Druid Fairy

Chapter 93 Breaking the Formation at Spirit Mountain, A Bountiful Harvest
He devoted himself to studying the art of formations, regardless of the passage of time.

Li Pingcan studied the "Maze Array" in the Five Elements Mysterious Array dozens of times until he knew the direction of every rune and the transformation of every node by heart.

Instead of setting off immediately, he first practiced setting up the formation repeatedly deep in his own peach grove, piling up the discarded formation diagrams to a height of half a person.

This day.

Inside the miniature maze, Xiao Ke was seen carrying food, spinning around in disarray, unable to escape the three-foot square area. Li Pingcan nodded in satisfaction.

"It's time to find the sacred mountain."

In the blink of an eye, a majestic golden eagle spread its wings and pierced through the clouds and mist.

When that familiar, rolling mountain range reappeared in my field of vision, my heart was filled with excitement.

He did not rush in rashly, but instead circled the approximate area of ​​the sacred mountain in his memory, transforming into a nightingale and hovering low in the sky, carefully sensing its surroundings.

The mulberry leaf in my hand was slightly warm, pointing in a vague direction.

"right here."

Before them lay an ordinary, dense forest, overgrown with weeds, no different from anywhere else. But to the "array master," the scene before him was entirely different.

In the air, invisible pale white currents flowed slowly, like a net, enveloping the entire area. They intertwined and circulated, forming a huge, invisible force field.

This is the protective array of Mount Ling, a naturally formed mist array.

"Indeed mysterious! It can actually draw out spiritual mist, merge with the mountains and rivers, and form a natural illusion array with the flow of the earth's veins. No wonder I couldn't see through it before!"

Li Pingcan secretly admired it.

If he didn't have the secret manual of formations, no matter how high his cultivation level was, he wouldn't have been able to find the entrance.

Once you find the trick, everything falls into place.

He took a deep breath and stopped hesitating.

His divine sense spread out like mercury, carefully examining the flow of the formation. His brain worked at lightning speed, comparing and contrasting the scene before him with the "Maze Formation" diagram in his mind.

Instead of forcibly breaking the formation, he followed the knowledge of formations and moved along the weak points of the formation like a fish swimming in water. His figure was elusive, and with each step, he precisely landed on a specific point in the formation's airflow, silently and stealthily taking advantage of the chaos.

As they ventured deeper into the stronghold, the thick fog seemed to be torn apart by an invisible hand, revealing a quiet path that could only accommodate one person at a time.

The path was still shrouded in swirling mist, but the path itself was crystal clear, leading straight to the vibrant sacred mountain in the distance.

Li Pingcan dared not delay and stepped inside.

Behind him, the path closed up instantly as he entered, and the thick fog enveloped him again, as if nothing had ever happened.

…………

"Lingshan is still the most comfortable!"

Li Pingcan took a deep breath. The spiritual energy here was many times richer than that outside, making him feel refreshed and relaxed.

He flapped his wings and flew toward where the treasure-hunting bees were hiding.

"Night Immortal, you've arrived!" Just as I got close, a joyful tiger's roar came from afar.

Immediately afterwards, the figures of the bear, ape, and crane also appeared one after another, their faces showing human-like joy and excitement.

"We have been waiting here for a long time."

The nightingale landed on Tiger's head and laughed, "It's been several months, and you fellow Daoists are still as dashing as ever."

He could feel the heartfelt joy of the four spirits, and his heart warmed as well. The spirit beasts were truly pure and grateful.

"Immortal Venerable, we are keeping your belongings safe and sound." The white crane flapped its wings and pointed to a large tree not far away.

Inside the tree hollow, neatly arranged were the cultivator's notes, cultivation techniques, and weapons left behind by Li Pingcan.

Meanwhile, on the other side, two treasure-hunting bees were lazily flapping their wings on the stolen beehive.

Upon seeing Li Pingcan, they immediately flew over excitedly, nuzzling his feathers affectionately. Clearly, they were living quite comfortably in a place as rich in spiritual energy as Lingshan.

The treasure-hunting bees also shared the "treasure map" they had collected over the past few months with Li Pingcan through telepathy.

The map is marked with dozens of bright spots, some strong and some weak, all of which are the locations of precious plants and fruits.

As for spiritual fruits? They are rare and hard to come by!

"Thank you for your hard work." Li Pingcan nodded with satisfaction.

Today's most urgent task is to find the treasure. He is eager to try and find the light spot that the treasure-hunting bee can find, and he is temporarily separated from the Five Spirits.

…………

The nightingale flapped its wings and set off on its journey with the treasure-hunting bee.

suddenly.

A fruit, entirely purplish-red, crystal clear, and exuding a rich sense of life, drifted gently down from the sky.

The fruit was no bigger than a baby's fist, but its surface seemed to shimmer with light, and it had a refreshing fragrance. Just one whiff of it made one feel refreshed and relaxed all over.

"Mulberry fruit?"

"Give it to me?"

According to the Five Spirits, there is a thousand-year-old mulberry tree in this place. It was the old mulberry tree that guided the little deer to find itself when they were possessed by a demon.

Li Pingcan felt both doubt and joy; this was truly an unexpected delight.

He could sense that the spiritual energy contained in this mulberry fruit was purer and richer than all the precious plants and fruits he had eaten before combined!

With a flap of its wings, it flew forward and caught the mulberry fruit steadily in its claws.

However, before he could savor this joy, a strange, slightly sweet fragrance suddenly blew from the depths of the forest.

A soft, alluring female voice, seemingly capable of dripping with tenderness, rang out:
"Master Immortal~"

Before the words were finished, a stunningly beautiful female nightingale with seven-colored plumage gracefully flew out of the forest.

Her eyes were like autumn waters shimmering with waves; as she walked, her waist swayed gracefully, and colorful ribbons fluttered in the breeze. Every frame seemed to linger in my heart.

She didn't ask for it directly, but looked at the nightingale with pitiful eyes, a look that could melt even the most hard-hearted male nightingale.

His voice was so soft it was almost sickening. Li Pingcan's gaze paused slightly: "You called me?"

The female nightingale chuckled and said, "Esteemed immortal, I have lost my way and am thirsty. Would you be so kind as to give me the spiritual fruit you have to quench my thirst?"

After saying that, she stared intently at Li Pingcan with her alluring eyes, and an invisible charm quietly spread out between them.

"You want the Mulberry Spirit Fruit?"

"Mmm!" The female nightingale nodded hurriedly, her feathers fluttering, her expression excited, and a look of determination flashing in her eyes.

"We don't have mulberry fruit," Li Pingcan smiled slightly, "How about some roasted bird?"

The female nightingale was stunned; the bird's warm beak had uttered such cold and cruel words.

He immediately realized something was wrong; this immortal was indeed extraordinary, and had not been bewitched by him.

It immediately tried to retreat, but saw the nightingale appear behind it like a ghost in a flash.

Li Pingcan has never been tempted. What a joke! If it were a human woman, that would be one thing, but how could he be seduced by a novice?
Interspecies romance involves reproductive isolation; he's not the Emperor of Sorrow.

The acquired physical power, which had been waiting for a moment, suddenly erupted. Nightingale moved as fast as lightning, striking first and hitting the bird hard.

"you!"

The female nightingale was terrified and tried to back away, but found that the other bird's claws were as hard as iron pincers and had immense strength.

With a cry of pain, the illusion on his body could no longer be maintained. In a blinding burst of light, he transformed into a large bird with a huge body, colorful feathers, and a long, gorgeous tail.

This is a spirit beast, the Paradise Bird, with a natural talent for illusion-based abilities!
The bird of paradise cried out in pain, and its other wing transformed into a sharp blade, gleaming coldly, as it slashed towards the nightingale's head.

Li Pingcan neither dodged nor evaded; he was simply testing the strength of his physical body at the Acquired Realm. He activated the Five Elements Play, advancing instead of retreating, and the two collided, producing a sound like metal clashing!
"What a hard bone!"

The bird of paradise felt a slight numbness in its wings and was horrified. Its wings were comparable to divine weapons, yet it could not break through the opponent's defense!
Seeing that things were not going well, it swept its long tail feathers, creating a gust of wind, and then tried to flap its wings and escape.

"Want to leave now? It's too late!"

Li Pingcan was not about to let it leave, and instantly activated the spell [Beast to Friend]!

A peaceful yet irresistible force of will forcibly enveloped the Bird of Paradise.

The bird of paradise was about to resist, but it sensed that the intention was not meant to harm it, but rather like it was comforting a frightened child. Its struggling motions paused, and the fierce light in its eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of bewilderment and affection.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Pingcan pounced on him and subdued him on the ground in no time.

"How dare you covet my fruit! You're in for a world of hurt!" Li Pingcan pinned down the bird of paradise, his eyes lighting up as he looked at its magnificent tail feathers.

"The feathers are of a good color, long and smooth. They might be useful for making array flags. Even if not, these feathers alone could fetch a good price from the noble families!"

He muttered to himself as he reached out and grabbed the longest and most beautiful tail feather.

"Chirp!?"

A breath later, the Bird of Paradise was just waking up and regaining its senses. Upon hearing Li Pingcan's words, it froze, seemingly unable to believe its ears.

It is the most beauty-loving spirit beast in Lingshan, and its plumage is its greatest pride!

This bird immortal actually... actually wants to pluck its feathers?

Scholars can be killed but not humiliated!
It struggled violently, letting out a mournful scream.

However, its body was pressed down hard, and inexplicable thorns forcibly separated its wings and claws, making the bird of paradise's resistance seem powerless and fragile.

"Hey, don't move! I'm really good at this, I promise it won't hurt!"

What if I accidentally unplugged it?

While comforting her, Li Pingcan swiftly plucked a colorful tail feather with a "snip".

"Chirp chirp chirp!!!"

The bird of paradise let out a bloodcurdling scream, and large tears rolled down its cheeks. It felt its dignity and beauty were slipping away with that feather.

Li Pingcan, however, seemed to have discovered a new continent, examining the feather in the sunlight: "Hey, the quality is really good, and it even has a faint fragrance. Hmm, this one looks nice too, and this one..."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Accompanied by the increasingly shrill cries of the bird of paradise, Li Pingcan skillfully pulled up radishes, his movements as practiced as an experienced farmer.

Before long, the bird of paradise's proud and magnificent tail feathers became bare, with only a few crooked and messy feathers remaining, ruffled in the wind.

The bald bird of paradise lay on the ground, its body twitching uncontrollably, its eyes glazed over, utterly despondent, like a plucked, drenched chicken.

It cried out, "Waaah!"

Night Immortal Venerable, how... how cruel!

After signing one hundred unequal treaties, Li Pingcan was satisfied and released the bird of paradise.

He wasn't being soft-hearted, but rather considering the feelings of the local spirit beasts. They had all lived together on Mount Ling for many years, and no one knew who was whose friend or partner; the relationships were complex, and it wouldn't be good to offend anyone.

He came to Lingshan only wanting to cultivate peacefully and keep a low profile.

Moreover, cultivation is not easy for spirit beasts. Stripping the bird of paradise of its feathers was a severe lesson for it, one that it would never forget.

……

Finding a secluded cave, Li Pingcan unceremoniously put the pile of colorful bird feathers into his storage bag before taking out the mulberry fruit.

Without further hesitation, he opened his mouth and took a bite.

The peel is extremely thin, breaking open the moment it enters your mouth. In an instant, an indescribable sweetness and fragrance explode in your mouth, a classic melt-in-your-mouth sensation.

boom!
Li Pingcan felt as if his dantian was a volcano that had been ignited. The accumulated spiritual energy and this life force merged together, and the "Earth God Qi Refining Technique" started to operate on its own, at a speed more than ten times faster than usual.

The magical power that was originally like a trickle has now converged into a raging river, frantically washing over and widening his meridians.

"call……"

Li Pingcan exhaled a long breath, the air sharp as frost, condensing in the air without dissipating. He opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and clear-headed, his whole body filled with an unprecedented sense of power.

"What a wonderful mulberry fruit! It has saved me months of arduous cultivation!"

Feeling the abundant magical power within his body, he was filled with joy.

After stabilizing his cultivation, he did not delay and immediately summoned the treasure-hunting bees to begin his treasure hunt in the Spirit Mountain.

A treasure is something you hold in your hands; it's a treasure only if you have it in your hands!
With the treasure-hunting bee as his "living map," his efficiency is extremely high.

"Thirty feet to the southwest, there is a Crimson Flame Grass, a fire-attribute treasure, seventy years old."

"Fifty feet due north, there are three Qingling Fruits, water-attribute treasures that can calm the mind and concentrate the spirit."

Along the way, he acquired one rare plant and fruit after another, which were extremely rare in the outside world. The richness of Ling Mountain far exceeded his imagination.

That day, he followed the treasure-hunting bee to a secluded canyon.

Before he could get close, two deafening roars came from the canyon, followed by a violent tremor of the earth.

Li Pingcan's heart stirred, and he quickly concealed his aura, quietly flying behind a rock above the canyon to peek out.

In the canyon, two enormous creatures were engaged in a fierce battle.

One of them was a beast covered in black scales, resembling a pangolin, but with a single horn on its head; let's call it the "Black-Armored Earth Dragon." Each of its charges carried immense force, creating deep craters in the ground and sending rocks flying.

On the other side was a smaller but agile and swift blue wolf, surrounded by wisps of electricity. Each leap and pounce was as fast as lightning, and its sharp claws drew out a series of dazzling sparks on the scales of the black-armored earth dragon.

"Wow, this is a battle between magical beasts! And they even have opposing elemental attributes!"

Li Pingcan watched with great interest, becoming a firsthand observer.

"This Black Armored Earth Dragon has amazing defense; it's an earth-attribute treasure beast with thick hide and tough flesh. The Azure Lightning Wolf is fast, its attacks have a paralyzing effect, and it's lightning-attribute, which perfectly counters the earth-attribute's sluggishness. This is going to be good!"

As he analyzed the situation, he made his own calculations. The two beasts were evenly matched in strength, and it seemed they were fighting tooth and nail for the treasure deep within the canyon.

The battle intensified. The Black Armored Earth Dragon roared, and its single horn suddenly glowed with an earthy yellow light. The ground of the entire canyon began to rise, transforming into sharp earth spikes that pierced towards the Azure Lightning Wolf.

The Azure Lightning Wolf howled and advanced instead of retreating, its entire body crackling with lightning, transforming into a bolt of azure lightning that forcefully broke through the earth spike array and bit into the neck of the Black Armored Earth Dragon!

"Ow!"

The Black-Armored Earth Dragon, in pain, thrashed its body wildly, slamming the Azure Lightning Wolf against the rock wall. The Azure Lightning Wolf was dazed and confused, coughing up blood, but it held on tightly, refusing to let go.

"A lose-lose situation, the time has come!"

Li Pingcan's spirits lifted. Damn it, this is the moment I've been waiting for!
He stopped hiding and sprang up, simultaneously pushing his physical strength at the Acquired Realm and his mana at the first level of Qi Refining to their limits!
Instead of attacking either side first, he used the Water and Earth Techniques to create a swamp at the feet of the two beasts.

The two already severely injured beasts were immediately plunged into a brief state of confusion and disorientation.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Li Pingcan descended the mountain like a tiger, his wings flashing like two blades, aiming straight for the vital necks of the two beasts!
In an instant, blood gushed out!
After a short while, the canyon returned to calm.

Li Pingcan stood beside the two enormous corpses of the treasure beasts, letting out a long sigh of relief, his face filled with the smug satisfaction of reaping the benefits.

"Hey, killing two birds with one stone, this is a great deal!"

He skillfully began to process the spoils of war: an indestructible suit of scale armor, a wolf pelt imbued with lightning power, and beast blood of different attributes—all valuable treasures that could not only be used to craft divine weapons but also excellent materials for refining arrays.

…………

Li Pingcan returned to the settlement of the Five Spirit Beasts with a full load of goods.

When he placed the precious pills of the Black Armored Earth Dragon and the Azure Lightning Wolf, along with some rare materials, in front of the Five Spirit Beasts, even the well-informed Five Spirit Beasts couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

"Night Immortal Venerable, you...you've robbed Mount Ling?" Spirit Bear stammered.

Li Pingcan, who had transformed into a nightingale, smiled and said, "It's just a small gain. I came here today to make a deal with a few fellow Daoists."

He expressed his idea: to find a quiet place on Mount Ling to cultivate in seclusion for an extended period, hoping the Five Spirits would grant him this favor. These precious beast materials would serve as his "rent."

Upon hearing this, the five spirit beasts exchanged glances and readily agreed.

"You flatter us, Immortal Venerable. We cannot accept your gifts. It is our honor that you reside permanently on Mount Ling!"

Tiger said, “Deep in the Spirit Mountain, in a place rarely visited by humans, the ‘Listening Wind Cliff’ is a suitable place for your cultivation. The spiritual energy there is pure and extremely quiet, making it the perfect place for meditation. Moreover, you can see the first wisp of purple energy in the morning. From today onwards, that place will belong to you, Immortal Venerable!”

Hidden, quiet, and full of spiritual energy, it suited Li Pingcan's taste perfectly.

"In that case, thank you all very much."

He insisted on giving the "rent" to Wu Ling.

Even if a spirit beast is pure, it cannot take advantage of a person. Sincerity is the only way to gain sincerity. This is the most precious lesson he has learned from dealing with spirit beasts.

'I never imagined I'd have a 'cave dwelling' too.'

Li Pingcan was excited and happy.

With this "cave dwelling," one can safely set up a spirit-gathering array on Mount Ling and no longer worry about the scarcity of spiritual energy.

(End of this chapter)