Chapter Thirty-Five: First, Collect Three Groups

Chapter Thirty-Five: First, Capture the Three Clusters

Whoosh—

The gale roared, and wind-blown sand stung Fang Junmei’s face like needles. Though he stood at the outermost edge, it seemed as if the storm could sweep away a novice cultivator like him, teetering on the threshold of the Immortal Path, forcing him to stagger as his magical power surged to stabilize his body.

The closer he pressed forward, the more his body trembled. Fang Junmei’s eyes flashed with sharp light as he tested the might of the newly learned Gravity Technique. Once enacted, his magic coursed downward through his meridians like a swirling vortex, generating a heavy force that anchored him against the wind, preventing any wind-based attacks from blowing him away. The faster the vortex spun, the greater the downward force.

Step by step.

He moved forward.

Reaching the edge of the ghostly storm, Fang Junmei finally felt assured—he sensed no threat of being swept away. Now, he could boldly venture into the tempest.

Retracting his power, he dispelled the Gravity Technique.

Whoosh!

The wind swept him up, and Fang Junmei entered the storm, spinning upward with the gale, rising higher and higher. Soon, he surpassed the altitude of the three clusters of wind-shadow sand, the skin exposed to the abrasive wind growing ever more painful, blood spots appearing densely.

He hurriedly activated the Light Shield Technique. Sword energy condensed around him, forming a white membrane that enveloped his body. Then, he gradually channeled more power, invoking the Gravity Technique once more, sinking downward to align with the nearest wind-shadow sand cluster.

Within the fierce storm, Fang Junmei sought equilibrium.

For a seasoned wanderer such as himself, it was not too difficult.

Soon enough,

Fang Junmei leveled himself with the first cluster of wind-shadow sand, directing his power to perform the Sky Dance Technique, approaching the cluster.

He managed to wield several techniques simultaneously, multitasking with ease—something a novice untempered by the world’s trials could never hope to achieve.

A hundred yards.

Fifty yards.

Thirty yards.

Closer and closer.

Swish—

Sensing danger, the wind-shadow sand cluster reacted with uncanny agility, darting skyward as if alive.

“Where do you think you’re going? Get back here!”

Fang Junmei stretched out his right hand; a spiral of white sword energy storm whirled in his palm, drawing the wind-shadow sand toward him. The storm was not large but spun rapidly—so quickly that even the ghostly wind could not disperse it, only weaken it.

Another newly learned elementary spell: Palm Wind.

Yet the wind-shadow sand was swift and nimble, slipping his grasp again and again, his efforts wasted and his magic drained.

Panting, Fang Junmei wiped sweat from his brow, then drew his peachwood sword, unleashing a move from the Netherworld Ghost Rain Sword Technique called "Mysteries Unseen."

The peachwood sword flew from his hand—not to pursue the cluster head-on, but to intercept it from the side. Fang Junmei, meanwhile, activated the Three-Breath Divine Stone, unwilling to drag things out further.

The moment the stone was activated, every movement outside slowed.

Fang Junmei fixed his gaze on the wind-shadow sand, carefully observing its evasive maneuvers. Though the cluster moved swiftly, with the aid of the Three-Breath Divine Stone, Fang Junmei discerned its movements clearly.

The wind-shadow sand rode the wind, accelerating, refusing to give the peachwood sword a chance to intercept—like a mischievous child, oblivious to imminent peril.

Swish!

With a dodge, the cluster swept toward the storm’s edge.

At this moment, Fang Junmei directed the peachwood sword to arc diagonally, cleverly and precisely appearing above the cluster. The broad blade struck downward.

Bang!

A muffled thud—the wind-shadow sand was caught squarely, as if offering itself up. It shot toward Fang Junmei, yellow light trailing like a rainbow.

Before the sword struck, Fang Junmei had already dispelled most of the Gravity Technique, lunging in that direction, joy glimmering in his eyes.

The wind-shadow sand responded quickly, seeing a blockade above and a pursuer below, attempting to dart sideways—but alas, it was too late.

Snap!

Fang Junmei seized it.

The sequence of actions was so smooth it was uncanny, the brilliance of it breathtaking. Without the aid of the Three-Breath Divine Stone, most cultivators—even if their flying sword was fast enough—would not be able to keep up with the shifting direction of the wind-shadow sand.

The sensation of holding the wind-shadow sand was peculiar—like a living mass of cotton, wriggling in his palm, weightless, and somewhat feverish.

With the cluster in hand, Fang Junmei laughed heartily, wasting no time as he stuffed it into his storage pouch.

...

Suppressing his excitement, Fang Junmei descended to pursue the remaining two clusters below.

Soon, his expression turned ashen as if he’d seen a ghost.

If the previous cluster simply followed the ghostly storm out of ignorance of Fang Junmei’s prowess, these two, having witnessed his methods, no longer moved with the storm but darted randomly in all directions, leaving no blind spots.

Even with the Three-Breath Divine Stone, if the clusters changed direction too quickly, he could see it, but the peachwood sword could not intercept in time.

Here, Fang Junmei finally understood the difficulty of capturing wind-shadow sand.

After a lengthy chase, not only did he fail to capture the two clusters, but he also depleted much of his magical power, forcing him to land and rest.

Attempt.

Fail!

Attempt.

Fail again!

Fang Junmei, stubborn as an ox refusing to turn back until he hits a wall, was determined to capture both clusters.

Days passed. Though the two clusters eluded him, his execution of "Mysteries Unseen" gradually improved, reaching a speed where, unless he used the Three-Breath Divine Stone, neither his eyes nor spiritual sense could keep up.

On the eighteenth night, laughter—bright and joyous—finally echoed once again.

The second cluster was captured at last, marking Fang Junmei’s sword technique had crossed a threshold, surpassing the wind-shadow sand.

Once past this threshold, Fang Junmei easily took the third cluster.

Thus, the three clusters of wind-shadow sand from the latest ghost wind were collected by Fang Junmei.

Only now did he allow himself to rest.

Dragging his weary body back to the yellow grasslands at the junction of Ghost Desert and Sunset Mountains, Fang Junmei lay on his back, drinking wine as he admired the desert sky.

Night in the Ghost Desert was far more enchanting than day.

With sand swirling in the sky, the moon and stars shimmered as if floating in a flowing river, their light glimmering like the celestial river—a scene that captivated the soul.

...

Gazing for a long while, the faces of old friends surfaced in Fang Junmei’s mind—sometimes the Elder with the Sword, sometimes Adele.

Fang Junmei’s gaze grew subdued and complex.

When the moon reached its zenith, Fang Junmei was tipsy, and found a relatively hidden spot on the nearby mountain wall, where he slept soundly.