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Chapter 342: A Visit (Part 1)
🕑 Added 2024-10-15 10:18:05 +0000 UTCIn the Immortal Realm, it wasn’t customary to reveal one’s cultivation level, so after Liu Chun briefly introduced Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu as cultivators from the Mortal Realm, he similarly introduced Su Yaoguang to them.
Lin Xiao had visited this general store a few days ago when he was gathering information about prices.
At that time, Su Yaoguang had been out purchasing supplies, and the shop was being run by his family, so Lin Xiao hadn’t met him.
Since this was their first meeting, they kept the conversation light. After some polite exchanges, Lin Xiao glanced at the sky outside and suggested:
"How about I treat us to a meal at Xianxiang Restaurant today?"
“Huh? That’s not really... appropriate, is it?”
Su Yaoguang was taken aback. Was this young man from the Mortal Realm really that extravagant? Even he, a native of the Immortal Realm, couldn’t justify spending so many spirit stones at Xianxiang Restaurant just for a meal with relatively low spiritual energy content.
However, Liu Chun understood that his sect leader genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with Su Yaoguang, and he was aware of the sect’s resources. One meal at Xianxiang Restaurant wasn’t a significant expense, so he immediately spoke on Su Yaoguang’s behalf:
“I think it’s fine. Come on, Yaoguang, let your son watch the shop for a while.”
With Liu Chun’s encouragement, Lin Xiao easily persuaded Su Yaoguang to join them.
After a hearty meal at Xianxiang Restaurant, the relationship between both parties had noticeably deepened.
When they said their goodbyes outside the restaurant and everyone went their separate ways, Lin Xiao saw that his mission to "Make Connections with Cultivators" had progressed from 2/5 to 3/5.
Only two more to go! He was getting closer to completing this mission!
However, Lin Xiao was beginning to worry. Where would he find the remaining two cultivators?
If it weren’t for the incident at the Lush Wilderness Mystic Realm, Lin Xiao could have connected with Elder Zhang from the Tianxuan Sect through Liu Chun.
But that wasn’t an option now.
As things stood, he needed to avoid the people from Tianxuan Sect for the time being...
However, knowing how the system worked, it was highly likely that the reward for completing this mission would be the final floating island fragment. If he could finish the task quickly, there was a high chance that his sect would soon own its own floating island!
A floating island! Even his previous life's soul had never truly seen or experienced one!
Just the thought of it was thrilling.
But where could he meet the remaining two cultivators?
While Lin Xiao was lost in thought, propping his chin on his hand in his inn room, the sound of a door opening snapped him back to reality.
It was Yuan Qing, returning.
Yuan Qing entered, looking a bit downcast, and after closing the door, greeted everyone in the room.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao instinctively asked:
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Yuan Qing let out a soft sigh, bowed his head slightly, and shook it slowly as he replied:
“When I returned yesterday, my uncle said the situation with our ancestor is not looking good. If we can’t find an Icefield Sprite or some other cure soon, then... sigh.”
The uncle Yuan Qing referred to was Yuan Bi, the head of the Yuan family.
Recalling the worried expression on his uncle’s face when they met yesterday, Yuan Qing couldn’t help but feel heavy-hearted.
The Yuan family ancestor was currently the only Nascent Soul cultivator in the entire Yuan family. The family’s ability to maintain its position as the top family in Yuanling City was partly due to the presence of this Nascent Soul ancestor.
If the ancestor were to pass away, the Yuan family would face many problems.
In fact, when Yuan Qing’s father was younger, he had received much kindness from the ancestor. Although Yuan Qing had been too young to fully understand, his parents often reminded him of this debt of gratitude. Thus, the Yuan family ancestor held a special place in Yuan Qing’s heart.
Now, feeling burdened, Yuan Qing couldn’t help but share his worries when Lin Xiao asked.
Hearing this, Jiang Youfu, somewhat puzzled, asked:
“What illness could your ancestor have that even a cultivator can’t cure?”
Since Jiang Youfu had begun cultivating over a year ago, he hadn’t fallen ill once. He had even used his culinary skills to save his grandmother's life.
Back at the sect, if a family member who hadn’t yet reached a certain cultivation level fell ill, any cultivator could use spiritual energy to help clear up the issue. It was always a quick and effective remedy.
Therefore, in Jiang Youfu’s mind, becoming a cultivator meant freedom from illness.
He hadn’t expected that Yuan Qing’s ancestor could still face such a problem.
At that moment, Yuan Qing wasn’t aware of Jiang Youfu’s misconception about the common knowledge in the Immortal Realm. With a bitter smile, he explained:
“My ancestor... it’s not an ordinary illness, nor is it that his life is running out. It’s because he was invaded by a heart demon during cultivation. He’s been fighting it for years, and now, it’s drained him so much that if we don’t find a solution soon, he might not survive this year.”
Jiang Youfu was stunned.
He had heard of heart demons, but only from Elder Liao and the others. He hadn’t fully understood what they were or why a person’s own heart could produce something so dangerous that it could harm them.
Perplexed, he glanced at Yuan Qing, but Yuan Qing was too wrapped up in his own worries to notice.
Lin Xiao, Liu Chun, and Liao Pantou, who was residing in the Soul Nourishment Pendant, all understood the situation.
But none of them had any good solutions.
Typically, any cultivator could be invaded by a heart demon during their cultivation journey.
For some, the heart demon wasn’t severe, and for others, their willpower was strong enough to overcome it. But many had fallen while struggling against it.
The path to immortality was vast and treacherous. How many truly managed to reach the end?
The Yuan family’s Nascent Soul ancestor was merely one of many who faced this inevitable trial.
However, it was said that the Talisman Sect, the largest sect in the Southern and Northern Spiritual Regions, and some powerful sects beyond those regions, had techniques to suppress heart demons.
Aside from that, there was the Icefield Sprite.
But that creature was extremely difficult to obtain and could only be found by chance.
Lin Xiao glanced at Jiang Youfu, who looked confused, then at Yuan Qing, who was weighed down with worry.
He discreetly transmitted his thoughts to Liao Pantou in the Soul Nourishment Pendant:
“Senior Liao, is there any danger in visiting someone who’s been invaded by a heart demon? Could we get possessed too?”
There was a pause of two seconds before Liao Pantou finally responded:
“As long as you keep your mind focused and don’t get too close, it’s generally difficult for someone else’s heart demon to invade you. A heart demon is only dangerous to its host. However…”
Sensing Liao Pantou’s hesitation, Lin Xiao quickly asked:
“However what?”
If Liao Pantou were outside the Soul Nourishment Pendant, Lin Xiao would have seen the expressionless face that accompanied his next words:
“However, I don’t know about others, but if you want to visit the Yuan family to ‘observe’ their ancestor’s state of possession, the entire Yuan family might want to chop you to pieces.”
Lin Xiao blinked and thought for a few seconds before deciding not to pursue the matter further with Liao Pantou. Instead, he turned to Yuan Qing and asked:
“Yuan Daoist, would it be possible for us to visit... and check on your family’s ancestor?”
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