CHAPTER 96: CHAPTER 96 HARVEST AND CULTIVATION REALM

"This is..."

Suddenly, Lu Zheng shivered.

They had fled all the way from the south of the city, always heading a bit southeast.

Have they reached the Peach Blossom Plain?

"Lu Lang~"

A charming voice came through, and a palace-clad beauty wearing a red and pink gauzy phoenix-tailed trailing skirt lightly floated out from the forest.

Shen Ying saw Lu Zheng and Duan Changzai besieging Ningyu and the Ghost Python. Especially when she saw Ningyu in an entirely naked state, she said nothing and directly formed a seal technique, creating countless pink Peach Blossom Evil that shot straight at Ningyu.

Ningyu exclaimed, "Sister, who are you? Why did you suddenly attack?"

Ningyu had already forgotten Lu Zheng’s surname, but Duan Changzai certainly knew, so he turned to look at Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng nodded, "A friend of mine!"

Duan Changzai grinned, revealing a knowing smile.

But this was not the time for teasing; Shen Ying’s cultivation was no less than Duan Changzai’s. Countless Peach Blossom Evil scattered like falling petals, joining with Duan Changzai to besiege Ningyu and the Ghost Python.

With this, how could these Scorpion and Python possibly escape?

In just a moment, Duan Changzai pierced Ningyu’s chest with his spear, and Shen Ying scattered the Ghost Python’s soul with her Peach Blossom Evil.

The battle was over.

Lu Zheng was on the sidelines the entire time, only occasionally throwing a few Exorcism Talismans and Cold Condensing Talismans.

"Buzz!"

The Mind Jade Seal in his head trembled, and a total of forty-seven strands of the Light of Fortune, divided into twenty-two and twenty-five strands, were gained.

Refreshing!

At the same time, Lu Zheng also confirmed one thing: as long as he caused someone else’s fortune to change, he would reap benefits.

"Thank you, Madam, for your assistance!" Duan Changzai put away his short spear and cupped his hands in salute.

Shen Ying gave a gentle nod, "I am Shen Ying, I meet this lord."

Lu Zheng stepped forward and introduced the two, thus they became acquaintances.

"This place is not far from my humble home; why not come and sit?" Shen Ying asked, "There are two old servants at home who can help deal with this Scorpion."

It seemed Shen Ying was asking Lu Zheng, but she was actually asking Duan Changzai.

Duan Changzai nodded and agreed, "Then I will disturb you, madam."

"It’s no trouble, this way please."

Shen Ying clapped her hands, and Uncle An and Uncle Qian appeared, together lifting the nearly one-meter-sized corpse of the Green Scorpion.

The group returned to Taohua Village, where Shen Ying ordered Xiaocui to serve tea, then began discussing the recent incident.

"Speaking of which, I was able to successfully kill the Scorpion Demon largely thanks to Young Master Lu and Madam Shen’s assistance," Duan Changzai said, "I hadn’t expected that the Scorpion Demon not only possessed eighty or ninety years of Dao practice but also had the assistance of a Ghost Python no weaker than her."

Shen Ying modestly replied, "I only happened to be there by chance; even without my presence, those two wouldn’t be a match for Lord Duan."

"But they had to be caught first," Duan Changzai looked at Lu Zheng, "I’ve heard that, young master, you’ve been cultivating and practicing martial arts for less than three months, yet you’ve already achieved such a cultivation realm. You’re indeed a genius with limitless future achievements."

Lu Zheng waved his hand, "You’re flattering me; it’s just that I had some previous foundation."

"That’s already quite impressive; your three months of cultivation matched the achievement of two to three years for most people," Duan Changzai said.

Lu Zheng chuckled awkwardly, unsure what to say.

"Does Young Master Lu have something to say?"

In just one night, they managed to subdue the Scorpion Demon and unexpectedly killed a Ghost Python. Duan Changzai’s contribution was significant, so he was in a good mood and noticed Lu Zheng seemed to have a question, prompting him to speak first to avoid any awkwardness.

"It’s like this, I wish to ask about the division of Dao practice and cultivation realm among cultivators like us.

My master only passed down to me the ’White Cloud’s Common Refining Qi Scripture,’ saying that when I reach a certain realm, further cultivation techniques will be bestowed to me. I’m just curious..."

Duan Changzai laughed upon hearing this, "This is no secret; there’s nothing much to say about it."

"Ah, nothing much to say?" Lu Zheng used a confused face, unsure of what he meant.

"Yes." Duan Changzai nodded, "Because there are too many paths, all different. Besides cultivation, there’s nothing comparable, so generally, it’s compared by power and Dao practice."

Lu Zheng blinked, seeming to understand and yet not, "But people have different effects in cultivation, right?"

NovelBin

Duan Changzai nodded, "Exactly, so it’s only judged based on the cultivation speed of most living beings."

"Not based on human cultivation?"

Duan Changzai laughed again, "Humans, being the most spiritual of all beings, naturally have nine open orifices, cultivating at several times the speed of other beings, so how can you compare?"

What the hell, are humans this powerful?

"If not for the regularity of the Heavenly Dao, limited lifespan, and rare breakthroughs, it would be humans ruling over heaven and earth, yin and yang, long ago, instead of demons and devils."

"I see..." Lu Zheng nodded bewilderedly, "For example, that Scorpion Demon?"

Duan Changzai nodded, "For example, that Scorpion Demon; judging by her form, I’d estimate she’s lived for about a hundred years and had eighty or ninety years of Dao practice.

I have cultivated for thirty years; although my qualifications are average and power limited, I can still face off against demons with one hundred fifty years of Dao practice, so handling two with under a hundred years isn’t an issue.

Young Master Lu, you’ve cultivated for three months, and theoretically, you should only be able to fight a few lone spirits. But earlier, you could confront the Scorpion Demon without harm, your body brimming with Blood Qi, True Qi abundant, enough to deal with beings with twenty to thirty years of Dao practice."

Lu Zheng nodded, "I see."

At least I now have a foundational understanding of my ability.

"So, just cultivate Blood Qi and True Qi, to a certain realm?" Lu Zheng asked again.

"What do you mean by a certain realm?" Duan Changzai retorted, "Is there a definitive cultivation path?

For example, your White Cloud Temple continuously refines Qi, cultivating a mouthful of Pure Yang Impermeable, Endless Innate Cloud Qi, naturally invincible and immortal."

"What about the body, the Divine Soul?"

"In the process of Qi refining, of course, they’re also strengthened, body invigorated, Divine Soul brightened."

"No other realm?"

"What other realm?"

"Well, like Golden Core, Yang God..." At this point, Lu Zheng decided to cautiously probe.

"Those are two branches of the Daoist Sect, not the same as your White Cloud Temple."

"Ah?"

"Do you think it’s a joke that the Daoist Sect has three thousand branches?"

"Ah?"

Duan Changzai shook his head, inwardly thinking Lu Zheng was indeed a cultivation novice, and explained, "What is the purpose of cultivation?"

"To become stronger, to attain longevity."

"Then isn’t that it? Why should it matter if one’s method is Qi refining or Golden Core formation, body refining or nourishing the Divine Soul, as long as one can win battles and live long enough?"

Lu Zheng felt his worldview, shaped by reading online novels, crumble.

"Not different realms, but different paths?"

"Exactly, seems like some storyteller got a superficial understanding and turned it into stories, and you believed it.

NovelBin

Your White Cloud Temple is a lineage focused on Qi refining, having a longer tradition, while the Daoist Sect also has the Body Refining Sect, advocating the body as a boat, the soul as a passenger, focusing on the body. In close combat, martial artists are no match for these guys, also known as Daoist guardians, the most famous in legend being the True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao."

The amount of information was overwhelming, Lu Zheng could only nod.

"Besides that, there’s also the Golden Core Sect, known for advocating ingesting a single Golden Core to say ’my fate is under my own control, not heaven’s.’

There’s also the Divine Soul Sect, focusing on the Divine Soul, reaching solidity, allowing the Yang God to roam freely, wandering the universe, unrestrained and carefree.

Moreover, there are the Outer Elixir Sect, Dual Cultivation Sect, Talisman Sect, Artifact Technique Sect, and so on, but they’re mostly classified into these four categories."

Lu Zheng, "..."