Chapter 86

After discovering a method to chase small, fast animals like rabbits and pheasants to hone his lightness technique, Li Wenjun adjusted his daily routine. He paused his studies of mechanical arts and the Taizu Dictionary, instead dedicating an hour each day to practicing his lightness technique.

In combat, the lightness technique could serve as both an auxiliary attack method and a means of escape when one was overpowered. How could he not master it?

After nearly half a month of intense training, Li Wenjun's progress in the lightness technique was very rapid. Neither rabbits nor pheasants could escape his pursuit.

The rabbits and pheasants on the nearby mountains suffered greatly, always being caught by him. Later, these small animals became smarter and fled to more distant mountains at night. The mountains near Li Wenjun's cave were marked as forbidden zones by rabbits and pheasants.

This situation persisted for a long time, until four or five years after Li Wenjun left Wufeng Mountain, when new generations of rabbits and pheasants began to resettle in this area.

Unable to find rabbits, Li Wenjun turned his attention to birds, which were even harder to catch than rabbits and pheasants. Wufeng Mountain was rich in bird species, including common sparrows, magpies, and crows, as well as eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls. There were also many larks, nightingales, cuckoos, and woodpeckers.

Most of these birds were smaller than rabbits and pheasants, yet they were several times faster, and some were even several times faster. They were all skilled flyers, capable of flying very high and making agile, flexible turns. Catching them by hand without any tools was much harder than catching rabbits.

Li Wenjun's goal was to hone his lightness technique, not to catch birds. Therefore, he could not catch the birds when they were stationary; he needed to startle them into flight before using his lightness technique to catch them.

At first, Li Wenjun had little success. The lightness technique he had honed through chasing rabbits and pheasants was still lacking. Undeterred, he continuously summarized his experiences and adjusted his techniques.

Hard work always pays off.

After another ten days, Li Wenjun finally caught his first bird—a gray-brown sparrow. Holding it in his hand, the sparrow chirped and looked at him with innocent eyes.

Li Wenjun stroked the sparrow's head and let it fly away.

With a good start, his progress accelerated. Sparrows flew relatively low and not particularly fast, so Li Wenjun set his sights on other birds. Soon, magpies, woodpeckers, and kingfishers frequently fell victim to his "cruel hands," becoming his prey.

His lightness technique, honed through unconventional methods, had reached a level of perfection.

With his persistent practice, the Changchun Technique also advanced at a relatively fast pace. As the medicinal herbs given to him by Zhang Jianjie were gradually consumed, the growth of his internal energy was evident, gradually approaching the peak of the second level of the Qi Cultivation stage. It wouldn't be long before he could attempt to break through to the third level.

One day, after completing two medicinal baths, Li Wenjun emerged from the cave, full of energy. He used his lightness technique to head toward a nearby mountain. The mountain he was heading to was about ten miles away from his cave, separated by several other mountains. A few days earlier, Li Wenjun had discovered a large bird's nest on this mountain, inhabited by a family of eagles.

Li Wenjun was no longer satisfied with honing his lightness technique by chasing ordinary birds. He set his sights on the eagles, hoping to use them to elevate his lightness technique to a higher level.

Li Wenjun arrived at the base of the mountain and looked up. It was a sheer cliff, and the eagle's nest was about twenty to twenty-five feet above his position.

The eagle's nest was too high, exceeding the limits of his lightness technique. Li Wenjun only wanted to hone his lightness technique, not to risk his life. Pursuing extreme thrills at the cost of his safety would be counterproductive.

After observing for a while, Li Wenjun formulated a plan, including how to approach the eagle's nest without alarming the eagles and how to deal with their attacks if they did.

Just as he was about to act, he noticed the eagles suddenly take flight, leaving an empty nest. Even if he wanted to practice with the eagles, he couldn't.

Li Wenjun shook his head in frustration. The eagles must have been hungry and gone to hunt. Thinking of this, his own stomach growled; he hadn't eaten for a long time.

According to the "Miscellaneous Discourses on Cultivation," cultivators nourished by the essence of heaven and earth could obtain nutrients without eating, but this applied only to advanced cultivators. Lower-level cultivators still needed to eat. If they didn't want to eat grains and vegetables, they could take a pill called the "Grain-Abstaining Pill" to replace food and meat.

However, neither the "Changchun Technique" nor the "Miscellaneous Discourses on Cultivation" provided any information on what the Grain-Abstaining Pill was or how to refine it. As a result, Li Wenjun still needed to eat regular food to maintain his bodily functions.

Li Wenjun noticed that as his cultivation progressed, the frequency and quantity of his meals had decreased. Sometimes he could go one or two days without eating and not feel hungry. However, when he did feel hungry, the sensation was much stronger than that of an ordinary person, probably a lingering effect from his days of fleeing famine.

Li Wenjun searched for something that could satisfy his hunger and cravings. Soon, he found a pine tree growing on the cliff, with many unharvested pinecones from the previous year.

Pinecones contained pine nuts, which were delicious when roasted. Li Wenjun decided to pick some. He nimbly climbed the cliff, gathered several pinecones, and then descended to start a fire and roast them.

The pinecones quickly roasted, and Li Wenjun took out the pine nuts, peeled the shells, and popped the kernels into his mouth. The rich, aromatic flavor of the pine nuts filled his mouth, thick and enticing.

"Ha ha, Fellow Daoist, you truly know how to enjoy life. Using the lightness technique to pick pinecones and the Fireball Technique to start a fire, you truly understand the art of living."

Just as Li Wenjun was savoring the delicious nuts, a voice came from behind him, startling him. He turned around to see a man in his early forties approaching, dressed in a Daoist robe, with a refined and dignified appearance.

"Who are you...?" Li Wenjun asked.

The man, upon seeing Li Wenjun's face, turned red with anger, his eyes almost spitting fire. He gritted his teeth and said, "You, Li Wenjun, hiding here, making me search for you. Today, I will kill you to avenge my deceased nephew. Li Wenjun, prepare to die."

Thank you to Lan Nuo Xinyu for the support.

[Page Break for Ad]

[End of Ad]