A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Spirit Medium Tracing Technique

Lü Zhong was no fool; he could see the value of the Tracking Spell in Li Yuanfeng’s hands.

Right now, he wasn’t short on Spirit Stones, Magic Skills, or Cultivation Techniques. What he lacked was a way to track his enemies. If he could obtain this Tracking Spell, it would shore up one of his weaknesses, making it easy to pursue his foes in the future.

So, he made his request.

”You’ve got a discerning eye!”

Li Yuanfeng gave Lü Zhong a look of newfound respect and took out a Jade Scroll from his Storage Bag.

Compared to the benefits of taking all the credit, this Secret Skill for tracking, which he had acquired by chance, was certainly valuable. However, its activation requirements were a bit troublesome. Besides, he had already submitted it to his Sect once in exchange for quite a few benefits.

Now, squeezing the last bit of value out of it in a trade didn’t pain him at all.

Without a second glance, he tossed it over and said,

”It’s yours.”

Lü Zhong caught the Jade Scroll. It was his first time ever handling one.

Jade Scrolls, like books, were carriers of information.

The Jade Scroll in his hand could store not only text but also audio and static images. Its storage capacity far surpassed that of bamboo slips, it was extremely stable, and it was as small and convenient to carry as Talisman Paper.

With all these advantages, Jade Scrolls were deeply favored by cultivators.

Their only drawback was likely their exorbitant price, which the average cultivator simply couldn’t afford.

Lü Zhong did know how to use a Jade Scroll, however.

One simply had to probe an ordinary Jade Scroll with their Divine Sense to read the information within. This process didn’t damage the Jade Scroll’s structure or its contents. Because of the formless, intangible nature of Divine Sense, the probing felt like soaking something in water, so the process was also known as ”immersion.”

Since Qi Refining cultivators couldn’t project their Divine Sense, they had to press the Jade Scroll to their forehead for the immersion process.

After reading it, Lü Zhong learned about the Magic Skill recorded in the Jade Scroll.

’Spirit Medium Tracing Technique.’

The ”medium” referred to an item carrying the target’s aura. By casting the spell on this medium, one could generate a Tracing Spirit Light. This light would then lead them to the target. The stronger the target’s aura on the item, the more potent the Tracing Spirit Light.

As for the technique’s limitations, it certainly had them.

Lü Zhong skimmed through it and discovered that to achieve the effect Li Yuanfeng had demonstrated earlier, one needed a medium like an entire arm. Only then could a Tracing Spirit Light of that intensity be generated. Otherwise, the light’s tracking effectiveness would be severely reduced.

Even so, it was an incredibly rare Magic Skill.

’No, perhaps I should call it a Secret Skill.’

As far as Lü Zhong knew, Tracking Spells like this were special, and their circulation was strictly controlled by the major families and Sects. It was nearly impossible for an ordinary Loose Cultivator to obtain one, which was why he had wanted it so badly.

’When you thought about it, I actually came out ahead.’

This was a much greater benefit than exchanging the credit for Spirit Stones.

Satisfied, he put the Jade Scroll away. Suppressing his delight, he wore a calm expression as he cupped his hands and said,

”Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Li, on successfully ambushing and slaying the Thousand-Faced Elder.”

”You flatter me, Fellow Daoist Lü. I was just lucky,” Li Yuanfeng said, waving his hand humbly as if that were truly the case. Then, his tone became businesslike. ”We borrowed your courtyard today to ambush and kill that villain, the Thousand-Faced Elder. There’s no reason for you to bear the cost of the resulting property damage alone...”

Seeing Li Yuanfeng look his way, Lin Yunhua immediately understood. He beamed and said,

”Of course! The Law Enforcement Team will cover all repair costs. We can’t let Fellow Daoist Lü feel slighted!”

Hearing this, Lü Zhong thought to himself, ’This Li Yuanfeng is an interesting person.’

’He wanted the credit but didn’t resort to taking it by force. It seems he has some principles after all.’

With this thought in mind, and seeing the atmosphere was good, Lü Zhong took the opportunity to ask a question that concerned him. He said to Li Yuanfeng, ”There must be a reason why the Thousand-Faced Elder targeted me. When the investigation is complete, could you perhaps reveal a detail or two to this little brother?”

He was even willing to call himself ”little brother” to get the information.

”Hahaha, there’s no need for that, Fellow Daoist Lü! As for why the Thousand-Faced Elder came after you, I’ll naturally have someone send you a copy of the investigation results once they’re out. It’s not something that can’t be made public. Just wait for the good news!” Li Yuanfeng laughed heartily. Having secured the credit for killing the Thousand-Faced Elder, he had finally accumulated enough contribution points to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Now, with Foundation Establishment in sight, helping with such a small matter was no trouble at all.

”Senior Brother Li is truly righteous!” Lin Yunhua chimed in at the perfect moment, every bit the sycophant.

After seeing Li Yuanfeng and his group off, Lü Zhong surveyed the wreckage of his Cyan Bamboo Forest courtyard. The White Cloud Array protecting it wouldn’t be able to deploy its White Cloud Shield again until the Array Flags were repaired, so he gave up on the idea of getting some sleep.

Without the Array’s protection, Lü Zhong honestly wouldn’t even dare to close his eyes while sleeping.

Seeing there was still some time before dawn, he went to the main hall, brewed a pot of tea, and began to study the Spirit Medium Tracing Technique.

He studied it until, before he knew it, dawn broke.

The Spirit Medium Tracing Technique was extremely complex. Lü Zhong had studied it all night but still couldn’t make heads or tails of it. He could only put it back in his Storage Bag for now and wait until he had free time to analyze it further.

He started a fire and cooked a meal. This time, it was Spirit Rice stewed with Cyan Bear Beast Palm.

Although the Cyan Bear Beast wasn’t actually a bear, its big, plump paw was truly delicious. Not only was it smooth and tender, but it was also highly beneficial to the body, capable of strengthening his physique and enhancing his physical constitution.

When he felt its effects carefully, he realized it was no less potent than the Spiritual Universe Secret Pill.

There was nothing more to say. He immediately began to circulate his energy and cultivate.

First, he cultivated the Spiritual Universe Dharma Body, and then the Four Spirits Technique.

By the time Lü Zhong finished his cultivation, a team of Mortal Craftsmen had arrived outside with several carts of bricks, stone, and lumber. They were clearly sent by the Law Enforcement Team. That Lin Yunhua was truly sparing no effort to suck up to Li Yuanfeng.

A cultivator who looked like a Steward walked up and greeted Lü Zhong very respectfully.

After they spoke for a moment, Lü Zhong learned that the man was actually the Chief Steward in charge of construction for the entire Yanling Mountain Market. He couldn’t believe the man had come personally to oversee the repairs on his little Cyan Bamboo Forest courtyard.

’Is it because a disciple of the Golden Rainbow Sect gave the order?’

’This... is a bit too much bootlicking, isn’t it?’

’No wonder the current management of the Workshop Market has been able to maintain control over the Yanling Mountain Market for so long.’

Just then, the Steward took out a blueprint and handed it to Lü Zhong, saying apologetically, ”We couldn’t find the original blueprint for this courtyard, so we can only repair it in this style. What do you think, Fellow Daoist? Is it to your satisfaction?”

After looking at the blueprint, Lü Zhong was unexpectedly surprised.

It was less a repair and more an expansion.

The original single-courtyard home had been expanded directly into a large, two-courtyard residence.

”Then I’ll be troubling you,” Lü Zhong said, cupping his hands in thanks.

Then he remembered his White Cloud Array and quickly asked, ”About my damaged Array...”

”Oh, my memory!” The Steward clapped his hands and said with embarrassment, ”I forgot to tell you, Fellow Daoist. That’s already been arranged. Just take it to the Zhenghe Array Shop to be repaired. The corresponding fees will be added to the main account.”

”That’s good, that’s good.”

Lü Zhong thought to himself that repairing the Array Flags would be another huge expenditure of Spirit Stones. It would have been too painful to pay for it himself. Thankfully, the other party was covering everything.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel emotional.

Comparing this to how his bounty had been swallowed up before, the difference in treatment was like night and day. And this was all just because Li Yuanfeng, a disciple of the Golden Rainbow Sect, had said a few words. From this, one could get a glimpse of just how powerful a Sect truly was.

It took only half a month. With no expense spared, the expansion of the Cyan Bamboo Forest courtyard was completed.

After the expansion, the two-courtyard residence alone occupied nearly two mu. With the newly replanted Cyan Bamboo Forest surrounding it, the total area had more than doubled, reaching almost three mu.

This, however, created a new problem.

The White Cloud Array only had a coverage area of one mu, which wasn’t enough to completely envelop the entire two-courtyard residence.

Fortunately, the Zhenghe Array Shop provided a solution: when repairing the Array Flags, they would modify them to expand the Array’s coverage area while ensuring the strength of the White Cloud Shield remained unchanged.

The costs incurred during this process also didn’t require Lü Zhong to spend any Spirit Stones; they were still added to the main account.

Although the modified White Cloud Array was still a miniature Array, its coverage had been expanded to two mu, enough to completely envelop the entire two-courtyard residence, allowing him to finally sleep in peace.