Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 312 - 310: Skinless (Make up for the 10 missing updates)_1

Chapter 312: Chapter 310: Skinless (Make up for the 10 missing updates)_1

The next day.

In the shack area.

Yu Hua shakily opened his room door.

No... it wasn’t him, but a piece of human skin!

Yu Hua’s human skin!

This skin had hollow eye sockets and floated like a paper figure, with blood-red runes all over, seemingly embroidered with a red thread.

"Success... hehe... finally, I’ve succeeded!"

"I’ve finally ’entered the Tao’."

Behind the skin, Yu Hua slowly emerged, his voice hoarse and dry as if he were a traveler about to die of thirst in the desert.

His entire body was shrouded in a black robe, with blood still oozing from beneath.

Soon, uttering a magic spell, he ’wore’ the skin back onto himself.

Before long, Yu Hua emerged from the door, his face pale from blood loss, his steps firm, as he headed towards the ’Skinless View’ in the center of the city.

Unbeknownst to him, Fang Xi was standing not far away, watching him with a smile.

"The magic spells of this world are more inclined towards demon skills..."

Fang Xi murmured to himself.

From last night’s soul-searching of Lan Gu, his understanding of the world’s Taoist arts deepened. It was indeed demon skills!

Not just any demon skills, but attribute-less ones, with no particular requirement for the Spiritual Root type!

It meant that as long as one possessed a Spiritual Root, no matter what type, they could at least begin cultivation!

Yu Hua’s success in cultivation, attracting Qi into his body, indicated he possessed at least the minimal Spiritual Root talent.

"But there’s something off about the foundation of these demon skills. His entry into the Skinless View bodes ill fortune, not blessings..."

Fang Xi pondered, then his hands formed a seal, and his entire body vanished from sight, disappearing entirely.

’I must make my way through the Skinless View.’

’After all... I’m just an external incarnation, what is there to fear?’

’Besides... this body is very strong!’

...

Skinless View.

Although it was called a Taoist Temple, it was situated at the heart of the city, occupying a vast expanse, resembling a palace.

Yu Hua, staggering, came to a small door.

Here, a few people could vaguely be seen, most adorned in fine silk, with a flattering look, speaking with the Prime Taoist seated behind a table.

This Prime Taoist was in his forties, face glowing with health, a pair of whiskers on his face, not resembling a Taoist but more like a merchant of the secular world.

At the moment, he was waving his five fingers like radishes, salivating profusely:

"How many times have I said, the elixir chamber needs no additional hands, not even a Taoist Child could squeeze in..."

"Leave, leave... with such a tiny Night Pearl, you dare offend Master’s eyes? Would you believe I could send your son to the errands room?"

...

Several of the city’s officials and nobles waited with trepidation with their sons and daughters for the Prime Taoist to check their bones and then offer gifts.

Yu Hua could only watch from a distance, waiting for the crowd to thin before gathering the courage to step forward.

"Hmm? Who are you? Do you have connections?"

The portly Prime Taoist sneered when he saw Yu Hua.

"Hehe... must be some little mouse from the city who heard about recruiting Taoist Children, trying his luck."

A lady of high status, standing by, couldn’t help but sneer.

"Yu Hua... with no connections, but I have entered the Tao on my own," Yu Hua replied with a hoarse voice.

"What? Entered the Tao on your own?"

The Prime Taoist was taken aback, and the lady next to him looked as if she’d seen a monster, covering her red lips.

"Show me..."

The Prime Taoist stepped forward, his demeanor no longer mocking but extremely solemn: "If you dare deceive me, you know what your fate will be, right?"

"I would not dare!"

Yu Hua formed a Magic Spell with his hands, and a bright red pattern appeared on the skin.

"Good, good, good... Indeed, you’ve successfully entered the Tao, even cultivated the ’Skin Peeling Skills’. You’re truly ruthless!"

The fat Prime Taoist laughed heartily: "Your name is Yu Hua, right? Follow the Master... Today, you join our Skinless View, you might even get to apprentice under a Taoist master!"

Having said that, the Prime Taoist grabbed Yu Hua and led him towards the Skinless View.

Yu Hua took a deep breath and looked around.

The surrounding officials and nobles bowed their heads, especially the noblewoman who had mocked him earlier, with her rouge and powder tremulously falling off as if she wished to prostrate herself on the ground.

’Is this... the power of a Prime Taoist?’

The young boy thought to himself, filled with ambition: "My next step... is to become the leader among Prime Taoists, then cultivate my Life-bound Skills and become a Yushi!"

"By joining our Skinless View, you will be able to address each other as fellows... You may call me Li, your senior brother."

The portly Li led Yu Hua into a courtyard, laughing: "Brother Yu, rest for a few days, and soon a servant will deliver meals... I still have to report to my master, who loves talented youths, perhaps he might directly take you as his disciple..."

"Many thanks to Brother Li."

Although he was not immediately recorded in the Taoist logs and made a Taoist Child, Yu Hua still bowed respectfully.

After Brother Li left, he looked at the exquisite setup in the courtyard and suddenly sighed.

...

Brother Li stepped out of the courtyard, his smile fading bit by bit to a blank expression.

He entered the depths of the Skinless Temple where all the passersby were Taoists in robes, yet each one had a cold complexion, and an uneasy aura seemed to permeate the air.

"Brother Li..."

At that moment, a pale-faced Taoist suddenly blocked Brother Li, smiling and said, "I heard... we’ve recruited a self-initiated disciple today?"

Brother Li’s expression changed, and he answered with a smile, "He has not yet been recorded in the Taoist logs and is not an official disciple... I was just about to report to Master."

"What a pity..."

The Taoist shook his head, seeming to fear Brother Li’s master greatly, and then turned to leave.

Brother Li spat out after walking a good distance, "The news really travels fast... they’re all eyeing it..."

He walked some more distance, then turned into a palace.

This palace was four-square, with three big characters ’Hall of No Origin’ written on the plaque at the center.

Inside the palace, there were shadowy humanoid figures.

But as Brother Li got closer, he could see that these weren’t humans, but skins of... people!

These human skins were of both genders, young, and old, each lifelike and emanating magic power fluctuations of the Qi Refining level.

"Greetings to Master!"

Brother Li did not dare to delay, bowing deeply to the Void.

"Ah, it’s you... What’s the matter?"

One of the skins was abruptly filled, transforming into a thin, elderly Taoist sitting on a meditation cushion, casually inquiring.

"I’ve just taken in a person who is cultivating the ’Skin Peeling Skills’ to enter the path," Brother Li dutifully recounted the matter in detail.

"Good... very good... you’ve done well... to find such a fine jade-like talent and not think of swallowing it to augment your power but rather remember this old fellow..."

The thin elderly Taoist suddenly let out a sigh, "I practiced those ’Skin Shadow Skills,’ and it led to demonic possession... now I’ve even forgotten who I was. Perhaps... this person can help me find some of myself..."

Brother Li didn’t dare to answer, as a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Above the ’Skin Peeling Skills’ lay the ’Skin Shadow Skills’!

His master had succeeded in building a Foundation with these life-bound skills and since then lived for two hundred years, known as ’Master Hua Ying’!

Once successful with this technique, he could easily manipulate the skins of those who practiced the ’Skin Peeling Skills,’ treating them like tools to be sacrificially refined.

Many of the skins in this hall belonged to Brother Li’s fellow brothers and sisters...

This old Taoist’s cultivation was profound, reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment, and he’d heard a significant piece of news, daring to practice an even higher technique, the ’Blood Skin Skills,’ in hopes of seizing a chance.

Unfortunately, Master Hua Ying was somewhat eager for quick success and recently got possessed by demons during his practice, effacing even himself and only able to live on in a bizarre form, residing in his own refined skins.

Now, there was an urgent need for a ’great medicine’ to restore him to his original state.

"Enough... you may leave now."

Looking at the trembling Brother Li, the thin elderly Taoist finally spoke.

Brother Li, as if receiving amnesty, quickly kowtowed and exited.

Meanwhile, the thin elderly Taoist seemed no longer able to maintain his appearance, bursting apart, and leaving nothing inside...

In the vast hall, only countless roaming human skins pretending to be lively were left.

Murmurs from the old Taoist could vaguely be heard, "No... I must find myself again... The old Temple Master is dying, once I get his Golden Core... I’ll be able to directly master the ’Blood Skin Skills’ and become a Master Yushi, living for five hundred years!"

...

The night is deep.

"Brother Yu, good news is upon us."

Brother Li rushed in the door, all smiles, "I’ve spoken to Master, and he’s willing to take you as a disciple... why not hurry and come with me to pay respects?"

"Pay respects... in the night?" Yu Hua looked at the sky outside, hesitating a bit.

"We cultivators need not fuss over such matters, and neither does our master. You must be careful when serving close to him in the future..." Brother Li answered earnestly.

"If that’s the case... I shall go with you then. How can I go to pay respects without a gift? This is a gift I’ve prepared with care, please take it, Brother, and later present it to Master..."

Yu Hua smiled as he handed over a wooden box to Brother Li.

Brother Li didn’t think much about how this disciple who seemingly had nothing had suddenly prepared a gift and casually took it.

The next moment, his face changed repeatedly, looking at his blackening palm, "You poisoned me?!"

Yu Hua became expressionless, "You want my life, yet you won’t allow me to fight back?"

"Impossible... you wretched thing, how did you find out?" Brother Li quickly performed a magic spell, and the skin peeled off automatically.

The sheer blackness seemed to be left on the skin, and underneath, a bloody figure glared at Yu Hua, eyes full of malice.

But Yu Hua was unfazed, coldly chuckling, "At first, I had no clue, but your actions raised my suspicions... Then later, a pale-faced Taoist came by, hinting at the scheme. Or did you think the ’Penetrating Marrow Poison’ came from nowhere?"

"Him?"

Startled, Brother Li remembered the pale-faced Taoist he had met that day, cursing inwardly, ’This person dares to break the temple rules and plot against me? No good... this is the Penetrating Marrow Poison...’

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, he felt an itching in his marrow and then darkness overcame his sight as he fainted.

Without his manipulation, the pudgy skin lay still, no longer wandering.