Archfiend

Chapter 72: Cultivation Civilization (1)

 The formless footprint was followed by bursts of ground tremors, extending onwards neither hurriedly nor slowly. Li Zongyuan didn’t seem to be fast, but the fact of the matter was that with his bulk, he could travel tens of meters in a single step.

Inside a car, a middle-aged man lifted his sunglasses, and his right eye reddened, appearing to build a bridge between the human and demon realms. Eventually, he leaned his head towards his female companion beside him and laughed. “A demon is relocating, nothin’ to see. It probably couldn’t keep on staying in Mingshui Province.”

His female companion looked into his eyes and laughed cutely as she used her hand to pat his shoulder. “Don’t use the Heaven Eye. Even though it’s an elementary version of Heavens Law’s teachings, it’s freaky to look at in the dead of night.”

“Moving house, eh…” Ahead of a signboard that wrote out the three large characters of Panshan City, a police officer sighed, turning around and continuing to uphold public order. “Nowadays, our lives really are getting harder.”

Li Zongyuan simply didn’t pay attention to any of this, but rather blustered about on the mountain. In any case, ordinary people couldn’t see him, and those who could still had to protect his relocation. The heck was he scared of?

But to say he wasn’t afraid wasn’t the whole truth. He quite dreaded... the master within his stomach. His full-on sprint was certainly much greater than his current speed and to say his current speed was a walk was more or less correct. However, if Xu Yangyi was shaken—and if Xu Yangyi was unhappy—it was game over for him. This boundlessly cycling thought caused him to rather enjoy this kind of leisurely strolling life.

And also controlled the wild expectation of breaking free that was hidden within his heart.

Xu Yangyi, Zhou Tingting, and the little wolf were all in his stomach. It couldn’t be helped to say that Li Zongyuan was a demon that really liked to live it up. He had built a small dimensional space, and while his land of honey and milk wasn’t completely filled with Dew Congealing Grass, it introduced a stream of water and established a wooden house that was around 265 square meters in size.

Zhou Tingting and the little wolf were in the living room, absentmindedly playing on a computer. Inside another room, they had moved in their items. As for Xu Yangyi, he stayed in the third room, not leaving. He had continued to contemplate a question.

What had caused him to receive the kill command of a branch master he was total strangers with? The answer came quickly to him. After nearly several minutes, he was certain of everything. Someone was concealing from China’s cultivation world the examination results from three years prior. The results, as well as its content, had all been tampered with. For him to be on the receiving end of this hunt, it could only originate from his battle of three years ago.

“Is it you…?” He sat in meditation on a bed, looking at a little box placed before him.

Since his leap of three years, it no longer existed in his qi sea. On that rainy night, it had materialized. Moreover, Xu Yangyi used a silver necklace chain to wear it on his neck. With golden script in a simple and unadorned painting style, the chest lacked any other peculiarities.

Xu Yangyi closed his eyes. In his mind, he began to recall all of his problems since he left Sanshui City to the present.

“How did that berserker obtain this box?”

“What the heck is this box… Who is this leopard-headed man whose image is engraved? Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to go into the lotus pond, and I also wouldn’t have known about the existence of the Eternal Alchemy Canon. Without it, I would’ve already died under Vermilion Snow’s hand.”

“What was that lotus pond? Was it just a fantasy? If it was fake… why can I remember the arcane effort from inside? If it’s real, in China… no, the Earth, there can’t possibly be such a terrifying, tremendous demon.”

“Who forged this box? Why hasn’t such an important treasure been mentioned in history?”

Question upon question lingered in his mind. He was absolutely certain that only because of the chest did today’s level of situation come about.

And yet… 

He didn’t regret it at all. Was the recruitment of various factions significant? Was a Core Formation arcane effort important? Both were vital! Yet in comparison to the Eternal Alchemy Canon, they were categorically a non-factor!

Alchemy was to refine the self. So long as he studied this arcane effort, so what about recruitment?

That depended on their “sincerity”.

The Core Formation arcane effort… was nothing more than a lesser fraction to the greater whole of the Eternal Alchemy Canon!

During the graduation ceremony, he was the one that truly reaped the benefits! Chu Zhaonan’s legion and the position of first place, was nothing in comparison to this mysterious little box! However, how was it that it seemed to have been leaked?

Narrowing his eyes for several seconds, he suddenly recalled that amidst Vermilion Snow’s unrestrained terror, she had once yelled out “Emperor Armament”! He inhaled deeply. Perhaps this was the key to opening the door of this mystery.

Li Zongyuan. He called out lightly in his consciousness.

Master. Li Zongyuan’s voice immediately reverberated. Heavens knew that he was being exceedingly careful outside, awaiting his master’s spiritual call at any time… no, summons.

Do you know where there are antique research specialists…? He picked up the chest. I want to do a decryption. There’s only a single requirement: the decrypter must be tight-lipped.

And if they aren’t trustworthy?

Then you take care of it. Xu Yangyi’s voice was without the slightest ripple. This object was able to cause a Foundation Establishment cultivator to hunt him. If it was divulged, all there was for him was death!

If… He was silent for a few seconds. you leak it, there won’t be a need for you to come see me.

Suicide… Li Zongyuan thought of this word and his tremendous body shivered. However, he gritted his teeth and still said, Sir, this is quite difficult… If there really is someone hunting you down, there’s a possibility you’ll be killed if you emerge. The aura of the item you own and you yourself absolutely can’t show up at the same time. Cultivators’ arcane efforts are infinite, and the number of arcane efforts that trace back to the origin are far, far too many…

I’m only asking if you’re able to. Xu Yangyi said indifferently.

I can!

Xu Yangyi faintly raised a brow. He had only asked in passing, but he hadn’t expected that Li Zongyuan would actually be able to do so.

Lifting his chin, he hinted for the other to speak. Li Zongyuan answered deferentially, Sir, China… is not the only people interested in these ancient riddles…

A collaboration with demons? Xu Yangyi nearly didn’t give it any consideration and nodded. I’m reminding you again. This item cannot be revealed. You will die first before me.

Yes! Li Zongyuan immediately replied, Master, presently… which faction are you part of?

Xu Yangyi laughed, I’m part of the pragmatic faction.

The demon slayer was also somewhat helpless. Without any other options, Li Zongyuan was the only one he could truly trust right now. However, this was a collaboration partner that was certain to cancel his pact and immediately abscond, never to be seen again until death.

I’ll stay here and enter seclusion afterwards. Once my seclusion comes to an end, I’ll need an answer.

Sir, please set your mind at ease...

The man and the toad were silent. After several seconds passed, Xu Yangyi lit a cigarette. Tell me about the matters of the cultivation world.

Yes… sir, what do you want to hear? I’ve been in the cultivation world for over thirty years, and although I am unschooled in the affairs of cultivation, there are some assortment of matters… 

Xu Yangyi snapped his finger, cutting off the familiar. Just talk. I’m a little bored.

Li Zongyuan pursed his lips. This tempo of a boring journey that needed a driver to put on a movie… still needed the accompaniment of song... However, he dared not be discontent whatsoever. Once a life-death pact was signed, it couldn’t be removed as long as his cultivation wasn’t higher than the other party’s. Yet with Xu Yangyi’s talents...

He had given up on this notion earlier. 

Sir, the cultivation world is presently Cultivation Civilization. In fact, it’s development has been brought up since the first world war… Clearing his throat, he said, Before this, the cultivation world basically didn’t care for the human world. But after this great war, the rapid advancement of science and technology were already capable of injuring initial-stage Qi Condensation cultivators of insufficient cultivation. It was only at this time did the cultivation world begin to regard humanity with level eyes.

Xu Yangyi was laying down on the bed in his room. The night stand was a small refrigerator, and the inside was stocked with all kinds of beverages and booze. On the bottom, there were snacks and braised dishes, which flavors were pretty good. He took out a bottle of beer and slowly toasted to himself, drinking alone.

Li Zongyuan’s voice rang out again. But most important was the second war. Tanks were already capable of causing injury or death to initial-stage Qi Condensation cultivators. Especially when the first cruise missile appeared. There were clans in the cultivation world that finally ended their several thousand years of separation and began to contact humanity.

Li Zongyuan made a note to himself. In any case, for his master to come chat with him without topic restriction is interesting, if just for this several-hour journey. Cultivation was too brief and could be said to be without the least bit pleasure.

I remember something from a book. In the beginning, it was only some small clans. Only clans that couldn’t go on any longer and were faced with the extinction of their Dao legacies chose to contact humanity. After all, in their long training, ordinary people were insects. Xu Yangyi found a plate of braised duck and used a toothpick to casually get a piece. He narrowed his eyes as he said in pleasure, At that time, the speed of trains and cars weren’t faster at all than that of talismans, not to even mention the flight of a Foundation Establishment senior. Almost nobody anticipated the enormous change that would come from the words ‘science and technology’… 

That’s correct. Li Zongyuan said, Master, did Heavens Law also teach cultivation history?

They did, it’s just that I didn’t take it too seriously. Xu Yangyi said lazily. But to say that the cultivation world of this time has leveled their eyes at humanity isn’t completely correct. It should be nothing more than a sliver’s opening of the eyelids. 

Yes, Master is wise… The true turning point was when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan. As those two cities transformed into ruins, that world-annihilating might finally caused the cultivators that had looked down on humanity for a long time to sound the alarm. 

Xu Yangyi said somewhat wistfully, In the End of Days, Nascent Soul is no more and Core Formation is the peak. Back then… I’m afraid there were no Nascent Soul cultivators, right?

China still had two Nascent Soul cultivators at that time. Li Zongyuan said softly, It’s recorded that the longevity of Nascent Soul is six centuries… Sir, I knew early on my cultivation wasn’t high, so because of this, I sought joy and pleasure. But because of this, perhaps my understanding of these things is a bit greater than some experts… In any case, it gave me something to concern myself with in this senselessly endless life…

Xu Yangyi smiled. Li Zongyuan truly did dread him, his courage fractured in its entirety. Any of the first slivers of dissatisfaction that Xu Yangyi had were immediately supplemented, needless of action.

Anyways, this was quite good. He needed a person like this. Any cultivator had their own team. It was impossible for everything to be done by oneself. In the sole consideration of the Dao Masters’ enterprises, their enormous estates reached over ten thousand cultivators, comparable to a major corporation. He would also have his own sooner or later.

But I suspect that they’re still alive… Li Zongyuan added on, causing Xu Yangyi’s gaze to suddenly turn bright.

What’s your reason?

Master… I have no proof, but… Li Zongyuan laughed wryly, Do you know of Daoism’s Three Great Ancestral Halls?

Xichuan’s Cranecry Mountain, Greenwall Mountain, and Ganjiang’s Dragon-Tiger Mountain… Sir, these are the Chinese Government’s true hidden aces… All of the Core Formation cultivators knows this, but none of them dare to touch upon this matter…

Of our cultivation, Qi Condensation is muddled. Once at Foundation Establishment can one choose their own Dao. Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, each school has an extremely deep reserve in China. As for myself, I truly do not believe, that in the hands of these three true mega sects, there’s not one supreme existence.

Xu Yangyi was silent for a moment. Are you saying… they’re the real mega powers?

Master, they can’t be considered powers! They are titans! The range of their power is not great, their associations with humanity not many, and their true disciples rarely enter the world if at all. But any cultivator in all of China dares not touch them! This kind of several millenniums-old Dao heritage, the emperors and monarchs they have witnessed, the secrets, the depths of their reserves cannot be dared to be imagined! Truly, I truly suspect those two legendary Nascent Soul lords from that time have yet to actually die! They’re hiding within the great mountains of these three great Dao heritages!