Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 159 - 59 Ambush

Chapter 159: Chapter 59 Ambush

Chen Ting sat on the cushion, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his face pale, and his eyes shadowy.

The voice in his mind resounded again, mysteriously carrying a tinge of mockery: "You consumed the True Blood Pill of our Holy Sect, and cultivated the Freedom Scripture, do you really think I have no means to deal with you?"

Chen Ting remained silent, his body still slightly trembling.

"Just now was merely a small warning. If you continue to defy my will... I believe you understand what will happen."

"..."

Chen Ting still remained silent.

"Don’t worry, nurturing you has not been easy, you are still useful." The voice seemed to have softened again: "As for Zheng Fa, he’s just in the Qi Refinement Realm, if you’re careful, along with my protection, preserving your life is not difficult."

"Yes."

It was only after a long time that Chen Ting spoke softly.

"That’s more like it." The voice seemed satisfied: "Zheng Fa’s talent is quite good, if you capture him, perhaps you might gain true freedom in the future."

Chen Ting’s face twitched, seemingly a bit tempted.

It took a long while before he spoke again: "Zheng Fa’s defenses are too tight, and the sect also values him, capturing him will require some time."

...

In Sister Zhang’s study.

Zheng Fa had just taken out a plain white porcelain dish, and Lin Bufan beside him had already rolled up his sleeves, stretching his arm straight out—his sensibility was heart-wrenching.

Zheng Fa glanced at him, somewhat at a loss for words.

He cast a Blood Sucking Talisman, but the talisman light did not land on Lin Bufan.

Instead, it landed on Zheng Fa’s own arm.

Watching Zheng Fa’s blood slowly fill the porcelain dish, Lin Bufan was somewhat dumbfounded.

"Master? You..."

"What is it?"

"Will I still have my monthly allowance?"

After pondering for a while, Lin Bufan suddenly asked.

"...Rest assured." Zheng Fa didn’t know how to reply, only managing to comfort him: "I am just researching my own blood, and Li Nuo quite likes yours."

According to Li Nuo, Lin Bufan’s blood was not without its uses.

He was now trying to create another talisman.

"Oh."

Lin Bufan felt much more at ease.

Zheng Fa curiously asked: "You’ve developed a taste for it?"

After thinking, Lin Bufan said: "This proves that I am... useful to the master."

"..."

"The useless, in the Holy Sect... Demon Sect, cannot survive."

Lin Bufan struggled for a while and finally uttered a phrase.

Zheng Fa nodded, his eyes emitting a silver light as he looked towards the blood in the dish.

Ever since he discovered that the Freedom Scripture was meant for visualization, he had an idea—whether there was any connection between the Spirit Talismans in the blood and visualization.

More importantly—he had visualized it!

The Spiritual Crane Body!

He had drawn so much blood from himself just to see if his guess was correct.

At first glance.

Zheng Fa did not see any traces of Spirit Talismans in his blood.

It seemed to be just ordinary blood.

His blood also contained Spiritual Power.

But it moved irregularly.

In his blood, it was like ping pong balls scattered on the ground, bouncing all around.

But Zheng Fa had not given up, as the silver light in his eyes grew stronger, scrutinizing bit by bit.

It took a long time before he discovered a subtle clue—

Approximately ten percent of the Spiritual Power moved in a unique trajectory, Zheng Fa found traces of the Five Elements Child Talisman!

He lifted his head and looked at Lin Bufan beside him, his face somewhat enlightened.

"Master?"

"Entering the way of martial arts, the Taoist Body." Zheng Fa suddenly spoke: "And your Demon Sect’s bloodline..."

"..."

Lin Bufan’s expression became even more puzzled.

"Your Saint Ancestor has found a method to optimize genetics, mass-producing Taoist Bodies..."

"Ah?"

...

"Sister Yuan!" Sister Yuan hurried over, her face no longer lively as before, but rather gravely serious: "We haven’t found the thief."

Zheng Fa gently nodded, his expression not one of disappointment.

Ever since suspecting that there was an insider in the sect, Zheng Fa and Yuan had been on alert.

Those old disciples within the sect held non-trivial positions and influence.

They couldn’t yet screen them out or act too overtly.

But for those in the workshop and Affairs Hall, the two of them still had influence.

These past few days, Sister Yuan and Zheng Fa had been quietly investigating.

On one hand, they observed whether the actions of these disciples were suspicious.

On the other hand, they arranged some false information for different disciples.

Then narraowed down by the reply letters from "Sister Zhang."

But after a few days, they still had no leads.

After all, the Jiushan Sect was righteous and did not permit the use of techniques like Soul Search—at this point, Zheng Fa and she were essentially stuck in a deadlock.

"Sister Yuan, why don’t we just interrogate them one by one?"

"..." Zheng Fa shook his head: "If we are sure this person is in the Affairs Hall it would be possible, but if not, such large actions might tip them off too easily."

Sister Yuan nodded, looking somewhat despondent.

Ever since Sister Zhang had an incident, she had grown somewhat impatient.

"Sister Yuan, if we can’t find them, it’s more likely that they are not in our Affairs Hall." It was Zheng Fa who comforted her: "If that’s the case, we’ll have to report to Master and continue our investigation slowly."

This matter is hardly less important than Sister Zhang’s safety.

This person is a bit too familiar with Jiushan Sect.

Everyone feels uneasy about such a person in the sect.

Zheng Fa now even goes less to the workshop.

Sister Yuan nodded slightly.

"Sister Zhang’s" Communication Talisman flew in again and landed in front of the three of them.

Everyone was not surprised, Sister Yuan came to see Zheng Fa at this time to see what "Sister Zhang" had written again.

The tone in the Communication Talisman was quite normal, seemingly just like the old days.

But after Zheng Fa read it, he suddenly asked Sister Yuan:

"Sister, do we really have a senior brother named Zheng Ji in the Affairs Hall?"

"...In the past fifty years, there shouldn’t have been."

Sister Yuan furrowed her brow and thought for a long time before responding.

"Then who is the Senior Brother Zheng Ji mentioned in this letter?"

"...A mistake?"

"It shouldn’t be..." Zheng Fa thought for a while: "This person can imitate Sister Zhang’s tone so well, doesn’t seem like a careless person."

"Then why?"

Zheng Fa shook his head, as if he had some thoughts, but did not speak out.

The next day.

"Something’s not right."

Zheng Fa finished reading the letter and his expression became somewhat confirmed.

"What’s not right?"

"This letter today says that our workshop sold the most Ice Soul Talismans last month." Zheng Fa explained, "In reality, it has been the Golden Armor Talisman that sold the best over the past few months."

"Did he make another mistake?"

Sister Yuan frowned.

"No, all other parts of these two letters are fine, only these two places..." Zheng Fa frowned, "seem to be deliberate."

"Eh?"

"Zheng Ji, Ice Soul Talisman..."

Lin Bufan’s eyes shifted, seemingly recalling something, and suddenly said: "Soul Transference Skills."

"Huh?"

"This is a Secret Technique from the Freedom Scripture." Lin Bufan explained, "I heard Lin Yangtian say that this cultivation method is often practiced by cultivators whose lifespan is not much."

"What does this cultivation technique do?"

Zheng Fa pressed.

"This..." Seeing his concern, Lin Bufan tried hard to recall, "Lin Yangtian mentioned that his Master practiced this spell."

"He said that this technique involves separating the Divine Sense from the body, and his original body will be refined into a True Blood Pill."

"True Blood Pill?"

"Yes, generally those who cultivate this technique are people with little lifespan left, their Divine Sense will attach to another cultivator, cultivating and guiding them, then slowly transform their physique using the True Blood Pill..."

"This thing... a grandpa always with them?"

Zheng Fa felt it sounded somewhat familiar.

Lin Bufan continued to explain: "If the time is right, they will take over that cultivator..."

"Generally, you Immortal Sect disciples are the best choice."

Lin Bufan also added.

"Eh?"

"We, no, the Demon Sect, many disciples know of this technique." Lin Bufan explained: "But Immortal Sect disciples, well, are a bit naive... might think they have encountered some rare adventure."

"..."

Zheng Fa looked at the Communication Talisman in his hand and nodded: "So this person wants to tell us, he’s been possessed by a Demon Sect grandfather?"

"Is he going to defect to the light?"

Sister Yuan’s spirit lifted.

"..." Zheng Fa shook his head: "I rather think, he’s run out of options."

...

Half a month later, late one night.

Zhou Qian Yuan and Zheng Fa seemed to be enjoying their conversation; after finishing talking at Sister Zhang’s house, they simply went towards Zhou Qian Yuan’s house.

At this time, the workshop also gradually quieted down.

Not many people were on the street where Zhou Qian Yuan lived; most of the disciples were quietly cultivating in their own homes.

When they reached a small path, on this street, it looked like only Zheng Fa and Zhou Qian Yuan were present.

At the street corner, Chen Ting stood in the darkness, with a Shadow Concealing Talisman on him.

"Wait for them to get a bit closer, and then you directly make your move!" The voice in his head directed: "After succeeding, I’ll help you use the Heavenly Demon Absolute Shadow technique; no ordinary Nascent Soul can catch up with us."

"Hmm."

Chen Ting’s voice sounded a bit nervous.

"Don’t worry, both Zheng Fa and his companion are only at the Qi Refinement Realm. I’ve shielded this street with my Divine Sense. It will only take a moment for you to take him down, and the people of Jiushan Sect won’t react in time."

"Hmm."

"Once you capture Zheng Fa, you will also have made a great contribution, and in the future, you will be treated the same as my Holy Sect disciples!" The voice was still speaking, "Zheng Fa has good qualifications; I won’t need to take over you anymore."

Chen Ting didn’t respond but only nodded.

Watching as Zheng Fa and the other person approached.

The darkness gradually engulfed the surroundings.

The nearby lights, the stars overhead, seemed to become ethereal and intangible.

"Go!"

The voice in Chen Ting’s mind shouted.

Lightning flashed, the world brightened, and thunder roared between Jiushan, directly shaking a black shadow out of Chen Ting.

The shadow floated in mid-air, illuminated by the lightning, showing it was a middle-aged man with black hair, but only his head and upper body were visible, with the lower half nonexistent, floating in the air.

Sect Leader came slowly from around the corner, his body surrounded by Thunder Light, and said, "Fellow Daoist, visiting my Jiushan Sect, I would be too impolite not to show some hospitality."

The black shadow suddenly turned around, looking at Chen Ting who was retreating behind him: "Is it you?"

"It’s what you taught me, it’s useless, I’ll die."