"The Five Spirit Immortal Techniques are indeed vastly different from the game," Daniel Davis murmured to himself, gazing at the elemental manifestations dancing on the fingers of his left hand: fire, wind, water, lightning, and earth. He let out a soft sigh, sitting in the guest quarters of the Liu residence.
After some negotiations, facilitated by Liu Mengli, Han Lingsha had struck a deal with the county magistrate Liu Shifeng. The agreement was simple: she and her companions would investigate the妖怪 (yaoguai) disturbances at Nüluo Rock to make amends for her past misdeeds and, in exchange, Liu Shifeng would officially revoke her wanted status.
For Han Lingsha, avoiding a public bounty was the ideal outcome. Given Yun Tianhe's relationship with Liu Shifeng, she reluctantly agreed to the terms.
As a result, Daniel and Han Lingsha were invited to stay at the Liu residence for the night, with plans to depart for Nüluo Rock the following morning.
Seizing the opportunity, Daniel decided to test the Five Spirit Immortal Techniques. Initiating the basics was no challenge for him; however, as he delved deeper, he began to encounter the limitations Han Lingsha had described earlier. Progress required not only practice but a profound understanding of the elements—a stark contrast to the ease with which players could master these techniques in the game by repeatedly casting spells.
In the game, the progression of the Five Spirit Immortal Techniques was straightforward: from basic spells to world-shattering abilities, players could eventually master all tiers through practice and leveling up. In reality, however, the path was far more arduous.
The techniques required exceptional talent and patience to cultivate. Mastery of even a single element was a monumental challenge, let alone all five. The techniques far surpassed the complexity of the Yin-Yang School's alchemy, standing as true celestial arts.
Furthermore, Daniel noted an intriguing pattern: throughout the Sword and Fairy series, few individuals were ever depicted as true masters of the Five Spirit Immortal Techniques. Most cultivators favored swordsmanship or martial arts. Among the rare exceptions were Zhao Ling'er and Li Yiru, both descendants of Nuwa. Zhao Ling'er, for example, was capable of casting the Soul-Returning Spell—a technique bordering on the miraculous, with the power to revive the dead. While it seemed like just another spell in the game, in the real world, such a technique was nothing short of divine intervention.
"Perhaps the true power of the Five Spirit Immortal Techniques is only accessible to immortals… or maybe those born with unique gifts, like yaoguai or descendants of Nuwa," Daniel pondered.
He recalled that during his earlier battles with the Wind Fiends, some of them had clearly utilized wind-based elemental powers. This seemed to be a natural talent inherent to certain yaoguai.
Despite the difficulty of mastering the techniques, Daniel was determined to learn them, especially their more destructive applications. The celestial arts held unparalleled potential for combat and survival in this dangerous world. For now, however, he needed to choose a single element to focus on.
"Water flows downward, permeating all things. Fire rises upward, consuming everything. Lightning condenses, breaking through the toughest barriers. Wind swirls, bypassing all obstructions. Earth nurtures and transforms, harmonizing all materials." Daniel mentally reviewed the description of each element, contemplating his next steps.
"I'll use the process of elimination. Water is primarily used for healing and support, but I already have plenty of other methods for that. While water techniques include resurrection spells, I can leave that for later. Earth, wind, and lightning are all compelling, but I'll start with fire. Techniques like the Samadhi True Fire and nuclear fusion are exactly the kind of offensive power I need."
"Handcrafting nuclear fusion… that's been my dream for a while," Daniel mused, grinning. The Fire Element of the Five Spirit Immortal Techniques seemed like the perfect starting point to expedite this goal.
Having made his decision, Daniel dispelled the manifestations of the other elements from his fingers, focusing solely on the flickering flame. Soon, small fireballs formed on each of his five fingertips, dancing between them in an intricate display of control.
Using a method he had learned from Jin Fulishi—a mental cultivation technique to strengthen focus and energy—Daniel began refining the fireball technique, aiming for perfect mastery.
The next morning, after breakfast, the group prepared to depart for Nüluo Rock. Liu Shifeng, visibly anxious, once again began fretting over Liu Mengli's safety, repeating the same instructions he had already given several times.
"Rui'er, you must be careful! If you sense any danger, don't take risks. Come back immediately, and we'll think of another solution," Liu Shifeng urged, his face full of concern. This was the sixth time he had given the same lecture since breakfast.
Initially, Liu Shifeng had been adamantly opposed to Liu Mengli's involvement, despite agreeing to the plan the previous night. After some persuasion and Liu Mengli's insistence, he reluctantly gave in.
Watching this scene unfold, Han Lingsha whispered under her breath, sarcastically calling Liu Shifeng a "daughter-obsessed old man."
At one point, Liu Shifeng had even offered to send Pei Jian and several constables to accompany the group. However, Liu Mengli declined, pointing out that the county's resources were already stretched thin. Several constables had been injured in earlier attempts to investigate the yaoguai attacks, and the county still needed to maintain law and order in Shouyang.
Pei Jian, while skilled in martial arts, could not match Liu Mengli's prowess in spiritual arts. After all, the gulf between martial artists and cultivators was immense. Martial artists trained in internal energy and true qi, but cultivators dealt with spiritual power, a far more potent force. And as a princess of the Dream Spirit clan from the Illusory Netherworld, Liu Mengli possessed innate spiritual power far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.
"Are we going to leave today or not? I have a journey to Chenzhou waiting for me. If we're not going, then I'll head there now," Han Lingsha finally snapped, her impatience getting the better of her as Liu Shifeng prepared to lecture Liu Mengli for the seventh time.
Ordinarily, Han Lingsha wouldn't have been so blunt. But the journey to Chenzhou was too important to her. The only reason she had agreed to this detour was her concern for Yun Tianhe and a small sense of justice.
"Don't worry, husband. Rui'er knows what she's doing," Madam Liu finally stepped in, handing over a neatly prepared lunch box to Liu Mengli.
"We're not going on a picnic!" Han Lingsha exclaimed, just as Yun Tianhe eagerly grabbed the lunch box, his face lighting up with joy.
Han Lingsha clenched her fists, once again silently berating Yun Tianhe for his obsession with food.
After leaving through the north gate of Shouyang County, the group set out for Nüluo Rock, located to the northwest of the city. The area was known for its abundant growth of Li Xiang Grass, a plant used to produce the famous incense that had brought prosperity to the county.
Li Xiang Grass, with its green clover-like leaves, naturally emitted a soothing fragrance. While it once blanketed the hillsides of Nüluo Rock, overharvesting had significantly reduced its population in recent years. Without efforts to cultivate it, the grass was steadily becoming rarer.
Throughout the journey, Liu Mengli maintained her calm demeanor, though her curious gaze occasionally lingered on the surrounding scenery. Despite her noble upbringing, she was clearly intrigued by the natural world beyond the Liu estate.
Today, Liu Mengli wore a simpler outfit: a purple dress designed for ease of movement. Unlike the elaborate gown she had worn the previous night, this outfit was practical for their mission. After all, this wasn't a game where characters could roam freely in flowing robes without issue.
When they finally reached Nüluo Rock, Yun Tianhe spotted a large wild boar ahead and immediately grew excited, drawing his bow in preparation for a hunt.
"Hold on. We don't have time to hunt boars right now, and we can't take it back with us," Daniel said, stepping in to stop Yun Tianhe. Even after all the fine food he had enjoyed at the Liu residence, Yun Tianhe's love for boars remained unshaken.
"Yeah, leave it alone, you bumpkin. We'll hunt it on the way back if we have time," Han Lingsha added, rolling her eyes.
"Fine. I'll wait until later," Yun Tianhe said, reluctantly lowering his bow.
As they delved deeper into Nüluo Rock, the group encountered no yaoguai, only wild animals. This unusual lack of monsters puzzled them. Eventually, they reached a large natural cave at the heart of the area.
"There's a smell of blood," Han Lingsha said as they approached the cave entrance. Drawing her weapon, she signaled the others to be cautious.
Inside the cave, near the entrance, they found piles of yaoguai corpses. The floor was stained black and red from the blood that had seeped into the ground.
Although they were monsters, the sight of such carnage made both Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli uncomfortable. Even Yun Tianhe frowned at the gruesome scene.
"All fatal wounds are precise strikes to vital points. Judging by the cuts, this was the work of a Sword Immortal, likely from a day or
so ago," Daniel concluded after inspecting the corpses. The clean and controlled nature of the attacks reminded him of Murong Ziying's earlier handiwork.
"The precision of Murong Ziying's swordsmanship is truly astonishing," Daniel thought. "Not a single trace of collateral damage."
"If the monsters have already been dealt with, should we head back?" Han Lingsha asked, turning to Liu Mengli for input.
"To ensure no survivors remain, we should investigate further," Liu Mengli replied firmly. "We can't risk any remaining yaoguai harming the townsfolk."
Daniel nodded and used an Earth Element spell to create a large pit. The corpses were buried and the ground resealed with a wave of his hand, demonstrating his growing proficiency with the Earth Element.
The group pressed on, descending into the cave's second level. Here, they found no corpses—only swarms of venomous insects.
"Lingsha!" Yun Tianhe's panicked shout broke the tense silence as the group moved deeper into the cave. Daniel turned to see that Han Lingsha was gone, and Yun Tianhe was preparing to leap into a newly revealed pit.
"Wait! It's a trap!" Daniel called out, stepping forward to stop him. He glanced at the pit and sighed. Han Lingsha had likely triggered it during her search.
"I should've expected this," Daniel muttered, shaking his head.
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