Chapter 77
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Chapter 77: Incredible Oddities
Nighttime is when Tianlai City is the liveliest, with people singing and dancing everywhere, filled with cheers and laughter, lost in a world enriched with luxury!
Dalong rarely has such a vibrant place; maybe because it’s small and overly crowded, people feel less distance between one another. Rather than being cold and indifferent, it’s better to be warm and spirited, and everyone huddles together for warmth.
Li Hui wandered as he walked, suddenly recalling what Sun Zhengyang had said to him.
“Child, look at these villagers in Shanghe Village, then look at us cultivators. The moment you opened your Spirit Motion mark, you became part of two clearly divided classes. As your cultivation improves, you will gradually elevate above them and no longer consider yourself one of them. Even if a high-level demon cultivator plays with the mortal world, whether for taking disciples or for cultivation, the key lies in the word ‘game.’ Mortals are mortals, and cultivators are cultivators; the two should not mix.”
“Uncle Sun is right. Cultivators are cultivators, and mortals are mortals; there is an essential difference. No matter how adept one is at disguising oneself, they cannot escape the realm of high-level cultivators playing in the world. The emphasis truly lies in the game!”
Cultivators have their own circles, and they would never mix with the townsfolk. Simultaneously, the existence of cultivators squeezed the space for ordinary people to live.
As Li Hui strolled from one place to another, he began feeling better, realizing he had overcomplicated the matter.
The ordinary townsfolk were submissive, lacking spirit, overly cautious, and only occasionally reacting to those with a bit of power or connections to cultivators. In short, their mental outlook was different; those with some support or strong character definitely lived slightly better.
Do not underestimate this; it is a dividing line, eliminating at least ninety percent of the common people.
When the moon reached its zenith and the music began to fade, after wandering the city five times, Li Hui was mentally sifting through various faces, eventually focusing on seven individuals.
“Seven targets, perhaps one of them is the person I seek!”
“Not far from the city gate, there is a blacksmith shop. The old craftsman who specializes in repairing blades is perceptive and possesses steady hands, able to sense approaching cultivators early. However, he intentionally keeps watch over the city gate and is likely a spy from a certain sect, recording the passing cultivators.”
“The owner of the Peaceful Inn greets everyone with a smile, but there’s a prideful air beneath it. He has never stepped outside the counter for anyone, and I can smell medicinal aura from him. Isn’t it strange that a recluse can’t even conceal the scent of medicine? Thus, he may be a cultivator avoiding enemies while recovering from injuries.”
“The third person is older, having adopted two children, and enjoys sitting outside playing a zither. If anyone resembles a recluse, this old man gives me the strongest impression. It seems he has witnessed the world’s vicissitudes, transforming into a carefree wanderer. His life seems to be left with only tolerance and a light-hearted attitude, laughing at the chaos of the world.”
Though Li Hui thought this way, he shook his head secretly: "No, something feels off. If he once possessed unparalleled medical skills, many would have sought him out. There’s no way he would make himself so visible. Acting like a recluse suggests an intention to inflate his worth, aiming to hook someone.”
“Being too obvious is a flaw; thus, I’ve already ruled out three people. That leaves four: one is a half-Old Xu, one is the physician at the local apothecary, and the last two are old men playing chess by candlelight.”
After careful consideration, Li Hui dismissed them one by one: “No, none of them. Are there others? The eighth person! Could he be disguised as a commoner but hiding within the cultivator circle? Wait, I feel like I’ve overlooked something.”
A flash of insight struck him, as if he had caught onto a certain thread.
“Environment, is it the environment?”
“I have focused too much on the people! I overlooked the environment. The plants near the Peaceful Inn are much more lush compared to elsewhere, and it’s not just abundant; many of these plants can be used for medicine while accommodating the five elements.”
Li Hui grinned, relieved to have such a wealth of knowledge backing him: “So many obscure medicinal herbs, this really is obscure! On the surface, they seem similar to the plants in Tianlai City, but in reality, they have been altered due to various factors to possess medicinal value.”
Not long after, he stood in front of the Peaceful Inn but did not enter. Instead, he walked a short distance to a tree that resembled a giant umbrella and sat in meditation beneath it.
This night, the moon shone brightly with sparse stars. Li Hui had planned to sit until morning to ask who cultivated these plants, but as soon as he sat down for a short while, he felt an intense heat spreading through his body.
“What’s happening? Is the spiritual energy gathering towards me? No, it’s not spiritual energy; it’s very fresh and gentle, a uniquely powerful medicinal energy.”
As he grew hotter, the pressure points occupied by the Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols began to burn. At that moment, an old man emerged from the back entrance of the inn.
The old man was frail, filled with energy, and had age spots dotting his temples. He took out a slender smoking pipe from his waist and casually plucked a few withered yellow leaves from the vines on the wall, stuffing them into his pipe before starting to smoke while eyeing Li Hui with curiosity.
“Senior! I….” Li Hui tried to rise to greet him, but he found his limbs weak. Not only could he not get up to pay his respects, but he slumped like a pile of mud, helplessly watching the old man come closer.
The old man squatted down, curiously poking Li Hui’s forehead with his smoking pipe. His eyes brightened and he began to inspect Li Hui closely, his gaze growing more intense.
Li Hui heard the old man muttering to himself, “Dragon Claw pattern, Dragon Body pattern, Dragon Horn pattern all appearing on the same person. When did the Jade Symbol Sect’s Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols become so powerful? Even if they absorbed Dragon Energy, it wouldn’t result in such a complete and remarkable transformation! However, the downside is very clear; it releases a lifetime of blessings, longevity, and fortune all at once. In the short term, it seems glorious, but when…”
“Eh?” The old man suddenly froze, seizing Li Hui’s ankle, his eyes shining with a hint of purple light, exclaiming, “What’s going on? Where is this mantra being injected from? This kid has done a good deed and earned merit, inadvertently establishing a foundation for the Saint Buddha, constantly replenishing blessings and fortune!”
“This really is incredible! A person who ought to be dead has survived and entered the medicinal aura of my medicinal King Five Elements Spirit Cauldron formation, absorbing over half of the medicinal aura from thirty years. That means he can live a few more months.”
The old man looked at Li Hui, finally regarding him seriously, “Listen well, you carry too many connections. The Golden Threshold Thirty-Six Symbols and the Myriad Form Purple Absolute God Symbol have undergone unpredictable changes. I am powerless to help you remove the talismans! So no matter who directed you to find me, the assistance you needed has already been granted while you sat under this tree.”
Li Hui took a deep breath, feeling a fiery pain inside, and spoke with great difficulty, “I have a question: how much longer can I live?”
“Hahaha!” The old man laughed, “You were supposed to live for just three more months. This was still thanks to you swallowing Dragon Energy and being stimulated by the immense vitality. Now that your body has been adjusted by my medicinal King Five Elements Spirit Cauldron formation, your lifespan has extended to six months. If within six months you open the sixth and seventh Spirit Motion marks, you can extend your life by another three months. Moreover, since you dared to cultivate a demon plant, if it is born, you can extend your life…”
