Chapter 113: Testing Intentions

“What a pity.”

Setting down his wine cup, Chen Luo’s eyes flashed with regret. He paid no heed to the ongoing dispute nearby, focusing solely on Qi Yunyun.

The mission objective designated by Daoist Wuwei did not possess any spiritual roots.

Daoist Wuwei’s directive was clear: “If she has spiritual roots, guide her into cultivation; if not, their destiny ends here.”

From the moment he entered, Chen Luo had been observing Qi Yunyun, and indeed, she lacked spiritual roots. She was just an ordinary person, like most individuals. Spiritual roots and aptitudes were not easily found, even those of the lowest tier, such as seven-attribute spiritual roots encompassing all five elements plus two others, remained exceedingly rare. The ancestor of the Qi family, known for the ‘Cape Blade,’ faced a similar situation. Due to his lack of spiritual roots, Daoist Wuwei created the Cape Blade Technique specifically for him. Yet after four or five generations, none of their descendants possessed spiritual roots.

To ensure there was no mistake, Chen Luo approached and gently placed his hand on Qi Yunyun’s forehead.

Spiritual energy flowed from his palm, circulating through her body.

The result remained unchanged—she genuinely had no spiritual roots.

Their destiny had reached its end.

“Immortal Master?” Qi Yunyun looked puzzled, unable to comprehend why the immortal master would approach her.

It was her grandfather who had been injured, and he couldn’t comprehend why the immortal master would come to examine him.

Qi Boyun stood up with a somber expression, his face slightly grim. As someone recognized among the top three Zongshi masters known as the Dragon of the River, there was no way these two brutes could genuinely harm him.

What chilled his heart was Chen Luo’s indifference, this so-called ‘immortal’.

Despite appearing amiable, this ‘immortal’ did not intervene due to perceived injustice; he didn’t even spare a second glance. Even though they were smilingly conversing moments ago, now he turned a blind eye to Qi Boyun being supposedly harmed.

This detached demeanor reminded Qi Boyun of words recorded by his ancestors:

“Immortals dwell amidst clouds, looking down upon mortals. Never mistake occasional kindness for them being akin to ordinary beings.”

Mindset.

Such apathy is the common trait shared by all cultivators. The previous ‘kindness’ was merely superficial politeness. It was likely that Chen Luo killed the Dragon of the River trio because they obstructed his own agenda.

Realizing this, Qi Boyun glanced at his granddaughter and recalled what Chen Luo said during their encounter with the Dragon of the River. Instantly, it dawned on him.

‘The immortal’s objective was not him but his granddaughter.’

Although he didn’t understand why, Qi Boyun felt deeply unsatisfied.

He had thought fortune finally smiled upon him, only for it to slip away like water through a bamboo basket. Even if this opportunity involved his granddaughter, his discontent remained unchanged.

Qi Boyun rose from humble beginnings, reclaiming everything lost by his ancestors with just one blade and sheer determination.

He had envisioned himself as ‘an elder guided by an immortal, soaring on the path to immortality.’ Yet, before the dream could begin, it ended abruptly.

“Do you know why we kicked you out? Because you were in our way!” The burly man, triumphant after landing his strike, approached with a wide grin, ready to teach the old fellow another lesson.

“Unaware of your impending doom!” A chilling frost appeared on Qi Boyun’s face.

With a swift motion, a cold gleaming blade flew out from behind the counter.

In a flash, the once-grinning brute clutched at his neck, blood spurting uncontrollably.

Cape Blade Technique!

Qi Boyun had mastered it too.

After the kill, Qi Boyun moved like a specter, instantly appearing behind the second thug. With a single icy thrust from behind, the blade pierced straight through the man’s heart.

One strike, instant death.

Having finished his kill, Qi Boyun withdrew his long blade and wiped away the blood with a cloth before turning to Chen Luo.

“My apologies for such a spectacle, immortal master.”

Sheathing his sword, Qi Boyun stepped forward once more. His expression had returned to its previous deferential demeanor.

“No matter,” Chen Luo replied with a smile, withdrawing his hand from Qi Yunyun’s forehead, just as at the beginning.

Qi Yunyun possessed no aptitude, signifying the end of the Qi family’s aspirations. Daoist Wuwei’s mission was now complete.

After a moment’s thought, he walked over to a nearby counter and waved forth a sheet of white paper. Using a brush typically for talisman drawing, he inscribed a set of fist techniques on it:

The Black Tiger Fist.

This martial art marked his entry into cultivation, but the version he wrote down was refined with spiritual energy—a new iteration, similar to how Daoist Wuwei adapted the Cape Blade Technique for the Qi ancestors, all from a cultivator’s perspective.

“I bestow this fist technique upon you; may you cultivate diligently.”

With the writing completed, Chen Luo picked up the paper and handed it to Qi Yunyun. As they parted ways, he intentionally used his spiritual energy to enhance her internal qi vessels, making future martial training easier for her.

With that done, Chen Luo wasted no more time and turned to leave the restaurant.

“Immortal Master, please wait.”

Seeing this, Qi Boyun hastily stepped forward, but Chen Luo paid him no heed, taking two swift strides before disappearing amidst the bustling street.

Like a breeze, he arrived and departed just as swiftly.

When fate brings an immortal, they come; when it ends, they leave without a trace.

Such has always been the way of the world.

“Can I truly not cultivate immortality…?” Qi Boyun looked dejectedly.

“Immortal Master…”

Qi Yunyun remained rooted in place, holding the ‘Black Tiger Fist’ technique gifted by Chen Luo, feeling somewhat at a loss.

She wasn’t sure what Chen Luo had done earlier, only sensing a warm sensation within her body, as if she possessed boundless strength.

Chen Luo walked alone along the long street.

Although he had spent a few days with the Qi family, it had little impact on his progress, nor did it hinder his cultivation practice. He had initially come here seeking refuge, and time was one thing he had plenty of.

What truly required attention were the changes in the cultivation world. The Loose Cultivators Union’s interference prevented him from acquiring violet gold vine, and his current supply was nearly depleted. He needed to find another solution quickly, or his cultivation speed would slow down significantly.

As he continued walking, Chen Luo suddenly halted.

At the end of the street, a figure stood, seemingly unnoticed until now.

It was a peculiar individual shrouded entirely in a black robe, standing motionless like a corpse, devoid of any signs of life.

“A corpse puppet from the Corpse-Raising Sect?” Chen Luo immediately recognized its origin.

“Not surprising for a Sect Patrol Disciple of the Divine Lake Immortal Sect. Your reaction is far superior to those inexperienced ones.”

The door creaked open, and a young man clad in gray robes stepped out.

Chen Luo remained silent, observing this unexpected adversary.

Sect Patrol Disciple? What was that?

“Even with Divine Lake Immortal Sect’s dire state, you still refuse to abandon these resources. Truly deserving of being called a money-obsessed sect.” Seeing Chen Luo’s silence, the gray-robed figure assumed tacit agreement and continued speaking.

His purpose here was to test Chen Luo, discern his true intentions, and ensure they wouldn’t hinder their alliance’s plans.

“Take him down,” commanded the gray-robed figure as he swiftly produced three paper talismans and hurled them at Chen Luo.

Whoosh!

In mid-flight, the spirit talismans exploded, transforming into three balls of flame hurtling towards Chen Luo.

Bursting Flame Talismans.

Chen Luo was familiar with these; he had drawn and sold many himself.

“Is there such a naive disciple of the Corpse-Raising Sect?”

Chen Luo felt somewhat taken aback, having never encountered a Corpse Raiser so headstrong before.

The gray-robed figure also faced a dilemma but couldn’t express it openly. He wasn’t truly from the Corpse-Raising Sect, nor did he create the corpse puppet himself. His control over it relied entirely on the spirit talismans, gifted by his ally, the Withered Corpse Daoist.

As Chen Luo watched the approaching duo, his eyes shimmered like tranquil pools, sending out invisible ripples.

Soul Technique.

The charging gray-robed figure abruptly veered off course, as if possessed, and crashed headfirst into a nearby stone pillar.

After tumbling on the ground, he got up, wiped away the blood from his nose, and addressed the stone pillar.

“Not bad for a Divine Lake Immortal Sect’s Sect Patrol Disciple, but I’m not so easily dealt with.”

Unaffected by the technique, the corpse puppet continued its charge towards Chen Luo. However, being a low-tier puppet, it was effortlessly blocked by him.

“You fool! What are you doing?! Why waste time gnawing at a tree when you should be biting people!” exclaimed the gray-robed man.

In his view, the corpse puppet was desperately chewing on a tree, acting crazed as if pumped full of adrenaline. He couldn’t help but curse the Withered Corpse Daoist from the Corpse-Raising Sect multiple times - “Is this your prized creation? Can’t even distinguish between friend and foe!”

Corpse Puppet.

Chen Luo looked down at the undead beneath his control. During his previous mission, he had encountered a zombie from the Corpse-Raising Sect, and the memory of that iron corpse left a deep impression on him.

A Foundation Establishment stage zombie—it truly piqued his curiosity to examine it closely.

Reading a living person’s thoughts was impossible, but surely undead wouldn’t pose the same issue? He didn’t anticipate such an opportunity presenting itself so soon. Ignoring the gray-robed figure ensnared by the Soul Technique, Chen Luo placed his palm on the zombie’s forehead and attempted to activate his ability.

‘Contact with deceased brain waves, Degradation Rate 99%. Read now?’

“It can actually be read?!” Chen Luo’s spirits soared, feeling as if he had opened the door to a whole new world.

“Read.”

A faint electrical impulse surged through his palm.

The energy was remarkably weak, even less than that of an ordinary cultivator. Chen Luo surmised that during the corpse-refining process, excessive exposure to sinister qi must have degraded the brain, rendering it akin to a wild beast’s, with minimal residual activity.

“Wait until I earn some money…”

The thought fragment from this corpse puppet was simple and straightforward, just one sentence.

Boom!

As confirmation, a burst of intense wind emanated from Chen Luo’s palm.

Over thirty gusts erupted forth, striking directly at the corpse puppet’s head. In an instant, the early-stage Qi Refinement corpse puppet was shredded into nearly twenty pieces by the explosive ‘Wind Control Technique,’ sending dismembered limbs flying everywhere.

On the other side, amidst the ‘battle’, the gray-robed figure suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground. His dazed eyes gradually regained focus.

He glanced at the stone before him, then looked towards the defeated corpse puppet, his mind buzzing incessantly.

The effects of the Soul Technique had taken hold; the deeper one succumbed, the greater the trauma upon awakening.

“From the Loose Cultivators Union?”

Chen Luo approached the bewildered gray-robed figure, reaching into his robe to produce a token, which he waved briefly in front of the man’s eyes.

“A Guest Official Decree? Aren’t you a Sect Patrol Disciple from the Divine Lake Immortal Sect?” The now alert gray-robed figure, staring at Chen Luo’s token, felt momentarily confused.

Holders of such tokens were esteemed guests of the Loose Cultivators Union, meant to be cultivated as allies.

“Take me to meet your benefactor.”

Ever since the shortage of violet gold vines began, Chen Luo had planned to engage with the Loose Cultivators Union.

He wasn’t blindly devoted or inflexible; faced with the grand path ahead, everything was negotiable. Moreover, there was no conflict between him and the Loose Cultivators Union; rather, they had collaborated once before.