Who Let Him Cultivate Immortality

Meng Jingzhou found another piece of tiger skin, ancient as if it had a history of over a hundred years, but well-preserved, with dense, clear script that Lu Yang and Barbarian Bone, stretching their necks for a glance, could not recognize.

“This is demonic script, the internal language of the demon races,” Meng Jingzhou explained, recognizing it.

The fox race, naturally libertine, reflects this in their writing, often composing unhealthy books. If someone engages in certain indescribable acts with these books, the authors can collect a sliver of yang energy.

Therefore, most of the unhealthy books circulating in the Central Continent are authored by the fox race. Despite official efforts to promote their harmfulness and periodic campaigns to destroy these books, they continue to circulate in the black market, unabated.

As a young boy, Meng Jingzhou was quite obsessed with these books, not understanding the indescribable acts but finding the books interesting. He learned demonic script specifically to read the originals. (TL Note: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) LOL my man is so cultured)

“You were so keen on studying?” Lu Yang and Barbarian Bone were surprised. Cultivation can enhance memory, making learning a language relatively quick.

But Meng Jingzhou had learned demonic script before beginning his cultivation journey, which was impressive.

Meng Jingzhou was reluctant to explain further, only mentioning a casual interest in demonic culture.

Barbarian Bone admired Meng Jingzhou’s humility and dedication to study without boasting, considering it a model of modest behavior and noble character worth emulating.

“Let me see… objects of ghosts and spirits, moving in shadows, avoiding the sun… this is a method for commanding ghost servants.”

Meng Jingzhou quickly skimmed the text, calculating its implications in his mind, and soon deduced the manual’s function.

“The old hunter must have been refined this way.”

“Refining ghostly beings has requirements, needing a cultivation two major levels higher, except for mortals, who can be refined after reaching the seventh level of Qi cultivation.”

The art of commanding ghost servants seemed rather limited, effective only on beings two realms lower than oneself. Even if a ghost servant was refined, could it really be sent into battle?

For instance, in the battle against the tiger demon, if a ghost servant had appeared, it likely would have been less useful than cannon fodder, posing no threat.

“Do you need me to translate the whole thing? It seems there’s no restriction on race; humans can also practice it, though the tiger demon would have the best effect when practicing it.”

Barbarian Bone was about to question its usefulness when Lu Yang analyzed, “If we’re joining the demonic cult, demonic methods are indispensable. This art of commanding ghost servants could serve well as a facade. There are ready-made ghost servants at the hunter’s place. Translate the method from the tiger skin, and let’s all learn it together.”

Initially, Lu Yang planned to eliminate the remaining ghost servants, but given the new situation, using the ghost servants before dispersing their souls wasn’t too late.

According to the tiger demon, the ghost servants willingly became servants after death, causing harm to travelers.

They all deserve death.

“Alright,” Meng Jingzhou agreed, laying out paper and grinding ink. His writing was swift and fluid, quickly transcribing the art of commanding ghost servants.

“I won’t practice it. Being of pure yang spirit root, ghosts flee from me like snow melts under the sun. I can’t cultivate such purely yin attribute techniques.”

Lu Yang and Barbarian Bone did not object and began to practice together.

Soon, a chilling breeze filled the cave, accompanied by the faint howls of ghostly souls, bringing an endless chill to the bone.

Lu Yang felt lighter, as if floating, resembling a ghostly spirit. His mind was exceptionally clear, senses sharp, able to detect any minute detail around him. He felt Meng Jingzhou was like a blazing inferno, intensely hot!

“What’s going on here?” Lu Yang wondered, looking down to find his body perfectly seated in meditation.

“No, it’s not that I can fly; it’s that my soul has left my body!”

Meng Jingzhou noticed something was wrong with Lu Yang and exclaimed in shock, “Only those in the Nascent Soul stage can let their souls leave their bodies and wander thousands of miles. How did you manage to do it now?”

“Hurry back to your body. You’re only at the Foundation Building stage and haven’t cultivated your soul yet. It’s very easy for your soul to get damaged, and once it’s damaged, it’s difficult to repair!”

Lu Yang also realized the problem and started reciting the mantra to command ghost servants, trying to return his soul to normal.

“How did you do that?” Meng Jingzhou had never heard of anyone in the Foundation Building stage being able to let their soul leave their body.

There simply wasn’t such a technique.

Lu Yang was equally puzzled, “I just practiced according to the method of commanding ghost servants you wrote down. I felt I completely understood it, saw no issue, and thought to try it out to see what it’s like, and then this happened.”

Meng Jingzhou looked at Lu Yang strangely, “Could it be that you treated your own soul as a ghost servant and commanded yourself?”

Such a method of cultivation was unheard of, but given the current situation, it was the only explanation.

Lu Yang thought it over and couldn’t come up with any other possibility.

Lu Yang asked Meng Jingzhou to stay further away and tried several more times, always resulting in his soul leaving his body.

“What’s with my talent in spells?”

The two were at a loss and decided to wait for Barbarian Bone to wake up to see if he experienced the same as Lu Yang.

When Barbarian Bone woke up, he was puzzled by Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s expectant looks.

“Did you learn how to command ghost servants?”

“I’ve got some understanding, should be able to command the souls of up to eight mortals.”

“Can you command yourself to let your soul leave your body?” Lu Yang looked at Barbarian Bone hopefully, wishing he would say yes to prove that it wasn’t just him who had strayed in his practice.

Barbarian Bone was even more puzzled, “How is that possible? This is the technique to command ghost servants, can one’s own soul also be commanded as a ghost servant?”

Meng Jingzhou explained Lu Yang’s experience to Barbarian Bone, who was immensely impressed.

Lu Yang’s quick thinking and high talent in learning spells were unmatched, and Meng Jingzhou was also praised for his broad knowledge and talent.

This journey had been a learning experience, exactly as the Sage had said.

What did the sage say again?

Oh, right, the Sage said: “Walking among 3 people, all of them are my teacher” (TL Note: This isn’t the actual saying. The original is by Confucious who said “Walking among three people, I find my teacher among them.” /quotes/1106152-walking-among-three-people-i-find-my-teacher-among-them)

“It’s time to go find the ghost servants.” Seeing nothing else of value to scavenge in the cave, Meng Jingzhou called his companions to leave.

“You go ahead, I have some things to take care of and will catch up soon,” Lu Yang told Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone to leave first.

Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone didn’t think much of it and left the tiger den.

Once sure they were gone, Lu Yang’s smile faded, and his expression became solemn.

He walked deeper into the cave and saw a pile of bones like a small hill, sighing softly.

“Just as I thought.”

Seeing the various items, Lu Yang had guessed that the tiger demon, cautious by nature, wouldn’t leave bones outside after consuming humans, as it would easily expose itself. The prudent action was to keep the remnants within the cave.

Reality confirmed his thoughts.

These poor people, coming from different places and deceived and devoured while passing Mount Song, ended up in this small cave.

Lu Yang didn’t speak further, easily slicing a large piece of rock from the cave wall with his Green Edge Sword.

He smoothed the rock, silently recited the Rebirth Mantra for these unfortunate souls, stood silently for a moment, then turned and left.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, let’s go.” Lu Yang called his companions to leave this unpleasant place.

(End of the chapter)