Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
“Miss Yi is truly formidable to master the Five-elemental Lightning Dharma at such a young age.” Jia Huairen hurriedly praised her. “And what about this fellow Daoist? “I had heard of a fellow Daoist named Qin Yun that helped a renowned courtesan at Swallow Phoenix Brothel named Lady Chen Shuang a couple days ago. Was that you?”
“It was me. You sure are well-informed,” said Qin Yun.
“Lady Chen Shuang is indeed extraordinary. For her to inspire the great scholar Yu Bai to write ‘Ode to Chen Shuang’, it is no wonder a cultivator like you would be smitten by her,” said Jia Huairen with a smile.
“She is my younger sister,” said Qin Yun.
“Your sister is a courtesan?” Jia Huairen was astonished.
Qin Yun frowned. Looking at Yi Xiao, he understood what Jia Huairen was thinking. He nodded and said, “She’s my younger sister, so what? Is there anything wrong?”
“No, none at all. I was just being curious.” Jia Huairen said immediately. “Miss Yi is proficient in the Five-elemental Lightning Dharma, so what about you?”
“Sword techniques.” Qin Yun could not be bothered explaining deeper.
Out of the three members of the expedition, Jia Huairen was the one that was least worth mentioning. Only his demonic servant was somewhat of use.
“Oh? Sword techniques?” Jia Huairen only felt contempt for Qin Yun when he heard that. Typically, only people who had yet to knock open the gate of immortality would use sword and sabers to fight. Once they knocked open the gate of immortality, they would cultivate in immortal techniques such as Dharma spells or talisman amulets, etc. Conversely, they would attempt to obtain a Dharma artifact. Very few would continue engaging in melee combat.
“What about you?” Yi Xiao asked Jia Huairen.
The corners of Jia Huairen curved up as he conjured a simple seal, causing the curved blade by his waist to fly up and float in front of him. The curved blade suffused a nether green glow. Jia Huairen said with a smile, “This is a Dharma artifact I chanced upon. I have used poisonous magus techniques to consecrate it. Typical demons would instantly be poisoned to death by something as simple as receiving a scuff on their skin.”
“Magus?” Yi Xiao was astonished.
Presently, the Daoist and Buddhist schools of cultivation were considered orthodox. The magus lineage had long been forsaken. Some of the Dharmic formulations could still be found in Daoist and Buddhist schools of cultivation. However, it was true that magus techniques were indeed difficult to deal with.
Yi Xiao was very astonished. She had thought nothing of Jia Huairen but from the looks of it, he had a few tricks up his sleeve.
“Uncle Qian is an old servant of my family.” Jia Huairen said confidently, “In a radius of five kilometers, any living aura cannot evade Uncle Qian’s detection. Just his strength alone is something none of the nineteen demon leaders under the water god can match.”
“I only have a sharper nose that aids me in detecting the living aura of others,” said the thin elder humbly.
“On our trip to Green Tooth Mountain,” Yi Xiao said, “There will be numerous demons. We will definitely need Elder Qian’s help to detect and avoid the demons.”
Jia Huairen hurriedly said, “That’s right. Green Tooth Mountain has many demons but with Uncle Qian, we can readily find the easiest path. Furthermore, Uncle Qian will be able to easily finish typical demons.”
…
Qin Yun was watching Jia Huairen flaunt his means by the side.
According to his experience, only greenhorn cultivators or cultivators that had never suffered any setbacks would flaunt themselves in such a superficial manner. For instance, the Dharma artifact that Jia Huairen was so proud of… Qin Yun thought nothing of it. A strike from his sword would shatter it directly! As long as it was not an Dharma treasure, it would take no more than five strikes to destroy anything even if it was of extraordinary quality.
“Yes, it’s difficult to enter the Connate realm.” Jia Huairen said wistfully. “Although I had knocked open the gate of immortality at the age of sixteen, I have still failed to step into the Connate realm after twenty years. I don’t even want to marry a wife so as to dedicate myself to cultivation so that I can step into the Connate realm as soon as possible.”
“Don’t even want to marry a wife?” Qin Yun deliberately commented, “Fellow Daoist Jia should be from the Jia family of the Heightened province of Grand Dominance County, right? Fellow Daoist Jia’s thirty-six concubines are quite well-known in Grand Dominance County.”
Jia Huairen’s expression immediately changed as he hurriedly looked at Yi Xiao. Simultaneously, he quickly said with a smile, “Haha, they are only concubines. They aren’t worth mentioning. Many of them were given by friends and I had no choice but to take them in. If I refused them, it would be disrespecting my friends. In fact, I have only seen many of them only once. Furthermore, cultivation needs one to experience secular affairs. They are only mortals and in a few decades, they might even return to the land. Only cultivators like us share the same fate.”
Qin Yun did not speak further.
However, Jia Huairen thought irritatedly to himself, “This Qin Yun is deliberately spoiling my plans.”
******
That night, the county governor held a banquet.
After the banquet, Jia Huairen led his demonic servant, Uncle Qian back to his residence.
“Bam.” When Jia Huairen sat down, he slammed his hand angrily, sending the cups and teapots on the tea table beside him to fly and crash to the ground.
“Damn you, Qin Yun! How dare you spoil my plans?” Jia Huairen had anger depicted all over his face.
Instead, Uncle Qian said, “Huairen, you should not have deliberately disgusted that Qin Yun. After all, all of you will be heading for Green Tooth Mountain in the future. You need to help and support each other.”
“What do you know?” Jia Huairen said with a frown. “That Miss Yi is from a large sect. If I can become Dao partners with her, I will obtain numerous benefits. I might even have a chance at stepping into the Connate realm. This is what is most important to me.”
“Become Dao partners with her?” Uncle Qian was startled. “It’s already known that you have thirty-six concubines and you still hope of becoming Dao partners with Miss Yi?”
“Why? Can’t I?” Jia Huairen scoffed. “Those concubines of mine are mortals. Added together, they aren’t even worth a finger of Miss Yi’s. Furthermore, they are only concubines. I have yet to marry a wife!”
Jia Huairen thought nothing of those mortal girls. He had always wished to marry a female cultivator.
“It’s naturally good if you can marry her.” The old demonic servant nodded his head slightly. “It’s also helpful for your cultivation. It’s just that it’s probably not easy to stir Miss Yi’s heart.”
“Hmph, from the way I see it, she probably isn’t that old.” Jia Huairen said with a smile. “So what if she’s a female cultivator? She’s still a woman. It’s even possible that she spends most of her days cultivating, making her ignorant of the birds and the bees. She might be even easier to court. Once she falls into my hands and become mine, hehe…”
The demonic old servant did not say a thing.
It was because he did not understand relationships between men and women as well.
“People like us from tiny sects only have superficial Dharmic formulations to cultivate in. At best, we would reach the Connate False Core realm. Many Dharmic spells and talisman amulets are incomplete. The poison magus consecration formulations you found was something chanced upon by you but it is also incomplete.” Jia Huairen growled, “Incomplete, incomplete, incomplete! The Dharmic spells that are complete are also very shallow.”
Dharmic formulations, money, companionship, and land.
What tiny sects and itinerant cultivators lacked the most were Dharmic formulations.
“My strength isn’t much either. I can’t find better Dharmic formulations for you.” Uncle Qian said with a dejected sigh.
When Jia Huairen saw this, he hurriedly said, “Uncle Qian, you have already helped me immensely. If not for you, I’ll probably not have learned any cultivation formulations.”
“As for Miss Yi, she might not stay in Grand Dominance County for long. I have to grab this opportunity during this period of time. And now, only that Qin Yun is my rival.” Jia Huairen scoffed. “Hmph, he has already knocked open the gate of immortality and he’s still proficient with sword techniques?”
Jia Huairen was feeling somewhat disgruntled.
“Master, Master.” A voice came from outside as a guard quickly came in.
“What’s the matter? What’s the matter?” Jia Huairen frowned.
The guard immediately said, “Master, you did not go to the Courtesan Belle selection today. Sixth Brother and I had gone to watch it. At today’s selection, there was an attack by three demons.”
“Three demons? Aren’t they just sending themselves to their deaths?” Jia Huairen was surprised. “Tell me in detail.”
“We saw very clearly that the three demons were first struck by three bolts of lightning. One of the demons died on the spot! Later on, crossbow arrows were launched from the cruise liner. It was said to be from Demon Annihilation Crossbows! With several Demon Annihilation Crossbows launching their arrows, another demon died. Finally, the last demon was apparently a rhinoceros demon. It was as tall as a house! Even the Demon Annihilation Crossbows could not damage its hide.”
“Oh?” By the side, Uncle Qian was taken aback.
“Its hide could not be penetrated? It managed to withstand attacks from Demon Annihilation Crossbows?” Jia Huairen was also shocked. “What happened next?”
“Then, a stream of light flew over at an extremely fast speed. The figure within slashed out with a sword, slaying that rhinoceros demon.” The guard continued, “I later heard that the person who slew the rhinoceros demon with one strike was Second Young Master Qin Yun from Grand Dominance County’s Qin Manor.”
Jia Huairen’s expression changed as his throat went hoarse. “Slew with one strike? Qin Yun?”
Uncle Qian, who was standing by the side, was also astonished. “One strike?”
“Yes, one strike.” The guard hurriedly said. “That rhinoceros demon was powerful. Even the Demon Annihilation Crossbows could not penetrate its hide. However, Second Young Master Qin was able to split the rhinoceros demon into two with one strike.”
“You are dismissed.” Jia Huairen waved his hands quickly.
The guard was somewhat perplexed but he retreated submissively.
Jia Huairen looked at the old demonic servant beside him and said, “Uncle Qian, are you that Second Young Master Qin’s match?”
“To not suffer any injury under the attacks of Demon Annihilation Crossbows, that rhinoceros demon’s body is not weaker than mine.” Uncle Qian frowned and said, “Of course, I’m not the ablest when it comes to the physical body. However, I estimate that the rhinoceros demon has the strength of ordinary demon leaders. Even if I want to kill it, I would need about ten strikes! However, that Second Young Master Qin used only one strike. That’s somewhat inconceivable. After all, how can one split such a powerful body into two with one strike?”
“Uncle Qian, even you are not his match?” Jia Huairen panicked.
He knew that Uncle Qian was the biggest crutch he had! Among cultivators, he was one of the most ordinary ones of the bunch. As for Uncle Qian, he was a lot stronger. Even the great demon known as the water god had invited him to join him several times. None of the nineteen demon leaders was Uncle Qian’s match. It was precisely because of Uncle Qian that he had a chance to embark on his cultivation path and come so far.
“It’s hard to tell without fighting him. I do not have any confidence as well.” Uncle Qian reminded him, “However, Huairen, this Second Young Master Qin is not one you should offend. Your present strength is not sufficient to withstand a single strike from him. You cannot be his enemy.”
“I’m presently not his enemy either, nor can I even steel my heart to be his enemy. We are all from Grand Dominance County, so why should we be enemies?” Jia Huairen hurriedly said, “As for Miss Yi, she’s a quiet and modest maiden that is perfect for a gentleman’s mate. I’m also sincerely courting her. Everyone will be competing fairly!”
However, Uncle Qian said, “Huairen, it might even be possible that Young Master Qin does not even care about a competition.”
