Novel Full Chapter 378: Entering the Mountains
Chen Yan and Li Haowen sat down at a tea stall in the small town.
Then they watched the Martial Spring Realm cultivator from earlier, running around the town talking to people.
The people he found, after hearing what the Martial Spring Realm cultivator said, would first react by shaking their heads and refusing.
Then the Martial Spring Realm cultivator would turn around, point in the direction of Chen Yan and Li Haowen, and say something more to those people. In the end, those people would show expressions as if they had eaten shit, ultimately having no choice but to reluctantly nod their heads.
If they wanted to, with Chen Yan and Li Haowen’s cultivation realm, they could easily extend their spiritual sense out and clearly hear what those people were saying.
But they were obviously not that bored.
Chen Yan first took a sip of the tea on the table, then asked Li Haowen:
“What do you think that guy is saying to those people?”
“…Stop asking.”
Li Haowen simply said in a low voice.
In less than an hour, the Martial Spring Realm cultivator brought over more than ten cultivators at the early Martial Spring Realm and the peak Energy Channeling stage.
“Manager Li, the team is ready. Now we just need to buy some healing ointments and pills, and we can enter the mountain at any time.”
The Martial Spring Realm cultivator said.
“What’s your name?”
Li Haowen asked.
“This junior’s surname is Wei, with the single given name Kun.”
This Martial Spring Realm late-stage cultivator named Wei Kun answered with a cupped-hand salute.
Chen Yan, who was at the side, sized up the manpower Wei Kun had just recruited, then asked:
“Since the forbidden land of Shengyuan Mountain is so dangerous, what’s the purpose of recruiting these fellow daoists whose cultivation is still shallow?”
Hearing this, Wei Kun turned around and respectfully saluted towards Chen Yan’s direction:
“Senior, you may not know. The environment of Shengyuan Mountain is complex, and some demonic beasts are very good at ambushes. Although the people I recruited have shallow cultivation, each of them is a seasoned veteran who has experienced countless battles within Shengyuan Mountain. They can handle most situations encountered in the mountain, and can even easily escape if they encounter a fourth-realm demonic beast.”
“Oh?”
Chen Yan said with an interested smile:
“A fourth-realm demonic beast, Manager Li can easily crush with just one finger. Everyone need not worry. If the sky falls, Manager Li will hold it up for you.”
“…”
Wei Kun was speechless, unable to speak for a moment.
That was indeed true. These cultivation sects located around Shengyuan Mountain were simply too remote, even having little understanding of the cultivation world situation within the Qingque Kingdom. As for why they knew about Li Haowen, it was because this Li Godslayer was currently far too famous within the Qingque Kingdom.
More than ninety percent of the cultivators here didn’t even know who the current Kongshan Sect Leader was.
In their understanding, the current sect leader of the Demon-Slaying Sword Sect, Shen Mao at the Peak Qi Sea Realm, was the top powerhouse in the current world.
As for how powerful a Passable God Realm cultivator truly was, that had long exceeded their scope of understanding.
“Then…”
Wei Kun immediately became somewhat at a loss, his gaze shifting between Chen Yan and Li Haowen, unable to make a decision.
“Just proceed according to your usual practices.”
Li Haowen said.
“…Understood!”
Wei Kun saluted, then had the cultivators he had just recruited disperse to buy the necessary pills and ointments from the stalls along the small town’s streets.
“Chen Shidi, why did you say that kind of thing earlier?”
After everyone left, Li Haowen asked Chen Yan.
“What, Senior Brother Li, don’t you want to improve your reputation?”
Chen Yan laughed.
“I think it’s probably unnecessary.”
Li Haowen said, then paused briefly:
“Because they’re not wrong. I did kill many innocent people.”
Hearing this, Chen Yan said:
“I understand your true nature, Senior Brother Li. You are an upright person.”
“From the day I wantonly killed innocent people, I ceased to be upright.”
Li Haowen denied.
“No, I know your true nature very clearly. It’s just that many things in this world can turn people into something neither human nor ghost…”
Chen Yan shook his head:
“But regardless of what your true nature is, the sins you committed are facts that can never be washed away.”
“…I know.”
Li Haowen’s eyes dimmed.
“But this is not a reason for you to choose depravity, Senior Brother Li. No matter what, one day, the uprightness in your bones will make you try to atone for your sins.”
Chen Yan said calmly.
Afterwards, Chen Yan placed two mid-grade spirit stones on the table, stood up, and left the tea stall.
Leaving only Li Haowen sitting there alone, seemingly pondering something.
…
One hour later.
Within Shengyuan Mountain, more than ten cultivators wearing various styles of daoist robes walked through dense forests and thickets.
Two Kongshan Sect cultivators in white daoist robes were surrounded in the middle of the group.
“Senior, be careful. Demonic beasts could ambush at any time in this mountain.”
An early Martial Spring Realm cultivator walking nearby offered this warning to Chen Yan, who appeared completely at ease.
“Thank you for the advice.”
Chen Yan smiled and nodded, then spoke to that early Martial Spring Realm cultivator.
Of course, he wasn’t worried about any demonic beast suddenly appearing and attacking him.
As a Myriad Transformations Realm cultivator, any movement within a radius of a hundred zhang was completely within his perception.
However, in the more than two years since leaving Fusheng Island, his cultivation realm hadn’t moved at all.
He still only possessed a single strand of innate true energy.
Of course, Chen Yan had long grown accustomed to this, because his natural talent was simply like this.
But if talking about actual combat power, without using the Great Derivation Art to derive immortal energy, Chen Yan believed he shouldn’t lose to those Myriad Transformations Realm cultivators who possessed thousands of strands of innate true energy. That is, excluding those cultivators with outrageously exaggerated talents.
For example, Qin Qingyu.
Although Chen Yan only possessed one strand of innate true energy, this strand of his was not simple.
It wasn’t simply condensed from the Martial Spring, but was born from the vast Clear Light produced by the perfected Hidden Immortal Art.
Wei Kun walked at the very front of the group, holding a copy of the map in his hands. Every so often, he would stop, judging the specific location of the target based on the surrounding mountain structure and sky orientation.
“This is such a headache…”
Wei Kun, with a troubled expression, sucked in a cold breath and gritted his teeth:
“This map is far too old. Many details completely don’t match the current environment of Shengyuan Mountain…”
After all, it was a map drawn ten thousand years ago.
“That way.”
Just as Wei Kun was hesitating, Chen Yan suddenly spoke.
Wei Kun raised his head, looking in the direction Chen Yan was gazing towards. Then he lowered his head to look at the map in his hands, raised his head again to peer in the direction Chen Yan was looking, then scratched his head in confusion:
“Senior, did you notice something?”
“Maybe. Let’s go that way first and try our luck.”
Chen Yan said.
Hearing this, Wei Kun remained silent for a moment, then glanced twice in Li Haowen’s direction. Seeing that Li Haowen showed no reaction, he nodded:
“Alright, we’ll listen to the senior!”
The group began advancing in the direction Chen Yan had just pointed.
Li Haowen, who was originally walking in front, also slowed his pace and walked to Chen Yan’s side:
“What’s going on?”
Chen Yan remained silent at first, just looking up at the faint demonic aura seeping out from deep within the forest ahead, then slowly said:
“Nothing much. It’s just that likely, this trip to Shengyuan Mountain isn’t as simple as previously imagined.”