Chapter 840: The Great Completion of the Art of Domestication
Qin Mu's cultivation was nearly depleted, so he had to stop using teleportation divine abilities and let Dragon Qilin and Water Qilin carry them as they traveled at full speed.
Blind grunted through clenched teeth, enduring the pain. "The Earth Dragon is still chasing us, and it's fast."
The tree roots inside his body were still writhing, though not as actively as before, and their strength had greatly diminished. Clearly, being too far from the main body had caused them to gradually lose their vitality. However, as the Earth Dragon drew closer, the roots' power and activity were steadily increasing again. Soon, Blind was wrapped into a wooden cocoon.
Yu Chenzi quickly said, "These roots must be removed, or the Earth Dragon will track us through its connection to them!"
"How do we remove them?" Qin Mu asked.
"The Azure Sky Sect has dealt with the Earth Dragon before, clashing with it several times long ago."
Yu Chenzi took out a medicine bottle containing some powder. "Back when the Earth Dragon attacked Azure Sky, we suffered heavy casualties. The Earth Dragon's attack power is formidable, and its body is impervious to blades and spears, making it hard to cut through and injure its true form. Many of our Azure Sky cultivators had it take root inside them, dying in gruesome ways. Fortunately, we obtained some of the Earth Dragon's limbs, trapped them with formations, and slowly studied how to counter it. This powder can deal with it."
Qin Mu quickly took the bottle, sniffed it, and said, "This isn't a spiritual medicine?"
Yu Chenzi replied, "Most medicinal herbs are plants. Using spiritual medicine on it would only nourish it. The Earth Dragon is formed from the roots of Earth Mother Yuanjun and is immune to all plant-based poisons, so we used metal and stone toxins. While it won't kill it, it can force its roots out of the body. This powder is taken internally, and some should also be sprinkled into the divine storage."
Qin Mu gave the medicine to Blind. Shortly after taking it, the roots began to loosen and detach, pulling out of his body. Qin Mu used his primal qi to control the roots, avoiding contact with his skin, and then tossed them far away.
The roots hit the ground and transformed into root dragons about six to seven feet long, croaking on the earth. Dragon Qilin turned his head and spat out a mouthful of sacred flame, but the root dragons hopped around lively within the fire, completely unfazed by his Qilin sacred flame.
Dragon Qilin was startled and quickly ran off, fleeing the area.
"This powder has some side effects on the human body, easily causing allergies, but after urination and defecation, it will be expelled. So you need to drink plenty of water."
Yu Chenzi said, "The reason I dared to bring Captain Qu He along and planned to let the Earth Dragon swallow him was because I carried this medicine. If the Earth Dragon swallowed me, I would cover myself in this powder. The Earth Dragon would find me unpalatable and expel me. Though it might be a bit dirty, at least I wouldn't die."
"Senior Brother Yu Chenzi, your intelligence is wasted on Azure Sky. I can see that your plan to clear Azure Sky's suspicion is a layered scheme, completely exonerating the sect."
Qin Mu smeared dragon saliva on Blind's wounds, glanced at him, and praised, "The captain of the Divine Captains' camp, at least a seventh-rank celestial official in the Heavenly Court, dying here would inevitably draw strong experts from the Heavenly Court to fight the Earth Dragon. The Earth Dragon would surely die. Captain Qu was a capable man, and the Earth Dragon, a being comparable to the Jade Capital realm, would both fall by your hand. Your talents are trapped in Azure Sky, with no outlet for your ambitions—it will only leave you with lifelong regret."
Yu Chenzi smiled. "I am a cultivator. A cultivator should be devoted to Dao arts. Staying in Azure Sky isn't so bad."
Qin Mu took out a few bottles of fresh dragon saliva, intending to have Blind drink it internally.
Blind shook his head. "I won't drink it. It's your big dog's spit."
Qin Mu quickly said, "It's not spit, it's dragon saliva. Your internal organs were pierced by the Earth Dragon's roots. If you don't drink it, all your wounds will burst open, and you'll bleed out soon."
Dragon Qilin chuckled. "Master Blind, I'm not a big dog. I'm a Dragon Qilin, with the bloodline of both dragon and qilin. Drink up. The Sect Leader just collected it recently—it's fresh."
Blind clamped his mouth shut. Qin Mu grew stern, forced his mouth open, and poured it down the old blind man's throat.
Blind trembled with rage. "You brat! Once I'm better, I'll see who can save you!"
Taking advantage of his speaking, Qin Mu poured in a few more bottles and said to Yu Chenzi, "You don't mean that, do you? People say that cultivators go down the mountain in chaotic times and up the mountain in peaceful times. Going down in chaos is for the peace of the world; going up in peace is to keep worldly distractions from disturbing the Dao heart. Now is a time of chaos—there's a place for your talents."
Yu Chenzi shook his head. "If chaos comes, Azure Sky still has its twenty-four divine nations under its jurisdiction. There's a place for me there."
Qin Mu smiled ambiguously. "What level are those twenty-four divine nations? You know better than I do. When we first met, you said Yan Kang was small and weak, rude and greedy. But it would take those twenty-four divine nations centuries to reach Yan Kang's level. And they'd need an Emperor Yanfeng, a Jiang Baigui, a Qin Mu, countless universities, academies, and schools, and the wisdom of countless people."
Yu Chenzi was silent for a moment, then said, "I am a cultivator. I won't join your Heavenly Sage Church."
Qin Mu laughed heartily, patted his shoulder earnestly, and said, "Fellow Daoist, I'm asking you to go to Yan Kang! You have talent and ability. The Heavenly Sage Church can't contain you, nor does it have a place for your skills. Only Yan Kang has such a platform. If you agree, I'll write a letter of recommendation. Go see the Yan Kang National Teacher—he will surely value you! Think of all you've learned and realized, think of your ambitions! Are you willing to just wait to inherit the Azure Sky Sect leadership, or do you want to carve out your own career and world?"
Yu Chenzi finally made his decision, bowing. "I request the Sect Leader Qin's letter!"
Qin Mu immediately took out paper and brush and wrote a letter.
Yu Chenzi accepted the letter, smiled, and said, "Then I'll go see the Yan Kang National Teacher. If I can impress him with my talent, I won't use your recommendation. If not, I'll present it."
Qin Mu was taken aback.
Yu Chenzi laughed heartily, bid him farewell, and drifted away.
"That Yu Chenzi may be young, but he's a seasoned traveler."
Blind's injuries had mostly healed. He grabbed the Dragon Expansion Divine Spear, grinned, and said, "Boy, it's been a while since we sparred. I don't know how far your cultivation has progressed. Since we're reunited, how about a little match?"
Qin Mu's expression changed.
The sound of explosive divine abilities clashing rang out. Dragon Qilin, Water Qilin, and Imperial Lord Yu looked up to see the two fighting high in the sky, then falling to the ground, then battling across two mountain peaks.
Imperial Lord Yu worried, "Is my brother okay?"
"He's fine. The Sect Leader is used to being beaten."
Dragon Qilin suddenly stood upright, transforming into a robust youth with a qilin head and dragon whiskers. He began cultivating, tempering his body and honing his primordial spirit. The Qilin Pearl and Dragon Pearl orbited around him, radiating light. These two treasures absorbed celestial and earthly spiritual energy, purified and refined it, then nourished his body and spirit.
The two treasures were polished to crystal clarity, containing immense power.
Dragon Qilin's primordial spirit stood atop a surging Heavenly River, breathing clouds and mist. As his spirit breathed, the Qilin Pearl and Dragon Pearl outside his body also breathed, expanding and contracting.
Water Qilin was startled and quickly said, "Brother Pi, when did you take human form? And you've opened the Heavenly River divine storage! When did you do that?"
The qilin-headed youth smirked smugly. "You only see me shamelessly hanging around the Sect Leader, mooching meals, but you don't know how hard I've worked. In Earth Mother's underground palace, I curried favor with the big shots around her—all of them at the Jade Capital or Lingxiao realm. They helped me merge the Ancestral Dragon Supreme Technique with the Qilin clan's techniques. That's when I could already take human form."
Water Qilin was awed.
Dragon Qilin continued, "After I transformed, I consecutively opened various divine storages. As the saying goes, 'A waterside pavilion gets the moonlight first.' By staying close to the Sect Leader, I witnessed him consecutively open twenty-six types of seventh divine storage. Even if I were slow, I could still learn. So I secretly cultivated. By the Heavenly River, while you were shamelessly begging your master for spirit pills, I used the Heavenly River's power to open the Heavenly River divine storage."
Water Qilin was dumbfounded, speechless.
"Do you know why the Sect Leader values me more and more?"
Dragon Qilin continued cultivating as he spoke. "It's because I'm strong enough! Spirit pills aren't just tasty treats for you; they can also be used to win over other strong experts. Look at me—when I met Demon King Lu Zheng, the disciple of Master Zixi, I offered him spirit pills. After eating them, he naturally guided me in cultivation techniques. When I met Niu Sanduo, the disciple of Master Wudou, I also offered him spirit pills and smoked water pipes with him. Of course, he guided me in martial arts. I've also curried favor with Red Kun, the disciple of Master Yuweng, and with Black Tiger God. They've all guided me."
Water Qilin was utterly stunned, prostrating himself in admiration.
"And the experts around the Sect Leader are even more numerous. When the Sect Leader discusses with them, if you just listen carefully and comprehend deeply, you can secretly learn countless incredibly profound divine abilities and techniques."
Dragon Qilin laughed. "For example, when Master Blind taught your master and the Sect Leader formation Dao on the road, you could have learned hundreds of powerful killing formations! Did you learn any?"
Water Qilin shook his head blankly.
Dragon Qilin sighed in frustration, spat out a scroll, and said, "This is a scripture I created. Take it and study it. Don't disgrace our Qilin clan."
Water Qilin hurriedly transformed into human form, his body over ten zhang tall, letting Imperial Lord Yu sit on his shoulder. He held the Art of Domestication and studied it intently, finding every word like a pearl, profound and mysterious.
Imperial Lord Yu peeked at it, but Water Qilin quickly covered it, apologizing, "Master, this is for mounts to cultivate. You can't practice it."
After a while, Blind returned, brimming with satisfaction. Dragon Qilin looked up and saw Qin Mu hanging from the tip of the Dragon Expansion Divine Spear, head drooping, swaying in the wind.
"Ha! Blind Grandpa is still the superior one!" Water Qilin closed the Art of Domestication and praised.
Qin Mu glanced at him weakly and said, "Tonight, we're having a full Qilin feast."
Water Qilin quickly shrank his head, thinking, "This Art of Domestication is unfathomably profound. I haven't mastered it yet, so I'd better not use it for now, or I'll end up patting the horse's hoof."