Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Tiezhu Repays a Favor
 

Dan Ding Sect.

External Affairs Hall.

Zhou Yi turned in the sect mission, and his merit points were nearly nine thousand.

“Now I can immediately exchange for the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art, the Blood Burning Escape Technique needs sixteen thousand merit points. I must complete another mission. Or I could dissolve my cultivation and re-cultivate to get the Technique for free and then earn merit points to buy the Spirit Condensation Art!”

“The second time I dissolve my cultivation and take a master, I’ll exchange it for the True Dragon Nine Transformations.”

“A whopping thirty thousand merit points, at least four or five demon removal tasks. If any accident were to occur, free is better!”

Zhou Yi had no choice but to dissolve his cultivation, choosing free Cultivation Techniques and avoiding demon extermination missions were just additional benefits.

Due to his cultivation aptitude issues, Zhou Yi, who neither ate nor drank, nor slept, and cultivated non-stop every day in seclusion, estimated that it would take four to five hundred years to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage.

Not to mention the potential bottlenecks along the way, as well as the time needed for internal sect affairs and demon extermination missions, with Foundation Establishment cultivators only having a lifespan of two hundred years, it was impossible for Zhou Yi to continue his secluded cultivation in the Dan Ding Sect.

Before the age of two hundred, he must leave the sect, either by dissolving his cultivation and starting over at Dan Ding Sect or traversing the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ghost King Sect to take a master in an external sect.

“The latter only solves the short-term problem; even if you avoid the monsters, demons, and ghosts to reach the outside realm, the sects there might not be laxer than Dan Ding Sect in managing their territories. Moreover, a completely unfamiliar continent, not knowing the rules, is far less safe than Dan Ding Sect.”

“A great sect that has lasted for thousands of years relies on half its Sect-Defending powerhouses and half its rules and regulations.”

“Loose Cultivators can’t possibly exploit any loopholes!”

Zhou Yi couldn’t help but sigh, realizing why Dan Ding Sect recruited Foundation Establishment True Men without examining their identities or origins.

“So they’ve recruited a bunch of free, useful labor! Even if the laborers turn over and become true inheritors, such as the famous Elder Brother Jiang, he has developed profound feelings for the sect over a hundred years and would, in turn, actively defend Dan Ding Sect’s rule.”

“Elder Brother Jiang’s phrase: ‘I am a Loose Cultivator of the sect…'”

“Truly unsolvable!”

Zhou Yi carefully pondered and found that Dan Ding Sect’s control over Cloud Continent was as tight and flawless as a seamless heavenly robe.

The only choice is to cultivate the spirit, qi, and body to their extremes in the Foundation Establishment Stage, then use that to feed back into one’s cultivation level and overcome the talent issue within two hundred years to reach the False Golden Core realm.

“During this period of at least several hundred years, the Mountain and River Cauldron and the Soul-Stabilizing Mirror should be enough to reach the level of top-tier Magic Artifacts!”

“So, time is still on my side!”

…

Little Spring Peak.

Zhou Yi first went to check the medicine field, and the Formation’s prohibitions hadn’t been touched by anyone.

The formations around the field had already been changed; the outer layer was the Four Images Vastu Formation, and inside was the Great Sun Divine Fire Formation.

The Vastu Formation could block Divine Sense, and even a Golden Elixir True Monarch could not see what was planted inside. The Divine Fire Formation, however, was not targeted at outside enemies; if anyone tried to forcefully break the Formation, it would self-destruct, obliterating all traces.

He returned to his cave dwelling.

The thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng jumped out from his chest and went to the courtyard to play with the Blood Vine Demon.

Having recovered over eight years, it had already grown to more than half a foot in length, nearly enough to refine several batches of Foundation Establishment Pills.

“This external mission was easy and enjoyable, I didn’t even need to make a move!”

Zhou Yi recalled the process of killing the snake demon; other than taking action with his sect members to deal with the drought, everything else was as planned.

“Indeed, the method of spending money is the best, whether in battles of magic or demon removal, so specializing in the four arts of cultivation can also indirectly enhance strength!”

“The problem is, internal and external affairs missions within Cloud Continent are very rare, and most are snatched up by fellow sect members before they are even announced.”

“Let’s wait and see!”

Zhou Yi did not exchange for the Spirit Refinement Art, and after completing the demon extermination mission, he could quietly cultivate for more than a decade.

If there was a suitable external mission during that period, he would take it to earn more merit points, enough to afford the Blood Burning Escape Technique.

The Five Elements Escape Technique can elude anything, and after tripling in speed, it even surpasses the Thunder Escape; as long as one doesn’t fall into a Formation’s restrictions, few in the Foundation Establishment Stage can catch up.

…

Two months went by in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Yi’s leave for outward demon-exterminating duties had ended, and he rode the escaping light to the Cliff of Penance to take his turn on duty.

Descending into the Black Wind Cave, he discovered someone was being punished within.

“This figure looks somewhat familiar?”

A simple and honest face, dark skin, compared to the memory, there was an addition of maturity and sternness.

“Judging by the time, it’s been around one hundred and thirty or forty years, could it be such bad luck to run into that guy again?” Zhou Yi’s expression fluctuated uncertainly as he quickly picked up the jade slip on the table and swept his Divine Sense across it.

Xuan Xiao, rashly causing trouble, sentenced to reflect for ten years.

Zhou Yi immediately let out a sigh of relief, and told himself he was worrying too much. There were many people in the world who looked alike; how could he possibly bump into that ticking bomb again.

At that moment.

Xuan Xiao was also observing Zhou Yi, his naturally superior spiritual perception faintly feeling a friendly and close presence, he took the initiative to speak.

“I am Xuan Xiao, junior brother seems a little unfamiliar to me?”

“I’ve seen Brother Xuan Xiao, I’ve only joined the sect eight years ago and have been on duty at the Cliff of Penance all this time.”

Zhou Yi, still uneasy at heart, recalled the catastrophe that befell Little Dan Mountain which was too horrific; divine tribulations had descended and three to four thousand Loose Cultivators died. He feigned concern and asked.

“May I ask what offense Brother has committed, to be sentenced for such a long term?”

“It’s not anything major.”

Xuan Xiao spoke in quite a relaxed tone, “I avenged my benefactor by killing the Closed-door Disciple of the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate, his sole bloodline, too. It was sheer luck that I managed to escape back from Ji Continent, which irritated our Sect Leader, and thus I was sent to the Black Wind Cave to cool off.”

“Zhen Yang Demon Venerate…”

Zhou Yi felt an even stronger unease within him, and he said with admiration, “Such determination from Brother must stem from an extraordinary kindness received!”

“You might not believe it if I tell you.”

Xuan Xiao shook his head and said, “The favor my benefactor granted me was merely five liters of Spirit Rice, urging me to cultivate diligently. Sadly, his words still ring in my ears as he is no longer with us!”

“Cough cough cough—”

Zhou Yi hurriedly took out some Spiritual Wine to calm his shock, trying to steady his emotions as he said, “Such minor favors, given without a second thought, might not have been kept in the benefactor’s heart?”

“How can one measure the scale of repaying a favor!”

Xuan Xiao’s expression was resolute, his eyes showing a fierce light, “Moreover, my benefactor’s death was greatly related to me. If I couldn’t kill Zhen Yang to avenge him, what’s the point in cultivating for immortality and seeking eternal life?”

“Brother’s noble act is far more than what I could achieve!”

Zhou Yi had now confirmed that Xuan Xiao was very likely Xiao Tiezhu— it must be the Daoist name he took after advancing to receive the true transmission.

Considering Xiao Tiezhu’s background, there might have been a slight chance for him to kill Zhen Yang. After which, the Heavenly Demon Palace would inevitably seek vengeance for the Demon Lord, and what would follow would be a major battle between the forces of good and evil.

So, it was five liters of Spirit Rice that sparked the battle between righteous and demonic paths!

Zhou Yi felt a headache coming on. If he hadn’t given credit to Xiao Tiezhu for the Spirit Rice, could it have delayed the battle between righteous and demonic paths, and how many fates would have been changed?

“I merely sought to repay a kindness; in dealing with people, I’m far from my benefactor’s equal.”

Xuan Xiao murmured in recollection, “When I first embarked on the cultivation path, I was repeatedly guided by my benefactor. I thought there were many good people in the Cultivation World.”

“Who knew that after that, I would only meet such a good person once more, and all the rest amounted to nothing more than petty and vile characters!”

“Well said.”

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, his view of Xiao Tiezhu growing considerably more favorable, and with sincere concern he advised, “One can’t stay long in the Black Wind Cave. Brother should leave sooner rather than later to avoid the Black Wind Earth Fire eroding away at you every day, which would damage your cultivation path.”

“No worries, this is actually a treasured place for cultivation!”

A strange light flashed in Xuan Xiao’s eyes, but he didn’t continue speaking.

Zhou Yi’s gaze became more focused upon hearing this, feeling that Xiao Tiezhu’s visit to the Cliff of Penance was no good thing, as the incident at Little Dan Mountain served as a grave warning.

The Purple Spirit Copper vein of Qi Yun Peak had been mined for hundreds of years without ever uncovering a Sky Star Stone, yet Xiao Tiezhu hadn’t been mining long before he joined the Dan Ding Sect, which was bound to be no ordinary matter.

“I could have waited and seen, but now someone has made the choice for me!”