Chapter 4

Under the clear, cold moonlight, leaves drifted and fell, though it was only early autumn, the climate here was unusually cold. Nanning Prefecture, located in the coldest part of the Great Law territory, was rich in resources and had a thriving trade, allowing the local people to live quite comfortably. The Great Law had been in power for two hundred years, with a clear and peaceful administration, a time of prosperity without the threat of war, and living standards and conditions had naturally improved.

A red-hot charcoal brazier was placed in the center, and Su Fu sat cross-legged on the bed with a solemn expression. The brazier emitted a visible incense, which was a concentration incense specifically used to aid cultivators in their practice, helping to maintain a calm and undisturbed state of mind.

After a short while, Su Fu opened his eyes slightly, a bitter smile on his pale, handsome face. His attempt to condense qi into a vortex had failed again, and he had already tried hundreds of times before.

Thinking about the astonished expressions of Ji Sui Feng and the others during the day, and the sudden change in attitude of the two wandering cultivators, he really thought he was at the Yinshen stage.

The cultivation world had a long history and a well-established system, roughly divided into four realms and eleven stages.

The four realms were the Mortal, Inquiry of the Void, Mystical Origin, and Tribulation Law. The Mortal realm was further divided into Qi Sensing, Returning to the Origin, and Spirit Communication; the Inquiry of the Void realm included Yinshen, Condensing Apertures, and Embracing the Void; the Mystical Origin realm included the Spirit Platform, Mystical Truth, and Immortality; the Tribulation Law realm was divided into Tribulation Crossing and Pure Yang.

Of course, there was also the legendary "Limitless." It was rumored that the "Three Holy Buddhas" of the Western Holy Realm were at the Limitless stage, also known as the Buddha Lords.

If judged by this world's system, he was indeed only at the Qi Sensing stage. However, when he crossed over, he already had a divine soul, so after he started practicing, he exhibited the significant characteristic of the Yinshen stage: spiritual perception.

Thinking of this, he took out an item from his soul banner, a half-inch-long, exquisitely crafted jade flying sword. This was a communication flying sword, made of high-quality jade, which was very popular in this world, essential for long-distance communication, distress calls, and leaving messages. It could be activated with a slight input of spirit energy, and inside it contained her message.

Eight years ago, the Su family was exterminated, and he was saved by her. She left behind the "True Gang Embracing Evil Condensing Apertures Cultivation Classic," the "Taishang Induction Chapter," and this communication flying sword. Just a slight input of spirit energy was needed to activate it, and inside it contained her message.

The "Cultivation Classic of Evil Condensing Apertures" was created by Chu Du, the master of the Evil God Palace, condensing 108 apertures throughout the body, divided into nine aperture systems. It could return to the ancestral lineage and grant immortality, making it the supreme treasure of all the demon races. Its fundamental principles were almost never transmitted outside, and for ordinary demons to obtain even a fraction of it was a great fortune.

The "Taishang Induction Chapter" was the most widely spread foundation-building method in this world, focusing on shaping the form, calming the mind, and concentrating the spirit. Those with excellent bone structure could sense the wandering spirit energy in the world within a few days, guiding it into the body and storing it in the qi sea. However, cultivating qi required good bone structure; without it, one could not open the path of cultivation.

In the past eight years, the "Cultivation Classic of Evil Condensing Apertures" had progressed rapidly, and he had already condensed one aperture system, consisting of twelve apertures. He had finally escaped the crisis of being almost completely consumed by the demonic spirit, though he still hovered between life and death.

Perhaps due to his inferior bone structure, it took him two years to reach the Qi Sensing stage, and another two years to truly enter the path of cultivation. In the following four years, he had been trying to condense qi into a vortex, but repeatedly failed. The only consolation was his "spiritual perception," which, combined with mortal sword techniques, had repeatedly broken through the defenses of demons and monsters, earning him great credit.

In these eight years, he had sought the location of the Sword Study, but learned that the Sword Study only opened its gates once every ten years. Approaching its territory at other times might be considered an invasion, so he had to restrain himself.

He also had other gains, gaining a basic understanding of his savior. A cultivator who had only practiced for a hundred years, a grandmaster of the Tribulation Crossing stage, known as the most beautiful woman of the human race, and with a record of slaying a Tribulation Crossing grandmaster at the Immortality stage. She was Ye Xuanyi, the chief disciple of Nali Palace.

She was already at the pinnacle of the cultivation world. He imagined she knew the outcome long ago, urging him to accelerate his cultivation. How could the Sword Study be so easy to enter?

In his previous life, he became a plant due to an accident while on a mission, his soul remaining clear and conscious, enduring daily torment, unable to die. This state continued for sixteen years, watching his parents grow old and wrinkled, yet never giving up hope, causing him great distress.

One day, with a loud thunder, his soul suddenly jumped out of his body, being sucked into a strange vortex. When he woke up, he found himself in this world, reborn as an infant. He thought this was a chance for a new life, but unexpectedly, a demonic spirit descended. With his soul condensed, he managed to avoid being possessed, but the demonic spirit continued to consume his vitality daily.

Since he had a chance to live in this world, he had to seize every bit of vitality. Having lived two lives, no one cherished his life more than he did. The path to immortality was all an illusion to him; the demonic spirit was the most pressing concern.

*Knock knock knock*

In the middle of the night, the knocking at the door stopped his thoughts. Su Fu frowned slightly. His spiritual perception told him it was just an ordinary mortal. It was almost midnight; who would come to see him at this time?

He pondered this, got out of bed, and opened the door, seeing a young girl standing shyly outside. When the door opened, she bowed slightly, timidly saying, "This servant, Nuanyan, greets Master. I have been sent by Master Du to serve you."

The girl was lightly made up, fresh and lovely, clearly just out of the bath, with a fragrant scent. She wore a transparent, thin veil that faintly revealed her charms, exuding a youthful allure and a seductive posture that aroused primal desires.

Having lived two lives, Su Fu had endured many hardships, cultivating a heart of iron and deeply understanding that idleness and indulgence were like poison. He frowned and said, "You may return. I do not need any service."

Nuanyan's shy expression turned to fear, "Master, what is wrong with Nuanyan? I can change. Please don't send me away." She knelt down as she spoke.

Su Fu, having read extensively since childhood, had some idea of the situation. He sighed inwardly, reached out to help her up, and said calmly, "Then come in. You can sleep in the bed tonight. Tomorrow, you can say you have completed your task..."

"But I am still a virgin... There are matrons who will check..." Nuanyan lowered her head, stammering, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, on the verge of tears.

Su Fu turned back to the table without a word, not in the mood for such things, and even if he were, he dared not. The demonic spirit was like a venomous snake, always ready to strike. If his mind was slightly disturbed, he might be overwhelmed by the demonic spirit, a feeling of walking on thin ice that the servant girl could not understand. The pleasure of intimacy was the perfect opportunity for the demonic spirit to take advantage, and he did not know how long this torment would last.

Seeing that Su Fu had no intention of showing affection, a hint of doubt flashed in Nuanyan's beautiful eyes. Was there really someone who could resist such beauty?

At this moment, he sensed someone approaching. The person had not yet arrived, but their voice came first, "Sister, I told you, how could Su Daoist be that kind of person? You didn't believe me, and now you've lost." The voice was filled with smugness.

Su Fu also heard it, initially puzzled, but then realized the situation, feeling both amused and exasperated. He turned to Nuanyan, bowing slightly, and said, "It turns out to be Senior Sister Yun. I almost fell for it just now. What a great performance, but why did you do this?"

He was also slightly surprised. Yun Xi had concealed her aura so well that he could not detect any abnormalities, a clear sign of the gap in their cultivation levels.

Ji Sui Feng laughed, "It's because you made a big impression today, making her unhappy. She wanted to test you. If you fell for it, she would come in to catch you red-handed, making you lose face."

Yun Xi huffed, "Why did you lie to me, saying your cultivation was only at the Qi Sensing stage? You almost tricked me. That demon was driven away by your single strike, which is not something a Qi Sensing cultivator can do."

She added, "I could have easily dealt with it, but you interfered and scared it away."

Su Fu understood, a bitter smile on his face. This was truly unexplainable. He apologized, "I didn't think that much at the time. I just felt it was the best moment to act. I'm truly sorry."

Seeing his apology, Yun Xi's stern expression softened, and she waved her hand, saying magnanimously, "Forget it, forget it. I, the immortal maiden, will forgive you. But you are truly impressive, able to resist such temptation, unlike someone else..."

"Cough..."

Ji Sui Feng's face turned awkward, perhaps recalling some embarrassing past.

Su Fu smiled inwardly, thinking Ji Sui Feng had some interesting stories. He curiously changed the topic, "Senior Sister Yun, when you transformed into Nuanyan, there was not a single flaw. What kind of magic is this?"

Ji Sui Feng looked at him gratefully, thinking he was a true friend.

Yun Xi, being straightforward, was quite pleased and shifted her attention, casting a spell again. The "Binding Spell" reappeared, wrapping around her, and she instantly changed her appearance.

Transforming into Nuanyan, she bowed coyly, "This servant, Nuanyan, greets Master Su."

Seeing this magical transformation, Su Fu was greatly amazed, "I have heard of your sect's 'Great Qing Transmutation Dragon Order,' but I didn't expect it to be used in such a way. It's truly eye-opening." While saying this, he was mentally repeating the spell's movements and the flow of spirit energy.

"Hehehe, this is something I created myself. No one else can imitate it," Yun Xi said, smiling like a child, and her words were indeed true.

Ji Sui Feng also looked proud, "My junior sister has only been in the sect for a short time, but she has great talent in cultivation. However, it's also thanks to her that our master often uses her to teach me. Sigh, I wonder who entered the sect first."

"Who makes you lazy all the time!" Yun Xi made a face, adding, "Last time, you even said that it was thanks to me that you got the chance to leave the mountain."

Ji Sui Feng was speechless, only able to laugh awkwardly.

Su Fu, seeing the carefree and playful interaction between the cultivators, smiled. Cultivators' mental states were very important, and they were most taboo against intense emotional fluctuations. Many cultivators had their foundations damaged by inner demons, and some even lost their lives.

The three then exchanged cultivation insights, greatly benefiting Su Fu. This was his first time having such a conversation with fellow cultivators, broadening his horizons and giving him some ideas about why he repeatedly failed to condense qi into a vortex.

PS: The New Year is approaching. In the new year, I wish all my readers and their families good health and all the best. Also, a request for a follow, thank you!