Chapter 64: Seventh Level of Qi Refinement
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
He closed the wooden window. Shen Ping’s smile instantly disappeared. This demoness of the Acacia Faction must be planning to confuse him into an obedient demon puppet.
“Just you wait. When my divine sense breaks through, I’ll definitely seek guidance.”
He imagined the scene of ruthlessly dealing with the demoness of the Acacia Faction and felt a little better.
After a meal, Shopkeeper Chen sent a message saying that he was inviting him to a small gathering in the Spring Embroidery Pavilion.
Speaking of which, his contact with Shopkeeper Chen had weakened after the Danxia ceremony. Occasionally, they would chat through the communication talisman. Shen Ping understood this very well. After all, after his boss built her foundation, there were clearly more Talisman Masters who were willing to maintain a cooperative relationship with the Spring Embroidery Pavilion.
He hesitated for a moment. In the end, Shen Ping decided to go.
Although the market was chaotic, it would eventually return to calm. With the protection of the True Treasure Pavilion, he believed that he could survive this time and might have to maintain this relationship in the future.
…..
After tidying up a little, he called Yu Yan out. The alleys in the market were relatively safe during the day. The Golden Sun Sect’s law enforcement patrol team would occasionally walk around, but at night, all kinds of killings and battles kept rising. The Golden Sun Sect had said several times that they wanted to reorganize, but there was no movement.
They arrived at the market.
Yu Yan went to find the members of the hunting clique she had formed to understand the recent news from the Cloud Mountain Swamp, while Shen Ping walked towards the Spring Embroidery Pavilion.
When he said it was a small gathering, it was really a simple gathering. Other than Shopkeeper Chen, there was only one fellow Daoist, Talisman Master Sun. He could tell that this small gathering was most likely organized by Talisman Master Sun.
They exchanged a few pleasantries. He sat down and brewed the spiritual tea.
Talisman Master Sun took the lead and said, “Talisman Master Shen, I asked Shopkeeper Chen to invite you out this time. It’s like this. Since you can participate in the auction of the True Treasure Pavilion, you should know that Beauty Pills will appear in the auction from time to time. To be honest, my Dao companion has urged me several times…”
This was a small matter. However, Shen Ping did not agree directly. He said in a slightly awkward manner, “Talisman Master Sun, 1 originally planned to bring my Dao companion to the next auction.”
Talisman Master Sun understood immediately. He smiled and handed Shen Ping a talisman. This matter was settled. Then, the three of them talked about other things. Most of it was said by Shopkeeper Chen and Talisman Master Sun. Shen Ping just listened.
While they chatted, they mentioned Luosha Demonic Valley. Shen Ping perked up and could not help but say, “Shopkeeper Chen, you’ve always been well-informed. The Luosha Demonic Valley seems to be a little too quiet after the ceremony.”
Shopkeeper Chen shook his head with a smile. “I can’t compare to Talisman Master Sun in terms of being well-informed. He sponsored many hunting groups of rogue cultivators and even established a small faction of rogue cultivators.”
Talisman Master Sun quickly interrupted, “Shopkeeper Chen, don’t praise me. What small faction of rogue cultivators? It’s just a cooperation between a few groups at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. But speaking of the Luosha Demonic Valley, 1 really know some news.”
He took a sip of tea before continuing unhurriedly, “After Danxia’s ceremony, most of the disciples of the Luosha Demonic Valley went to the mining area deep in the Cloud Mountain Swamp and caused a lot of trouble there. 1 heard that more than a thousand miners died tragically in the hands of these Demonic Sect disciples. Fortunately, their attention was on that side. Otherwise, it would have been even more chaotic if they stayed in our Cloud Mountain Parlour.”
Hearing this, Shen Ping came to a realization, he probed, “It’s strange. In the past, the Golden Sun Sect’s law enforcement patrol team was famous. Very few robbers dared to attack the alleys in the market. But the market has been so chaotic recently, but the law enforcement patrol disciples seem to have turned a blind eye.”
Shopkeeper Chen frowned. “Indeed. I’ve asked the boss about this too. The boss doesn’t know either.”
Both of them looked at Talisman Master Sun.
Talisman Master Sun said helplessly, “Don’t look at me. 1 don’t know either. Perhaps there are disciples from other sects instigating it. For example, when the Danxia Sect first came, they were arrogant and despotic and even openly killed people. In the end, they only compensated some spirit stones.”
At this point, he sighed and said, “Actually, the root cause of this is that the sect master and the main sect have fallen out. If the main sect appeared, the Danxia Sect and these sects would not dare to mess around in the Cloud Mountain Parlour.”
Back at Yunhe Alley.
Yu Yan told him the information she had gathered. In the past two months, the Cloud Mountain Swamp had been very chaotic. Many rogue cultivators who had migrated with the Golden Sun Sect had died. The rest had secretly run back to Cloud Mountain Parlour and casually built some wooden houses at the edge of Ningshui Alley. They hugged each other and lived temporarily.
“It seems that something has happened in the Flame Gold Mine.”
Shen Ping told her the news he had heard from Talisman Master Sun.
When Yu Yan heard this, she felt a lingering fear. If Shen Ping had not resolved the miner’s contract in advance, it would have been very dangerous even if she had eradicated the Black-striped Venomous Worm.
“By the way, when I talked to the hunting members 1 established this time, they wanted to pull in more cultivators. Especially when they found out that I have the background of a high-grade Talisman Master, several late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators were very tempted. Now, the market is uneasy. All the late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators are in danger. They are worried that they will be attacked by robbers or the Demonic Sect when they go out.”
Shen Ping was not surprised. He nodded and said, “We can recruit a few more, but not too many.” As he spoke, he asked, “How many times have you interacted with the Zhang brothers opposite?”
“It’s very difficult to rope them in. They have their own group.”
“Forget it, then.”
Yu Yan suddenly whispered, “I met an acquaintance in the market. It’s Fellow Daoist Su from Red Willow Alley. She lives at the edge of Ningshui Alley now.”
Shen Ping was silent for a moment.
Fellow Daoist Su was a female cultivator who was highly sought after by cultivators in Red Willow Alley. Unfortunately, after her cousin, Fellow Daoist Gong, died, she moved to the market to live. He didn’t expect such a situation to happen.
“Things change.” He sighed.
However, Yu Yan went forward and wrapped her arms around Shen Ping. The outline of the robe quickly flattened. When she looked up, the corners of her eyes were filled with charm. “Husband, I’m glad to have met you.” As she spoke, the voice transmission echoed in his ears. “I want you to taste every inch of the bath water.”
How could Shen Ping hold it in?
Days passed. No matter how chaotic the outside world was, it would not disturb Shen Ping’s cultivation life. Next, other than bringing Talisman Master Sun to the True Treasure Pavilion’s auction as promised, he spent the rest of the time cultivating according to the daily arrangements.
Among them, meditation was the most important. The time needed to make talismans had decreased. The remaining dual cultivation and accompanying had not changed.
Just like that, Shen Ping entered the age of 48.
It was March.
After completely absorbing the remaining spirit liquid in his limbs and bones, the spiritual energy at the sixth level of Qi Refinement became more and more abundant. Every time he circulated his cultivation technique, he could vaguely feel that his spiritual energy was about to break through his meridians, but he was still lacking something.
Shen Ping knew that he had reached a bottleneck.
He was not in a hurry to swallow a drop of spirit liquid in the quiet room. Instead, he accompanied his wife and concubines for a walk in the small courtyard. His mental state was adjusted to an extremely good state before he went to the quiet room and sat cross-legged.
He calmed his mind, focused, inhaled and exhaled. The spirit liquid quickly entered his stomach.
Boom.
The spiritual energy in his dantian instantly became violent, as if an invisible hand was suddenly pushing it. Shen Ping calmly guided this spiritual energy along his meridians.
Time passed slowly. It was unknown how many days and nights had passed. His aura increased at a visible speed. His spiritual energy seemed to have broken through the bottleneck and reached the next realm.
The seventh level of Qi Refinement was the threshold that stopped many rogue cultivators, yet he broke through calmly just like that..