"Besides Turtle Spirit Ointment, Turtle Spirit Technique consists of two other special Secret Techniques."
Turtle Spirit Ointment is made using Spirit Turtle as the main ingredient. The ointment on its own is not very effective when consumed. Only when paired with the Turtle Spirit Technique does it help with cultivation, replenishing depleted lifespan and manifesting its miraculous outcomes.
The Turtle Spirit Technique comes with two decent secret techniques: Turtle Breath Technique and Turtle Prime Spirit Armor.
The Turtle Breath Technique can be cultivated from the early stage of Qi Refinement. It's a fine technique for concealing one's presence. Paired with the special Spiritual Power of the Turtle Spirit Technique, its ability to conceal is very strong; even someone a small Realm higher might find it hard to detect.
Turtle Prime Spirit Armor is a powerful defensive secret technique, learnable in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. Its defensive capabilities far surpass those of the Spirit Qi Protective Barrier. The strength of the Turtle Prime Spirit Armor also intensifies as the cultivator's power in the Turtle Spirit Technique increases.
Turtle Breath Technique conceals one's breath, making detection difficult, while Turtle Prime Spirit Armor enhances defensive ability. These two secret techniques are the core of the Turtle Spirit Technique. It is not adept at fighting but specializes in self-preservation.
The creator of the Turtle Spirit Technique, Turtle Spirit Sage, was truly an enigmatic fellow. A peer amongst us.
Having acquired a suitable Cultivation Technique, Jia Ren had no intention of lingering in the Market and hurried home. He couldn't wait to switch to cultivating the Turtle Spirit Technique to replenish the lifespan he had lost. Using the Wind Control Skill to travel, he moved extremely fast. He didn't encounter any unexpected incidents and managed to return to his stone dwelling smoothly.
Eh, there's a problem! There's someone in the stone dwelling! Jia Ren was instantly on alert. His eyes carefully scrutinized his stone dwelling, noticing changes that were entirely different from before. There appeared to be remnants of an explosion outside, and a faint smell of gunpowder lingered in the air. The stone door had been replaced; the sword marks left by Elder Ma when he failed to kill for the Ascension Pill were gone. The ground had been tampered with, traces deliberately erased. However, the technique was too crude, the skill lacking, as new soil and old soil could still be distinguished.
All this proved that someone had broken into the stone dwelling and triggered the explosion trap. They deliberately erased all traces! They didn't want to alert me; they intend to make a move against me!
The mosquitoes responsible for surveillance sent a warning: Danger! There's someone inside the stone dwelling!
Who could it be? Zhou Lezhi? Or... the cultivator who had been trailing me?
Jia Ren had cut off contact with the original host's fair-weather friends. The original host, a specialist in the Sun Locking Technique, was devoted to the dual cultivation of the Great Dao and had few enemies. Apart from these individuals, it could also be a passing Bizarre Cultivator.
Jia Ren looked next door; Yang Shengwu had already moved away, leaving the area around the stone dwelling much emptier. Even if he wanted to seek help, he was powerless to do so.
What to do? The strength of the hidden cultivator was unknown, and he couldn't risk exposing himself.
Inside the stone dwelling, a black-faced man with singed hair and scorch marks on his body was hiding in the shadows. He held a Magic Sword in his right hand, ready to strike. Closer, just a little closer.
If Jia Ren had seen the man's face, he would have recognized him as the cultivator from the West District Market who had trailed him. Si Mingkong originally wanted to steal the recipe, imitate the Bait Tempting Technique, and grab a share of the bait market. After his tracking was discovered, he had no choice but to look for another way. He intended to find the formula at Jia Ren's home and steal whatever was useful. There must be leftover materials from making bait; if I can base the formula on these substances, I can deduce the bait formula.
He forced his way into Jia Ren's stone dwelling, not expecting to trigger the explosive trap, which left him severely injured. Not only did his theft fail, but he also got hurt, suffering a huge loss. Si Mingkong almost burst with rage.
Kill Jia Ren! It would both avenge my injuries from the explosion and secure the Bait Tempting Technique formula, allowing me to monopolize the bait business. Moreover, his Storage Bag must be filled with Spirit Stones earned from selling the bait. The intent to kill arose, impossible to restrain.
Si Mingkong carefully dealt with the traces, used the Converging Breath Technique to conceal his aura and murderous intent, and quietly waited for Jia Ren to return home. He was like a venomous snake hidden in the darkness, silently baring its fangs. The moment Jia Ren enters the door will be his day of death.
Time passed, but the prey did not come close, giving him no chance to strike.
It's time to move... Jia Ren used the Wind Control Skill and left without any attachment.
The Cultivation World is indeed perilous! If I hadn't made arrangements in advance and known someone was in the stone house, I might have died the moment I walked in. Even now, Jia Ren still felt a chill on his back and couldn't stop sweating coldly. The Cultivation World is full of danger; a slight misstep could mean not seeing the sun the next day. If home isn't safe, I'd rather spend a Spirit Stone to move to a new home than fight someone to the death. Just leave like this? I'm not reconciled! I need to know where the enemy lives to avoid accidentally moving right into their sights. If by chance I'm tailed another day, a similar incident could happen again. I could avoid it today, but I might not be so lucky next time. Since I don't have the strength to eliminate this hidden danger, I'll do my best to avoid trouble.
Jia Ren did not go too far. He let a mosquito land on the target's robe, using it as a 'coordinate' to pinpoint the target's location. He found a spot from which he could observe the stone house and carefully concealed himself.
Time flew by, and as dusk approached, a black-faced man with burn marks on his face walked out of the stone house with a grim expression.
So cautious! Si Mingkong fumed internally. After staking out for so long, I finally saw him. But in the end, he didn't even enter the door; he just ran off. With Jia Ren's level of caution, it won't be easy to catch him. I'll have to remember this grudge for now and repay it another day.
Si Mingkong quickly left the stone house and headed south.
Jia Ren didn't rush to pursue; he patiently waited. Only when the mosquito's senses became blurry did he use the Wind Control Skill to follow in the direction the other party had left. He deliberately controlled his speed, always staying within the mosquito's maximum sensing range. After a moment, once the sensed target no longer moved, Jia Ren cautiously approached with bolstered courage.
South City District? Good thing I followed... Jia Ren's forehead was covered in cold sweat. The West City District and South City District had the best business for selling Spirit Fish, so his subconscious choice for relocation had been the South City District. If I had relocated and become neighbors with that killer... The scenario was too horrifying to contemplate.
He mentally noted the location of the stone house and drifted away.
I'll go to the Northern District!
He found the Northern District housing authority, paid three Spirit Stones for three months' rent, and moved into an old, dilapidated stone house. He cleaned it with two Cleaning Talismans, made some simple repairs to drafty and leaky spots, and thus settled down.
After being busy for a while, the night had deepened, and Jia Ren felt extremely hungry.
It's a good thing I've always made it a habit to carry Spirit Rice and Spiritual Beast Meat with me; not much was lost. My pots, bowls, and kitchen utensils are gone for now. It's late; I'll have to make do with a simple meal tonight.
He lit the collected firewood in the stove, took out the hind leg of a White Hao Pig given by Yang Shengwu, cut a pound of Monster Beast Meat, skewered it on a wooden stick, and roasted it over the fire.
In the time it takes for a cup of tea to brew, the Monster Beast Meat was roasted to a golden brown. The meat was chewy and, lacking specialized seasoning, not particularly delicious. Although Monster Beast Meat was not tasty, its nourishing effect on the body was far superior to Spirit Rice by many folds. It is said that among cultivators, the rare Body Cultivators often feed on Monster Beast Meat.
Jia Ren, spiritually exhausted, soon fell asleep.
「The next day」
Jia Ren found pots, bowls, and kitchen utensils from the Market and started cooking Spirit Rice.
"Daoist Jia, to think that when I moved to the Northern District, you'd follow the scent of food and become my neighbor."