A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity

Chapter 58: Chapter 57: Soul of the Dead

A series of Candlelight Talismans shot out, and in an instant, the forest was as bright as day.

What was once hidden in the forest was now completely exposed in the light.

Amidst the forest floor covered in dead leaves, a white figure stood abruptly. Its body seemed to be made of smoke, its limbs stretched to an exaggerated length, swaying despite the lack of wind.

The white figure approached the caravan, its movements a cross between dancing and tumbling.

It twisted and contorted ceaselessly... its advance resembling the last struggles of a drowning person.

As it moved, dead leaves began to float up and swirl around it.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...

In a moment, they had formed a tornado.

”It’s a Soul of the Dead!” someone shrieked.

Perhaps they were so terrified that the very pitch of their voice changed.

Lü Zhong had heard of the origin of the Soul of the Dead. They were said to be formed from the powerful Divine Soul of a deceased person. The swirling leaves were, in fact, a physical manifestation of Divine Sense interfering with the material world.

To form a Soul of the Dead required the Divine Soul of a cultivator at least as strong as the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Its appearance usually signified the fall of a High-level cultivator.

Seeing the Soul of the Dead draw ever closer, Steward Wang’s expression grew more solemn. He formed a hand seal and activated the Magic Ring on his hand. A milky-white Spiritual Light flared, and the ring shot forward from his grasp.

As he made his move, the other cultivators in the caravan attacked as well.

Lü Zhong was no exception. After forming a hand seal and Chanting for a moment, he unleashed a Qingyang Fire Rain Technique.

For a moment, the forest clearing was illuminated by Spiritual Light.

The Soul of the Dead seemed oblivious. It continued to twist and writhe, unswervingly approaching the group. The incoming attacks were all blocked by the swirling leaves around it; not a single one could land.

”Fall back! Don’t let the Soul of the Dead get within ten zhang, or it’ll suck out your Divine Soul!” Steward Wang warned, slowly backing away. He didn’t forget to channel his Magical Artifact, continuing to attack the white figure.

At this moment, Lü Zhong also brought out his Green Frost Sword.

He continuously formed Sword Mantras with his hands. A cyan sword-shadow flew up and down around the Soul of the Dead, trying to find a weak point to bypass the attacking leaves.

Unfortunately, its defense had no blind spots.

Just then, a voice came from beside him.

”Talisman Master Lü, the Soul of the Dead is protected by Foundation Establishment Gang Qi. We Qi Refining Cultivators can’t break through it.” It was Steward Wang, who had appeared beside Lü Zhong at some point, offering the reminder.

Gazing at the Soul of the Dead as it drew ever nearer to the caravan, Steward Wang’s eye twitched. He looked at Lü Zhong with urgency. ”To repel this evil creature, our only option now is to use Evil Exorcism Talismans. How many do you have? I’m willing to pay double the market price to buy every single one!”

Lü Zhong almost said it wasn’t necessary, but the thought of the Spirit Stones he could earn made him swallow his words.

There was no helping it; he couldn’t afford to be so generous.

He immediately swept his hand over his Storage Bag, producing a dozen Evil Exorcism Talismans.

Not only that, but he also reached into his robes and pulled out another dozen Evil Exorcism Talismans.

Both dozens of Evil Exorcism Talismans were made from Talisman Paper, making them high-quality talismans worth Two Spirit Stones each on the market. If he went by Steward Wang’s promise, then these two dozen talismans were worth a total of ninety-six Spirit Stones.

Seeing Lü Zhong produce only two dozen Evil Exorcism Talismans, Steward Wang frowned, seemingly displeased by the quantity. But when he saw they were all of the high-quality variety, his frown vanished, replaced by a look of sheer delight.

The next moment.

A rain of Evil Exorcism Talismans shot out. Among them were not only Lü Zhong’s twenty-four high-quality talismans but also a similar number of ordinary ones, all converging on the Soul of the Dead.

The forest suddenly lit up.

A dazzling golden light erupted, and a wave of searing heat washed over them.

Countless illusory golden rays burst out with the Soul of the Dead at their center. A wail could be heard from within, accompanied by a mad surge of black qi, which then clashed with the Yang Qi, causing explosions.

As if it now understood the caravan’s strength, it let out a sharp shriek and retreated like a receding tide.

With the crisis averted, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

...

At dusk, the caravan arrived ahead of schedule at a campsite beside the forest.

Unlike the lively atmosphere when they set out that morning, the mood in the camp was now somber.

Lü Zhong had just settled in and was about to start a fire to cook a meal when he heard footsteps approaching. It was Steward Wang from the caravan, carrying a small bag.

”We truly have Talisman Master Lü to thank for what happened earlier. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable!” Steward Wang said, holding out the bag. He added sincerely, ”This is the money for the talismans, plus a little something extra as a token of my appreciation. Please accept it.”

”You’re too kind, Steward Wang!” Although Lü Zhong spoke polite words, he accepted the bag with a natural expression, weighed it slightly in his hand, and then put it in his Storage Bag.

He didn’t need to open it to look. Just by weighing the bag, he could tell the number of Spirit Stones.

As expected, it should be around one hundred and ten.

After the two exchanged some more pleasantries, Steward Wang made his excuses and left.

By now, the meal Lü Zhong had been cooking was ready: Pork and Cyan Rice Spirit Rice.

Demon Beast meat was rich in Demon Qi. It was not only greatly beneficial for recovering stamina and alleviating fatigue, but it also gradually strengthened the body.

After the meal, he felt completely refreshed.

So as not to waste the Spiritual Qi he had just consumed, Lü Zhong began his daily routine of meditative cultivation.

The benefits of switching to the Four Spirits Technique were still gradually revealing themselves.

After some time, his Spiritual Power, which possessed a purifying characteristic, had finally begun to show some signs of its effect.

He could clearly feel his aura becoming more and more stable, no longer as erratic as before. As a result, his entire disposition had also become more reserved.

As his Spiritual Power became purer, the effects of the Magic Skills he cast were strengthening in tandem.

For instance, when Lü Zhong used the Qi Observation Skill now, his field of vision would become much clearer, allowing him to see the flow of Spiritual Qi from a greater distance.

When applied to the Qingyang Fire Rain Technique, it probably translated to an increase in the power of its Fireball Bullets.

In short, Spiritual Power with special characteristics had many benefits.

...

Another night passed in a state of half-sleep.

After a headcount, the entire caravan set off once more.

The morning’s journey was surprisingly easy. They followed a wide road that wound along a mountain ridge. A cool, moist breeze blew constantly from one side of the ridge to the other, perfectly offsetting the brutal heat of the scorching sun.

There were also many berries growing along the roadside. They were sweet and sour, and eating just two or three was enough to quench one’s thirst.

Unfortunately, after noon, the caravan reached a high-altitude marsh.

The strength of the brutish oxen alone was not enough to pull the large carts through the marsh; human assistance was needed to help pull them.

By the time they had crossed the marsh, everyone was covered in mud.

Lü Zhong took the opportunity to hawk his Cleaning Talismans. Even though he had doubled the price, he still sold a batch.

And just like that, another small sum was added to his income.

’Every little bit counts,’ Lü Zhong thought to himself as he counted the money from the talismans. ’Once we get to Yanling Mountain Market, there will be plenty of places to spend money. If there’s a chance to earn some on the way, I should naturally make as much as I can.’