Cultivation: From Servant to Revered Immortal

Chapter 110: Chapter 40: The Way of the Insect Cultivator

Zhou Xun took the storage bag from the middle-aged Daoist and emptied its contents.

Two jade scrolls, a few low-grade talismans, a map, two Spirit Stones, some mortal gold and silver, and his personal belongings; quite impoverished, but considering the middle-aged Daoist’s Third-Layer Qi Refining cultivation, it made sense.

”It seems they’ve really exhausted everything they brought out!”

Even this storage bag was of the lowest grade.

They probably even traded the higher-grade storage bags that were passed down for resources!

He took out the two jade scrolls and immersed his Divine Sense to start inspecting them.

The first jade scroll recorded an Earth Attribute Top-Level Technique that could be cultivated to the Late-Stage True Core. After a quick glance, Zhou Xun put it back into the storage bag.

Then he inspected the second jade scroll.

This one documented a peculiar cultivation skill, the Spirit Insects Technique.

Among Beast Taming cultivators, there’s a branch known as insect cultivators, primarily focusing on controlling spirit insects.

This jade scroll was a rare inheritance of insect cultivation.

Seeing this, Zhou Xun suddenly recalled a legend from Xui Country.

About two hundred years ago, a tragedy occurred in Xui Country.

Near the current Juntian City, for unknown reasons, a group of out-of-control spirit insects suddenly appeared, numbering in the tens of thousands, devouring everything, whether spirit medicine, cultivators, or spirit beasts.

The entire Xui Country Central Domain, faced catastrophic destruction, with more than a dozen Foundation Establishment clans being completely devoured, except for some family members who were away and escaped the calamity.

The rest became food for the flying ants.

Subsequently, the Cloud Light Sect intervened, with several True Pill cultivators leading the cultivators of the entire Xui Country to pursue and encircle them.

Only at great cost were they completely eradicated.

Records state that more than thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators perished, and countless Qi Refining cultivators followed.

Zhou Xun speculated that this insect chaos was closely related to the Yun family ancestor.

And the middle-aged person’s claim that the Cloud Light Sect cultivators coveted their ancestor’s treasures was likely false; accountability was the real reason.

However, this also indirectly illustrated the power of this insect cultivation.

Soon, within the jade scroll of the Spirit Insects Technique, Zhou Xun found the type of spirit insect that matched the description of that insect chaos.

”Spirit-Devouring Flying Ant!”, ranked ninety-sixth on the Spirit Insect List, communal, fond of devouring anything containing Spiritual Qi.

Where the flying ants passed, not a blade of grass would grow.

”It seems that Yun family ancestor mishandled the ’Spirit-Devouring Flying Ant,’ causing that insect chaos!”

Then, Zhou Xun continued reading, and found the description of his own plump little spirit insect.

”Thousand-Answering Insect”, ranked eighty-first on the Spirit Insect List, extremely sensitive to Spiritual Power fluctuations, adept in Sensing Technique!

Capable of detecting even the most subtle fluctuations in Spiritual Power.

No wonder his Concealing Technique was discovered by that Late-Stage Qi Refining cultivator from the Gao family back then.

Most importantly, once the Thousand-Answering Insect evolved, it turned into the Thousand-Answering Cicada, ranked ninth on the Spirit Pet List.

”Who would’ve thought that the little insect had such an impressive background!” Zhou Xun thought.

Initially, he hadn’t paid too much attention to this spirit insect.

Now it seemed worth nurturing after all.

Especially considering that the formidable Spirit-Devouring Flying Ant was ranked only ninety-sixth, while his Thousand-Answering Insect was ten ranks higher.

Not to mention the potential to evolve into the Thousand-Answering Cicada.

At that moment, a commotion came from outside the door.

It was Sunx Ergou supporting his grandfather as they returned.

Zhou Xun quickly put the jade scrolls back into the storage bag.

As soon as they entered the room, they saw Zhou Xun inside.

”Big... Immortal Master!” Sunx Ergou initially wanted to call him ’big brother,’ but remembering the fearsome way Zhou Xun caught that Immortal Master earlier in the day, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

”Ergou, don’t you recognize me as your big brother anymore?” Zhou Xun said with a smile.

Hearing Zhou Xun’s words, Sunx Ergou immediately breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked:

”Big... big brother, are you an Immortal?”

”I’m not an Immortal, just a cultivator, knowing some methods beyond ordinary people!” Zhou Xun explained.

”Then... big brother, can you cure my grandfather’s illness?” Sunx Ergou asked cautiously, fearing to hear a ”No.”

”Of course, I’ve already examined Uncle Sunx’s illness, and curing it is a simple task for me!” Zhou Xun nodded, speaking as if it were a matter of course.

”That’s great!”

Hearing this, Sunx Ergou was overjoyed and immediately shared the good news with the old man:

”Grandfather, did you hear that? Big brother said he could cure your illness!”

”I heard, thank you, Immortal Master!”

The old man was also moved to tears. He initially thought there was no hope for curing his illness, only reluctant to leave his grandson, who was still so young.

Now that Zhou Xun said he could cure it, it must be true.

After all, the mighty Immortal Master was as easy to handle in Zhou Xun’s hands as a chick.

Zhou Xun observed this scene of familial love and couldn’t help but nod silently.

He then took out a Spirit Pill and introduced it:

”This elixir will cure your grandfather’s illness and extend his life, free from ailments. Let your grandfather take it!”

”Thank you, big brother!”

Sunx Ergou’s eyes lit up, and he immediately took the elixir. Then, he fetched a bowl of clear water to help his grandfather take the pill.

Next, Zhou Xun took out the Spirit Testing Disc from the storage bag and instructed:

”Ergou, place your hand on it!”

Sunx Ergou didn’t understand the purpose, but he followed Zhou Xun’s instructions and obediently placed his hand on it.

”Water Spirit Root sensitivity, twelve points!”

Seeing this, Zhou Xun sighed.

His aptitude was somewhat lacking, barely in the low-grade Spirit Root category, but at least he could cultivate, and though the Great Dao might be out of reach, longevity was still achievable.

”Ergou, do you wish to become a cultivator?”

”Big brother, can I... can I really?” Sunx Ergou’s eyes shone brightly.

”I am willing! I am willing!”

Zhou Xun nodded, then explained some matters among cultivators,

”Although you can cultivate, your aptitude leaves much to be desired, and you likely won’t achieve great success on the path of cultivation!”

”However, achieving wealth and status to live as a rich man won’t be a problem!”

”Becoming a rich man is already beyond my wildest dreams!” Sunx Ergou was extremely satisfied.

Zhou Xun nodded. He didn’t have any water attribute techniques on hand, so he taught him an attributeless basic cultivation technique—Gathering Essence Technique.

After a day, Sunx Ergou learned the basic cultivation method of this technique, and from there, it was a matter of time. Zhou Xun estimated that in half a year, he could produce his first wisp of Spiritual Power and become a First-Layer Qi Refining cultivator.

So he took out the middle-aged Daoist’s storage bag, added some elixirs, talismans, a low-grade spiritual artifact, Spirit Stones for Qi Refining cultivators, and a Talisman Technique.

Then he handed it over to Sunx Ergou.

”There are some cultivation resources inside!”

”Big brother, are you leaving?” Sunx Ergou asked.

”Yes!” Zhou Xun nodded,

”Will we meet again?” Sunx Ergou asked reluctantly.

Hearing this, Zhou Xun thought for a moment, took out a sheet of high-grade talisman paper, tore it in half, and handed one half to Sunx Ergou.

”If fate allows, we can recognize each other with this in the future!”

After saying this, he floated away!