Cultivation Starting from Full Talent-Chapter 468 - 466: Blood Soul Sect

In the Cave Mansion.

Xu Zhongyao performed the apprenticeship ceremony, kneeling on the ground with her pretty face full of smiles.

Ever since stepping into the Eastern Wasteland Cultivation World more than three hundred years ago, Ning Daoran has never taken a disciple. Xu Zhongyao is the first, although not entirely, for registered disciples are quite casual and are mostly left to their own devices.

Moreover, Ning Daoran has no intention of truly mentoring Xu Zhongyao by hand; he would give all that should be given. As for how far she could go, that would be up to Xu Zhongyao’s own fortune.

"Get up."

With a wave of Ning Daoran’s hand, several treasures flew towards Xu Zhongyao.

Among them, the most precious was a "Water Moon Divine Technique True Explanation". This was a manuscript personally written by Ning Daoran, encapsulating his insights on the Returning to Nature Level Water Moon Divine Technique. The work was profound yet simple, much easier to cultivate than the original, without any detours, and was clearly marked throughout.

Additionally, there was a small bottle of elixir pills, including Foundation Establishment Pills and various other pills for improving mana.

Lastly, there was a top-grade water attribute magic sword, coupled with a high-grade Spirit Tool level flying sword. These items would be sufficient to support Xu Zhongyao until the late-stage of her Foundation Establishment. If she really managed to reach that stage, Ning Daoran would naturally leave a Dust-falling Pill for her.

Since he had accepted the registered disciple, he ought to be a bit more attentive.

"Take these."

Ning Daoran said, "Little Bai, select a Third-tier Middle-grade Cave Mansion’s prohibition jade talisman from the mountainside to give to Xu Zhongyao. From now on, she will cultivate at a Third-tier Spirit Vein. Do not neglect anything regarding her cultivation!"

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Zhongyao, with her lips slightly pursed, said, "Is that all? Can I visit Master on the mountain in my spare time?"

"..."

Ning Daoran responded indifferently, "I usually spend most of my time in secluded cultivation, and even if you come, you won’t see me. However, if you are confused about your cultivation, you can consult Little Bai."

"Yes!"

Xu Zhongyao smiled coyly - her master seems so aloof.

"Alright."

Little Bai smiled, "Come with me. Don’t disturb your master’s cultivation; he is very busy."

"Yes, Sister Little Bai!"

"Oh dear, what sweet talk~~~"

From then on, the Xu Family established itself on White Dragon Mountain. The mountain’s waist and foot were filled with many Spirit fields, and many of the Xu Family members were adept in cultivating Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine. Gradually spreading the workload, it was not long before the whole White Dragon Mountain began to prosper. Fields of Spirit Rice and Spiritual Tea swayed with the wind, buzzing with far more vitality than when White Dragon occupied the area.

Ning Daoran became busy.

Most of the time he claimed to be in secluded cultivation, but he had long been to the White Dragon River, contacting the river’s power under the water, attempting to refine the river’s Essence Qi.

Xu Zhongyao lived in a Cave Mansion on the mountainside, diligently cultivating the Water Moon Divine Technique.

...

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, five years passed.

This year, Ning Daoran was 345 years old. He remained reclusive, secretly active in the depths of the upper and lower streams of the White Dragon River, continuously preparing for the ritual refinement of the river’s Essence Qi.

It was early spring, the river water exuded a strong scent of aquatic plants.

In the warm breeze, an old man with a flag in his hand muttered words while walking downstream along the river path, seemingly practicing fortune-telling or divination.

At the foot of the mountain, Green Bamboo Spirit Rice swayed in the breeze, and a vast field with no Spiritual Energy nearby the river was planted with boundless oilseed rape flowers.

Although the Xu Family was a Cultivation Family, some members did not possess Spirit Roots, so there were plenty of people working in agriculture. All the cultivable land at the foot of the mountain had naturally been cultivated.

"Little brother~~~"

The old man squinted, looking at a man on the Spirit field with his hands behind his back smiling, "Little brother, your forehead is darkened, you will encounter a bloody disaster within a few days. This old man is skilled in an Exorcism method, I wonder if little brother..."

The man on the Spirit field was the little manager of White Dragon Mountain, Xu Si, at the early-stage of Foundation Establishment, Xu Zhongyao’s uncle, also a very shrewd man. Soon after coming to the mountain, he began managing all matters of cultivating, harvesting, and selling Spirit Rice.

"A bloody disaster?"

Xu Si laughed, "Fellow Daoist, I’m not in the mood for jokes. If you intend to deceive me with these Jianghu tricks, there’s no need. But if you want something to eat, that can be arranged. There’s food in the front hall; just say I sent you."

"You are truly a kind person..." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

The old man’s eyes flashed with sharpness, scoffing, "But unfortunately, kind people don’t always get good rewards!"

In an instant, the old man’s aura skyrocketed from the early stage of Energy Refining to the early stage of the Golden Core. His sleeve opened to reveal fingers like white bone claws. In the next moment, his face transformed, looking extremely sinister as a burst of Evil Qi shot out!

"You..."

Xu Si was horrified.

By the time he reacted, he was already immobile, completely enveloped by the thick Evil Qi, unable to move an inch.

"Give me your Blood Essence!"

The old man opened his mouth wide, and instantly, his gaping maw drew in Xu Si’s Blood Essence as if it were a black hole.

In an instant, the robust and handsome little manager became a dried corpse, with hardly any Blood Essence Qi left!

"Hmph~~"

The old man snorted coldly, then vanished by the riverside.

...

The news quickly spread throughout White Dragon Mountain. Little Bai brought Xu Jian, Xu Zhongyao, and others to investigate. When everyone saw Xu Si’s skeletal remains, they couldn’t help but gasp.

"What happened?"

Above the White Dragon River, a lone figure clad in cyan was steering through the waves with one hand behind his back—it was Ning Daoran.

"Master!"

Xu Zhongyao’s eyes were red with tears: "My second uncle has been murdered."

"What?"

Ning Daoran frowned and stepped forward to look at Xu Si’s dead body, feeling a chill run down his spine.

"Young Master."

Little Bai pursed her red lips and said: "It is a kind of forbidden technique that extracts another person’s blood essence. If nothing unexpected occurred, it was either the work of a demon beast or a demon cultivator."

"Was Xu Si the only victim? Have you confirmed this?"

"Yes!"

Xu Jian said respectfully, "Reporting to the Mountain Master, all the clan members are safe. Only my brother Xu Si was murdered here in the Spirit field..."

"I understand. Just wait a moment."

Ning Daoran raised his hand to set up a prohibition. Instantly, he and Xu Si’s figures disappeared from everyone’s sight. Then, he used the Soul Searching Technique to gather Xu Si’s scattered soul fragments.

"Mountain... Mountain Master..."

Xu Si was initially confused, but his eyes brightened when he saw Ning Daoran: "Has the Mountain Master come to save me?"

"Not so."

Ning Daoran shook his head: "You have been killed; I cannot bring the dead back to life. I summoned your soul to ask who the killer is."

"The killer..."

Xu Si seemed to suffer a headache, clutching his head and wailing. Then his gaze brightened again: "It was an old man, disguised as a fortune-telling Taoist. He... at the Golden Core Early Stage, wielded some demonic cultivation method, and was able to extract all the blood from my body remotely. Mountain Master, you must avenge me... I..."

"Understood."

Ning Daoran nodded: "Rest assured, if there’s a chance, I will certainly avenge you. You may go now. Xu Jian will naturally take good care of your family; you needn’t worry."

"Yes, Mountain Master..."

Xu Si’s figure gradually faded away.

...

"Whoosh!"

Ning Daoran dismissed the prohibition and reappeared in everyone’s sight.

"Mountain Master, did you discover anything?" asked Xu Jian.

"It was indeed the deed of the Demon Path."

Ning Daoran pondered: "But they only killed Xu Si and did not commit mass murder, indicating they didn’t come to annihilate White Dragon Mountain. Probably, they wanted to warn White Dragon Mountain; it seems we have obstructed someone’s interests. Do you have any information on this matter?"

"Yes."

Little Bai nodded respectfully: "Young Master, a few months ago, a message came saying that a demon sect called Blood Soul Sect purchased a large tract of forest land from the Wuzhou Government upstream of the White Dragon River. They, endorsed by the Court’s decree and contributing funds, plan to build a White Dragon Temple upstream of the White Dragon River to suppress the river’s water transport."

"Oh..."

Ning Daoran said indifferently: "Pay more attention to this Blood Soul Sect, they are very likely the culprits behind Xu Si’s murder. Furthermore, building the White Dragon Temple upstream from our White Dragon Mountain is no friendly gesture."

"Yes!"

In the afternoon, Ning Daoran ceased his inspection of the waterways. Instead, he set up a Fourth-tier Early Stage Kunpeng Flowing Sound Formation around White Dragon Mountain, keeping it active all day; entry and exit required a jade talisman from the mountain.

At this point, Ning Daoran was already wealthy enough not to care about the consumption of these spirit stones.

...

Several months later.

Little Bai gracefully entered the Cave Mansion, holding a blood-red invitation card: "Young Master, the White Dragon Temple constructed upstream is now completed and about to celebrate its completion. This is an invitation from the Blood Soul Sect. As the Mountain Master of White Dragon Mountain, would you like to attend?"

"Hmm."

Ning Daoran nodded his head.

He truly wasn’t concerned about a sect like Blood Soul Sect. Besides, now equipped with the Nine Heavens Escape Thunder Technique and Instant Teleportation among his divine skills, and being a master of the Array Path himself, there was really no one who could detain him.

"Little Bai, come with me."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Half a month later, as the celebration of the White Dragon Temple was about to begin.

In the gentle breeze, two figures flew from downstream; one was a young cultivator dressed in cyan, and the other a stunning woman dressed in white, radiating charisma with only a hint of demon Qi.

The White Dragon Temple was actually a River God Temple, with a white jade staircase leading straight from the temple gate into the water, evidently much spirit stone was spent to construct this temple.

Atop the jade staircase, a shadow appeared; an elderly man with a dark and sinister expression, the waves of mana from the Gold Core Late Stage pulsing around him.

Old Demon Lin, the Supreme Elder of the Blood Soul Sect, with more authority than even the Sect Leader, was the true power holder of the sect.

"Fellow Daoist Qiushui!"

Old Demon Lin clasped his fist and smiled: "My surname is Lin, I am the Supreme Elder of the Blood Soul Sect. I have long admired your reputation, and am finally graced by your presence. Your arrival makes this place flourish. Please, Fellow Daoist, come inside!"

"Thank you!"

With a glance from Ning Daoran, Little Bai presented a congratulatory gift—a box containing a full hundred spirit stones.

Old Demon Lin’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise at their "stinginess," and he said: "You are too generous, Fellow Daoist!"