Shushan Cultivation Method, Splitting into Two Groups

Early the next morning.

Jing Tian and Xu Changqing came to the woods. Xu Changqing planned to teach Jing Tian a cultivation method. After all, without one, Jing Tian would run into trouble if he kept using the Demon Sword.

Su Yu followed them as well. He was purely there to watch the show.

The three arrived in the woods. Xu Changqing and Jing Tian sat cross-legged on the ground, while Su Yu disliked sitting that way and simply lay down to watch them cultivate.

Xu Changqing formed a hand seal with both hands, and Jing Tian copied him.

Xu Changqing closed his eyes and began reciting the cultivation method. "A sword is but common iron. It gains spirit through being wielded, moves with the heart, and lives through blood…"

After Xu Changqing had recited only two lines, Jing Tian drowsily fell asleep. His hand seal turned into a gesture with three fingers pointed upward.

Xu Changqing did not notice in the slightest and continued, "It dies through non-thought. The Sword Control Technique lies in regulating one’s breath, embracing the origin and guarding the one…"

As he recited, Jing Tian’s hands suddenly dropped. He had completely fallen asleep. Su Yu immediately got up and found a foxtail grass stem.

"Spirit and sword become one, cycling back and forth, endlessly renewing." Xu Changqing continued reciting. After he finished, he began forming hand seals.

Su Yu used the foxtail grass to brush Jing Tian’s nose. Jing Tian immediately wore an uncomfortable expression, then sneezed the next second. "Achoo…"

The sneeze startled Xu Changqing into opening his eyes. Seeing Su Yu and Jing Tian, he immediately understood what had happened. Jing Tian chuckled. "Impressive, impressive. Your cultivation method is too amazing. It made my whole body tingle—I feel like I’m about to ascend to immortality."

Su Yu snorted with laughter. "Xiaotian, ascend to immortality? Your legs just fell asleep."

Jing Tian immediately realized something was wrong with his legs and cried out, "Ow, ow! Can’t we cultivate lying down from now on? Sitting would be fine too! Sitting cross-legged is seriously exhausting."

"Xiaotian, I have to say, you sure know how to dream big," Su Yu said with a smile.

Jing Tian curled his lip. "I knew it wouldn’t work. I really don’t know who invented this cultivation posture. Do we have to sit cross-legged? Look how numb my legs are."

"Brother Jing, you cannot be lazy when cultivating," Xu Changqing said.

Jing Tian wore an expression that said he was not listening. Xu Changqing sighed. He knew perfectly well that Jing Tian would never cultivate seriously. Then Xu Changqing suddenly thought of an idea and drew his sword, performing a set of extremely flashy sword moves.

After finishing, he looked at Jing Tian and asked, "Was that cool?"

"Cool! But I’m cool even if I don’t learn it," Jing Tian said with a grin.

Xu Changqing smiled faintly. Jing Tian was clearly tempted, so he said, "The Shushan cultivation method not only increases one’s strength, but also strengthens the body. If practiced well, it naturally makes one look spirited and radiant—what you call cool!"

Jing Tian’s eyes lit up. Why did he practice swordsmanship? To look cool, of course. Jing Tian immediately sat cross-legged and said, "Well, recite that cultivation method for me again. Let me see if it works."

Xu Changqing revealed a slight smile and began reciting again.

"Niwan’s mysterious radiance preserves essence for eternity; the left restrains the hidden moon, the right draws forth the sun’s root; the six harmonies purify and refine, the hundred spirits receive grace…"

This time, Jing Tian listened very seriously. After Xu Changqing finished teaching the cultivation method, he taught him a simple sword technique as well.

After teaching it several times, Jing Tian suddenly said, "I’ve already learned this thing. Can you teach me something more powerful? Like one strike, and thunder flashes, lightning roars, wind and rain rage!"

Xu Changqing: "…"

Su Yu also looked at Jing Tian speechlessly. Why not just fly up to the heavens?

Seeing their expressions, Jing Tian immediately waved his hand with a smile. "Never mind if you don’t have one."

With that, Jing Tian left. Xu Changqing called after him, "Brother Jing, where are you going?"

"To pee. Want to come with me?" Jing Tian turned back and asked Xu Changqing.

Xu Changqing: "Uh… you should go by yourself."

Jing Tian clicked his tongue, then found a spot. Just as he was about to take off his pants, he saw a corpse beneath his feet with a pale white face. He immediately shouted, "Someone’s dead! There’s a dead person!"

Hearing Jing Tian’s voice, Xu Changqing immediately ran over. When he saw the wealthy man’s corpse from yesterday on the ground, he carried it to Anning Village’s square.

In the square, Xu Changqing examined the corpse and said, "He clearly was not this thin yesterday. It looks like his vital essence was drained dry!"

Jing Tian asked in confusion, "White Tofu, you know him?"

"This is the stingy fellow from last night," Su Yu explained.

Jing Tian said in surprise, "It’s actually him."

More and more people gathered in the square. Some said, "This is exactly the same as that person last time!"

Jing Tian asked, "Does anyone know him?"

Hearing Jing Tian’s question, the crowd shook their heads desperately, as if afraid of being connected to the dead man.

Xu Changqing suddenly looked at the crowd and said, "Fellow villagers, we need your help to catch the killer! This murderer is extremely vicious and very dangerous. Will you help us capture him?"

The crowd immediately began clamoring. Su Yu patted Xu Changqing on the shoulder. "Changqing, you don’t know how timid these villagers are. If you put it so bluntly, they’ll definitely stay as far away as possible."

Just as Su Yu said, the villagers all grabbed their belongings and left the square.

Xu Changqing did not understand. "How can they be like this?"

Jing Tian also said, "Not everyone is a Shushan hero. Why should they help?"

Hearing this, Xu Changqing sighed as well. "Changqing is truly ashamed…"

Su Yu smiled and patted Xu Changqing’s shoulder. "It’s fine. Just focus on being yourself."

Jing Tian nodded in agreement, then looked at the corpse. "The green jade ring on this body wasn’t taken. This should be revenge murder, and the most suspicious person…"

Xu Changqing looked at Jing Tian. "That woman named Wan Yuzhi!"

Jing Tian rubbed his chin. "How about we sneak into her house tonight?"

Xu Changqing nodded. "That will work. Tonight, we’ll split into two groups. Brother Jing, you’ll go to Wan Yuzhi’s house, while I investigate the abnormalities in Anning Village."

"Abnormalities? What abnormalities?" Jing Tian asked doubtfully.

Xu Changqing answered, "For some reason, there is always a fox stench here. I’m going to find out what is happening."

Jing Tian nodded, and the three returned to the inn.

That night.

Xu Changqing and Maoshan went to investigate the fox demon, while Jing Tian and the others went to sneak into Wan Yuzhi’s home. Su Yu planned to stay at the inn and sleep.

After everyone left, Su Yu immediately went to sleep. Anning Village was truly boring, with nothing fun to do at all. Su Yu even wanted to just help Jing Tian and the others get the Earth Spirit Pearl directly.