Chapter 195: Cling to the Big Shot!

Fleeting yet vivid Images flashed through Li Yanchu’s mind like a spinning lantern show. The ancients spoke of the dream of yellow millet[1]. And now, what Li Yanchu experienced was not so different.

This was a small gift left behind by the immortal’s lingering will after annihilating the evil spirits.

The immortal’s long sleeves fluttered, his hair at his temples swaying gently in the wind. It was a scene of effortless grace and elegance. After offering a faint smile, he completely vanished into the heavens and earth.

Li Yanchu opened his eyes wide and stood up in a single, fluid motion. His face glowed with alternating streams of purple and golden qi.

He looked like a being from the celestial realms. The immortal's touch upon his crown had greatly strengthened Li Yanchu's primordial spirit, making both his spirit and qi feel lighter than ever before. It had a profound impact on his inner state of mind.

"

Huff

..." Li Yanchu slowly exhaled a breath of clear, purified air.

Feeling a sense of gratitude rise in his heart, Li Yanchu bowed in the direction where the sword-bearing immortal had vanished.

His primordial spirit cultivation had now broken through the rudimentary second realm, advancing smoothly into the intermediate second realm. Moreover, his Dao heart had become even more resolute, far beyond what ordinary cultivators could hope to compare with.

And best of all, there were no side effects from forcibly elevating his realm. It all felt as natural as water flowing downhill.

This small gift from the immortal was equivalent to ten years of hard cultivation, and would benefit him endlessly. In truth, the hardest part of advancing through the second realm wasn’t the refining of spiritual qi, but the cultivation of the primordial spirit!

After all, the primordial spirit is the most vital aspect of a Daoist cultivator, and it must be strengthened step by step. There was no room for error!

Although Li Yanchu’s spiritual qi wasn’t yet particularly deep or robust, his primordial spirit had taken a solid and significant leap forward! He felt refreshed, clear-headed, and indescribably at ease.

To receive a gift from an immortal here in this Daoist temple hall... if I could experience this a few more times, wouldn’t I break straight into the Third Realm and attain the Yang Spirit?

Li Yanchu mused to himself.

Zhu Fugui looked at Li Yanchu and clicked his tongue in amazement.

Even Ding Rou couldn’t help but glance at him a few extra times, her eyes now filled with a subtle, unfamiliar glow.

The night passed without further incident.

The immortal statue that had once stood in the Daoist temple hall's main hall had now completely vanished, and the palace’s spiritual power and incense-fueled blessings were beginning to fade.

From all across the Blissful Land of Mount Jinting, the sound of explosions still echoed. Clearly, other areas remained far from peaceful.

When the darkness finally lifted, Li Yanchu prepared to resume his journey, heading toward the heart of Mount Jinting.

Xiao Ce had once mentioned that the lingering will of an immortal had drifted through the sky and eventually vanished beneath Mount Jinting. That was where the final trace of immortal fate lay!

Li Yanchu said calmly, “The two of you, I bid you farewell.”

With that, he turned to leap away.

“Daoist Master, wait!” Zhu Fugui shouted loudly. Despite his plump, bloated figure, he moved with surprising agility and, in the blink of an eye, blocked Li Yanchu’s path.

“Oh?” Li Yanchu raised an eyebrow. “Is there something else?”

Zhu Fugui wore a fawning smile. “Daoist Master Yanchu, just look at how vast this Blissful Land is, there must be all sorts of good things hidden within! Let me come along with you. I can run errands!”

Li Yanchu shook his head. “No need. I’m used to traveling alone.”

Zhu Fugui chuckled. “They say a strong man needs three helpers, and a sturdy fence needs three posts. With your cultivation, of course you don’t need help from someone like me, but it doesn’t hurt to have an extra pair of hands, right?”

Li Yanchu laughed. “Are you saying you want to scout ahead when danger shows up?”

Zhu Fugui froze for a moment, then grinned. “To be honest, Daoist Master Yanchu, for someone so young, your cultivation and state of mind are already extraordinary. Your future is limitless. I simply want to follow someone like you and find a bit of shelter here in the Blissful Land of Mount Jinting.”

Li Yanchu chuckled. “At least you’re honest.”

He’s practically carving the words

“I need to stick with a big shot”

onto his forehead.

However, Li Yanchu still shook his head. “Humans and demons walk different paths. Even if you want to follow me, it’s not possible.”

Zhu Fugui’s expression changed drastically, and he scratched his head awkwardly. “Daoist Master Yanchu, you have sharp eyes!”

Off to the side, Ding Rou was stunned.

A demon?!

She had also intended to ask to accompany Li Yanchu, but Zhu Fugui’s shameless words had made the situation too awkward. She no longer knew how to bring it up.

Now, hearing what Li Yanchu said, her gaze instantly shifted to Zhu Fugui!

Zhu Fugui gave a bitter smile. “Please don’t look down on me, Daoist Master. Since ancient times, immortals have always had spirit beasts by their side. I’m a

good

demon!”

Ding Rou’s expression became even stranger. A demon in human form? She had only thought Zhu Fugui’s gaze was a little too suggestive, and that his enthusiasm bordered on inappropriate. She never expected him to actually be a transformed spirit creature!

Li Yanchu smiled. “If you didn’t carry a body of pure qi without a trace of bloodlust clinging to you, we would’ve already met in battle.”

Zhu Fugui gave an awkward laugh. From the very first time Li Yanchu laid eyes on Zhu Fugui, he felt something was off. After observing him using the Qi Sight, he was even more astonished.

However, the man bore no ill intent, nor did he carry any murderous qi. So, Li Yanchu refrained from making a move.

Zhu Fugui’s gaze fell on Ding Rou, and a thought struck him. “Miss Ding, didn’t you want to follow Daoist Master Yanchu too? Why don’t the three of us travel together for the next three days?”

At this moment, in his eyes, Li Yanchu had already become more appealing than the captivating and alluring Daoist priestess Ding Rou.

Ding Rou's face flushed, and she spat, “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Zhu Fugui said, “Why don’t you talk to Daoist Master Yanchu about it? This Blissful Land is vast and riddled with danger, and with your misfortune clinging to you, who knows if you’ll even run into him next time? If your fragrant soul perishes, wouldn’t that be a pity?”

Ding Rou’s eyes immediately widened, her voice cold. “Watch your mouth! Show some respect!”

The horsetail whisk in her hand was already poised to strike.

He’s trying to latch onto me...

Li Yanchu frowned slightly.

Still, he found himself giving Zhu Fugui a bit more credit.

What kind of world was this, where even monsters knew how to read faces and observe qi?

And this Ding Rou really

was

plagued with bad luck. Traveling with her would likely lead to all kinds of trouble.

This was, after all, a celestial cultivation ground, a Blissful Land of immortals. Bringing someone who sapped your luck around was just asking for trouble.

Li Yanchu had no intention of getting entangled with the two. He gave a faint smile and said, “The day’s getting late. I still have a journey ahead. Let’s part ways here, and perhaps we’ll meet again if fate allows.”

As his words fell, he unleashed his movement technique at full force and darted away. His movements were clean, swift, and without the slightest hesitation.

I already saved your lives, am I supposed to take care of you for the rest of your lives too?

Li Yanchu’s figure quickly vanished from sight.

“Eh!? Daoist Master Yanchu, wait for me!” Zhu Fugui’s expression changed drastically.

He had finally found a worthy master and was planning to follow him for a while. Who would’ve thought the man didn’t even spare him a glance?

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The green bricks beneath Zhu Fugui’s feet cracked as he burst forward in just a few powerful strides, exuding an imposing momentum that stirred up a strong gust of wind.

He had seen it clearly last night; that immortal had shown clear admiration for Li Yanchu and even bestowed him with a stroke of good fortune.

An experience like that wasn’t something some small-time Daoist from Mount Mao or a monk from Great Xiangguo Temple could ever compare to. There was no way he could let such a rare opportunity slip through his fingers!

Zhu Fugui was clever, and he knew that Daoist Master Yanchu

was

his destined opportunity.

Ding Rou watched as Li Yanchu left so cleanly and decisively, and an odd emptiness welled up in her heart. Her charming face could not hide the look of disappointment as she bit her lip lightly and stood in silence for a moment.

In the end, she gave a soft stomp of her foot and ran after him.

1. This phrase comes from the Tang dynasty tale "The World Inside a Pillow" (枕中记) by Shen Jiji. In the story, a man named Lu Sheng dreams of achieving great success, fame, and fortune, only to wake up and find that the yellow millet he had put on to cook was still not done, meaning everything he had experienced was just a fleeting dream. ☜