Martial Cultivator

Chen Chao was deep in thought, understanding that there were some secrets. This shopkeeper would not easily reveal them to a stranger whom he had never met before.

Chen Chao smiled, "Sir, you seem like a scholar?"

The shopkeeper raised his eyes and said self-deprecatingly, "What scholar? I'm just a down-and-out book-boy."

Chen Chao asked, "Have you studied at the academy, sir? I just left the Divine Capital. Before I left, I saw that academy."

Upon hearing the word "academy," the shopkeeper became somewhat interested, but quickly shook his head, saying, "I've never been to the Divine Capital, nor have I seen the academy."

Chen Chao smiled again and said, "I heard that the White Deer's Xie Clan has produced an extraordinary young lady who has now been taken in as the final disciple that Dean in the Divine Capital."

The shopkeeper nodded and said, "The White Deer's Xie Clan has always been the foremost scholarly family in White Deer Prefecture. It's not surprising to produce such a remarkable successor. However, to be taken in as the final disciple by the Dean all of a sudden and to win first place at the Myriad Willow Convention, that's rare. Having such a young lady from White Deer Prefecture adds to its glory."

Chen Chao said, "I once caught a glimpse of this talented young lady from the Xie Family."

The shopkeeper quickly asked, "What was she like?"

"Absolutely stunning."

The shopkeeper laughed heartily and said, "It's only natural for a young man of your age to admire that young lady."

Chen Chao nodded in agreement and said, "I came to White Deer Prefecture this time to take a look at the Xie Family's residence from away and see what kind of place could produce such a remarkable girl."

The shopkeeper smiled but did not say much.

Seeing that he had become somewhat acquainted with the shopkeeper, Chen Chao then asked, "May I ask if you've seen a person entering the city today with a mother and daughter?"

The reason for choosing this bookshop was naturally because Chen Chao valued its location. It was not far from the city gate, and could clearly see the travelers coming in and out.

The shopkeeper was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "If you're asking whether the cultivators entering the city might be carrying a boy or a girl, there are plenty of them, but I haven't seen anyone bringing in a mother and daughter."

Chen Chao frowned and asked straightforwardly, "What's the reason behind bringing a boy or a girl?"

The shopkeeper glanced at Chen Chao, remaining silent.

Some things are hard to say, and one might not dare to speak of them.

Without hesitation, Chen Chao took out his money pouch, which was filled with demon beads he had collected from slaying demons in the wilderness these days. There were quite a number of them.

The shopkeeper looked at Chen Chao and suddenly asked, "Has someone in your family met with misfortune?"

Chen Chao nodded and said, "A distant relative, a mother and daughter pair, they got separated from me. Later, I learned that they were abducted, and the culprit should be in the city."

The shopkeeper glanced around before sighing and saying, "It's likely that your relatives encountered the cultivators from Clearwater Mountain."

Chen Chao had a puzzled look.

The shopkeeper lowered his voice and said, "The cultivation methods of the cultivators from Clearwater Mountain are not orthodox Daoist methods, but rather a special method. They refine medicinal fruits using boys and girls who fit their cultivation method. After ingesting them, their cultivation can advance. Because of this, the people of Clearwater Commandery dare not have children anymore."

Chen Chao frowned. "Isn't this a heretic cultivation method?"

"Who says it isn't?" The shopkeeper whispered. "It's just, who's going to deal with it? The imperial court? The sky is high and the emperor is far away. Even if His Majesty who's in the Divine Capital learns about this, can he personally deal with matters here?"

"As for the local warden or the cultivators from the Heavenly Imperial Institution, even dealing with a demon is difficult. Would they dare to provoke these foreign cultivators?"

There was a hint of helplessness in his voice.

Chen Chao nodded, naturally understanding this. Although the Great Liang Dynasty's national power was flourishing, it would be self-deception to say that every corner of its territory was in a peaceful and prosperous state.

"As for your relatives, I'm afraid the mother has already met with a tragic end. As for the little girl, she may have become a medicinal fruit by now."

The shopkeeper rubbed his temples. He encountered such things every day, but apart from watching, what else could he do?

Chen Chao asked, "Do you know where they might be now? Have they already gone up that Clearwater Mountain at this moment?"

The shopkeeper pondered for a moment and said rather uncertainly, "It's not necessarily so. Most of the cultivators from Clearwater Mountain usually stay at the Clearwater Pavilion in the city. If they've returned to the mountain, it's best not to try barging onto the mountain. That Daoist Sage Tianyi on the mountain is a genuine Great Beyond cultivator."

Chen Chao nodded and asked about the direction to the Clearwater Pavilion, then bid farewell and left.

The shopkeeper hurriedly said, "Sir, if your relative isn't... I advise sir not to be reckless..."

Chen Chao did not say anything, just turned and walked out of the bookshop.

After a few steps, he arrived at the shop selling medicine cauldrons. The shopkeeper was that slender man with a goatee. After seeing Chen Chao, he was about to speak, but Chen Chao tossed out another bag of demon beads and went straight to the point, "Have you seen a person with a little girl who has twin braids?"

The middle-aged man glanced at the bag full of demon pearls, hesitating whether to speak or not.

Chen Chao stared at him with eyes full of killing intent.

Being stared at, the middle-aged man immediately replied cautiously, "Is Fellow Daoist talking about Ge Ming? He brought a little girl here today to buy a medicine cauldron. They should be at... the Clearwater Pavilion now.""

Chen Chao glanced at the middle-aged man and said expressionlessly, "If you're lying to me, I'll come back and cut off your head."

The middle-aged man could not determine the cultivation realm of this young man carrying a saber, but the palpable killing intent made him break out in a cold sweat. He quickly shook his head and said, "I dare not deceive you, fellow Daoist."

"You better not."

Chen Chao threw this sentence, turned around, and left.

……

……

An hour later, Ge Ming opened his eyes, got up, and approached the medicine cauldron. Bending down to inspect it, he saw that the cauldron was emitting a fragrance, with many spiritual medicines already melted inside. There was now a shallow layer of medicinal soup in the cauldron. As for the little girl in the cauldron, her face was already deathly pale, barely clinging to life.

Ge Ming nodded in satisfaction. In fact, the effectiveness of this medicinal fruit seemed to be better than he had expected.

However, refining a medicinal fruit was a meticulous process, and it would still take about an hour to form properly.

He was not in a hurry. Compared to the years of bitter cultivation he had endured, an hour was actually very short. How could he not wait?

But moments later, a commotion sounded outside the door, which irritated Ge Ming. What were his fellow disciples up to?

……

……

At this moment, on the first floor of the Clearwater Pavilion, a dozen or so stationed cultivators were on high alert as if facing a formidable enemy.

The initial cause was quite simple. It all started when a young man in black ignored everything and barged in. The Clearwater Mountain cultivators originally wanted to stop him, but in an instant, two senior brothers received a hole in their bodies with one punch each from the intruder, leaving them deader than dead.

As the local tyrant in Clearwater Commandery, they had never encountered such a situation before.

Hence, several cultivators quickly joined forces and rushed forward. But the outcome was straightforward too. The young man in black did not draw his saber. Those few cultivators also took one punch each, and instantly lost all signs of life.

"What audacity! Do you know where this place is? Do you want to die?!"

The Clearwater Mountain cultivators shouted angrily, but they looked strong in countenance, but lacking in courage.

It was because this young man in black, who killed at a single word of disagreement, took them completely by surprise.

Moreover, each time he struck, it was one punch one kill. Such cultivation was not ordinary.

And now, this young man in black kicked aside a corpse at his feet. Pressing on his saber with one hand, he looked at the Clearwater Mountain cultivators present and said each word carefully, "I'll ask one last time, where is Ge Ming?"