CHAPTER 329: CHAPTER 140: RETURN, RIDGE MOUNTAIN_3

The Lingshan Immortal once said, ’It calls me Shishu.’

Could it really be it?

Zhang Feng pondered, examining it anew. He noted that some Martial Arts had already taken hold in it, and its Spiritual Thought had been cultivated successfully, with subtle Spiritual Power moving around it.

Its natural talent is quite commendable, even comparable to this ’human’ businessman.

Moreover, now that it ’speaks like a human,’ it indeed has ’become a spirit.’

"Indeed, a rare talent." Zhang Feng shook his head and said, "If allowed to go unchecked and leave, you will certainly achieve Dan Jin, cultivate the Three Dao Spiritual Thoughts, and become a calamity to the world within fifty years."

Zhang Feng averted his gaze from its human-like despair and looked at the nearby pit,

"This dungeon cannot contain you, nor can it leave you be."

"Shishu..."

Swish—

A blade light crossed, beheading the mouse, cutting off all its speech.

Without stopping, Zhang Feng entered the mouse’s burrow and exterminated all the remaining little mice inside.

Once everything was cleared out.

Zhang Feng emerged from the burrow, arrived at the city gate, and examined the exquisite mechanism there,

’Daoist priest, no matter how intricate your arrangement is, mice will dig tunnels and break through.

Unless you set mechanisms throughout the entire underground.

Zhang Feng shook his head, glancing at the mechanism above,

’It’s just a pity that in this world, I only met the Lingshan Immortal once.

Now it’s like an insurmountable divide of life and death.

Oh well, let’s return to the village, rearrange my learning, and then take a look at my vegetable garden.

This time feels urgent, indeed urgent, leaving no time to find his grave and pay respects to him.’

...

Coming out of the cave,

Zhang Feng shook off the fresh blood from the blade, ready to claim his success and retire, tossing the sword and heading home.

However, just as he reached the entrance.

A familiar figure seemed to ride the wind from afar, carrying two young deer in hand.

Zhang Feng, upon seeing, thought, "Oh no, the Lingshan Immortal isn’t dead yet!"

But I have killed all of his disciples.

This is a bit difficult to explain.

"You... friend?!"

Meanwhile, the Lingshan Immortal also saw the old man at the door and vaguely remembered that this old man was Zhang Feng, whom he had met decades ago!

A talent among men, and with Lingshan Immortal also cultivating Spiritual Thought, it was indeed a deeply memorable impression.

"It’s me, Daoist." Zhang Feng was unsure what to say, after all, the mice hadn’t harmed anyone yet.

However, what had to be done was done, and with Lingshan Immortal beginning to manage them, he must have been aware that these things would be challenging to handle.

Therefore, Zhang Feng still sought to speak about it.

However, in the next instant, the Lingshan Immortal did not stand far from Zhang Feng this time but instead took a few steps with the wind, floating ten meters away from Zhang Feng,

"This humble Daoist observes Spiritual Qi emitting around my friend, deeper than even I have.

This humble Daoist knew that as long as you could see me, I couldn’t just leave.

In that case, let’s chat face to face."

"If it weren’t for the Daoist master, Zhang Feng wouldn’t have been able to learn Immortal Skills either." Zhang Feng casually replied, intending to bring up the mice matter and get to the point quickly.

But Lingshan Immortal placed down the young deer and, with a complex mood, first brought up the matter:

"If my guess is correct, you must have killed them all."

"Yes." Zhang Feng did not deny it, "They already had harmful intentions, lunging at me upon sight. I suppose you locked them up because they had harmful intents too?"

"That’s right..." Lingshan Immortal nodded silently, then suddenly asked, "How did you find this place?"

"Lingshan Immortal." Zhang Feng used his name as the reason, "I speculated you would be around Lingshan."

Lingshan Immortal said nothing.

Zhang Feng saw a hint of melancholy on his face, and this time he spoke first, asking, "I have heard of the Daoist master’s deeds and saw the Daoist master locking them up.

Observing that the Daoist master is of the righteous path.

And now, these mice have turned into spirits and demons, speaking human words, resembling human transformations.

In ancient times, when there were no guns or explosives, such creatures occupied the mountains as kings, a Great Demon Immortal among the little demons.

Why then... is the Daoist master allowing this?"

"This humble Daoist..." Lingshan Immortal wanted to say something but finally paused and sighed deeply, "I treated it as a disciple, it’s inherited my teachings, and I couldn’t bear to do it."

"This..." Zhang Feng was at a loss for words when faced with such plain truth.

An heir disciple is truly akin to one’s own child.

Thus, the two stood silently in front of the cave, watching the sunset together, occasionally glancing at a little rabbit running past from the front tree.

Neither spoke.

After a long time.

Lingshan Immortal pondered for a while, but suddenly as if resolving some inner conflict or recalling something, burst out with an abrupt laugh,

"Friend, this humble Daoist suddenly realized that my cultivation was flawed.

I had two of the Three Dao Spiritual Thoughts anchored in the demon mice, intending to observe the changes in flesh yet slipping into seven parts of the Demon Path.

Today, your Heart-cutting Skill blade technique, though it appeared to deal with the mice, actually severed my Heart Demon, returning my Spiritual Thought to a unified path."

As he spoke, he smiled at Zhang Feng and solemnly bowed,

"Now, this humble Daoist’s Heart Demon is gone, and I no longer need to be worried here in Lingshan.

Thank you, friend."

’Cultivating the heart? Cultivating the method?’ Zhang Feng heard Lingshan Immortal’s words, but was surprised that the matter of slaying mice became such a ’Heart-cutting Skill.’

The mice were not only the disciples of Lingshan Immortal.

They were also his ’Heart Demon’?

This Heart-Slaying Magic brought great impact to Zhang Feng.

Also at this moment, Zhang Feng suddenly felt a strange wave of Spiritual Power, as the Spiritual Qi in the air gradually converged towards Lingshan Immortal.

About half a minute later.

Lingshan Immortal’s heart was clear again, expressing gratitude to Zhang Feng once more, "Now, at the age of 157, with your help, I’ve severed the ’demon body’ and opened four Spiritual Thoughts."

As he spoke, he curiously scrutinized Zhang Feng, "Yet even now I cannot fathom you. Can you tell me how many thoughts you have opened?"

"Six." Zhang Feng was candid and articulated his viewpoint:

"I live my life cultivating methods, carefree, with no worries or attachments.

A distracted mind, unrestrained, without confinement, and with the divide of the mind, Spiritual Thoughts naturally open.

As fellow cultivators, should we not seek freedom and ease, following our hearts without overstepping bounds?"

"Freedom and ease, following one’s heart without overstepping bounds?" Lingshan Immortal repeated several times and smiled again, "In the journey of cultivation, the accomplished precede.

I am merely confused despite being over a century old, but if we discuss the journey, I should address you as Daoist Master."

"No need." Zhang Feng shook his head, "I have a master whose abilities I have far surpassed, yet he remains the mentor I most revere, the first guiding light on my path of practicing Martial Arts."

Zhang Feng looked at Lingshan Immortal, "The Daoist master is also the first guiding light on my Dao path."

"But you... friend, have also imparted Martial Arts to a humble Daoist." Lingshan Immortal took this title to heart.

"If it’s hard to define, let’s consider each other as equals." Zhang Feng said freely, "We are both fellow Daoists, no need to dwell on this further."

"Alright!" Lingshan Immortal nodded in agreement as he heard Zhang Feng’s reluctance to discuss, so he let it go.

Meanwhile, he gazed around at the beautiful mountains and rivers and invited with a smile:

"This humble Daoist intends to travel across the world, first heading southeast.

Will you join me, friend?"

’Traveling the world...’ Zhang Feng was somewhat enticed but eventually shook his head, looking north, "I plan to return north, I still have things to sort out."

With a clasped fist, Zhang Feng said, "Lingshan Daoist, farewell."

Lingshan Immortal bowed, "Zhang Daoist, farewell."

As they finished speaking, the two exchanged a smile, parting ways here, one shrinking the ground heading north, the other riding the wind southeast.