Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 1057 – A familiar aura, Luan Luan and Yiye Jiange

Many Interspatial Silk Sachets awaited Qing Shui. When he looked through the contents, he discovered that it was quite a treasure trove. There were medicinal pills and medicinal herbs—that sort of thing. He found that many of the items were not bad. If the dead men knew that Qing Shui only rated their items as such, they would become so angry that they might come back to life.

Qing Shui decided to leave the items for his companions. These items would help to increase their strength quite significantly. As for Qing Shui, he only hoped to get some breakthroughs in his spirit energy.

In addition to that, Qing Shui found a few secret manuals in the Interspatial Silk Sachets. However, Qing Shui was unsure if he could actually use those techniques since they were based on Yin Qi.

There were also many weapons, metal ingots, as well as some bizarre items. However, Qing Shui did not find any powerful magic treasure. There were some pretty good items, but they were not useful to him, so he placed them back.

This entire search took about half a day. Based on the needs of the women, Little Fatty and Lin Zhanhan, he distributed the items so that everybody had a share.

His Heart of Roc was still at the large success stage. He was still unable to reach the Great Perfection Stage for that skill. To him, it was like a itch he could not scratch as Heart of Roc is a powerful passive spirit energy skill.

Roc Spreading Wings was also another skill that Qing Shui wanted to improve on as it could boost his speed. If he could reach the Great Perfection Stage for both Heart of Roc and Roc Spreading Wings, he knew that his strength will instantaneously increase by leaps and bounds.

His Roc’s Might was still at a very basic stage. Other than tampering with his magic treasures, he practiced his Nine Waves Great Golden Buddha Palm. It was now at the 6 layer realm, once it reached the 7 layer realm, it would be a turning point for the technique.

Demonic Beast Armor Manifestation was still at an infancy stage, but Qing Shui looked forward to the future progress of this skill because of its impressive power. However, he had no idea when that will happen. He only hope that it will be sooner.

Qing Shui had already taken a more casual approach towards his training, perhaps because he had sufficient time now. He treated everything as a cycle and did not have an extensive plan because he found that quite redundant.

In the presence of time, everything else is powerless. Qing Shui does not possess an infinite amount of time, but the time he gained through his Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal is enough to change whatever situation he meets. It has already create a huge change in his life.

……

They had nothing planned for the next day. Since everyone was in quite a good mood, they decided to explore Common Origin City together in a group. Qing Shui wanted to explore all the spots they visited as he had time. As long as they were not in a hurry, this was what he usually did. But the others could not afford such luxury of time.

As the weather was cold, most of the people wore thick coats. Qing Shui and his companions also wore their fox fur overcoats. There were many other people who wore fox fur coats, but the quality of fox fur could be classified into different grade.

It was not particularly because they needed it since they were already powerful cultivators. They can sense the temperature by the cold did not feel uncomfortable nor does it threaten their lives. But it was just a feeling they have. With the cold weather, even if one did not really feel cold, wearing thin clothes will trick the mind into thinking that one was cold. Similarly, one would feel warm wearing thick clothes in a hot weather even when they are not suppose to feel that hot.

When people feel cold, it is because they receive a signal in their brain from their skin. The skin sends such a signal as people will fall sick if they are too cold and might even lose their life. However, strong cultivators can feel cold, because all their senses are enhanced. However, they don’t feel uncomfortable. So they will still choose to wear thick coats when it is snowing in winter.

Every so often, huge flying beasts flew above the city. All of the riders look very arrogant as they looked down on the people below. This was just like a natural instinct. Because one had the advantage of being above, they could look down on others. Different people at different levels had different goals.

Not far from them, they saw a marketplace. There were many adults and children there. The space was huge. It was much larger than those Qing Shui had seen in his previous life. It was very lively and there were all sorts of goods. There were even some performances and even a fighting ring. People enjoyed martial arts everywhere in the Main Continent, that was the reason why there would always be a fighting ring where people gathered.

The fighting ring was not merely for people to spectate, there were also betting tables for people to bet on the contestants they think would win. One would earn a little from the right bet, but a wrong bet would mean that the gambler would lose his entire bet.

Common Origin City was just small city and an exceptionally backward one. When Qing Shui and his group saw the people fighting in the ring, they immediately recognized that the people were just using very basic, primitive skills.

They don’t even have to worry that some expert would come over and interfere with their affairs. Every social circle had its own purpose. Just as one would not find interest in two ants fighting, Qing Shui was not really interested to find out who would win or going up to fight with them. In front of true experts, these mens were just as insignificant as ants.

Qing Shui and the women decided to place bets on a few rounds. They did not observe the contestants, but just bet on what they wanted. They just called the contestants, number one and number two. If Qing Shui were to bet on number one, the women would bet on number two. Rather than gambling, these people were just doing that just for fun.

They were just trying to see whose luck was better, so they each have their wins and losses. But Qing Shui would not waste this chance, the condition was that the biggest loser would have to spend the night with him…

With the conditions set, they challenge Qing Shui with their luck. They usually set the contestant on the left as the number one. Regardless, the change in position during battle, the person who ends up on the left of the ring would be number one. Thus, this was basically all down to luck.

In the end, the biggest loser was Yiye Jiange. Qing Shui did not understand how it happened nor Yiye Jiange’s reaction. She gave him a few angry glares, and swung her hips walking away. With this, everyone returned to the inn.

Every time they reach a new city, Qing Shui would buy some souvenirs. Regardless how expensive they were, Qing Shui would buy whatever he liked to keep as a memento. This was a habit of his so he bought some Lovers’ locks here in Common Origin City.

He gave each of the women one, even Yiye Jiange. He felt awkward when he was giving them the locks but Yiye Jiange received hers happily. This surprised Qing Shui and he felt delighted. Lovers’ locks were just any random thing that people could give and receive, it definitely represented something in their relationship.

Qing Shui had a relaxing and happy time that day, so he made himself remember the name of the city.

After ten days…

They had left the city and reached a small hamlet where the mountain villagers lived. They had to travel through this place to reach the Ancient Ruins.

Even though this area was covered with mountainous villages, the road was wide. The road had lots of ups and downs but it was smooth. If one were to speed down this road with a car, it would definitely be fun due to the smooth bumps and ditches.

Perhaps because he was raised in a mountain village, Qing Shui had a good impression of this place. This place was slightly north of the center of the Northern Sacred Lu Continent, the further north a place was, the colder it was and the more powerful the people were. The locations at the border of the continents also harbor very powerful people, just like Ghost Sect that was located at the South border of the Northern Sacred Lu Continent.

The villages were spread over a large area. It was very different from the layout of a city, but it felt very homely to Qing Shui. The air and environment was extremely good. The environment in the world of the Nine Continents was well maintained and very good, but this place impressed Qing Shui the most with its serenity and cleanliness. It was definitely quieter here than in any bustling city.

Qing Shui and his group followed the large road in the middle of the hamlet and chatted light-heartedly.

Roar!

A roar could be heard vaguely from a far. It was deep and forceful. Qing Shui and his group looked in surprise at the area in front of them. There were very little wild beasts here as the wild beasts do not dare to approach the villages. Demonic beasts lived even further from this place as the hamlet would certainly be destroyed if they were nearby.

However, this was a Xiantian Demonic Beast.

The few of them decided to investigate. If they were in another location, they wouldn’t care if there was a Xiantian Demonic Beast, even if a Martial Saint Demonic Beast appeared, they won’t give it a second look, as they were on a different level.

They walked closer and closer!

Suddenly Luan Luan and Yiye Jiange exchanged glances with each other, “Mother, can you feel that? It is a familiar aura, it is so familiar.”

Yiye Jiange nodded. “Luan Luan, let’s go over. Quick.”

They ran toward the direction where the roar came from.

Yah!

They were shocked when they saw the scene before them. A boy, with three Armored Mountain Boars, was holding a bo staff and fighting ferociously with a Fire Leopard.

The Fire Leopard was a Xiantian Demonic Beast, while the three Armored Mountain Boars were all Late Houtian Demonic Beast. However, with their tasks and their ability, they managed to defend themselves against the Fire Leopard forcing it backward.

The roar of frustration was indeed produced by the Fire Leopard. The Armored Mountain Boars made very soft snorts. The boy’s eyes were lively and clear. He had a jade-like face, it was clear that he would become a beautiful man when he grow up. He would occasionally help the Armored Mountain Boars with his Bo staff whenever they were in danger, each time he will poke the Fire Leopard’s privates…

A demonic beast’s private parts were their weak spots, but they were usually protected by their tails. However, the boy was as nimble as an ape. Each time he somehow managed to move in an odd angle which allowed him to land his blows on the demonic beast’s weak spot. As the Fire Leopard was male, there was an additional…

Just when Qing Shui was about to say something to them, he turned back and saw Yiye Jiange and Luan Luan staring at a boy in a daze. The boy was about eleven or twelve, and he looked a little like Luan Luan. He even looked a little like Yiye Jiange…

When he saw their expression, Qing Shui’s heart reacted…

“Mother, I am so nervous. This aura is so familiar. I am sure he is related to me. But this is such a coincidence.” Luan Luan said as she pulled Yiye Jiange to her side.

Yiye Jiange wasn’t looking any better, but she acted very calm, “You don’t have to be nervous. In the end, it is still a good thing. You should be happy.”

“Yes, I should be happy!” Luan Luan was extremely excited. She remembered the day that her father sent her away…

“Could they be still alive? They should be alive, right?” Luan Luan exclaimed joyfully. She looked at the battle scene. There was the path up the mountains to the village. It was only ten over li from the village. Why would there be a demonic beast here? Is it normal for demonic beasts to appear here?

As they walked along the streets, Qing Shui could tell that normal people made up a majority of the population in the city. Even those that look well-built cannot stand up to a Xiantian Demonic Beast. He did notice some Xiantian cultivators but they were quite uncommon since he only sense one every now and then.