Druid Fairy

Chapter 94 The Cave Dwelling is Completed, and Rare Treasures are Traded

Listening to the Wind Cliff.

This place is located atop the main peak of Lingshan Mountain. The terrain is precipitous, with a sheer cliff on one side, shrouded in mist and clouds. The mountain wind howls upwards from below, blowing through the pine trees and producing sounds like the roars of dragons and tigers. On the other side, it backs onto a tranquil primeval forest, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, rarely visited by humans.

What's even more wonderful is that the top of the cliff is flat and open, covering an area of ​​about half an acre, with a naturally formed shallow depression in the very center, as if it were tailor-made for cultivators to meditate.

"Good place!"

The nightingale that Li Pingcan transformed into circled once and landed contentedly on a gnarled ancient pine tree.

Tiger and the others were not lying to him. The spiritual energy here was so abundant that it was almost tangible. Taking a deep breath, he felt his magical power circulating faster.

What's even more precious is that first wisp of purple aura from the rising sun, which is priceless to any cultivator.

"Today, I will establish my first cave dwelling on my path to immortality here!" Li Pingcan exclaimed with excitement.

He didn't start immediately, but first transformed into human form and carefully walked around Listening Wind Cliff.

He bent down and grabbed a handful of soil, feeling its weight. Then he closed his eyes and focused, listening to the direction of the wind, and placed his palm on the rock, sensing the faint pulsation of the earth's veins.

The art of strategizing emphasizes "favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships."

The opportune moment has arrived; his Dao heart is firm, and his spirit is at its peak. As for human factors, he himself is the greatest source of harmony. What remains is to perfectly integrate the formation with the local earth veins, which is the advantage of the terrain.

It took him a full hour to sketch out a perfect spirit-gathering formation in his mind.

A spirit-gathering array can make spiritual energy more concentrated, so why not use it?

Anyway, the depths of Mount Ling are rarely visited by humans, and there are also the "cave dwellings" of the Five Spirits on the outer perimeter. Even if he is discovered by human cultivators, he will have enough time to react.

Just do it!

After planting countless small mushrooms using [Spore Growth] and [Spore Sensing], he took out the materials sent by the Mu family.

First, he worked on the array bones, those several ancient yang woods that had been there for centuries. He held his fingers together like swords, his fingertips swirling with magical power, and began to carve runes on the wooden stakes.

The depth of each stroke, the turn of each line, requires an exquisite control over magical power. If the output of magical power is even slightly unstable, the wooden stake will turn to dust; if the connection of the runes is even slightly off, the formation will be unable to draw upon the power of heaven and earth.

Li Pingcan was completely focused, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, yet his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness. He seemed to have entered a profound state of complete absorption, where the magical power at his fingertips resonated strangely with the earth beneath his feet and the surrounding mountain winds.

An hour later, the basic structure of the formation was completed.

The once ordinary old yang wood is now covered with mysterious patterns, as if it contains the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, with a faint glow flowing through it.

Next is the array base.

He buried the five materials with different attributes underground according to the five elements and directions, including the earth attribute horn of the black-armored earth dragon he had just obtained.

The position, angle, and depth of each piece of material have been precisely calculated, without the slightest error.

Finally, he took a deep breath and took out the spirit-gathering array diagram that he had painstakingly drawn and that was the most perfect. He carefully buried the diagram in the soil directly beneath the array bones, making it the "soul" of the entire array.

everything's ready.

Li Pingcan stepped back more than ten feet, formed an ancient hand seal with his hands, and uttered a low shout: "Five elements return to their positions, spiritual energy gathers, the formation begins!"

A wisp of pure magic power shot out from his fingertips and precisely entered the array diagram underground.

"Buzz!"

A buzzing sound, seemingly from ancient times, rang out, causing the entire Listening Wind Cliff to tremble slightly. Centered on the array bones, a visible light curtain shot into the sky, instantly enveloping the entire cliff top.

Immediately afterwards, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from all directions seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, transforming into streams of five-colored energy that surged wildly into the light screen like rivers flowing into the sea.

The spiritual mist on the cliff top thickened at a visible speed, and even the needles of several ordinary pine trees shimmered with a precious light under the nourishment of such rich spiritual energy.

Li Pingcan had never felt such a powerful spiritual energy before. It was like a small-town boy taking off into the clouds for the first time, feeling like he was being launched into the sky and floating on air!
"This is fucking awesome!"

I'm so intoxicated by the spiritual energy I'm almost "oxygen intoxicated"!

As he stepped into the formation, the rich spiritual energy rushed towards him, soothing and relaxing every pore on his body.

In this kind of environment, the speed of cultivation will increase by more than tenfold!
The problem of scarce spiritual energy that had previously troubled him was now easily solved!

He sat cross-legged in the center of the cliff and tried circulating the "Earth God Qi Refining Technique". The speed at which spiritual energy entered his body was like a flood that had been released, giving him an unprecedented feeling of exhilaration.

"Hahaha! I'm so high!"

Li Pingcan was overjoyed, like Fan Jin who had just passed the imperial examination, half laughing and half going crazy!
…………

With his cave dwelling now complete, Li Pingcan was in high spirits and began to organize his gains from this trip to Ling Mountain.

He first took out several mortal martial arts manuals that he had entrusted to Wu Ling.

The most eye-catching item is a sword technique book with an antique-looking cover – "The Rending Wind Sword Manual".

He casually flipped through a few pages and felt a sharp and domineering sword intent rushing towards him. This sword technique used a heavy sword, with wide and sweeping moves, emphasizing overwhelming force and cutting through all obstacles in the most direct way.

"This swordsmanship is indeed powerful and exquisite."

Normally, using weapons is always better than using fist techniques, which is why the Jiang family sword school is far more popular than martial arts schools.

However, the forging and maintenance of weapons is also a considerable expense, especially heavy swords. A ten-pound sword can cost tens of taels of silver, which is far beyond the reach of ordinary people. Therefore, fist fighting is still the mainstream.

Li Pingcan pondered, "I practice the Five Elements Play, which emphasizes change and spirit. This sword technique isn't very useful to me. However, it can be used by my elder brother to win over people's hearts, since the Li Family Escort Agency is just starting out."

He carefully put away the sword manual, intending to find an opportunity to give it to Li Pingfu later.

Then, he took out the "Immortal's Notebook" that he had obtained from the Five Spirits. The cover of the notebook was made of some kind of unknown animal hide, which was warm to the touch and showed no signs of decay despite the passage of time.

He turned to the first page with great anticipation.

"In the spring of the Gengchen year, I slew a three-headed demonic dragon at the Broken Soul Cliff and took its inner core, thus achieving a minor mastery of sword intent. However, I encountered a demoness from the Hehuan Sect, and my Dao heart almost became unstable. Women only affect the speed of my sword strikes."

"In the summer of the year Xin Si, I explored the Cave of Ten Thousand Ghosts and fought a three-day battle with the thousand-year-old Corpse King. I severed one of its arms and obtained the Soul-Nourishing Wood. The Corpse King was ferocious and could even withstand my flying sword. If I had not comprehended the 'Armor-Piercing' sword intent, this trip would have been in grave danger."

"In the autumn of the Renwu year, I entered the East Sea and found the ruins of an ancient dragon palace in the Ruins of Guixu. Unfortunately, the formation was broken and the spiritual energy was exhausted, leaving only the dragon's might. I found a fragmented sword move called 'Dragon Slayer,' whose meaning is vast and boundless, and only those who have reached the Golden Core stage can comprehend its full extent..."

At first, Li Pingcan was thrilled and excited as he read, but the more he read, the more something seemed off. The owner of this notebook was a sword cultivator who spent his days either fighting to the death or encountering witches, enchantresses, and fairies, experiencing places like the Cliff of Broken Souls, the Cave of Ten Thousand Ghosts, and the Ruins of the East Sea...

With such frequent and dangerous battles, even ten lives wouldn't be enough!
"That's quite a boast..."

Li Pingcan thought to himself, but his hand still unconsciously turned to a page. Before he knew it, he had finished reading the whole book.

"This novel is quite well-written, and more importantly, it's very enjoyable."

The main theme is to ensure that no benefit is missed, to eliminate troubles, and to make all the beauties in the world your confidantes, similar to some fast-paced, enjoyable novels from my previous life.

Moreover, this swordsman, besides liking to boast, did indeed have some skills. His long boasts also included many sword techniques and dueling secrets, among which the most impressive was his use of momentum.

Borrowing the terrain, the mindset, the power of the heavens, and the power of tools...

Just as he was pondering, Hu Da's respectful voice came from outside the formation.

"Immortal Lord Night, are you comfortable staying in your cave? We have been entrusted by the Old Mulberry Tree to invite you to tonight's 'Moonlit Treasure Exchange Gathering.' We wonder if the Immortal Lord would do us the honor of attending?"

"YiBaoHui?"

Li Pingcan perked up. Wasn't this just a "mini auction" for spirit beasts?

Just when I was worried about having some materials I couldn't use and some things I was desperately short of, this was like a pillow delivered to my sleepy head.

He quickly smiled and said, "How could I miss such a grand event? Fellow Daoists, please wait a moment, I will be there immediately."

Having said that, she transformed into a nightingale and flew out of Listening Wind Cliff, following Tiger Big.

…………

As night fell, the summit of Lingshan Mountain was bustling with activity beneath the ancient mulberry tree, which stood for a thousand years.

Soft moonlight filtered through the lush foliage, casting dappled shadows. The five spirit beasts were already waiting there, along with three new faces that Li Pingcan had never seen before, clearly prominent figures in this sacred mountain.

Li Pingcan observed secretly.

A plump golden badger was lying on a pile of shiny ore, its small eyes gleaming, its face full of "Don't touch my baby" vigilance.

On the branches above its head, a crow, entirely black except for its jade-white beak and claws, was preening its glossy feathers. Its eyes gleamed with a cleverness, and it occasionally whispered to other celestial beings, exchanging gossip, like a well-informed "know-it-all crow."

A pure white fox with a crescent-shaped red tuft of fur on its forehead lay gracefully on a blue stone, its nine large, fluffy tails swaying gently behind it, and its alluring eyes sparkling with charm.

Upon seeing Li Pingcan's arrival, all the spirit beasts bowed and addressed him as "Night Immortal Venerable".

Li Pingcan politely returned the greetings one by one, secretly marveling at the incredible biodiversity of Ling Mountain.

The golden badger suddenly asked, "Why didn't the bird of paradise come?"

The crow cawed and cawed, "Someone plucked all its feathers off, and now that it has a bald tail, it's too scared to come here, caw caw caw! Who told it to flaunt its colorful plumage every day!"

Who could be so ruthless?

The beasts whispered among themselves, some worried and some curious. Few were as sarcastic as the Hundred-Knowing Crow, who was usually quite jealous of others.

Lee Pyeongchan remained calm, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

The Yi Bao Club didn't have many formalities. As the host, Hu Da gave a few simple opening remarks and then announced the start of the event.

The golden badger was the first to speak in a deep voice: "I have a piece of top-quality century-old cold iron here, dug out of the ground, hard enough. In exchange, I'll exchange it for a precious herb that can help loosen my muscles and bones. I'm getting old, and I always feel backaches and pains."

Li Pingcan's heart stirred; this cold iron was indeed a good material for forging array flags and weapons.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Fellow Daoist Badger, I have a uniquely crafted Seven-Leaf Purple Gold Elixir that may solve your problem and increase your digging speed by 30%. Would you be willing to exchange it?"

Humans' alchemy is far superior to that of beasts. For example, while consuming spiritual fruits directly can yield pure spiritual energy, when they are made into pills, no energy is wasted. Combined with other medicinal herbs, they can exert effects far exceeding those of the spiritual fruits themselves.

It's a pity that Li Pingcan doesn't know alchemy. Otherwise, if he had refined those fire spirit mushrooms, demon crab meat, and mulberry fruit, he might have already broken through to the second level of Qi Refining.

"Alright! Let's switch!" The golden badger made a decisive move, pushing the piece of cold iron over. To it, a good physique was far more important than a lump of iron.

In the next transaction, Li Pingcan repeated the same method.

Most of what is traded with spirits are herbs, materials, and even spirit stones.

The treasure-hunting bee found the precious plant "Poisonous Nine-Tailed Grass," which is extremely poisonous and not suitable for direct consumption. It was used to trade with the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox in exchange for a "Concealment Pearl" that can temporarily hide one's aura, which can be used as the core of a concealment formation.

When it was Tiger's turn, it said, "I have a 'Guardian Talisman' that can withstand a full-force attack from a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and three 'Swiftness Talismans' that can instantly travel a hundred feet."

As it spoke, it shook out several items from its fur; the talismans glowed with a faint, precious light, clearly not ordinary items.

"Tiger, can you please stop wasting time by bringing out your few broken talismans every time there's a treasure exchange?"

The nine-tailed fox swayed its nine snow-white tails and complained.

This talisman is indeed a good thing, but unfortunately, spirit beasts cannot use talismans. They are nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and their cultivation path is different from that of humans.

"I was just trying it out, just trying it out." Tiger smiled sheepishly and was about to take back the talisman, feeling troubled. The talisman was useless, taking up space, and he couldn't sell it, but he couldn't bear to throw it away. He was truly worried.

Lee Pyeongchan, on the other hand, was extremely envious.

He had previously obtained a "Golden Arrow Talisman" and a "Protective Talisman" from the Left Protector, both of which were low-grade first-level talismans. However, Tiger had four mid-grade first-level talismans in his possession.

Even if they encounter a cultivator in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, if they sense that the situation is not good, they can activate the "Divine Speed ​​Talisman" and escape from their grasp.

The "Guardian Talisman" is equivalent to the first level of the "Resistance Enhancement" skill. Given the current lack of upgrade points, the Guardian Talisman's ability to withstand spells from mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators is particularly important.

These are all essential currencies for saving lives!

Li Pingcan was excited, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "I especially love collecting talismans. Tiger, what's your price?"

Tiger's face lit up with joy. He glanced at Nightingale and asked somewhat cautiously, "I wonder if the Immortal Venerable could set up a spirit-gathering array for my cave?"

Seeing the nightingale's expressionless face, it quickly added, "I know that a few human talismans are not enough to make the Immortal Venerable take action. I would also like to add 'tiger bone wine,' which can ward off evil spirits, warm the body, and enhance male virility... As for the materials for the formation, the Immortal Venerable need not worry, I will provide them."

"What? Immortal Lord Ye also knows the 'Spirit Gathering Array' technique?"

After Hu Da finished speaking, all the spirit beasts were stunned. Formations were a secret of the human race. Ordinary spirit beasts couldn't even understand human characters, let alone cultivate formations!
Night Immortal Venerable is truly amazing!
……

Li Pingcan was also pleasantly surprised. The Spirit Gathering Array was not difficult for him, and it did not require any materials, so it was like getting the talisman for free!
As for tiger bone wine, he didn't need it for aphrodisiac purposes; he mainly wanted to drink more to warm his body.

This art of formations is truly an essential, all-purpose skill for living at home, traveling, and making a fortune!

'In life, mastering a skill is truly important.'

Nightingale's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were dozing. After three breaths, under Tiger's anxious and expectant gaze, she nodded faintly: "Okay."

Tiger breathed a sigh of relief, beaming with joy and pride.

Following Hu Da, Li Pingcan received two more orders for "Spirit Gathering Arrays," earning a considerable amount of precious medicines treasured by spirit beasts.

These precious medicines, when accumulated and supplemented, can also become the foundation for cultivating the Tao.

The YiBao Club is gradually coming to an end.

Li Pingcan paid special attention to Bai Xiaoya. This crow was eloquent, knowledgeable, and had many sources of information. No matter who brought out the treasure for trade, it could tell its origin with just one glance.

With a sudden thought, Li Pingcan took out a copy of the stone with strange characters that he had obtained from the underwater corpse and said, "I obtained this by chance. I wonder if you can understand it?"

The crow abandoned its playful and showy demeanor, frowning, its dark bird face surprisingly conveying a sense of "seriousness."

Just as Li Pingcan was feeling disappointed, Bai Xiaoya said, "I wonder if the Immortal Venerable could give me some time to study this?"

“Okay.” Li Pingcan did not refuse and handed it over.

It was originally a copy, and only a very small portion of it.

Even if it is some important secret treasure, it will not be revealed.

Even if we assume that Nightingale is just one of his aliases, the leak of information wouldn't harm his true identity.

…………

The Treasure Exchange Meeting concluded successfully, and all the spirit beasts dispersed contentedly.

Li Pingcan was planning to return to Tingfeng Cliff to properly plan his life in his "cave dwelling".

Just then, a gentle, ancient, and slightly weary thought, like a silent spring breeze, gently brushed across his heart.

It was the thousand-year-old mulberry tree that had given him the mulberry fruit.

"Old Sang, what urgent matter brings you to call me?"

The older the tree, the more precious it is. Li Pingcan held this tree, which protected the entire sacred mountain, in the highest esteem. Besides, one is bound to be indebted to those who have received gifts and favors.

Then, the old mulberry tree shook its branches and leaves, and a crack slowly appeared at the base of its gnarled roots, which resembled a small mountain.

Li Pingcan stared intently and saw that beneath the soil, the main root of the mulberry tree, which should have been as solid as a rock and full of vitality, was now covered with countless holes of all sizes!
The edges of these holes were charred black, constantly emanating a faint yet extremely unsettling aura of death, as if some sinister force was gnawing away at the old mulberry tree's life force from within.

"This is……"

Li Pingcan's pupils contracted slightly. "Insect infestation?"

Moreover, it's not an ordinary insect, but some kind of demonic insect, or rather, an evil insect, the kind that even the [Zerg Contract] can't handle.

(End of this chapter)