Strange Tales: The Seventy-Two Arts of the Earthly Fiends

Chapter 100 Another book, "Cultivating Qi and Nourishing Nature"

"Never heard of it?"

Ningxu looked up at Song Quyou, half of her body trembling. She remained silent, a very ugly smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"May you have good fortune, my friend. The only thing I can do is pass on this book, 'Cultivating Qi and Nourishing Nature,' to you."

As he spoke, a beam of white light entered Song Quyou's brow, his head throbbed, and he became delirious. A book titled "Cultivating Qi and Nourishing Nature" was then etched into his mind.

This text, "Nourishing Nature Through Breathing," is largely the same as the one given by Mei Yingxue. The difference is that the Kun Yuan Heavy Turbid Qi and the Qian Yuan Clear Yang Qi do not need to be obtained from the Earth Abyss and Kunlun, but are instead slowly inhaled and exhaled from heaven and earth through various methods.

As Song Quyou's throbbing head gradually subsided, he regained consciousness and opened his eyes to find the ruins in front of him suddenly beginning to crumble.

Ningxu's half-body began to turn into ashes from his fingertips, peeling away bit by bit, and was swept into the sky by a wind that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Senior, are you familiar with the places of Diyuan and Kunlun?"

Ningxu frowned deeply. "Diyuan Kunlun, why are you asking about these two places?"

"I once obtained a copy of this book, 'Cultivating Qi and Nourishing Nature,' but compared to the one I had, it lacked the techniques for inhaling and exhaling the heavy and turbid Qi of Kun Yuan and the clear and yang Qi of Qian Yuan."

A friend of mine once inquired and learned that these two energies reside in the Earth Abyss and Kunlun Mountains, respectively.

The constantly crumbling and drifting Ningxu smiled bitterly and sighed:

"Young friend, the way of Heaven is to take from the excess and supplement the deficiency. Although the Kun Yuan Heavy Turbid Qi and the Qian Yuan Pure Yang Qi are the origin of Heaven and Earth, they are scattered among all things in Heaven and Earth. By circulating the mind's method, one can naturally breathe in and draw them into the body."

That abyss was the place where the Immortal Ancestor imprisoned evil beings, and Kunlun was the last pure land of my immortal lineage back then.

Whether it's true or false, young friend, you should consider it for yourselves. Ningxu feels ashamed before future generations, as I am powerless to do so. Take care, young friend.

Heaven and earth vanished, leaving only a white expanse.

……

Song Quyou regained his senses, and the jade slip was still in his hand.

The short, stout shopkeeper, standing to the side, asked with a forced smile, "Mr. Song, do you think what the jade slip says is true or false?"

Song Quyou placed the jade slip back into the wooden box, lightly tracing the broken edge of the jade with his fingertip. Instead of answering the shopkeeper's question, he asked:

"Shopkeeper, you've gone to such lengths to pique my interest; surely it wasn't just to show me the ancient jade slip?"

The short, stout shopkeeper's smile broadened, and he became even more attentive. He closed the wooden box and pushed it towards Song Quyou:

"Mr. Song is a smart man, and the old devil doesn't beat around the bush. This jade slip is just a stepping stone."

"Old Ghost, I would like to ask you, sir, to explore the ruins of that immortal abode for me again."

"Shopkeeper, where is this immortal abode ruin you mentioned?"

A glint flashed in the short, stout shopkeeper's eyes, and his smile deepened, revealing an barely concealed eagerness. He lowered his voice and said:

"That place is deep in the Corpse Village Mountains."

"Corpse Village Mountain?"

"Sir, don't be fooled by my fat appearance. I've been to several dangerous places a hundred years ago."

The Corpse Village Mountain was filled with extremely heavy Yin energy. Ordinary wandering souls would be scattered by the Yin wind if they approached. However, there was a dilapidated immortal mansion hidden in the valley. Most of the restrictions had collapsed, and only a few remnants of the array were still in operation.

The old ghost managed to sneak in back then and obtained this jade slip.

The short, stout shopkeeper patted the wooden box, his tone becoming increasingly eager:

"There are even more treasures inside the Immortal Abode. If you are interested, I, the old ghost, am willing to offer you the map of the route I explored back then, and let you choose one of my collections... I only ask that you bring out one 'Soul Condensing Pill' from inside."

"Old Ghost's soul won't last more than a few years. That pill will allow me to linger a little longer and see my treasures a few more times."

Song Quyou did not respond immediately.

He lowered his eyes, his mind filled with Ningxu's words as his half-body turned to ashes: "Whether it is true or false, young friend, you shall decide for yourself."

If Ningxu's words are true, why did Mei Yingxue specifically designate these two places as locations for gathering Qi in her book "Nourishing Qi and Cultivating Nature"? Was it a misrepresentation by later generations, or was it done intentionally?

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his expression remaining calm:

"Shopkeeper, how far is Corpse Village Mountain from here?"

"It's not far. It's about a hundred li west of the market town, and you can make a round trip in four days."

"In that case, may I first take a look at the shopkeeper's collection?"

Upon hearing this, the short, stout shopkeeper's smile deepened, and he repeatedly said, "Of course, of course, Mr. Song, please follow me."

The short, stout shopkeeper turned around and led Song Quyou through the lobby and deeper into the wooden building.

The wooden building hides a secluded paradise.

Passing through a hidden door in the back hall, stone steps spiraled downwards. Oil lamps on the walls flickered with eerie green flames. At the end of the steps was a dark underground chamber, its entrance blocked by a cloud of black mist. The old ghost reached his hand into the mist, and the mist suddenly expanded, revealing a bright stone chamber.

Song Quyou followed him inside and looked around. The room was filled with bright pearls, which illuminated the dark room as if it were daytime. The stone walls on all four sides were carved into niches, each containing an object.

There are sharp, cold swords, lustrous white jade tablets with intricate carvings, vibrant green gourds, and lacquerware inlaid with jade and gold... Each piece is timeless, as if it were just handed to the craftsman.

Song Quyou's gaze swept over the collection covering the walls, finally settling on a niche in the corner, where an object resembling a tree branch occasionally emitted a wisp of electricity.

Song Quyou reached out and took the branch from the niche. The moment his fingertips touched the branch, a thin arc of electricity crackled and struck his fingertip, causing a slight tingling sensation.

The short, stout shopkeeper hid far away and shouted from afar, "Mr. Song, I advise you to choose something else. This horn, which is of unknown origin, emits lightning that is extremely harmful to the soul. Holding it for a long time will cause your soul to dissipate."

The old ghost was unaware of this at the time; two little ghosts died on the way to bring it back.

Song Quyou didn't loosen the corner wrapped with the electric arc, and examined it closely.

That corner was a deep, dark blue, with liquid flowing within it, like molten lava.

Song Quyou stroked the horn with his fingertips, and the arcs of electricity that crackled carried a sense of vastness, resonating with the Thunder Pill within his body.

"Where did the shopkeeper get this corner?"

The short, stout shopkeeper, still keeping his distance, rubbed his hands together upon hearing this: "I found it a hundred years ago on the edge of a large, lightning-filled pit in the ruins of the Immortal Abode in Corpse Village Mountain."

The lightning bolts bounced, reflecting the deep blue of Song Quyou's eyes.

The short, stout shopkeeper watched from afar, a strange glint in his eyes.

"Sir, you are truly a strange creature, for you are not afraid of lightning."

Song Quyou smiled faintly. Of course, he couldn't say that he wasn't dead or that he wasn't a ghost.

"Shopkeeper, I'll take this corner."

The shopkeeper was taken aback, then his face lit up with joy, and he replied quickly:

"Of course, of course. Since you've taken a liking to it, consider it a gift from Old Ghost. I only hope you can make a trip to Corpse Village Mountain and bring back the Soul-Gathering Pill for Old Ghost."

……

Outside the antique shop, ghostly lights flickered on the street, and a few wandering spirits drifted by.

Song Quyou slowly walked back to Meishan and saw the paper figures running, jumping and chasing each other in the eaves and courtyards.

Pushing open the wooden door, the paper figures all turned their heads in unison. Their thin paper faces, painted with facial features, were expressionless. They stopped playing and lay on the eaves, hiding in corners to watch Song Quyou.

He ignored the paper figures, walked through the courtyard, went straight back inside, and entered the Emerald Pine Heaven.

Song Quyou came to the ancient pine tree and placed the lightning-encircled horn on the table. It was dark blue and crackled with electric arcs.

Song Quyou sat down cross-legged and took out the book "Nourishing Qi and Cultivating Nature" given to him by Mei Yingxue. He compared it with the one transmitted by Ningxu. The two mental methods came from the same source, but they were completely different in their methods of gathering Qi. One required going to a remote place to obtain it, while the other said that it was originally scattered between heaven and earth.

Dispersing his thoughts, Song Quyou's gaze fell on the thunder horn.

The electric arc pulsed, resonating faintly with the Thunder Pill within his body, causing a slight warmth to rise in his Huang Ting area.

Song Quyou activated his thunder magic, and a blue-white thunder dragon rose from his dantian, winding its way out along his meridians. The dragon's body was as thin as a little finger, and it coiled around his arm three times before gently touching the lightning arc on his horn.

boom!……

A muffled thud exploded within the pot.

The thunder horn trembled violently, and the magma flowing within its azure body suddenly boiled, unleashing countless fine arcs of electricity that lashed out like mad snakes, turning the heavens into a deep blue.

Fortunately, nothing in the pot-shaped heaven was of any kind, and it remained undamaged.

The startled lark watched from afar, not daring to approach.

The azure-white thunder dragon let out a low roar, circling the thunder horn. As its body brushed past the tip of the horn, the dark blue arc of electricity suddenly surged, crackling and popping, and the thunderous liquid within the horn churned like boiling water.

As soon as Song Quyou had a thought, the thunder dragon opened its mouth, and the thunderous liquid inside its horn turned into thin lines that disappeared into the thunder dragon's mouth.

In an instant, the entire blue-white thunder dragon became translucent, turning from blue-white to dark blue. Fine arcs of electricity exploded between the dragon's scales, and the dragon's body, which was originally only as thick as a little finger, suddenly became thicker, giving it a sense of vastness and antiquity.

As the lightning subsided, the azure lightning dragon returned to Song Quyou's body, transforming into a lightning core, its body crackling with fine, hair-like azure arcs of electricity.

The section of thunder horn lost its luster, turning grayish, like a burnt-out twig, and with a gust of wind, it turned to ashes and disappeared without a trace.

At this moment, Yun Que walked over, looked at the azure arcs of electricity on Song Quyou's body, and murmured, "This is somewhat like the lightning of Leize."

"Raizer's Thunder?"

"It is a vast swamp, filled with thunderous magma, from which all the thunder in the world originates. However, this thunderous swamp is not on the ground, but deep in the sky, where very few living beings can find it."

How do you know all this?

The lark pouted and raised its head: "I am a celestial bird born of heaven and earth, of course I know these secrets of heaven and earth."

Song Quyou didn't reply, but simply looked down at his palm. There were still lingering, eerie blue arcs of electricity dancing between his fingers, ancient and desolate.

"Skylark, do you know Corpse Village Mountain?"

The lark shook its head and said, "I don't know."

After saying that, he popped a date into his mouth.

The lark chewed on a date, its cheeks bulging, and mumbled, "You go ahead and cultivate. I still need to sculpt my little figures."

Song Quyou closed his eyes and immersed his mind in "Cultivating Qi and Nourishing Nature".

When the mental cultivation method transmitted by Ningxu was activated, there was nothing unusual at first, but gradually, he sensed an extremely fine and subtle wisp of Qi entering his acupoints from between heaven and earth. The Qi was dark in color, sinking, descending, gathering, and hiding, like mercury spilling onto the ground, silently merging into the depths of his soul and hiding in his body without leaving a trace.

This is the Kun Yuan Heavy Turbid Qi scattered between heaven and earth?

……

The ancient pine trees sway gently in the breeze, dappled sunlight falling on Song Quyou's shoulders.

He slowly rose, sensing the heavy, turbid Qi within his body, as solid as a mountain, its power yet to be revealed.

Step out of the pot-shaped world.

In the courtyard, paper figures are lined up, their thin paper heads tilted back to bask in the moonlight.

When Song Quyou came out, the paper figures all turned their heads. One of them, the boldest and most active, floated to his feet and tugged at his trouser leg with its folded paper fingers.

Song Quyou lowered his head. The paper figure had a crooked, smiling face drawn on it, the ink still wet, as if it had just been drawn.

"Did the lark draw this for you?"

The paper figure nodded and pointed to the eaves.

The lark was sitting on the corner of the eaves, swinging its legs, holding a newly cut paper figure in its hand, carefully drawing its facial features with a vermilion pen.

Seeing Song Quyou looking at her, she waved the paper figure in her hand:

"How is it? I did a good job, didn't I? These paper figures are too plain. I'll make them look nicer."

Song Quyou stood under the eaves for a moment, his gaze falling on the group of paper figures in the courtyard.

They've changed their appearance; some have been painted with beards, some have wrinkles drawn on them, and one even has a crooked "king" character written on its forehead, proudly walking back and forth in front of its companions.

……

The next morning.

Song Quyou carried a sword case on his back, slung a long sword over his shoulder, descended Meishan Mountain and headed west towards Corpse Village Mountain.

The road was shrouded in mist, with withered bones scattered along the roadside, and emaciated wild dogs, drooling and with green eyes, greedily staring at Song Quyou.

Following the route map given by the short, stout shopkeeper, Song Quyou strode through the fog for a day and a night, shaking off the wild dogs, and finally arrived at the territory of Corpse Village Mountain.

As its name suggests, the mountain is surrounded by corpses. Some are half-buried in the black soil, their yellowed joints exposed; some lean against the roots of dead trees, their skulls hollow and their eye sockets facing the way they came; and some continue to move in a daze, their muscles and flesh falling away and infested with maggots.

The deeper you go into the mountains, the denser the corpses become.

At first, there were only scattered bones, but later they were piled up in layers by the roadside, old and new, weathered and yellowed.

Song Quyou stopped in front of a mountain of half-rotten corpses.

The postures of these corpses were strange; they weren't scattered like those of people who died naturally, but rather looked as if they had been deliberately piled up and lying there.

Song Quyou flicked his sleeves and made a hand seal. A sudden gust of wind rose behind him, tearing the pile of corpses away and scattering them on the ground, revealing a bare stone wall with large seal characters carved on it, which read "Ningxu Mountain".

Song Quyou's pupils contracted slightly as he stared at the three seal characters on the stone wall, standing there for a long time.

"Is it a coincidence?"

A cold wind howled, pouring out from the mountain crevices, whimpering and sobbing, like countless mouths crying.

Song Quyou withdrew his gaze, followed the directions marked on the map, pushed aside the waist-high withered grass, stepped on the gravel, and walked towards the valley.

Upon reaching the valley, the number of corpses gradually decreased. Instead, the ground was covered with wild grass, broken bricks and tiles, and massive, horizontally broken stone pillars.

Song Quyou walked around the stone pillar, and the ground in front of him suddenly sank down, revealing a huge hand-shaped pit that was over a hundred feet long and wide, with five distinct fingers. In the palm of the pit was a half-collapsed palace, which was the alchemy room marked by the old ghost of the Antique Hall.

In front of the alchemy room was a wide square, paved with large, broken pieces of green jade tiles, from which dark red vines sprouted and emitted a scarlet mist.

Song Quyou arrived at the edge of the giant pit and looked down. The cross-section was steep, about ten zhang high.

He leaped down on the wind, his figure drifting down, and only when he arrived at the bottom of the cliff did he realize that the square was excessively wide, with twelve stone pillars on each side, covered with dark red vines.

"This doesn't seem like the alchemy room at all," Song Quyou muttered to himself.

Stepping on the jade tiles, the shattered jade fragments made a soft, crunching sound underfoot.

Hearing the soft rustling sound, the vines suddenly squeezed out their multi-eyed pupils, all staring at the intruder.