Chapter 82: Deciding to Cooperate
Translator:Sparrow_
Editor:Sparrow_, Yuui
Mo Wuji remained silent. However, Yan Qianyin was not a simple pill refiner. After all, she was able to attain the highest seat as a pill refiner in the Formless Blade Sect at such a young age, and her status within the sect was comparable to the sect head himself. She only needed one look at Mo Wuji's expression to know that he was unwilling to take this risk.
“Junior apprentice brother Mo, perhaps you feel that this venture is not practical. However, I am not exaggerating when I tell you this: In the world of cultivators, there are no experts who have not faced dangers. Many of them face close encounters with death. It is impossible for you to be an expert if your journey is smooth sailing. Even if your cultivation goes smoothly, you will not truly be an expert without some life and death experiences.” Yan Qianyin seemed to see something in Mo Wuji and started to advise him.
Mo Wuji smiled but did not say a word. He knew things clearly in his heart; he did not need people to advise him. Even though he was only in this world for a short period of time, the number of life and death experiences he faced might even be more than this lady in front of him.
If it was worth it, he would not need anyone to persuade him. If it wasn't, he simply wouldn't treat his life as a joke.
“Junior apprentice brother Mo, your cultivation is still low, you don't understand how important a good sword technique is to our Formless Blade Sect…”
Mo Wuji no longer remained silent and directly interrupted Yan Qianyin's words, “Senior apprentice sister Yan, I'm just a service disciple.”
Yan Qianyin stopped abruptly. Oh right… Mo Wuji was just a service disciple. A service disciple in the Formless Blade Sect could not actually be said to be related to the sect. Using sword techniques to entice him was simply playing a harp to a cow [1].
However, Yan Qianyin knew that anyone who wanted to come to a sect definitely wouldn't be indifferent towards his cultivation, even if he was a service disciple.
“Junior apprentice brother Mo, what is your current cultivation technique?” Yan Qianyin decided to analyze this from the perspectives of cultivation techniques. She wanted him to understand the difference between an outstanding and inferior cultivation technique.
Mo Wuji's expression suddenly turned solemn as he clasped his knuckles and said, “Senior apprentice sister Yan, I'm cultivating with the <Immortal Mortal Technique>.”
When Yan Qianyin heard Mo Wuji's words, her mouth gaped wide and she almost spit out all her saliva.
This was the first time she heard someone talk about the <Immortal Mortal Technique> with such solemnity and seriousness. Furthermore, this was the kind of seriousness which arose from genuine admiration from the technique. If not for the fact that she was not a fan of laughing, she would definitely have laughed till she's out of breath.
It felt like half a day had passed before she continued, “Junior apprentice brother Mo, <Immortal Mortal Technique> is just the name that peddlers call it. It sounds very impressive but it's simply a book called <Basics of Cultivation>. Next time when you go out, you shouldn't call it <Immortal Mortal Technique> anymore.”
She was afraid Mo Wuji would throw his own face away.
Mo Wuji nodded but he still said, “Senior apprentice sister Yan, thanks for your reminder. But the manual I'm using is indeed the <Immortal Mortal Technique>. If anyone were to ask me, I would give the same answer. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Mo Wuji sincerely revered this technique manual. He felt that this book truly deserved its name.
Others might feel that it's trash which only resulted in slow cultivation. But to Mo Wuji, it was truly godly. This was the only technique which allowed a mortal to cultivate and become immortal. As a mortal with mortal roots, he was clear that there were no untruths in its name.
Seeing Mo Wuji acting so stubbornly, Yan Qianyin could only rub her temples and say, “OK then. Even if you are cultivating this Immortal Mortal Technique, you would still need some abilities and skills to be an expert. When you advance into the Spirit Building Stage, these skills would be trump cards for strong cultivators…”
This time, Yan Qianyin did not continue any further. Mo Wuji was a service disciple. It was already amazing that he had such talent with pill refining. However, his cultivation was lacking, and he probably couldn't successfully build his spirits. Using Spirit Building Stage skills to entice him, that's simply…
Yan Qianyin sighed deeply and stopped talking. She understood the reason why Mo Wuji didn't want to go. If she was in Mo Wuji's position, she would not have wanted to go too. To use Spirit Building Stage skills to tempt a person who was destined never to reach that stage; it would be weird if he actually got tempted.
Skills?
Mo Wuji's eyes lit up. Techniques were not tempting to him but skills were. Following Yan Qianyin's words, skills would be very important when he reaches Spirit Building Stage. Actually, he had already previously known about the idea of skills, but it was already extremely hard for him to obtain this simple <Basics of Cultivation>. It was simply quixotic to even think about getting some skill manuals.
“Senior apprentice sister Yan, are you sure there are skill manuals?” Mo Wuji's eyes shone brightly as he asked that question.
Yan Qianyin looked at Mo Wuji doubtfully as she casually replied, “How can I be sure about these kinds of things. But I believe that the place was left behind by a senior of the Formless Blade Sect, and it wouldn't be out of the blue to find some skill manuals there.”
“Senior apprentice sister Yan, I'm in. Tell me, what do I need to do?” Mo Wuji did not hesitate to say.
Yan Qianyin looked at Mo Wuji with greater shock. Previously, she wasted so much energy to persuade him, but he didn't look a half bit interested. But when she wanted to give up, he actually agreed to go with her.
“You want skills?” Yan Qianyin could guess that Mo Wuji definitely wanted some skill manuals.
Mo Wuji nodded, “That’s right. I do want some skills to protect myself. It's just that my cultivation is low, how can I help?”
Yan Qianyin ecstatically said, “Not only can you help, you can help a lot! Have you heard of the Life Sucking Beast?”
She was too lazy to explain how skills would be useless to Mo Wuji.
Mo Wuji shook his head; he could be considered a novice towards spiritual ingredients but he was a total noob towards beasts and demonic beasts.
Yan Qianyin did not find it weird that Mo Wuji didn't know about the Life Sucking Beast, and she explained carefully, “The Life Sucking Beast is an extremely valuable demonic beast. Countless people want to obtain this beast to no avail. This demonic beast has one ability, that is to suck and steal life force. It didn't matter whether the life force is from spiritual herbs or from cultivators; as long as there is life force, it can suck it up.”
“Senior apprentice sister Yan, you're saying that there is a Life Sucking Beast here, and the life force of all these herbs have been devoured by it?”
Yan Qianyin answered, “There is indeed a Life Sucking Beast here. However, I'm not too sure if the life force of these herbs have been devoured by it. It might have been the works the beast's owner. Don't assume that the Life Sucking Beast magically appeared here. If not for someone bringing it in, do you think that a Life Sucking Beast can enter the Formless Blade Mountain?”
Mo Wuji’s face flashed a serious expression. He had never seen a Life Sucking Beast before, but from the devastated looks of Yan Qianyin, he knew that it was far more powerful than him. If he also had to deal with its owner, he would simply be finding death.
Seemingly seeing through Mo Wuji's thoughts, Yan Qianyin smiled and said, “You don't have to be so worried. I guess that the Life Sucking Beast's owner is already gone, if not this young beast wouldn't be let loose like this. Moreover, when I was escaping, I saw that the Life Sucking Beast was at most a Level 3 Demonic Beast, which is only equivalent to our Transcending Mortality Stage. If not for that Life Sucking Beast attacking me suddenly, I would not have had such a terrible outcome.”
It was considered young despite being at the Transcending Mortality Stage? Another step further and it would be in the Yuan Dan Stage, and that is one of the stages of the illustrious Earth Realm.
“Then what stage is senior apprentice sister Yan?” Mo Wuji knew that it was rude to ask others about their cultivation level, but this matter involved his little life, so he had to ask.
“I'm at full completion of Transcending Mortality Stage. If what I met was not this Life Sucking Beast which can devour life force, I wouldn't have required help to enter that place,” Yan Qianyin answered flatly.
Mo Wuji lamented in his heart; she's at the same stage as the Life Sucking Beast, how could she be so sure that she could deal with it? Moreover, his cultivation was so low, how could he help?
“Junior apprentice brother Mo, I have a pill formula for the Ephemeral Life Pill, it's a Tier 2 pill. This pill can recover your life energy, and prevent it from dispersing. But it has a flaw, it has a short lifespan. It needs to be concocted and eaten together…”
Without waiting for Yan Qianyin to complete her sentence, Mo Wuji already understood his purpose, “Senior apprentice sister Yan, you're saying you want me to follow behind you and help you concoct the Ephemeral Life Pill?”
Yan Qianyin nodded, “Yes. I will help you block the Life Sucking Beast's attacks. You just need to concoct the Ephemeral Life Pill. When I'm battling the Life Sucking Beast, you will help put those pills in my mouth.”
No wonder why she needed his help, she needed him to help concoct pills. Listening to her plan, Mo Wuji awkwardly said, “But senior apprentice sister Yan, I'm just a Tier 1 Mortal Pill Refiner.”
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[1] TL Note: Playing to a wrong audience