Scripture of Days Past

”Which four books do you want me to find? And why should I avoid making enemies with the northern fiends?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”You don’t remember which four books you’re supposed to find?” Shi asked, a hint of surprise entering his voice.

”Should I remember?” Chu Qiguang asked in confusion.

”They are the Heaven Book, the Earth Book, the Star Scripture, and the Moon Diagram,” Shi said. ”Those four kingly scriptures are the origins of all Dao arts under the heavens. Only after finding them will you be able to obtain the !@#$% and ascend back to the immortal realm.”

”Obtain what?” Chu Qiguang hurriedly asked. ”I don’t know why, but I couldn’t hear you clearly last time, and the same thing happened just now.”

”That’s normal because no one can articulate that name,” Shi replied, his voice gradually growing fainter and more indistinct. ”Make sure to find the four kingly scriptures...”

As Shi’s voice continued to fade, he gave Chu Qiguang a specific location in the Millet Mountain Range, before concluding, ”I left for you there...”

The voice cut off completely before Shi could finish his sentence. The sky returned to normal, while Chu Qiguang continued to staring upward with a bemused expression.

Is there something wrong with the sky in this world? Is Shi somewhere above the heavens? Why was he able to contact me just now? Is it because of my battle against Yi Siman? Is it because I altered fate or fortune, or whatever?

Chu Qiguang couldn’t come up with any answers. Even on Jade Face Mountain, there had been very little information concerning fate and fortune.

After committing the location Shi had mentioned to memory, Chu Qiguang took out a Ginseng Ganoderma Pill that he had freeloaded from Li Jian on Jade Face Mountain.

As soon as he swallowed the pill, he felt his qi, blood, and energy begin to recover at a much faster rate.

Following a brief rest, he called Qiao Zhi over, along with one of the Chongming Birds. He planned to travel to the location Shi had specified and see what had been left there for him.

”Where are we going?” Qiao Zhi asked. ”Aren’t you going to wait for Yi Siman?”

”I’ll leave Big Head and the others here to wait for him,” Chu Qiguang replied. ”I need you to come with me to fetch something.”

He then called out to the cat and dog fiends who had been watching the battle. They immediately rushed into the clearing with looks of admiration on their faces, clearly stunned by Chu Qiguang’s extraordinary performance in the fight.

Chu Qiguang instructed them to remain there and wait for Yi Siman. After that, he climbed onto the Chongming Bird’s back with Qiao Zhi and set off for the location Shi had mentioned, which turned out to be a cliff.

The first thing Chu Qiguang noticed upon arriving was a strange, bright-red flower growing from the cliff side and giving off a hazy red glow.

”What’s this?” he exclaimed.

”What’s what?” Qiao Zhi asked with a puzzled expression.

Chu Qiguang repeatedly pointed at the red flower, but Qiao Zhi still couldn’t see it.

Only after Chu Qiguang reached down and touched the flower did Qiao Zhi abruptly exclaim, ”Is that... a Dragon Blood Flower? How did you know it was here? Don’t tell me you stumbled upon it by accident! And why couldn’t I see it just now?”

”So this is a Dragon Blood Flower,” Chu Qiguang mused. He had learned about the flower during one of the pill lessons on Jade Face Mountain. ”Aren’t Dragon Blood Flowers something that can only be grown using the blood of Dao Comprehension-state dragons? I heard they can only be found out at sea. How is it growing here in Spirit Province?”

”Could it be that there’s a Dao Comprehension-state dragon in Spirit Province?” Qiao Zhi speculated.

Recalling the contents of that pill lesson, Chu Qiguang said, ”Dragon Blood Flowers can be consumed directly or used to refine pills, but it’ll be difficult for me to gather all the ingredients needed for pill refinement in a short period of time.”

According to Lecturer Li Jian, consuming a Dragon Blood Flower could greatly enhance one’s qi and blood. However, its medicinal effects were too strong, so only third-state martial artists and above could safely consume it.

Apparently, after consuming a Dragon Blood Flower, the qi and blood of a third-state martial artist would rise so dramatically that it would take them no more than a month to reach the doorstep of the fourth state.

Dragon Blood Flowers could also be refined into two precious pills, namely the Perfect Qi Nourishment Pill and the Naga Qi Enhancement Pill. However, the other ingredients required for both pills were extremely rare, and the pill refinement methods were kept strictly confidential.

In fact, the Heavenly Master Religion held a monopoly over both pills, and even the Demon Vanquishing Department wasn’t privy to the pill refinement methods.

If I keep it, I don’t know when I’ll be able to refine it into pills, so I may as well eat it now.

With that in mind, Chu Qiguang consumed the Dragon Blood Flower. The moment the flower entered his mouth, it felt as if he had swallowed a scorching fireball.

Grimacing in pain, he quickly chewed the Dragon Blood Flower before swallowing. In the next instant, it felt as if a flame had exploded inside his stomach before gradually spreading throughout his entire body.

As his body slowly absorbed the flower’s medicinal power, Chu Qiguang could feel the qi and blood he had depleted during his battle against Yi Siman recovering and being enhanced at an astonishing rate.

The medicinal power of the flower was so violent that Chu Qiguang was forced to continuously circulate his qi and blood in an attempt to suppress the scorching energy.

However, despite his best efforts, his skin gradually turned bright red. His body radiated so much heat that the grass around him wilted and turned yellow.

As his qi and blood continued to rise, Chu Qiguang noticed an indistinct shape gradually forming within the shadow beneath his feet.

It took a long time for his qi and blood to settle down. Only then did the heat radiating from his body finally subside.

These things are incredible! That single Dragon Blood Flower enhanced my qi and blood by about as much as several months of cultivation! I’ll continue benefiting from the residual medicinal power in my body over the next month, so my qi and blood should be elevated even further.

Chu Qiguang looked down at his shadow. Although a fourth tentacle had yet to emerge, he could tell it was itching to come out.

I should be able to get the fourth tentacle this month. It’s taken me nearly ten months to achieve what Yang Ling has through over thirty years of cultivation... I suppose that’s decent progress.

”How’re you feeling?” Qiao Zhi asked with an excited smile. ”Your body must be even stronger than before, right? I bet that if I controlled your body now, we could beat Yi Siman with ease!”

”Speaking of Yi Siman, let’s see if he’s returned with the incantation,” Chu Qiguang said.

The two of them returned to the summit of the rear mountain behind the Wang Clan Village to find Yi Siman already waiting for them there.

Chu Qiguang jumped down from the Chongming Bird’s back. The moment he caught sight of the object in Yi Siman’s hand, he immediately felt a scorching sensation from his Ring of Ignorance.