Druid Fairy

Chapter 79 Hallucinogenic Mushrooms, Breaking Through the Realm
The time for the autumn hunt was set by the county magistrate, seven days from now.

"The magistrate has invited the martial arts school master to go hunting in Ling Mountain. What an honor!"

"Is the hoe in the celestial official's household also made of spirit stones?"

"Practicing martial arts is great! You can even meet legendary immortals!"

The townspeople of Pantao were filled with envy; they could not see the sinister schemes lurking in the shadows, only the dazzling glory.

He was even more motivated, and he sold everything he owned to support his son and daughter's martial arts training, sparking a wave of martial arts craze.

That happened later.

Dragon Palace.

Trial Level 2, Illusionary Music Platform.

Li Pingcan straightened his body, swung his fishtail horizontally, and couldn't help but laugh as he exhaled "gurgling" bubbles from his mouth.

The azure dragon lay on the ground before them, grinning foolishly, its eyes lifeless, its mouth opening and closing, drool dripping, uttering the wise sound of "Aba Aba".

A few days ago, the Azure Dragon advanced to a spirit beast. Not only did the bumps on its body disappear, but its snake skin became smooth and elastic. At the same time, it was able to truly utilize its dragon skin and horns to unleash even greater power.

Perhaps due to the improvement in his spiritual realm, the itchy bumps disappeared, the long-standing mental challenge was finally broken, and he successfully entered the "Illusory Music Platform".

I never expected the Azure Dragon to be so foolish in the illusion, hahaha!

He suddenly realized something, and his expression changed.

"Wait a minute, this is bad! Did I look this stupid when I first started clearing the game?!"

That's too embarrassing!

Before long, the Azure Dragon regained its senses, sucked in its saliva, and exclaimed excitedly, "Brother, that was awesome! I've become a real dragon! Phoenixes and peacocks all bowed down before me. We were shameless and wild, and had many little dragons..."

It thought back, "If it's this enjoyable every day, what does it matter whether or not this blissful illusion can be broken?"

Is this person addicted to it?

Li Pingcan frowned and warned, "Qingjiao, if you think like that, you will never be able to break through the Illusionary Music Platform in this lifetime. The illusion will always remain just an illusion."

"I know, I know. We made a promise to cultivate together. Our friendship will last as long as the sun and the moon."

The Azure Dragon's expression turned serious. "Carp, when are you going to retrieve the Earth Core Fire Spirit?"

It cared deeply for its little brother, knowing that his opportunity lay in the heart of the rift valley. After hesitating, it gritted its teeth and said, "If all else fails, take my dragon skin; it can ward off the fire."

Aquatic creatures are naturally afraid of fire, and the scorching heat from the heart of this rift valley is the most painful torment for them.

Li Pingcan was deeply moved.

This is one of the most precious things the Azure Dragon possesses, yet he is willing to "borrow" it. It should be noted that the Earth Core Fire is unpredictable and its situation is unclear; damage or loss is possible.

He wouldn't hesitate to borrow it if possible, but unfortunately, only a green snake with a faint "dragon bloodline" could use this dragon skin, and it was probably not a real dragon, but rather the skin of a flood dragon or a pseudo-dragon, whose power had weakened after a hundred years.

Although Li Pingcan's incarnation, the "Grass Gold Carp," is also associated with the legend of the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate, his essence is human, and he cannot harness the power of the dragon skin.

He shook his head and said, "There's no rush with the Earth Core Fire Spirit. Its existence has been confirmed, and we'll be able to obtain it sooner or later."

The rift valley is also very secluded. Except for the annual high tide and undercurrents that allow the treasure fish to come for the festival, it is inaccessible to creatures outside the Qingjiang River basin.

Speaking of which, you don't usually see treasure fish, but there are many at the festival. Lee Pyeongchan once had a dark idea to catch all the treasure fish in one fell swoop...

In reality, this place is affected by the Dragon Palace, making it immune to attacks and impossible to imprison, thus maintaining a peaceful state.

Li Pingcan could only regretfully give up.

'The Fire Control spell has reached its maximum level, granting it the 'Fire Immunity' trait. However, the Earth Spirit won't surrender easily. The wisest approach would be to max out its resistance enhancement to increase the magic resistance cap and thus improve the success rate.'

'Jin Ling also has a clue: the meteorite that fell from Mount Taichang seems to have a golden aura, but it appears to have been taken away by a mysterious entity before it was discovered by the immortals.'

This is the information that Li Pingcan recently obtained.

Incidentally, perhaps because he frequently came to the Dragon Palace for trials, he unexpectedly gained new insights into a new skill.

That's right, it's Teemo's favorite mushroom-planting part again!
【LV0 Magical Mushroom (77/99) [Spore]】

[Red umbrella, white stem, eat them all and lie down on the board. This generates a red and white stem mushroom with a strong hallucinogenic effect. Guided by the system, it can achieve effects such as 'revealing one's true feelings' and 'erasing memories,' lasting for the duration of an incense stick. Eating multiple hallucinogenic mushrooms does not stack the effects. Leveling up increases the hallucinogenic effect and duration.]

It has an effect similar to truth serum.

He had experimented with it and found that ordinary people without cultivation could not resist it at all; Li Yuan, who was in the Qi and Blood Realm, only had some of his memories erased; and his elder brother, a martial artist in the Divine Fiend Realm, probably had a strong physique and extraordinary courage, so the effect was quite weak, and a large dose was needed to achieve a barely satisfactory effect.

As one's cultivation level increases, the limitations of zero-ring spells gradually become apparent.

However, Li Pingcan was not discouraged. Firstly, there was still room for improvement in the Hallucinogenic Mushroom, and secondly, his expectations for zero-ring spells were only comparable to those of first or second-level Qi Refining cultivators.

As the Druid's level increases, they gain a first-level spell, naturally resolving the issue of insufficient skill strength.

"Let's try the Fantasy Stage again."

Li Pingcan pulled himself out of his thoughts and stepped into the blissful illusion.

"Will you pamper me, my lord cultivator?"

The fox-spirit enchantress, with alluring eyes, nestled gracefully into Li Pingcan's arms.

Li Pingcan shook his head.

"It's because I didn't serve you well~" The fox girl swayed her nine fluffy tails, looking pitiful and on the verge of tears.

Li Pingcan thought of the fox woman's tail forming a velvet carpet, her charming voice, her warm and soft body, and her extremely comfortable massage techniques, and exclaimed, "The fox clan truly lives up to its reputation."

Then, he said seriously, "But I am still too young. If I deplete my essence too early, it will easily reduce the quality of my offspring."

He was determined to expand the Li family, so it would be absurd for him to have no descendants.

The fox-woman opened her beautiful eyes in astonishment, never expecting this to be the reason, and the illusion shattered with a crash.

"Phantom Music Stage, Level 1, No Rewards."

Li Pingcan sighed slightly. Although he was able to pass the level, his evaluation was not "top-tier," so he did not unlock the next level and received no reward.

In the illusion, there is not only lust, but also a mixture of desires such as power, affection, and wealth.

Perhaps because he was still young, his sexual desires were not strong, and he was more easily brought to his senses than to other desires.

However, the evaluation in the Illusionary Realm is based on a comprehensive score, and his score is uneven, so his overall score won't be high.

"Just keep up the good work."

Despite experiencing various events in the illusion, Li Pingcan's temperament remained unchanged, and his personality became more calm, composed, and unassuming.

…………

Li family.

The calming incense emits a faint fragrance that drifts like mist in a quiet room, its slightly intoxicating aroma bringing peace to the mind.

Beside the three sticks of calming incense, a cold water bead shone with a deep blue luster, as if it had shimmering waves and wisps of cold air emanating from it.

Li Pingcan took out a Qi and Blood Pill.

The Qi and Blood Pill could not help him break through to the Divine Fiend Realm; it was merely a supplement to increase the probability of breaking through.

At his level, the Seven-Leaf Purple Gold Elixir was no longer effective, and after years of use, he seemed to have developed resistance, making it far less effective than before. Li Pingfu had already begun selling the medicine, and it was very popular.

He swallowed the Qi and Blood Pill directly, then focused all his attention on breathing exercises, practicing the White Crane Style.

When they were tired from practicing, they would drink the tonic soup that had been prepared in advance, as well as the juice of the amber jade flower.

Two days passed in a flash, and his body felt like a bottomless pit. Even the martial arts school master, who was reluctant to lavishly consume the energy-boosting tonics, had all of them been absorbed by Li Pingcan.

He then performed the breathing technique again, the White Crane Pose.

The graceful and agile white cranes have all transformed into ferocious leopards in the mountains, their moves domineering and fierce, completely unlike any other light and agile techniques.

His qi and blood were abundant, like waves crashing against the shore. A blood-red mist rose from his body, forming a long dragon of qi and blood that danced all over his body.

The flow of Qi and blood is like a long dragon, circulating and time passes silently.

In a moment of inspiration, Li Pingcan suddenly felt his meridians clear and seemed to have grasped the key!
An opportunity for a breakthrough!

Seizing this glimmer of inspiration, his heart raced, and he focused all his attention on controlling the increasingly abundant qi and blood, as quantitative change led to qualitative change.

"hiss!"

In the darkness, there seemed to be a tearing or splitting sound.

In an instant, his blood and qi changed and condensed simultaneously, eventually transforming into a pure white crane internal energy!
A brand new, powerful force surged through my body.

"It's done!"

Li Pingcan felt a surge of joy as he carefully experienced the profound mysteries of the Divine Fiend Realm.

He reached out and pressed down on the stone he used for daily practice. The hard rock bore five deep finger marks. This wasn't stone at all; it was clearly rotten wood!
Having broken through to the Divine Fiend Realm, Qiu Lie is now even more confident.

"However, it seems that my breakthrough to the Divine Fiend realm was easier than my elder brother's back then."

Li Pingcan pondered. His elder brother had been stuck at the peak of Qi and Blood for a month before breaking through, while he himself seemed to have no feeling of the legendary bottleneck. It was easy and comfortable, a natural progression without any sense of obscurity.

Seclusion for two or three days is not considered a bottleneck; it's commonplace for martial artists.

He had a feeling that as long as his Qi and blood were sufficient, he could keep breaking through.

The conjecture is that the "moonlight" and "gifts from nature" are the reasons why there is no shortage of talent and inspiration on the path of martial arts.

After leaving the meditation room and taking a refreshing shower, Li Pingcan discovered that his father had also gone into seclusion.

"My father was at the peak of Qi and Blood two years ago. Even though he has no shortage of resources, isn't it too risky for him to break through to the Divine Fiend realm?"

Li Pingcan was anxious, wondering why his father had suddenly become so radical.

Although my father is still quite young among martial artists, it's not because of his talent, but because his family has become increasingly prosperous and accumulated resources over the years.

From this perspective, breakthroughs are risky.

However, Li Rongzhou had already been in seclusion in his meditation room for two days, and could not be forcibly interrupted.

Left with no other choice, Li Pingcan could only quietly place the Cold Water Pearl beside his father.

Three days passed in a flash.

These past few days, Li Pingcan has been guarding Li Rongzhou's door, casting the spell "Nature's Gift" every day. The effect is not strong, but it's better than nothing.

It wasn't until the day of the autumn hunt that this happened.

Just as Li Pingfu and Li Pingcan were about to leave, Li Rongzhou finally appeared, his powerful aura emanating from him!

"Dad, you succeeded!" Li Pingcan was overjoyed. The Li family really did have some luck!
Li Pingfu also relaxed and joked, "If you don't come out of seclusion soon, I don't think I'm going to go hunting in the autumn."

That's natural.

Even if there are opportunities during the autumn hunt, nothing is more important than my father.

"I made you worry."

Li Rongzhou exhaled a breath of stale air; he hadn't yet adjusted to the changes in his body. His expression was one of guilt; he had been momentarily overwhelmed by emotion, and the perilous moments of his breakthrough still left him somewhat fearful.

In the darkness, a guiding light always seemed to guide him. Thinking of his son and wife's faces, even with the pain that felt like his meridians were about to burst, he bit his tongue and stubbornly persevered.

Fortunately, hard work pays off!
A bright future awaits!
He looked at Li Pingcan and was immediately delighted. He could tell from the rhythm of the same Tree Breath that his youngest son had also broken through to the Divine Fiend Realm.

Everyone says that the eldest son is a martial arts genius that is rare in a century, but in fact the younger son is a freak and a prodigy.

“Our family currently has three members who are considered 'demon' (a type of malevolent spirit). If we apply for martial arts registration, we can get a significant reduction in land taxes.”

Li Rongzhou paused for a moment and then said, "But I've thought about it carefully, and I don't want to reveal all my cards on the table."

Can'er possesses extraordinary abilities and it is not appropriate for her to expose her strength to the public. For now, the Li family can rely on Pingfu to uphold its reputation.

As for me, I'll serve as a backup plan, protecting the family's rear.

Li Rongzhou understood very well that if one day he could no longer keep up with the children, he would rather let go and stop, becoming nourishment for the saplings in peace.

There was no other reason; he loved his child, and that was what he should do as a father.

Li Pingfu and Li Pingcan had no objection to their father's words.

Their family is in such a good position that they could live comfortably even without farming, so the tax reductions are practically irrelevant to them.

The peach orchard is merely a conservative backup plan, and only Li Pingcan, the druid, needs it.

"It's getting late, you should head to Yunshui County."

"Father, Mother, goodbye."

Li Pingcan waved and got into the carriage with his elder brother.

The carriage swayed, the curtains fluttered in the wind, and in the flickering light and shadow, I saw my parents standing at the door, watching me intently. They stood there for a long, long time, until they became just black dots.

He suddenly understood the meaning of "While parents are alive, one should not travel far".

The tree may wish to move, but the wind will not cease; the child may wish to care for his parents, but they will no longer be there.

Even as the sun and moon revolve and the world changes, this warm family affection, like a gentle current, will never fade from our hearts.

…………

Lingshan is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, its spiritual energy hidden among the layered peaks. Countless carriages and horses gathered at the foot of Lingshan, waiting for the arrival of the magistrate of Yunshui County and the three major families.

In the bustling crowd, bumps and knocks were inevitable. Some hot-tempered martial artists started cursing and causing quite a commotion.

Li Pingcan memorized the man's appearance. Seeing the dark complexion on his forehead, he didn't seem like a long-lived person. He decided to stay far away during the hunt later to avoid being implicated.

The martial arts masters of the Pantao Martial Arts School gathered in one place, united with each other, and guarded against any unexpected events.

Lin Xiaowu sized up Li Pingcan with sharp eyes, which Li Pingcan disliked as if she were examining merchandise.

"You'd rather take care of your younger brother than me?"

After a moment, Lin Xiaowu pouted, looking at Li Pingfu with a displeased expression, and said in a coquettish voice as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Li Pingcan was speechless with emotion.

My brother isn't going to take me, his own brother, with him. Does he expect me to give up this precious spot to a complete stranger like you?
Li Pingfu was quietly observing the intelligence of the martial artists around him, trying to find clues to formulate a strategy. When he heard Lin Xiaowu's unreasonable words, he felt a suffocating sense of speechlessness.

Seeing his older brother's expression, Li Pingcan couldn't help but laugh out loud. His older brother was becoming more and more composed, rarely showing his emotions on his face. It had been a long time since he had seen him with such a vivid expression, clearly displaying his "aversion to stupidity" on his face.

In a way, this Miss Lin is also a remarkable person!
Seeing that no one paid any attention to her, Lin Xiaowu pointed at Li Pingcan and said, "It's fine if you bring Li Yuan, but what's your little brother's cultivation level? Won't he be a burden to us?"

Li Pingcan not only contracted his internal energy but also used Tree Breathing to maintain his cultivation at the peak of the Bone Realm. With this double protection, Lin Xiaowu naturally couldn't detect him.

"I'll tell you that."

Li Pingfu pressed down on Lin Xiaowu's arm and said to Shen Xiaotian, "Brother Shen, should we inform each other of our strengths and weaknesses and cultivation levels? Knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses will give us a better understanding and make it easier to cooperate."

Martial arts school owners always have "attendants" with them, mainly to report on the attendants' skill levels.

"Shen He, Qi and Blood at the Second Transformation, is skilled in the Azure Dragon Cloud-Piercing Claw."

"Lei San, with three transformations of Qi and Blood, is skilled in White Tiger Fist and Thunderbolt Kick."

"Lei Yunyun, peak of the Bone Realm, skilled in the White Tiger Technique." Lei Yunyun is Lei Zhenshan's youngest daughter. Due to her own cultivation level, she glanced timidly at everyone and spoke with a lack of confidence.

"Lin Xiyuan, Qi and Blood Second Transformation, Fire Dance Body Technique."

"Li Yuan, your qi and blood have changed, and you are skilled in the Black Tiger Technique."

……

The martial arts school owners also symbolically reported their martial arts cultivation levels. Li Pingcan discovered that, apart from his eldest brother who only had the "Black Tiger Skill," the other three martial arts school owners all had two or even three skills that they used in combination.

'If only I could cultivate a martial art that encompasses fist techniques, body movements, and internal energy cultivation, then there wouldn't be any issue of conflicting attributes between different techniques.'

The reason why my elder brother hasn't practiced other cultivation methods is because he doesn't want to, or because he hasn't found a suitable one.

Because the Black Tiger Skill is too domineering and fierce, it is difficult to find other complementary techniques. If one is not careful, it is easy to go astray and become possessed by evil spirits.

When it was Li Pingcan's turn, he falsely reported "Bone Realm", which earned him two eye rolls from Lin Xiaowu.

After everyone reported their martial arts cultivation level, the atmosphere became much more harmonious, and finally a sense of community emerged.

Lei Yunyun glanced at Li Pingcan. She was a year older than him. She gave him a kind and encouraging smile and secretly volunteered:
“Brother Li, I am at the peak of the Bone Realm. Your cultivation is not as high as mine. If we fight, just hide behind me and I can protect you.”

"And..." she whispered, "Stay away from Sister Lin, she's too fierce and likes to bully those younger than her."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Yunyun." Li Pingcan smiled, looking completely harmless.

Comparing people is infuriating, comparing goods is disheartening. Lin Xiaowu is so many years older than Lei Yunyun, yet she's not as discerning or kind-hearted as that little girl.

Just then, the sound of drums was heard, and the celestial official's carriage came from afar.

The immortal's white robes billowed in the wind, and a jade pendant at his waist was the same color as the flowing clouds. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a faint air of majesty between his brows.

Following the celestial official's carriage were the banners of the Zhao, Wang, and Zhou families, their surnames embroidered on them, fluttering in the wind.

"Your Excellency, Magistrate."

Before the immortal could speak, the Zhao clan chief gave a cold laugh: "You've really gone to great lengths for this autumn hunt!"

The immortal remained calm and composed, "unlike Chief Zhao, who is exhausted and sleepless at night."

Their eyes met, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder that was about to explode!

(End of this chapter)