Chapter Thirty-Eight: Three Years

Aside from escaping disaster at Wei Fan’s house and discovering that Master Chengshan was not as upright as he seemed, He Song found little else to gain after much reflection.

In the following days, while cultivating, He Song gradually learned more about the situation on the outskirts of Immortal Market. Although the outer area had suffered from the rampage of the demonic cultivators, not all the cultivators had been killed. Some survived either because their cultivation was too low to attract the attention of the demonic cultivators, or because they possessed enough life-saving items to endure the ordeal, or simply because they hid well. Eventually, these scattered survivors managed to regroup, and surprisingly, about a quarter of them made it through.

From those who survived, He Song finally understood what had transpired in the outskirts during the attack. The ordeal unfolded in three stages: first, panic spread across the outer area; then, the law enforcement team withdrew; and finally, the demonic cultivators ran rampant.

The first stage was relatively benign. The cultivators were merely anxious, rushing to spend their spiritual stones on protective items, causing prices of such items in the market to soar.

The second stage began when the law enforcement team fought the demonic cultivators but was forced to retreat to the inner circle. This was when the scattered cultivators in the outer area suffered most. Some had practiced the Breath Concealment Technique, hoping to hide at home and avoid demonic scrutiny, but this method only concealed their aura, not their bodies, and they were soon discovered—with tragic consequences. Others used different methods to avoid disaster, most failed and met grim fates. Only those strong enough to defeat the demonic cultivators, or those who hid exceptionally well, or those so weak that the demonic cultivators ignored them, survived.

The third stage was marked by the demonic cultivators’ rampage. By then, most cultivators in the outskirts had gone into hiding, leaving few for the demonic cultivators to plunder. So, they turned their attention to the inner circle. However, aided by late-stage Qi Refining cultivators inside, their assault was repelled. The majority of demonic cultivators, seeing no further opportunity, dispersed, leaving behind only a few greedy ones intent on scavenging the outskirts. In the end, they met their fate—Master Chengshan, in his fury, swept them all away in a single stroke.

But among the survivors, a few powerful cultivators found themselves suddenly wealthy, though the reason remained unclear.

Upon hearing all this, He Song couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath, secretly thankful he had followed Wei Fan into the inner circle. Otherwise, with his third-level Qi Refining cultivation, he would surely have perished in the outskirts. The survivors were either formidable enough to repel the demonic cultivators, skilled at hiding, or so weak that they had nothing worth taking. Those who lacked both power and stealth, yet held more than a novice’s cultivation, were the true victims of the disaster. He Song felt certain his own survival abilities would have made him one of those unfortunates.

“It seems that in the future, aside from caution and cultivation, I must also strengthen my ability to preserve my life,” he resolved quietly, shaking his head as he rose and headed toward his spiritual fields.

He Song’s five acres of spiritual fields were once again under his personal care. The spiritual plant caretaker who had previously managed them for him perished in the disaster, and the twenty spiritual stones He Song had promised him were no longer owed. That poor fellow had tended He Song’s fields for three months, gaining nothing in the end and losing his life—a tragic fate, indeed.

Upon returning to the outskirts, He Song sent messages via sound transmission to a few friends he knew. Only Zhao Lin from the Spirit Herb Pavilion and Lin Cong, who had long since fled Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, replied. The others remained silent. Whether they were dead or simply trapped somewhere unable to receive He Song’s paper cranes was unknown, though He Song suspected most had perished. With three-quarters of the cultivators in the outskirts dead, only a quarter remained. Those with weak abilities, poor concealment, and middling cultivation were almost entirely wiped out.

After this calamity, Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market felt much emptier. Though the Spirit Construction Pavilion soon restored the market to its former appearance, the scattered cultivators who had died would never return. The number of cultivators in the market could only slowly be replenished with time.

In the mundane world, each year would bring new cultivators to join the ranks of the scattered.

In a few years, or a decade, Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market would once again be as bustling as before.

…

Time passed swiftly.

He Song spent another three years in Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market. Three years had gone by since Master Chengshan’s departure and the demonic cultivators’ attack. In these three years, the market remained tranquil. He Song continued to study the introductory chapter on array cultivation, but even now, he had not managed to set up even the simplest Gathering Spirit Array.

It was not for lack of talent; on the contrary, He Song now understood the theory behind setting up the Gathering Spirit Array quite deeply. He had begun practicing the engraving of array patterns onto spiritual stones, which consumed almost all the spiritual stones he earned over these three years.

Engraving array patterns onto spiritual stones is a necessary step in setting up a Gathering Spirit Array. Yet, failures often damaged the stones, causing their spiritual energy to leak and forcing He Song to absorb it himself. Thus, he could never accumulate any spiritual stones. However, his cultivation improved, reaching the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining due to the frequent absorption of leaked spiritual energy.

Now, he only needed to channel his energy and attempt a breakthrough to reach mid-stage Qi Refining, just as Lin Cong had done before, becoming a mid-stage cultivator.

Moreover, thanks to constant practice, his technique for engraving array patterns had grown increasingly sophisticated. It wouldn’t be long before he could finally set up a Gathering Spirit Array.

In the outskirts of Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, inside He Song’s residence, the quiet meditation chamber was still. He Song sat with eyes closed, surrounded by a dozen spiritual stones—the last of his supply, placed at his side without hesitation to aid his breakthrough to mid-stage Qi Refining.

This was a method taught by Lin Cong and Wei Fan. During minor realm breakthroughs, placing spiritual stones nearby could slightly increase the chances of success. Though the boost was modest, it was a rare and valuable tip. If He Song were not their close friend, such a technique would likely never have been shared with him.