The Demonic Tree Forest

It seemed it would take some time to become accustomed to the new weapon. Therefore, I guided Haoxuen and the others during the mornings, then practiced martial arts using the Lightning Topaz Sword and Lightning Topaz Spear in the afternoons.

The Old Refinement Fellowship had grown considerably after Shunlin, Meimei, and Hongfa officially joined. I had begun teaching those three, along with Yingjie and Xiaotan, the Immortal Qi Body Control Art left behind by Founder Weiru, while also teaching them the Phoenix Will Broadsword Art, the foundation of broadsword techniques.

Once they progressed from the Phoenix Will Broadsword Art to learning the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique, they would be able to acquire Moment of Foam. Moment of Foam was important. I also taught them the fundamentals of alchemy. I intended to have them participate in refining Iron-Hard Wolf thread with Haoxuen and the others. Doing so would improve their qi control while also earning them some spending money.

Xiaotan and Shunlin learned alchemy quickly. Since Meimei and Hongfa had low qi levels, I focused especially on guiding their qi training. Both practiced a still art and had been learning Bodhisattva Gong, but their progress appeared to have been slow because they lacked an instructor.

Since I was not knowledgeable about still arts, I researched them in the Main Hall library. Among the several still arts available, I believed Bodhisattva Gong was the most outstanding. The problem was that there were multiple manuals for Bodhisattva Gong.

There were around nine different versions, including Elder Gao’s version and Elder Song’s version. Their contents differed slightly from one another. Even after comparing them, I could not determine which version was best, so I went to ask Elder Shanshi.

“Ah, even I do not know that.”

“Elder, did you not raise your qi to the Fifteenth Tier through Bodhisattva Gong?”

Elder Shanshi nodded.

“That is correct. In my case, I trained primarily using the manual written by Elder Gao. However, that does not mean Elder Gao’s version is best for everyone.”

After hearing that, I understood. The best version varied depending on the Taoist practitioner’s constitution and mental characteristics. Since the immortal medicines one had to take also differed by manual, selecting the correct version was apparently important. I asked Elder Shanshi what kind of Taoist practitioner was suited to each version.

“I only know the general distinctions.”

“That is enough. Please teach me.”

Based on what Elder Shanshi taught me, I discussed the matter with the four people training in Bodhisattva Gong—Seiran, Xiaotan, Meimei, and Hongfa—then chose suitable versions and had them train accordingly.

Like me, Yingjie was the type who could practice either moving arts or still arts. After consulting him, he decided to continue with the moving art Meimei Gong. Meimei and Hongfa, who had begun training with versions of Bodhisattva Gong suited to them, apparently felt that they were making real progress.

After finishing my instruction during the morning, I spent the afternoon training to become accustomed to my new weapon and researching the essential principles of the Spiritual Cherry-Orchid Sword. In addition to Coiling Slash, the Spiritual Cherry-Orchid Sword had two other principles that could be used with qi.

One of them, called Penetrating Force, appeared useful. Penetrating Force channeled qi or spiritual power into a weapon, formed it into a needle-like shape at the tip, and fired it outward. However, the needle of qi was compressed under tremendous pressure.

The compressed qi needle entered the opponent’s body before bursting apart. It produced an effect similar to the White Wolf Warhammer’s Qi Claw Strike. Youjun might have used the White Wolf Warhammer before.

There was a minor problem with performing Penetrating Force using the Lightning Topaz Sword. Once qi flowed into the Lightning Topaz, controlling it became difficult. Penetrating Force required more precise and forceful control than Fox-Flame, so interference from the Lightning Topaz caused it to fail.

Therefore, I began training to activate Penetrating Force while controlling my qi so that none flowed into the Lightning Topaz. Eventually, I became capable of controlling the qi flow and preventing it from entering the jewel core. However, compressing the qi into a needle and firing it afterward remained difficult.

Even so, I continued training, and around the beginning of summer, I succeeded in firing Penetrating Force’s compressed qi needle. By that point, I had also become accustomed to the Lightning Topaz Sword and Lightning Topaz Spear, and I judged that I was strong enough to travel to the Crystal Calamity River to obtain the materials for the paper and ink used in talisman arts.

That day, I suspended my instruction of Haoxuen and the others and was about to enter the demon realm when Yingjie and Xiaotan returned from morning training.

“Oh, are you going somewhere?”

Xiaotan asked.

“I’m going into the demon realm.”

“Should we come with you?”

I shook my head.

“You just returned from morning training. You must be tired, so please rest.”

I headed into the demon realm alone. My weapons were the Lightning Topaz Spear and the qi-bullet gun, while my pack contained a waterskin and steamed buns for lunch. The waterskin had been made by processing a Rock Crab shell through qi forging and was both light and durable. Incidentally, the shell waterskin held approximately eight hundred milliliters of water.

I descended from Mount Gyorei into the demon realm and headed north. Using Lightness Skill, I traveled north through the Demon Riot Grassland like the wind, passed west of Crystal North Lake, and approached the Crystal Calamity River. A short distance downstream along the Crystal Calamity River was a forest known as the Demonic Tree Forest. What I wanted to obtain this time was demonic wood, which served as the material for paper used in talisman arts.

At first glance, the Demonic Tree Forest looked like an ordinary forest, but demonic trees existed among the trees composing it. Approaching one without being able to distinguish it from an ordinary tree was dangerous. I entered the forest carrying the assembled Lightning Topaz Spear.

There were rumors that not only demonic trees, but also formidable demonic beasts had settled in this forest. Inner disciples did not come to the Demonic Tree Forest, but high disciples and elders occasionally visited and reportedly encountered powerful demonic beasts.

I cautiously proceeded east through the Demonic Tree Forest. I advanced while watching carefully for any trees moving strangely. At that moment, I sensed something approaching from deeper within the forest and stopped.

I lowered my stance and observed my surroundings. A white, bipedal demonic beast resembling a dinosaur appeared. It was around three meters long and resembled some kind of raptor I had seen in a dinosaur film.

The demonic dragon’s distinguishing features appeared to be its white skin and the claws on its forelegs. Something resembling white smoke poured from its long, sharp claws.

“What is this thing?”

It was a demonic beast I had never seen before. It did not appear to possess defensive strength comparable to a Rock Crab, but it looked fast. The instant that first impression crossed my mind, the demonic dragon rapidly closed the distance and swung its sharp claws down at me.

I leaped sideways and avoided the claw attack. Its claws dug deeply into the ground and turned the surrounding earth white. At that moment, I felt a wave of cold. The claws appeared to emit intense freezing air.