Chapter Ninety-Three: Journey into the Wilds

After the spirit-stone treasures had been divided, Daoist Wasted Years visited the others one by one and asked separately about their cultivation.

Only when night finally fell that day did it become Fang Junmei’s turn.

Once they were inside the room, the door shut and the restrictions set, master and disciple sat down across from one another. Then Daoist Wasted Years said, “Junmei, your senior brother and Lan Zhou have already told me about that Blood-Drinking Pill.”

Fang Junmei nodded, not the least bit surprised.

Daoist Wasted Years went on, “Though you have been fortunate, you must not grow arrogant, and still less may you grow lax and waste your own talent and aptitude, as well as the sect’s nurture of you.”

Fang Junmei nodded again.

Having heard about his experiences, Daoist Wasted Years knew that even in the mortal world he had already traveled widely and that his mind was quite mature. He gave no further admonitions, only thought for a moment before asking, “Your senior brother said that in the fifth level of the Scripture Repository, you chose that Hidden Star Sword Art?”

Fang Junmei nodded in agreement.

“This sword art is the most profound of the seven sword arts left behind by our elder, the Northern Dipper Sword Emperor. It requires an understanding of the path of space to use. Not only I, but none among this generation, nor even the patriarchs of old, know this Hidden Star Sword Art. So I cannot give you much guidance.”

Daoist Wasted Years was somewhat ashamed, and then said with some indignation, “If I had awakened sooner, I would never have recommended that you choose this art and divine ability. That old fox, your senior brother, so readily agreed to let Lan Zhou take you into the fifth level; I’m afraid he was certain you would not be able to learn it.”

Fang Junmei laughed. “Master, there is no need to take it too much to heart. Senior Brother had Senior Sister Xiaoman bring me a jade slip, and it gave me a clue.”

“Jin Yi gave you that? What jade slip? Let me see it.”

A sharp light flashed in Daoist Wasted Years’ eyes.

Fang Junmei took out the jade slip and handed it over.

Daoist Wasted Years’ gaze flickered rapidly as he looked it over. He soon fell into thought. After a long while, he said, “The barbaric forests of the south—I have traveled there before, but I have never seen such a being. Still, if this was said by Jin Yi, it should not be false. It is just that the place is exceedingly dangerous, and this matter depends too much on luck. Whether you can find it is one thing; after that, how to comprehend it is another matter entirely.”

“I am not the sort who can sit still, Master. I have already decided that once this stretch of cultivation is finished, I will go there and try my luck.”

Fang Junmei’s expression was resolute.

Daoist Wasted Years studied him for a few moments, then slowly nodded. “Very well, then. Do as you wish. If you stay sealed up in the sect all day long, even the cleverest person will turn foolish. Still, you must at least cultivate to the late Floating Dust stage before I allow you to go out.”

Fang Junmei nodded in agreement.

Daoist Wasted Years relaxed and smiled. “As for your other cultivation matters, I have already asked Lan Zhou about them. Today I will teach you a more profound method for cultivating spiritual sense, along with a divine art for flying through the air.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Fang Junmei was overjoyed. At last he would no longer be practicing that Plain Source Fundamental Wisdom Scripture, which sounded unremarkable at best, nor the sluggish Cloud-Riding Art.

Daoist Wasted Years then began to teach him.

The method for cultivating spiritual sense was called the Secret Classic of the Sea of Divine Stores.

The divine art for flying through the air was called the Rainbow-Flight Art.

After giving Fang Junmei a careful explanation, Daoist Wasted Years also instructed him on the matters to watch for in the Floating Dust stage, and only then took his leave.

From that day on, cultivation continued for a very long time.

Even with the help of Essence Pills, the most one could do was shorten the cultivation time a little. Unless one practiced some sinister art from the demonic path that seized the power of other cultivators for one’s own use, ordinary cultivators had no choice but to endure bitter cultivation in order to advance.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and another thirty-odd years went by.

On this day, Fang Junmei finally emerged from seclusion. His cultivation had reached the late Floating Dust stage. The reason he had been able to progress so quickly, aside from his undivided focus, was entirely due to the sword spirit stones and Essence Pills that Daoist Heavenly River had given him.

This was the advantage of being an inner sect disciple. With the sect’s focused nurturing and resources, even without other opportunities, one’s cultivation speed would be much faster than that of an outer sect disciple. Much less could one speak of Fang Junmei, who had received special care from Daoist Heavenly River.

The first two minor realms of the Floating Dust stage had few bottlenecks and were not difficult, but from this point onward, unless he had the aid of a Dao Embryo Pill, Fang Junmei would no longer be able to advance so quickly.

After leaving his room, he saw no one. It was as though everyone on Motionless Peak was in cultivation, and the summit was exceptionally quiet.

Fang Junmei did not disturb anyone. He went to the well and quietly washed himself first.

Ripples shimmered, then returned to stillness.

A face that had been somewhat untidy gradually came into focus: the same ink-black brows as if painted by hand, a pair of bright, keen eyes, though his beard and hair had grown to an unusual length.

Fang Junmei faced the water, drew a sword, and began shaving himself clean. Before long, he had tidied himself up thoroughly.

Looking at the face in the water, which seemed almost unchanged from the day he had first come up the mountain, Fang Junmei truly felt that he was no longer the same person.

By this moment, Fang Junmei was around one hundred forty years old.

After counting the years, he tipped his head back and sighed silently.

He had thought many times of returning to the Kingdom of Pan to take a look, but had never managed to make the journey. Now, at last, he could leave the sect, yet there was no longer any meaning in going back.

Unless the old acquaintances from his homeland had also taken up the path of cultivation like he had, they would surely already have grown old and perished.

After standing there in silence for a while, Fang Junmei let out a long sigh and began cultivating the Rainbow-Flight Art.

This Rainbow-Flight Art could be executed with any kind of vital energy. If one used water vital energy, then after casting it one would seem to be stepping upon a long azure rainbow of water as one flew across the sky. If one used fire vital energy, it would become a long rainbow of flame. If one used sword vital energy, it would take the form of a long, sword-like rainbow.

Its speed was something the Cloud-Riding Art could never hope to match. It was one of Daoist Wasted Years’ most treasured techniques.

Had it been the Daoist Wasted Years of old, he certainly would not have passed it to a disciple so quickly. At the very least, he would have tested him for a very long time. But after sleeping for three hundred years, he felt indebted to his disciples, and since they had all performed well, he passed it down early this time.

The subtleties had long since been explained by Daoist Wasted Years. After practicing for less than half an hour, Fang Junmei successfully manifested the sword-shaped rainbow.

He then spent another three days becoming thoroughly familiar with it before finally stopping and finding Daoist Wasted Years to inform him that he intended to set out for the barbaric forests of the south.

“Junmei, do you remember the matter your senior brother once promised, regarding entry into a certain mysterious secret realm?”

After calculating the time, Daoist Wasted Years did not immediately agree, but instead asked him a question.

Fang Junmei nodded.

Daoist Wasted Years said, “That secret realm is expected to open in about ten years. For the sake of that matter, the sect has already canceled this year’s centennial grand competition. If you plan to catch that opportunity, you must return within ten years.”

Fang Junmei’s brows moved, and he did not immediately answer. Of course he did not wish to miss such an opportunity, but he could not predict whom he might meet or what might happen on this trip. Who knew whether something might delay him?

Seeing his troubled expression, Daoist Wasted Years scratched his head and thought for a moment before saying, “How about this: I’ll give you the address of that place. If you can make it back in time, that would naturally be best. If you cannot, then go directly there to meet up with them. That should save you some time. If you still miss it after that, then I can do nothing more.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Fang Junmei nodded and thanked him.

Daoist Wasted Years took out a jade slip and inscribed it with a mark, saying as he did so, “It contains an introduction to that place. There is no need for you to look at it in haste, and you are absolutely not to go there ahead of time, lest you run into those demonic-path bastards.”

Fang Junmei nodded once more.

Daoist Wasted Years added, “Before you leave, remember to go to the Scripture Repository and learn everything you can. You may well need it. And your sect stipend—you probably haven’t collected it even once yet. Go take that as well.”

The old man wore a face full of careful reminders.

Fang Junmei could feel his concern and smiled, nodding yet again.

After putting away the jade slip, Fang Junmei took his leave of Daoist Wasted Years. First he went to Administrative Peak and collected his sect stipend. After more than a hundred years, it had amounted to more than fifty or sixty thousand mid-grade spirit stones.

One must know that Fang Junmei had, in truth, made no real contribution to the sect. He had never stood a day’s watch, nor performed a single stewardship task. But such was the treatment of an inner sect disciple. Otherwise outer sect disciples would not have fought so desperately to get in.

Of course, in return, when the sect faced danger from either within or without, inner sect disciples would be the ones standing at the front.

After collecting his stipend, he went into the Scripture Repository and remained there for ten days. This time, Fang Junmei spent a considerable sum of spirit stones to enter the second level, where he learned many more advanced spells. Though their power was not equal to the sword arts in his possession, if used skillfully they could still produce excellent effects, especially the auxiliary spells.

Ten days later, Fang Junmei bid farewell to everyone on Motionless Peak and to Song Shede, then set out on his journey, beginning his first true expedition since entering the world of cultivation.