Chapter 1005 - 514: Promising Pupil

"Snap! Snap!"

Chan Zi silently split the bamboo, joined the bamboo raft, covered it with a straw mat, and shouted, "Off you go!," sending Ah Gou onto the lake.

Chen Xuantian stood with his hands in his pockets watching, and said quietly,

"Just throw him like that? Not going to bury him somewhere?"

"Even if buried, the monsters will dig it up."

Chan Zi wiped his nose, turned around to tidy up the tiles on the ground, and reassembled the collapsed shack.

Chen Xuantian didn’t come to help; instead, he sat rocking among the reeds,

"Actually, he’s not wrong. When you’re weak, it’s okay to bow your head for a while. Wait until you’re strong to flip the table. What’s that phrase again? Thirty years east of the river, thirty years to the west; don’t belittle the young and poor."

Chan Zi glanced sideways over.

Chen Xuantian spread his hands,

"Isn’t that how the Nangong family made it through? Since childhood, they learned about enduring hardships for revenge, with a gentleman’s revenge waiting ten generations. How can a man lack that bit of tolerance?

Otherwise, why do you think the old guys up there guard against us like thieves, not daring to spare even a bone for the young, afraid of even a sliver of resources and opportunity slipping through their fingers?

Because they know how they pretended back then, hence they understand in their hearts, the younger generation surpasses the old, and only the young lions can hunt the old lion."

Chan Zi waved a hand,

"I don’t care what nonsense he talks! I’m not going his way! Even if I’m different, I can still chop them down just the same!"

Chen Xuantian sighed,

"Stubborn as a mule, why do I always run into ones like this."

Chan Zi pointed at the lake with his machete,

"If you want to side with the Nangongs, just go! I don’t care!"

Chen Xuantian shrugged,

"Why didn’t I go? They don’t care for a fat guy like me. I only thought of putting up with you for now, just to get a meal.

What a pity that Ah Gou is such a narrow-minded guy. No, he’s not narrow-minded; he’s just too narrow-minded to let me use him for leverage.

Actually, I gave him a chance. If he’d come to his senses at the last moment, cried on your shoulder, sending him to plant a mole in the Nangong family wouldn’t have been impossible. It’s just a pity he didn’t repent until the end, wasting all my efforts.

With such a personality, he couldn’t even pretend, let alone survive in a tiger’s den like the Nangong family. Even if you spared him, he’d end up back there sooner or later anyway."

Chan Zi frowned.

"... What are you doing? Comforting me? No need! Ah Gou’s matter has nothing to do with you; I can distinguish it!

Later, I’ll find you a pot! Even without Ah Gou, I still have other brothers to feed, no time for idle talk!"

"Good, that’s the spirit."

Chen Xuantian chuckled, flipped a hand, and pulled out a bronze cauldron from his sleeve,

"No need to go. I have a pot. I’ll lend it to you."

"Darn..."

Faced with such an unyielding fatty, Chan Zi was rendered speechless.

Chen Xuantian muttered a mantra, turning the incense burner-like cauldron into a big cauldron, casually tossing it into the shack, directing,

"You’re so good at chopping wood, go chop more. Stewing the bones needs a slow simmer over a gentle flame.

Gather some dense sandalwood, hard wood has good burn, pine and cedar will do too. The drier the better, mix thick and thin."

Chan Zi glared at him,

"You’re just going to watch??"

Chen Xuantian brushed his sleeve,

"Are you asking me for help? That’s not happening, didn’t I say? I’m just here for a bite.

After all, these are your bones; this is your opportunity, so it’s up to you to work on it to make it truly yours.

Your stuff, you have the privilege to give it to others to share, carrying this cause and effect alone.

Otherwise, even a sip of soup can bring infinite trouble. Chan Zi, you wouldn’t want to cause me trouble, would you?

You go ahead, I’m going to cultivate."

"Damn fatty..."

Chan Zi pulled a face; he understood. If he didn’t follow through with what this guy wanted, others wouldn’t share his soup either.

Although it could just be a ruse for idleness, Chan Zi had many brothers and couldn’t take the risk.

So he carried his machete away, while Chen Xuantian sat on the grass, sat in the breeze, closing his eyes to nourish his spirit, his soul emerging to roam outside.

He wandered around this small sandbar, looked around, satisfied his curiosity.

Chan Zi’s master, quite interesting...

Normally, having been raided by monsters once, you’d seek a new place to stay, but this master seems as stubborn as Chan Zi, refusing to leave, instead setting up numerous traps around the sandbar to fend off monsters.

Yes, traps, buried in the riverbank, hidden in the reeds, laid in the bamboo forests, with cords, hidden blades, spikes, bamboo spears, animal traps, and pits, in layers upon layers, especially targeting large monsters, making it extremely difficult to cross these dense traps silently. Once any noise is triggered, alertness can send the island inhabitants scurrying into the forest, or swiftly escaping by boat.

No wonder he can lead a hunting team, worthy of the Nangong family’s recruitment. This skill is perfect for capturing beasts, priceless in a place like the Southern Border compared to brute strength.

But why go through all this trouble for defense? Yunmeng Swamp has plenty of sandbars like this. Why insist on staying in this duck’s nest? Could there be something valuable hidden on the island? But he didn’t see any Qi...

So Chen Xuantian went back for a careful look around the island and did indeed find something.

But it’s hard to say it’s anything good; it was just a big pile of bamboo slips, really~~ a big pile, stacked like a mountain, buried in the center of the sandbar, and no idea how they brought it in.

Chen Xuantian frowned deeply, scanning over the slips with his divine light, looked at the text written on them... What on earth is this? Doesn’t seem like a cultivation technique, is it the Analects? Could it be encrypted, hiding something profound?

After skimming through a couple of scrolls, doing some minor research, Chen Xuantian lost interest.

Trash, and I’m not talking about the content of the text, just from an arithmetic perspective, these things aren’t Heavenly Materials Treasures, won’t trigger calamity fights, nothing but junk of no combat value.

As for the inscriptions on the slips, doesn’t seem like any classical famous works, instead appears to be purely technical, maybe a kind of artisan skill book, might be useful for mortal artisans but far from reaching Chen Xuantian’s world’s level of technology, let alone competing with the companies commanding the Heavenly Wall.

In the end, it’s their inheritance, so Chen Xuantian didn’t think much of it. After all, he roughly figured it out.

The mentor of Chan Zi is somewhat skilled, but not much, unable to achieve higher than the Golden Core Realm. He’s merely a pure mixed cultivator, and his area of expertise is craftsmanship, thus he can’t offer Chan Zi much guidance on Qi Refining and Body Sculpting. He seems to be strapped for resources, otherwise, with Chan Zi’s exceptional natural talent and strong Immortal Fate, he would have reached Foundation Establishment long ago.

Well, to be honest, Ah Gou wasn’t wrong when he said that Chen Xuantian was going to such lengths to interact with Chan Zi because he had ulterior motives.

He’s here specifically for Chan Zi, because his Taoist Body is really excellent, no, it’s simply extraordinary!

When Tie Dan first met this young lad, he already foresaw it.

Five Qi Chaoyuan, a situation of Yin Yang Perfection!

Twelve Main Meridians, Innate Extreme Realm, Nine Qi Perfection, No Leakage and No Defect!

Mystic Sect Qi Refining, top-notch natural talent, most superior Taoist Body!

Only theoretical, Taiji Innate Perfect Dao Body!

But that’s merely Tie Dan’s opinion, while Chen Xuantian had different insights.

Even better than that!

Earlier, when Ah Gou launched his first surprise attack and subdued Chan Zi, the odds were already in his favor. Normally, at the same age and physique, in terms of Qi Refining, even before Ah Gou secretly practiced Gang Fist and consumed a pill from Chen Xuantian, Chan Zi who was exhausted from rescuing others on the run, found himself in a certain death predicament.

But with one sudden burst, Chan Zi overturned the situation.

Because he made a breakthrough at the critical moment, autonomously upgrading.

Yes, it’s a self-evolving combat software.

In an extremely harsh environment, on the brink of life and death, during a mortal calamity, he can evolve and awaken under pressure.

Granted by a company with permission, unlocking the Genetic Lock, gaining the authorization to become stronger, as a ’Dragon Level’ combat software!

Hence, that’s why the Divinity Transformation Treasure came from afar, delivered to him proactively!

You think anyone can just pick up such a thing!

All the good stuff in this world already has owners!

Yes, Chan Zi is like Tie Dan, no, he started off even better than Tie Dan!

Taiji Innate Perfect Dao Body indeed! Absolutely unimaginable!

Compared to a Dao Body of this level, his body which stands out only once in twenty thousand miles is simply trash!

Exactly! Chen Xuantian doesn’t need to pretend to be a good person either! He admitted it! He was tempted by Chan Zi!

Desire! Desire for Chan Zi’s body! This Dao Body is so incredibly perfect for Soldier Disintegration!

So he wasn’t wrong, Ah Gou indeed had a chance.

Because for a moment, Chen Xuantian had the thought of seizing Chan Zi’s Dao Body when he reversed the attack to save himself.

However, maybe he was hasty and didn’t wait long enough before he made his move. Or maybe he truly slipped up...

Anyhow, at the critical moment, Chen Xuantian still saved Chan Zi’s life.

Of course, it doesn’t mean he’s giving up, after all, Chan Zi isn’t Tie Dan, prone to early trouble in old age, with a high probability of premature demise. As long as Chan Zi follows him, there’s always a chance for body seizing, perhaps fifty years later when he can’t escape the Cloud Platform’s great calamity, it would be the perfect time to use this body for reincarnation.

Moreover, mainly because Chen Xuantian is indeed somewhat influenced by the Three Corpses now, having seen too much filth through Peng Ju’s eyes, he acts cautiously and wants to wait a bit longer, to observe, to calculate for complete assurance.

After all, logically speaking, Chan Zi’s Dao Body is simply far superior to a mere Taotie Bone.

Though he’s still refining qi, without True Inheritor status, truly hidden, the tip of a cone in a bag, he will emerge eventually. Unlike Tie Dan, he doesn’t have a bunch of people behind the scenes providing protection, logically he wouldn’t even live to this age, consumed by Old Xuan Sect long ago. Even if by lineup, it wouldn’t be Chen Xuantian’s turn to plot?

Is there an ambush? A scheme? A conspiracy?

Let’s see, better observe for now, anyway investing a bit early is fine, in case another old monster secretly arranged this Dao Body, at least a kind fate could be formed, such Daoist materials won’t fear not recovering the investment...

"Hey, hey fatty, I’ve chopped the wood, now let’s get the fire started?"

Chen Xuantian opened his eyes, put his hands in his pockets, and from his sleeve took out a package of dried mountain fruits and mushrooms, tossing them to him.

Chan Zi sniffs and says,

"I’m not hungry, eat it yourself."

Chen Xuantian gives him a look,

"It’s seasoning, light the fire, boil water in the pot, clean the pot thoroughly, soak the wild goods, wash the bones clean. Then we can start simmering."

Chan Zi has no choice but to continue, pulling out the flint to strike.

"Hey, what are you doing there? Is that how you light a fire?"

"How should it be done then?"

Seeing Chan Zi’s clueless expression, Chen Xuantian rolls his eyes again, takes out a piece of bamboo he’s carrying, snaps a segment, draws a talisman with his finger, and throws it to the ground.

"Pick it up."

Chan Zi looks at the talisman on the bamboo,

"What’s this? A fire talisman?"

Chen Xuantian helplessly looks at him,

"Yes, it’s a Fire Talisman, anything else you can tell?"

Chan Zi is baffled.

Chen Xuantian sighs,

"I’ll recite it, you listen.

Li Palace Bing Ding locks the stars, Mars falls to the west refining Azure Dragons. Yi and Geng transform gold, wind, thunder move, Jia wood creates smoke penetrating through nine realms.

Shadow Veil opens, rests the injury door, Three Marvelous Six Instruments circle the fire. Zi and Wu add, strengthen Primordial Spirit, Yin and Shen collide resulting in Purple Mansion’s collapse.

Vermilion Bird rises burning the dark moon, Azure Dragon wags its tail sweeping away evil. Heaven and Earth turn eradicating dust of calamity, three destinies converge illuminating the Divine Light.

..."

Chan Zi held the bamboo talisman, listening, reciting, watching, suddenly his mind clicked, eyes moved.

Then, a flicker of fire and light, the campfire was ignited.

Chen Xuantian paused.

Wow, not bad, learned the Six Ding Divine Fire Spell after one time, teachable indeed.