Volume 3 Chapter 5

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Volume 3 Chapter 5: Surprise

"Martial Nephew Xu, you’ve been away for only a year, how are you back already?"

Just as Xu Qingfan landed the "Nimbus Cloud" in front of the "Herb Garden," a hoarse, old voice came from the courtyard.

Xu Qingfan was momentarily taken aback when he heard these words, then he gently pushed open the slightly ajar door of the "Herb Garden" and cheerfully called to an elderly man tidying up the plants, "I’ve been away for a year, and others complain I’ve been gone too long. But only you, Martial Uncle Liu, think my time away was too short." He was very familiar with the elder, so he was quite casual in his manner.

The elder’s face was full of wrinkles, dotted with age spots, and his skin had a pale, ashy tone. Although he was originally tall, time had whittled him down to a small, hunched figure. Nearly all of his hair had fallen out, giving him an air of profound age, much older than any elder Xu Qingfan had ever seen before.

This elder was Liu Huaxiang, the caretaker of the "Herb Garden". At the moment, he was dressed like a gardener, squatting down to tend to the plants. Despite his appearance being incredibly aged, his spirit was vibrant, and his hands steady while handling the plants. Although the wind was fierce at the top of Jiuhua Mountain, he only wore a simple linen garment. Noticing Xu Qingfan’s arrival, he turned to him with a warm smile, his face kind and affectionate like a loving elder would greet a dear young relative, showing none of the strange temperament the outside world spoke of.

According to Yue Qingru, Martial Uncle Liu was already nine hundred years old, but Xu Qingfan always thought he seemed far older. Even though people like Zhang Hualing Xiao Huazhe were older in age, their appearances were much younger, their skills evenly matched. However, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but notice the profound sense of time-worn experience in Martial Uncle Liu’s occasional expressions and gazes, deeper than anyone else he had seen before. Nevertheless, since Martial Uncle Liu’s background was well known and he had joined much later than Xu Qingfan’s master Lu Huayan, Xu Qingfan’s doubt about his age would quickly fade.

Compared to its rundown exterior, the inside of the "Herb Garden" was even more disorganized. In the middle of the courtyard sat a dilapidated house, clearly Liu Huaxiang’s usual abode. Flowers of vibrant, strange, or plain appearances densely filled the courtyard, but the specific medicinal herbs the "Herb Garden" was supposed to grow were scarce.

"Once you go down the mountain, of course, you should enjoy a longer time. Although Jiuhua Mountain’s scenery is beautiful, after so many years, even the most beautiful view would become monotonous. Besides, constant meditation is tiring. Going down the mountain to relax for a few years is good for the mind, especially since we cultivators have plenty of time. Besides, you were only gone a year; how many rare flowers and exotic plants could you gather?" Liu Huaxiang eyed Xu Qingfan carefully, a peculiar glint in his eyes as if he noticed something odd, yet he continued to smile warmly.

Liu Huaxiang’s words, if heard by other cultivators, might not be seen as rebellion, but they would surely be shocking. For cultivators, the path to longevity is long and arduous. As one progresses, each step becomes harder, making practice time precious. Who would dare to say "a few years of relaxation could be good" like the elder?

Sometimes, Xu Qingfan felt that this peculiar Martial Uncle Liu looked upon him differently not just because of their shared interest in rare flora but also because their attitudes towards cultivation held some similarities.

"I actually thought about spending a few more years exploring down the mountain," Xu Qingfan explained with a smile, "but with the Newcomer Comparison by the six Holy Lands coming up, I needed to return early to prepare."

When Liu Huaxiang heard Xu Qingfan mention the "Newcomer Comparison," a strange look flickered in his eyes. He slowly said, "Oh, that’s right, Martial Nephew Xu, you will be participating in the Newcomer Comparison in two years. I had almost forgotten about that. However, this Newcomer Comparison might be quite interesting as many old friends, who haven’t been around for a while, may show up to join the fun."

As Liu Huaxiang spoke, there was an unmistakable tone of sarcasm in his voice.

Xu Qingfan frowned slightly upon hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, sensing there might be another meaning behind them. But he knew that since Martial Uncle Liu hadn’t said anything directly, it meant he didn’t wish to elaborate. So Xu Qingfan didn’t ask further. Instead, he inquired, "From what Martial Uncle Liu said, will you also be attending the Newcomer Competition in two years?"

Liu Huaxiang shook his head, saying, "I’m old and not able to move around much anymore. It’s better to stay safe and sound within the sect. Besides, perhaps those old friends might come to Jiuhua Gate to visit me." As he spoke, the elder seemed unwilling to continue on this topic and turned to ask Xu Qingfan, "Martial Nephew Xu, have you resolved all your earthly matters during this trip down the mountain? Did you remember to collect the seeds of rare plants for me?"

Seeing that Liu Huaxiang was changing the topic, Xu Qingfan didn’t press further. Instead, he smiled and laid out the seeds of rare plants he had collected over the past year from the Southern Wasteland and various parts of Middle-earth, explaining each one’s name and characteristics to Liu Huaxiang.

"These are the seeds of the Mud Fruit, which I gathered in the Hengshan County of Middle-earth. The fruit grows to about the size of a fist, with a grayish hue. When it splits open, it releases a milky white sap with a very strong stickiness."

"These are the seeds of the Exotic Qin King Banyan. When it matures, it has many branches, and when the wind blows through them, it produces various sounds that can enchant creatures within a mile. It’s quite rare."

"These are the seeds of Saw Grass, which I collected in the Southern Wasteland. The edges of its blades are serrated, even sharper than Blade Grass. Once a person or animal is cut by it, they experience a strong numbing sensation that lasts for several days."

"These are the seeds of the Spirit Gathering Grass, extremely rare. It can autonomously gather and absorb the heavenly spirit energy and the essence of the sun and moon. I obtained it from a marketplace. If planted around a cave dwelling, it will greatly increase the concentration of spirit energy in the area."

…

When Xu Qingfan laid out the seeds of the rare flowers and exotic plants he had collected over the past year in front of Liu Huaxiang and explained their characteristics, the surprise in Liu Huaxiang’s previously calm eyes grew stronger. When Xu Qingfan took out the seed of the Chomper, Liu Huaxiang snatched it from him, examining it with great interest, as if he couldn’t bear to part with it.

Seeing Liu Huaxiang look like he had found a delightful toy, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but feel amused and said, "Martial Uncle Liu, could you kindly help me plant more Spirit Gathering Grass, so I can later transplant it around my abode to increase the Spirit Qi?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s request, Liu Huaxiang looked up in surprise and asked, "Haven’t you mastered ‘The Formula of Wither and Flourish’? Why do you need me to plant Spirit Gathering Grass? Can’t you just create some yourself?"

Xu Qingfan explained with a wry smile, "It’s not that simple. ‘The Formula of Wither and Flourish’ can indeed conjure all kinds of plants for my use, but to keep them existing, I must continuously infuse them with Spirit Qi. If I stop, these plants immediately fade into nothingness. Creating Spirit Gathering Grass myself would be a heavy burden to sustain daily, so it’s better to transplant some."

After hearing Xu Qingfan’s explanation, Liu Huaxiang remarked with an understanding tone, "I see, I always wondered if ‘The Formula of Wither and Flourish’ could endlessly create all kinds of plants, it would be truly marvelous. It seems there are many limitations after all."

Xu Qingfan nodded and said, "Indeed, although ‘The Formula of Wither and Flourish’ is quite wonderful, executing it consumes a great deal of Spirit Qi."

Then, Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang continued discussing various rare flowers and exotic plants, from the Southern Wasteland to the East Sea, from the Arctic to the Western Desert. They explored plants from all over the world. Both were very interested in the topic, so time passed unnoticed as they talked, and they were unaware.

When Xu Qingfan noticed the fading sunlight, he paused in surprise, realizing that evening was approaching unnoticed. He slightly bowed to Liu Huaxiang and said, "It’s getting late, and I should be going back."

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Liu Huaxiang realized it was getting late. This time, he didn’t respond to Xu Qingfan but nodded slightly and said calmly, "Yes, it’s getting late, and it’s time to teach you how to refine the lingering demonic energy within you."

Startled by Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan asked in disbelief, "Are you saying I still have demonic energy lingering within me?"

As he spoke, Xu Qingfan quickly circulated the two qi of Wither and Flourish within himself but found nothing amiss. However, Xu Qingfan knew that Liu Huaxiang’s skills far surpassed his own and that he wasn’t aware of Xu Qingfan’s experiences over the past year. So, if Liu Huaxiang said he had lingering demonic energy, it must be true, just that Xu Qingfan couldn’t detect it with his current abilities.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s question, Liu Huaxiang nodded, confirming it, but unlike Xu Qingfan, he showed no tension and smiled as he asked, "Did Martial Nephew Xu encounter a demon cultivator this time down the mountain? Or was it the ‘Nine Demon Bead’?"

"It was the ‘Nine Demon Bead,’" Xu Qingfan said with a wry smile.

Seeing Liu Huaxiang’s relaxed expression, Xu Qingfan felt slightly less anxious, knowing Liu Huaxiang likely had a solution. Because it concerned Ting’er, Xu Qingfan hadn’t planned to share his experiences since descending the mountain, but since Liu Huaxiang had already noticed the lingering demonic energy within him, which also concerned his own safety, and Xu Qingfan knew that Liu Huaxiang wouldn’t care about Ting’er’s situation, he recounted his experiences to Liu Huaxiang in detail.

As Xu Qingfan recounted his story, Liu Huaxiang listened silently, his eyes calm and serene. Only when Xu Qingfan mentioned Xuanmoda did a slight ripple appear in Liu Huaxiang’s gaze.

After Xu Qingfan finished his experience, Liu Huaxiang nodded slightly and said, "Demonic energy is formed from the gathering of the world’s malevolent energy; it is the most elusive. Demon cultivators can often cause great havoc in the cultivation world with just a few people’s power. The demonic energy they cultivate is not so simple. It should have left some demonic energy in you when Naxiu’s sword, transformed from the demonic energy, injured your body. Later, when you were examining Ting’er’s condition, some of your Spirit Qi was further eroded by the demonic energy. Although you refined most of the demonic energy later, some still remained, but the amount was too small for you to notice. As a result, there are now two traces of demonic energy within you-one corroding your body and the other corroding your Spirit Qi. Right now, the amount is too small for you to detect, but by the time you do notice it, your mind may already be controlled by the demonic energy."

After saying this, Liu Huaxiang looked up at Xu Qingfan, noticing that although Xu Qingfan’s face showed a hint of fear, his expression remained calm and collected. Liu Huaxiang nodded approvingly and continued, "But there’s no need to panic. The demonic energy will take several years to affect you significantly. I’ll teach you a cultivation method to refine foreign energies within you. Practice it once before and after meditation each day, and you should be safe within a few months."

"Thank you very much, Martial Uncle Liu," Xu Qingfan felt assured after hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words. He bowed deeply to Liu Huaxiang and said gratefully.

Liu Huaxiang waved his hand dismissively and said, "It’s nothing, just a small favor. Besides, this cultivation method isn’t particularly profound. Consider it my thanks for you collecting those rare flower seeds for me." With that, Liu Huaxiang carefully explained the cultivation method to Xu Qingfan.

After finishing the explanation, Liu Huaxiang made sure once more that Xu Qingfan had understood everything clearly. When Xu Qingfan gave a positive answer, a slight expression of relief appeared on Liu Huaxiang’s face. He then seemed to remember something and said, "Wait a moment."

Saying this, Liu Huaxiang turned and slowly walked towards his shabby room. After a long while, he came out holding a three-foot-long staff-like object in his hand. It exuded a strong aura of wood and fire and was wrapped in a broad yellow cloth, concealing its true form.

After reaching Xu Qingfan’s side, Liu Huaxiang handed the staff-like object to him with a smile and said, "This is for you. It may be of great use to you."