Chapter 21: Myriad Sword Demon Sect, Qi Refining Characteristics

June 20th, thirteen days to go!

Early that morning, someone came to the door to deliver news of a death.

Cheng Yubo was dead!

Ever since Cheng Wanli had replaced the Sanjiang Gang to establish his own Dragon Tooth Gang, the era of hunting Crocodiles had essentially come to an end.

The Sanjiang Gang had left behind vast territories and numerous money-making routes; Cheng Wanli no longer needed to toil away hunting dragons.

With the fifty spirit stones from Li Haitian's inheritance, Luo Zhou was no longer short of money either.

This was the unspoken understanding between adults: to not disturb one another, and to end in silence.

Yet, unexpectedly, someone arrived that morning to announce that Cheng Yubo was dead.

That chubby Cheng Yubo had always looked after Luo Zhou quite well.

Luo Zhou had to go!

The coffin was placed in the large manor where Zhang Meng had been slain.

The funeral was being held there...

Luo Zhou frowned. This wretched place was inauspicious; why hold a funeral here?

Bowing, offering sacrifices, lighting incense, presenting flower money...

That Cheng Yubo, who could still fight desperately even after having his eyeballs knocked out, had died just like this, lying forever in a coffin.

Luo Zhou felt a sense of disbelief.

Lu Yue was there, maintaining the scene and managing the funeral arrangements.

Luo Zhou found him and asked, "How did Yubo die?"

Lu Yue gritted his teeth and said, "Sigh, this place used to be where Zhang Meng of the Sanjiang Gang kept his mistress. That woman was beautiful, and after they were finished, Little Cheng grew lustful and kept her. The woman was also strong-willed; to avenge Zhang Meng, she pretended to submit to him and poisoned them both last night. They died together, a pair of doomed lovers!"

"What a fierce woman..."

Luo Zhou was speechless upon hearing this, not knowing what to say. He could only let out a long sigh!

"Xiao Zhou, can we still hunt Crocodiles?" Lu Yue suddenly asked.

"Brother Lu, I'm ready whenever you are!"

Lu Yue shook his head and said, "Sigh, both Zhang Chuan and I have become stewards of the Dragon Tooth Gang. I have wives and concubines now, and I no longer lack spirit fragments. I enjoy good wine and meat every day. If you asked me to crawl through those muddy swamps to find Crocodiles again, I'm afraid I couldn't do it..."

Luo Zhou nodded; people change as their environment changes.

"Brother Lu, that's better. Enjoy your life! By the way, where is Captain Cheng?"

"The City Lord summoned him; he went to the City Lord's Manor. Oh, and that Purple Cricket you asked him to help find—we made contact in the Great Xuan Mountains. A batch of them will be delivered by noon. I'll have someone send them to your house when they arrive."

Purple Crickets were spiritual insects containing spiritual energy, found only in the Great Xuan Mountains; a single one was worth thirty spirit fragments.

Luo Zhou had asked Cheng Wanli to use his connections in the Great Xuan Mountains, and after all these days, he had finally secured them! This was crucial to him!

From Li Haitian's memories, the Full Moon Demon was the Blood Parrot, a demonic pet belonging to the City Lord's daughter, Fang Ningshuang. It lived in the City Lord's manor's back garden, and the entire garden was its playground. The guards kept their distance because it was no pushover.

The City Lord's manor was heavily guarded, with at least Foundation Establishment cultivators on duty; Luo Zhou couldn't break in even if he tried.

However, Li Haitian had his own way. If he couldn't go in, he would lure the Blood Parrot out.

In Li Haitian's memories, besides transforming into a man-eating demon during the full moon of the fifteenth, the Blood Parrot was usually just an ordinary parrot, albeit a large one, about three feet tall. Parrots loved eating crickets most of all.

The Blood Parrot was the same, which was why Luo Zhou had specifically commissioned someone to catch the Purple Crickets. Since Luo Zhou possessed the ability to control insects, he could use the Purple Crickets to lure the Blood Parrot out of the manor's back garden on its own.

In Li Haitian's memories, there was a weak point in the garden's defenses—only a wall and a barrier, with no guards. This was a flaw he had discovered through repeated observation and study. His goal was to one day massacre the City Lord's entire family.

Inside the manor, Foundation Establishment cultivators were everywhere. As a Qi Refinement practitioner, entering would mean certain death without even a place to be buried. But one must have ideals!

There were no guards at this spot, only the wall and the barrier. Luo Zhou wouldn't enter; he would simply lure the Blood Parrot out here and take its life with a single Dragon-Slaying Stab!

No one would see it. The plan was seamless and perfect!

Finally, the Purple Crickets arrived. It was time to execute.

As for using himself as bait on the night of the fifteenth to lure the Blood Parrot and then assassinate it—that would be suicidal. Every month during the demonic hour, the Blood Parrot would transform into a terrifying demon. From ten feet away, it could look at its prey and absorb their entire essence and spirit, killing them with a single glance! It would never enter the range of Luo Zhou's Dragon-Slaying Stab.

Luo Zhou had calculated repeatedly and discovered the key to the Full Moon Demon Blood Parrot's ritual. The time was the full moon, the location was a crossroads, and the target was a passerby. The method was to suck dry their essence, and the characteristic of the ritual was regret!

The last thought of everyone killed by the Full Moon Demon was regret. Regret for why they had come to the crossroads on the night of the full moon, only to be slowly sucked dry and killed in endless remorse.

After finishing the memorial, Luo Zhou hurried to school. Arriving at the Dao Academy, he immediately went to the Dean's office to report.

Seeing him approach, Dean Zhao asked, "What strength?"

Just as Luo Zhou was about to speak, Dean Zhao waved his hand and said, "Wait a moment, let me guess. Your body has grown taller, your frame is lean as a pine, born with spiritual energy, solitary and elegant... the Hinoki Pine Strength! Bamboo Clarity and Pine Slenderness! Congratulations!"

Luo Zhou said, "Teacher, congratulations for what? The Hinoki Pine Strength is ranked thirty-third among the thirty-six strengths. The increase in power is too small."

"You, you don't understand the benefits. Girls will scream when they see you; you'll understand later. This Hinoki Pine Strength is actually the best among all the strengths!"

Luo Zhou looked unconvinced. "Teacher, can I promote to a Curse Master?"

"A Curse Master needs powerful mental strength, or dark power, or a ghostly aura—they must radiate hatred and death with their entire being. You are too bright and sunny, too much of a simpleton; there is no hope. You are just a hardworking laborer strength; you can't become a Curse Master at all."

Having already promoted, the Dean stopped pretending and bluntly called him a "laborer strength."

"Is there really no way, Teacher?"

"Why are you so interested in Curse Masters?"

"I want to curse an actual Crocodile!"

"There is one way. If you can curse someone to death who has a higher realm than you, you will become a Curse Master effortlessly."

"Curse them to death? How is that possible? Someone with a higher realm? If I make them angry, they'll just step on me and kill me!"

"Curse them to death won't work? Then just use your charms. With your looks—slender, upright, and elegant... Heh heh heh, a total pretty boy, a 'milk wolf-dog,' a white-paper strategist type. Little sisters will live and die for you!"

"Teacher, I may be young, but I'm not stupid. Being good-looking allows me to make girls live and die for me? Are you joking?"

"Hahaha, young man, so naive! You understand nothing. Simps come in all genders."

Luo Zhou smiled inwardly. *Teacher, actually, I know more than you!*

Knowing women by their scent, the art of the Su Nu, equestrian skills... you've probably never even heard of them. Although I haven't used them, I possess the knowledge!

Luo Zhou began to chat with Dean Zhao. The Dean was erudite and omniscient, and he taught Luo Zhou during their conversation. He also enjoyed chatting with Luo Zhou; though the boy was young, his words contained both youthful innocence and a maturity, self-awareness, and vision beyond his years. He wasn't just an ordinary boy; having the insight of the Six Great Moths, he was naturally not ordinary.

As they talked, Luo Zhou suddenly remembered something. Gritting his teeth, he took out the Wang family treasure and asked, "Teacher, can you help me see what this is?"

He didn't recognize the treasure himself, and keeping it on him was useless. He wanted to ask the teacher to see what it was and what its uses were. If the teacher wanted it, he would give it to him; given his character, he wouldn't take it for free. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Dean Zhao took one look and said, "The Heavy Chaos Profound Micro Bead from the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace! It's been many years since I've seen one of these. They used to be unearthed frequently around here; they were one of our local specialties. If refined during the Qi Refinement stage, one can obtain the Heavy Water Qi characteristic!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Zhou's heart sank. Regarding Qi Refinement characteristics, he already possessed Frost Qi, Water Surge Qi, Misty Qi, Geomagnetic Qi, Tides Qi, Heavy Dust Qi, and Three-Eyed Qi... that was already seven types. One more wouldn't mean much.

But then again, Old Wang had lived his whole life as a barber; what great treasures could he have had?

Dean Zhao continued, "You can sell the Heavy Chaos Profound Micro Bead. For a Qi Refinement cultivator, this is a precious treasure and quite expensive—it could sell for at least eighty spirit stones. Alternatively, you can refine it. Heavy Water Qi can condense water into a heavy form. It is a very powerful spiritual energy characteristic, especially when paired with lightning arts; it's practically invincible."

Sell it, or cultivate it? That didn't sound bad!

Dean Zhao began to speak incessantly: "Heavy Water Qi is one of the one hundred and eight Qi Refinement characteristics of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace. Moreover, it is one of the twelve first-class Water Qis, the most suitable spiritual energy to use with lightning arts. This energy can drive various lightning arts within the major systems such as the Jade Pivot, Purple Mansion, Profound Mechanism, Immortal Capital, and Taiyi systems."

Luo Zhou couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, I know there are Frost Qi, Water Surge Qi, and Misty Qi. Comparing those three to Heavy Water Qi, which is better?"

"The Frost, Water Surge, and Misty Qis you mentioned are called Heavenly Water Qis. 'Heavenly' refers to the three states of natural water, with 'water' as the core; this energy represents the three major states of water: solid, liquid, and gas. The three states of Heavenly Water Qi are integrated, encompassing all forms of water in the world, and are specifically used to complement various water arts. It is also one of the twelve first-class Water Qis of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace. Naturally, it is stronger than the Heavy Water Qi which is specialized for lightning!"

Luo Zhou nodded, gaining knowledge. "Teacher, what about Tides Qi?"

"The water energies mastered by beasts do not even enter the one hundred and eight Qi Refinement characteristics of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace. They are meaningless. However, Tides Qi can transform into Great Tides, evolving into Tide Water Qi—the tides of the great ocean that sweep through all worlds! That is also one of the twelve first-class Water Qis of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace, but it ranks below Heavenly Water Qi and Heavy Water Qi."

"Teacher, then what about Geomagnetic Qi, Heavy Dust Qi, Three-Eyed Qi..."

"Compared to Heavy Water Qi, Heavenly Water Qi, and Tide Water Qi, they are several tiers lower. Three-Eyed Qi is equivalent to a ninth-class Water Qi of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace. Geomagnetic Qi and Heavy Dust Qi have the chance to evolve into powerful Gravity-type or Earth-type Qi Refinement characteristics, so they are equivalent to fifth or sixth-class Water Qis."

"Teacher, you just mentioned evolution and transformation? How do you transform and evolve?"

"You're in the Body Tempering stage, why are you asking about this! Wait until you reach the Qi Refinement stage."

Despite saying that, Dean Zhao still taught him!

"The method of evolution basically involves first refining a Qi Refinement characteristic, and then using heavenly and earthly spiritual items to guide your characteristic through evolution. Transformation is easier; it can be done through personal belief. Ultimately, true Qi is a part of your own body; if you believe, you can change it. 'Might' is the keyword—not a certainty, but a ten to twenty percent possibility. Furthermore, refining this isn't a guarantee either; it's a fifty to sixty percent success rate."

"Remember, the cultivation world changes every day, discarding the old and embracing the new, constantly advancing. Even if you master a weak Qi Refinement characteristic, you can still fight ten Qi Refinement cultivators who have no characteristics at all!"

"Teacher, I understand! Teacher, you mentioned the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace—what is that?"

Dean Zhao chuckled and said, "It is a thing of the past, an ancient corpse."

Despite saying that, he couldn't help but continue, "In the old days, the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace occupied the three oceans and four seas, known as the supreme sovereign of water arts. Later, it was destroyed..."

"By whom?"

Dean Zhao checked his surroundings quietly before saying, "The Myriad Sword Demon Sect!"

"However, the Myriad Sword Demon Sect is also gone now. Because it has since abandoned the sword to practice law, and abandoned demonhood to enter the Dao—it is now the Heavenly Dao Sect!"

"Seventy thousand years ago, the Myriad Sword Demon Sect destroyed the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace. One hundred and fifty thousand sword cultivators rose into the sky, riding their swords to steam the seas and change the very heavens and earth! Vastly, their sword light covered thirty thousand miles of sky; majestically, their sword qi pierced the nine heavens. They split the three oceans and surged through the four seas; none could stop them, and none could contend with them!"

In his speech, Dean Zhao seemed to enter a state of excitement, looking into the distance as if longing for something.

Luo Zhou suddenly realized. No wonder the Wang family had water and lightning powers and the "Surging Seas" bloodline, and why Li Haitian had the "Green Water Flows Eastward" manual—so many people had water-based spiritual affinities. It turned out these people were all descendants of the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace.

Sensing Luo Zhou's thoughts, Dean Zhao nodded and said, "It is said that there is still a group of 'leftover' cultivators from the Jellyfish Heavenly Palace who fantasize about restoring it. Pure delusion!"

It took a long time for him to calm down before he warned, "Furthermore, remember: what I just said about the Myriad Sword Demon Sect must only enter your ears. Once you leave, you must forget it. This is the greatest taboo of the Heavenly Dao Sect. If it spreads, it will be seen as sect treason, and you will be killed. You'll be dead for sure!"