There's something wrong with me

Chapter 197 'Hermit Master'

A few months later.

Consolidate your understanding and organize your knowledge.

In the early morning of the following spring.

Zhang Feng emerged from the forest, still unsure of where to go, when he encountered more than twenty villagers with tense expressions at the edge of the woods.

They held pitchforks and hoes for turning the soil, their eyes cautiously and fearfully surveying their surroundings.

At this moment, Zhang Feng was about a mile away from them.

They were observed entirely through spiritual awareness.

There's a demon.

After switching between several talismans in his spiritual sense, Zhang Feng also saw that there was a strong water-attribute spiritual energy in their area.

Moreover, this spiritual energy contains a 'demonic aura'.

However, this demonic aura is not an attribute, but a unique aura.

It's like someone spraying perfume on themselves.

After a monster cultivates, it also has a unique scent, which is somewhat different from the scent of human cultivation or the scent of spiritual energy gathered naturally.

Zhang Feng had raised two demonic bears, and had also seen rats and crows. In addition, he had spent nearly nineteen years in the forest and had encountered a hundred demonic beasts.

A wealth of experiences, and an ever-deepening understanding of Reiki.

Zhang Feng was able to identify it quickly.

As for what exactly this monster is...

Zhang Feng didn't know, but he would know once he saw it.

It's also a good opportunity to collect unfamiliar auras and enrich one's knowledge.

Thinking.

With a thought, Zhang Feng noticed a spare gray robe appearing in the small cloth bag on his back, which he quickly replaced with his animal hide.

Then trim my hair, which has been growing wildly for nineteen years, and use straw rope as a tie.

The classic image of ancient monks thus emerged.

This way, it won't frighten the villagers over there.

Look how nervous they are.

If someone had hair that reached their buttocks and wore animal skins, coming out of the deep mountains and forests, people would probably think they were a crazy little savage.

rustle-

On the way to them.

Zhang Feng then gathered water droplets from the air and used them as a mirror to check his reflection; it looked alright.

Although he looks ordinary and not as handsome as the character in the undercover story, he has a good temperament and looks like a good person at first glance.

as predicted.

When Zhang Feng emerged from the forest and approached the villagers at the edge of the forest.

They saw a young Taoist priest approaching, but did not make any extreme moves.

But the old man at the head of the group anxiously called out to Zhang Feng, "Young Taoist priest, when you came out of that mountain, did you see a long-legged carp running around?"

'A long-legged fish?' Zhang Feng was taken aback, feeling that this was too bizarre.

Just imagining the carp running wildly is completely out of place with ancient cultivation practices.

"That monster ran south!" Another burly man, seeing that Zhang Feng didn't answer, pointed in the direction Zhang Feng had come from. "Just a quarter of an hour ago, didn't you see it, Taoist priest?"

As he spoke, he looked at Zhang Feng with suspicion.

The others were also looking at them strangely.

Because they suddenly had some doubts, wondering if this Taoist priest might actually be a fish demon in disguise?
Their suspicions stemmed from the fact that demons in this world can indeed transform into humans.

Golden Core demon cultivators can, in a sense, transform into humans.

Zhang Feng had been in seclusion for over a decade, encountering neither other cultivators nor Golden Core demons, and was unaware of these specific details.

Faced with the stares of the villagers, Zhang Feng did not consider this possibility.

Because Zhang Feng's attention was mostly focused on the north, where the demonic energy was very strong.
"Gentlemen, the monster has fled north."

What you see in the south is likely an illusion created by it.

Let's see.

As he spoke, Zhang Feng slightly activated the abundant water elemental energy here, raised his arm slightly, and the water elemental energy dispersed, just like a movie playing in the air, presenting a scene of a fish monster running with long legs.

This utilizes the principle of refraction, as well as some neuronal interference.

It's easy to create a 'realistic illusion' like a 3D projector.

Zhang Feng didn't know exactly what the fish monster looked like, so he designed a normal carp that was two meters long, with two thick legs growing out from the bottom.

This bizarre sight terrified everyone.

"Demon...demon..."

"Even scarier than that monster..."

"The monster is coming..."

Everyone panicked, and the tools in their hands fell to the ground with a clatter.

Zhang Feng was also curious upon seeing this.

Why would someone who is so timid still pursue someone?

But thinking about it carefully, so many people came out carrying things, and then they encountered a fish demon.

Then the fish demon ran away, and they chased after it.

It seems like they're all subconscious.

Fortunately, the fish demon didn't turn back.

Zhang Feng pondered for a moment, then dispersed his spell.

"Don't panic...don't panic...that's the Taoist priest's magic..."

"This young Taoist priest actually knows magic..."

After about two seconds, everyone slowly came to their senses, and combined with Zhang Feng's previous words about "illusion and observation," they realized that the terrifying fish monster was a spell cast by the Taoist priest.

But the illusion was too realistic, and they lived on the border and had never seen a 'Grand Mage' before.

Therefore, they were inevitably afraid when they encountered such strange magic.

But since we live in a world with monsters, we have some resistance in our hearts.

After a brief moment of fear, they turned their pleading gazes to Zhang Feng.

"Taoist Master, please do us justice!"

"A fish demon is causing trouble! Please, Taoist priest, save our village!"

"All my sheep have been eaten by monsters..."

As they spoke, the crowd knelt down, reaching their hands inside their clothes, trying to take out their meager savings.

Zhang Feng used his spiritual energy to hold them back from kneeling, while ignoring them completely.

And during those few minutes of pause...

After observing back and forth, Zhang Feng accurately determined the fish demon's exact location.

It was underground to the north, about fifty meters away; it hadn't gone far.

The demonic aura stretching far to the north is also a smokescreen, meant to deceive cultivators.

It must have been arranged long ago.

It's very smart.

Perhaps they also know some of the rules of spiritual consciousness.

The consciousness of this world is similar to that of oneself.

Zhang Feng had seen the Golden Core techniques in his memory and knew that normal cultivators also had spiritual energy, but they mostly used spiritual energy and spirit to perceive things.

It is impossible to achieve the same 'range of increase' as myself.

But regardless of the circumstances, as long as it is a spiritual entity, there is a possibility of being deceived.

Just like myself.

Although his spiritual sense range was nearly two miles, he could also see two miles underground.

However, the amount of information within two miles was growing explosively, and it was impossible to process it all.

It's like someone standing on the street, looking at a friend across the street.

Theoretically, within the field of vision, one can simultaneously see everything from all the large shops to the medium-sized vehicles on the road, down to the advertising numbers on telephone poles and the dust and ants on the ground.

In reality, if the human brain were to receive all this information in an instant, it would simply crash.

Even if you give an AI a picture and ask it to analyze all the elements instantly, it still can't do it.

There always has to be a process of acceptance and recognition.

In particular, his spiritual awareness was completely beyond the limit; at a glance, all information within a radius of nearly two miles was displayed.

With this processing capacity, it's even more impossible to identify the target instantly without knowing its location.

Zhang Feng was the same, and he had been looking more towards the distant north.

Even if your spiritual sense has enveloped it, you won't be able to see it unless you look closely.

But at this moment.

Zhang Feng is observing it.

'This little fish is quite clever.'

Zhang Feng looked down into the ground, where there was a slender carp about the size of a normal person's forearm.

Its legs are not human legs, but rather very long tail fins.

"Whoosh..." It was hiding in the soil, blowing sand around it with its mouth.

Upon seeing it, amidst the somewhat bewildered gazes of the crowd, Zhang Feng made a grabbing motion with his hand pointing towards the distance.

The next second, the little fish flapped its fins and emerged from the mud.

"It's this one!" The villagers were excited and surprised when they saw the Taoist priest easily capture the fish demon.

They hadn't expected the Taoist priest to have such a high level of cultivation.

Zhang Feng examined the little fish and, finding no malevolent aura or bloodlust on it, addressed the villagers:

"This demon is a spirit demon, not an evil one. Old man, are you sure it swallowed your sheep? And did it harm anyone?"

"In response to the Daoist Master..."

Upon hearing the Taoist priest's question, and seemingly convinced that the demon hadn't committed any evil deeds, the old man stepped forward with some uncertainty.
"When I got up this morning, I saw that the sheep in my pen had indeed been eaten."

We also heard someone shouting at the village entrance that they had spotted a fish demon. It...it didn't harm anyone and ran away when it saw us.

“Since no one was hurt, let’s talk about your sheep.” Zhang Feng asked directly, “Counting from the southwest of the village, where is your house, and which house is it?”

"Due west, the fifth house..." the old man pointed in the direction of the village.

"Hmm." Zhang Feng said, catching the thrashing little fish while glancing towards the fifth house.

There was a crowd of villagers pointing and whispering, still shaken by the sight. And inside the sheepfold was a sheep that had lost half its body.

Its wounds clearly showed signs of tearing, similar to those of a wolf.

"Examine its wounds," Zhang Feng affirmed. "It's a wolf, not a fish."

'The Taoist priest saw something a mile away…'

'Can he see that far?'

Upon hearing Zhang Feng's words, everyone's attention shifted to the fact that Zhang Feng possessed "clairvoyance."

"The wolf is hiding in a haystack behind the village." Based on the aura and the clear coordinates, Zhang Feng quickly located the wolf using the fluctuations in blood energy within his spiritual sense.

This doesn't seem like a little fish demon randomly spewing spiritual energy; it was easy to find.

And within its own unique rules of spiritual consciousness.

Zhang Feng expended a great deal of spiritual energy, drawing a talisman from a distance of one mile, and immobilized the wolf.

"I have captured it."

'What……?'

'This is... more than a mile away...'

Everyone was truly stunned when they heard the Taoist priest's words.

As for the little fish demon, Zhang Feng saw that it couldn't speak and its cultivation level was not high, only at the Foundation Establishment stage. So he used his spiritual sense to warn it and then released it back into the wild.

Spiritual communication is a mental interaction that can transcend species.

However, Zhang Feng was only telling her the general idea, but he himself didn't understand that fish neurons are related to emotions.

"Hoo hoo..." The little fish demon heard Zhang Feng's warning, but kept looking back at Zhang Feng.

In her memory, the only people who were so kind to her were her parents, who had long since passed away.

She was fortunate to have grown up next to a water spirit stone in her childhood, and she also had a high level of spirituality.

Then, by chance, he gained sentience.

Let's go.

Seeing her looking back every few steps, Zhang Feng nudged her with his spiritual energy.

Because she is female.

If a mermaid were to suddenly appear in human form to repay a debt of gratitude in the future, that would be quite a romantic and abstract story.

It's like turning Eastern cultivation into Western fantasy.

Zhang Feng couldn't accept it.

However, this little fish is quite interesting. Every time it travels a certain distance, it activates its magic to gather some spiritual energy and dew to nourish its body.

It has not yet completely escaped the limitations of its species and cannot stay out of water for too long.

But it can also breathe on land.

It can be considered a variant of 'amphibians'.

……

Capture demons and eliminate wolves.

These two small incidents made Zhang Feng a great benefactor in this small village.

A banquet was also held that evening.

And then, during a lively banquet at night.

Some villagers were drinking, while others were singing and dancing around several bonfires in the village.

Zhang Feng ate at the table with the village chief and elders, and planned to continue his travels and see the world after the meal.

However, the meal wasn't finished yet.

The village chief said gratefully, "Taoist priest, there are some cultivation books and some handwritten letters from you in the village. Shall I fetch them for you?"

'A secret technique?'

Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng looked around and realized why these villagers had some insights into cultivation.

Besides being people from the spiritual world, their emotions are also influenced by the transmission of knowledge.

You have to let this go.

……

the next day.

Through some books left behind here, as well as some old bamboo books belonging to cultivators, Zhang Feng discovered that there were quite a few Golden Core cultivators and major sects in this world.

Combined with the fact that the Golden Core was successfully completed as described in the text, it squeezed into the top ten.

Zhang Feng's plans to return to public life were abruptly thwarted.

Given my own strength, I should be able to barely protect myself.

I initially thought flying was very powerful, but now I realize it's not like that at all.

If a Golden Core expert here breaks the sound barrier and I end up running right into their line of fire, that would be idiotic.

Let's play it safe for a while longer.

It's a good opportunity to clear away my inner demons.

We can't put off dealing with our inner demons any longer.

In light of this matter.

Zhang Feng's spiritual sense enveloped the entire mountain village, and he felt that it could be used as a temporary cultivation site.

In particular, conventional cultivation practices in the real world, such as "qi sensation, qi cultivation, and foundation building," should also be established.

There are quite a few people in this village, so it can be used as an example and training opportunity to summarize our experiences in cultivation and teaching.

Following the trend is also a way of learning from their cultivation, a kind of big data practice, which is useful for breaking through to the Golden Core stage.

……

That same day, Zhang Feng also spread the news about teaching people how to cultivate.

The villagers naturally signed up enthusiastically.

This is also how they live off the land; while farming, they occasionally hunt and eat in the forest.

Therefore, having a martial arts skill is very important.

Not to mention, this is 'magic'.

Then, Zhang Feng had no shortage of food.

In order to learn magic, the villagers would bring whatever they had at home.

Besides the food they need for daily life, they would rather empty their entire savings.

Zhang Feng naturally didn't want that much, because the grains and cereals were already difficult to keep up with his needs.

It's currently surviving entirely on spiritual energy.

As for teaching techniques, teaching one person is teaching, and teaching a group is also teaching.

And the more you teach, the better, and the more data you get.

Zhang Feng is now fully embracing the identity of a 'reclusive master,' wanting to live in seclusion in a small village and transform it into a 'Shangri-La.'

Let's experience it for ten or twenty years first.

It's a good time to try and deduce the Golden Elixir.

And regarding that matter.

Through years of regular cultivation, Zhang Feng had almost figured it out.

First of all, this cultivation is about training the body, but not the physical body itself, but rather the 'overall function', which includes the limbs and bones.

Simply put, the central point of its energy cultivation is the 'middle dantian' in the center of the chest.

The book says, "The crimson palace and golden tower below the heart is the middle dantian."

This includes its Golden Elixir Method, which is also within the mind.

Furthermore, since the heart is the 'general power' of the limbs and bones, if the golden elixir is stored here, it can coordinate the operation of the entire body.

This overall planning is their physical training.

To put it in a more mystical way, it's like what the Bodhi Patriarch said in Journey to the West: 'The moon hides the jade rabbit, the sun hides the crow, and the tortoise and snake are intertwined. Intertwined, their life force is strong, and they can even grow a golden lotus in fire.'

This sentence, and this golden elixir.

It symbolizes the back and forth between heaven and earth, which is the meaning of Tai Chi as 'complete and rounded'.

He cultivated the body through the Taoist practice of "internal alchemy".

This body, that is, the robust and rounded nature of life.

Zhang Feng was well-versed in Taoism and Buddhism and was able to roughly deduce this meaning; of course, this was just his personal speculation.

As for what the truth is, or whether it differs from one's own guesses.

Zhang Feng didn't know because he had never stepped into it.

He didn't want to look for other Golden Elixir cultivators either, because it wouldn't be of much use.

After all, I understand the principles myself, but what I'm seeking now is my own golden elixir, not someone else's.

Ultimately, I cultivate all three dantian simultaneously: upper, middle, and lower.

Each dantian has its own method of cultivation, which are completely different systems.

What Zhang Feng wants to do now is to merge the three dantian together to achieve a 'Great Circulation' and 'Great Life Strength'.

In Zhang Feng's opinion, this was simpler than the Three-Part Return to Origin Qi.

Spiritual energy is ultimately of the same origin, and the three dantians operate in parallel.

In Zhang Feng's plan, the lower dantian stores spiritual energy, the middle dantian governs and mobilizes the body's energy, and the upper dantian nourishes the spirit.

Ling Nian is the commander of the three departments.

This in itself is a cultivation of essence, energy, and spirit.

Vitality and spirit are also fundamental to a person; they are all interconnected and indispensable.

Since they are already a unified entity, they can naturally be easily commanded together.

Furthermore, Zhang Feng also wanted to realize the idea of ​​the Three-Part Return to Origin Qi based on this commander.

Because when we zoom out further, spirit is the divine, energy is qi, and internal strength is the essence of the five internal organs.

They are also a unified whole.

In the basic logic of human anatomy.

Zhang Feng felt that the principle of the Three-Part Returning Qi could be deduced through the condensation and conceptualization of the Golden Elixir.

If we cannot deduce this from the opposite perspective, then it's not that 'physical things no longer exist,' but rather that 'biological things no longer exist.'

……

I stayed in the village for a few days.

Zhang Feng was slowly getting used to things, but on the fifth day, an uninvited guest arrived.

It's that little carp.

When she arrived, the nearby villagers were a little scared, but those who had seen her before spoke of the fact that the spirit demon was a good demon.

Similarly, the little carp was also very scared when she saw so many villagers watching her.

But when I think of that very handsome and powerful grandmaster...

She mustered her courage and jogged all the way to the village.

After that, she got lost in the village and didn't know where Zhang Feng lived.

She wanted to ask people for directions, but she couldn't speak or write human characters; otherwise, she could have written on the ground to ask for directions.

Meanwhile, just when she was feeling very confused.

In her weak spiritual sense, she saw a man bathed in warm sunlight walking towards her in the distance.

When she turned around with her fins and saw the Taoist priest she had been searching for, she was mesmerized.

When Zhang Feng saw her, and saw that the rather cute little fish was staring blankly at him, he knew that the scene of his childhood sweetheart chasing him in his earliest master's world was playing out again.

However, in this life, my childhood sweetheart is a fish.

(End of this chapter)