Starting Cultivation During a Trip

”If I go to a place with fewer people, will I run into Yin Hu?”

Zhang Fan rolled his eyes: ”He might actually be in here.”

”This place isn’t exactly a good place.” Fang Changle squinted.

In the black market, it’s a den of the mixed, filled with all kinds of characters; finding Yin Hu here isn’t easy.

”Though... he might really be hiding here.”

As they spoke, the two of them walked into the black market, where people had already started to arrive, and the abandoned building was getting more crowded.

Fang Changle’s eyes seemed electrified, searching and exploring through the crowd like a thief.

”Is it really the Stone Embryo from General Mountain?”

At that moment, a shout of surprise came from not far away, Zhang Fan looked up to see a stall surrounded by people, noisy as ever.

”Come on, let’s go have a look.”

Zhang Fan pulled Fang Changle along, pushing through the crowd, witnessing everyone’s attention on a copper cabinet holding a stone, resembling a forming embryo, faintly showing the outlines of limbs, glowing dimly under the dark light, with a peculiar aura that seemed like the stone was breathing.

”I heard last year, General Mountain was excavated, breaking the atmosphere; many experts from the Daoist Alliance went there, surely they nurtured something extraordinary.”

”Could it be this Stone Embryo?”

”This is real treasure.”

The crowd discussed endlessly, their eyes shining brightly.

Zhang Fan was moved, having heard before that all things possess spirit: mountains, rivers, exotic stones, and strange trees; should they grow into form, an extraordinary phenomenon arises, with the rotation of sun and moon bringing about inexplicable wonders.

Thus, there are people keeping an eye on them, anytime they take shape, they have to be explored, not letting anything be overlooked.

Last year, he saw related news online, about General Mountain in Xiguang Province undergoing geological exploration, discovering mineral deposits, leading to development and bombing of the mountain.

At that time, Zhang Fan had not yet graduated nor awakened his Primordial Spirit, naturally having not cared, but now listening to everyone’s discussion, it seemed there were other truths.

”Let’s go, stop looking, it’s fake.”

Just then, Fang Changle leaned closer to Zhang Fan’s ear, whispering softly.

”Fake?”

Zhang Fan stepped out of the crowd, catching up with Fang Changle.

”Could such a thing end up here?” Fang Changle said casually.

”They say the Stone Embryo from General Mountain is almost forming, if nurtured for another hundred years or so, it will surely grow into an anomaly.”

Fang Changle spoke seriously: ”You know Sun Wukong? He’s also a Stone Embryo; although not as exaggerated, General Mountain’s terrain is majestic, almost forming a human shape, the nurtured Stone Embryo must be a big trouble...”

”They say just that Stone Embryo is extraordinary; Daoist experts died to break the atmosphere and acquire this thing.”

Hearing those words, Zhang Fan couldn’t help but show a peculiar expression, staring at Fang Changle.

”Weren’t you in prison? How do you know so much?”

”I heard from a fellow inmate; he’s a loose cultivator practicing Joyful Dao, originally banded together with some Wild Daoists, wanting to venture for General Mountain’s Stone Embryo...”

At this point, Fang Changle sneered: ”Are those Daoist sect riffraff fit to lay their hands on such a thing?”

”It’s said not only Daoist Alliance, but Wuwei Sect sent experts too, along with Great Demons from Ailao Mountain... these are tough characters.” Fang Changle said seriously.

Heaven-generated and earth-nurtured, seizing Spiritual Qi, the mountain’s Stone Embryo, though not yet formed, is considered a treasure by Daoist masters.

Even though Fang Changle hadn’t witnessed it himself, he could imagine the ferocity of the battle.

”All his fellow inmates died; only he got lucky and survived. If one doesn’t die from disaster, later trouble awaits; hence ending up in prison now,” Fang Changle sneered.

”Whose hands did the Stone Embryo end up in?” Zhang Fan asked curiously.

”Probably with Daoist Alliance; they’re experienced in such matters.”

”How will they handle that Stone Embryo?” Zhang Fan showed interest.

”There are myriad ways; perhaps they’ll nurture it themselves. If it grows into form, it becomes a powerful creature, another kind of living being, more bizarre than demons, although it comes with significant costs and takes a long time, don’t even think about it without eight hundred years,” Fang Changle whispered.

”Or use it for medicine-refining, or human-refining with the embryo...”

Fang Changle, worthy of a Maoshan inheritor, possessed knowledge far beyond ordinary people.

”What does human-refining with the embryo mean?”

”That Stone Embryo is a heaven-generated, earth-nurtured anomaly; if harvested into medicine, imagine how terrifying?” Fang Changle’s gaze focused into a fine line.

”But within Daoist Alliance, there are few with the qualification to enjoy such a thing, and even fewer with the fate to utilize it.”

Heaven-generated, earth-nurtured anomalies aren’t easily meddled with; without the fortune, one only burdens themselves.

Just like someone with no destiny for wealth suddenly receiving a windfall; it’s not helping, but harming them, only magnifying their tribulation and hastening their demise.

”I’ll bid three million...”

Right then, bidding prices could be heard behind; the stall grew increasingly feverish.

”That’s all fake; can’t these people see?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.

Three million, that’s a fortune, and the price was still rising.

”The forger must be an expert, well-crafted; the cost estimated to be fifty to sixty thousand, naturally some can see through, but each fool taken is worth each effort...”

”You think there aren’t foolish wealthy people?” Fang Changle laughed.

The two strolled around the black market, Fang Changle’s knowledge impressive, bringing many amusing insights.

”The black market is truly chaotic now; even these traffickers can sneak in.”

Fang Changle pointed to a stall specializing in selling incense.

Besides the Daoist Sect’s commonly used Seven-Color Incense, Returning Wind Incense, Celestial Treasure Incense, Nine Harmony Incense, the stall even sold sandalwood.

Sandalwood is forbidden in Daoist Sect, a known fact, deemed foreign vulgar scent since the Ming Dynasty, unsuitable for offering to High True Gods and Buddhas. During the Tang Dynasty, it was used by nobility for wall coating and later crafted into incense for Buddhist offerings, deemed impure and disrespectful for offerings to the Gods.

”Amazing, there’s someone selling Corpse Forest Lord’s image; who’s buying it for offerings?” Fang Changle glanced at a nearby stall.

That stall specialized in portraits of various High True Gods and Buddhas; among them was Corpse Forest Lord’s image, not a Daoist Immortal Gods figure but one from the Buddhist Sect’s Esoteric Sect, depicted as a skeleton.

In recent years, Corpse Forest Lord has been quite revered; many Thangka and artwork jewelry designed with it in mind, some even buying them claiming they bring fortune and blessings.

”Generally, only those practicing Cultivation of Severance or Sacrifice Techniques would offer to Corpse Forest Lord...” Fang Changle said casually.

What is a corpse forest? Many describe it as a burial ground, but truly it’s a dumping cemetery.

Corpse Forest Lord, the guardian deity of the cemetery; imagine bringing such a thing home, or wearing it on oneself...

”After all, it’s the black market; there are good and bad people, fine and poor goods...”

Zhang Fan listened all the way, gaining much new knowledge.

”Weren’t you here for Yin Hu? Have you found him yet?”

”Still searching, with so many people, who knows if he’s here...” Fang Changle brushed his lips.

”That’s Yin Hu, not cabbage.”

”I have a friend on the third floor; if I don’t find him, I’ll go sit with him later.”

The friend Zhang Fan referred to was naturally Hong San.

The two arrived on the second floor, where there were noticeably fewer people than on the first; the first floor’s goods were common, focused on value for money, seeking treasures like finding a needle in a haystack.

”Hmm!?”

Then, Zhang Fan passed by a quiet stall, suddenly stopping in his tracks, catching a glimpse of an unusual metal piece caught in his sight.

The metal piece appeared to be a fragment, likely broken off from some weapon like a sword, two fingers wide, palm length, retaining a blade edge, with subtle irregular patterns resembling characters, ancient and robust.

Zhang Fan’s eyes focused, able to faintly recognize what seemed to be two ancient words.

”Dragon and Tiger!?”