Fellow Daoist Entrusts His Child: Immortality Begins with Nurturing a Demoness

Chapter 8 The Demonic Serpent, Driving Wolves to Devour Tigers

On the other side, in Yanyun City.

Inside the cramped, dilapidated house, the stench of blood filled the nostrils.

Ling Youdao chanted incantations incessantly, his body surrounded by blood energy, which split into more than ten thorny blood lines that clung and writhed like a compass needle, trembling incessantly.

After a long while, Master Ling exhaled a breath of stale air, his face grim as he sighed softly, "Unable to find it. What an exquisite method..."

The blood streaks scattered aimlessly. He tried almost every means possible, pushing his secret techniques to their limits, but still couldn't find any trace of Ling Moxue.

"Although this method is a minor trick in witchcraft, its advantage lies in the high level of skill of the practitioner."

Ling Youdao maintained the operation of the magic technique, pacing back and forth with obvious frustration in his eyes.

Cao Mengde, that scoundrel, deliberately used inferior yellow paper to write his birth date and time. With just a slight fluctuation of spiritual energy, the talisman would disintegrate and destroy itself, leaving no trace.

"This method is just right. Even a demonic cultivator who has been immersed in this path for many years probably doesn't have such a skill."

Ling Youdao frowned, his expression troubled. Ling Qiuyun gently poured a cup of fragrant tea for her father and handed it to him with both hands, her voice soft.

"This person is meticulous and cautious, but he should be a low-level cultivator with no background and extremely lacking in cultivation resources."

Ling Qiuyun pursed her lips slightly, her smile gentle, but her heart was filled with worry.

If Sister Mo Xue falls into the hands of such a demonic cultivator, her chances of survival are slim.

"Qiuyun is right; I lost my composure."

Ling Youdao sipped the spiritual tea, his heart filled with growing apprehension.

As a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, Cao Mengde disdained to study low-level techniques like puppetry and cloud-escaping magic. His cultivation level was at most around the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Even so, this fiend has many tricks up his sleeve and does things meticulously, making him one of the most troublesome types of demonic cultivators.

If it weren't for Qiu Yun's life or death, he would have kept his distance.

Ling Youdao frowned, feeling deeply troubled.

"Father, if things cannot be done..."

"It's alright. Cao Mengde lacks advanced techniques. He can only use the Concealing Breath Pill to hide his true intentions. Sooner or later, he will be exposed."

Ling Youdao gently stroked Ling Qiuyun's back, feeling the girl's delicate body was frail, and sighed deeply.

"But this scoundrel is cunning. Without the advantage of the county government, I am not confident that I can capture him with just the Soul Banner."

Hesitantly, Ling Youdao's pupils contracted slightly, his blood surged through his veins, and the chaotic blood lines simultaneously stood upright, pointing westward like spears.

Outside the window, the night was deep. Ling Youdao immediately broke through the window and leaped out, his hands forming the Spirit Palace hand seal, gazing in the direction indicated by the blood curse.

The sensation was faint and fleeting; he strained to sense it and finally managed to pinpoint his location.

"The Four Mountains? They're hiding here?"

Just as Ling Youdao was about to delve deeper into his perception, the Blood Curse seemed to lose its guidance, becoming chaotic and disintegrating, leaving no trace of its origin.

"What a cunning demonic cultivator."

The roars of beasts echoed like thunder across the Four Mountains.

A light rain was falling, and the cold was biting. Luo Fanchen walked through the muddy forest.

His thin shirt was soaked with rainwater, clinging to his skin in a sticky and cold way. He was panting heavily. Refining and storing the Blood-Gathering Talisman had consumed a lot of his spiritual power, and after traveling a long distance through the night, he was already exhausted both physically and mentally.

"I don't know if it will even work."

After a long time, Luo Fanchen, relying on his experience, climbed to the top of the right peak and sensed the wind direction repeatedly, finally confirming that it was one of the wind gaps in the mountain range.

Without this rain, the bloody aura from the nine Blood-Gathering Talismans, emanating from his true essence and blowing spiritual winds, would have enveloped at least two-thirds of the valley.

Now, all we can hope for is that the legendary serpent is real and has a strong enough sense of smell.

"call--"

Luo Fanchen exhaled a long breath, trying to calm his rapid breathing. Only when his trembling hands gradually calmed down did he release a true essence to isolate the rain curtain, and at the same time take out the prepared spiritual materials from his storage bag.

Nine blood-gathering talismans, a Gu puppet soaked in Ling Moxue's essence blood, three spirit stones, and a two-meter-tall brown bear carcass.

First, he needs to attract the demon snake and make it swallow the Gu puppet whole.

At that time, while actively activating the Gu puppet to provide Ling Youdao with a location, he will also use one enemy to devour another.

Luo Fanchen was somewhat relieved. Snake demons preferred to swallow their food whole, and if it were any other demon beast, the fragile Gu puppet wouldn't have been able to withstand the chewing.

"let's start."

Luo Fanchen bit his fingertip and quickly carved seal characters on the yellow paper using the blood.

The difficulty of the plan lies in attracting the snake demon.

In the cultivation world, although there are soul incenses used to attract beasts, they are very expensive. Even a low-grade first-level one is beyond his means. Fortunately, this demon snake lives in the mortal world and lacks spiritual energy to nourish it.

Using essence blood and spirit stones as bait, supplemented by a small spirit-gathering array, the spirit-gathering array is then used to blow away the bloody smell with a reverse spiritual wind.

This method might attract the snake demon.

The spirit-gathering array he possessed was a downgraded version, extremely inefficient, and consumed a great deal of spirit stones; it was the kind of thing that even early-stage Qi Refining cultivators wouldn't bother with.

"It's done."

After a long while, Luo Fanchen wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, his face slightly pale.

Before them, nine blood-gathering talismans were laid out in a nine-sided shape, corresponding to the nine palaces. The spirit-gathering array was located in the central palace, with three spirit talismans representing Yi (Sun Qi), Bing (Moon Qi), and Ding (Star Qi), and the characters were outlined with true essence.

The essence of the Spirit Gathering Array is to use the art of Qimen Dunjia to reverse the positions of heaven and earth, rotate the four seasons, and apply the principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements to seize and purify the spiritual power of the Five Elements.

The more symbols within the array, the higher the rank. It is said that the main array has seventy-three array symbols, but he only has mastered three.

"I can't bear children, I can't hold wolves."

Luo Fanchen looked pained as he placed the three spirit stones into the central palace; his hands trembled so much his heart bled.

Three spirit stones, how much spirit rice would he have to harvest? He probably wouldn't be able to save up three spirit stones in two years.

Luo Fanchen stood up, gutted the brown bear, cast several spells of true essence to activate the spirit-gathering array, and stuffed it and the Gu puppet into the brown bear's belly. After sewing it up with true essence, he quickly flashed away a hundred meters and hid in the canopy of an old tree.

The Spirit Gathering Array slowly activated, and the spiritual power emitted by the spirit stones mixed with the thick, bloody aura of the Blood Absorption Talisman, transforming into a thin blood mist that spread from the mountain peak to the valley, almost making people nauseous. Its effect was about one-third of that of a low-grade first-tier Beast-Attracting Incense.

Luo Fanchen held his breath and hesitated for a moment before taking out a fragment of a Concealing Breath Pill from his storage bag and swallowing it.

Monsters have a keen sense of smell, especially snake demons, which can sense spiritual energy. To be on the safe side, it's best to use a concealing pill to hide your aura.

Half an hour, an hour.

The rain stung his skin, and Luo Fanchen was pale and nearly exhausted, yet he dared not breathe.

Two hours later, Luo Fanchen swallowed another fragment of the Breath Concealing Pill. His brows were furrowed, and his body was nearing its limit.

It seems that the story of the demon snake is just a rumor. Two hours is enough time for the aura of the Blood-Gathering Talisman to spread throughout most of the valley.

Few low-level demonic beasts can resist the temptation of blood food and spirit stones.

Luo Fanchen sighed inwardly and was about to stretch his body to retrieve the spirit stones when he suddenly heard a rustling and wriggling sound.

Like scales rubbing and colliding, or like metal scratching on glass, Luo Fanchen was slightly startled and immediately remained in a prone position, holding his breath and concentrating.

"Slurp."

A chill ran down his back. The snake's tongue flicked out, and the stench of rotting blood filled Luo Fanchen's nostrils. He felt as if he were being pricked by thorns. The legendary demonic snake had somehow appeared, coiled on a branch less than two meters above his head, its tongue flicking and its eyes greedy and ferocious.

With its body brimming with blood and energy, and its eyes possessing sentience, it must be a demonic serpent that has devoured living people and possesses cultivation.

It was nearly ten meters long and as thick as a bucket. Its body was covered with mottled, peeling scales, showing its old age. Its huge body was covered with dense sword wounds, and some scars almost severed it.

A mid-grade Tier 1 demonic beast?
Luo Fanchen felt a chill run through his limbs and only dared to peek at the snake demon out of the corner of his eye.

The demonic beasts are divided into six ranks and three grades. The first rank is of medium grade, which roughly corresponds to a Qi Refining level 6 cultivator. This snake has little lifespan left and suffers from an old ailment. Its true combat strength should be around Qi Refining level 5. It could kill him with two bites.

This demon is definitely not a creature born in the Four Lines Mountain Range; it must have been severely injured by a cultivator and fled to the mortal realm.

Fortunately, he had swallowed fragments of the Breath Concealing Pill beforehand, and his body was soaked in rainwater. He held his breath and crawled on the ground, which barely allowed him to escape the snake demon's senses.

"Hiss-"

The snake demon had been watching for a long time before cautiously and slowly moving its body. When it passed Luo Fanchen, its giant tail almost swept him down, but fortunately, he escaped unharmed.

It slowly crept along the grass and trees, approaching the brown bear. When it was five meters away, it pounced swiftly like a thunderclap.

In just two breaths, the snake demon had already entangled the brown bear. Just as Luo Fanchen was worried that it would sever the Gu puppet inside the brown bear's body...

Perhaps the snake demon's old ailment had not yet healed, so it did not strangle the bear. After symbolically binding the brown bear, it easily swallowed the bear whole from head to tail with its gaping maw, and in the blink of an eye, it turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared.

A cloud of smoke obscured the serpent's form. Seeing the serpent demon disappear into the distance, Luo Fanchen remained in a prone position, not rising from his seat.

Supernatural powers of demonic beasts?
Luo Fanchen pursed his lips, smelling the foul odor of the smoke. This smoke seemed to help the snake demon conceal its form, clearly a supernatural power it had gained after gaining spiritual insight. Sure enough, a moment later, the demon snake reappeared on the treetop above Luo Fanchen's head. It remained coiled, observing for a long time, before slowly wriggling under the cover of the smoke and disappearing from the mountaintop.

Luo Fanchen's forehead was covered in cold sweat, completely unaware of when the demonic snake returned to the treetop.

He remained prone for another half an hour, and only after the smoke dissipated did he stand up with a sigh of relief and flee swiftly under the cover of the rain.

"Thank goodness. If it weren't for the rain lowering my body temperature, I might have been discovered by the snake demon."

Luo Fanchen's calves trembled slightly to the point of spasm, and his heart pounded wildly.

He cursed Ling Leng inwardly, for he had cultivated diligently for twenty years without incident.

After accepting the entrustment of his orphan, he not only failed to reap any benefits but also offended a demonic cultivator and nearly perished in the jaws of a snake.

Heaven has mercy, he has never fought any other cultivators since he was born.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, I have done everything in my power to fulfill your last wish."

Luo Fanchen sighed softly, his heart still unsettled even as he returned to the cave where he had found refuge.

With his aptitude, even if he followed the rules and cultivated diligently, it would take him at least two hundred years to establish his foundation, let alone form his core—a pipe dream indeed.

He abhorred conflict, but the path of cultivation was inherently fraught with thorns.

If he doesn't fight for it, he'll just be another talent in the demonic cultivator's blood pool.

"call--"

Luo Fanchen took a deep breath to calm himself, composed himself, and strode into the cave. But Ling Moxue was nowhere to be seen. As he hesitated, a gleaming blade pierced his neck from behind.

Luo Fanchen's face remained calm as he easily pinched the tip of the blade with just two fingers, his peripheral vision casually sweeping over Ling Moxue, whose pupils were trembling violently.

The girl maintained her grip on the knife, her small hands trembling so much that she could barely hold the handle.

"I...I didn't know it was you, Mr. Luo. I'm so sorry."

Ling Moxue pursed her lips, staggered back several steps, and collapsed weakly to the ground.

Her small face was filled with fear, her eyes filled with terror, yet she hesitated to let go of the dagger in her hand.

Luo Fanchen remained expressionless. His thumb stung, a small cut had been made on the fingertip, the surface of which was damaged by his true energy and was difficult to heal.

"You successfully took a selfie?"

He was, after all, a cultivator who had mastered all three meridians, and ordinary swords could hardly harm him. Without the aid of true essence, no one could break through his defenses.

In just half a night, he completed the task of refining spiritual power into true essence and put it into use.

"Thanks to Lord Tolo, he succeeded by sheer luck."

Ling Moxue suddenly realized what was happening and quickly threw away the dagger, using both her hands and feet to reach out and hold Luo Fanchen's injured thumb.

Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to suckle ingratiatingly, but she was afraid of soiling Master Luo's sleeves, so she tore off a piece of rag from her clothes to bandage him, even though it was still very dirty.

Poor acting
Luo Fanchen watched Ling Moxue, who was flustered and confused, with amusement. He could tell that the girl's killing intent was genuine.

He secretly thought that the path of education was long, but he did not pursue it further, only silently making a note for Ling Moxue in his little notebook.

"I tried the Qi circulation route taught by Master Luo more than thirty times, and finally I was able to sense a trace of spiritual power and successfully refine the true essence."

After carefully bandaging Luo Fanchen, Ling Moxue timidly stood up and led him to sit by the campfire to warm up, thoughtfully offering to keep watch.

"Master Luo, you can rest for a while. If anything changes, I will wake you up immediately."

Luo Fanchen shook his head and refused, then reached out and placed his hand on the girl's wrist, his true essence probing into her meridians and flowing down her lower lip along the Ren meridian.

Sure enough, the perineum acupoint was opened, and true essence was generated. Several marks left by Ling Youdao in the meridians were also dispersed by the true essence.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a top-grade spiritual root.

"Indeed, she possesses exceptional talent, comparable to the geniuses of prominent families."

Luo Fanchen clicked his tongue in amazement, showering her with praise, his envy making his teeth ache.

Before even sitting in meditation, he was able to circulate his qi more than thirty times?
Back then, after reaching the first level of Qi Refining, he could only manage to perform the exercise thirty times. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his superior-grade spiritual root was terrifying.

"He's far inferior to Master Luo."

Ling Moxue lowered her eyes. For some reason, she felt a little excited after receiving the praise.

She hadn't been recognized by anyone other than Qiu Yun for a long time.

Her shoulders slumped, her almond-shaped eyes glancing at the dagger on the ground, a hint of hesitation flashing in them.

After entering the first level of Qi Refining through sitting and observing, she had successfully eliminated the hidden tricks left by Ling Youdao in her body and obtained cultivation techniques. She believed that she could get rid of Ling Youdao's clutches and embark on the path of cultivation on her own.

Now, the only thing binding her is the blood pact of master and servant she made with Luo Fanchen.

She knew the value of the Heavenly Demon Puppet and that Luo Fanchen must have other plans. She was afraid that after things came to an end, Master Luo would sell her.

After all, Master Luo seems to be living a very frugal life.

"Ugh"

Luo Fanchen seemed oblivious. After a moment of joy, he turned and sighed softly, looking quite troubled.

"Master Luo? Did I... not do a good job?"

Ling Moxue cautiously tucked her toes inward, quietly kicking the dagger behind her back and using her body to block it.

“My cultivation method is of the wood element. It is suitable for spiritual awakening and meditation, but it is not suitable for you to cultivate.”

"Golden Fire Spiritual Root!"

Luo Fanchen paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in worry.

Ling Moxue's talent is even stronger than that of ordinary dual-attribute top-grade spiritual roots. Moreover, she is skilled in combat because metal and fire are associated with killing and destruction.

His longevity technique is incompatible with her personality and is of too low a grade, which may hinder the girl's future cultivation.

A suitable cultivation method for a young girl must at least reach the advanced level of a superior technique.

This level of cultivation technique is only possessed by aristocratic families. It occasionally appears on the black market or in auction houses, and its price will not be less than one hundred spirit stones.

"I'm fine. The longevity technique is excellent. Master Luo guided me into the path."

"I will find a way to deal with the cultivation method. Brother Ling has entrusted you to me, so I will certainly not treat you unfairly."

After Luo Fanchen finished speaking, he swallowed a Qi Gathering Pill, closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply, waiting to recover his true essence before activating the Gu puppet in the demon snake's belly.

"Master Luo wants to find a cultivation technique for me."

Ling Moxue remained silent, staring blankly at Luo Fanchen, who had his eyes closed and seemed unguarded.

Could it be that this Master Luo has traveled all this way to take care of her as she enters the Daoist path, fulfilling his father's promise to entrust her with this important task?

How could that be? Her biological father murdered her mother and abducted her; he was utterly wicked. Her two close friends were no different.

Does he even deserve to make friends with people who keep their word?

"Impossible! The cultivation world is full of deceit and treachery, a dog-eat-dog world. How could there be anyone who would selflessly dedicate themselves?"

Ling Moxue remained silent, her face gloomy, feeling both defensive and yearning for acceptance and recognition.

Luo Fanchen must have something in mind, whether it's her physical body or her spiritual root.

Ling Moxue had endured more than ten years of hardship and no longer trusted anyone. Ling Leng and Ling Youdao were just the tip of the iceberg in the cultivation world, yet they were so vicious. How much more so would Luo Fanchen, whose character and methods were far superior to theirs?

I want my freedom back!

Ling Moxue's almond-shaped eyes welled with struggle as she picked up the dagger that was within reach, her small hands trembling like a leaf.

A murderous intent surged within her, yet she couldn't even grip the knife, unable to bring herself to strike.

Regardless of whether it's true or not, Luo Fanchen is the only person besides Qiu Yun who cares about and agrees with her.

"Humph"

Ling Moxue pouted and snorted softly, her mind inexplicably recalling the day she was paraded through the streets like a sheep by Luo Fanchen, her cheeks flushed with shame.

She tucked the dagger back into her chest, wrapped her arms around her knees, and, as if possessed, quietly moved to Luo Fanchen's side, crouching down in a low crouch.

Master Luo's gentle breathing lingered in her ears, and the faint fragrance of sunlight on the cotton wafted to Ling Moxue's nose.

The girl's slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, as if she could only find a long-lost sense of security by Luo Fanchen's side.

She is not an ungrateful person. If Master Luo truly keeps his word, she will also keep her promise, and after joining the Daoist sect, she will exchange her freedom for Master Luo's foundation building to repay his kindness.

But can she trust Master Luo?

(End of this chapter)