquor were brought over. The fragrance of the liquor was so strong that it made one’s mouth water.
Chen Fei instinctively wanted to refuse, feeling that something was amiss. However, before he could utter the refusal, a wave of dizziness hit him, and his body swayed slightly.
When he opened his eyes again, Chen Fei found the bowl of liquor already in his hand, and it was empty. There was still a lingering taste of alcohol in his mouth, and the feeling of drunkenness swirled in his brain.
With his perception already quite blurry due to the surroundings, this sudden intake of alcohol further intensified this sensation.
The question Chen Fei had been pondering about the need for one or two silver coins for the Extreme Mountain Breathing Technique was pushed to the back of his mind. He looked around with slightly hazy eyes.
“Now that you’ve had your drink, would the three of you be kind enough to share a bit more knowledge? Mi Village is a remote and impoverished place, and it’s rare for us to have the opportunity to learn something. We hope the three of you won’t hesitate to impart your wisdom!” The village chief wore a cold smile as he bowed to Chen Fei and the others..