Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Hungry Bone Weathering, Soul Ascending to Heaven
The process of handling those dewy cinnabar went smoothly. After Li Ye mixed them evenly, he placed them at the bottom layer of the Spiritual Water in the big vat, then gently inserted the peach branch into it.
Finally, he used Water Control Technique to slowly infuse the Spiritual Water, which had been purified with Spirit Gathering Technique, into the vat. As the flow of water gently entered, the peach branch miraculously began to grow with the water level.
The array patterns drawn with cinnabar around the vat shimmered with subtle light.
The peach branch slowly grew, eventually forming dense branches that completely covered the big vat.
No need for Li Ye to put a lid on; it was directly sealed by itself.
Furthermore, its original elegant fragrance completely vanished.
It seemed that all Spiritual Power had converged inside the big vat.
"Truly magical!"
"Just seeing this, it’s no wonder the Mountain God’s Jade Reward makes so many envious. Forty-nine days, huh... I’m really looking forward to it."
He took a final look at the flower-filled big vat, then turned to deal with the fish scales, which could be directly consumed if lightly fried in oil.
The taste was nothing special, just a crunchy sound like eating chips.
After he finished eating, he licked his lips, feeling there seemed to be no obvious change; the Spiritual Qi inside was abundant and very pure, as for the other effect...
"Anti-aging."
He touched his face, shook his head, and continued with his work.
Time passed as he meditated daily, read ancient books, and tended to his Spirit Beast and Spirit Plant, calmly and leisurely, watching the sunrise and sunset, and the beavers laboring diligently—quite an enjoyable sight.
Half a month later.
While he was sleeping, a Viewing Mirror hung nearby suddenly flashed with an uncontrollable golden light.
Li Ye woke up instantly and looked towards the mirror, seeing some changes in the beaver nest inside.
The flowers blooming on the Hungry Bone, originally buried under a pile of food, began transforming from a sinister purplish-red to golden at the edges, with droplets of liquid falling to the ground.
"Qi Fortune Shining Gold?"
"So much!"
Li Ye was dumbfounded, but even more astonishing events followed.
As the flowers transformed to gold at the edges, the supporting eerie white bones began to decay visibly, wisps of milky white light emerged.
It was actually a human shadow!
Thanks to the Viewing Mirror’s clarity, Li Ye could even see it was a young man with a delicate appearance, wearing worn coarse cloth.
He seemed to glance at the beaver Weichuan, still sound asleep, and then suddenly shattered with the eerie white bones, vanishing in the small cave.
The golden flowers also dripped the last drop of gold.
Afterwards, all the light disappeared.
The beaver’s nest fell into complete darkness.
Li Ye silently watched the beaver blink awake, the latter looked at the spot where it stacked its food, seemingly chirping a few times before being completely stunned.
...
Four Seasons Sect shop.
The Spiritual Mechanism Vine, which was sleeping soaked in Spiritual Liquid, woke up, extending a vine to reveal a complex mechanism wall made of jade stone.
On it, there was a jade plaque named "Li Gou’Er" changing from deep black to milky white.
"Huh."
"Isn’t this the task given to that kid Li Ye?"
"He actually completed it already!"
"And he purified a soul filled with Resentment Qi, how did he manage that, he’s only at Qi Refining."
The Spiritual Mechanism Vine could hardly believe it.
It hesitated for a moment, then flexibly pressed a mechanism, causing a figure to slowly appear before it.
It was a male cultivator in a white robe, handsome and refined.
"Ling," the cultivator said with a smile as gentle as jade, "if it wasn’t something important, you wouldn’t wake me at midnight. What’s going on with the Hungry Bone?"
"Yes," the Spiritual Mechanism Vine quickly replied:
"I handed one of the Hungry Bones to a loose cultivator named Li Ye, and in just half a month, he managed to completely purify it, not just burning it.
This matter is significant, so I had to wake you at midnight."
"Oh?"
"Li Ye was the one who completed the Silver Moon Grass task excellently. He must have some hidden surprises."
The cultivator paused in deep thought, "Li Gou’Er, age fifteen, unfortunately perished under the Demon Sect’s Hell Path Hungry Ghost Technique.
This Hell Path Hungry Ghost Technique is a terrifying Divine Technique performed with famine widespread and cannibalism. According to the sect’s elders, to truly resolve this Resentment Qi, a pure-hearted person is needed for resolution.
Do you think Li Ye is that pure-hearted person?"
The Spiritual Mechanism Vine replied, "The kid emits an aura that makes me feel comfortable and was even acknowledged by the Flint Fire Crystal Insect, but to say he’s truly pure-hearted, he falls short.
The worldly dust is filthy; how many can truly be pure-hearted?"
"Exactly!" The cultivator couldn’t help but clap and laugh:
"This matter is wonderful, since you said he gained the Spirit Beast’s gratitude, he must have used Spirit Beast to solve the matter, possessing Beast Taming Dharma Method or talent.
Such an interesting person is exactly what our sect needs.
Moreover, a pure-hearted Spirit Beast willing to serve him indicates his nature can’t be too bad."
The Spiritual Mechanism Vine chuckled, "Hehehe, I’ve already given him the Autumn Harvest Token! Didn’t I do well?"
"Ling is clever," the cultivator immediately praised:
"Then Li Ye will be an appointed disciple of our sect. You’ll manage him in the Huiya Marketplace and give him more Hungry Bones.
If he can resolve all the Resentment Qi, I’ll personally meet him when free, the sect leader keeps urging me to take disciples.
I recall that Su Ya is in Huiya Marketplace.
His sister always complains to me that Spirit Plant Masters aren’t willing to associate with her brother; isn’t this a perfect match?
Send Su Ya to make friends with Li Ye; explain sect affairs to him, for a senior brother should guide a newly joined junior, benefiting him greatly.
Also, check for me what kind of Spirit Beast it is; if it has Buddhist nature, it might be cultivated. Give Li Ye the item I entrusted to you."
"Disciple accepts the order."
As the Spiritual Mechanism Vine formed its vine into a fist-clasped shape, the cultivator’s figure faded away, and the surrounding jade plates swiftly shrank, becoming a palm-sized jade disk resting quietly on the table.
It no longer slept; since it was already late at night, it decided to wait for daylight to arrive.
Li Ye should come to complete the task, and it could grant him more Hungry Bones.
However, what the Spiritual Mechanism Vine didn’t anticipate was waiting from night till day and then from day to the next, time passing day after day until a week later, Li Ye finally arrived!
"..."
Upon seeing Li Ye’s noticeably paler handsome face, it didn’t quite know what to say.
It even felt slightly resentful.