Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Waters Run Deep
The incursion of the Grey Eye Thieves can indeed be said to be the greatest crisis the Cloud Sun Sect has faced in recent years.
There is no need to dwell on the grudge between the two sides.
As the saying goes, “good and evil cannot coexist,” and the revival of the Grey Eye Thieves had actually put the high-ranking experts of the sect on alert and ready for action.
However, some time ago, the Guard Hall of the Outer Sect expanded the Night Patrol Team and forcibly recruited Outer Sect disciples to join the ranks of the night watchmen.
This decision clearly had serious problems.
Fortunately, the Sect Leader was wise and the Elders were insightful, promptly taking actions to rectify the chaos.
It is said that a certain Vice Hall Master, who was mainly responsible, has been stripped of his position and punished, sentenced to face the wall in contemplation within the Demon-Suppression Cavern for thirty years.
As for how large the casualties among the Outer Sect’s lower-ranked cultivators were, and how many farming households suffered a great disaster.
That cannot be recklessly discussed.
It should be known that at the time of the disaster, the Inner Sect and the Main Hall dispatched more than a dozen Purple Mansion Superiors promptly, who killed the invading evil cultivators in droves, effectively protecting the safety of the borders.
There were definitely cultivators who were slaughtered by the Grey Eye Thieves.
But not many.
There are recent rumors claiming that the Outer Sect Main Hall is deliberately underreporting the casualties to avoid the wrath and questioning of the True Person.
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Those are definitely rumors!
Such rumors must not be spread carelessly.
Once it is discovered that the rumors have been relayed to more than five people, that is a matter for the Punishment Hall to severely punish.
Remember, remember!
In consideration of the two packets of Cloud Mist Spiritual Tea and Wang Chen’s very sincere attitude, Old Master Sun shared many secrets with him while speaking from his heart and with great earnestness, chattering on and on.
After the old master had his fill of conversation, he perhaps felt the topic was too sensitive and delved deep into shallow waters.
There was the risk of “404”.
So he forcefully changed the subject and called his family members over to keep the company.
Then aunts and sisters-in-law gathered around Wang Chen, saying puzzling things like “Doggie, don’t you want a wife?” “You’re big enough to marry now” “I have a cousin niece.”
Seeing Wang Chen’s embarrassed expression, they all laughed together, filling the living room with a cheerful atmosphere.
Out of helplessness, Wang Chen once again resorted to the Vajra Indestructibility spell to forcibly break through the encirclement.
As he took his leave, Old Master Sun personally saw him out.
This village chief spoke with profound meaning, “You should go back and think, whether you’ve offended anyone before.”
Wang Chen was startled.
Although the old master spoke cryptically, he understood perfectly well.
There was obviously more to Wang Chen being conscripted into the Night Patrol Team than met the eye.
However, when he returned home and pondered deeply.
He searched through the memories of the original owner of the body and could not think of anyone he had offended.
You must know the original owner was of dull aptitude, introverted nature, and simple character, always diligently cultivating fields in the Outer Sect.
His social circle was always narrow.
The only one he had had a run-in with was probably Zhang Xiaoshan of the Zhang Family.
But such a trivial matter resulting in such severe retaliation was absolutely impossible.
Not to mention Zhang Xiaoshan, the Zhang Family didn’t have that kind of power!
Wang Chen racked his brains until they ached.
He felt as though he was trapped in an invisible net, aware of a lurking danger yet clueless on how to escape.
And he felt the waters were too deep.
Gritting his teeth, he made another trip to Cloud Mountain City.
Just before the closing of the Scripture Pavilion, he spent seventy Merit Points to exchange for the Mudstone Technique.
The Mudstone Technique may sound earthy, but it is a mid-to-high-tier Qi Cultivation spell with very strong practicality.
Just like the Cloud Rain Jue can be split into Moving Cloud and Rain-Spreading, the Mudstone Technique also includes two Dharma Techniques.
They are Petrify to Mud and Solidify Mud to Stone, respectively.
They are perfect opposites of each other.
This spell is mainly used for mining, road construction, mountain splitting, and building houses, amongst other things.
A divine skill for the working class.
But Wang Chen had no intention of changing his career to manual labor.
He learned the Mudstone Technique intending to dig tunnels!
Despite being limited by his sources.
Wang Chen’s understanding of the Cloud Sun Sect was limited, and he could not obtain the latest news promptly.
But the increasingly tense situation inside and outside the sect gate, I could fully sense.
The Grey Eye Thieves were temporarily repelled.
But who could guarantee they wouldn’t return with a vengeance?
Evil Cultivators who worship the Evil God are like weeds in the Spirit Fields, very difficult to truly eradicate.
Wang Chen had no idea what danger he might encounter next.
Moreover, within the Outer Sect, there was likely an individual hidden who intended to harm him!
Add to that the even more terrifying Evil Wraith…
Currently, Wang Chen had neither the capital nor the strength to flee, nor could he enter the safest Inner Sect.
He didn’t even have a foothold in Cloud Mountain City.
Therefore, under such circumstances, Wang Chen could only think of ways to improve his living conditions.
If he couldn’t afford a Defensive Array that cost hundreds or thousands of Spirit Stones, then he would take inspiration from the cunning rabbit and dig a few burrows.
In case he encountered danger that he couldn’t resist, he would also have a path to hide and escape through.
Even for regular cultivation and sleeping, he could hide in an underground chamber.
He was filled with a sense of security!
The more Wang Chen thought about it, the more he felt this was the right path—deeply grasping the essence of cautious cultivation.
So, over the next few days, he devoted himself to understanding the essence of the Mudstone Technique.
Striving to enter the threshold and gain skill experience as soon as possible.
For this reason, he temporarily set aside Shadowless Divine Traverse and Stealth Breath Technique, which had cost him a lot of Merit Points to exchange.
There was no helping it; the foundation left by the original host was too poor, which forced him, the inheritor, to do a lot of catching up.
As the saying goes, hard work pays off. Under Wang Chen’s tireless efforts, on the fourth day after exchanging for the technique, he successfully mastered the basic Dharma Technique of the Mudstone Technique!
In the courtyard, Wang Chen grabbed a lump of black mud dug from a field ditch outside and infused Mana into his palm.
His right hand immediately emitted a faint yellow glow.
In the blink of an eye, the black mud covered by the yellow light rapidly solidified.
Solidify Mud to Stone!
[Mudstone Technique · Experience +1]
Wang Chen opened his fingers, and a black mudstone ball dropped onto the ground with a “thunk”—as hard as a billiard ball.
He reached out again and used the Object-Controlling Technique to draw the stone ball back into his palm.
He squeezed his five fingers together with force.
Crack!
The stone ball shattered into pieces, with countless grains of mud dust falling through the gaps of his fingers.
This hardness was still not strong enough.
Wang Chen estimated it was due to the low skill level. He believed that after advancing to proficiency and Minor Achievement, there would be a significant improvement.
What he aimed to dig was not just simple tunnels.
To be truly safe, he must dig out a bunker.
If he were confronted by a powerful enemy, he could withstand them for a moment, buying himself a chance to escape.
The higher the level of the Mudstone Technique, the stronger it would be!
Luckily, this Spell didn’t consume too much Mana, and gaining experience for the skill was easy.
Even if he had to burn through all his Human Virtue points, Wang Chen would do so until he reached the Minor Achievement level.
He grabbed another lump of black mud.
Smack, smack!
Just then, the courtyard gate was gently knocked.
A rough voice reached Wang Chen’s ears, “Excuse me, is the homeowner available?”
Who is it?
Wang Chen dropped the black mud in his hand and casually cast a Cleansing Technique.
He then went to open the gate.
Standing outside was a tall and burly man with a twisting mustache. Upon seeing Wang Chen, he immediately greeted him with a fist and palm salute, “Immortal Master, please pardon my boldness. Might I inquire if your household needs help harvesting the rice?”
Wang Chen was slightly taken aback.
The man’s presence was deep and mountainous; he was clearly an Innate Master!
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