Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 37 Dismissal (Please Collect!)

Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Dismissal (Please Collect!)

Little Tian Village.

A bullock cart slowly passed by the roadside.

A hand lifted the cart’s curtain, gazing out at the cultivated fields.

"Two hundred acres of mature fields, complete with a nearby water channel, truly splendid," Zhong Shenxiu commented slowly.

"Yes, building a manor there too has made all the clan members very happy," Su Tang whispered, "Two hundred acres of land cost us three thousand White Emperor Coins, and building the manor will need two hundred more. And that’s with our clan members volunteering to help."

People of this era, whether officials or commoners, had a mysterious love for the land.

Su Tang, born into a landlord’s family, felt a surge of excitement smelling the familiar scent of the fields.

"The fields are not enough, but let’s leave it at that for now, given that I’m only from the Ninth Grade, and this has already drawn much attention," Zhong Shenxiu instructed with his usual prudence.

"As you command."

Su Tang nodded, having unconsciously come to view the other as a clan leader.

"Let’s head back."

Zhong Shenxiu nodded, urging Su Tang to drive the cart back to Fufeng City.

At the Sweet Water Alley Mansion, many had recently moved out, making it much more tranquil. Su Wei was making tea under a plum tree, and when he saw the two arrive, his eyes lit up with a smile, "Brother! The neighbors always said this well’s water was bitter, but since we arrived, it’s turned surprisingly sweet, perfect for brewing tea."

"Oh, then I must taste it."

Zhong Shenxiu made himself comfortable under the plum tree, took a sip of the tea, and indeed found it delicious.

Watching the heartwarming scene of Su Wei and Su Tang joking, he felt a sense of warmth and relaxation, knowing it was the relief of fulfilling a promise.

It wasn’t for the dead Su Daoshi, but a promise to himself, a sort of baseline.

"My standards have always been high, probably..."

Zhong Shenxiu yawned, "I’m going to sleep for a while; don’t disturb me."

He entered a room, sat cross-legged, and reflected silently, "Now that the Su Family is almost settled, it’s time to think about cultivation..."

"The Evil Slaying Deputy Envoy usually cultivates but needs to patrol the area and suppress evil spirits, luckily Feng Xixi knows I’m busy and gave me a holiday..."

"But it’s unlikely to obtain Daoist Skill’s true transmission through official channels; I must look elsewhere, perhaps visiting some gathering of Loose Cultivators..."

In this area, Zhong Shenxiu had had no leads before.

Even with Feng Xixi, without proper effort over time, it was unlikely she would introduce him to such circles.

But it didn’t matter, Zhong Shenxiu had recently found some Yin Spirits, one of whom remembered a similar secluded gathering.

"Too bad... Such Yin Spirits, apart from the odd chance achievement, largely consist of downtrodden Loose Cultivators, whose Daoist Skills are not even as good as the remnant Chapters of Xuanyin Profound Yin Soul of Su Daoshi, though Wu Tong’s has some merit..."

Zhong Shenxiu approached his desk, prepared the ink, and started drafting a spell.

It was the ritual method for a Magic Artifact called "Xuanyin Yin Nail," somewhat incomplete.

His recently subdued first Yin Spirit, named Wu Tong, had acquired this spell but treated it as Daoist Skill, a complete mess, perhaps a reason for its early demise.

"Pity, only half remains... missing the top part, the Daoist Art named ’Xuanyin Yin Nail’!"

Daoist Art isn’t like the true transmission of spells.

Moreover, past the Gang Sha Realm, if it’s not one’s inherent Daoist Skill, there’s no need to cultivate it; most are just incorporated into some Magic Artifact.

This spell was only about Artifact Refining, without any Daoist Art to imbue.

Like a skilled cook without rice.

Zhong Shenxiu sighed lightly but didn’t particularly care.

Refining a Magic Artifact was actually a matter for the Gang Sha Realm.

Cultivators who hadn’t reached this stage had no mana within their bodies, no matter what they did, their efforts were in vain.

He had silently written down this spell, merely preparing to take it out to see if it could be exchanged for something of equivalent value.

...

That day marked another full moon of the double moons.

Outside Fufeng City, at Black Wind Ridge.

In ancient times, lamp oil was precious, and looking out now, the land was shrouded in darkness.

Only the bright moonlight hung overhead.

Around the ridges, a chilling wind howled, and occasionally the cawing of old crows could be heard, sending shivers down one’s spine.

A young man with a jade-like face and divinely charming demeanor, dressed in a white robe and holding a folding fan, his large sleeves fluttering, crossed several meters in every step he took, arriving in no time at a valley that emitted a faint, misty haze.

"Hee hee!"

"Ha ha!"

From all around, ghostly laughter that had started at some unknown time echoed, now near, now far, drifting, enough to drive a sane person mad.

Even Martial Arts experts knew that this place was haunted by evil spirits and dared not stay long.

The young gentleman chuckled lightly, "On this night of the full moon, at this valley gathering, why would the host drive a guest away?"

"Gu gu!"

The ghostly cries around him suddenly ceased, and the sound of flapping wings could be heard.

Out of the thick fog, a white crow suddenly flew in.

No!

It was not a real crow, but a paper-made lifeless object, yet its two soybean-sized eyes were vividly lifelike.

"So, you are a fellow Daoist, one I haven’t seen before."

The crow perched on the treetop, emitting an elderly human voice.

"I am Zhong Shenxiu, known in Jianghu as Young Master Shen Xiu, and I have met Crow Elder."

Zhong Shenxiu slightly bowed, "I have long heard of Crow Elder’s astonishing power, capable of allowing his Yin God to exit his body and possess others. Today, it truly lives up to its reputation."

The so-called Yin God’s exit from the body was actually merely a low-level Daoist skill.

The exited Yin Gods were very weak, similar to those Yin spirits, afraid of sunlight, strong winds, and thunderstorms... They could only hide in places with dense Yin energy.

Some Daoists specialized in this Daoist Skill, enabling their own Yin spirits to exit their body and possess mediums such as paper effigies or animals, performing all sorts of bizarre deeds.

But in reality, they were still greatly restricted, and a careless mistake could easily break their spell, and once broken, if the Yin spirit was damaged, at best it would cause madness, and at worst, death on the spot.

Zhong Shenxiu too had resisted temptation, or he would have used his "Pastor" ability to refine this reckless creature.

Only by achieving Primordial Spirit could one scatter and gather at will, fearless of everything, just like an ordinary person.

"Ha ha, it is mutual admiration among fellow Daoists. Since you have come specifically for the Black Mountain Small Meeting, please come in."

Unaware of the various thoughts passing through Zhong Shenxiu’s mind, the paper crow flew into the mist, creating a pathway through it.

Zhong Shenxiu chuckled lightly, followed it, and soon arrived at a valley.

In the valley, a bonfire burned, and groups of people sat nearby.

No, some were not human!

Zhong Shenxiu looked around, noticing that most cultivators attending the Black Mountain Small Meeting were either concealing their faces with bamboo hats or wearing masks.

Others were outright Yin Gods that had exited the body, possessing mediums like paper effigies, spiritual monkeys, and wild wolves, appearing almost like a carnival of demons.

At that moment, these people all looked towards him, their eyes filled with mockery.

Clearly, they thought that someone like Zhong Shenxiu, who entered the meeting without any disguise, was either a novice or overly bold.

As for being discreet? An Innate Martial Practitioner hiding? What’s there to hide?

PS: New book, please favorite and recommend!