This is how immortals are cultivated

Chapter 20 Communication

The three people who lit a bonfire next to the escort team and prepared to camp were Fang Suichu, Li Qingming and Wu Yuanshuo.

A few days ago, the three of them left the village at the foot of Changyin Mountain and headed towards the nearest county town as indicated by the villagers.

There are not many settlements like villages scattered in the wilderness in this world, and camping in the wild is unavoidable on the way to the county town.

In this world, camping in the wild is actually quite dangerous. There is a high probability of encountering dangerous wild animals or strange things.

But with Fang Suichu around, the dangerous things in the wilderness are nothing to ordinary people.

After collecting dry branches and lighting a fire, Wu Yuanshuo heated up the food he bought from the village, including dried meat and wheat cakes, and handed them to Fang Suichu and Li Qingming, which constituted their dinner.

While Wu Yuanshuo was preparing dinner neatly, Li Qingming was staring at the escort team's camp next door.

In fact, upon arriving here, she had spotted a fire in the forest. Unsure whether it was a traveler, a caravan, or some strangely generated fire, she had initially considered finding another place to camp, believing less was more. But Fang Suichu was determined to come here.

In his words, the land itself has no ownership in the wild. If others can camp here, why can't they?

"Do you know this group of people?" Fang Suichu asked Li Qingming.

Li Qingming nodded. "Tongxiang Escort Agency is quite famous in the southern part of Wu State. It has a good reputation and is well-established."

"Escort Agency...So this is an escort team?"

Fang Suichu became interested. He didn't expect that there was a profession of bodyguard in this world.

But on second thought, the existence of escorts is quite normal. After all, due to the strangeness of this world, transportation is somewhat limited. Escorts are similar to transport teams and are very popular in this world.

"Escort team leaders often have their own methods for dealing with evil, and each escort agency has its own unique methods... Have you figured out what they are?"

Since Fang Suichu always referred to spirits, ghosts and gods as "gui", Li Qingming also called them that.

Li Qingming now understood some of Fang Suichu's methods. For example, Fang Suichu was very sensitive to ghosts and could often detect ghosts' traces in advance. This was also the reason why they had been trekking in the wild for so many days without encountering any strange things.

"That flag is quite interesting, a strange object. But the man with the same aura as it is an ordinary person... Perhaps this is the method used by the so-called escorts on the road?"

"If there's anything else, it's that carriage... There seems to be something in that carriage."

Fang Suichu cast his eyes towards the carriage in the middle of the escort team's camp.

After a moment, he looked away again.

"Don't worry about that for now. We haven't done our practice yet. Let's eat dinner quickly and then start training."

A few days passed, and the breathing technique that Fang Suichu taught Li Qingming and Wu Yuanshuo had taken effect, and both women felt the energy.

There are always differences in talent when it comes to cultivation. Wu Yuanshuo was able to sense Qi earlier than Li Qingming, which proves that Wu Yuanshuo's talent in cultivation is at least higher than Li Qingming's.

However, because Fang Suichu had only come into contact with two women for the time being, the sample size was insufficient, and he was not sure what the average aptitude of ordinary people in this world was for cultivation.

"I'll help you circulate the Small Circulation of Qi again later, and sense the Qi flow. After that, you can practice on your own and find a way to impact the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and complete the foundation building."

The technique of internal breathing was just casually developed by Fang Suichu. The point is that as long as the functions of human organs are intact, anyone can practice.

But after all, people are very different from each other, and the huge meridian system of the twelve extraordinary meridians and eight extraordinary meridians can also differentiate into different qi-inducing processes.

Therefore, Fang Suichu further helped the two women develop the technique of internal breathing, aiming to help the two women find different qi circulation routes that are more suitable for them.

This is what is called the customized practice method for the Tongmai Realm.

Because Wu Yuanshuo was able to sense the Qi earlier, Fang Suichu had already helped her complete the exercises. All she had to do now was practice step by step.

As for Li Qingming, Fang Suichu was still using his own Qi to guide her small circulation and explore her physical condition.

"Okay." Li Qingming agreed obediently.

Laying the foundation is the beginning of nurturing the holy fetus. Although it cannot be said that a person can be reborn at this stage, it can pry open a corner of the precious raft of the human body, and can also immediately feel the difference between the body and the original one.

Li Qingming felt it, so he took it very seriously.

As the two of them were communicating, Wu Yuanshuo was listening quietly.

The escort team of Tongxiang Escort Agency took some action.

The big man who was obviously the escort leader left the campfire in their camp and walked towards them.

---

Zhu Chang walked steadily, as if he had taken root on the ground. It was obvious that he was also a trained fighter and a skilled fighter.

In one hand he held an exquisite multi-layered lacquer food box and in the other a leather water bottle.

There was a smile on his upright face, and he looked very straightforward.

He originally had no intention of socializing with the three people here. He would leave immediately after everything went smoothly until dawn.

But for some reason, the arrival of these three people was noticed by the lady in the carriage, and she asked him to deliver the things.

"Sir, my employer said that meeting is fate. You have young women here, so I sent some food over. I hope you won't mind."

As he approached the three people and spoke, Zhu Chang also took the opportunity to observe them.

There wasn't much to say about the two women; they were both good-looking but didn't have that special air about them.

Zhu Chang was most concerned about the young man in Taoist robes.

Although his presence was immediately apparent, the closer one looked, the more profound it became. His face was like a jade crown, his spirit clear and his spirit radiant. Even in the mere glow of the firelight, one could already sense the flawlessness of his skin.

Zhu Chang suspected that this person was also a cultivator, but he could not sense the same "inhuman feeling" from this person as from other cultivators.

On his back was a very rough, slender wooden box that seemed to be made casually, and no one knew what was inside.

In just a few words, Zhu Chang took in all the details.

"Thank your employer for me."

Fang Suichu was not polite either. He could smell the aroma of food in the lacquer box and the scent of fine wine in the water bag. There was no strange aura, nor any other problems.

Don’t take something that is given for free.

Chapter 21: The Beasts

After delivering the food, Zhu Biaotou returned to the camp.

He came to the carriage and reported: "Madam, the food has been delivered to the Taoist priest."

"Hmm." A voice came from the carriage, and then nothing happened.

Seeing this, Zhu Biaotou couldn't help but ask, "Madam, did you see something?"

Zhu Biaotou was wondering what the people in the car had noticed. Otherwise, how could the woman who had been oblivious to what was happening outside all the way suddenly show her goodwill to the three unknown people?

He also wanted to get some tips to facilitate his next actions.

But after he asked this question, the answer from the car left him stunned.

"I have no idea...."

"Captain Zhu seems to have misunderstood something. I am just a weak woman. When it comes to experience, you, who have traveled all over the world, are the best."

"It's just... a feeling. This is safer."

"Similarly, don't mess with those three."

There was no need for the lady to tell him about this matter. Since Zhu Biaotou was not sure about those three people, he naturally would not provoke them.

Let’s talk about New Year’s Eve.

Fang Suichu had already opened the exquisite multi-layered lacquerware food box.

Inside was warm polished rice and some dishes made with fresh meat and vegetables, which were available in the city but were extremely rare in the wild.

"This lacquer box is not cheap. It seems that the person who hired the escort team is very rich." Li Qingming's attention was on the box.

At this moment, Fang Suichu had already picked up a piece of meat from the food box and put it into his mouth.

His eyes lit up: "Yes, it tastes great."

Fang Suichu hadn't had anything good to eat since descending from Changyin Mountain. Even though he'd been treated to hospitality in the village below, the lack of seasonings in those days meant the food tasted rather ordinary. This food, however, could be considered a delicacy.

"There's nothing wrong with the food, you two can eat."

Fang Suichu pushed the food boxes to Wu Yuanshuo and Li Qingming. They were in the 100-day foundation-building stage and needed more nourishment.

As for the wine, Fang Suichu enjoyed it by himself. He originally thought that the wine in the water bag was some kind of strong liquor, but after drinking it, it was exceptionally sweet.

However, it is a little difficult for Fang Suichu to get drunk now, and this fine wine can only be used as a drink.

"New Year's Eve, brother..."

Wu Yuanshuo handed the food box back. The food box had three layers. The two women ate one layer each, but there was still one layer left.

"You and Qingming can eat it." Fang Suichu touched Wu Yuanshuo's head.

"I need to save some space."

"Leave some space?" Wu Yuanshuo was a little puzzled.

Fang Suichu just chuckled but didn't explain. Only he knew the reason.

The reason why he insisted on bringing the two of them to camp here was because Fang Suichu received another prompt from the system that an opportunity would appear here.

The moon had climbed to the zenith, and Fang Suichu had used his own energy to help Li Qingming complete the final Qi induction, and told her the most suitable route for the Qi meridian circulation of the small circle.

The gentle slope in the forest returned to silence again.

But the silence did not last long. As night fell, sounds suddenly appeared in the forest.

It was the sound of a wild animal running on all fours, the flapping of wings, or the rustling of branches in the forest.

The sounds came from all directions, and in the light of the campfire, the shadows of the jungle around the gentle slope could be seen.

The well-trained escort team responded immediately. Those who had fallen asleep were awakened, and those who woke up stared intently at the darkness outside the camp, where pairs of will-o'-the-wisp flames drifted. The escorts had already drawn their various weapons, their blades exposed, pointing directly into the darkness.

By the light of the campfire, everyone saw the true appearance of the will-o'-the-wisps: they were actually the eyes of wild beasts.

There are wild boars, deer, mountain cats, wolves, and even tigers.

Not only were there creatures running on the ground, there were also creatures flying in the sky. Many birds and even monkeys were climbing on the trees, looking down at the camp on the gentle slope.

It seemed as if all the wild beasts in this forest came out of their nests and gathered here at this moment.

Such a grand scene made many escorts tremble with fear and cold sweat broke out on their hands.

And that’s not all. If it was just an ordinary beast tide, it would be fine, but this group of gathered beasts was indescribably strange.

"what...."

Wu Yuanshuo exclaimed.

Fang Suichu's side was close to the escort camp, and was naturally surrounded by the beasts in the mountains.

Wu Yuanshuo's exclamation came from what she saw in the firelight.

She saw a deer, a wild boar, and a wolf.

The deer's branch-like antlers had disappeared, leaving only two dark holes on the top of its skull. Half of its fur had disappeared, and the flesh and tendons beneath the skin were a dried deep red.

The wild boar's tusks disappeared, and even its eyeballs disappeared, leaving only empty eye sockets.

As for the wolf, it seemed as if all the bones in the back half of its body had been pulled out. Its body drooped on the ground, dragged by its front paws.

It wasn't just the three Wu Yuanshuo had seen; in fact, there were countless beasts gathering in the darkness with severely mutilated limbs. In other words, none of the beasts gathered here were complete; they were always missing some organ.

There are many beasts that have lost their hunting organs or body parts used for self-defense. These parts should be the organs that beasts in the mountains rely on most for survival.

Damage often means that the animal can no longer hunt or fight against carnivorous enemies.

In the natural world of survival of the fittest, in a situation like this, the wild beast will not only be killed by its natural enemies, but will also starve to death sooner or later.

But it just so happens that these beasts survived and gathered here.

Such a weird situation, don’t even think about it, they must have encountered a ghost.

On the other side, in the escort camp, Zhu Biaotou, who was originally sitting next to the escort flag of Tongxiang Escort Agency, also noticed the abnormal situation at this time.

He stood up, his face serious as he grabbed the flag beside him. As he grabbed the flag, his body trembled slightly, and then his face twisted into a look of rage, his eyes wide open, and he roared, "Hey!"

The huge roar broke through the darkness, like a tiger roaring in the forest, echoing endlessly.

People nearby only felt the sound of thunder in their ears, which made their cochlea buzz and temporarily deafened.