Way of the Devil

Time passed by. In the blink of an eye, it had been more than a month.

Before the Moon Prince returned, Lu Sheng applied to enter the crane-herding program at the mountain base, a process which every disciple would have to undergo.

The Clear Crane Sect was a Taoist Sect that reared red-crown cranes. Naturally, their cultivation methods revolved around rearing red-crown cranes.

After the disciples joined the sect, they would be required to live with a flock of cranes alone among the mountains. That was what crane-rearing was all about.

To put it bluntly, the disciples would be used to rear the large numbers of white cranes in the sect as free labor.

The normal disciples were not too willing to do this. However, Lu Sheng’s actions puzzled the sect master Long Hezhi. He had voluntarily applied to go crane-rearing.

“After some painstaking cultivation, I realize that I share some connection with cranes. Every time I see a crane flying past me, I’ll feel some unexplainable and deep joy.” Lu Sheng stood respectfully before Long Hezhi and explained the reason why he applied to go rear cranes. “Take Little Yun, for example. I’ve only had him for a month, but we’re close as can be right now. I can’t even find the words for it.”

Lu Sheng willed the little white crane to come over and snuggle up to himself.

“Look at this, Esteemed Teacher. Ever since I cultivated the Clear Crane Enlightened Method, I suddenly and completely realized that I have an indescribable affinity with cranes.”

Long Hezhi looked at the white crane Little Yun with a frown. He had played a part in picking this crane. How did it grow to the size of a three-year-old in a month? Was it fed with high-quality food?

He was aware that the Crane-controlling Method of the Clear Crane Enlightened Skill or the White Feather Mantra could make a white crane become close to the cultivator. However, he did not know that such an exaggerated degree of it was possible.

“Looks like you’ve done a good job taking care of it.” Master uncle Bo Ruqing offered his praise as he nodded.

Long Hezhi mused for a while.

“It’s not as if you can’t go and rear cranes. However, there’s only one free crane flock nearby. That flock is quite huge, and I’m not sure if you’ll be able to handle it.”

Lu Sheng’s heart leapt in joy. That was just what he wanted. He hastily replied, “Don’t worry, Esteemed Teacher. I’ll go and give it a try. If I can’t rise up to the occasion, it won’t be too late to make a switch, either.”

“Mm-hmm… Alright.” Long Hezhi nodded slowly.

Lu Sheng’s objective was achieved. He wore a faint smile.

He had learned about the Crane-controlling Method contained within the original Clear Crane Enlightened Method and White Feather Mantra from Wu Youzi. He found out that their Crane-controlling Methods were not the same thing as his Crane-controlling Method.

Their Crane-controlling Methods were more like a passive ability which increased the intimacy between the cultivator and the crane. They did not have to activate it voluntarily.

However, the Crane-controlling Method contained within Lu Sheng’s derived and perfected Great Clear Crane Enlightened Method was much more domineering. He could directly control the little white crane’s body. Also, he perfectly inherited the properties of increasing the intimacy between cultivator and crane.

Lu Sheng noticed another phenomenon as well. As his Great Clear Crane Enlightened Method’s competence improved, the little white crane Little Yun grew bigger.

Now that a month had passed, his Great Clear Crane Enlightened Method had accumulated more than 600 years of competence.

His Pure Qi was so dense that it was now a semi-liquid thick fog which rolled and flowed slowly within his body.

With such a competence, the activated Crane-controlling Method’s might was shockingly formidable.

Although the little white crane grew bigger, it had no power to resist Lu Sheng’s control.

Lu Sheng could even make it unleash its potential to expend its life force and strengthen its constitution.

This was not merely controlling its will. This was a manifestation of his control over the cells in the animal’s body.

Lu Sheng could feel that many of his profound psychological guidance art’s techniques and experience were incorporated into the derived and perfected Great Clear Crane Enlightened Skill. That was why its effects were this powerful.

Long Hezhi frowned and considered it. He looked at the current Lu Sheng. He was clearly filled with a chilly air akin to a red-crown crane now compared to a month ago.

This was a sign that would only show if one was accomplished in the cultivation of the Clear Crane Enlightened Skill. However, Lu Sheng had only been cultivating for a month, yet he was already showing such great signs…

Long Hezhi suddenly felt that this disciple’s talents seemed to have exceeded his own imagination. His mood improved greatly.

“Very well. Give it a try, then. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll make some adjustments for you.”

“Thank you, Esteemed Teacher!” Lu Sheng immediately cupped his fists and bowed.

Currently, his competence was extremely profound. After applying some simple trick of concealing his cultivation base, the two so-called elites of the Clear Crane Sect were incapable of gauging his actual might.

However, Lu Sheng could gauge the level of competence of the two individuals before himself.

Long Hezhi’s competence was about half of his own. Bo Ruqing’s, on the other hand, was not even one-third of his.

The two of them were old men at least 200 years old. However, they did not look their age. This was especially true of Bo Ruqing. He looked no different from an ordinary middle-aged man.

“By the way, 100 li northwest from where we are is where our senior Taoist, the hermit Yuhong, stays in seclusion. Little Jing, be careful not to disturb his peaceful cultivation while you rear the cranes there,” Bo Ruqing reminded him carefully.

“Hermit Yuhong? I understand.” Lu Sheng was still fretting about not being able to locate an actual Taoist elite. He now had a candidate to check out.

“Come to think of it, we have yet to come up with a Taoist title for Little Jing since he joined the sect,” Longhe Zhi suddenly said to Bo Ruqing.

“I’m Longhe, while you’re Ruqing. As for Little Jing, since he’s the crown prince of the Moon Prince and he gets along well with the cranes, why don’t we call him Taoist Tianlong?” Longhe Zhi suggested.

“Uh… Senior Apprentice Brother, where did this Tianlong come from? How did you come up with Tianlong with the Moon Prince’s crown prince and cranes?” Bo Ruqing retorted, speechless. “The way I see it, he should be called Taoist Guilong!”

Lu Sheng was speechless.

He did not even know where to start to comment on the competence of these two men in coming up with names. How did Bo Ruqing even come up with the name Guilong? He had the face to comment on the name Tianlong?

“Let’s go with Tianlong. When my esteemed teacher was coming up with a Taoist title for me, I had wanted this name. Alas…” Longhe Zhi said with a straight face.

“Guilong’s better! The ‘gui’ comes from ‘living as long as the tortoise and the crane’. Top that off with being a ‘dragon among cranes’ and a ‘dragon among men’, don’t they conform well with each other? Isn’t this more wonderful!?” Bo Ruqing countered his argument with equal harshness. He was not giving him any ground.

“Tianlong! It has a more far-reaching imagery!”

“Guilong sounds more extravagant!”

“Tianlong agrees well with the crown prince’s status!”

“Guilong is more reserved and refined!”

‘What part of it is refined?’ Lu Sheng was speechless.

The two of them argued for a long time and none of them could convince the other. They simply decided on another name.

Tiangui!

Lu Sheng almost had a mental breakdown right there and then.

He could have done without this Taoist title.

The first thing another person would ask him was his name. A f*cking Taoist title such as the Taoist Tiangui[1. ED/N: I think it’d mean heavenly turtle or sth, and since turtle tends to be used as part of an insult, well… you get the drill.] would make a person fall in love at first sight, cringe at the second, and have the urge to cut him down at the third.

Hence, Lu Sheng threw courtesy to the winds and joined in the selection process of his Taoist title.

After arguing for half a day, the three of time finally settled on the title Hezhen.

Taoist Hezhen. At the very least, it sounded official and serious.

A relieved Lu Sheng quickly took up the bamboo box which contained the items needed to rear cranes, and left the Taoist tower under the guidance of an ordinary Taoist.

The two of them circled the mountain forest twice, and finally found the flock of white pine cranes drinking by a small lake.

On the side of the irregular-shaped mirrorlike lake, the cranes extended their long legs and strolled along the shallows.

Occasionally, the cranes would stab their sharp beaks into the water beneath their feet and precisely catch a small fish, which would be immediately swallowed.

The other animals would come close for a drink as well. However, they would immediately be chased away by the despotic flock of cranes.

The leader of the flock which chased away the other animals was a big and tall male white crane which was nearly three meters in height.

The Taoist guide brought Lu Sheng to a stop 100 meters away. He pointed at the flock, and explained, “That’s Bai Songzi. The alpha crane here. If you get along with him, you won’t have a problem with the other cranes.”

“Understood.” Lu Sheng shoved some silver pieces into his hands. “Thank you for showing me the way, Senior Apprentice Brother.”

“You’re welcome.” The Taoist was immediately delighted. Because of the silver pieces, he added another reminder. “This Bai Songzi is quite talented. He was nearly turned into a mount for an elite from another sect. However, he suddenly suffered from some defects in his wing, was unintentionally rescued by our sect leader, and has stayed here ever since. Junior Brother, you must be careful. Don’t provoke Bai Songzi. It won’t do to have yourself injured by his pecks.”

“Thank you.” Lu Sheng kept thanking him. If it were not for this ordinary Taoist, he would not have known where he should learn about these things and background stories.

“Alright, it’s up to you now. I’ll be taking my leave. There can only be one shepherd around the crane flock. If there were more people staying for too long, the crane flock would become anxious and aggressive. This place isn’t far from the Taoist tower. However, there are formations around the Taoist tower and this place. So, they’re isolated from each other. There are food supplies in the wooden hut nearby. Feel free to help yourself. I’ll be back in 10 days. If you can successfully mingle with the crane flock, they’ll be yours to look after.”

After the Taoist finished, he turned around and swiftly hurried toward the Taoist tower. He vanished among the dark mountain forest in less than 10 breaths.

Lu Sheng snapped back to the present. He looked at the 100 or so white cranes around the lake.

“Little Yun!” he shouted in a deep voice. “Come here and make friends with everyone.”

A snow-white red-crown crane close to two meters in height immediately emerged from the mountain forest in the distance.

The red-crown crane glanced at Lu Sheng, and quickly joined the crane flock. It lowered its head to drink from the lake and strolled in the shallows.

Lu Sheng nodded slightly. It was best if Little Yun could mingle with them. He could already tell that Bai Songzi was the same as the red-crown crane which gave him a feather before. They were both spirit cranes with high intelligence. Hence, if he tried to force things, he might expose himself or achieve the opposite effect. After all, the Crane-controlling Method could only control the crane’s physical body. He would need time to subdue the heart as well.

Lu Sheng spent the whole day observing the cranes. He ranked up his Great Clear Crane Enlightened Skill’s as he made detailed plans for the future.

A day later…

Little Yun, who was now taller than a man, cheered. He caught a fish out of the water, raised his head, and swallowed it. He gave a clear whistle.

Bai Songzi looked down at him, but showed no other reaction.

Two days later…

Little Yun, who was now taller than two men, cheered. He caught a fish out of the water, raised his head, and swallowed it. He gave a clear whistle.

Bai Songzi was drinking from the lake with his head lowered.

Three days later…

Little Yun, who was now taller than three men, cheered. He caught a fish out of the water, raised his head, and swallowed it. He gave a clear whistle.

Bai Songzi was speechless. He looked up at the big-sized crane beside himself. He felt that something was off.

Four days later…

Little Yun threw the other cranes off balance with swift kicks. He caught a fish out of the water, raised his head, and swallowed it. He gave a clear whistle.

Bai Songzi looked up at the giant white crane which was nearly 10 meters tall now. He stared blankly, not knowing how to react.

At this moment, Lu Sheng stepped forward. “See that? Little Yun’s aptitude is actually inferior compared to yours. However, as the Moon Prince’s son, I’ve collected some legendary treasures for him. I fed him a mysterious pill that could allow the white cranes to be reborn. The results are presented right before your eyes.”