Chapter 27

Meanwhile, after fleeing, Yuan Ming first returned to his hiding place and then hurried to Toad Valley.

He stopped at the door of the first stone house in the valley, where the same named disciple who was lying on a chair reading a book was still inside.

"Zhao Tong, it's time to do business," Yuan Ming called out.

The person on the reclining chair heard the voice and slowly moved away from the book, revealing a round, fair, and slightly chubby face with thick eyebrows and round, bright eyes. He was not particularly handsome, but could be considered decent-looking.

Seeing that the visitor was Yuan Ming, a slight smile appeared on his face.

Yuan Ming had interacted with him a few times. Although they were not particularly close, they had become familiar with each other.

There were many named disciples in Toad Valley who did business, but they all had a haughty demeanor. Zhao Tong was relatively normal among them, but he was never lenient when it came to haggling with the fur slaves.

Perhaps because they were both from the Central Plains, Zhao Tong was relatively kind to Yuan Ming, so Yuan Ming usually came to him first when he had something to exchange.

"Hehe, these boar tusks are quite good. They seem to have contained spiritual energy, and are already suitable for forging low-grade magical weapons. What do you want to exchange for this time?" Zhao Tong asked.

"Earth Spike Technique," Yuan Ming replied without hesitation.

"You are really persistent... But rules are rules. The price I told you before cannot change. Have you saved enough?" Zhao Tong asked.

"It's all here," Yuan Ming nodded.

As he spoke, he began to take off the pair of wild boar tusks, remove two pouches from his waist, and take out two dark red stones and a withered, pale purple herb from his pocket.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong stood up and began to check the items Yuan Ming had placed on the table.

After a careful inspection, he nodded in satisfaction and said, "Not bad, everything is complete. To be honest, I thought it would take you at least six months to gather these things, but you managed to do it in less than three months."

"I urgently need the Earth Spike Technique and can't wait six months," Yuan Ming said.

The struggles over the past period had made him fully realize the inadequacy of his strength.

Facing fierce beasts might be manageable, but when conflicts arose with other fur slaves, Yuan Ming always felt that he lacked effective means and was in great danger.

Especially after offending the people from the Green Wolf Gang, his situation would become even more perilous.

He had learned from Zhao Tong that cultivators at the Qi Condensation stage could also learn some spells, and the Earth Spike Technique was a relatively easy-to-learn, low-level offensive spell for Qi Condensation cultivators, with its power depending on the user's mana.

Of course, these spells could only be comprehended by joining the Bi Luo Cave as a named disciple. However, for profit, some named disciples would secretly copy them and exchange them with fur slaves, but the price was usually high.

"Alright, here is the copy of the Earth Spike Technique. You have one hour to memorize it," Zhao Tong took out a thin white book from his pocket and casually threw it to Yuan Ming.

"Can't I take it with me?" Yuan Ming frowned and asked.

"What are you thinking? If I let you take the copy, you could learn it and then sell it to others. How would I do business in the future?" Zhao Tong said with a sneer.

"Fair enough," Yuan Ming nodded.

With that, he opened the book and began to read it carefully.

Zhao Tong's voice came to his ears, "If you have any questions during this hour, you can ask me anytime."

The sound of pages turning filled the air, but Yuan Ming did not react to his words, as if he had not heard them at all, which made Zhao Tong somewhat displeased.

Before he could sit back on the reclining chair, Yuan Ming had already closed the book, stood there with his eyes closed, and began to recite the spell silently.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked at Zhao Tong, asking, "The technique says that when using this spell, one needs to channel mana into the ground and connect with the earth's energy. Does this mean one must touch the ground with their hands?"

Zhao Tong was taken aback for a moment before answering, "Oh... Yes, there are three stages to using the Earth Spike Technique. Initially, when the spell is not yet proficient, it is best to touch the ground with your hands to shorten the casting time. This is the most efficient way. When the spell reaches a certain level, you won't need to use your hands; you can connect with the ground by stepping on it."

"Then, when the spell is fully mastered, can one release mana and use the Earth Spike Technique even while in the air by forming seals?" Yuan Ming asked after a brief pause.

"Correct. However, this requires sufficient mana and a high level of proficiency with the spell," Zhao Tong nodded.

"Understood, thank you," Yuan Ming said, bowing.

"You can ask more questions if you have any," Zhao Tong said with a self-satisfied smile.

"No more questions," Yuan Ming said calmly and then returned the Earth Spike Technique book.

Zhao Tong was puzzled by Yuan Ming's action and asked, "What, not going to read it anymore?"

"I've already memorized it. I don't have any questions for now. If I have any doubts, I'll have to discover them during practice," Yuan Ming nodded and said.

"The Earth Spike Technique is only about three thousand words, and you've memorized it in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea?" Zhao Tong asked, somewhat disbelieving.

"I have memorized it," Yuan Ming affirmed.

The Earth Spike Technique was only a secret technique, much simpler than the Nine Yuan Decree.

"Can you memorize things at a glance?" Zhao Tong asked, puzzled.

"I have a naturally good memory," Yuan Ming said, bowing and then left.

Zhao Tong watched his retreating back with increased interest. The ability to memorize things at a glance was not a particularly impressive skill for cultivators, but those who couldn't do it simply couldn't, and it could be considered a natural talent.

"Brother Yuan."

Just as Yuan Ming walked out of the valley entrance, he was called by someone.

A person jumped down from a large rock nearby and walked over.

"Ulu, is there something you need?" Yuan Ming asked, somewhat surprised upon recognizing the person.

They rarely interacted, and Yuan Ming couldn't think of why Ulu would seek him out at this time.

"Did you kill someone from the Green Wolf Gang?" Ulu asked straightforwardly.

"There was a conflict, and I injured one. How... did that person die?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning in confusion.

"Dead. When they mentioned a person from the Central Plains, I guessed it was you," Ulu grinned, not caring about the person's death.

"Them?" Yuan Ming asked, puzzled.

"I joined the Green Wolf Gang," Ulu admitted frankly.

"So, are you here to capture me?" Yuan Ming's gaze sharpened as he asked.

"I'm here to advise you," Ulu shook his head.

"Advise me?"

"I told them I came to persuade you to join the Green Wolf Gang. I know your character, and you won't agree. So I'm just here to give you a heads-up and advise you to be more cautious," Ulu said with a smile.

Yuan Ming was somewhat surprised by this.

"Surprised? This is also a way to repay your past kindness," Ulu asked and then answered himself.

"I'll accept your kindness then," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

"After I return, they will likely issue a bounty on you. According to their style, anyone who reports your whereabouts will be free from harassment by the Green Wolf Gang and might even receive their protection. Your situation won't be good," Ulu continued.

"Understood," Yuan Ming nodded, not surprised.

"If I'm not mistaken, the one who will be sent to hunt you down will be Bai Yin, a bald, fierce-looking man who recently broke through to the third level of Qi Condensation. He is one of the top experts among the fur slaves in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Don't underestimate him," Ulu said.

"Understood, thank you," Yuan Ming nodded, bowing.

Ulu's smile gradually faded, and he said seriously, "Brother Yuan, I can only help you this much. If we meet again, we might be enemies, although I don't wish to be your enemy."

Yuan Ming paused, then nodded.

Ulu left first, and Yuan Ming also left Toad Valley, returning to his hiding place.

After returning to the cave, Yuan Ming immediately began to practice the Earth Spike Technique.

...

Half a month later, in a sparsely wooded area.

Yuan Ming was crouching, one hand on the ground, the other forming a seal, and a thread of mana flowed into the ground from his palm.

A bright light flashed in his eyes, and he shouted, "Rise!"

As he spoke, about five feet away, a yellow, sharp stone spike suddenly emerged from the ground, as sharp as a dagger.

The stone spike was as thick as a child's arm, about a foot long, and its tip gleamed with a metallic luster, indicating its hardness and sharpness.

Yuan Ming wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled.

After this period of practice, the distance he could use the Earth Spike Technique had extended several times from the initial few feet, and its sharpness and hardness had improved significantly, which he found quite satisfying.

"This Earth Spike Technique is not difficult to practice, but it consumes a lot of mana. Continuous use would likely deplete my mana. I need to improve my cultivation," Yuan Ming muttered to himself.

At that moment, his ears twitched, and he suddenly turned his head, shouting, "Who's there?"

As he spoke, rustling sounds came from all around, and five figures appeared, surrounding him.

"Good kid, you're hard to find," one of them stepped forward and shouted.

He had a bald head and a broad face, exuding a fierce aura. Yuan Ming immediately recognized him as Bai Yin, the one Ulu had mentioned.

Yuan Ming frowned and immediately put on an ape skin, using the Fur Transformation Technique to transform into a white ape.

"I advise you not to start a fight. I don't want to kill anyone," Yuan Ming said.

Bai Yin laughed, unafraid, and said, "Just because you killed that useless Zaha, you think you're someone? If I don't bring your head back today, I don't deserve to be the deputy leader of the Green Wolf Gang."

With that, he also put on an animal skin and used the Fur Transformation Technique.

His body swelled slightly, and long, dense fur began to grow on his body. His forehead became wider, his eyes smaller and rounder, his nose flatter and blunter, and his hands and feet grew sharp, hard claws.

The most striking feature was the two-foot-wide strip of white fur running from his head to his back, making him look as if he were wearing a silver-white cloak.

...

Friendship recommendation: "Cultivation: Three Thousand Transformations," a fantasy romance novel by a friend in the main group. The language is humorous, and the plot is novel. If you like it, you can check it out. ^^